We’re a week out from the opening of IAAPA Expo 2024, and with that there should be several posts like this where we discuss brand new arcade products. Today’s news is for Adrenaline Amusements, in a surprising change from their normal pace of creating video and videmption arcade games. Duck Derby: Pump N’ Race is one of the most unique games to come out from Adrenaline, so let’s take a look.
What Is Duck Derby?
When a preview of Duck Derby appeared in a 2025 Adrenaline catalog, I had to do a double take, as it looked like a product to come from Bob’s Space Racers. BSR creates midway/carnival-like games for said carnivals, theme parks, and FECs. As you can see from this image, this is not your typical arcade game:
So what is it? It’s not exactly a video game, although there is a video screen above each cabinet. The game itself is all physical, where you take a realistic water pump and pump water to move the rubber duckie along the course to reach the finish line first. Each cabinet has a pair of controls, and these are sold in a single two-player unit. Obviously as seen above, you can link up to eight at a time.
This isn’t the first time that actual water has been used in an arcade game, titles like Ice Man making such a thing mainstream. This appears to keep it all contained, which is better than the shooter game’s like Ice Man where water can spray a little outside of the game.
I assume that there will be a filtration system built into this, but it will require the venue to change the water out on a frequently (probably monthly) basis if that is the case.
As of this writing, the game is not listed on Adrenaline’s website, but there a listing for it over at Bandai Namco Amusement Europe. BNAE happens to be the official Adrenaline distributor in Europe, and Duck Derby is in Adrenaline’s 2025 product catalog (also seen above).
I’ll capture footage of this one at IAAPA 2024 next week. In the meantime, what do you think about Duck Derby?