i never really went into any Arcades in the 90's, but sometime around the late 90's/early 2000's,
i did in fact catch an MVS cab in the wild at my local RED ROBIN's arcade nook. i don't recall how many slots it had,
just that it had one of the METAL SLUG entries running. first time i ever saw any of them in operation,
i was immediately entranced/bewildered by the hectic pacing and constant death screams on the attract demo.
not enough to attempt to hit the parents up for at least one quarter, mind you,
- since my mother had trained me up pretty well back then never to even consider spending money so "foolishly" -
- but the game sure did leave it's memorable mark on my brain all the same.
besides that, there were two other instances i remember of catching a "Big Red" in the wild; at my local WALLY-WORLD,
and at a truck stop when i was on a road trip with my father, then a long-haul trucker for C.R. ENGLAND corp.
interestingly, but hardly surprisingly, both times, probably 5/8 years in chronological separation,
the cabinet in question was running SAM. SPIRITS/SHODOWN II. i recall being most amused indeed by the SNK Engrish in the attract sequence,
i guess i really needed to get out more or something...
Not for years.
