Review of Space Invaders tabletop game at Spencer's Gifts...

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Here in the USA and at my local mall, there's a cool-ass store by the name of Spencer's Gifts that sells cool and trendy novelities. During the Christmas shopping season, Spencer's was selling the Excalibur Games Space Invader tabletop electronic game for $24.99 USD. As of 12/29/05, it's still available for purchase at Spencer's Gifts nationwide.

If you remember the classic Coleco tabletop electronic games that were based on the full-sized arcade game cabinets like: Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Frogger, Donkey Kong, Galaxian, Zaxxon & Q*bert, then this current modern-day updated Space Invaders tabletop game will remind one of those early Coleco classic tabletop games from the early 1980's but with some subtle differences, of course.

This Excalibur Game's version of the tabletop game of Space Invaders features updated colorized-LCD based type of presenting the graphics (is more sharper & colorful than the old classic FIP {or Florescent Illuminated Panel} type of displays found on the classic Coleco arcade tabletop games from the early '80s.

A bigger and more responsive arcade joystick is built-in to the front control panel of the Space Invaders tabletop game (much better than the tiny-ass joystick controls found on the early Coleco arcade tabletop games IMO) along with four action buttons added functionality.

There's a different method of playing this modern day updated version of Excalibur Games' Space Invaders...it has built-in vertical screen "wobble" mode so that a player can't see the entire playfield screen and thus must move the joystick either to the right or left to "see" the extra Space Invaders playing field (as indicated by an arrow pointing to the right or the left on the upper portion of the game screen). I'd have to say it was either have that option implemented or else, have smaller based LCD-type graphics that can show the entire Space Invaders playing field screen at the same time...I'd rather have the 2nd display option over the 1st display option anytime of the day when playing a serious gaming session of this modern day Space Invaders game.

And yes, Excalibur Games has released a keychain minature version of it's Space Invaders game for a mere $4.99 USD at Spencer's Gifts...ripe for the taking. ^_~

There are two other Excalibur Games produced arcade tabletop games besides the Space Invaders games released: Frogger & some pinball-based game. (I can't remember a retro 1980's arcade tabletop game that featured Coleco type of design & aesethics that featured a pinball game...for the 2005 year, there is finally one courtesy of Excalibur Games.) Yes, I'm an old fashioned pinball wizard...too bad Williams 2000 Pinball series was the last of those cool pinball games: Star Wars Episode I and Revenge of Invaders from Mars pinball games. So all that remains is the very last USA pinball manufacturer is Stern (which only releases one or two full-sized pinball machines in limited numbers per year at $5000-$6000 USD retail price...helluva lot more than the record setting price for the U.K. ebay auction of DDP-DOJ Black PCB Label Kit that ended early Christmas 2005). As the old saying goes: Different strokes for different folks.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[DC906270]

is this an advert?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

is this an advert?

I do not work for Excalibur Games nor do I work for Spencer's Gifts but am merely providing a cool observation of what's readily available for purchase in the portable tabletop games scene with a shmup-related theme. This is from the words of one shmupper for shmuppers internet wide.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Dave_K.]

For reference, look just exactly like the case of the old coleco ones, with better screen:

http://www.spencersonline.com/index.cfm ... fbc7cb8c7/

[Dylan1CC]

OK, I am definitely buying this and the Frogger tabletop tomorrow after I get paid. Thanks, X! Didn't you also buy a neat little generic shmup keychain they were sellign at Target a month ago or so?

And I wish Nintendo would re-release the tabletop G&W games they made like color Mario Cement. So I don't have to pay a mint on ebay.

[BrianC]

That Space Invaders table top game is just another re-re-re-release of the Hori keychain version of space invaders. It's good, but the game is split into two screens, which hurts gameplay a bit. I prefer the radio shack table top version, which isn't split into two screens and has two player gameplay.

[Brian]

The pinball one is Family Guy themed, which is why I bought it. Stewie yells some trademark lines as you play.

[Trevor spencer]

sounds like a cool store , i particularly like the stores name

[Dylan1CC]

That Space Invaders table top game is just another re-re-re-release of the Hori keychain version of space invaders. It's good, but the game is split into two screens, which hurts gameplay a bit. I prefer the radio shack table top version, which isn't split into two screens and has two player gameplay.

edit: This is all I can currently find on Radio Shack's website.



http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... age=search

But it's not tabletop. And it's B&W.

[Dylan1CC]

OK, now here is the tabletop to end all tabletop arcade units:

A modern Taito arcade tabletop unit with (ten) actual arcade games!



