What do you get when you take a 5.1 Outdoor movie experience, add in 98 glow ice cubes, 120 glow sticks, a makeshift haunted house, a table full of tasty treats and enough sugar to induce a diabetic coma? Halloween 2017 at our house. :)
Here's a clip from our Nest cams from the block party & awkwardly appropriate halloween-era music track that captures the meta-narrative and sea of neighbors & friends that came out to enjoy some Arcade and Pinball fun.
Attack from Mars is one of those games that I've known that I want but I've let others' talk me out of pursuing.
"It's just that center shot over and over again.."
In fact, when I bought my Star Trek Premium, I bought it with hopes that it would scratch both the STTNG and AFM itches based on layout and center saucer toy.
As a market-force, the the Chicago Gaming / PPS remakes have (generally) helped to bring some of the player's quality original AFMs (MM's to a lesser extent) to come down into more reasonable price ranges. Before the remakes, it wasn't unheard of to find a player's quality AFM for $8,000.
Here, I found a player's quality AFM on Pinside, listed at a reasonable price by a flexible seller.
https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/archive/51870
He provided plenty of pictures to convey the condition, which I've archived here: https://images.eyedyllic.com/Hobbies/Attack-from-Mars-Pinside/n-ZMfNqc/
The game arrived via STI a couple of days before an open house / party. So I did a mad-dash just to get it playing for the party. The condition was in the range that I expected. Heavy cabinet wear around the flippers, some sloppy mylar around the left ramp, the saucer lights didn't work most of the time and the strobe wasn't functional.
Note the fact that Ghostbusters playfield was also lifted.. Node board failures two days before an open house / pinball party... bleh!
ColorDMD: http://shop.colordmd.com/colordmd-replacement-display-for-attack-from-mars-pinball-machine/
Cointaker LEDs: https://cointaker.com/t/attack-from-mars
Mothership LED Board: https://ksarcade.net/attack-from-mars-mother-ship-led-board-a-20670.html
Enhanced Strobe Kit: http://www.pinbits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_11&products_id=256
Mirror Art Blades: https://www.pingraffix.com/product-page/attack-from-mars-pinball-bladeskinz
Chrome Door: http://www.pinballplating.com/available-parts/bally-williams-coin-doors
Chrome Rails: http://www.pinballplating.com/available-parts/bally-williams-side-rails
Chrome Lockdown: http://www.pinballplating.com/available-parts/bally-lockdown-bars
Chrome Hinges: http://www.pinballplating.com/available-parts/bally-williams-93-95-hinges-pivot-bolts-set
Enhanced Strobe Kit: http://www.pinbits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_11&products_id=256
Pinball Life Lit Flipper Buttons: https://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=3760
Pinball Life Glass: https://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=768
Duplicolor Metallic Gunmetal Rattle Can:
https://www.autozone.com/paint-and-body/paint-spray-can-and-touch-up/dupli-color-gunmetal-metallic-perfect-match-paint/59700_0
Spaz Stix Holographic Rattle Can:
https://www.amazon.com/Color-Change-Holographic-Paint-Aerosol/dp/B0015H1FG0
A mixture of black, orange, yellow and white acrylic paints
Convolux, Green Protector Set: http://www.shop.freddys-pinball-paradise.de/index.php?f=3&q=convolux%206507
LED OCD for Controlled Lamps: http://ledocd.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=22
Pictures along the way..
The combination art-mirror blades from Pingraffix really turned out awesome. The animated, PowerBladez were just announced and I had saw them at a show but I thought the combination art and mirror really added a less-distracting and complimentary look to the game and goes well with the chrome accents. The Cointaker kit was the most incomplete that I've received from them but I suspect that AFM might be a title where there were inconsistencies between runs with regards to bulb-base types. That or being in the wild for so long, this game's lighting config had been molested by operator repair goons.
Can't say enough good things about Chris Royalty at PinballPlating.com. Quick turnaround and excellent work!
Of all of the adds, I think the Convolux added the most "pop" to the game.
