Adrenaline Amusements is bringing a very different kind of attraction to the arcade floor with Duck Derby: Pump N’ Race. Previewed ahead of IAAPA Expo 2024, the game moves away from the company’s usual video and videmption formats and into physical, carnival-inspired gameplay.
What is Duck Derby: Pump N’ Race?
The concept may initially look more at home in a midway, theme park or family entertainment centre than a conventional arcade. That is understandable given the visual similarities to products associated with Bob’s Space Racers, a manufacturer known for carnival-style games.
Rather than controlling an on-screen character, players race rubber ducks through a physical course. Each participant uses a realistic water pump to propel their duck towards the finish line, with the first duck across the line taking the win.
Each cabinet provides two player positions, and the units can be connected to create a race for up to eight players. A display above each cabinet supplies video content, but the core competition takes place through the physical water-powered course.
A hands-on arcade attraction
Duck Derby is not the first arcade attraction to incorporate real water. Games such as Ice Man helped establish the idea, although water-based designs can sometimes allow spray to escape beyond the play area. Adrenaline’s approach appears designed to keep the water contained within the cabinet.
Water management will be an important consideration for operators. The available information does not confirm the machine’s filtration system or servicing requirements, but a venue installing the game would need to plan for regular water maintenance and replacement if those features are included.
Availability and distribution
At the time of the announcement, Duck Derby: Pump N’ Race was not listed in the product section of Adrenaline’s website. It did, however, appear through Bandai Namco Amusement Europe, the company’s official distributor for Europe.
The attraction was also included in Adrenaline’s 2025 product catalog. Its unusual format makes it a noteworthy addition to the wider arcade news landscape, particularly for venues looking beyond standard video cabinets.
Where it fits in an arcade
With two-player cabinets that can be linked into an eight-player race, Duck Derby is aimed at shared, spectator-friendly play rather than solo sessions. Operators comparing attractions can also explore RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide and browse arcade machines for other cabinet formats.
The game was scheduled for a closer look at IAAPA Expo 2024, where hands-on footage was expected to provide more detail about its operation and presentation.
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