Favorite Arcade Machine

[Gentlemen]

In this topic we'll discuss our favorite arcade machine(s). I haven't been to an arcade in a long while but it's cool to go with a few pals if you get a chance (and can find one). I remember at a skating rink I used to frequent there was a mean pair of Virtual-On leviathan machines loafing around. I learned to love it because I became good at it. I remember how cool I thought it was as a kid. The twin flight sticks made it seem so realistic- as realistic as giant robots fighting one another can get that is.

Picture for those who failed to lay eyes upon the beauty.
[spoiler-box]
http://www.gamesetwatch.com/vo_cab_3.jpg[/spoiler-box]

Any goodies?

[Leviathan]

Street Fighter.
All of them.
After eating tons of Cici's Pizza.

[Shadowpawn]

Tokyo Wars, it was an arcade game developed by Namco. It allowed four players to play in separate cabinets. It let the players duke it out with CPU controlled team mates in a fairly large battleground with destructible environments (this was in the mid 90's too, so it was fairly impressive.) Man it was so much fun watching an enemy tank get blown to high hell.

[Dragwind]

I wish I had the chance to play on a Virtual On machine! Probably my favorite machine I've played on (mainly due to memories) was the old Soul Calibur machines.

[SpikeOtacon]

Silent Scope. Good times.

[Nai_Calus]

Dance Dance Revolution, preferably 3rd Korean2, Max2 or Extreme.

Can you feel it? Can you feel the rythm~ Can you feel it?

Frak standing there mashing buttons. I MASH BUTTONS WITH MY FEET. And my knees. And my hands.

[Puppet_Papaya]

I can't remember what it was called. I think it was "L.A. Machine Guns" or something. It's like this light-gun game except with a huge gun mounted on the ground that you hold with two hands. There was another gun for player 2, but I liked to use both, one in each hand.
Gosh, I can't really remember.
ALSO! That old X-Men arcade game. I liked whooshing around with Nightcrawler.
1 more ALSO! The SoulCalibur machine I like to play when I go to shows at 1st Ave.

[Neith]

Nothing has EVER come close to this for me.
http://f-zero.jp/f-zero_ax/game/images/m_cabinet_dx.jpg

It's one of the rare cabinets for F-Zero GX's arcade version (F-Zero AX). Most cabinets for it look like this:
http://www.segaarcade.com/images/games/fzero/cabinet.jpg

The first pic is the Deluxe cabinet which is very hard to come across. I know in the UK there's only meant to be one (in Leicester Square, London), and thankfully I got to have a go on it when I was on a college trip and we had some free time. It's great because the entire seat moves, and tilts a huge amount (so you really feel like you're leaning into the corners). It throws you all over the place, and the steering wheel resists you a lot to make it feel like a struggle to control the ship. The regular arcade machines aren't as interactive but were mass produced.

I'd love to try it again, but I'm not going to London just to have a go :lol:

[Wyndham]

I loved this one machine at my YMCA. It had bowling and Magical Drop 2. People would play the latter every single day! after a month, I could beat people who had played it for years! I even used weaker characters than everyone else!! I took everyone by surprise.

[Dragwind]

I've always wanted to merely touch an F-Zero AX machine, never mind dying to use the memory card feature thing from GX.

[Waki Miko Syamemaru!]

Time Crisis 1 and 2 arcade machines. Not to mention the House of the Dead 1-4. ESPECIALLY 4. That game kicked serious ass. Oh and we all can't forget about the retro games such as Centipede, the table top style Pac-Man, Joust, and Sinistar. Good times...

[Neith]

I've always wanted to merely touch an F-Zero AX machine, never mind dying to use the memory card feature thing from GX.

Funny you mention that- I had no idea this machine would be in the ONE arcade I checked, so I didn't have my GC memory card with me :disapprove: Needless to say, I was depressed :lol:

[CupOfCoffee]

Street Fighter.
All of them.
After eating tons of Cici's Pizza.

YES! I can't believe another human being has heard of Cici's. Although at mine, there was Mortal Kombat 2 instead of Street Fighter, so it wins the arcade section of my heart. But Street Fighter was also quite good in its own way.


1 more ALSO! The SoulCalibur machine I like to play when I go to shows at 1st Ave.

*mouth agape* I've been to First Ave like a hundred times, and I've never seen a Soul Calibur machine in there! The next time I'm there I'm so searching for it.

[Kent]

I wish I got to play some Virtual On in arcades. :/

The six-player X-Men arcade and the Star Wars Trilogy arcade are pretty awesome. I am pretty partial to all of the random rail shooters in arcades, though - there was one point where I beat Virtua Cop 2 on a single credit, which was awesome. LA Machine Guns and GunBlade NY were awesome because of the amount of vibration that game from the huge freaking machineguns you pointed at the screen would numb your hands eventually.

