Arcade Otaku - アーケード オタク

VeGaSDeViL wrote:Hi all.

Just a hello and introduction. Long time lurker on the forum but decided to join up having secured my first candy caninet (Blast City). Purchased from Mo last year and after a good clean up from all the years of nicotine stains it's looking much nicer.

I'm someone who's always wanted a cabinet but never had the space or free cash to buy one. Bought my first house at the back end of 2015 and decided the living room would make an ideal spot. Made sure I got the idea into the girlfriends head before I bought the house so I had that base covered.

I'm rapidly approaching 40 (37 currently), I work hard in I.T. Supervising a small team of techs. Always had a keen interest in technology both old and new. Computing from the ZX Specturm days playing games after usually waiting 5-10 mins from them to load to my first console the Sega Mega Drive and the delights and wows of Sonic the Hedgehog (it really was an exciting Christmas that year).

These days I've got most of the modern consoles, and a garage stacked with everything from the Bandai Wonderswan Crystal, Super Famicom (never been used) Japanese Mega Drive, Japanese Dreamcast, UK Dreamcast with BBA, 2x Gameboy Advanced SP with retro fitted backlit screens, N64, PS Vita, Gameboy, DS Lite, DS XL special edition, New 3DS XL, Neo Geo AES, Neo Geo Gold (don't hate me - it's gone up in value), PlayStation, PS One, PS2 fat, PS2 Slim, PS4, Wii, Wii U, Japanese white Sega Saturn with 250 volt PSU swap, Xbox original halo edition. There's probably more but that's all I can recall.

Anyway, back to the candy cab. I've loved the look of them ever since I was introduced to them at NERG back in 2013 when I saw a truely lovely looking New Astro City running Streets of Rage Remake. Amongst the sea of euro and US wooden cabs the candy ones just stood out as pure art for me. I knew at that point the one day I would have to have one. That day in 2016 came when I picked it up in the trusty Nissan Avenir (ex motor) with a boot so vast it swallowed the Blast City with ease. Currently I have a choice of using it with my Naomi board or my MGCD. Love them or hate them I am now considering purchasing a Pandoras Box 4s just to leave it as an old school cabinet for 2D games. Recently had my replacement metal control panel recovered at work by the kind chap in the printing dept with the original Blast City 2 player vinyl then had a clear cover placed over the top to protect it. Turned out great and much better than the rusting and rotting original. Next up is a full joystick and button refresh with some Sanwa goodies. Currently on the lookout for a nice marquee to replace the standard card holder one.

Anyway I was meaning to be brief but this turned into a novel. Thanks for everyone on here that's contributed to this great forum and knowledge base. It's certainly helped me massively with my purchases so far!

Si.

NEC wrote:Hi, new member currently residing in Devon, UK, originally from London.

Looking for advice to buy my first Candy Cab, I've never lived anywhere before where I've had the space spare but moving to new house soon that is spacious so for the first time have the option get a Candy Cab.

History related to arcades. Played various arcades in chips shops and cab ranks in the eighties and nineties, games like R Type, Double Dragon, Street Fighter II etc.. Went every now and then to big arcades like Funland in Soho Trocadero and Dreamland in Margate. Had a Supergun at some point with a MVS, had a wooden Jamma cab at one point. Then around 2000 ish I think, found out about Mame, then 2005 ish built a small PC specifically to play Mame and Emulators, got some nice sticks.
Went to Japan a few times prior 2012, loved the arcades there, loved the Candy Cabs, always wanted one.

History related to home video games. Had a Sinclair spectrum in the mid eighties, hated the thing, thougt it was ****. Then grey imports arrived around 89 and blew my mind to pieces! I was completely obsessed, PC Engine first, then Mega Drive, then Super Famicom and Neo Geo AES. I still play those systems to this day.