Mini Arcade Alert!

[Andromeda Stardust]

If you want a proper Pac-Man mini-arcade, this will give you want you seek : http://www.jrcadebuilds.com/ However, be prepared to spend $350.00 for it.

They sell diy kits with no published bom (bill of materials). Sketchy. So if I buy the Donkey Kong mini kit, it comes with no electronics hardware, only a list of stuff to buy, but no such list exists on the site. Um, as a customer, I need to know what else needs to go into these beforehand, so I can order them simultaneously.

 

No assembly instructions onsite, nothing. You can't sell diy kits and expect people to buy them if you keep the contents a secret.

 

Also none of this stuff is licensed. At least the My Arcade stuff is legit and complies with copyright. As long as Nintendo sells home consoles, they aren't going to license their ip to anyone else.

[Great Hierophant]

I'd also be cautious, I have never heard of these devices before and no one other than the creator seems to have displayed a working unit. As you say they are 100% illegal. They are just Rasp Pi 3s and an LCD & speaker in a box running MAME.

[keepdreamin]

\ There's nothing properly sized about any of it, it's a mini arcade so it's not going to have a comfortable full sized stick or any buttons, this thing is like myarcade/arcade classics sized stuff.\

See, you didn't need this thing in front of you to make this determination. Well, it's the same how others who don't own it yet can already make the determination that it's a novelty. We actually want to PLAY Neo Geo games comfortably, that's all. Nintendo's classic editions have allowed this by including copies of original controls. This Neo Geo is being marketed as an anniversary celebration. Having nerfed controls isn't my idea of celebrating some of my favorite arcade games.

 

The controls may "work" in the sense that pressing up does respond with an up command, but so what? In that sense tiny buttons on a cheap wrist watch do work set the time, but has that ever been comfortable?

 

If you're interest in this is solely as a novelty device to look at, than seriously playing Neo Geo games, fine. Don't dance around it. Some of us are going to pass on novelty devices as a waste of money, and were disappointed that this was SNK's way of celebrating the Neo.

[atarilovesyou]

Control layout is very important to me too, Tanook. In much the same way that I prefer a square vs diamond joypad setup. I am interested in the SNK mini, but between the colours, the buttons, and SNKs reputation with other products that arent full blown original product, I will definitely wait for the reviews before I buy.

 

These other My Arcade and mini units are cute, I must admit. Had I no access to the internet, or bothered with forums, I am sure I would have bought them on sight...much like I did back when I first got my Jakks plug and plays. Those systems, while fun while they worked, were just too flimsy for the most part. I still baby mine so they dont completely shit the bed. I havent tried the My Arcades, but the quality looks better than the Impulse ones....still, no interest in paying almost what I paid for a Bad Dudes NES cart for this setup that only plays one game (out if the box). And that they are NES roms instead of actual arcade roms, another strike.

 

I was interested in that link Hierophant put up, but pricey and not licensed.

 

The lesson I guess is that you can't have your mini arcade and play it too. Lowered expectations helps a lot.

Edited July 5, 2018 by atarilovesyou

[NE146]

I'd also be cautious, I have never heard of these devices before and no one other than the creator seems to have displayed a working unit. As you say they are 100% illegal. They are just Rasp Pi 3s and an LCD & speaker in a box running MAME.

 

Yeah and are they dedicated to the single game, or are they standard multi-pi stuff. And if they're dedicated (doubt it), do games like Ms. Pacman have a 4-way joystick, etc. (doubt it)

Edited July 5, 2018 by NE146

[negative1]

If you want a proper Pac-Man mini-arcade, this will give you want you seek : http://www.jrcadebuilds.com/ However, be prepared to spend $350.00 for it.

 

Sure, they're overpriced. But these are the best looking mini arcades i've seen. the right cabinet shapes, buttons, etc.

 

wonder why galaxian and defender look so bad.

 

also, some of the games have been renamed for some reason.

 

 

later

-1

[negative1]

just got the mini arcade ms pac man.

 

so far it's pretty good. i can't comment on too many other things about it.

 

but so far so good.

-----------------------------------------------------

NOT an arcade port

- sounds are decent

- intermissions are there (didn't see the junior one yet)

- ghost behavior is different from arcade

- game runs at a slower framerate than arcade

- point values are correct

- not sure if all the dots are there

- maze geometry is similar to arcades

 

not really sure how the long the batteries last, but most peoples games

wouldn't last that long.

 

it's very hard to see bottom left corner with your finger in the way,

i don't think you can use a thumb to play.

 

finally, the controls are response, but if you move to quickly it might miss some inputs.

 

decent for the price.