My Gameroom is finally back to being mostly-functional again, which is sort of a zen moment for me since I've had glass off of pins and games pulled out in the middle of the room under various repairs for the last couple of months.
Not that it is completely done, I don't think anything in this hobby is ever actually completely done, right? Plenty of little tweaks remain on various games but at least, for the moment being (knock, wood) everything is in its place and working. :)
To the left of the room sit the main arcade games, from left to right:
Tron
Donkey Kong
- Arcadeshop.com reproduction, original boards & DK Remix / Deranged Chipset
Q*Bert
- Arcadeshop.com reproduction, Mylstar PCB
A Hyperspin Multicade with NES, SNES, Sega Genesis
- The cabinet is an unknown (maybe Mario?) nintendo cab was dumpster bound, came to me without any internals.
Mario Kart Arcade GP Cabs (linked)
- Currently running Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 Triforce CPUs
Towards the back of the room is the Star Wars Zone. Currently I have Star Wars Trilogy Stand up and a HUO Data East Star Wars pinball table w/ Pinsound and ColorDMD LED.
I originally build the dome to emulate the Star Wars Battle Pod -type game play with eyes set on Star Wars Battlefront (the soon-to-be, old version). Much to my disappointment after spending the summer on that project, when the game was released - the vehicle flight modes were mostly-land based and locked into online multiplayer playlists. When Death Star was finally released, it also was online only. Plans somewhat dashed, the dome is still a great cabinet for Playstation VR shenanigans (Star Wars Battlefront X-Wing VR Mission WIN) and racing titles. Lately, we've been alternating between Hydro thunder on the X-Box 360 and WipeOut! on the PS4.
In the middle of the room, hulking ominously over the couch sits Mortal Kombat. Currently running MK4, I'm looking forward to getting MK1, 2, 3 & 4 installed on a switcher finally this summer, with any luck.
Last year, I thinned out the Pinball addiction a bit to create a space for the kids (me too) to chill & play console games. I don't "get" Minecraft, personally but I'm known to play other console titles. It didn't seem right to have a family gameroom and not have the console-gaming bases covered.
Recently, with the addition of another pin, Revenge from Mars & the Cocktail table Multicade started to encroach upon this zone again, it is a little tight but I think it seems to be working for all involved, so far.
The Pinball row grew back with a +1 this year of Tales of the Arabian Nights.
In the distance, is Revenge from Mars - still I think one of the best values in pinball. Killer fun title!
Next is Ghostbusters Premium, I added the leg light ups from MustangPaul on Pinside, powder coated the rails, lockdown and legs to Metallic purple, installed a playfield protector and did some other playfield mods. It pisses people off that play it but I love it.
Star Trek Premium: Mine has mirror blades, interactive under cab lights, acryllic plastic protectors and the green laser mod.
Tales of the Arabian Nights - Purchased from a stand up GAPAS member who was really very easy to deal with and fair. It appears to be a re-import (three coin-door), has gold plated rails, legs and lockdown bar and ColorDMD - thanks to a SFGE show sponsor from the folks at ColorDMD.
Finally, in the line up is my Williams Indy. It has ColorDMD, Pinsound - and custom powder coating (Golden Vein) from Chris Royalty @ Hot Rod Arcade. Check them out at www.pinballplating.com.
Southern Fried Gameroom Expo (SFGE) 2017 was last weekend in Atlanta. SFGE is a special show, made large by a tremendous group of people who are organizing it. When I look at SFGE in comparison to other arcade & pinball events that I've been to, I see SFGE as a 'self-made' sort of success. For instance, Pinball Expo takes place in essentially the cradle of coin op amusements & Free Play Florida happens in conjunction with IAAPA, an industry trade show.
Not to diminish those shows one bit, they are awesome as well. However, it is a treat to see an Oasis of gaming culture thriving in the Southeast, in a region without the rich amusement history & vendor presence.
I like that this show represents a variety of gaming: arcade, pinball, console gaming, indie games & more.
I did a quick Facebook live walkthrough of the show floor, looks like it got downsampled for streaming but probably good enough to put you in the Saturday peek action.
