Welcome to a special end of Winter edition of Newsbytes, a post where we curate news from around the world of arcades and pinball. Amusement Expo 2024 starts this week and thus is a strong focus for most news that we cover here; but we’ll see if there’s something else out there worth a mention.
Note that on Tuesday I will publish an Amusement Expo preview, detailing everything I know that will be there. I will also do a livestream on YouTube on Tuesday morning, close to noon my time. Until then…
Bike Dash Delivery Updates
Bandai Namco Amusement recently placed one of their newest games, Bike Dash Delivery, on test in the US. Since we reported on that last week, further updates came thick and fast. First off, it has now reappeared on trial in Japan at a Taito Station, sporting a slightly refined cabinet to boot (as well as new LED lighting, it looks like the motorized seat adjuster is gone). Here’s some gameplay impressions from that. Secondly, our first gameplay video of the US version has emerged, courtesy of pr0se – check this out if you’re interested in how this early version looks and plays. Note that the most recent JP tests show some gameplay differences already, so don’t make a final judgment until it reaches production:
Will this be at Amusement Expo? Hard to say. After it and Goldstorm Pirates didn’t show up at IAAPA 2023, I personally wouldn’t expect both to be on Bandai Namco’s booth at AEI too. But we’ll see soon enough…
Maximum Tune 6RR+ Livestream
In more news from Bamco, they have also just held a livestream event for the latest iteration of Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 6RR+ today… and here it is. It’s all in Japanese but if you’re a WMMT fan, I doubt that is much of a barrier. Note that there is no evidence to support that 6RR+ will make its way here to North America, unless by some considerable shock it is at Amusement Expo this week. The safe and easy bet is that it won’t be there either though:
New Rhythm Game Versions
Some believe rhythm games now occupy a similar central space that fighting games once did in pulling players to arcades, especially in Japan, and as proof of their continued popularity here’s a couple more new versions of games from that genre that are getting pushed this month. One of those is Gitadora Galaxy Wave, the latest entry in Konami’s long-running guitar and drum game series that famously inspired the likes of Guitar Hero. This launched on the 13th in Japan and should also be available via Round1US locations already.
And speaking of fighting games… fans of those, especially King of Fighters, may find the announcer VA here familiar.
As well as Gitadora, Sega’s Maimai DX is also getting its regular append update on the 21st in the form of Buddies Plus. This one was announced late last month at the fifth annual King Of Performai tournament event for it and Sega’s other rhythm games Chunithm and Ongeki, but hasn’t released just yet. Despite only being a Plus revision it does have some new gameplay elements added by the sounds of things, alongside the usual songlist additions. Goes without saying though that this one won’t be released outside of Japan…
The Texas Pinball Festival
Back on the US side of the pond, the Texas Pinball Festival has been going on strong this weekend, with it wrapping up today. If you couldn’t make it but you want to know what was there, here’s a handy floor tour from Pinball News:
American Pinball also took this opportunity to show off Barry O’s Barbeque Challenge.
Getting Into Business
Why did I start an arcade business? I ramble about that here 😛
Headlines
Smart’s JJ Bot Is Now Shipping
Jersey Jack’s Elton John Pin Nets $400k For Charity
How To Earn March Mania Badges For Stern Pinball’s Insider Connected
UNIS Has A New Addams Family Redemption Game Coming To AEI
Playmore Summons The Spirit Of Final Furlong With Full Sprint
Dreamfuns Pay Tribute To Akira Toriyama (RIP)… With Cranes
Direct Capture Footage Of Sega’s Zombies! Ready, Deady Go!
Need To 3D Print Umlaut From Midway’s CarnEvil? There’s A File For That
I Guess There’s A Pac-Man Movie In The Works – Related: The Next Super Mario Bros. Movie Is Coming In Two Years
[Console] Akira & SNK Join Forces To Revamp SNK IP
[Console] Spica Adventure Gets Physical
[Console] Would You Pay $45k For An Unreleased, Non-Working Prototype Handheld Console Made By Panasonic?
[Console] Metroid Nominated For Hall Of Fame
[Console] Irem’s R-Type Is Coming To Analogue Pocket
[Console] English Translation Patch For Saturn Port Of Rabbit, EA’s Animal Arcade Fighter
[Console] The Obscure Tempest 3000 For NUON DVD Players Is Getting A Physical Re-Release
[Console] A Meta Quest VR Game I’d Never Heard Of Just Got Shut Down (article says that Bogo was one of the best games on the platform)
That’s it for this Newsbytes. Has any of the above pieces (e.g. the Bike Dash Delivery updates or Amusement Expo previews) interested you?
