Nintendo 3 in 1 machine ??

[WareWolF]

I came across this auction on Ebay, sorta like a Pac Man reunion machine, is this a real nintendo product or somebody's (very nice) project they are trying to pass off as a real arcade game?

http://cgi.ebay.com/3-in-1-Arcade-Donkey-Kong-JR-Orig-Mario-Bros-WOW_W0QQitemZ310003931543QQihZ021QQcategoryZ13725QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Pac-Fan]

Real.  Namco partnered with Nintedo's and produced a multi along the lines of the Galaga/Ms.Pac reunions. The first cabs were in the same cab as the Galaga/Ms.pac Midway-esque style, while the next batch seemed to match the original Nintendo look much better.

Variations can be seen here:
http://www.become.com/shop?q=donkey+kong+classics

[Thenasty]

legit

[Ken Layton]

Yes this is indeed legitimate. I service one at a local movie theater complex. This has a 25" vertical monitor and the cabinet is of very high quality construction.

[Red]

"We have received many local offers and have turned them down so we can offer them to customers in different areas that would greatly appreciate the value of this piece. Thank you and Happy Bidding."   

[MaximRecoil]

Yes this is indeed legitimate. I service one at a local movie theater complex. This has a 25" vertical monitor and the cabinet is of very high quality construction.

Mario Bros. must look strange on a vertical monitor—though I guess it would be pretty close to a 19" image when rotated 90 degrees and letterboxed. I'm surprised they didn't do it the other way around, i.e., a 25" horizontal monitor. Then the two vertical games would look about the same size as they originally did, and you'd have a bigger display for the only 2-player game of the three. Plus 25" horizontal looks good, but 25" vertical tends to look too big.

How close are the cabinets to original Nintendo classic cabinets in terms of dimensions, materials, method of construction, etc.? And what type of joysticks and buttons do they use?

[Ken Layton]

Yes the Mario Bros does look funny as a horizontal image on vertical mounted monitor.

I did a double take when they first brought this game into the theater. Externally it looks like a Donkey junior (orange color). It has a nice lexan control panel overlay. It's Jamma wired. The gameboard is same size as the 48 in 1's. This one had a Neo Tec 2500 monitor in it. Comes with a Happ Controls over/under coin door. Cabinet is very sturdy and is deeper because of the 25" monitor. I don't think it's as deep as a Ms pac/Galaga though.

[WareWolF]

"We have received many local offers and have turned them down so we can offer them to customers in different areas that would greatly appreciate the value of this piece. Thank you and Happy Bidding."   

Translation : We think we can get more for it on ebay...

Glad to see they re-released it. 
I think it would do better if they would have put VS. Super Mario Bros on it instead of regular Mario Bros though.

That one in a Pac Man style cabinet just looks WRONG !

[stealth1290]

How can they offer free shipping on this?!? Isn't freight shipping like 200 bucks... hell if they'll chop 200 off the price I'll come pick it up tonight!

Edit: the more I look at this the more shady it looks!

[DaveMMR]

I think it would do better if they would have put VS. Super Mario Bros on it instead of regular Mario Bros though.

Then they would have had to use two different types of joysticks (4-way and 8-way).   

[MaximRecoil]

I think it would do better if they would have put VS. Super Mario Bros on it instead of regular Mario Bros though.

Then they would have had to use two different types of joysticks (4-way and 8-way).   

Super Mario Bros. only needs a 4-way. If it had ever been released as a dedicated arcade game it most likely would have come with a 4-way. In fact, it only uses 3 directions (left, right, and down). If it wasn't for big Mario's ability to duck or go down pipes, it could use a 2-way, same as Mario Bros. used.

Edit: Strike that, I forgot about climbing vines. SMB does use all 4 directions.

Since it was only ever released on "Jack of all trades" systems (NES and VS. system), it had an 8-way because those systems were made to be compatible with a variety of games, some of which required an 8-way.

If I had a VS. system set up for SMB, I would use a 4-way (same deal for any of the other 4-way VS. games such as Excitebike).

[DaveMMR]

I think it would do better if they would have put VS. Super Mario Bros on it instead of regular Mario Bros though.

Then they would have had to use two different types of joysticks (4-way and 8-way).   

Super Mario Bros. only needs a 4-way. If it had ever been released as a dedicated arcade game it most likely would have come with a 4-way. In fact, it only uses 3 directions (left, right, and down). If it wasn't for big Mario's ability to duck or go down pipes, it could use a 2-way, same as Mario Bros. used.

Edit: Strike that, I forgot about climbing vines. SMB does use all 4 directions.

Oops, your right.  I alway think 8-way because I'm one of those people who intuitively holds the joystick up-right when jumping over a large pit.   But it does nothing, I know it.   Also, because it seems running right then "sliding" (pushing down quickly) would be harder to pull off with the a restricted stick (but I've never tried it). 

I'd still personally leave it Mario Bros. though.  SMB is more fun on the couch I've noticed.

[MaximRecoil]

 Also, because it seems running right then "sliding" (pushing down quickly) would be harder to pull off with the a restricted stick (but I've never tried it). 

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. A diamond-shaped 4-way restrictor makes a straight-line path from left or right to down, very easy. 4-ways excel at those types of direction changes—think: Pac-Man.

[DaveMMR]

Also, because it seems running right then "sliding" (pushing down quickly) would be harder to pull off with the a restricted stick (but I've never tried it).

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. A diamond-shaped 4-way restrictor makes a straight-line path from left or right to down, very easy. 4-ways excel at those types of direction changes—think: Pac-Man.

Hmmm, makes sense.  Now I want to try it out.

[Donkey_Kong]

I came across this auction on Ebay, sorta like a Pac Man reunion machine, is this a real nintendo product or somebody's (very nice) project they are trying to pass off as a real arcade game?

Played one of these at a local Casino Arcade. First, I was floored to see it and the MsPac/Galaga Reunion and the Space Invaders/Qix Deluxe Edition.

Going back to the 3in1 DK/DKJR/MB though...
I loved everything about it. I forgot all about the MB being a horizontal and as I recall it was a little different, but still very playable. The other two games were excellent on the big monitor. Loved the feel of that stick they had in there also. GOOD STUFF! I want one...