I Finally Get It... Confessions of a JAMMA Lover

rainman154

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I finally get it.
I finally get why the "classic" games are so great.

I started playing arcade games in the late 80's. At that point, JAMMA was growing strong and the classic games didn't look nearly as good as the new ones as far as graphics go. Games like Ninja Gaiden, Aliens, Black Tiger and Final Fight were games that I constantly played. Sure I would hit up the DK or Pac Man every so often, but they just were not as fun. They were the kind of games that if I had only a quarter left, I would waste it on one quick play.

So naturally when it came time to collect I went with almost all JAMMA. They were the games I loved.

But it wasn't until I played a few classic games that I realized how much fun I was missing. Major Havoc, Tempest and Black Widow became so much fun that I looked past the graphics and realized how cool these games really were.

The sound was the main thing. The classic sound coming from these games triggered my memory of early arcades and I just loved it. Sounds from DK, Galaxian, Spy Hunter and Mrs. Pac Man are the most remembered.

Suddenly, JAMMA games just don't seem as fun.

Anyone else have a "come to Jesus" moment like this?
 
I finally get it.
I finally get why the "classic" games are so great.

I started playing arcade games in the late 80's. At that point, JAMMA was growing strong and the classic games didn't look nearly as good as the new ones as far as graphics go. Games like Ninja Gaiden, Aliens, Black Tiger and Final Fight were games that I constantly played. Sure I would hit up the DK or Pac Man every so often, but they just were not as fun. They were the kind of games that if I had only a quarter left, I would waste it on one quick play.

So naturally when it came time to collect I went with almost all JAMMA. They were the games I loved.

But it wasn't until I played a few classic games that I realized how much fun I was missing. Major Havoc, Tempest and Black Widow became so much fun that I looked past the graphics and realized how cool these games really were.

The sound was the main thing. The classic sound coming from these games triggered my memory of early arcades and I just loved it. Sounds from DK, Galaxian, Spy Hunter and Mrs. Pac Man are the most remembered.

Suddenly, JAMMA games just don't seem as fun.

Anyone else have a "come to Jesus" moment like this?

Some of us have been believers all along.
 
busey_clapping.gif
 
Yes. I came to see the light as I delved further into this hobby too.

On a side note: YOU GET TO DRINK FROM THE FIREHOSE!!!!
 
Yes. I came to see the light as I delved further into this hobby too.

On a side note: YOU GET TO DRINK FROM THE FIREHOSE!!!!

LOL!!! Oooooh your a lucky little boy!

Yeah, I have finally found myself looking at the JAMMA games and thinking they are not as fun.
I mean, it's age and it's what you grew up with too. I didn't play arcades in the early 80's so I don't have a memory of playing Tempest. But I have great memories of playing games like Aliens.

I guess it is all in what the individual likes. But man... Black Widow and Major Havoc are REALLY fun!
 
In a way I "saw the light" myself. When I first started this hobby I was buying just JAMMA boards and playing them on my supergun. When I actually got into collecting full size machines I discovered games like Mappy and Crystal Castles that I really didn't even know about. Tempest is another one that I knew nothing about until I watched my buddy playing it at our local arcade. I think I've always appreciated the classics since one of my first memories of playing any arcade game was a Ms Pac-Man. I still love my JAMMA stuff though and one of my grail machines is JAMMA. My collection is a mixed bag of probably close to 50/50.
 
I am actually starting to go the other way. I have all classics, but I now have a jamma cab to use. I am going to have NBA Hang Time in there pretty soon, and I may grab a Blitz 99 kit for it. I just bought a Mr Driller 2 board as well to swap in the Neo Geo. kinda interested to see how long I enjoy playing the newer games. I don't actually play the Neo Geo much, but it is fun in short bursts.

I am trying to find a few games that I like and that my friends will like as well. The classics just never get played by anyone but me.
 
I had a similar experience. I grew up in the Jamma era and when I started collecting I specificly was looking for the games I remember playing as as kid - Ninja Gaiden, Captain America and the Avengers, Willow to name a few. But then I started visiting other collector's gamerooms and I found many games that I liked. However, I still didn't care for very many of them to add them to my collection. Then I attended the 2009 NW Pinball and Gameroom show.

I brought a couple Jamma cabs with me and assisted with set-up and repairs throughout the show, but most importantly I played a ton of games I had never played before. I was exposed to Matt (blinddog) Griffin's black and white games and suddenly realized that many of the games I loved on the 2600 were actually copies of pre-golden era arcade games...


Now my (vid) collection consists of about 30% black and whites, 30% classics (mostly to appease my wife), and 40% Jamma era. This ratio will likely stay since there is exactly one game from each era left on my list of "wants".
 
There's nothing wrong with loving both. Games are games. Just play what you find enjoyable and memorable.

I'm a JAMMA child but have come to appreciate the aesthetic and replay values that classic games bring.

I had this discussion with someone the other day. I'm more likely to play DK over and over than let's say X-Men.

Classics are a lot about challenging yourself and getting a high score. JAMMA games are more about the visual experience and co-op/head-to-head play. Obviously, both give us a nostalgic experience.
 
I had a similar experience. I grew up in the Jamma era and when I started collecting I specificly was looking for the games I remember playing as as kid - Ninja Gaiden, Captain America and the Avengers, Willow to name a few. But then I started visiting other collector's gamerooms and I found many games that I liked. However, I still didn't care for very many of them to add them to my collection. Then I attended the 2009 NW Pinball and Gameroom show.

I brought a couple Jamma cabs with me and assisted with set-up and repairs throughout the show, but most importantly I played a ton of games I had never played before. I was exposed to Matt (blinddog) Griffin's black and white games and suddenly realized that many of the games I loved on the 2600 were actually copies of pre-golden era arcade games...


Now my (vid) collection consists of about 30% black and whites, 30% classics (mostly to appease my wife), and 40% Jamma era. This ratio will likely stay since there is exactly one game from each era left on my list of "wants".

There is only one b&w game that I know I want: Stunt Cycle! I have seen a few cheap ones on hear in the last couple of years. Now I am just hoping for one locally.
 
When i first started collecting, about 9 years ago, i went with all classics. after a couple years, i realized, they never got played for more than a couple minutes by myself or guests. Guests were like "wow, i remember these games, maybe play 2 lives of DK, then go sit at the bar and play Megatouch. So i sold off my collection, and started with games that i would play more, and would be more about playing, than standing there just staring at them. now i have a couple classics, a 48-1, but mostly newer games.
 
I always felt that gameplay kinda started to get stagnant when Jamma/NES happened.

The companies were less likely to take a chance on some strange arcade concept and went the easy route with a fighter/shooter/driver/platformer..

4 levels? Fireballs? Monkeys stealing girls from jumpmen? That will never sell.. gimme another one of those SF2/final fight beat up games!!
 
God Silvercoin, I said it before and I will say it again... I love your avatar.

Well I played 2 other "classics" last night and LOVED it. Satan's Hollow and Sea Wolf.
Sea Wolf I can see being a bit monotonous, but Satan's Hollow was AWESOME!
 
I like both, I am old enough to played the classics when they were new (Was in in 1st grade when DK came out) and young enough to still appreciate the games from the 90s.

But I have to say that the early 80s games were more abstract and had much more replay value.
 
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