How do you Arcade game at home?

[Mangar]

For the owners of dedicated Arcade Cabinets, please don't take this the wrong way I love your cabs.

Do you get a lot of use out of them gameplay time wise compared to gaming on a console or PC?

This is why I only own one dedicated cabinet, and not even a Mame cab. It's a Mrs Pac-Man I was given as a gift from an ex-girlfriend. It was unworking, and left under under someones deck through the winter - But the cabinet itself and artwork were in relatively decent shape, and she felt I could easily repair the electronics. She was right. It's a cool looking cab, as they were hand-painted. It's unique, cool to own, but I haven't played it in ages.

I mean, with so many games on various consoles, plus a HTPC with Mame - There is just so much to play and ways to amuse oneself, a dedicated cabinet *I* feel is more about how it looks, and as a conversation piece. It goes with the decor, but if you own one - I can't imagine it getting much use aside from if you have friends over, and nostalgia hits. Like a a recent pal from the 80's who was here "Hey - Let's play Pitfall 2, you have your Atari still sitting on a shelf!" kinda thing. A Mame cab at the very least allows for the variety to keep things interesting for awhile....

[XYXZYZ]

...I love your cabs. Do you get a lot of use out of them gameplay time wise compared to gaming on a console or PC?

Not as much as I used to, really. I certainly did in the past, though. I have them mainly because I don't like playing arcade games any other way; playing Double Dragon sitting at a computer tapping on a keyboard is just wrong.

...Most arcade games, anyway. I actually prefer playing shooters on a rotated TV with my Sega Saturn Eclipse stick, so my vertical cabinet is pretty much gathering dust. Also, I find the AES joystick to be much more comfortable than the MVS controls, so the big red hasn't seem much action recently.

[love2lovearcades83]

MAME, Moduler (Model 2 emulator) and final burn + MAS or Real Arcade pro (I use both)

Supergun or consolized AES/Atomiswave/Type X (if consolized Type X boards exist)

A basement full of cabs?

Option 1 for me I have a real arcade pro and 2 Mas sticks I use (some Type X games don't like my sticks though)

I personally like to hunt for retro arcade machines, and I currently have a fully functioning, buzzing arcade room across from my kitchen. Now this option is best if the funds permit, so if you are interested in purchasing a full machine you can go to where I buy mine at http://www.arcadespecialties.com/
I found this guy while I was looking online for an 80's Galaga machine. A friend was over my house, saw me searching, and told me about this site. The prices are very reasonable for what you're getting, (I got Galaga for $1500 completely refurbished) and when I got the machine it was in near perfect condition. The best part was that there was no "put together" stage out of the box like ikea furniture, it was as simple as plug-in and play!

[MagicMajenta]

I have 2 candy cabs and a big red that needs to be fixed as well as 3 super guns a MAS, a Raijin, and a homemade one.

[bradd]

candy cabs are so cool i would love to get one someday. right now i have a MAME cab, its a simple 2 player, 6 button per player layout with a 21" horizontal monitor in an early 80s atari cab. also own a time warp pinball from '79, and a couple late 60s jukeboxes. i used to own a dedicated frogger, time pilot, rush n attack, and a centipede cocktail, among others...

[celerystalker]

I have 4 cabinets right now I play on. Popeye, Time Soldiers, Centipede (cabaret), and Sunset Riders (4 player). I tried to get a different type of control on each. Sunset Riders gets a lot of play for parties, as does Centipede. Kids tend to love Popeye. Time Soldiers... that's just for me, but I can one life it on a good day, and that makes me happy (and my hands sore).

[BetaWolf47]

I don't have an actual cabinet. Simply do not have room. I do have Hyperspin running on my desktop, with MAME titles, Sega NAOMI, Model 2, Model 3, and Sammy Atomiswave. I currently use an Eightarc Fusion for the controller, modded with Seimitsu parts, with some alternate Sanwa parts coming my way this week. When I move, I'd like to own a MAME cabinet though.

[Gunstar Hero]

I'm currently fitting a computer with Hyperspin (will contain many systems as well as MAME of course) and a boatload of games (over 50,000 roms) into an old hotrod Joystick. The idea is have the entire computer in the hotrod and to be able to plug it into a tv (through either composite for older games or hdmi cables for newer games) and have it be an all-in-one system. The hotrod is built for only two players, so I will have 4 usb ports in the front where other controllers can be plugged in. I am also making all of the controllers I own usable with the system by getting USB converters for each (nes to usb, snes to usb, genesis to usb, etc) so that the original system can be played with the original controllers (and on a big CRT as well through the composite ) for an authentic approach. If all goes well when I am finished, I may be able to sell a large amount of my collection (given that the gameplay using the system is perfect or near perfect) which I am totally ok with because I like to play the games and am not as concerned with collecting.

I figure with the original controllers, and video and sound out through composite cables to my big CRT, the experience will be identical (if not improved) in relation to playing on actual hardware.

I will make sure to post pictures and gameplay when I am finished (will be a while)!

[BHvrd]

[otoko]

Baby Pac-Man, Crazy Taxi, Neo Geo (Metal Slug, Magical Drop, Bust a Move, Fatal Fury 2), Gyruss, Missile Command, Lost World (pinball), Wacky Gator, Derby Owners Club (Virtua Tennis playing), Space Invaders, Centipede

[MoxManiac]

Working on both option #2 and #3 - building a Supergun and a basement full of dedicated.

Mame is fine to play around with on the PC but for me, nothing but the real PCB will do.

[bradd]

[bradd]

[JSoup]

Of possible interest to home arcade gamers:
https://archive.org/details/internetarcade

[jammajup]

I own seven cabs (Cosmic Guerilla,Cosmic Alien,Guardians OF The Hood MVS conversion,Final Fight-Europacoin kit,Vanguard-Cabaret,Hot Race Cocktail and a generic cabaret with the verical monitor upside down or opposite vertical for games with no vertical flip.) ,I am currently building a new test rig to get back in the repair side as most of these have issues but despite owning cabs I mostly use mame as it is more convenient.