Armonigann Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Well, finally picked mine up at the local K-mart in the "ghetto" of all places. I've definately noticed the difference in the graphics and clarity of games compared to the Namco version (which I find to be quite blurry, especially compared to this one.) The Taito one seems to almost look "HDish"..The controls seem to be great as well for all games, though I hav'nt played most on the actual arcade. I did notice that the joystick twist turns slightly with a click for some reason, almost as if switching modes?.. I am definately getting my 20 bucks out of this thing as it's pretty awesome all around. Great job, to the ones who developed this one!! The Namco stick "twists" to act like a steering wheel for Pole Position. I'm not talking about the Namco version, I'm talking about the Taito. The stick does a "click" when you twist it, but it does not turn like the Namco version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhd Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Anyone know if/where this is sold in Canada? Can't find it in places like Walmart or Zellers. Sometimes Toys 'R' Us carries these PnP games; otherwise I have only ever seen them for sale (in Canada) at thrift shops. A trip to the nearest American town may well be in order; I've found a decent selection at the Wal-Mart stores in a little border town in Maine. Larger centres would, presumably, have an even better assortment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariLeaf Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Anyone know if/where this is sold in Canada? Can't find it in places like Walmart or Zellers. Sometimes Toys 'R' Us carries these PnP games; otherwise I have only ever seen them for sale (in Canada) at thrift shops. A trip to the nearest American town may well be in order; I've found a decent selection at the Wal-Mart stores in a little border town in Maine. Larger centres would, presumably, have an even better assortment. Thanks, I'll check out the local TRU when I get a chance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onmode-ky Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 I still haven't seen this show up in any of the Target, Wal-Mart, or Toys 'R Us stores around me. Maybe it really is Kmart-exclusive for the time being. I also haven't seen Jakks' Big Buck Safari plug-n-play system (the follow-up to their Big Buck Hunter Pro model from a couple of years ago) anywhere, which is supposed to have been available since late summer. Well, finally picked mine up at the local K-mart in the "ghetto" of all places. I've definately noticed the difference in the graphics and clarity of games compared to the Namco version (which I find to be quite blurry, especially compared to this one.) The Taito one seems to almost look "HDish"..The controls seem to be great as well for all games, though I hav'nt played most on the actual arcade. I did notice that the joystick twist turns slightly with a click for some reason, almost as if switching modes?.. I am definately getting my 20 bucks out of this thing as it's pretty awesome all around. Great job, to the ones who developed this one!! The Namco stick "twists" to act like a steering wheel for Pole Position. I'm not talking about the Namco version, I'm talking about the Taito. The stick does a "click" when you twist it, but it does not turn like the Namco version. I think you two are using different definitions. The ball grip on the Taito stick is fixed and does not rotate like the Namco one does for Pole Position, but when moving the stick itself in a circular motion, like from "up" to "right" to "down" positions, it makes clicking sounds as the underlying switches are engaged and disengaged. It's an 8-way stick (also unlike the Namco one that's in the same form factor), so when moving "up" -> "right" -> "down," you'll hear "up switched on" -> "right switched on" -> "up switched off" -> "down switched on" -> "right switched off." The sounds are just because of the type of contacts they use under the hood. I wish the stickers on the unit had been put elsewhere. In their current positions, they'll likely be worn off by sweat and friction. onmode-ky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Posted November 5, 2011 Author Share Posted November 5, 2011 Well, I went ahead and picked one up today. All in all, it seems all right. Nothing too special.. Really could have used Rastan. The emulation isn't perfect either. Seems to be some faint popping or clicking noises in the sound, and the sound emulation in general is mixed. Bubble Bobble is the most noticeable to me. I think you two are using different definitions. The ball grip on the Taito stick is fixed and does not rotate like the Namco one does for Pole Position, but when moving the stick itself in a circular motion, like from "up" to "right" to "down" positions, it makes clicking sounds as the underlying switches are engaged and disengaged. No, he is right. You can twist the stick and it will click once. I don't know if this has a purpose in any of the games, or if it's a manufacturing error. It's not a smooth rotation like on the Namco sticks, but it definitely turns and clicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armonigann Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 ^ this. