Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines

The Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines in St. Petersburg offers 40 or so original video arcade games from the 1970's and 80's period which are presented in a Soviet-style arcade of the period. Oddly enough the original impetus for the creartion of this seemingly Western and capitalist form of youth entertainment came from the Cold War-era Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev after his encounter with arcade games in America. However, the games follow the Marxist ideology of the time so high scores are out! Instead, the focus is on hand to eye coordination, rational thinking and reaction speed. Game titles include: Battleship, Towns (based on a traditional Russian village game), Winter Hunting and Air Battle. The arcade also has functioning early 1980's Soviet soda machines which dispense drinks of the period. The Museum is very popular with locals and tourists and it's not unusual to see a generation or two of a family enjoying the arcade together.