I love how the makers of these cabinets filled in the creative blanks that the graphics on screen couldn't possibly do. This is an extreme example of that concept, but Atari were masters at it.
Sadly, it's the other way around now. Videogames are delivered with minimal packaging, or digital download only.
> Many amusement arcade operators come from the world of showmen and travelling fairs. Since their Taitans were also pure fairground products, [we] were astonished when the prototypes met some resistance from the trade. We discovered that the showmen’s reluctance was simply over the colour, a vivid metallic green. Showmen are enduringly superstitious, and green is unlucky.
God people are weird, imagine being my afraid of the colour green. Imagine being in a situation where your business is somehow dependent on placating such ridiculous beliefs. I wouldn’t be able to do it.
It's not any stranger than Hollywood renaming the John Carter movie because "Every movie with Mars in the title has been a flop"[1]. And then there's the whole thing about theater and the color yellow.
I think that's an Irish thing (they tended to run these travelling fairs). Lots of superstitions around anything "green", being displayed in a negative light. Like a giant alien bug head maybe.
I recall similar superstitions in the world of car racing. A green NASCAR car is a big no-no.
You tend to get superstitious with long enough working a job where damn near everything might kill you if someone else screws up for five seconds, maybe twenty years ago.
Generic cabinets from the Golden Age of arcade gaming tended to be functional workhorses...That said, there were occasions when some manufacturers toyed with design ideas to attract players to these generic cabinets.
In 1981, Japanese manufacturer Taito designed a universal cabinet, known as The Taitan that could accommodate any one of twelve of its most popular games.
Sadly, it's the other way around now. Videogames are delivered with minimal packaging, or digital download only.