Pole Postion Arcade Gameplay - WORLD RECORD HIGH-SCORE ATTEMPT! - ATARI 1982

[@NubianP6]

This was hands down, my absolute FAVORITE game in the arcade!

[@Dana_Danarosana]

I LIVED on this game as a kid. I remember one trip to Las Vegas I played this game in the arcade at the Showboat Bowling Ctr. on the 71-106 side. We stayed in the hotel & I had the top many spots on the high score roster. The day we left, I looked one more time & there was a single "SUE" in 1st place above all my scores... D'oh!! (palm to forehead) Thanks for posting this great video.

[@yorgle11]

I've never seen that expert technique for the sharp left hander before. I always just slowed down for that turn but stayed on the road. Diving into the infield grass looks effective. It really surprised me the first time I saw you do that.

[@themostannoyingplayer4519]

Really? We figured out that with my friend at age 10-12, immediately after the Pole Position came. 😊 Still wondering though how many many many coins we put into this game. It must have been a huge amount of money after all. 😂

[@Brian-dd2df]

My dentist had a full sit down cabinet for this game and I played it whenever I waited for my appointment.

[@Johnsarcade]

+Brian Patrick That would be sweet!

[@Rockband2991]

Brian Patrick I have a sit down PAC-MAN

[@generalzod7959]

Yeh, i always enjoyed the sitdown version of the arcade games, they were super cool however, i often found they were often twice as expensive to play 😠

[@TRJ2241987]

@@generalzod7959 because they cost way more to buy from the manufacturer! Those things were super expensive

[@aaronberns8485]

My father is a dentist. Whenever I was 7 I remember my father’s old dental office having an arcade room that has stuff like Ms. Pac Man and Dig Dug.

[@Danyplaysboblox]

Fun fact: the original publisher was Namco but since Namco gave Atari the permission to export Pole Position everywhere, it was Ataris version

[@lyndsie620]

I loved playing this at the Pizza Hut in my home town in the late 80’s early 90’s

[@lolmysteries]

2:25 "Less screeching you do......" 2:31 *SCREEEEEEEEEEEEECCCCCHHHH*

[@heimlichvonbladderburst8348]

Back in 1982, me and a freind called Steve spent hours on this game and used to go round Kent completely smashing the high score tables at all the arcades. We knew the car patterns and speeds by each marker. A perfect run - no crashes of course, only short skidding at 1st corner and hairpin, no water and no rev drops if you got too close to the next car, right foot buried on pedal never lifting, hi gear all the way once started and assuming dip switches were properly set would get you 64000+. I cant' remember my exact hi score but it was about 64360 and Steve beat me by passing one more car, 50 points more. This was with upright arcade version. Fantastic game. Would love to have one at home.

[@Radeo]

1980's digs: "1632, is that a year? No, it's your top score in Pole Position."

[@RetroDubs]

When he crashed I felt that pain..

[@johnkk7863]

You just brought me back 32 years man! Those sounds those words..wish i could get one of these machines!

[@001GenLee]

novak djokovic I wish I had the $ to buy one period! It'd be a dream to own / have the Whirlwind pinball machine sitting in my room! =)

[@TheScorekeeper]

Your videos are awesome. I have them saved as Favourites and will be using them to help guide me in refurbishing a Puckman and Super Sprint in the spring. Keep doing them John.

[@alfabdall]

This driver is qualified to race.

[@RICHIEBSQUI]

I was a wizard at this back in the 80s and early 90s - great posting Sir John!!

[@Paulywint]

This game was brand new when I first played it.

[@Johnsarcade]

Thanks, bro! Pole Position is def' a game I am getting better at. I just love it so!

[@chrisoliver5302]

dude..you're my hero. NICE basement.

[@jimthescotsman]

well John , for 1 thing your review is brilliant love your chat style and how you commentary the pole run , 2) yes hands down used to be galaga for me but this fricking game for ps2 version is sick , gamecube arghhh still fun but you man you got the arcade version , note to self go and find this game and see what my best score can be , awesome video. just wanted to say hey bro.

