Arcade1up: Wave 2

[Howard_Casto]

I know my local Walmart, that it's notoriously stingy about putting anything on clearance finally put the first wave down to $150.  They are stacked up like cordwood, still left over from last thanksgiving. 

[negative1]

In all seriousness, what's the thoughts on the form factor of the bartops? I'm a little turned off by the 8" screen. I've almost always skipped the bezel art on my builds so I could use a larger screen. The actual form factor appears fine. We accept less authenticity on bartops it seems.

I can't comment on build quality, but I assume it's the same dolls/camlock type construction. I'm ho-hum on the price. Seems kind of high for a game or two, but I remember the ION icades costing like $100, and you had to add your own ipad. The bartop kits cost around $150, so for a few more bucks you potentially get a screen, controls, and artwork.

I won't be a customer for one of these simply because there is nothing left for me to play that I can't play with my current setup (which is already getting neglected).

I'm getting the Dig Dug one, should be here Thursday, so I'll write up a detailed review.
I plan on modding it, bigger screen, arcade controls, and possibly volcano buttons (we'll see).

The price is fine compared to others, and I don't want a kit,
because then I would have to buy an arcade PCB, artwork, etc, etc as you mentioned.

I'll take the emulation for now, and the licensed product artwork and form factor.

As I mentioned Dig Dug, and Dig Dug 2 are exclusive to this. (As Pac N Pal is also).
There's a Ghosts and Goblins one coming out, but I don't know the 2nd game on it.

---------

if the bartop had the same sized screen as the "big one" I might see myself picking up the one that has crystal castles on it, but 8" is a deal breaker.

I'll be getting the wallcade units, which have a larger 12 inch monitor:
Centipede / Missile Command
Defender / Joust



There isnt one planned for Crystal Castles currently.
You would have to mod it.

Not sure about the price either, I think it would be comparable to the
countercade, or slightly higher, maybe $249.

*UPDATE : Changed monitor size to 12 inch diagonal

later
-1

[Malenko]

I'm getting the Dig Dug one, should be here Thursday, so I'll write up a detailed review.
I plan on modding it, bigger screen, arcade controls, and possibly volcano buttons (we'll see).

The price is fine compared to others, and I don't want a kit,
because then I would have to buy an arcade PCB, artwork, etc, etc as you mentioned.

I'll take the emulation for now, and the licensed product artwork and form factor.

As I mentioned Dig Dug, and Dig Dug 2 are exclusive to this. (As Pac N Pal is also).
There's a Ghosts and Goblins one coming out, but I don't know the 2nd game on it.

---------

later
-1

Y
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!

Later
|M|

[Malenko]

Also, the wallcades are ---smurfing--- stupid.

[rawbe]

I love the fact that he continues posting despite the fact that nobody cares at all. That is dedication..or psychosis.

i don't care if anybody else cares,

i just love the fact that people don't care, keep posting they don't care.

later
-1

You should be posting in the “Retail Vendors” section. #turdcabs #deckhole


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[leapinlew]

It never made sense. It's all a senseless cash-grab.

I think you sort of answered your own question. It's a business cashing in on the popularity of retro. 

In my area, you aren't getting a MK cabinet for $449. I don't think it's worth $449 though. I paid $299 for my MKII. No riser yet - it's in the kids playroom and it's at the right height for them.

Kind of a funny thing, I was playing MKII and showing my 8 year old some moves. I did a Mileena fatality and she was sorta shocked. She said "That's creepy" a few moments later she said "Dad, that's creepy, I'm only 8". lol. I remember all the controversy around MK and the fatalities and to me, it was always Tom and Jerry like violence. She's just fine, but in this age of helicopter parents, I guess it is more gory imagery than she is used to.

[Nephasth]

It never made sense. It's all a senseless cash-grab.

I think you sort of answered your own question. It's a business cashing in on the popularity of retro. 

Which question was that?

And yeah... I suppose MK might be a little too much for today's little ones... lol

[markc74]

Those wall cases look totally unusable. what height are they supposed to be mounted? Looks like you either looking down at the screen at a steep angle (and those LCD s look washed out even slightly off straight) or your gonna be playing with your hands carpal tunnel high and blocking the screen.

They're an abomination.

