Major retailers selling Arcade Machine

[Zook]

HONG KONG, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Electronic Games Ltd., a worldwide manufacturer of innovative video game products announced today that the company will launch BigGames(TM) Home Video Arcades for this coming Holiday Season. BigGames(TM) Home Video Arcades are real arcade machines for the home. Each unit plays 12 of the original arcade versions of the most popular Midway(TM) games, including Defender(TM), Defender II(TM), Robotron(TM), Joust(TM), Bubbles(TM), Splat(TM), Sinistar(TM), Rampage(TM), Rootbeer Tapper(TM), Wizard of Wor(TM), Timber(TM), and Satan's Hollow(TM).

The unit stands 62 inches tall and has an included, built-in, full-color monitor.

Additional A/V inputs allow almost any existing home video game system, DVD player, VCR or other A/V product to be easily plugged in and viewed on the built-in monitor.

"Any child or adult who has grown up playing video games in arcades has dreamt of having a real arcade machine in their home. Now they can for less than $500," said Frank Landi of Big Electronic Games Ltd.

The Midway(TM) version of BigGames(TM) Home Video Arcades will be available at retailers nationwide in November of 2005 and will retail for less than $500.

Other licensed BigGames(TM) units, including a home version of Incredible Technologies(TM) Golden Tee(R), will be available in 2006.

For more information, go to http://www.mybiggames.com/. Contact: Brian Waldman (917) 592-0701

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com/.

Website: http://www.mybiggames.com/

[Zook]

Looks like Target will be the first to start selling it. 


Target Stores to sell BigGames

[ChadTower]

Maybe now people will stop bugging me to build a MAME machine for them , waiting until I'm underway, and then saying "oh, I don't want to pay more than $400 for it."

[ClubNinja]

Damn, is that sucker ugly.  The side art makes me ill. 

[MaximRecoil]

I'd like to see some detailed specifications on that. I see it was either designed with females, midgets or children in mind. 5'2" tall? LOL.

What type and size monitor is it using? Is it PC-based emulation or more like a multi-Williams board?

[Zook]

I'd like to see some detailed specifications on that. I see it was either designed with females, midgets or children in mind. 5'2" tall? LOL.

What type and size monitor is it using? Is it PC-based emulation or more like a multi-Williams board?

Your guess is as good as mine.   I don't know anymore than what I found on that website.  The grainy pictures don't help much.  My guess is that it's not much more than one of those 5-in-1 TV games.   

The monitor/TV looks small.  I'm sure every effort has been made to keep the weight down.   It will probably need to be assembled like office furniture after it's taken out of the box.

[grueinthebox]

Not a very professional website, is it...?

[Q*Bert_OP]

Not a very professional website, is it...?

nope.

ROFLMAO

[tristan]

I've never seen so much code for so little content.

Not a very professional website, is it...?

[ChadTower]

I've never seen so much code for so little content.

Not a very professional website, is it...?

Very common, and the reason is right here:

Code: [Select]

<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Publisher 11">

[tristan]

I guess I don't normally look that close, but even Front Page isn't that bad. I guess they don't know how to put the styles and scripts in a separate file and call them to keep it clean. I generally use Front Page, but I go back and clean up the code afterwards.

On another note, that cab looks way short. Both the guys in the pictures are all slumped over and crouching.

[quarterback]

Maybe now people will stop bugging me to build a MAME machine for them , waiting until I'm underway, and then saying "oh, I don't want to pay more than $400 for it."

And my guess is that the "500 price mentioned in the release is for the "Table Top series" and not the full cab.

[Havok]

I'm too tall for that cab. Might be ok for a sit down though...

[quarterback]

It really looks like the photo of the 2 guys in the Upriight picture is exactly the same as the two guys in the TableTop picture.   I'm not saying "Hey look, they're the same guys", I'm saying "It looks like they photoshopped the same guy-photo over both cabs", so who knows how high the CP really is.

I'm too tall for that cab. Might be ok for a sit down though...

