The Arcade Videogame Collectors Field and Price Guide

The Vintage Arcade Gal Presents: The Arcade Videogame Collectors Field and Price Guide First Edition/Digital Version Cassandra Chiles Edited by Cassandra Chiles with Trinity Quirk

The Vintage Arcade Gal Presents: The Arcade Videogame Collectors Field and Price Guide Written by Cassandra Chiles Published by Carrot Girl Press, LLC www.vintagearcadegal.com Copyright © 2023 Cassandra Chiles & Carrot Girl Press All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. All names of copyrighted characters and/or properties described in this book are the property of their respected owners and are used for descriptive purposes only in this book. For permissions contact: [email protected] Cover by Fuzzy Buddy Productions, LLC ISBN: 9798396474512 Printed in USA First Edition

For my Dad

Table of Contents Preface 1 Introduction 4 Arcade Collecting 101 Arcade Game Cabinet Style Identity Guide 7 Understanding Arcade Cabinet Parts and Terminology 12 The Four Main Factors that Determine Value 21 Multicades, Reproductions, and Custom Builds 30 Arcade Collecting Electives The Rising Cost of Collecting Arcade Games 35 Guide to Donkey Kong Style Cabinets and Their Variations 42 Arcade VideoGame Price and Field Guide 57 Appendixes Appendix A: The Top 50 Historically Important Games 416 Appendix B: Guide to Major Manufactures 420 Appendix C: Definitions of Basic Game Genres 424 Appendix D: Common Arcade Conversion Classes 427 Appendix E: Major Controller Types 430 Appendix F: USA Released Neo Geo MVS Cartridges 433 Appendix G: Nintendo Play Choice 10 Game Titles 440 Appendix H: Nintendo Vs. Unisystem Titles 444 Photo credits 448 Special Thanks 450 About the author 451

1 Preface I have been deeply obsessed with arcade videogames for as long as I can remember. Attempting to accurately describe my first interactions and why I have had this lifelong fascination with them would be like explaining what it’s like to fall in love for the first time. The emotional impact may be truthful, but the facts of the memories are probably woefully inaccurate. These moments are permanently biased by warm fuzzy, overly emotional, and blissfully inaccurate nostalgia. I was born in 1972 the daughter of an electronic engineer, and the perfect demographic target for the growing videogame market during the 1970’s. As clear as my foggy memories allow me to see, I believe my first arcade game interaction was with Atari’s black and white classic Stunt Cycle around the age of 6. If this moment were to be shown in a movie scene flashback, would probably be accompanied by some dramatic lighting, choral music and a Spielberg style crane shot slowly moving upwards. This magical moment of girl meets pixel either took place at a campground arcade pavilion during a vacation, or at a roller-skating rink during someone’s birthday party. The one distinct memory of the experience I do have is the frustration of not really understanding how to play. Despite my lack of comprehension during this first gaming adventure, I was forever hooked on quarter-sucking amusements.

2 I have found that certain classic arcade game titles bring back specific memories of places, smells, times, or people. The sounds and sights of Atari’s Kangaroo for example reminds me of grocery shopping as a kid with my mom at the local Safeway. Bally-Midway’s Spy Hunter music (which was taken from the classic TV show Peter Gunn) has cemented the memories of occasional family outings to Jamesway, but trips to rival Dart Drug recollect the vector goodness of Atari’s Tempest. The taste of a cold Slurpee drink from 7-11 triggers past trips with my grade school friend Mark on hot summer days highlighted by rounds of Taito’s Elevator Action and Sega’s Choplifter. That unmistakable greasy smell of Pizza Hut pizza will forever relate to dinners my childhood next door neighbors Michelle and Cheryl playing a Pac-Man cocktail cabinet along with the ritual of asking our mothers for countless quarters. As the 80’s turned into the 90’s, sounds of Smash TV would become forever synonymous with the sounds of the bowling alley during late high school hangouts with my friend Rob. These short daytrips to save the universe one quarter at a time paled in comparison to the summers my family spent in Ocean City Maryland. With its long boardwalk lined with massive arcades, it was a paradise for any young video warrior. I was and still am mostly an “indoor kid”, so the beach or its traditional activities never held my interests. Instead, I spent countless quarters playing the newest and greatest from Atari, Sega, Midway, Exidy, and Nintendo. Many now hard-to-find machines were on display during these glory-filled trips. The much-loved Sega Space Harrier sitdown I spent countless hours playing from Marty’s Playland is in my collection today. Part of my lifelong obsession can be traced directly to the influence of my father. My dad is a brilliant electronic engineer (if you have ever gone bowling and used an automatic scoring system, you can thank my father) who made no attempt to hide his excitement for any new technology. Our house was often the first with any sort of new high-tech device. We had the first home computer that I recall in the area, the first VCR, and one of the first with an Atari 2600 VCS home gaming system. Even as technology improved during the latter part of the 80’s and into the 90’s, I held onto my love for the titles of the Golden Age of arcade gaming (1978-1984). This extended even more strongly to all things from. I foolishly bought an Atari 7800 home system over a Nintendo NES despite the rather dismal software for the system. On the personal computing front, I stuck with my beloved Atari ST computer which was difficult to find software for in the US before finally caving into switching to an IBM PC 386 clone. Marty's Playland as it is today in Ocean City MD (Photo Credit: Playland's Facebook Page)

3 After the downturn of arcades in the mid 80’s, the popularity of one-on-one fighting games like Capcom’s Street Fighter series and Midway’s Mortal Kombat series in the 90’s, they received a bit of a resurgence. I tended to avoid these fighters since I wasn’t very good at them and preferred the play dynamics of the games from the earlier era. The concept of memorizing countless button combos didn’t really appeal to me. The alternative for me was feeding countless quarters into a rather beat-up Bubble Bobble arcade machine at my college game room while my friends fought each other on various six button mashers. Following the normative behavior of questionable life choices like most post college students I decided to start as soon as possible to start buying used arcade games. My very first game was from a Goodwill, a well-loved but working Nintendo Play Choice countertop model full of games for which I paid a whole 50 dollars for in 1994. Soon I would be making trips to vending auctions two states away with my mother’s borrowed Volvo picking up all sorts of classic games for prices that would make current collectors weep. Like many collectors my collection has grown, shrunk, and grown again over the years thanks to moving, relationships, and financial means. The other day my wife asked me what had originally gotten me interested in buying arcade games. Some of it might be pop culture influences of media representations from childhood TV shows (Silver Spoons) or movies (Ghostbusters, The Toy) showing owning game machines. There was also a small interaction when visiting one of those Ocean City arcades during my childhood and seeing older games for sale in a backroom created an epiphany “you can own these things”, I told myself while being blown away at the concept. The early obsession stretched to sometimes making small cardboard arcade games for my Star Wars and Adventure People action figures. Now as I enter my early 50’s my collection is large, and I have learned a great deal about both arcade history and repair. The collecting community for these machines has always been a bit quirky but also willing to share knowledge especially from a technical standpoint. No matter the personal backgrounds of collectors the undying desire to keep these machines running and helping those willing to learn more about the rich history of the machines is universal. So why create a price and field guide to the hobby? Arcade game collecting has been accused of being a closed or secretive hobby for many decades much like adjacent hobbies of collecting pinball machines, jukeboxes, or early penny arcade machines. There are multitudes of reasons for this including the size of the machines, the need for (sometimes) complex maintenance, the lack of understanding of how to get started into the hobby, and the expense of buying and maintaining the machines themselves. There have been attempts by some in the collecting community over the years to produce price guides on-line with several noble and well thought out efforts. Any attempt at creating a value standard will probably be met with some controversy in any hobby, so like any guide your milage may vary and every pricing situation is different. I see this guide as an evolving document and my hope is this is not the first or definitive edition of this road map to arcade collecting. So, whether you grew up during the Golden Age of arcade videogames or not I welcome you to this humble guide. My hope is this reference will be a tool for those seeking both historical information on games, seeking estimated values of games, or those just looking for a good bit of nerd fodder around gaming knowledge. Thank you so much for reading my guide and I wish you happy hunting.

4 Arcade videogame Field and PRICE Guide Introduction Introduction Over the last thirty years of collecting of arcade games, I have relished the shared experiences of fellow collectors. The collecting of arcade games has always been a bit of a strange hobby combining nostalgia with very heavy and complex large wood boxes. These beasts can be rewarding, flustering, frustrating, expensive, and fascinating. This guide is an attempt to transparently attach a declared value to each arcade game title and at to create a more unified approach to collecting values with a focus on helping every level of gaming hobbyist. It is important to note this is far from the first attempt to make such a guide, but my hope is that this becomes as much as possible the definitive and most complete one with time. How To Best Use This Guide As stated previously, this is a guide or a roadmap for collecting and value of arcade videogames in the USA and is not an iron clad declaration of value. Consider this one of many tools to help those interested in collecting, those who collect, and those who are simply interested in arcade game history. The guide is not and will never be perfect and will be an ever-evolving document.

