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So I was wondering why arcade games are so expensive and if there is a way to get one cheaper; stripped down or something. I'm not much of a gamer anymore, but yeah. I realize this is kind of random.









http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8457

I had worked in the game veding industry as a tech for a long time amd to answer your question....There is no reason that they should be so expensive except:

1.) Vendors buy these games from the distributors for a lot of money. Average is $2500-$7000 depending on the model and popularity.

2. The resale from vendors on the retired games is really high, especially for somthing not to old or really popular, basically they try to get almost what they payed for it because they can. They look at it as an investment wich an arcade game really is....You buy it to make money...Most of these games make more that 50x what they are worth in their general life... Vendors know this and reflect it in the resale price. From their point of view they can put it out someplace and make $2500 in a month or two or sell it for that. That is the way you have to look at it. It isnt right but thats the way it is.

3. Even at 15 plus years old a game can still make tons of money if placed in the right spot and vedors selling their old games take this into concideration when selling.

4. Some games such as pinball are very limited production and become highly collectable...Some going for over what they paid originally.

5. Local game vendors are the scum of the earth and are very cut throat. They dont care if they have to sit on the game forever before they sell it because there is always somone that will buy it. They are the worst of buisness men because they have the attitude that somone else is always out to get them even the people buying used games from them.

6. Vendors selling games almost always assume no matter what you tell them that you are going to go stick this game in a bar or other similar place and make a fortune. Even if your true intention if for home use.

I tell people not to buy used arcade games for 1 fact. They are very high cost to repair, unless you are an electronis expert and even if you are the parts are very high also ESPECIALLY PINBALLS. And if you are buying a used game more than likley there is a reason they are getting ride of it in the first place.

Unfortunately that answers my question rather well. Thanks for the answer! Guess I won't be getting Jurassic park anytime soon, oh well, not like I actually would anyway.

Most or almost all Pinball machines are being recreated for the PC.
Useing VBScript and machine roms.
Start here for the Forum.
http://www.vpforums.com/forum/index.php?s=
Here for an idea of the tables.
http://www.vpforums.com/vptables/tables.php

Well, Windows comes with Pinball. For Windows XP, go C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Pinball\pinball.exe.

Really? [/being anal]

sorry, I just had to say something sarcastic about that.

Back on topic:

Yeah, I would just get a emulator off the web. I'm not sure that it's technically legal, but downloading a 15 year old game isn't really hurting anyone, contrary to what lawyers will say.

I think you can find them here,
http://www.classic-trash.com/gamelist.php?genre=8
I think Games out of production are here or i know their available free somewhere,i've been.

Oh, I thought he didn't know that. oops.