Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Rusty Key who is displayed on card number 2111, from the Superstars of 2015 Collection.  Rusty is a huge arcade preservationist, with an enormous collection of rare and arcade games.  By 2014, his arcade collection hit 30 machines, Rusty has made so many new friends with his hobby that really excites him to this day.  His enjoyment of meeting new people and socializing based on the arcade world is uplifting and life changing.   Rusty has over 15 pinball machines as well, starting off with the Valley Spectra IV rotating pinball machine which took a very long time to get running.   

What does it take to be an arcade preservationist? 

Money.  LOL.  And patience and the desire to think in terms of how things worked back with the arcades were king.  This is more than just atmosphere but learning to think in terms of older technology so you can repair games with the methods, tools and parts of the time.   To me, preserving arcade games is preserving them on the original platform not just recoding them to run on a computer.

Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Howard Scott Warshaw who currently is displayed on card number 208, from the Superstars of 2012 Collection.  Howard is a true pioneer in the gaming industry. As one of the original Atari programmers for the Atari 2600, Howard has created such classics as Yars’ Revenge, Raiders of the Lost Ark and E.T.  He also has written three books, with another in progress, in addition to producing and directing documentaries. One of his proudest documentaries is “Once Upon Atari”, which documents the life of working at Atari back in the early 1980’s.  Howard is now a licensed psychotherapist in a private practice specializing in the high stress and anxiety of living in the tech world of Silicon Valley.

Do you prefer arcade or console gaming and why?

Back in the day, I preferred arcade games.  Arcade games to me were just juicier.  I like the variable controller scheme, because you really didn’t have that with home games. Not early on, not with the VCS. As it went on with the more elaborate console games like the PS2, I definitely preferred some of my home games over arcade games because arcade games can’t really afford to give you an ongoing elaborate experience because they have to get you out of there, take your quarter and keep going. Arcades games are about making revenue, home games are about delivering an experience that you pay for once and maximizing the experience.  That is more my style. 

Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Leo Daniels who is displayed on card numbers 24 and 24A from the Superstars of 2011 Collection.  Leo is also featured on card number 2777. Leo is one of the first video game players to receive national recognition in 1981. His claim to fame was his brilliant playing of Asteroids and Robotron.  He was one of the original gamers to play at Twin Galaxies arcade back in the early 80’s. Leo was one of a handful of gamers to be featured in the famous Life Magazine photo shoot in Ottumwa, Iowa in 1982. Leo was also featured in the gaming Documentary “Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade.”

What are your opinions about today’s generation of arcade games?  How do you compare them to older, classic games?

Today’s generation of arcade games have both come a long way and also have dwindled down. You don't see as many true arcade games even in the biggest of arcades, most of the games now are ticket redemption games. The large arcades have the huge multi player arcade games with amazing graphics and VR play. There's nothing like the coin-op arcade classics of the 80's really.

 Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Todd Tuckey who currently is displayed on card number 1712, from the Superstars of 2014 Collection.  Todd is the owner of TNT Amusements, Inc. located in Southampton, PA. Todd started TNT in 1979, and then began home sales from his driveway in 1984, and now 41 years later has become the largest used game showroom in the world.  Selling over 25,000 pinball and arcade machines, Todd is the go-to guy for anything game related.  If you need parts or a full working cabinet, TNT can accommodate.  Todd also has over 1,000 YouTube videos on TNT’s YouTube Channel, where he uses his famous sense of humor to pursue his business/hobby in the industry.  You can always see Todd and his items at the many gaming conventions he attends.

When did your business open and how was the initial response? 

I bought my first machines to put on location in 1979, although I was buying and working on games back to 1975 with my Uncle’s campground for his game room.  The home sales business was literally born in 1984 in my driveway in early August when my partner and I needed capital. We had many games sitting idle in my garage, and I rolled some of them to the end of my driveway with a large FOR SALE sign on them!  And THAT pretty much started our home sales, selling 400 machines from my driveway for the next four months!