John's Arcade Forum - Classic Arcade and Pinball Collecting and Restoring Discussion Forum - RETRO MAME - Nintendo Vs Forum

Below is how I search Craig's List for arcade games.

I use MULTIPLE search terms in MULTIPLE areas. I have many notifications going at once in multiple areas. Besides the search terms below, I also use separate game specific search terms with only one or two words like "Donkey Kong" and also manufacturer terms like "Taito"

First things first, get the plug-in for Chrome that is linked below and use the below search terms, and any others that are specific to your needs in MULTIPLE areas. You need to be willing to drive. I used to search a 100 mile radius to find deals. Set up multiple notifications in multiple areas using all of the search terms below plus any single manufacturer or game title you are looking for. Set these all up as individual search term notifications. You will have many going at once. This is what you want.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/popup-notifications-for-c/aenadocogjnkbmchfnkpipdinoleakbj?hl=en-US

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SEARCH TERM #1 (Pins and vids)


SEARCH TERM #2 (vids only has NEO GEO focus too)


NOTE I have neo geo terms in the above. If you are looking for a specific title replace those with spelling variations of a game or manufacturer you really want. For instance, "Taito" is a great search term as they really didn't do anything but arcade games.

SEARCH TERM #3 (more vids)


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Also -- you can use Search Tempest:

To use this in http://www.SearchTempest.com do the following after you put in your zip code and the above search term:

Press "Direct Results Mode" then "Open Results Window"

-fire

sodding arcade fire band non stop touring.

yeah just don't do it backways you might summon the devil

Thanks to your searching skills John, I talked to the guy with that great looking popeye and he agreed to sell it to me. I'll bring it home next Saturday!

i have also
-snes
-genesis
-fischer
-ps2
-gba
-gameboy
-tires

i cant remember if i have anymore than that

I don't know if it can get anymore perfect! :)

Ya, getting tired of seeing tickets for sale.

That's awesome! Congrats!

Been playing with this string today and all of a sudden I got a pile of coin op washers and dryers and coffee machines.

LOL!

I really think the coin-operated string is important. I have seen many arcade games not listed with the word "arcade" in it.

I'm adding some more coin-op tags in here and removing some of the "-" tags to stay under the search string limit.

((pin ball)|(coin operated)|(coin game)|coin-op|(coin op)|jamma|coinop|pinbal|pinabll|pinnball|arkade|acade|acrade|arcade|pinball|aracade) -tickets -tix -laundromat -ps3 -360

You can use this in Search Tempest but you need to click "Open Results Window" in order for this massive string to work.

I've also found games under upright games, standup games and arcadia.

Oh, I like that!

((pin ball)|(coin operated)|(upright game)|(standup game)|(coin game)|coin-op|(coin op)|jamma|coinop|pinbal|pinabll|pinnball|arkade|acade|acrade|arcade|pinball|aracade) -tickets

-jo :)

Just ran your search term and found this gem on craigslist:

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/vgm/4333618285.html

Pains me I can't go get it... an hour away...

That's a good price. I saw one sell at auction for $800 last week. The carts are easily worth that.

And... see? They didn't even use ARCADE in the title! :)

its down

I have the Craigslist notify app on my phone and I add all the regions and have a pinball search and an arcade search separate. I will give father for a pin.

But in the last few months I have turned it off because it is so cold and my basement door is buried under snow so I didn't even want to see what is out there.

That and I need to get rid of a few games.

Id like to see the list I am close to you

neo geo

I modified the search term a little. Still perfecting it!

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/vgm/4394114904.html


The price is too sick for me.

Wow, thanks.

..definitely a real time saver.

/much appreciated.

I'm using this search string daily. I think I nailed it. :)

The ad's been pulled.

I've opted to start putting in some names like Bally, Williams, Atari, Taito, SNK, Nintendo etc.

arcade | pinball | (pin-ball) | (pin ball) | bally | williams | atari | taito | snk | namco | capcom | konami | neogeo | (neo geo) | (neo-geo) | (nintendo arcade) | (sega arcade)

It seems to weed out more valuable stuff in the areas I've been searching.

The last couple of days the Video Game Only string has been bringing back a lot of Gold Coin and jewelry crap returns for me.  It seems like Craigslist updated and broke the string?

Oh its not just me then. I noticed it both on my computer and in the CL apps I use

Heard you reference this thread on your youtube channel so had to see what it could find in my area.  I believe the "space"  in (takes quarters) means the thread must have both the words "takes" and "quarters".  anyway these first few are key I think.

((takes quarters)|(coin operated)|(upright game)|(standup game)|(coin game)|arcade) -xbox -playstation -fisher

found this SI cabaret for $50 and paid less than that today.  Notice no mention of the word arcade and the guy said he hadn't been getting any interest.  Probably could have gotten the thing for free.

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/clt/4819689579.html

Are you from the DC area?  I live in Bowie, MD and definitely missed that listing!  Nice find!

Wow, dude! You got that thing because of my search term!? That's amazing! And, I am super jealous. That's the space invaders I want to get. NICE! Those cabs are sweet.

Hello.  Brand new to the forum.  Where is the actual ' search term?'  I can't seem to find it.  Thanks.

Disregard...I found it.  It was right in front of me!

