Mini Arcade Alert!

[NE146]

If Numskull has Space Invaders Part 2 on there with the JAPANESE background & bezel etc. I'm pretty much sold. I've been watching their SI part 1 for a while now and the release date keeps getting pushed back probably due to the covid but it seems they're still looking to release it. 

[negative1]

5 hours ago, jgkspsx said:

Ooh. I have the MyArcade Space Invaders with the mirror. I generally don’t like MyArcade stuff much but that one is solid.

 

Is there really enough demand for all of these? I love Qix, but…

 

there's plenty of demand, they make a few hundred, and they sell out.

 

then people looking for them, have to pay double or triple later on to buy them.

4 hours ago, Tanooki said:

I don't either, but I do have their Street Fighter II CE mini cabinet and it's shocking good for its size.  It plays right, but I have trouble adjusting decades of motions of a full sized joystick down to a twig so I can't get the fireball motions off consistently and guile style back(hold) forward tend to fare worse.

you do realize, that these machines are for looking at,

 

and not really playing.

 

anyone thats good at these games will struggle with the controls.

 

so its just better showing them off as display units.

 

later

-1

Edited September 6, 2021 by negative1

[teh_lurv]

FYI, Target put the MyArcade Space Invaders mini arcade on clearance for $24.99. I couldn't find a listing for it on Target's website or brickseek, so I just went into some local Targets blind when I was passing by until I found one in stock.

[+jgkspsx]

Oh wow! I thought I got a good deal at 35. It’s an impressive little machine… I do not like Space Invaders enough to spring for the Quarter Arcade one.

[Tanooki]

HEY...thanks for the heads up about Target.  My kid had her weekly night doing sports stuff, and I had to take off for part of it, happened to be next to a target.  Dumb luck struck twice, one I decided to go in, two look in the gaming area for something strangely they didn't have.  But I noticed in their messed up spread of old gaming stuff I saw some tossed aside copy of Space Invaders and recalled someone mentioned it (now I See it was here.)  I grabbed Space Invaders, then noticed in the shadows a few inches deeper back the shelf below it Contra (and another SI in a nicer box.)

 

Took them to scan... nope not $50, $25 each!  I bought them both...damn they're nice, more playable than SF2CE since there's no re-learning the motions due to the smaller stick.  Contra though is a real gem, with the limited continues you can't quarter spam it more than a dollars worth of plays I think?  I got as far as the boss room on base 2...gets nasty with all the soldier gun fire.  Given I'm only formerly experienced really with the NES game, that's good for distance.

[+jgkspsx]

19 hours ago, Tanooki said:

I grabbed Space Invaders, then noticed in the shadows a few inches deeper back the shelf below it Contra

Contra also works two player with a link cable! I got the pocket player (with a vertical screen!!!) last week.

 

Space Invaders is just too neat. Of the five or so MyArcades I have that and Contra seem like the real keepers.

[Tanooki]

2 hours ago, jgkspsx said:

Contra also works two player with a link cable! I got the pocket player (with a vertical screen!!!) last week.

 

Space Invaders is just too neat. Of the five or so MyArcades I have that and Contra seem like the real keepers.

I've had a lot of them over the last what...5 years now?  Started with the Walmart ONLY NOACs and I had them all up through their aggravatingly botched release of Joust/Defender and I cut them off almost entirely.  I made an exception twice for Spy Hunter which while I liked a lot, couldn't play long due to the screwed up controls (no gun+sub weapon) and Rampage which while NOAC added the missing arcade content(werewolf.)  I was gifted the PacMan non-NOAC arcade sound from my kid, Tetris from the wife in mini format keychain.  Those keychains I got them all up until the run with Pole Position as they were just all a let down.  I've kept that little Tetris, was keeping Ms Pacman+Galaga+DigDug combo but that's up on ebay now...at $70 it's not worth collecting dust.

 

When the next generation of the stuff popped up, Neo Geo, Astro City, they just got shitty and disused so I got rid of the whole lot of everything.  MyArcade just upped the game enough to do the real arcade games in $50(msrp, not that I paid that.) on SI, Contra, then SF2CE and those appeal to me because of that.  They take up space, but I can justify that given the multicade on the two, and the real setup on the other three.

 

Other than that I've just retained DK, PacMan and Frogger Colecos (had that crap Zaxxon and DK Jr too, they're out.)  I would buy a Galaxian if the price was right, Ms Pacman would need to be cheap, too close to Pac-Man to care.

[wolfy62]

On 9/19/2021 at 5:16 PM, teh_lurv said:

FYI, Target put the MyArcade Space Invaders mini arcade on clearance for $24.99. I couldn't find a listing for it on Target's website or brickseek, so I just went into some local Targets blind when I was passing by until I found one in stock.

I went to a Target in the city next to mine.

They actually had one Space invaders unit in stock,the two stores in my city never have them nor do other Targets near my area.

I take it to a scanner and it says it doesn't recognize the barcode. 

I find a clerk at the electronics counter and hes super helpful.

Hi finds the price in the system and it comes up $49.99.

