Jakks Capcom Stick is out...

[atarilovesyou]

I can see your point. I just feel that IF the majority of the people who returned the stick was because they couldn't figure out to 'twist' for Pole Position, then they're not vintage gamers, enthusiasts, or anything else except ...well...to put it nicely, not very smart!..please don't take me too seriously on that one but it's true...they'd be the same folks who'd return a Flashback 2 because "My 20 year old copy of COMBAT won't FIT"...

 

...most gamers I think are smarter than that. And you'll never convince me that quality wouldn't have made that Ms Pacman TEN times better.

 

If the arcade version of Ms Pac played like the Jakks one....I couldn't even imagine. It simply would NOT have been released.

 

They could have made it fantastic, instead they made it 'ok'. Make something GREAT and it'll sell (look at the Flashback 2)..make something 'ok' and it'll become Namco 2.

 

That's it, and that's the last I'll say about it....

[onmode-ky]

I seem to have had completely opposite experiences with my TV Game purchases from yours, atarilovesyou. Not only is my Namco II stick satisfactory, but I really like my pinball TV Game, too. So much so that I wrote an FAQ for all three tables; see elsewhere in the Dedicated Systems forum for the link. I'm not going to try to change your mind, but I think you should just be aware that yours may simply be the lower end of the overall consumer experience spectrum, even as far as gamer-type consumers are concerned.

 

And then to lament over the 'death' of the plug n play market?

Jakks is not lamenting the death of the plug-and-play market. I apologize if I misrepresented thus. If you believe their corporate officers, they predicted the maturation (not complete death) of the market. The competition got a whole lot more numerous, and the novelty of the line in general wore off significantly (no more toy-of-the-year type awards). I don't think the plug-and-play space shrank out of consumer disappointment with quality so much as it shrank just out of less hype, more players. While I don't believe Jakks foresaw the full extent of the market contraction, they admittedly did seem to prepare for it somewhat by shifting their product mix toward the more mainstream audience, and they tried to diversify their offerings, too. They still claim to be profiting from TV Games, as well, so I wouldn't say they're lamenting an unexpected market collapse.

 

the only complaints I've heard "regular" people make regarding the Namco II was that they thought Pole Position didn't work. (This was the primary cause for returns

 

I can back that up. Back around the time when the Namco II first came out, I called Jakks with some question or other about the unit. Before I even got to my question, the customer service representative asked if I thought the Pole Position was broken.

 

Make something GREAT and it'll sell (look at the Flashback 2)

 

I get the feeling that the FB2, though a success, didn't sell anywhere as well as the Namco II. Of course, this can partly be attributed to the latter's lower cost, smaller size, and much greater hype.

 

In other news, I found a Super Pac-Man TV Game at my local Best Buy yesterday for $20. Neither of the Targets in my area seem to have plans to carry it (however, they have put up shelf price markers for 3 upcoming TV Games, one of which, Superman, is one I have not seen carried by any other merchant), so it was either $25 at Toys 'R Us or nothing, until yesterday. However, the packaging at Best Buy is completely different. Rather than a standard cardboard TV Games box, theirs is a plastic blister pack, with the stick poking out of the packaging. Curiously, the UPC number is exactly the same as the cardboard-box Super Pac-Man (and it still does not have a GameKey port).

 

onmode-ky

 

P.S. Can someone tell me how to quote another post and have the poster/timestamp info in the "Quote" header?

[atarilovesyou]

....you have yet to convince me that if Jakks had released an OUTSTANDING version of Ms Pacman (which they could not have done, obviously, without reducing their profits) that they wouldn't be foretelling the 'maturation', as you like to call it, of the plug n play market...they'd be still sailing high on their marketshare!

 

Go to Amazon and see what people wrote right off the bat about Namco 2....the majority of the reviews, even before I purchased it, spelled it all out in full. Cheap components, half-assed programming to cash in on the Christmas rush.

 

Jakks made their money, WE got a crappy version of Ms Pacman! I can see your point on the 'average' gamer not caring, but you and I are obviously in the same class of gamer as we're both posting here in Atariage.

 

How about this, dude...would you agree that MOST of the buyers of Ms Pacman bought it because they remembered how much fun it was back in the day? And would you agree that many bought them for kids, so they could see what their parents wasted all their cash on when THEY were kids? If that's the case, then why didn't Jakks release the BEST possible version they could, even if it cost per unit an extra five dollars? Who knows, but you and I can guess PROFITS.

