Arcade News: Street Fighter VR, Pinball Film & More

Welcome to RETROCADE’s arcade news roundup, covering pinball, location testing, new redemption games, rhythm-game creation and a selection of industry headlines. A dedicated location report is also in preparation after the closure of a second arcade was completed on 10 February; the number of developments may require that coverage to be split across two articles.

Pinball’s fight for recognition reaches the screen

The trailer has arrived for the upcoming biopic about Roger Sharpe, whose famous demonstration helped end New York City’s pinball ban during the 1970s. Pinball’s legal history is not entirely settled, however: the state of South Carolina still has a law on the books prohibiting minors from playing, despite the rule reportedly being unenforced and likely to be repealed.

The film is scheduled to launch on 17 March. A trailer discussion is available here. One clarification is important: the older man seen at the start is an actor playing an older Roger Sharpe, rather than Sharpe himself.

Another games-industry story is also heading to the screen, with there is also a movie coming out on Apple TV+about how Tetris came into being.

Street Fighter takes a step into VR

Capcom is testing a VR version of Street Fighter being placed on test in Japan. It is the franchise’s first appearance in the format. The test currently supports one player, while the possibility of a two-player mode remains unknown. The footage suggests gesture recognition, although dedicated VR controllers may also be involved.

First-person VR is not an obvious match for a head-to-head fighting game, but the presentation makes the concept look entertaining. Comparisons with Tekken VR are understandable, although previous issues associated with that project may not apply here. There is still a practical concern for public venues: fighting games invite energetic play, while VR headsets and tracking equipment can be vulnerable to rough treatment.

Street Fighter’s traditional appeal also comes from battling an opponent standing beside you. This test is single-player only, so a future versus mode would need to prove that the format can support both the social element and the demands of commercial arcade hardware. Augmented or mixed reality could offer another path, potentially creating a more modern Holosseum-style experience without isolating players inside headsets.

Japan’s fighting-game scene is also receiving the new En Eins Perfektewelt Anastatsis launches to Nesica 2 arcade networks. Those networks are found in Japan and, reportedly, at Round1USA locations.

Unidentified test machines cause confusion

Two photographs from a venue used by Sega for game testing raise questions, although a machine appearing there is not necessarily a Sega product.

Dungeon Hunter or an unrelated ball-toss game?

The first cabinet may be a video ball-toss title called “Dungeon Hunter”. It is unclear whether the name connects to Ubisoft and Gameloft’s Dungeon Hunter series. The artwork includes several recognisable-looking characters, including one that resembles Invader Zim, but the game’s identity and developer remain unconfirmed.

Transformers-style guns, but not necessarily Transformers

The second image shows a player using gun controls that closely resemble those from Transformers: Human Alliance and Transformers: Shadows Rising. The cabinet structure beside it is unfamiliar, leaving several possibilities: a new Transformers test, another title borrowing the gun design, or a Chinese game reproducing the hardware’s appearance.

The mystery has since been resolved. The machine is not a Transformers game, but a Chinese-produced title known as either Interstellar Team or Galaxy Squad. Its cabinet fixture matches the design used by Interstellar Team, which also employs Transformers-style arcade guns. The game may be undergoing testing, although it is not known who might bring it to Western markets.

Super Shot may return to the arcade

Skee-Ball once produced games beyond its familiar alley-bowling machines. Among the best-known was Super Shot, a basketball game in which the backboard moved towards and away from the player rather than sliding from side to side.

The design was popular in arcades, although moving mechanical parts could be a maintenance challenge. One operator experienced a frame failure after a few weeks: a section holding the backboard jammed, cracked its weld and bent out of shape, leaving the cabinet unusable.

Despite those concerns, per this Instagram post, a new version is in development. Skee-Ball is now owned by Bay Tek Entertainment, which recently launched as Bay Tek recently launched Rock The Rim. It is not yet clear whether the new Super Shot will retain the moving backboard, replace it with an LCD or LED display, or take a different approach. More information may emerge at Amusement Expo 2023, scheduled for the following month.

Pump It Up opens a creation contest

Andamiro is accepting submissions for Pump It Up music and step charts—the note patterns that define each song’s play sequence. Creators can find the requirements and submission details at Now is your chance.

More arcade and gaming headlines

Celebrate 40 Years Of TRON In Chicago.
New For The Neo Geo MVS: The Eye Of The Typhoon, a fan remake of an unreleased MVS game.
The Endlesss Arcade Machine is unlikely to receive a broad release.
House of the Gundead Teased As Launching Soon…Again, with further details still being kept quiet.
Dave & Busters Is Now On Roblox.
Andamiro USA Wins The D&B Supplier Of The Year Award.
ICE Celebrates 40 Years Of Super Chexx With Limited Edition Game.
VRStudios Changes Business Model With New Ownership, leaving the future of Football Frenzy VR cabinets uncertain.
New For Hologate Systems: RevolVR 3.
ESPN Shows Off The Air Hockey World Championships.
Humour: FBI Raids Home Of Man Who Made It Too Far In Area 51 Arcade Game.
Console: Andre From GameXplain Reviews The New Super Nintendo World Theme Park, with SNW Confirmed For Orlando.
Console: Cosmic Smash Returns As a VR Game.
Console: For The Rich Atari Fan Who Thought They Had It All.
Console: Frogger-Inspired Game From An Reader, The Wingless Bee, Now Available.
Console: At Least One Major Company Will Attend E3, If It Happens.
Console: The Obscure NUON DVD Game Console Gets A Controller Solution.

For Australian readers following the hardware side of the hobby, RETROCADE’s arcade news and gaming blog covers the wider scene, while the Arcade Machine Buying Guide explains the key considerations for a home cabinet. Browse upright arcades or explore virtual pinball machines for dedicated home setups.