Forgotten Gaming- Sega Classics Arcade Collection

Developer- Sega
Platform- Sega CD
Released- 1992, 1994

By late 1992 the Sega Genesis had already been out for three years, and the 16-bit landscape was changing dramatically. Developers had gotten comfortable with the hardware and were able to pump out games with graphics and sound like never before. Earlier releases were almost quaint by comparison but certainly impressive in their time, matching their arcade counterparts almost one-to-one. But just because their presentation was more modest didn’t mean their gameplay was no less compelling, and Sega saw an opportunity to bolster their game library with re-issues of these launch-era games at a budget price under the new label ‘Sega Classic.’ Of course today this sales strategy is nothing new, but it’s easy to forget that in the pre-Internet era, physical games only had a set print run and after a certain time could no longer be found in stores. Anyone who wanted to revisit the Genesis’ earlier releases would have to trade with friends or rely on the dumb luck that a particular store happened not to sell out of their inventory that wasn’t recalled by the vendor to make space for newer titles. Under this new label, these older games would once again find their place on the shelf for fans old and new, repackaged as if to be collected, and Sega would claim more revenue and consumer attention for virtually no effort.

Also by late 1992, the Sega CD was released with high promise and a higher price tag. In order to ease the sticker shock, Sega bundled the add-on with three pieces of software which showed off three of the several areas in which the CD technology would enhance the Sega home experience: video, soundtrack, and storage. For video, Sega included Sherlock Holmes, a series of point-and-click mysteries with copious amounts of video playback. For soundtrack, Sega included Sol-Feace, a sidescrolling space shooter that had previously seen a release on the Genesis as Sol-Deace. Though the game was the same, this edition boasted a completely new, CD-quality soundtrack that was a major step up from the cartridge chiptunes and therefore worth revisiting. 

The game's menu, with five games? More on that later.

The Sega Classics Arcade Collection was the third included disc in the Sega CD’s launch package, and used the storage capability of the disc to include four full games that were part of the aforementioned re-release series. The games chosen were Golden Axe (beat-em-up), The Revenge of Shinobi (action platformer), Streets of Rage (beat-em-up), and Columns (puzzle). Each game is a strong entry and worthy of being called a Sega Classic, even if only Golden Axe and Columns are actually arcade conversions. Revenge of Shinobi is a sequel in the arcade-based Shinobi series, and Streets of Rage harkens to the arcade mentality that dominated the Genesis’ early life, so perhaps that allows them to pass under the ‘arcade’ moniker.

As a CD title, the collection begins with an animated Sega logo—these creative and unique animations are a staple of the Genesis era, but here was the first time it was seen in computer-generated 3D on a video clip. This boots to a simple but efficient game menu, with animated highlights and CD-quality music that sounds downright royal. As for the games themselves, they play exactly as their cartridge counterparts and sound the same… or do they?

Golden Axe- The entire soundtrack has been replaced with that of the original arcade version. This is an odd enhancement, as technically it is CD-quality but the arcade still used synthesized music. The voices have also been re-recorded to CD-quality which is a noticeable and welcome change. The sound effects unfortunately remain loud and bloopy, and threaten to nullify all of the other audio enhancements. Also inexplicably, the game is now 1-player only.
The Revenge of Shinobi- This is 100% the same as the cartridge version.
Streets of Rage- The voices have been re-recorded to CD-quality.
Columns- A brand-new, CD-quality theme has been added to the title screen, which in the original Genesis version had been mute. A hollow gesture, as it is abruptly ended at the press of the start button. Start the game quickly and it cannot be heard at all.

Highlighting these music differences brings up the most disappointing aspect of this collection: Sega proved they could enhance the music of the different games to CD-quality and effectively didn’t. All four games have very strong soundtracks on their own, yes, but who wouldn’t want to hear live renditions of Columns’ distinct themes, or Streets of Rage’s techno masterpieces in full fidelity?

The Sega Classics Arcade Collection was designed to show off the storage capacity of the Sega CD, able to hold multiple cartridge games on one disc, but was also a low-effort way to instill value in the launch package. Even without enhancements, players were still getting four games for free that were otherwise being sold separately for a total value of roughly $80-$100. The point of the collection was not to show-off or draw any additional development away from other projects. Sega really didn’t need to make a particularly strong effort; the draw of the disc was cost savings it represented, and it was never made available for individual sale. Remastering Golden Axe’s music (with the already-made arcade version) was likely a proof-of-concept for Sega, as they were still getting used to their new media development.

This collection could have easily become a springboard for a series of Sega Classic compilation discs, which could have received more budget and development time for remastered audio. Many new-release Genesis titles indeed received this treatment, but the older Sega Classic games remained overlooked.

The CDX is one of the most coveted items of any diehard Sega fan.

