Here is a concise round-up of notable arcade, redemption, pinball and industry developments from September 2022, including new game testing, pre-orders, venue technology and operating costs.
Enter the Gungeon: House of the Gundead reaches testing
Griffin Aerotech’s Enter the Gungeon: House of the Gundead has resurfaced at PAX West, where the light-gun arcade game was being tested. The project was first announced in 2019 as an arcade adaptation of the popular console title.
The developer previously released the shoot ’em up Skycurser and introduced its JAMMA-based Airframe platform. House of the Gundead represents a considerably larger project, but pandemic-related delays left its progress unclear for around two years.
Testing at PAX West is an encouraging update. The cabinet’s side artwork is visible in the image below, although the machine has changed since its original reveal and no further production details were announced.
The developer’s official website stated that the game was planned for release during 2022 and accepted pre-orders. The next important step is testing at operating arcades before launch.
Astro Ninja Man EXA opens pre-orders
Astro Ninja Man EXA is a shoot ’em up based on an NES homebrew game, expanded to push the original hardware concept to its limits. The EXA release is aimed at owners of the exA-Arcadia platform looking for a new game at a lower cost than a complete arcade cabinet.
Customers in the United States could pre-order through the EXA product page, while European buyers could order through Red Sun Systems.
An hour-long livestream from the game’s test session was also available to watch online.
Fast & Furious Arcade appears on the high-score system
Raw Thrills maintains an online high-score service for selected arcade games, using its QR-code system. The company’s high-score page lists the titles currently supported.
Fast & Furious Arcade had been added to that roster under the new title, with a category for Abu Dhabi. No venue was identified, so the scores may have come from internal testing or from a location where the feature had been installed but not yet used by players.
For operators comparing driving titles, RETROCADE’s racing arcade collection covers the broader racing and simulator category.
Playbox introduces a four-player model
Playbox showed its ball-toss concept at IAAPA 2021. The original machine supported up to six players simultaneously and offered several games, but its large footprint could be difficult for smaller venues or tighter budgets.
A new four-player version was announced as a more compact alternative. Playbox was also scheduled to appear at IAAPA Expo Europe a few weeks after this update.
Footage from the six-player Playbox shown at IAAPA 2021 was also available.
Sega and Komuse test Sync Pong
A new redemption title called Sync Pong was spotted during testing from Komuse and Sega. The test location was not identified, but Komuse had already published a product listing for the game.
The concept uses falling balls and three moving rings. Its appearance at a major trade event such as IAAPA was considered a possibility.
Total Nuclear Annihilation 2.0 pre-orders open
Spooky Pinball announced another production run of Total Nuclear Annihilation, following demand for the machine after its original release several years earlier. The 2.0 edition was priced at US$8,995 plus freight, compared with an original price remembered as approximately US$6,000.
The revised machine included various upgrades and was limited to 250 units. At the time of the update, 100 had already been accounted for. Buyers could review the announcement and place an initial payment through Spooky Pinball.
For Australian buyers considering a pinball setup, RETROCADE’s virtual pinball machines provide a separate route into digital pinball.
European energy costs put pressure on arcades
Rapidly rising electricity prices were creating serious challenges for European entertainment venues. One UK arcade was reported to be facing an annual electricity quotation of £500,000, illustrating how exposed high-power businesses can be when energy rates increase.
Arcade electricity costs vary widely by region, supplier and building. However, arcades generally operate more machines, lighting and signage than many other businesses, making efficiency especially important during a price surge. The Russia–Ukraine war was identified as one major factor behind Europe’s energy crisis.
Practical measures include replacing incandescent lamps with LEDs, reducing unnecessary lighting, checking whether every fitting needs to remain active and avoiding full machine start-up when customers are not present. Targeted activation of selected games and signage can reduce consumption while keeping a venue operational.
One operator described opening only the front section, signage and selected circuits during quiet periods, leaving the remainder switched off. This approach had reportedly saved thousands of dollars over several years, although it could only reduce usage rather than solve sharply higher base energy costs.
Operators planning a new setup can also review RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide before assessing space, power and ongoing maintenance requirements.
How do arcades make money?
A separate video discussion examined the business models used by arcades. The topic was prompted by a reader question, with further livestream subjects and an IAAPA livestream suggested for future coverage.
More arcade and gaming headlines
- A reprint of Artcade revisits classic arcade game art.
- Collectors discussed whether some San Francisco Rush: The Rock cabinets were produced in black rather than neon green.
- Stern Army’s tournament setup guide covered organising a competitive pinball event.
- A broader August arcade news round-up collected additional industry updates.
- Other reported stories included Meta revisiting mind-to-text technology, the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection, an Elden Ring manga, details of the unreleased Playboy handheld, a proposed Legend of Zelda project from Retro Studios and developments in the Microsoft–Sony legal battle over Activision Blizzard.
For more arcade news, hardware coverage and buying advice, visit the RETROCADE Arcade Blog.
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