 

And THAT'S where Jakks fails! I'm glad the FB2 sold as well as it did....and even Curt agrees that Jakks makes junk and even THEN sells it at a MUCH higher price than it's worth! At least you pay a bit more for FB2 (but not much) and you get a QUALITY experience, even with some of the crummier games we could have done without but the main point is that the IMPORTANT games (Pitfall, River Raid, Adventure) were INTACT like you REMEMBERED them...who cares if Caverns of Mars flicks? ...give me what I REALLY paid for, the good games!...and FB2 delivered that.

 

I'm glad you had some fun with Ms Pacman with the Jakks stick. But if you're a real fan of Ms Pacman then I can tell you you're cheating yourself out of a GREAT game of skill and fun....check out the PS2 Museum collections, get a good arcade style stick and go crazy with all the games....and yes, it costs more, but can you honestly say that with a little more effort Jakks couldn't have come up with a Ms Pacman that worked as well as Xevious? Or even Galaga?

 

You see, I really liked the version of Galaga they included, even if it wasn't arcade perfect, because at least when you DIED, it was due to the difficulty of the game, not shitty programming.

 

....to give another example on the same stick, Pole Position was GREAT...except for the fact that, because Jakks didn't include in the programming the ability to record your BEST LAPS (even without a battery backup you could at least write it down for bragging rights) after you're done the race....what replay does it have? There's actually ONE high score you can get, and NO MATTER WHAT you'll never get more than that value..I've tried...so naturally, the replay comes in fastest laptimes, but because of a bug that got past quality control, the timer KEEPS going after the FINISH of the race! The opposite cars didn't change lanes, seriously degrading the challenge, even though the twist controller was SO SPOT ON you could turn on a whim! Why Jakks?....man, disappointing.

 

I'm not going to change your mind, and you're not going to change mine...and lots of folks here didn't bother with the Jakks products simply because the quality wasn't there....but I'll bet they WOULD have if the versions of the games on Namco 2 were better!

 

Why waste time playing Ms Pacman when the challenge isn't the game but wondering, "..damn, when's my luck going to run out and she goes in a direction I don't want?"...that's why Jakks made a one shot wonder 'novelty' that they knew would just be collecting dust...instead of releasing a product that had staying value.

 

Why do people play the old games? Ask around here....I have my 2600s that get plenty of use (even though not nearly as much as the past) because no matter what, Kaboom is STILL a great game, and if I get bored of some of the games, next year I'll play them to see if I can break my high scores. And it's fun!....Jakks?...man, my namco sticks (and the foolish impulse buy of the remote unit) sit in the closet...but I play the PS2 versions often.

 

Anyway, like I said...the biggest plugnplay unit should have, could have, but wasn't done properly. Were that the case the majority of GAMERS (not impulse buyers) would have nothing but good things to say and 15 years from now we'd be talking about "Hey, you still got your Namco2?"...see what I'm getting at? The price could have been right...it should have been made right! If you think that Namco2 was the BEST product Jakks could have released at the price they sold it at, then I say you're wrong. They just dropped the ball, and in effect, lost a TON of customer credibility for it's OTHER products.

[Student Driver]

I can see your point. I just feel that IF the majority of the people who returned the stick was because they couldn't figure out to 'twist' for Pole Position, then they're not vintage gamers, enthusiasts, or anything else except ...well...to put it nicely, not very smart!..please don't take me too seriously on that one but it's true...they'd be the same folks who'd return a Flashback 2 because "My 20 year old copy of COMBAT won't FIT"...

 

Well, I kind of agree with you-- these people weren't vintage gamers, weren't enthusiasts, and if they thought it was more convenient to drive to a store and stand in line at a service desk to return a product than looking in a manual first, not very smart... though I doubt many of these non-gamers would care about whether their old Atari carts would fit a FB2; chances are, they don't have 2600 carts because they threw them out, or they're buried in the attic and they're too lazy to get them out.

 

The thing is, these kinds of people-- non-instruction-manual reading folks who aren't enthusiasts nor vintage gamers-- are the primary market for Plug and Plays. We are the distinct minority. People who do research on Amazon.com to find out what people are saying about the accuracy of emulation/simulation in a given package? Definite minority. Would it be nice to have Jakks cater to our whims? Hell yes. Would it make any discernible impact on their net profit at the end of the fiscal year? Hell no.