5 How Are Values Tabulated? Prices are tabulated from a variety of sources, but every attempt is made to ensure the values attached are actual game sales and not simply an asking price someone might desire. Sales are checked from on-line forums, on-line auction houses, in person auctions, classified ads, posted person to person sales, and additional sources. Any collectable is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it no matter the hobby. Prices are also tabulated using data from my personal experiences and dealings over the last 30 years. Prices can and will vary from area to area, and from situation to situation. Outlier prices will appear from time to time (which are either much higher or lower than average), and specific titles can sometimes skew wildly in average price. In these events an attempt to come up with a realistic spread of prices was made. Game titles that typically have wide price variances will be noted. Condition, rarity, and originality are always the deciders of monetary value with any collectable. Most pricing guides for other collectables will use a condition scale for pricing. Condition grading is difficult with classic arcade games since these were commercial machines with numerous parts and true “mint” condition examples that are 100% original are almost non-existent. With this guide I have decided to take another route and post pricing in a simple three tier system without marking for condition. Example Space Jerks, The Awesome Corp., 1983 Dedicated Upright Genre: Jerk Combat Simulator LOWER AVERAGE HIGHER 550 700 850 In the above example, we see that the title Space Jerks released in 1983 by Awesome Corp. and has an estimated value of 550-850. Now if you found a truly mint condition Space Jerks it might be worth more, or a rat-infested version could be worth much less than this spread of prices. With any collectable prices can fluctuate as the market dictates. Maybe Space Jerks gets a cameo in the next big superhero movie causing the value to skyrocket thanks to public interest. Perhaps ten years from now Space Jerks loses interest with collectors causing the value to drop. Collecting arcade games solely as an investment is not recommended due to these fluctuations. Regional values can also vary since collectors in areas with higher costs of living tend to pay more for games than those who live in more rural areas. Asking prices on on-line auction sites such as eBay tend to be higher than average as well as prices from commercial resellers who might offer things such as warranties or additional services. The price listings in the guide are intended for working and complete games. Game should be mostly original if they are dedicated cabinets and if they are conversions have the major original components that would have been included in the conversion kit. If the game is a dedicated cabinet, the guide assumes it is the factory original one which would include an original CRT style monitor if it came from the factory as such. Games lacking major original components (PCBs, sound boards, unique controllers, original artwork, etc.), with heavy damage, or which are non-working

6 will command less. Games which have modern replacement LED monitors (when such monitors were not originally installed) are less desirable and worth less. Games with reproduction or recreated cabinets are also considered to be worth less from a collectable standpoint. Examples which have seen little abuse, were bought for home use only, have a unique pop cultural significance, or owned by someone in the industry (former videogame employees, etc.) can command a much higher price. Always consult an expert before buying something you are unsure about. A Word on Conversions Conversion kits or conversion arcade titles became a staple in the arcade industry starting in the early 1980’s and became an industry norm by 1985. Conversion game kits were sold to game operators as an affordable and easy solution to change a no longer profitable title into a (hopefully) newer money making one. Kits normally contained a new game PCB, game artwork, control panels, and sometimes special items intended for installation in an older game cabinet. Prices in the guide for games exclusively sold as conversion kits take no measure on what game was originally housed in the cabinet. Despite this it is important to point out the cabinet in which a conversion game is housed can make a big difference in value. Many original cabinets even if no longer in their original condition or missing critical items are of interest and value to collectors seeking to restore original and rarer titles. For example, a generic uninteresting JAMMA based side scrolling fighter in a common or unremarkable cabinet might have little additional value over the average example, but that same game in an original Computer Space cabinet could be worth thousands of dollars for the cabinet alone. Adding to the complexity of conversion kit titles is that many of the most popular titles sold as kits were often sold also as dedicated uprights in cabinets made by 3rd party companies. These cabinet designs were sometimes used for many titles by several manufactures. This can make it challenging to find if specific titles that are indeed in a “true” dedicated cabinet since most serial numbers or ID labels by the late 1980’s were of a cheap paper sticker style and easily damaged or removed. A Final Word My hope with this guide is those in the collecting community see it as a valuable companion in their collecting endeavors. This guide may occasionally be incorrect, and collectors may disagree with values assigned in this guide. I hope the guide will become more accurate with each annual update. Please feel free to send me constructive criticism, cool photos of rare games, or any ideas to make this guide better for all collectors in the future at [email protected] . If you are too angry to send an email, please instead send me all your arcade games as punishment

7 Arcade game Cabinet style Identity Guide For the newcomer to arcade game collecting, the amount of technobabble from more experienced hobbyists can be overwhelming at times. Some of the more basic sets of terminologies are the descriptions of different styles arcade game cabinets. The traditionally known arcade game cabinet design was an evolution from electro-mechanical game manufacturing and other vending machines. Despite attempts from manufacturers to create artistically pleasing cabinets, it is important to remember that these were devices designed for commercial usage. Each design type had a specific commercial fate or was designed around a need to allow the operator purchasing them originally to make a profit. As with all collectable fields, you will find from time-to-time examples that do not fit into one specific lexicon or category but overlap or are their “own thing”. In the price guide portion of this book, you will find the listing for each known production variation for a particular title. This does not include prototype machines, outside of the USA releases, or factory one-offs. Some cabinet styles were made in small quantities for certain game titles, and as future editions for this guide manifest themselves any new information will be included in those editions.

8 Upright Cabinet The standard and most produced style of arcade game cabinet is known as the upright. Upright cabinets generally will be somewhere between 5-6 feet tall, about 2-2 ½ feet wide and generally weigh around 250 pounds. Control panels vary in size and control layout, but usually hold no more than the capacity for up to four players. Monitor sizes normally range in the 19–25-inch size. Most cabinets will have a layout consisting of coin mechanics on the bottom font, a lighted marquee on the top front of the cabinet, and an access door for maintenance on the back of the machine. (Below: from left to right: Atari’s Asteroids Deluxe upright, mini, and cocktail, circa 1980) Mini Cabinet Mini cabinets which are sometimes called cabaret or trimline cabinets, are smaller upright cabinets designed to fit where full-sized upright cabinets cannot fit easily. Often these cabinets contain different art elements, smaller monitors, and were produced in lower numbers than their full-size upright siblings. Not all manufacturers made mini cabinets, and not all titles were available in mini cabinet form. Mini cabinet production was mostly though 1979-1984 with a few exceptions after 1984. Minis are highly sought after by collectors and are typically more valuable compared to the full-size version of the same game title. The terminology for mini cabinets can differ from each manufacturer, but for clarity purposes they are all referred to as mini cabinets in this guide. Cocktail Cabinet A table like arcade cabinet which allows players to sit across from each other or next to each other. Cocktails were designed with restaurant patrons in mind and were commonplace in the USA during the early 1980’s. Like mini cabinets, not all companies made cocktail cabinets and not all titles were available in this format. Cocktail versions are typically more common than the mini versions if both styles were available. Some cocktail cabinet titles had production numbers almost as plentiful as their upright versions. Cocktail cabinets will usually have minimal artwork compared to the upright version of the game, will have a large top surface made of glass, and sometimes a smaller monitor. On average cocktail machines tend to be less valued by collectors and tend to fetch lower prices on the collector market with a few exceptions.

9 Standing Cocktail Cabinet Describes a taller cocktail cabinet designed for allowing players to stand overtop of the game and play. Sega used the term “Trimline” for a series of standing cocktail cabinets which were mostly marketed outside the USA. Some manufactures offered optional platforms to allow standard releases of cocktail cabinets to stand higher to eliminate the need for benches or stools. Bar Top/Countertop Cabinet Bar top cabinets are designed to sit on a bar or tabletop allowing for casual gameplay interactions from patrons. Few traditional or well-known arcade game titles from the classic era were offered in original dedicated factory versions in this format. Bar top cabinets are more common for casual touch screen style games, casual betting devices (non-pay-out casino style games), sports games, trivia games, and modern emulation multigame systems. (Left: Nintendo’s Play Choice countertop, circa 1988) Deluxe Cabinet The description of a deluxe cabinet is somewhat of a catch-all for a larger or more feature rich version of a title compared to the standard upright cabinet of the same title. The video screen could be larger, there could be a special interactive control, controls for more players at once, or specially built cabinet of an already established title for a special purpose or venue. Large deluxe cabinets often were produced in lower numbers compared to standard uprights due to their increase in cost to the operator. Some deluxe cabinet versions can be regionally specific. Showcase Cabinet A term generally applied to post 1990 cabinets with large monitor screens which are semi-detached from the control panel. Monitors in titles from the 1990’s through early 2000’s will have projection style monitors instead of CRT monitors. Showcase cabinets were popular with one-on-one fighting and light gun shooting kits. These game cabinet designs were not always title specific or exclusive but designed to house conversion kits with a few exceptions. (Right: Atari Games’ Showcase "33" cabinet, circa 1993)

10 Sit-Down/Cockpit Can apply to any number of varieties of cabinets in which a player sits down in a cabinet environment intended to immerse the player into the gaming experience. Usually, cockpits attempt to mimic the environment of a race car, spaceship, or airplane and this style of game cabinet is commonplace with these genres. Cockpits are large and were produced in much lower numbers when compared to upright cabinet versions games of the same title. Some cockpits can contain exclusive gameplay elements or variations. (Left: Mylstar’s M.A.C.H. 3 cockpit cabinet, circa 1983) Environmental Environmental cabinets are a subset of the cockpit style game cabinet with the main difference being the type of environment simulated compared a traditional cockpit cabinet. This cabinet style attempts to surround a player allowing an enclosed experience but is not necessarily attempting to portray a specific vehicle or craft. Player can be sitting or standing depending on the particulars of the cabinet design. Environmental cabinets can be accommodating of multiple players and like traditional cockpits, environmental cabinets are large and were often produced in low numbers. (Right: Bally-Midway’s Discs of Tron Environmental cabinet, circa 1984) Wall Cabinet Wall cabinets are a rare cabinet style worldwide, but even more so in the USA. These cabinets were designed to be installed directly into or on a wall to take up as little space as possible. Wall cabinets are not to be confused with nonvideo arcade game “Wall Games” seen in bars from the 1960’s and 70’s which did not use video monitors and often used light guns. Most wall cabinets will be European releases of games and most wall game cabinet production seem to have ended in the very early 1980’s. (Left: European Phoenix wall mounted cabinet, manufacturer unknown)

11 Motorized Normally, a motorized cabinet is a sit-down or cockpit style cabinet which moves with the player’s input via the controls. Some motorized cabinets will use advanced hydraulics to create an immersive experience close to that of an amusement park style ride, while others will offer more limited movement. These games are typically based around driving or aerial themed game titles. Motorized cabinets are large, heavy, and mostly made in very limited numbers due to their original cost. They are commonly festooned with elaborate lighting and cabinet designs and can be sometimes challenging to keep running properly. (Above: left to right: Sega's Standard Motorized Cabinet, Deluxe, and Standard Upright, circa 1986) Special/Unique Despite all the previously mentioned styles there are unique game cabinets that will not fall into any of the above categories. In these circumstances title listings will have the traits of the cabinet briefly described in the price guide section if deemed necessary or meaningful. Unique cabinets could include games with multiple monitors, multiple sides, unique cabinet structures, unique materials, experimental technology, or hybrid games. Some cabinets styles were manufactured exclusively for specific company franchises, stores, arcades, theme parks, or movie theatres. (Right: Bally-Midway’s videogame pinball hybrid Baby Pac-Man, circa 1982)

12 Understanding Arcade Cabinet parts and terminology Introduction For the newcomer exploring arcade collecting the terminology around the parts and pieces of arcade games might seem confusing. This section is designed for the arcade collecting newcomer who wishes to become more familiar with arcade game collecting lingo. Being familiar with the standard terminology of a video arcade game can help not just with navigating this guide but help with clear communications with fellow classic gaming enthusiasts. The Cabinet The cabinet is the physical structure of the arcade game normally manufactured either out of wood, fiberglass, or metal. Its purpose is to protect and house the internal elements of a game needed for the functionality as well as to support the external controls used by the player. Internal elements are fragile and dangerous to unqualified persons, so they are kept out of the reach of players and protected against the elements by the cabinet. The cabinet is only the structural enclosure of the game, or the shell, minus any of the other parts or components needed for that game to function. Cabinets can vary in style, presentation, concept, or intended use as seen in the previous section of this guide (Arcade Game Cabinet Style Identity Guide).

