So what’s your story?I had to have this game! I didn't play it TOO much when it was out but that was due to the fact that it was only operated in one arcade in my area in the 80s. But whenever I was in Chucky Cheese, that's where you could find me. Popping quarters into Domino Man as this was the only chance I would get to play her, until I could find my way back (which wasn't too often) to Chucky Cheese. Domino man has a great soundtrack of the Maple Leaf Rag that plays as you set up your dominos, and the Maple Leaf Rag, as well as piano ragtime in general, has always moved me. So its no wonder that even the soundtrack pulled me in. Another interesting quirk to the game is the way each game ends. After the game is over, the game will have a poem displayed on the screen to evaluate the player's performance on the game. For example:
Roses are red
With dew drops they shine
Your 116 dominoes
Is doing just fine.
Well in the first year I started collecting, the hunt began. None at the auctions, but then I spotted it on the RGVAC newsgroup. One Domino Man working in nice shape. I emailed the seller immediately and was sending my cash by the end of the week.
O.K., Now that I paid for it.. How was I going to get it???? It was in Boston and I was in NJ… About a 4 ½ hour trip on way… Not too bad but my wife would be pissed. Well as luck would have it, There was schooling going on in about a month in Boston that I was to attend. Looking over the map and chatting whit the guy I bought the machine from, we worked it out that I would pick it up one night the week I was In the Boston area. The transfer went off very well. I picked up the machine the day before I was to drive home and left it well wrapped in plastic strapped to the trailer outside of my hotel overnight awaiting the drive home back to New Jersey. Good thing I wrapped it well too because it pored, none stop the next day…. All the way home. But the machine was undamaged from the elements
The Restoration
Once again, putting the extra money up front, makes for an easy restoration. The worst part of the whole machine was the terrible monitor burn in. I opted for a Welles Gardner monitor to replace it with. As you can see from the side-by-side picture, the amount of burn that was in the tube, driving the monitor replacement! Replaced some bulbs, re-keyed the door locks and put in the Basement Arcade!
More of the poems!
The poems were originally ALL CAPS but are modified here for readability. The letter X refers to digits in the
number of dominos and does not appear anywhere else in the poems.
Roses are red
And need lots of water
With only x up
You just blew a quarter
Roses are red
And so is your face
If xx dominoes
Is all you could place
Roses are red
With passion they burn
You set up xx
Just practice and learn
Roses are red
And grow even redder
With xx set up
You will get better
Roses are red
Or so goes the verse
You set up xx
You could have done worse
Roses are red
And need lots of rain
After setting up xx dominoes
You should try this again
Roses are red
And smell up the place
But xx dominoes
Is no sign of disgrace
Roses are red
Some white even black
With xx set up
You are on the right track
Roses are red
The girls love them madly
Xx dominoes
Is not doing too badly
Roses are red
And sometimes are white
With xxx dominoes
You are showing some fight
Roses are red
With dew drops they shine
Your xxx dominoes
Is doing just fine
Roses are red
And violets are blue
You got xxx up
My hats off to you
Roses are red
And grow in the sun
You put up xxx
You son of a gun
Roses are red
And like their roots damp
With xxx up
You play like a champ
Roses are red
Or even vermilion
You got xxx
Now go for a million
Roses are red
And have fanciful names
With xxx put up
You are quite good at games
Roses are red
And have bees in for dinner
Xxx dominoes
Makes you a sure winner
Roses are red
Or so i have been told
With xxx set up
You knocked this game cold
Roses are red
Petunias are not
You put up xxx
That is hotter than hot
Roses are red
They are sold by the dozen
You set up xxx
The whole place is buzzin
Roses are red
Like no other flower
With xxx set up
You have domino power
Roses are red
Even when plastic
Your set up of xxx
Is super fantastic
Roses are red
In sunshine or rain
You set up xxx
You are a domino brain
Roses are red
Like the bullys complexion
Your score of xxxx
Is certainly perfection
