28 replies to this topic

[Chopaholic]

I've finally persuaded the missus to let me have a games room in the house, and by games room, I mean as many fruit machines as I can squeeze into a decent sized single bedroom (I reckon seven or eight will go in there).

So what fruities would be a good choice for your own home? I've been having at think about my criteria.

1) Nothing that's already emulated, for obvious reasons. Whilst it would be nice have certain machines 'in the flesh' (for example machines that had dimmed lights and 'flashers' such as Sheik Your Money and Roller Coaster), there's no getting around the the fact that I'll have ragged the arse out of them on the emulator and already be pretty bored with them, however much prettier they might look for real.

2) No club machines, I've never much liked and/or played them for real, and they've never done much for me emulated either.

3) No S16/B3 machines. Oooohhhhh, press start a million times and see what happens, fascinating. Spa's videos on his YouTube channel and also buddylove's have shown me all I need to know about these things

4) No lo-techs. Boooooring for real, boooooring emulated, don't want one in the house.

So where does that leave us?

Basically unemulated hi-tech AWPs, which means later MPU5, Epoch, later Scorpion4 and all Scorpion5 machines, and maybe a couple of other minor techs.

Out of those:

1) No Empires. Sorry guys, your machines are just too random and $&%#y to be any real fun.

2) No Bellfruits. I've played a fair amount of £35/£70 BFMs in the wild and if it's not a DOND machine, it's a clone of a DOND machine, and they're all the same, force for the mega, hope for the best, and scrimp up what afters you can. Odd steal here and there but not much to them.

3) Barcrest. Not sure really, don't see many of them around these days but they do seem to have a reasonable amount of playability to them.

4) Mazooma/QPS/others - open to suggestions.

5) All those 'Games Media' and other random companies, that did the likes of Warped and Poker Face and Billy The Quid, you know the ones. For real I only ever forced out the top and hoped for the big one (I had a Poker Face round here that was a dependable £140 when red), but is there anything more to them than that?

6) An Epoch. Maygay, Global and particularly Impulse knocked out some decent machines on this tech, but I'm not sure how hard it'd be to get hold of one. A Spin On It or Gridrunner would be nice I think.

7) Red. Now this would be my preferred option, never been emulated, have their own unique code and play style, fast, exciting, brutal. Also tend to have really funky sounds and music.

Finally in terms of jackpot, I guess my options are from £25 up to £70, I suspect £70 JP machines are still pretty expensive though?

I know a few folks on here have their own fruities, any recommendations where to buy from, how much to pay, what to expect in terms of maintenance and that sort of thing?

Cheers!

Edited by Chopaholic, 09 October 2010 - 05:24 PM.

[fuzion]

The trouble with fruit machines at home is you will get bored after a couple of months. I've had maybe 10 machine in the past and after a while they lose their appeal. Maybe if I had space for a decent selection of about 15 then it would be better. I'd go for some old skool JPM skill based AWP goodness, trouble is you probably no them too well. If I had a little more money right now I would buy a touchscreen barcrest unit and get the other games for it to give you a good selection, maybe a decent Red machine.

J

[Darienne]

Also if like you mention you are having around 8 machines in a bedroom (which I presume will be upstairs) --- Make sure your floorboard/beams will take the weight, or you might find them falling through the floor to downstairs and wrecking the house totally

[Johnnyafc]

Be nice and warm

[niallquinn]

Alex, get a Labyrinth/Sphinx/Pyramid, on 20p/6quid setting, instead of the current 70quid shite.

Sorted.

BF.

[ploggy]

Here are a few that are on EBAY at the moment:

Big Banker (JPM) http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item2c57c4d41d

Vortex (Red Gaming) http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item588a2c6df5

Indiana Jones (Red Gaming) http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item5884613281

Public Enemey (BFM - S4 Version) http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item27b59168a9

[niallquinn]

Think there's two PEN1's available for free, Simon from the FF group buy, and Gary...........



Or maybe not.

BF.

[Guitar]

Alex, get a Labyrinth/Sphinx/Pyramid, on 20p/6quid setting, instead of the current 70quid shite.

Sorted.

BF.

Agree 100% (if you can find one)

[kdservices]

Agree 100% (if you can find one)

yes give your left arm if need be!

Kds

[Guitar]

Also any Project Coin Hi-Techs, Cool Million, Theme Park, L of a day, etc.

[CrAzYbAr]

Good machine. Definitely get one of them.
As for the subject of Reds, I'll let you know when I want to sell mine(Lucky Devil, £35 Jackpot) However, I do live down South London and can't drive, so you'd have to come to mine. And if you don't live near me then it might be difficult

[stanmarsh14]

Thing is, don't over look the old stuff, as 1/2 the fun is keeping them running, servicing, bit like a classic car.

Got a Barcrest Action Note (£4JP / 10p), and Action Bank v2 (Currently on £8JP / 20p) roll-top style cab, that I am looking to get rid of soon.

