recommendations for waiting room arcade

[dpcal]

Ages ago, I used to be a regular on here. Interests changed and I drifted away from collecting games. It seems a much smaller and quieter group here now. Hi to any of the old regulars still here.

Anyway, I have an old Space Invaders cocktail in my office waiting room that is dying (powers on but sprites are mostly burnt out, etc.).
I'm considering getting a replacement unit (especially since we had to do away with toys). I notice there's a number of cabinets with multiple games built in. I have no idea if these are based on game boards that have multiple games built in or if they are all PC based running emulators. I notice there are some units that are designed to plug into a tv but I think I prefer the look of a stand alone unit. I am considering a stand up unit with 2 player ability. I'd like something easy to use for kids and adults (I don't want staff having to get involved in helping deal with issues or worse for me to have to come out to look at it) so totally joystick operated menu with no need for a keyboard. What kind of price point would be considered reasonable? Are there certain types of units that are preferred? Where are good places to buy these? I would just run the unit free play - its just there to pass the time, not to make money.

Looking on kijiji, I notice there's a company out of Kingston making these and a few others. Any reviews on these?
Thanks in advance for the assistance.

[menace]

It sounds like you are after a 60 in 1 setup--basically turn it on and away it goes. While I have nothing against them, the gamelist is too short for my taste. But for people who are otherwise bored I think it would be a good solution. If you are paying more than $1,000-$1,200 for a 60-in-1 setup, you are paying too much. A 2 player setup is a bit of a waste though since most of the games in the 60-in-1 aren't head to head but will switch from player 1 to player 2. A couple of co-op play

If zero maintenance and monitoring is your goal, then I would avoid the "plays millions of games" type that you see on kijiji since these would be PC based and will invariably suffer a windows crash that you would have to attend to. I've built many of those and while the crashes or hiccups are not all that common, it still happens. The benefit of these types is that there is a YUGE gamelist to select from and will definitely hold peoples interest longer. If you ever think it will move from the waiting room to your basement, I would go this route. And again, $1,500 +/- would be a decent price for a custom built one (using a re-purposed arcade cabinet).

[rockinganker]

The dentists office around the corner from me has exactly what you're thinking about. They purchased an arcade legends cabinet for their waiting room and it's a pretty cool setup.

Like menace mentioned, I would stay away from a 60-in-1 system just because of the lack of selection. I use Pandora's Box boards for people that want a two player option with a little more modern mix of games. These boards work very well and are easy to replace if something happens.

[keller]

PM'd you

[dpcal]

Thanks for the information. The 60 in 1 does seem to offer a bit less than what I'm looking for. Since I'm getting something new, it would be nice to have a stand up with cooperative games like Double Dragon on it. It seems like a good idea to stay away from the computer based ones.

What exactly is a pandora's box board? I see the setups for sale on Amazon. It looks like a ready to go unit with pre-installed games that you would simply hook up to a tv. Or mount inside a cabinet. Are controllers all part of the unit, or can you have pre-existing ones from an old cabinet attached?

[scogon]

Could get those new little wal mart cabs....

[dpcal]

Does anyone in GTA area build pandora's box based upright cabinets? I need one for Orillia and my buddy one for Missisauga. I've found a few who make them in other cities but easier for delivery and possible service if there's someone more local.

[mortron]

dpcal,
are you on the facebook group? jesse builds cabs and does great work from what i've seen. i'd try to reach him.

[dpcal]

the cgcc facebook group? what is jesse's last name?