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Pinball Arcade extends WMS license, Black Knight 2000 among incoming tables
Pinball Arcade, FarSight Studios' digital pinball hall dedicated to creating counterparts of real-life pinball machines, will add more Williams and Bally tables to its future lineup. The associated Facebook post states that a renewed license with Williams and Bally will allow FarSight to add more tables from the classic pinball manufacturer's archives, starting with Black Knight 2000. An estimated release date was not offered. Pinball Arcade has reached a lot of platforms, but its absence from Xbox Live Arcade is explained in the FAQ on the game's site, noting that unavailability on the platform stems from "legal problems with Microsoft and [publisher] Crave and we must wait for legal resolution while we consider other options." A forum post from January, spotted by Polygon, notes FarSight's plans to "re-launch" Pinball Arcade on XBLA. This post also shares a Linux version on Steam in 2014 as well as plans to submit a Wii U version to Nintendo in early 2014. FarSight shared hopes to continue expanding Pinball Arcade's lineup for as long as sales "stay strong!" Hopefully the renewed license doesn't make FarSight think they're the Bally king; that crown's already been claimed.
Pinball wizard Steve Kordek passes away at age 100
Known for crafting the pinball machine into what we know it as today, Steve Kordek revolutionized the industry with his two-flipper concept way back in 1948. Sadly, his daughter Catherine Petrash confirmed Kordek's death to the NY Times last week. He was 100 years old.Kordek designed his final arcade machine in 2003, based on the National Lampoon's Family Vacation films, after having spent a life crafting machines for Genco, Bally, and Williams. He started his auspicious career in 1948 with a two-flipper redesign of the pinball machine, an improvement over the previous year's six-flipper design (pioneered by Chicago's D. Gottlieb & Company). From there, Kordek went on to craft tables at Bally and Williams, such as Contact, Pokerino, and Grand-Prix."Pinball!" author Roger Sharpe described Kordek's impact on the world of pinball as, "comparable to D. W. Griffith moving from silent films through talkies and color and CinemaScope and 3-D with computer-generated graphics."Kordek is survived by his daughter Catherine; by another daughter, Donna Kordek-Logazino; two sons, Frank and Richard; a sister, Florence Wozny; two brothers, Joseph and Frank; six grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren, according to the NYT report.[Pinball image via Shutterstock]
Pinball pioneer Steve Kordek dies at 100
Believe it or not, pinball (that most beloved of nerd pastimes) hasn't always looked this way -- a familiar field of bumpers with a pair of forward facing flippers at the bottom. That particular design originated with the 1948 title Triple Action, the work of Steve Kordek who died this week at the age of 100. Kordek is credited with a number of innovations to the analog arcade games, including multi-ball mode and drop targets. All told, the pioneer designed well over 100 different machines for Genco, Bally and Williams -- some of the biggest names in the pinball pantheon -- over the course of his roughly 60 year career. So, it is with a heavy heart that we bid farewell to a man that provided us with hours of entertainment and cost us plenty of quarters.
Slot machines to become more like video games
There's usually not that much overlap between the gaming industry (the gambling one) and the gaming industry (the one you actually are about). That seems poised to change, though, as the New York Times reports slot machine manufacturers are adding skill-based gaming elements to the one-armed bandits in an effort to attract new players. "We can't just make a slot thinking about the 55-year-old lady who comes to the casino a few times a month," said Rob Bone, marketing director for WMS Gaming. "We need to appeal to new buckets of players, or we'll die."To that end, Bally Technologies has signed a deal with Atari to make machines based on Pong and Breakout, which let you play simplified versions of the games during a bonus round. Don't get too excited, though -- your gaming skills won't let you break the bank at Vegas. As the Times points out, "skill will take a player only so far as these machines are still calibrated to pay out less money than they take in." That's OK though ... back in the '80s we put money into these games without expecting to get any money back.[Thanks Vlad]
Bally bringing Pong to casino floors
We know, you've got a zillion ways to get your Pong on whilst lounging around in your geeked-out crib, but how in the world will you deal with the withdrawals on this year's trip to Vegas? Thanks to Bally, you may not have to suffer at all, as Nevada gambling regulators recently approved the concept behind Bally Pong, a "slot machine that would for the first time allow hand-eye coordination to affect payout." Put simply, the machine would enter a 45-second round of Pong if three bonus icons line up on the five-reel video slot machine, and regardless of one's skill, a minimum award would be doled out simply for reaching the bonus. Oh, it gets better -- Bally also said that this was just "the first in a series of skill games (including Breakout!) it had planned," so those looking to see a hint of vintage when they hit the casino floor should be very pleased if everything goes as planned over the next few months.[Via The Raw Feed]
Root Beer Tapper taps Xbox Live
Root Beer Tapper is now available on Xbox Live Arcade. Ever wondered what it's like to work the thankless job of being a mustachioed male bartender? It's not nearly as glamorous as being one of those sexy female bartenders. Fortunately, the boys behind Xbox Live Arcade have provided us with this handy simulator. You fill glasses, collect empty glasses, and grab tips if you can. Just like in real life!Root Beer Tapper is available now for 400 points.