[yotsuya]

Those wall cases look totally unusable. what height are they supposed to be mounted? Looks like you either looking down at the screen at a steep angle (and those LCD s look washed out even slightly off straight) or your gonna be playing with your hands carpal tunnel high and blocking the screen.

They're an abomination.

**slow 80s guy clap**

[markc74]

At least there was a semblance of ergonomics with the previous ones. They aren't even trying now.

Pfft.

[yotsuya]

At least there was a semblance of ergonomics with the previous ones. They aren't even trying now.

Pfft.

But they’re retro Galaga 80s Pac-Man totally to the max!!!! The public loves that stuff!!!1!1

[leapinlew]

I'm not a fan of wall mounted arcades. I can't think of too many scenarios where they make sense. I don't even think they make sense from a business perspective. It just seems like too many people would poorly mount them and they would come crashing down. I'm a fan of the small arcade cabinets (they are a big hit in my kids playroom), and I like the bartops ok, but the wall mounted cabinets just don't make sense. I'm surprised they just don't create a wall mounted shelf to put the bartops on.

I have my gameroom, and the kids have their own video games. I think it's pretty cool and they like it too. I was considering building something their size, so the timing was good for the Arcade1up release.

[Howard_Casto]

I wonder if posts can be monetized like youtube videos..... Saint could probably pay for the server bill via 1up posts alone.  Throw some ads up man, lets make da moniez!

Lew you get cool dad points for getting your kids toy cabinets but that could be upgraded to amazing dad points for making it for them with your own two hands.  There's a dude that built his kids a roller coaster in their back yard... I'm just saying the least you could do is screw some plywood together.   

[yotsuya]

See, Lew’s got the right idea. These are best sized for kids. Grown men just look silly.

[opt2not]

I wore my TMNTortugas shirt to work the other day, it was a hit.  thanks pbj

[Malenko]

---fudgesicle--- me dead, I look fatter than PBJ

[yotsuya]

---fudgesicle--- me dead, I look fatter than PBJ

It’s just the angle, and the fact you had to hunch over to play the damn thing.

[negative1]

Those wall cases look totally unusable. what height are they supposed to be mounted? Looks like you either looking down at the screen at a steep angle (and those LCD s look washed out even slightly off straight) or your gonna be playing with your hands carpal tunnel high and blocking the screen.

They're an abomination.

They're perfectly fine for the 3 situations you can use them in.



1) Mounted on a wall with brackets, which are included.

2) Playing on a table with the legs included.

3) Hung from a door, which might be trickier, but more for storage I would think.

later
-1

[Mike A]

Keep in mind you will be standing 12 inches from a wall.  Sounds awesome.

[negative1]

Keep in mind you will be standing 12 inches from a wall.  Sounds awesome.

i don't plan on mounting it. just putting the legs on
it, and playing on a desk or table.

later
-1

[Mr. Peabody]

Eight inches is small - right jennifer?


I thought the MK fatalities were a little horrific as an adult. They're not creepy. That word should be stricken from the lexicon, and anyone using it should be assaulted by a cartoon character who leaps out of thin air and beats them to death.


N's posts are wider than X's.

Only while playing Diablo Immortal of course. 

Not having played Diablo, I don't.

[Malenko]

Not having played Diablo, I don't.

[opt2not]

Still not as negative of a fan reaction than what Metroid Prime: Federation Force had. 

[negative1]

Countercade (Bartop) of Dig Dug is here.

Just got it an hour ago.

Will have a detailed review of it shortly.

Box is very well packed, hard foam on top and bottom, and a spacer to fill out the box.
Plastic shell to protect screen.

Soft plastic tear off screen protector.
Hard acrylic control panel protector for the artwork.

So far the material is the same as the Arcade 1UP cabinets, it seems sturdy enough.

Joystick is slightly better than the previous stock, but I will be replacing with
it an actual Red Ball joystick, and same with the black buttons. I'm thinking about
getting two volcano buttons for the 1/2 player buttons possibly, but they are harder to find.

Other upgrades : Larger screen than the 8 inch one, and possibly modding it with another input
for connection to a PC.

Dig Dug 2 requires 2 buttons on the same side, instead of 1 on each currently.
So I will have to drill a hole on the left and move the joystick over. Since I
play with my right hand.

