Yie Ar Kung Fu Bezel/Art

[2HitWonder]

There have been a few scattered discussions about Yie Ar Kung Fu art over the last 10 years on here, but most of them leave more unanswered questions than not. Here's a summary of what I have concluded based on these discussions and browsing the web for pics of old machines:



Marquees: All the same and they are out there everywhere.



CPOs: All the same and a few places are currently reproducing.



Instruction Stickers:There is an image or two out there on the internet, and at least one place is reproducing now ( https://www.gameongrafix.com/product/yie-ar-kung-fu-sticker ).



Side Art: I have seen some variations, but learned from researching for this thread that the kit did come with sideart and there is now one place reproducing it ( https://www.thisoldgame.com/side-art/yie-ar-kung-fun-side-art ).



Bezel: No bezel came with the conversion kits, and most you will see just slapped some instruction stickers on the original game (before being converted to YAKF) bezel or a generic bezel. There has been a push here recently to get something together as you will see in the thread below.



The purpose of this thread is twofold:

1. To clarify what is out there and where to get it, for myself and other Yie Ar owners or future owners.



2. To get some advice on who could make a bezel for Yie Ar and if one could be made using images that are already on the web. The images which I have posted on here are from a mame site and are JPGs 3840 x 2160.

 

[Oldworldman]

I was just thinking of this game today and played it when it first came out back in the day.

Never knew that there were no dedicated ones and just conversions for this game.

I would be interested in some artwork if you were to get around to finding all of the pieces to make repros.

Keep me in the loop, and I will check my resources and start looking for the artwork for this game so I can make me one and help others who are interested.

This is my second favorite fighting game. Karate champ (Both versions) Was my first.

Good Luck.

 

[KPW66]

Game On Grafix makes the CPO, Marquee, Instruction sticker and also the button label stickers. Since Yie Ar was a conversion game the CPO was large and could be trimmed, similar story for the marquee. I suspect a Bezel wasn't made originally as there is just too many variations in cab bezels and plexi isn't the easiest thing for someone to trim.

I'm actually having Game On Grafix design for me a Yie Ar bezel (underlay) right now which will be modeled after the Defender Bezel (as that's the cab I'm using) but all the Defender art replaced with a complimenting blue color. He is also going to layout the instruction cards in the bezel. It will not have all the Yie Ar art like you designed but perhaps all that would just deter from the marquee? too busy? Anyway, I can post pics in a couple/few weeks when it's all together.

I did see this bezel online, no idea where it originated: https://www.coinoppartsetc.com/prod...-arcade-machine-game-plexiglass-marquee-bezel

Also, looks like this side art was from original kit:
https://www.escapepodonline.com/products/vintage-yie-ar-kung-fu-side-art

 

[2HitWonder]

I'm actually having Game On Grafix design for me a Yie Ar bezel (underlay) right now which will be modeled after the Defender Bezel (as that's the cab I'm using) but all the Defender art replaced with a complimenting blue color. He is also going to layout the instruction cards in the bezel. It will not have all the Yie Ar art like you designed but perhaps all that would just deter from the marquee? too busy? Anyway, I can post pics in a couple/few weeks when it's all together.

Sounds perfect! My Yie Ar is also in a Defender cab and I have bought several pieces from Game On Grafix before. I'd like to see it when finished.

 

[ModCity]

My YAKF is in a Stargate and whoever did the conversion put the CPO on upside down. So the top of the control panel is mostly black, which is where they put the instruction stickers. It works, and most would never know the difference. I've gotten used to it that way and would have a hard time changing it now.

Mine has a plain glass bezel, no art. I've never really thought of tracking one down but after reading this I may keep my eye out. No side art, just painted blue.

I've never seen a real high-end conversion of YAKF in collector-quality shape. Kind of strange when you figure there were quite a few of them out there at one time.

 

[Oldworldman]

How is Game on Graffix quality?

I have never ordered from them and actually inquired about something on their site and never heard back.

I am particular about my CPO's. I like them to have texture like the originals.

Does GOG's CPO's have this type of texture or no?

 

[Oldworldman]

No Need to look any further.

This Old Game just posted that they have the artwork available.

From the originals.

Side Art, Bezel, Marquee and CPO.

https://www.thisoldgame.com/side-art/yie-ar-kung-fun-side-art

Good Luck!

Thanks Kendra!

 

[2HitWonder]

No Need to look any further.

This Old Game just posted that they have the artwork available.

From the originals.

Side Art, Bezel, Marquee and CPO.

https://www.thisoldgame.com/side-art/yie-ar-kung-fun-side-art

Good Luck!

Thanks Kendra!

Wow, that was fast! This Old Game sent me a PM telling me the same info. I must say the sideart is beast and I plan on getting a set real soon. I got a Time Pilot marquee from him a couple of years back and it was top notch.

 

[Oldworldman]

Wow, that was fast! This Old Game sent me a PM telling me the same info. I must say the sideart is beast and I plan on getting a set real soon. I got a Time Pilot marquee from him a couple of years back and it was top notch.

Oh they have a new printing laser process and everything they produce is just like it was back in the day!

I am so excited they alerted us! I guess Kendra saw this thread? Or is she just psychic?

Lol.

 

[2HitWonder]

I bought a Centipede cocktail CPO set from them and they also put together a Mat Mania CPO for me on their Mania Challenge template a couple years ago, back before anyone had an original Mat Mania CPO available. That one was accomplished on a Sunday afternoon with a few emails back and forth. Have been happy with the quality of everything I got from them.

How is Game on Graffix quality?

I have never ordered from them and actually inquired about something on their site and never heard back.

I am particular about my CPO's. I like them to have texture like the originals.

