Suggestions for starter arcade

Cubbie

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Hey guys.

I'm new here to the board and new to the idea of fixing up old arcade games. My electronics experience is limited to this point, so I'm working on learning more about that. My game playing experience is stellar, however.

Which game (or games) would you recommend for a beginner? I'm looking for something that the parts wouldn't be too terribly hard to find, something relatively easy to fix up in regards to the standard types of problems. Also I need something that will be easy on my budget since my budget is pretty slim.

I've been reading a lot of the threads here and learning a lot from you guys. Also, I live about 45 minutes away from Meadowview in Kingsport, so I plan to go there for the January auction at least to see what's up. Should I use that time to pick up some general parts or should I take the plunge and buy a fixer-upper?

The time I've spent looking around this forum has been really helpful to me so far. I'm ready to get in there and get my hands dirty. Thanks for reading my long-ass post.
 
You should buy a game that you enjoy playing. Most of the games from each era are similar to fix and maintain. There are, of course, a few exceptions but they are also the more expensive games so they are not likely within your budget anyway.
 
You should buy a game that you enjoy playing. Most of the games from each era are similar to fix and maintain. There are, of course, a few exceptions but they are also the more expensive games so they are not likely within your budget anyway.

Ok, that's a good point. Thanks.
 
Hey guys.

I'm new here to the board and new to the idea of fixing up old arcade games. My electronics experience is limited to this point, so I'm working on learning more about that. My game playing experience is stellar, however.

Which game (or games) would you recommend for a beginner? I'm looking for something that the parts wouldn't be too terribly hard to find, something relatively easy to fix up in regards to the standard types of problems. Also I need something that will be easy on my budget since my budget is pretty slim.

I've been reading a lot of the threads here and learning a lot from you guys. Also, I live about 45 minutes away from Meadowview in Kingsport, so I plan to go there for the January auction at least to see what's up. Should I use that time to pick up some general parts or should I take the plunge and buy a fixer-upper?

The time I've spent looking around this forum has been really helpful to me so far. I'm ready to get in there and get my hands dirty. Thanks for reading my long-ass post.

It might also be easier to learn on a Jamma cabinet. That way you could play multiple pcbs in one cabinet.
 
I would recommend a jamma multigame pcb like 60in1 or Elf 2,or better go through emulation with MAME.
What games you like to play anyway?
 
Yep agreed with the other posters. Go with a Jamma or a 60-1 board. Great place to start.
Most important as another stated make sure it's somthing you enjoy playing.

:)
 
My 2 cents:

I would say get something dedicated, maybe on KLOV's top 100 arcade games. This way you will have a good chance at resale if you need to get rid of it in a hurry ('life' happens to members here too). Try to find one with good condition artwork. Most importantly, get one that you like to play. If you need to spend $30 on a flyback, $15 on a cap kit, or $100 on a boardset, it will be a lot easier if you have some sort of attachment to the machine. As your collection grows, it will still look good compared to some generic cab.

Instead of buying at auctions (where most games have at least some electronic issues), I would say think about buying from a local KLOV member. Good ones will either sell you a game that has been gone through and fixed for a fair price, or sell you a project and be honest about the condition of the game. You usually won't find this at auctions.
 
My 2 cents:

I would say get something dedicated, maybe on KLOV's top 100 arcade games. This way you will have a good chance at resale if you need to get rid of it in a hurry ('life' happens to members here too). Try to find one with good condition artwork. Most importantly, get one that you like to play. If you need to spend $30 on a flyback, $15 on a cap kit, or $100 on a boardset, it will be a lot easier if you have some sort of attachment to the machine. As your collection grows, it will still look good compared to some generic cab.

Instead of buying at auctions (where most games have at least some electronic issues), I would say think about buying from a local KLOV member. Good ones will either sell you a game that has been gone through and fixed for a fair price, or sell you a project and be honest about the condition of the game. You usually won't find this at auctions.

Agreed. Also, when you're "new" to this hobby you may have a tendency to buy a game just because it's a good deal, or local, or 100 other excuses. Try to avoid this trap, otherwise you'll have a basement full of games that you don't care too much for and buyer's remorse will set in.

I would suggest as others have said, look for a game you like to play or have fond memories of- it will help you get into it more. Even post a WTB on this forum. Welcome and good luck!
 
Yeah, pick something you like to play. The older games aren't jamma which didn't start showing up until the mid 80s.

There are a couple things you should take into account about mame and the multi-jama boards. First, the controls for many classic games are specialized for that specific game. You have 2-way, 4-way, 8-way joysticks, specialized rotating joysticks, some games used buttons to move left and right, there are different types of buttons, steering wheels, handlbars, roller balls, etc. ect. It's hard to get an "authentic" experience unless you have the authentic controls, and the controls can substantially affect the game play. Also, some games had vertically mounted monitors, some had horizontally mounted monitors, some have vector monitors, some had multiple monitors. And, many of the classic games had analog sounds which are not effectively reproduced on MAME or the multi-boards. If you're really just looking for an approximation of the real game, and you want to save space, a multi-jamma or MAME is a good alternative. If you're looking to relive playing pac-man, or donkey kong, or space invaders, or paperboy, the only way to really get an authenic experience is to have the dedicated cabinet with all of the specialized parts.
 
