Britains First Video Game from 1973 | State of Play

Welcome back Arcadians,
In this weeks video we take a look at the very first British video game, Alca Ping Pong from 1973
Released only 6 months after Atari’s Pong we find out how similar they are and did the ic boards come from the same factory?
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www.retrocollective.co.uk/arc...
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#alca #pingpong #arcade

[@rmrepairs]

Fantastic achievement to get this in the museum. The perfect place for such a rare machine. Thanks Alex and Neil for the video, looking forward to seeing this alive again.

[@TheArcadeArchive]

It’s the perfect home for such a unique piece of British history. Thanks for watching

[@TheSelectGaming]

Obviously it's 'just' pong but it's all the history around it that makes it special. Amazing new addition to the Archive. Looking forward to more!

[@TheArcadeArchive]

This game will definitely get a part 2 when we have it all up and running. I feel we missed a lot out as well so we want to include in the next video. Fascinating company is Alca

[@red7even52]

Fantastic addition, for historical reasons it had to be included in your amazing lineup ! Cant wait to see it being brought back to life, hopefully that Thorn TV still works. Great stuff Dude !

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thanks Nick It’s a good addition and it tells a untold story not many people know about. Should have no problem getting it going. 😬

[@simonstapletondotcom]

I saw this in the flesh today - looks incredible. Can’t wait for it to be fired up. Thanks for showing it to me Alex

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thanks Simon Ping Pong made a few people smile yesterday which was nice 😀

[@claygraphics1]

I love how the cab is put together, with the outer casing being screwed directly in to the old skool tv - very ‘punk’! Nice bit of gaming history here. I’ll definitely visit the arcade when I’m up that way again. It’s all looking great Alex. 🙌

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Be good to see you mate We have so much history here at the museum your be your element playing the games and learning all about them.

[@lestat1uk]

I have seen a UFO back in the day. You would sit on the seat and spin it 360 as you looked through the periscope and try and find and shoot the UFO's , it was pretty impressive for the time.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Great video lads. Love these chats with you two.

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thanks Mark 😎👍

[@filecore]

At 07:08, when you show the invoice. My guess is that the original purchaser of this cab bought the extra PCB as suggested by Arcade Britannia p127, line 7. Great video and cab and I can't wait to play it.

[@TheArcadeArchive]

That’s a possibility we need to look at. There are a few things that have recently come to light since making that video I shall incorporate in the next. It’s what I love about this hobby it’s like archaeology uncovering new things and the story evolves.

[@zero0ryn]

Wow! I can remember having a TV with the same chassis as that when I was a kid. It bring back memorys of watching BBC2's scifi season on a home made antenna (Because Mum said I wasn't to watch any TV in my room.) I had the set in my bedroom to use with my ZX81. The version I had had the tuner 4 buttons horizontally and had 3 rotary controls for on/off/volume and brigtness and contrast. The set runs on tubes and has a multi tap dropper resistor in the back. - Good for keeping you warn on a winter day. I remember the frame output transformer being very noisy, it makes a loud buzzing sound that changes when you mess with the V-Hold. You can get NTSC to work on it by adjusting the height and v-hold. That is a live chassis set with an isolator on the antenna input. I didn't see anything that looked like an RF modulator on that PCB. Was the whole thing live?

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Interesting but I hope it doesn’t make to much noise as that could be of putting. We’ve not turned it on yet so I’m not sure what the tv will be like,fingers crossed.

[@retroimportgamer513]

That's a brilliant find for the museum Alex, you must be chuffed to have discovered it. Will look forward to seeing it working in a future episode 👍✌️

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thanks James It’s kick starts the story off with a nice British addition and the company is interesting to delve into.

[@davidretrogamesplayedbadly3533]

Awesome piece of history mate, definitely a worthy addition to the arcade.

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thanks dave, I can’t wait to bring this back to life.

[@ArcadeAzrall]

A great addition to a fantastic museum. Love these videos mate. The joy on your face says it all.

