The Sega Console Kiosk Cabinet Thingy
I never really got into the Sega Genesis, I was a Nintendo man in the 16 bit days. But now that I get around to it, I wind up with one model 1 that doesn't work, and a model 2 that has no power supply. After I finally get a complete working Genesis, I find that the joysticks are not comfortable... also, since I don't play it too much I always have to dig through a big clustersmurf of wires to get it powered and connected to the TV. So, when I want to play Genesis I usually say "naaah" and play something else instead- it had an "out of sight, out of mind" thing with me. So, my personal Genesis situation needed a little attention- fortunately I had another little toy that could help.
The "Pro-Play Home Arcade" was a cabinet kit Toys R Us sold in 1989-1990. You put it together, add your TV and your NES, and there you have it, a Nintendo cabinet. I was a lucky enough kid to get one for Christmas at the time, and I loved the hell out of it. But when the 16 bit generation came around, none of the new consoles were compatible with it. I wound up breaking it down and putting it away.
Years later I wound up making a cute little MAME cabinet out of it with a modded Xbox, but it just didn't feel right for actual arcade games. It isn't really shaped like anything I saw in the arcades, it has no coin slots, no marquee, it's so lightweight... not to mention it has that big hole in the front for accessing the console inside. It was really just an Xbox and a TV, standing up. I was trying to get the "arcade feel" out of a thing that isn't a real arcade machine, the Pro-Play just wasn't cut out for that.. I did eventually get some real arcade machines for arcade gaming.
So once again that leaves the old Pro-Play with no purpose in life; It's made for console gaming, not arcade gaming. I put an NES back into it, but I realized I don't like playing NES games that way anymore. They just don't feel right, a Genesis would be a much more appropriate console to have in there. It was very arcade like, but still console like as well. Hey! I have a Genesis!
So I dug up an old Genesis controller, gutted the board, and wired the switch contacts to the Pro-Play's NES control harness. Installed the Genesis, worked like a charm! Plus, the colors are blue and white, much more Sega like. It looked kind of silly and out of place next to the real arcade machines, so I moved it to the console side of the room, it looks right at home there. I also had some new decals printed up when I made the artwork for the Danmaku machine. ... it's a great addition to the console setup, it looks like some kind of Sega kiosk, doesn't it? The cabinet breathes new life into my Genesis, and the Genesis breathes new life into the old Pro-Play... I love how that works out.
Now, it's time to start discovering Genesis games!
Oh, and this is my 1,000th post! Happy 1,000th post to XYXZYZ!
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Originally Posted by Pantechnicon
As you can see, just a Genesis pad hanging from the controls. Fortunately all the switch pads were connected to resistors rather than straight to a pin on a flatpack, so I could solder onto those instead of directly to the pad itself as usual, for a stronger joint. Thought I often just drill a small hole into the switch pad and run the wire through it. That other harness you see is the original NES connection. I haven't made a Genesis harness for player 2 yet, I'll get around to that someday. 
Stalker post of the year. Anyway, that's beautiful work XYXZYZ, if Sega ever had a PC10 I suppose that's what it would look like.
