ARCADE

a film by Kurt Vincent and Irene Chin
My first visit to Next Level was originally for work rather than play. I went to help document a 3rd Strike tournament, but ended up being completely entranced by its siren-song of gaming. The venue itself lies just off the D train, tucked away amongst residential houses and small shops. The neighborhood is pleasantly quiet, although compared to Chinatown, pretty much everything seems quiet. I enjoyed a shoulder-check-free walk through the neighborhood and upon entering Next Level I was immediately greeted with sweet, glorious, air-conditioning.  For those unfamiliar, Chinatown Fair did not have air-conditioning, and believe you me, that place got hot in the summer. I was greeted by a helpful staff member (he said his name was Kuma, sick) who explained how the arcade worked, which was great, because I’ve never been to an arcade that worked like Next Level (which is not at all a bad thing). I worked my way through the Arcade Edition machines and sat down next to a guy playing Marvel vs. Capcom 3. I pulled out my trusty Hori stick, and instantly remembered why I love arcades so much: I felt that nervousness that you don’t get playing online, or with your friends.  That pit in your stomach, your heart-rate eclipsing that of a mid-jump skydiver who also happened to be on fire and taped to a bear, feeling the need to beseech the Marvel gods so they might be kind in your upcoming match. The match starts, and I immediately went into autopilot. I started strong, hit my combos, got my DHC’s, and ended up winning pretty decisively. And then, I was totally fine. No more nerves, just Marvel. I ended up putting a 30-winstreak on that station, and had other people challenging me left and right. I played some other games, played some money matches, and before I knew it, just like CF, it was 5 hours later and dark outside. As I left, I was greeted by a familiar sight: people hanging out outside, smoking cigarettes, laughing, and talking about games, just like CF. And walking away, I felt that sting of community, and couldn’t wait to go back, just like CF. -Reed

My first visit to Next Level was originally for work rather than play. I went to help document a 3rd Strike tournament, but ended up being completely entranced by its siren-song of gaming. The venue itself lies just off the D train, tucked away amongst residential houses and small shops. The neighborhood is pleasantly quiet, although compared to Chinatown, pretty much everything seems quiet. I enjoyed a shoulder-check-free walk through the neighborhood and upon entering Next Level I was immediately greeted with sweet, glorious, air-conditioning.  For those unfamiliar, Chinatown Fair did not have air-conditioning, and believe you me, that place got hot in the summer.

I was greeted by a helpful staff member (he said his name was Kuma, sick) who explained how the arcade worked, which was great, because I’ve never been to an arcade that worked like Next Level (which is not at all a bad thing). I worked my way through the Arcade Edition machines and sat down next to a guy playing Marvel vs. Capcom 3. I pulled out my trusty Hori stick, and instantly remembered why I love arcades so much: I felt that nervousness that you don’t get playing online, or with your friends.  That pit in your stomach, your heart-rate eclipsing that of a mid-jump skydiver who also happened to be on fire and taped to a bear, feeling the need to beseech the Marvel gods so they might be kind in your upcoming match. The match starts, and I immediately went into autopilot. I started strong, hit my combos, got my DHC’s, and ended up winning pretty decisively. And then, I was totally fine. No more nerves, just Marvel. I ended up putting a 30-winstreak on that station, and had other people challenging me left and right. I played some other games, played some money matches, and before I knew it, just like CF, it was 5 hours later and dark outside. As I left, I was greeted by a familiar sight: people hanging out outside, smoking cigarettes, laughing, and talking about games, just like CF. And walking away, I felt that sting of community, and couldn’t wait to go back, just like CF.

-Reed

As July passes its midway point, we realize that this once young summer is fading away. Only a month-and-a-half left of blistering heat and nothing but baseball on TV. To a fighting game player, this means only one thing: 3rd Strike: Online Edition is almost here! I, for one, cannot wait to drop 15 bucks to get blown up online by all the 3rd Strike killers who think SSSF IV is for scrubs. But with this upcoming release, it makes you think how well the game has held up over the years; it’s been in arcades since 1999! What is it about fighting and arcade games that allow them to stand the test of time? Their infinite replayability and in-game mechanics are core values that are still implemented in titles of the same genre to this day. They are games that refuse to change for anyone or anything; they stand true to their roots.

Unlike, oh let’s say, Duke Nukem? A game that’s been in production since 1998 really straddles the fence of old and new school shooters. On one side lie health pickups and the fact that the number of weapons in the game and the amount you can carry simultaneously are synonymous. On the other, regenerating health and the widely implemented two weapon carry limit. Duke has always been a subscriber to the former, and in a move that seems to have pleased literally no one; tries to conform to the modernity of shooters in an attempt to stay relevant in the modern game market. Tries and fails. I have yet to hear a single person argue that Duke Nukem Forever is worth its asking price, which is also probably the kindest criticism you’ll hear about it. Seriously, the reviews are absolutely brutal. What is it about 3rd Strike (and fighting and arcade games in general) that allows it to stay relevant today? Meanwhile an icon that was once gamer household name makes an effort to conform to modern standards only to be hated by all. The simple truth is: Fighting games can endure, unlike most (if not all) other genres.

To put it in other words: in 2020 when Street Fighter V comes out (because 10 years is about how long it takes for Capcom to come out with a numbered SF game) fighting games are still going to play very similarly (with slight changes of course), while shooting games are probably going to play in a completely radical fashion, which will only serve to alienate games of the past. By then no one will want to play Black Ops or Halo:Reach, except for people looking to experience nostalgia and reminisce at how a billion dollars used to be a big first day sales number. As a competitive game, it will be completely dead: killed by a fickle and complacent genre. And like the badass horseshoe crab it is, Street Fighter will still be chugging along unscathed. Hell, people will probably still be playing Super Turbo, a game that’s only a few years short of its 20th birthday! So here’s to 3rd Strike, putting just about every other genre on blast and looking good doing it! May the competition be stiff and your continued dominance unrelenting! And please have mercy on all those poor souls who try to mash like it’s SF:IV, they’re in for a world of hurt.

 -Reed