Action Note is 100%, Action Bank selling as spares, though game wise, works 100%, it's just cosmetic damage to the top glass + new locks, as it will lend itself well as a donor cab for any roll-top type cab game..... all you need is the glass, and games cart.

I've just taken on a BFM Cross Over (Sister to Cats Cradle / Zig-Zag) electro-mechanical, and a Carfield Super Frenzy, with a hybrid electro-mechanical and electronic control set up, just needs some white paint sorting on the top glass..... Both need cosmetic care, but other than that, 100% work, and last of all a JPM Drop The Lot (£4 / 10p), with an 80p lamp fault (Poss diode fault, which is gonna be a chunt to trace).

They have taught me loads about component level repair (Just repaired my first MPU4 battery damaged board, and sorted it second time round), and many other interesting bits.

What would make me cream my pants is, if I managed to get a..... Project Rags To Riches (£4.80 / 20p best of the lot), DEAD OR ALIVE, pref alive

Edited by stanmarsh14, 10 October 2010 - 01:21 AM.

[bruciebaby25]

You said that you wouldn't consider club machines, but i have had loads and always find the club ones you don't get board of so quick as you want to win the jackpot, and you have some classics like psycho cash beast, public enemy no1, casino crazy all great machines with great game play!!!! and cops and robbers of course!!!

Edited by bruciebaby25, 10 October 2010 - 04:58 PM.

[Pook]

JINE

[Starleisure]

Just to add, if you want reliability then MP5 is very stable imo.

Every other tech has issues that can ofc be fixed but its nice when you dont have to.

[Chopaholic]

Thanks for all the suggestions, not going to rush into anything just yet, given the logistics of getting fruities to the IOM I'm looking to either buy a job-lot from one seller, or maybe put upon my dad to store them at his until he can bring them over en masse.

Bringing them over one at a time would be horrendously expensive, even if I could find someone to bring the bastard things here in the first place.

Overall I'm definitely leaning towards more modern machines, although that said I'd give my left bollock for an early 90s Electrocoin hi-tech, especially the handful they did that had proper samples. (Pennies From Heaven I think one of them was called?)

The floor of the room should be OK to take the weight as it's a good solid Victorian house, none of your balsa wood new build stuff.

I don't much fancy the looking after/maintenance aspect that can come with older machines either, having two pinballs for a while was enough on that score

I'll keep an eye on eBay, and see if I can butter up my dad to be my UK collection and distribution agent

[stanmarsh14]

Thanks for all the suggestions, not going to rush into anything just yet, given the logistics of getting fruities to the IOM I'm looking to either buy a job-lot from one seller, or maybe put upon my dad to store them at his until he can bring them over en masse.

Bringing them over one at a time would be horrendously expensive, even if I could find someone to bring the bastard things here in the first place.

Overall I'm definitely leaning towards more modern machines, although that said I'd give my left bollock for an early 90s Electrocoin hi-tech, especially the handful they did that had proper samples. (Pennies From Heaven I think one of them was called?)

The floor of the room should be OK to take the weight as it's a good solid Victorian house, none of your balsa wood new build stuff.

I don't much fancy the looking after/maintenance aspect that can come with older machines either, having two pinballs for a while was enough on that score

I'll keep an eye on eBay, and see if I can butter up my dad to be my UK collection and distribution agent

Get yah arse over to the old farts home, aka The Mecca, and get talking with JPMstu (http://www.fruitemu....ser/514-jpmstu/), being as he's in Atherton, and maybe he will be able to suggest a few good places to get what you are looking for, that and he's a class bloke, with one fantastic looking daughter, so if you ever go to his place, and visit his machine home, The Tardis, try not to drool too much (Yes, bastard called me out, and warned his daughter to cover up, before myself, John-Disco, and missus arrived, as I am the biggest perv on the forums..... bastard )

One other thing, do not under estimate the load bearing weight when it comes to wooden floors, as even the old well built ones, can sag and break if you do not watch out, also knowing the average machine weighs in at around 110KG's, so i'd probs would not want to go more than 4 / 5 tops, before checking the floor, as the guys at The Mecca will tell you.

Me, I'm lucky being in a housing association flat with a concrete floor, so it can pretty much take anything, but it's a bitch making two flights of stairs, and dealing with something like a JPM Impact one clubber, in the Vouge cab, also knowing the b'stard weighed in @ 125 KG's!

EDIT..... Interesting, think this is him here at FE too: http://www.fruit-emu...r/12084-jpmstu/

Edited by stanmarsh14, 11 October 2010 - 08:15 PM.

