I've been thinking a bit about Golden Tee 2008 Live lately, and I think it's only a matter of time before most, if not all, arcade games are online and either directly multiplayer or tournament-based. Once you've tasted the vitality of online games, Golden Tee has proven to be a smash hit, apparently- it's still going strong in bars all over the place, there's a new edition and continuous tournaments for cash. As it happens, they've also branched out into Target Toss Bags, which is an online beanbag-tossing arcade game, as well as Silver Strike Bowling.

I'm kinda so-so about golf personally, and bean bags are cool and all, but Online Arcade Bowling? With that giant trackball and everything? I had no idea this was out there (guess I've been going to the wrong bars!). It is, and apparently it's a hit as well. There's a Silver Strike 2009 coming out toward the end of the month and it's gonna be something; I'll maybe find a unit and give it a proper review when it's released. And maybe I'll enter the tournament, too... I'm a pretty good bowler, so maybe some of that pin-smashing mojo will translate over to trackball form.

HTmarket.com carries a variety of custom arcade cabinets with LCD screens like GT2008, Target Toss, Silver Strike, and a compilation arcade machine called Global Arcade Classics (with such classics as Marble Madness, Joust, Mortal Kombat and my ol' friend Robotron: 2084). These cabinets are built with a unique, stable method, and they use parts which allow the end user to repair the cabinet and replace parts if needed. Probably a good thing if you don't live next door to an amusement device repair shop.