David R. Foley, who founded Ultracade in 2002, is accused of copying the “game packs” – multi-game software that ran on the cabinets – from his Los Gatos home prior to selling off the company, using a company burner. Foley was later fired from Ultracade – the reasons weren’t specified – but the indictment alleges he used the code and trade secrets belonging to the new owner, Global VR, to create and sell counterfeit game packs.

The charges therefore mean not only was Global VR defrauded, but also licensees Namco, Nintendo and Taito, whose games ran on the cabinets. A second man – the buyer of Foley’s allegedly counterfeit packs – was also named in the indictment. He allegedly sold the packs via eBay, and also used a proprietary burner to replicate them.

Ultracade had a tortured organizational history going back to the 1990s but its cabinets were chic enough to be something of a luxury item among gaming cognoscenti.

Two Indicted Over Theft of Software [San Francisco Chronicle]

About two years ago, a proud father began work on a custom pink arcade cabinet for his then 2-year-old daughter. Well, now she’s four, and he just moved it into her room.

Welcome to “Bella’s Arcade,” built by James, who has built and restored other arcade cabinets. This cabinet is built 80 percent to scale, so little ones can play it standing straight up, while adults would have to sit down to see the screen fully. He put in a Windows 98 machine that boots up to a MAME custom skinned with the Bella’s Arcade theme. Players can choose from 250 arcade classics.

For me, the best feature about this is the coin box. Instead of crediting your game with a button on the dash, you press the coin slot – or you can insert a coin. And why not, this is the age when kids get piggy banks, too. Good work, daddy! Someone got a huge, huge neckhug when this rolled in.

Bella’s Arcade [production blog]

Awesome. Just think of the four-player drinking games. During Gauntlet, a player must do a shot when he or she shoots the food. In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a player must do a shot when the game forces a cheap death upon you.

Hey, guy who has this set up, can we be pals?

Video Game Bar Tackles Two Life-Hindering Addictions at Once [Gizmodo]

Building a MAME console inside a TARDIS [ASCIIMATION via Wired Gadgets]

Moose 2000’s Photostream [Flickr via Wonderland]

The architect writes:

This table is excellent when I throw large parties. There’s always someone who doesn’t feel comfortable around large groups of people, and so sits at the table playing video games. But because I serve food and drink on the table, and there’s always someone sitting down across the table, this person is forced into social situations which are lubricated slightly by the involvement of video games.

For anyone looking to recreate this arcade ready contraption, the BJURSTA table from IKEA will do the trick. Additional specs and photos are at the Flickr account linked below.

IKEA MAME Dinner Table [Flickr via Boing Boing]

Gamerator, Arcade Cabinet with Beer Tap [Giz]

Kanashimi Danny has a review of sorts on his LiveJournal, giving us a look at the very NSFW game that can only be discussed on Kotaku After Dark. You have to jump over pike-wielding herpes viruses and giant enemy crabs to engage in a series of sex acts that involve massive genitalia and the drinking of “hot, wet juice”. There’s even a promise of “oozing pussy”. Man, that’s hot.

Lots of pics of Martian Manhunter getting and giving head to a green haired devil girl that might get you fired are at the link below.

A Night In With MAME (part 1) [LiveJournal via Waxy]

While I found the cabinets surprisingly pricey and their disco-fied CrystalCade immensely gaudy, I was very impressed with the guts of their machines and their incredible take on pinball.