New Hallmark Arcade Cabinet Replica

On 07/22/2020 at 08:41 PM by KnightDriver

I was browsing at a mall I'd never been to before and saw a Hallmark store. I went in on a lark to see their Christmas ornaments because they have some neat retro ones, and I've been collecting their arcade cabinet ornaments. I have four of them. Now I have five. This is the Joust cabinet.

Joust

Yes sir Bob, this one's legit. You've got very detailed authentic features like the side art, the two joysticks and coin slots. Add to that the batteries that come with it so it can play a sound sample of the actual gameplay and light up the screen. I can't wait until this weekend to line up all five and play them all at once. I think I'll make a little film of it.

As for the choice of Joust as Harmark's 2020 arcade cabinet replica, I could think of some I'd like better, but Joust was popular and in every arcade I ever went to. I just didn't play it all that much. I'd love a Xevious, Spy Hunter, Gauntlet or 1943: Battle for Midway.

I wonder if this is the only one for 2020.

Cary Woodham

07/23/2020 at 08:46 AM

I got this one as well. Joust is one of my favorite arcade games so I'm glad this came out. It's the only arcade cabinet ornament this year, but there are lots of other video game themed ornaments at Hallmark. In July we get the Joust cabinet, Yoshi in a go-kart, and a NES that plays the Super Mario Bros. theme song. I got all of those, plus an Animaniacs ornament because I like that cartoon and you don't see much merchandise from it.

In October we'll get more video game themed ornaments from Hallmark as well. Two mini ornaments of 8-bit Mario and Luigi, a gold Zelda cartridge, Pikachu, and two store-only limited oraments of a metal Poke Ball and 8-bit Donkey Kong. I'll be getting all of those and plan to write an article about them closer to Christmas. There are also ornaments of Fortnite and Minecraft, but I'm not interested in those.

If they ever made a Spy Hunter cabinet ornament, I'd have to get it for my brother Jeff, because he LOVED that game when he was little.

KnightDriver

07/23/2020 at 09:16 PM

That's some cool stuff but I'm sticking to the cabinets for money reasons. I'll tell my friend Mark about the Animaniacs one. He loved that show when it was out.

I can't wait to see all that stuff in your articles.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

07/23/2020 at 04:05 PM

That's pretty sweet. I love Joust. I wish I had a real one.

07/23/2020 at 09:45 PM

A real cabinet would be sweet. I want to find a working Lunar Rescue. I wonder if one still exists.

SanAndreas

07/23/2020 at 04:47 PM

I bought the Donkey Kong one that was out a couple of years ago. Donkey Kong is my favorite arcade game of all time. When I built my own mini-arcade player using a Raspberry Pi I made it look like a DK machine. Other than that I have an ornament of Link fron the original Legend of Zelda.

Joust is another favorite game of mine, and is one my sister and I used to play. I wish it were on contemporary consoles. The last time Midway arcade games were on console was the collection for PS3/360 released almost ten years ago.

07/23/2020 at 09:50 PM

I want to see that DK themed Rasberry Pi.

I have a Midway collection playable on my Xbox One. I played Joust and Joust II on it recently.

Super Step Contributing Writer

07/23/2020 at 07:48 PM

Looks awesome. I miss arcades.

07/23/2020 at 09:52 PM

One of these days I'm going to Funspot in New Hampshire. They've got an arcade and a museum.

PixlBit