Our latest arcade and pinball round-up covers newly playable prototypes, unusual rhythm and shooting games, location changes, VR attractions and a collection of industry headlines. For readers interested in arcade development, there’s a new book out from my friend Rob Howard that tackles the subject.
E.T. reaches the arcade and pinball era
The latest video feature looks at proposed arcade and pinball versions of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. The timing was deliberate: today is the 40th anniversary of when E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial hit theaters. Information supplied by former Atari employee Dennis Harper helped uncover details about both projects.
There is also footage of games acquired from Harper. Their arrival date was uncertain because shipping arrangements, including palletising, were still being worked out.
Click here to view those machines.
Marble Madness II becomes playable
A leaked version of the long-lost Marble Madness II can now be played in MAME. The prototype has prompted extensive discussion, including through 20 pages about it on AtariAge.
This article over at Ars Technica examines the game’s history and the newly surfaced ROM. The leaked build does not include trackball support. Atari Games had previously removed that code in favour of joystick controls, while the unwanted Marble Man character was also dropped.
Early experiments and new sports cabinets
Newly surfaced footage shows Sky Hawk, an extremely rare Nintendo electro-mechanical arcade game. It is not a conventional video game: the cabinet used 16mm film and altered the on-screen action in response to the player. GoNintendo has more background.
Sega ships Allstars Basketball
Sega’s Allstars Basketball has entered availability after being previewed earlier. Alongside the physical challenge of making baskets, it adds video-game action and a substantial linked multiplayer mode. Up to 16 cabinets can be connected, giving operators a strong option for group play.
Taito’s Music Diver and GunArena update
Taito is preparing Music Diver, a rhythm game built around striking the screen with padded sticks. The footage shows relatively gentle tapping, although the design raises obvious questions about durability when placed in a busy arcade. Modern basketball cabinets have demonstrated that screens can be protected from heavy impacts, so Taito may have accounted for that concern.
The game was scheduled for launch in December. Game Watch has more details, while the official Music Diver website provides further information.
Taito also revealed a new version of GunArena, known as OnPoint in the United States. It appears aimed at Japanese bars and specialist shooting venues. The revised cabinet uses a wireless gun rather than a control-panel connection, continues to fire airsoft pellets and limits the ammunition through the magazine.
A large rectangular sensor at the front is designed to disable the trigger if the gun is aimed at another person or the player’s hand obstructs it. Its suitability for wider overseas operation remains questionable.
Fighting games and display hardware
The forthcoming Street Fighter VI looks impressive, but a possible arcade edition raised practical concerns. A development contact asked whether an arcade version would be of interest; the expected answers were a very high price and no arcade-exclusive content. The estimated cost was at least $10,000, making it difficult to justify for many operators.
Home versions have repeatedly reduced demand for arcade fighting-game releases, although dedicated community venues such as Arcade UFO are an exception. A cabinet must earn its keep, and that investment could be directed towards more viable games.
More affordable fighting titles are also approaching. Samurai Shodown V Perfect is particularly appealing because its arcade edition is affordable and includes content absent from the console version.
A separate comparison of CRT and LCD displays highlights Arcooda’s new 20-inch 4:3 LCD running Street Fighter II. It looked convincing as a possible replacement for a Super Street Fighter II X cabinet whose CRT had lost its green gun.
Ghostbusters VR Academy joins Hologate
Hologate was reported to have systems installed at more than 400 locations and is adding Ghostbusters VR Academy. Players wear proton packs and work together through ghost encounters presented as training exercises within the academy.
Read more about Ghostbusters VR Academy here; the attraction was expected to appear at IAAPA 2022.
Aladdin’s Castle location changes hands
The final Aladdin’s Castle venue in Quincy, Illinois, has become an At The Pier Arcade location. The once-large arcade brand had gradually contracted to that single site.
Just one location left in Quincy, IL was the long-standing status of the venue. At The Pier Arcade was reported to have 36 locations across California, New York and Puerto Rico. The exact timing of the change was unclear, but it may have followed the sale of Namco USA.
Aladdin’s Castle becomes At The Pier
Pac-Man Battle Royale Chompionship DX
New photographs showed Dave & Buster’s timed-exclusive Pac-Man Battle Royale Chompionship. The cabinet reportedly uses a screen measuring approximately 75–80 inches, and one player achieved the machine’s top score. The leaderboard also includes “Taizo”, a Namco reference to Taizo Hori, the protagonist of Dig Dug.
More arcade and pinball headlines
- Pat Lawlor & Jersey Jack Pinball Soon Revealing Next Game; rumours suggested Toy Story, but no title had been confirmed.
- Homepin Is Also Going To Launch Their Spinal Tap Pinball “Soon”; production was under way and a June release was expected.
- Excitement For The Upcoming Release Of Touhou Perfect Sakura Fantastica Is Quite High In Japan.
- Indie Arcade Wave Talks With Owner Of Quazar’s Arcade.
- As Cool As This Cabinet Is, I’ve Heard That This Gundam Arcade Game Has Not Been Performing Well In Japan.
- Update #27 Launched For Step ManiaX.
- Retro Ralph Looks At The Worst Beat ‘Em Ups.
- Bay Tek Has Filed Trademarks For “QB Throwdown” and “Big Ticket Drop”.
- Betson Sells 1000th unattended VR Machine.
- More Titles Coming From Arcade1up.
- Sega Recently Uploaded A New Trailer About ATV Slam.
- Reprints For Artcade Are Coming In October.
- Pinball News Visits The New Dutch Pinball Factory.
- Playing Blazing Chrome AC With Just Grenades.
- Think Arcades Are Expensive To Enjoy? At Least They Aren’t Diablo Immortal.
- Frogger Is Coming Back…But Just For Consoles.
- So Is Atari’s Gravitar.
- Yu Suzuki Has An Interesting New Project In The Works, although it was not intended for physical arcades.
- The 100k Forgery Scandal That’s Rocking The PC Gaming World.
- The Amico Running Out Of Fumes To Run On.
For Australian collectors comparing formats, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide explains the main considerations, while arcade machines and virtual pinball machines cover home-friendly options. Owners planning a restoration can also browse arcade parts and arcade repairs.
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