Mania Challenge/Exciting Hour aquisition

loadrunner

New member
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
1,416
Reaction score
44
Location
calgary, alberta, Canada
I saw the add on Kijiji and gave the guy a call.At first he seemed firm on the price and then I mentioned that I would be driving to Edmonton from Calgary and it would be pretty much my whole day in doing this road trip and he softened on the price and told me I was the 1sr guy to call about the game.I gave a friend a call and asked him if he was up for a road trip...he said OK and showed up at my place at 9 am sharp today....a quick stop to gas up the truck....another to hit tim hortons for tea and a breakfast sandwich and we were rolling.I have not known the guy who was the helper a long time....he plays in the monthly poker game I host but it was a pleasant road trip...good conversation and it went well....nothing worse than being stuck for a 6 hour roadtrip with someone who annoys the hell out of you LOL.I found the place with no problem and ducked out of the bad traffic by taking the ring road...it added a few kilometers but the lack of ALL stop lights as well as traffic jams was a bonus.We arrived just as 2 patrol cars did(turns out they had just arrested to crackhead streakers) and it did not look too good when I turned my back on them and seperated my cash for the initial offer($50) but it was no big deal.We get into the garage and my focus is instantly switched to cars as the guy had a MINT Sport Fury as well as a Triumph TR3 in it.....talked about cars for about 15 minutes and then got to the game.We pulled it out from the wall and plugged it in,it fired right up and was good to go in under a minute....no screen burn and the buttons and joysticks worked fine.The marquee said "Mania Challenge" but within 30 seconds I knew the board inside was "Exciting Hour"...pretty much the same game but without the 2 player head to head feature.I offered him the $50 and he said OK with no hesitation at all (makes me think I could have gotten it for free as he did not have a truck to haul it to the dump LOL)We wheeled it out and I backed the truck in...loaded it and it was a bit too long for my truck....looked at the back of the box and I noticed my "grabby stick" for pulling boxes was in the way...slide the game back and to the side...hop in and remove it and presto....perfect fit end to end and it was very unlikely it would move side to side.Popped of a mirror that was glued to the side of the game(did not want to break it in transport) and off we go.Made a quick pitstop in Leduc to top up the tank/hit the bathroom/grab a burger/as well as buying lottery tickets in a differsnt town(hey you never know) and we are on our way back....made good time both ways...no idiots on the highway but there was a seriously bad accident on the way up at Red Deer.Got back to my place and backed the truck into the yard....removed 4 nails at the base of the game for safety's sake....slid the sucker of the truck and got it on the walk....wheeled it to the door....got it up the stairs....placed it next to my Tempest Biotch 60-in-1 and plugged it in after final adjustments.It fired right up.....the coin mechs are missing and the board's feet are broken and it is not pretty....but damn it was fun....I played 2 games as did my friend....I got the high score of 120,000 on my 2nd game and man O man did my memories come flying back to me of how good I was at this game BITD....pile drivers/suplexes/body slams/cloths lines...YEE HAW :)

Cost of Game =$50....cost of gas = $50....a nice enjoyable road trip with good conversation and a lot of laughs = priceless.

All in all a good use of my Saturday in general....I will endeavor to get a "Mania Challenge" board for the 2 player head to head action though.....as it would add to the fun of the monthly poker game ;)
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0123.jpg
    IMG_0123.jpg
    35.2 KB · Views: 56
I think Mania Challenge is the sequel to Exiting Hour (a.k.a. Mat Mania).
Exiting Hour/Mat Mania are single player while Mania Challenge is multi.
First game I ever owned.
 
I have a mania challenge bezel I am getting ready to shitcan, I can give it to you for hte cost of shipping if you want.

It was cut to fit a qbert, so I will have to take some measurements and get you some pictures if you want it.
 
I have a mania challenge bezel I am getting ready to shitcan, I can give it to you for hte cost of shipping if you want.

It was cut to fit a qbert, so I will have to take some measurements and get you some pictures if you want it.

Send me the pics please or attach them to this thread even.
 
i have found memories of playing that game as a kid with my friends. For some reasons we were convinced it was a sequel to PRO WRESTLING on the NES.
 
Mania Challenge has a couple of other notable changes from Mat Mania / Exciting Hour.

The music is the big one. I mentioned a while back that you'd see Mania Challenge in converted cabs and, since the music in attract mode is sort of a "sporty haunting" type of tune, it was always sad to hear it and see burn-in from a classic like Galaxian (or, often, something more obscure) on the screen...
 
I have a mania challenge NOS bezel.. one corner has the paper off of it, so there may be a few light marks on it.. $20 plus shipping if interested.
 
I have a mania challenge NOS bezel.. one corner has the paper off of it, so there may be a few light marks on it.. $20 plus shipping if interested.

mine looks like c rap, you should take this one. fair price
 
here ya go.
img0044hr.jpg

img0043bm.jpg

img0042cf.jpg
 
Back
Top Bottom