Box side:


Box inside:


Box top:


Plastic Shell protector:


The mini cabinet:


Dig Dug - Version
---------------------------
Gameplay is the Namco version from Japan, so its set to extra at 20k, and another at 60k, thats it.
I've hit 1 million on it with 5 men, and of course the American version defaults to an extra at 10k,
and every 40k, which makes it a lot easier.

Also, the atari version doesn't have a killscreen, this one should at level 256.

This version should have slowdown after level 136.

I will verify all of that in the next week or so.

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

Dig Dug 2 is more of a mystery, as I've only played it on plug and plays, and MAME.

So i have to see if this is the new or old version of it.

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

The controls for Dig Dug are ok.
The controls for Dig Dug 2 are terrible, as they've assigned pump to the left button, and jack hammer to the right.

It's very awkward.

A lot more news to follow.

later
-1

[Malenko]

Did you buy it , or did they give it to you for shilling harder than the tree that hit Sonny Bono?

[Mike A]

It is beyond stupid to buy one of these and immediately replace every single part.

[yotsuya]

Poor volcano buttons...

[negative1]

ok people, sit back and relax.
here's the review for new dig dug countercade.

there is the retroralph countercade review, but its only for pac-man,
and he ended up modding it anyways.

dig dug is an interesting choice for Arcade 1up. It is part of the
2nd wave of titles, and is one of the initial titles of the countercades.

it is also interesting, because it is not going to be a full-sized one.
it is strictly made for this size, and it has the added bonus of
including a rare conversion for its 2nd game, which is dig dug 2.

dig dug is a very popular namco/atari title which has a lot of fans,
due to its colorful look, and basic gameplay. it also offers challenges
for intermediate and expert players looking for more. it is pattern
based, so you can eventually learn several patterns to go through
the repeating levels.

dig dug 2 is a very obscure, and lesser known game, which came out
for the NES system, and later on namco classics, and plug and plays.
it has some similarities to the original with the enemies, and pumping
them up, but also adds the challenge of breaking up pieces of land,
with a jackhammer. it never really caught on, and is considered a
lesser title.

i'm not going to bother going over the pro's and con's or the
basic information about the games, sounds, lists, etc. as they are sometimes
personal opinions, or have already been gone over many times already.

these are my opinions.

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

tldr version:
==============================
controls are not arcade accurate - but actually,
and surprisingly do the job for average players,
they are subpar for intermediate and expert players

(unfortunately for dig dug 2, they are not actually feasible to play with,
unless you alter your gameplay drastically)

games play near arcade accuracy - framerate, and response is decent,
graphics are blocky and pixelly of course due to an incorrect scaling option used,
instead of 7:9 [most likely the monitor is 3:4]

sound - decent, loud enough but not overdone

screen angles are shallow - but are pretty vibrant enough in most cases
                          - color is slightly dimmer than usual
===================================================================================


the long review follows:

i am going to go into gameplay details,
response times, and control mechanics for the games i know.

================================================================================
background -
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
i have been playing videogames from the days of pong, breakout and space invaders
i stopped playing them in the late 90's, and 00's when deluxe units were the norm.

i do know most of the atari, williams, namco, and capcom library inside and out.

i am NOT an expert at every game, but have played all of them either extensively
in the arcade when they originally came out, at home in MAME, and in pretty much
every port on PC, console, and remake that has come out.

hardware control experience
----------------------------
i have used arcade controls, buttons, trackballs and spinners since they came out.

i have home versions of those controls, and actually don't use dpads or analog stick
on any console unless i'm forced to.

my preference is always dedicated controls for arcade games


arcade gaming habits
-----------------------
i play arcade games, or ports pretty much every day, through the 80's, i stopped
in the 90's, and then picked up mame, and played it every day for a few years.
stopped again, until the 2nd year of the xbox 360. got gameroom, and pretty much
every arcade game, and port on those systems. i have continued this when ports
started showing up on the xbox one. i have played them on the playstation also,
but only the original and PS2, and now the PSP 2000.

lately, over the last couple of years, i have been playing arcade ports and games
everyday for a least a few hours. i usually place in the top 1-10 place on games
that i'm an expert in, and below that on other games.

as far as dig dug is concerned, i've mastered that game early on,
back when it was originally in the arcades. it took a few weeks
of playing, and watching someone else do patterns. then the
joystick magazine came out with other patterns and strategies.

