My pal Kevin (longtime readers may remember him as "Toast," a friend of X-E from the old days) noticed and recognized the one video machines shown in the game room article that wasn't explicitly mentioned -- Midway's "Touch Master." He was one of the developers on the game, and was pretty surprised to see it as he's sure no more than 50 were ever sold. So, the Quality Inn's not just a cesspool...it's a museum. Anyway, the article's been the most well-received in a long while, so losing my shirt to nickel slots was worth it. Movie review coming up next, stay tuned.

Touch Master 7000: www.highwaygames.com/products/touch_master_7000.php
Touch Master 5000: www.highwaygames.com/products/touch_master_5000.php

http://www.design-engine.com/stories/games.html
"...I forgot to mention the product that I'm working on, it's called Touch Master. It's interesting to design games for this platform because things must be very intuitive. If you are in a bar and you've been drinking, you don't want to read rules, you want to kick back and relax, rather than reading a screen of rules. In a board game, when you get stuck you refer to the rules, but when people are spending a quarter, they don't tend to read anything because they think that pressing the help button is costing them valuable playing time."

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 04/06/2004 07:09 PM EST

Jeez, let's give a round to ME. He's the blog's encyclopedia.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 04/06/2004 07:13 PM EST

Thank you. At this point, Mr. Google really should hire me.

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 04/06/2004 07:33 PM EST

I finished my paper around 4 am. And guess what... she extended it the day I left class early so it wasn't due until Thursday. At least I am done, and I still got to feel like I was procrastinating. I don't know what this has to do with anything. Oh, and J.Lo's mom shouldn't be allowed to win the jackpot, since her daughter could just give her 2.4 million.

Chestnuts roasted by Gabbylicious @ 04/06/2004 08:20 PM EST

The only problem with those table-top machines is that the screen gets scratched. A Lot. Also, you never know how to arrange things. Do you put the pizza on the left and coke on the right, or vice versa? Its a mystery.

Chestnuts roasted by Cameron @ 04/06/2004 08:39 PM EST

I don't know what people see in Atlantic City. Yeah, you can lose your shirt, get a tan, and see a show, but unless you have (or win) a million dollars, you might as well sleep on the beach and eat nothing but hot dogs. The crime is horrible and almost any building that isn't a casino is falling apart. I last visited there two years ago, and not only did I not win anything on the slots, I got lost and ended up in the kind of neighborhood where you expect to be mugged, shot, raped, or all three. Thank god I found the bus terminal before it got darker (of course, I chose to go to AC on a day when it poured for most of the morning and was cloudy the rest of it).

On the other hand, I did win a giant Chancey, the pink egg-shaped Pokemon, and a stuffed dog from the line of cranes at (I believe) Steel Pier. I gave Chancey to my sister to cheer her up after breaking up with her long-time boyfriend, and the dog to my best friend for her birthday.

Chestnuts roasted by starwenn @ 04/06/2004 09:19 PM EST

I think the last article did so well was because of all the pictures. People like pictures! That and it's like a "mini-adventure" for the reader, in a way.

Eh, something like that. Good article!

Chestnuts roasted by Bobby... @ 04/06/2004 09:20 PM EST

Wow, man. Atlantic City. I've got this hazy memory of myself when i was like 4 or 5 years old. I went to Atlantic City with my Grandmother (she was quite the gambler). I don't remember much, just the boardwalk and going on some amusement park ride.

I don't know why I mentioned this. I guess the article made me dig up that old childhood memory. Ooh. That raises a cool question: What's your earliest (or strangest) childhood memory???

Chestnuts roasted by Shane!!! @ 04/06/2004 11:24 PM EST

My mom thinks my earliest childhood memory should be the time I disappeard for a few hours and they had to call the police, turns out I was across the street, silly mom. But I have no recollection of that. I think my earliest memory is moving to my new house, down the street from my old house. I remember having to carry my box full of toys and being none to pleased about it.

Chestnuts roasted by Brrent @ 04/07/2004 12:13 AM EST

you need to review Road House starring Patrick Swayze.

