Video game players throughout America are marking their calendar for Saturday, May 18th; the day that hundreds, if not, possibly, thousands of video game players converge on Pasadena,California to participate in a party and big contest organized to "Save the Pak Mann Arcade." And, in recognition of the significance of the event, California-based
game manuafacturer, Hanaho Games, has donated as the contest prize an ArcadePC, which is a full-sized arcade cabinet that runs classic games on a PC computer.
Though the Pak Mann Arcade is famous throughout the United States for its 20-year history of great contests, featuring many of the nation's top video gamers, Pasadena City Hall believe the culture of the city will be upgraded if the arcade closes its doors. But video game players don't agree and are uniting to launch a national campaign to "save" the besieged game room and keep its celebrated doors open. "Its one of the most legendary arcades in America," says Billy Mitchell of Fort Lauderdale, FL, considered by many to be the world's most famous video game player, having achieved the first "perfect" game on Pac-Man in 1999. "I am coming from Florida to the Pak Mann Arcade on May 18th for the big party and contest," Mitchell promises. "I believe we can help the Pak Mann Arcade convince the city fathers that they should not close down the arcade because it is a historic landmark."
Twin Galaxies of Fairfield, Iowa, will be at the party, too. They are the organization that created the International Registry of Historic Video Game & Pinball Arcades, which documents the history of the "golden age" of video game arcades, which covered the years 1979-1985. Twin Galaxies, along with hundreds of video gamers, have banded together via the Internet to try and save the Pak Mann Arcade, one of California's last surviving arcades founded in the early 1980s. And, as potential doom comes nearer, the Pak Man Arcade becomes only the fourth arcade to receive an award from the International Registry of Historic Video Game & Pinball Arcades, for its contributions to the culture of the 20th Century. Players wishing to show their support for the Pak Mann Arcade can send an email of concern to the mayor's office by addressing it to: Ann Erdman, Public Information Officer for the City of Pasadena. Also, please send messages of support directly to the Pak Mann Arcade at savethepakmann@Yahoo.com.
SOURCE:
Twin Galaxies