i was able to flip the machines score at 1 million multiple times,
on the standup and cabaret versions. never saw the cocktail version though.

dig dug 2 was a much later discovery, and i've only played it on and off
over the years through MAME and namco collections.

i've recently gotten back into dig dug over the last few years,
and have topped the leaderboards on steam, xbox live, and others.
the scores stop tracking at 1 million, so theres no point in playing
further unless you go for a world record, or personal best. (mines 1.7 million).

i can still play it pretty well, and just have to touch up on my
patterns. i should be able to hit the killscreen with some practice,
although this version is the namco 5 man total, which makes it a
lot tougher.

i've played dig dug 2 on and off, but have never really
mastered it, or played seriously. i can play it adequately
through several rounds, and about 100k. i plan on learning
the dig dug 2 play style in the next few months, but it will
be hard to play given the controls they've implemented.

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

now with that out of the way, lets get to the actual countercade

time spent playing
==========================================================================
i have spent a few hours playing dig dug, since i'm more familiar with that
game, and probably an hour or two playing dig dug 2.

dig dug - countercade (bartop)
==========================================================================
condition - after the numerous complaints about the first series of machines
that came out, arcade 1up has made a few fixes that have trickled down to
these countercades.

these machines are pre-assembled, all you have to do is plug them in.
the control panel does come with a clear acrylic protector over it,
so the artwork won't wear out. its held in with 2 screws, 1 on each side.

the joysticks and buttons (non-clicky) are again a slight improvement over
the previous generation stock ones. they're not arcade quality, but do the
job for now. they matched the arcade ones with using black for the pump
buttons, the player starts, the volume and on off switches.

durability - the unit is constructed fairly well, it has significant weight
for its size. it doesn't wobble, and doesn't move unless you jostle it with
a lot of strength when playing. if you put it on carpet, or a non-slip
surface on a table, you should be fine. perhaps not on a floor, or just
plain wood though, as it would possibly slide.

the control panel is solid, and supports both hands easily, with no flexing
or bending. the side panels are thick and supportive. the marquee is also
solid. the top panel, and back, are thinner, and allow for easy removal.

the screws holding all the panels fit well, and are tight, so there is no
movement.

ergonomics - one of my major complaints about the stand up cabinets is that
the control panel were not placed at an angle, they were flat.

fortunately for these units, they are placed at a slight upward angle, making it much
easier on the wrists when playing. especially for long periods of time.

visuals - the artwork is printed in decent quality, scaled and cropped to
fit, and same with everything else on the control panel (omitting the instructions).
it looks well done, and mine didn't have any scratches or marks on it.

screen - the screen is an 8 inch LCD screen that is of average quality.
not great on the viewing angles, but with the distance that you will be
sitting to play this, it is actually decent in size, and clarity.
the colors are a little dimmer than expected.

gameplay - dig dug
======================================================================================
dig dug is a very basic game. you control your player with 1 four directional joystick,
and 1 pump button.

to emulate the arcade, they've placed 1 button on either side of the joystick.

due to the limited space on the control panel, the buttons are placed very close to
the joystick, so you have to alter your gameplay.

one minor annoyance for me when playing, is i am right handed, so i use my
left hand for the left pump button, but the rest of the fingers brush against
the player 1/2 buttons when playing. it doesn't impact the gameplay, but it's
something to get used to.

i played several games and noted the following:
-----------------------------------------------
1) namco revision of the game
   - i don't know if its version 1 or 2 yet, i still have to play it much further
   - the 2nd version had bug fixes due to killscreens, and gameplay slowdown in latter levels

2) default settings
  - 3 men start, 1 extra at 20k, 2nd extra at 60k thats it.

