Play Meter

Publisher and Editor: Ralph C. Lally II Editorial Director: David Pierson Managing Editor: Ray E. Til ley Associate Editor: Mike Shaw Administrative Assistant: Valerie Cognevich Art Director: Katey Schwark Circulation Manager: Renee' C. Pierson Typographer: Jo Ann Anthony Technical Writers: Randy Fromm Frank Seninsky Correspondents: Roger C. Sharpe Mary Claire Blakeman Charles C. Ross Mike Bucki Pau l Thiele Dick Welu Tony Bado Joe Moran Lee Shearer Michael Men,delsohn Bill Brohaugh Classified Advertising: Valerie Cognevi ch Advertising Manager: David Pierson Ill us tr ator: Bob Giuffria European Representative: Esmay Leslie PLAY METER, April 15 , 1982. Volume 8, No. 8. Copyright 1982 by Skybird Publi sh ing Co mpan y. Play Meter (ISSN 0162-1343) is published twice m o nthly o n t he 1st and 15th o f th e mo nth . Publishi ng o ffi ces : 508 Li ve O ak St. , Meta iri e, La. 70005; Mailing address : P.O . Box 24170, New Orlea ns 701 84, U.S.A.; phone: 504/ 838-8025. Subscription rates: U.S. and Ca nada-$50; foreign: $150, air mail on ly. Adverti sin g rates are avai labl e on request. No part of this magaz in e may b e reproduced without expressed p ermissio n . Th e ed itors are not respon sib le for unso licited m an uscripts. Secondclass postage paid at Metairi e, La. 70002 and add ition al mailin g offices. Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to PLAY METER, P.O. Box 241 70, New Orleans, La. 70184. Europea n Office: PLAY METER Promotion s, " Harescombe " Watford Road, Northwood Middx. J:ngland, No rthwood 29244. PLAY METER, April 15, 1982 Volume 8, Number 8/ April 15, 1982 "l.AY Ei lll The Twice Monthly Publication for the Coin Operated Entertainment Industry BPA Circulation Audit applied for 47 A m usement Operators Expo Pre-Show Guide Our way of saying " Wel come to Chi cago" is contained herein. Beginning with t he Exhibitors List (page 47), we present a hand y guide to w hat' s on show. What's happening on the ex hibit floor? See page 84, the preview wrapup. What to do once the AOE closes down for the ni ght? See " Havin g Fun and Culture in the Windy City," which begins o n page 96. Have fun in Chicago land, and good business! 110 Computerizing the Coin Count Considering a computer? Then here's a ready-made program for one of th e m ost basic tasks yo u will put on -l ine. Innovative Manage ment Consultants have provided, and we publish here, a co mpu ter-ready check between the cashbox count and the game' s meter. Read on, and plug-in. 124 A Player' s View of Appealing Games Contributing edi tor Bill Broh augh ta kes us through a visit to some of the best locations-a nd the worst. Bi ll 's co mments are worth noting: Your games aren ' t just competing with Joe Bl ow' s; they' re competing with th emselves. Have yo u looked closely at your equipment late ly? 139 Nintendo in America: Climbing in the Video Market Th is co mpany has become big fina ncial news in the Land of the Ri si ng Sun, building on its success in the home amusement ga me fie ld. Now based in Seattle for U .S. di stribu t ion, Nintendo has its sights on a f irm nich e in th e domestic co in-op ma rk et : A look at its p lans by co ntrib uting writer Lee Shearer. 4 Up Front 7 Mailbox 12 Equipment Poll 15 News Beat 105 Coi n man Interview: Taito's Jack Mittel 135 'The Arcade School': Know your regulators 146 'Ch ief Gripes of Operating': An ear to three 149 Coin of Vantage 151 Frank's Cranks 154 Critic's Corner 158 New Products 160 A ids to the Trade COVER CREDIT: Chicago·s o p ulent Hyatt Regen cy is th e setting of Th e Show of the Eight ies, AOE '82. One of the star videos o n display is Williams ' Robotron 2084, shown on our cover. Photo b y Williams Electronics. 3