[atarilovesyou]

I can see your point. I just feel that IF the majority of the people who returned the stick was because they couldn't figure out to 'twist' for Pole Position, then they're not vintage gamers, enthusiasts, or anything else except ...well...to put it nicely, not very smart!..please don't take me too seriously on that one but it's true...they'd be the same folks who'd return a Flashback 2 because "My 20 year old copy of COMBAT won't FIT"...

 

Well, I kind of agree with you-- these people weren't vintage gamers, weren't enthusiasts, and if they thought it was more convenient to drive to a store and stand in line at a service desk to return a product than looking in a manual first, not very smart... though I doubt many of these non-gamers would care about whether their old Atari carts would fit a FB2; chances are, they don't have 2600 carts because they threw them out, or they're buried in the attic and they're too lazy to get them out.

 

The thing is, these kinds of people-- non-instruction-manual reading folks who aren't enthusiasts nor vintage gamers-- are the primary market for Plug and Plays. We are the distinct minority. People who do research on Amazon.com to find out what people are saying about the accuracy of emulation/simulation in a given package? Definite minority. Would it be nice to have Jakks cater to our whims? Hell yes. Would it make any discernible impact on their net profit at the end of the fiscal year? Hell no.

 

......you've got a point. I guess since the majority of folks here fall into the enthusiast or vintage gamer market, I think my warnings of how crappy I think the Namco 2 stick is will save an 'enthusiast' some bucks. Especially if you're on a budget. But hey, Walmarts got a great return policy....give it a whirl if you think I'm kidding. PEACE!

[t1n]

Just to briefly return to the orginal subject, the capcom stick is being knocked out at £5 in Argos stores in the UK. Worth a punt at that price methinks

 

Oh and they have the c64 one (very worthy of your cash) for £8. I'd buy another if I did not already have 3

Edited June 28, 2006 by t1n

[+DamonicFury]

In case anyone in the US is actually looking for this stick, it's finally out... I saw one in Toys R Us yesterday. Doesn't seem to have the MegaMan Gamekey, however. :-(

[onmode-ky]

In case anyone in the US is actually looking for this stick, it's finally out... I saw one in Toys R Us yesterday. Doesn't seem to have the MegaMan Gamekey, however. :-(

 

Yes, I saw some of these earlier this week at a Toys 'R Us as well. TRU has been getting new TV Games before other stores lately, it seems.

 

I don't think the original mention of the Mega Man GameKey meant that it was actually available, just that it was pictured on the back of the Capcom unit's packaging.

 

If anyone gets one, I am curious what they think of it. I think it was a solid execution, the only gripes being the inescapable splash screens (which are also in the Super Pac-Man unit) and the puzzling lack of the high score reset that's in all the other score-saving TV Games. I'm also curious if there is anything different from the Canadian one I have (maybe this one does have high score reset?).

 

onmode-ky

[TrekkiELO]

and the puzzling lack of the high score reset that's in all the other score-saving TV Games. I'm also curious if there is anything different from the Canadian one I have (maybe this one does have high score reset?).

 

onmode-ky

 

Well, for some stupid reason their Star Wars one didn't have an "Erase High Scores" option either!

[MegaManFan]

...comes with 1942, Commando, Ghosts n' Goblins and the Game Key is MegaMan. Anybody play it yet?

 

Where the hell does one get a Game Key anyway? There's at least three Jakks dedicates I own that claim expanded playability with a Game Key sold seperately and to date I have STILL not seem them for sale anywhere and only rarely as a pack-in with certain Disney sticks I'd never buy. If I bought a Capcom stick and couldn't play Mega Man well.. you can guess from my handle.. I would NOT be too happy about it.

[Tanooki]

Yeah I'm doing the mother of all necroposts, hate it I guess?

 

TO answer the comment above, Mega Man game key was scrapped, so be mad, not that you'll likely ever read this.  But to his other comment, they do pop up, and oddly as rarely more so as they do, they still don't value better than $10-12 each.  I recently got a Ms Pac-Man unit and it had BOTH keys amazingly with it, been hoping to see that for years and it never happened.  It took the original Ms Pacman game with 5 titles, and added 5 more over an orange and black key.  The neck of the key actually receded into the handle of it exposing a tiny pinout/board that slots inside of the system so they're mini cartridges like Pokemon Mini system sized kind of.