[VanHalen]

Daytona USA 8 Player.
House of the Dead 4.
DDR(Turbo Super Grandmaster Challenge HD Extreme Remix 2005: Dream match never ends)

[Kylie]

Been forever...

Marvel Versus Capcom 2
Rival Schools: Project Justice :D

[Puppet_Papaya]

YES! I can't believe another human being has heard of Cici's. Although at mine, there was Mortal Kombat 2 instead of Street Fighter, so it wins the arcade section of my heart. But Street Fighter was also quite good in its own way.



*mouth agape* I've been to First Ave like a hundred times, and I've never seen a Soul Calibur machine in there! The next time I'm there I'm so searching for it.

LoL, I make sure to play every time I go! It's on the side, with the pinball and vending machines. Like, to the right while facing the stage.

Also 2! I always loved playing Marvel Vs Capcom at the local bowling alley. Venom and Megaman forever!

[amtalx]

The Afterburner cabinet with the rolling seat and Descent 3.

[Vanzazikon]

Time Crisis, House of the Dead, Carn-Evil, Raiden Fighters, Aero Fighters, 1943, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, King of Fighters 2003, and some other killer oldies.

[Sayara]

the Neo Geo machines *~*

[Nitro Vordex]

How could you not mention MAKE SOME CA-RAZY MONEY HEHE ARE YA READY?

HERE WE GO!
http://www.klov.com/images/12/1201721789.jpg

[Unit D79]

cant believe i forgot the name of this one... it was a turrent defense game, where you had to shoot landing craft from getting on your shore and if they landed you had to shoot the infantry... WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT GAME ><

[Rasputin]

Most of my arcade machine memories are at Initial D machines. THAT'S RIGHT.

[Vitamin_D]

Virtual On is for sure an awesome arcade experience. The first time I played it was on my Saturn, and there was a CLEAR difference from its arcade brother haha. I only could play it in the arcade a few times, as there wasn't a local machine =/. I also loved X-Men and Ninja Turtles of course. I also used to obsess over the newest Capcom fighter to arrive. I remember the first time I saw X Men VS Street Fighter. I was like "Oh shit, is that Ken on the Blackbird!?" :o Oh man, good times haha.

[Halcyote]

I've only played Virtual On once, had fun with it, but had no idea at the time what the name of the game was until recently.

I still have a fondness for DDR and Time Crisis 2. The arcade in my area closed down. I wish arcades were still popular; it's always an amazing experience in being in a crowded arcade watching all the good players playing the machines.

[Outrider]

I really enjoyed the Jurassic Park: Lost World machine, in which you sat down in a "jeep" for the lightgun game.

It was a small detail, but I enjoyed it.

[Cracka_J]

street fighter alpha 2.

so much fun to play in the arcade, an incredibly well rounded game engine, and beautiful sprites for the time.

that and rose had guard break gimmicks that wouldn't be seen again until mvc2 days :)

[Inazuma]

DDR
From about 2000 to 2004 I would visit the arcades extremely often and play DDR for many hours. Ah, good times.

Power Stone
Probably my second favorite game ever. Back when I was in college, they had it in the school arcade. I would skip going to class so I could play more. There were a handful of extremely good players there, but I quickly became good enough to surpass them. Those were the days.

[Zael]

DDR :)

[Sexy_Raine]

DDR/In the Groove is fun, but costs too much. Only play occasionally.

Tekken, fun times. Too bad T6:BR costs a dollar per game! I'll wait for home version.

Oh, and if you really wanna go old school, I remember playing Pacman and Galaga when I was young. Damn I feel old.

[Outrider]

(Well, since people are talking about arcade games and not the machines themselves, might as well jump on the "not reading the OP" bandwagon...)

The original Donkey Kong machine definitely brings up a lot of memories for me. I'm too young to have played it when it was new, but when I was in elementary school, my dad used to take my brothers and I to a little burger place not far from home. They had an original Donkey Kong cabinet set up in the back (and I think another classic arcade game, though I don't remember what it was), and my dad would give us each a quarter or two to give it a go. Seeing as I was probably six at the time, I would often die right away, but I still have a lot of good memories from that place.

It's still around, but I haven't been there in years. I'll have to check someday if they still have the Donkey Kong machine hiding in back.

[Cracka_J]

stop being so anal all the time outrider.

an arcade "machine" also consists of the game itself, which is run off of a board inside of the machine. I'd say the game itself represents a large part of the overall machine. we're not talking about cabinets here, if we were the thread would be called "favorite arcade cabinet". Besides, even the OP discussed the actual game inside the machine....what is the problem?

