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[VGEsoterica]

It's not odd at all to have console hardware in arcades; NAOMI was just a more powerful Dreamcast and Namco System 10/11/12, Capcom ZN-1/ZN-2 and the Taito G-Net (among others) were all based on PS1 architecture with new board designs and enhancements. PS2 even showed up in Namco arcade games with redesigned hardware purpose built for the job at hand.

Konami? They did something different...THEY LITERALLY SHOVED A RETAIL PS2 WITH ITS ORIGINAL SHELL INTO A BIG METAL BOX, CUT AND HAND MODDED SOME CABLES...AND SOLD IT AS THEIR NEW ARCADE BOARD FOR THOUSANDS OVER RETAIL PRICES. It might be the funniest use case of hardware I have ever seen in my literal years of collecting rare arcade boards.

I mean at least they tried to put tape over the PS2 logo and hide the PS2 logo on the boot screen (by keeping the video signal inactive for X amount of seconds so it wouldnt show up) but SOMETIMES you can hear the PS2 boot jingle still.

The best part is the just cut the video cable of a retail PS2 and repinned the wires inside to get video out. It looks like something a home modder would have done back in the early 2000's except it was done by Konami.

It runs off the hard drive with an encrypted image that decrypts itself off a key but it can be flashed with a custom HDD image to remove that check...and if you use that image and pop it on a retail PS2 and plug in an IO board...you can literally get the game to boot.

When NAMCO used the PS2 they did a full redesign, made it make sense...and didn't just pop something you could buy at your local games store in a big metal box

But yeah...PS2 had a long life in arcades...and Konami really made it hilarious

But GAF...whats the most hilarious use of console hardware youve seen? There must be more

 

[64bitmodels]

It's not odd at all to have console hardware in arcades; NAOMI was just a more powerful Dreamcast and Namco System 10/11/12, Capcom ZN-1/ZN-2 and the Taito G-Net (among others) were all based on PS1 architecture with new board designs and enhancements. PS2 even showed up in Namco arcade games with redesigned hardware purpose built for the job at hand.

Konami? They did something different...THEY LITERALLY SHOVED A RETAIL PS2 WITH ITS ORIGINAL SHELL INTO A BIG METAL BOX, CUT AND HAND MODDED SOME CABLES...AND SOLD IT AS THEIR NEW ARCADE BOARD FOR THOUSANDS OVER RETAIL PRICES. It might be the funniest use case of hardware I have ever seen in my literal years of collecting rare arcade boards.

I mean at least they tried to put tape over the PS2 logo and hide the PS2 logo on the boot screen (by keeping the video signal inactive for X amount of seconds so it wouldnt show up) but SOMETIMES you can hear the PS2 boot jingle still.

The best part is the just cut the video cable of a retail PS2 and repinned the wires inside to get video out. It looks like something a home modder would have done back in the early 2000's except it was done by Konami.

It runs off the hard drive with an encrypted image that decrypts itself off a key but it can be flashed with a custom HDD image to remove that check...and if you use that image and pop it on a retail PS2 and plug in an IO board...you can literally get the game to boot.

When NAMCO used the PS2 they did a full redesign, made it make sense...and didn't just pop something you could buy at your local games store in a big metal box

But yeah...PS2 had a long life in arcades...and Konami really made it hilarious

But GAF...whats the most hilarious use of console hardware youve seen? There must be more

that is wack.... Konami really didn't give a shit back then LMFAO

Meanwhile Sega, in 1996 outdid every pc and console on the market with the Model 3 hardware basically being one of the most powerful advanced systems of the time.... Man sega why aren't you still pushing boundaries like this today???

 

[nush]

But GAF...whats the most hilarious use of console hardware youve seen?

Actually not that far off. A Guitar hero Arcade game, not the official one as this was before that. You could see it running macros on the menus between each song to get to the next song. There was a modded PS2 inside that cabinet. Actually, now I remember there were a lot of Outrun 2 arcade games that were just the Xbox version in a full sit down cabinet config.

The China arcade scene was loaded with stuff like this.

 

[ThaMonkeyClaw]

Wow, that's really cool, I wasn't aware that this even existed!

 

[VGEsoterica]

Actually not that far off. A Guitar hero Arcade game, not the official one as this was before that. You could see it running macros on the menus between each song to get to the next song. There was a modded PS2 inside that cabinet. Actually, now I remember there were a lot of Outrun 2 arcade games that were just the Xbox version in a full sit down cabinet config.

The China arcade scene was loaded with stuff like this.

