Buying an Arcade Machine (first timer)

[scott9050]

First! I'll answer the question later if someone else doesn't. But I'm sure they will I'm running out the front door right now. All I'll say is don't unless you want to start an addiction worse than crack.

Sure it starts out as one game you've always wanted, then before you know it you're buying anything cause it's a good deal lol.

I'm starting to figure that out. I bought a Multicade Neo Geo (yeah, I know) back in March and then decided that I wanted a real Neo Geo and just brought home a 4 slot. Now I found a Galaxian for a good price and am trying to figure out how to tell the wife that a 3rd game would fit into my office. So far she has enjoyed them as much as I have.

 

[MasterFygar]

I told myself about seven years ago that once I got a 3 in 1 Ms. Pac repro, I would be done. But then I decided a real game room needed a pinball machine. But then it was so unbalanced because the pinball was so long, so I ended up going for another upright. But there weren't any driving games, so naturally I HAD to have a Pole Position. But, darn, now the wall looks too heavy, and what a good deal on a Space Invaders cocktail to even it out... nah, that one looks too out of center, need another cocktail to go with it. Oh look, a Virtual On...

someone stop me before I run out and get another one, I can't even walk around anymore and the Virtual On is taking up half of the garage

 

[VeeRay]

I decided to post here rather than to make another thread.

I've been thinking and looking to buy my first Arcade Machine for about a year. Problem has been that it is really hard to find decent arcade machines in my country there are few newer ones that come and go as they get out dated, but I'm looking something early 90s or 80s arcade game. Now on dumb luck I actually found a guy selling some really nice games and what even better he lives only 20 minutes away from me.

Now I already contacted the seller and he has invited me to come out and test the games before I make my decision (I'm going next week). I narrowed my choice to either Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Iron Man's Ivan Stewart's Super Off-Road. The seller says they are in good condition and he seems like a collector since he has so many games on sale. Since I don't know too much about these stuff nor do I know anyone that does so I have a few questions.

What should I look for in the game cabinets to determine their condition?
Anything else I should be aware of becoming a Arcade Game owner?

Also I wondered how much electricity does a typical arcade machine use compared to any other device at home like a television for example? Also does the machine have to always be plugged in to keep high score or do they have some internal battery so they keep the high score in memory when they are not plugged in?

Thanks for anyone that replies

 

[Oryk Zinyo]

I feel that Off Road has better replay, but it all depends on what you want. Is it the three player cab? Do you have room for something that big?


A typical vid only uses about the same amount of power as a personal computer. They are not power hungry. Most games will not save high scores when a game is powered down. Some have battery back-ups for high scores but I don't believe either of those games save high scores.

 

[VeeRay]

I forgot to ask about that if it was 3 or 2 player version. It has been so long since I played it in arcades that I didn't remember that. He did give the same price for both the Turtles and Off-Road so I'm inclined to believe it is going to be the 2-player version.

But even if it is the 3-player version think I have enough room for it, I will know for sure when I see the actual thing.

He has so many great games for sale, but i'm only going to start with one and I like it to be a game that I can play with a buddy at the same time.

Other interesting games that he had were
Turbo Out Run
Top Speed
Virtua Racing
Lethal Enforcer
Virtua Cop 2

 

[Oryk Zinyo]

You should check on the Turtles game as well, it should be a four player.

If you intend to play this with a buddy then consult him on what he would like to play.


BTW, if you have family the Off Road may be a better choice. Kids love racing games and women prefer them to something like a side scrolling fighter like TMNT.

 

[SterlingRush]

I forgot to ask about that if it was 3 or 2 player version. It has been so long since I played it in arcades that I didn't remember that. He did give the same price for both the Turtles and Off-Road so I'm inclined to believe it is going to be the 2-player version.

But even if it is the 3-player version think I have enough room for it, I will know for sure when I see the actual thing.

He has so many great games for sale, but i'm only going to start with one and I like it to be a game that I can play with a buddy at the same time.

Other interesting games that he had were
Turbo Out Run
Top Speed
Virtua Racing
Lethal Enforcer
Virtua Cop 2

A few things to keep in mind VR also when deciding on the game(s) you will be getting, where will you be storing them? Garage, in the house, shed? What will it take to get them there? Up or down X amount of stairs?

