Tecmo Lava Clones
| Tecmo Lava Clones | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Katakana | ラバ |
| Rōmaji | RABA |
| AKA | Tehkan Lava Clones, Lava Clones, Lava-type Cabinets |
| Type | Sitdown |
| Released | 198x |
| Wiring | Various |
| Monitor | Various in (Various) |
| Rotatable | Various |
| Power Supply | Various |
The Tecmo Lava Clones refers collectively to a number of compact Japanese sit-down arcade cabinets derived from, influenced by or closely copying the cabinet design of the original Tehkan Lava.
The original Lava was introduced by Tehkan before the company adopted the Tecmo name. The term Tecmo Lava clones is nevertheless commonly useful when grouping later cabinets based on the distinctive Lava format.
These cabinets are not all the same product and should not be assumed to share a common manufacturer, internal construction or licensing status.
Known Lava-derived machines range from extremely close reproductions of the original cabinet to later designs combining features from the Lava, New Lava and Mini Lava.
Original Tehkan Lava family
The cabinets which inspired the later copies and derivatives are:
These are genuine Tehkan products and should not themselves be classified as clones.
The original Lava established the basic form subsequently reproduced by other manufacturers:
- Compact seated cabinet
- Sloping CRT enclosure
- Small floor footprint
- Projecting control panel
- Raised cabinet body
- Tubular or pedestal-style lower support
- Adjustable or semi-adjustable playing height on some versions
Later Tehkan designs altered the body construction while retaining the same basic low-profile concept.
Known clones and derivatives
Several manufacturers produced cabinets closely related to the Lava design during the 1980s.
Jaleco Pony
The Jaleco Pony / Pony Lava Type is presently the best-documented Lava-derived cabinet on the wiki.
At least two distinct versions are known.
The first is extremely close to the original Tehkan Lava, including:
- Similar upper cabinet shape
- Sloping monitor face
- Projecting control panel
- Recessed lower enclosure
- Tubular floor supports
A second Jaleco revision departs further from the original design and combines characteristics resembling both the New Lava and Mini Lava.
This later version has:
- Continuous structural side panels
- Curved cut-outs beside the monitor
- More integrated lower cabinet construction
- Tubular floor supports retained beneath the cabinet
The precise chronological order of the two Jaleco versions has not yet been firmly established.
The licensing status of the Pony Lava Type is also currently unknown.
Casio Lava-type cabinets
Casio marketed compact Japanese arcade cabinets during the same period which show strong visual influence from the Lava family.
Surviving Casio cabinet catalogues include Lava-like compact sit-down designs alongside the company's cocktail and table cabinets.
Some of these cabinets have previously been described by collectors as Lava clones.
However, the precise model names, specifications and relationship to Tehkan have not yet been sufficiently documented to assign all of them individual clone pages.
Until further catalogues or manufacturer material are found, they are best described as Casio Lava-type or Lava-derived cabinets rather than being given unverified model identities.
SNK Lava-type cabinets
SNK also produced compact sit-down cabinets showing strong Lava-family influence.
Surviving examples and period material indicate that at least some SNK designs adopted the same general low-profile format, with a sloping display enclosure and compact seated playing position.
As with the Casio examples, individual SNK Lava-style cabinets should be documented by specific model once reliable manufacturer material is located.
They should not be assumed to be identical to the Jaleco or Casio versions.
Namco Lava
The Namco Lava is visually extremely close to the original Tehkan cabinet but should not currently be classified as a conventional clone.
Namco advertised a larger 20-inch Lava Type in 1982 under identifier:
95-2184
A surviving cabinet carries both:
- A Tehkan manufacturer plate marked 95-2184
- A separate NAMCO LIMITED machine-number plate
This provides strong physical evidence that the Namco version was manufactured by Tehkan for Namco or supplied as a Namco-specific version of the Lava.
It should therefore be regarded as an authorised or contract-manufactured Tehkan derivative unless contrary documentation is discovered.
For this reason the Namco Lava is included here for comparison but is not listed as a normal clone.
Tehkan design-rights dispute
Tehkan publicly objected to unauthorised copying and modification of the Lava cabinet design during the 1980s.
Contemporary notices warned against manufacture, modification, sale and export of cabinets based on the Lava without permission.
