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Cabaret Mini Arcade List

Offically Known As

"The Ultimate List of Mini, Cabaret, Etc. Video Arcade Games"

 

 

List compiled by Scott Caldwell

Revision 6
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What Took So Long???

Over the years, I have been asked numerous times about releasing updated revisions of my "official list" of all mini, cabaret, etc. video arcade games. However, as with any great work of art, it never seems to be done and this is why it took me so long to complete Revision 6. It was mostly complete in 2017, but I kept adding games, then 2018 I added more, and so on... :) I had to finally draw the line and release Revision 6. However, rest assured, I am already working on Revision 7.

The Legal Verbiage

Without a doubt, I expect the expanded "legalese" to raise a few questions, which is fine since I think it promotes a healthy discussion. I find having had my work commandeered and represented as someone else's, including by someone here on KLOV and Facebook, highly offensive. While my official list has already been copyrighted, this expansion should further clarify my position. My official list is for the benefit of the collecting community as a whole, but that does not mean someone can claim it as their own. There are countless KLOVers and others in the Video Games Collecting scene that have contributed their considerable time, talents, efforts, and money to bring something of value to the community. Regardless of the size or scope, and whether it's information, education, or something physical, it all matters. As one example, I am aware of multiple cases were people passed-off artwork, including vectorized artwork, as their own. Not cool.

The History

Recognizing the age of the list, (IE. "The Ultimate List of Mini, Cabaret, Etc. Video Arcade Games"), I felt it would be beneficial to have some of the history spelled-out, including when I started it, how the list developed, what my early efforts involved, etc.

A Living Document

From my perspective, this document may never truly be complete. Even to this day, information is coming to light about games that were discovered, licensing agreements, bootleg copies, low production numbers, and so much more. As a result, I may never know the full extent of all of the video arcade games made in mini, cabaret, etc. type cabinets. However, my intent is to continue updating my official list. As always, a huge shout-out and big Thanks! to everyone that has given me a heads-up about a game, contributed information, provided pictures, assisted with research, and so, so much more. Additionally, I appreciate you letting me know of any errors, typos, etc. in The Ultimate List of Mini, Cabaret, Etc. Video Arcade Games.

Over the past couple of years, I have been developing a website to show pictures of these games, so everyone can see them in all their glory. Sadly, I recently lost my hosting provider and am now looking for another. Once the dust settles, I plan to migrate my existing site, then bring this new part of the website on-line. Please stay tuned.

And a special Shout Out to Brentradio who has been hosting this list for over 14 Years! Thanks Dude!

Without Further Ado

I present to you, Revision 6 of

The Ultimate List of Mini, Cabaret, Etc. Video Arcade Games.

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The Ultimate List of Mini, Cabaret, Etc. Video Arcade Games
Revision 6, October 2020
By L. Scott Caldwell (AKA Scott C. on KLOV and other forums)
Copyright 2000-2020

"The Ultimate List of Mini, Cabaret, Etc. Video Arcade Games (TULOMCEVAG)" represents countless hours over the span of twenty years, including researching, gathering information, phone calls, purchases, bartering, road trips, validating, and so much more. While TULOMCEVAG is being placed on-line, including the Killer List of Video Games (KLOV) website, for use by the Video Arcade Game Collecting Community, it is NOT Public Domain and remains the Copyrighted intellectual property of L. Scott Caldwell. Additionally, TULOMCEVAG may only be redistributed in it's entirety as provided by L. Scott Caldwell and MUST contain all verbiage, language, formatting, and information as provided by L. Scott Caldwell. All other redistribution, including claiming or implying this is your work or the work of anyone other than L. Scott Caldwell, is strictly forbidden. All previous versions of this list, including those posted on-line in rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (RGVAC), rec.games.video.arcade.marketplace (RGVAM), and the Killer List of Video Games (KLOV) website, remain the sole Copyrighted and intellectual property of L. Scott Caldwell.
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HISTORY:

2000

In 2000, I began compiling a "list" of all the mini games from the 1970's and 1980's that I had seen, found information about on-line, and heard about through rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (RGVAC) and rec.games.video.arcade.marketplace (RGVAM). Initially, I focused on mini games sold in the North American market and my first draft was completed in late 2000. Shortly thereafter, I contacted Todd Tuckey of TNT Amusements to ask about a couple of games that were at the time rumored to exist and Todd happily shared his knowledge with me. With a few edits of the list, Revision 1 was completed. As fate would have it, this was about the same time as I acquired my first mini, an Arkanoid, in a converted Pac-Man mini (I restored it to Pac-Man, of course).

