23 replies to this topic

[Tempest]

Is this a thing of beauty or what?

http://cgi.ebay.com/...&category=13716

Tempest

[Adrian M]

Wow. I've never seen Missile Command in the cockpit format. Looks to be in great shape too!

[Mr.FoodMonster]

My dad's favorite arcade game of all time. Thats in Chicago. Guess what I'm showing him when I get out of pri..... 'school'

[jedijeff]

That would be a cool one to have in my home arcade. Not that I have any room for it of course.

Jeff

[NE146]

I wonder if that's the same one that was just sold last year...

[Cassidy Nolen]

Thats a 3000 piece all day long. There were a limited number of those made and they all went to Aladdin's Castle. Even fewer of them survived because of the difficulty of repair on the MC boards. I have never seen one all original that clean.

If you live nearby, that is an investment. 1500 is a steal....


Cassidy

[Flack]

I've never even heard of those before. That one looks really clean too!

[Tempest]

If only I had the room. God that thing is sweet!

Tempest

[tyranthraxus]

I was thinking of starting a seperate thread on this but I'll ask here.
What was the deal with cockpit games? I can see certain games,
Battlezone, racing games, SWTAG maybe a few others where a sit down
version would be the best way to play. But a game like MC doesn't
really seem to me like a sit down game. Its still cool and all but it
doesn't make sense to me. Also I don't see why operators would
want to spend the extra $$ and use precious floor space for such
games?

[povlok1]

ohhh man.. Im only an hour away:).. maybe if it don't sell Ill offer him $750 for it

[Cassidy Nolen]

I can't believe its still available. People, seriously, that is a holy grail of arcades. If you are nearby, grab it!

Cassidy

[Mr.FoodMonster]

Dad says no way, but if he ever finds a decent priced normal one, he wants it.

[NovaXpress]

Quote

What was the deal with cockpit games? I can see certain games,  
Battlezone, racing games, SWTAG maybe a few others where a sit down  
version would be the best way to play. But a game like MC doesn't  
really seem to me like a sit down game. Its still cool and all but it  
doesn't make sense to me. Also I don't see why operators would  
want to spend the extra $$ and use precious floor space for such  
games?

For one thing, it cost at least twice as much to play the cockpit model so that makes up for the price difference. The cockpits also served as an attraction (much liek Dragon's Lair did). People would wander into the arcades just to see what this big sit-down game was all about. Then they would wait for a turn or play something else that catches the eye. The cockpits were usually placed in a prominent position to draw such attention.

Missile Command doesn't make much sense as a sit down, but Atari was probably experimenting to see how it would go over. I notice we don''t see any cockpit Centipedes or Dig Dugs.

[tyranthraxus]

Yeah, what you're saying makes sense. In a 2004 perspective it doesn't
but back then yeah I can see the appeal. I suppose I am spoiled today
where almost all racers are cockpit. And there are those deluxe machines
like the new Star Wars.

But back to the topic man do I want that machine! Maybe when I'm
40

[Bryan]

There is a bit of water damage on it, though. I used to have an Omega Race cocktail that had similar dimensions (tall and not very deep).

I remember I had a Centipede cabinet that was beautiful except for major water damage at the bottom. I actually removed the bottom couple inches of particle board, reconstructed the whole area, and carefully repainted it to blend into the original artwork (most of the damaged area was white). It looked pretty good... then it went to a local amusement auction.

-Bry

[JB]

NovaXpress said:

Missile Command doesn't make much sense as a sit down, but Atari was probably experimenting to see how it would go over.  I notice we don''t see any cockpit Centipedes or Dig Dugs.

Don't view it as a cockpit. View it as an ABM turret control seat.
It makes more sense that way.

[goatdan]

Wow is that thing SWEET! I've never seen anything like it! I'm very close, but unfortunately I'm very poor and I have no place to put it. Drat.

Anyone want to buy it and give it to me?

[Xot]

Man, back when I was in college there was a MC cockpit at the dead mall that was for sale. They were asking I think $575 for it (maybe it was $375?) and it sat there for months and months. I kept wanting to buy it but had no way to transport it and no where to put it if I COULD transport it.

I lived in an upstairs apartment too so it probably woul d have crashed through the floor anyways!

[Albert]

I remember playing one of these way back in the day, don't know if it was at an Aladdin's Castle or somewhere else. But I didn't know they were that rare. It's too bad about the water damage, but it still looks pretty damn cool and certainly would be a great game to have in one's arcade collection, if someone had lots of space for such a collection.

Were there any sit down games before this?

..Al

[Xot]

Albert said:

I remember playing one of these way back in the day, don't know if it was at an Aladdin's Castle or somewhere else.  But I didn't know they were that rare.  It's too bad about the water damage, but it still looks pretty damn cool and certainly would be a great game to have in one's arcade collection, if someone had lots of space for such a collection.  

Were there any sit down games before this?

..Al

There was a cockpit style Omega Race, but I don't know which came first. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I think Omega Race came first.

EDIT: Of course, KLOV says 1980 for Missile Command and 1981 for Omega Race, so so much for MY memory.

[NovaXpress]

[quote]Were there any sit down games before this?[/quote]
The first sit-down I ever saw was Starfire. I belive that is the first one ever made.

I wonder when the cabaret-style machines started?[/quote]

[Cassidy Nolen]

Earliest sit-down game I could find:

http://klov.com/game...hp?game_id=8109

Night Driver was not long after that (76), and don't forget Fire Truck (78). Not sure on the first cockpit was, but it may have been MC. They were special orders from Aladin's Castle. I never saw one back in the day, but have seen a few recently. Wonder where this one was hiding all those years?

Cassidy

[tyranthraxus]

I'm amazed the game didn't sell. Even being local pick up only I'd
have thought someone would have gone for it.

[El Destructo]

Quote

What was the deal with cockpit games? I can see certain games,  
Battlezone, racing games, SWTAG maybe a few others where a sit down  
version would be the best way to play. But a game like MC doesn't  
really seem to me like a sit down game. Its still cool and all but it  
doesn't make sense to me.

Immersion in the game, that's why. I had the opportunity to sit in one of these at a game auction. The walls shut out most of your view of the outside world, and the 25" screen has a lens on it to make the image even bigger.

Missile Command's graphics are simple, but that cabinet made me feel like I really was surveying a coastline populated with cities.