I think building a little riser at the bottom (like the DonkeyKong cabs used to have) might solve the problem.   I just wanna' see the pricing

[Zook]

I googled it.   $499.99  Pre-order at Target.com

Link

[Crazy Cooter]

So who's going to write the review for the Ultracade stuff they have  ?

Link

I don't see how anyone will buy an Ultracade for $3,000 when they can get this for $500.

[quarterback]

That's really amazing.  I'm stunned that the upright is selling for $499.   Go Midway!  Kick Foley's arse!

[dabone]

Upright?


5'2"?


Tiny.


Later,
dabone

[Wade]

I have a very strong gut feeling, that for $500, this is going to be a very cheap cabinet, similar to other Walmart/Target furniture, have a tiny, cheap TV set inside (13"? 19?) and run what amounts to a Jakk's inside.  It might even have a joystick comparable to a Jakk's.  The price point is right, but I think the quality is going to leave a lot to be desired.

Wade

[Setabs]

I will second the theory on cheap quality.  Look how small the screen is and how much wasted space is above it.   looks like a 13" screen

 I'll give them credit to trying to make an affordable cab. 

[rlemmon]

I'm with wade. It will most likely be made of cheap particle board with a 13 " TV and a jakks type system built into the control panel with cheap joysticks and buttions. I would be willing

[Popcorrin]

Did anyone check out the shipping info?  The estimated shipping weight was 96 lbs!  I thought it would be built kind of cheap but not that cheap.

[quarterback]

I'm with wade.

Oh yeah?  Well I'M with Setabs

I think it'll be low quality and, obviously, a tiny screen but I totally give them props for making a mass produced, inexpensive home cab.  I wouldn't buy one, but I think it's cool.


The only other thing I noticed was that the cab is listed as being 62" tall but the shipping info on Target says the box is "42 inches length x 31 inches width x 29 inches height"   I guess it's possible that the 62" tall sides are at an angle inside the box, but it seems odd that there would be 5'2" sides inside of a 3'6" box.

[Crazy Cooter]

99% of people have no idea what it takes to run a video game.  They'll look at the $500 cabinet and the $x,000 cabinets online and run out to buy the $500 one.  For most, they'll have no idea of the quality.  That cabinet probably has more money into the graphics than the electronics.

...but it seems odd that there would be 5'2" sides inside of a 3'6" box.

Duh, ever hear of mathemagics?   

[quarterback]

...but it seems odd that there would be 5'2" sides inside of a 3'6" box.

Duh, ever hear of mathemagics?   

   Yeah, but even a² + b² = c² tells me that 62" tall sides wouldn't fit inside that box.

[Crazy Cooter]

But: a² + b² = c² - mathemagical nether regions.  According to my calculations, that leaves just under 3" for protective styrofoam.

[quarterback]

But: a² + b² = c² - mathemagical nether regions.  According to my calculations, that leaves just under 3" for protective styrofoam.

Ahhhh... I see where I screwed that up.   Well then, I stand corrected

[ChadTower]

If they carry this in store, I can go look at it.  There is a Target 5 minutes from my house.

[Flinkly]

hmm, i'd think the games would be accurate since it's their company, but the quality probably stinks.  that screen bezel looks horrendous too.  it would be cool for a frat house or a family with 5 kids, but for us byoac'ers, i don't think it's going to live up to our standards at all.  and where do you stick the tokens in?  i would like to know what joysticks they use, just for -cleavland steamer- and giggles.

[ChadTower]

A cheap cab would last an hour in a frat house.

About 4 hours in a house with kids.

[Flinkly]

yeah, but a byoac cab probably wouldn't last much longer, and ususally costs 10 times as much.

[ChadTower]

Your average Dynamo conversion will survive anything except fire and water.  The machines built to be on location are built to last.

[SirPoonga]

the tabletop one looks cool.

[markrvp]

It says it has A/V inputs for DVD players or VCRs so that would confirm that it is a television type monitor in there.