[@virtuafighter3]

Brilliant video. Thanks for playing this for us.

[@JohnE120970]

I like how the Pole Position cabinet is positioned next to a pole in the basement. I remember this game in the arcades had the worst screen burn with 'Game Over' clearly visible during gameplay.

[@BucknutDolfan]

My high score in Pole Position is 61,250 and my time was 226"52. It's so far the only no-crash run I've ever had.

[@gorgoroth6072]

I have the same exact score!

[@gorgoroth6072]

Nevermind...just checked. 61,710 with 227"67

[@erichondel6221]

I wonder if a perfect PP game/run is even possible? As in no hitting the side, puddles, letting off the gas, etc. I've had a perfect lap I think but not a perfect game.

[@heimlichvonbladderburst8348]

Yes, done it. Max speed all the way over 4 or 5 laps (except the first corner and the hairpin with minimal skids at each of those corners). 99.5% perfect laps each time, no scrubbing or throttle backs. This was on an upright circa summer 1983.

[@richfiles]

I had the Commodore port of this for my C64, and the local skate rink had the stand up cabinet. I still got the Commodore, but the Rink is long gone... Probably been 4 or 5 different businesses since then, from a sporting goods shop to pet supplies, to who knows what... At one point it was an indoor archery range. Honestly... I still kinda miss the old skating rink.

[@jamesrbrindle]

Great update vid John, you should do more of these on their own tag or channel.

[@wildernessgames]

Dude before i even continue past the qualifying lap i gotta say wow tight driving man haha. Impressive run, too bad about that crash.

[@BenJabituya]

Nice arcade! I got mostly the games emulated in compilation discs for my PlayStation 2, XBOX and Wii! They're the next best thing to owning arcade cabinets!

[@yankees29]

That one turn when you just spin the wheel. I remember that. I wish I remembered my best runs.

[@thomascampr]

Love the game just wish it went longer. Turbo is another great game

[@erichondel6221]

Dude gots ice water in his veins on that first turn after the finish line.

[@lindenly22]

I can remember all of those tough right turns , but as I count exactly the no. of turns in the Fuji Track course in Pole Position, Turn 1 is a tough R hairpin turn, and then, Turn 2 is a soft curve to the L. Turn 3 and 4 is a sort of pseudo-corkscrew turn to the R and to the L. Then there is a new straightaway into Turn 5, a soft curve to the R (a 40-degree turn approximately), and Turn 6 is a more difficult and extended hairpin turn to the R (most likely a 70 degree turn to the R), and then, the final straightaway. So I believe that turn 6 is the most difficult part of the course---you need to anticipate the timing of the approaching Formula 1 cars perfectly or you will end up with a crash and your Formula 1 car blows up. In my plays in this race-car game, I think I have qualified after the qualifying lap 60 percent of the time on the Fuji course but was unable to go past 2 laps in the actual Fuji track race (no more than 1 case of extended play). That is what I remember a lot about this Pole Position arcade game.

[@Cohenfx9000]

Atari Pole Position from NAMCO I love it

[@pfc.thomas348]

It's my favorite too.👍🏽

[@Johnsarcade]

Thanks, man!! I need to get back to playing Pole Position. I really love the game and there is much to learn!!!

[@Meekimotosyoutubechannel]

You're good.. that jerky turn always wipes everyone out

[@nykrindfw1743]

I seem to recall doing more drifting in the corners when I played it. $pent so much money on this game!!!

[@Johnsarcade]

Yes, they are. I have this set to "Championship" settings. I added the settings in the description.

[@wesstarmedia]

I played it in the arcades 84-90 or so. (They disappeared around 90) great driving! I had to down change for nearly every turn 😆 a lovely arcade you've got there. Have you ever considered adding 'hard driving'?