 

 

later

-1

Edited July 5, 2018 by negative1

[Tanooki]

Jr Arcade Builds are nice and all, seen them in action on facebook links (video, pictures) but they're pretty grossly expensive and they're also 100% illegal. Misappropriated MAME, ROMS, and corporate IP art too to round it out. I know the justification there is the parts that are bought and the time involved in running off the art, assembling the body, and sending it off but it's just an expensive illegal mess.

 

It's all done as a secret so they can get you to pay them a lot of assemble it as a cost of doing business Kosmic. It's all sketchy as you said. Why else hide the how to when it comes to trying to do it yourself? It's dishonest and theyr'e covering their pricing setup by making it very prohibitive to not have them make it.

 

 

 

Atari since you're being rational and not trolling I'll say as much as that I agree with you. I'd never blindly buy something like that either, and I'm all about waiting on the reviews. I'm very interested to how well each game performs compared to the original in respect to the framerate, audio, visuals, how it boots, potential bugs, something wonky with the build like a weak speaker, some screens that may shadow or bleed due to refresh, stuff like that. The button layout isn't a concern as it's not hard to read on there which button is which and then relate it back to the various games to see if it would be a comfort issue or not. We already know it's smaller in size like a MyArcade standard or 10" style system, so it's smaller, but that's not a problem in itself.

 

See I did due to a deal get the 10" Data East MyArcade thing new for $45. It was blind, but I knew enough games on there it would be worth my while. I know from what can be determined of the NG Mini the stick and buttons should roughly be about the same size and more or less same spacing apart (though the NG isn't a diamond layout.) I've had no problem using the system for comfort or otherwise, but as you said, having expectations hurt and I went in with basically none and came away pretty impressed that i'd trust the Namco device when it arrives to do it right as they'll have learned from the first.

Edited July 6, 2018 by Tanooki

[Andromeda Stardust]

Jr Arcade Builds are nice and all, seen them in action on facebook links (video, pictures) but they're pretty grossly expensive and they're also 100% illegal. Misappropriated MAME, ROMS, and corporate IP art too to round it out. I know the justification there is the parts that are bought and the time involved in running off the art, assembling the body, and sending it off but it's just an expensive illegal mess.

 

It's all done as a secret so they can get you to pay them a lot of assemble it as a cost of doing business Kosmic. It's all sketchy as you said. Why else hide the how to when it comes to trying to do it yourself? It's dishonest and theyr'e covering their pricing setup by making it very prohibitive to not have them make it.

 

 

 

Atari since you're being rational and not trolling I'll say as much as that I agree with you. I'd never blindly buy something like that either, and I'm all about waiting on the reviews. I'm very interested to how well each game performs compared to the original in respect to the framerate, audio, visuals, how it boots, potential bugs, something wonky with the build like a weak speaker, some screens that may shadow or bleed due to refresh, stuff like that. The button layout isn't a concern as it's not hard to read on there which button is which and then relate it back to the various games to see if it would be a comfort issue or not. We already know it's smaller in size like a MyArcade standard or 10" style system, so it's smaller, but that's not a problem in itself.

 

See I did due to a deal get the 10" Data East MyArcade thing new for $45. It was blind, but I knew enough games on there it would be worth my while. I know from what can be determined of the NG Mini the stick and buttons should roughly be about the same size and more or less same spacing apart (though the NG isn't a diamond layout.) I've had no problem using the system for comfort or otherwise, but as you said, having expectations hurt and I went in with basically none and came away pretty impressed that i'd trust the Namco device when it arrives to do it right as they'll have learned from the first.

I agree Tanook.

 

I have bought diy kits before, and normally they list the entire bom on the order page. In 2015, I built the Raspberry Pi Porta Pi Arcade, and after some fumbling with the software and asking questions on a dedicated Pi forum, it was up and running. They are great kits and worth it imo. The author hides nothing, and after pricing all of the components individually, he really wasn't selling the kits at much markup.

http://www.retrobuiltgames.com/diy-kits-shop/mini-arcade-kits/porta-pi-arcade-10-hd/

 

Really great piece of kit. Here's a pic of the completed build, inspired by a certain scene in dk64.

 

Last fall, I built a pair of Tritrix Transmission Line tower speakers. They are phenominal sounding.

https://www.parts-express.com/tritrix-mtm-tl-tower-speaker-components-and-cabinet-kit-pair--300-702

 

And a pics of the final build:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/30203515@N04/sets/72157687536496580/

 

Once again, the website has detailed build instructions, online assembly video, bill of materials, wiring schematic, so you aren't left in the dark scratching your head when the stuff arrives.