Thursday night, through Friday morning - volunteer bring games through a service elevator and they get set up in the space. In a span of hours, a-mostly empty ball-room is converted into an impressive and thriving functional free-play arcade.
I took possession of my new Tales of the Arabian Nights early Saturday morning and got the opportunity to install a ColorDMD and get it set up on the gaming floor for Saturday's festivities.
Saturday is definitely the busiest day of the weekend with a steady stream of folks coming in all day long.
I was excited to get to play Scott Danesi's Total (Nuclear) Annihilation pin that Spooky Pinball will be producing.
So, how much fun can it be playing pinball on a prototype whitewood game? Lots, actually! The game has clever rules, a bad ass sound track and nicely thematic animations on the ColorDMD. It features a nice multiplayer dynamic that was conducive to 4-Up playing. Here, Charlie & I had to find some way to pass the time while Eric mercilessly stole our locked balls.
All weekend, I never saw the glass off of TNA. It performed like a champ, chewing up and spitting out player after player. One time, I saw Scott showing the internals and had to snap the picture out of appreciation for a job well done and innovation.
It was great to get to spend some time on Dialed In. Despite the luke-warm reception concerning the game's theme - this is a special game, for sure. Tons of magnets, excellent flow and plenty to shoot at. With headphones in, I got a chance to hear the games audio and it was impressive indeed! JJP & Pat Lawlor have a hit on their hands with this game.
American Pinball's Houdini was on the floor and available to play. It was an impressive shooting game with excellent theming and a very "Williams" feel to it.
I was pretty stoked to get to spend some time on Ice Cold Beer, which is a game I wouldn't mind owning eventually, unique & fun!
Speaking of unique games, Quick & Crash was a super fun shooting-alley game with practical effects. The game dynamic is centered around a quick-draw motion and the game uses a Pepper's Ghost illusion to approximate a realistic effect of breaking glass. Super. Freaking. Cool.
One of the Metallica's in the show won a show-award, though the specific Metallica pictured here, while Nathan stomped my butt - was the nicest Metallica I've ever seen. Excellent lighting and custom plating from PinballPlating.com
Marco Specialities had a strong showing with many of the latest Stern machines on the floor to play.
This year's show had John from John's Arcade, Ben Heck, Billy Mitchell, Walter Day, Dirty Donny, the guys from Broken Token & many more.
The Sky Skipper world reveal! Arcade history in the making..
My morning ritual developed around expresso, plus a latte and a few games on a Tapper Cocktail table near the show floor entrance.
In case you were wondering, The CheeseCake Factory does indeed make a proper Old Fashioned, including the flamed orange twist.
The show seemed to strike a solid balance between being a family event during the day and early evening but having grown-up time in the later evening as well. Everyone was well behaved & respectful, though it appears that Pac-man might have gone a little too far one night.
Here our pile of games sat as we prepared to stage at the freight elevator. Cody's Paragon; Charlie's Street Fighter II, Genesis & NBA Fast Break; Nathan's Strikres and Spares & Blackout, my Tales of the Arabian Nights.
It is incredible (and a little sad) to see the convention area go from a thriving arcade to a mostly-empty room in just over 2 hours but it is a testament to the well-oiled machine that is this show's volunteer team.
While I've been to these shows in the past, I've always held a pretty stand-offish opinion regarding bringing my games to shows. I guess, mostly it was the lazy devil on my shoulder, convincing the hyper-angel on my other shoulder that the games might get damaged by careless strangers and the trouble of traveling with a game isn't worth the effort.
The mental calculus of that proposition that I didn't take into account was the family of enthusiasts that put on this show, the overwhelmingly positive experience & support of the show organizers and the desire to contribute to help the show be all that it can be, for the sake of spreading love for this hobby. After this trip, my mind was changed. I considered SFGE, even though it is 5 miles away, to be my "home" show and I look forward to bringing more blinky-light furniture again next year for visitors to enjoy.
Star Wars Day... May the 4th. You watch (or play) Star Wars on May the 4th and you drink tequila and margaritas on May the 5th. So it is written.
