Rockola Demon - What's the Story?

Phetishboy

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 12, 2006
Messages
47,929
Reaction score
9,392
Location
Avon, Minnesota
What's the story with this game? Why is there only one in existence? What kind of vector monitor was/is used? Is this game a conversion of another Rockola game? Can one 'create' a Demon PCB with a ROM swap on an existing Rockola PCB? Was there EVER a dedicated Demon? I played it at CAX '09 and fell in love with it. I would love to build one if it was possible. Just need someone with the know-how and desire to engineer a PCB from scratch or create one out of an existing Rockola PCB. Anyone tried to crack the code? Is this possible?

1165619460.jpg
 
Last edited:
If this is the game I think it is, the reason there is only one, is that RockOla discontinued their game division (as in fired everybody) just before they went into production with it. It was one of three or four that were just about to go into production when the management at RockOla decided to focus on the jukebox end of the business. A friend that was working there as a developer said it was pretty ugly when they pulled the plug. He worked on Rocket Racer which is also a very rare title for the same reason.

ken
 
If this is the game I think it is, the reason there is only one, is that RockOla discontinued their game division (as in fired everybody) just before they went into production with it. It was one of three or four that were just about to go into production when the management at RockOla decided to focus on the jukebox end of the business. A friend that was working there as a developer said it was pretty ugly when they pulled the plug. He worked on Rocket Racer which is also a very rare title for the same reason.

ken

Holy shit, I love that you have all this obscure history due to working at Williams. Thanks Ken. You should ask him if any boards survived and what vector monitor they ended up using. V2000, G05-801, Cinemetronics, etc. Would love to know.
 
The monitor is the same Cinematronics one used in the other black and white vector games. The difference is the frame and the fact that the monitor board is mounted directly on it. It 's the same as my Rock-ola Armor Attack cocktail monitor.
 

Attachments

  • 100_6853.jpg
    100_6853.jpg
    95 KB · Views: 129
  • 100_6854.jpg
    100_6854.jpg
    92.3 KB · Views: 108
  • 100_6855.jpg
    100_6855.jpg
    84.5 KB · Views: 99
The monitor is the same Cinematronics one used in the other black and white vector games. The difference is the frame and the fact that the monitor board is mounted directly on it. It 's the same as my Rock-ola Armor Attack cocktail monitor.

That cocktail is the shiz.
 
I know one Chicago collector has one, I'm sure he'll respond when he sees this.
 
I own one to, so theres a couple of them out there. (the one in Chicago is maybe the same one at cax, but I'm not sure) I think its the only black on black rockola cabinet, so its "dedicated" just a typical rockola side art game. With so few around, it seems like it failed before it made it past testing, but I found mine in a small time OPs warehouse, so I don't know.


As I understand it, its a cinematronics game they licensed to rockola to have manufactured. I think it uses a typical cinematronics pcb and monitor, but has a custom sound board. I guess you could have it engineered pretty easily, but im not a tech nerd (just the normal type or nerd)
 
Yeah I would love to own a demon too. I believe there is at least one person that owns two of them. Not sure how many were made or survived.
 
Phet, As others have said there are more than one out there... Have you actually played it??

Yes I played it at CAX '09 and I was going by the VAPS listing when I asked if there was really only 1 in existence. I thought all serious collectors updated their VAPS accounts? No?
 
Yes I played it at CAX '09 and I was going by the VAPS listing when I asked if there was really only 1 in existence. I thought all serious collectors updated their VAPS accounts? No?

Not all of us have even a VAPS listing...I don't have one. Although I only have 2 cabs, I have a bunch of boards.
 
Yes I played it at CAX '09 and I was going by the VAPS listing when I asked if there was really only 1 in existence. I thought all serious collectors updated their VAPS accounts? No?

I am not very serious about anything, so i don't have a VAPS listing.

When I found mine there was one other known one in Chicago area without a marquee. I heard a rumor he found a marquee then sold it to the guy who brought it to CAX. The cax one and the missing marquee one could be 2 different ones so that would make 3. Beyond that i haven't heard of one, but i have a hard time keeping up with my games let alone other peoples games :)

Maybe we can clear it up, put me down for 1. Anyone else want to fess up?
 
What's the story with this game? Why is there only one in existence? What kind of vector monitor was/is used? Is this game a conversion of another Rockola game? Can one 'create' a Demon PCB with a ROM swap on an existing Rockola PCB? Was there EVER a dedicated Demon? I played it at CAX '09 and fell in love with it. I would love to build one if it was possible. Just need someone with the know-how and desire to engineer a PCB from scratch or create one out of an existing Rockola PCB. Anyone tried to crack the code? Is this possible?

Matt (who already posted here) has one. Pete A. has one (he's the guy who brought his to CAX several times). Hans (P1001) has one. Here's some pictures I took of Hans' a while back:

http://www.tollianweb.com/uc/Demon/Hans_Demon.html

Very rare, but I'm sure there are others too.
 
Matt (who already posted here) has one. Pete A. has one (he's the guy who brought his to CAX several times). Hans (P1001) has one. Here's some pictures I took of Hans' a while back:

http://www.tollianweb.com/uc/Demon/Hans_Demon.html

Very rare, but I'm sure there are others too.

Cool, thanks Joe. So is that textured vinyl on the kickplate? Is that same texture used on the whole cabinet?

hr_control_panel.jpg
 
Cool, thanks Joe. So is that textured vinyl on the kickplate? Is that same texture used on the whole cabinet?

I alerted and asked Hans to reply on this. I don't recall for sure, but I don't think it's vinyl, I think it's just painted press board that is starting to show it's age. I believe the sides are the same thing.
 
Back
Top Bottom