3) difficulty
 - i think it defaults to medium default

4) game allows unlimited continues, but resets your score back to 0
5) highscores are saved when machine is unplugged
6) new loading font, new arcade 1up menu screens and sounds when selecting game

i scored 100k, and quit on the first game around level 12.
scored 150k with continuing to level 20 plus.
scored 300k playing normally up to level 32.

this is good enough for now. after level 11, 12-15 repeat every 4 levels.
after level 32, the boards speed up until the 50's.
if this version has slowdown, it will occur around level 136 or so.
if it has a killscreen it will be at level 256.

i probably won't get that far playing normally, but with continues
to find out.

i will get to a million, and flip the score (999,990->0), and post a
video when i get a chance.

as far as emulation goes, i did not detect any noticeable lag in the
gameplay. the sound was mostly accurate, and at a decent level.
there is some odd pixel scaling since it is not at 7:9.

dig dug 2
============
dig dug 2 as mentioned is a somewhat radical departure from the first game.
all the same characters and elements are there, with new additions.

controls for the arcade update - 1 4 way joystick to move, and 2 buttons
one for pump-inflate, and secondly one for jackhammer.

this is where a huge problem occurs. in this case instead of having 2
buttons next to each other, they've designated the left as pump, and
the right as jackhammer.

this basically makes the game impossible to play correctly.
i end up using my rightmost fingers to hit the button, while
still holding the joystick, and the left hand is normal for
the pump button.

why they didn't have someone playtest it, or ask anyone that
knows about the game first is how it ended up like this.

most people don't know this game, and probably won't impact them.

but it's just lazy, and poorly implemented especially when it
could have easily been fixed.

----------

gameplay involves rounds of different islands. you are above ground,
and enemies move around the playfield to trap you. you can either
pump them up, or use strategically located points on the playing field
to connect with the jackhammer. when an enclosed area is marked it
collapses into the ocean, and kills any enemies, and yourself if you
are not careful.

i have played this game many times, but not to the point of mastery.
the game has 32 levels, and no ending (16 levels repeat),
but the score maxes out and stays at 1,000,000. this is a bug that
i'm currently investigating to fix.

i can hit about 100k and get through several rounds, but haven't
learned all the strategies yet.

things noted
---------------
1 there was an old and new ROM revision for this, i'm not sure which
one this is

2 default is 3 men start extra at 30k, 80k and every 80k after
3 difficulty is probably medium
4 no continues
5 high score is saved

dig dug 2 is a very acquired taste to play, it might not be as fun
or easy to play as the first one. but it does offer a challenge
regardless of the controls.

as far as emulation goes, i did not detect any noticeable lag in the
gameplay. the sound was mostly accurate, and at a decent level.
there is some odd pixel scaling since it is not at 7:9.

it was a good choice to get, but poorly thought out.
=======================================================================================
Final thoughts
----------------
A valiant, but in the end subpar experience,
unless you're going for nostalgia,
and love dig dug, and are ok with the compromises.

overall, i would give 1up countercade a grade of C for effort.
C for quality and longevity, B for emulation, C for graphics.

So an average of C+ overall grading, or 3/5 stars for the price.
---------

Take into account the games you like, how much you will play them,
and how rough these things will be handled.

If you don't play often, these things will last and look good.
If you do play often, they WILL wear out, the buttons,
the controls, etc, eventually.

Modding the buttons and joysticks, will do some good perhaps, but in the end,
you will have to decide how much you want to upgrade.
---------
I have several upgrades planned
 - possible volcano buttons for 1 and 2 player start
 - new arcade quality joystick
 - new arcade quality buttons
 - moving joystick to the right
 - putting 2 buttons on the same left side, instead of one on each
 - larger screen
 - multigames with a PC

There will be a breakdown of the game later on, with more
details about the pcb, system, etc, at some point. will be
working on that.

---

the price was not a factor to me, its the same for all of them currently,
and is at the low end of bartop kit models. every other prebuilt or
configured one is several hundred dollars more, and usually unlicensed.

the official namco multigame bartop goes for $2k, so that's for the rich.

i don't recommend these bartops to anyone looking for accurate gameplay,
arcade quality controls, or bargains. they are mostly for collectors,
and fans of the game.

other options will suit your needs much better than these.
but like the stand up units, are excellent bases to begin
making mods on, to make them much more useful and enjoyable.


later
-1

[Malenko]

X3, there's no way anyone reads all that.

[Gilrock]

X3, there's no way anyone reads all that.

I made it as far as "Here's the review...."  lol

[negative1]

hence, the tldr version embedded in it.

later
-1

[Ginsu Victim]

hence, the tldr version embedded in it.

later
-1

Most people scroll to end for that. Your tldr is in a weird spot.

[opt2not]

Pretty sure this guy is now in constant violation of Rule 10.
Reported.

