If you’ve grown up in the past 50 years in the US, then there is a good chance that you’ve owned a Nerf gun or two (I’m not sure how popular it is outside of the US). If that wasn’t your thing, then chances are that at least you know about it. These days, there are a few Nerf Arenas where kids can go and battle it out with Nerf guns and the darts for a set amount of time; my son did this for his recent birthday party. The brand has taken a crack at video games a few times over the years, the first of which was Nerf Arena Blast back in 1999 (I have that collecting dust somewhere).
Now thanks to Raw Thrills, the brand is headed to arcades with the simply titled NERF Arcade. We saw a hint of it on Saturday when an image of the cabinet on location test surfaced, and today we have a better idea of what this game entails thanks to a press release issued by Raw Thrills.
The Cabinet
Let’s start with the cabinet and go from there. By first glace, you’ll notice that the control & seat portion is a variation of the Space Invaders Frenzy setup, which in itself evolved from Jurassic Park Arcade’s design. This means the Thrill-D sound system in the seats, and mounted guns at your fingertips. One major difference from SIF is the screen; gone is the 8′ LED billboard and in it’s place is a 65″ HDTV. You’ll also notice that the Raw Thrills logo is a bit more subdued here, as compared to the location test version.
I am a little surprised that they are still using the Jurassic Park gun shells though; seems like they could use something more akin to an actual Nerf gun. Perhaps that could change by June 😉
The Game
The software presents us with a style of play that we haven’t seen in a while among arcade titles, the shooting gallery. Targets appear with points on them, blast them as quickly as possible to win tickets or points. From the press release:
NERF ARCADE is a high-energy, fast-paced game that is exciting for kids of all ages and family-friendly. Players grab hold of two oversized NERF Blasters and shoot as many targets as possible to win tickets or reach a high score. With 4 exciting levels and skill-based play, it’s no surprise that income reports have been consistently at the top of every test location.
That indicates it has both a videmption and amusement mode, although like Space Invaders Frenzy, I’m sure most locations will set it to the ticket mode.
The release date on this is aiming for June, but we can expect to see it at Amusement Expo International 2019 in Las Vegas in just a few weeks, where I’ll get some hands on time with it there.
Your thoughts until then?
***
(PR is dated as the 4th, but it only appeared this morning)
Skokie, IL – March 4, 2019 – Raw Thrills, the world leader in amusement games, announced today the upcoming release of NERF ARCADE, developed in conjunction with leading toy manufacturer Hasbro.
NERF ARCADE is a high-energy, fast-paced game that is exciting for kids of all ages and family-friendly. Players grab hold of two oversized NERF Blasters and shoot as many targets as possible to win tickets or reach a high score. With 4 exciting levels and skill-based play, it’s no surprise that income reports have been consistently at the top of every test location.
NERF ARCADE features a giant 65″ commercial-grade LCD for stunning visuals, two high-reliability and versatile patented Blaster guns, seats, and a massive 500W sound system. LED lighting effects and a vibrant cabinet artwork complete the design.
NERF ARCADE is expected to ship by June of 2019.
Location Dimensions: 95” H x 58” W x 94”-106” D
NERF is a trademark of Hasbro and used with permission. © 2019 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. Software (c) 2019 Raw Thrills, Inc.
About Hasbro
Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global play and entertainment company committed to Creating the World’s Best Play Experiences. From toys and games to television, movies, digital gaming and consumer products, Hasbro offers a variety of ways for audiences to experience its iconic brands, including NERF, MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY, BABY ALIVE and MAGIC: THE GATHERING, as well as premier partner brands. Through its entertainment labels, Allspark Pictures and Allspark Animation, the Company is building its brands globally through great storytelling and content on all screens. Hasbro is committed to making the world a better place for children and their families through corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. Hasbro ranked No. 5 on the 2018 100 Best Corporate Citizens list by CR Magazine, and has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere Institute for the past eight years. Learn more at www.hasbro.com, and follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro) and Instagram (@Hasbro).
About Raw Thrills
Raw Thrills is the world leader in amusement games. Founded in 2001, Raw Thrills has designed and manufactured the most iconic games in the industry including JURASSIC PARK ARCADE, HALO FIRETEAM RAVEN, SUPER BIKES, and BIG BUCK HUNTER. Learn more at www.rawthrills.com, and follow us on Twitter (@rawthrills), Instagram (@rawthrills) and Facebook.
There are so many options for real world targets, so RT can’t go wrong in level design. The picture looks like showing laser shots. Maybe we’ll see ammo variation between the levels. Some tactical aspects would be nice, too.
Looks like a fun game. I wonder if you put it on free play, will it still be fun without tickets.