[@dj9volt]

The laps are adjustable via dip switches on the pcb but if I am not mistaken the default is 4

[@patsfan4life]

As far as classic arcade racing games go, outrun 2 was pretty awesome

[@fabulousinflorida]

Wow does this bring back memories! I remember getting my $10 weekly allowance and then running to the corner store to exchange the cash for coins - then off to the arcade for some Pole Position. I had mad driving skills at age 9 (just couldn't park worth a s**t!)

[@ThunderFist1978]

Interesting fact - Atari also had a licensing agreement with Bally/Midway at the time, as we all know, and they were given first crack at Pole Position. Namco told Bally/Midway that whichever game they didn't pick between Pole Position and Mappy would go to Atari for overseas distribution. Midway chose Mappy, which wasn't the best decision on their part.

[@CrashFan96]

I love your arcade room! 😄

[@Johnsarcade]

Yeah, that's pretty neat! I have heard this story before. Crazy!

[@HitMan1515]

John...are all those cabinet games yours??? Holy grail!!!

[@Johnsarcade]

+Myst yes. :) Thanks

[@Johnsarcade]

A Pole Position Multi-Kit IS coming! I will be doing the interface for it too!

[@candidoj]

Great gameplay ! Thanks !

[@stuarthough4391]

bloody good driving m8 especialy that first left sharp corner when u said F**K i said no u can still do this and u did well done i have this on my game boy advance i cant win all the time but most of the time i do

[@danski6694]

It took me about ten years of playing this game to understand “prepare to qualify”

[@JoeCnNd]

I just moved an upright by myself and good god this has to be the heaviest thing ever.

[@jasperjasper77]

4:46 LMAO - But great job with this game. I've gotten around 62,000 before on the Atari 2600 home version of the game

[@philippelafortune2873]

Funny thing with this video is that during John's introduction of Pole Position you actually see on the high-score table (at 1:19) the score he is supposedly about to play; so this means his intro was done after his gameplay. ~In other words, he already knew how he has done before even playing it. ;-) So when John said that he didn't know if he was going to beat his friend's high-score, well he already knew the answer of that during his intro. ;-) The title of this video should have been: "Pole Position Arcade Gameplay - My FAILED ATTEMPT to beat the WORLD RECORD HIGH-SCORE! - ATARI 1982" ~ Since he already knew this during his intro.

[@user-mt4ny2zw7t]

I don't know if I blame him. It isn't that hard to finish with 60,000. Just finishing the game and playing it safe without crashing will get you that far. To go above that you have to start gambling. My highest score with twin galaxies settings is 63,550 and that wasn't with a lot of practice and I have never owned the game. The part that is frustrating about the game is that if you make one mistake you can't recover and the groupings you have can make it easier or harder to score high depending how they are grouped in the sharp turn. Other than that, the only other thing you gamble on is driving near blindly through some of the other turns. I don't think even if he didn't crash he would have beat 64,000. Maybe, but it would be very close. One crash chews up about 1,000 points. I have finished the game with crashing twice but that is with balls out driving and a lot of gambling. In Pole Position 2, it probably is less rewarding to drive balls out since there are more cars that you have to dodge around.

[@heimlichvonbladderburst8348]

@@user-mt4ny2zw7t Interesting to read that. You're the first person I've seen who has mentioned groupings - I know what you mean. True, the hairpin could need a split decision which might have an element of a gamble and luck maybe. Either way, your pedal is hard on the floor and you keep it clean and then exit knowing there is a puddle coming up you've got to avoid. Then it's into the long blind right hander where you need to keep to the right as much, gambling a slow one doesn't appear right in front of you, see how your speed is doing at the advert board, puddle on left, home straight, quick scan of the cars ahead to know which side to hold then prepare for the first corner. First corner is tricky as you've got to go in with enough turn to get round in one action but also so you can take the skid out asap and keep the speed up. About half second skid perhaps? Then it's just a case of reading the cars to avoid them and as soon as the hairpin appears, you are looking at where all the other cars are to decide how you are going to take it. A tidy hairpin can sometimes have even less skid than the first corner. Rambling on too long here. Pole Position rewards super smooth driving, no skidding, reading the cars ahead and just keeping your right foot hard on the ground.

