Portable Pac Man ideas / brainstorming

[TurboC--]

Short recap - used to own a really fun MAME-converted original Pac-man machine, had to sell it. I miss the real controls. A massive standup arcade machine is also huge and obviously very un-portable.

Looking into creating some kind of portable MAME system which would have a nice display, and as close to the REAL Pac Man leaf switch control as possible. Unfortunately, it looks like both 4-way and leaf-switch tech have been left in the past, so there aren't a lot of good options for replacements / improvements for real Pac Man enthusiasts. Here's the rundown as I see it:

Control options:
1.) A real authentic Pac Man 4-way leaf switch joystick -- unfortunately this seems unworkable due to how large and heavy it would be to put into a portable.
2.) Tornado Terry or similar replacement - exact same problem (and it's not even leaf switches on the Terry IIRC)
3.) Atari-compatible Wico leaf switch joystick (which I happen to own) - this would be far lighter and easier to use. However they don't have a 4-way restrictor and I am not sure how to implement one.
4.) This is where I'd like ideas. I don't know what all exists out there, but you can see my goal. I could even give up leaf switch if it's a really good reliable control and very suitable for a portable system.

Screen & CPU options
1.) Used tablet? Takes care of a lot of aspects, but I'd be concerned with latency and how to hook in the controls (and the latency in that also)
2.) RPi 5 (supposed to be pretty powerful) + some kind of LED panel?
3.) Some existing unit that already takes care of this?

I'm also open to just making a unit without a display to hook to a PC or TV. But the more I think about the annoyance of that the more I think I'd just want a 100% portable one with display.

Hoping people can talk a bit about what options there would be?

And yes I know there are standalone portable Pac Man things. But #1 I want to be able to play like Ms Pac Man, Jr Pac Man, Galaga etc.. too and #2 from what I understand I don't think any of them have good controls.

[harri]

3.) Atari-compatible Wico leaf switch joystick (which I happen to own) - this would be far lighter and easier to use. However they don't have a 4-way restrictor and I am not sure how to implement one.

ArcadeR is Atari-joystick built with Sanwa clone parts. Should be relatively easy to get a four way restrictor? (Or even change genuine Sanwa parts inside.)

Screen & CPU options
1.) Used tablet? Takes care of a lot of aspects, but I'd be concerned with latency and how to hook in the controls (and the latency in that also)

A laptop that has an tablet mode? There arent tons of them but some used one shouldn't be expensive if you can find one.

[leapinlew]

Some good ideas here

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,84113.0.html

[RandyT]

4.) This is where I'd like ideas. I don't know what all exists out there, but you can see my goal. I could even give up leaf switch if it's a really good reliable control and very suitable for a portable system.

I've had many customers tell me that the Leaf-Pro with 4-way restrictor has finally allowed them to play Pac-Man as well as they could in the arcade.  It's also the title I used when testing.  I was never a great Pac-Man player, but with this stick and some patterns under my belt, I played better than I ever thought I was able, easily reaching level ~10 before I got tired of playing (not really my game ).  It's also shorter below the panel than most sticks, but will need to have a pocket for the base and mounted using carriage bolts if mounting into a thick wood panel.  Like most available options nowadays, the centering will also feel different from the original as that one used rubber grommet centering.

Whatever you do, don't get a 4-way with a long shaft...you will hate it.

[nitrogen_widget]

https://github.com/KenKenMkIISR/picopacman
pacman on a pico.
not english.

https://blog.adafruit.com/2019/10/23/play-old-arcade-classics-on-the-teensy4-0-gaming-teensy-retrocomputing-vintagecomputing/
mame on a teensy.

then there is the pi-zero if you want easy.
you don't an rpi5 to play pacman.

[pbj]

Get an AtGames Mini, swap out the joystick, add Pac-Man to it.  You can’t build anything cheaper than that setup.

[Zeosstud]

A Sanwa stick with a 4lb spring and a Mister device have proven to be the combo that allows me to play the game, specifically the 9th key pattern and it work. Timing is so crazy important. I hope you find a solution that meets your needs and please share with the forum when you do.

Zeosstud

[negative1]

arcade 1up has a ton of countercades, and partycades with larger screens.

any of those could be made portable, but power would have to be modified
to use a battery pack.



they also have small tabletop variations too.

---
update : here's their latest version
https://www.qvc.com/arcade1up-pac-man-counter-cade-1-player-new-des-ign.product.E310385.html?sc=SRCH&TZ=EST



later
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