Arcade News: StarHorse Party and AEI 2025

Arcade and pinball news has been arriving quickly ahead of Amusement Expo International 2025. Sega has shown a new family-focused horse-racing game, several manufacturers have revealed show plans, and Japanese rhythm games are receiving fresh attention. Here is a concise roundup of the latest developments for arcade operators and enthusiasts.

StarHorse Party takes Sega’s horse racing series in a smaller direction

Sega’s StarHorse Party is a compact spin-off from the long-running horse-racing series. Its lineage can be traced to Derby Owners Club, the card-based horse breeding and racing simulator that appeared in both Japan and Western markets during the 2000s.

The earlier game found an audience at Dave & Buster’s venues, although its large cabinets and card-system upkeep were less attractive to many Western operators. Sega later produced a reduced-size Horseshoe configuration. In Japan, the concept was eventually overtaken by StarHorse, which expanded the format into large multiplayer enclosures and added betting. More recent versions have even used luxurious recliner seats.

StarHorse Party appears to move in the opposite direction. Its smaller footprint and bright, characterful presentation suggest a game designed to be more approachable for families and younger players. The format could also suit operators who cannot accommodate a full-size horse-racing installation.

The game was tested at a Round1 venue in Japan in late February, with Game Room Ariesu documenting the test with photographs and cabinet details. An international release has not been confirmed, and the exact Japanese test configuration may not travel overseas.

For readers comparing large commercial attractions with home setups, RETROCADE’s racing arcade range offers useful context on the space and hardware demands of driving-style machines.

Amusement Expo 2025 builds its line-up

More exhibitors are confirming their plans as Amusement Expo International 2025 approaches. Previously announced projects include Top Gun Maverick, Cyberpunk 2077: Turf Wars and a major US launch for Maimai DX. Further announcements have now filled out the show’s arcade and redemption line-up.

Alan-1, which made its first AEI appearance in 2023 and showed Asteroids Recharged at the following event, will present two new games: the previously announced Missile Command Recharged and Soda Slam!, a collaboration with DSM Arcade.

Attractions & More will also attend through a shared space with Birmingham Vending Company. Its product range includes machines from Chinese manufacturer iPlay. The planned display includes Jump For Treasure, two Ultraman video redemption games and a video boxer. Jump For Treasure has attracted attention for its distinctive use of smaller monitors.

UNIS has begun promoting its AEI presence. Team Play is also receiving substantial trade coverage for Candy Forge, a new redemption game from TKM. The manufacturer is also associated with Crab Rush and Lolly Crush, shown in this video.

Candy Forge previously appeared at IAAPA under the name Magic Factory, before TKM indicated that the game would be rethemed. Team Play’s Pixel Pix photobooth appeared on the cover of the previous AEI issue of RePlay, although a transport problem prevented the company from operating its planned booth at last year’s show.

Additional company previews are expected closer to AEI. exA-Arcadia will not attend the event, but an online preview is planned to cover its forthcoming releases. Some games, including one based on a major anime property, may instead be held back for a reveal at EVO Japan 2025 in May.

Sega’s rhythm games prepare for another round of updates

Sega’s rhythm-game news extends beyond the long-awaited US arrival of Maimai DX. The sixth King of Performai finals took place in Japan at the end of February, covering Maimai, Chunithm and Ongeki, along with international versions of the first two games for competitors elsewhere in Asia.

For the first time, Sega held the finals at a public venue in Shibuya rather than at its headquarters. The event also introduced several game announcements, including the next Japanese update for Maimai DX, scheduled to launch on 13 March.

Ongeki is receiving particularly notable attention. The character-driven rhythm game launched in Japan in 2018 and combines card use with shooting-game mechanics. It remains officially Japanese-only, and after the 2022 Bright Memory version it received no annual major update, apart from occasional song additions.

That changes with Ongeki Re:Fresh, scheduled for release at the end of March. Whether Ongeki or Chunithm will follow Maimai DX into Western markets remains unknown.

