Classic Arcade Games

[booB]

Could you be talking about the original Castle Wolfenstein? It doesn't sound quite right. Actually, Metal Gear does, but since you mentioned that, it can't be the game you mean. CW is the only thing similar I can think of.

Nope, it was an arcade machine, and the graphics were much better (circa 1990 or thereabouts). I don't know if you've ever played the Genesis version of Shadowrun (which was way different from all other versions), but the corporation-raiding scenes in that game are about the closest thing I can think of to the game I'm talking about.

Although, the original CW sounds really damn cool. I've never played it before, and I love stealth games.

 

[spag]

Good times. Seemed like I spent all the time I could in arcades back in the late 70s and early 80s. Later, after HS I ran an arcade company for a neighbor which was heaven for me. I even bought some games off him later, and usually had four or five machines I rotated out. This of course was back when you could buy really good machines for $100-$200, and electricity was cheap

I miss all that for sure, but I've been pretty devoted to MAME. You can play just about every arcade game (and variants) on that. 6000+ games. One of these days, when I'm actually living somewhere for a while, I'm going to get an old cabinet game, install a PC and build myself a nice MAME cabinet with real controls.

 

[Jibrille]

Nope, it was an arcade machine, and the graphics were much better (circa 1990 or thereabouts). I don't know if you've ever played the Genesis version of Shadowrun (which was way different from all other versions), but the corporation-raiding scenes in that game are about the closest thing I can think of to the game I'm talking about.

Although, the original CW sounds really damn cool. I've never played it before, and I love stealth games.

Can't think of anything but your best bet is probably to scan through this and then do some wikipedia searches to get more info.

 

[Pellaz]

I tried to use MAME once on one of my 'puters and it lived up to its name....it damn near maimed my machine.

Still, I'd love to try it again if I could be fairly sure I'd have a machine left afterwards. Those old ROMs are calllling me.

 

[The_Q]

Paul,

I have been using MAME for many years. Have installed it on multiple computers including friends computers. If you need any assistance please let me know. There is only one reputable place to get the software and one place that has repuatble ROMS and its all free. You'll never leave home again! LOL

-Sean

 

[See You In Hell]

Ahhhh, the good old days....

Tempest was probably my favorite (and the game I was best at playing).

I also played:

• 1942
• Bosconian (but the "condition red" vocals sure got annoying after the 100th time)
• Scramble
• Moon Patrol (the lunar El Camino)
• Gyruss
• Sinistar
• Crystal Castles

Actually, come to think of it, I played just about all kinds of video games. Quarters were indeed a precious commodity back then. I don't play much of the arcade style games anymore though and most of the ones I do try from time to time are beyond me -- too many controls you have to deal with simultaneously!

 

[pollution]

I was always more of a pinball guy though.

Same here, was very addicted to them especially as a teenager in the late 90s. Some of my fave or most-played tables are Medieval Madness, Who Dunnit, No Fear, NBA Fastbreak, Guns n' Roses, The Flintstones, Fish Tales, Indiana Jones, Attack from Mars, Junkyard etc.

If wanting to remember good old times about pinballs and want to find pictures of some table you've played, check out the Internet Pinball Database at http://www.ipdb.org/ - another cool site with recent news from the pinball world is http://www.pinballnews.com/

The pinball scene over here is pretty dead, the only chain who had arcade halls died a few years ago mainly thanks to the more advanced video game consoles. Pretty hard to find tables nowadays and the ones still available aren't always properly maintained, a shame.

The scene in the US seems to be a bit better at least. This would have been way cool visit in Atlanta for example: http://www.pinballsareus.com/showroom.html

Yippee you might wanna check out this site too: http://www.pinballnews.com/diary/index.html - it's a calendar for pinball events worldwide and most are in the US.. like in Illinois you will have some cool-looking events this year, like the Pinball Expo and Pinball&Arcade Supershow 2008

 

[Pellaz]

Wow, Aki, that pinball place in Atlanta looks HUGE!

<wheedle> Come to ProgPower someyear and we can go up there and look around! </wheedle>



(It's not all that far from PP, given decent traffic.)

 

[Yippee38]

Medieval Madness, Who Dunnit, No Fear, NBA Fastbreak, Guns n' Roses, The Flintstones, Fish Tales, Indiana Jones, Attack from Mars, Junkyard etc.

Those must be newer than I've played. There really isn't anyplace around her to play. I think there's a couple of places, but I've got nobody to go with.

My favorites are:
Black Knight, Playboy, Sorcerer and all of those from the era of the first multi-level games.

I posted a link in chat a few weeks ago for a Black Knight game that was for sale on eBay. It was brand new, still in the box. I think it sold for about $3500.

If wanting to remember good old times about pinballs and want to find pictures of some table you've played, check out the Internet Pinball Database at http://www.ipdb.org/ - another cool site with recent news from the pinball world is http://www.pinballnews.com/

Thanks for the links!

The scene in the US seems to be a bit better at least. This would have been way cool visit in Atlanta for example: http://www.pinballsareus.com/showroom.html

If you and Pellaz go this year, count me in!