13 Some titles can have exclusive design elements creating additional value (or scarcity) over the normative value for a more common empty arcade game cabinet. Damage to arcade cabinets can be superficial in nature from normal wear and tear, or extreme depending on the events which the game has experienced in its lifetime. The most common damage to arcade game cabinets include damage from haphazard operator modifications, pests, water damage, and vandalism. It is always important to remember these were originally commercial machines and not intended to be used in homes or as collectables. It is reasonable to conclude almost any legitimate, unrestored, or original video arcade game machine will have some sort of defect or wear from its time of commercial usage. Dedicated Vs. Conversion Cabinets Dedicated cabinets or dedicated arcade videogames are machines that left a factory as a specific or exclusive to its cabinet designed title. These games contain unique artwork, controls, and hardware intended to play that specific game title only. Most arcade games intended for the US market before 1983 were offered as dedicated machines from most manufacturers operating in the USA. Dedicated machines are highly sought after by collectors since they include those original purpose-built elements. Conversion kits are arcade game title kits sold to install into previously dedicated game cabinets that were no longer profitable, popular, or functional for arcade game operators. These kits commonly included new hardware and artwork to transform an older game title into a newer one. By using an existing cabinet with some of the hardware being reused (the cabinet, monitor, coin mechs) conversion kits offered an inexpensive way for vending operators to stay profitable. The downside from a collector standpoint is that converted games often called for the destruction or modification of the unique original elements of a dedicated game. One final cabinet type worth mentioning are generic game cabinets. These were intentionally manufactured not to specifically house any particular game title from the start. These cabinets were designed as modular cabinets for conversion kits or as replacement cabinets. Modular cabinets were offered starting as early as 1980. Many one-on-one fighting game titles from the 1990’s2000’s were sold as dedicated cabinets using 3rd party modular cabinet designs, saving time and money for manufacturers and operators. On the left, a Dedicated Atari Liberator, and on the right a Liberator converted into a Cabal by TAD/Romstar

14 Control Panel The control panel can be presented in an almost infinite variety but is normally the section attached to the cabinet where the player’s controls are located. Standard control panels contain joysticks, buttons, wheels, paddles, yokes, or any number of combinations of unique controls. Most often control panels are adorned with artwork that relates to the rest of the cabinet theming and can contain playing instructions. Due to the player interaction with the control panel, controls and artwork around the panel can get damaged over time. It is not unusual to find classic games without original controllers or with replacement control panel artwork. Original dedicated cabinets which have undergone a conversion into another title may have the original control panel permanently modified to fit the needs of the new title. Cabinet Artwork Much of the visual appeal of an arcade cabinet comes directly from both the cabinet design and the cabinet artwork. In addition to any artwork that might festoon the control panel artwork will often be present on the marquee, the bezel, and on the sides of the cabinet. Artwork is normally title specific and variations can exist between international releases or production runs of a title. • Side Art Side art refers to any artwork or design element on the sides of the arcade game cabinet. Dedicated machines normally had this artwork applied during the manufacturing process while conversion kits came shipped with side art for an operator to apply to the existing cabinet. Side art can be simple or elaborate depending on the manufacturer, game title, or the method in which it was applied. • Bezel The bezel can refer to one or several elements that surround or cover the monitor. Many games will include both an internal cardboard or plastic bezel directly around the monitor to cover up cabinet mounting hardware and to prevent patrons from being able to directly touch the monitor itself. The outer bezel is sometimes adorned with artwork or design elements that match the theming of the title. The bezel can also provide gameplay instructions, copyright information, or manufacture details. Outer bezels are either made from glass or plexiglass and are secured in a fashion which allows removal only by a technician from the interior of the arcade game. Control panel for Nintendo's Donkey Kong

15 • Marquee Marquees are traditionally found on the top front of a full-sized upright arcade cabinet, while mini cabinets sometimes have marquees below the control panel. The purpose of a marquee is to advertise the title of the game. Marquees are most often made from translucent glass or plastic allowing for them to be backlit for further eye appeal to prospective players. • Kick Plate Artwork Kick plate art (sometimes called bottom cabinet artwork) is found under the control panel area near the coin mechanisms on a standard upright cabinet. Not all arcade games have this artwork. Due to its location this art can be easily damaged or missing. • Top Glass Art Top glass artwork refers to the artwork either screen printed or printed by other means underneath the glass top of a cocktail style cabinet. Typically, cocktail top glass artwork tends to be less elaborate than other cabinet styles of the same title. • Back Panel Back panel artwork describes any artwork above the monitor area inside the enclave of the cabinet itself. Most machines do not have back panel artwork although they are common with certain companies such as cabinets from Universal. • Additional Title Specific Artwork Elements Some game titles are unique in their design that they will have specific and specialized artwork elements just for that title. Some examples of these could be additional lighted panels for cockpit games, floor artwork for environmental cabinets, custom cabinet toppers, and even artwork inserts for special controllers. Left: Side art from Rally-X Right: Kick plate art to Super Pac-Man

16 Coin Door and Mechanisms Early arcade games starting around 1972 commonly had a single coin slot and mechanism for accepting quarters. Dual coin slots became commonplace by the mid 1970’s and would become the norm throughout the industry. By the 1980’s the internal coin mechanism was also standardized and could be easily switched out to accept tokens instead of quarters. Many mechanisms also included an electronic system to reject “slugs” or other unacceptable currency. Internally, coin doors will usually have two changeable coin mechanisms located inside the door along with lighted coin slots. Coin doors often house testing and volume switches for operators. There was an unsuccessful push throughout the vending industry during late 70’s to allow Susan B. Anthony dollar coins and some arcade game machines from this period might have slots accommodating them. Typically, inside the coin door opening a bucket or tray for the coins themselves will be housed. Some cabinets will have a separate lockable door for the coin bucket while others have access only though the single coin door. Some buckets will have additional locking abilities internally beyond the main external door lock. Coin counters are also normally located inside the coin door area and function as an odometer allowing reporting on the number of times the game was played and if audits are needed to prevent revenue reporting discrepancies. Coin doors were a common target for vandals and thievery for obvious reasons with the factory installed locks being easily defeated through minimal efforts. Due to this weakness many operators installed a lock bar system for added security. The downside for collectors regarding lock bars is the installation of these devices required additional drilling of holes in the front of the game cabinet. Starting in the 2000’s dollar bill acceptors and magnetic card readers started to appear more frequently. Classic arcade game titles on location in modern arcades or “barcades” sometimes use more updated means of payment such as refillable cards. Some arcade manufacturers had specific coin door designs or elements for their machines, but most manufacturers outsourced the actual production of coin doors and mechanisms. These unique design elements can include metal or embossed plates with the company logo or specific game title artwork. Monitors It would be tough to play a videogame without the ability to see the action on the screen since it is the defining element for it to function. The earliest arcade games used consumer grade televisions for monitors, but this quickly changed as the industry grew. Some games will use specific brands and types of monitors for correct functionality while other titles don’t have as specific requirements for proper functionality. Gottlieb coin door from a cocktail Q*Bert

17 • Raster CRT A cathode-ray tube monitor, commonly called a CRT, uses a specially made vacuum tube producing images via an electron beam striking the internal phosphorescent surface creating an image on the screen. Raster style CRT monitors share much of the technology surrounding a standard household television set used for the second half of the 20th century. Raster graphical elements are made up of a two-dimensional grid of colors from smaller cells or “pixels”. Most arcade games before 1979 used black and white raster monitors, sometimes using colored gel overlays or mirrors to simulate color or to create sophisticated images. Standard arcade CRT monitor sizes (measured diagonally) are 13, 19, and 25-inches. CRT monitors are no longer manufactured although many replacement parts for existing monitors are still available. Due to its glass tube construction, the larger a CRT monitor is the heavier it is, making sizes over 25-inches difficult to install into a standard arcade cabinet. • Vector CRT Vector CRT monitors allow for a unique display experience and operate differently from the more common raster style CRTs. Vector monitors first appeared in black and white versions in the mid 1970’s with color versions debuting in 1980. Vector creates an image of straight drawn lines (coming from the center) instead of the normal grid of drawn pixels used in a traditional raster system. This allows vectorbased games to have somewhat smoother animation and higher contrast. Vector excelled in the realm of early wire frame pseudo-3-D graphics thanks to these factors. Vector monitors can be more difficult to maintain compared to raster types, which helped with the demise of their wide-spread usage. By 1984 no new vector arcade games were being manufactured. Today they are a particular favorite with arcade collectors thanks to their unique visual presentations that are impossible to reproduce accurately with modern means. Left: Sega's Tac-San using vector graphics, and Right: Namco's Xevious using raster style graphics

