17 replies to this topic

[vectra666]

We all play the things reels spinning lights flashing but does anybody really look at the artwork, the likes of andy capp, donna kebab etc brilliant artwork incorporated into the machine. Do the graphics make you play the machine before the stake n prize, What's the earliest artwork you remember on a machine and what's your best looking machine for artwork, the earliest I remember is the likes of nickelodeon with its neon tubing looking like a juke box and then you've designs like monty python, horns of plenty all brilliant designs

[wearecity]

The first machine I really took notice of was Barcrest MPU4 adders and ladders. I remember an arcade in Leicester Square London having 3 or 4 machines in a row. It was like, wow those machines look like they are worth playing with their gold coloured cabinets, really standing out.

It was like this was the next step up in fruit machines.

Played plenty of machines before but none of them stood out, like these did.

I used to find that if the subject matter of the machine interested me I'd have a go. Something like a footy based machine or a TV programme based machine.

Edited by wearecity, 04 September 2013 - 09:21 AM.

[Bencrest]

I always used to be put off by Empire machines. Sounds bad I know, but I used to feel they looked 'cheap', and it put me off playing them. Generally stuck to Barcrest when I properly playing (very early 2000s). Liked the themes of them.

[nails]

couldnt agree more, cheap and tacky

 

 

barcrest always has a talent for new and exciting machines with great graphics and sound.

[titan]

count ya cash, i love the vampire girl, frankenstein, and dracula graphics on it and love the sound effects. plays pretty good as well.

[tigerboytony11]

All the Maygay series had fantastic artwork. Bit like wearecity, I looked more for the theme but loved the Corrie, EastEnders, Pink Panther, On The Buses but my favourite of all was Cluedo. I would give anything to own one of those again, but for the life of me cannot find one anywhere

[richy1976]

Cluedo had a good attract mode sound (another thread lol), we had it in the arcade & it used to do a woman's scream then ararragaggagaahhhhh lol.

Good machine.

[tigerboytony11]

You haven't still got it have you richy1976? :/

[wearecity]

Maygay Eastenders would get your attention, because every so often, it would talk, while in the attract mode.

 

I remember being in an arcade in Reading and me and this girl were playing the machines, next to us was an Eastenders machine. Suddenly Pat Butcher's voice came out of the Eastenders machine "got the time darling", made her jump and both of us laugh.

 

If you haven't heard it before, load up the machine in MFME and let it just go through the attract sequence and you'll hear it, along with some others.

 

Loved the original Maygay Cluedo (we still need a 1280 + sized crystal clear DX of it).

[richy1976]

You haven't still got it have you richy1976? :/

No it was about 15 years ago.

[hurricane]

JPM did decent looking machines the first one that caught my eye was Flintstones (Club).

[NickYerPesos]

I always thought that red gaming machines looked like they were drawn by 5 year olds.. eg snail blazer, crazy cobra.
First machine I really took notice of would be donkey kong or cash flow.. only because those were the first machines I really played regulaly

[tigerboytony11]

Richy1976, I HAVE Maygay EastEnders in the games room, and yes Pat Butcher still says "got the time darling" along with Grant Mitchell "behave yourself" and Pauline Fowler "Oh Arthur". For some reason, I always think that's Olive from On The Buses saying that lol. The wife plays DOND and then one of them shouts something out and she jumps lol. Always telling me to turn them down, and my response "No Way" lol

[Bencrest]

I always thought that red gaming machines looked like they were drawn by 5 year olds.. eg snail blazer, crazy cobra.
First machine I really took notice of would be donkey kong or cash flow.. only because those were the first machines I really played regulaly

 

Am I right in thinking Red Gaming featured some of the old JPM staff? There are a few Red Gaming machines that are quite 'JPM'-ish (for example, Aftershock is rather like Red Alert).

 

 

JPM did decent looking machines the first one that caught my eye was Flintstones (Club).

 

I used to like the art style of JPM machines, but apart from ones with licensed artwork (such as The Flintstones as you've mentioned, also Thunderbirds, Tomb Raider, e.t.c.), you'll notice the rest are very 'plain'. It was almost like they couldn't draw people / animals from scratch, and only used them when they had licensed artwork to play about with!

 

When they did create their own characters, they were normally pretty crudely drawn... Vindaloot being an example

 

Barcrest were pretty much the opposite. Certainly in my hardcore pub playing days (before I got led astray by Adult Gaming Centres and the likes) Barcrest looked for any excuse to include their own human / animal desiged artwork. The artwork was almost like high quality cartoon style, it felt like the artist(s) enjoyed what they did.

 

JPM machines always felt less like they were drawn or designed by hand, more like they were generated quickly and simply. The reason I mention the JPM / Red Gaming thing above (and I could be totally wrong about there being a link) was because Red Gaming artwork often seemed to follow similar styles to JPM, just more modern.

Edited by Bencrest, 08 September 2013 - 07:32 AM.

[No1Stoney]

The first machine I remember loving the look of was a machine called Fantaztec by JPM. Mostly because of the glowing cabinet in a style id never seen before!

[matrix2021]

I used to always have a soft spot for the Barcrest machines around the time of Arabian Nights/Neptune Treasures/Red Hot Knights - the bright artwork along with the sounds used to have me coming back.

[Dougsta]

Barcrest were simply the masters of artwork back in the day. Everything came together - sounds, art and gameplay to create machines you'd go out of your way to play.

 

Hands down they blew everyone else's machines away. It's a shame they dropped the ball at some stage or another, letting BFG in with their sterile games. Credit where it's due though, BFG are showing the way in terms of getting the punter to part with that extra pound or two.

Edited by Dougsta, 09 September 2013 - 08:21 PM.

[treasure island]

Tough one this...

 

Out of all the machines we have....its got to be either Albert Square (3d Eastenders), Sphinx/Pyramid/Labyrinth, Magnificent 7s ....yes these are all 3d

 

So 2d would be either JPM Untouchable, Let the Good Times Roll and Viz is fun.

 

To be honest we love them all so it is impossible to say lol

 

For newer games Sub Zero by Red Gaming always stood out for me.