Hello all you fine arcaders out there, I hope you are having a great weekend. Let’s compile some arcade news!
Tekken 7 Fated Retribution Announced (Thanks to CD ageS for the tip) – A new version for the Tekken 7 arcade game has been announced, called Tekken 7 Fated Retribution. The big hype for it is Akuma from Street Fighter showing up. Seeing how Tekken x Street Fighter never materialized, perhaps this is a left over from that effort. It is worth noting once again that Bandai Namco did bring Tekken 7 arcade to the US to show at IAAPA 2015. Unfortunately they were not terribly optimistic about it going anywhere since the console release is happening sometime in 2016 which makes me ask the question – why not make an arcade version with some special arcade exclusive content to it and keep it that way? Have a couple or few characters and some stages that you only get at the arcade as an extra reason to go out and play. The console fans would still be happy that they’ll get a form of T7 when it arrives but arcade operators will be able to enjoy their pricey investment without that stress and Namco would likely sell more units than they would otherwise. Also for the US market, the option should exist for a kit or cabinet that features 2 players on a cabinet and not the Japanese VS. style, which is something that would work for most Western venues. Your thoughts?
It is even less likely that Pokken Tournament will get the wide-US release we hoped for due to the same reasons (it also is not testing very well by the ‘grapevine reports’ I’ve been hearing) but here is a new character reveal for that if anyone cares:
New Arcade Operator Directory – Speaking of arcade operators, I am currently putting together a page for the site here where I collect data about arcade operators out there. I often get asked if anyone rents or revenue shares games in a particular area and instead of telling people I don’t know most of the time, I would rather have a directory to point to. So if you are an operator, please use the contact link above or comment below with the name of your business, areas that you service and best contact info (website, email, Facebook, phone, whatever you like people to use to reach you) and I’ll publish the list once I have enough entries to make it worthwhile. I also am working on the Arcade Release Lit for 2016 for the site here and I need to get started on the Year-In-Review video. Lots of fun to be had.
Level 3 Update For Skycurser – The indie game Skycurser is still in development and the team behind it is working hard on the 3rd level as shown below. The build I have as well that the recent installation of the prototype at Logan Arcade features two full levels. I’m looking forward to seeing how this next one turns out.
Currently designing an intense set piece for mission 3. This isn’t even the boss fight! #shmups #pixelart #arcade pic.twitter.com/s5RjtY46jU
— SKYCURSER dev team (@skycurser) December 8, 2015
Trailer for Konami’s MUSECA – Recently news came along that Konami’s latest bemani game, MUSECA was getting tested in the USA, although various Konami games have been tested in the States this year without any news on a wide release. Just in case, here is the new official trailer for the game launched for the Japanese market showing how the game works. Looks like a blend between Konami’s Pop ‘N Music and Taito’s Groove Coaster – not just on the graphics but the twisting buttons. I didn’t know that this had a foot pedal either:
Name That Game #67b – As only one game was guessed on last week, I’ll be lazy and re-do the two non-guessed games this week. 😛
Correct guess – Demolish Fist by Sammy
The other games plus a new one to guess:
Final Fight Revenge
Madden Arcade?
And the third one I think it’s a Mr Do game but not 100%
Which version of Madden on the second guess? 😀 3rd isn’t a Mr. Do game although it certainly was influenced. quite obscure!
If anyone follows tekken then they know it’s 2 iteration for arcades which take up about 4 plus years then double years after that is cosolr. So realistically we won’t see console tekken 7 at earliest late 2017 or early 2018
That has not always been the case for the US market. The Japanese market does get a little more of a buffer zone but not always the case here, especially with recent releases like Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Unlimited (which Namco told me they still have kits for that game collecting dust in their warehouse)
Madden Season 2
The lack of fighting games in many FECs bothers me. I don’t see “console version” as a reason to keep them away when other games there do have console ports. Is it because a light gun game is more likely to chew through a novice’s wallet?
Well, let me clarify with the point that I am not the only person that sees it as that. I have yet to talk to a single arcade operator who does not bring up the console port killing their sales, unless they are brand new to the industry and haven’t gone through that yet. The trouble is that the culture that surrounds the fighting genre is different than other genres and the difference between a light-gun game and joystick game on console is also wider – the arcade versions don’t really offer anything different on a fighter and usually have more content with costumes and such. The regular players that would bring in enough money for a fighting arcade game to make it simply have no reason to keep going to the arcade to play a game they can play exactly the same at home, minus the social aspect. The number of players that find that aspect worth coming back to the arcade to, is too small to justify the investment of $14,000 for a Tekken 7 setup.