18 • Projection Monitors Before the widespread use of LED technology in video monitors, arcade games requiring larger than average displays often used projection style monitors instead of CRT monitors. Projection monitors allow for large displays (usually 36-50 inches) without the heft or bulk of CRT tubes. The downside to projection monitors is the image can often appear washed out or suffer from a blurring during fast action gameplay sequences. Projection screens over time can produce heavy screen burn-in into the physical front fabric screen material over time causing permeant darkened “ghost” images. An additional challenge to collectors of games using projector screen monitors are that parts for many of these monitors are no longer commonly available. • LED Monitor LED and plasma style flat panel monitors gained popularity by the early 2000’s thanks to their clear displays, low profile cases, and ease of installation. As the 21st century started moving forward LED displays became the standard for new arcade titles and CRT production stopped worldwide around 2010. LED monitors are popular installations for multigames and as CRT monitor replacements. LEDs offer several disadvantages for games that were originally intended to be used with CRT style monitors. These disadvantages include incorrect display ratios, incorrect refresh rates, overly contrasting picture, and poor viewing angles. Above: Main PCB for Atari’s Liberator Main PCB (Printed Circuit Board) The main PCB can be one or more printed circuit boards that make up the logical computing functionality of the game. The main PCB is most often located inside the cabinet under the monitor. The main PCB can be considered to the “heart” or the “brain” of an arcade game. It includes the game hardware and programming information needed to play the game. Early PCBs contained no microprocessors, RAM, or ROM. The evolution of arcade game hardware quickly evolved thanks to microprocessors starting in the mid 1970’s. Many pre-1984 PCBs are unique and are not

19 compatible with each other. These early games mostly utilize their own unique interior wiring harness inside the game cabinet as well. By the mid 1980’s the introduction of the JAMMA standard (Japan Amusement Machinery Manufacturers Association) created the ability to easily change games without major modifications to the cabinets internally or externally. A few PCBs use modular designs which allow daughter boards or cartridges to be switched for ease of changing game titles. Other game titles have had modification kits made over the years allowing multigame capability with little intrusion or permanent modification. Some titles will have a separate secondary PCB specifically for audio or even speech capabilities. Audio PCBs can be found connected directly to the main PCB or in a separate position in the cabinet. Having a separate PCB for audio does have advantages when it comes to diagnosing issues around audio. Most pre-1985 arcade games produce mono sound with stereo sound becoming more commonplace by the 1990’s. It is important to handle PCBs with the utmost care since they are physically fragile and are easily damaged by static fields. Storing unused PCBs in anti-static bags and strong boxes away from dust and moisture is imperative. PCBs can also be damaged from incorrect voltage inputs or from attempted repairs by unqualified individuals. Laserdiscs A media format mostly used for early consumer video players from the late 1970’s-1990’s, laserdisc offered a superior video and audio quality compared to videotape based systems. Physically speaking, a Laserdisc is a large 12-inch disc placed inside a player using a laser to read the data. Laserdiscs resemble a very large DVD style disc, but unlike a DVD is not a digital medium. They use an analog means of data storage and retrieval making them closer to vinyl records than DVDs. Laserdiscs offer the ability for quick instant access of specific sections of data which made them ideal for computing storage retrieval needs. Above: Screen shot from Cinematronics’ Dragon’s Lair (© Don Bluth Animation 1983)

20 The first Laserdisc based videogame was Cinematronics’ Dragon’s Lair in 1982. The game features impressive high quality cel based animation from well-known American animator Don Bluth. The game was extremely successful thanks to highly impressive audio and visual elements. The success of Dragon’s Lair created a lot of excitement in the arcade gaming industry and sent other companies in the industry scrambling to use Laserdisc technology for future titles. Despite the impressive visual images offered by Laserdisc games compared to more traditional raster games of the time, gameplay was often repetitive. Laserdisc players also proved to be unreliable for the requirements of commercial arcade videogames. These factors along with the higher cost of the machines frustrated operators causing a quick demise of the format in arcades. Although the industry excitement around this technology waned by 1984, Laserdisc based games would make a bit of a comeback in the 1990’s with a series of light gun games using live action footage. Wiring Harness The wiring harness is the internal wiring system of an arcade game which connects system power, the monitor, controllers, and the PCBs allowing the game to function properly. Most pre-1983 arcade games use proprietary wire harness designs that are not typically compatible with other titles, even within the same manufacturer’s catalogue. Defects or damage to a wiring harness can cause a game to function erratically or not at all. Wiring harnesses can be a common target for vermin who might live in arcade game cabinets which have seen long term storage. Power Supply and Power System The power system of an arcade game normally consists of a power brick, an isolation transformer, and an AC line filter. Correctly functioning arcade games rely on constant and correct power voltages supplied to the internal components. Many common arcade game issues can be traced to failures in the power supply system or from incorrect voltages entering critical components. Many vintage power supply bricks can be replaced with a modern (and more reliable) switching style power supplies. Although more adamant collectors will always desire complete originality, the replacement of power supplies tends not to affect the overall value of an arcade game in any substantial way. Typical standard switch power supply setup in an arcade game

21 The four main Factors That Determine value No matter what genre of collecting you find yourself drawn to the declared value of any given collectable is normally determined around four main factors: condition, rarity, desirability, and originality. Despite this, not every factor weighs as heavily on every title or in every situation in classic arcade game collecting. Just because a game is rare doesn’t automatically make it of mass interest or valuable. Seeking out examples which still have 100% of their originality is unrealistic in this hobby since these were items specifically designed and sold for public use (and abuse). Additionally, the availability of modern reproduction parts can make true originality difficult to ascertain even to a seasoned collector. The prices in this guide are weighted more on these four factors instead of traditional condition grading systems using numbers or terms like mint, near mint, etc. Is a perfectly restored example worth as much as an all-original example that has not been restored? Why are some titles still so heavily desired while others seem to get little attention? And why do some rare games send collectors into ecstasy while other rare titles get ignored? Let’s dive deeper into these questions and get a clearer picture of how we arrive at values in the guide.

22 Originality Arcade videogame collectors today have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the availability of reproduction parts. Dedicated and skilled hobbyists have spent countless hours recreating everything from artwork to impossible to find spare parts. The access to modern tools such as 3-D printers, CNC machines, and large format printers have made recreation easier, more accurate, and cost effective for arcade collecting enthusiasts. As these machines enter 20-50 years of age it’s a bit of a miracle that there are still so many unaltered and unrestored machines out there. There are even a handful of very rare specimens that still exist in a pristine like-new condition. It is important to reiterate that these games were originally purpose built as commercial grade machines used in public settings. Their overriding mission was to make money for arcade operators, game companies, and distributors while at the same time being able to take serious amounts of abuse over the years. Arcade games were kicked, punched, broken into, carved, graffitied upon, and even pushed over. They were also subjected to water damage, poor maintenance, and long periods of neglect. For machines now entering their 4th or 5th decades of existence they often require help to keep functioning properly. Cabinet and Controllers Overall originality of a machine falls into several factors. First, the cabinet itself should be the original and factory correct one. The cabinet needs to be structurally sound with its original elements intact and all original elements mostly unaltered. Some types of damage or modifications are more common than others. Worn paint around the top upper cabinet are frequently seen on games such as Pac-Man where a player uses only one hand to play. Drilled out holes around the coin door area into the cabinet are prevalent when operators installed lock bars for security. Cabinets that were on location for long periods of time could see damage around the base of the Left: Poor condition Ms. Pac-Man with painted over artwork and incorrect coin door Center: Average condition Ms. PacMan but a solid all original example Right: A nice example with the later decal based side and front artwork

23 game from either moving the game without care or water from mopping near the game. Back doors to cabinets are often missing but reproduction back doors never seem to be a huge negative to collector value except in extreme circumstances. Games whose cabinets are in unfixable condition might have the internal hardware transplanted into a donor cabinet. Games using original title donor cabinets in good condition should not be devalued greatly but modern reproduction cabinets with original material inside are worth less than an original one. The long-term value of reproduction cabinets is unknown, but if other hobbies are a guide originality will always be more highly valued and desired in the long term. Water damage is one of the most common foes to arcade game cabinets. The original quality of wood used in arcade game cabinets can vary between manufacturers, but water can play havoc with all of them. Cabinets can require new bottoms to replace rotten ones, or new tops if a game had been stored under a moist area. Some cabinets unfortunately will succumb to more extreme moisture issues resulting in swelling of cabinet sides or even mold. Larger restoration efforts can include cutting off damaged sections of a cabinet and recreating them. Some overly waterlogged cabinets may unfortunately be unrestorable. From a purity standpoint, the game artwork including side art, marquee, control panel, and bezel should be the original and factory installed ones. Artwork is probably the most replaced and reproduced of all classic arcade gaming parts. Reproduction artwork can vary wildly in quality especially in its ability to properly match the original colors or definition. A Q*Bert cocktail cabinet repaired due to water damage issues A water damaged Simpsons upright undergoes a dramatic restoration effort