[missioncontrol]

the tabletop one looks cool.

THe table top is a $3000 Arcade legends.

[quarterback]

the tabletop one looks cool.

THe table top is a $3000 Arcade legends.

He may be talking about this one here

[missioncontrol]

oh I didn't see that I thought he ment the one on the Target link........

my bad.

[ChadTower]

It says it has A/V inputs for DVD players or VCRs so that would confirm that it is a television type monitor in there.

An arcade monitor is a TV type monitor without the tuner and inputs... they could easily have just put in a $10 converter PCB.

Odds are, though, that it is a TV.  Easier and cheaper.

[missioncontrol]

I really hope they have them on display at Target. I need a good laugh......

[Lilwolf]

Its probably just a cheap dawoo TV (smaller the better) and a all in one controller job.  So basically its a standup version of the little all in on controllers with a tv installed.

But it might make a great start for a minicab.

Also, for the guys around here who sell sideart.  You might be able to sell a ton that perfectly fit those cabs.  You will find a bunch of people who like them, but want them to look like some other arcade.

[ChadTower]

When doing custom cabs for people, it's always the sideart that is the problem.  The people want custom artwork, but then when I quote a price, they don't want to pay it... then, when I quote prices (with like 5% profit) for premade, well printed artwork (like from arcadegrafix), they balk at that too...

..."What do you mean, $175 more with new artwork?  WTF are you trying to do here, make hundreds off me?"


"Uh, it's expensive to have adhesive vinyl printed"

"no it's not"

"yeah, saying it is not does not make it not"

"I don't want to pay that, then"

"But I already stripped off the existing artwork"

"forget it all, too much hassle"

[More Cowbell]

I can't imagine anyone buying this for for any other purpose than for their kids. The price point reflects that as well. No adult of normal proportions could stand at that thing for more than 5 minutes without feeling it in their back (no offense to you short people out there)and if you plan on sitting down to play it, you might as well go with the tabletop version. However, I have to agree that anything that raises interest in the hobby is a good thing. This might be just what someone needs to say to themself, "This is a piece of crap, I could do better. If only there was a website devoted to building you own arcade controls...."

[rlemmon]

If you ask me it's just a  toy version of a real arcade, like those toy pinball machines walmart was selling last x_mas for 80 bucks or so . I do agree that it would be cool for kids though.

[ChadTower]

You guys act like you can't put it on a box or something and make it taller.

[rlemmon]

I wasn't really talking about the height. I was talking about the  quality. First off it seems like there using a 13" TV w/out s. video ( to the best of my knowledge 13"
TVs do not have s video). That would be really hard on the eyes.  I would also bet the sticks and buttons are cheapo ones look at the pic below They don't look like real arcade parts. It's also  likely to use hacked games like the jakks unitsand the thing is probably made of particle board. I would also think  that the side art is just a  cheap sticker set instead of vinyl. Ofcourse I could be wrong about everything. I doubt it though.

[ChadTower]

But something like that would easily stand up to average home use.

[rlemmon]

your right about it holding up to home use. The cheap controls would kill it for me. I played a jakks pacman at walmart and it was frustrating as hell. Personally Im not crazy about any of the games in it, but if it were a namco pac or ms pac cab  with original arcade roms and really nice artwork i would be tempted. It is cool for people who dont know how to build mame or arcade machines though. If i was into those particular games and didnt know about mame or have a mame cab . I would have to get one unless i saw it in person and the quality was awefull.

[Crazy Cooter]

[off topic]

( to the best of my knowledge 13" TVs do not have s video).

Advent 14" TV (Q1435A) ~$100
I have it my kitchen.  Componant, s-vid, AND composite.  Nice sound/pic too.

[/off topic]

[MaximRecoil]

I'm with wade.

Oh yeah?

[ChadTower]

That's the same crappily laminated, thin particle board you see cheap office furniture made from at chain stores.

This thing is junk, probably cost them $40 each to make.