Both those games have wide parts to them, and if they are going through a standard size doorway, you will need to take an item or two off before you can get them inside. Unless you are blessed with huge doors like a few guys on here are
I can't say for the Super Off-Road as I have never moved one and it's been years since I've seen one, but you will have to detach the control panel on TMNT in order to get that game through a standard doorway, possibly have to remove the door off of it's hinges also. That is, if it's the four player version. I have a Wrestlefest that is the same cab setup, and that's how I had to get mine in, thank goodness no stairs were involved, lol. I'm almost positive the Off-Road is wider than the TMNT cab, but I don't know what or how easy you might have to remove something. Both my Wrestlefest and Golden Tee had to have the cp's removed, and two doors on the house taken off of their hinges, in order to wheel the games in. If you get the TMNT and need to do this, I can get you pictures on what you need to undo for the cp.

Now, to both VR and DanMc, welcome to the forums. I myself have only been here a short while(forums and owning games), but I've met a lot of great people on here. Great advice, great deals, great bullsh*tters I will agree with an earlier comment, it's like a crack addiction. You get your first one, and then before you even get two days into owning that, you are already hunting for something else. A deal or a past favorite, it doesn't matter, it will consume you, lol. It's like walking the path of the darkside, once you start down that path, it is near impossible to come back. Within a matter of a few weeks, I went from buying my first game(60-in-1 cocktail from a fellow KLOV, thanks Troxil) to picking up both a dedicated Wrestlefest & dedicated Bad Dudes for a great deal, and then had a reshopped Golden Tee 2005 shipped from PA to me. It is a fun hobby, I myself don't have much time to sit down and really enjoy my games all of the time, but they are there for when I need them. Plus you two now have a mission that all of us have accepted when joining KLOV, you must be dedicated to keeping the memories of the arcade alive! Even if it's in your own home, we cannot let the memories fade of these once(and still) great machines.

Didn't plan on rambling, guess I had more to say than I thought. Welcome you two, and have fun. Keep us posted with your finds.

 

[VeeRay]

Got a reply from the seller and turns out that the Turtles is a 4-player version and Super Off-road is 2-player version.

I'm going to put either one inside the house and was planning on putting them on 2nd floor so going to have to go up a few stairs carrying it. I think my doors are big enough, but I'm bit worried about the staircase since it is maybe 4-6 inches narrower so it is probably going to be tight fit. Anyone have any knowledge on how wide my door and staircase needs to be so I can fit a typical game cabinet through it?
Super Off-road's 2-player version is probably around the same size as any regular 2- or 1-player cabinet, but the turtles 4-player version has that big wide controller table.

I'm having hard time deciding which one I'm going to buy if they are both in great condition and I can haggle the price a bit I might end up getting both

 

[SterlingRush]

Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think standard doorway is 32". Like mentioned above, removing the cp on TMNT is pretty easy and it will make the cap pretty cole to a standard size, so moving will be similar to the Off-Road.

 

[VeeRay]

Went to test the games today and both were in pretty fine shape. There was a bit tear and wear on the cabinet art, but both the monitors and controls were great. He was a bit of collector/enthusiast of these things and he is also the local maintance guy for pinball tables so he has taken good care of them.
I decided to buy both games since I managed to haggle 1/8 of the price off and was even going to pick them up later tonight, but the van that my friend was going to borrow me broke down while he was coming back home from work. Nothing major, but is going to be a few days before he can loan me the van and come help me carry the cabinets.

Already cleared the space where I'm going to put them and also measured that the cabinets would fit through doors and such. Only worry now is that will my stairs hold up when we carry them upstairs since the TMNT machine weights around 260 pounds or will we have to lift them to the balcony and bring them through there.

BTW I noticed that the Super Off-Road had a vehicle selection screen. One was the classic truck and other one was some kind of sand buggy. I don't remember that one being in the classic version, does that mean the game inside is the the track pack version? He did mention that the game and cabinet came seperatly and he had to install it himself and the cabinet was for the original.