Author Topic: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::  (Read 63586 times)

Maverick

  • Member
  • **
  • Posts: 271
    • View Profile
Re: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::
« Reply #15 on: December 08, 2009, 09:34:15 PM »
Oh my god, this is heaven  :-* :-* :-*.
Thanks bruno for these beautiful pictures ;) (Monaco GP cockpit : insert coin or not ?)

A place to go, for sure  :spaceace:.

I quote, I've seen all toghter good part of the games played in the childhood (sinistar for example was missing but the founder made a great work)

Never knew this place existed,

Next time in NY I'll give a try

Mav

level42

  • ArcadeLifeStyler'
  • ***
  • Posts: 13555
  • Ridderkerk, arcade capital of Europe !
    • View Profile
    • Arcade 42
Re: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::
« Reply #16 on: December 09, 2009, 12:52:57 AM »
How about a group trip....?

I'd love that but it would be hard for me.

Last (and first) time I was there, I was there with wife and kid. They enjoyed it a lot and we spend about 3.5 hours there first day and 1 hour next day, but I felt I only had played 10% of the games. I could have stayed there for three days and play all day.....

If I compare your pics with mine from 2006 Bruno, they have added SO many cabs, it's simply unbelievable.

Funspot, amen !

ckong

  • ArcadeLifeStyler'
  • ***
  • Posts: 3177
  • The Netherlands
    • View Profile
Re: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::
« Reply #17 on: December 09, 2009, 07:42:03 AM »
How about a group trip....?

I'd love that but it would be hard for me.


Why would it be hard for you?

DarthNuno

  • Administrator
  • ArcadeLifeStyler'
  • *****
  • Posts: 11708
  • Singe's castle
    • View Profile
    • Dragon's Lair Fans / Arcade LifeStyle
Re: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::
« Reply #18 on: December 09, 2009, 08:24:10 PM »
The ride is not over  ;) More pictures added  :P

Etienne MacGyver

  • ArcadeLifeStyler'
  • ***
  • Posts: 7611
  • The Netherlands
    • View Profile
Re: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::
« Reply #19 on: December 09, 2009, 08:45:17 PM »
i can only say one thing ...


FANTASTIC !!! :spaceace:

Superully

  • ArcadeLifeStyler'
  • ***
  • Posts: 6300
  • Southern Part of Germany
    • View Profile
Re: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::
« Reply #20 on: December 09, 2009, 09:04:39 PM »
F***!!! how many games are there?
all i need is ... PONG - and a select few others: TOUCH ME, DRAGON'S LAIR, JOUST, ROBOTRON, MR DO, SAN FRANCISCO RUSH THE ROCK!!!

scr33n

  • ArcadeLifeStyler'
  • ***
  • Posts: 1674
    • View Profile
Re: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::
« Reply #21 on: December 09, 2009, 11:03:30 PM »
 :shock: :shock:

OMG !!!  :o :-*
PROJECTS FROM SCRATCH:

Galaga - PacMan - Donkey Kong Red Cab - Track & Field Upright - Tempest - Burgertime - Gyruss - Defender - Track & Field Cocktail - Robotron 2084

RESTORATIONS:

Q*bert - Timber

level42

  • ArcadeLifeStyler'
  • ***
  • Posts: 13555
  • Ridderkerk, arcade capital of Europe !
    • View Profile
    • Arcade 42
Re: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::
« Reply #22 on: December 09, 2009, 11:57:13 PM »
How about a group trip....?

I'd love that but it would be hard for me.


Why would it be hard for you?
Don't think my wife will let me go alone....if it's the US in 2010, it's for another holiday....

Etienne MacGyver

  • ArcadeLifeStyler'
  • ***
  • Posts: 7611
  • The Netherlands
    • View Profile
Re: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::
« Reply #23 on: December 10, 2009, 06:37:30 AM »
How about a group trip....?

I'd love that but it would be hard for me.