[quarterback]

The only other thing I noticed was that the cab is listed as being 62" tall but the shipping info on Target says the box is "42 inches length x 31 inches width x 29 inches height"   I guess it's possible that the 62" tall sides are at an angle inside the box, but it seems odd that there would be 5'2" sides inside of a 3'6" box.

The sides are in two pieces. Someone posted these images that were scanned from a magazine on RGVAC - http://www.bigbadwoolf.com/images/wired_2005_nov_pg107.jpg

And - http://www.bigbadwoolf.com/images/wired_2005_nov_pg107_close.jpg

Man, that had crossed my mind, but I really couldn't believe they'd do that.  BLECH! 

That's terrible and even more fully opens the door to this whole cab collapsing.  Even the cheap WalMart shelves don't require you to stack 1/2" edges together to make the sides of the bookshelf.

In my Project Announcement for "The $30 Wal-Mart cab" I tried to come up with ways to build a cab out of a bookshelf unit.  Of course it crossed my mind to cut & then attach pieces of wood in this manner (edge to edge), but it's so patently ridiculous that I avoided it completely.

I still can't wait to see one of these in a Target B&M, but even moreso because it'll be like watching a train wreck.  I can't believe these will withstand even basic home use.

Thanks for the pics, MaximRecoil.

[Crazy Cooter]

And - http://www.bigbadwoolf.com/images/wired_2005_nov_pg107_close.jpg

LOL! The thing is already falling apart during the photoshoot!

[More Cowbell]

You guys act like you can't put it on a box or something and make it taller.

I can put a Gameboy on a tall box to bring it up to chest level too, but it doesn't make it a full size arcade machine. 

[ahofle]

LOL why are all you people getting so up in arms about this?  It's like someone posted an ad for a Hyundai in a Rolls Royce board and everyone is barking off all the reasons the Hyundai sucks.  Of course none of us would buy it, we all are into building real arcade cabinets.

I think it's pretty neat myself, even if it's made of 'target wood'.

[rchadd]

what no gorf???

i wonder what foley thinks about this?

[versapak]

what no gorf???

i wonder what foley thinks about this?

Probably thinks the same thing we do. Cheapo pos that barely passes as a cab.

I doubt it hits any of his target audience (no pun intended), especially seeing as it is not even a full size cab.

[RayB]

Probably thinks the same thing we do. Cheapo pos that barely passes as a cab.

I doubt it hits any of his target audience (no pun intended), especially seeing as it is not even a full size cab.

At that price point and in a chain like Target I bet you it will sell a hell of alot more units than you think. I believe there are lot more "rich dads" who can afford a $500 machine for their spoiled kid than there are Arcade Legends customers.

(Target has 1,330 stores. Think they can sell at least one in each store?)

Let's wait and see... 

[missioncontrol]

I think they will sell quite a few of them also.

It would actually be funny to see someone I know start bragging on how the got one of these at Target and all of a sudden start conversations about arcade games and think that they are now some kind of arcade guru for owning one...



 

then I'll have my turn at rolling my eyes and thinking, oh no not this again.....

[versapak]

Probably thinks the same thing we do. Cheapo pos that barely passes as a cab.

I doubt it hits any of his target audience (no pun intended), especially seeing as it is not even a full size cab.

At that price point and in a chain like Target I bet you it will sell a hell of alot more units than you think. I believe there are lot more "rich dads" who can afford a $500 machine for their spoiled kid than there are Arcade Legends customers.

(Target has 1,330 stores. Think they can sell at least one in each store?)

Let's wait and see...

I never said it wouldn't sell.


I just said it is not going to be cutting in to Foley's target audience.


That $500 cab is a kids toy. His cab (like him or not) is a real arcade machine, and I doubt he really expects all that many sales to kids or people looking for a budget cab.

Offering em through Target certainly doesn't hurt his company, but I doubt it sustains much of his companies life, if any.

