Arcade news this week spans a returning Atari PONG cocktail table, Konami’s latest rhythm release in the United States, a new Sonic home cabinet, bowling, trade-show announcements and a collection of industry headlines.
Atari PONG cocktail table returns
Alan-1 is bringing back its commercial Atari PONG cocktail table after releasing the Atari PONG Mechanical Coffee Table for the Christmas season last year. The returning commercial model works in the same way as the version released several years ago; the principal change is the artwork.
Four cupholders position the table for arcade bars and eatertainment venues as much as traditional game rooms. Alan-1 says shipping is scheduled to begin on 1 March, with an MSRP of $5,999. The table is also planned for Amusement Expo.
Konami’s Pop’n Music High Cheers reaches Round1USA
Konami has unexpectedly placed Pop’n Music High Cheers at Round1USA, with two machines appearing at a Utah location. That venue has recently made headlines in Japan because of the strong local interest in Japanese pop culture.
Both units were busy during the visit, as was Taito’s Music Diver, so there was no opportunity to play. The arrival is notable because High Cheers had previously been confirmed among the games Konami offered to selected independent US arcades, including Ikigai Arcade.
Independent-arcade delivery has reportedly moved from December to January and now appears more likely for March. For the moment, Round1USA remains the only known US operator with the game. If Konami wants a broader Western presence, distributor support and clearer delivery plans would make that expansion easier for operators to assess.
Arcade1Up reveals a Sonic cabinet
Sonic The Hedgehog is returning to the cabinet market through Arcade1Up, now under the ownership of Basic Fun. The product was shown at New York’s Toy Fair after a period of silence about the company’s future plans.
This is a small home cabinet built around the original Sega Genesis and Mega Drive games rather than a new coin-operated Sonic title. The prototype is reported to include Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic 3D Blast and Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine. A fall release is planned, although the final software list could change.
Sonic’s arcade history is broader than this home product suggests. The character first appeared in an arcade setting as a small toy in Sega’s Rad Mobile, while later arcade-related releases included coin-op conversions of the first two Genesis games, SegaSonic The Hedgehog, Sonic The Fighters, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Arcade and two Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Arcade titles. None of those arcade games are included in the announced cabinet.
A joystick-controlled Sonic machine may seem unusual, but Genesis arcade sticks did exist outside the Mega-Tech and Mega-Play systems. The concept also highlights a gap in Sega’s catalogue strategy: unlike Namco’s Pac-Man Anniversary, Party and Pixel Bash products, Sega has never released a comparable arcade-classics compilation, despite having joystick-based games from the 1970s through to the modern APM3 era.
That compilation would need to reach beyond familiar Sonic material to games such as Ixion and Quartet, which have considerably less mainstream recognition. For readers comparing compact cabinets with full-size options, RETROCADE’s bartop arcade range and upright arcade guide cover the practical differences.
Silver Strike Bowling League Night opens pre-orders
Incredible Technologies has opened pre-orders for Silver Strike Bowling League Night, the new sequel announced at IAAPA. It uses redesigned software and a more compact cabinet, with release still targeted for spring.
Key features announced for the game include:
- 55-inch vertical 4K display
- Reworked bowling physics
- New venues, including Cosmic Bowling-style locations
- League play and online prize play
- Monthly online tournaments and challenges
- New modes including Strike Derby and the high-stakes 300 Bounty
- Licensed equipment and apparel
- Content updates throughout the year
Operators can now order through their preferred Incredible Technologies distributor. A short official trailer accompanies the announcement; the available footage from IAAPA was limited.
Can retro games revive arcades?
Retro games can support an arcade business, but they are not a universal answer to the question of how to grow the sector. Their strongest results tend to come in specific settings and with carefully selected titles, rather than through a blanket appeal to nostalgia.
That distinction matters as automated writing increasingly produces confident but inaccurate arcade commentary. Sound reporting still depends on practical knowledge of the games, venues, hardware and audiences involved.
