If you played arcade/video games at all in the 80s and 90s, you will have played something by Midway Games. That’s a fact.
Pac-Man (publishers in North America and France), Spy Hunter, NBA Jam, Mortal Kombat, Killer Instinct, Cruis’n World (amongst others) were all Midway. And now we have a documentary to celebrate its life and demise called Insert Coin:
Led by the “godfather of video games” Eugene Jarvis, the company pioneered the concept of live action gaming, kickstarting a new arcade boom and grossing billions of dollars in the process with massive hits like Mortal Kombat and NBA Jam – franchises still popular today.
Through intimate and often hilarious interviews with the people who were there, we witness how a small, tight-knit group of friends deal with next level success and the roller coaster ride that comes with it.
Midway may no longer be with us but its legacy remains intact. Just this year, BoomBaptist released the NBA Jam-inspired Boom Shakalaka to wide acclaim (pun intended).
Buy or rent Insert Coin via Alamo on Demand, Amazon Prime and stream the trailer below.