Choose Your Battles

Many parents talk about video games being bad for kids, but I built an arcade machine with my son. I loved arcades as a kid, and my dad and I are software developers, so it’s a bit of a legacy. Plus, it’s a good lesson: If you want something, build it!

Of course, it’s also just something fun to do together. Many think video games are isolating, but arcade games invite others to gather and play. It’s a nifty bit of bonding when we help the other player get out of a corner the bad guys have backed them into.

—Joe Hocking

Highland Park, Illinois