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Well hello there! It's been a while (by "a while", I mean 13 years, the last WWC was in 2013. Thirteen years!) 🙂 I don't even know if anyone will actually read this (lol), but hey. Let's do it for old times sake, this is an MPU3 machine after all. Grab a chair and a rather cheeky glass of Saint-Emilion! *** I think it's fair to say a lot has changed in all of that time, and not all of it good. |First off, Wizard - the one-man genius behind MFME has been taken from us. I won't pretend I knew him personally; I dare say we had perhaps a dozen online conversations and interactions. His work and legacy speaks for itself, as does the great number of people he has helped and provided hours of entertainment - for free. Much has been said of his passing, from people whom it is vastly more appropriate and fitting to express such thoughts. I will simply say that every time I fire up the emulator for some much needed diversion, which is often, I think of him. RIP sir. *** In terms of this "review", nothing has changed from before: just some hapless, clueless, even older old guy offering up some ill-informed waffle about some ancient old fruit machine that most people will have forgotten about, even if they'd known what it was in the first place (back in 1985). I remind myself: this machine (briefly) appeared in pubs, arcades (and in my own case, a chip shop) back in 1985 or thereabouts, fully 40 years ago. Crickey. Well, we old crusties know all about MPU3 machines, right? Played 'em back in the day, lost our shirts, made a few quid. The memories stayed with us; we all have the layouts and the lucky few even have the actual machines. In many ways, this was the golden age of the 10p AWP (and 2p-ers as well), all a very far cry from now. That we get to play these old classics (and thus they live on) is down to MFME and its author of course, but also to the layout creators - Vecs in this instance (and a very fine layout it is too, which is to be expected from him of course), as well as the play testers, the resource gatherers, the owners of these rare beasts who allow ancient ROMS to be dumped and all the rest. *** Unlike ubiquitous MPU3 machines like Line Up, Adders & Ladders, Hyper Viper, Exchanges Unlimited, Razzle Dazzle etc., this was a rare machine - I only ever saw one in the wild. If there's a "TL;DR" summary (getting down with the kids there 😉), I daresay I'm reminded of those old "naughty but nice" adverts for cream cakes (if you're a certain age, as you probably are if you've got this far, you'll remember stuff like this: There are plenty of others with the likes of Les Dawson, Larry Grayson, Kenneth Williams etc., a real 1970s Carry On fest. Thing is though, I don't know about you guys, but I've always thought cream cakes look and sound like a great idea, but as soon as you start eating them, you kind of regret it? They're a bit much - too rich, rather bland and too much of them. A cream eclair has oodles of piped cream, chocolate and choux pastry, a pretty awesome list of ingredients you'd think, but it's all rather sickly and disappointing, a classic case of being less than the sum of its parts, right? In a similar vein, Naughty but Nice surely has the most appealing, finest ingredients - it's a Barcrest MPU3 machine for starters (a late one at that, bearing many resemblances to the great MPU3 Big Shot, with a bit of MPU3 Big Game thrown in, and even a pinch of MPU4 Stake Up/Multiplay clubber, albeit without the benefit of that machine's more advanced light and sound show, thanks to the more advanced MPU4 hardware). And yet - it's all rather disappointing when you play it. Allow me to elaborate. A Barcrest sussed out very early on in the genre of MPU3 machines (AWP and clubber also) that an exchange path is necessary to "jazz up" small wins, beyond simply a cash gamble ladder. A 20p win on Line Up or Hyper Viper is exciting (even a 10p win in HV's case) because it can be exchanged for 2 nudges, with the promise of much higher prizes and/or an exciting nudge gamble. Of course, many such exchanges/attempts ended in failure, with the player stiffed with 10p, but that's the gamble. Naughty but Nice has no exchanges - and boy, does it miss/need them. Another staple was a feature board of some kind (Line Up, Adders, HV, Autoroute, Razzle, Fortune Numbers etc.). Those few machines that didn't have one, like Circle Skill and Bigshot still had multi-word fill features (Cash, Zapp, Nudges, target board etc.), and Big Shot had a fully implemented nudge exchange - all plenty enough to keep the player entertained. Naughty but Nice does away with most of this as well; there's no feature board and there are only two trails to win stuff from numbers - the rarely given "Naughties" (a rather lame super series along similar lines to Fortune Numbers, although it can credit repeat if its really in the mood, perhaps for £3 or £4 tops) and nudges. A unique twist is that, when playing for super series (Naughties), the win values are all cash (£1.50JP for 10p play), with the lower wins enhanced. However, given that you won't ever have any nudges (by definition), you'll be relying on wins simply dropping in off holds or whatever (or the stingy super series). At least half the time, the nudge feature will give the minimum 2 nudges (and it'll be obvious the machine is wanting/expecting the player to collect, as they'll almost invariably be a lame 2-nudge reel set up with 30p/40p/60p win in range). Any unused nudges off the initial nudge feature (but not subsequent if nudges held over) will mean the player has a double or nothing chance next game. This could've introduced a fair amount of playability (e.g. like Big Shot), but it doesn't really work in practice. You can gamble, say, 2 nudges up to 4 or 6, then manually nudge a 20p win (instead of taking a 40p or 60p best win), leaving 3 or 4 nudges unused for next game. Often, though, the machine will stiff you with a Lose, or even if it gives it, the best win will still be 60p odd. Above all, this machine is tight as a duck's arse - Makes Nudges Unlimited look like JPM Rollercoaster on £6JP lol. Er, and that's it. Either naff super series (which the machine will endlessly number taunt you forever for, unless you're guaranteed it by having a hold and enough numbers on the win line to reach 10), or nudges - probably 2 nudges at that. At least it's a lot more willing to give the nudge feature. In terms of the Double or Nothing gamble, this is very reminiscent of Big Shot. Like that machine, it's progressive; you'll lose 20p wins if gambled if it's in a bad mood, but start pumping in those pound coins and you'll start to get to 40p, then 80p then £1.60 more often. At £1.60, bank 20p and go for the £1.40 double to £3JP. When it's good and ready, it'll go up (and clam right up again, in all likelihood). The machine is too easy to read, too tight, too simplistic. It's not a complete woffer by any means, but it clearly lacks both the depth and charm of many of its MPU3 contempories (not to mention classic JPMs of the era, most notably Reel Crazy). There is one thing that really marks it out from other similar 'Crests, though - Unlimited Nudges allows an autonudge for £3, albeit it doesn't have that wonderful "whirring" sound (I always loved that... <UNLIMITED NUDGES> in the alpha... <BELLS OR B A R S> 😀) It's an impressive looking beast; those two big win tables alternating lamps - there really wasn't anything else like it AWP-wise. Barcrest produced so many good looking machines. This one's a bit of a dumb blonde though, sadly, and you wouldn't take it home to meet your mother. (They didn't last long and there was never a 2p play variant. Presumably, most ended up as rebuilds like Chase the Ace, Win a Gain, Rat Race etc.). WWC JUDGEMENT - SAINT OR SINNER *** PURGATORY 5/10 👼