24 If a cabinet was in a particularly harsh location the original side art may be in poor condition, painted over, or covered up by other means. It is under these types of conditions when a restorer might consider new cabinet artwork if the old art is unreclaimable. Many of the original techniques or technologies with which original artwork was manufactured is either too complex or expensive to reproduce exactly today. Atari arcade games for example, used a heated mylar process for their side art, while other companies such as Williams used painted stencils. When collectors are attempting to restore a game which has been heavily altered from its original status, they resort to reproduction artwork. From a collecting standpoint originality is always best, but when this is not possible the goal should be to use as close to correct replacement artwork in terms of process, quality, materials, and application. Control panel overlay art is also commonly reproduced and replaced for games which lead long lives on location. Controllers such as joysticks, paddles, wheels, or buttons might have been replaced with poorly made reproductions or incorrect controllers compared to the original types. Games that use unique controllers or buttons are often under the mercy of reproduction parts if proper donors from other games cannot be located. Alternative controllers not originally designed for a game can affect both play dynamics for the player and the value of the game itself. CRT vs. LED Monitors installed inside most arcade games pre-2005 will be of the cathode ray tube type, better known as CRT monitors. The likelihood of any CRT monitor being 100% original is very small considering the common failure rate of certain parts with a monitor chassis. Many collectors go to great lengths to repair and restore these original CRT monitors. CRT repairs or modifications to make them more reliable, are not considered to be huge factors regarding value. On the contrary, special CRT monitors such as the ones found in vector style arcade games require not just proper maintenance but have survived over the years thanks to more modern solutions to the common failures in their original design. There are a few critical failure points for CRT monitors. The first being that CRTs are no longer manufactured making new replacements impossible to anyone who don’t have access to a secret stockpile of new in box Exposed 15-inch black and white CRT vector monitor inside the cabinet of an Atari Battlezone cabaret

25 replacements hiding in a warehouse. Many critical parts for specific models of commonly used monitors are no longer in production causing repairs of these models to be challenging. CRTs can suffer screen “burn-in” due to long term static image saturation and require a new tube from a donor television. Tube swapping is a difficult repair beyond the skillset of the average collector and finding a correct model tube for a specific monitor can be a demanding endeavor. The ultimate failure point with a CRT monitor can come from the fragility of the tube’s neck in the back of the monitor which is easily broken with mishandling. Much like an incandescent light bulb this type of breakage is impossible to repair and can prove even dangerous to a repairperson. CRT monitors deemed non-repairable are often replaced by modern LED style monitors mostly for the sake of convenience. Due to their differences in how images are displayed with CRT style monitors, LED monitors can appear too contrasty or use the incorrect aspect ratio. Games which originally contained a CRT style monitor and have been replaced with an LED style monitor are less desirable to collectors. Many in the collecting community will consider the replacement of a CRT for an LED monitor to be almost an unforgivable sin. Multigame Hacks Some original game PCBs can be slightly modified by collectors for either reliability reasons or to allow multigame hacks within an original cabinet. These modifications are easy to reverse if a collector was of a purity mindset and do not seem to impact the value of a game. Some PCB modifications were needed for certain titles after their original release due to issues not foreseen by the original manufacturer. Some game titles have a well-deserved reputation for a lack of reliability so these modifications can be paramount to keep them running consistently. Restoration vs. Keeping it Original The restoration of any collectable can vary in quality. The care and craft needed to keep a game as close to original as possible depends on the care and knowledge of the individual doing the restorative work. Despite the care in which restorations are carried out by dedicated and talented hobbyists, a game can only be original once. A restored arcade game of the highest order should still be considered a restored arcade game and all non-original or recreation parts should be noted. The original wear and tear of the average arcade game may seem endearing to some collectors and a blight to others. Arcade games still in their original dedicated form which saw long term placement on location typically might have wear where patrons held the side of the machine while playing, cigarette burns around the control panel, graffiti, or even the occasional vintage piece of dried chewing gum on the top of the cabinet. For less lucky games the damage both internally and externally could be significant affecting the long-term existence or correct functionality of a game. So, what designates a restoration vs. a simple repair for a classic arcade game? Small or superficial cabinet repairs or mechanical fixes are not normally considered to be restoration. These small repairs can consist of things like rebuilding controllers, monitor maintenance, coin door repainting, replacing the bottom of the cabinet, fixing small cabinet damage, repairing the power supply, or PCB repairs. These repairs do not change the overall structure or attempt to remodify a cabinet back to an 100% original form and have little effect on collectors seeking a mostly original game.

26 Few if any 100% original and unrestored vintage games still exist since electronic components frequently must be replaced. Even cabinets in mostly original and excellent condition have probably had at least some minor repair work done over the years. Sometimes larger structural or mechanical repairs are needed. While this itself might not constitute restoration, there is a bit of a grey area with certain major cabinet repairs. Repairs dealing with water damage or heavy abuse should be considered restored games. The nuance of this term depends greatly on the restorer and the collector. Unfortunately, due to the rough lives they have led, some games will require a full top to bottom restoration to continue to exist or be presentable. This includes games which have been converted into other titles over the years, where a collector attempts to reconvert the game back to its original title and form. Many rare arcade game titles were unsuccessful in the marketplace and quickly converted by operators to other titles with conversion kits. This process often meant destroying unreclaimable original cabinet elements. Restoration efforts can be dramatic to properly restore machines back to their factory like-new appearances. For most games classified as restored, this can mean major cabinet reworkings or repairs, new artwork, replacement laminate, rebuilt internal components, replacement monitors, recreated parts, and all new wiring harnesses. A restored game should still maintain most of its original cabinet or have many of its original and correct components to be considered an original yet restored arcade game. Games with reproduction cabinets are not considered to be original games, but quality recreations do have value and should be priced appropriately. If other major components such as main PCBs are reproductions and not original items, this should be considered with any value assessment. A Sega Space Harrier Sit-Down before and after a full restoration

27 Matching Numbers One of the more extreme demands for pure originality is a trend of listing arcade games for sale which include matching numbers. This concept has roots in the classic car collecting community to describe an engine, transmission, and chassis of a car which still possess the same matching serial numbers that it was grouped with when manufactured. Many arcade game companies included matching number decals, plates or labels attached to the physical cabinet, PCBs, and even the monitor chassis. It is currently unclear if a game with matching numbers would influence its overall value. For some collectors this could be viewed as a vetting process for true originality or might signify a machine with a higher overall condition compared to the average machine. The rarity of games with matching numbers is unknown and could be more common on some titles than others. Titles which saw large production runs that utilized serial number id labels on internal parts often were commonly subjected to part swaps from game to game when operators could not repair the original parts economically. My personal Atari Tempest upright has a different serial number for almost every major interior component compared to the one on the cabinet itself, a true Frankenstein machine if there ever was one. Titles which were more successful in the realms of mechanical reliability or public longevity might have a better overall average of maintaining their original parts and pieces over the years. It is unclear how matching numbers might influence pricing in the future. Rarity and Desirability Many of the more popular arcade titles during the Golden Age (1978-1984) were manufactured in large quantities. It is sometimes hard to accurately describe to younger generations of collectors who were not alive during the “arcade glory days” just how commonplace arcade game machines were in public places. Some well-known titles such as Pac-Man, Galaga, Donkey Kong, and Centipede were produced in numbers from 40,000 to 100,000 units for the US market alone. Other titles, however, were not as abundant even from major manufacturers. Large established companies such as Atari, Midway or Williams Electronics made several titles which had production runs of fewer than 500 units. On the surface we might conclude production is directly tied into the popularity of a specific title or the success that title had at making a profit for the operator buying the game. This might be true for most of the more heavily manufactured game titles but there are exceptions to this. Despite the dominance of several companies in the arcade game marketplace during the classic eras, there were also many smaller companies attempting to break into the industry. There were also a few mid-sized companies that perhaps had one or two decent selling titles but never a successful title on the scale like Pac-Man or Asteroids. Despite the struggles of smaller companies, they did occasionally break through with a hit game and were able to ramp up production to fit the desire for these titles. Two good examples of this are Cinematronics’ Dragon’s Lair and Exidy’s Venture. Unsuccessful arcade titles which didn’t make substantial profits for an operator or games that slowly stopped making enough money to justify their floorspace often met several possible fates. Games titles were switched out using conversion kits which became the dominant industry focus starting in the 80’s. The original components of the game (artwork, PCBs, control panel) were usually replaced to transform the game into a new and hopefully more profitable title.

28 Sometimes operators would keep the original parts on warehouse shelves. For lucky collectors these desirable parts would be discovered in later years helping to restore titles back to their original form. Another common fate was for a game to be parked in a warehouse awaiting resale to either another operator (often for duty in less glamourous locations such as laundromats, state fairs, or free-play party rooms) or to a homeowner for a personal game room. Unfortunately, unsold games stuck in long-term storage often were subjected to the ravages of time from moisture, pests, extreme heat, fires, or just overall neglect. One final and savage fate for games which failed to offer long term profits is perhaps the most heartbreaking for collectors: they were simply thrown away. It might be fair to say somewhere there is a collector looking for any given arcade game title no matter how obscure or rare. When considering value however even with a rare title it still boils down to supply vs. demand. Atari’s 1982 release of Liberator saw fewer than 800 units manufactured, and we could estimate that perhaps fewer than 100-150 Liberator machines still exist in their original (or close to) condition. While Liberator is desired by some collectors, it does not have the widespread appeal of, say Bally-Midway’s Tapper released around the same time. Working examples of Tapper not only sell for slightly more than Liberator but were also manufactured in much greater numbers. Tapper was also very successful in the marketplace originally and Liberator was not, so we can also assume a much greater percentage of units survived over the years in unaltered condition. One last point about rarity is that many titles made before 1978 are harder to find compared to post 1978 titles. Much of this is due to the lower average production numbers of arcade games before the 1978 release of Taito’s Space Invaders. Most of the Bronze Age (1972-1978) games used unique cabinets, controllers, and used black and white monitors which made them difficult to convert to newer games once conversion kits became commonplace in the industry. When collecting of arcade videogames first started becoming a hobby, many of these Bronze Age titles were not preferred by collectors. This sealed the fate for many of them since operators had no (Left) Although Atari's Star Wars had a healthy production run, it can still command high prices from collectors (Right) This Thomas Automatics (TAI) countertop is a very rare item, but not very valuable or heavily sought after by collectors

