Looking for suggestions on old school arcade games for tournament...

[purbeast0]

I figure this isn't console gaming so I can post it in here.

If anyone has been following my thread in the console forum, I have turned my arcade cabinet into a MAME cabinet.

I'm having people over for a birthday party in a couple of weeks and I wanted to run a tournament on it. But I want to run a tournament on a game that non-gamers can pick up and play. So I don't want to do anything like Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat.

I am looking to do something that is head to head if possible because I want to make brackets. I could do score based and have 2 people "face off" against eachother with high scores taking the win.

I was thinking NBA Jam possibly, but I feel that game requires a lot more skill than non-gamers will be able to have fun with. Then I was thinking Pacman too, but again I feel like non-gamers won't stand a chance against gamers. In the end, it may just be that non-gamers will have no chance of winning anything, but I at least want them to have fun, so maybe something like Pacman will work.

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[OccamsToothbrush]

Non-gamers are gonna get creamed no matter what. Pick games with the simplest, most intuitive controls so that non-gamers are comfortable and can pick it up with the fewest problems. PacMan, Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, Arkanoid, etc.

 

[purbeast0]

Non-gamers are gonna get creamed no matter what. Pick games with the simplest, most intuitive controls so that non-gamers are comfortable and can pick it up with the fewest problems. PacMan, Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, Arkanoid, etc.

Any head-to-head games you can think of that are in the same vein as that? I was thinking pong if it's on there, but I haven't checked and I don't know how it would control without a knob.

 

[meltdown75]

Track and Field or Hyper Sports.

Sent from my SM-G973W using Tapatalk

 

[purbeast0]

Track and Field or Hyper Sports.

Sent from my SM-G973W using Tapatalk

I'm assuming those are just button mashers, and like timing mini games. That would be perfect if so. I'm going to check those out tonight. Thanks.

 

[meltdown75]

I'm assuming those are just button mashers, and like timing mini games. That would be perfect if so. I'm going to check those out tonight. Thanks.

My pleasure. My brother and I still love playing these against each other. Basically button mashing for the running / swimming events, combined with timed button presses (ie. When your swimmer needs to take a breath etc). It's Olympic-based too so there are medals etc. Pretty fun games by Konami back in the day, definitely got more than a few of my quarters.

 

[zinfamous]

My first thought was NBA jam. Such a classic. I would spend hours and many quarters in the local arcade during those glorious years. So yeah, NBA Jam. Honestly, I think NBA Jam is pretty noob-friendly. It's not that complex

What about something like Bomberman? Is it easy to get a 4-player Bomberman in that thing?

 

[zinfamous]

Track and Field or Hyper Sports.

Sent from my SM-G973W using Tapatalk

:O

Where the EFF HAVE YOU BEEN??

 

[meltdown75]

:O

Where the EFF HAVE YOU BEEN??

Mostly in Ontario still! But not doing much forum posting or even lurking unless Reddit counts. Great to come back and see familiar names

 

[zinfamous]

Mostly in Ontario still! But not doing much forum posting or even lurking unless Reddit counts. Great to come back and see familiar names

well, shorty is still banned most of the time, TridenT actually got a job and a life! and Alky ran out of tutus (also banned)

 

[purbeast0]

My first thought was NBA jam. Such a classic. I would spend hours and many quarters in the local arcade during those glorious years. So yeah, NBA Jam. Honestly, I think NBA Jam is pretty noob-friendly. It's not that complex

What about something like Bomberman? Is it easy to get a 4-player Bomberman in that thing?

I don't have a 4 player cabinet, just a 2 player one.

And by non-gamers I'm talking about people who NEVER play games. Like I want everyone who is coming to play in the tournament whether they like games or not, just because it will be a fun time.

 

[meltdown75]

well, shorty is still banned most of the time, TridenT actually got a job and a life! and Alky ran out of tutus (also banned)

LOL the banhammer still swings! I got it a few times.

 

[zinfamous]

I don't have a 4 player cabinet, just a 2 player one.

And by non-gamers I'm talking about people who NEVER play games. Like I want everyone who is coming to play in the tournament whether they like games or not, just because it will be a fun time.

I get it...I guess I just never figured NBA Jam for having any kind of serious skill to it. It's like two buttons, you run around and just toss up shots, you get on fire, and feed that dude.

The Donkey Kong suggestion from earlier...I mean, that is a very difficult game. Though I guess unless you have some real pros show up, it could be humbling for everyone. Whoever gets to the 3rd map would likely win by default!

 

[purbeast0]

I get it...I guess I just never figured NBA Jam for having any kind of serious skill to it. It's like two buttons, you run around and just toss up shots, you get on fire, and feed that dude.

The Donkey Kong suggestion from earlier...I mean, that is a very difficult game. Though I guess unless you have some real pros show up, it could be humbling for everyone. Whoever gets to the 3rd map would likely win by default!

NBA Jam will not be easy for people who don't play games I don't think. They will get destroyed by people who do play. I bet like 75% of the people playing NBA Jam wouldn't even understand that they aren't controlling the other person on their team when they have the ball lol.

And there are 2 dudes coming who are old school junkies and can crush games like the OG DK.

 

[sdifox]

DOA, maybe Tetris?

 

[clamum]

NBA Jam will not be easy for people who don't play games I don't think. They will get destroyed by people who do play. I bet like 75% of the people playing NBA Jam wouldn't even understand that they aren't controlling the other person on their team when they have the ball lol.

And there are 2 dudes coming who are old school junkies and can crush games like the OG DK.

While I don't think NBA Jam is very complex, I still think it would be difficult for non-gamers. I'd definitely pick stuff like Pacman or Donkey Kong over that. Donkey Kong is hard but it's such a classic and simple game, I think it would be a better choice than NBA Jam.

Maybe Bubble Bobble if you can get that? Such a sick game.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

This

or this

 

[purbeast0]

While I don't think NBA Jam is very complex, I still think it would be difficult for non-gamers. I'd definitely pick stuff like Pacman or Donkey Kong over that. Donkey Kong is hard but it's such a classic and simple game, I think it would be a better choice than NBA Jam.

Maybe Bubble Bobble if you can get that? Such a sick game.

That's funny you say that.

While it's not Bubble Bobble, I was actually thinking about Puzzle Bobble. It's a game that non gamers can understand easily and play.

 

[lxskllr]

That's funny you say that.

While it's not Bubble Bobble, I was actually thinking about Puzzle Bobble. It's a game that non gamers can understand easily and play.

I have something like that on my phone(FrozenBubble). Haven't played it in awhile, but it's kinda fun.

 

[lxskllr]

How about some kind of video pinball? Everyone understands it, and the video abstraction will help hobble the real pinball pros.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Dig Dug
Tapper
Moon Patrol

 

[purbeast0]

My friend brought up Bishi Bashi games and those might be perfect.

 

[Iron Woode]

what about car racing games like Pole Position or some such game?

 

[Kaido]

Children of the Atom is always a huge hit at my house!

 

[purbeast0]

what about car racing games like Pole Position or some such game?

Not sure how those control with a joystick but I don't think they would be very fun.

Children of the Atom is always a huge hit at my house!

I'll crush anyone at any fighters and it won't be fun for other people.

The Bishi Bashi games are like a collection of whacky button mashing games so that may be a solid choice.