I personally liked them a lot,autoroute and naughty the first machines after the dreary roulette wheel gamble machines of razzle etc,they didn’t last long because of the EM5 mech,never understood why barcrest and jpm with superbank,tumble,top up,top streak went for this mech over the mars,basically you could use steel form A M12 washers in the EM5 for pounds and the summer of 85 onwards they got absolutely blitzkrieged by them….so they say😆.

Hello. Truly a fascinating topic; fabulous, interesting from beginning to end. Thank you.

"A M12 washers in the EM5 for pounds and the summer of 85 onwards they got absolutely blitzkrieged by them….so they say😆" 😁 Well, needless to say I didn't know about that one lol. Ironic, considering I was working in a sheet metal shop at the time & could've ready got my hands on a bag of M12 washers 🤦‍♂️ I could've well done with the cash at the time!

Welcome back and great to read up on another machine post (youve done one or two 😉)yes sadly the mecca isn't as busy as it once was but is still a good place .sadly or happily there are many new forums on fb which have poached members which was always going to happen . Mmm yeah id agree with you on almost most points regarding nbn . It really wasn't a great game and desperately needed new features injected into an oldish idea . You could almost say it was made for the bingo hall environment and perhaps it was but I dont remember playing any in seaside arcades but oddly im sure I remember seeing at least one .I use to own one ,having purchased it from the late Mike stead (mds) and didn't gel to it .I was never a fan of the double/ nothing gambles these later mpu3 gave and much prefered the roulette wheel or straight ladder climb/reel spin type gamble of earlier machines . Each to their own pete but razzle was a far better machine in my opinion and possibly fortune numbers too even without an exchange when compared to nbn . I think it was an ongoing thing with barcrest and its special/super series win spins that they were from the outset very mean and we never got what we expected even with the club machines. Oddly the club machine s even stated a maximum of £100 could be won off special series but it never happened of coarse . I think the writing was on the wall once the tall cab came out with the likes of strike a light and odds on as nothing new was really injected into the mpu3 game play with odd exceptions like razzle and autoroute .it was only at the end of the mpu3 reign that big shot showed promise . I'd give naughty but nice a 5/10 too as I do like the sounds and artwork very much . Oh and just one thing you didn't mention was the intended inclusion of a scavenger type mech to accept 1p/2p&5p coins for credits. The only other to include this was autoroute both using em5 mechs which were very unreliable .what was going through the minds at barcrest was anyone's guess but probably a arcade owners worst nightmare sifting through 100s of 1p and 2p coins ! Imagine putting in 10x1p coins just for one credit 🤷🤦. Anyway great write up and most enjoyable and hope you can do a few more .👍