29 profitable way to get rid of them after their quarter-earning days were behind them. Even today the collecting of Bronze Age arcade games is a niche focus in the hobby. Unfortunately, some Bronze Age titles have been lost to time or are at best extremely rare today in fully operational condition. This extreme rarity can cause value to be difficult to pinpoint accurately with Bronze Age titles since these titles change hands infrequently or between private collectors. Condition The last factor affecting game value is the one surrounding overall condition, or the grading of condition. As stated previously this guide does not use a traditional grading scale as used with other collectables. Much of the decision around this was due to the nuance of originality vs. restoration as discussed in this article. These are commercially used machines and were often modified and changed over the years due to the various reasons previously stated. No official or standardized grading system has come to bear into the hobby due to the large amount of nuance that is possible when discussing originality of a game. Although I think that some sort of grading system like those used for comic books, coins, or even classic cars could be implemented in the arcade videogame hobby, no such system or governing body currently exists and would be difficult to implement. Highly original arcade games in excellent overall condition will always command more money than the average condition game. Games with major defects or which are made up mostly from reproduction parts will be seen as less desirable just like any other collectable. Since many collectors still use and enjoy these games as functional objects, they are unlike some other collectables that might get sealed in a protective packaging so they cannot be handled. Although a game might get additional wear and tear if played, it is unlikely to see major deterioration in the hands of a private collection. That is not to say games kept out of the hands of players don’t exist. Some major public collections do indeed have rare and valuable games behind glass cases, but this is an uncommon situation usually reserved for historically important examples. Games of average working order in mostly original condition which are free of major defects or modifications should be the baseline consideration for the price guide in this book. Game cabinets should be free of water damage, structurally sound, and clean inside and out. Artwork should be mostly original but if reproduction artwork was used, that art should be of similar quality and of the same type of process (stenciled cabinet artwork should be re-stenciled correctly for example). The game PCB should be original and not a reproduction, although repaired PCBs or PCBs with modern add-ons used to make them more reliable should not be considered as a negative. Monitors should be of the original type and in good working order. The game should include the original controllers or of the correct type and buttons of the correct color. And at last, the game should fully function, play correctly and have the capacity to operate for an average amount of time without fear of mechanical failures.

30 Multicades Reproductions and custom builds Multicades Chat with classic arcade game collectors long enough, and you will find the subject of multicades as one of the more controversial in the hobby. Multicade is a catch all term designating an arcade videogame, game playing device or PCB which can play multiple arcade game titles in a single cabinet, computer setup, or through a home television. Multicades are most often manufactured as a single JAMMA-compatible PCB allowing the user to install the PCB into a JAMMA wired cabinet or device. Some multicade devices will play only a handful of titles while others can play thousands. These devices are sold both as officially licensed products and in less official capacity from a variety of sources. The appeal of multicades is easy to understand since they allow easy access to a large catalog of arcade game nostalgia. Most of these devices or PCBs will run via an emulation program to simulate various game hardware making the gameplay experience less than 100% authentic when compared to the original hardware. These changes can manifest as incorrect frame rates, inaccurate sprite timing, poor audio reproduction, poor hardware emulation, and even non-original programming hacks. Most groups that sponsor official classic arcade gaming contests will not allow the emulated games found in multigame devices due to these differences.

31 As well as JAMMA-compatible multigame PCBs, others are intended for a specific title pinout compatibility or strive for a more authentic experience. Products such as the JROK series of multicade PCBs or Crafty Mech’s Bit Kit are designed using modern techniques yet are still comparable to original hardware designs for a more authentic experience when compared to systems that run with emulation software. Multigame systems started early in the 70’s as many Pong-type arcade games offered simple game variations or play options to patrons. By the 1980’s, grey market and bootleg PCBs were made available from less scrupulous distributors as cheap alternatives to authentic products. Often, these game PCBs would run on cheaper hardware than the authentic versions causing gameplay differences which resulted in a less than desirable experience for the player. Commonly they were designed around a Zilog Z80 processor based modular hardware design that is easily switched to another title (or multiple titles) with changed ROM chips or the use of a daughter card. As industry standardization of certain hardware design platforms evolved, some companies started offering official modular systems capable of quickly changing game titles. These modular concepts started leading to early attempts of more complex multigame systems like Thomas Automatics’ Ten Spot or Nintendo’s Play Choice. Much of the modern interest in multigame systems can be traced back the computer program known as MAME (Multisystem Arcade Machine Emulator) first released in 1996. MAME was originally the vision of Italian programmer Nicola Salmoria. Intended as a Thomas Automatics’ Ten Spot is early multigame arcade system A rather poorly constructed multicade machine made from an Atari Battlezone upright cabinet

32 preservation project for Pac-Man themed arcade game titles, more game title and system support soon followed its debut. MAME became extraordinarily popular almost immediately after its initial release. Today, MAME is supported by a large community of vintage gaming enthusiasts, preservationists, and developers. Despite the importance of preserving vintage gaming code (which MAME has greatly helped with), the legality of these products is dubious. Most multigame products are produced without the permission of the original copyright owners, whose products may or may not still be under legal protections. Personal computer-based MAME systems soon found themselves inside arcade style cabinets as the draw of being able to play multitudes of different games from different home and arcade systems in one unit had wide appeal. MAME enthusiasts have commonly converted older classic arcade cabinets into MAME based machines. Regrettably, this has had a negative effect regarding preservation. Many complete and desirable classic arcade game cabinets along with difficult to find parts have been forever modified or destroyed due to MAME themed cabinets. Today, multicades are commonly sold in arcade cabinets for both commercial usage and home usage. Sometimes, they are sold inside a newly manufactured cabinet and sadly too often they come inside a converted classic cabinet. The build quality variance of these games can be vast, yet they are popular with both the collecting and non-collecting community. Despite the amount of work many people can put into making very elaborate multigame cabinets, the value of these games from a collector standpoint is mostly down to the value of the parts used. Most multicade PCBs based around the JAMMA standard are relatively inexpensive and vary greatly in quality. Any collectability over multigame cabinets is also questionable to those interested in a more authentic arcade game collecting experience. Multigame Kits Using Original Hardware An alternative to multigame PCBs is the use of multigame kits that install in original vintage arcade game hardware. Using the original hardware, these kits either consist of additional ROM boards or use small workarounds with daughterboard PCBs to play multiple games on one PCB. Since popular hardware designs used in classic arcade videogames didn’t often dramatically change from a manufacturer, this is possible within certain game titles that share design similarities. The skill level required to install these kits can vary depending on the complexity of the original hardware design and the design of the kit. Most of these kits require a minimal amount of modification to the original hardware or controllers which can be reversed if desired later. This ability of a non-permanent Using a multigame switcher made by Riddle TV, this cabinet has three NIntendo Vs. Unisystem PCBs running in one cabinet allowing a player to switch between multiple game titles

33 modification is a huge benefit to collectors focused on the preservation of originality. Unique games that had original hardware that was less reliable than average also benefit from these kits. Modification kits often have better-than-original quality components helping with historic reliability issues. Multigame Switchers Thanks to the widespread usage of JAMMA PCB compatibility, multigame switchers are another popular add-on for arcade game cabinets. Multigame switchers allow for multiple game PCBs to reside inside a single cabinet. Game titles are selected by the player by a button or external switch sending a command to the switcher to change to another PCB. Having a multigame switcher allows one cabinet to house multiple authentic vintage game PCBs in a convenient manner. Many multigame switchers use the JAMMA wiring standard, while some use title specific compatibilities. Switchers routinely offer 2 to 8 PCB slot selections depending on the model. Many non-JAMMA game PCBs have adapters available to make them compatible to JAMMA. There can be a few compatibility issues with certain game PCBs over sync signals, unique control configuration needs, or voltage concerns when using switchers. Custom Builds and Reproductions The popularity of custom-built cabinets is on the rise within the arcade collecting hobby. While the quality of such builds can vary with the skills of the builder, there have been some amazing leaps forward in this area thanks to the availability of modern tools. These games can run the gamut from recreations of rare to find games, recreations of prototype games, recreations of games never officially put into production, or collector custom built “fantasy” or “tribute” games. Some of these custom builds will contain original and often, highly sought-after parts. Dedicated hobbyists can spend years and thousands of dollars to bring such projects into existence and can often be a source of great pride to the builder. While it is undebated that these games have value both from a collecting and monetary position, it is next to impossible to grade such a value on a generic scale for a guide like this one since each custom-built game A custom-made Atari Liberator cabaret/mini tribute cabinet is essentially a one-of-a-kind item.

34 Recreation cabinets which are purpose built for a specific need are also on the rise for both rare and common arcade game titles. The introduction of CNC wood manufacturing machinery at a consumer price point along with additional advances with technologies such as 3-D printing allow wide possibilities for collectors. This can include replacing an original damaged cabinet that could be beyond repair, or the ability to recreate a very close replica of a hard-to-find title. The rarity of a game title does not specifically dominate the current reproduction cabinet market. Surprisingly, the most reproduced cabinets in the hobby tend to be titles that originally had large manufacturing runs such as Pac-Man, Galaga, or Donkey Kong. Regardless how high quality a reproduction cabinet is, it should not be considered an original item and should be valued accordingly. Prices in this guide are for machines with original factory built cabinets, period correct conversion cabinets, or cabinets manufactured in the correct era for all arcade game machines listed. Control panel for a Multi-Williams arcade game set up using a JROK PCB system I come to praise the multicade not to bury it! Despite some possible collector contempt for multicades or reproduction cabinets from purists in the hobby, they serve important purposes. Multicades allow for a casual entry point for retro gaming for those who simply wish to enjoy playing the games themselves. Programs such as MAME have helped preserved game code that might have otherwise been lost to time. Reproduction cabinets help recreate highly damaged cabinets or bring lost prototypes back to life. Multigame switchers and multigame kits can allow collectors with limited space for game cabinets a wider variety of play options. Multicades and reproduction cabinets have an important role to play in this hobby, but collectors must be aware of the authentic nature of any classic arcade game they are buying.