[@ajcrm125]

I could tell. Looks great!

[@jimymichigan]

You Kicked Assss..................LMFAO............................When I was a kid I didn't see anybody score that high, I still love that game................LOL...

[@fernandosalas8589]

That was intense i was moving sideways with the car.

[@CLChambers00Gaming]

62,300 is my best score and it was with a race time of 223"83 with the version on the Namco Museum 64 cartridge for Nintendo 64. I did not crash, took all the turns at their max except one where I had to break to survive. I had about 20 seconds left at the end and about 81 car passes. Not sure how it compares but I can see you have real skill on the Arcade version. Awesome video! :)

[@tommymogs7778]

53 66 fastest start lap time pole position. OUTRUN sit down best driving game

[@mobhit]

Have you seen the glitch that is built into the game? I played this back in the 80's. I cant quite remember it exactly but if you drive the first lap (or second cant remember) without letting off the gas and you clip the water you will get a super turbo that will last the rest of the game, and at the end the car will continue through the finish line and blow up down the road. Don't know if this has been mentioned but thought I would throw it out there.

[@Johnsarcade]

I don't think this is true.

[@mobhit]

Yes....I have done it....could it have been Pole Position 2 maybe? It is true because I have done it.

[@PlayStation_5247]

If there is heavy groupings of cars in front of you, approach them slowly and they will get out of your way

[@yorgle]

good plan! I was going to suggest foamcore. :) The shroud on my PP was doing that before I handed the game off to someone else.

[@Johnsarcade]

It will be a direct plug-in for PP and PPII. Just unplug the original board and plug this one in. Go to onecircuit's website for more info!

[@f2p570]

insane reaction time

[@jonmacdonald3616]

hi John, you have got a nice selection of old school there, good picks. Like your Burger Time machine best. Think i'd be looking to get a nice Robotron if i owned the basement, lol - Are you not a fan ?? Nice vids, cheers....jon

[@bricago2302]

Awesome driving! I’ve noticed in some other versions (like my Ms Pac Man 5-in-1 plug-and-play) that the pole position is on the left side. Anyone know why some versions are different?

[@Johnsarcade]

Yes!

[@parosite]

amazing escape room

[@hazysativa3045]

4:45 .... Now thats the sound of the arcade I miss!

[@dccd6227]

there is a top speed over ride no one mentions.

[@hazysativa3045]

@@dccd6227 No there's not! Thats the oldest folk tale in arcade history. 244 is the top unless you mess with the internal dip switches. Then it only goes down. I think I played one back in the day that was capped at 195

[@dglesterhardunkichud4017]

Good job!

[@WeSRT4]

What does your power bill look like with a fair amount of on time during the month?

[@Iamacardinalfan]

I was never good at this game, but If I had my choice of race games back then. I'd like to get ahold of a TX-1. Used to play it at Atari Adventure in Gwinnett Place, Duluth Georgia back in the day. I loved that game.

[@Johnsarcade]

I think so! I might try to do better, give me a week! :)

[@arcadeimpossible]

Awesome run man! Are you going to submit that clip to scoreground?

[@PapasTrainStation]

Awesome brother

[@alexsgaming1729]

2:31 i saw a centipede bill board

[@vernmaxwell3733]

Love this game

[@tastywindex]

What game makes that attract mode beep at 4:11? I've heard it in a few of your vids and in the arcade ambient tracks Andy Hofle's made (I listen to them while playing MAME :P), but I still have no idea what it is.

[@ClassicTVMan1981X]

+Nesbro That is _Track & Field_. It represents "Go!" as in "Ready! Set! Go!"

[@tastywindex]

thanks. last time I saw a Track and Field, it was being drowned out by other machines, so I really wasn't aware of the what the sounds are like.

