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Arcade 1Up v AtGames Pinball or Wait for 2nd Hand VPin?

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Fiery Phoenix

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Bury, Lancs, UK
Hi,

newbie (so be kind)

Always been a massive pinball fan from playing the machines at arcades and on holiday, after work on a Sat playing Indiana Jones The Pinball Adventure (still my personal face) to playing Pinball Dreams and Fantasies on the Amiga. Then later using Pinball Arcade and emulation via PinMame, etc, to emulate the tables at home. Recent years been even better using the PUPpacks on my PC for Batman 66, etc - all look really good. Great to see where the emulated tables are now from just a few years ago. Color DMD's really enhance the experience also.

But.....and it is a big but....playing on a PC is not really the same and I know playing Virtuyal Pinball is not the same as a real machine either. However I really do fancy a Virtual Pinball table.

Have been having a mooch around and the Arcade 1Ups are ridiculously cheap, Star Wars ones are like £299 at Smyths Toy shops - maybe a good entry level one. The thing that puts me off, looks a bit small and the fact it is a fixed backglass (I know can put your own monitor in, etc - but just increases the cost) plus the games do not look that interesting to me - not like the classics.

Then there is the AtGames one - this looks more like it, bigger size, backglass, etc and looks like it can be more easily modded. More expensive - this it around £800-900, but within my budget.

I know the best and most enjoyable option is to make your own cab, but I have arthritic hands and my woodwork skills before that would leave a lot to be desired! Not sure how cheaper it would be either to be fair - although I guess you mod / equip up to your budget

What are peoples thoughts on he Arcade 1up v AtGames machines?

My thoughts are more with the AtGames pinball (not the mini version) or wait until see some 2nd hand ones comes up on Ebay / FB Marketplace? Some ok ones have come up but nothing remotely near the NW or even surrounding counties. Not in a massive rush, so may bide my time and maybe buy a cheap Arcade 1Up aracde machine and mod that with a Pandora box - looks easy enough - but pinball is where it's at!
 
There’s regular decent ones pop up here but to get any where near to feeling like a real pinball will work out more expensive than the real thing!
1st off ignore the arcade1up one you will quickly get bored with it and graphically it’s very poor and feels like a toy.
I haven’t played the Atgames one but I have built quite a few over the years with my last one having 3 screens with a 4K main screen and high end PC running it.
Yes if made to high spec with all the feedback options they are very good for what they are and let you play 100’s of emulated pins.
But and it’s a very big But, nothing will ever compare to the real thing from a video representation.
All I can say is buy used and you will save yourself a bundle because you will sell it some point when you see the light and join the real world of pinball with it nuances and physics that will build up actual skills you can’t get from a video one.
These skills will transfer from pin to pin but all you will be learning from a VPin is rulesets and shotpaths which is maybe helpful when playing the real counterpart but like I said at the beginning is not a replacement for the real thing.
Pinball is a physical thing in its purist form and a battle between man and his machine with more often than not results in you rarely being the master of that battle till 100’s of hours getting to know it.
The video counterparts blend into one another and require more luck than skill
This is all purely my take on VPins many years of owning both.
 
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In my opinion VPins are fun . . . but you're not playing pinball.

Fifa is fun on the xbox but you're not actually playing football, and I view Vpins as the same thing. . . . . it's a flight simulator rather than flying the plane . . . . . a vegan sausage roll rather than a two foot bratwurst 😲🌭

I guess it depends what you're after. Like Col said above, the virtual stuff is great for learning rules. If I were a competition player I might even have one just to learn the nuances of a wide variety of games. The programming is very clever and they make a good representation of the real game. Playing a Vpin made me want to buy Monster Bash actually.

If space is an issue then the virtual stuff might be a good idea. Personally I'd rather have one real pinball machine than a virtual one that had 100 games on it.
 
Thanks for the replies - appreciated

Yes number of things for me, space is an issue, I do like the ability to play a variety of games and I like the ability to mod if need be.

I know it is not like the real pinball or even close, but I have Arcade Club in Bury near me if I need a hit of the real deal!

I know can be expensive, if you want the feel from haptics, etc, but have been used to using 2 shift keys for years on my keyboard! From my understanding the main cost (correct me if I am wrong) would be from the PC running it, graphics card, power / RAM, etc. I have a pretty decent PC at home - unsure if the unit was nearby - can it just be wired up next to it - probably an option for cost?

I think can rule out the Arcade 1UP machine(s) so comes down to the AtGames unit or waiting for a 2nd hand one to appear on Marketpace, Ebay or here. Anyone gone to a local tradesman to make them a cabinet - is that an option - then you havebuild yourself though - need the knowhow, plus sideart if you want it, etc. Easiest option is probably sourcing a ready made piece of kit.
 