2005

Between 2001 and into 2005, I continued to add to the list as I became aware of and was able to validate specific games were made in a mini cabinet. This was a time of considerable growth for the list due to games from Taito, Sega, and numerous other manufacturers being added. This is also the time period where I begun using the names each respective manufacturers called their "mini" cabinets, such as trimline (Taito), cabaret (Atari), and slimline (Sega). Todd Tuckey and I spoke multiple times over this four year period as one of us would find or hear about a game not on the list. At this time, the list totaled 84 games.

2006

In July 2006, mxracer47 posted on RGVAC asking if there was a list of all the minis made. After more than five years of working on the list, it was time to share it with the world, so I posted it. What followed was some great discussion with multiple RGVACers sharing their thoughts about the list and and mini, cabaret, etc. games they knew of. Due to this discussion and feedback, an updated list, Revision 2, was posted a day later, followed by more RGVAC discussions. Todd Tuckey reviewed the completed list and again provided additional feedback. Revision 3 of the list was compiled and posted less than a day later, thanks to Todd Tuckey and other RGVACers. This is the version of the list most people are familiar with due to it being posted on the BrentRadio website.

2009

Between 2006 and 2009, I continued to add to the list, including newly manufactured classic games, such as from Team Play. Todd Tuckey and I exchanged the occasional e-mail during this time about potential mini, cabaret, etc. games one of us had run across. Revision 4 was posted on KLOV in August 2009.

2010

Two significant updates were completed in January and May 2010 and the list became Revision 5.

2020
Between 2010 and 2020, additional games were added and as of 2020, the list now contains around 145+ games, based upon different cabinets. During this time, more games from other markets, such as Europe and Japan, were also added. As a result, the "list" was finally given a proper name, "The Ultimate List of Mini, Cabaret, Etc. Video Arcade Games". To provide some historical context and an overall better layout, the list was reformatted to include History, Credits, and Markets, such as North America, Europe, and Japan. Some cabinet dimensions were also added.

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CREDITS:

A special thanks and recognition to Todd Tuckey, whom contributed, validated, or supplied pictures for around 20 games on this list. I am proud to say I managed to find three of the rarer games on the list for Todd, which he added to his collection.

A special Thanks to everyone from RGVAC to KLOV that assisted with the completeness and accuracy of this list by providing information, photos, and game history.

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LIVING LIST:
Without a doubt, there are numerous games missing from the list, including games from Europe, Japan, and Australia. Therefore, please contact me about any games you know of, have pictures of, etc. that are not listed.

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CLARIFICATIONS
Atari called their smaller cabinets "cabarets". For the North American market, Atari considered anything smaller than an upright cabinet to be a cabaret. For the European market, Atari used three different "cabaret" cabinets.

1) Atari used the same "cabaret" cabinets as they did for the North American market for games such as Asteroids,? Asteroids Deluxe, Battlezone, Tempest, and Centipede.?

2) Atari used a second cabaret cabinet, known as a "euro" for games such as Kangaroo, Black Widow, Dig Dug, Fast? Freddie, Gravitar, etc. A "euro" is larger than a cabaret, but smaller than an upright.?

3) Atari's third cabaret cabinet for the European market was used for games Time Pilot, Food Fight, Millipede,? Pole Position II, and Popeye. This third cabinet is similar in size to a "euro".?

Taito called their smaller cabinets "trimlines".
Sega/Gremlin made two small styles of cabinets, known as "slimlines" and "super slimlines". The slimlines are a smaller version of a typical mini, while the super slimlines are really short, so they are almost cocktails.
Karateco called their smaller cabinets "Juniors".
Midway, Williams, and most of the rest of the industry called them "minis". In Midway's case, "mini-myte".
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GAME LIST

Legend: * - Additional pictures from all sides, including inside, are needed of this dedicated cabinet.

AMIRO / Nintendo (France)

- PlayChoice-10

Artic / ATW
- Alien War
- Devil Fish
- Mars
- Mayday
- Sinbad 7
- Super Star
- UniWars

Atari (North America)

- Asteroids
- Asteroids Deluxe
- Battlezone
- Centipede
- Dig Dug
- Food Fight*
- Hydra
- KLAX
- Missile Command
- Tempest
- Tetris

Atari (Europe - Ireland)

- Asteroids (cabaret)
- Asteroids Deluxe (cabaret)
- Battlezone (cabaret)
- Black Widow (euro)
- Centipede (cabaret)
- Dig Dug (euro)
- Fast Freddie (euro)
- Food Fight
- Gravitar (euro)
- Liberator (euro)*
- Millipede
- Kangaroo (euro)
- Pole Position II
- Popeye
- Red Baron (cabaret)*
- Tempest (cabaret)
- Time Pilot

Bally Sente

- Sente Super System / SAC-III (A mini cabinet is shown on the Bally Sente flyer)*

Centuri

- Eagle
- Phoenix
- Pleiads*
- Swimmer*
- Vanguard

Cinematronics

- Space Wars (1979)*

Comsoft/Game World Manufacturing (Europe)

- Vanguard
- Phoenix
- Battle of Atlantis

DECO

- Astro Fighter ("lowboy")

Exidy

- Spectar
- Targ

Exidy (Ireland)

- Crush Roller (Licensed from Alpha Denshi Co / Kural Samno)
NOTE: Used the same cabinet as the Comsoft/Game World Manufacturing games above.?