Be it a marketing gimmick or a meme-turned into a broader cultural reference, today is Star Wars Day. I think at one time I liked Star Wars more than Arcade & Pinball stuff but I think as time goes on, these things are more equally spaced in the "things I enjoy / am a fan of." So, the confluence of Arcade, Pinball and Star Wars? -- Yes please, sign me up!.
Rumors & speculation were that Stern Pinball might announce or tease their upcoming heavily-rumored, not yet fully confirmed Star Wars pinball machine today. So far, nothing on their social media and a few indications on Pinside & pinball podcasts that it might not be today, after all. Rumors are that it will be Steve Ritchie game, based on the Original Trilogy (or something across the whole franchise) and that it would have a ball-accelerator mech of some fashion, perhaps like Getaway.
Not saying that I will not be interested in a new Star Wars pinball from Stern but I can say that I'm quite happy with my personally customized Data East Star Wars table, shown here.
Over the years it looks like I've had a few shenanigans related to Star Wars arcade and pinball machines... Here's a look back:
My Star Wars Trilogy Ordeal:
https://arcadeshenanigans.com/blog/2014/8/7/star-wars-trilogy-pinball-resurrection
and
http://arcadeshenanigans.com/blog/2014/8/10/star-wars-trilogy-pinball-owner-review
I sold my last Data East Star Wars:
http://arcadeshenanigans.com/blog/2015/3/8/a-look-at-star-wars-by-data-east
I decided to build a Star Wars Battle Pod Clone:
https://arcadeshenanigans.com/blog/2015/10/1/dome-gaming-build
Bought my current Data East Star Wars:
http://arcadeshenanigans.com/blog/2016/10/30/star-wars
I think for this Star Wars Day, I'll go downstairs after work, drink some Blue Milk, check the status of that Storm Trooper costume that I ordered from www.anovos.com last year (that I plan on converting into a static statue - prop for the basement) and play some Pinball and Star Wars X-Wing Mission VR. :)
I hope you have a great May/4th as well!
Santa's sleigh is indeed red but has more axles than what is depicted in Rudolph: The Red Nosed Reindeer and other holiday classics. Early Christmas came in spring this year as STI dropped off a new edition to our game room, the Nintendo Red Tent.
For the uninitiated, the Red Tent is the Nintendo VS Dual System in a cocktail table fashion. The unique side by side, 'you sunk my battleship'-styled monitor layout and distinctive red metal frame earned this unit the moniker, "Red Tent" amongst arcade folks.
The Nintendo VS Dual system contains a single Nintendo main board with two channels on the board, allowing for different games to be played on each side or for the same game to be played against each other.
I bought this Red Tent from Chris @ Arcade Rescue 911 after having an eBay watch agent configured for such things for the last 9 months. I found them to be super-easy to work with and very reasonable.
Arcade Rescue 911 on Youtube
STI / NAVL handled shipping, through Beltmann Logistics as the shipping agent.
Michelle Bianchi - Beltmann Integrated Logistics
Addison IL 60101
630-352-3312
Toll Free 877-432-2646 Toll Free 800-959-8880
Cell630-344-3093 Fax 866-651-5919
Michelle.bianchi@Beltmann.com
Everything was very well-packaged, arrived exactly on time and in excellent condition. STI can locally vary but I've found our local drivers are pretty good. One of them in particular, Harry is quite awesome, though this one was delivered by Charles, who doesn't help you move stuff into the house.
One thing that was unique about this Red Tent from others I've seen is that it had a gun configuration on one side. It was running VS Freedom Force, originally.
I installed Roms for Hogan's Alley on the gun side.
..and it came with VS Goonies on the other side..
John's Arcade has his usual excellent wealth of info on this system, listing the available games and the PPU / ROM (and optional daughter board) combinations for each game.
Now I just need to find some time from a busy work-schedule to investigate these supposedly-working boards from a different arcade vendor that arrived with issues..
Masaya Nakamura, founder of Namco - passed away today. The news today, wanting clickable headlines billed this as he death of the Father of Pacman.
