Observations on the dry supply these days in the P-H-X
I've been scouring CL and eBay for the last month or so and there just isn't much on offer here in central Arizona, usually a pretty rich target environment. I know it's variance and probably comes and goes but it's depressing when most of the games I am seeing are either: priced out of this world, in terrible shape, or my own games that I'm trying to rotate out for fresh ones (for my vintage arcade and game store, Desert Sky Games in Gilbert).
An oddity is that two separate Toobin are available. One from Tempe, and it's beaten all to hell and I wouldn't offer over $100 for it (if the owner is reading this, sorry bro, but that thing's in rough shape, and you know I ain't lying) and one in Tucson for $350 that looks fantastic and is just a tad more than I think I can lay on it, and even then mostly because of the transport cost. But to see two Toobin at the same time seemed noteworthy. Am I being stupid for not buying the good-looking one? I have no idea what it would be worth. And I have no idea whether Toobin is an earner, but it's a dedicated original so at least I know I wouldn't have to rebuild it.
There is a Donkey Kong in Cave Creek for $400 that the owner says is complete and working, but the photos show no coin door and a control panel missing buttons. I haven't shopped for a Kong lately so I have no idea whether I'm being an idiot for passing on this one too. I don't mind putting some dollars out there but I want good hardware and software when I do, maybe my expectations are unrealistic.
I rebuilt a busted-up Brute Force that had been converted into a Stadium Hero, into a Neo Geo SVC Chaos, and it just hit the floor at DSG tonight. Immediately it was mobbed by players. They do seem enthusiastic about fresh material, especially fighters and especially Japanese-style software. I hope to be able to broaden that a bit, add some variety. More originals, more dedicateds. My co-owners are not arcade fanatics, just mainstream fans, and they really like the Star Wars, TRON, Gauntlet, and SF2 Turbo because I have them in a condition resembling the way they originally were, back then. It's the total package. Anyone can run MAME in their man-cave.
If I were able to bring any one unit in, regardless of cost, I honestly don't know what it would be. It would be Fix-it Felix JR if that game were a real thing. I expect a lot of interest in the arcade when Wreck-it Ralph hits theaters. But setting aside obvious expensive buys like Pac-Man Party (three grand, ouch), if I only had say half a grand to drop, I couldn't tell you what specifically I would want. Only that I'd want it to be a game where emulation falls way short of the true experience, rather than being "almost as good" as is the case for something like the Neo Geo games. Maybe 720 degrees or Super Sprint. If the price was right, I know our players would love an MKII... but I don't want to overpay for a mega-common game.
Anyway just some thoughts. I'm interested in perspectives and learning where I am missing the boat on this stuff. And if someone here is like "wow you dummy you should have bought those games off CL" and snap buys them, hey, no worries. To me, worth the risk of losing the buy in order to learn the market better.
I've been scouring CL and eBay for the last month or so and there just isn't much on offer here in central Arizona, usually a pretty rich target environment. I know it's variance and probably comes and goes but it's depressing when most of the games I am seeing are either: priced out of this world, in terrible shape, or my own games that I'm trying to rotate out for fresh ones (for my vintage arcade and game store, Desert Sky Games in Gilbert).
An oddity is that two separate Toobin are available. One from Tempe, and it's beaten all to hell and I wouldn't offer over $100 for it (if the owner is reading this, sorry bro, but that thing's in rough shape, and you know I ain't lying) and one in Tucson for $350 that looks fantastic and is just a tad more than I think I can lay on it, and even then mostly because of the transport cost. But to see two Toobin at the same time seemed noteworthy. Am I being stupid for not buying the good-looking one? I have no idea what it would be worth. And I have no idea whether Toobin is an earner, but it's a dedicated original so at least I know I wouldn't have to rebuild it.
There is a Donkey Kong in Cave Creek for $400 that the owner says is complete and working, but the photos show no coin door and a control panel missing buttons. I haven't shopped for a Kong lately so I have no idea whether I'm being an idiot for passing on this one too. I don't mind putting some dollars out there but I want good hardware and software when I do, maybe my expectations are unrealistic.
I rebuilt a busted-up Brute Force that had been converted into a Stadium Hero, into a Neo Geo SVC Chaos, and it just hit the floor at DSG tonight. Immediately it was mobbed by players. They do seem enthusiastic about fresh material, especially fighters and especially Japanese-style software. I hope to be able to broaden that a bit, add some variety. More originals, more dedicateds. My co-owners are not arcade fanatics, just mainstream fans, and they really like the Star Wars, TRON, Gauntlet, and SF2 Turbo because I have them in a condition resembling the way they originally were, back then. It's the total package. Anyone can run MAME in their man-cave.
If I were able to bring any one unit in, regardless of cost, I honestly don't know what it would be. It would be Fix-it Felix JR if that game were a real thing. I expect a lot of interest in the arcade when Wreck-it Ralph hits theaters. But setting aside obvious expensive buys like Pac-Man Party (three grand, ouch), if I only had say half a grand to drop, I couldn't tell you what specifically I would want. Only that I'd want it to be a game where emulation falls way short of the true experience, rather than being "almost as good" as is the case for something like the Neo Geo games. Maybe 720 degrees or Super Sprint. If the price was right, I know our players would love an MKII... but I don't want to overpay for a mega-common game.
Anyway just some thoughts. I'm interested in perspectives and learning where I am missing the boat on this stuff. And if someone here is like "wow you dummy you should have bought those games off CL" and snap buys them, hey, no worries. To me, worth the risk of losing the buy in order to learn the market better.




