Maimai DX is expanding its North American location testing, with Sega’s popular rhythm game now appearing at Dave & Busters in Dallas, Texas.
Maimai DX arrives at Dave & Busters
The Dallas appearance follows an earlier, officially sanctioned test at Round1USA’s flagship venue in Puente Hills Mall, California. That trial began in May and was understood to have performed well.
Reports shared after discussion in a local rhythm-gaming Discord indicate that the Dave & Busters trial will run for two months. The test is notable because the cabinet is operating online.
Dave & Busters has generally avoided games that depend on an internet connection and revenue sharing. That policy has previously made games such as Maximum Tune 5DX+ an unlikely fit. Dance Dance Revolution has been the main exception, although some of its cabinets have remained on the older A20+ version rather than receiving newer updates.
Daily server maintenance creates a drawback
The Dallas test is not without an inconvenience. A reported ALL.Net maintenance window runs from 1:40pm to 5pm every day. During that period, Maimai DX cannot be played with Aime cards, although guest play remains available.
The Puente Hills test also experienced downtime during server work in Japan. However, the time-zone difference placed those interruptions earlier in the day, making the Dallas schedule less convenient for players.
If Maimai DX reaches one or more North American chains, dedicated US servers could potentially remove or reduce this issue. That solution would require a larger investment, so it is not guaranteed.
What this could mean for a wider release
A second location test is encouraging for the game’s prospects in North America. Even so, Dave & Busters becoming a permanent home for Maimai DX would be unexpected, regardless of how well the machine performs during the trial.
A release limited to Round1USA appears more plausible, following the chain’s role in other restricted launches, including the initial limited run of Taiko no Tatsujin planned for that autumn.
For readers comparing rhythm games with other dedicated cabinets, the arcade machines collection provides a useful starting point. Our arcade news and gaming blog also covers developments across the industry, while the arcade machine buying guide can help explain the practical differences between commercial and home installations.
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