Just to back up what @Colywobbles and @Gonzo have said above, a vpin is basically a videogame that allows you to learn layouts and rules. I've used one and it has really helped me get an understanding of machines that you don't often see in the wild, and this has been really useful in tournaments.

But, and it's a big but, they are not like playing the real thing. No matter how much feedback, sensors, 4k graphics etc are involved it is not the same as playing a real pin. Just because you can Rule The Universe and score 40billion on AFM on a vpin, does not mean the same will happen on a real machine. Each real pin will be set up differently, angle of pitch, new/used rubbers, types of ball, whether levelled correctly, all make a difference to the path a ball will take, and the angles you learn from a vpin will not work in the real world.

A vpin definitely has it's place, but there is no alternative to getting hands on with a real machine. A real machine is a piece of art, a big bloody frustrating, infuriating, fun piece of art. 🤣
 
Yes agree - nothing compares - remember playing Twilight Zone on holiday and I could hardly last long on that table (was young) really got into it playing Medieval Madness on another holiday where they had a small arcade room. I remember going early before they were played and most of the cabinets could be played for free!

Played Indiana Jones after work on a Sat for a post work pint. Then last few years or so been to a few retro gaming conventions (used to be a regular one at Media City nr the Trafford Centre in Manchester) but mainly now it is the arcade club in Bury every few months. They had the new Godzilla table there which is one of the best new tables I have played.

I will keep my eyes peeled around for a reasonably priced second hand unit, be it an AtGames ones or a custom built one - most on Facebook Market Place are the Arcade Land ones for sale
 
I’ve owned vpins for the last 3 1/2 years, my latest is an all singing and dancing vr pin sim. I always thought that I didn’t need a real pin, the vpin was good enough to scratch my pinball itch. I was wrong !
I was loaned an iron maiden pro for a few months, and my skills improved drastically, since it’s been gone, and just playing my vpin, my skills have suffered !
So I have now bought my first real pin, as I play competitively, I need to hone my skills, which can never be done on a vpin.
I’ll never get rid of my vpin, as it’s so beneficial for learning tables, and it’s still a ton of fun, and being able to play over 200 machines is great. They have a place, and a use, but bottom line is, will never give you that joy of playing a real machine.
 
Fiery Phoenix said:
Do people on here tend to make their own VPins?
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I got mine from here: https://arcadeland.co.uk/

It was very good, and the maker was keen to customise, but it left after a few months as it wasn't being played (we just drifted into playing the three real pins downstairs). I thought maybe it was because it wasn't full size, but I've subsequently played on a big classy Vpin and had the same 'flat' feeling (literally flat - it's in 2D).

If space is your main concern and you have the budget, I'd personally dispense with the vPin entirely and get a Multimorphic P3 (https://www.multimorphic.com/p3-pinball-platform/). Then, you get the best of both worlds - a variety of tables, a video game feel and real pinball.


P3 asteroids (Rocs) is a thing of joy (absolutely LOVE this):


It has a new (buyable) table module by the designer of TNA (one of my favourite pins):


As well as more traditional purchasable table modules like Weird Al:

 
I am due for a visit in the next few weeks, last time I went was Nov 2022. Godzilla pin and Attack from Mars (3D one) were downstairs and played fine. However on the floor where most of the pins are (ones with mostly Japanese arcade games) there were a few of the other pins out of order. Walking Dead was working which is good plus a few others
 
I bought Vee's and have spent more hours on it than I put on my 4 real pins. That's due to it taking so long to get all 4 fully working that I'd rather play them when we have friends around, nothing wound me up more than having one game out of service when mates were here. So I'm reluctant to play the everyday in case something cocks up on them, like Flash G yesterday, classic crap Bally bulb holders in the pop bumpers needing a good doing over, pieces of SH1T they are.

The arcadeland vpin recently had a meltdown and I've had to install a brand new SSD, luckily I could still extract the tables from the drive it was the windows proportion of the drive that was not salvageable.
 
That P3 is nice VeeMonroe, but way out of my budget - which is more inline with those AtGames tables (£800-900)

Do many 2nd hand ones come up on here? Again I suppose the prices will depend on how powerful the PC is plus other additions
 
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Fiery Phoenix said:
That P3 is nice VeeMonroe, but way out of my budget - which is more inline with those AtGames tables (£800-900)

Do many 2nd hand ones come up on here? Again I suppose the prices will depend on how powerful the PC is plus other additions
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I see the @Pick Holder ones come up relatively frequently (a few times a year). Those are very nice, full sized with haptic feedback and so on, but usually about £4-5k.

