Top 10 handmade arcade cabinets

[Nataq]

Hey guys. I have just posted a top 10 handmade arcade cabinets on theblogginggamers.com. See if your cab is in there  Sure, most of them are no news (hall of fame section is hard to beat) but I selected a few surprises. Of course, this is my own opinion there. I hope you enjoy it.

Follow the link

http://www.theblogginggamers.com/2008/10/20/top-10-handmade-arcade-cabinets/

[javeryh]

I am so honored!  Thanks for the shout out! 

 

[DrumAnBass]

Nice post!! Excellent introduction to some of the inspirational projects that suck people like me into the hobby!

[DeLuSioNal29]

Kneivel dominated!   

His stuff is amazing.

Congrats to all!

~ DeLuSioNaL

[Visitor Q]

Kneivel should have been first.

[somunny]

I always dug the "controversial" Heavy Metal themed UAII.

[mountain]

Kneivel should have been first.

and second...and...

[shmokes]

The Heavy Metal one seemed like a strange choice for a list of the top "handmade" arcade cabinets seeing as it was made from a set of generic plans that a thousand other people have used and has a generic pre-made control panel sitting on it.  If it were in a list of top ten uses of artwork on a cabinet I wouldn't blink an eye, but as far as judging cabinets as a whole . . .

Nice list, though.  These things are always fun to read. 

[Malenko]

Saint, can you unban tommy Hemi so that I can get his feedback on this list?


its a good list full of solid choices. Im sure we all had most of the same 10 cabinets in different orders.  Lets see the list of best bartops, that way lew can be on a list multiple times instead of kenevil

[mountain]

Saint, can you unban tommy Hemi so that I can get his feedback on this list?


its a good list full of solid choices. Im sure we all had most of the same 10 cabinets in different orders.  Lets see the list of best bartops, that way lew can be on a list multiple times instead of kenevil

Indeed, Leapin-Bartop-Lew would DOMINATE!

This would be a fun Poll topic as well. Is there a limit to how many choices can be added to a poll?

[Ginsu Victim]

Saint, can you unban tommy Hemi so that I can get his feedback on this list?

I was thinking the same thing

[CheffoJeffo]

Good list -- glad to see some of the old time cabs in there as well as GameCreature -- I so love the artwork on that one.

Saint, can you unban tommy Hemi so that I can get his feedback on this list?

Don't be silly, you have no chance

 

[Hoopz]

Good list -- glad to see some of the old time cabs in there as well as GameCreature -- I so love the artwork on that one.

Ditto about GameCreature.  Awesome artwork he has.   

[Blanka]

I think Bella's is the best. It's so well done, it's ready for immediate production. All others have the emphasis on YO in byoac.
The GH cab is also looking "off the shelf" which is a compliment.
I also miss Koenigs stuff and mine
System 7 is ready for CrapMame IMO and Rototron and Modular Mame are more gimmicks than great designs.
Game Creature is just an updated production cab.

[CheffoJeffo]

I also miss Koenigs stuff and mine Smiley
System 7 is ready for CrapMame IMO and Rototron and Modular Mame are more gimmicks than great designs

I wonder who has an overinflated opinion of themselves ? 

Game Creature is just an updated production cab.

From my perspective, it is a case of ending up with a cab that looks like it belonged in an arcade and making in beautiful enough to stand in the home. AND he did it on a completely reasonable budget. Taking a neglected old cabinet and turning it into a functioning and gorgeous cabinet is a GoodThing(tm).

[FrizzleFried]

WTF is the massacred Universal cab doing in there?   That's the only one that stands out as "ass" IMHO.

[FrizzleFried]

Taking a neglected old cabinet and RESTORING IT is a GoodThing(tm).

There...I fixed it for you... 

[CheffoJeffo]

Taking a neglected old cabinet and RESTORING IT is a GoodThing(tm).

There...I fixed it for you... 

  ... didn't I once implore you not to MAIM a DigDug cocktail ?

[FrizzleFried]

Taking a neglected old cabinet and RESTORING IT is a GoodThing(tm).

There...I fixed it for you... 

  ... didn't I once implore you not to MAIM a DigDug cocktail ?

That you did... that you did.  I was young... stupid.  What can I say?

 

[Nataq]

A top 10 bartop arcade is a good idea! In another note, there is a ton of dead links in the exemple page. Maybe it has been said before that its no longer updated but I think it should be. A rating system would be really nice to show the best of the best to newcomers. It has to be done yes, but just once

[CheffoJeffo]

It has to be done yes, but just once

How many times has that been said now ?

