For a whole generation, the neighbourhood arcade was a special place: the noise of the cabinets, coins lined up on the screen to claim the next game, Street Fighter fights in front of a crowd of friends. Salle des jeux is an attempt to recapture that atmosphere online.
The idea
- Arcade and Neo-Geo classics, playable directly in the browser.
- A credit system, like back then, so every game feels like it counts.
- Two-player online play through NetPlay, to find an opponent even at a distance.
- An interface designed like a real arcade: cabinets, neon lights and a street-corner feel.
Technical challenges
Running arcade games in a browser means taking care of loading times, latency and compatibility between computers and phones. Network play is the trickiest part: both players must see exactly the same game, frame by frame.
A matter of heritage
Beyond gaming, the project is about preservation: keeping alive a popular culture that shaped millions of players in Algeria and elsewhere.
Step inside
The arcade is open here: mataa.me/salle_des_jeux. Pick a cabinet, insert a credit… and may the best player win.