As the Sega CD grew its own library and reputation, and the Model 2 version released with a price drop, the Arcade Collection value crutch was no longer needed and was phased out of the hardware bundles. But in 1994, a new challenger approached: the Genesis CDX. This was a radical, all-new redesign that packed a Genesis and Sega CD into a single compact unit. Its price was steep, costing more than the two consoles combined and selling mostly on its looks and perceived coolness. Once again, a no-effort value proposition was needed, and so the Sega Classics Arcade Collection was revived as one of the several pack-in titles for the CDX. But this time, either for additional value or out of Sega’s sheer boredom, a fifth game was added to the collection. Super Monaco GP joined the ranks of its classic cousins with no enhancements, though at least it earns its relevancy as a true former arcade title.

Certainly more in line with Sega's later marketing.

By 1995 the Sega CD had been phasing out, and the Sega Classics line along with it, ultimately being replaced by a Mega Value line of more recent titles with a similar budget price. But some of the Sega Classic games still made one final appearance on store shelves! In later Genesis hardware bundles, and also as a standalone release, Sega released the 6-Pak, a compilation of six Sega Classic games on one cartridge. The box art’s theming was replaced to match Sega’s newer, edgier asthetic, but make no mistake these were the same slew of workhorse games that had done Sega well in their quest to promote high-quality gameplay and value-for-money despite their lack of technical prowess. It’s interesting how over time such a large compilation cart may not have been financially viable, instead relying on CDs for that kind of storage, such a compilation was eventually doable, and they were able to squeeze in a sixth game at that! Super Monaco GP was swapped out for Super Hang-On and subsequently re-re-released in the Mega Value line, and Sonic the Hedgehog was added as the sixth game.

Note the same 'Classics' font was used in the header.

The Classics header was reprised one final time in 1997, well past the Genesis’ practical lifespan, slightly modified as Sonic Classics. It included three games: Sonic 1 (fresh from the 6-Pak), Sonic 2, and Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine. This was the last compilation of Genesis games on their original hardware. 

The Sega CD needed all the help it could get with its value proposition, and the Sega Classics Arcade Collection did exactly what it needed to do. If only Sega had given it more of a push and allocated resources to truly enhance the games to CD standards, a sub-series of legacy re-releases could have bolstered the Sega CD’s library in ways it really needed. Instead, the collection’s monetary value spoke for itself and little more. Despite its missed potential, rather than withering in Sega CD obscurity, the Sega Classics Arcade Collection deserves to be remembered.

Pfizer’s Covid-19 Vaccine: My Experience

**I am not a doctor and the following is not medical advice. All accounts and opinions below are strictly my own as a civilian. Consult with your doctor for any true concerns. Your necessities may vary.**

Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has overtaken the globe in ways unimaginable. We all know this. Throughout 2020 we all watched and waited with baited breath for the hope of a mythical vaccine to manifest and rise up, quashing this pandemic and returning us to a more recognizable life. And here we are now, with vaccines created from multiple companies, yet skepticism has not been higher. Many are simply fearful of the unknown: the potential side-effects and whether their effectiveness is worth the trouble. I’m here to say that I’ve been fully vaccinated with absolutely no regrets, and I will tell you *exactly* what the experience was like. No impersonal list of side-effects, no vague jargon, just truth.

Some patient history first to shape my experience: I am a male in my early 30s, 6’ tall, 140lb. I have no underlying conditions and do not take a daily medication. I am a medical employee for a major healthcare network in New York City, and my department was offered one of the first main batches of the Pfizer vaccine. My vaccine acquisition was simple and completely legit, which makes the messy general rollout even more heartbreaking to me. I received two doses: first on 12/23/20 at 2PM and the second exactly three weeks later (right down to the hour!) on 1/13/21 at 2PM. 

The Injection Itself

I was honestly surprised at how small the vaccine itself was. Don’t quote my specifics but it looked to only be a 1mL syringe with a 30g needle, which translates into ‘really darn small.’ Absolutely nothing like getting general bloodwork done, and smaller than any other shot I’ve ever received. It was probably similar to getting a botox injection as it used the same kind of delivery, only this was one shot in the shoulder rather than multiple shots across the face. The first dose I felt very briefly, but I’m not kidding when I say I didn’t feel the second shot whatsoever. I used to be awful with needles: I was the kid that would run through the pediatrician’s office petrified of the doctor. My tolerance increased significantly with age and maturity, but still the Covid-19 vaccine has been the most painless shot(s) I’ve ever taken.

