How much should I pay for Pong?

[Fatty FatBastard]

And I'm talking about the actual 1972 Arcade game. The first arcade game ever made. One like this:

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/business/arcade/pong-large.jpg

I saw one of these the other day, and thought about buying it on layaway for two reasons.

1 - It can still be fun to play and women tend to like playing it because it doesn't require a lot of knowledge to begin playing, plus I have had a lot of women beat me playing this.

2 - Considering it is the original arcade video game, I'm thinking it could be a decent investment.

I know the price I was offered. Just curious what y'all think.

[studogg]

do you need somebody to paddle your balls that bad?

[macalu]

what happened to your tournament?

[Lil Pun]

About tree fiddy.

[nyquil82]

depends on your expendable income.

[thadeus]

What price was it offered to you for?

[Fatty FatBastard]

what happened to your tournament?

I'm still more than happy to do it. Next time we could would be June 29th. If I can get people interested, we can all do it. Perhaps a meet and greet at Live Friday eve. And then over to Joystix.

And Thadeus - he's wanting $1,800.

[Realjad]

I'm still more than happy to do it. Next time we could would be June 29th. If I can get people interested, we can all do it. Perhaps a meet and greet at Live Friday eve. And then over to Joystix.

And Thadeus - he's wanting $1,800.

1800, whats your expendible income? lol :p

[nyquil82]

If you really want the retro game for its one of a kind-ness, then you made up your mind already.

But for $1800, you can get a pretty decent flat screen TV, and a Wii, which already has easy games that girls like to play. If you're doing it to attract chicks, asking them to play with your Wii is better. Besides, that machine is huge and you're probably going to spend at most 2 hours playing it.

If you're doing it for investment, I'd check to see how much it goes for on the market right now, because now you're gambling with an antique that you'll have to take care of.

[Invisible Fan]

For 1800, you could build your own arcade board and still save a decent amount. Plus, when it breaks, you'll have an idea of what to replace than to scrap the entire $1800 investment, which imo is at most 1,000.

So I wouldn't buy it to play it. I'd probably store it if I was some collector who knew it was authentic...

As for building one, I don't know the specifics, but there are tons of guides (http://cmdrtaco.net/jubei/) online.

[Yaozer]

For me, definitely not worth the money. I assume if you can afford to buy it at that price, then it's for collector reasons. But even for a collector I think it's too much.

Maybe if you can bargain down a bit.

[Davidoff]

FFB, IMO chicks love Donkey Kong or Pac Man on arcade more than Pong and I bet they're cheaper.. Also, I'd stop being a pansy and buy the damn thing already.. :p

[bejezuz]

Nothing says baller like vintage Pong. Total panty dropper. :D

[DaDakota]

Fatty, I have about 6 or 7 stand up machines I bought because they are fun and because I figured they would be worth something some day.

But with the invention of the machines that play tons of ROMS their value has dipped significantly.

Get a ROM stand up and put pong on it....don't pay $1800 for a niche market product that has parts that are hard to find and a dwindling collectors base.

DD

[krnxsnoopy]

$1800?!?!?!


Oh Hell to the No!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/secret_shots/images/20040414_whitney_houston.jpg

[Fatty FatBastard]

Fatty, I have about 6 or 7 stand up machines I bought because they are fun and because I figured they would be worth something some day.

But with the invention of the machines that play tons of ROMS their value has dipped significantly.

Get a ROM stand up and put pong on it....don't pay $1800 for a niche market product that has parts that are hard to find and a dwindling collectors base.

DD

You mean like those multicades? I like the idea of those, and ironically, they are cheaper. I'm just surprised the value wouldn't stand with the originals.

[Space Ghost]

You should definitely buy it. Actually, i think its undervalued. If I were you (and let me note, im definitely not you) I would offer $3000 at least.

[swilkins]

Don't they have an arcade museum to donate it to, so it can be taken care of?

What if you spill your beer on it?






I kid

[DaDakota]

You mean like those multicades? I like the idea of those, and ironically, they are cheaper. I'm just surprised the value wouldn't stand with the originals.

They multicade machines will play just about anything, and the games are easy to come by today.