[nails]

i think its all down to personal preference. one mans dream is another mans nightmare. i cannot see the point in buying a machine that you can jackpot every 5 minutes and access all its features in one sitting. thats why club machines are designed to build up over a long period of time (club cops is a classic example) yet something like club psycho cash beast `could` be force once in each session.

and my personal old favorites?

razzle dazzle/strike a light/fortune numbers
andy capp 20p £6
project coing 777 heaven clones
club cops and robbers series

new stuff
---------
cashino 500
mega bars (ive no idea why i like it, even though im looking for that large pause for a big win to roll in)
any pre-chipped vivid machine piefactory/reelemin

[spa]

Owning different fruit machines is great. I moved into my house in 2005 and have owned these so far. The long term, better machines i'll mark with a *

Astra - Big Ten
Astra - Celebration
Astra - Triple Bell - Still got, lifer!
Barcrest - Spiker The Biker
Barcrest - Golden Dragon*
Barcrest - Cash Attack
Barcrest - Dosh & Pecks
Barcrest - Holy Grail
Bwb - Sunset Boulevard*
Bwb - Red Hot Poker*
Bwb - Viva Espana
Bwb - Magic Carpet
Cms - 8 Liner
Cool Games - Billy The Quid*
Electrocoin - Pyramid* only on a decent stake, unlike my 5p/£8
Extreme - Double Dragon
Global - Who Wants To Be A Millionhare*
Global - Gridrunner
Global - Hi Spirits*
Impulse - Funny Money - SO CRAP!
Impulse - Hurricane
Jpm - Eachway Nugger - Still got, awesome!
Jpm - Snakes & Ladders
Maygay - Italian Job 2 - AVOID
Maygay - Italian Job 3
Mdm - Safe Cracker - Still got, broken
Project Coin - Wild Cash - AVOID, SEE LINK! and you wonder why these machine are 90% crap!
Qps - Bankety Bank
Red Gaming - Stack Attack
Red Gaming - On A Roll* - You can never get bored of 50p megas spins. Buddylove came round and had a crack on it
Red Gaming - Rampage
Reflex - Fortune 500

I would go for a couple of £25 Globals, the Hi Spirits is great. This a WWTBAMH lasted ages. Hi Spirits I had for about 3 years! Longest serving machine yet. Gone now mind Would love to find either of these in a pub or arcade. Could rip them to bits

With £70 jackpot machines getting cheaper and cheaper I would go for a couple of those. Maybe a £70 red and maybe a earlier £70 barcrest like going ape.

7/8 machines is alot of weight. The floor is concrete yes? 8 would be a round ton. I had 8 in my upstairs games room. Double joists installed when I built the extension, also built a supporting wall underneath. That bastard ain't going anywhere. Have moved the games room into the garage since though, to much lugging up and down the stairs. Got pretty good at moving them in the end, could get a machine down the stairs by myself in the end!

[cardie]

Owning different fruit machines is great. I moved into my house in 2005 and have owned these so far. The long term, better machines i'll mark with a *

Astra - Big Ten
Astra - Celebration
Astra - Triple Bell - Still got, lifer!
Barcrest - Spiker The Biker
Barcrest - Golden Dragon*
Barcrest - Cash Attack
Barcrest - Dosh & Pecks
Barcrest - Holy Grail
Bwb - Sunset Boulevard*
Bwb - Red Hot Poker*
Bwb - Viva Espana
Bwb - Magic Carpet
Cms - 8 Liner
Cool Games - Billy The Quid*
Electrocoin - Pyramid* only on a decent stake, unlike my 5p/£8
Extreme - Double Dragon
Global - Who Wants To Be A Millionhare*
Global - Gridrunner
Global - Hi Spirits*
Impulse - Funny Money - SO CRAP!
Impulse - Hurricane
Jpm - Eachway Nugger - Still got, awesome!
Jpm - Snakes & Ladders
Maygay - Italian Job 2 - AVOID
Maygay - Italian Job 3
Mdm - Safe Cracker - Still got, broken
Project Coin - Wild Cash - AVOID, SEE LINK! and you wonder why these machine are 90% crap!
Qps - Bankety Bank
Red Gaming - Stack Attack
Red Gaming - On A Roll* - You can never get bored of 50p megas spins. Buddylove came round and had a crack on it
Red Gaming - Rampage
Reflex - Fortune 500

I would go for a couple of £25 Globals, the Hi Spirits is great. This a WWTBAMH lasted ages. Hi Spirits I had for about 3 years! Longest serving machine yet. Gone now mind Would love to find either of these in a pub or arcade. Could rip them to bits

With £70 jackpot machines getting cheaper and cheaper I would go for a couple of those. Maybe a £70 red and maybe a earlier £70 barcrest like going ape.

7/8 machines is alot of weight. The floor is concrete yes? 8 would be a round ton. I had 8 in my upstairs games room. Double joists installed when I built the extension, also built a supporting wall underneath. That bastard ain't going anywhere. Have moved the games room into the garage since though, to much lugging up and down the stairs. Got pretty good at moving them in the end, could get a machine down the stairs by myself in the end!

Jealous! Im trying to sell my third machine now, wish I could have a few at once. Get some more vids on youtube! You havent got awards for nothing you know