First it was legwarmers. Then mullets started popping up. Now, old-school video games. Will the retro madness ever stop? Apparently not, which suits us just fine. With Atari rereleasing its greatest hits, like Pong and Centipede, vintage arcade games are fiery hot–and not just for geeks. We went prowling with quarters in hand to find the coolest joysticks in town.
Tetris
“Doctor Who” fans–all 10 of them–will be disappointed to find that Club Foot’s classic Doctor Who pinball game is no longer in residence. Instead, the pop culture memorabilia bar is relying on the two-player Tetris to keep everyone amused. This ultra-addictive game, which has players align a barrage of digital blocks, was invented by a Russian mathematician and released in 1986. Need another distraction? Try to kill Kenny with repeated pinball head shots on the neighboring South Park pinball machine. 1824 W. Augusta Blvd. 773-489-0379.
Burger Time
Imagine the creator’s pitch for this 1982 game: “All right, so there’s this chef who has to climb a bunch of ladders–are you with me?–to build giant hamburgers! And he’s chased the whole time by–get this–mutant wieners and eggs!” Man, we couldn’t make this stuff up if we tried. Miraculously, someone at video game-maker Data East gave him the nod, which eventually made game protagonist Peter Pepper a retro-arcade icon. However, the most delicious aspect of this game is that it’s served up more than 20 years after its debut at Taco & Burrito Palace. 2441 N. Halsted St. 773-248-0740.
Kiss Pinball
Nostalgic metalheads can take a trip down memory lane at Liar’s Club. Built in 1979, this pinball machine has survived the many highs and lows of rock ‘n’ roll’s most shameless self-promoters, Kiss. You might expect to see a Gene Simmons tongue ramp and other modern effects, but, instead, you’ll find an antique machine with all the old bells and whistles of 25 years ago. Connoisseurs of kitsch and the Kiss Army fan club will undoubtedly appreciate the machine’s vintage artwork. 1655 W. Fullerton Ave. 773-665-1110.
Star Wars Pinball
Be warned: Even a Jedi Knight would have trouble keeping his pinball out of this machine’s tricky gutters. Located in Gingerman Tavern’s backroom, this pinball machine will certainly fire up the libidos of a few “Star Wars” geeks with its great comic book-style artwork, featuring scenes from the original trilogy (you know, the good “Star Wars” movies). However, the pieces de resistance are the model replicas of R2-D2 and the Death Star, which serve as prime pinball targets. Too bad you can’t whip a few balls at George Lucas for messing with his flicks. 3740 N. Clark St. 773-549-2050.
Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga
These colossal time-suckers are collected in one machine, dubbed the Class of 1981 edition, at Wicker Park’s 1056. Dodge ghosts and gobble power pellets as the bow-clad version of the original Pac-Man. Or take a whirl in a spaceship as you shoot down rows of invading aliens. Either way, play too long, and you’ll lose the likelihood of scoring with an actual person that night. 1056 N. Damen Ave. 773-227-4906.
The Simpsons Pinball Party
OK, considering “The Simpsons” TV show debuted in 1989, this isn’t exactly retro, but how could we resist a game that shouts “D’oh!” when we lose a pinball. Plus, Rainbo Club’s game features the original voice recordings of “Simpsons” stars Nancy “Bart” Cartwright and Dan “Homer” Castanella. When you grow sick of pelting pinballs at a toy model of the Comic Book Store Guy, bang your silver sphere through the nuclear power plant or into the head of Homer J. Simpson. 1150 N. Damen Ave. 773-489-5999.