The problem is that as a collection the old machines don't have that much value to many people.

Everyone talks about wanting to have one but they are so old and bulky and break so often that they mostly end up in the garage or in storage( Where mine are).

And now you can download most of the games on X-box live etc, there is just not any value for the average collector.

The Multicade machines are the way to go, IMO.

You should definitely buy it. Actually, i think its undervalued. If I were you (and let me note, im definitely not you) I would offer $3000 at least.

So Space is trying to sell it, huh?


DD

[rrj_gamz]

$1800?!?!?!


Oh Hell to the No!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/secret_shots/images/20040414_whitney_houston.jpg


Word...If you're thinking it as an investment, as your advisor, I'd say no...

[Rocketman95]

I want a Silver Strike Bowling game.

[A-Train]

How much should you pay for Pong?

I'm thinking a quarter is about right...

[macalu]

really, how much fun can you have with that lame game?


"Oh snap! Did you see how I totally owned you on that angle?"

*mash potato*

[Sooner423]

really, how much fun can you have with that lame game?


"Oh snap! Did you see how I totally owned you on that angle?"

*mash potato*
Yeah. While it's significant for being the first arcade game, the game play itself hasn't really stood the test of time. If you want a classic arcade game, I'd go with RM95 and pick up Silver Strike bowling.

[SirCharlesFan]

I could be wrong, but I don't think chicks would really dig Pong. I imagine it kind of getting the reception of "oh wow, you have an original pong machine!" and then when you turn your back an "OMG, what a weirdo!"

[DonkeyMagic]

1800 doesnt seem too outrageous considering its a classic but always offer less.

do you know how much others have gone for?

[Supermac34]

You have to be careful with vintage cabinet video games. The rom chipsets are easy to duplicate, most originaly games are put in refurbed cabinets, etc.

Make sure to check with experts to make sure the chipset is original, and the cabinet isn't some cheapo refurb. About the only thing that you shouldn't care whether its original or not is the monitor.

[A-Train]

C'mon, Fatty. I thought you already had this figured out.

Chicks don't care about pong, because chicks didn't play pong. The only people that played pong were skinny teenage boys.

The first video game to get lots of females to play was Ms. Pac Man. That's the whole reason it was invented. The video game companies, as well as the arcades, needed to expand their customer base beyond male teenagers. Adults weren't quite ready to embrace video games yet, so the only demographic left was female teenagers. So, they stuck a bow on Pac-Man, made the character "female", and bam, the video game industry booms.

Fatt, you're, what, in your mid 30's? Trust me, scrap Pong and get a Ms. Pac Man machine. Bring a chick back to your pad, and the moment she lays eyes on it, her first words will be, "Hey, Ms. Pac Man! You know, that was the first video game I ever played! After a game or two, you get behind her and slowly slip your hand on top of hers as she is playing. Next thing you know, she's playing with another joystick.

Oh yeah! High score!

[Deckard]

Fatty, it'd be damned near impossible to have sex on the thing. I'd pass.

[swilkins]

Fatty, it'd be damned near impossible to have sex on the thing. I'd pass.

Leg 'er down 'n smack 'em yak 'em

[AntiSonic]

Build a custom MAME cabinet.

[nyquil82]

On top of that, if they are old enough to remember Pong, then you probably shouldn't be inviting them over anyways.

Unless you're into that.

[TBar]

You are talking about a video game- I thought you meant "poon"

sorry-it is worth good money for good poon-pay man - pay!

[Buck Turgidson]

Leg 'er down 'n smack 'em yak 'em
http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/7852/pacmantablegq6.jpg

[WhoMikeJames]

Yeah buy a Wii, or Get Guitar hero.

[dsnow23]

The cocktail version is the only way.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Pong-Cocktail-Table-Video-Game_W0QQitemZ330127084270QQihZ014QQcategoryZ4315QQssPageNam eZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Rockets2K]

Leg 'er down 'n smack 'em yak 'em


Col' got to be! Ya know? Shiiiiit.

http://garfieldridge.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/jive.jpg

[swilkins]

Col' got to be! Ya know? Shiiiiit.

http://garfieldridge.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/jive.jpg

Shiiiiit