We have a long conversation with me telling him folks online saw and found it for $24.99 on clearance.

So he called the manager over, who was also super friendly. 

I told her my story and why I was there.

She gave it to me for the $24.99!!!??

I left the store as soon as I could before somebody changed their mind. Great pick up for sure.

Thank you for the tip!

[negative1]

i dont think this counts, but here's a mini atari 2600:

 

https://www.character-online.com/tiny-arcade-atari-2600

 

 

 

 

Introducing the Tiny Arcade Atari 2600! The smallest fully functional desk-top console game! Includes 9 original Atari games plus bonus fan-favourite Pac-Man! Original Atari Games include Combat, Warlords, Millipede, Tempest, Centipede, Pong, Missile Command, Asteroids and Breakout. Challenge your family and friends! Who will be the Tiny Arcade champion? Includes Hi Resolution Classic Console TV with adjustable screen for optimal game play, iconic 2600 Joystick and classic 2600 Console.

 

later

-1

Edited September 26, 2021 by negative1

[ComputerSpaceFan]

I think that looks cool but why are a third of the games two-player yet there's only one joystick? Also paddle games and there's only a joystick? Also ..... Pacman?

PASS

[wolfy62]

2 hours ago, negative1 said:

i dont think this counts, but here's a mini atari 2600:

 

https://www.character-online.com/tiny-arcade-atari-2600

 

 

 

 

Introducing the Tiny Arcade Atari 2600! The smallest fully functional desk-top console game! Includes 9 original Atari games plus bonus fan-favourite Pac-Man! Original Atari Games include Combat, Warlords, Millipede, Tempest, Centipede, Pong, Missile Command, Asteroids and Breakout. Challenge your family and friends! Who will be the Tiny Arcade champion? Includes Hi Resolution Classic Console TV with adjustable screen for optimal game play, iconic 2600 Joystick and classic 2600 Console.

 

later

-1

That totally counts!?

There is/was supposed to be a mini Intellivision TV unit just like that they announced almost two years ago.

I hope that is out soon as well.

[+jgkspsx]

Wait… Tempest…? Like, the HORRIBLE prototype? Weird.

[negative1]

19 hours ago, wolfy62 said:

That totally counts!?

There is/was supposed to be a mini Intellivision TV unit just like that they announced almost two years ago.

I hope that is out soon as well.

That was from arcade 1up, this is tiny arcade.

 

Also, that tv and antenna looks weird. Not a very natural color or shape.

 

I like that pac-man is on it. (although most people hate that version).  I doubt there is any flicker on it though.

we'll see.

 

later

-1

[wolfy62]

3 minutes ago, negative1 said:

That was from arcade 1up, this is tiny arcade.

 

Also, that tv and antenna looks weird. Not a very natural color or shape.

 

I like that pac-man is on it. (although most people hate that version).  I doubt there is any flicker on it though.

we'll see.

 

later

-1

I should have clarified that the Atari mini TV is from a different company than the potential Arcade1up Intellivision one.

I always welcome a proper correction,thank you!?

[Tanooki]

Wow I wonder just how small that little screen is with those dimensions.  Microscopic mini game gear sized?   At that rate ven the chunky boxes of the 2600 looks like little pixels maybe. hah

[AnnA Ayms]

The fact that Combat is included but there is only one controller and that those 9 Atari games included were earlier Micro Arcade releases or for Tempest + Warlords a canceled release (but one of the preproduction units can be seen in the background of a toy fair video ~2 years ago and I pointed it out in a post many pages back so the games were programmed just not mass manufactured makes me feel very confident these aren't the Atari 2600 roms and instead their (almost always flawed and crappy) ports. Yes, the box and ad copy shows the 2600 port of Pac-Man but Super Impulse has a long and consistent history of both lying in their ad copy and using arcade screenshots on the packaging (the actual games UI elements like high score location and 2nd player score element which of course isn't in the Super Impulse port being the most blatant give aways of the mismatch many a time). The screen shots are photoshopped on, if you check the one I attached you'll see that breakout is upside down (typical Super Impulse). As far as the screen size I'll bet dollars to donuts it is the same screen they've used so far on all their Tiny and Micro Arcade devices so if you have or seen one, it is that. I did post months ago about this but they have changed the specs a little it seems.

Edited September 27, 2021 by AnnA Ayms
grammar such as a forgotten "s" and wrong there, etc. I really should profread before first.

[AnnA Ayms]

The site negative1 linked to also lists the DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) Boardwalk Arcade that was announced months ago (and which I reported on too back then).

https://www.character-online.com/dance-dance-revolution

More info and pics in link, duh.

 

Both are listed at £24.99 so I wonder if they are increasing the price for these compared to the previous releases or if it is just the British being screwed over. If a price increase than I'll guess between 29.99 and 34.99 (US) dollars. While I am curious how they botched up their ports of Tempest and Warlords I ain't giving Super Impulse one more red cent. Some of the typical Youtube shills I'm sure will be given free units to review so a few seconds of game play will at least be watchable when they get released but their analysis is also paper thin and undeservedly glowing just so they stay in these companies good graces and can keep getting free stuff. Sign.