[missioncontrol]

it doesn't have a coin door 

[quarterback]

it doesn't have a coin door 

But it does seem to have some kind of door on the front (see the CU picture MaximRecoil posted).  My guess is it opens up for your VCR, DVD player etc.

But no, no coin door.  But not surprising considering these are basically glorified Jakks TV game things and certainly not intended to accept money.

[missioncontrol]

yeah I noticed the hinges too. wasn't sure what they were for but yeah I guess for the DVD, VCR etc. that does make sense

[RandyT]

I especially like the poorly vectored Midway logo and banged up edges.....yeeesh!

I'm not sure I see these as a "good thing".  They will make it tougher for someone who is putting in the time and effort to make quality stand-up machines to market and sell their products.  And some of these people come up with innovations that the community as a whole can, and does, derive advantage from.

The inevitable "But I can get one at Target for $500"  or "Yeah, I've seen products similar to those sold by (insert favorite cabinet vendor here) at Target and they are junk" will be spoken a gazillion times by the vocal clueless.  IE. it muddies the waters.

It will be really interesting to see how well these do.  Anyone who builds Arcade machines for people would never be able to get away with the quality shown in the pictures, even at a $500 price point.  Why would those same people change their expectations just because Target is now the seller?

It reminds me of the dome hockey table I saw at Sears recently.  While it might be fun to play for a while, it was expensive and felt very cheap in construction.  It was like Chexx (I think that was the name) but nowhere near the feel of the arcade machine.  I wouldn't buy it because I didn't feel it had enough value for the cost.

Something else to consider is the following:

A) Almost everyone has a PSX or better game system nowadays

B) I think most, if not all of those titles are available in the Midway Arcade packs which are going quite reasonably and are available for just about every system.

C) This thing costs about $450 more than the above, just so you can play it on a "flatpack bookshelf quality" cabinet and a 13" TV.

I think even rich little Johnny will be pissed on Christmas  morning when he sees this one, but that's just my opinion

RandyT

[MameMaster!]

....you know the "sick" collector in me is interested in getting one of these just to have for the sake of having it.

But based on the photos and their horrible website....I'm pretty sure this is a super cheap gadget as you're all already guessing it is.

For a collectible (and at least an effort to put "arcade" machines into people's home) they do get credit for that no? Think about how cool you would have felt with this in your room when you were 10?

......I will definitely buy one of these when it's 50% off on 1/1/06.

the MameMaster!

[chopps]

any 10 year old kid i know wouldnt know these game anyways, and be much more intersted in an Xbox or something.  I really cant see kids being the target audience for this.

[ChadTower]

Depends, my kids would love it, but they already have real cabs in the house...

[BobbyG66]

I had the pleasure of seeing one of these last night at a Target.

I don't think it's worth the $500.00

1)  The sides are two peices and made out of something that looks to be 3/8" thick!

2)  The monitor is about 13" and the picture quality is poor.

3)  The controls are cheap and do not feel very durable.

4)  The sound was awful, maybe using one small plastic speaker.

I tried Rampage, one of my old fav's and could only play it for about 20 seconds,. It was not fun...

I would not reccommend this cab for anyone. It will not last that long and will not make a good cab for a 'conversion'.

It's kinda like buying a cheap air hockey table, just not the same as the real deal.

[RayB]

Did it look like it was re-programmed, or was it a perfect arcade emulation?

[BobbyG66]

Sorry for not too much detail on this, but...

It had a 'Frontend' to it that let you select the games by moving the joystick left or right.

It has player one and two buttons on it, but that did not start the game. I just kept hitting buttons 'til the game started.
When the game started (from what I remember) it jumped right into the game without the normal intro screen.

It may be built like those little joystick games that plug directly into a TV.

[ChadTower]

So they do have them at retail... I'll go check it out.

[BobbyG66]

Are you talking price? Not sure.

Like I said, played it for 20 seconds, got dissapointed, left.

[G@M3FR3@K]

So they do have them at retail... I'll go check it out.  There is a Target 3 minutes from my house.