[@POEoeta]

Great TRIAL! Good reflexes! and GOOD KNOWLEDGE of the Game ... fucking Congratulations!

[@anthonytheappguy4426]

I definitely want this game in my basement.

[@ZJ-ne9kn]

very good run

[@Johnsarcade]

I did enter this! I entered the max amount of times I could. I hope we win! :)

[@dailycomicsfix]

I remember playing this game where if you maintained I high speed for a certain amount of time it went into a hyper speed. once you reach that hyper speed you stay at that regardless of skidding or puddles...all you had to do was not crash.....ive beaten that 66k high score.

[@heimlichvonbladderburst8348]

I think that was in Pole Position 2, not Pole Positon 1 (unless it was switched off in the arcades we had.)

[@Johnsarcade]

Yes, it is! :) I'm gonna pull it out and I think hot glue a dowel to it in the back. I think that will fix it!

[@squaretops1]

Great attempt at the record john this is one of my favourite games too but i prefer pole position 2,i laughed so loud when you crashed and cursed it was so funny,my copy of pole position 2 keeps repeating the qualify lap and doesnt let me race the race any suggestions what might be wrong with it?any feedback be much appreciated thanks.

[@zudemaster]

Prepare to qualify!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@guyincogneto8979]

There's Continental Circus too...

[@Johnsarcade]

Henry, I really want one! An original one, made by Disney!

[@serf3469]

the score it good, I am better at PP2 and did hold the world record on twin galaxies for the ps2 and PS but the key to perfecting these pole position games is cutting the corners, keeping the mph up, not crashing, and of course not hitting the edges when driving the corners. Brian

[@dccd6227]

What bout the topspeed Over ride ???Dont see any ments bout that.

[@Foxstang4life]

Didnt that game have a cockpit version with a real tachometer ? And did i see digdug

[@kevinfertig9934]

Can u make a list of all of the games u have? Thx

[@BagOfMagicFood]

Did you enter the Disney Movie Rewards sweepstakes for it yet? There are only a few days left!

[@ThunderFist1978]

I meant to say Namco had an agreement with Bally/Midway, but we all know how trustworthy Bally/Midway proved. Still, it would be nice to be able to play Jr. Pac-Man at home arcade perfect without having to resort to MAME. Jr. Pac-Man remains one of my favorites in the Pac-Man legacy.

[@Biomech011]

John, VERY Impressive. Great Driving. Question: If you were in a cockpit, could you do better than standing up?

[@Johnsarcade]

This is a good question! :) I like playing on the upright more. However, my highest score ever was on the cockpit at Grinkers. I think I got 63,400.

[@stuarthough8440]

John's Arcade Game Reviews & Tech was that still by crashing only once?

[@TheScorekeeper]

He's good. And with my help, he could be the best.

[@Johnsarcade]

LOL? :)

[@jeopardy60611]

You were so close to a perfect game! You only had one crash. If you didn't crash, you probably would have made that 1000 points you needed for the high score.

[@Johnsarcade]

No, the bezel is not supposed to be like that. It's sagging!

[@Johnsarcade]

Yes, but no one makes replacements.Well, actually that's not true. Mine is a replacement that a friend made for me. I think his poster board he uses is a little too thin.

[@TylerGames4LIFE]

Nice Job.

[@urnice2night]

hello, i just bought a pole position arcade, very fun. How do i change the difficulties of the game ? because my max speed is 203mph, and i know we can make it fasterthx for the answer

[@Johnsarcade]

+urnice2night Dip switch settings on the PCB. Use the manual to figure out what's what.

[@ketchup143]

dude, an okay game??? u scored 63k, holy crap! i crash EVER TIME i play this! i didn't even know u had to do four laps b/c i never got that far. nice trick there at the big bend (driving off the road like that). i always used to shift into low gear there. but that was playing on a gba--i never played the arcade version.

[@matthewlane518]

God i love this game