It’s important to note that both doses of the vaccine are the same exact thing. I was personally mistaken to think the first shot was the protein spikes and the second shot was more ‘lively’ but that is not the case. You cannot get Covid-19 from the vaccine, because there is no coronavirus in the vaccine. It is simply the mRNA (recipe) for the virus’ spikes, which they use to latch onto healthy cells to infect. By giving your body the alert to destroy anything that has these spikes, the coronavirus doesn’t have a chance to cause trouble. The coronavirus will still be around but it will be neutralized, and this is how the pandemic will end.

After the First Dose

If the first dose is like installing a sprinkler system in a building, the second dose is like testing the system to make sure it works. Ergo, the first dose is not designed to really cause any side-effects, it’s just the installation. For the remainder of the first day I had no fever, no body aches, no fatigue. Nothing. On the 24th and 25th however, the injection site was significantly sore. Nothing debilitating but very noticeable, even more than from the flu shot. But by the 26th on it eventually subsided.

After the Second Dose

Oh boy. This is where you hear all the horror stories about the vaccine. The second dose is a full-on test of the sprinkler system, so naturally the effects will be more significant. These effects are basically your autoimmune response at work, so it’s important to remember that. These are not symptoms brought on by Covid. After receiving the second shot the day went on like normal, but that evening I felt the oddest joint pain sensations that I never felt before.

It was almost like my body was ‘testing’ random joints to make sure they could feel pain. For a few minutes, a joint would ache. Then the pain would subside and for a few minutes a different joint would ache. This went on for the evening and into the next day. It was such a strange phenomenon: my left wrist would ache, then the second toe joint on my right foot. Then my right shoulder, followed by my left hip. The ache was tolerable but noticeable, just enough to feel uncomfortable but nothing requiring aspirin or even an ‘ow!’

The following day, 1/14, along with the random joint tests, I overall felt like I got hit by a car. And I say car because it wasn’t as bad as getting hit by a truck. I had a slight fogginess and never fully woke up. However, it was not enough to keep me from going into work (including its grueling 2-hour mass transit commute) and performing my job satisfactorily. I just felt ‘off’ in a way I couldn’t quite describe. I did go to bed earlier than usual that night, which was unlike my night owl tendancies.

Interestingly, injection site soreness returned after the second dose but wasn’t nearly as bad as from the first dose.

Two days after the second shot, 1/15, I woke up feeling 100% with no lingering effects from the previous day. Nothing. It was as if nothing from the previous days had ever happened.

My Additonal Thoughts

It’s very interesting that the vaccine’s effects mimic those of Covid, because it shows that the disease’s symptoms are not brought on by the virus itself, but by the body’s response to it. Hopefully this helps us understand the virus better, as it seems that it’s our immune response that does more damage than the actual virus inflicts.

Despite fever being the most common reported side-effect, I never developed one after either dose. Neat, huh?

After giving the second dose another week to ‘cook,’ Pfizer’s vaccine boasts an immunity rate well into the 90s. No vaccine is ever 100% effective, and the other Covid vaccines follow suit with similar very high rates. This is as good as we could’ve hoped for if not more, so don’t wait for something better to come along. This is it, and anyone who says otherwise simply doesn’t understand the ethos of vaccines, so don’t listen to them, regardless of their credentials if any.

When you get your first dose, do not ignore getting the second. What’s the good of installing a sprinkler system if you never test it?

Anyone that claims they came down with Covid from the vaccine was simply infected organically before the dose was administered. The disease has a latent period of a few days before showing itself and this is just a situation of unfortunate coincidental timing. Nothing more. That is why it is imperative to stay vigilant before receiving your first dose and giving yourself a week or so after your second dose. By then you're as immune as you'll ever be.

There’s a lot of chatter about Covid variants, and the vaccine losing its effectiveness over time. These are not faults of Pfizer but simply a truth about the nature of viruses and vaccines. Many diseases require boosters (tetanus, etc.) and we get the flu shot annually anyway without batting an eye, knowing full well their effectiveness rates fluctuate wildly. Covid will just be another ingredient they add into the cocktail and there’s nothing wrong with that. 

Anyone ‘concerned about what’s being but into their bodies’ never seemed to care before it was trendy to do so and still don’t care about the other unhealthy/toxic substances they eat or use. Yes, ingredient awareness is nice, but attacking vaccines, especially this one which is the key to the resumption of life, is definitely barking up the wrong tree. Where’s all this outrage regarding the unpronounceable ingredients used in shampoos, for example? How do you know you’re not massaging poisons into your scalp? That’s because you (and social media) don’t know and don’t care, because it gives your hair that nice shine. You also trust the companies that make it, regardless of their ratings, and given the global recognition of Pfizer, Moderna and others, they would not put their reputation on the line and intentionally harm users with such a vaccine. What’s in it for them to do that? And if you think they ‘oh well they just don’t know yet what could happen, it’s too early,’ keep in mind they’ve been focus testing for months prior to announcing their vaccine to the world. They knew then, and we were the ones that didn’t. That’s how this all works, and that’s really okay. As they continue to do their part for the good of the world, you continue to do yours whatever that may be. Eventually it all comes together.

