Christmas 2018 competition - T's & C's

Please see our Facebook page to enter the competition.
www.facebook.com/therealretrolounge

We don't like terms and conditions, but unfortunately they are required. We want you to have fun with the machine and not worry about the Ts & Cs, so all we really ask is that you respect the machine and treat it as if it were your own. Obviously we know accidents happen and if something does happen, we'll normally be able to repair it fast, so our intention is to always try and return deposits in full where ever possible.

We will deliver and collect the arcade machine for free as part of the prize, so for logistic reasons, we're only able to offer this prize to residents within the South Yorkshire area.

Terms & conditions

These terms and conditions relate to the 'borrowing' of one of our cocktail table retro arcade machines. The machine will be delivered and collected free of charge. The machine will be preloaded with approx 100 classic games, plus the game you commented when entering the competition (if available).

1. A hire contract must be signed on delivery agreeing to normal hire terms

2. All entries must like, share and comment on the Christmas 2018 competition post on The Retro Lounge Facebook page (www.facebook.com/therealretrolounge) posted on 18/11/2018

3. All comments must include your post code of where the machine will be delivered to

4. All entries must reside (or want delivery within) 12 miles of The Retro Lounge's headquarters (S65 3HZ). You can check this on a map here:

5. The winner must be able to take delivery on December 21st or 22nd

6. Collection will be on or before December 30th

7. A small, fully refundable deposit of £50 will be required at the point of drop off, or before.

8. The deposit will be fully refunded if the table is in the same condition as we left it and we are able to collect on or before Dec 30th

9. Damages must be paid for if the deposit will not cover it

10. The aracade machine remains the property of The Retro Lounge

11. The equipment must only be used in a safe manner and for the purpose it was designed for

12. The equipment must not be modified in anyway

13. The equipment must remain in the property it was delivered to

14. Competition closes at 6pm on Thursday 6th December

15. Only one entry per person is permitted

16. All valid entries will be placed in to a hat and drawn live on Facebook at 7pm Monday 17th December

17. If the winning contestent doesn't respond within 24 hours or can't meet the T's & C's, a redraw will take place at 7pm Tuesday 18th December

Designing your very own arcade machine

We don't supply off the shelf units, we want you to feel like its yours, so we want to involve you in the design. This blog post should give you an idea of the customisation you can have on one of our cocktail tables.

Colours

You might not be a designer, but our team are and they are dedicated to ensuring we design the perfect machine for you, we'll work with you whatever your designs skills are. We know that not everyone has a bar area, games room, or den, so it might not seem as easy to make one of our machines fit your existing decor, but you couldn't be more wrong.

Our tables are not limited to the retro look, although we do think the black with bold edging is the coolest look you can give one of these machines. All our tables are hand made to your specification, so all the dimensions are flexible, but we can also paint it in pretty much any colour you like and within reason, add a complementary T-mold edging strip that either matches the colour or ties it in nicely with your room colours.

Game graphics

We'd love to provide our machines with 'The Retro Lounge' plastered all over it, but choosing the game graphics for the top of the table is probably the part where most customers want to get involved. Often customers want their favourite game as the main graphics and that's great, tell us your favourite game and we'll do the rest. However, it shouldn't stop there. The glass tops on our tables are removable and so with a bit of care and a printer, you can easily change the graphics at a later date.

The natural look

But why stop at colours? We've recently been commissioned to build a cocktail table to fit in with an oak themed room, so we're rising to the challenge! The entire unit will be made from from hardboard with a natural wood veneer finish to match the customers decor. The top surface will also be the same finish, with no game graphics, just our normal toughened glass top.

Unfortunately we can't use our normal method for securing the glass top in place as this would be visible and unsightly, so an alternative method of holding the glass in place with screws will need to be done.

Size matters

As I've just said, all our dimensions are flexible, within reason, obviously the table needs to house a monitor, but we can install any size monitor from 15" up to accommodate the size. Our most popular choice is the 19" 16:9 monitor. Customers ask us about wide screen monitors, but of course games designed in the 80s (and 90s) were never designed for wide screen, so games either end up stretched or  have 2 black lines down each side.

2 player controls

Most customers ask for 2 player tables (controls either side of table) and we're generally happy to oblige. However, We strongly advise you think about this before committing, as not only are there only a few games that will work as you might expect, you actually need much more room for the table.

Consider the location of you table, if its going to be up against a wall or in a corner, then a single control unit makes much more sense as you'd need to move the table to access the 2nd control unit.

Don't forget the machine needs power, so you will need to consider where your power outlets are and the possibility of a trailing wire to the plug socket.