[Osirus23]

This thread needs less Rule 10, more Rule 34.

[jennifer]

ok people, sit back and relax.
here's the review for new dig dug countercade.

there is the retroralph countercade review, but its only for pac-man,
and he ended up modding it anyways.

dig dug is an interesting choice for Arcade 1up. It is part of the
2nd wave of titles, and is one of the initial titles of the countercades.

it is also interesting, because it is not going to be a full-sized one.
it is strictly made for this size, and it has the added bonus of
including a rare conversion for its 2nd game, which is dig dug 2.

dig dug is a very popular namco/atari title which has a lot of fans,
due to its colorful look, and basic gameplay. it also offers challenges
for intermediate and expert players looking for more. it is pattern
based, so you can eventually learn several patterns to go through
the repeating levels.

dig dug 2 is a very obscure, and lesser known game, which came out
for the NES system, and later on namco classics, and plug and plays.
it has some similarities to the original with the enemies, and pumping
them up, but also adds the challenge of breaking up pieces of land,
with a jackhammer. it never really caught on, and is considered a
lesser title.

i'm not going to bother going over the pro's and con's or the
basic information about the games, sounds, lists, etc. as they are sometimes
personal opinions, or have already been gone over many times already.

these are my opinions.

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

tldr version:
==============================
controls are not arcade accurate - but actually,
and surprisingly do the job for average players,
they are subpar for intermediate and expert players

(unfortunately for dig dug 2, they are not actually feasible to play with,
unless you alter your gameplay drastically)

games play near arcade accuracy - framerate, and response is decent,
graphics are blocky and pixelly of course due to an incorrect scaling option used,
instead of 7:9 [most likely the monitor is 3:4]

sound - decent, loud enough but not overdone

screen angles are shallow - but are pretty vibrant enough in most cases
                          - color is slightly dimmer than usual
===================================================================================


the long review follows:

i am going to go into gameplay details,
response times, and control mechanics for the games i know.

================================================================================
background -
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
i have been playing videogames from the days of pong, breakout and space invaders
i stopped playing them in the late 90's, and 00's when deluxe units were the norm.

i do know most of the atari, williams, namco, and capcom library inside and out.

i am NOT an expert at every game, but have played all of them either extensively
in the arcade when they originally came out, at home in MAME, and in pretty much
every port on PC, console, and remake that has come out.

hardware control experience
----------------------------
i have used arcade controls, buttons, trackballs and spinners since they came out.

i have home versions of those controls, and actually don't use dpads or analog stick
on any console unless i'm forced to.

my preference is always dedicated controls for arcade games


arcade gaming habits
-----------------------
i play arcade games, or ports pretty much every day, through the 80's, i stopped
in the 90's, and then picked up mame, and played it every day for a few years.
stopped again, until the 2nd year of the xbox 360. got gameroom, and pretty much
every arcade game, and port on those systems. i have continued this when ports
started showing up on the xbox one. i have played them on the playstation also,
but only the original and PS2, and now the PSP 2000.

lately, over the last couple of years, i have been playing arcade ports and games
everyday for a least a few hours. i usually place in the top 1-10 place on games
that i'm an expert in, and below that on other games.

as far as dig dug is concerned, i've mastered that game early on,
back when it was originally in the arcades. it took a few weeks
of playing, and watching someone else do patterns. then the
joystick magazine came out with other patterns and strategies.

i was able to flip the machines score at 1 million multiple times,
on the standup and cabaret versions. never saw the cocktail version though.

dig dug 2 was a much later discovery, and i've only played it on and off
over the years through MAME and namco collections.

i've recently gotten back into dig dug over the last few years,
and have topped the leaderboards on steam, xbox live, and others.
the scores stop tracking at 1 million, so theres no point in playing
further unless you go for a world record, or personal best. (mines 1.7 million).

i can still play it pretty well, and just have to touch up on my
patterns. i should be able to hit the killscreen with some practice,
although this version is the namco 5 man total, which makes it a
lot tougher.

i've played dig dug 2 on and off, but have never really
mastered it, or played seriously. i can play it adequately
through several rounds, and about 100k. i plan on learning
the dig dug 2 play style in the next few months, but it will
be hard to play given the controls they've implemented.

