How often do you use your Trackball/Spinner?

[guytalbot]

Just curios about how often these controsl get actually used and what are some of the main games the spinner is used for? I know Arknoid would be one, and tron are there many others?

[paigeoliver]

If you are thinking one or the other, than go with the trackball, lots of games use it, and it opens up your cabinet to all sorts of PC games.

A spinner is good for a ton of Arkanoid type games, Tron, many vectors, Cameltry, most driving games, and many others I am forgetting right now.

[Minwah]

Tempest springs to mind.

Trackball for Shuuz, golf and bowling games (+ classics like Missile Command & Centipede)

[maraxle]

Just curios about how often these controsl get actually used and what are some of the main games the spinner is used for? I know Arknoid would be one, and tron are there many others?

Personally, I have a trackball but no spinner.  I use the trackball a lot, as I am a fan of Capcom Bowling, Centipede, and a couple of other games that use it.  For the spinner, I couldn't think of many games that I actually like that use one, so I didn't bother putting one on.  Arkanoid is pretty good, but I don't really like any of the others.  I guess it would come in handy for racing games if you don't put a steering wheel on there, but I'm not much of a racing fan.  

Also, I find that the trackball is adequate (though not "arcade perfect") for playing Arkanoid and such.

[Minwah]

The spinner is a control I never actually used in the arcade (I was too late for most of the spinner games) but I really like using since I've owned one

[pmc]

The question is, will you be able to deal with not having one?

I haven't installed a spinner yet and I forever pine for Tempest and Arkanoid. I don't know how much I'd play them if I had the spinner (I'd have to swap in my spinner control panel to play). But not having it leads me to wish and wonder...

In the end, I'll install one. There's no choice really. It's not mandatory, but to not have one hurts as much as not having a cab.  

As for trackballs... I think of Missle Command, Centipede, and Golden T. I haven't really missed having this control yet, but I'll have to add it eventually. I just have to...

Maybe go swappable or modular and leave your future open.

[ErikRuud]

I have both. And they get used all the time.

I was in high school from 1979 to 1983, so most of my favorites are from those days, and there are plenty of spinner and trackbakll game that I love.

In addition my cab is connected to the internet ( I am typing from it right now) and the track ball is the mouse.

A spinner does not take up a lot of space.

[Sasquatch!]

In addition my cab is connected to the internet ( I am typing from it right now) and the track ball is the mouse.

Ditto.  The trackball is VERY useful for Windows navigation since it acts as a mouse.  I also play trackball games quite a bit (Centipede, Marble Madness, Shuuz, Capcom Bowling...).

[Arcadiac]

A suggestion: See if you can borrow a pc trackball from a friend to play MAME with and then you can make an informed decision.  Be sure to enable trackball/mouse input.  MAME32 has a menu where you can isolate just the trackball games and play a few to help you make your decision.  I too am indecisive with this one, PC trackballs, the large ones, are expensive, over $50 where I am.  The other alternatives I see here seem to be at least that expensive or more.  And adding one to my limited space CP would take up a lot of real-estate.  But man I love Capcom Bowling and Crystal Castles!  My best buddy Mark and I would bicycle for miles to Chuck E Cheese juts to play C Castles.  Good Luck! ARCADIAC

[GGKoul]

I use my Trackball ALL the time, since I use the trackball as my mouse.  Also, I use it to play Golden Tee PC and Tiger Woods Golf.

-GGKoul

[mahuti]

My business partner and I use the trackball and spinner both multiple times a day on our machine.

[NoOne=NBA=]

I use my spinner all the time.

Good games I can think of offhand are:

Arkanoid
Arkanoid-Revenge of DOH
Arkanoid Returns
Avalanche (Arcade Version of Kaboom!)
Blasteroids
Cameltry
Discs of Tron
Kick
Major Havoc
Omega Race
Pole Position
Pole Position 2
Star Trek
Tempest
Tron
Warlords

There are some other driving games I can't think of at the moment too.


There aren't THAT many trackball games though.

Good ones I can think of offhand are:

Centipede
Golden Tee 2
Marble Madness
Millipede
Missle Command
Quantum (a VERY overlooked game by Atari-similar to Tempest)
Wacko

There are also several bowling games as well.

[SuperRabbit0]

Probably my aboslute favorite arcade game of all time is Super Sprint (or Championship Sprint for that matter.)

I have been wondering for a while if a spinner works at all well for these games.  

Anyone use their spinner for them?

[PaulG]

Probably my aboslute favorite arcade game of all time is Super Sprint (or Championship Sprint for that matter.)

I have been wondering for a while if a spinner works at all well for these games.  

Anyone use their spinner for them?

I absolutely use my spinner for those 2 games.  That was one of the pleasant surprises of the spinner for me.  Short of 360 degree steering wheels, it's the only way to play those 2 games.

[Aceldamor]

Danm near every time I fire up the arcade......I tend to vary on which ones I play, but almost play at least one trackball/spinner game every time I fire up my cab.

[Stingray]

I have both and use them both every time the cab is on. The very first game I play is almost always either Tempest or Missle Command.

-S

[Mr. Dude]

I have both as well.... I us my spinner for a few games but I use the trackball for a ton of stuff.  If I had to choose between the two I would most definately pick the trackball.  I can't imagine having my cabinet without it.

[HanoiBoi]

Wow, this is an old thread.  But, I'm glad I found it rather than creating a new one.  

I'm thinking the same thing now, but only about the Trackball.  The spinner is a must for me for the likes of Arkanoid, Tempest, Discs Of Tron (push/pull), Super Sprint ...and Off Road, I'll assume, etc.

The trackball is where I'm flip flopping.

If I didn't have one, would I absolutely miss Centipede, Millipede, Missile Command and Marble Madness?  Yeah, but not terribly.  These games always frustrated the hell out of me.  It was always a couple levels and done.  Not like Asteroids, Donkey Kong, Joust, Q*Bert, Ms. Pac-Man, Berzerk, Elevator Action, and the like.  

Would my guests, my kids, guests' kids and women (Centipede) miss those games?  What about Bowling and Golf games, which I'm not into?  Should I worry about that stuff?  For bowling, the kids can go play the wii!  Plus, they'll have hundreds of other games to choose from!

What I would miss is Reactor, but I only remembered it when researching 'trackball or no trackball'.  I'd also like to try Shuffleshot, but haven't yet.  Same with American Horseshoes.  They look like very cool games.  But... I'm planning on adding a real shuffleboard table to my basement, so a little less of a need.  

In the end, do I save the space by omitting the trackball and try to make a control panel that can fit into my original size Space Duel cab?

Or will I regret it because of the games and the ability to use the trackball as a mouse?

I know this is personal preference, but a multitude of opinions sure can help.  I really hadn't thought of losing the mouse/navigation feature until reading here!  That's at least one thing to ponder...

[Ummon]

Originally, I thought I wouldn't care about a trackball. Centiped....eh. Millipede?....maybe.   Then I came across/remembered Crystal Castles and Marble Madness, and was all 'oh ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---'. I'd already bought a panel without a trackball. So I basically ate a lot of dough getting a new one with a trackball. Since then, I've gotten much more into Centipede, (even more so) Millipede, Missile Command, etc.

However, in your case, because of your cabinet, maybe make a little panel with a harness, that hooks on the side of the cab for storage, and you bring it out for those games. Something like that. Or, you could extend the panel out. Look around, perhaps in the wiki 'best of', for examples.

Also, for DOT you'll need a special up/down spinner. I'm planning on the GGG model.