We advise that with an average size cocktail table, with a 2 player set up, you will require 1.9 meter (190cm) of free wall space to comfortably allow a person to sit either side. Arcade hall owners quickly realised the amount of space these tables would require and so they didn't survive very long, despite how cool they looked.

If your passion is for 2 player fighting games, then we strongly advise against a cocktail table as the 2nd player would be viewing the screen upside down, almost impossible to play, player 1 is going to win every time!! Most of the early 80s platform games operated by 2 players taking it in turns to play their game. Some games were designed with the ability to flip the screen for the 2nd players turn, Pac-man, Burger Time etc, all had this feature and whilst from initial set up, they're all in '1 player mode' (no screen flip), we'll ensure that the screen flip option is sorted for you on 2 player tables.

Although we haven't built one yet, we have plans for a 2 player fighting cocktail table, why not give us a call and discuss this set up with us?

Sound

All our tables come with custom made audio systems, consisting of a small amp and 2 speakers. The system is fairly loud and good quality. It is possible to connect your phone to the table either by 3.5mm audio load or by Bluetooth (set up required). The amps are basic, adequate, with volume, bass and treble adjustments. Whilst this standard set up is more than enough for the arcade sounds, we recommend talking to us about upgrading this if you want to use the table to play music at high volumes.

We generally mount the speakers on each side of the unit, from the perspective of the player. However, this may not fit your needs, depending on where you will place the machine. If this set up means one of the speakers would immediately facing a wall, let us know and we can mount them in a different configuration.

Safety

Of course safety is of paramount importance to us. All the electronics in the system are PAT tested before leaving our workshop. The materials we use to build the cabinets are of the highest standards, 18mm thick, which means the tables are very heavy, but very sturdy and robust. Finally, the glass top is 4mm super toughened glass, which means it will easily withstand normal use, though we wouldn't recommend sitting or standing on it.

Wedding and other events

Retro arcade machines are a great addition to any social event, whether its a wedding reception, house party or corporate event.

What makes it so special

Retro games from the 80s are a big talking point, resurrecting some great memories for many people. The beauty of the games is, they don't tend to too long to play each game, 3 to 4 minutes per game is what most people will achieve, so everyone will get their turn. However, they are so addictive, you'll have people queueing up to try and get their initials on the high score table. The best thing about retro  games is, concentration levels don't need to be what they are on today's games like Fortnight, users are not emerged in the games so much they can't talk! Our cocktail tables help promote interactivity with each other, they create a great talking point, but they allow people to gather around and socialise at the same time.

Forget those over complicated game pads today's generation are using on their Xbox's and PS4's, our machines are classic, clean and above all, easy to use, even for the most novice gamer. Some games such as Pac-man only use the joystick and don't require the use of buttons at all, whilst Track & Field doesn't need the joystick, using only the buttons to run and and jump.

Our offering

Our standard cocktail tables can be set up with virtually any game you like, however, we recommend sticking to the main classics such as Pac-man, Frogger, Donkey Kong, Space Invaders, etc. Take a look at our classic games list for more insight, but essentially, if you can remember the game, we can supply it.

Download our classic game list

All our machines are 'free play', which means your guests don't need a pocket full of 50 pence pieces. Because their is no charge to play the game, no gaming licence is required.

If you like, we can supply machines with more than one game and show you how to load up the other games. It only takes a few moments to return to the game list, select a new game and start playing again. Whilst we could supply literally hundreds of games, we advice customers to keep this to an absolute minimum. You only have so much time at your party or event, you really don't want to spend that time scrolling through a huge list of games!!

Delivery and set up

We'll need you (or a designated person in your party) to sign for delivery at your event, but other than that, you have no worries. We'll not just deliver the machine(s) to the designated room, we'll set them up and fully test prior to leaving. You'll already have a guide to help if something goes wrong, but realistically, the worst we expect is, someone turns the power off.

Safety first

All our tables are fitted with EU rated toughened glass, so no need to worry about bottles, cans or pint glasses being placed on them, although we would prefer you use our included beer mats!

Obviously electricity is required and whilst you'll need to ensure we have access to a power outlet, we can ensure cables are are not left trailing. All our equipment is fully certified PAT tested (Portable Appliance Testing).