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

now with that out of the way, lets get to the actual countercade

time spent playing
==========================================================================
i have spent a few hours playing dig dug, since i'm more familiar with that
game, and probably an hour or two playing dig dug 2.

dig dug - countercade (bartop)
==========================================================================
condition - after the numerous complaints about the first series of machines
that came out, arcade 1up has made a few fixes that have trickled down to
these countercades.

these machines are pre-assembled, all you have to do is plug them in.
the control panel does come with a clear acrylic protector over it,
so the artwork won't wear out. its held in with 2 screws, 1 on each side.

the joysticks and buttons (non-clicky) are again a slight improvement over
the previous generation stock ones. they're not arcade quality, but do the
job for now. they matched the arcade ones with using black for the pump
buttons, the player starts, the volume and on off switches.

durability - the unit is constructed fairly well, it has significant weight
for its size. it doesn't wobble, and doesn't move unless you jostle it with
a lot of strength when playing. if you put it on carpet, or a non-slip
surface on a table, you should be fine. perhaps not on a floor, or just
plain wood though, as it would possibly slide.

the control panel is solid, and supports both hands easily, with no flexing
or bending. the side panels are thick and supportive. the marquee is also
solid. the top panel, and back, are thinner, and allow for easy removal.

the screws holding all the panels fit well, and are tight, so there is no
movement.

ergonomics - one of my major complaints about the stand up cabinets is that
the control panel were not placed at an angle, they were flat.

fortunately for these units, they are placed at a slight upward angle, making it much
easier on the wrists when playing. especially for long periods of time.

visuals - the artwork is printed in decent quality, scaled and cropped to
fit, and same with everything else on the control panel (omitting the instructions).
it looks well done, and mine didn't have any scratches or marks on it.

screen - the screen is an 8 inch LCD screen that is of average quality.
not great on the viewing angles, but with the distance that you will be
sitting to play this, it is actually decent in size, and clarity.
the colors are a little dimmer than expected.

gameplay - dig dug
======================================================================================
dig dug is a very basic game. you control your player with 1 four directional joystick,
and 1 pump button.

to emulate the arcade, they've placed 1 button on either side of the joystick.

due to the limited space on the control panel, the buttons are placed very close to
the joystick, so you have to alter your gameplay.

one minor annoyance for me when playing, is i am right handed, so i use my
left hand for the left pump button, but the rest of the fingers brush against
the player 1/2 buttons when playing. it doesn't impact the gameplay, but it's
something to get used to.

i played several games and noted the following:
-----------------------------------------------
1) namco revision of the game
   - i don't know if its version 1 or 2 yet, i still have to play it much further
   - the 2nd version had bug fixes due to killscreens, and gameplay slowdown in latter levels

2) default settings
  - 3 men start, 1 extra at 20k, 2nd extra at 60k thats it.

3) difficulty
 - i think it defaults to medium default

4) game allows unlimited continues, but resets your score back to 0
5) highscores are saved when machine is unplugged
6) new loading font, new arcade 1up menu screens and sounds when selecting game

i scored 100k, and quit on the first game around level 12.
scored 150k with continuing to level 20 plus.
scored 300k playing normally up to level 32.

this is good enough for now. after level 11, 12-15 repeat every 4 levels.
after level 32, the boards speed up until the 50's.
if this version has slowdown, it will occur around level 136 or so.
if it has a killscreen it will be at level 256.

i probably won't get that far playing normally, but with continues
to find out.

i will get to a million, and flip the score (999,990->0), and post a
video when i get a chance.

as far as emulation goes, i did not detect any noticeable lag in the
gameplay. the sound was mostly accurate, and at a decent level.
there is some odd pixel scaling since it is not at 7:9.

dig dug 2
============
dig dug 2 as mentioned is a somewhat radical departure from the first game.
all the same characters and elements are there, with new additions.

controls for the arcade update - 1 4 way joystick to move, and 2 buttons
one for pump-inflate, and secondly one for jackhammer.

this is where a huge problem occurs. in this case instead of having 2
buttons next to each other, they've designated the left as pump, and
the right as jackhammer.

this basically makes the game impossible to play correctly.
i end up using my rightmost fingers to hit the button, while
still holding the joystick, and the left hand is normal for
the pump button.

why they didn't have someone playtest it, or ask anyone that
knows about the game first is how it ended up like this.

most people don't know this game, and probably won't impact them.

but it's just lazy, and poorly implemented especially when it
could have easily been fixed.