Are you talking price? Not sure.

Like I said, played it for 20 seconds, got dissapointed, left.

I, believe Chad meant having them in location in Target's retail stores (as opposed to having them online only).

I have a Target about 1 minute from my house, will stop by later and see if they have it on display.  Will see if I can measure the thickness of the build material (if someone else doesn't beat me to it).  BobbyG66, what department did it happen to be in?

[BobbyG66]

At my Target it was in the electronics section.
They have all the console games, cameras, etc.
Along the wall are the TV's, it was at the end of the row next to the TV's.

They had it on the shelf with the TV's so it was sitting about 4-6" off the ground. I am 6'4" and it was still a few inches shorther than me.
The control panel was a little low, but would be even lower sitting on the floor.

I was there again last night and noticed that the side panels of the cab were actuall three (3) pieces!
There were volume controls (two buttons not labeled) that directly controlled the TV' volume up and down, no mute.
The monitor is 13".
There was some instructions printed on the monitor bezel.
The bezel is huge, half of it is listing all the games, it makes the small monitor look smaller.

See ya
BobbyG66

[brophog]

At that price point and in a chain like Target I bet you it will sell a hell of alot more units than you think.

Have you seen this? I was seriously underestimating the crappiness of this puppy before I saw it. It's out of this world bad, by any standard. I know there is a sucker born every minute, but I sincerely hope they aren't gullible enough to drop 500 on this thing.

It's really like an original gameboy blown up from a 2 inch screen to a 10 inch screen, stuck in a cardbox box, using twigs as controllers. Yes, it's that poor. Every stage of this thing just reaks of doing it as incredibly cost effective as possible.

I'm not sure there is even $40 into it considering volume pricing.

[SirPeale]

I also saw one today.

It's not *that* bad.  That said, I wouldn't spend $449 on it.  More like $200.  And that's being generous.

[ChadTower]

Dude, I went and saw it.  I tried to play Robotron on it and the thing nearly tipped over.  That's how crappy it is.

[tbombaci]

Stopped off at Target yesterday. The game was not plugged in. I found power and fired it up. Had a blue screen. Turns out, the cartridge wasn't installed! In the center of the game titles above the monitor is a cartridge slot (last pic). Looks like three RCA jacks???


Actually, it is not that bad for a toy. Anyone expecting this thing to feel like a real arcade machine will surely be disappointed. As a toy, however, it is very cool.

I think the $449 price point is a bit high for what it is. $329 would have been a perfect starting point. IMHO.

Pics from my Treo:











-tom

[RandyT]

Looks like the earlier pictures of this thing were of a prototype.  At least the lines on the Midway logo were cleaned up for the final production model.

Remember how sleazy the old home foosball tables were?  I've seen about a dozen different ones out there now, most of which are pretty high quality and not outrageously priced.

If this does even moderately well. expect to see other, most likely better versions to follow. 

RandyT

[ChadTower]

I suspected it was cartridge based when I saw it... that could, possibly, lead to more cartridges.  That would make it more worth the money depending on cost of cartridges.

[MaximRecoil]

It takes cartridges?? Now that is interesting. There hasn't been a cartridge-based game system released in what, 10 years? Chad, you played this thing right? Is it emulation or are the games ported? If it is emulation, beyond the fact of the cheap controls, cabinet construction and video connection, how is the emulation for accuracy? I wonder what kind of video signal could be tapped from it if it were to be hacked.

Anyone have any pictures of the cartridges? Do they have cool labels and stuff?

[ChadTower]

It takes cartridges?? Now that is interesting. There hasn't been a cartridge-based game system released in what, 10 years? Chad, you played this thing right? Is it emulation or are the games ported? If it is emulation, beyond the fact of the cheap controls, cabinet construction and video connection, how is the emulation for accuracy? I wonder what kind of video signal could be tapped from it if it were to be hacked.

Anyone have any pictures of the cartridges? Do they have cool labels and stuff?