 

What miffs me is that a company could make an Atari 2600 that size that could play the actual roms, and the same for a Tiny Arcade like sized device that could play older arcade titles' actual roms. It would need to be a little more expensive hardware wise (~$20 - $30 absolute tops) but the only potential significant cost increase would be licensing. I don't know what the games' right owners charge nor if the actual games cost more to license than ports. If that is why these small arcades cost so much that is lame but not surprising. If it is the actual unit manufactures than they missed an opportunity of many more total units sold at a lower individual unit profit versus significantly fewer sold but higher individual unit profits which is now getting eaten by "cheap" Chinese load "your own" rom devices. Case in point is the Trimui (a.k.a. Powkiddy A66, that name cringe) a sort of Super Impulse Micro Arcade "knockoff" except it is much much better. A little larger, at about the size of an audio cassette, can play actual older arcade roms (and 2600 games as well as consoles up to a few Playstation 1 games just fine). It also sold for a while close to $40, so if $40 hardware that can be packed into the size of an audio cassette sized package is available, besides some frankly misguided morality (I doubt any of the profits of these small arcades go to the games' actual original designers and programmers) or for pure collecting sake why bother with these small arcades now?

 

Just to be clear I'm not wanting / asking for these companies to release load your own rom machines but a few hundred megs of soldered on memory costs cents on mass and the processor / processing (and better screen) in these Chinese load you own rom devices could just as easily be used / utilized in these official legal devices instead of how they try to maximize profit by using pathetic processors and incompetently programmed in house ports (cough, Super Impulse) or nes on a chip deals.

[teh_lurv]

YMMV, but the last MyArcade Contra mini-cab at my local Target rung up for $14.99. I can't say if this price was specific to the store or this is another clearance price cut. The MyArcade Contra toys are no longer listed on the Target website and I can't find anything on Brickseek searching by the UPC.

Edited October 1, 2021 by teh_lurv

[AnnA Ayms]

It seems like some of those Tiny Arcade Atari 2600s leaked out / got sold early as looking at Ebay's completed items shows two sold on Sep 19, 2021 for a stupid amount of over $60. Also there are a few currently available from British sellers for $33.91 plus shipping (which to the East coast USA seems to be another $30). When they officially go on sell they should be at least half that total (of over $60) so it seems like a super rip off but it is your choice. The images on the sold items show that Super Impulse actually made a port of the 2600 port of Pac-Man (a port of a port) which honestly is more than I expected from them (but my expectations have dropped so low now for them that it isn't saying much). Breakout is repeatedly upside down on the packaging but one of the auction images shows it is the right way around on the device itself. Also notice that like I a brought up above (a couple messages back) the game's UI elements locations on the device don't match the locations on screenshots on the packaging (Centipede has the lives more centered on the device itself than in the screenshot). The games on the actual product shots also match with how the micro arcade releases of Centipede, Missile Command, Asteroids (with its fixed sprite asteroids as two are the exact same in the picture), and Breakout look.

Edited October 7, 2021 by AnnA Ayms
I mentioned it but forgot to include the image with Centipede on the screen.

[wolfy62]

On 10/7/2021 at 11:26 AM, AnnA Ayms said:

It seems like some of those Tiny Arcade Atari 2600s leaked out / got sold early as looking at Ebay's completed items shows two sold on Sep 19, 2021 for a stupid amount of over $60. Also there are a few currently available from British sellers for $33.91 plus shipping (which to the East coast USA seems to be another $30). When they officially go on sell they should be at least half that total (of over $60) so it seems like a super rip off but it is your choice. The images on the sold items show that Super Impulse actually made a port of the 2600 port of Pac-Man (a port of a port) which honestly is more than I expected from them (but my expectations have dropped so low now for them that it isn't saying much). Breakout is repeatedly upside down on the packaging but one of the auction images shows it is the right way around on the device itself. Also notice that like I a brought up above (a couple messages back) the game's UI elements locations on the device don't match the locations on screenshots on the packaging (Centipede has the lives more centered on the device itself than in the screenshot). The games on the actual product shots also match with how the micro arcade releases of Centipede, Missile Command, Asteroids (with its fixed sprite asteroids as two are the exact same in the picture), and Breakout look.

That box is really cool,it looks very early 80s Atari!?

[+jgkspsx]

Got my 1942 I swore I wouldn’t get.

[RREDDWARFF]

4 minutes ago, jgkspsx said:

Got my 1942 I swore I wouldn’t get.

Nice! I'm assuming that you're talking about the Replicade version by New Wave Toys. I didn't order 1942, however I am waiting on 1943. Hopefully it will be ready before long.

[+jgkspsx]

I think both games are on both versions.

[RREDDWARFF]

Yep they sure are, just a different cab.

 

How funny, apparently they just posted this today. What a funny coincidence.

 

 

[ComputerSpaceFan]

11 hours ago, jgkspsx said:

Got my 1942 I swore I wouldn’t get.

Any regrets? I didn't bother since any regular basic joystick games I can already play on my iCade Jr.