Which arcades would you get if you had money and space?

[Xeogred]

All the Rush arcades. I need them.

Rush put out arcade games? Bitchin!

San Francisco: Alcatraz Edition was their best release!

[Erik_Twice]

This is key right here. As much as someone would say they want a TMNT cab, once you can play through it with unlimited quarters it gets old fast.

That's very true. Even tough many Jamma boards are cheap and often very much worth it compared to recent videogame offerings, the truth is that without a real investment into the game like trying to score, I think the game won't last a year and worse than it getting old fast, chances are you get "burnt" on the game and never play it again.

So I would put games in these categories from better to worse:

1) Endless Mechanics-driven games (Most 80s classics, fighters, etc)
2) Close-ended score-attack games (Danmakus (but not Gradius-like shmups),Crazy Taxi etc.)
3) Level-design driven games (Beat'em ups, Platformers, most racing games)

I think that given how much effort, not just money but time, you are going to put into these games, understanding this division is a must. I think that most games from category 1 are great fits but I would only get a game in category 2 if I really liked it a lot. Games from category 3 would need to be very cheap AND also be liked even more than a category 2 game to make up for it.

I used to have a Street Fighter 2 machine and that got a lot of play more play when other people were over. The only thing was no one wanted to play me anymore because of all the practice time I was getting.

Haha, that happens a lot tough consider yourself lucky, since it's such a popular game you can always find good rivals.

[Gamerforlife]

Since cabs take so much space and it takes so much effort to clean and repair electronics from 30 years ago I don't think it would make much sense to get cabs for games that don't have an amazing replay value. Sure, Marble Madness is great but very short and sooner or later I would get bored of it.

This is key right here. As much as someone would say they want a TMNT cab, once you can play through it with unlimited quarters it gets old fast.

I've never understood how a player could be satisfied with that. As far back as I can remember I always wanted to try and beat games like that on one life or at least one credit, even when I was a kid I was like that. I mean beating a game with tons of quarters is no accomplishment. It's no better than beating a console game with cheats turned on. The replay value comes in mastering the game, assuming you even can. That's why I put so many hours into a lot of 16-bit titles back in the day. It was never enough to just win. Now you have to blow through the game on one life, then you had to do it without taking any damage

I've always been obsessed with finessing a game. It's not enough just to beat it, you have to make it look good too. Beating an arcade game with twenty quarters doesn't look good

[MrPopo]

All the Rush arcades. I need them.

Rush put out arcade games? Bitchin!

San Francisco: Alcatraz Edition was their best release!

I just checked their discography and didn't see it there. Is wikipedia out of date?

[BoneSnapDeez]

When I was a kid, we had Gauntlet in our basement. It guess it technically belonged to my brother, he sold it for $100 (!!!) a few years back!

So that would be my first pick, for the nostalgic reasons and because it's a great game.

Owning those D&D beat-em-ups would kick so much ass. I'm assuming they're pretty rare. I've never seen one myself, only played them on MAME.

I can't see myself owning an arcade machine anytime soon (or ever). Too expensive, not enough room here, plus I'll be moving in a few years and wouldn't want to have to transport something that large.

[bryan_65]

I have been thinking about this for a while. Here goes my list in the order that I want them. It will happen eventually.

1. Neo-Geo MVS (I actually have one)

2. Street Fighter 2 C.E.

3. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3

4. Capcom Mini Cute

5. House of the Dead 2

6. Gauntlet

[MrPopo]

Owning those D&D beat-em-ups would kick so much ass. I'm assuming they're pretty rare. I've never seen one myself, only played them on MAME.

There were a couple on ebay a while ago for far more than I was willing to pay. Plus there weren't many details about the condition. The D&D games are the only 3+ player games I know of that use more than three buttons.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Yeah I bet they go for a lot of dough. I'll probably break down and get that Japanese Saturn release eventually.

[Gamerforlife]

Yeah I bet they go for a lot of dough. I'll probably break down and get that Japanese Saturn release eventually.

It's pretty good, but only two players and some people don't like the load times. Other than that, I think it's pretty much a perfect port. It's pricey, but worth it since you get both D&D games

The more and more I think about it, I'd love to have the ultimate beat'em up arcade collection. Everything from well known games like Final Fight and Double Dragon to obscure japanese beat'em ups like Denjim Makai II and the japanese version of Undercover Cops to crazy stuff people didn't know existed like Oriental Legend 2 and Crime Fighters 2. That would be a dream come true. It's my favorite arcade genre really. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was really the first arcade game I remember ever playing. I would have every great beat'em up ever made in one place. That would be so amazing and I could die happy

[Key-Glyph]

Joust.

A DDR and/or Pop'n Music machine would be amazing too.

And skeeball. I'm with girlracer on skeeball.