Another fact that many seem to overlook is that the vaccine will theoretically protect us from all coronaviruses by its inherent nature. A coronavirus is simply a virus that uses those protein spikes to latch onto its host, and the vaccine is strictly of those spikes alone. This should in theory not only protect us from the ‘novel coronavirus’ (aka this new virus that causes the disease SARS-CoV-2, aka Covid-19) but from other coronaviruses as well, including those that infect us with the common cold. Any virus using spikes is targeted by this vaccine, including basic cold viruses. So yes, there’s a solid chance that by trying to eradicate Covid-19 we stumbled upon the actual cure for the common cold. And honestly, who wouldn’t want a vaccine for that?! Perhaps you’d see a lot less tepidation surrounding this if it were marketed in this way.

If vaccines may have scared you before, they should not anymore. Times have changed, and medicine has changed. Think of all the advancements made in things like cancer treatment, HIV management, medical imaging, joint replacements and so much more… many drugs and therapies have only come around in the past few years and have been accepted by all with open arms. Vaccines have gotten better right along with them, yet many have a problem with them due to vocal minorities making odd and indirect correlations. And by following along with these connections, people feel somehow empowered when really this energy is better spent elsewhere. The truth is that no one is out to get *you* by giving you a bad vaccine.

The Covid-19 vaccine is safe and one of the most effective vaccines ever created. It is a staggering medical triumph and I would do it all again in a heartbeat if I needed to. Any fears you have about it, especially if they’re amplified by self-affirming social media, are unfounded. Get both doses and just take the day off after the second dose, that’s all. Just take a break. You might have a better day after than I did, or maybe a little worse. Or the exact same. By the following day, it’ll be fine. And you’ll be fine. We’ll be back to normal one person at a time.

The Bottom Line

All we wanted a year ago from now was a safe and effective vaccine to this global terror, and that's exactly what we have here today. After the hell that was this past year, now isn’t the time for misguided pride. Or wanting to feel like you think you somehow ‘know better.’ Take solace in the fact that you don’t, and that all we in our little microcosms want to do is go back to a life of recreation and no masks. The Covid-19 vaccine will let us do that. 

If we let it.

Forgotten Gaming- We're Back! A Dinosaur's Tale

Name- We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Tale

Platform- Sega Genesis

Developer- Funcom/Hi-Tech Expressions

Released- 1993

Picture it: Staten Island, 1995. Loving parents bring their son to the local Palmer Video on a Friday afternoon for a weekly tradition: a video rental for them to enjoy later that night, and a game rental for their 5-year-old to enjoy for the weekend. The boy owns a handful of games for his Sega Genesis, but the rentals let him get a taste of the console’s vast library for a fraction of the price. A game catches his eye based on a movie he’s never seen before, and on a whim decides to rent it. He plays the game and enjoys it for what it is. He returns it at the end of the weekend. Some time later he decides to rent it again, and this game inexplicably becomes part of his rotation, despite it having zero redeeming qualities. 25 years later, the game remains a fixture of his nostalgia. That 5-year-old is me, and the game is A Dinosaur’s Tale. Let’s dive in.

A Dinosaur’s Tale is a video game tie-in to the movie We’re Back: A Dinosaur’s Story. If you’re a millennial, (not only does the above story probably sound all too relatable to you, but) this movie might sound familiar but only vaguely. We’re Back was produced by Steven Spielberg’s short-lived animation studio (responsible for such characters as Fievel from An American Tail), and like any animated feature released during the Disney Renaissance, if it wasn’t a Disney movie it was doomed to obscurity. The general consensus toward We’re Back was that it featured a dark and complicated plot that never fully materialized. Though its cast had some star power, its weak original score, characters, and short running time worked against it. It never really gained its fans, nor has it been rediscovered enough nowadays to be considered a hidden gem. How fitting, then, that a mediocre movie received an equally mediocre video game.

Any depiction of New York in the 90s must include the World Trade Center. It's a rule.

A Dinosaur’s Tale is your typical, garden-variety 16-bit platformer. At this point in the Genesis’ life, even the most pedestrian game developer was able to string together a competent game, and this one is no different. At the start of the game you choose to control either Louie or Cecilia, the movie’s protagonists. From what I can tell, the choice is purely cosmetic (even the voice clips don’t change!) aside from a swap of the first and third levels. Main platforming levels are broken up by faux-3D levels where you control one of the several dinosaurs from the movie, but more on those later. The dozen or so levels take very wide liberties from the events of the movie, but still manage to make sense in their own narrative via curiously long text intros before each stage. If you’re one of the few to remember the movie, the game’s iteration of the plot is… inventive.

