Prototype news was rather steady last year, thanks to a slew of discoveries from arcade collectors out there. For the news on this one, it was something we almost posted about last Summer but out of respect for a request to wait for some filmmakers to cover the game, that was postponed. Until now.
One arcade that has been bringing many prototypes together for play is the famous Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, IL. With many ex-arcade developers in the region, GGA has been able give many titles a home for users to play. One of those titles that they have added to the floor is a a game by the name of The Arena.
The Arena was originally intended for a release around the 1982 timeframe but it was retooled into another unreleased title called Wiz Warz. That would have been released in 1984 under the 
Mylstar banner. The game does use a cabinet similar to Reactor or Q*Bert, minus any side art; it also uses a control scheme similar to TRON or Zwackery (joystick/spinner combo). Watching how it works here, it is like a single screen version of the recent Scram Kitty and His Buddy On Rails (WiiU & PS4); although had it been released in 1982 it would have been closer to compare it to Tempest. Both games are listed on our Unreleased games page.
The game is now receiving attention via Redbull’s Screenland production. You can find out more about it by clicking here.
If you just want to see it in action direct, this video below was captured last Summer but also made private due to the request. It is now unlocked for your to enjoy. Due to the difficulty of recording direct game audio in the arcade you can’t really hear it (along with the voice over; although I can hear the distinctive music of Dariusburst Another Chronicle in the background :P). One reason it was likely reworked is that it seems rather easy for a 1982 game – in those days gamers wanted a challenge. Often, games that were too easy tested poorly. The variety of arena layouts was a nice touch however:
What do you think of the game from this footage?
