KungFu Kickball has made the jump from console and PC to a dedicated arcade cabinet, bringing its competitive sports brawler format to venues and home arcade collections.
What is KungFu Kickball?
KungFu Kickball combines the team competition of basketball-style arcade games with fighting-game action. Players must kick a ball into the opposing team’s bell while using punches and kicks to disrupt their opponents.
The game was released on major consoles and PC several years ago. Its straightforward objective is easy to grasp, but the mix of movement, combat and ball control gives matches plenty of room for skill. It supports single-player play, eight selectable characters and six stages.
From indie game to arcade cabinet
WhaleFood creator Jonah Wallerstein originally designed KungFu Kickball as a game that would be enjoyable to take to conventions. Collaboration with Brooklyn-based Arcade Commons led to an early cabinet for Wonderville, an indie-focused arcade, followed by another machine for MagFest.
Those events demonstrated how effectively the game worked as a social arcade experience. Groups could understand the controls quickly, then develop deeper strategies as they played and competed together.
Wallerstein’s arcade plans became more serious after the owner of Happy Valley, a bar-arcade in Beacon, New York, asked to buy a cabinet after playing the game at Wonderville.
A second machine was produced with Mark Kleeb, the owner of Wonderville and one of the original founders of Arcade Commons. That cabinet accepted quarters, allowing the team to assess its performance in a more conventional arcade environment.
After the cabinet performed well, the team spoke with Bumblebear Games, the developers of Killer Queen Arcade. Working with Mark Kleeb and Fun Company eventually led to a production version that arcades can order.
For more background on the project, the interview with Jonah Wallerstein provides additional detail on how the game reached the arcade format.
KungFu Kickball Arcade cabinet features
The arcade edition retains the same gameplay and content as the console version, while using the social nature of arcade play to heighten the competition. Its four-player cabinet includes:
- A 27-inch HD screen
- A 20W amplifier sound system
- Four-player controls
- Internet connectivity for updates
- Cupholders
The cabinet’s styling is designed to sit comfortably alongside four-player machines from the 1990s. That, combined with the cupholders and group-focused gameplay, may make it particularly suited to bar-arcade environments. Its performance in standard arcades and family entertainment centres remains an interesting question.
WhaleFood is currently taking orders for the game. The listed price is $6495, with shipping and tax included. The stated lead time is 8–12 weeks.
For operators comparing the format with other arcade machines, KungFu Kickball offers a distinctly social four-player setup. Home buyers can also explore the arcade machine buying guide before deciding whether a full cabinet suits their space.
More arcade announcements and hardware coverage are available on the RETROCADE Arcade Blog, while players seeking a smaller footprint can compare bartop arcades.
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