The platforming levels are simple hop-and-bop affairs. The graphics are average, the gameplay is average, the level design is average… is it clear enough that this game is completely average? The game does try to stand apart a little through the wishbubble mechanic. In-level item pickups are rare throughout the levels, but defeating enemies turns them into ‘wishbubbles’ your character can collect. The pause screen doubles as a simple shop where these bubbles can be spent, and this is where you’ll get most of your pickups. You can buy hit points, a shield, a boomerang weapon, running and high jump shoes, even extra lives. Since wishbubbles can only be collected by defeating enemies, it introduces some very light strategy and risk/reward elements. It might be worth defeating more enemies without buying back lost hit points if it means accruing enough bubbles to buy a boomerang, for example.

The visuals are bright but aren't shy to have a darkness about them.

It’s almost an unwritten rule that 16-bit games must attempt some kind of 3D trickery to show off their programming prowess. Surprisingly, A Dinosaur’s Tale makes a valiant effort. In between most of the standard levels are behind-the-back 3D levels where the main goal is to avoid head-on obstacles. They come in two flavors: flying above a forest, and the much more interesting city blocks. The flying stages give off a weak effect and are very tough to navigate cleanly. But the city stage uses a very unique and smooth shading effect that legitimately comes off 3D. Maybe it’s just me, but few Genesis games have managed to pull off such a effect so well. How dare a game as mediocre as this have segments that look so good?!

The Genesis is notorious for the abrasive sound quality of some of its games, but A Dinosaur’s Tale manages to sidestep this with a warm and mellow soundtrack. Many of the tracks are quite good, with catchy tunes done justice by great instrumentation. Don’t be surprised to find yourself humming a couple of themes for a few days after playing.

The 3D effect is 10x better in motion. Look up a gameplay clip. Do it now.

The graphics and music come together to form a game that has an underlying moodiness to it. Though the colors can be bright and the music is sometimes peppy, in general the game takes on a darker tone with its heavy shading and minor melodies. Perhaps this is why I keep coming back to A Dinosaur’s Tale. Even though it’s a kids game based on a kids movie, there’s the slight edginess to it that’s difficult to explain. Many kids properties from this era shared this quality, which may be why a lot of 80s/90s media holds up for adults today.

A Dinosaur’s Tale is a structurally sound and functional game. It’s got average gameplay, an above-average soundtrack, and a few stages with that 3D city gradient that looks better than it has any right to. If you’re looking for a cartoonish platformer to spend an hour or so with, this game will definitely scratch that itch. Rediscovering games in 16-bit libraries is en vogue today, so if you come across this one, pop it in. You’ve played much better, but you could do much worse. Just be careful it doesn't stick with you for the next 25 years.

TumbleSeed Should be Reworked for Casinos

With traditional casino gambling becoming less and less popular with the millennial generation, the industry has been brainstorming (read: scrambling) for new game ideas, approaches and tactics to rekindle this vital market. One deceptively simple idea has been tested in Atlantic City over the past year: legitimate arcade games that reward cash prizes for displays of skill, not chance. The flagship game, Danger Arena, is a first-person shooter time attack—one minute to kill 10 enemies. At $1 per play for example, scoring 6 kills starts the payout and a perfect score wins $25. (Bonus icons offer a possible grand prize of $1,000.) A max bet of $20 per play ups the wins to $500/$5,000. Theoretically, any player with the appropriate skill could make $50,000 in ten minutes. These games have become a minor hit on the casino floor, but like any arcade, the more games to play the better. Enter TumbleSeed.

TumbleSeed is a video game released in May 2017 for PC/Mac, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. You play as the titular seed and control its movements with a platform beneath it. Using the left and right sticks, the goal is to guide this tumbling seed up a randomized mountain whilst avoiding holes and enemy attacks. Various power-ups are available to help you, but memorization is largely useless as no two runs have the same layout. The game’s physics and momentum are highly realistic and it is very easy to completely lose control of the seed… only to ‘catch’ it at the last moment before it hits a trap.

This is exactly the kind of game casinos need. TumbleSeed is completely reliant on skill and is always beatable, however its randomization guarantees players will never exploit the same strategies to always win. Using the same paytable structure as Danger Arena, for example, payouts can begin by reaching the second zone (of the five total). Clearing the whole mountain can pay the top prize, but collecting a bonus icon can award instant prizes or a multiplier.

The player adjusts the pitch of the light-green line to roll the pink seed out of danger.

Presentation and accessibility are also paramount in this setting. TumbleSeed uses an aesthetic inspired from games like the PlayStation Portable releases LocoRoco and Patapon: flat, round geometrics with bright, solid colors. Those games were staples of the PSP’s library and caught the eyes of gamers of both genders and all ages. These same eyes will be drawn to TumbleSeed; a refreshing change from the reeled displays that dominate the casino floor.