 

Sorry but anyone selling diy kits online that doesn't list the bill of materials and instructions publicly (so the user knows what they're getting into before he/she buys), probably is hiding something. It may be "bovine excrement" in a box, or the greatest thing since apple pie, but how will I know if they keep the design a secret? It goes against the very principal of diy culture. You open your design up for others to enjoy or make modifications to, and buy selling it as a kit, they get the satisfaction of building something nice and unique.

[Tanooki]

That crazy, but that looks like it would be fun if I had the building competence to make that arcade setup (though the speakers are impressive too looking pretty professional there.) $340 for that entire kit of parts doesn't seem all that bad when $75 of it is the body alone without any work done to it at all. Good job on that.

 

 

I decided to stop loafing, and now I do have all 4 of the little Tiny Arcade devices and they're pretty nice. I found a neat resource on a facebook site so you can print your own bezels for around the screen they never did on the things and it really makes them pop.

 

Also and I really don't know why other than laziness, mental diversion, or procrastination but i fired up the 10" Data East earlier ago. I never knew most of the games on there so I tried a few. The dual stick games really are unplayable which sucks as kind of like Heavy Barrel but it's dead to me on there as is Midnight Resistance. That said, I learned of 2 games i never heard of before I really love, a pre-Diablo type kind of like the capcom D&D stuff a little but isometric -- Dark Seal 1 and 2. Fantastic little quarter eaters with many classes of character and some interesting stage layouts and nasty bosses too. Also found this old wild west train heist game, forget the name but it was a solid little bit of robbery fun.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Mappy and Galaxian arrived today, completing my Namco My Arcade collection. Great little NES ports that only came out in Japan.

 

Of the 5 Namco NES games, Dig Dug, Galaxian, and Mappy only came out in Japan. Pacman and Galaga did come out in the west though. Rolling Thunder was originally a Tengen release so perhaps that is part of the holdup?

 

Also no port of Ms Pacman existed on the Famicom, which isn't surprising since the arcade game never released there. Yes, I know the history behind it. And Tengen made better ports of Ms Pacman and Tetris.

 

Fun fact, Galaxian is the only commercial NES/Famicom game to use an 8k byte PRG ROM (ironically the same 8 kilobyte size as the original Atari 2600 ROM). It had 8k byte of program and 8k byte of graphics. All other NROM games are 16kb or 32kb program plus 8kb graphics.

 

Also and I really don't know why other than laziness, mental diversion, or procrastination but i fired up the 10" Data East earlier ago.

I ordered the thing a while ago on eBay for $55 shipped (missed the 20% sale by one day), but haven't even unboxed it yet.

 

I'm honestly much more looking forward to the Namco Museum around Xmas time. As far as the NES minicades go, Burgertime is the only one that remotely interested me.

[negative1]

Sorry but anyone selling diy kits online that doesn't list the bill of materials and instructions publicly (so the user knows what they're getting into before he/she buys), probably is hiding something. It may be "bovine excrement" in a box, or the greatest thing since apple pie, but how will I know if they keep the design a secret? It goes against the very principal of diy culture. You open your design up for others to enjoy or make modifications to, and buy selling it as a kit, they get the satisfaction of building something nice and unique.

 

they have an option to get it pre-assembled and built by them.

 

if i had the money, i would just use that option, since i'm paying so much anyways.

 

i don't think it would be a problem at all. as far as the parts go, raspberry pi, an lcd screen, speakers, and controls don't seem that secret.

it's pretty standard for putting that together.

 

i wouldn't be worried. you could always order it, see whats up and return it, if thats an issue.

 

later

-1

[Tanooki]

Kosmic it's worth trying for the few well known and those 2-3 I discovered too. But I'm on board 10x more over the Namco stuff as I love their early arcade games, especially those mostly on the 20 game list.

[Azathoth]

Rolling Thunder was originally a Tengen release so perhaps that is part of the holdup?

Tengen was just the US publisher, like they did with other Namco produced FC games.

 

I'd say they'll use the JP ROM like they have with other games and I'm curious to see how it handles the sound. The JP FC cart has a different mapper and has different (better) sounds than the US cart that uses the Tengen mapper.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Tengen was just the US publisher, like they did with other Namco produced FC games.

I'd say they'll use the JP ROM like they have with other games and I'm curious to see how it handles the sound. The JP FC cart has a different mapper and has different (better) sounds than the US cart that uses the Tengen mapper.

I've got the Dig Dug cab currently dismantled with the jumpers removed, so if I put it back together as is without resoldering the jumpers, I'll get Rolling Thunder, with no way to shoot at enemies. I'm almost positive they used the Tengen version without even having tested it as the noac isn't equipped to handle expansion sound.

