A short time ago Namco Europe sent out a press release where they revealed that Mario Kart GP DX, Aliens Armageddon and some other games would be making a showing at next week’s IAAPA 2013 event. They also revealed that Namco’s Alpine Racer would be returning to arcades but was light on details beyond that. They have now begun sending out images of the prototype cabinet that will be at the show but I have confirmed with Namco America that these are prototype cabinets and there will be some changes made to it in the final production version. Here’s the cab with more details below (click on the image to enormify):
Starting with the marquee, if this option is kept for the final (which seems likely); this is similar to the scrolling LED marquee used in the recent Pac-Man Ticket Mania game. The proto has a 50″ screen and I also can confirm that it will be linkable up to 4 units. We’ll see more of this next week and also will update you on the changes made int he final when those come along.
So what are your thoughts on the return of a 90s arcade series to the modern arcade scene?
I’m all for updating/reviving older games and I hope they consider doing other games as well. It’s nice to see an arcade game that’s not a gun shooter game or a driving game for a change.
“Enormify?” How funny! Nice racing game! Reminds me of a Midway game!
Sometimes you need to come up with something different than “enlarge” 😀
They should made a sequal also to crisis zone (not including razing storm) btw I hope time crisis 5 and razing storm becomes a reality 🙂
This was always a popular game:)
yummy a hd cab update on alpine racer awesome certainly has kept its retro looking concept, brilliant idea namco just get “gunmen wars”hd- rebooted in the uk n ill be ICH FINDE YA!! 😀
Hell yeah!!! I think namco and other arcade companies should bring back arcade games from the 90’s as there so many good games from back in that era, namco should make a rapid river sequal with multiplayer link cabinets along with prop cycle, final furlong and armadillo racing. I do wonder if there will be new slopes or if this is just an update, be nice if it were new or both even 🙂
There are so many games that should get modernizing. I agree with the Namco machines mentioned being very unique and deserving games though.
Totally agree! And while they are at it, they should release a new Ridge Racer and a Time Crisis sequel!
I keep hearing rumor chatter that Time Crisis 5 is in the works but its hard to separate that out from wishful thinking. Also was a blurb on a Japanese site not long ago that Razing Storm 2 was in development so if that is true then could be the source of confusion.
Although if it was up to me and we had to have a remake/reboot, Starblade in the Mach Storm cabinet. Hands down 😉
A new Ridge Racer arcade game would be awesome, especially if they included a remastered HD version of the original.
Yeah gamefan72 a new ridge racer game is long overdue, think last ridge racer arcade released was 13 years ago. They could do what sega did with outrun and do something like outrun 2 spdx massive cabinets and combine elements from there other racing games like dead heats AI software and road route change layout seen in wangan middnight arcade series etc. I remember years ago at namco wonderpark in sheffield and an arcade in black pool had a massive scale screen with an actual car you sat in. Never went on it though but really wished I had but of course £2 as a kid back in the 90’s was too much money especially if you’re not very good and loose the game straight away
Yeah and other games such as lucky and wild by namco, panic park, aqua jet, world kicks, and point blank/ gun bullet sequals.
Wish gaelco still made arcade games though as they could’ve made a rolling extreme sequal and a ATV game would be good too but as a circert racer
+++ for StarBlade!!! I loved this game!
Yeah Starblade really needs an update. I remember back when 3d polygons first started dominating arcades and thinking how futuristic it all seemed (roughly a year and a half before PS1). Namco pretty well had it over Sega back then, of course they also were the ones who owned most mall arcades like Cyber Station. Solvalou was another I used to think was mind blowing.
By the way, final cabinet model for Alpine Racer will feature a 55″ screen and will support 8P link-up.
It also will be called Super Alpine Racer and use QR Codes. The weirdest twist is that if my information is right, this was developed by Raw Thrills. I’ll get a confirm on that next week 😉
Wow! That’s interesting! O_o
I remember this game
This was a first of it’s kind game that evolutionized racing games. The modernization is welcome…