As an engineer I consider Toru Iwatani (the engineer who actually created PacMan) to be Pac's father figure.
Still, though Namco has been a pioneer in the amusement industry and Masaya Nakamura's vision for amusement gaming was felt in Namco throughout the golden age of arcade and even after he officially stepped down as CEO in 2002.
Our thoughts and well-wishes are with his family & friends. Thank you, Masaya Nakamura. Rest in Peace.
(click for larger view)
Looking back at 2016 and my arcade / pinball activity. What a year! In 2016, I decided to re-center my arcade & game room activities a bit. Prior to 2016, I had sought out games that were highly-rated or hard to come by in our region.
While not on purpose, I think I fell into that trap of hunting trophies and building a collection, which really wasn't the intent for my game room.
The intent for my game room was to build a fun space and in 2016 with the help of good friends, I think we did just that, sacrificing a few pinball machines that are generally regarded as collectible and opening up the room with a new layout that has a little something for everyone in our family and friends circle.
This year, I bought-and-sold: Ruby Red Wizard of Oz, Hobbit, Monster Bash, Scared Stiff.
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The progression of this hobby very often takes people from Arcade machines to Pinball machines and many collectors I think have a tendency to step away from Arcades in favor of Pinball. The reasoning is sound since many arcades can be emulated well enough on your console, phone, Multi Cade, etc. But for me, I still enjoy owning arcades. I enjoy tinkering with them and the experience of playing games in the arcade format. Nostalgia, I guess.
So, part of our arcade activities this year, I tried to strike a balance of arcades to pins and picked up some games that were special to us though the year.
This year, we picked up:
Bud Tapper (from some dude in Ohio via KLOV) - I learned alot about MCR games and spent a good portion of the year trying to locate a suitable monitor for this game. After several misses, a Vision Pro finally hit-the-spot to make this game feel right.
Q*Bert (from ArcadeShop.com) - I picked up a reproduction Q*Bert cabinet, running the Mylstar FPGA board and one of the three monitors that I bought attempting to re-CRT Tapper. Super happy to have a Q*Bert in the lineup, it gets played daily!
Tron (from a pawn shop in Saraland) - A friend in our local club brought this game to my attention and I checked it out during lunch one day. I spent about 2 months thinking about it and eventually came to an agreement with someone at the Pawn shop. We moved it in at the end of the year and cleaned it up over the holidays. It seems to be very original and is in pretty good condition. A few small areas on the cabinet and a few electrical gremlins but nothing too terrible.
(click for larger view)
Part of our 2016 basement reorganization was to give the kids (all of us) a place to hang out and play console games. The loves eat and chair and TV area is getting lots of use: the kids getting their Minecraft fix and I've gotten to get reacquainted with a few console favorites.
(click for larger view)
For Pinball, I decided to pick up pinballs with specific themes and gameplay that resonate with my childhood and general geekdom. I added Ghostbusters (after a lengthy preorder) and Revenge from Mars from a collector in Chicago.
(click for larger view)
I also added back a HUO Data East Star Wars (from a comic book shop owner in Tennessee) and created this Star-Wars themed nook in the corner of the basement where can play the Dome(usually Star Wars Battlefront or the new Playstation VR mission) and enjoy Star Wars Trilogy & Data East Star Wars.
The Data East pin has a particular nostalgia for me, being the first multi-ball pinball machine I ever played traveling with my dad as a kid and being the first pinball that owned when I started in this hobby 4 years ago. This particular pin is in a good bit better shape than my last one, sports a ColorDMD/ LED and Pin sound running a custom soundtrack.
Over the holidays, I got to spend a little time setting up wifi-enabled smart plugs and Amazon Echo / Echo Dot to control game room activity.
The setup definitely could use some refinement but being able to control individual games, or groups of games with Star Trek-like voice commands is super-nice.
(Especially where kids are concerned, where they tend to leave games on or don't know how to turn on specific games)
As we move into the new year, I think my arcade-pinball related resolution is to buy / sell, less and play, more. To spent less time tinkering with games and more time playing & hanging out with friends. Do you have a 2017 arcade-pinball resolution?
