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No bones about it: Silent Scope returns to Japanese arcades
After more than a decade, Konami's fan-favorite sniper simulation franchise Silent Scope is making a return to the arcade with the decidedly anime-styled Silent Scope: Bone Eater. What peering through the lens of a high-caliber rifle has to do with munching skeletons is anyone's guess, but according to the intro cinematic seen above, Bone Eater bears all of the series' trademarks: a reduced, simulation-style field of view, bonus points for long distance headshots and endless legions of nondescript thugs unwittingly begging for a bullet through the brain pan. According to Siliconera, Silent Scope: Bone Eater boasts network connectivity, allowing up to four snipers to work together to dispatch enemies. Bone Eater is currently in development for Japanese arcades, with an estimated launch date of later this year. An international arcade release is possible, though given the dearth of arcades elsewhere in the world, it's unlikely you'll ever see a Silent Scope: Bone Eater machine outside of Japan. [Image: Konami]
Engadget Daily: Samsung's NX mini, the world's first video arcade machine and more!
Today, we review the Samsung NX mini, go hands-on with the world's first video arcade machine, take a look at Acton's RocketSkates and learn about visual effects techniques used in the Game of Thrones. Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last 24 hours.
The world's first video game arcade machine is a glittery fiberglass wonder
Computer Space sounds like a third-party PC parts wholesaler, but back in 1971 it was the world's first video game arcade machine. Before Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney went off to start some games company called Atari, Computer Space was their first commercial collaboration -- a full year before Pong. The coin-operated computer game was the first of its kind in arcades, even if it wasn't an explosive commercial success, it managed to sell on par with other arcade machine. A recently christened game museum in Japan had not one, but four of the original arcade machines -- and an extra (unfortunately beige, non-shimmering) machine to play the game itself -- so we touched a bit of gaming history.
R-Kaid-R packs portable arcade cabinet in a sleek wooden box
In case you ever felt proud about the paint job you gave your controllers or something, Swedish craftsman Love Hulten has created the R-Kaid-R, a portable homage to arcades that manages to look sleek and old fashioned at the same time. The R-Kaid-R's wooden clamshell design hosts an 8" LCD screen and a mono speaker above an arcade-style layout, complete with nine face buttons, a screw-in joystick and a stereo port for headphones. Its hardware supports titles from the Game Boy Advance, PlayStation and predating consoles, along with some PC titles like Doom and Duke Nukem 3D. Hulten estimates that on a full charge, the arcade away from home can withstand about 8 hours of play. While the R-Kaid-R is a joy to look at, you can always add it to your on-the-go collection for a, uh ... minor charge of $3,397 (€2,499). While that includes a manual, a 16 GB SD card with pre-installed OS, a USB charging cable and a copy of Cave Story, it doesn't include the carrying case seen in the video, which is a separate $176 (€239) purchase. At least you can choose your R-Kaid-R's appearance from one of five colors? [Thanks, Love!] [Image: Love Hulten]
This wooden portable arcade will convince you to drain your piggy bank
Here at Engadget HQ, we're no strangers to Love Hultén's design prowess. Having caught our eye a few years back with the R-Kaid-6 wooden console, the Swedish gadget maker is at it again -- only this time a mobile arcade option is the project. With the R-Kaid-R, Hultén keeps with the natural materials and adds brass detail work, crafting an all-in-one option that takes on a form factor similar to that of a cigar box. The unit packs an 8-inch LCD display beside a built-in speaker, with the joystick and buttons for wrangling loaded titles down below. In order to get those games on board, R-Kaid-R has USB connectivity and an SD card slot for added storage. So exactly what can you play on this dapper device? System support includes Neo Geo, Atari 2800, Nintendo, Sega Genesis, PlayStation 1 and several others with a hand from a pre-installed OS for around eight hours of play. Those ready to commit €2,499 ($3,419) will benefit from the self-contained system's solid wood housing for protection, with the option of tacking on a leather shoulder bag for transit. Unfortunately, each of the five color options won't be available until September, but while you consider draining your savings account, have a closer look in the gallery down below.
