OK so every subculture and or craze develops its own very distinct language. The Surf culture for instance or Snowboarders, Rappers even The Boy Scouts, and Video gaming back in the 80's was no different.

Below are some key terms and words that all true fans will remember with joy. If you have your own phrases and words to add to this glossary then please email us at thebasementarcade@yahoo.co.uk we would love to hear from you and then of course add them to the list below.

arcade
n. OK a no brainer

addict
n. you and me

baiter
n. cunning UFO in Defender, fast moving and usually spelling death

board
n. one of various interchangeable terms used to describe a certain position in a game [STN: level, stage,wave]

credit
n. the currency of arcades, usually 10p, change was usually obtained from change machines 10 credits to the pound

critter
n. de risible aliens in any game that were particularly annoying

defender thumb
n. a condition of the thumb resulting from overuse of the tiny joystick over a sustained period on this game

doubles
n. a two-player game, usu. prefaced by "Wanna play?"

free game
n. a momentous event, usu. sending the lucky recipient into euphoria [Example: "When I found out I got an A on my Maths exam, it was like someone giving me a free game of Defender."

game hog
n. that annoying git who will never give up his place on a game to someone else, usually piles credits up on the cabinet or pre-inserts them, usually wearing glasses and sad trainers

game over
n. what no game addict wants to read or hear, but inevitable on every game. Immortalised in the film Aliens, Game over man! Game over!

just one more go
n. an addict who has lost the plot, often uses this term to justify spending his last credit. Usually resulted in the gamer being penniless and late home for tea and subsequently in trouble with the parents, very rarely led to the High Score being achieved either

jostle your joystick
n. a nasty display of addiction of the worst kind

king
n. Robotron King, King of Pacman, a term for the most accomplished player on a particular game or the man who rules the roost in a particular arcade

level
n. where you are at in a game

life
n. one of various terms used to describe the icon you control on screen

man
n. term used to describe your ship or character on the screen, or how many men you have left at the bottom of the screen

pacman elbow
n. tennis elbow caused by protracted use of the joystick

pick a pet
n. one of my local arcades cunningly disguised as a pet shop, it did not fool parents who knew what really went on there

video-game junkie
n. a video-game addict no longer in control of his or her credit-dispensing "on/off" switch

voulez vous me changé ce-si sous vouplai
n. badly spelt French for 'Can You Give Me Some Change Please'. The only phrase I learnt in France while on holiday so that I could get credits to play the arcade game in the clubhouse

wave
n. relentless attacks of aliens as in Galaxian