Danger Arena used a modified controller design for its cabinet, no superfluous buttons but enough for an authentic controller feel. TumbleSeed only uses two sticks to control the pitch of the screen-wide platform. Add a single extra button to swap between power-ups and that’s it: a very simple and unassuming control scheme. Those intimidated by the many buttons, triggers and sticks of traditional controllers needn’t be psyched out, and this soft introduction could even help new players graduate to games like Danger Arena.

Danger Arena gameplay. This is a bold step for the gaming industry, and one that I hope expands.

One of the main goals of a casino is to keep patrons playing, and TumbleSeed’s length helps this goal. Most runs will only last a couple of minutes and winning runs can last much longer. Compared to the mere seconds of a slot machine spin, granted the slot will take in more money quicker, but TumbleSeed will keep the player engaged longer. It has the same devilish ‘just one more go’ factor slots have, and all the while the player is enjoying themselves while ordering drinks from the cocktail servers and upping their tier score. With casinos becoming increasingly emptier and geriatric, the focus is now on maintaining the buzz of the atmosphere, and keeping the beautiful people front and center of the action. Where slots like Kitty Glitter and Spin Poker may be losing their appeal, games like TumbleSeed will have better luck.

TumbleSeed’s availability as a ‘regular’ video game would also help its popularity in a casino setting. Hardcore players would play and practice at home, with the hope of translating their skill into cash at the casino. Though it sounds so simple and hackable, any player of TumbleSeed would know that it is not the easiest game to play. As fun and engrossing as it is, sitting down to win the game in consecutive runs is a herculean task. But it is not an impossible one, and any gambler knows better than to expect to hit the jackpot every single time. The player will most likely hit minor wins, lose that many more times, stay on the property for dinner and a few drinks, inevitably play other games and leave overall happy. 

Fun and positivity is the most both parties can hope for, and will likely ever receive along with the occasional windfall. If TumbleSeed catches on and its ilk permeate the casino floor, new loyal customers will be born and the industry will tumble into higher profits.

Trump Taj Mahal: 1990-2016

We all saw this one coming. Once the largest casino in the world, and the top-grossing casino in Atlantic City, the Trump Taj Mahal (affectionately referred to by many as ‘the Taj’) will deal its last hand before this year ends.

Of the dozens of casinos to grace Las Vegas East, none of them have had such a turbulent life as the Taj Mahal. Sure casinos have come and gone (Atlantis, Claridge), changed their names and ownership (Atlantic Club, Golden Nugget), and have either been imploded (Sands) or left to rot (Revel). But the Taj Mahal was dragged in the dirt the longest, kicking and screaming the whole way, and soon its tortuous ride will be over.

Controversy has mired the Taj from the very beginning. It was originally conceived as a complement to the neighboring Resorts Hotel and Casino, but hit roadblocks surrounding construction costs and general ownership. A nasty legal battle ensued, and long story short, Donald Trump stepped in, purchasing Taj from Resorts and finished the job, christening his new property as the Trump Taj Mahal. (An obscure reference found to this day of the casino’s change of hands is found in a sign above the valet entrance, reading: Donald Trump Presents the Taj Mahal.)

'Resorts Taj Mahal' under construction. Note the distinct lack of Trump.

After a lavish grand opening, the Taj Mahal faced some bankruptcy scares behind the scenes, but otherwise projected itself as top dog in Atlantic City. The 90s and early 00s bid well on the Taj Mahal, but Borgata quickly snatched Taj’s crown after opening in 2003, and has proudly worn it ever since. Still, the resort continued to do decently, even adding a second hotel tower in 2006. Come the end of the decade, however, the combination of Trump himself leaving the casino industry and the Great Recession left the Taj’s owners in a challenging position. Trump Entertainment Resorts, the parent company with its connection to Trump in name only, continued to mismanage, lose money, and choose not to re-invest in its three Trump-branded properties in Atlantic City. Trump Marina (née Castle) was sold and renamed to Golden Nugget (now a flourishing resort under its new management), Trump Plaza met a bitter and embarrassing demise in the fall of 2014, and Trump Taj Mahal was actually expected to follow suit later that year, citing a November closing date and then two different December dates.

