Friend of Destructoid -RoG- from i-mockery.com went on a recent Fourth of July adventure that should make any gamer jealous. While journeying through Big Bear in the glorious mountains of Southern California, -RoG- discovered a veritable diamond in the low oxygen rough. Nestled between pine trees and a pack of wild wolves was Super Bear Arcade; frankly, one of the greatest arcades I have ever seen.
You can read all about his adventure here. Trust me, it is totally worth it. The post is funny and full of some absolutely incredible photos. With arcades sadly disappearing each and every day, it is hard to believe this place still exists. Even more astounding is the fact that Super Bear Arcade seems to be thriving in such a remote location.
While some pictures of the arcade made me gasp with nostalgic glee (6-player X-Men!), I have to admit that my favorite thing about the post has to be the lengthy montage of photographs depicting the various prizes you can win. By conquering games like skee ball (the better, older versions sans those annoying 100 point targets in the corners), players can trade tickets for things like a hair scrunchie, The Jungle Book on VHS, or — my personal favorite — a 1 1/2 qt. slow cooker crock pot. What the heck?!
As –RoG- mentions, Super Bear Arcade really should be considered a historical landmark. Mark my word: I will be making the surprisingly short three hour drive up to the mountains to visit this amazing retro paradise very soon (Dtoid L.A. road trip!). Not only do I feel like it is my duty as a gamer … I could also use a good crock pot.