Bunny Bomber Blast reaches exA-Arcadia

exA-Arcadia has released Bunny Bomber Blast, a retro-styled arcade game from independent developer Hiulit’s Game Studio. Its gameplay has been described as a combination of Dig Dug and Bomberman.

The game recently underwent testing in Japan and is now available to purchase through standard exA-Arcadia dealers. Earlier IAAPA 2024 footage is available, although a launch trailer has not yet been published. A reported control issue from the earlier test has since been corrected. The game is positioned as a value-priced purchase below $900.

Stern files trademarks linked to King Kong

Trademark filings can provide firmer evidence than ordinary pinball speculation. Stern has recently filed two trademarks: King Kong and Myth of Terror Island. The second name may be a subtitle for the first, although the connection has not been formally explained.

If the filings relate to a new machine, Stern’s project would be the latest pinball interpretation of the giant ape since Data East’s rare 1990 game. The filings were identified by Knapp Arcade.

David Fix departs American Pinball

David Fix has left American Pinball. The departure follows other staff exits since IAAPA 2024, and the company is also absent from Amusement Expo 2025. Fix had spoken positively about American Pinball’s future when attending IAAPA, making the change notable.

Despite the staffing changes, the company is expected to continue work on its seventh game. Online speculation has connected that project with Cuphead, but that title has not been confirmed by Fix and was not disclosed during the IAAPA conversation. The performance of the company’s next release could therefore be important for its future.

February arcade releases

The February list of US arcade video-game releases includes UNIS’ Monster Kart. There were no newly identified pinball releases in the same period, and the release timing for Monster Kart has since been confirmed.

More arcade industry headlines

Top Gun Maverick from Raw Thrills and LAI Games’ Cyberpunk 2077: Turf Wars are moving towards fuller reveals.
Bandai Namco’s original magic shooter Magi Blast has received further details and a video, while Penda Beats is being tested again at Round1 Sennichimae in Osaka.
The Idolm@ster Tours is scheduled to release on 26 March, two years after its initial reveal.
Pac-Man’s year-long 45th anniversary celebrations have begun.
A community project is collecting high-quality scans of Capcom CPS1 manuals.
Seven unused Fighting Vipers cabinets generated discussion after appearing on Facebook.
Footage has emerged of Razor Ramon filming for WrestleMania: The Arcade Game.
Sega’s APM3 platform is receiving a sequel to Success’ Ryukyu solitaire poker game.
Konami’s Power Pros medal game is being updated with real baseball players.
A former Namco producer and recent graduates have developed an AI-based crane-game concept.
ICE’s Neon Bowling has begun shipping, while WIK Amusement has shown its MATRIX and NEO air-hockey products.
New scans document the 1990 Play Meter arcade directory, and DOF Robotics has revealed a new game for its Defender simulator.
The music from Black Knight pinball is being released on vinyl.

Home and wider gaming headlines

Big Buck Hunter Ultimate Trophy has been announced for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox, rather than receiving a larger arcade anniversary project for the series’ 25th year.
Sonic Racing CrossWorlds has held a network test with more than 20 minutes of footage. Staff associated with Initial D and Maimai are involved, prompting interest in a possible arcade adaptation.
Arcade Archives has marked eight years of bringing arcade games to home platforms.
A new 2D action RPG based on Samurai Pizza Cats has been announced for major platforms.
Nintendo Switch 2 systems have reportedly appeared on the Chinese black market.
Saturn Memories has assembled a comprehensive directory of Saturn-related games.
A business analyst has predicted a possible $100 price for GTA 6.
Insomniac Games is working to restore its virtual-reality titles to the Meta Store.
The Atari Jaguar is set to receive an enhancement of Wings of Death, the Atari ST and Commodore Amiga shoot ’em up.

For more Australian arcade coverage, visit the RETROCADE arcade blog. Readers planning a home installation can also compare options in the arcade machine buying guide or browse virtual pinball machines.