(Topic ID: 89748)
Linked Games
Laser War
Data East, 1987
Topic Gallery
Woodbury, MN
Looks like the back of the flyer talks about it being interactive with the game music and sounds. Must be some type of light show that plays to the music and sounds of the game like those interactive sound tees they sell at mall kiosks.
I read somewhere that the topper in that photo was the only one made. It was planned for production but deemed to expensive to make profitable. It was very interactive with the game. I have been toying with the idea of making one like it for my game. I have not found any other photos of it.
Joe got back to me. Here is what he said...
"If I recall most early games perhaps 500 had them
They screwed on on top
It was a spinning led board
That looked like a laser light show"
So he thinks there are some out there. They made 2,500 Laser Wars though, so that would mean about 20% had them. You would think someone would have one or at least seen one then. Different than what I thought though about being sound reactive. A spinning LED board instead. Makes sense I suppose, since sound reactive would have reacted to all the other noise in the room.
3 months later
1 year later
Quoted from foureyedcharlie:I'd love to find one....
Agreed, I have a very mint Laser War that practically came out of the box and would love to complete it.
1 week later
3 months later
Too expensive to be profitable, too rare to find. Sounds like someone can make some money here. I'd buy a reproduction if it existed. I can imagine that the light show for this would make it worth it.
Not too rare to find. Someone has it. They're not talking. There was more than one. What's it gonna take to make one available? I want the original. Someone can remake it based off that if they want, and I'd let that person model it off the original once I acquire it. I wouldn't care if I didn't have a Laser War that is basically NIB condition still. It needs completed, then put in a museum.
Quoted from sevenrites:Not too rare to find. Someone has it. They're not talking. There was more than one. What's it gonna take to make one available? I want the original. Someone can remake it based off that if they want, and I'd let that person model it off the original once I acquire it. I wouldn't care if I didn't have a Laser War that is basically NIB condition still. It needs completed, then put in a museum.
I will chip in $$ if we can find one, or I will chip in $$ to rent one! I will also do the work having the housings made to spec.
At that point all we would need is someone to remake the electronics.
Lets get this done dammit!
6 months later
1 month later
2 months later
6 months later
I just sold one about two weeks ago from a parted out game. I also have another back up one but I'm not sure if I want to sell it or not........, it sits on top of my Gottlieb James Bond. But I now have a Secret Service game in my line up that already has a topper on it. Hmm......
John
Quoted from Dayhuff:I just sold one about two weeks ago from a parted out game. I also have another back up one but I'm not sure if I want to sell it or not........, it sits on top of my Gottlieb James Bond. But I now have a Secret Service game in my line up that already has a topper on it. Hmm......
John
?
5 months later
I just found this post, I have this topper, a friend found it in the depths of the warehouse of the Game Exchange in Denver, they had it for years but guess they never got a game to put it on. So he negotiated a price for me and it's on my Laser War. I doubt there is enough interest to warrant a reproduction but if anyone decides to I can try to help anyway I can. It does work, and does all kinds of tricks, I imagine it would be better in a darkened room.
Quoted from aberdeentp:I just found this post, I have this topper, a friend found it in the depths of the warehouse of the Game Exchange in Denver, they had it for years but guess they never got a game to put it on. So he negotiated a price for me and it's on my Laser War. I doubt there is enough interest to warrant a reproduction but if anyone decides to I can try to help anyway I can. It does work, and does all kinds of tricks, I imagine it would be better in a darkened room.
Is it interactive with the game? What wire(s) connect to the game and where?
Quoted from aberdeentp:I just found this post, I have this topper, a friend found it in the depths of the warehouse of the Game Exchange in Denver, they had it for years but guess they never got a game to put it on. So he negotiated a price for me and it's on my Laser War. I doubt there is enough interest to warrant a reproduction but if anyone decides to I can try to help anyway I can. It does work, and does all kinds of tricks, I imagine it would be better in a darkened room.
Wow, nice!
Can you take photos inside and out to show how it was built, and a video showing it working?
I'd really enjoy to see this documented since it has never been documented before.
Quoted from Clnilsen:“ it belongs in a museum!”
Exactly!! Let me put it with the 54 others that I have. 55 sounds way cooler then 54. 
John
If you guys are serious about it, I bet you could buy that one on Ebay to reverse engineer the board. The cabinet looks easy. Just would need some confirmation of how it gets the sound feed from the game, but I’d be betting that’s easy.
I bet there is enough interest to make it worth it...
That's so cool for someone to have a working one!
Please. All the pics/vids/documenting/wiring etc you are willing to do.
Quoted from aberdeentp:I just found this post, I have this topper, a friend found it in the depths of the warehouse of the Game Exchange in Denver, they had it for years but guess they never got a game to put it on. So he negotiated a price for me and it's on my Laser War. I doubt there is enough interest to warrant a reproduction but if anyone decides to I can try to help anyway I can. It does work, and does all kinds of tricks, I imagine it would be better in a darkened room.
I've been trying to dig up a patent for this, but haven't had much luck.
The company name is Clyde Industries America Inc. (or Clyde Industries Ltd). The label on the "The Lyte" says "patent pending", but doesn't list a number. I've managed to find photos for a few labels, but none list a patent number.
The trademark entry for "The Lyte" gives an interesting description, but there aren't any patents that seem to match any keywords in the right time frame.
http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4802:ra1lr4.3.1
https://www.trademarkia.com/the-lyte-73643469.html
pasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).png
Promoted items from Pinside Marketplace and Pinside Shops!
Reply
Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.
Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!
Donate to PinsideGreat to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!
