Play Meter

Issue: 1985 November 01 - Vol 11 Num 20

Letters to
the editor • • •
Vend-A-Phone
The article on V end -A -Phone on
page 13 of the September 15 issue of
Play Meter was of interest to me since
I am about to buy a number of pay
phones.
The· complete address of Vend -A -
Phone was not in the article. I would
appreciate your assistance in forward -
ing this letter to their address in
Houston . I would like all avaiiClble
information about their phones,
including prices in various lots.
Ernest Vic kers
[Editor's note: Without your address,
Mr. Vi kers , we were unable to fo r-
ward your letter, but here is Vend-A -
Phone 's complete address: 2211 Nor-
folk St ., Suite 215, Houston, Texas,
77098 . Th e company 's telephone
number is (713) 523-1504 .]
Small-operator
suggestions
I am a small operator in a small
town. I have been reading your maga -
zine since my wife and I purchased our
route in 1981, and I have received
much valuable information from it. I
have a couple of suggestions, not
criticisms, that may benefit other
small operators.
Concerning the N ational Pla y
M eter Poll: I wish there were some
way to rank games other than just
recent games or the ones on your
ballot. Small operators usually do not
hav~ to , nor could they afford to, keep
the most up-to-date videos on their
rou tes .
Don't get me wrong , I rotate
PLAY METER. November 1. 1985
games and put new games in my
inventory as often as possible, but I
purchase mostly used games and kits
that have never been in my area. For
instance, I recently put out a Joust , a
Poe -Man Jr., and a Gyruss, none of
which had been in my service area
recently . All are doing quite well, yet
they would not be found on your poll
because they are not on the ballot.
Perhaps some provision could be
made to list our top ten earning games
and their grosses . Some of them
would equal or beat some of the
games cu rrently on your ballot. With
this in mind, it would be foolish for me
to buy Commando when the Star
Wars I just put out is earning very well
and cost me only $200. This informa-
tion could be helpful to another small
operator looking for some additions to
his route.
My second suggestion is aimed at
some of the companies that service
our industry. I have noticed that
advertising, especially for used games
and kits, has dwindled somewhat over
the past months. Some of these com-
panies should recognize that small-
scale operators are not exposed to a
great deal of news or advertising othe r
than through trade publications such
as Pla y Meter.
I am one who would appreciate
any extra information that could be
directed toward small operators.
Thank you for the fine job you are
trying to do and for listening to a little
guy.
Kim Alexander
De ming Amusement Co.
Deming, N.M.
Wants Gauntlet kit
Concerning a rumor that has been
passing around operators in my area:
I'd like to know if you could clear it up.
You 've heard that Atari has been
testing a new game on the West Coast
called Gauntlet , which has fantastic
Audio VisuQI
Amusements
OFFERING THE FINEST
NEW AND USED EQUIPMENT
YO U'VE TRIED THE REST, NOW TRY THE BEST!/
We're Eager To Serve
1809 O live Stree t, St. Louis, Missouri 63103
I
314/421-5100
for further information, call Pete Entri nger collect
$$++ The DOUBLE PLAY ++$$
• Increases revenue by allowing two games to
operate In single cabinet.
• Legally double your game capacity for those
cabinet limited stops.
• lllew conversion? Don't shelve that old game.
Use both.
• Field proven.
• Uses existing controls and monitor. Easy to Install
• Alternately displays Attract Mode of both games.
• lllo gimmick. The DOUBLE PLAY board Is an
Intelligent microprocessor controller.
• Allows llllntendo VS. UniSystem to operate with
both games (must specify).
• Cabinet Art Kit available for that Professional Look.
!Includes marquee, lnstructl~n sticker. and pme lclentlfl ersJ
• Repair warranty.
• $169.95 (board and harness)
We Ac cept: VISA • MasterCard •
Checks • Money Orders • C.O.D.
Add $4.00 for shipping & handling
C.O.D. - Add $4.00
5
COINS- TOKENS
MEDALLIONS
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
ALUMINUM -BRASS- BRONZE- SILVER -GOLD
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
VAN BROOK OF LEXINGTON, INC.
P.O. BOX 5044, LEX. KY. 40505
(606) 231-7100
collection reports . Are they going to
do it to us again? Rumor has it that this
game will be released in a dedicated
game only and not as a kit for one of
the Atari systems. It reminds me of the
way Atari handled home games in the
past, thinking of the fast buck and
forgetting about the operator .
In my opinion the only company
that currently has a system and seems
to be thinking of the operator is Nin-
tendo. Their prices are reasonable,
the games, such as Duck Hunt and
Hogan's Alley, are moneymakers, and
more kits are being produced regularly
for release. It also appears they have
turned their Punch -Out!! game into a
system with the release of Super
Punch -Out!! and Arm Wrestling .
Why couldn't all manufacturers try
speeding the recovery of this industry
like Nintendo? Manufacturers, distrib-
tors, and operators in the coin-op
industry should learn to work more as
a team and less as competitors . After
all , where would one be without the
other?
Anita Irene Puehl and
Robert A . Scheller
Tilt Amusement Co./
Tilt Manufacturing
Mount Kisco, N.Y.
[Editor's note: Atari has introduced
Gauntlet as a dedicated game .
According to Don Traeger, Atari
regional sales representative, devel-
opment of Gauntlet began before the
company developed its systems. In
addition, he said, Guantlet's program-
ming, hardware, and four -player cabi-
net configuration meant that it could
not be used with a system. Traeger
said Atari is devoting 75 percent of its
resources to systems development .
For more information on Gauntlet,
see the New Products department of
this issue of Play Meter.]
A late update
Reference September 15, 1985 ,
issue, page 17 : please update your
records- you are two years and 10
months late .
Thank you .
J _B. Gordon
[Editor's note: Jerry Gordon, presi-
dent of distributor operations for
Rowe, was listed incorrectly with
Belson, a company for which he
worked previously. Play Meter regrets
the error and apologizes to Mr.
Gordon.]
6
PLAY METER. November 1, 1985

Download Page 5: PDF File | Image

Download Page 6 PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.