FAMARESA (Italy)
- Ferrari

IRECSA (Spain)

- Pleiads*

Karateco (France and Japan)

- Billard Americain*
- Crush Roller*
- Gin Rummy*
- Hopper* (Unlicensed bootleg of Frogger)
- May Day*
- Moon Patrol* (The flyer shows two different mini cabinets, a "Junior" and a smaller "Mini")
- The Double* (Not to be confused with "Super Double", a poker game, that Karateco made in this same mini cabinet).

KYODO

- Galaxian

Leland

- Off Road
NOTE: While still as tall as an upright, it's only two player and less wide and deep than an Off Road upright.?

Midway / Bally Midway

- Baby Pac-Man*
- Blue Print
- Bosconian
- Domino Man*
- Galaga
- Galaxian
NOTE: Two dedicated mini cabinets were made. Original called a "Type I", and later in factory GORF mini? cabinets, called "Type II".?
- Gorf
- Kick / Kickman
- Lazarian
- Ms. Pac-Man
- Omega Race
- Pac-Man
- Rally-X
- Robby Roto*
- Satan's Hollow
- Solar Fox
- Space Encounters*
- Space Zap
- Super Pac-Man
- TRON
- Wizard of Wor

Merit

- Phraze Craze (Sold as dedicated & conversion kits)*
- Trivia Whiz (Sold as dedicated & conversion kits)*
- Four Play

Namco (Japan)

- Puckman

Nichibutsu / Nihon Bussan

- Crazy Climber (62"H x 21.5"W x 21.75"L)
- Frisky Tom
- Moon Base*
- Moon Shuttle (Easier than Taito version & has 19" monitor)*
- Radical Radial*

Nintendo (North America)

- Donkey Kong
- PlayChoice-10*
NOTE: Nintendo made two different mini cabinets for PlayChoice-10 (the first cabinet has the coin door below? the control panel, while the second cabinet has it to the right of the monitor).?
- Radar Scope*
- Space Demon

NSM/LOWEN (Germany)

- Kangaroo (62.2"H x 22"W x 27.5"L)

Pacific Novelty

Shark Attack (1981)*

Potomac

- Star Fighter (Supposedly the mini came in black, blue or wood grain)

SNK

- Neo Geo (Smallest Neo Geo, but looks like an upright cabinet)
- Neo Geo (Gold, larger than above, but smaller than an upright)

SEGA (SEGA/Gremlin) - North America

- Afterburner*
- Astro Blaster (Two mini cabinet versions are known to exist and the two biggest differences are cabinet size and marquee location. One cabinet is the same as the Space Odyssey mini UR)?
- Astro Fighter (Made in slimline and super slimline)*
- Carnival (Made in slimline and super slimline)*
- Digger (super slimline)*
- Double Block (slimline)
- Frogger (slimline)*
- Hang-On
- Head On 2 (slimline)
- Invinco!/Head On 2 - Special Dual (slimline)
- Invinco!/Deep Scan (dual game cabinet - slimline)*
- Mad Alien (super slimline)
- Mech-Tech System
- Monaco GP
- Outrun
- Sheriff (Sega/Gremlin/Nintendo - slimline)*
- Space Firebird (Cross licensed with Nichibutsu)
- Space Odyssey (Alternate, larger mini, 16" monitor, 57"H x 20"W x 22.4"L)
- Super Zaxxon
- Turbo Outrun
- Turbo
- Thunder Blade
- Video Hustler (slimline)*
- Warlords (slimline)*
- Zaxxon*

Sonic / Nintendo (Spain)

- PlayChoice-10 (Different cabinet than the two in the Nintendo section)

Stern

- Berzerk

Taito - North America

NOTE: All of these games used the same trimline cabinet (54"H x 20"W x 24"L).