Amusement Expo 2026 preview
DEAL Expo took place earlier than its usual April or May window this year, sitting between EAG and Amusement Expo. Its recent edition made less impact on the international arcade-news cycle, with distributors such as ASI and Warehouse of Games primarily showing existing releases.
Amusement Expo has also had quieter years, but the previous event delivered debuts including Maimai DX, Top Gun: Maverick and Cyberpunk 2077: Turf Wars. Early indications suggest the 2026 show could be stronger. Blue Motion Games is expected to unveil a new light-gun game using a major licensed property that has not previously appeared as an arcade video game.
Alan-1 is scheduled to show five new titles: the commercial Atari PONG table, three Atari Recharged games—Breakout, Caverns of Mars and Yars’ Revenge—and a Butts On Things videmption game. The Recharged titles will introduce a cabinet using a rare variation of the Pepper’s Ghost effect, previously associated with Taito’s Wyvern F-0 from 1985. Alan-1 will also stage its annual MLeS World Championship at the show rather than in Utah.
exA-Arcadia is returning after missing last year’s event, with its ARC-32 cabinets and new software taking centre stage. Its display is expected to include IAAPA material and two new teasers, one again connected to a major licence. ASI also plans to bring several IAAPA 2025 games, including Crossbow Fishing, Dragon Kingdom, Wahlap’s Storm Racer 2 and Bravo’s Trick Pong.
Raw Thrills, Bandai Namco and Sega Amusements have not confirmed new products so far, although surprises remain possible. Event details are available in RePlay’s Amusement Expo events coverage.
More arcade and pinball headlines
- RePlay’s latest issue includes a feature on the late David Rosen.
- Maimai DX is collaborating with Initial D The Arcade in Japan.
- Wangan Midnight Speed Ignition remains in development one year after its announcement.
- Bandai Namco has released the Doraemon air-cannon shooting kidtainment game in Japan.
- Retro Ralph visited Stern Pinball’s Pokémon media event.
- Raw Thrills shared an attract-mode trailer for F&F Arcade.
- Direct-capture footage of Gravitar: Recharged Arcade is available.
- Wahlap has published a look at its game-building work.
- UNIS held a large company event in December with more than 500 team members attending.
- Ace Amusement released a new trailer for Hover Rush DX.
- Bay Tek released Nailed It!, while production began on Perfect Pump.
- Arcooda announced a high-resolution 4:3 LCD for arcades, and Unico USA launched LT Series metal joystick tops.
- UDC published a DEAL 2026 highlight reel, while StepManiaX received content update number 73.
- New footage documents a Japanese arcade from the 1970s.
- Zero Latency licensed Jumanji for its VR centres, and Hero Zone VR added Monkey Madness.
Home gaming headlines
- Hideki Sato, Sega’s former CEO and a key hardware engineer whose early arcade work included Monaco GP, Star Jacker and Turbo, has died.
- Hamster is bringing Rave Racer to home systems through Arcade Archives 2 and is also developing Console Archives releases.
- Nintendo published a Partner Showcase sizzle reel, while Sony presented its February State of Play announcements.
- Japan’s Continue magazine devoted a special issue to Dreamcast.
- A new Minecraft demo can run on the Sega Saturn.
- Virtua Racing Deluxe for the 32X has been fully decompiled.
- A homebrew developer is creating Sonic the Hedgehog for Atari Lynx.
- A new game is in development for the Atari Falcon.
- A video explores how 3D graphics were produced before hardware accelerators.
Why this matters for home arcade owners
The week’s announcements cover several different arcade formats: social cocktail tables, rhythm machines, compact home cabinets, bowling simulators and specialist trade-show hardware. Anyone planning a home setup can use RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide to compare space, controls and cabinet styles before choosing a machine.
For repairs or upgrades, the store also offers arcade parts and servicing information. Which announcement stands out most: Atari’s returning PONG table, Konami’s US rhythm-game strategy, Sonic’s new cabinet or the next wave of commercial releases?
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