Ever since its founder’s exit, Trump Entertainment Resorts struggled for years with the local worker’s unions, particularly with Local 54 (aka UNITE HERE!). Now it may be hard for millennials (such as myself) to picture this in today’s job landscape, but even as little as 20 years ago, a position at a major company was designed to set the worker up for life. They would spend 30, 40, even 50 years at this single company (usually in the same exact position), which in return would pay them well, provide adequate insurance benefits, and even <gasp> award you with a pension post-retirement. (Or if the company didn’t do this, they would at least play nice with the worker’s unions that did.) Today in this age of volatile career tracts, Obamacare, and 401(k)s, these job perks are the things of fairy tales, but to a young or even middle-aged worker who landed a job at the hottest new casino in Atlantic City in 1990, these were expected and cherished benefits that would see them through to a retirement in the 2030s. Unfortunately for everyone, these times have definitely changed. With the passing of the Affordable Care Act, a cash-strapped TER decided to slash the benefits of all its employees, whether they had worked there for a few weeks or a few decades. This was understandably the straw that broke the union’s back, and initiated very hostile relations between Taj’s management and the union. Unlike the employees of Trump Plaza who literally had the rug pulled from under them, Taj workers could either accept TER’s new rules (forcing already underpaid workers to accept Obamacare at the expense of their own wallets) or Taj would close as well. 

 

December 2014, days before Taj's intended demise. Not a soul to be seen.

No deal seemed to be made and the casino was gearing up to close just before the Christmas of 2014. They had received the OK to terminate operations from the city and casino commission, and closed one of the hotel towers and prestigious poker room. I decided to book a night on their last Tuesday in operation, and took all the pictures you see from that time. It was depressing and almost pathetic, and I can’t imagine it looking much different than this soon. The resort had essentially run out of money, and all that was left was for the final hands to be dealt, but miraculously in literally the 11th hour… billionaire investor Carl Icahn took on the Taj’s monstrous debt and wealth of issues. The Taj was not going to close! Quite the opposite in fact, with this influx of new money and ownership, the Taj Mahal was going to rise from its ashes!

Oh yeah, this is reassuring.

2015 was an awkward year for the Taj Mahal. A wealth of bad press and mixed messages left the resort in a confused state to the general public: is it open or not? If it isn’t, then why are its lights still on? If it is, why when I type in “Trump Taj Mahal” in Google it finishes the search with “closing”? I thought I saw in the news it was having trouble… Oh but I saw they struck a deal… Wait, Trump is running for president?! …needless to say, nobody was quite sure what was going on, not even the Taj itself. Its occupancy rates and casino earnings were still very disappointing, and the resort itself was still sparsely populated with employees or guests. Local 54 continued to go on its offensive against the management, going so far as projecting “BOYCOTT TAJ” from a spotlight onto the stark white walls of the casino’s parking garage. The Taj Mahal was on life support and nobody seemed to want to be there. The only thing keeping the place from financially collapsing on itself was the ‘donation’ of Icahn’s investment: literally money that fell from the sky.

Then came the burned-out letters.

Summer 2015. The sign has devolved to random slashes.

It’s a bit of an inside joke that the Atlantic City skyline is dominated by casino towers adorned by their property names in bright, red letters. With the exception of Revel, nearly every hotel or casino on the boardwalk proudly proclaims its name the same exact way. “SHOWBOAT.” “BALLYS.” (sic) “C  A  E  S  A  R  S.” “TROPICANA.” The non-casino Atlantic Palace recently updated its signage and intentionally uses blue lettering, self-admitting it wants to stand apart from its peers. The Trump Taj Mahal is absolutely one of those peers, and spells out several “TRUMP”s and “TAJ MAHAL”s in bold red from all four cardinal directions. These signs are essentially red plastic letters backlit by fluorescent tubes, and we all know how fluorescent lights like to buzz and go dim. A good assessment of how a casino in Atlantic City is doing is comically by looking at its signs, as mutilated letters at night show a lack of upkeep and concern. The media had a field day when Trump Plaza closed, as one of its marquees read ashamedly as “_U___ _LAZA.” I once had the misfortune of staying at Bally’s one night with half of its B burned out, effectively reading as “LALLYS.” But these lettering gaffes are swiftly handled, and within a day that B burned bright and majestic (at the expense of the compared dimness of its other letters, but I digress).

The Taj’s letters started to go out that year, one by one, section by section, and apparently Icahn’s money couldn’t quite stretch to bulb maintenance. The Taj Mahal’s already cryptic font choice led to combinations of chiaroscuro that translated to an alien language. “Honey, would you like to stay at the Trump, uh… ToJ M/h^I? Hmm, me either. I wonder if they’re even open, didn’t you read somewhere that…?” And unlike the occasional “SH_WBOAT”s and “LALLYS,” these bulbs remained dead for much longer, if not permanently. It was a darkly humorous yet embarrassing omen for the Taj Mahal as it entered its next year.