35 The Rising Cost Of Collecting Arcade Games When Did These Things Get So Expensive? If like me, you enjoy reading arcade collecting internet forums, there is a common complaint among long-time arcade game collectors: arcade games aren’t as cheap or as easy to find as they once were. Prices for classic games have been rising over the last few years, sometimes so dramatically that many titles are now out of the average collector’s reach. While modern price increases can be applied to many things (the housing market, the cost of groceries, cars, etc.) there are logical reasons why “The Good Old Days” of commonly available, cheap, and abundant arcade games from 10-15 years ago aren’t likely to return. As a collector of arcade games over the last 30 years, I can indeed verify that you could once walk into a vending equipment auction with a few hundred dollars and walk out with some choice arcade games. During one auction in the late 1990’s, I bought both a beautiful like-new Atari Dig Dug upright and a Nintendo Popeye upright for under $300 USD combined. There was another auction when I purchased a very nice Nintendo Vs. Unisystem Red Tent cocktail for $50 USD. These stories of cheap classics are common with long time collectors. So why does it seem as we creep into the 21st century that classic arcade game prices have risen to astronomical levels? The reasons are multifaceted, and not just tied to collecting arcade games, but affect most hobbies as they mature.

36 Nostalgia Isn’t Cheap From a timeline and public awareness perspective, classic arcade games are likely at their high point for maximum nostalgia. The original release dates for the popular game titles most desired by collectors were originally released from late 1970’s through mid 90’s. Midway’s Mortal Kombat is over 30 years old; Atari’s Tempest is over 40, and the Bronze Age classic Pong has been with us for half a century. Time has a way of passing us by in fascinating and frighting ways with the year 2050 now closer to us than 1990. Any collectable has a certain timeline or “due date” of being either not old enough to be interesting to collectors (which results in cheaper prices for those who collect early), or old enough to be considered collectable by the masses. When the latter happens, it results in items being sought out by a larger audience, followed by a rise in value. Establishing that both we and the games we love are getting older, what does that have to do with the price of Space Invaders? First, every year there are fewer classic arcade games available. This fact can be hard for any passionate collector to wrap their heart around. Sadly, the truth is that the number of complete original examples of classic arcades games will continue to dwindle as time goes by. Events such as fires, vermin, water damage, poor repairs, or games carelessly modified beyond their original state will contribute to this dwindling population of classics. Secondly, as any collectable gets older (due to the previous stated reasons and others) its value will tend to trend upwards. In addition, as more people show interest in any given hobby, long-term collectors tend to hang onto their collections longer. This prevents rarer or hard-to-find items from circulating in collector marketplaces, causing dramatic spikes in value. Finally, hobbies historically see more investors entering when widespread popularity hits. Investors drive-up prices and create “speculator” markets focused on profiteering instead of preservation. Historically hobbies which are infected with speculators have suffered negatively in the long term. Perhaps the biggest factor with increases in pricing is psychological in nature. People will always pay for the nostalgia of their youth if they can afford it. From media to objects, surrounding ourselves with nostalgia brings us happiness. We currently live in a world inundated with rehashes and reboots of vintage brands or properties. This love of nostalgia isn’t just a cash grab, it’s based

37 on science. Research shows leaning into nostalgia can make you both happier and healthier.1 As desire for generation-specific nostalgia goes up, the prices for those items rise accordingly. It’s worth noting that some vintage home videogame system collectable prices have skyrocketed even beyond those of arcade game collectables. A sealed copy of the very first run of Nintendo’s NES version of Super Mario Bros. sold for 2 million dollars in 2021. 2 Nostalgia might make us feel great, but it isn’t getting cheaper. Games Are Harder to Find in Original Condition Arcade games were originally purchased by vending operators with one goal, to return a profit. Once the quarters stopped coming in for any game title, its future was in jeopardy. This caused many original game cabinets to be converted into newer game titles using conversion kits. This process would sacrifice things like the original art or unique parts during the transformation. For rarer arcade game titles that were perhaps never huge hits to being with (and commonly converted to a new title), this can make original unaltered machines very difficult to find. Not all games were converted neatly or with care. Poorly done conversions can make it difficult to restore the game back its original state. Obviously the rarer the title, the more difficult it can be to find specific original parts for a title. Some collectors can hunt for years seeking needed parts to restore obscure titles if they can even find them at all. Despite the rise in quality reproduction parts for vintage games, not all parts are possible to reproduce. Items such as CRT monitor tubes, items using now banned production materials, certain PCB components, or unique custom-made items haven’t been manufactured in years and are unlikely to be reproduced. Some game titles are presumed completely missing or with unknown fates due to a lack of existing parts to repair them. Previous stockpiles of vintage parts are drying up, with some being impossible to find. This forces many collectors to use non-original parts or to create work around alternatives in hopes to keep their machines running and looking good. One of the saddest factors with finding classic games in original or restorable condition is that countless original machines over the years have been ruined. This can be due to poor restorations, repurposing, conversions to multi-game systems (with little regard for the game’s original state), and simple neglect. The practice of hacking up rare restorable titles into cheap multigame systems 1 Neal, B. (2019). A New Study Reveals Why You Get Nostalgic — And It's Not Because You're Feeling Warm & Fuzzy. Bustle. Bustle.com. 2 Lyons, K. (August 7, 2021). Unopened Copy of Super Mario Bros. Sells for a Record $2 Million. The Verge. Theverge.com. Vox Media. https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/7/22614450/unopened-copy-super-mario-bros-sells2-million-record

38 still goes on today, which ruins unique and interesting games forever. All these factors make original unaltered games harder to find and will make their monetary value increase in the eyes of collectors as the years go by. Still from the Film Adventureland, © Miramax Films 2009 3 There is Indeed a Limited Supply of Classic Arcade Games If you happen to be a reader of my blog (vintagearcadegal.com) or watch my YouTube channel, you are probably familiar with my affinity towards Atari’s ill-fated 1982 arcade game Liberator. Despite Atari’s dominance in the arcade game marketplace in the early 1980’s, they manufactured only 762 examples of Liberator. For comparison’s sake, Atari’s release of Dig Dug in the same year yielded a run of around 22,000 units. Liberator was a flop in the arcades, so it’s logical to conclude that most of the original cabinets were converted or trashed by operators. So that begs the question of how many examples of Liberator are left in their original condition? Furthermore, how many of any specific title still exist there in their original, or close to original condition? Some games during the Golden Age such as William’s Defender or Bally-Midway’s Ms. Pac-Man had huge production runs (50,000-100,000 units or more) and are easy to find by today in mostly unaltered condition. Popular titles also typically had longer lives in arcades which helped retain a better survivor rate since they were unlikely to be victims of conversion kits. The question remains however: how many of any given title are left in the world? How many of those are still mostly original or in good working condition? Games which already had a lower production rate, or which were originally not successful in the marketplace now sometimes see higher than average increases in value due to these factors. Not all titles follow this pattern since some rare titles do not necessarily strike a wide interest with collectors. 3 Mottola, Greg, Sidney Kimmel, Anne Carey, Ted Hope, Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Martin Starr, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Margarita Levieva, and Ryan Reynolds. (2009) Adventureland. Burbank, Calif: Miramax Films.

39 Generation X and Y Now Have Disposable Incomes Let’s briefly touch on the economics of who is typically buying vintage arcade games currently. I am a member of Generation X, born between 1965-1979. With this timeline in consideration, you can see I was raised during the first wave of both classic arcade, computer, and home system-based videogames. Despite current issues with wealth inequality in the United States, some Gen X, Y, and Z folks who desire the nostalgia from their childhoods now have disposable incomes. Generation X also has been able to rebound economically after the housing crash of 2007 compared to younger generations, leading to more disposable income for this demographic compared to some others. 4 I personally know many folks from my age group who collect toys or collectables from their childhood, sometimes paying large amounts of money for the privilege to do so. Some Generation X lead families who had children, are at the point where the children are moving or have moved out of the house. This leads to more space in the house for things like game rooms or collectables, and yes, more money to spend on such things. A midlife crisis might have once meant Dad running out and buying a Corvette, but now it could mean Mom buying a cherry Battlezone arcade machine just like the one she played growing up. Young adults also have few qualms about spending money on things such as pop culture collectables or vintage items for pure enjoyment or nostalgic value. I can’t imagine my father spending a large amount of money on a toy from his childhood, where today it can be commonplace to see a vintage toy from someone’s childhood on a workplace desk or even behind a fancy glass case in their home. The Rise of the Retro Arcade The popularity of retro arcades and “Barcades” over the last decade is an additional factor in the rising cost of classic arcade games. It seems every hip side of any city is home to at least one such business endeavor. Vintage arcade games of decent working condition are the life blood of any retro arcade themed business, and many owners of such establishments are willing to pay a bit more for solid working examples of popular games. Larger retro themed gaming establishments tend to be more directly plugged into the collecting community, since often, they are run by collectors. This duality of both arcade collector and business owner can help with seeking rare or unusual titles. Retro arcade owners may get opportunities to purchase extremely rare titles from private collections that haven’t seen the light of day in the marketplace for years. Keeping vintage arcade games working properly in a commercial setting can be a significant challenge. To combat this, arcade owners sometimes will horde multiple copies of games in to insure they have both a back stock of parts, and additional games to use while others are in repair. If a private collector competes in a marketplace with business owners, asking prices will typically rise especially in more populous areas. 4 Fry, R. (July 23, 2018). Gen X Rebounds as the Only Generation to Recover the Wealth Lost After the Housing Crash. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/07/23/gen-x-rebounds-as-the-onlygeneration-to-recover-the-wealth-lost-after-the-housing-crash/

