Donkey Kong cocktail

agaraffa

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Can anyone who has played a DK cocktail tell me what your thoughts are of it? I have limited space and have been only looking for cabaret cabs. A cocktail would work as well but everytime I see the way the control panel is configured, I back off... it just looks like it would be really unconfortable to play with the controls being verticle. Any thoughts?
 
The CP orientation is not very natural or comfortable. If I were to replace the DK CT I had (it was stolen from my storage), I'd get a cabaret.
 
To each his own, but I have owned both a DK upright and cocktail. I did sell the cocktail, as you mentioned it was not comfortable or natural at all.
 
I'm repairing one right now for somebody and before i yanked the monitor out, i played it for a while. My feeling on these has never changed, the positioning of these control panels blows and i'll continue to scrap em.
 
i own one, and at first it is hard to play, but easy once you get used to it. i kind of like the cocktail cause dk games are usually long so you can sit down and play. if dk's a game you're looking for you can always get it and sell it to upgrade when a cabaret or UR comes along.
 
you get used to the controls pretty quick. I actually have got over 100k on dkjr in my cocktail, but never on the upright.

what part of jersey are you in?

user kjoel has a dk cabaret with a dkjr board for sale on long island.

I'll sell you a nice dkjr/popeye style ct (18 inch monitor) with a dk board in it.
 
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I have both - I guess I never really thought about the cocktail's CP, as I used to play one BITD. It doesn't bother me.

I did watch a CT on ebay this week sell for $530! I might have to put mine up there and see what it fetches.
 
If you're worried about space, the cabaret will be better - it takes less. And it feels totally natural compared to the upright because the controls are the same, and oriented the same way.

The first DK cocktail I played on as a child was a conversion with flat panels. When I finally tried to play a dedicated one, it was a serious WTF moment...
 
I have had a DK upright and cocktail, and I sold off the cocktail. Maybe over time you can get used to it, but the angle of the CP didn't work for me.
 
I have a upright and a cocktail and i really can't say what one i like the most. the cocktail is not uncomfortable at all. i'd go with the cocktail......
 
I also have a cocktail and like it. My biggest complaint is the white ceiling in the basement reflecting off of the glass :D I need to put some black construction paper or something up there to fix it. (it's permanently mounted ceiling tiles that I don't want to remove). The CP took a little getting used to, but I like the smaller jump button. Seems to have less travel than the full size one, making it a bit more responsive. As to how much room they use, yeah, they probably do take up more space than an upright, but you can use them as a table when you're not playing it :) You can stick it in a corner or up against a wall though, and still play 2 players. Just set it to upright mode. You'll just have to stand up and let the other player sit down. They're also easy to haul around. I've had mine to a couple arcade shows and can stick it in the back seat of my car without too much trouble.
 
Can anyone who has played a DK cocktail tell me what your thoughts are of it? I have limited space and have been only looking for cabaret cabs. A cocktail would work as well but everytime I see the way the control panel is configured, I back off... it just looks like it would be really unconfortable to play with the controls being verticle. Any thoughts?

It's the first DK I ever played. We had one at my hometown arcade. When I hear the opening sounds of the game, it brings me back to that place and time. The flipping back and forth for the 2 players is part of my memory, not getting out of the way for player 2. The cocktails aren't as flashy as the uprights, and the controls are cumbersome, but nostalgia is nostalgia. I'd buy one if the price was right.
 
I would think the cocktail would take up more floor space than the upright...

the space you need is roughly 22x34. mine works well for me cause it's against the wall in my gameroom where the stairs are, and it fits well. an upright would just be awkward there.
 
It's the first DK I ever played. We had one at my hometown arcade. When I hear the opening sounds of the game, it brings me back to that place and time. The flipping back and forth for the 2 players is part of my memory, not getting out of the way for player 2. The cocktails aren't as flashy as the uprights, and the controls are cumbersome, but nostalgia is nostalgia. I'd buy one if the price was right.

Well, if you'd like a reference point, there was one at the AGS auction last weekend in Harrisburg. It went for $275 because I wouldn't go to $300 (there was myself and one other person bidding on it). It was in OK shape physically (scratches on the glass, the papers under the glass were a little wrinkled, one corner dent, leg bolts looked a bit rusty), and it did power up and the attract mode did display on the monitor (I didn't get a chance to coin it up - I couldn't easily figure out how to do so manually). The monitor had a little wavering on the left hand side, but it was eminently playable.

It came in on very nearly the last truck that was unloaded. Until it showed up I was planning to leave when the bidding started, as there was nothing else I was interested in.

Speaking of the auction - did anyone notice what the Ladybug Cabaret went for? It was pretty beat, and I don't know if it worked, but I was curious anyway.
 
Well, if you'd like a reference point, there was one at the AGS auction last weekend in Harrisburg. It went for $275 because I wouldn't go to $300 (there was myself and one other person bidding on it). It was in OK shape physically (scratches on the glass, the papers under the glass were a little wrinkled, one corner dent, leg bolts looked a bit rusty), and it did power up and the attract mode did display on the monitor (I didn't get a chance to coin it up - I couldn't easily figure out how to do so manually). The monitor had a little wavering on the left hand side, but it was eminently playable.

It came in on very nearly the last truck that was unloaded. Until it showed up I was planning to leave when the bidding started, as there was nothing else I was interested in.

Speaking of the auction - did anyone notice what the Ladybug Cabaret went for? It was pretty beat, and I don't know if it worked, but I was curious anyway.


Yeah, there was one on the local CL for $375, dude that got it paid $300. That would be the top I'd pay.
 
I would think the cocktail would take up more floor space than the upright...

If you can use it where a table would be anyway, it might be able to take up no extra space at all. For instance, my Missile Command in my family room.
 

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I am not really a ct fan anyway, but I think DK was one of the worst. I don't know what they were thinking mounting the stick like that. I think the upright will take up less space than the ct.

I always play DK sitting on a bar stool. The cab is designed for kids, and I have to hunch over a bit to play standing. I wouldn't trade the stool for a chair to sit at a ct.
 
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