Pacario

@soupbones: Oh yeah, it's industrial-grade fun, no doubt! If you liked the Tetris player, you're bound to like some of the games offered on this device! And there are still new titles coming out all the time. Half the fun is discovering certain gems and curiosities that no one else even knows about. It's like unearthing treasure from some forgotten or alternate past.

@liquiddragon: You might be mistaking this for Arcade1UP's Street Fighter cab, which is much larger and more expensive. That thing is about four feet tall; the machine here, by New Wave Toys, is around twelve inches. That's not to say this won't appear at Walmart (or more likely, walmart.com) sometime in the future. But for now, the machine's availability is limited to just a few outlets.

@nutter: Haha. I'd recommend getting one--the machine that best reflects your tastes and old-tyme nostalgia. I passed on Centipede and Tempest, and I'm glad I did. But...I'm also glad I pulled the trigger on this machine. Incidentally, you might want to check out Numskull's Quarter Arcade line, as well; I'll probably fall prey to its upcoming Ms. Pac-Man cab.

@nutter: No, good questions! To answer your first, the joystick and buttons are surprisingly usable. Now, don't expect them to be superior to a quality gamepad or fight stick--the thing's just too tiny to compete on that level. But for what it is, the controls work surprisingly well.

As for whether you're "missing the point by playing it," the answer is both yes and no. While the machine does play well, it is, first and foremost, a display piece, and a rather accurate one at that. Indeed, the machine is even designed to be left alone in "demo/attract" mode for people to appreciate at a distance, just like them old arcade days. In other words, you're getting the best of both worlds, but for serious play, well, this machine isn't really for that.