Video Arcade
Game Buyers Guide | FAQ
Here are some of the most frequently asked
questions in regards to purchasing a brand
new
or refurbished coin-operated video arcade game. If you have a question that isn't
answered here completely,
please
contact us
and we would be happy to answer any additional questions you
may have
about purchasing a brand new or refurbished video game, or if you have a
specific
game
in
mind, please use our sales inquiry form for
fastest service.
What type or kind of video game
should I buy?
Although we provide our customers
with guidance in this area when asked (which is quite
often; we frequently are requested to suggest 3 to 5 game titles to fully
stock a home or
office gameroom), sometimes this question is best answered by you!
As far as the style of game, we suggest that you buy the one that you like
the best, judged
on the game's looks, theme, colors, rules, number of games (for multi-game
video games) and
by what
kinds of people
(kids, teens, adults, mixed) will be using the video game. Some people
buy games based
on a "theme"
(movies, sports, celebrities, etc) and others to recapture
their youth by purchasing a game they remember playing when young. Some
people buy a
game strictly because it is brand new or highly-collectable (a
game that grows in value), or
because the game closely matches a certain color or decor in a
given room.
When looking for a video arcade game, consider the following:
-
How much money are you willing to spend on your
video game purchase?
-
Will your game be used by family and children or
teens and adults? Will it be in
situated
in a business or retail establishment or just be used by yourself and
friends?
-
If for family and children, what are the ages of
the children who will be using it?
Will the game be easy enough to play? We have many game titles
specifically
geared to, and
appealing to, most kids (and usually to most adults as well!)
-
Where will the game be located? A centerpiece for your home or your
garage?
What is the cost of a typical video arcade game?
Video arcade games vary considerably in price, from a low of
around $1400-$2400
for a older,
fully restored classic video
game title, to over
$150,000 for brand new,
large and complex video arcade
game like
Derby Owners Club, and depends on a number
of different factors
such as:
-
New or pre-owned game
-
Number of simultaneous players
-
Type of game cabinet - Standup (Upright) Large/Sitdown or Cocktail
table)
-
Monitor (screen) size, Type (CRT or Plasma) and number of monitors
used.
-
Current market value (preowned games)
-
The cosmetic and mechanical condition of the
game (for preowned games)
-
Current game popularity, game rarity and / or game collectibility
factors
-
Current supply and demand of the specific video game
you are looking to purchase
The majority of games range from one thousand
to about ten thousand dollars, depending on
the game title
and
its condition. Prices within the same game title may vary by several hundred
dollars
from dealer to
dealer
or through auctions on the web of less-desirable video games.
The current market price of the game and
most importantly the
video game condition affect the
actual price of a game.
You may obtain a lower price by purchasing a less expensive
unit, but
then the chance that it is a sub-standard game that will
fail to operate, breakdown or not
play
will increase dramatically. And
what happens when
your video game need service? Who will you
turn to? Make sure you know exactly who
you are
dealing with before buying your video game.
Who or where should I buy my video game from?
When you first start looking to purchase a video game, the thing you do is to see if there is
a reputable national gaming distributor firm that is willing to sell you a
top-quality video game,
and
here
is what to
look
for:
First, do they have a physical address?
A showroom? How about a
toll-free or even a regular
phone number?
Are they an actual business
dealing in quality games
or just
some part-timer looking
to unload
substandard video games on the web or eBay quickly?
55% of our
service
calls were from
people who used either eBay or offline "dealers" to buy their game
(We no longer offer repair services to the general public, but just to BMI Gaming customers)
Are they registered with the local & national
Better Business Bureau? How about
SquareTrade?
Do they have any complaints
lodged against them?
Do they completely recondition most of their
preowned video games? (and not
just "shop"
the game,
which is a very
vague term that can
mean almost anything, and usually means next to nothing)
Do they provide
in-home repair if
your game breaks down? Do they offer
in-home delivery? What
about
a Warranty? Do they offer a
return policy
if you are not
happy
with your purchase?
If you live
out of state, can they find someone qualified to fix your game
in your home or help you
with the
repair over the phone free of charge?
How come I there is such a difference in price between video games?
Video games can vary considerably in price,
mostly due to their size, overall condition, popularity and
rarity. Just like a
pre-owned car,
a reconditioned video game that has been completely overhauled and
serviced properly will be worth much more than one that has not been taken
care of. The video games
we sell are in absolutely the best condition
possible and have gone through our video game reconditioning process, so
they have
a higher value
than games that have not
undergone restoration.
The cheaper games you may see online are priced lower because either they
are older or abused video games that are prone to
breakdowns and can be very
costly to repair, or the game may have
several defects the seller may or may not disclose to you, or is not completely
refurbished.
I don't live near you, so how much will it cost to
pack and ship a video game?
If you are buying a game from us out-of-town then you will
most likely have
it shipped to you.
The average base shipping cost for in-home delivery (most dealers
quote shipping with just
curbside delivery, which you then have to figure out a way to get a
very heavy 300+ lbs game
into your home) in the continental USA is between is $275 to $375 depending
on your
location,
and
where it is being moved to (ground
floor, basement, upstairs
or high-rise
building)
Please consult our shipping
page for more information about game shipments.
Do I need to use coins or
tokens to play my video game?
No. Most modern video games have a "free play"
function that allows the game to be played
without the use of any coins or tokens! Almost all of our video games have this
function. For
games that come with fully functional coin
doors (and some with dollar bill acceptors), you
you can
set either for
free play
or you may charge for playing,
in varying amounts (0.25,
0.75,
3
games for $1, etc). Some of
our more "enterprising" customers have actually paid for their
game in just
a year or less or so by charging friends and family members to play it!
How often will I need to have my video game
serviced or repaired ?
That depends if the game is new or refurbished, and on how often you use
plan to use your
game. A video game has few moving parts, so there is little need for repairs
other than some
minor maintenance or adjustments. Generally speaking, most "home-use"
video games in
good condition or better
that are
played a few times per week can go for years without
needing any sort of
service. All our games, new or pre-owned, come with a
game warranty
Just how big is video game? Will it fit through a my doorway?
Most
"upright" video games were designed to fit through most modern "standard" width
doorways (approx 32"). Some larger video games and "sitdown" type driving
video games
can also be fitted through standard doorways as they come in two sections.
However, there
are a few larger games that cannot fit through a standard doorway -
So always be sure to
double check the game dimensions with us before ordering to be sure
your game will fit!
For more information
about buying Video Arcade Games, please contact
BMI Gaming at
1-800-PINBALL | 1-561-391-7269
or
Contact Us Via Inquiry Form
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