Does GOG's CPO's have this type of texture or no?

 

[2HitWonder]

I've never seen a real high-end conversion of YAKF in collector-quality shape. Kind of strange when you figure there were quite a few of them out there at one time.

Amen!
It seems like every machine of Yie Ar that I have ever seen was a thrown together heap. I can't remember the cabinet details of the one I played back in the day but I think it was in a Taito of some kind, and I don't remember it looking shabby. But I didn't really pay attention to that much back in those days...just played the games.

It is a very underrated game to anyone who played it back in the day. The characters were really cool for that moment in arcade history. My theory is that it gets a bad rap because it is commonly found sitting in the cabinet of some golden era classic that people drool over nowadays, but were old dogs when they were converted in the mid 80's. It obviously wasn't drawing a crowd for the art or professional conversion jobs!

 

[Oldworldman]

Back when I played this game it was the hottest thing since Karate Champ.

We spent hours trying to crack the mystery opponents.

We, like you said, just "played the games" we never paid attention to whether it was dedicated or a conversion or not. We could care less.

I did not learn until I started collecting 20 years later about dedicated Vs. Converted games, amongst other oddities such as bootleg boards, etc.

 

[KPW66]

Agree, I cannot remember which cab this game was in back in the day at my local 7-Eleven store, but it got a LOT of play. Super fun game.

I scored a converted Defender cab which had been painted over and Jamma-ized so it needed some love. But, thankfully, 2/3rds of the original harness was there and intact, the marquee light and speaker were there, the earlier style original coin door was there and complete, and the original power supply was there and fully working.

So, I replaced the water-damaged kick panel, sanded the cab down, and it's getting a new black paint job. If it ever needs to be converted back to a Defender all that would be needed is sourcing a board set & board harness, the stencil job on sides and front, and swapping CP/Marquee/Bezel back to Defender. It's the best of both worlds, getting the Yie Ar game I want now (as I already have a nice Defender) and preserving and restoring an old Defender cab. Win/Win

 

[ModCity]

Amen!
It seems like every machine of Yie Ar that I have ever seen was a thrown together heap. I can't remember the cabinet details of the one I played back in the day but I think it was in a Taito of some kind, and I don't remember it looking shabby. But I didn't really pay attention to that much back in those days...just played the games.

I think the one I played when it was new was in a Taito cab, as well. The one and two player buttons were on the front of the control panel instead of the top. That's most of what I remember about it.

It is a very underrated game to anyone who played it back in the day. The characters were really cool for that moment in arcade history. My theory is that it gets a bad rap because it is commonly found sitting in the cabinet of some golden era classic that people drool over nowadays, but were old dogs when they were converted in the mid 80's. It obviously wasn't drawing a crowd for the art or professional conversion jobs!

Konami marketed the game as a conversion for Williams cabinets specifically, so you often find them in one of those. Couple that with the fact that most of the conversions weren't done that well, and overall popularity of Williams cabs and games, I can see why YAKF didn't last long when the games started becoming collectable with hobbyists. Understandable, but it's too bad.

I love the game. First arcade machine I ever bought, and it will never leave. I'm getting some occasional sprite issues with it recently, so the board probably needs a tune up, but otherwise it's been pretty solid.

 

[2HitWonder]

Agree, I cannot remember which cab this game was in back in the day at my local 7-Eleven store, but it got a LOT of play. Super fun game.

I scored a converted Defender cab which had been painted over and Jamma-ized so it needed some love. But, thankfully, 2/3rds of the original harness was there and intact, the marquee light and speaker were there, the earlier style original coin door was there and complete, and the original power supply was there and fully working.

So, I replaced the water-damaged kick panel, sanded the cab down, and it's getting a new black paint job. If it ever needs to be converted back to a Defender all that would be needed is sourcing a board set & board harness, the stencil job on sides and front, and swapping CP/Marquee/Bezel back to Defender. It's the best of both worlds, getting the Yie Ar game I want now (as I already have a nice Defender) and preserving and restoring an old Defender cab. Win/Win

Looking at the nice job you did on that Defender cab makes me want to sand mine down and repaint it, especially since some nice side art is finally available.
Mine too has been through multiple conversions, looks like it was blue, then black over top with lots of rough spots everywhere. The empty cab was totally wired for jamma when I got it and there is not much left of the original gear.

 

[Oldworldman]

Nice plan on that defender, and nice job on the restore process!

I have a defender cabinet that has been converted to a quiz and dragon's game. Jamma capcom.

It has nothing original in or on it anymore except maybe the monitor.

I have been doing my centuri conversions with centuri cabinets because it's a plug and play and can be converted back easily.

I am currently working on converting a vanguard to a guzzler. With my YAKF conversion I may search out a time pilot to convert.

Here is my roc n rope conversion. It was a time pilot.

 

[2HitWonder]

Just for fun, to confirm our theory about all Yie Ar's being shotty conversion jobs and in the interest of making this thread as informative for future generations as possible: here are all the YAKF cab pictures that I could find on this board going all the way back to the beginning.

 

[2HitWonder]

Also, here is the original conversion kit flyer ( https://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=flyer&db=videodb&id=2783&image=1 ).
Two things really caught me eye:
1. They were really pushing the conversion of Williams cabinets, to the point of an adapter harness being included.
2. The kit did come with side art, which surprises me because so few of the machines that I have seen had side art.

 

[2HitWonder]

I also found this in searching the board for pictures: Nice scan of NOS instruction stickers.

If you want the original file, go to this thread: https://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=276217&highlight=yie

 

[2HitWonder]

And here are the two best cab pictures I have seen from around the web, both with side art.