Hard to tell for sure since I'm not an expert in any of the Williams games but they sure felt ported.

The cart, though if you look at the connector, seems to have a/v outs.  Not a pinout.  That would mean that all it really is is a 4 in one style game designed for that cab... though not sure where it would be getting power from.  Maybe there is also a small PCB that plugs into that slot.

What would be interesting to see would be if you could get some gender changers and plug something ELSE into those jacks.

[arcadefever]

the cab doesnt look that bad, i know for a fact , that a lot of pepole dont even know about MAME or about restoring arcade, where i work some guys will go crazy to play robotron or joust again ....
even me, 3 years ago i didnt know nothing about the arcade world restoration , i own a few cabs and i've a cool game room but if this cab was release during that time who know ? i may be one of them who will buy it 

[RandyT]

Hard to tell for sure since I'm not an expert in any of the Williams games but they sure felt ported.

I think this is a given.  Authenticity doesn't appear to even have been part of the equation.

The cart, though if you look at the connector, seems to have a/v outs.  Not a pinout.  That would mean that all it really is is a 4 in one style game designed for that cab... though not sure where it would be getting power from.  Maybe there is also a small PCB that plugs into that slot.

My prediction as to what that is (having not seen one yet):

The 3 pin doohickies are Male RCA style connectors, one each for composite video, left and right audio.  Maybe only mono audio and one used for 5v power. 

The card slot probably just connects up the controls (JAMMA-like, if you will). 

If this proves to be the case, it's actually an interesting design.  Keeps the cabinet almost completely "generic" from a hardware standpoint.  Means you could even make an MP3 player module for JukeBox purposes and use the controls to run it.  Not that anyone would want to, but it seems possible.

It also could mean that this may be the first of many to come out.  Same cab set-up, but new graphics and "cartridge".  Who's next, Taito?

RandyT

[BobA]

How about the quality of this one.

[ChadTower]

This item will be released on December 20, 2005. You may order it now and we will ship it to you when it arrives.

[KDOG]

I saw a BJ's commerical that had an upright arcade machine it for 899.
not sure who it is done by and can't to seem to find it anywere on the net.

[KDOG]

bump
 
Has any one seen the Bj's wholesale commercial?

[Ed_McCarron]

My wife called me from BJ's last night with the comment "Why aren't you selling these things?  They have them for 900 bucks here?"

I had her check it out - very chintzy construction - she knocked on the wood for me and it sounded like cardboard.

[arcadefever]

we all been wondering how it look like
here is the review and picture !!!!!

http://retroblast.com/reviews/biggames.html

[PhoneGuy]

This months Retrogaming radio ( www.retrogamingradio.com ) has an interview with Jeri Ellsworth of C64 DTV 30-in-1 TV Game fame. The interview was taped a few months ago. She talks breifly about designing the hardware that runs this thing.  She says that the company producing this were going to use the original roms. It doesn't sound like she worked on anything but the hardware so she is not very specific. She says the controls they showed her felt pretty cheap. She mentions a trackball.

[Ken Layton]

How are these machines doing today? Are the stores still selling them or only online?

For those that bought these machines, how did they hold up? Did they crap out after a few weeks?

[RayB]

Yowza! Talk about dead thread revival!

I got the C64 device last christmas. It's great hardware, but like she said, the joystick is absolute garbage. Alot of games use "up" to jump" and this joystick is so horrible, those games are difficult to play correctly. It's kept me from playing the games at all.

It's on my "to-do" list to build a new joystick and case for it. (Maybe I should chop parts of a real C64 for it!)

PS: The hardware is also expandable. If you search for "hacking" and the name of that toy, you'll find instructions on adding a connector that can use the original floppy drive and a keyboard with it!

[BobA]

Take a look at the instruction manuals.  The cab is cut into so many small pieces that it looks like a jig saw puzzle. Only piece assembled is the TV and control panel.  All other panels must be attached.  Wouldn't want to lean on one too hard.   It says the scale is 80%.