Hello So, here's an update. I replaced the 6561 RAM and a few other components and took various measurements. It still won't boot. Obviously, otherwise, where's the fun? I'll be away for about ten days, and I'll post the results of the measurements. Just wanted to let you know I haven't given up. Thanks, see you soon.

Many thanks Sulzerned, much appreciated. Some very interesting points, too. 👏 Yes, I'd completely forgotten to mention that crazy "scavenger tech" whereby the machine would suck the last few bits of shrapnel in the player's pocket in 1ps, 2ps and 5ps for credits. I remember it now (and, yes, used it too), the alpha would display fractions of a credit, if distant memory serves. I'm biased of course, but I'd firmly agree with you: NbN isn't a patch on Razzle (but then, very few machines are IMO). So much more going on, more player options, more interactivity and hence more playability. Razzle was a much harder profile, too (especially for an MPU3); it could take a tenner in cash with very little happening, but on the other hand it could go token-crazy (multiple £3JPs in short succession, either off the 555+holds and/or multiple nudge JPs etc.) or put out a bonkers Danger Series (which, at least on the physical, well-played machines in the wild, sometimes did go for high credit-repeating amounts with multiple £1 wins etc). As an avid player of club machines back in the day, the stingy Super Series amounts off Barcrests - whether MPU3s like Sweepstake or Royal Exchange, or later MPU4 machines like Crackpot's Zipper feature etc. - were a constant source of disappointment, for sure. Old BFM System 83 clubbers (whose names I have long since forgotten) tended to be more generous, and some had a "Choose a win from 8" feature which would occasionally roll in the 4 melons for £25 (on 10p play). Fascinating to hear you once owned this machine!

Yeah that’s a good point Nick, will see how re sticking the decal turns out

Thanks Nick, got the glasses today and one side of thae art is lifting off the glass but not flaking off, just need to figure a way of sticking it back down. Also need to decide on using the repro or this original glass!

I know Mike and the chap is giving those for free, incredible

You couldn't write it Ronnie, quite incredible!

Hi Guys Here is a brand new 40 odd year old layout from JPM. There is a read me file and a manual in the folder. Thanks to who ever uploaded the ROM on here for this:) The ROM I originally tried from DIF had a £2.10p Jackpot on 10p Play and double symbol on reel 1. Happy Christmas to all! Nudge Double Up Deluxe (JPM).zip

Good afternoon everyone. No-one seems to have posted in this section for nearly six months, so I thought I would. My brother moved house last year, and one of the boxes he found in his garage contained a lot of my paperwork, including, amongst other things, my 'O' level certificates from the dim and distant past. The box probably came from my parents' loft when we cleared it. Anyway, I discovered a folder full of Bell Fruit paperwork from when I worked there in the early '80s. There are various documents about fault finding MPUs (black box), adjusting coin mechs, cams and microswitches (electro) as well as schematics for Super Nudge Gambler, Nudge Gambler Mk3, Firecracker, 21 Up Mk2, Plus Ten Mk2 and Hot Dog. There's also a map showing how to find/access the factory in Leengate, a 'boozy guide' to Nottingham and information for the Hotel Talsta, which is where I stayed when attending my Grade 4 training/exam in 1981. I'm hoping the Nudge Gambler Mk3 schematic will suit my recently acquired Nudge Punter. I will try to scan the documents in the not too distant future - a job for a rainy afternoon. I'm not sure what I can do with the schematics, as they're a bit big for my scanner.

Some nice old stuff in there https://youtu.be/hvkpFJ3_D7k?si=95EFY-tkn9fU33z0

This is the issue