Episode 025 | July 31, 2026 – That's Not an Arcade

On this episode, D.B. is feeling nostalgic as another month of summer comes to an end. A conversation with someone who once worked in the arcade industry gets him wondering whether he was born just a little too late—and sends him down memory lane to a time when malls were packed, food courts were destinations, and a handful of quarters could keep you entertained for an afternoon. On this episode: A listener struggling with being the sibling everyone depends on when an aging parent needs help. D.B. wonders whether he was born in the wrong era. The job from the golden age of arcades that he wishes he could have had. Why going to the mall used to be an event—even when you didn't have any money. Getting dropped off at the mall for hours with your friends. The glory days of food courts, anchor stores, and mall arcades. Why today's malls feel like a shell of what they once were. And D.B. settles an important debate once and for all: a room full of ticket and prize games is NOT an arcade. From childhood memories and disappearing summers to Pac-Man, Galaga, mall food courts, and the difference between an arcade and a game room, D.B. takes a trip back to a time when hanging out didn't require Wi-Fi—and entertainment sometimes cost just a quarter. So grab your favorite drink, settle in, and spend a little time with D.B. as he wonders whether some things really were better back then. "Don't tell me you went to the arcade at the mall this weekend. I'll say, 'No, you didn't.'" New episodes of The D.B. Nyce Podcast are released every weekday. Listen to every episode of The D.B. Nyce Podcast, D.B. & Sherry, and D.B. & Ted at dbnycepodcast.com.