Mythical Primal Rage 2 cabinet appears, playable to all
Remember that footage of Primal Rage 2 that showed up on YouTube about a year and a half ago? You know, the one that broke our inner 12-year-old heart because we knew we'd never get to play it? Well, if you can make it to the Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, Illinois, a functional arcade cabinet containing the game is waiting just for you. Not sure what all the fuss is about? Here's the skinny: released in 1994 by Atari, Primal Rage was a fighting game where players controlled gods who took on the form of giant prehistoric creatures. Besides being ported from arcade to several home consoles, it was also adapted into a toy line and comic series, and was basically just one of the most '90s things ever. Development began on a sequel that replaced the monstrous fighters with human avatars, but only a handful of prototypes were reportedly ever made. Those that were produced have only been spotted a handful of times more often than Bigfoot. Seriously, there's not a lot of information out there about Primal Rage 2, and most of it is unverifiable. Hence, the addition of the game to an arcade where any visitor can play it without having to pass a velvet rope is pretty surprising. So, who wants to take a road trip to Illinois? [Thanks, Aaron!] [Image: Galloping Ghost Arcade]
Left 4 Dead planned for arcade release in Japan
Arcade game manufacturer Taito has partnered with Valve to produce an arcade adaptation of Turtle Rock Studios' co-op zombie FPS Left 4 Dead in Japan. News of the tie-in arrives shortly after Taito announced "Project Z", a zombie-themed shooter due to hit arcades this year. The official Project Z site has since been updated with a Left 4 Dead logo and Valve copyright, though it's currently unknown whether Taito's upcoming Left 4 Dead: Seizansha-tachi (Left 4 Dead: Survivors) is an all-new spin-off or a modified adaptation of a previous game in the series. Taito previously struck up a partnership with Valve for Half-Life 2: Survivor, a sit-down cabinet release featuring elements from Half-Life 2 and its follow-up episodes. [Video: Taito / Valve]
Massachusetts town lifts 32-year ban on arcade games
Residents in Marshfield, Massachusetts, overturned a 32-year ban on arcade games this week, allowing public venues to set up coin-operated arcade cabinets. It was a close vote, 203-175. The ban entered the Marshfield books in 1982, and in 1983, it was upheld by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. The town attempted to overturn it in 1994 and 2011, but both votes were unsuccessful. An article in the Christian Science Monitor in 1983 outlined proponents' reasoning: "The games are said to be addictive to youth, who will skip school and spend unreasonable sums of money to play them at a quarter – and sometimes 50 cents – a pop, says Thomas R. Jackson, a retired narcotics agent and the resident who proposed the ban. Further, he says, gambling and drug activity are connected to the video game locations where youth congregate unsupervised." Marshfield resident Craig Rondeau led the successful petition to overturn the ban. Rondeau told the Patriot Ledger that video games help children hone problem-solving and social skills, and they encourage creativity. Rondeau found six businesses to sign on to overturn the ban. "They want the opportunity to choose," he said. "Let's give them back their right to choose."
Single quarter lasts record-breaking 85 hours on Armor Attack
Armor Attack, an arcade game from 1980, was part of two record-breaking achievements this week when John Salter of Oakland, Ohio shattered not only the previous high score, but also the previous record for longest time played on a single credit. As reported by Patrick Scott Patterson, Salter managed to hold out for 85 hours, 16 minutes before he finished his run with 2,211,990 points. Although the game itself ran without pause, Salter himself took power naps throughout his marathon, using extra lives he'd built up as a buffer so that he wouldn't lose. The previous record for longest gaming session on a single credit was 84 hours, 48 minutes, set by George Leutz on a game of Qbert. The previous high score on Armor Attack was 2,009,000, set by Tom Larkin in 1982. We assume that shortly after his victories, Salter removed his glasses, revealing that he was Superman all along, and flew off into the sunset. [Image: Cinematronics]
Joust, Pin*Bot artist Python Anghelo passes away
Python Anghelo, the artist behind many iconic illustrations from the golden age of arcade gaming, passed away at his home yesterday after an extended battle with cancer. Born in 1954, Anghelo created marquee and cabinet artwork for Williams' landmark 1982 arcade game Joust. Anghelo had a prolific career in the pinball industry afterward, working as an artist and designer for tables like Pin*Bot, Taxi, Fish Tales and High Speed. Friend Paul Kiefert confirmed Anghelo's passing yesterday. Kiefert established a GoFundMe project to pay for Anghelo's cancer treatment last month, earning nearly $20,000 in donations from friends, family and devoted fans. "I can say with 100 percent certainty that with the help of this great Pinball Community we were able to deliver great joy and happiness during his final time on this earth and that the legend most people knew will continue to be honored for generations to come," Kiefert wrote. [Image: Williams / Arcade Crusade]
