Genesis. No, not the 16-bit Console, I'm referring to the beginning.

In the beginning, there was the Pinball Machine: a wooden device, free from electronics, that found its home in 1930's amusement parks like Coney Island. These coin-operated machines captured the delight of gamers, young and old. They were also a source of controversy. Some states labeled the machines "games of chance." They were subsequently banned as fodder for the gambling public. Flash-forward to the 1970s, when America moved passed its gaming xenophobia and witnessed the birth of the Arcade game.

In 1972, Atari planted the seed that would change the world forever. "Pong," the first major coin-operated Arcade game, took over the United States, as two rectangles and a ball (that was actually a square) mystified audiences from state to state. Then came games like Space Invaders, Galaxian, Pac-Man, Centipede and Donkey Kong. The games were so popular that entire storefronts were opened featuring solely these Arcade Games. And, thus the Arcade was born.

The Arcade was the new after-school and social hangout. The games were competitive, but simple enough that anyone could just hop right on and play. Sure, there were home gaming consoles available in the 1970s, but they didn't offer the social fervor of the Arcade. Gone were days of drive-ins and soda shops. Dating meant saving up a few quarters before taking a trip to the Arcade. Movies wishing to show off the teen scene, would always throw in an Arcade setting for authenticity. Just take a look at "Terminator 2." And, let's not forget the infamous "Space Sucker" throw down between Arnold and Willis on "Different Strokes." Home viewers stood right behind Arnold, rooting for him to dethrone his older brother as the video game champ.

But, what happened to the Arcade? If you ask anyone born in the 90s, the word "Arcade" may sound as archaic as Latin. Ironically, the height of competitive Arcade gaming began in the 90s. Fighting games, featuring "real-life graphics," like Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat and Fatal Fury took over the Arcade scene. These titles were filled with endless moves and combos to memorize. Gamers pumped endless rolls of quarters into Arcade games to face off against human opponents. No longer were you allowed to play against an AI-player in peace. Instead, you began looking over your shoulder, praying that a human gamer wouldn't jump on the 2nd player control stick and steal your thunder... and your quarter. The Arcade was no longer the home of the casual gamer, but instead the hardcore gamer reigned supreme. The era of casual socializing was over. But, the Arcade lived on.

It was during this same time that 16-Bit Gaming Consoles heralded the slogan "Arcade-like graphics." When Street Fighter II was first announced for the Sega Genesis and SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System), gamers rejoiced, hoping to take the fun of the arcade home. Capcom and other various third party vendors released home versions of the Arcade control stick, hoping to bring the joy of competitive Arcade gaming home. However, the console translation just didn't have the same juice its Arcade forefather. The game's sound was absurdly digitized, frame rate issues prevailed, AI was subpar and the colors didn't seem to match fully with the Arcade.

Even though the console versions did hold up against the Arcade version, several gamers found comfort in the home version. Simple economics had taken over. Why dish out an endless supply of quarters on an ongoing basis, when you can pay one fixed price per game and play as much as you want? Children around the world used this as a viable argument in convincing parents to buy them a home gaming system. Despite any consideration to rising electric bills, superficial economics had prevailed. The next generation had no need to hang out after school to game, they could do it right at home. Yet, the Arcade struggled on.

As Arcade storefronts began to close, Arcade-games still found their home in pizzerias and amusement parks. However, Sony, Sega and Nintendo had an answer to that. The Playstation and Gamecube entered the market, stealing more of the younger gaming audience and raising the stakes on graphics and gameplay in home gaming. But the Arcade moved on. Light Gun Shooters like House of the Dead, helped to bring back a simpler type of gaming. Gamers played as a team, and the controls were simple enough for anyone to "waltz" right in and play - you just had to point and shoot. By this time, a single game cost four quarters. Economics had once again reared its ugly head.

Despite advances in gaming technology, the Arcade continued to edge out the console. That was, until the Sega Dreamcast was introduced. The system may have had a small following, but games like "Marvel Vs. Capcom" proved that the need for Arcade-powered gaming was officially a thing of the past. By the time the Playstation 2 was introduced in 1999, the Arcade was dead. If you wanted to play Arcade-games you either had to be a child on the way to Chuck E. Cheese or an adult going to a gaming-themed bar like Dave & Busters. Adults walking into these storefronts feel as though they are walking into a museum, reliving a lost part of their youth.

Ironically, the end of the physical Arcade brought about a new Genesis: the Online Arcade. Simple web gaming sites like Uproar and Gamesville gave birth to more massive causal gaming sites like Pogo.com, Character Arcade, and PlaySega.com. These newer sites have revitalized the world of social gaming, and put it back in the hands of the casual gamer. The edifice may not be there, but the heart of the Arcade still beats on - online. And, quarter-economics is no longer an issue. You can create a virtual self, message friends and hop on a group gaming activity. Console manufacturers have seen the need for more casual gaming, and have incorporated these styles of games into the Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network. Gamers now do battle across networks instead of in person.

Will the physical Arcade ever experience a rebirth of the way we remember it? Probably not. In the U.S., social scenes "change like the weather." Conversely, Namco Bandai Brand Manager, In Joon Hwang, states, "In Japan the Arcade scene is still strong." Maybe, we have strayed from the path of the traditional Arcade. But, we have replaced it something even larger: the ability to casually game with anyone anywhere. Game on.