Monday Musings: Links for KO Drive and WMMT4 Hong Kong Test; Rusty Quarters Arcade update

I’m out scouring for more GTI Asia Taipei news but that is slow going so in the meantime here are a couple of things to share.

First off, Sega has really begun to push stuff through their Facebook page. This is where the “spy” photos came from recently on some new project they are developing and today they posted a link to the K.O. Drive page on SegaArcade.com. Not much has been revealed about it on that page, aside from the fact that there are six tracks to race on and six units can be networked. I’m sure more will come along soon.

Next up, thanks to JJ Kam about this tip that Namco is going to test out Wangan Maximum Tune 4 in Hong Kong in a few weeks. What’s interesting to note about this he mentions is that most of the WMMT3DX+ units in Hong Kong just so happen to be in English. So if there is an English version of WMMT4, we could be seeing it soon.

UPDATE: Right after posting I came across a tweet by Taito that mentions that their new follow-up to their Let’s Go By Train arcade title that was released in Japan had the soundtrack for it done by ZUNTATA. You can buy it on iTunes. For some reason they don’t have the Dariusburst Another Chronicle sound track up there, which is certainly one of the best game soundtracks of 2011 to be overlooked out West, but that is because of the availability issue. Everything else Zuntata has on iTunes you can browse here.

Last up so far is the Rusty Quarters Arcade. They are a new arcade we reported about not long ago that is in Minneapolis, MN. They sent out a release this weekend stating that they are in trouble – so much trouble that if business doesn’t pick up soon, they will be closed as of June 1st. I’d hate to see any arcade close down but I can feel that pain – out here in Utah I have seen a slowdown lately (a slowdown from a relatively slow economy to begin with). Being in a mall I am often limited in business to how busy the mall gets but whether its the continued construction in the area, gas prices, improving weather (as people go out to do things they haven’t been able to do for the past five/six months or winter) or the continually sluggish economy, it’s been slow for the entire mall so it’s not just me. I have watched economic news closely; I know it’s not just a local thing or even a national one and I’m sure it’s a combination of factors but it’s unsettling nonetheless. We’ve been in this slump much longer then it should be going on for and it would be really nice to do business in a robust, growing economy for a change. When that will kick in however, I wish I knew. In the meantime, doing the best we can to spread the word about our businesses and improving where we can afford to is perhaps the best thing we can do. I also really wouldn’t mind seeing some more kits. I did the math this past week on the Friction kit that I had bought last year and it was an ROI of six months for me on that, making it a great investment.  Much better than Super Street Fighter IV, but that’s because I could have bought several Friction kits for the cost of that one so lesson learned.

Anyways, here is the message that Rusty Quarters was getting out:

Dear Customers,
Everyday is a fun day for us. We always get to see new faces walk through our doors, excited to see the glowing screens and pew-pew noises from each arcade and pinball machine. It’s fun to make new friends that remember playing these arcade games when they were a kid or watching parents with their little ones, huddled over a game and cheering with their son or daughter as they jump that barrel, stomp on the turtle, or shoot that last spaceship.

We always hear you guys and gals cheer, “Thank you for doing this, for opening up in my neighborhood.”… And we always respond with, “Hey if it wasn’t for you guys showing up, we wouldn’t have a fun place for you guys to hang out”.

But the way things are going, Rusty Quarters might have shut our doors forever.

Recently we’ve seen a drastic decline in attendance. Drastic enough that it is affecting our day-to-day business. Some of this is due to the recent odd weather (warm/cold/warm/raining). Some is due to recent public badmouthing of local small Mom & Pop businesses that rely on hobby fandom to survive. And some maybe just for a the fact that the novelty of bringing a retro video arcade back to life has just faded by way of the dinosaur…

We are currently in a high rent lease, locked in for 2 more years. We started this labor of love with a very small shoestring budget. We have spent every penny to continue to keep us open. (Sage had to sell his prized ’57 Chevy for us to stay afloat. Just one among many other personal sacrifices.) We’ve tried our best get a Small business loan but have been denied at every turn. (Turns out, you have to have money to borrow money) We are too small of retail space for a food/alcohol license…

Bottom Line, if business doesn’t pick up soon for Rusty Quarters, we will have to close our doors June 1st.

We’re not asking for donations. We just hope that if you guys get bored around the house, had a hard day at work, need to do something fun with the kids, or just need a cheap date night, you’ll decide to stop by your neighborhood arcade and spend a couple of quarters. Relax with fan favorites such as Donkey Kong, Tempest, Galaga, Rampage, Centipede, etc. Also keep us in mind for your next birthday party or event. Revenue from those activities helps us make up for those slow days.

Also, please join our Facebook page and spread the word to your friends and family that there is a fun place in town to spend your afternoon/evening.

We’re not asking for all of your hard earned money. All we’re asking for are your spare quarters, which believe it or not truly add up. With your continued support of this neighborhood small business, we’ll keep you guys playing with new games in a kid safe and clean environment. Hey, who knows, maybe with your continued support we’ll be able to move into that bigger space… maybe this time with a hamburger grill or a pizza oven.

Thanks for reading, and we hope to see you soon!

Annie (Boss Lady) & Sage (The Rube) Spirtos
Rusty Quarters Retro Arcade & Museum
818 West Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55408
www.RQARCADE.com