点评:This is at least my third review of Galloping Ghost over the years. My first review was kind of meh, next review was extremely positive, but this review is going back down. Galloping Ghost is the place you want to go if you want to be overwhelmed by the number of arcade video games available to play. If you can think of one that ever existed, there's a darn good chance the Ghost has it. And literally one new one is added every week. At the time I write this review, they're close to having 1000.
Now...that there are so many games there is one of the problems here actually. The building has long ago reached critical mass in terms of room to house them all. If you're trying to walk down an aisle but someone is playing a game, you need to find another way to go because there's no passing room. If you go on a Saturday or during a special event, it will be dangerously overcrowded. When I go to the Ghost, I'm not there for very long because I feel anywhere from claustrophobic to literally unsafe: if a fire or other catastrophe happens, there's not a lot of room to make your way to an exit. I know Doc has been looking into ways to expand the building for years -- and he has, but now the only way to go is up -- but right now, it's just not a good space.
If you bring anything with you, like a jacket or umbrella or whatever, be prepared to hold onto it the entire time you're there -- there are no coat racks or anything.
One thing that really soured my experience was when I went in when COVID restrictions were in effect. State mask requirements were hardly enforced at all (except by one or two staff members who were genuinely concerned about people's safety; sadly, one of said staff members is no longer there) -- especially if, say, you were someone who pays a lot of money for a lifetime membership.
As for everything else, well...$25 admission is a hell of a bargain for all-day access to the overwhelming number of arcade cabinets there (with in-out privileges). Galloping Ghost is easy to get to from I-55 and I-294, and parking is pretty easy to find if the small lot is full. The staff by and large is friendly and welcoming, including Doc.
In sum:
- If you're easily claustrophobic, this is NOT the best place in the world for you to be. But I'd recommend visiting on a Sunday or Monday, when it's not terribly crowded.
- Doc: PLEASE consider clearing some space on the gaming floor, like say, rotating games off the floor now and then until you're able to expand. (And get a coat rack, too!)
- Because so much of arcade gaming history happened in and around Chicago, there's a good chance you'll run into some arcade game heroes, such as Jeff Lee (Q*Bert, Three Stooges), Dr. Phillip Ahn (Mortal Kombat), or Brian Colin (Rampage, Arch Rivals) -- and they're all really nice (and very entertaining!) guys.
- Video cameras are available should you want to record your gameplay.
翻译:这至少是我多年来对《幽灵驰骋》的第三次评论。我的第一次评论有点无聊,下一次评论非常积极,但这次评论又要下降了。如果您想被众多可供玩的街机游戏所淹没,那么《Galloping Ghost》就是您想去的地方。如果你能想到曾经存在过的一个,那么幽灵很有可能拥有它。事实上,每周都会添加一个新的。当我写这篇评论时,他们已经接近 1000 条了。
现在......有这么多游戏,实际上这里存在一个问题。就容纳所有人的空间而言,这座建筑早已达到了临界质量。如果你正试图沿着过道走,但有人正在玩游戏,你需要找到另一条路走,因为没有通行空间。如果你在周六或特殊活动期间去,那里会非常拥挤。当我去幽灵号时,我不会在那里待很长时间,因为我感觉从幽闭恐惧症到真正的不安全:如果发生火灾或其他灾难,没有足够的空间可以让你到达出口。我知道多克多年来一直在寻找扩建大楼的方法——他确实这么做了,但现在唯一的出路就是向上——但现在,这不是一个好的空间。
如果您携带任何东西,例如夹克或雨伞或其他任何东西,请准备好在您在那里的整个过程中握住它 - 没有衣帽架或任何东西。
真正让我的经历变得糟糕的一件事是,当我进去时,正值新冠疫情限制生效。国家佩戴口罩的要求根本没有得到执行(除了一两名真正关心人们安全的工作人员;遗憾的是,其中一名工作人员已经不在了)——特别是如果,比如说,你是一个支付很多钱的人终身会员资格的钱。
至于其他一切,嗯……25 美元的门票对于全天进入那里数量众多的街机柜来说非常划算(有进出特权)。从 I-55 和 I-294 州际公路可轻松抵达 Galloping Ghost,如果小停车场已停满,也很容易找到停车位。总的来说,工作人员友好而热情,包括医生。
总共:
- 如果您很容易患有幽闭恐惧症,那么这不是世界上最适合您的地方。但我建议在周日或周一参观,那时人不是很拥挤。
- 医生:请考虑清理游戏地板上的一些空间,例如,时不时地将游戏轮流离开地板,直到您能够扩展为止。 (还有一个衣帽架!)
- 因为街机游戏的大部分历史都发生在芝加哥及其周边地区,所以您很有可能会遇到一些街机游戏英雄,例如 Jeff Lee(Q*Bert、三个臭皮匠)、Phillip Ahn 博士(Mortal Kombat)、或者布莱恩·科林(Rampage、Arch Rivals)——他们都是非常好的(而且非常有趣!)的人。
- 如果您想记录游戏过程,可以使用摄像机。