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Every month, one lucky writer-in will receive a copy of one of our classic retro books from our archives. Good luck everyone!

This photo reminds us that our arcades weren’t all stereotypical neon-lit spaces with colourful carpets.

PHOTO FAN

Hi Retro Gamer, Thank you for the magazine – it’s a monthly treat which I feel brings me closer to the retro community.

I was fascinated to read Nick’s My Retro Life feature on looking at old photos in issue 227 and the accompanying memories shared by readers. It got me reminiscing about my favourite arcade experience and how I wish it was captured for posterity in its prime.

The arcade in question was in the Metro Centre in Gateshead which I visited frequently between 1996 and 2002. It was right next to the car park so you’d have to walk through it to get into the shopping centre and this had such an impact on me as a kid. There were countless arcade classics on display, all competing noisily for attention. Sessions spent on Virtua Tennis, Crazy Taxi and Silent Scope were formative experiences for me which have shaped my passion for games. The thing is, there’s hardly any photo evidence that it ever existed.

Or is there? How about a feature on the arcade memories of your readers where we’re asked to submit photos and brief anecdotes of the experiences of some of our favourite arcade spots from yesteryear? It would be a great way to gather everyone’s random images and preserve these memories within your excellent magazine.