Chestnuts roasted by Frank @ 04/07/2004 12:51 AM EST

When I read about J.Lo's mom winning, my first thoughts were, "Hey, Matt went there and he didn't win millions of dollars! Unfair!" :( But at least an awesome article was the result. An awesomely hilarious article, I might add. :)

The first real memory I have is waiting with my dad to ride the Ferris Wheel at a fair. I had to be like 3 at the time because I think my mom was pregnant with my littlest sister.

A weirder memory I have is the time my younger twin sisters put all of my toys in the bathtub and turned the water on. I think I was 4 at the time, and they were around 3. I was horrified because they put ALL of my toys in there. Stuffed animals, dolls, everything. I think I was in tears and they thought that the situation was hilarious.

Chestnuts roasted by Andrea @ 04/07/2004 02:13 AM EST

My earliest memory: Blowing out the candles on my chocolate Wuzzles cake at my third birthday party. I don't have any speciffic memory from when I was three though...

Chestnuts roasted by RewolfJ @ 04/07/2004 04:06 AM EST

Does anyone remember the Donkey Kong table top arcade game? The Pizza Hut a few blocks where I live used to have it. Till it burned to the ground. The Pizza Hut was rebuilt but sadly. DK didn't have a second chance.

Chestnuts roasted by Rowan Steele @ 04/07/2004 07:48 AM EST

My family had the arcade version of Frogger in our basement along with a Pirates Treasure pinball machine. We had to sell them when my parents split. And So went the frogger, along with most of my happy childhood memories...Tear :(

Chestnuts roasted by Squip @ 04/07/2004 08:12 AM EST

I fear we shall never find out the fate of the rock tumbler. But atleast we know that J-lo's undeserving mother got money she doesn't need. God Matt, why don't you just stab me in the heart why don'tcha?

Chestnuts roasted by Trippy the 8th Dwarf @ 04/07/2004 09:13 AM EST

Everyday I don't get a chia plot, I die a little.

Other new articles help stave off that death, but the point stands.

Chestnuts roasted by Max @ 04/07/2004 10:15 AM EST

Those Rock Tumblers take months to get the rocks all shiny and pretty. I was surprised at the two week deadline give, myself. Of course, who knows how long it takes for a Rock Tumbler to shine up a Monchichi.

My earliest childhood memory is eating Oreos in my crib. So, I either have a very early recollection of the wonderful diet my parents saw fit for a toddler, or I am actually an amnesiac, a danger to myself and slept in a crib until I was a preteen. Could go either way.

How was the weather in AC? it's still freezing here in CT. Jeez, it's only Easter. Our bunny will be outfitted w/ snowshoes and a muffler this year.

Chestnuts roasted by trajeal @ 04/07/2004 10:19 AM EST

Hey Matt, I clicked on the banner for the Penn & Teller show, but since i'm out of the country, it banned me from looking at the page... Fucking xenophobic showtime... Even though i'm a red blooded American.

Anyway, the point is that I hope you don't get fucked out of your royalties. because I tried.

Chestnuts roasted by Chopstick Sensei @ 04/07/2004 10:30 AM EST

Frank, check this out:
"Road House: The Stage Version of The Cinema Classic That Starred Patrick Swayze, Except This One Stars Taimak From The 80s Cult Classic The Last Dragon Wearing a Blonde Mullet Wig" http://www.dvdtalk.com/cinemagotham/archives/002076.html

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 04/07/2004 11:19 AM EST

John Woo Bringing Metroid to the Big Screen
http://comingsoon.net/news.php?id=4202
Watch the Metroid commercial from Alex Proyas (The Crow, Dark City and I, Robot):
http://www.animallogic.com/commercials/metroidprime/

John Woo knows nostalgia!
http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/430/430962p1.html?fromint=1
"July 29, 2003 - IGN FilmForce checked in with its trusty source close to director John Woo about recent rumors that the filmmaker was interested in helming an updated version of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Much to our surprise, our source confirmed that Woo is indeed very interested in the project but that was over a year ago."

http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/451/451403p1.html?fromint=1
"September 24, 2003 - Variety scoops that the classic sci-fi series Lost in Space may be returning to TV. The trade says that Synthesis Entertainment, founded by Kevin Burns and Jon Jashni, will partner with filmmaker John Woo and screenwriter Doug Petrie (Buffy, Angel) on the new series which is currently being shopped around to networks."

www.japattack.com/japattack/film/johnwoo.html
"...PM: There‚s been some talk about you producing a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film.