40 The Licensed Multigame Cabinets You could get in your car right now and drive down to your favorite big box style store and buy any number of officially licensed retro arcade gaming products. Recently these reproductions have taken the form of closely mimicking classic arcade game cabinets. While they use lesser materials than the originals, for most consumers they provide enough of an authentic experience. These licensed arcade game replicas tend to be looked down upon by classic arcade game collectors, but they are bringing newcomer interest to the hobby. The 3/4 scale arcade cabinet replicas from companies like Arcade1Up sell for around $500 USD and have proven to be very popular. More elaborate cabinets are also available from various companies. These normally can provide a somewhat more authentic arcade experience, offering multiple game titles and even custom-made cabinet enclosures to fit the needs of the consumer. There isn’t any data whether replica cabinets are helping drive up the prices on authentic vintage games, but anytime you have more public interest in a hobby of any kind, values are likely to rise. For example, in the last two decades the market for vintage comic books has risen dramatically thanks to the popularity of superhero films.5 When I first started collecting many years ago, the arcade game collecting hobby seemed very small, almost like a secret society. Today with the wide scope of retro gaming all over different platforms, media representation, social media, and reissuing of vintage games in many formats, classic gaming is heavily in the public spotlight. Advances in the reproduction of cabinets and parts, thanks to tools such as CNC machines, advanced inkjet printers, and 3-D printers, has been a help and a hinderance to the hobby. There are indeed many individuals with the talent and drive to create amazing reproduction items of superior quality helping games survive for future generations. Like many collectors, I have several favorite vendors I rely on for their top-quality reproduction work. There is also an unfortunate side to reproduction, not only with those to provide a low-quality product, but also those who would pass off such reproductions as a legit or original machine to a less than knowledgeable collector. Many reproduction cabinets can sell for a comparable cost to original examples of the same title. These reproduction machines, however, have little of the charm or possible future value of original examples. While I personally have no beef with those who recreate rare or custom arcade game cabinets (I have made a few myself), I do have issue with those who pass them off as something they are not to unsuspecting collectors. If the authentic nature of any game is in question, it is a good idea to seek an expert in the hobby for verification. 5 Lewis, A. (May2, 2012). ‘Avengers’ Movie Hype Drives Record Prices for Vintage Comics. The Hollywood Reporter. PMC Media. An Arcade1Up Simpsons arcade game reproduction

41 The Hobby is Maturing, and that is a Good Thing In any hobby there are always going to be a small number of very serious or obsessive collectors. These higher end collectors tend to drive up the values of high-end items that any hobby has deemed (for whatever reason) to be the most valuable. Unfortunately for the average collector, this will make certain titles and games out of economic reach. As the hobby continues to grow and the games get older, this will probably continue with these high-end items. I personally long for a Computer Space in my collection but, I also enjoy paying my mortgage and car note each month making the chances of being able to justify spending $10,000+ USD on an arcade game dubious. Many serious collectors tend to hold onto their games much longer than the average collector and may not be as visible with collector networks. I know two high end collectors who have somewhat shunned the collector fandom surrounding the arcade collecting hobby for decades and have collections that would make most collectors gasp. The hobby also has a bit of cachet now, thanks to media representations and the growing interest in classic arcade games. The more exposure any hobby or pop culture item gets, the more people from outside that hobby will become interested and invested into it. Large pop culture books or films such as Ready Player One can feed into building this excitement and add to upswings in value as demand increases. Conclusion Although some collectors dream for a market crash in arcade game collecting so prices fall (with the goal of scooping up cheap arcade games like days gone by), it is unlikely to happen. High grade original machines will continue to rise in value and become more difficult to locate. Although the occasional bargain or “barn” discovery of rare games will still happen, these events will become scarce as time goes on. No matter what you collect, collect it for the love of the hobby. Collecting anything as an attempt to invest is a risky endeavor and tends to quickly erode one’s love for a passion rather quickly. I may never get my much-desired original Computer Space, but I will also never allow market speculation or value paranoia to destroy my love for the hobby of collecting arcade games. I remember many years ago reading a post by a collector that stated something to this extent; “I would rather talk to a collector with just 2 or 3 games who really loved them, than to someone with a large collection who was only concerned with their value or condition”. Wise advice for sure within any hobby.

42 GUIDE TO Donkey Kong Style cabinets and their variations Introduction A majority of vintage arcade game fanatics love Donkey Kong. The reasons for this devotion are wrapped up it both its successful legacy, which built the videogaming empire known as Nintendo, and its playability which seems to have lost little luster in over 40 years since its debut. Donkey Kong was one of the most produced arcade machines of the Golden Age, with around 75,000 - 80,000 upright machines made for the USA market alone. For the arcade collector, it might be difficult to conjure an image of a Donkey Kong machine without visualizing the baby blue color of the cabinet itself. The first two runs of these well-known cabinets left the factory originally with a red laminate and not that well-known baby blue. Opinions are mixed, but out of the roughly 80,000 or more Donkey Kong uprights manufactured for the USA, it’s estimated the first 1,500 to 2,500 left the factory as red cabinets. If you prefer percentages, this would be around 2 - 3% of all manufactured cabinets were red. Like any rare collectable variation, these versions are highly prized. The desire for this variant is enriched by the historical debut of a well-known videogame plumber who would go on to be known as Mario. For those not deeply versed in Nintendo company lore, it can be confusing to sniff out a legitimate red cabinet from a recreation or repainted one. This guide will help end the confusion and entertain collectors who love a deep dive into arcade trivia. So, let's all jump into the monkey barrel and explore this fascinating cabinet history one ladder rung at a time.

43 In the Beginning In the late 1970’s Nintendo was struggling to get a foot in the door of the red-hot United States arcade videogame market. Legendary game developer Shigeru Miyamoto was part of the team which introduced the world to the game title Nintendo had hoped would be the success needed to put them on the map, Radar Scope. Radar Scope is a fixed space themed shooter much like other space shooter style games released in the aftermath of Taito’s Space Invaders. Space Invaders was a worldwide phenomenon, and every videogame company wanted their own version along with the profits that came with it. Once Radar Scope debuted, the market was already flooded with countless Space Invaders clones. To differentiate itself from Space Invaders, it used a 3-D like perspective playfield. Despite this change and some success in its native Japan, the game was a commercial disaster for Nintendo. Nintendo had gambled that the game would do well in North America, but it was poorly received, and operators had little interest in it. The somewhat clunky gameplay and annoying sound effects didn’t help matters. Of the 3,000 estimated units manufactured in Japan and then shipped to the USA, only around 800-1,000 sold. Nintendo was in a tough spot financially as it sat on a warehouse full of unsold product in its Washington state headquarters. Nintendo scrambled to resolve this misstep that was quickly turning into a financial crisis. A plan was created to transform the unsold blaze red laminated Radar Scope games into something more desirable. Nintendo would reconfigure the Radar Scope printed circuit boards (PCBs) and repurpose the cabinets into an all-new game called Donkey Kong. This plan built out of desperation to survive would turn out to be more important for Nintendo’s future than just a way to get rid of unwanted product. Some red Nintendo arcade cabinets (From Left to Right: Heli Fire, Radar Scope, and Donkey Kong)

44 The creation of Donkey Kong didn’t just get Nintendo out of a financial pickle but would be the foundation for Nintendo’s modern fortunes and influences. The success of Donkey Kong immediately extended well beyond the left-over run of unsold Radar Scope cabinets. A new run of cabinets would also be made in the more commonly seen light blue color to keep up with market demands for Donkey Kong. The original red cabinets, thanks to not only their rarity but what they represent with Nintendo’s history, have become a much sought-after piece of arcade collectable history. Over the years there has been a good bit of speculation and misinformation regarding these cabinets. Today with the modern abilities of cabinet recreation it is critical to be aware of the differences between legitimate and nonfactory examples. Red vs. Blue Before we get to the standard Radar Scope and Donkey Kong cabinets let's look back in time about 18 months from its release. Two Nintendo arcade titles, Heli Fire and Space Firebird were released before Radar Scope. Neither of these titles could be called a wild success, but they did debut the Nintendo arcade cabinet design used for Donkey Kong with one slight variation. Heli Fire and Space Firebird (Space Firebird was officially released in the USA by Sega/Gremlin in a completely different cabinet than the Nintendo version) used a cabinet design that had angled straight sides starting at the top of the cabinet and extending all the way to the bottom of the control panel ends coming out of the cabinet. It's an attractive design but with a critical flaw for arcade operators and arcade patrons: the side blinders make it difficult for other people to see the action of the game when someone is playing. A red Donkey Kong TKG-3 cabinet with the 7-slot speaker grill, and non-copyrighted side art and marquee Space Firebird (Non-USA Release) Upright

45 The coin door is also pretty much the same as what would be installed on the classic Donkey Kong cabinets. Early cabinets sometimes contain coin doors with only one coin mechanism instead of two. The number of coin mechanisms might have been an operator ordered option at the time since many arcade machines from the late 1970’s only had one coin mechanism. Once Donkey Kong production officially started in earnest, two-coin mechanisms were the standard. With the release of Radar Scope, the cabinet sides changed to a more traditional cut out design allowing for non-playing patrons to watch the game in progress. This design element is especially helpful for Nintendo cabinets of this type since the monitor sits slightly back from the front bezel at an angle under tinted plexiglass. The bezel for Radar Scope uses the same art design used for Heli Fire and Space Firebird with a different color palette. Again, since Radar Scope didn't sell well, unsold machines were modified (including the PCBs) into Donkey Kong machines to clear out the underselling product. These modified Radar Scope machines turned into Donkey Kongs at the factory are known by their model number as TKG2 machines. After the supply of left-over Radar Scope machines was exhausted for conversions to Donkey Kong, Nintendo made another run of red cabinets specifically intended to be Donkey Kong machines. These are TKG3’s and would be the last factory-made red Donkey Kong machines. After the run of TKG3 machines in red was fully sold (about 2,000 estimated) the baby blue colored Donkey Kong cabinets started rolling off the assembly line. These baby blue machines are most often labeled as TKG4 machines but sometimes will have serial number plates designating them as late production TKG3 machines. The following sections explain how all of this breaks down in more detail, and important differences on how to identify each variation correctly. Speaker Vent Holes Donkey Kong collectors can get very excited about the number of cut speaker slots located on the front left side of the red cabinets. Some cabinets will have 5 larger slots for the speaker holes, where others will have 7 thinner slots. Over the years the common speculation has been that the 5-slot versions are earlier version of the cabinet. The truth is both 5 and 7-slot versions were in production at the same time during the original cabinet manufacturing of both Radar Scope and early Donkey Kong machines. Because of this variance in production, you will see both legitimate Radar Scope machines and red Donkey Kong cabinets with either 5 or 7-slot speaker grills.