Games You're Scared to Even Turn On

Phetishboy

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Do you have any of those in your collection? I now have 3 of them.

Q*Bert
Tempest
Space Wars

Is it just me? I am so scared something may be wrong with them when I turn them on, that I usually won't bother unless there's a damn good reason. No news is good news as Gary Gnu used to whisper in my ear. I think that sucks.
 
ha ha, if you are scared to turn them on whats the point of even having them in the first place ??
 
Do you have any of those in your collection? I now have 3 of them.

Q*Bert
Tempest
Space Wars

Is it just me? I am so scared something may be wrong with them when I turn them on, that I usually won't bother unless there's a damn good reason. No news is good news as Gary Gnu used to whisper in my ear. I think that sucks.

Pole Position

I run everything else when I feel like it, but I have PP turned off on the back of the cab... Look pretty... just don't go breakin' my heart, PP... just don't break my heart...
 
ha ha, if you are scared to turn them on whats the point of even having them in the first place ??
I have plenty more games that I can turn on no problem, but the first 2 from my list just seem to always have an issue or 2. As for Space Wars, it's over 33 years old and I doubt any of the electronics have been rebuilt or replaced yet. So far so good on that beast.
 
I'm SO glad I don't have fond memories of these 3 games, and would feel the need to own them. It seems like every problem on these forums is about one of these 3 games.

It comes and goes... while Pole Position is a pretty much steady PITA... we have a Tempest at the arcade that we run all day long and she hasn't given us any troubles in a long time. (last trouble was just a monitor issue)

And I'm sure there's someone out there that has a Tempest and a Pole Position where the PP is rock solid, and the Tempest is crap. ... and I hate that person.
 
Honestly, I have a Pole Position, and other than approx 10 minutes worth of crap before it warms up and comes up normally...its not a problem.

On the other hand, my Video Pinball has been pretty problematic, and the worst is my Darkstalkers with a generic Dynamo jamma cab. The monitor is really, really REALLY REEEEAAALLY close to getting obliterated by my truck. Seriously. Its been the bane of my arcade existence.
 
I will second the Q*bert and probably the Tempest as well. I have not rebuilt the power supply on my Q*bert, nor done the LV upgrade on my Tempest. Been meaning to, but been busy with other things, so they have not gotten turned on in awhile. I am actually hoping to work on bert today.
 
My Tempest is getting much better. It made me a little squirrely at first, but now that I'm getting all of the components on the monitor rebuilt, it's getting more reliable all of the time.

It probably also did not help though that it sat unused in a guy's hot storage unit someplace for over a year.

I didn't have my Q*Bert long enough for it to act up. I played it a little but noone else would play it but me. So, at that time I got bummed about the game plus needed money so it went on its way.
 
My Tempest CT is the only one I worry about just because of the monumental assache it was to fix the last time. It took me a total of four years. I have tried to take a proactive approach this time turning it on at min once every couple weeks and I do the pencil eraser on the pcb every six months or so. So far no issues. I was going to sell it once it was fixed, but I just can't bring myself to do it because it is such a cool game and it is in sweet condition.
 
Two machines I'm always afraid to turn on:

Omega Race
Spy Hunter

Spy hunter always seems to have problems, and Omega race, well lets just not go there.
 
I only have the one game, Donkey Kong Junior, and I get a bit nervous every time I turn it on. It doesn't stop me, but I do get a bit nervous.

When I switch the game on, the screen initially appears shifted to the left. After no more than three minutes, the picture rights itself and looks great. I always worry that one day, this won't be the case. Maybe by then I'll be ready to do a cap kit :)
 
LOL good thread.

Every game i have fits this category. Even though no reason to fear (i think they are all stable) i am paranoid type.

But if i had to narrow it down...... the Star wars. I love that machine and dont want it to go bad on me.
 
My Robotron cabaret. It's my favorite, but it's temperamental to say the least.
 
My Star Wars. I love to play it and always surprised when it works. Out of all the games that I have I know the least about it technically. If my other games go I can usually trouble shoot them pretty quick. Can't do that with the SW. :(
 
I used to have a Qix. That game sucks to keep running. I never say this because I am a purist - but if you get a Qix, just jamma the damn thing and pop a 60-in-1 and turn all of the other games off. You will at least get to play it that way.

Tempest is up there too (got rid of mine).

I have a Qbert that has been solid as a rock.
 
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