Konami is testing two different arcade projects at the same time: Contra Burst in the United States and the new Arena cabinet for Gitadora in Japan. The pair show two very different approaches to location testing, from ticket redemption to premium rhythm hardware.
Both games have previously appeared in early reports, but their simultaneous testing makes this a useful opportunity to compare what Konami is preparing for operators and players.
Contra Burst brings Contra to ticket redemption
The more unexpected project is Contra Burst, a video ticket-redemption game based on the long-running Contra brand. Konami began a quiet test at Round1USA’s flagship venue at Puente Hills Mall in the United States. An earlier setup photograph revealed very little, but a later image shared on the location’s Google Maps page provides a clearer look.
The cabinet is confirmed as a four-player game. That arrangement also makes sense because Contra Burst is a conversion kit for Bomberman Arcade, which supported more than two players. The Bomberman machine apparently has not performed well for Round1USA, helping explain why Konami is trialling a replacement.
Visible instructions indicate a straightforward structure. Players work through three stages, earn progressively larger ticket awards—likely linked to their scores—and then attempt a boss stage. Defeating the boss can award a 500-ticket jackpot.
This is not the classic run-and-gun Contra formula, so it may disappoint players expecting a traditional action game. It is nevertheless notable as a Konami attempt to develop something for Western arcades outside the company’s Bemani rhythm-game range and Japanese medal-game conversions. Apart from Bomberman, the last comparable effort was Silent Scope Bone Eater, which was tested by Dave & Busters, failed to gain traction and reached the United States mainly through imports.
A broader release has not been confirmed. The close sales relationship between Konami and Round1USA could keep the game exclusive to that chain, although the format may suit other venues if Konami establishes suitable Western distribution. Readers comparing this with home-friendly arcade machine buying considerations should also remember that a ticket-redemption machine is designed around commercial venue play rather than a standard home cabinet.
Gitadora receives a four-screen Arena cabinet
The second project is an upgraded presentation for Konami’s Gitadora rhythm series, rather than an entirely new game. The latest release, Gitadora Galaxy Wave, has been available since March, while the new Arena hardware was first announced and tested in September before returning for another Japanese location test.
The guitar and drum versions share the same basic cabinet design. Their most distinctive feature is a wraparound display made up of one horizontal screen and two vertical screens. The unusual arrangement places a character model on the left and song information on the right; a video demonstrates that one-landscape, two-vertical format.
The latest test adds a fourth display as a dedicated menu-selection sub-screen. Konami has also introduced an optional note-scroll style inspired by Guitar Hero. Footage shows how the new scrolling option works. Similar presentation has appeared in other rhythm games, but this is a first for Gitadora.
That familiar visual approach could make the game easier for some Western players to understand. Even so, any overseas release would likely be tied to Round1USA, assuming the Arena model leaves Japan at all.
Alongside another Japanese location test during November, Konami planned to take the machine to Japan’s Amusement Expo. The expo was listed as its next stop, where Konami would also show the Japanese version of Minecraft Dungeons Arcade, scheduled for a forthcoming launch.
Konami is giving Gitadora Arena a prominent expo presence, including a photo area and stage event. That attention may help attract players and convince operators to consider the machine, although four screens will make it a particularly expensive proposition. Operators assessing display-heavy equipment can also browse RETROCADE’s arcade machine range and learn about ongoing arcade repairs and maintenance.
Two tests, two very different prospects
Contra Burst is a relatively focused conversion aimed at ticket-redemption play in the Western market. Gitadora Arena is a much more ambitious hardware upgrade, built around a large multi-screen presentation and an established Japanese rhythm franchise.
Both projects were still being evaluated, so wider release plans remained uncertain. The Japan Amusement Expo schedule also pointed to a busy period for new arcade content heading into 2025, with exA-Arcadia preparing a substantial presence of its own.
Further information about Contra Burst may emerge if clearer gameplay footage becomes available. Much of the early information was supplied by Ted. For Australian arcade fans, the key question is which concept has the stronger future: a new four-player Contra ticket game or Gitadora’s striking Arena hardware.
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