2016 started out promising, with Tropicana offering to take it off Icahn’s hands for him. The Tropicana (ironically the southernmost open casino on the boardwalk, Taj is the northernmost) had hit a slump years before, but re-invested and bounced back with a vengeance, and is arguably the most successful and most diverse boardwalk casino in Atlantic City. With Tropicana’s new ownership came the many possibilities of the Taj riding its wave, perhaps merging their loyalty programs, or getting extra revenue to put toward Taj’s upkeep. Casino earnings at the Taj on some months actually rose from the year before, showing promise of a new era. The Taj also started booking more and more high-profile celebrities and venues, and presented itself as a more confident resort than it was the year before. We’re here, we’ve always been open, and we mean business. “Excitement Returns!” There were even signs of possible rebranding, as the Trump name (which TER fought to retain and even paid for when they were already strapped for cash) has been slowly diminishing on official correspondences, and the simple name “TAJ MAHAL” is used in big, branding-type lettering, at a jaunty angle to boot. The first major victory for the unofficially ‘new’ Taj Mahal was the reopening of its poker room. Taj Poker had always had a cult following, even in the resort’s darkest times, so its “Return” earlier this year was much appreciated. Dining “Returned” with the re-opening of the Taj’s signature casino buffet, the Sultan’s Feast. And just mere weeks ago, the Taj was home to a successful Guinness World Record acrobatic attempt, further ushering the “Return” of action and excitement.

What unfortunately didn’t “Return” were the pensions and insurance benefits of its maligned employees.

Local 54 chose to wait in the wings, noticing that the Taj Mahal was setting up for a rebound in services, popularity, and liquid assets. But when it seemed like things from the benefits standpoint were not going to change, the union started an all-out assault. They threatened to strike at five different casinos in Atlantic City starting on July 4, as these benefit dissents were spread all over the town. No doubt going on strike during the city’s busiest weekend would put their discourse in the public eye. On their radar were Tropicana, Caesars, Bally’s, and Harrah’s, just to start. And Taj, oh their old friend the Taj, they had a very special place on their attack list. The first four casinos managed to eke by with compromises that both sides agreed on, and were ultimately spared from the strike. But poor Taj, literally poor Taj, they just couldn’t come to terms, at least not yet. They were too busy trying to have “Guests Return,” “Gamblers Return,” and above all “Maintenance and Fixed Letters Return” than to play the union game. As the fall of 2014 repeated itself, compromising deals were not made and the union started their strike.

To this day, the strike is still ongoing, soon to become one of the longest strikes the city has ever seen. Picketers could be found every hour of the day from July till now, protesting the Taj Mahal and all in charge of it. Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton took advantage of the truly bizarre coincidences and delivered rally speeches in front of the shuttered Trump Plaza, demonizing her opponent whose name is still visible in the labelscars left behind, and also met with strikers up the boardwalk. Ironically the properties prospered the most with Trump actually in control of them, and it’s only because of these subsidiary companies in charge that things deteriorated so badly. Of course, no one will ever realize this, and many of the ones that do will still choose not to believe it.

Credit where it's due: this is a very shrewd choice of backdrop.

As this strike was started to bring about change, today it brought the worst possible kind. Tropicana announced that the strike has bled out the Taj Mahal for the last time, and this now-once-again broke resort will become another boardwalk casualty. Considering this is now the fourth times the Taj Mahal has threatened to close its doors, one can’t help but raise a skeptical eyebrow. Some may almost taunt the Taj, saying “go ahead, do it! I dare you.” But this time it feels definitive. The battered property had been thrown lifelines since before it even opened: first by Trump, then his bankruptcy lawyers (lol), then by Icahn, and finally by Tropicana. The Taj is practically cursed, probably by its very name alone, as the real Taj Mahal in India is essentially a giant tomb. 

How many times do you rehabilitate a drug addict before they eventually relapse yet again? Likewise, how many times do you pump money into a giant resort that has always slipped from its footing? Perhaps it’s finally time to let the Taj die. In many ways it is the symbol of Atlantic City’s pure casino era (1978-2007): excessive, overdone, and ultimately full of hot air. With AC being forced into a more diverse direction, these flaws of the past need to be able to be restarted. The Taj takes up an enormous footprint of beachfront land (and no, it’s not just the footprints of its blanched white elephants), and land like that (not saddled with deed restrictions) could be the base for a wealth of new growth. Imagine the new developments of the Hoboken riverfront transplanted onto the Atlantic City boardwalk, and all the good business and people they would bring. New hope, new money, new ideas, and no struggling with the previous tenants of gold sheathed minarets and burned out red letters. If Atlantic City really wants to change, this changing of the guards is exactly where it will start.

Good bye, Trump Taj Mahal. It’s been fun, and I’ve made many memories (and money) with you. But it’s okay for you to go. Your legacy will usher in a better Atlantic City for us all. You’re showing a 20 but we have 21.

Blackjack.

Off the AC Expressway just after Plaza's closure.