JW: Not anymore, although we are involved with He-Man and Mighty Mouse projects. We are negotiating right now. I,ll only be involved as a producer.

PM: He-Man and Mighty Mouse?

JW: Yeah."

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 04/07/2004 11:30 AM EST

I'll just try to stay on topic (yeah, right) and remember early Video Game memories. I've played Pong in a Pizza Hut in San Leandro, when Pong was new. I've seen the early days of both MTV and Video Games when you culd put anything on the screens and it was cool. I've played Journey, both arcade and Atari 2600. Anybody ever play Atari's Hercules, the HUMONGOUS pinball machine? The one I remember had to temporarily replace it's ball with a billiard ball. Eight, of course. On the subject of winnings, my dad works at a tribal casino, and Little Brother, his wife, and meself went to visit him at work a couple of months ago. Brother glommed onto a penny slot machine, and I wasted a couple of bucks on poker, when there was a fuss a couple of aisles over. A lady, who had been there since noon, and spending who knows how much, hit a big jackpot. A few thousand, at least. After a attendant checked the machine and made it print out a confirmation, she tilted her chair against the machine, went to a payout desk for her check, came back, and started playing again. Wow. You could hear the hard-core gamblers practically slam their dollars into the machines after that. Later, Pops told us he got a big tip. We should have told him, "You owe Mom child support, give us some money!"

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 04/07/2004 12:12 PM EST

I think my earliest childhood memory is trying to fill my little brother's crib (I was probably about 2ish) with all his toys. I just wanted him to have something to play with, but I guess my mom freaked out because she thought I was trying to suffocate him. I don't know if I actually remember that or if the story has just been told so many times that I think I do.

Chestnuts roasted by Gabbylicious @ 04/07/2004 12:44 PM EST

My earliest childhood memory must be me sitting in a little sled, going down a small hill on a parking-ot and gliding under dad's car and getting stuck there. After I was thawed loose I was taken to the hospital where I got a few stitches in the corner of my eye. Even after over 20 years my eyelid still gets stuck once in a while :)
I must've been three or four so most of this has been told to me later in life.
Another happy memory could from the summer after my sled-accident when I stood on a table on our balcony in the third floor and almost jumped off. Later I stuck my head between the handrails and couldn't get myself loose. Obviously I wasn't a very smart kid.
On the other hand I am still alive so I must've learned somehthing.

Chestnuts roasted by iivuli @ 04/07/2004 01:19 PM EST

Wow, I just noticed on the Final Fantasy 11 ad that pops up on the right sometimes, that they have the Critters alien in that top picture. Matt, you love Critters! Maybe you should give it a whirl.

Chestnuts roasted by Cobra Soldier #18 @ 04/07/2004 01:25 PM EST

I know what you're talking about Starwenn. I'm going down to AC Thursday night with friends, and we absolutely refused to stay off the boardwalk. I took Friday off just because the room rates were cheaper at Showboat than on the weekend. I hate just driving to get to the casino. I'm sure my time won't be as interesting as Matt's though. And I know not to play Wheel of Fortune, since that's already paid out!!

And Ed's Funcade was always my favorite. Until they stopped putting new arcade games in a started replacing them all with fake slot machines and those things that push the quarters over the edge. And the sad thing is, the games that are left are so old, but I remember them being new and so technological.

Chestnuts roasted by Y2JB78 @ 04/07/2004 01:59 PM EST

Whoooo Movie review.

Chestnuts roasted by Meatwad @ 04/07/2004 02:29 PM EST

Ah.... getting your head stuck in the handrails. I swear, it only happens to us geniuses. The one my mother enjoys telling is when I got my foot caught on one of the top links of a chainlink fence in our yard I was trying to climb... she found me who knows how long after it happened, dangling upside down from the fence.

