The Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines is a blast from the past. Attention all nerds: Get thee to Moscow!

Arcade games are an American invention. But when the Soviet people saw them for the first time in 1971, during a technology exhibition in Gorky Park, they caught the gaming bug.

According to legend, the line formed outside of the exhibition hall was one of the longest in Soviet history — and Russia is famous for its long lines. Visitors were dazzled by the electronic cowboys, birds, music and colored lights. Four years later, the first Soviet arcade games were produced. At that time only military factories had the technological know-how to create arcade machines.

More than 50 games are now preserved for posterity at the Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines, including "Battleship", "Safari", "Dogfight", "Highway", "Sniper", and..."Turnip". Some of the machines still work, and visitors are invited to test their Soviet gaming skills! You can also drink Kvas — it's...like old bread water...it's really good, just trust us — from Soviet vending machines.

Sea battle!

Bicycle football. Sorry Brooklyn, the Soviets had it first...

Horse racing

Python

Soviet vending machines — kvas, carbonated water, and plain old water

"Basketball"

For young drivers

Retro robots

Tickets are affordable!

...You can't pay with Soviet coins, though!

Soviet 'Duck Hunt'

The Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines. +7 ( 499) 261 11 47, Baumanskaya street, 11. Krasnoselskaya metro station. Operation time: Mon-Thurs 13.00-21.00 , Fri 13.00-20.00, Sat-Sun 11.00-20.00. 450 rubles. Admission is free for children under 6 years.

And obviously, no Soviet arcade game article is complete without the original Tetris theme song...