Eye-candy games

[vidmouse]

Been wondering if there's any MAME games you show others on your cab that really get them excited about MAME, maybe even building a cab of their own.

I have a buddy who's got an Xbox 360, he keeps going off about that and I'm glad for him, but wanted to show him how cool this hobby was too.  Somehow I think I'll have a tough time convincing him that "old" games are any good w/o some good eye candy.

What games should I show him?

[ARTIFACT]

Well i wouldn't focus on pushing the eye candy thing

instead, make him feel how FUN these games are/were
Launch Dig Dug ... do a few games... let him play... challenge him to beat a score...
He will probably realize himself that it is FUN

(same with Ms Pac Man, and other classics...)

But HEY ... if YOU like it, that's the most important thing isn't it? At the end of the day that is all you should care about

[fjl]

Metal Slug and its variants. The SF3 games.

[genesim]

For eye candy, I truly love the Neo Geo games and something like Blazing Star shows how cool those games could be for eating up your money...what is that any way like 80% coverage of the screen!!!!

To me, the best response to someone that has a console machine is say....hey try to play Tempest or Tacscan with your game pad...I dare you!

Or how about Tron, or Robotron...etc.     The nail in the coffin is the enterface, and thumbpads just don't cut it for me.

Another good one is Popeye or Donkey Kong.    Have fun getting up those stairs with consistency!

[missioncontrol]

maybe a fighter game, but I'm not really sure which is the Best Fighter ever made...

:yikes

[shardian]

In my area, most people don't even give a crap, no matter what I say or show them. It can get pretty depressing. It's not a PS3, so its not cool enough. My spoiled nephew has been staying with us the last few days, and I tried to show him MAME with my desktop controller. I finally got him to play Marvel Superheroes for like 1 minute because he saw he could be Juggernaut...and because I said he wasn't touching the playstation until he at least tried a game. How in the hell does a 7 year old kid not get excited about playing The Simpsons, or X-men?? I mean, I thought it was supposed to be ingrained in them! To be fair though, after I got into the arcade hobby, his dad got jealous and bought a whole truckload of junker arcade games to "one-up" me, so the arcade machine nostalgia has been worn out of the kid I supposed.
The only vindication I have now is that none of his junkers work and they just sit in a empty area of one of his stores.

[Malenko]

Or how about Tron, or Robotron...etc.     The nail in the coffin is the enterface, and thumbpads just don't cut it for me.

Actually robotron is pretty good on XBOXLive with the 2 thumb sticks, I had my doubts but the game was only like $4 so I got it; track and feild, galaga, and frogger all play pretty well on the 360 controller.


Just tell him the MAME cab is a one time investment and the classic games on live are $4 or more a pop. I happily have both a 360, and a MAME cab (and a couple arcade machines too ,lol) My nephews prefer my MAME machine to their Wii 

[genesim]

Yeah the problem with that for me is that you are still using your thumbs.

Cradling a game pad has never been good for me...I HATE IT.

Still, the old Atari Joysticks were the last thing I liked, and I had some pretty funky knockoffs for the C64.    They worked though, and at least the thumb was used for pushing buttons alone.    Still hurt though after a while.   

Same with my job, if I can avoid it, I hate working with pippettes.   I would rather use a syringe if possible.   Something about thumb dexterity I guess.

[Rob L]

I have both a PS3, xbox360 and have been getting video game systems since the genesis. Regardless of how advanced/pretty games are these days there is no question the old school games (and I include the 16 bit consoles like genesis in this category) just are the most fun and THAT is why I am building up a rig to bring me back to my mouth.

The problem with today's games is that too much focus is trying to make them all realistic and usually that either kills fun factor or brings in a lot of gameplay issues. Make no mistake, there are a few current games that are just as fun as the past stuff but most simply do not have that feel like the games in the day used to.

[Chris2]

If you want eye candy, look no further than the various fighting games, especially Street Fighter. I've seen some insane special moves in that game. You also have to let him play a while, get a feel for how great having your own arcade can be. There's a lot of greatness in the past. Have him play my personal favorite games, Berzerk and Galaga.

[SavannahLion]

Umm... what era of gaming does he remember best?

Was he introduced to gaming during the 2600? Then show him some of the old school games from that time, like Tempest.