Prices

Our prices for hiring are the cheapest you will find and they get cheaper the more you hire. However, there are many factors we need to understand before we quote a cost, but to give you an idea, if all the factors are right, it's possible to hire a machine for up to 48 hours for £100

Refundable deposit

We leave our machines with you and expect a certain level of responsibility to be taken by you. To ensure our machines are not abused, we need to take a refundable deposit. All refunds are done by back transfer 24 hours after receiving our equipment back to enable a full check to be completed. Don't worry, we understand accidents happen and whilst you may need to take some responsibly for some damage, we would only ever charge you for repair and refund the rest of your deposit.

Classic games

At The Retro Lounge, we want you to choose the games you remember playing, however, with thousands to choose from, we know this can be a daunting task. So, when you are buying one of our machines we tend to ask you to give this some thought whilst we get on and make your machine. To get you started, we generally supply a list of what we call 'classic games', these are the games that were the most popular in the arcades, back in the day.

Our classic list is around 100 games that includes all the classic platform games, fighting games, sporting games, etc. However, if you are only interested in fighting games, we can start you off with our fighting list. There are many websites dedicated to preserving arcade games and we recommend using emuparadise as a one stop shop to jogging your memory for games. Browse the site and let us know if you find any games that you desperately want including and we'll do our best to source it and load it up for you.

Emuparadise retro arcade website

It's very important to remember that a specific arcade game may have had very specific controller units (roller ball, analogue joystick, steering wheel, paddle, etc), so with a cabinet containing lots of games, some may not work well, be difficult to control with the standard joystick, or indeed, not work at all with our software. For example, many customers ask us for Star Wars and whilst we can supply the game, it is very difficult to control without a unique joystick. So, unless you want a machine that will only be good for a few games, we advise against putting some games on the list.

Most games however, do work and with a little bit of time and effort, we can generally get any games that have problems, to work in a fashion. Space Harrier is a classic example, this used an analogue joystick when first released in the arcade, but with some additional work, it can play pretty well with our standard digital joystick.

We feel that the 3 button set up not only looks better, it suits the needs of nearly every game. You may often see arcade cabinets with 6 buttons, but there are very few games that require this. The very few games that require more than 3 buttons, tend to only need the extra buttons for things such as choosing something before play commences, we can replicate this in other ways than filling your control area with buttons that are not needed, often confuse novice players and generally make the look and feel of your machine a little poorer. All our machines are supplied with a USB port for connecting a standard USB keyboard, which will allow you to perform many more operations, including the unique button press a specific game may require.

Less is more

Download our classic list of games

We allow you to customise this list by not only adding up to 20 more games of your choice, but deleting any games you really don't want on there. Less is definitely more when it comes to choosing games, remember, the original arcade machines will have just come with only 1 game on. Our easy to navigate menu system does allow you to quickly scroll through the list using the joystick, but when you have too many games to choose from.....well, you know what happens!

So you want more?

That's really not a problem, talk to our team about putting more games on. If you are confident enough, you can do this yourself and we can point you in the right direction for self help videos. Don't think for one minute that you've made a mistake and suddenly realised there is a game you forgot to tell us about. We try to do all the hard work for you, but our machines are fully customisable, even when they've left our workshop.

Choosing the right set up

Whilst we pride ourselves on designing bespoke arcade machines for YOU and no 2 machines are the same, there are 3 main cabinet types to choose from:

• Cocktail table
• Bar top
• Tall standing

The style you choose will very much depend on how much of a serious retro gamer you are and/or the room you'll be putting it in. We tend to find the more serious gamers opt for a full standing cabinet, whilst customers wanting something for more casual use will want a cabinet to fit their living space, so opt for the cocktail table. Let's look at each style in more detail, highlighting the pros and cons and other considerations you'll need to be aware of when choosing your style.

Cocktail table

For us, the cocktail table is the most versatile cabinet style, fitting most peoples needs. It can look stunning in most environments from a games room to a normal living room. It is also our most popular choice for event hire, it allows people to socialise whilst playing the games. The cabinets are fitted with toughened glass, so no need to worry about putting anything on it, allowing the table to also be a nice 'centre peice' for any room with photos, vases, etc placed on it when not in use.

Serious gamers tend avoid this table type, for the simple reason, it's not designed for fighting games and most other 2 player games. It can however be played in 2 player mode for many platform games (Burger Time, Pac-Man, etc) where players sit opposite each other and the screen flips for player 2's game. However, that said, quite a substantial amount of room is required for a table set up for 2 players, we estimate around 1.8m to comfortably sit a person either side of the machine.

Something else to bear in mind with the cocktail table set up, many games were never designed for this set up. Standard 2 player fighting games such as Mortal Kombat and Golden Axe would be a bad experience for player 2 as they would be viewing the screen upside down. That said, when playing in 1 player mode, the cocktail table is great and of course, its far easier to stand (or sit) and watch a game on the table than it is with the other set ups.