I don't see why you're constantly nitpicking about things that have no importance whatsoever.

[rayner]

I'm not sure if it counts, but Gun's & Roses pinball machine... I used to go to the arcade and play for about a 1/2 hour on 1 quarter. I could get the "Michelle" multiplier and get massive free balls!!!

Also Bubble Bobble... I can get to lv 39 before ever losing a life, back in the day that quarter had to get you as much game-time as possible.

[Outrider]

stop being so anal all the time outrider.

an arcade "machine" also consists of the game itself, which is run off of a board inside of the machine. I'd say the game itself represents a large part of the overall machine. we're not talking about cabinets here, if we were the thread would be called "favorite arcade cabinet". Besides, even the OP discussed the actual game inside the machine....what is the problem?

I don't see why you're constantly nitpicking about things that have no importance whatsoever.

Sorry. I'm a fan of reading comprehension. I know, that's a crazy idea.

http://www.harkavagrant.com/msnpaint/reading.jpg

Of course we're going to talk about the games. However, mentioning the cabinets themselves opens up the discussion to focus on more than the game, which I pointed out. (With parentheses and small text, even!)

Welcome to message boards - I can give you some pointers on how they work, if you'd like.

[Kent]

How could you not mention MAKE SOME CA-RAZY MONEY HEHE ARE YA READY?

HERE WE GO!
http://www.klov.com/images/12/1201721789.jpg
I tried playing that once in the arcades.

...But the gas pedal was broken, and would only go forward at a slow crawl. :/ Thusly, it was hardly crazy.

[Cracka_J]

Welcome to message boards - I can give you some pointers on how they work, if you'd like.

Nah it's cool, just keep being a dick for no reason. It's the popular thing to do on the internet these days.

[Outrider]

Nah it's cool, just keep being a dick for no reason. It's the popular thing to do on the internet these days.

Aw, how heartwarming.

I'd just like to mention one game I always got a kick out of (even though I remember it as being pretty terrible.)

http://www.klov.com/images/11/118124212747.jpg

Lucky & Wild.

This game had one player driving the car, racing game style, while also manning a lightgun. Player 2 only had a lightgun.

I've only played it a few times, but I loved the idea of having two different players doing something different in an arcade game. The few times I did play, I would generally split the driving/shooting duties down the middle, with one person only driving and the other one using both guns. I think it was a pretty cool concept, though.

(Then again, I'm a sucker for wildly different types of gameplay working together in one game, so take this with a rather large grain of salt.)

[jShazBot]

Definitely the Time Crisis GAMES and MACHINES were my favorite. The whole ducking thing with a pedal is simply endless fun.

[Outrider]

Definitely the Time Crisis GAMES and MACHINES were my favorite. The whole ducking thing with a pedal is simply endless fun.

Off-topic question, why is Outriders picture a fat guy?

You can't see me now, but I've got an eyebrow raised.

[Gentlemen]

I actually could care less if people talk about the games than the machines. I love a more immersive machine but the games are neat as well. I would appreciate if people didn't try to flame each other over what I wanted the topic to be about.

[Outrider]

So sorry, Colonel Gentlemen.

[Cracka_J]

lol, wow you just don't stop do you.

here's a couple that will always hold a special place in my heart, and in hell.
http://www.primetimeamusements.com/pics1/target-terror.jpg

http://libertygames.org.uk/images/1/products/1721_fast-and-furious-twin-arcade_std.jpg

If you've paid to play either of these I feel sorry for you.

Whats even worse is I have a pre-registered pin in every F&F machine.:lol:

[Outrider]

They actually have a Fast & Furious arcade machine at my local diner. I think it's just one seat, and not the big one you've got there. I never thought much of it until Cruis'n came out on Wii, and I heard that it was just a port of that arcade game.

Now it's like having a little bit of meaningless internet history downtown.

[Waki Miko Syamemaru!]

Aw, how heartwarming.

I'd just like to mention one game I always got a kick out of (even though I remember it as being pretty terrible.)

http://www.klov.com/images/11/118124212747.jpg

Lucky & Wild.

This game had one player driving the car, racing game style, while also manning a lightgun. Player 2 only had a lightgun.

I've only played it a few times, but I loved the idea of having two different players doing something different in an arcade game. The few times I did play, I would generally split the driving/shooting duties down the middle, with one person only driving and the other one using both guns. I think it was a pretty cool concept, though.

(Then again, I'm a sucker for wildly different types of gameplay working together in one game, so take this with a rather large grain of salt.)

God I remember this. It was always my luck that I was forced to play this game. I hated it yet I loved it at the same time. I think there were times I had to take control of both guns. At the tender age of 11 I had a rough time aiming at two different enemies while the nimrod next to me was swerving around like an angry drunk.