----------

gameplay involves rounds of different islands. you are above ground,
and enemies move around the playfield to trap you. you can either
pump them up, or use strategically located points on the playing field
to connect with the jackhammer. when an enclosed area is marked it
collapses into the ocean, and kills any enemies, and yourself if you
are not careful.

i have played this game many times, but not to the point of mastery.
the game has 32 levels, and no ending (16 levels repeat),
but the score maxes out and stays at 1,000,000. this is a bug that
i'm currently investigating to fix.

i can hit about 100k and get through several rounds, but haven't
learned all the strategies yet.

things noted
---------------
1 there was an old and new ROM revision for this, i'm not sure which
one this is

2 default is 3 men start extra at 30k, 80k and every 80k after
3 difficulty is probably medium
4 no continues
5 high score is saved

dig dug 2 is a very acquired taste to play, it might not be as fun
or easy to play as the first one. but it does offer a challenge
regardless of the controls.

as far as emulation goes, i did not detect any noticeable lag in the
gameplay. the sound was mostly accurate, and at a decent level.
there is some odd pixel scaling since it is not at 7:9.

it was a good choice to get, but poorly thought out.
=======================================================================================
Final thoughts
----------------
A valiant, but in the end subpar experience,
unless you're going for nostalgia,
and love dig dug, and are ok with the compromises.

overall, i would give 1up countercade a grade of C for effort.
C for quality and longevity, B for emulation, C for graphics.

So an average of C+ overall grading, or 3/5 stars for the price.
---------

Take into account the games you like, how much you will play them,
and how rough these things will be handled.

If you don't play often, these things will last and look good.
If you do play often, they WILL wear out, the buttons,
the controls, etc, eventually.

Modding the buttons and joysticks, will do some good perhaps, but in the end,
you will have to decide how much you want to upgrade.
---------
I have several upgrades planned
 - possible volcano buttons for 1 and 2 player start
 - new arcade quality joystick
 - new arcade quality buttons
 - moving joystick to the right
 - putting 2 buttons on the same left side, instead of one on each
 - larger screen
 - multigames with a PC

There will be a breakdown of the game later on, with more
details about the pcb, system, etc, at some point. will be
working on that.

---

the price was not a factor to me, its the same for all of them currently,
and is at the low end of bartop kit models. every other prebuilt or
configured one is several hundred dollars more, and usually unlicensed.

the official namco multigame bartop goes for $2k, so that's for the rich.

i don't recommend these bartops to anyone looking for accurate gameplay,
arcade quality controls, or bargains. they are mostly for collectors,
and fans of the game.

other options will suit your needs much better than these.
but like the stand up units, are excellent bases to begin
making mods on, to make them much more useful and enjoyable.


later
-1

What?... Down towards the end you say you wouldn't recommend these for anyone who wants accurate gameplay, because these are for collectors? And then rebuild the whole thing on top af it?  Dude you are a RUBE, They saw you coming...Cut your losses like Jennifer did and just live in the shame.

[coasterlvr]

ok people, sit back and relax.
here's the review for new dig dug countercade.


later
-1

why don't you endlessly post in the facebook arcade1up groups?  people might actually have a little bit more interest there.  it's really weird to see your posts over and over in this forum. 

[JDFan]

why don't you endlessly post in the facebook arcade1up groups?  people might actually have a little bit more interest there.  it's really weird to see your posts over and over in this forum.

Probably already does - I know he does to the Reddit A1U and it's the exact same copy/paste  posts as here - so wouldn't doubt the facebook group gets them as well ! 

[Malenko]

so he even copies his own content? amaze

[negative1]

ok people, sit back and relax.
here's the review for new dig dug countercade.


later
-1

why don't you endlessly post in the facebook arcade1up groups?  people might actually have a little bit more interest there.  it's really weird to see your posts over and over in this forum.

whats facebook, i never use it.

later
-1

[Gilrock]

Yep most people with no friends don't like Facebook.  Plus you typically have a "real" identity instead of some cryptic forum profile name where you sit in your mom's basement and yell for pop tarts every couple hours but act like your Rambo.