Single game handhelds/tabletops

[Urbanator]

My worst birthday present as a kid was a portable Double Dragon game that i had pestered my parents to get me for about 3 months. I used to love the arcade version and was sort of hoping that the portable version would at least be something like it. The only similarity i recall was the way you had to press buttons on both games and i dont think i played it again after the first day. I think it cost £35 as well.

[liveinabin]

After having owned Astro Wars as a child and recently feeling all nostalgic about it I ended up a couple of weeks ago purchasing two Grandstand tabletop systems. They are Scramble and Star Force.

However, after browsing the 'net I've had no joy in determining which power adaptor/s I need to purchase. Can anyone please advise? I assume they would both use the same adaptor. If I'm recommended to buy one of those universal switchable power adaptors then which setting do I select?

I really would appreciate the advice as I don't want to risk taking a guess on which power adaptor and then fry one of the systems!

I can help there. Get yourself (if you don't already own one) a little universal multiadaptor (I've got an old Altai, but Uniross still make 'em) and you need the use the following plug head and power settings:
Plug: Ext. 5.0 Int. 2.1 Power: 6V at negative polarity

That works on both my Grandstand machines (like yours) and both of my Tomy machines too.

Must get myself a StarForce. Great game. I got Firefox F7 for Christmas and that is similarly awesome.

[AlleyKat]

I reckon the next best one to go for would be Firefox F-7. It was a great game although I learnt how to clock it by timing the beeps and clicks much to my parents annoyance when I anounced I had completed it on Boxing day, the day after I got it.

Yeah, I loved that as a kid back before I had a computer or console. Still got it, but I'm pretty sure it died through overuse.

[DreamcastRIP]

I can help there. Get yourself (if you don't already own one) a little universal multiadaptor (I've got an old Altai, but Uniross still make 'em) and you need the use the following plug head and power settings:
Plug: Ext. 5.0 Int. 2.1 Power: 6V at negative polarity

That works on both my Grandstand machines (like yours) and both of my Tomy machines too.

Must get myself a StarForce. Great game. I got Firefox F7 for Christmas and that is similarly awesome.

Many thanks for the advice/solution. Much appreciated!

[Antiriad2097]

Another vote for Galaxy Twinvaders from me I could clock its count of 200(?) levels, though it took ages.

Joystick went on mine too, the left contact went on it so it wouldn't always move the ship. I'll track one down again someday, though it probably won't have the nice box mine had.

I got my original one back a few years later

My folks cleared out their loft and it was up there. Don't you love a story with a happy ending.

[Big Shoes]

I still have my Firefox F7 which is still boxed, I have owned it since new

[psj3809]

^Brilliant game, i had that as a kid as well. A lot of depth to that game, different levels etc.

On iOS check out 'Retro fox', basically someones 'homage' to the game, its great, same sounds/graphics etc

Also a friend did a few tabletop games on iOS - Galaxy Invader, Astro Wars, Frogger, Astro Command, Invader from Space and a few others which are great. Worth checking out. Plus most of those are icade compatible which is cool

[Bluce_Ree]

My next targets for my handheld collection are Invader From Space and some of the dual screen G&W games (namely Oil Panic, Blackjack, Green House, Pinball).

Prices seem a bit silly at the moment though so will wait for that to settle a bit.

[MadManDan79]

I used to have caveman and a spaceship type game in grey casing similar to the cavemans beige casing (of which I cant remember the name of it - its not space invaders)

[Shinobi]

I mostly have Game and Watches boxed Donkey Kong 2 which was a awesome christmas present of the ever generous Nokgod, Boxed Snoopy Tennis and lose double Screen Donkey Kong, Oil Panic, Squish and Black Jack I think(Black Jack overlay feature a semi naked Bunny Girl in a leotard) SO unlike Nintendo wondered if that game was aimed more at adults

I have a boxed Astro Wars and a lose orange Galaxy Invader 10000, and King Man but scratch in screen but fab game and a Coleco Donkey Kong artwaorks better than the game..

Also have a few Bandai games and Pac Land love to get more particularly the Bandai Solar Powered games but there so expensive!

[paranoid marvin]

A really cool looking one from back in the day was William's Defender, never got to play it though? Did anyone else get a chance to?

[The-game]

I have most of the Table Top Arcade machines: Donkey Kong, Pac-man, Ms Pac-man, Scramble, Frogger, Astro-Wars, Galaxian, Fire Fox and many more including the lot of the handhelds. Donkey Kong has to be my favourite for the table top games.

I remember as a kid wanting the Double Dragon handheld game for Christmas but instead I got the Gameboy with Double Dragon and Tetris on, I was very lucky!

[Katzkatz]

I used to own a Tomy handheld one - Sky Fighters. With this plane you had shoot things and refuel. If I remember correctly, you had to get you timing right with the clouds, to climb into the sky.



Here's a YouTube clip :-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPn-GnrJLO4

[Antiriad2097]

I have Sky Fighters, someone I worked with gave it to me. Its loose but in decent condition. Not my fave of those though, I feel more for Thunderin Turbos, partly due to nostalgia.

[davyK]

Table top Donkey Kong Jr gets my vote as best ever. A really clever little game that makes the most out of the limited hardware..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35HFaMfPU14


I never actually owned one - but back when Woolworths were in their pomp I played this almost daily in the vast video game department that the Belfast branch had set up. God bless Woolies - thanks to them I got my fill of gaming on consoles I didn't own via many lengthy lunchtime sessions on the ColecoVision, Vectex, Phillips G7000 and a host of table tops they all had set up for demos. It was also very handy for trying out some 2600 games I was thinking of getting.

The ColecoVision had the wow factor but not the longevity in my view despite all its fancy titles like the gorgeous port of Zaxxon or Turbo with its steering wheel et al. Even in a shop demo scenario it soon lost its lustre to me.

The DK Jr unit and Vectrex Minestorm were undoubtedly the highlights.