Incredible Technologies was also at AMOA with a large and eye-catching booth where they were showcasing all of their games that are currently for sale in a new cabinet that features a smaller footprint that previous cabinets that also comes with a lower price. The only thing about the new cabinet that might be a catch for some while a plus to others is that this new cabinet does not come with a monitor – that is something you get for yourself. The rep told me that in addition to driving down the cost they also went this route since it allows operators to pick their own monitor. While the hardware currently doesn’t support HDMI, it does support component hook-ups which any HDTV should support. So if an operator has an HDTV laying around (it is likely that bar owners and FECs will moreso than an arcade-only location) they can use what is on hand or hook it up to a projector quite easily.
As for the games themselves, Golden Tee LIVE 2009 and Power Putt Golf both look great although I have to give the edge to Power Putt in the graphics department simply because the kind of game (mini-golf) lends itself to feature a lot more colorful items on the playfield. GT09 certainly has more features to it though, like the Youtube Replays where if the game feels you made a really good shot, it will give you the option to upload it to youtube. It will go to an account made just for this sort of thing although they tell me that you should be able to get your video to your own account as well (probably as a favorite). Both games use the trackball to work and you first pull back to prep your swing and then the harder you push forward the stronger the swing is. There are also buttons on the side for rotating your player to change the shot and on GT09 you can also change the type of club you are using.
Power Putt Golf will be selling for approximately $3200, using this type of cabinet. I didn’t find out the price on GT09 but with this new configuration it probably isn’t too far off that but I will find out for sure. They also had TargetToss Pro: Bags and Silver Strike Bowling in these cabinets and similarly they looked good.
For more, here is a video of the booth!
As an arcade purist, I have to say that’s the worst cabinet ever, mainly because it’s not a cabinet at all. Gee, why not just run it off your PC? I hope I never see one of these in the wild.
Its a bigger issue Paul – some operators are saying they wont buy flatscreen games because they already have screens they are not using!!! While some bars and clubs don’t like the big box, so IT have come up with a good compromise.
It may not be sex-on-legs, but it allows them to place the new system in a style that will fit into hospitality venues. Remembering that IT dose not really focus on the ‘conventional’ arcade scene.