(coin clinking)
- All the machines in this arcade are homemade.
There's something magical about all this.
As a child, I found that making things that made people
laugh was satisfying and seemed more point in doing that
than making useful machines.
(whimsical music)
I'm Tim Hunkin, and I'm a cartoonist and engineer.
I have two arcades, one on the coast on the pier,
and this one in central London called Novelty Automation.
In total, I suppose I've made about 50 machines.
Not many people have that as their ambition in life,
but yeah, it suits me.
This is Pet or Meat.
You spin the wheel, and you find if the lamb ends up
sitting with you on the sofa, or being carved for dinner.
It was a hobby that got out of control.
This is Autofrisk.
You stand in front here, the gloves inflate,
and then they pat you down.
Britain's got a great history of satire, and I suppose
I'm not really particularly political myself, but I think
it's healthy for little people to poke fun
at the rich and powerful.
You fly this little drone round this Beverly Hills mansion,
and see all the stars inside, and you're paparazzi.
You have to try and take the photos to fill up
the cover of the magazine.
- [Game] You're all under arrest.
(camera shutter clicks)
- I get my ideas from lots of places.
It's partly things happening in my life, partly things
happening in the news, and partly from old arcade machines
and mechanisms.
This is Test Your Nerve.
You have to put your hand inside the cage with the mad dog
for as long as you dare.
(game growling)
To do something like this, you have to enjoy the process
of making things.
I spent most of my life solving conventional engineering
problems, rather than thinking up the jokes.
(laughing)
This is the Chiropodist.
You have to take off your shoe for this one.
You put your foot in the treatment bay down the bottom,
and it feels really weird.
Seeing people enjoying, using the machines, keeps me at it.
And also, because they take money, it provides
me income to let me keep at it.
So to me, it's a pretty perfect system.
It sure beats working.
- [Game] Good morning, sir.
- I never planned my career or anything about my life.
It's just occasionally a sort of opportunity comes up,
and then I go for it. (laughing)
(munching sounds)