And so Depression v2.0 has claimed another victim near-and-dear to Microkhan’s heart: Midway Games. Sumner Redstone left the company high-and-dry in December, selling his 87 percent stake for a measly $100,000—plus another $70 million in debt.
All the news stories have talked up Midway as the developer of the Mortal Kombat franchise. But the tear in my eye is due to nostalgia for Rampage, one of my all-time favorite arcade classics (right up there with Galaga and the vector-graphic Star Wars). I wasted many a junior-high afternoon at the local bowling alley, guiding Ralph the Giant Werewolf up the skyscrapers of Anywhere, U.S.A. Like yours truly as a pre-teen, Ralph was deeply misunderstood. We also shared a certain awkwardness around the ladies, which we dealt with in very different ways: Ralph grabbed screaming Fay Wray types out of windows, while I opted for a less confrontational approach.
If I had a spare $750 lying around, I’d be sorely tempted to buy this. But all petty cash is currently earmarked for groceries and health insurance. My inner eighth grader is deeply, deeply disappointed.
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