For the smaller ones, I've seen them come up occasionally on here (I sold mine here last year), but I'd either try eBay or buy a small one like mine/@Crewey's new from Arcadeland. It cost me just over £1k and that was with updated software, Star Wars cab art, and real plunger feedback. I'd tried eBay for a second-hand one, but people typically wanted pickup/collection and that wasn't feasible in, for example, south Wales (I'm in London).
 
Ask @SeikoKid if his vpin is still for sale. I think it was a decent spec and one of Phil D old builds which have a good reputation on here in vpin terms
 
I don’t have great experience with these but also when looking i was comfortable with Pickholders build given all the other uncertainties i came across

I doubt you’ll get anything worth while for that money though - The peoples home builds i’ve seen top the cost of mine

Good luck with the search . I am heading up to Lancaster / Kendal towards the end of august fyi
 
I would echo what others have said, that Virtual Pins are excellent ways to learn the rules for machines you dont normally get access to, but even though they are not the same they are still great fun to play, and a bit quiter for late night play if you have neighbours.

Also from experience I would say to avoid the Arcade 1UP pinball even at the reduced price, I had one as it was perfect size to fit in my home office (Bedroom) to have a play on during breaks and had modded it with the Williams games pack on (didnt bother with star wars or the marvel ones) but after 6 months the main PCB failed in it and Arcade 1UP dont currently stock any replacement PCBs so it sat for a while waiting and then was taken back and refunded.

I would only really recommend it in terms of using it as a prebuilt cabinet with nice shiny legs to use to modify it with a larger screen and PC etc, I think you can fit a 32" screen into one as it comes with a 27" by default with a large mask, also it has a screen in the back for the DMD that is just a HDMI screen so easy to plug into a PC.
 
Fiery Phoenix said:
I think his is still for sale - advertised at £3,375

Just out of budget at the mo which is ideally £800-900 in the AtGames pinball range
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I'd consider stretching the budget to one of the Arcadeland 27" pins. That's what I got and what @Crewey now has, and it had a full range of pins and felt good quality:

arcadeland.co.uk

27" SUPER DELUXE VIRTUAL PINBALL MACHINE

27" playfield, 19" backglass, height with legs 1.3m, width 86cm long, 42.5cm wide. Over 750+ tables on one machine... All the latest and greatest for you to enjoy. Our high-quality machines reputation is growing massively. All features of our deluxe version but with added bonus of legs, a larger...
arcadeland.co.uk arcadeland.co.uk

They sometimes come up second hand on here or eBay for £650-£850.
 
Arcade Land one was up on eBay recently. Think it went for £750, was the Back to the Future one. However was too far away and they are all collection only

I have decided I will get a VPin, just to go for a brand new AtGames one of second ha mnd one. Prob bide my time and mooch on the sale sites.

SeikoKid... If in Lancaster, visit the old prison museum. Awesome tour, unsure if they have resumed since COVID but was really good. The Pendle Witches were held there for trial
 
Thanks mate. Its where I was born - not the prison :D - Visiting Family + a job in Kendal

just mentioning it as I have a van etc.....

I have been thinking as only selling due to space - to get one of these I up cabs and transfer everything over and get a small dispaly
 
yup, there are game son there my boy enjoyed plus BBB that no one will ever own atm , football games and things like CV which I love so I might just ask the guys that know if they know how :)
 
Just so rare a decent vpin or even the At Games ones comes up on FB Marketplace or Ebay, whereas there are loads of Arcade 1Up ones. Mainly the Star Wars ones

They go for £299 at Smyths and some still in stock across the UK, not sure why people would pay more on ebay
 
Heya- out of those 2 if you are going to mod or use a pc then Atgames is the clear winner as you can connect it to your pc and run vpx. Oneups are really small and not great imo. There is a new atgames model coming out later this year with 4k screen and solenoids, unsure when itll reach uk though.

I have a virtual pin and am lucky enough also to have a lot of access to various real pins. They arent the same but they are good fun, and let you try out machines that otherwise would be very difficult.

Google wagners tech talk if you are into modding these.

Cheers
 
Would he mind if I PMd him on here or see if he comments?

Just a pity those 2 x ebay ones were so far away! Damn. Both looked great and within budget
 
Fiery Phoenix said:
Would he mind if I PMd him on here or see if he comments?

Just a pity those 2 x ebay ones were so far away! Damn. Both looked great and within budget
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Good luck. I don’t get an answer when asking about the one I have he built
 
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