arcade-cabinet
Latest
Engadget goes eyes-on with Tobii EyeAsteroids 3D
While we're busy hounding developers at GDC this week, our sister site Engadget have been over in Germany, rocking the annual CeBIT tech conference. Usually this wouldn't be relevant information to you, dear reader -- we bring this up because Engadget produced a pretty nice video looking at EyeAsteroids.It's, uh, Asteroids you play with your eyes, in case you haven't been paying attention.
EyeAsteroids is an arcade cabinet you play with your eyes
EyeAsteroids, an Asteroids clone and frustratingly missed pun opportunity, is an arcade game from Tobii Technology that uses the company's proprietary eye-tracking solutions to recognize where you are looking on the screen, without the use of any other human interfaces. By bouncing invisible infrared lights off of the player's corneas and then monitoring the changes in the reflections generated, the arcade cabinate can extrapolate the eyes' position in 3D space and determine the angle of their gaze."In other words, the eye tracker works much like you would if you face another person and estimate at what they are looking just by observing their eyes," according to Tobii Technology's layman-friendly website. Fifty EyeAsteroid cabinets have been produced at $15,000 a pop, which is roughly the cost of one and a half Street Fighter 4 head-to-head vs. cabinets. If you happen to live in jolly ol' London Towne, an EyeAsteroid cab will be on display at the Trocadero until February 17.
Mini Space Invaders arcade cabinet big on nostalgia, small in size
Always wanted an 80's arcade cabinet for your living room, but the square footage in your studio apartment won't cooperate with your gaming plans? Well, a master mini craftsman has created a seven-inch replica of Space Invaders that can fit on your desktop, coffee table, or bedside stand. It was cobbled together using the guts of a Game Boy Advance, some lilliputian controls, and a custom cabinet coated in shrunken decals that's made of medium density fiberboard. Best of all, thanks to those Nintendo internals, there's an entire arcade's worth of games at your tiny fingertips. Between this and its diminutive Donkey Kong cousin, perhaps mini arcade cabinets are the future of gaming. Video of the little gem in action is after the break.
Insane Mortal Kombat Kabinet shows us what could have been
Save for die-hard enthusiast institutions scattered across the country, North America's casual-arcade scene has all but disappeared. Thankfully, this sad reality hasn't stopped hobbyists from showing us the world that could have been, by creating their own what-if dream machines. Hot on the heels of last week's custom Mortal Kombat 3 Ultimate Edition cabinet comes BadBoyBill's truly stunning kabinet for this year's Mortal Kombat. While last week's (still quite impressive) MK3U cab was an upgraded unit from a bygone era, BBB's creation is an entirely custom-built labor of love, featuring a 42-inch screen and a 10-inch subwoofer. Hit the source link for all the nitty-gritty build details, as well as photos of the unit under construction. [Thanks, Dazzaz!]
DIY Virtual Boy arcade cabinet costs only a headache to play
As you may have noticed, we have a bit of a soft spot for Nintendo's other 3D device, the Virtual Boy -- despite its many, many flaws. So, it seems, does DIYer Tighe Lory, who liked the oddball console so much that he built an full-size arcade cabinet for it. As you can see above, that comes complete with some custom joysticks that replace the Virtual Boy's controller, along with a sliding mechanism that lets you adjust the Virtual Boy itself to just the right height instead of forcing you to hunch over a table. It even has some buttons on each side specifically for Galactic Pinball, and some other authentic arcade touches like a Nintendo serial plate and a backlit marquee. Head on past the break for Tighe's grand tour on video.
Ion iCade Arcade Cabinet review
The iCade Arcade Cabinet began as an April Fool's joke in 2010, but this golden unicorn of iPad accessories has actually made it to production, showing up at our door last week. iCade creator ThinkGeek partnered with Ion to make this former imaginary gadget a reality, and so far it appears to be a hit, backordered for weeks soon after hitting the online store in April. The $100 cabinet pairs with your iPad or iPad 2 over bluetooth, bringing familiar hardware arcade controls to the Atari's Greatest Hits app, which includes classics like Missile Command (free), and Pong, which you can download from within the free Atari app for $1. The iCade is an awesome addition to your gaming collection, but it won't replace the hours of coin-dropping at your local arcade. Read on to find out why this accessory may become a permanent fixture on our desk. %Gallery-124649%
World's smallest Donkey Kong cabinet delivers authentic arcade experience for tiny fingers (video)
This, friends, is a work of art. Above is a stunning, fully-functional recreation of the original Donkey Kong arcade cabinet -- and it's only 8.25 inches tall. The accomplished modder Bender posted his handiwork on the Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum and it's sure to wow even the most cynical of folks. At the heart of this build is a hacked up GamePark GP2X Wiz running MAME, but it's the attention to detail, including the printed vinyl decals and light-up marquee, that really pull this (supposedly world's smallest) 1/8 scale project together. Check out the gallery below and the pair of lengthy demo videos after the break. En garde Mr. Heck! %Gallery-122811% [Thanks, Brian]
iCade arcade cabinet for iPad starts selling at $100, already on backorder
Humans, they just love mixing the old with the new. To wit, the iCade gaming cabinet for the iPad, an April Fools' joke that was just a fun idea this time last year, has gone and turned very real, replete with FCC certification and now a pre-order page. The Bluetooth-communicating iPad enclosure seems to have originally been on sale for immediate delivery, but ThinkGeek has burned through its first shipment of units faster than you can say "Atari's Greatest Hits." The second batch of $100 iCades is expected by May 20th at the very latest, although orders are being taken only from the US for now. The rest of the world needn't despair, however -- we hear building one of your own is a pleasurable and rewarding experience.
