(Topic ID: 210585)

Pandora’s Box vs ?

By DMC

6 years ago



Topic Stats

  • 8 posts
  • 7 Pinsiders participating
  • No one calls this topic a favorite

You

Topic poll

“Where to start for an arcade newb.”

  • Latest Pandora’s Box 3 votes
    60%
  • Game Elf 0 votes
  • Original JAMMA cab 1 vote
    20%
  • Xbox 360 1 vote
    20%

(5 votes)

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#1 6 years ago

I’m getting interested in arcade games and not quite sure where to start. Are the new Pandora’s Box all-in-one controllers any good for casual play? I saw a XXXX in one on YouTube which I liked but a lot of set up. I like schmups, platform games and some fighters. My other options are to get a Tank Stick or similar and use with Xbox and PS3 on whatever emulations I can get a hold of, or just go MAME. But that looks a bit fiddly at this stage. If I was going to try MAME I thought about MAME4Apple on my Apple TV 4 and get a Bluetooth fighting stick.

robin please add “& PS3” after Xbox 360 and a new option of MAME. Thanks.

#2 6 years ago

New Pandora Box 5 is really good; it's still emulation though...Really, for the money; I would recommend just getting an Xbox ONE X, or a PS4Pro.

Both have a ton of arcade perfect conversions of all the classic games, from PacMan to all the NeoGeo games, and then you can get an arcade stick and play all the modern fighters, like DragonBallZ, new MK, SF, etc...Plus you can play the latest releases, and with HDR on 4K, they look incredible! Like jaw dropping.

You really can't beat the value of the consoles. The Pandora boxes are alright, but for me, unless you have space for 10+ dedicated Arcade Cabinets, it's just not the same; better off just downloading MAME for free on your PC and plugging that PS4 or XboxOne Arcade stick in to play the MAME games.

#3 6 years ago

Found complaints about weird porn games, and an inability to adjust game settings while reading comments about some Pandora's Box hardware. The point about consoles is spot on, good value there.

Is Pandora's Box 5 the best option out there? I have some upright and cocktail cabinets hanging around, waiting for a good project.

#4 6 years ago

Go mame. It really isn't that hard if you want to play on your computer.

Mame in an arcade machine is a pain in the ass though to get the front end and all the settings correct.

Pandora is basically for pulling the guts of one machine out and to replacing it with an x in 1 box.

#5 6 years ago

I've owned a few of them and the emulation is generally pretty good but some games will have issues/not run period. Neo Geo and CPS1 games always run the best in my experience

#6 6 years ago

I’ve built about a dozen multi cabs. For “casual play” a Pandora’s box will be great. The emulation is pretty good, but in some games it’s not spot on. The game Elf 412in1 is great for vertical shumps but it doesn’t have any fighting games just vertical games. Both of these are good choices for casual gameing.

If you don’t have an arcade cabinet then you can buy from AliExpress control panels with Pandora’s box inside and everything wired. Just hdmi to your tv and your rocking. One other drawback is that there is no trackball (golden tee)
Shop around if you decide this route

If you have a cabinet then I’d suggest MAME for the best experience. You can buy a fully loaded hard drive set up with a front end ready to go out of the box from romcollector.com. Plug it into your pc add an arcade controller and your good to play. Building a custom cabinet is a rewarding experience if you want a machine for the game room and it could be set up for the games you love. Spinner, trackball, flight stick, street fighter layout whatever you like.

#7 6 years ago

Thanks all, appreciate the feedback.

#8 6 years ago

I went with MAME in an arcade cabinet. 4800 or so games. After the setup it has been running good for over 6 years.

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