Yippee you might wanna check out this site too: http://www.pinballnews.com/diary/index.html - it's a calendar for pinball events worldwide and most are in the US.. like in Illinois you will have some cool-looking events this year, like the Pinball Expo and Pinball&Arcade Supershow 2008

This one is about 10 miles from my house: http://www.chicagolandshow.com/ They've been doing it for years, but I've never gone. Pinball Expo is only about 25 miles from here. I'm afraid to go to any of them because I might bring one home. I really can't afford that kind of toy right now (as much as I'd love to own one).

 

[Pellaz]

heh, same here when it comes to video games (or pinball tables, for that matter). I'd love to have a fleet of them, but don't have the cash.

Someday, After I Win the Lottery (tm), I'll open an arcade called "Arcade Game Heaven," where all the good ol' arcade games go to get reborn.

 

[spag]

Maintaining them is the bitch. I had a guy full time when I managed the arcade company. He spent most of his time keeping the pinballs going, with me getting into it as needed. Can be as simple as just cleaning contacts, but the guts of some of those machines was insane. Relay city. Sometimes it's just a weird physical problem, like where a kicker worked, but just not quite how it was. They suck to move around as well. All that said, I would love to have a machine again. A friend of mine has a Starfire machine that I get to play when I get the urge, but it often has something wrong with it... He's been talking about restoring it for ten years now.

 

[spag]

Oh yeah, if you're ever in Las Vegas, this place is supposed to be pretty cool...142 games. http://www.pinballmuseum.org/

 

[Meteornotes]

I don't think I saw a mention of my all-time favorite arcade game: Marble Madness. I still want to get one of those for my house some day.

I haven't tried MAME in years. I remember having in run on a really old computer with Windows 98, but anything since then I've never been able to get it to run. I should probably screw around with it again, though, as a lot of those old games are fun to play.

dt

 

[DAVETHEMETALGUY]

yall remember that pinball game that was HUGE. had a big wooden ball and giant flippers. something about Hercules or something-or-other

 

[The_Q]

I don't think I saw a mention of my all-time favorite arcade game: Marble Madness. I still want to get one of those for my house some day.

I haven't tried MAME in years. I remember having in run on a really old computer with Windows 98, but anything since then I've never been able to get it to run. I should probably screw around with it again, though, as a lot of those old games are fun to play.

dt

Just a FYI to Meteornotes and everyone else interested in MAME. The below links is the Twin Galaxies sanctioned MAME software. It works fantastic on any computer. Below that I have supplied the link to Romnation, the place to get all MAME roms. If you use this set you can actually record your games on the software (if you get a high score you e-mail them your files). So you can train on these games to be a world champion. I'm working on Donkey Kong from Japan which is MUCH HARDER than its US counterpart. Enjoy!!!

http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=48&id=39

http://www.romnation.net

http://www.twingalaxies.com

 

[DarkOne]

I don't think I saw a mention of my all-time favorite arcade game: Marble Madness. I still want to get one of those for my house some day.

I haven't tried MAME in years. I remember having in run on a really old computer with Windows 98, but anything since then I've never been able to get it to run. I should probably screw around with it again, though, as a lot of those old games are fun to play.

dt

Q, thanks for the MAME info. I'll get the latest and start playing with nostalgia.

Meteornotes - MAME won't help you much with Marble Madness. I never got into it much, but I can tell you that it won't be fun without a trackball!

Steve in Philly

 

[The_Q]

ah marble madness! There is a super joystick console though you can order for MAME that has a trackball on it. My favorite trackball games were:

1. Crystal Castles
2. Missle Command
3. Track And Field
4. Marble Madness

Crystal Castles was AWESOME. That game was so addictive! Frickin' Bear!

 

[booB]

Just a FYI to Meteornotes and everyone else interested in MAME. The below links is the Twin Galaxies sanctioned MAME software. It works fantastic on any computer.

Thanks! Does it have a frontend too, or do we need to download one?

I never really had a problem with MAME in the past, but I'll be sure to use this one just in case.

Below that I have supplied the link to Romnation, the place to get all MAME roms.

Not all... many of the more popular games (such as the Pac-Mans, Froggers, and Dig Dugs of the world) are unavailable on RomNation due to copyright protection. You might have to search out some of them on Google or get them from a friend. This site DOES, however, have a listing of pretty much every ROM known to man.

Meteornotes - MAME won't help you much with Marble Madness. I never got into it much, but I can tell you that it won't be fun without a trackball!

You can use a mouse or trackball in MAME if you have one.

 

[Yippee38]

My favorite trackball games were:

1. Crystal Castles
2. Missle Command
3. Track And Field
4. Marble Madness

I really liked Marble Madness too.

Do you guys remember the cocktail table football game with the trackball? It was a stand-up table. You would pick your play while the opponent picked theirs, then you controlled your player with the trackball. That game was insane fun. (found it) It was Atari Football

 

[The_Q]

Romnation has most of the MAME Roms but the site below has everything. The only issue is it only allows you 3 downloads per day.

http://picofactory.com/download/rom/arcade/mame/games/t