Ultra Street Fighter 4 hits Japan's arcades on April 17
Capcom's thrice-updated one-on-one fighting game Ultra Street Fighter 4 will hit Japanese arcades later this month, Dengeki Online reports (via Siliconera). Ultra Street Fighter 4 includes five new characters (Elena, Rolento, Poison, Hugo, and the recently unveiled Decapre), bumping the playable roster up to 44 combatants. The game also features an array of fixes and balance tweaks, along with new mechanics like the invincibility-extending Red Focus attack and an optional Double Ultra mode. The arcade version of Ultra Street Fighter 4 will launch on April 17. Ports for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC platforms are slated to arrive later this year at retail and as DLC for Super Street Fighter 4. [Image: Capcom]
Twin Galaxies relaunches, drops fee requirement for score submissions
Long-running video game record-keeping site Twin Galaxies has overhauled its score submission guidelines, removing a controversial fee requirement in an effort to make the community more accessible to fans of classic arcade gaming. The decision follows up on the recent appointment of gaming veteran Jace Hall as the organization's Head Custodian and Caretaker. Twin Galaxies previously instituted steep submission fees in the wake of a months-long period of inactivity, demanding that record-seekers pay the organization $25 for a single score application and verification. Refunds will be issued to paying applicants, and the organization will resume normal operation upon the launch of a redesigned website. Twin Galaxies and its previous owner Walter Day played key roles in the 2007 documentary film The King of Kong, verifying submitted scores for the hotly contested Donkey Kong world record. [Image: Twin Galaxies]
Savant Ascent mixes arcade shooting with music album, coming to PS4
The "Savant" in D-Pad Studios' Savant Ascent is drawn from a close friend of the indie developer, electronic musician Savant (Aleksander Vinter). The arcade-style, 2D action shooter's protagonist is even pulled from the cover of Savant's fifth album, Alchemist, designed by D-Pad Studios' art director Simon S. Andersen. Recently announced for PS4, Savant Ascent has players dispatching enemies in tune with Savant's music, which provides varying upgrades as tracks are unlocked. In the game, Savant is cast out of his tower by a "malicious orb," which turns his surroundings into enemies. Players must guide Savant back up the tower, which certainly explains the "Ascent" part of the game's title. Savant Ascent first launched on PC, Mac and Linux via Steam, GamersGate and the Humble Store as well as iOS and Android in December 2013. [Image: D-Pad Studio]
Former PS All-Stars devs form Dead Alien Cult, introduce Viking Ghost
Indie developer Dead Alien Cult introduced its first game on Steam's Greenlight service this week, Viking Ghost. The developer comprises four people, two of which are former PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale developers: Andrew Marquis and John Lawrence. Viking Ghost is listed as an "Arcade Action Adventure-Dual Stick Shooter-Dungeon Crawler-Rogue-Like-Lite" game with weapons, abilities and an experience point-based upgrade system. The developer cites the Zelda series, The Binding of Isaac and Spelunky among its inspirations for the game, which has eight locations and procedurally-generated levels that liven up every playthrough. Marquis and Lawrence's former developer Superbot parted ways with Sony in February 2013 before downsizing in April. [Image: Dead Alien Cult]
Two-button slugger RBI Baseball 14 goes retro with unlockable jerseys
In 1986, Namco launched RBI Baseball for the NES (Famcom in Japan), and it grew into a household name before Time Warner Interactive's RBI Baseball 95, the heretofore last game in the series. Now, the MLB will publish RBI Baseball 14 on April 10, and MLBAM Vice President of Games Jaime Leece expects the game will remain faithful to the treasured series. Much like those classic games, the developer created three body types and preset batting stances for those character models as opposed to painstakingly differentiating every batter. And while NES games in the late 1980s were naturally restricted to two face buttons and a d-pad, Leece's team intentionally opted for two-button controls for the modern take on the baseball game. Leece believes that these decisions immediately separate the game from other sports games in the genre. "When you take away the barrier of control, it leaves the competition pure," Leece told Joystiq. "It's you against me, it's not your dexterity versus my dexterity. Having to deal with button combinations and things like that creates an extra challenge that's, I think unnecessary and certainly gets in the way of the enjoyment of the product itself."
