The Funland @ the Trocadero / London closes its doors...

[DarthNuno]

In very short : the management and the landlord have had some sort of dispute and after the landlord disconnected the power to the facility on July 3rd, the negotiations broke down completely from there. At present, that leaves 95 people unemployed now and who knows what will become of the awesome games the Funland had on hand...



Source and details : Arcade Heroes

 

[level42]

Expect the zillionth shoe-store or clothing boutique there soon...... 

[Muerto]

Old news I´m afraid....  

[2-mad]

What about the machines inside ??
Any news ??

[liquidx]

What about the machines inside ??
Any news ??

Well, they're not in their other arcade: Las Vegas.

I was in there last week and it's depressing. At least they have arcade games you can still play, which is more than most places these days.

[DarthNuno]

I really hope there will be a positive issue... even if there wasn't any classic games since a long time, we use to go there every year, like a tradition, for trying the latest games! I've been there for the first time in 1991 or 92... I remember playing for the first time the brand new R360 and all the first 'virtual' games...is there any hope now? 

[liquidx]

I really hope there will be a positive issue... even if there wasn't any classic games since a long time, we use to go there every year, like a tradition, for trying the latest games! I've been there for the first time in 1991 or 92... I remember playing for the first time the brand new R360 and all the first 'virtual' games...is there any hope now? 

I took a quick look inside the trocadero, it's just cheap shops on a short-term lease selling end-of-stock items (leather jackets, hello kitty merchandise, tourist t-shirts). It's pretty obvious they're clearing the place out to do something else in there and just renting the spaces while they wait for some longer leases to end, you can't even get to the top floors.

The Las Vegas had a couple of recent racers, 2 pinballs and some shooters but certainly nothing from the Trocadero.

There's an other arcade on Tottenham Court Road: Leisure Casino Center.  They have a lot of shooters in the basement and even a couple of classics but nothing worth traveling to London for. All the latest Stern pinballs used to show up there first, when I was there they didn't even have a Rolling Stones let alone a Tron. Hell, even Brussels has Tron on location now.

So, I'd say there's little hope for the trocadero I'm afraid.

On the other hand, if you go to London, head to Forbidden Planet, they have crazy amount of video game merchandise in there these days. From pacman energy drinks to Atari joystick candy.

[caincan]

There's an other arcade on Tottenham Court Road: Leisure Casino Center.  They have a lot of shooters in the basement and even a couple of classics but nothing worth traveling to London for.

it's somehow harsh to read this  ...   to be more precise,   if you come to London,  sure you need visit this.  they have the only  Darius burst chronicles 4 players cab !!  in europe !!   and the underground corner count about 6-7 shooting cabs with various good games from Cave & classics.. (lineup if im' right at hints is actually :  Death smiles, Dodonpachi, Progear, Dodonpachi Dai ou jou,  + Raiden fighters jet, Strikers 1945plus, 48in1)  none other arcade in europe has more to show.   the place and cabs look crap,  but that is stylish too  

[level42]

  and the underground corner count about 6-7 shooting cabs with various good games from Cave & classics.. (lineup if im' right at hints is actually :  Death smiles, Dodonpachi, Progear, Dodonpachi Dai ou jou,  + Raiden fighters jet, Strikers 1945plus, 48in1)  

Mmmm, yeah....so where are the classics you mention ? I sure don't see them in that list !

[caincan]

48in1 resumes it ...    not so many arcades even think about a 48/60in1 nowadays...

[zapposh]

Aaaah, the Funland.
That's where I spent new year's eve 1999, and in fact it was not that fun. I remember the bouncer not letting me in the toilets because they were closing them at midnight.
The thing is it was 11h45... so we had an argument and I spent the rest of the night hunting down toilets through London, which is close to impossible, while everyone else was getting happy on champagne :-)

[2-mad]

I think that I had "pee'd" him at his legs ! ..