Polybius

Polybius: The Game that Never Existed Part 1

(Sarcastically) They say the arcade business was a multi-billion dollar industry.
(Scoffs) Yeah, right. Sure —when pigs fly.

(Mockingly) Whoever wrote that rubber check, bounced it like an Indian rubber ball!

(Frustrated) Arcades all went "down the drain" when Nintendo and Sega Genesis came out.
The roller rink (next store to us) never let me borrow any electricity either when we were in a serious rut, (Ugh) cheap skates!

(Resigned to position) It was "game over" for Coin Opp by 1989!
I had to close my doors.
Sell all my stuff. Thank goodness there were still a few old guys around still willing to pay to get that "old arcade feeling" back, in their basement or "rec room" whatever they wanna call it.
It was the only way that I could move on.
(Amazed)It wasn't until years later that I found this picture, that I started to remember everything.

HOST: (Insightful) So, before we continue — why don't you introduce yourself to everybody listening?
We're so invested in this story that we have forgotten to introduce you. Tell us, What's your name?

VICTOR: (hesitantly) So, my name is Victor Wolf.
I played Polybius a very long time ago and I am sorry if I don't remember everything. But here we go.

(Thoughtfully) Polybius came to the city where I grew up in Portland, Oregon. I was 14 at the time, a freshman in high school. Some people remember it as "Poly-Play" because there were multiple games in this arcade cabinet.
(With certainty) But — the name was *definitely* Polybius.
This arcade game was sort of special!
(Soft laugh) Ironically, unforgettable.
It felt like the graphics would bleed into your brain.
& You couldn't get it out of your mind.
You couldn't sleep.
You would see subliminal messages and it quickly turned into an addiction.
(Voice getting louder and amazed) Fights would break out over playing it.

(Mesmerized voice a little quieter, awe struck) It was hypnotic & it was fun (at first), but I must say—things got scary because the consequences from playing it are out of this world. It changed my life forever.
It even changed who I am today.

HOST: (brightly) Wow, that's intense. I can only imagine what you must've went through. We're so glad to have you here today to share your story with us. Welcome to the Shivers Anthology Podcast. We're looking forward to hearing all about your experience with Polybius: The Arcade Game that Never Existed. We have been searching for many years for *someone* who has had true-life experiences with this mysterious game.
There is not much evidence or real accounts of it's existence, so we appreciate you coming in today.
Thank you. So, when did this all begin?
Take us back in time.

VICTOR: (Thoughtfully) Well, It was an October night in 1981.
Polybius came as fast it went.
Arcades were the most fun place to go to because you could get away with anything and never get in any trouble for it.
If you wanted to play the cool computer games, you had to get off your butt, leave home, and go to a place like "Coin Opp." (Laughing a little)

Arcades were so trendy back then.
(Voice going up in pitch and cracking like a teen) And If you wanted to be popular, then you just had to be good at them.
(Categorically) But the only way to prove that —was to be on top of the leaderboards!

(Excitedly) You had to climb your way to the top to be admired and have crowds of people surrounding you, remembering your name and cheering you on.

(Sadly) Well, I wanted to win too, but I didn't know that it would be at the cost of me losing everything.

TOMMY: (suspicious, slow talking drawl) My name is Thomas Marley, but you can call me "Tommy."
I vaguely remembered the video game Polybius until Gretch found a photo of it in the early 2000's. 
You see, I used to work at her arcade that hosted it back in 1981.
But my memory is horrible, so please bare with me as I try to remember everything.
I'm not the most comfortable doing these types of things because I like to keep my life private.
I'm only here for Gretch and because I have something that I have recently discovered.
But we'll get around to what I got to show you.