New Life Games Tech Forums

When in vegas for our honeymoon (year 2000), the wife and I became addicted to this machine, and I can't find it anywhere... not even a picture of it.  I think it was a regular IGT S Plus or S2000 theme A(double diamond, or whatever), but it had a bonus game topper, that was King Kong themed.  Basically, the top panel had a tube like cylinder that looked like a tower, and when you got a certain combination on the reels, it would make King Kong climb the tower.  You had a certain amount of time (2 minutes I think) to get him to the top of the tower to collect the bonus.  If you failed, he fell back to the bottom.  There was another machine next to this one with the exact same thing, but different theme (not King Kong, but same tower climbing effect... i think it was like a wizard theme or something).  I don't know exactly if it was an IGT, but it seems like it from memory.  My wife would KILL for one of these kits to either add to my IGT S Plus or or S2000... does anyone know what they are or can find pictures of one?  I can't even find it on Google images.  Any advice or info out there?

i dont remember the name either, but greektown in detroit had it...s-Plus machines...it was setup with several machines attatched to it...each machine had a "ape" that would climb up...caroline at mid ohio had the machines for sale...dont know if she still does...the machines she had didnt have the top box, as i believe the bonus tower was the top box, kinda, but you could see the reel strips and glass in her pictures.

i think i know someone who bought one of those machines...he has sense added a 9 inch top...ill see if he still has the glass, strips and ss chips, but i doubt it will be much fun without the bonus ape and tower

Steve

Thanks Steve, thats a step in the right direction.  Any idea where I'd even start looking for the tower?  I never see the bonus tops anywhere (wheel of fortune, etc).  You said your friend recently added a 9" top... any idea what he did with the old tower, or did he receive it without?  I'd probably buy the glass/reel/chip kit if it was a reasonable price, in hopes of finding the tower someday.

the tower was not attatched to the machines...it was a carousel, where like 6 or 8 machines were grouped together in a circle, with the ape and tower in the center, there were as many apes as there were machines linked to it...each machine had its own ape that climbed a building...the tower was actually part of all of them...not sure if that is making any sense???

Ah, ok, gotcha.  The ones in Vegas were freestanding, each with their own topper (bonus box, or whatever you want to call it).  If I remember, they were actually used as end cap machines at the end of a row.  Would love to find one for sale somewhere.

The machine your looking for was called Empire. It was made by AC Coin who added it to an IGT machine.
Never seen Empire for sale but did see a Merlin machine for sale in Mohave Co. Arizona or maybe Lake Havasu Az for $500 on Craigslist.
Just like Empire, Merlin the magician climbs in a bonus top box.
Don't see it now, but it was posted several times last few months. Very rare, if it broke parts for the top box would most likely be unavailable.
I used to play these machines at Fitzgeralds in Downtown Vegas years ago. Now called The D.

Here is a link to AC Coin history; http://www.ac-coin.com/History.cfm?pickDiv=div1&themenu=1

 It"s not a very good pic but this is the topper candle off a merlin machine . P.B.

That's not it. Merlin is a large round top with like a plexi window with Merlin in it or King Kong.

Ok, I searched far and wide on the net and found this pic right here on NLG. The Empire King game is not the King Kong one, a different version, the Merlin on the right looks like the machine I remember, but it's hard to see Merlin in the topbox.
http://newlifegames.net/nlg/index.php?topic=4432.0 (http://newlifegames.net/nlg/index.php?topic=4432.0)
Scroll down this thread to see the pics posted by 69mopar.

Yep, those are the ones.  I found the machines for sale, both Magic Merlin and Empire King (King Kong), but neither have the top box.  As far as finding parts, not a big deal for me... 99% of the time my machines are unplugged, and I only plug them in when I play them, so odds of wearing them out during my play are pretty small.  Both can be seen here:  http://midohioslotmachines.com/Specials.htm

I've emailed them and asked about the top boxes, but I doubt they would be selling the machines as shown if they had them.  Damn, wish I could find a topper, lol.  I can't even find a wheel of fortune bonus wheel, and those arn't nearly as rare, lol

just talked to my buddy, who bought one from mid ohio...the strips are wider than a normal s+, took a new reel tray and reels, payline glass to convert over to normal...he has all the stuff if you are interested in the lower parts...just let me know

Steve

I'd be interested in hearing the price.  Kind of a bummer buying it knowing I'll probably never find the top piece to make it usable though lol

hes in bed now...ill shoot him an email and see what his selling price might be

Steve

As an aside, AC Coin & Slot has a 5-reel S-2000-based "Empire" carousel available for casino floors now with a similar concept, except the games are in a circle with a large tower on the top of the carousel for all of the machines, as described by scratchee35 in replies 1 and 3 in this thread.

(http://i43.tinypic.com/2hygv1f.jpg)

Very nice.  Suppose the wife will let me replace the living room sofa with a carrousel?  ;)

a couple pics of the merlin machine.....

Yep, that's the one.  Know of any for sale?  Or better yet, a game kit with top box for sale?  Doesn't hurt to ask right?  Lol

HAD a 5-reel available (no longer as they went out of business)

Check your email.  I sent you info on parts for Empire slot.   Ted

Just talked with Caroline over at Mid Ohio... looks like the top box is totally unobtainable.  I guess the company that made the machine went out of business (as stated above), however the company that makes the top box did not, and part of the contract with the casinos that had these were to destroy the top boxes when the machine was no longer in service.  Ughhh... why?!?!?!?!  Such a waste!  I'm guessing something similar with wheel of fortune tops, cause I never see those for sale either?

Tjlee, got your email, thanks.  with the new information though, looks like I will never have a chance to buy the top that goes with the rest of the kit, so the rest of the kit wouldn't do me much good.  I appreciate the offer though, and would buy it in a heartbeat if I could find a matching top.

Parts are here if you change your mind.  Make me an offer if you would like to store them instead of me   :208-  Ted

Aah, indeed.  Looks like they folded in January of this year:

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic_city/founder-confirms-closing-of-ac-slots-in-pleasantville/article_70aa131c-5766-11e2-8da3-001a4bcf887a.html?mode=story (http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic_city/founder-confirms-closing-of-ac-slots-in-pleasantville/article_70aa131c-5766-11e2-8da3-001a4bcf887a.html?mode=story)

IGT Merlin machine on Craigslist http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/ele/3936326336.html

they have been trying to sell that for over a year now!
I went and looked at it, It did work, but the strips are really faded
and there was some issue with the bonus numbers in the top box.
It is a pretty neat looking machine. Looks really complicated inside  :96- 

THAT ACTUALLY WAS A FUN GAME TO PLAY -FOX-WOODS IN CT.  HAD A ROW OF ABOUT TEN OF THEM THEY LASTED ABOUT 6--8 MONTHS ON THE FLOOR BY MEMORY . BECAUSE >>>MERLIN<<<<
GOT TUBE STUCK QUITE OFTEN -- HEY CAN YOU BLAME HIM ?? IT WAS A TIGHT SQUEEZE .

I'd pick it up if I were anywhere near vegas.  Been looking for this topper box for this machine and/or Empire King for close to a decade now.  Can never find one close enough to buy or one that someone is willing to ship.  Would buy either just the topper or the entire machine, either way.