After its initial release in Japan and overseas launch at IAAPA 2024 late last year, Bandai Namco have now finally confirmed that their latest pirate themed game, GoldStorm Pirates, is about to ship out to Western locations across America and Europe. This one has been long anticipated by many of you, not least because it has been delayed a few times (an April/May release was last quoted), so let’s ‘dive’ right in!
GoldStorm Pirates – Background
First, some background. Originally spotted on location test way back in May of 2023, GoldStorm Pirates follows up Deadstorm Pirates, which was originally released in the early 2010s. It is also Bandai Namco’s first on rails arcade shooter release since 2015’s Time Crisis 5 (which feels a lot less longer ago than it really is…). On that original test in Japan we were told it would likely not be releasing until late 2024; that time has long come and gone now, so you’d be forgiven for thinking it has taken a slow route in getting here, but it did launch out West at IAAPA 2024, and after releasing in Japan the following month (plus further international trade show appearances), it is now ready to sail the seven seas to us.
The Cabinet
In terms of the cabinet, GoldStorm Pirates is one of a few that is bringing motion shooters back to the forefront right now. The Western design you see below is a departure from the original game and Japanese release’s environmental theater format; with no enclosed ceiling, it uses what some have dubbed a “soft-top” design, retaining much of the same motion base as the cabinets for Japan, but now using a larger 75″ 4K screen component. This features more LED lighting and a different marquee, as well as a few other small neat touches like fake lanterns and underside light strips elsewhere.
One nice touch that only showed up on its later trade show appearances was the guns being gold chrome-plated. That helped it stand out a bit more at Amusement Expo in March, although it isn’t the first game to do this (there’s been Sega Golden Gun, for one :P). Meanwhile, the Japanese design can be seen in this video. We’re checking to see if this one might become available for Western operators as well:
The Game
As for GoldStorm Pirates’ content, the gameplay remains much the same as Deadstorm, keeping its co-operative two player shooting action and unique ship helm wheel controls intact. There is also now a gold collecting bonus mechanic, where you can rack up points while plundering as much as you can before the clock runs out. The software here was produced by Bandai Namco with Xeen, a Japanese studio who have been responsible for development support and contract work on a variety of console and arcade games (typically racers, including BN’s recent Dead Heat Unleashed) since the late 2000s.
Four levels are available to play and choose from right off the bat: The Ocean (easy), The Bottom of The Sea (intermediate), The Jungle (intermediate), and The Pirate Fortress (hard). A fifth and final one with an ultimate GoldStorm boss showdown is also unlockable if all are completed…
After playing the game completely through for the first time back at EAG in January, AH co-contributor Ted remarked that it is kind of like a culminative “greatest hits” of rail shooters over the years, bringing together elements and settings seen in titles as varied as The Ocean Hunter, Let’s Go Jungle, Rail Chase and even The Walking Dead at one point, alongside Deadstorm Pirates itself of course. Some of those come later on than what was recorded of it at IAAPA 2024, but you can definitely see a bit of the first of them in this clip:
According to James at Bandai Namco, the game is in production for shipping right now, so expect to start seeing it pop up in arcades across the West very soon. The MSRP I’d heard around IAAPA was $29,875, however, I haven’t been able to confirm if that has changed particularly much post-tariffs (which did delay its release). As such, it will most likely be limited to your larger venues for now.
Performance-wise, GoldStorm has apparently been posting solid numbers in Japan, appearing on at least one trade magazine’s income chart. Deadstorm was no slouch in that department, and given that this one maintains the same kind of action while building on it in a few ways (along with some vibrant graphics), I would imagine that it will be sailing its way to the top of the charts here soon.
What do you think of GoldStorm Pirates? Are you excited to see this new Bandai Namco arcade game release at long last?