Pro: looks great in most rooms
Con: not suited to 2 player fighting games

Full standing cabinet

This type of cabinet is by far and away the most popular choice for the more serious gamer, or someone who has a specific room to place it in, a bar area, or games room make an ideal setting for these cabinets. Currently we only supply 2 player set ups (please comment below if you think we should do 3 and 4 player set ups), ideal for most standard fighting games in 2 player mode. We generally supply these with 19" screens, which in our opinion is ample, but we can do larger if required. There is no denying, these cabinets do not look good in someones front room, they are very niche and require the right environment. But, when in the right place, they look stunning. 

Standing at around 160cm tall, they are a real eye grabber. These cabinets are very heavy and its not recommended you move them very often, or at all, unless you have 2 strong people on hand! These were the most popular cabinet type during the 80s throughout video arcade halls. They allow 2 people to comfortably stand and play the games simultaneously (2 player mode). 

Pro: best experience for 2 player games
Con: needs the right setting/room to look good

Bar top cabinet

Our least popular choice, but fitting the needs of people who may have limited space, or don't want their machine on constant view. The cabinets are far lighter, so much easier to move, but are made to the same standard and quality as our other cabinets. These cabinets are designed to simply stand on a table top or even a kitchen work surface. Customers often specify space as their primary driver so we make these cabinets as thin as possible, but this often compromises the playability for 2 player combat games, as player controls are very close to each other. However, that said, the games still work just as good and when playing solo, the problem of space is removed.

The major drawback on these machines is stability. The cabinets are fitted with anti-slip feet, but this simply isn't enough to stop the cabinet moving when trying to pull off that killer move. 

Pro: very light and movable
Con: more compact and difficult to play with 2 players and can slip during game play

Where it all began

This job, this company, this whole adventure, is a dream come true for me, here's the story of where it all started.

I was introduced to the video game revolution at a very early age when my father bought the family the very first home video game console, the Grandstand Adman 2000 (pictured). It was Christmas 1977, I would've been 7 years old and that thing kept me entertained for what seemed like an age. It literally had 4 games, all in the style of pong, you could play against someone, or against the computer. This thing wouldn't entertain todays generation for very long at all, if at all.

Over the next few years I progressed through several computer based systems, a Philips G7000, Grandstand Astro Wars, but what really grabbed my attention was when my cousin got the Atari 2600. Unfortunately I never owned the Atari, but I would visit my cousin as often as possible to get my hands on it. They had relatives in the US so would regularly get games that hadn't been released this side of the pond yet, making the system even more intriguing.

Game changer

By the early 80's arcade halls were big business, not just at coastal seaside towns, but they were popping up on high streets too. I dread to think how much money I pumped in to them at our local arcade hall and other places like youth clubs, leisure centres and the likes where they too were cashing in.

In 1983 Commodore moved the goal posts by releasing the C64, which, along with the Sinclair Spectrum, brought arcade style games in the home. Many manufacturers tried to muscle in on this, but none could compete with the top 2. Christmas 1983 saw the C64 enter our household and this sealed the deal for my interest in video games forever. I quickly started learning how to program the machine, first in BASIC, but then in Assembly, or hex code. Developers started pushing the designed capabilities of the computer and some games being released were exact replicas of what you could play in the arcade.

The C64 stood the test of time for its generation, being the most popular home computer for 6 years, but as ever, technology moves on and the onslaught of the much more powerful Commodore Amiga 500, Atari ST and others saw the C64 fade away (but still very much alive and well on the Internet today).

I too moved on, first to the Amiga and then along came the console revolution we are still seeing today, N64, PlayStation, XBox, etc.

Today

I myself now mainly use the Nvidia Shield to play games, though my kids have the XBox 360 and XBox One. That was, until I created The Retro Lounge. My kids and I have really enjoyed playing with my prototypes, ensuring that the parts we use in your machines can take the kind of battering you'd expect from an arcade machine.

Here's my daughter putting an early model through it's paces. We use only quality parts in our machines, so they are built to last. Sorry* for the sales pitch at the last hurdle!

*not sorry

Where I am now

So you've read my story and now for me, the hard work starts. Being able to work in an area I've been interested in my whole life is just too good to be true. Being able to play any game I like during a coffee break can be somewhat problematic, but we all have problems at work right?

Thanks for reading and please take a look at my other blog posts for more info on our products and services.

I'd also be grateful for any feedback in the comments section below.