And, since it is in the wiki, any member can update it, so knock yourself out ...

[Blanka]

I saw the Manifesto is gone on the old BYOAC frontpage (or at least moved to a silent corner). Is maming an old machine no longer considered a crime?

[Jack Burton]

I'm gonna have to disagree with most of that list.  They are all very nice cabinets to say the least, but I know that I have seen even better cabinets in my short time here. 

Off the top of my head, I remember seeing someone take a 32" presentation monitor and turn it into the mother of all cocktails for his kitchen table.  That at least deserves an honorable mention.

and I'm practically salivating over this home built vewlix cabinet:

http://images4.hiboox.com/images/4208/ed3e8da6cbbfa84e1f9caf47f8b03ebc.jpg

even though you guys may balk at this, for a street fighter fan like me this is the ultimate.

[thatitalian]

Where is mountains? or varsity club? those are fine examples and both of the creators won mameys.

[Malenko]

so much negativity nowadays.......

dont complain about the list, if you dont like it, make your own.

You cant please all the people all the time.

[Cakemeister]

I would have included Whammocade, Varsity Club, and Frostillicus instead of a couple of those cabinets. Heavy Metal has nice artwork and looks very clean but is a kit. I would have to think about which other two to take out.

The Hall of Fame wiki entry is here. It has the cocktail table that Jack was talking about on it.

[CheffoJeffo]

I saw the Manifesto is gone on the old BYOAC frontpage (or at least moved to a silent corner). Is maming an old machine no longer considered a crime?

You mean the Cabinets page ? It's still there.

I dunno if it is a crime and it is painful to see some of the old classics converted. There was a time that I was of one mind only -- don't ever MAIM a classic.

Then I started seeing classic cabs offered up for free and nobody taking them (so they ended up being dragged around parking lots, tossed off of buildings or put on a bonfire). I would love to have saved them all, but I can't keep up with the projects I have.

My personal position is that if you find a nice cabinet for a classic game and the parts are readily available (see Frizz's DigDug above), then you should either restore or sell to somebody who will (or sell to somebody who will sell to somebody else to restore).

If it is a rare cabinet that people love, same deal (except that you could also make it a dedicated MAME-based cabinet).

If it is a Death Race, then you should ship it to me.

Other than that, I don't have issues with people converting cabs, particularly if they are common, have been gutted and already converted (as was GameCreature's Robotron). Perhaps the pending availability of replacement Williams boards from JROK will change my mind about people MAIMing Williams cabs ... time will tell.

 

[opt2not]

Great link! Awesome find. 

Though I'm surprised the Mother Brain Super Console isn't on the list:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=72801.0

The amount of artwork and overall cohesiveness of the style is just top-notch IMO.

[Malenko]

Great link! Awesome find. 

Though I'm surprised the Mother Brain Super Console isn't on the list:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=72801.0

The amount of artwork and overall cohesiveness of the style is just top-notch IMO.

I thought that too, but then I think the list is for full sides arcade cabs and the motherbrain is a bartop sized one designed for consoles (if I remember correctly it had SNES and NES plugs in the front)

[sol]

Ghost in the Machine is a great looking machine it would be in my list - The etched control panel is excellent

[Usul]

Ghost in the Machine is one of the best machine and should be on the list as well - The etched control panel, marquee, simply everything it has  is the very definition of beauty and excellence

corrected
and no, I am not weisshaupt

[brandon]

i liked the list but the title seems a bit misleading since not all of the cabinets were "homemade"  Game Creature os BEAUTIFULLY done but its not "homemade." Its a Mamed Robotron.  but maybe I'm just arguing semantics.

[Nataq]

I would have included that Viewtrix cabinet for sure if I had seen it but it was not on the exemple pages and didnt come across from my search. Lots of projects are deeply hidden under load of internet pages... I tried to search Google as well but you get all sorts of results. That's why I found it sad that the exemples page was not up to date. Say you can edit it under Wiki, fine. But it still not up to date on this website. That's a reality.

[spacies]

Some of those are down right ugly!

I think a poll should have been run not just one mans personal preference. There are some great, and far, better cabs missing from your list OP.

[Malenko]

Some of those are down right ugly!

I think a poll should have been run not just one mans personal preference. There are some great, and far, better cabs missing from your list OP.

He didn't compile a list for an article, he made a list based on what he likes. If you don't like the end result, either make your own list or make a poll and compile everyone's opinions.  I think the only thing the OP needs to do is retroactively update the list with the home made Street Fighter Cab and put it somewhere around the number 1 slot :p