 

I honestly don't care about Rolling Thunder and I have the complete set of 5 early Namco titles. As much as I love NES, the later stuff doesn't appeal to me as minicades. I wish My Arcade would port over the Tengen Ms Pacman port though, which also got ported to SNES/Genesis. The tv plug n play sold at walmart has the inferior Namco port running on it.

 

Sorry no progress on mini cade mods, blew the whole weekend playing Luigi's balloon rally on Mario Odyssey.

[wolfy62]

Mappy and Galaxian arrived today, completing my Namco My Arcade collection. Great little NES ports that only came out in Japan.

 

Of the 5 Namco NES games, Dig Dug, Galaxian, and Mappy only came out in Japan. Pacman and Galaga did come out in the west though. Rolling Thunder was originally a Tengen release so perhaps that is part of the holdup?

 

Also no port of Ms Pacman existed on the Famicom, which isn't surprising since the arcade game never released there. Yes, I know the history behind it. And Tengen made better ports of Ms Pacman and Tetris.

 

Fun fact, Galaxian is the only commercial NES/Famicom game to use an 8k byte PRG ROM (ironically the same 8 kilobyte size as the original Atari 2600 ROM). It had 8k byte of program and 8k byte of graphics. All other NROM games are 16kb or 32kb program plus 8kb graphics.

 

I ordered the thing a while ago on eBay for $55 shipped (missed the 20% sale by one day), but haven't even unboxed it yet.

 

I'm honestly much more looking forward to the Namco Museum around Xmas time. As far as the NES minicades go, Burgertime is the only one that remotely interested me.

I just finished collecting the 10 my arcade machines.

I think they are super cool!!!

[Flojomojo]

I went to Wal-Mart today and saw the tiny arcade machines for Pac-Man and Galaga in person. They show a sample of on-screen gameplay ("try me!") and they're insanely small! But they work and they're like $13 each so was somewhat tempted.

 

Sanity prevailed, but I can see the dollhouse appeal of these things.

[Tanooki]

They actually play quite well and theyre not really uncomfortable to use either. They feel more arcade like than the bigger ones more or less.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Galaxian is a pretty bad port if you play it. The others are pretty decent though not arcade accurate.

 

Is Galaga out now or was it just Galaxian?

[ComputerSpaceFan]

Just picked up Joust ...... it's rare right? I'm "meh" on opening it and thinking of just putting in on a shelf due to its (I hope) rarity.

[NE146]

I saw a Joust that was "LCD" style at the store.. didn't even know that existed. I thought they were all the NES ports.

[Tanooki]

Galaxian is a pretty bad port if you play it. The others are pretty decent though not arcade accurate.

 

Is Galaga out now or was it just Galaxian?

Galaxian is the only one with a problem like that where it stops as you move due to some shoddy design as Space Invaders doesn't do this when you fire as I've got all four of them. I hope looking at SI that Galaga won't be fouled up as it's a personal favorite.

 

 

There are 2 styles of Joust, not seen the LCD style one before but in a picture, but the NOAC I've seen plenty of times.

[negative1]

in no way are these 'mini',

 

more like sub, or cabaret size (4 ft high)...

 

these were mentioned awhile ago here:

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/275757-budget-atari-and-capcom-arcade-cabinets-to-see-release-this-fall/

 

but i'm just seeing it now.

 

but still interesting to see:

==============================================

https://www.windowscentral.com/these-awesome-retro-game-cabinets-are-available-101-discount-when-you-pre-order

 

Pre-orders start now but the cabinets don't release until September 25. Arcade 1Up plans to release five cabinets total. If you want to buy one, you'll want to be looking at Walmart. There you can find four of five currently available for pre-order at $299. GameStop is selling the cabinets, too, but for $399.99.

• Street Fighter cabinet: Street Fighter II Champion Edition, Street Fighter II Turbo, and Street Fighter II The New Challengers (Walmart/GameStop)

• Centipede cabinet: Centipede, Crystal Castles, Missile Command, and Atari Millipede (Walmart/GameStop)

• Asteroids cabinet: Asteroids, Tempest, Major Havoc, and Lunar Lander(Walmart/GameStop.

• Rampage cabinet: Rampage, Gauntlet, Joust, and Defender(Walmart/GameStop)

later

-1

Edited July 26, 2018 by negative1

[simbalion]

I hope they actually sell these in stores! I might at least get the Centipede unit!

[negative1]

I hope they actually sell these in stores! I might at least get the Centipede unit!

 

 

 

if you read the other thread they will be at:

 

walmart, gamestop, bed bath and beyond, and fyes

 

later

-1