True. But those weren’t really sold by the companies…more like modded to run via coins. But same concept

 

[TGO]

I knew about this.
But going back to the arcade & Playstation topic.
I always thought it was funny how people said Soul Calibur was soooo NextGen, yet it was built on a modified PSX.
sure it was way more powerful then the Retail unit but it was still a PSX.

 

[Deft Beck]

I'm pretty sure Konami did the same thing with PS1 hardware for some of their arcade games.

In terms of their BEMANI series, I assume they did this to make porting easier to home consoles.

 

[calistan]

The label below the red one at 4.30 in your video - they weren't trying to hide anything, it's a sticker from Sony and it mentions 'Playstation 2 arcade licence' and 'for commercial use only'.

 

[Bankai]

Wow, that's really cool, I wasn't aware that this even existed!

Cool? How is this cool? It's fucking sad man! It's literally just a PS2 shoved into metal box and sold as if it was a unique piece of arcade hardware.

 

[VGEsoterica]

I'm pretty sure Konami did the same thing with PS1 hardware for some of their arcade games.

In terms of their BEMANI series, I assume they did this to make porting easier to home consoles.

Nothing PS1 was done by Konami though that used an actual PS1 console. I did a vid last week on some of the boards. They at least took the pcb’s out of the case lol

 

[FoxMcChief]

There’s a few different arcade cabinets that had consoles inside. It’s always funny to be reminded of this, but this isn’t a new revelation.

 

[BlackTron]

I didn't know about this, thanks for sharing. That really is actually hilarious. I love the pic of the PS2 "strapped in". It just adds to the compendium of Konami being Konami.

 

[VGEsoterica]

There’s a few different arcade cabinets that had consoles inside. It’s always funny to be reminded of this, but this isn’t a new revelation.

none literally shoved the actual retail console in though...as in the form factor

 

[ParaSeoul]

Most of these were probably dance dance revolution machines so it didn't matter much

 

[Drew1440]

Konami had some pretty interesting hardware in the late 90s, the M2-based board, and the Cobra which was supposed to rival the Model 3. Them putting a stock PS2 is a bit of a letdown considering Namco had the System 246. Still if the console breaks down then its easy and cheap to replace.

 

[VGEsoterica]

Konami had some pretty interesting hardware in the late 90s, the M2-based board, and the Cobra which was supposed to rival the Model 3. Them putting a stock PS2 is a bit of a letdown considering Namco had the System 246. Still if the console breaks down then its easy and cheap to replace.

Cobra got close to Model 3. I’ve got one next to me (sadly broken)

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

You can learn how to game the YouTube Algorithm with the right key words in these threads.

 

[Badlucktroll]

it did its job i aint trippin

 

[VGEsoterica]

Most of these were probably dance dance revolution machines so it didn't matter much

Interestingly what make thrill Drive 3 so damn rare as most were converted to rhythm games

 

[shenmue mugen]

that is wack.... Konami really didn't give a shit back then LMFAO

Meanwhile Sega, in 1996 outdid every pc and console on the market with the Model 3 hardware basically being one of the most powerful advanced systems of the time.... Man sega why aren't you still pushing boundaries like this today???

I miss those cutting edge Sega arcade boards so much...

 

[EverydayBeast]

PS2 became the greatest console of all time, seeing a ps2 in a gaming cabinet is cool.

 

[VGEsoterica]

I miss those cutting edge Sega arcade boards so much...

Me too. Me tooooo

 

[UnNamed]

But GAF...whats the most hilarious use of console hardware youve seen? There must be more

Not the "entire" hardware, but the Jaguar case for dental instruments was pretty hilarious

 

[VGEsoterica]

Not the "entire" hardware, but the Jaguar case for dental instruments was pretty hilarious

My dad had this in his office when I was growing up

 

[DGrayson]

Pretry sure the arcade cab of Soul Calubur 3 was a retail ps2

 

[RAIDEN1]

This thread reminds me of this:

 

[Danknugz]

anyone else that remembers this?

 

[Max_Po]

This is pretty wild. I never imagined a PS2 inside an arcade cabinet.

 

[Big Baller]

Konami sold their soul for thousands of pachinkos

 

[ThaMonkeyClaw]

Cool? How is this cool? It's fucking sad man! It's literally just a PS2 shoved into metal box and sold as if it was a unique piece of arcade hardware.

Are you going to get mad at Neo Geo since it is basically arcade hardware inside of a console? It is cool because it is a unique piece of arcade hardware that I didn't know existed, granted yes it is kind of lame that they just took a PS2 and crammed it into an arcade and then probably overcharged for the cabinet you were buying, but it is still cool and interesting that it even exists.

 

[GoldenRetreating]

Man sega why aren't you still pushing boundaries like this today???