iCade hits FCC, gets torn asunder
The Ion iCade, our favorite April Fools' joke turned actual product, has just passed through the FCC and moved one step closer to retail reality. The arcade cabinet for your iPad had all its Bluetoothy bits laid bare and even brought along its user manual, in case you're the type who bothers to read those sordid things. There aren't too many surprises here except, perhaps, the inclusion of an Ikea-esque hex key -- some assembly required. With the green light from the feds, though, that means the iCade is right on schedule for its May 31st release. If you want to ensure you nab one of the first batch, you can pre-order it now for $99 from either GameStop or ThinkGeek. And, while you wait for the blissful marriage of Atari's Greatest Hits and Bluetooth joystick, you can peep the pics in the gallery after the break.
UK Mortal Kombat tourney has a sweet arcade-size grand prize
The latest Mortal Kombat may be for consoles only, but that hasn't kept its publisher, Warner Bros. Interactive, from creating an arcade cabinet for the game ... which can only be had if you're the UK's best at MK. WBIE is teaming with GAME and GameStation to hold a tournament that runs from March 14 through April 11, culminating in a final round at the Gadget Show Live in Birmingham. The winner will take lug home the custom coin-op cabinet, which houses a PS3, meaning it can technically be used to play Super Street Fighter IV, the upcoming Tekken Tag Tournament 2, or any number of fighters on the platform. The cabinet's artwork depicts Scorpion on one side and Sub-Zero on the other -- and looks pretty amazing, if you ask us. Check it out for yourself in high-res via the gallery below.%Gallery-118808%
Nanocade kit now on sale in the USA, somewhat less pricy at $229
If you asked us to drop $350 for 23 pieces of laser-cut plastic, we'd probably shoo you away, but it's hard to resist the incredible charm of the Nanocade. Besides, designer Rasmus Sorensen's actually selling the miniature arcade cabinet parts for just $229 right now, which makes the decision to finally build your own MAME machine a wee bit more affordable. You'll still need to supply all the internals yourself, including buttons, an arcade stick, a monitor and glue, and even should you succeed, good luck prying guests away from your new coffee table conversation piece. Find the basic kit in your choice of Midnight Black or Arctic White at our source link. Note: It's a bit of a bummer, but the Nanocade website says that handsome curved control panel displayed above actually isn't part of the initial kit -- it comes with a pair of flat pieces that meet at a (seemingly) wrist-chafing angle instead.
The Gamerator: An arcade cabinet with a built-in tap and refrigerator
What's better than having absolute, unrestricted access to two of life's greatest pleasures? We'll tell you: When both of those pleasures are combined into a single, brilliant machine. The Custom Bar Guys have created just such a mash-up with The Gamerator: An arcade cabinet that contains a refrigerated chamber, in which you can store a pony keg of your favorite beer. You can hook said keg up to a built-in tap, and enjoy a frosty beverage while playing one of the machine's 100 emulated arcade classics. We guess you could enjoy several beverages, though after a while, that's going to throw off your Sinistar game. It will run you $3,500, which is a substantial sum of money. However, we're talking about an arcade cabinet with cupholders and a built-in tap, upon which you can actually play Root Beer Tapper. We dare you to find a better way to spend three-and-a-half Gs.
