JAEPO 2014 Day 1: New Games For Japan

JAEPO 2014 is here and with various Japanese arcade news sites on deck, we have a glimpse at the latest ideas to hit the market there. If you missed it, you can check out the JAEPO 2014 preview here. Day 2 media has been added here. Images are either via AM-NET or 4Gamer.net. Click on any image below to engorge it.

Sega’s big reveal for the show is Wonderland Wars, which they are boasting as the first MOBA-style (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) game for arcades – AKA along the lines of real-time strategy but for arcades. Games like League of Legends can be put into that category, so it will be interesting to see how it shakes out. This also uses a stylus controller as seen below. Like the recent Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Arcade Future Tone, this is powered by the Sega Nu board.

Sega has also unveiled the new 2D fighting game Blade Arcus, which I believe has characters from the RPG series Shining Force, but I could be wrong on that.

For a couple things more Western-friendly (both being shooters), Transformers Human Alliance turned up in Japan for the first time here after being announced for distribution there recently. As you may know though, this has been appearing out West and in China earliest since last year, due to its development being done more by Sega’s overseas subsidiaries (with Japan naturally overseeing it). This pic via Game Watch.

In terms of what Bandai Namco brought, there is Deadstorm Pirates Special Edition, one of the few new-new games to be seen at this show that we do know is coming to the West.

Here we have our first ‘live’ look’ at Konami’s new Silent Scope Bone Eater. 4Gamer has an interview with the games producer and gets more into what this game has for tech, which is pretty cool. The transparent LCD is used as the UI overlay, in front of the standard LCD screen. This creates a parallax effect that while not as deep as stereoscopic 3D, does create something unique. It also is a touchscreen for accepting player input, although that seems a little awkward with the gun right there. This is the first time I’ve seen the tech used in something that wasn’t video redemption. It also has air feedback above the screen.

I don’t think the show was really even officially open yet (judging by some of the pics below) and there was already a line forming to check out Konami’s new dome screen game, Steel Chronicle Ganesh. From the screenshot below it looks to have darker tone in the game than the Victroopers version.

Konami’s new BeatStream touchscreen rhythm game ready for the players to enjoy. With the double screen they have the network pumping out video like it was one big monitor, almost like those TV walls in the 80s…

Trailer for the upcoming light-gun game by Bandai Namco, AKB48 via Arcade Belgium. This is going to take the cake for one of the weirder arcade games in recent memory, and will definitely only release in Japan (rogue imports aside):

Speaking of rhythm games, the latest & greatest version of Namco’s Taiko No Tatsujin:

Cool marquee for Initial D Arcade Stage 8 Infinity. It has been announced that this will have a July release in Japan.

Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 5 will be available in March so this will be some great hype time for it.

Sometimes Namco likes to show off what they are doing for the international market. Here is the Western version of Mario Kart Arcade GP DX which is a different cabinet design than what has been available in Japan since last Summer.

You can’t miss Ultra Street Fighter IV since it looks like they have a dozen or more ready to go, setup in traditional Japanese VS. style.

Some Groove Coaster Arcade (Taito) units ready to shine:

Still no direct footage but here is a new trailer for Taito’s Project Z – featuring foreigners walking the streets of Japan as zombies, terrifying the locals.

Sega putting the finishing touches on their ALL.NET + Multi area. This is where attendees are going to find games like DoA5 Ultimate Arcade and Guilty Gear Xrd Sign.

Yet another likely Japan-only thing – a new game for kids called Hero Bank. One of those photos that shouldn’t really exist, but the sign isn’t getting its way…

Finally, here we have the lesser-seen Japanese version of Super Alpine Racer (Namco). This will be released in the US in April with a slightly different cabinet design.

That’s it for now, check back on day 2 where we should have some more videos from JAEPO 2014!