Is he a Nintendo baby? Show him Super Mario Bros. or any of the old Nintendo classics.

Is he a CD basket case? It's a little early, but whip out some of the NeoGeo stuff or whip out SFII, MK, or something similar.

If he was introduced to gaming around the Xbox era, then you really have no hope. The best you could hope for is appeal to his love for gaming.

[ahofle]

In my experience, if the person isn't already nostalgic about old arcade games, don't bother trying to impress him with MAME or your cabinet.  Some people just don't seem to 'get it'.

[chadandjody]

In my experience, if the person isn't already nostalgic about old arcade games, don't bother trying to impress him with MAME or your cabinet.  Some people just don't seem to 'get it'.

I have to agree with you there.   Don't underestimate the extra "fun" factor that comes from nostalgia with these games. 

[RayB]

Pachinko Sexy Reaction and Miss Nude World 96 !

 

(I kid! I kid!)

[ahofle]

 

[xmenxmen]

Now if there's a way to hack those games and replace with more modern graphics, it'll be in instant attraction.


For me, I generally just start playing some bust-a-move, tetris or raiden type of games and give a shout out to them that I can beat the heck out of them.  That generally get them playing very soon.  If chick are around, I tend to get them involved with bust-a-move and after a few round, get them to take on their counterpart.  I have seen quite a few times that they last for hours. 

[Apollo]

I'd just select Berzerk or Donkey Kong and say '$10 if you last more than 5 minutes'.

[shardian]

I'd just select Berzerk or Donkey Kong and say '$10 if you last more than 5 minutes'.

I'd take you up on the donkey kong offer then just go up and jump barrels until the timer ran out on each life until 5 minutes is up.

[LPZ]

It's all about the high score......Competition is the best, which creates interest, like, man--I want one of those.  My friends still enjoy a 4 hour game of track and field after all these years to see who is the best in the new world record category.

LPZ

[Mamiac]

Two words.     LASER GAMES!   

[hulkster]

i dont think you can "show off" an emulated game.  not much will impress those that have only played console games.  i also think its a generational thing. 

for instance...and this will make you sick.....my 26, and my little brother is 19 (never really got into the arcade scene).  when i finally finished my cab a few years ago, i had all the mame games, and tons of pinball games, and of course the console games (mainly for variety because this was first and foremost an arcade game cab).  so he comes over, and i start showing him the games....

me:  "check it out!  galaga, pacman, street fighter, mortal kombat, 4 player simpsons!"

him:  "cool"

me: "dude, i got like 5000 arcade games here.  this is awesome!"

him: "i guess"

me:  "oh and i also have some NES, SNES, etc games as well"

him:  "HOLY CRAP, YOU HAVE ZELDA?!!?!?  AWESOME!!!"

me:  "dude, you suck so bad"


see, i show him a crap load of old school arcade awesomeness....nothing.  i show him zelda...he craps himself.  its a genrational thing.

[RayB]

I was the same way when my grandfather tried to show me this "ball and cup" toy. I mean, come on, it didn't even keep score or make sounds!

[SavannahLion]

I was the same way when my grandfather tried to show me this "ball and cup" toy. I mean, come on, it didn't even keep score or make sounds!

GET OFF MY LAWN!! 

[f4phantomii]

Yep...I'm going to have to go with the laserdisc games if you truly want eye candy.

Dragons Lair or Space Ace.

If the guy has any memory at all of being in a true arcade as a kid, one of the best hooks you can snag him with is not the visuals, but the sounds.....I find Star Castle is one of the best!  It's loud, it has a distinctive sound, and it just screams "yo, 80's arcade over here!"

[rooterman]

I've talked to a couple of my best friends about how I've built two mame cabs and have a few original classic cabs, they could care less. They just blank out. They'll only talk about Warcraft and Halo. They don't even want to come over to see my stuff. And they grew up during the arcade boom, but yet they still don't care. Oh well, it's all just for me then.

r

[(+_+)]

My daughter had a pool birthday party a few weeks back and my mame cab cab monopolized most of the night. Just to prove a point. The encoder was fried, so the kids were only able to play games that use a joystick such as pacman, nibbler, qbert (since I have 2 ultrasticks) and the kids had a blast. They didn't even grow up with these games and have seen games that look far better. So, I don't think eye candy has much to do with it. I think fun factor is what counts for more.