Nanocade turns your netbook into a lap-friendly arcade cabinet
We'd all like our own personal arcade like Flynn's, but sadly personal finances and a lack of square footage can make that a challenge. The Nanocade is much more affordable and, conveniently, much smaller too. It's a kit from designer Rasmus Sorensen that enables you to turn a netbook or mini-ITX motherboard and 10.1-inch display into a wee MAME cabinet. If you have such a donor machine when this kit starts shipping in March all you'll need is a little adhesive and technical know-how to make your own. Oh, and $349 plus shipping. %Gallery-115399%
Ion iCade hands-on: gaming on the iPad like it's 1979 (video)
You may recall ThinkGeek's pretty convincing April Fools' prank last year: the iCade cabinet for the iPad. Now, thanks to the keen beans at Ion, the two companies held hands and turned this totally rad concept into reality (although they're definitely not the first). Come late spring, retro gaming enthusiasts will be able to pick up one of these well-built Bluetooth joystick kits for $99 direct from Ion, and eventually they'll make it across the pond for about €99 and £79. Don't worry, there'll be plenty of classic games available to suit the iCase courtesy of Atari, who's already got Asteroids working beautifully on the iPad (and it's actually a lot harder than it looks); any iOS game that takes a Bluetooth input peripheral should also play nice with the iCade. Hands-on video after the break. %Gallery-113155%
Freekade, the iPad arcade cabinet, goes up for auction (video)
What's the date today, middle of August? Great, so we can now say with scientific certainty that it takes four and a half months to bring an excellent April Fools' idea to market. That's the total gap in time between the unveiling of the jokey iCade by the writers at ThinkGeek and the "for auction" sign going up on the Freekade arcade cabinet. This nostalgia-infused iPad accessory has now added a veneer of style to its retro control scheme, with "walnut effect" sides and a matte black finish. It interfaces with your slate via Bluetooth and (provided you've danced the jailbreaking jig) will play along with NES, SNES and PSX emulators obtainable from the Cydia store. You'll find its latest demo video after the break and can track the auction's progress at the source link below.
German designer brings Wipeout racing game to life, burns up cardboard tracks with an R/C car (video)
The intersection of video games and real life is a fantastic place to play, as evidenced by Roombas, Halo and the occasional six-string guitar, but all you really need to blur reality is a webcam, an R/C car and a studio filled with cardboard. That's what Malte Jehmlich and company used to create this rendition of Wipeout, which moves practically as fast as the PlayStation original due to the blinding scale speed of its 1/28 model cars. It's all controlled by an arcade racing cabinet complete with steering wheel and on-screen display wirelessly connected to an Arduino board. Originally a two-month hobby project, the designers are presently working towards an advanced version with force feedback and powerups (including boost!) using sensors built right into the track -- and hopefully a forklift to lug all that corrugated wood pulp around. See it in action after the break.
Pinel & Pinel's 80's arcade cabinet fits squarely into the future
Pinel & Pinel -- it's been awhile, hasn't it? The design boutique has just kicked things back into high gear with an all-new creation inspired by the era of wooden TVs, Bono's mullet and the original Engadget BBS. The 80's Trunk, a swank new arcade cabinet, is easily one of the most astounding creations we've ever seen, and there's no question that your basement is yearning for one as we speak. Unlike conventional cabinets, this one's equipped with an emulation system that houses 60 unforgettable titles (Pac-Man, Space Invaders and 1924, just to name a few), and there's also a plethora of color options to choose from. You're also looking at a 1080p LCD, enough amplification to wake the neighbors with bleeps and bloops and an iPod / iPhone docking station if you prefer your own background noise. Mum's the word on a price, but it'll probably come down to choosing between this and your first born's college education. You know what to do.
iPad arcade cabinet brings April Fools' joke to life (video)
Nope, this isn't the first iPad mod you'll have seen, but it's likely to be the biggest crowd pleaser yet. Inspired by the iCade cabinet -- an April Fools' joke that had most of us asking where we could buy one -- this really real arcade cabinet integrates Apple's slate, hooks it up to a set of old school controls, and lets users go to town with such old timer classics as Mr. Do! It's still in prototype form, hence the boxy exterior, but the action on screen is looking as good as you'd expect. See it on video after the break.
Ferrari-styled OutRun arcade machine set for crazy scooter transformation? (video)
If you're a child of the '80s and a gamer to boot you surely remember OutRun, the game that rocked a generation with only some parallax effects and pixelated blonde hair -- though the giant arcade cabinet with gold wheels certainly didn't hurt. Now "contemporary artist" Garnet Hertz (creator of the twitching, crunchy frog server) is proposing to give that very cabinet a new lease on life, and a motorized one at that. Hertz wants to take an arcade machine and merge it with an EVT America Electric Trike, making those stylized five-spoke rims actually move. But that's only half of it. He plans to power the display with an iPhone 3GS and use it to render a sort of halcyon 16-bit view of the world ahead, with every road a 64-color dream lined with palm trees. A recent video showing off some of the tech is embedded below, and while we think this is about as likely to turn a wheel as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cabinet is to travel in time, we'll certainly be first in line with four quarters if it ever does.
Arcade cabinet used to smuggle pot, DEA nabs 'High Score'
Police have arrested 24-year-old Las Vegas resident Kevin Dixon with unlawful trafficking and possession of cannabis after authorities discovered 172 pounds of the substance hidden inside an arcade cabinet. According to the Daily Herald, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had been investigating possible drug activity between Arizona and Nevada, which eventually led to the interception of the arcade unit by DEA agents and the Palatine Police Department.Over $170,000 worth of the "Sticky Icky" was recovered in the bust, landing Dixon (whose mugshot is poorly 'shopped above) in a Cook County courthouse, where bail was set at $250,000. Dixon's motives are unclear, but we're sure some anti-video game activist will let us know exactly which game is to blame for the crime sometime in the near future.[Thanks, Don]
