HUO Battlezone SN 009 on Ebay

ArcRevival

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it's not mine but that is a pretty low SN i have to admit. Dont have the link but you can find it easy enough. Dont see a sn that low very often.
 
What do you guys think is a fair price for this BattleZone? I'm a little tempted as the game looks to be in pretty good cosmetic condition. The closeup pic of the shroud/periscope attachment looks like there are a couple of loose wires between the attachment and monitor or could that just be a reflection?

I'm a little concerned about the "modifications" the previous owner made and have emailed the seller.
 
I think with a SN like 009 it probably is HUO. I dont think HUO adds to value because i have seen HUO games that arent that nice and operated games that look near mint so go figure. The low SN could be worth a little to some people, but I would say that its probably not worth more than an extra 50 to 100 to the overall value of the game. I dont think 400 is out of line, probably 500 tops if you like the low SN.
 
That loose wire looks like one that goes to the speaker in the shroud . Its long so you can take the shroud off and unplug it. It can be tucked away in there.
 
Yes, the game next to it is a Eagle with a Galaxian bezel crammed up into it.

http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7686


Im surprised that you guys missed the two lockbar holes drilled into the front. There are three actually. Those would be your clear indication that this peice is not HUO.

That BZ is not HUO at all. Ive owned several true HUO peices including Dr. J's Pole Position upright and I can generally spot a HUO peice a mile away. Notice how the white on the sideart is not really a bright white anymore. Its been somewhat yellowed like its been smoked around a good bit and has some nicotine damage.

Of course, I suppose it could always be possible that a slob owns a game from new and then trashes it. Lots of people live like pigs and trash stuff they own. Kind of like the difference between someone who owns a new console system and keeps all of the boxes and packaging and really takes care of it compared to someone who buys a new console system and then proceeds to not give a damn about it and spill stuff all over, handle the sticks with dirty fingers and just beats the hell out of it. Then again, a relatively cheap and common console system is one thing as almost anyone can afford one of those. If you had the extra funds to afford a multi thousand dollar peice of coin op equipment then you most likely wouldnt have let it get torn up as easily. Most people that Ive come across that originally purchased these machines new live in nice houses and the machines are treated accordingly, along with the rest of the stuff they own and take care of. Out of the three HUO buys Ive had, one was a new car dealership owner, the other was an attorney and the last was a NBA legend.

All in all I would say that this BZ is just a decent MAYBE slightly above average condition BZ. The control panel is nice enough, although it looks as if it might have had a small touch up on the far right and on the top carraige bolts. It does have some pitting at the bend and some pitting(w/ rust) under the start button. The one side of art he shows is really nothing to write home about, sure its not bad but it does have several nice scratches along with the nicotine yellowing I already mentioned.

Oh, it also looks as though the game has been exposed to the elements at some point. The bottom edge side of the cab with the ruffling of the sticker clearly shows it. It doesnt look bad but pictures can be deceiving and you could have more pronounced some oatmealing of the side from water damage. Also, the closeup of the serial number tag shows some evidence of general humidity type water damage to the left of it where the back meets the side.

My standards are usually pretty high as I like to get games as nice as possible but when you slap HUO on something it goes through a pretty high set of checks. The designation HUO, just like the word NOS, tries to indicate the level of condition. You could have a HUO game stored out under a tarp in the back yard for 20 years and it could be a huge pile of crap. HUO doesnt really mean anything unless the game is nice enough. Ive come across my share of non-working games(especially vectors) stuffed in the back of clean dry operator warehouses with only a couple thousand plays on them and they were like new. A lot of times big operators are running such a huge buisness that they dont have time to repair something or feel like screwing with it. Especially flakey vectors. The ops usually have other stuff they are taking their time with like vending machines, that were much more profitable and worth their time to figure out. With NOS parts the same can hold true to a certain degree. Ive pulled many mint marquees and bezels off of games Ive junked. The game may have had some bad water damage on the bottom or other problems but it still had mint like new parts. Conversely, Ive come across plenty of NOS items with the paper still covering the front but the back was all scratched to hell due to it being improperly stored and slid around.

So, what ultimately matters is the items present condition. Not whether it is HUO or NOS. HUO and NOS items can be nice as Ive owned my share but they are definitely words that are probably thrown around way too much, as is the case with this Battlezone. This Battlezone is nice enough or can made even nicer with not too much work but dont buy it and run around thinking you have gotten a HUO gem. I would say that in todays economy $400 is probably on the higher side but if you are local to somewhat local and looking for a decent Battlezone then go for it. I sure wouldnt pay to have it shipped across the country thinking you are getting yourself a HUO item though.

YMMV.

Ken.
 
Doesn't look that nice to me. I'd say it's worth about $300 since the HUO part is likely just BS (as it is 95% of the time).

Wade

I agree - the bottom is pretty beat up and a little swollen looking for a HUO machine. More like it was bought from an arcade back in the 80's and has been in home use since then (big difference.)
 
What do you guys think is a fair price for this BattleZone? I'm a little tempted as the game looks to be in pretty good cosmetic condition. The closeup pic of the shroud/periscope attachment looks like there are a couple of loose wires between the attachment and monitor or could that just be a reflection?

I'm a little concerned about the "modifications" the previous owner made and have emailed the seller.

I would get it as it looks to be in great condition. Those wires are normal, they are the speaker and marquee light wires. Mine was like that too, they are just loose and need to be held down better.
 
You know, it may not be HUO, but who really cares. Yeah if it's not, then the seller is misleading you, but if someone is local and wants it, go look at it. I don't see how you guys think it's not worth $400. I think you are crazy. Working boards and a working monitor are worth almost that much. It really amazes me that "collectors" of these games would lowball this stuff so much. I would expect that from someone who knows nothing about them, but for "knowledgeable collectors" you guys seem stupid. Yeah, the economy sucks, but just because joe blow doesn't have a job and his house is not worth as much as it once was, doesn't mean that working BZ boards are worth less. These are hard to find games, with hard to find working parts. I wouldn't sell mine for less than $400, except for in an emergency. And if I did, I wouldn't expect to find one cheaper. Oh, and for the record I bought mine for $300 which I though was a smoking deal.
I guess it all depends on if you really like the game or not. It's one of my favorite games so that may have something to do with my opinion.
 
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