Golden Age of Video Games 1978-1982 - Top Ten

Same here and it gave me the sh*ts. I’d get about 4 minutes worth of gametime for my .20c and they’d play for 20 minutes +.

1 Like

A cigarette lighter straddling the two buttons did the job…

3 Likes

Yep! Loved that. Streets Of Rage was another good one.

2 Likes

In metalwork class at school we used to drip metal into moulds the size of dollar coins then file the sides. We tested a couple on the drink machines at school, then moved on to the arcades. The teacher was too lax to care what we were doing, but too many kids kept using them at school and the principal quickly found out and our operation was shut down.

10 Likes

No extra credit for being ingenious. Shame on them. We tried the hole in the 20c coin and fishing line that I couldn’t get to work but others did. Also tried the paper stuffed up the pay phone coin return slot. It did work but needed the pay phone to be missing the metal one way door.

1 Like

Play online

https://www.retrogames.cc/arcade-games/moon-cresta-gremlin.html

Download. (just about any old arcade game}

2 Likes

Never needed that - 20c for a phone was one less game at the bowling alley. We’d just ring the no-coin-required faultline (was up on the wall in all phone boxes) and claim the phone had just swallowed our coin. The operator would ask for your number and put you through.
Another favourite juvenile trick (not proud of these BTW…) was to pick up the receiver, ring 199 then replace it and leave. It would cause the phone to ring endlessly until someone came along and lifted the receiver.

5 Likes

We never used our coins.

Nooooo, … the paper up the return slot trick was to get others returned coins that wouldn’t get to them.

Go back later, pull out the paper, and get all those yummy non received returned coins. :+1:

2 Likes

Yep you had a long time before the phone was reported. Just needed the paper far enough up so it wouldn’t be found easily and a bent coat hanger hook to retrieve it.

1 Like

Id disagree.

Street Fighter 2 Turbo edition was and still is the pinnacle of arcade.

Any arcade still worth its salt has a sf2 machine and its still sought out over 25 years later.

All time classic for sure.

1 Like

I’m sure I’m jumping the gun on what will be another thread, but…NBA Jam.

4 Likes

Great story Diggers

Think I need a pinball machine.

http://www.pinballking.com.au/pinball.html

I quite like Taxi.
Are any of the other cheaper ones any good?

2 Likes

That’s pretty cheap mate really need to see and play them. I have a Judge Dredd. It’s great but probably one of the mid range pinballs now probable $7k. I’ve had it for 10 years I got it as part of a pinball , pub pool table and sit down arcade package for 5k. Pinball hasn’t missed a beat. Always wanted an Adams family but they’re worth a fortune now although you’ll never lose money on a good one. Need to see the machine depending where it was the graphics can fade a heap.

2 Likes

In the late 90’s and early 2000’s a lot of the older games were near giveaway prices, unfortunately the market has seen prices go north fora long time. Games that we could pick up back in the late 90’s for well under $1000 are now going upwards of $3000.
Later DMD (Dot Matrix Display pins) 90- onwards a lot used to be around the $2000 now going up to $10000 depending on the game. Might be a few bargains out there over the next few months.

Have a look at new Stern games, I had the AC/DC LE, great game has a dozen songs in it with different modes for each song, a premium ( don’t get the pro) will probably set you back around $8000. Remember it’s an investment :wink:

2 Likes

always wanted that rocky pinball machine that gets destroyed at the start of rocky III

anyone remember what was next to it?!!!

Speaking of phone scams, anyone ever use the gold phones?
image
If you picked up the receiver, get dial tone. Instead of putting a coin in. Press the ‘follow on’ button with your thumb, the quickly take it off as you press the receiver buttons down.

Took a few times, and some phones were easier than others.

You’ll now have a dial tone, but the receiver buttons down. Dial anywhere in the world for free. Our local pub had one and Living in a tourist area you’d meet heaps of foreigners and stay in touch free of charge.

Only place I’ve had a 1yr ban from, and not from free phone calls.

1 Like

Used to do the Super Glue trick in the old green ones to speak to our Cousins in Darwin for hours when I was a kid.

1 Like

Damn. Prince of Persia was difficult to master. The lag with the jumping was horrendous but loved the game.

1 Like