Tehkan later pursued legal action concerning alleged infringement of its cabinet design rights.
This historical context is important when documenting Lava-style cabinets from other manufacturers.
Visual similarity alone does not establish whether a particular cabinet was:
- Licensed by Tehkan
- Manufactured by Tehkan for another company
- Produced under an OEM agreement
- Independently influenced by the Lava
- An unauthorised copy
Individual cabinet pages should therefore distinguish documented manufacturing relationships from visual comparison.
Common design characteristics
Lava-derived cabinets commonly share several characteristics with the Tehkan originals:
- Compact seated playing position
- Sloping CRT enclosure
- Narrow cabinet body
- Projecting control panel
- Raised lower body
- Tubular legs or compact pedestal structure
- Small arcade floor-space requirement
However, these characteristics vary considerably between manufacturers and revisions.
Differences between clones
Known Lava-style cabinets differ in:
- Cabinet shell construction
- Wood versus metal lower structures
- Monitor size
- CRT manufacturer
- Monitor chassis
- Cabinet width and depth
- Height adjustment
- Leg construction
- Control-panel design
- Coin equipment
- Internal wiring
- Power supply
- Service access
- Marquee design
Specifications from one Lava-derived cabinet should therefore not be applied to another without supporting evidence.
Cabinet construction
One major distinction between Lava-derived cabinets is the construction of the lower body.
Some copies follow the original Tehkan arrangement closely, using a separate or recessed lower enclosure beneath the main monitor cabinet.
Others use extended wooden structural side panels which continue further towards the floor.
Later derivatives may combine features from several Tehkan designs rather than copying a single cabinet directly.
Monitor
Monitor configurations vary between Lava-derived cabinets.
The original Lava family itself existed in several forms, and later manufacturers used different CRT sizes and mounting systems.
Known differences include:
- 18-inch monitors
- 20-inch monitors
- Different CRT and chassis manufacturers
- Fixed and potentially adjustable monitor installations
Monitor size and orientation should therefore be documented on each individual cabinet page.
Terminology
The term Lava clone is useful as a broad collector classification but should not automatically imply that every machine was illegally copied.
Where the manufacturer relationship is unknown, preferred wording includes:
- Lava-derived
- Lava-style
- Lava-type
- visually derived from the Tehkan Lava
The term clone is most appropriate where the cabinet clearly reproduces Tehkan's design and no evidence of an authorised manufacturing relationship has been found.
Known examples
| Cabinet | Manufacturer | Relationship | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tehkan(Tecmo) Lava | Tehkan | Original design | Genuine |
| Tehkan(Tecmo) New Lava | Tehkan | Factory development of Lava concept | Genuine |
| Tehkan(Tecmo) Mini Lava | Tehkan | Factory development of Lava concept | Genuine |
| Namco Lava | Tehkan / Namco | Tehkan-manufactured 20-inch Namco specification | Not treated as a conventional clone |
| Jaleco Pony | Jaleco | Close Lava derivative; later revision also incorporates New Lava / Mini Lava characteristics | Clone / derivative |
| Casio Lava-type cabinet(s) | Casio | Lava-influenced compact sit-down designs | Further identification required |
| SNK Lava-type cabinet(s) | SNK | Lava-influenced compact sit-down designs | Further identification required |
Identification and research
Useful evidence for identifying undocumented Lava-derived cabinets includes:
- Manufacturer plates
- Model numbers
- Serial-number plates
- Period advertisements
- Manufacturer catalogues
- Cabinet dimensions
- Monitor size
- Internal construction
- Leg design
- Control-panel construction
- Marquee artwork
- Wiring diagrams
- Service manuals
Particular care should be taken with surviving cabinets because many have been modified during decades of arcade use.
Replacement monitors, controls, wiring and power supplies should not automatically be assumed to be original factory equipment.
Gallery
-
Jaleco Pony Lava Type -
Jaleco Pony version closely following the original Tehkan Lava -
Later Jaleco Pony revision incorporating features associated with the New Lava and Mini Lava -
Details of the revised Jaleco Pony -
Namco's 20-inch Lava Type, shown for comparison; surviving evidence indicates Tehkan manufacture -
Tehkan 95-2184 manufacturer plate and separate Namco identification plate
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