It’s been a pretty quiet week for arcades (although I was going to do something on a cool pinball coffee table project before that got picked up by mainstream sources…I’ll highlight it at the top of the next Newsbytes), and then suddenly we get a bunch of news all at once. We’ve got four new arcade game releases to discuss, so let’s jump into it:
UPDATE: Added news about Golden Tee PGA Tour below
Crimson Katana EXA Label (CAVE/exA-Arcadia)
We’ll start with a highly anticipated shoot ’em up from CAVE, one that had been released to arcades in a limited capacity (mainly just Japan) some years ago, but is now available worldwide through the exA-Arcadia system – Akai Katana (Crimson Katana for us Westerners). This is the second CAVE game on the platform, following DoDonPachi True Death EXA Label.
I detailed this one in the AK/CK pre-order post, which mentioned three kits for shipping – a limited edition exA board with special artwork and more; a limited edition software kit; and a standard software kit. The limited edition kits come with POP standees and some other limited items that will certainly please collectors, or locations that love to offer something rare.
I got to play this at IAAPA 2021 but filming of that slightly earlier build was prohibited – it looks fantastic on a 4K screen and it comes with the lowest input lag of any edition ever released. This version is the ultimate director’s cut of the game, featuring four total game modes from the Original to a new exclusive EXA mode, an exclusive new arranged soundtrack, and more.
Golden Tee PGA Tour (Incredible Technologies)
I reached out to Incredible Technologies this past weekend when I saw an email from a distributor talking about the new Golden Tee PGA Tour; They did say that the game was shipping out, but that they were going to make a big announcement some time later. That appears to have happened on Monday, but I didn’t catch it until now, so adding that to this post since it already covers a few games – the latest version of Golden Tee is now available and shipping. Just note that quantities may be limited, for the same reasons that delayed the game shipping in the first place.
If you had missed previous coverage of this game, it marks a new chapter in the Golden Tee franchise, with updated visuals, a brand new cabinet and of course, PGA Tour licensing.
ATV Slam SD (Sega Amusements)
Sega sent out an email mentioning several games “in stock and ready to ship,” something that has become more important over the past year as lead times have changed from weeks to months for most everything in the business. Among the games mentioned is one that I also played at IAAPA21, a game that was released a little while back in a motion DX cabinet and is now available in a smaller, more affordable, and non-motion package.
It can link up to four units and is one of the few arcade titles on the market to harness Unreal Engine 4. Have you had a chance to play this one out there in it’s DX form?
Speaking of Sega, they also will launch that video basketball game, Allstars Basketball, next month.
Super Wings (Wahlap)
Some time ago I remember seeing a Super Wings redemption game pop-up on a distributor site, although I am not familiar with the series (it’s not one my youngest has ever watched). It seems to involve cartoony planes that operate as rescue vehicles, and now it’s coming to arcades in video form with this new piece by Wahlap. All they have for it at the moment is this trailer; I checked their website and there is no listing for the game yet but it is clear from the trailer that it’s a water gun shooting game like Ice Man. It also has a lever mechanic which has to be pulled by the players at certain moments (not unlike the “Hyperenergy Tech Lever” found in Sega’s Transformers: Shadows Rising game).
If you love cheesy, clunky dialog, this could be the game for you:
So far I have not seen this published anywhere except for YouTube so I’ll assume it’s available in China at the moment, since that follows the pattern of how they tend to operate. Who might grab this for US or EU/UK distribution is unknown for now, but that might change soon.
Cyber Basketball (WIK)
Here’s a company we haven’t heard from in a while, a Polish manufacturer who tends to deal with sports games like basketball and air hockey. They occasionally deal with video pieces, although it’s not often that they have an original creation in that regard. This one derives it’s setup from BayTek’s Connect4Hoops, featuring the exact gameplay – there are seven hoops and you are aiming to match 4 in a row by making baskets. At least the marquee is different, with an animated LED board. Because this is just a clone of C4H, I doubt you’ll see it in the US, apart from a grey import here and there.
Last but not least, two items: Touch Magix will soon be issuing a software update for SpaceWarp 66; This will correct a couple of bugs that are present in the model that I recently showed off (it’s not supposed to have a black tunnel there after you pass 66 rings). It will also be adding leaderboards to the game so it works better in non-redemption situations. I’ve already observed it doing very well with people who figure it out and start competing by themselves, so it will be a nice touch.
Then, Betson has announced that they will be at Amusement Expo 2022 showcasing a new Raw Thrills game. My guess is that it will be FURIOUS, but it’s also possible that it could be something else. What do you think it will be? Either way, I’ve made my arrangements for the show and I’ll be there to check things out to then share it with you.
For those who may be wondering where you buy such games from, there are a number of distribution companies who specialize in selling arcade games that you can purchase from, although in some instances you might be able to buy direct from the manufacturer. If not, manufacturers generally publish “authorized dealer” lists that one can shop around with.
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