 

 

The big reason I necro'd this isn't that.  It's about the topic, the Capcom 3in1.  Would anyone here happen to have one they'd let go of in trade or if need be $?  I'm pretty PP broke, just had to make a purchase earlier, but I'd like to work it out if at all possible.

[atarilovesyou]

I wish you luck, Tanook. I think I only saw one in the wild at a Future Shop years back and passed. You see them loose on ebay from time to time but used, they tend to have damage...usually leaky battery corrosion. 

 

Don't ask me how much i paid for my sealed Jakks Gold, lol...back when I was collecting these things. They're still fun lil knicknacks. Some built better than others. 

 

I'm still torn over adding the Pac Man shapped one from Bandai, but hesitate because it's not really a Jakks product. And it's pretty large, although it contains the cord as well. 

 

I wonder if anybody had the yams to collect ALL the Jakks PnPs...

[Tanooki]

Glutten for punishment if they are wanting all Jakks, yeesh.  I have had a few of them (very few) over the years they got boring fast.  They did some years back make a gamepad with a pull down plunger in the center of it side facing the player for Pinball and that one is oddly addictive and nicely done so I kept that one.  The Capcom one seems to be simulating the arcade games as they're not NES ports or some other weird scrubby PC/mobile OS weird conversion of the games which is why it's appealing or I wouldn't even care.  Still some their better stuff was the early atari items before atgames got their hands on it.

 

 

I have the Bandai Pac-man, flea find a few years back and I figured for $5 why not.  It ended up being stunningly accurate, very well done, saves all your scores, nicely responsive controls, tuck away controller on a pop off bottom of it too.

Edited August 20, 2019 by Tanooki

[atarilovesyou]

I've seen at least three versions of the Bandai Pac Man, latest being in TRU locally. I may have to bite, if those controls are good like you say.

[phoenixdownita]

I have a Capcom 3in1 but it is PAL (I assume you mean the one with Commando/GhostsNGonblins/1942).

 

https://plugplaytvgames.fandom.com/wiki/Capcom_3-in-1

 

I opened it up to see if there was a switch/solder-pad to make it NTSC but haven't found it. I play it with an "upscaler".

Haven't decided if I want to part with it or not .... and it wasn't exactly cheap to begin with ... I think it set me back 40US$ from the UK.

[Tanooki]

18 hours ago, phoenixdownita said:

I have a Capcom 3in1 but it is PAL (I assume you mean the one with Commando/GhostsNGonblins/1942).

 

https://plugplaytvgames.fandom.com/wiki/Capcom_3-in-1

 

I opened it up to see if there was a switch/solder-pad to make it NTSC but haven't found it. I play it with an "upscaler".

Haven't decided if I want to part with it or not .... and it wasn't exactly cheap to begin with ... I think it set me back 40US$ from the UK.

I've been trying to get one of those off and on for a stretch now.  I like how they designed it, and it's shameful they skipped the US market as much as it was for not releasing the advertised Mega man game key too.  Two big mistakes.

[atarilovesyou]

Mega Man on this stick would have become quite the collectible...more than even this is, as it's hard to come by.  

[TrekkiELO]

On 9/6/2019 at 7:27 PM, Tanooki said:

I've been trying to get one of those off and on for a stretch now.  I like how they designed it, and it's shameful they skipped the US market as much as it was for not releasing the advertised Mega man game key too.  Two big mistakes.

This was released stateside as I distinctly remember seeing one on a Merrillville/Hobart, Indiana Toys R Us shelf sometime back around 2005 or 2006!

Edited October 26, 2019 by TrekkiELO

[phoenixdownita]

On 10/26/2019 at 1:50 PM, TrekkiELO said:

This was released stateside as I distinctly remember seeing one on a Merrillville/Hobart, Indiana Toys R Us shelf sometime back around 2005 or 2006!

https://plugplaytvgames.fandom.com/wiki/Capcom_3-in-1

it says E only. But then again one comment says they were available in Canada ..... I've never seen an NTSC one.

 

Wrt to Canada:

 

 

[atarilovesyou]

Yes, it was absolutely available in Canada. Future Shop used to sell them. But I only saw it once, in one location. I've seen NTSC ones on ebay from time to time as well.