Arcade 1Up Mini Arcades

[Sean]

On a related note I pre-ordered one of these at the UK Pinfest - actually playable: http://www.numskull.com/pac-man-quarter-size-arcade-cabinet/

They have a Taito merch license as well; told the guy they HAVE to do Space Invaders, though I think a wee joystick at that scale would work better than two buttons.

 

[Sean]

playing faves like Centipede and Tempest with a dual shock just isn't the same without a trackball or spinner

Totally agree; I use the trackpad with my left thumb, but it’s ever so slightly awkward :-D

I figure I’ll eventually get a couple multi arcade cabs: one with a Defender button layout I can use with one or two-stick games and one with a trackball and a spinner. Those things aren’t cheap so it’s on the “someday” pile. In the meantime something like that could be cool; wonder how much they’ll be when they get to the UK?

The Rampage machine would be tempting, but mapping reverse to left/right on the stick is crap - couldn’t play it in the Midway Collection on the PS3 because of that. I’m hoping they get Code Mystics to do a comp on PS4 that has customisable controls like the old Williams Arcade Classics on the Playstation, otherwise I’ll have to stick with MAME for my Defender fix!

 

[Kolchak357]

This baby looks like the best mini arcade I've ever seen. Doubt you can find it for $300 though. I haven't done any research on it, but it looks fantastic. Like a history of video games in a box. Even buttons on the side for pinball.

 

[rehtroboi40]

Totally agree; I use the trackpad with my left thumb, but it’s ever so slightly awkward :-D

I figure I’ll eventually get a couple multi arcade cabs: one with a Defender button layout I can use with one or two-stick games and one with a trackball and a spinner. Those things aren’t cheap so it’s on the “someday” pile. In the meantime something like that could be cool; wonder how much they’ll be when they get to the UK?

The Rampage machine would be tempting, but mapping reverse to left/right on the stick is crap - couldn’t play it in the Midway Collection on the PS3 because of that. I’m hoping they get Code Mystics to do a comp on PS4 that has customisable controls like the old Williams Arcade Classics on the Playstation, otherwise I’ll have to stick with MAME for my Defender fix!

I've tried the Atari Vault on Steam with the Steam Controller. That "mouse pad" is a less responsive version of the PS4 touchpad. And you can't use a Steam controller on anything but Steam. Not that you'd want to.

Those cabinets do look neat but more like tabletop items. I also wonder if the trackball and dial controller would make any difference. Even with an X-Arcade tankstick, no trackball/dial game has ever felt right in MAME.

Wish they made a Tron replica. Now there's one I'd consider-I spend way too much time playing the original at our local Retro Game Room and the X360 version control never gets it right. Lost many tanks because I can't set the dial just accurately in later stages.

 

[wolfson]

if I had one of those when I was a 10 year old , I wouldn`t gone to school haha !!!

 

[Jeff Strong]

This baby looks like the best mini arcade I've ever seen. Doubt you can find it for $300 though. I haven't done any research on it, but it looks fantastic. Like a history of video games in a box. Even buttons on the side for pinball.

That does look really cool. I’ve always preferred the bartop setups as well for comfort.

This would be a good place to start if anyone wanted to build their own for quite a bit cheaper:

https://www.recroommasters.com/19-X...aspberry-Pi-and-PC-p/rm-xt-alpha-bartop-e.htm

 

[Sean]

Those cabinets do look neat but more like tabletop items. I also wonder if the trackball and dial controller would make any difference. Even with an X-Arcade tankstick, no trackball/dial game has ever felt right in MAME.

Well there goes my idea that X-Arcade would make a good plan b. What about the MAME cabinets you can get online - do trackball/spinner games feel right on those? I mean otherwise I can’t see how to play something like Tempest - nobody makes raster CRTs anymore, right, much less vector ones, so trying to track down a working Tempest unit seems like a doomed quest...

 

[rehtroboi40]

Well there goes my idea that X-Arcade would make a good plan b. What about the MAME cabinets you can get online - do trackball/spinner games feel right on those? I mean otherwise I can’t see how to play something like Tempest - nobody makes raster CRTs anymore, right, much less vector ones, so trying to track down a working Tempest unit seems like a doomed quest...

I should clarify-with MAME there's some know-how to get the trackball feeling right with Centipede/Millipede. At the default setting-It's still much closer than the Atari Vault (on Steam) versions of those games. And Tempest requires adjustments to get the spinner feeling right. It can be done, and the options are there in MAME if you can put in the time. I would suggest forgoing the trackball with Star Wars-it's better with the mouse and that's not saying too much.