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onmode-ky Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 Oh, I see now. When I tried turning mine on the day I got it, I tried to rotate it clockwise. It didn't move. I've discovered that if I try counterclockwise, it does move a bit and click into place. I have no idea what that is for, either. I thought for a moment maybe that was how the ball grip was installed, but you can't pull it off after (or before) turning it. What's different about Bubble Bobble's sound? onmode-ky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Posted November 9, 2011 Author Share Posted November 9, 2011 What's different about Bubble Bobble's sound? The instrumentation is quite a bit off. Sounds noticeably different. All I can suggest is play the Taito stick version, then watch a video on YouTube of the arcade game, or play it in MAME or via one of the other Taito home compilations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onmode-ky Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 If anyone has been searching in vain for this system, I've recently seen it stocked at my local Toys 'R Us. It appears its distribution is opening up beyond just Kmart. Still haven't seen it at any Wal-Mart or Target in my area, though. onmode-ky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brojamfootball Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I just saw it in Southern Califorrnia at a Walmart a week or two ago. It hadn't been there before that, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the.golden.ax Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I'd like a youtube of this. Considering putting it in a cabinet that has no monitor. It would be hooked up to a regular CRT TV and the controls hooked up to the control panel. AX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-topdog Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 The Radica one was fun... I'll have to pick this one up and give it a go too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armonigann Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 This one is really a good one. I actually bought two and put one on Ebay and no bites or lookers what-so-ever. So, now I have one to play and the other boxed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raygunn Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 It's good to see these are being manufactured better- the joystick and buttons look durable. And knowing Code Mystics is involved is a great sign- The Atari Greatest Hits 1 & 2 DS carts are nothing short of amazing. But whats up with these late 80's conversion kit fodder? Tube It? Chack'n Pop? Fairyland Story? Puzznic? I could of put 4 better games on there- Howsabout..... Front Line! Elevator Action! Tin Star! ZOO KEEPER!!!!!!!! And they could have handled the paddle control for Front Line and Tin Star with the rotating stick the had on the Ms. Pac stick they did about 9 years ago. Birdie King seems like an odd choice since it was a trackball game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro Rogue Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I'm amused that the back of the box misspells "Bubble Bobble" as "Bubble Bubble." Actually it doesn't misspell it. The US release was indeed Bubble Bobble - http://flyers.arcade...videodb&id=4038 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 I'm amused that the back of the box misspells "Bubble Bobble" as "Bubble Bubble." Actually it doesn't misspell it. The US release was indeed Bubble Bobble - http://flyers.arcade...videodb&id=4038 Right, he meant that the back of the box reads "Bubble Bubble" when it's supposed to be "Bubble Bobble". There seems to be a misprint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the.golden.ax Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 They don't have them at my Walmart. Someone that has this, make a video please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armonigann Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I wish they sold your NES 7800 controllers at Walmart! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 They don't have them at my Walmart. Someone that has this, make a video please? I might be able to do a video of it. Let me think about it over the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asaki Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Right, he meant that the back of the box reads "Bubble Bubble" when it's supposed to be "Bubble Bobble". There seems to be a misprint. It also says "timed warped". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro Rogue Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I'm amused that the back of the box misspells "Bubble Bobble" as "Bubble Bubble." Actually it doesn't misspell it. The US release was indeed Bubble Bobble - http://flyers.arcade...videodb&id=4038 Right, he meant that the back of the box reads "Bubble Bubble" when it's supposed to be "Bubble Bobble". There seems to be a misprint. My mistake, read it as the opposite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 I uploaded a review of the unit for anyone curious. Backing music courteous of AtariAge's own TheGoldenBand! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bomberpunk Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 nice video. i have an older version of the stick with 4 games. i keep it in the garage hooked up to a small tv. it's great for laundry time, yardwork time, and get-away-from-the-nagging-wife time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the.golden.ax Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I don't think the Bubble Bubble name was a mistake. Since it is one player, there is no Bobby, only Bubby. AX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keilbaca Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 8 way stick? That's kind of a turn off for me. The only reason why I would get this now is to add it to a mini arcade machine I want to build, using the Atari 2600 dual paddle Jakk's Pacific and the Namco Museum 12 game version. It would be nicely built with the joystick in the center, with two paddle controllers on either side to give the two people plenty of room for Warlords. I'd also tap a paddle controller into the Namco stick for Pole Position. The Namco stick I have came with an 8 way (even though they're supposed to be 4 way), and it makes games like Pac-Man unplayable. I would mainly get it to play Qix, which is also a 4 way game. The arcade I planned on building would have a switchable stick for Bosconian and a few others, so this would work great for that. TL;DR if I can find one in the store, I'll get one, but I won't be heartbroken if I can't find one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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