The american divison cribbling them hard in the long run, so they can't do anything like a Naomi mini, continue making consoles past the dreamcast, make a Virtua Fighter 6, make sequels to original Phantasy Star and Shining Force, and proper follow ups like a Sonic Adventure 3 - an actual Sonic The Hedgehog 4 / a new genesis-styled Sonic game without compensating for forced nostalgia, or a rereleases of Panzer Dragoon Azel and HD Phantasy Star Universe with the 3rd episode intact without needed the online server for it

ofcourse they gotten things back on track on a lot of things (Heck, Sonic Frontiers is one of my favorites in the series) but there was Wayyyyyyy too many fumbles inbetween

 

[Drizzlehell]

But GAF...whats the most hilarious use of console hardware youve seen? There must be more

When Die Antwoord used a bunch of PS4s to reprogram Chappie or whatever that dumb movie was about.

 

[VGEsoterica]

When Die Antwoord used a bunch of PS4s to reprogram Chappie or whatever that dumb movie was about.

I must’ve missed that

 

[marquimvfs]

Pretry sure the arcade cab of Soul Calubur 3 was a retail ps2

Not really... it uses a Namco system 246, that is a modified Playstation 2. Not the retail hardware.

I always thought it was funny how people said Soul Calibur was soooo NextGen, yet it was built on a modified PSX.

To my knowledge, the impressive version of Soul Calibur was the home one, running on Dreamcast.

VGEsoterica about costs, to be fair, is highly unlikely that Komami payed consumer prices on those machines. I think that is probably that Sony sold them attached to some "comercial rights", or, at least, without the subsidies that were offered to consumers, given that the attach rate was essentially zero (Sony wasn't making any software money on those units sold).

 

[Bankai]

Are you going to get mad at Neo Geo since it is basically arcade hardware inside of a console? It is cool because it is a unique piece of arcade hardware that I didn't know existed, granted yes it is kind of lame that they just took a PS2 and crammed it into an arcade and then probably overcharged for the cabinet you were buying, but it is still cool and interesting that it even exists.

That's totally different, because it was actual NeoGeo hardware inside. The fact that you could buy a NeoGeo AVS doesn't take anything away from the dedicated hardware inside of an AES.

This "PS2 with a sticker slapped onto it" was just a cheap way for Konami to not have to make dedicated arcade hardware, but sell it like it was all the same.

 

[calistan]

VGEsoterica about costs, to be fair, is highly unlikely that Komami payed consumer prices on those machines. I think that is probably that Sony sold them attached to some "comercial rights", or, at least, without the subsidies that were offered to consumers, givent that the attach rate was essentially zero (Sony wasn't making any software money on those units sold).

Yeah, it's right there in the video - Playstation 2 arcade licence, the English words spelled out phonetically in katakana. Makes me wonder if this was drawn up specifically for Konami or if there are PS2s hidden in other arcade cabinets (maybe fruit machines or pachinko).

^ Bottom line says Sony Computer Entertainment, also in phonetic English.

 

[marquimvfs]

Makes me wonder if this was drawn up specifically for Konami or if there are PS2s hidden in other arcade cabinets

Specific hardware is unlikely, maybe a better ventilation or something like that and also maybe special bioses or software. I'm not aware of any other professional uses of the console, from the top of my mind, just rental... but it's always possible that it have some uses we don't know, even outside gaming/gambling.

 

[VGEsoterica]

Specific hardware is unlikely, maybe a better ventilation or something like that and also maybe special bioses or software. I'm not aware of any other professional uses of the console, from the top of my mind, just rental... but it's always possible that it have some uses we don't know, even outside gaming/gambling.

Konami hated ventilation / proper heat management.

Cobra heat bakes itself to death. Viper heat bakes itself to death. Python 2 here heat bakes itself to death.

Oh and also someone at Konami loved snakes lol

 

[Azelover]

that is wack.... Konami really didn't give a shit back then LMFAO

Meanwhile Sega, in 1996 outdid every pc and console on the market with the Model 3 hardware basically being one of the most powerful advanced systems of the time.... Man sega why aren't you still pushing boundaries like this today???

Model 3 was an absolute monster. Some people argue it was more powerful than the Dreamcast, in 1996.. It was very very expensive though, even for an Arcade board.

 

[VGEsoterica]

Model 3 was an absolute monster. Some people argue it was more powerful than the Dreamcast, in 1996.. It was very very expensive though, even for an Arcade board.

Dreamcast has the mathematical advantage over Model 3. Model 3 has aged better due to its art style

 

[Signal Rockets]

Hashtag, fudge Konami.

The cheek that they had!