Bit of a step away from online slots with this post, but I am just in the process of converting half my garage into a games room (games table, dartboard, fridge, TV and games console, etc) and will be getting a fruit machine out there. Biggest dilemma was which one and at what jackpot level. Since my kids may use it, I have opted for a low £5 jackpot payout and whilst looking at fruit machines, stumbled across a vintage amusement arcade just up the road to me which has the old style (1980's era) machines.
I have been chatting to the owner who is selling a modern style old machine (out of place in his arcade) and during our chat and from looking at his website, it has dawned on me how vastly different the industry has become in the last couple of decades. As Dave (arcade chap) has pointed out, in the 80's they were 'amusement arcades' - arcades there for amusement and enjoyment. You could go there with a fiver and spend ages playing on the fruit machines as generally they had high RTP and regular payouts at lower amounts, meaning many hours of 'amusement'. Nowadays with the £100 jackpot fruities, a £20 stake will be gone by the time you finish your first pint and not exactly there for 'amusement' as my boy (10 years old) quite rightly said - the machine looks too complicated with all the buttons and lights'.
This fact was strengthened from a recent family outing to a local caravan park with amusements. Loads of arcades and 100's of fruit machines, but my boy only wanted to play Eachway Nudger (1980's machine) which we found tucked away. Nice and simple and where the 'bonus round' was simply selecting nudges up or down on the reels! He loved it and won the jackpot a few times, walking away with a few quid profit.
So now my thought pattern has changed and will probably source an old machine for amusement out in the games room and am quite looking forward to it. I am sure it will bring back fond memories of my childhood in the amusements whilst on holiday. However, the chances of finding a Silver Ghost, Bar X or 20p Stepper machine seem quite bleak, but would be nice to find one with simple functions like 'Hold' and 'Nudge' instead of 200 bulbs flashing, LCD displays, deal or no deal buttons, etc!
So, what's your favourite old machine? This question is probably only applicable for people in their 40's! (ooops, just remembered another I used to love with black cherries or red cherries on the gamble .... damn, forgotten its name!)
I have been chatting to the owner who is selling a modern style old machine (out of place in his arcade) and during our chat and from looking at his website, it has dawned on me how vastly different the industry has become in the last couple of decades. As Dave (arcade chap) has pointed out, in the 80's they were 'amusement arcades' - arcades there for amusement and enjoyment. You could go there with a fiver and spend ages playing on the fruit machines as generally they had high RTP and regular payouts at lower amounts, meaning many hours of 'amusement'. Nowadays with the £100 jackpot fruities, a £20 stake will be gone by the time you finish your first pint and not exactly there for 'amusement' as my boy (10 years old) quite rightly said - the machine looks too complicated with all the buttons and lights'.
This fact was strengthened from a recent family outing to a local caravan park with amusements. Loads of arcades and 100's of fruit machines, but my boy only wanted to play Eachway Nudger (1980's machine) which we found tucked away. Nice and simple and where the 'bonus round' was simply selecting nudges up or down on the reels! He loved it and won the jackpot a few times, walking away with a few quid profit.
So now my thought pattern has changed and will probably source an old machine for amusement out in the games room and am quite looking forward to it. I am sure it will bring back fond memories of my childhood in the amusements whilst on holiday. However, the chances of finding a Silver Ghost, Bar X or 20p Stepper machine seem quite bleak, but would be nice to find one with simple functions like 'Hold' and 'Nudge' instead of 200 bulbs flashing, LCD displays, deal or no deal buttons, etc!
So, what's your favourite old machine? This question is probably only applicable for people in their 40's! (ooops, just remembered another I used to love with black cherries or red cherries on the gamble .... damn, forgotten its name!)
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