Full disclosure-we have a nearby Retro Arcade that has Centipede and Tempest. Having been playing those extensively lately, I may be a little prejudiced. They do a great job keeping Tempest and Star Wars vector monitors running, but have had to fix each one several times in nearly a year. So yes, the X-Arcade is still a viable plan b, but not for the Atari Vault IMO.

On a side note, that retro arcade also has 14 pinball machines-and they work tirelessly on those. Odd that they have had to do so much with their four brand new out-of-the-box Sterns. Hmmm...…..

 

[Narc0lep5y]

This baby looks like the best mini arcade I've ever seen. Doubt you can find it for $300 though. I haven't done any research on it, but it looks fantastic. Like a history of video games in a box. Even buttons on the side for pinball.

You can get MDF bartop kits on ebay and etsy for around $99 each. Not $300 but you'd get pretty close and you can customize everything more which has it's own pros/cons.

 

[Narc0lep5y]

Well there goes my idea that X-Arcade would make a good plan b. What about the MAME cabinets you can get online - do trackball/spinner games feel right on those? I mean otherwise I can’t see how to play something like Tempest - nobody makes raster CRTs anymore, right, much less vector ones, so trying to track down a working Tempest unit seems like a doomed quest...

If you've already got a unit like an X-arcade then you can drop a button and use one of these in for Tempest, Arkanoid, etc.

 

[Kolchak357]

You can get MDF bartop kits on ebay and etsy for around $99 each. Not $300 but you'd get pretty close and you can customize everything more which has it's own pros/cons.

Very true. But my building/assembly and computer skills would be a major con for me. I'm just not very good at that stuff. Amazed at what many of the folks on here have built.

 

[Sean]

I should clarify-with MAME there's some know-how to get the trackball feeling right with Centipede/Millipede. At the default setting-It's still much closer than the Atari Vault (on Steam) versions of those games. And Tempest requires adjustments to get the spinner feeling right. It can be done, and the options are there in MAME if you can put in the time. I would suggest forgoing the trackball with Star Wars-it's better with the mouse and that's not saying too much.

Yeah. I figured out the mouse being best choice early on in my MAME experience with Star Wars/Empire. That sounds more encouraging and that spinner Narcolepsy posted a link to sounds pretty amazing. To be honest I had thought of just buying a couple of cabs someday, but X-Arcade is sounding a good choice between both of your posts!

 

[rehtroboi40]

Yeah. I figured out the mouse being best choice early on in my MAME experience with Star Wars/Empire. That sounds more encouraging and that spinner Narcolepsy posted a link to sounds pretty amazing. To be honest I had thought of just buying a couple of cabs someday, but X-Arcade is sounding a good choice between both of your posts!

Spending that kind of money is not something I take too lightly. Good on you for weighing your options from all sides, and not just letting some grumpy old retrogamer fart (like me) make your decisions for you.

 

[Sean]

Of course there is the reality of whether or not I can track one down, however I’ve found a UK-based cab maker who does one all-in for £1300 which isn’t bad, so back to the dual cab notion

 

[dtown8532]

I got the Atari Deluxe cab. Super easy to assemble. The ball is fantastic but the spinner is well... usable. It’s still better than a dual shock on the ps4. Centipede is a blast.

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[Fungi]

... The ball is fantastic but the spinner is well... usable. It’s still better than a dual shock on the ps4.

Bummer. Is it not weighted?

 

[vfpcoder]

I have to admit, that looks great!

This is suppose to be a “quick and inexpensive” fix for the spinner:

https://youtu.be/fRv87bWZIX4

 

[dtown8532]

Bummer. Is it not weighted?

F*ck no! It’s a hollow piece of plastic! They use the cabinet hole as a pivoting point. I added washers to get it away from it. I hope someone comes up with an easy way to replace it.

 

[Fungi]

F*ck no! It’s a hollow piece of plastic! They use the cabinet hole as a pivoting point. I added washers to get it away from it. I hope someone comes up with an easy way to replace it.

Ick. That’s worse than I thought.

 

[dtown8532]

I have to admit, that looks great!

This is suppose to be a “quick and inexpensive” fix for the spinner:

https://youtu.be/fRv87bWZIX4

That’s the fix I did right away. It helps but it’s nothing like the original arcade. The problem is the mech that the dial is attached to. It’s stiff and clicky. Nothing you can do unless someone comes up with a new board and spinner that will work with the two wires that connect to it.