This project started way back in April when I picked up a gutted NFL Blitz cabinet. I knew the cabinet was formerly some other Midway but didn't know what until I saw it in person. There was a Midway sticker on the back but I could see from the side that it was a Killer Instinct 2 originally.
I stripped off the black paint but wasn't extra careful about it. I know it'll make a few people flinch but I wasn't going to make this a KI2 again. The game is fun but only for a little bit. KI is pretty much always fun, but I just don't have the same love for the second one.
After stripping the paint and getting a few pictures, I peeled the artwork all the way off to see the real condition of the cabinet. It wasn't too bad besides some bottom corner damage and a glory hole on one side.
At this point in the year my baseball team (the Rays) were in shambles, so I started to look ahead towards the Lightning hockey season. This is what made me want to make this a 2 on 2 NHL Open Ice.
Side Note: It drives me crazy that alphabetically this game is "2 on 2" not just "NHL Open Ice".
I plugged the glory hole, bondo-ed the corners and sanded it all down. Laminate went on next, followed by cabinet wiring.
Finally the metal cp (shoutout to Arcadeologist), artwork and plexi (shoutout to XL Arcade) were all ordered. I usually do my own plexi but just didn't feel like dealing with it this time.
Put everything on and it's now in the game room. It still needs the coin door and a marquee cabinet bracket, but it came out looking sweet and is a fun game to play.









I stripped off the black paint but wasn't extra careful about it. I know it'll make a few people flinch but I wasn't going to make this a KI2 again. The game is fun but only for a little bit. KI is pretty much always fun, but I just don't have the same love for the second one.
After stripping the paint and getting a few pictures, I peeled the artwork all the way off to see the real condition of the cabinet. It wasn't too bad besides some bottom corner damage and a glory hole on one side.
At this point in the year my baseball team (the Rays) were in shambles, so I started to look ahead towards the Lightning hockey season. This is what made me want to make this a 2 on 2 NHL Open Ice.
Side Note: It drives me crazy that alphabetically this game is "2 on 2" not just "NHL Open Ice".
I plugged the glory hole, bondo-ed the corners and sanded it all down. Laminate went on next, followed by cabinet wiring.
Finally the metal cp (shoutout to Arcadeologist), artwork and plexi (shoutout to XL Arcade) were all ordered. I usually do my own plexi but just didn't feel like dealing with it this time.
Put everything on and it's now in the game room. It still needs the coin door and a marquee cabinet bracket, but it came out looking sweet and is a fun game to play.



