Why would it be hard for you?
Don't think my wife will let me go alone....if it's the US in 2010, it's for another holiday....

same story here..   :-\   only it will not be the US for 2010 here
« Last Edit: December 10, 2009, 12:56:23 PM by Etienne [NL] »

level42

  • ArcadeLifeStyler'
  • ***
  • Posts: 13555
  • Ridderkerk, arcade capital of Europe !
    • View Profile
    • Arcade 42
Re: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::
« Reply #24 on: December 11, 2009, 07:16:34 AM »
Man, I probably didn't even know a lot of games when I was there in 2006....

Shame about the Berzerk not having the original stick and Satan's Hollow too. And Satan's Hollow stick plastics are readily available and cheap too.
But if you see the sheer number of working cabs there, it is simply amazing that they are able to keep them running at all !!! I bet it's a daytime job for at least one guy...

The D2K apparently has Nintendo's blessing according to their website!

Blue Print I remember seeing there but didn't get to play. Strange game but I thought it was quite fun played it quite a number of times on my Atari home computer back in the day.

Question Bruno: Do you remember seeing a Video Pinball there ? Or an Avalanche ?

gyruss

  • ArcadeLifeStyler'
  • ***
  • Posts: 2332
  • The Netherlands
    • View Profile
Re: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::
« Reply #25 on: December 11, 2009, 03:00:27 PM »
Pffffffffffffffff what a collection, heaven!

Moon Jump

  • Jr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 13
    • View Profile
    • Arcade Hunters
Re: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::
« Reply #26 on: December 11, 2009, 10:13:30 PM »
What's really scary is, that isn't all of the games that they have. They have a storage unit with a ton of games and not to mention all of the games they have to put in the back by the golf area because during the summer they have more games out during the tournament and for the rest of the summer. What shocked me the most is that Bruno was actually able to see Gary and get a picture with him! The guy is really elusive and he's always running around the place. It's really hard for him to take a break and have a chat for ten minutes, but if you ever get the chance to speak to him it's amazing. He loves this stuff.

The thing with the joysticks that I've seen is that they take what they can get. They don't have a lot of money to buy the proper parts for the certain games so they'll put a HAPP stick in a game like Berserk. But I've played it with the new joystick and compared to what was in it before, it's about a million times better because the stick refused to shoot diagonally and go up on some parts. The whole thing is really run by Mr. Lawton, Gary and another tech guy. That's it, three people. The rest of the staff just cleans the place and takes the tokens out of the games. They've been getting rid of a lot of pinball machines because it's a lot for them to take care of.

You guys can donate stuff to them, they are a fully working museum and anything you donate to them is tax deductible. So if you got any spare parts lying around from a project, you can send it off to them and they'll put it in. And money of course is good because it keeps the place going. If you go during the winter the place is dead but it picks up on the weekend. The first time my friends and I went to Funspot we went in January and while the kiddies were in school, so it was amazing. The place was empty and the 80's music was blasting so it was like the place was just for us. The other two floors are alright and have a good collection of games from the 80's, 90's and even some of today's games, but it's mostly ticket games for the kiddies to suck money out of their pockets.

My friend and I want to design a T-Shirt for our site and sell it on Cafepress and have all the proceeds go back to the museum. They really deserve it because it's a labor of love for them to keep the place going. I really want to help them meet their target of getting enough money to expand the third floor over the bowling ally. That expansion could fit in over 100 more games, but they don't have the money to do that. So anything to help them get to their goal would be better then doing nothing.

As always, you can check out the videos we did with Gary and from the previous FunSpot tournaments. http://arcadehunters.blip.tv/

If you guys want to plan a trip, try to plan it around the next tournament for 2010. It's always the weekend after Memorial Day here in the States, so figure around the middle of May. But if you want to have the place all to yourselves plan on January-April because while the weather is bad, all the kiddies are in school and they are always open.  Just make sure you go to their website and print out the coupons they have. 20 bucks in tokens plus 50 extra tokens?! You can't beat that.