[@TheArcadeArchive]

I’m loving it l, it’s such a great find and the history is incredible. Thanks for watching

[@natsterjam]

Nice! 😁 And also educational, thank you. Great addition to your arcade. Getting more and more excited to come in the spring and visit with my son and Nephew who are 9 years old and love PC gaming. I want to show them how it all began. 👊🏻

[@TheArcadeArchive]

It’s a great day out for you if you visit the cave as well. What Neil he achieved is amazing. From the arcade to the computers we tell the whole story. Thanks for watching

[@MrHarney]

Another great vid thank you ..such a lovely find and looking forward to seeing it up and running 👍

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thank you

[@robhassell8447]

Interesting you mention that you could imagine PingPong being in a Carry On film…not quite Carry On but there is a shot of two kids playing one in the passenger lounge on the ship in the film “Juggernaut” from 1974

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Hi Rob Playing a Ping Pong in the film ?

[@robhassell8447]

@@TheArcadeArchive it’s around 5mins into the film. What is interesting is it clearly shows a light behind the glass. I will drop you a message with a screenshot.

[@TheArcadeArchive]

@@robhassell8447 oh yes please that would be amazing

[@bobbus_74]

That was a really interesting watch. Great to see things from a time when things were actually still made in the UK! That Ping Pong is a year older than me, but probably in better condition.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

A year older than me too.

[@bobbus_74]

@@MarkFixesStuff you old git.

[@kevinmccartney4906]

Great video Alex! Really interesting one this cab and even older than I am! 😂 I appreciate the stories and keep up the good work. Cheers! 👏

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thank you Kevin I’m currently working on my next video hopefully out by the weekend 👍

[@leonmitchell9389]

Awesome Uk cab, Great to see such a classic. We need more restore videos ….😊

[@nerdygeezer78]

Great addition to the museum & also great to learn the history of the machine & company

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thanks lee It’s great to have this machine because it tells the untold story of our British arcade scene which I would like to represent. Look forward to see you when you come down.

[@johnnyretro1975]

Wow amazing video boys so looking forward to seeing it work so lucky with only 2 around history right there amazing knowledge you both have keep up amazing work

[@TheArcadeArchive]

I’ve found it interesting to read and learn about the uk arcade scene and the book by Alan Meades is must if you share the same passion. It’s a untold story that hasn’t been told so I’m hoping we can tell that story at the museum. Thanks for your kind words Jimmy

[@senilyDeluxe]

That hacked in TV reminds me of the GDR PolyPlay with their Colormat 4603 TVs hacked in. They left the entire control panel intact and just removed the tuner and the channel selector. Watching NTSC on an old 70s B&W TV all you need is tweak the vertical hold and hope you don't have one of those rare sets where the range doesn't go to 60Hz. Very rarely you have to tweak the horizontal. AFAIK sound was on a different frequency, but that's not applicable to this machine.

[@elyuw]

Great video, the history is fascinating. I really need to just buy that book I’ve had it on my Amazon shopping list for a while!

[@TheArcadeArchive]

It’s a good read It’s very academic to start but cut does get very interesting shorty after.

[@Champion2D]

Definitely looking forward to getting some hands on time with these games. Good stuff Alex mate 🙂👍

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thanks Rob Look forward to seeing when you come down mate. You should organise a KZbinrs visit

[@Champion2D]

@@TheArcadeArchive Already in the works mate.

[@stephenelliott7071]

I'm really looking forward to visiting Alex, you've produced a fantastic arcade experience. As soon as we move to warmer times in the UK...and you get Pacman, Haha 😀

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Haha I’m on the look out for a Pac-Man I promise 😂

[@Flashback-Gamer]

Another awesome classic arcade insight. Love these videos 🍻

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thank you It’s my passion and I really enjoy making these videos with Richard.

