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I-Mockery's list of the 50 greatest Arcade cabinets of all time photo

The folks over at I-Mockery have put together a list of the 50 best arcade cabinets in videogame history. Yes, that's right, this list isn't based on the game itself, but rather on how unique/awesome/retarded the cabinet the game is housed in.

I'm not old enough to have been able to appreciate the glory of the arcade days, so going through this list was a nice little history lesson. Checking out some of these cabinets really makes me wish I were born a decade earlier. A few of my favorites include Crossbow where you used an actual crossbow to shoot, Super Off-Road where it had three steering wheel controllers, any of the cabinets that offered four to eight player controls (like TMNT, X-Men), and Arm Champs where you are actually arm wrestling against an arm. Of course my favorite by default is the Maneater cabinet that looks like a shark

This also really makes me wish that I was a billionaire so I can get all these rare arcade cabinets.  Head on over to I-Mockery and let us know what your favorite cabinets are. And be sure to check out cabinet number 24 called Guitar Freaks. The controls were two guitars and the game could even hook up to Drummania AND Keyboardmania arcade cabinets to form one super game. Now we know where the idea for Guitar Hero and Rock Band came from.

Coincidentally, as I was writing this post, Butmac C-Blogged about this horrendous scene. Rest in peace you gentle arcade cabinets.


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34 comments | showing # 1 to 34

Butmac's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 15:24
Butmac
Yeah dude, this list is fucking epic. Cereally. Notice the controllers that were custom made for games back then...and how that's starting to become a trend in video games even now.
MrSadistic's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 15:26
MrSadistic
Is it sad that I've probably played with around 30 or 40 of those arcade machines?

I remember when I was a kid and played one of those hologram themed games at an arcade one time and thought it was best damn piece of technology ever.
galagabug 's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 15:26
galagabug
awsome awsome awsome awsome awsome.

i need that fonz cabinet in my life.

eyyyyyyyyyyyy
CaffeinePowered's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 15:27
CaffeinePowered
Didn't one of those arm wrestling ones break some woman's arm in Japan?
Batthink's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 15:33
Batthink
Well done, CTZ, you've posted the shark-coin-op that, if you look at the right-hand image, resembles a urinal. ;O)
Dastardly007's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 15:40
Dastardly007
Did I miss it or is Outrun not even in that list?
king3vbo's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 15:41
king3vbo
That shark is screaming "SUCK MY DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK"
shipero's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 15:48
shipero
No Lucky and Wild? This list is flawed.
SPIDER PIG's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 15:49
SPIDER PIG
cool beans
Zed's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 15:54
Zed
OMG BAZOOKA *weeps*
DarkTetsuya's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 15:54
DarkTetsuya
Missing from the list, IMO:

beatmania IIDX: Ask anyone who's ever seen one of these behemoths in person, they'll tell ya it's quite a sight. a huge HD monitor and a gigantic stand-on subwoofer, combine to really draw you into the game.

Galaxian3: Of course, beatmania IIDX pales in comparison to this, the game literally needs its own room to setup... two big screens, six sit-down gun stations... if you've ever played on one of these you know it's something you'll never forget. (Dear NamcoBandai -- Four player Wii version, por favor?)
Def JM's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 16:02
Def JM
Big fan of I-Mockery.
Unicorn's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 16:15
Unicorn
wtf! no Space Harrier cabinet!?!?
thomasa's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 16:17
thomasa
IM A SHARK
EternalDeathSlayer's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 16:19
EternalDeathSlayer
Maneater wins.

But CTZ: You've never heard of Guitar Freaks? Or it's siblings? Come on man, I know you're young but I've seen those a million times before, although never connected.
itemforty's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 16:31
itemforty
No one remembers this game! It was so awesome!
Cheeburga's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 17:28
Cheeburga
SUCK MY DICCKKKKKKKKK
chief blaze's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 17:32
chief blaze
@ MrSadistic

hahaha seeing/playing the hologram game made me feel like i was a part of the future. Oh Time Traveller. http://www.digitalleisure.com/contents/screenshots/screenshots_hologram.htm

Im quite lucky to live near a playdium and most cinemas around here have decent arcade games. I went and saw Juno at the movies a couple weeks ago and they had big game of table hockey (shuffle puck) on the ground and using a projector and body movements you could kick the puck around, it was pretty dope.

thx for the post
thunderleg's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 17:55
thunderleg
I read about the Tron upright and immediately thought about the full version which I see every summer at the beach. I had no idea I'd see it much later on the list...!

No Punch Out!? That's strange...
braulio09's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 18:22
braulio09
no sniper scope? gtfo my innernetz, i mockery :-@
MisterMingo's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 18:27
MisterMingo
Wow, hey that's an interes-

SUCK MY DIIIIIICKKKK!!
PsychoSoldier's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 18:34
PsychoSoldier
I seen that skate one at a Chuck E Cheese
s0lesurviv0r's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 18:50
s0lesurviv0r
Whoa, I didn't know Sinistar had a cabinet like that, RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN.
mikeyed's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 20:09
mikeyed
If After Burner wasn't on that list i wold've gone ballistic. I've loved that game ever since I've been big enough to sit in the chair it violently shakes.
AirborneToxicEvent's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 21:26
AirborneToxicEvent
Great list. Reminds me of why I'm always bored to death when I go to Game Works. GW = Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaame. 40 shoots, 3 racers and 3 Big Buck Mutilator games...oh, and probably that stupid horsey game.
lucashoal's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 22:12
lucashoal
I can't remember it's name...but there was an AWESOME mech game I've played in Indianapolis. Everybody sits in a separate pod, and the game was networked for like, 8 people. It was like Mechwarrior, but more awesome.
Necros's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/14/2008 23:55
Necros
King3vbo stole my joke.
Kent's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/15/2008 01:27
Kent
loved the 3d hologram Time Traveller... Never could get past the second level where the cowboy has to shoot in front and behind in quick sucession.

Didn't eat as many quarters as Xmen/TMNT though. Mom went shopping and I spent a month's worth of quarters everytime.
Promagnum's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/15/2008 01:43
Promagnum
come on' ...720 beat Thunder Blade....and Skydiver are you fucking kidding me?!

Though I can agree with the #1.
Chromer's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/15/2008 01:46
Chromer
Hamza, I seriously hope you didn't just find out Guitar Freaks was the inspiration for Guitar Hero and Rock Band.
Fading Star's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/15/2008 04:43
Fading Star
After Burner, TMNT, X-Men, The Simpsons, etc.
Hitogoroshi's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/15/2008 10:18
Hitogoroshi
Great great list. No Neo Geo though :(
mistic's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/15/2008 10:21
mistic
Epic List! unbelievable!
Eschatos's Avatar - Comment posted on 01/15/2008 16:43
Eschatos
Does it bite your head off if you lose?
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