Holy shit snacks! I tried this search string and immediately found a "pin ball what takes a quarter" and 24 hours later I picked up this beaut for $150:

http://imgur.com/a/kkApD

First of all Steve Richie is my favorite pinball designer, and this is a Steve Richie design, and this is the first Steve Richie I am adding to my collection . Second,  according to pinside: this is the first pinball to use multiball, the first pinball to use a flipper as a way to change lane lights, and the second pin to use speech (Gorgar used 3 words of speech, Fire Power used 7). I am beyond stoked.

We plugged it in with a cord that looked like it came from an old lamp and it immediately caught on fire but this is an absolute steal.

I would like to thank John for teaching me how to exploit them cricket eating hill folk what beset me from all die-rections.  Yeow!!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dude! That is so awesome!! CONGRATS ON THE PIN! WOOED

Good stuff indeed! That 1980 Williams pin in great condition normally sells for $925 (source: 2015 mr pinball price guide)

I must be 'simple' because I fail to see it. Would anyone be kind enough to take pity on my poor reading comprehension and re-post the latest and greatest iteration of the query?

TIA

It's in the first post!

Here's what I am using today:

((pin ball)|(coin operated)|(upright game)|(standup game)|(coin game)|coin-op|(coin op)|(quarters game)|coinop|pinbal|pinabll|pinnball|arkade|acade|acrade|arcade|pinball|aracade)

thnaks John I just found a lost Super Offroad that I couldn't find the add for.  We'll see how it goes

I'm finding plenty of potential with this string.  Just need money and space, heh.  I'm about to start gathering bits for the mini build.  SOON.

Just curious does anyone use the "cPro" app? I use it and had good results until just before Thanksgiving. There was an update to it and that's where I think it went south. I tried getting help with the app developers but I got one reply sandwiched between 2 automatic replies. What they advised was more of the typical check your phone settings to make sure it's not blocking notifications. Does anyone have a good app they recommend? I have an iPhone 5s.

Tried the string for the first time today. Hot damn did it dredge up some results. Suddenly getting items only 30 minutes away from me as results! I kind of wish i tried it sooner!!!!

I wonder what I'm doing wrong then?

No results found for ((takes (quarters),(coin) (operated),(upright) (game),(standup) (game),(coin) (game),coin-op,(coin) (op),(quarters) (game),coinop,neogeo,neo-geo,(neo) (geo),arkade,acade,acrade,arcade,aracade) in all sale/wanted.

125 mile search range

hmmmmm  ???

Ok, I modified the string to be a bit more efficient, and leave some extra characters at the end for exclusions. I combined all the (xyz game) statements into a single one to save space.

("pin ball"|"coin op*"|(upright|standup|coin|quarters game)|"coin-op"|coinop|pinbal|pinabll|pinnball|arkade|acade|acrade|arcade|pinball|aracade) -wash* -dry* -xbox

I also changed a couple from parens () to quotes to do exact phrase searches. I was getting lots of results for towing hitches with balls and pins because of (pin ball) but "pin ball" filters those out, and most people will be posting "pin" right next to "ball", so "pin ball" should work.

And here is my string for arcade only, no pins:

("coin op*"|(upright|standup|coin*|quarter*|taito|bally|midway game|arcade)|coin-op*|coinop|neogeo|"neo-geo"|"neo geo"|arkade|acade|acrade|arcade|aracade) -wash* -xbox -dry* -tic*

You can change the exclusions at the end. I got a lot of results for washers, dryers, xbox, and nfl football tickets (game and standup), so those helped me filter them out.

Good work I added it as a search string.

Prob a stupid question ....but when I copy an paste that string ... nothing comes up in my search , is it possable I'm doing something wrong ?? Do I need the upgraded CL ??? Shouldn't I juss be able to put a , in between each words ?? Help plz lol

If you get zero results, it might mean that your string of text is too long. Maximum is 180 characters in the search box.

I'm using this string in Search Tempest in CT and getting zero results.....What the heck

It works fine in CL

https://newyork.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=%28%28pin%20ball%29%7C%28coin%20operated%29%7C%28upright%20game%29%7C%28standup%20game%29%7C%28coin%20game%29%7Ccoin-op%7C%28coin%20op%29%7C%28quarters%20game%29%7Ccoinop%7Cpinbal%7Cpinabll%7Cpinnball%7Carkade%7Cacade%7Cacrade%7Carcade%7Cpinball%7Caracade%29&sort=rel

Thanks John, The place where the games will be going didn't even start interior remodeling yet, so I have plenty of time!  Happy new year!

Just snagged a Rolling Thunder on Craigslist because of this search magic... thanks!

AMAZING!

Thanks John, I was able to pickup a NBA jam using the Chrome extension with the search string. It send me an alert and 38 minutes later I pickup this beautiful cabinet on the cheap.

Cheers,
Juan

That's GREAT! Good work.

Agreed on not all machines listed with the word Arcade.  I live in Charlotte, NC and most games get gobbled up quick by a business near here that buys them cheap off of Craig's List and then sets their price at $1200 or more.

I was fortunate in finding a Centipede in fantastic condition for $225.  I am confident I was able to find this machine first because the seller listed it as a Video Game and never mentioned the word Arcade.   I'm Looking forward to trying Chrome!

Awesome! Congrats/

Can someone smarter than me create a custom string for an original Donkey Kong upright game?  :)

Thx

Lately at least in Atlanta I'm seeing a ton of trailers.  -trailer