Paperboy Bubble?

HOT TAKE: Paperboy is not that great of a game

That depends on WHY someone buys a game...

Gameplay
Historical significance
Rarity
Popularity
Nostalgia
Etc..

I never really enjoyed paperboy when I played it in the wild and I would never pay the price it goes for these days, but after converting my Champ Sprint to a paperboy, I get why people pay big money for one. My original opinion was based on not really knowing how to play the game AND just about all the machines I ever played since I started collecting about 5 years ago, have had controller issues - sloppy/loose and/or faulty potentiometers. Now that I have a rebuilt controller the game is a little addicting now that I know how to score... something I also hadn't paid much attention to is that the game oozes 80's pop culture... the Michael Jackson moonwalker, the 80's slang call outs, the break dancers, radio controlled cars, a BMX converted to a paper route bike (like the 80's BMX movie RAD) and the boom box, etc... it captures a lot of the 80's nostalgia - probably better than any other game I can think off...

This! It is a fun game especially with friends when dialed in correctly. Too many games and pins on location are not dialed in correctly. Sloppy controls, bad flippers, etc, etc,

Paperboy is pretty damn fun with friends if maintained and dialed in correctly. That being said, for 2-3K, I would rather have a pin.
 
This! It is a fun game especially with friends when dialed in correctly. Too many games and pins on location are not dialed in correctly. Sloppy controls, bad flippers, etc, etc,

Paperboy is pretty damn fun with friends if maintained and dialed in correctly. That being said, for 2-3K, I would rather have a pin.

yep, I agree - I am currently trying to trade my paperboy for a pin, at some point I need to just post a price and sell it but I'm still not sure what to let it go for...
 
I also don't think it is a coincidence that early Atari games fetch high prices because they were unique in their controls and game concepts:

Major Havok
Lunar Lander
Paperboy
720
Escape from the Planet of Robot Monsters
Marble Madness
Quantum (another game I didn't like until I played it with a buttery trackball)
Road Runner
Star Wars

Marble Madness and Quantum don't really have unique controls, but the game play is very unique...
 
I also don't think it is a coincidence that early Atari games fetch high prices because they were unique in their controls and game concepts:

Major Havok
Lunar Lander
Paperboy
720
Escape from the Planet of Robot Monsters
Marble Madness
Quantum (another game I didn't like until I played it with a buttery trackball)
Road Runner
Star Wars

Marble Madness and Quantum don't really have unique controls, but the game play is very unique...


100%, limited runs with unique features make repro'ing difficult so drives up price. I was amazed that a populated Tapper CP just sold for $464 on ebay, even with repros panels being done and taps, etc on the way.
 
I also don't think it is a coincidence that early Atari games fetch high prices because they were unique in their controls and game concepts:

Major Havok
Lunar Lander
Paperboy
720
Escape from the Planet of Robot Monsters
Marble Madness
Quantum (another game I didn't like until I played it with a buttery trackball)
Road Runner
Star Wars

Marble Madness and Quantum don't really have unique controls, but the game play is very unique...

Well MM has a trackball, same as Quantum tho.

I had a super nice 720 that I restored, silk screened art, rebuilt joystick, etc. I ended up selling it as I just couldn't get into the gameplay.
 
thats a game i am horrible at but you just have to have one....;)
 
For what it's worth, a S.T.U.N. Runner flight yoke will work on a Paperboy just fine. Plenty of shitty Runners out there to cannibalize.
 
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