Hello - Advice please !

[Gixerk3]

Hi There ,
New user and a mad retro gamer from the 80's when all the arcades only had classic games and not fruit machine's like they do nowadays !

So i have my own home bar and thought it was time to look at getting one of the cocktail table retro games systems ive seen on Ebay ... However after reading one of the posts last night am i correct to believe in staying clear of them ?

I did see one member mentioning a system which is 2k ! Now i know the level of knowledge you guys have is awesome .. so please some advice if you do not mind !

What type should i go for ... it has to be the cocktail design , hold plenty of the classic games i.e space invaders , galaxian , frogger , pac man , phoenix , scramble, dig dug , etc. Do any of you guys have any for sale or do you recomended any manufacturers of these systems be it ultimate arcade cabinets , flat out arcades etc.

Sorry for the questions but before parting with my money i would like a decent set up for me and the missus and also the lads to enjoy and reminisce in the bar !

Thanks




Mark

 

[t-m]

Hello Mark,

If it were me i'd buy the nicest tidiest old generic cocktail cabinet you can get and fit it with a 60-1 board like this .... https://www.arcadeworlduk.com/products/60-in-1-vertical-jamma-game-board.html

Too many games you just end up spending ages scrolling through and not playing

Those new build will have an LCD in and made of chipboard and just won't be the same.

 

[Gixerk3]

Hi ,
Thank you for your time in replying and your answer as well ! The trouble with being new to this and just discovering this page is not knowing where to even start !!

Are the Ebay ones ok quality wise or are thye ones to avoid at all cost ? I have seen some of the members selling some of the cocktail cabinets , so it could be a case of starting there and putting the right internals in it !!

Thanks Again. .

 

[t-m]

People on this forum are more than happy to share their knowledge so don't worry, but be aware that we're mostly interested in preserving old machines than new ones

But yes if you get an old cocktail cabinet in good condition the internal game can be changed for a multi-board and without doing any damage so it can be reverted to the way it was.

Depends what you want... do you want a classic/retro games machine... or do you just want to play retro games? You can have both

 

[TDE_Rich]

No matter how nicely screwed together, those all-in-one MAME cabs are like those Round The World buffets in Vegas hotels. It's fun the first few times, but all you really want at 7am is a few slices of toast and a mug of tea. I've done overpriced hotels and overpriced MAME cabs so I speak from experience

 

[bones]

Tbh, the 60 in 1 board is probably the way to go nowadays, sometimes you can pick them up new for £30. You just need to decide whether you just want to play the games or you want something nice to look at as well,as in a cabinet. I mean these particular PCBs have a VGA output that will connect to LCD TVs/monitors, a 2nd hand £5 250watt computer power supply could run it. Then it's just constructing a couple of joystick panels(joystick button kits available on eBay,dunno £30ish), a bit of wiring, something to house it in, and you're up and running possibly with a 2nd hand lcd monitor for under a £100.

 

[Gixerk3]

Thanks for your answer and i do appreciate your points of view about most of the members wanting to restore the awesome original machines !

I like the idea of an original cabinet with modern internals ( apologies if that upsets the purists ! ) i simply want to play those amazing classic games in my bar on one machine rather than 5-6 separate machines ... Just need to find one now !!

 

[Gixerk3]

Great answer and thanks for your honesty !!!

 

[t-m]

I like the idea of an original cabinet with modern internals ( apologies if that upsets the purists ! ) i simply want to play those amazing classic games in my bar on one machine rather than 5-6 separate machines ... Just need to find one now !!

That's a good plan. Just don't fall for some butchered mess that has had an LCD crammed in to it claiming it's 'crisp' picture and more reliable, your games will look sh1t and a serviced CRT monitor will probably last longer anyway. And if it fails, what the hell it can be fixed.

 

[Gixerk3]

Very good advice again and thanks for that ! I will have to look and see if can pick one up via one of the guys online here ... Fingers crossed you boys !

 

[bones]

Possibly try and get yourself an old Goliath cabinet,I think it's still possible to get the artwork for it if it's tatty. Also I think these do normally use a hantarex(can't spell) 9000 chassis on a 19 inch monitor,so a common make which even I used to be able to fix back in the day and I know gunblade could probably repair these in his sleep. Buy the 60 in 1 board, set it on Freeplay the cab is jamma wired anyway so it'd be plug and play really, good luck

 

[antray84]

I brought a couple of 'Bespoke Arcades' mame machines in the past. They are pricey but are probably the best in the business for new mame cabs.

But that was before I stumbled onto this site, and I am much happier with my old machines. You really can't replicate the old machine feel. Cocktails come up on here and ebay a lot. A small amount of knowledge is all you need to put a new power supply and a 60 in 1 board inside. You wont regret it. You also get that feeling that you have an original piece of history that lived in an arcade.

Even if the Crt becomes an issue id rather 'worst case scenario' have a proper old cab with a tasteful lcd set up then a brand new one made from chipboard.

 

[Gixerk3]

Thanks again guys for your advice ... its certainly got me thinking and one of the members has offered me a lovley Donkey Kong cocktail machine which has no computer in etc. I presume its not that hard to install some internals to get it working again !!

I might also look at a vertical unit as theres the possibilty i could fit an upright in the bar and keep my original bar table ... Have to say this site is superb and the advice has been spot on !

Mark

 

[antray84]

I'd love a donkey Kong cocktail. Be a great cab I'm sure. Can't go wrong there . I'd snap that up if the price is right