[Cracka_J]

lol I never knew it even came out on wii. it's actually pretty funny they renamed it cruis'n and had midway of all people publish it. raw thrills was a split off division of midway founded by the guy responsible for the cruis'n usa series, and F&F was just a tweaked cruis'n usa code with prettier graphics overlaid and a few different control gimmicks.

they also had a failed redemption (ticket) game that only had one button and you would drag race your car by hammering on the button, also based on the F&F engine. the machine never went into production because 5 year olds could figure out it was robbing their money :lol:

[VanHalen]

(Well, since people are talking about arcade games and not the machines themselves, might as well jump on the "not reading the OP" bandwagon...)

.

Though I never actually described it, when I mentioned Daytona USA, I was talking about the machine and the game itself. Whenever you would get in a race with all 8 seats filled, the pit crew yelling in your ear, that used to get my hyped to play.

In terms of games.......
http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q351/Vucko018/Cadilacidinosaurusi.jpg

[Waki Miko Syamemaru!]

Though I never actually described it, when I mentioned Daytona USA, I was talking about the machine and the game itself. Whenever you would get in a race with all 8 seats filled, the pit crew yelling in your ear, that used to get my hyped to play.

In terms of games.......
http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q351/Vucko018/Cadilacidinosaurusi.jpg

I vaguely remember that game. I do however remember the Saturday Morning cartoon of Cadillacs and Dinosaurs. BTW, kick ass name VanHalen.

[Apone]

Thunderblade in the arcade had a pretty interesting deluxe cabinet. There were no motors on the game but it would move when you used the control stick Kinda like an exersise machine.

I also liked the deluxe Ferrari 355challnge arcade cabinet. it had a 3 screen display with a nice force feedback wheel and a stick shift that wouldn't move unless the clutch pedal was depressed. Nice learning curve, It was exellent when you learned it. It was a pain in the butt to service though, especially that gear assembly. It had 3 Naomi arcade boards stacked in tandem underneath a single radio frequncy sheild. It was a $25k single machine. The place I worked at had 4 of these linked. It was awesome.

I used to be a Technician working on and repairing arcade machines for over 6 years Ive seen some wierd stuff Like Derby Owners Club, which was a horse racing game where you raised and trained your horse between the scheduled races.
The race would happen on a large dual rear projection screen and the racers would sit at one of 8 "satellites" with their horses that were saved to magnetic cards.
After every race the game would write the horse data to your card and after the end of your horses career you can use your card to breed a new horse. The game paid for itself ion 2 and a half weeks, and that game was $250K.
But my favorite arcade machine was a Mame like arcade machine called "Ultracade" which basically had a PC in it with available discs you could install to it and it would run many different classic arcade games via emulation. Including all the original Street FIghter games :p

[Phaesphora]

http://www.system16.com/screens/zolgear.jpg

This was fun, easy, and expensive. Galaxian 3 by Namco. 6 players, IIRC at least 1 dollar per player per game, 18 foot screen, and vibrating (!) seats. Lots of pew pew.

Battletech: Firestorm was a good one as well, IMO. This one was 2 dollars a play, I think, and could have up to 16 players. Tough learning curve for the price.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3227/2343318206_5f6246ca0f.jpg?v=0

http://jido-genshi.com/battletech.jpg

[Rubius-sama]

The original Killer Instinct arcade and Ghost Squad by Sega.

http://www.freewebs.com/sabre2922/Killer%20Instinct%20arcade%20cab%201.jpg
http://www.bjuvia.se/pictures/games/ghostsquad.gif

Oh yeah, and this. Fist of the North Star punching game which I plugged an endless amount of loonies into. Really awesome stuff. Those red pads pop out and you gotta punch em really fast. Gives you a workout. I remember playing one at Canada's Wonderland with my cousin, and he punched the thing so hard he made a hole in one of the red pads. That must have sucked for the guys that owned it... but it was made for punching... so what can I say.

http://www.zomgamez.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/familyarcade-2.jpg

[Weeaboolits]

This Mechwarrior cabinet

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w8/Ronin_Cooper/mw4cab.jpg

It moved around and shook with the action, really got you into feeling as if you were in the cockpit of one of those steel behemoths, one of the few times I saw something in an arcade that actually impressed me.

[Tetsaru]

Man, I remember a lot of these arcade games...

One of my favorites though was one called KeyboardMania or something like that. It had a set of piano keys and a synthesizer wheel, and you had to hit notes similar to how Guitar Hero/Rock Band worked.

It's sad though - the guy that supposedly runs the local arcade/laser tag arena is thinking about quitting the business, and as a result, most of the cool arcades I loved playing there are out of order now... Man, if I was a rich motherfucker, I'd GLADLY buy out that place, lol...