From a custom arcade company, Gameroom Classics/PVG Tech.

http://cgi.ebay.com/TAITO-VIDEO-ARCADE- ... otohosting

Space Invaders, Arkanoid, Bubble Bobble, Elevator Action, Jungle Hunt, Puzzle Bobble, Qix, Rainbow Islands, Rastan, Zoo Keeper.

"Buy it now" listing for 599.00 though. O_o

EDIT: There is an SNK tabletop too!

http://www.actionfigurexpress.com/actio ... games.html



Includes Metal Slug (MS 2 according to an auction I saw), Top Player Golf, Samurai Showdown, King of Fighters, League Bowling, and King of Monsters.

They run over $744 on the site I linked to, average $600 on ebay. Yowza. They also make full size cabs. Their full size Taito cab has 20 games.

[BrianC]

That Space Invaders table top game is just another re-re-re-release of the Hori keychain version of space invaders. It's good, but the game is split into two screens, which hurts gameplay a bit. I prefer the radio shack table top version, which isn't split into two screens and has two player gameplay.

edit: This is all I can currently find on Radio Shack's website.



http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... age=search

But it's not tabletop. And it's B&W.

No, that's definatly not it. That's an Excalibur one, BTW. It's yet another repackaging of the Hori keychain Space Invaders just like the Spencer's tabletop.

This Raido Shack one I'm talking about is a few years old and has two screens on opposite sides of each other and two lids with light shining panels (panels that need light to make the game show) on each side that work like the old Nintendo table tops (in fact the technology was lincensed from Nintendo). It's probably not even in print anymore. I don't know where to find pics online, but I took some pictures of it with my digital camera that I can send to you.

[Dylan1CC]

Cool, i look forward to seeing it, Brian.

[Zweihander]

OK, now here is the tabletop to end all tabletop arcade units:

A modern Taito arcade tabletop unit with (ten) actual arcade games!

From a custom arcade company, Gameroom Classics/PVG Tech.

http://cgi.ebay.com/TAITO-VIDEO-ARCADE- ... otohosting

Space Invaders, Arkanoid, Bubble Bobble, Elevator Action, Jungle Hunt, Puzzle Bobble, Qix, Rainbow Islands, Rastan, Zoo Keeper.

"Buy it now" listing for 599.00 though. O_o

EDIT: There is an SNK tabletop too!

http://www.actionfigurexpress.com/actio ... games.html



Includes Metal Slug (MS 2 according to an auction I saw), Top Player Golf, Samurai Showdown, King of Fighters, League Bowling, and King of Monsters.

They run over $744 on the site I linked to, average $600 on ebay. Yowza. They also make full size cabs. Their full size Taito cab has 20 games.

...is for people with a shitload of money. x_x that looked nice, until i saw the pricetag... now that $25 thing at spencer's ain't lookin' too shabby.. o___o

[Sundance]

is this an advert?

If not, this guys got a future in advertising...rotf.

[iatneH]

...now I feel guilty that my first thought was "I wonder if those monitors are any good to rip out and hack up for other projects"

[landshark]

The metal slug and puzzle bobble ones look very nicely made. Nice painting and all on the sides. I wonder what computer they are running inside - if there is slowdown?

[Koa Zo]

OK, now here is the tabletop to end all tabletop arcade units:

A modern Taito arcade tabletop unit with (ten) actual arcade games!



From a custom arcade company, Gameroom Classics/PVG Tech.

http://cgi.ebay.com/TAITO-VIDEO-ARCADE- ... otohosting

Space Invaders, Arkanoid, Bubble Bobble, Elevator Action, Jungle Hunt, Puzzle Bobble, Qix, Rainbow Islands, Rastan, Zoo Keeper.

Those Taito units are junk. A local store had a full size unit on display, and within a week the action buttons and one of the joysticks were broken.
The cabinet is particularly crappy too. ..with cheap peeling sticker-art on the sides, and chipped particle board along the edges where the moulding didn't properly fit.

[Dylan1CC]

Ouch, thanks for the heads up, Koa. I will post your rpely in TNL thread I started on this.

[Koa Zo]

Ouch, thanks for the heads up, Koa. I will post your rpely in TNL thread I started on this.

Ah cool, I might have mentioned it over on TNL before, I actually thought I mentioned it here before, but it must have been TNL. ...

Anyway, yeah, "Ouch".

By the way, here is the "real" Taito unit everyone should save their money for.
scroll down to second unit on page
(Heck, I couldn't find this on Ultracade's site anymore. ..get it now or never. At $3275, it looks like "never" for me)


geeze!, I just realized how off topic this has become. eh, sorry, - I'll have to keep me eyes peeled for a Spencers Gifts next time I'm at the mega-mall.

[Soldato J]

Hey guys, is there Spencers gifts (or eqivalent) in Miami, Florida?