DarthNuno

  • Administrator
  • ArcadeLifeStyler'
  • *****
  • Posts: 11708
  • Singe's castle
    • View Profile
    • Dragon's Lair Fans / Arcade LifeStyle
Re: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::
« Reply #27 on: December 11, 2009, 11:01:35 PM »
And now, take a ride with me inside this video :


[click on the picture to watch the video]

DarthNuno

  • Administrator
  • ArcadeLifeStyler'
  • *****
  • Posts: 11708
  • Singe's castle
    • View Profile
    • Dragon's Lair Fans / Arcade LifeStyle
Re: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::
« Reply #28 on: December 12, 2009, 09:12:26 AM »
... can't wait to go there myself, probably somewhere next year.

Me too  :D In fact I plan to go back there again for the next tournament. It could be a nice place for a meeting  :P

Monaco GP cockpit : insert coin or not ?

Yes!!! Definitively yes! A fantastic game... I can't skip that opportunity to play it like... back in the days  :-*

Last (and first) time I was there, I was there with wife and kid. They enjoyed it a lot and we spend about 3.5 hours there first day and 1 hour next day, but I felt I only had played 10% of the games. I could have stayed there for three days and play all day.....
If I compare your pics with mine from 2006 Bruno, they have added SO many cabs, it's simply unbelievable.
Funspot, amen !

Same for me! When I watch back the pictures, I regret I didn't play some games (DK II for example  :oops:)... that is the reason I plan to go there asap  ;) 

Question Bruno: Do you remember seeing a Video Pinball there ? Or an Avalanche ?

I *think* I remember a video pinball there, but I'm not sure... I'll check the video I've done.


The thing with the joysticks that I've seen is that they take what they can get. They don't have a lot of money to buy the proper parts for the certain games so they'll put a HAPP stick in a game like Berserk. But I've played it with the new joystick and compared to what was in it before, it's about a million times better because the stick refused to shoot diagonally and go up on some parts. The whole thing is really run by Mr. Lawton, Gary and another tech guy. That's it, three people. The rest of the staff just cleans the place and takes the tokens out of the games. They've been getting rid of a lot of pinball machines because it's a lot for them to take care of.
 
As always, you can check out the videos we did with Gary and from the previous FunSpot tournaments. http://arcadehunters.blip.tv/

If you guys want to plan a trip, try to plan it around the next tournament for 2010. It's always the weekend after Memorial Day here in the States, so figure around the middle of May. But if you want to have the place all to yourselves plan on January-April because while the weather is bad, all the kiddies are in school and they are always open.  Just make sure you go to their website and print out the coupons they have. 20 bucks in tokens plus 50 extra tokens?! You can't beat that.

Welcome back Moon Jump  :-* Glad to see you coming back here from time to time  ;)

You're right! It's awesome to see they plug the games all the the time!!! Even the old ones  :shock: OMG! What a nightmare to maintain most of them up & running! Just thing : not 5, 20, 50, even not 100 but HUNDREDS of games to maintain here!!!! During a conversation with Gary, I explain him how sometime I've to replace the original board, almost impossible to repair/maintain alive/or simply missing... by X in one or Namco Classics Collection... or by a computer. He said they have to do it sometime too  (The Dragon's Lair is running Daphne for example). This place is just heaven! They really deserve support from fans!

Thanks for the link... there is a ride, far better than mine here : http://arcadehunters.blip.tv/file/2740841/  ;)

Now let's wait the exact date for the next tournament... and let's be ready to plan the trip  :P

 :spaceace:

DarthNuno

  • Administrator
  • ArcadeLifeStyler'
  • *****
  • Posts: 11708
  • Singe's castle
    • View Profile
    • Dragon's Lair Fans / Arcade LifeStyle
Re: :: Pilgrimage / Road Trip to the Arcade Mecca : FUNSPOT in USA ::
« Reply #29 on: December 12, 2009, 09:26:39 AM »
Question Bruno: Do you remember seeing a Video Pinball there ? Or an Avalanche ?

Here's the picture  8)  :arrow: