How do you like playing on the school-desk cocktail tables?

[Jack Burton]

I have a lady near me who is willing to sell me her Donkey Kong cocktail for $450.

Here's a picture:



I've never played on one of these cabs but I've always been fascinated by them and wanted one. 

But the thing that has me concerned is the control panel.  It's at an angle that is perpendicular to the player so that the joystick and buttons stick out of the side of the cabinet.  It looks like it would be awkward to play on. 

Would you guys mind sharing your experiences and opinions on these types of cabs? 

I also have a Mine Sweeper, and an Ameri Darts cocktails that I'm asking the owners about, but they haven't got back to me with pics yet.  Any preliminary comments on those?

[lilshawn]

if it didn't have that pesky 4 on the price id go for it.

i'd hold out for a midway cabinet, it's designed a little better

[Gray_Area]

It might be fairly easy to re-configure your playing style:

stick - grip the knob of the stick between fore and second fingers, stabilizing with thumb - sort of like in the 'I've got your nose' game.

jump button - use your thumb, or place the topside of your hand against the panel, and push the button with the second knuckle of your forefinger

[Jack Burton]

Yeah I'm not going to give $450 for it.  I'm hoping she'll bite on a trade for a large television I have. 

I would really like to have one of those Midway cabinets.  The thing I like about them is the ability to go from horizontal to vertical gameplay without any adjustments or moving parts. 

[bkenobi]

Isn't it considered sacrilege to MAME a dedicated upright?  Doesn't that still apply (perhaps even moreso) to a cocktail?  Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but it sounds like you want to "reconfigure" which to me sounds like "MAME".   

[danny_galaga]

That style of CP is fine, so long as it's just a left-right joystick and one button. That style of cab is awesome in my opinion, but I do prefer a CP that has the joy pointing up, like most uprights. Since DK is 4 way, it might be better to let a collector snap it up.

After having said that, if I saw that cab for $450 here in Australia, I'd still probably snap it up...

[Jack Burton]

Isn't it considered sacrilege to MAME a dedicated upright?  Doesn't that still apply (perhaps even moreso) to a cocktail?  Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but it sounds like you want to "reconfigure" which to me sounds like "MAME".  

It's completely possible to have MAME and an original PCB in the same cab.  It's a just a little more work.

If I get this it's going into my living room and will be replacing my current MAME setup.  I can't justify to my roommates a replacement with a machine that just plays DK.  We're fans of the game, but have played it to death.  It would be more fun to be able to play some other 2-4 way 0-1 button games as a change.  

[RayB]

I would really like to have one of those Midway cabinets.  The thing I like about them is the ability to go from horizontal to vertical gameplay without any adjustments or moving parts.

It is?

[EvilNuff]

I have the same exact DK cocktail and love it.  Its actually very playable, my only complaint is it is too low to the ground imo.  The cp is actually at a pretty nice angle.

[spauldingd]

I have one and think it is great for DK and DK Jr.  It just makes sense to push up on the stick to climb and push down to go down.  That said, it doesn't work that well for me with a game like Pacman or Rally-X.  450 is about 250 too much but you already know that.

Dave in Des Moines

[shredso]

This design "looks" terrible but in actuality isn't bad.  I had a ton of fun on vacation playing a DK cocktail.  $450 sounds high though.  But if it's what you want, who cares?

[Jack Burton]

I would really like to have one of those Midway cabinets.  The thing I like about them is the ability to go from horizontal to vertical gameplay without any adjustments or moving parts.

It is?

I was thinking of the ones that people have built or modded to have controls on 3 sides.  

I was playing around with with one of my console arcade sticks last night with it pushed up against my desk vertically and playing DK on it.  It was actually pretty comfortable like everybody says, but when I tried to play some shmups on it my hands got kind of confused.  

Overall I'd say I'm happy with it and I'm going to try to get one of these units.  The DK is a little expensive, but from the description of the owner Mine Sweeper cabinet I'm also looking at should be nearly identical to the DK cab.  Currently I'm just waiting on pictures.  I'll post them when I get them.  

EDIT: found some online.



Actually pretty different but I would be happy to own this one too.     We'll see how it turns out.