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How modern tech saved my 'Dragon's Lair' arcade game
In the early 1980s, the arcade was still the place to play the newest and best video games. Sure, consoles existed, and were just starting to give arcades a run for their money -- and were even starting to shed their wood-grain home-furniture look for a more modern feel. But home play still lacked the arcade's mystique. As attendance began to dwindle, game makers started looking for a hook; something incredible and new that would lure people back to the arcades to spend their quarters.
Yo-Yo Factory brings Hyper Scanner yo-yo gaming to Toy Fair, we go hands-on
We'll forgive you if you've never heard of Hyper Scanner. The carnival style arcade game is apparently all the rage in Japan, though. Kids line up to battle it for king of the yo-yo hill. Yo-Yo Factory came out to Toy Fair to show off its customizable yo-yo system, designed for the serious aficionado. Everything from the weight, to the bearings, to the colors can be tailored to your taste and to greatly improve the performance for particular tasks. The Hyper Scanner measures how fast the toy spins in RPMs and rates your performance -- not unlike a high striker. Brand manager and member of the development team Ben McPhee demoed how much better his company's products are over a standard yo-yo by ratcheting it up to near 7,000RPM. This Engadget editor was also given a chance to prove his yo-yo mettle, but couldn't break the 3,000 mark. Of course, the game has plenty of blinking lights and loud noises to entice you to play -- including repeatedly shouting "hyper" at you in a thick Japanese accent. Check out the video after the break to see it in action.
Super Pong Table serves up four-way retro play, whole lot of awesome (video)
Sure it's just sliding sticks and bouncing balls, but anyone who grew up playing Atari can tell you that Pong rules. Unfortunately, its earliest incarnation only supported enough 2D fun for two, which is why our eyes just about popped out of our heads when we saw this. The folks over at Instructables are showing off another awesome retro gaming project that makes everyone's favorite game a party pleaser -- it's also a pretty good fix for an old coffee table. The Super Pong Table allows for up to four players and fives balls per game, and enlists 900 LEDs and four Atari paddle controllers to make the thing work. Each player controls his or her own stick and gains or loses a point depending on whether they hit or miss a ball -- the first player to reach 20 points gets their very own "YOU WIN" light up display. Looks like we just found something to do with our weekend. You can check out a video of the table in action after the break or follow the source link for instructions on making your own.
Ion iCade hands-on: gaming on the iPad like it's 1979 (video)
You may recall ThinkGeek's pretty convincing April Fools' prank last year: the iCade cabinet for the iPad. Now, thanks to the keen beans at Ion, the two companies held hands and turned this totally rad concept into reality (although they're definitely not the first). Come late spring, retro gaming enthusiasts will be able to pick up one of these well-built Bluetooth joystick kits for $99 direct from Ion, and eventually they'll make it across the pond for about €99 and £79. Don't worry, there'll be plenty of classic games available to suit the iCase courtesy of Atari, who's already got Asteroids working beautifully on the iPad (and it's actually a lot harder than it looks); any iOS game that takes a Bluetooth input peripheral should also play nice with the iCade. Hands-on video after the break. %Gallery-113155%
Angry Birds gets real... corporeal (in China, at least)
Let's be honest: you can never get enough of Angry Birds, but for those wandering around Guangzhou, China, you might be able to get your fix at this arcade booth. Like the game itself, there's an actual slingshot for firing your enraged fowls at a bunch of plush doll piggies, except there are no special abilities like explosion or splitting -- maybe the next version will take care of that, unless Rovio Mobile decides it's game over for these guys.
Super Twario goes where Tweetdeck fears to tread: Game Center (video)
As if the up-to-the-minute reports on your friends, family, and @davidgewirtz weren't enough, Super Twario for iOS is available right now at the App Store. Your $2 purchase turns reading and replying tweets into a game, as you interact, arcade style, with your friends' avatars and your co-workers' interminable pics of their entrees. If that weren't enough, all your stats and achievements are sent to the Game Center, so you can find out whether or not you are, indeed, the biggest twit in your clique. See it in action after the break.
Konami's Road Fighters 3D hits Japan's arcades
We know it's tough to deal with the sorry state of arcades these days, but they're still thriving in Japan, and Konami has just announced one more reason to be jealous in the form of Road Fighters 3D. As you can see, that's actual 3D complete with 3D glasses, although the game can apparently also be played in 2D if you're not quite ready to experience "one of the most thrilling arcade racing experiences on the planet." Keeping up with other modern arcade machines, the game also has an online multiplayer mode, and it incorporates Konami's PASELI digital cash system so you don't have to worry about having enough change. Look for it to hit arcades in Japan by the end of the month.
Operation Pure Wind demolishes over 600 arcade machines... on video!
For a soul-crushing show of government power, one need look no further than this video of six hundred arcade game consoles being destroyed in a public ceremony by the Jinan Municipal Public Security Bureau in the People's Republic of China. The soothingly named "Operation Pure Wind" took place earlier this month, focusing on illegal and unlicensed criminal activity, including pornography and electronic gambling, and resulted in some 165 arrests. Sure, they're only Baccarat games, but who knows? Maybe if they hadn't been brought up in such a terrible environment they'd have grown up to become Galaga or Mappy consoles. Either way, it's quite sad. Video after the break.
Sega's Storm-G arcade experience puts the "g" in puking
An uncompromising vision of a future world dominated by roving, power-up-collecting bobsled gangs, Sega's new Storm-G arcade game puts a "spin" on things by rotating the rider a full 360 degrees in accordance with the action. It's not exactly the most immersive arcade experience ever produced -- at some point you'd think Sega would get tired of rolling people down virtual tubes -- but it does look pretty wild and stomach-wrenching. The folks at Akihabara News got to try it firsthand at Sega's Joypolis in Odaiba Japan, and found the experience rather exhausting. Check out the video after the break.
Arm wrestling arcade game recalled due to penchant for arm breaking
It's all fun and games until somebody gets their arm broken by a robotic arm wrestling machine. Atlas Co. is recalling its "Arm Spirit" arm wrestling arcade game from the market in Japan after the 150 machines scored three broken person arms between them. Spokeswoman Ayano Sakiyama had some smack for gamers puny enough to get their arms broken over the pink barrel: "The machine isn't that strong, much less so than a muscular man. Even women should be able to beat it." Yeah, she just shot down any robo-warrior cred you suckers might've been hoping for out of the situation. "We think that maybe some players get overexcited and twist their arms in an unnatural way," but they're recalling the machine as "a precaution."[Via Engadget Japanese]
Wingnuts 2 is almost done!
I'm dreading the release of Wingnuts 2 -- its predecessor was so addictive that it hooked my dad, my uncle and numerous friends. The phrase "can you help me get past this level?" has never been so annoying. On Freeverse's blog, they've announced that the game is nearing Gold Master status (the final stage before distribution) so make sure you've got a clear schedule for the next few days weeks months *ahem* years. While you're waiting for the game to be released, check out the latest screenshots of the game over at Games4Mac.Read - Wingnuts 2 nearing Gold MasterView - Latest Wingnuts 2 screenshots