[@Flashback-Gamer]

@@TheArcadeArchive it is very unique content and a great record of arcade history, so please long may it continue. The world needs this content. 🙏 Have a good one. 🍻

[@lallen1982]

Wow a piece of history in the Arcade love it big bro x

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thanks lee 😎👍

[@lallen1982]

@@TheArcadeArchive anytime big bro

[@electricadventures]

What an awesome addition to the museum, the cabinet is quite interesting how it is put together. I especially like have they have just jammed the commercial TV in there and built the rest of the cabinet around it :) Two more cabinets have turned up only 200 metres from my house - going to try and fix them for them first or take them over as long term projects. Will have to get a copy of that book, wonder if anyone has done the same thing for the land of Oz. Keep up the great work guys!

[@TheArcadeArchive]

I think someone should do a book like this on your arcade scene in Oz I bet there was a couple of company’s worth investigating with a story to tell. Two more cabs sounds cool Tony, looking forward to see what you picked up. Thanks for watching as always mate

[@electricadventures]

@@TheArcadeArchive It would be a lot of work, but the research would be fascinating, as there were quite a number of both direct imports and lots of locally built cabs under license and of course not ;) Maybe after I finish my current book later this year.

[@rorz999]

If my mum's memory is to be trusted, my parents probably played this version, rather than Atari's Pong, when they first started dating. She distinctly remembers the cabinet being titled 'ping pong' rather than 'pong'

[@TheArcadeArchive]

It’s definitely a probability as they made quite a few bitd. I feel extremely lucky to have one at the museum for you to play.

[@SwainyAtRetroAsylum]

A great find there mate

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thanks Dean

[@OneSwitch]

What a jewel for the musuem. What a find.

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thanks Barrie 😎👍

[@poshpaul55]

Great Stuff 👍👍

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thanks paul

[@jimmyd7606]

We played the Pong machine but that badboy was a little glitchy which took difficultly level up a little, you might wanna take another look at it to smooth it out, however lovely to play outside of a home binatone system

[@Kangsteri]

Thanks!

[@wolfbeast80]

Wow! The history of Alca and ping pong is astonishing. I was surprised to learn that Ping pong was the first British made game. I found it funny how botched the cab design is, especially leaving the back of the monitor exposed 😳 😂 British made equipment didn't have a great reputation for a whole host of reasons. My dad brought an audio mixer from a British company called Dynamix way back when. He was told to "give Britain a chance," and within days, a channel blew he has never brought anything British since 🤣

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Alca is a very interesting company and I feel we only scratched the surface in this video. Glad you enjoyed it Mathew 👍

[@TheErador]

It's difficult to know sometimes if British made means better or worse quality, as with anything.

[@TheArcadeArchive]

@@TheErador yea it depends what decade and what we were making. Birmingham was the centre of manufacturing in the 50s and 60s with cars and motor bikes.

[@paulboardman01]

that ufo game i remember playing on that as a kid

[@TheArcadeArchive]

There is one in a museum in Holland which I must visit

[@paulboardman01]

@@TheArcadeArchive it was in Blackpool, cool game at the time, legs was a bit short though

[@Keeping_IT_Simple]

That picture of the UFO cabinet bought back memories of my youth -:spent many a happy hour playing this at an arcade on Brighton seafront whilst rest of the family sunbathed Do any examples of this cabinet still exist I wonder ? Would love to play itt again if so !

[@semi422000]

I remember it fondly too, I was only small and my feet didn’t touch the floor when I sat on it ,so my dad spun me about on it

[@earlbrown4398]

No one likes a 'Rusty Box' fnarr, fnarr. All joking aside, another great video. Look forward to seeing it working.

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thanks Earl 👍

[@sc0ttschannel]

Ding dong it's Ping Pong.

[@TheArcadeArchive]

😂

[@djsquibby]

Coolness ;)_~

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Thanks Pete

[@sidb37]

Do you have bubble bobble at the museum?

[@TheArcadeArchive]

Yes we do have a dedicated machine

[@sidb37]

@Arcade Archive Excellent! That is one of the sounds of the arcade I remember fondly as a kid all huddled around the machine.

[@kenknight5983]

It wouldn't be British if it worked properly