- Colony 7*
- Crazy Climber (Different cabinet than from Nichibutsu / Nihon Bussan)
- Front Line
- Jungle King
- Jungle Hunt
- Moon Shuttle
- Phoenix
- Polaris
- Qix
- Space Invaders
- Zarzon

Universal

- Mr. Do! (Same cabinet as Artic / ATW minis)
- Mr. Do’s Castle (Same cabinet as Artic / ATW minis)
- Space Panic

Ventureline

- Space Force*
- Spiders (Same cabinet as Space Panic, except woodgrain sides and front)*

Video Optics, Inc.

- Caterpillar

Williams - North America

- Bubbles
- Make Trax (Licensed from Alpha Denshi Co / Kural Samno)
- Robotron
- Stargate

Williams / Streets - Europe

- Defender (European version with Williams game PCBs)


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MINI GAMES KNOWN TO EXIST, BUT NOT SURE IF THEY WERE LEGITIMATE, BOOTLEG, ETC.:

- Kangaroo (Flyer from Spain shows Sun Electronics/Atari Kangaroo, but in tall and thin mini cabinet)
- Imola Turbo - Autodromo Dino Ferrari (Sega Turbo?)
- Streaker (Has Computer Games Inc. copyright, but same game as Streaking by SHOEI)
- Turbo Star - Formula 1 (Sega Grand Prix?)


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RUMORED TO EXIST IN MINI, CABARET, ETC. CABINETS, BUT NONE FOUND YET:


- Atari Gravitar cabaret (Not the euro cabinet and shown in the Atari Gravitar promo commercial)*
- Atari Major Havoc (Rumored to have been made in very low numbers)*
- Centuri Gyruss*
- Centuri Route 66*
- Midway Tapper*
- Nintendo Donkey Kong Jr.*
- Comsoft/Game World Manufacturing Victory
- Taito Lock-N-Chase*
- Taito Lunar Rescue*
- Taito Stratovox*
- Taito Zoo Keeper*
- Taito Elevator Action*
- Williams Moon Patrol*
NOTE: A Moon Patrol bezel can be seen on prototype Robotron and RGVACer stated they saw a? converted cabinet with full size-art in a warehouse.*?

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MINI CONVERSION KITS KNOWN TO EXIST:

- Pac-Man Plus (Midway) - Super Pac-Man (Midway) - Jr. Pac-Man (Midway) NOTE: Two versions were made, one with a flat marquee, like Pac-Man, and the other with a rounded? marquee, like Bosconian and Ms. Pac-Man.? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MOPPET:

NOTE: Technically not minis, cabarets, etc. since there were no uprights.
Nonetheless, all of the Moppet games are listed. Moppet games came in one of two cabinet designs.

- Desert Race*
- Leprechaun
- Noah's Ark
- Pirate Treasure
- Tugboat
- Berenstain Bears / Bigpaw's Cave*

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OFFICIALLY CREATED MINI, CABARET, ETC. GAMES FROM YEAR 2000 FORWARD:
NAMCO

- Class of 81 Reunion (Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga, 62"H x 21"W x 32"L)
- Pac-Man 25th Anniversary (Pac-Man/Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga, 58"H x 22"W x 33"L)
- Pac-Man Arcade Party (Includes 13 Namco games, 60"H x 22"W x 33"L)
- Pac-Man's PIXEL BASH (Includes 32 Namco games, 60"H x 21”W x 33”L)
- Space Invaders/Qix Silver Anniversary (Taito license, 68"H x 27"W x 34"L)
- Donkey Kong/Donkey Kong Jr./Mario Bros. (Nintendo license, 58"H x 22"W x 33"L)

Ultracade
- Dragon's Lair/Dragon's Lair II/Space Ace (factory dedicated with just these three games)

Team Play

- Defender/Defender II (Stargate)
- Joust/Robotron
- Centipede/Millipede/Missile Command
NOTE: A later version also included Bowling.?


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MINIS, CABARETS, ETC. CREATED BY COLLECTORS AND ENTHUSIAST:

NOTE: These are not conversions, but newly created cabinets, artwork, and sometimes alternate game PCBs, such as FPGA.

- Major Havoc (replica of Atari Centipede/Dig Dug cabinet)
- Quantum (replica of Atari Centipede/Dig Dug cabinet)
- Kangaroo (replica of Atari Centipede/Dig Dug cabinet)
- Crystal Castles (replica of Atari Centipede/Dig Dug cabinet)
- Xevious (replica of Atari Centipede/Dig Dug cabinet)
- Donkey Kong Jr. (replica of Nintendo Donkey Kong mini, but in orange)
- Popeye (replica of Nintendo Donkey Kong)
- Punch-Out!! (mocked-up from a Doney Kong mini, but taller to hold two monitors)
- Moon Patrol (replica of Williams Stargate/Bubbles/Robotron/Make Trax cabinet)


EOL

Scott C.

 

 

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