Arcade News Round-Up: Bowl Expo, GiGO and Football Frenzy

This arcade news round-up covers Bowl Expo 2022, Japanese arcade trends, new redemption and VR attractions, StepManiaX, Atari history and more.

Bowl Expo 2022 highlights

A cancelled trip to Las Vegas meant missing Bowl Expo in person, but footage supplied by PrimeTime Amusements provides a useful look at several attractions presented at the event.

• Fast & Furious from Raw Thrills, with more footage than previously shown
• Rhythmatic 2 from VRsenal
• Space Pirate Trainer from VRsenal
• Virtual Rabbids: The Big Ride Ultra HD from LAI Games
• Allstars Basketball from Sega Amusements
• Dicey Jump – Street Version from Touch Magix

Sega also shared a phone video of their booth on LinkedIn.

More event footage may appear later, including additional games filmed by PrimeTime for its YouTube channel.

GiGO’s changing arcade mix in Japan

A story out of SoraNews24 reports that GENDA, whose venues are commonly branded GiGO, has announced a profit after taking over the former Sega arcade chain in Japan.

The result is encouraging at first glance, although the reported improvement is not simply the product of larger crowds. Accounting decisions also contributed to the outcome.

Additional discussion with contacts in Japan points to a significant change in the venue mix. GiGO appears to be reducing its emphasis on video games while expanding prize machines, particularly claw machines. That direction is not necessarily permanent, but it suggests that video arcades are not currently viewed as the chain’s strongest future opportunity.

The shift was foreshadowed by a Shinjuku venue remodel that claimed a world record for the largest number of crane games. A new Ikebukuro location, opened across from a well-known former Sega arcade, reportedly offered only one video game: Mobile Suit Gundam Boost Extreme Vs. 2.

New emoji redemption game spotted on test

A new emoji-themed redemption game has been seen on test in the United States. Its manufacturer and test location are unknown, but the cabinet design suggests a simple game in which players may press a button to stop a rotating wheel of emojis.

StepManiaX update adds five songs

StepManiaX update number 28 is now available as a free content update, adding five songs to the rhythm-game roster.

Football Frenzy expands the Fury VR platform

VRStudios is preparing Football Frenzy, an American football game designed for the company’s two-station unattended Fury VR cabinet. The platform was introduced at IAAPA 2021 alongside Hoops Madness, a basketball attraction built around scoring as many shots as possible before time runs out.

At IAAPA 2021, the Fury system and Hoops Madness were shown together. The new football title follows a similar format, placing players in the role of a professional quarterback and testing their accuracy as they move downfield in a stadium environment.

Players experience the pressure of the stadium, the crowd and the bright lights while taking on a test of quarterback accuracy and skill.

VRStudios is also running monthly cash tournaments for Hoops Madness at participating locations.

Namco’s Tekken art feature

The latest Namco Museum of Art video focuses on Tekken. Although the presentation is in Japanese, it offers a look at the visual development and three-dimensional game history behind the fighting-game series.

Atari Pole Position on the factory line

A newly shared factory-line video provides a glimpse into Atari and Namco arcade history, including the production of Pole Position. It is a fitting companion to recent coverage of classic Atari hardware and arcade preservation.

For more background on maintaining older cabinets, RETROCADE’s arcade repairs resources are a useful starting point.

Sega Rally recreated in Unreal Engine 5

A fan-made remake and tribute to the original Sega Rally has been created in Unreal Engine 5. The project raises an interesting question for operators and players: could a modern arcade release revive the series, perhaps as a hypothetical Sega Rally 4?

Driving titles remain a distinctive part of the arcade experience. RETROCADE’s racing arcade collection explores that style of play for home and commercial spaces.

More arcade and pinball headlines

• The Main Event buy-out by Dave & Buster’s is now complete.
• Fozzy Football now has a pool-table conversion kit.
• exA-Arcadia is selling sets of promotional flyers.
• The history of Golden Tee’s Champ ’99 is explored in a new feature.
• A Guns N’ Roses pinball machine is proving highly valuable.
• California Extreme is scheduled for the end of July.
• Registration is open for the August Amusement 360 event.

Console and broader gaming notes

• Atari 50th Anniversary Collection has been announced.
• A discussion asks whether the industry could be entering another game crash, amid particularly weak June figures for one business, excluding 2020.
• The Pac-Man World Re-Pac trailer has renewed concerns that Bandai Namco is moving away from Ms. Pac-Man.
• Treasure is reportedly working on a new game.
• The success of Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series could influence the future of the Klonoa franchise.
• The upcoming Mario film was reported as 75 per cent complete.

For readers comparing modern products with original cabinets, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide covers the main considerations before choosing a home arcade.