crc_73 Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 I have a front plexi for a game named "Space Pirate", Cinematronics 1980, but have been unable to find any info on it anywhere. The plexi is very similar in design to the one for "Rip Off", except that it says "Space Pirate" instead, and the game instructions are tighter to the right-hand side of the plexi. http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter...r=&game_id=9326 It's difficult to say from the picture up there, but it looks similar with the two vertical yellow bands which should have sketches of the opposing ships and their point value on them. Also, the instructions printed on the plexi concur with the gameplay of Rip Off in MAME. I suspect that the game is probably the same as Rip Off. Is this something that may have been bootlegged for use in Europe (where it was found)? Or is it possible that it's an official product? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 I suspect that the game is probably the same as Rip Off. I suspect that you are correct. You should submit a picture of the plexi that you have to KLOV to let them know that this variation (be it official or otherwise) exists. -S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost Monkey Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Is this it? http://www.arcadeflyers.com/?page=flyerdb&...id=3968&image=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crc_73 Posted February 10, 2005 Author Share Posted February 10, 2005 Is this it?http://www.arcadeflyers.com/?page=flyerdb&subpage=flyer&id=3968&image=1 No, it's nothing like that. It's almost identical to the Rip Off one at KLOV, except that it says "Space Pirate" instead if "Rip Off", and is more centrally placed on the plexi, with the game instructions pushed over and squashed to the right hand side, running further down than the ones on the "Rip Off" plexi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost Monkey Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Aah.. I didn't notice it was all one piece at first... Hmmm... Maybe the one in the link I posted was only for the Italian market.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crc_73 Posted February 10, 2005 Author Share Posted February 10, 2005 Aah.. I didn't notice it was all one piece at first... Hmmm... Maybe the one in the link I posted was only for the Italian market.. Maybe. Did Zaccaria distribute stuff in Europe for manufacturers from the US or Japan? This plexi definitely has Cineamatronics, 1980 on it though. Could it still be a bootleg, if it has this on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crc_73 Posted February 10, 2005 Author Share Posted February 10, 2005 This plexi definitely has Cineamatronics, 1980 on it though. Could it still be a bootleg, if it has this on it? Sorry, "Cinematronics, 1980". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost Monkey Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 I saw a Zaccaria Frogger on another page.. but I wouldn't know if it was official or bootleg.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Is this it?http://www.arcadeflyers.com/?page=flyerdb&subpage=flyer&id=3968&image=1 Awesome sideart on that cab. -S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crc_73 Posted February 11, 2005 Author Share Posted February 11, 2005 Here are a couple of pics - camera used didn't have a flash, so they're not great, but should illustrate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crc_73 Posted February 11, 2005 Author Share Posted February 11, 2005 Apologies Forgot to resize the copyright one - I hate skewing the page - maybe a mod can resize it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NovaXpress Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 This is my kind of pointless trivia quest. Any way of seeing a screenshot of that Zaccharia machine? The button layout is suitable for 2-player RipOff. But Cinematronics definitely developed Rip Off in house. I think this Cinematronics machine has to be a playtesting version of RipOff under a different name, like ther names of so many other games (QBert, KickMan) were. I love all the Cinematronics games and there's no way that description fits anything other than RipOff. Maybe the name was changed to avoid conflict with the Zaccharia machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crc_73 Posted February 11, 2005 Author Share Posted February 11, 2005 Is it possible that the name was changed for the UK and Ireland (where it was found) markets? Maybe Cinematronics thought that the name Rip Off wouldn't strike a chord over here, being a strongly American term, and though that the idea of pirates flying around in space would provide a better backdrop. I dunno.... just speculating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crc_73 Posted February 11, 2005 Author Share Posted February 11, 2005 This is my kind of pointless trivia quest. Any way of seeing a screenshot of that Zaccharia machine? The button layout is suitable for 2-player RipOff. But Cinematronics definitely developed Rip Off in house. This page has a reference of Space Pirates (from Zaccaria) as being a clone of Rip Off. Doesn't say whether they were official or bootlegs. No pictures either unfortunately. http://www.tilt.it/deb/i-zaccaria.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NovaXpress Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 That makes sense, like I said that cab looks like it could play RipOff. Maybe Cinematronics thought that the name Rip Off wouldn't strike a chord over here, being a strongly American term That makes a lot of sense as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 I agree with the theory that it may have been given another name for the UK market. Must be a pretty rare variation if KLOV has no reference to it. In any case I still think you should send those pics along to them if you haven't already. -S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crc_73 Posted February 11, 2005 Author Share Posted February 11, 2005 Well, I'm guessing the plexi with the name change was probably the only difference between it and Rip Off - the innards and the rest of the cabinet were probably the same. I think it was rare to have side art or control panels with game names back then, so it wouldn't have been a big issue to make the name change. I'd be interested to discover if the instructions for Rip Off are the same as on the plexi I have, meaning if they refer to the enemy as "pirates". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crc_73 Posted February 11, 2005 Author Share Posted February 11, 2005 Forget that above I re-read the KLOV entry, and it refers to "pirates" in the gameplay section. Chances are that the instructions are the same - maybe the only difference might be between the use of the words "pirated" and "ripped off". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 It looks pretty clear that Space Pirates is a rip-off of Rip-Off. I can think of better games to make clones of, but whatever... JR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NovaXpress Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 I love RipOff. But it must be played by two people. Your ship is too sluggish to do it yourself, it has to be a team effort. Another Tim Skelly classic. That guy was prolific. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 I'm a big fan of Rip-Off too FWIW. -S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 I too love Ripoff. ... On the Vectrex. Never had a shot at an arcade version, and it doesn't MAME well IMO.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjk7382 Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 I really like rip-off also, and there was someone on these forums that had one for sale in michigan. It has been a couple of months, but I hope I can still get that cab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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