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Games2U Brings a Portable Arcade To Your House
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
06/30/09

In reply to Games2U Brings a Portable Arcade To Your House
You mean the only time people visit arcades in the US. In Japan arcades are still very much a happening and social experience last I knew.

I'm actually disappointed that Arcades have taken such a beating over the years. As an avid pinball player I go out of my way to do business with places that still have pinball machines. My wife and I go out on Pinball Dates even.

It still depresses me that the arcade/amusement industry is in the shape that it is. It used to be a great way to hang out with friends. Now everyone just meets online to play instead, and it just isn't the same.
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vidmeister
06/30/09

In reply to Games2U Brings a Portable Arcade To Your House
I think most of the posts about this are from soon-to-be geezers, like myself... Unlike the rest of you guys, who are NOT the demographic they want anyway, I'd bet kids would light up on this in a hurry, as long as the van is air conditioned, and there no one who even bears a passing resemblance to MJ is inside... I agree: 25, maybe 50 cents is most anyone should have EVER charged for a game that lasts 90-180 seconds...Existing arcades suck because their rate is about $12-15 per hour, which is more expensive than Disneyland!
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
06/30/09

@vidmeister: Not if you eat at Disneyland...
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bobmarley101
06/30/09

In reply to Games2U Brings a Portable Arcade To Your House
Arcades have to have pinball to be worthwhile.
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
06/30/09

@bobmarley101: Amen.

I put a shitload of effort into keeping my Wife's Twilight Zone pinball machine working.
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DeusExMach wonders what the hell happened to his star.
06/30/09

@Act Now and get a 4th Celebrity Death Free!: Lite: that IS a classic machine.
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
06/30/09

@DeusExMach: Actually it's pretty much THE classic machine. And it's an utter bitch to keep running because it's so complex. =|

The only machine in more demand is like Medieval because the geeks like it. But for rules depth and play style TZ is an amazing machine.

The only pinball machine with more units made than TZ is Addams Family.

Personally I'm hoping to get a Monster Bash someday as my own machine.
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DeusExMach wonders what the hell happened to his star.
06/30/09

@Act Now and get a 4th Celebrity Death Free!: Lite: AF was the other one I was thinking about. I bow to your knowledge of pinball machines.

Your name wouldn't happen to be "Tommy" would it? :D
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
06/30/09

@DeusExMach: Addams Family is the #1 most prolific pin ever made. It was so successful that Bally gave the designer (Pat Lawler) basically a blank check to build his next machine (Twilight Zone). Which yielded the first widebody pinball machine, magnets for flippers, and it is the only machine featuring a ceramic (gumball) ball that changed the rule set of the pin when it was in play.

I love me some AF, I truly do. I'd happily own one if you could get one in decent shape (most have been beat to hell and this was before Bally started clear coating their play fields)...
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VideoVampire
06/30/09

In reply to Games2U Brings a Portable Arcade To Your House
When I was a kid they asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. My answer was I don't care I just want an arcade in my house. Well I got one now and it is way smaller than I thought it was gonna be.
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
06/30/09

@VideoVampire: Do you have a pinball machine? Skeeball?
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tok3ninja
06/30/09

In reply to Games2U Brings a Portable Arcade To Your House
Video games give me a reason not to go outside and tan my beautifully whitened Asian skin. Not only will the sunlight put a stupid glare on the TVs, it'll also burn my eyes out faster.
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I see the light. It burns!
06/30/09

@tok3ninja: Coming from the northwest, I too wouldn't want to tan my whitened african american skin(yes, I've "faded" alot in color since coming up here). You're right about the glare on the TV, plus, that van just looks too cramped. I can see fights breaking out among the little brats for space to play.
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
06/30/09

@I see the light. It burns!: What sun? It's usually overcast here. Which means I can actually see without my sunglasses on those days.

But there's still a good game infrastructure in the Northwest.
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Valnen
06/30/09

In reply to Games2U Brings a Portable Arcade To Your House
I personally don't see this succeeding. Too much money for too little entertainment.
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Eavangel
06/30/09

@Valnen: My boss did this for her son last year and she said it was pretty cool. Showed me some pics and yes... the Hamster Ball is pretty freaking sweet. Laser tag is a a plus but i agree with the cost of these things being too much.

Her son is actually painted on the side of the Van... but you can't really see him in the pic above.

It would have been cool to have something like this when i was growing up but now being 21 i'd rather go drink with some buds and play some old school games like SC and metal slug. YAY BEER!
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DeusExMach wonders what the hell happened to his star.
06/30/09

@Eavangel: Do you think arcade games in bars are going to increase in number? Because I can understand needing room for the pool table, but lining the walls with old-skool classics might not be a half-bad idea.

Of course then you run the risk of being charged with attempting to lure in children with video games, but some of my fondest childhood memories involve dad knockin' them back at the bar while I played pinball in the corner for hourse.
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
06/30/09

@DeusExMach: I'm actually starting to see a lot of dive bars that feature immaculately maintained pinball machines...
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