Chestnuts roasted by Nachokhaki @ 04/07/2004 02:39 PM EST

Not related to anything here, but just another thing with kitties from the home of the Quizno's Songmonkeys. I just like the idea of hard-rockin' housecats. click-click meow!

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 04/07/2004 02:42 PM EST

I also got my big ol' head stuck in a rail when I was a wee tot, by the way.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 04/07/2004 02:44 PM EST

Y2J: Those Machines that push quarters over the edge is beast. That's only if you know how to do them. My cousin, his friend and I did that thing while we were at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. In like 2 hours we must've had like 10,000 tickets. The sad thing was that the prizes stunk. We tried to get a glass chess set. But for some odd reason they were all out. That or it's a dummy prize. I swear the guy running the counter looked pretty nervous when we asked for it. He went to the back room probably talking to his boss. I bet this was the conversation.

Worker: Yo Boss some smart asses want the glass chess set. What should I do?

Boss: Just tell those meddling punks that we're a bunch of fuck tards and we don't carry chess sets. Offer them those horryfying hobbit characters.

Chestnuts roasted by Rowan Steele @ 04/07/2004 03:07 PM EST

Matt,

I dunno if I'm too late for you to actually read this or not, but me and some friends are traveling from MD to Jersey in a few weeks to Asbury Park for Skate and Surf fest. It's a three day concert, proble is, day two sold out before we could get our money together.

We are going to day one and day 3, and we were thinking that for day 2 we might venture to Atlantic City. Whats a good place to hang while in Atlantic city. Just looking for assistance from someone who obviously knows it better then I do. Also, about how far is asbury park from atlantic city. According to my calculations, the hotal says we are 5 miles away from long island.

Chestnuts roasted by Chad @ 04/07/2004 03:38 PM EST

kingklash, Atari Hercules pinball:
http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?1155

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 04/07/2004 05:23 PM EST

I've played the Hercules pinball machine. There was one at the Guiness World Records Museum at Niagara Falls. It uses a cue ball for crying out loud.

Chestnuts roasted by JG! @ 04/07/2004 07:23 PM EST

Me...i'm well aware. But thanks anyway ;)

Chestnuts roasted by Frank @ 04/08/2004 01:28 AM EST

That table just randomly stuck in the corner somehow made me flashback to The Sims. As though it was something you just stuck in the corner to increase your Sim's "Room" meter before he leaves for work.

I think I spotted an old-style plush smurf in the claw machine. I'd'a gone for the smurf.

I like Snyder's of Hanover's sweet honey mustard pretzels, but they're about twenty kajillion calories per bite.

Chestnuts roasted by Molten @ 04/08/2004 10:48 AM EST

Matt should have a couple of arcade-style games here, like the Neave Pac-Man. I have about ten online Pac-games bookmarked, including the teeny-tiny, itty-bitty Guimp Pac-Man. Always my favorite game, Pac-Man is.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 04/08/2004 11:48 AM EST

The student union at my college had both the tabletop Ms. Pac-Man AND the 4-player version of the X-Men arcade game. Hooo baby... and my parents wondered why I never had any money freshman year.

Chestnuts roasted by The Lucky One @ 04/09/2004 01:38 PM EST

The machine was cold because J. Lo and everybody related to her has to be cold, too. So it was a J. Lo machine :)
So, on an X-E related note, I stopped by the Hannaford in Augusta last night. I picked up a drink called Spritzer Boysonberry and that Yan-Yan stuff. Yes, they had Yan-Yan (I WAS looking for Pocky sticks, to be truthful). I picked up the package and said... "Where have I seen THESE before?".

Chestnuts roasted by AngeFaitore @ 04/10/2004 09:56 AM EST

Wow, that really is a crappy "game room" (if anyone can dare to call it that). The World Cup '94 pinball table was fairly easy to find... I always found that particular game fun to play and not too frustrating (in fact, it's the only pinball game where I ever got a free game).

Too bad that it didn't even work... then again, considering the state everything was in there, I wouldn't dare to touche anything. Matt, next time you go to AC, just bring a console along... at least you'd know you won't get nightmares over the stuff you would've touched.

Chestnuts roasted by Lady Jaye @ 04/11/2004 06:32 PM EST