Also, when you're "new" to this hobby you may have a tendency to buy a game just because it's a good deal, or local, or 100 other excuses. Try to avoid this trap, otherwise you'll have a basement full of games that you don't care too much for and buyer's remorse will set in.

i'm one of the few who will disagree with this statement, at least in part. i've found that buying a few cheap games to repair even if they aren't high on my list has taught me a lot. before investing in more desired and expensive games, i've learned what kinds of repairs i can reasonably make on my own, where to source parts from, how comfortable i am with artwork condition (can i live with a CPO that has slight cracking at the bend or will i be spending $60+ to replace it anyway because it bugs me?), and i've found several titles that i wouldn't have been interested in that now won't leave my collection. it's also weeded out some of the games i previously would have thrown big money at but i now realize aren't all that important to me. buying and selling locally is an incredible resource to help you hook up with other local collectors who can be excellent sources for games, parts, repair or advice.

of course, if you can pick up a cab you want for cheap all the better. if you like JAMMA games, get an inexpensive converted cabinet that is compatible with some of the games you want (pay attention to monitor orientation and button/joystick layout,) and buy the boards here or on eBay. do some research and you can figure out what is a good deal on boards and what isn't; prices vary widely depending on title and the whims of the seller.

personally, for a beginner i'd say stay away from vector games. if you must have one, stick with something simple and common like Asteroids. for classics, Midway titles like Galaxian and Rally-X are also simple, common and not as popular as few of their other titles (Pac, Ms. Pac, Galaga, Tron) and therefore often much less expensive. Centuri, Komani and Universal also have titles that are ubiquitous, simple and fun like Gyruss, Scramble, and Mr. Do! also stay with something that has a one or two board set and avoid "card racks" like in Gorf or Wizard of Wor. Nintendo's Donkey Kong and Mario Bros. are perennial favorites but have some oddities specific to their hardware that requires some additional knowledge.

for JAMMA games there's a huge host of choices out there. again, i'd stick with something fairly basic to start with that has a single or simple two board set. platformers like Pryos and Black Tiger and shooters such as Twin Cobra and 1943 are great first game choices depending on what you enjoy. beware some of the Midway games like Mortal Kombat that have extra cards (sound card!) and additional wiring (kick harnesses!) until you're more familiar with troubleshooting. gun and driving games have their own unique issues and may also be best to leave until you're more experienced.

also remember that these games are NOT investments and the market has changed drastically in the last few years. sure there's still a chance that someone who does good repair work can find a deal and flip a popular classic for a few bucks, but for the average collector you're lucky to break even when selling your games.

and for my money the most important thing is to buy a first game that works. sure, maybe it needs a cap kit or a new joystick and those are things you can learn to do. but nothing is more frustrating than having a huge, dark wooden box taking up a corner of the living room, eating up your time and money with little or nothing to show for it. you'll be a lot happier with something you can play, and once you've got some of the basics down you can get that cheap project Ms. Pac that doesn't turn on or the Street Fighter II with the scrambled screen and missing colors and begin your collection in earnest.
 
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Thanks for all the great suggestions everybody. I had thought about JAMMA to begin with, but there's that allure of having a real arcade game, ya know? :)

So by what I've read here, I think I might start with JAMMA after all. Seems like the best idea is to go with games that use roughly the same hardware and monitors in the same direction, right?

Also, doing some research, I see there's a lot of hate for Bottom of the Ninth, which confuses me because I always liked that game. They seem to always go cheap. Maybe there's a Bottom of the Ninth in my near future as well. Who knows.

Once I get the hang of things, I plan on keeping a rotation of games. I'll hang on to the ones I really like and eventually sell the ones I can live without so I can replace them with something else I think I might want.

Does anybody think the sellers market on arcade games will turn around? Let's face it...those of us who were kids in the early 80s are closing in on our midlife crises. Not everybody is interested in a little red convertible although I guess young blond secretaries never go out of style.
 
I agree staying away from vector games makes sense for a first foray into repairs. If you don't know, do a search for vector games so you know what we're talking about ... games like Asteroids and Tempest. The monitors can be harder to fix and more problematic than a raster one.

There are also games that tend to be troublesome. If you don't want constant headaches maybe people would recommend some to stay away from. Pole Position, for example, is pretty well know to have lots of problems.
 
Maybe there's a Bottom of the Ninth in my near future as well.

a great place to start, a game that you like that many others don't so it's not in high demand.

in fact, i can sell you a BofN working PCB for $25 shipped or for a bit more i can include a decent translite marquee as well.
 
I agree staying away from vector games makes sense for a first foray into repairs.

Yeah, I could tell when I looked into vector games that I didn't want to start there. Maybe later, and from the looks of it, maybe never! Sounds like a lot of heartache and headache to me.

There was a Pole Position for sale nearby a few months ago that I almost thought about buying. I did a little research into it and saw that they're kinda squirrelly. So I took a pass.

in fact, i can sell you a BofN working PCB for $25 shipped or for a bit more i can include a decent translite marquee as well.

Awesome, I'll take you up on both of those. I'll send you a message here in a second.
 
Understatement of the year. :D

Welcome to the board!

Thanks for the welcome. I like it here. I'm going to take my shoes off and get comfy. Let me know if my feet stink.

It hurt to pass up that PP because it was a cockpit and it was one of my favorite games when I was a kid. Oh well.
 
Thanks for the welcome. I like it here. I'm going to take my shoes off and get comfy. Let me know if my feet stink.

It hurt to pass up that PP because it was a cockpit and it was one of my favorite games when I was a kid. Oh well.

You're missing out. I love mine.

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