Curve Studios leads a Titan Invasion on Sony systems this summer
Curve Studios will bring a game bundle called Titan Invasion to PS3, PS4 and Vita early this summer. The pack includes two arcade-style games from UK developer Puppygames, Titan Attacks and Revenge of the Titans. Titan Attacks is an arcade shooter in the same vein as Galaga and Space Invaders, though Curve Studios says it includes "modern features, new strategies" as well as online leaderboards and an upgrade system. The game features over 100 levels, spanning five worlds. Puppygames' other creation, Revenge of the Titans, is deemed a thematic sequel that mixes real-time strategy and tower defense elements together. Both Titan Attacks and Revenge of the Titans are available for $9.99 on Steam for PC, Mac and Linux. The Titan Invasion bundle will be Cross-Buy compatible on all three Sony systems. [Image: Curve Studios]
Pac-Man Museum arrives February 25, free Ms. Pac-Man DLC in tow
Come February 25, Pac-Man Museum will make its PlayStation Network debut, with Xbox Live and Steam versions following on February 26. Buy the game early and you can add a gratis copy of Ms. Pac-Man to your new surfeit of pellet-chomping adventures. As its name would suggest, Pac-Man Museum is a compilation drawn from the dozens of games starring everyone's favorite ravenous yellow pie chart. Included are copies of Pac-Man, Super Pac-Man, Pac-Land, Pac & Pal, Pac-Mania, Pac-Attack, Pac-Man Remix and Pac-Man Battle Royale - an especially addictive multiplayer take on the Pac-Man formula that's relatively rare outside of Japanese arcades. Those who purchase the game on Steam will also receive a copy of Namco Bandai's recent franchise redux Pac-Man: Championship Edition. Regardless of which platform you prefer, those who purchase Pac-Man Museum between launch and March 31 will receive a free copy of Ms. Pac-Man, arguably the highlight of the franchise's arcade entries. After March 31, this Ms. Pac-Man DLC will feature a $5 price tag.
UltraCade founder gets two years in prison for game counterfeiting, bank fraud
UltraCade Technologies founder David R. Foley has been sentenced to two years in prison for fraud stemming from the illegal copying and selling of arcade game data. UltraCade offers a lineup of full-size arcade cabinets outfitted with emulated games under license from publishers like Capcom, Midway, and Taito. UltraCade owners can add new games to their cabinet's playable roster by purchasing upgrade CDs and USB keys featuring titles pulled from individual publisher catalogs. Founder Foley sold a portion of UltraCade's assets to arcade game manufacturer Global VR in 2006, and was later hired on as the company's CTO. A federal court accused Foley of selling counterfeit UltraCade game packs via eBay in 2009, leading to his dismissal from Global VR. In 2012, Foley pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to defraud Global VR, and admitted to defrauding a bank out of a nearly $3 million loan by falsely claiming that he was still employed by the company after his departure.
Double Dragon Trilogy is a throwback to addictively frustrating gameplay and early in-app purchases
The Double Dragon series is incredibly important to video game history. As one of the pioneering titles in the "beat-em-up" genre, it introduced millions of quarter-pumping arcade junkies to street brawls augmented with throwing knives and whips. The first time I remember swearing in front of my parents was while playing Double Dragon, which made asking for another quarter to keep playing incredibly awkward. Over the years, I've probably spent several hundred dollars playing Double Dragon I, II and III, so it was a no-brainer to plunk down US$2.99 of my own money for the chance to have these classic titles on my iPhone. This mobile update brings with it a few new tricks and one glaringly harsh reality; you will probably never beat Double Dragon with "one quarter." Double Dragon Trilogy is a faithful port of all three arcade versions of Billy and Jimmy's adventures. There are a few new gameplay modes which mostly consist of scaling the difficulty from the original arcade game's "swearing in front of your mother for the first time" level to a less frustrating mobile difficulty, which will still probably have you swearing under your breath. For the truly masochistic, there is an expert level. Every Double Dragon game is hard. They're throwbacks to an era where a game's difficulty was just as much about profit as it was fun. If you think Candy Crush asking you to wait 30 minutes or pay a dollar to keep playing is obnoxious, you would have committed ritual suicide in an '80s arcade. In keeping with tradition Double Dragon Trilogy is a frustratingly difficult game. The learning curve of this title is already steep, but when you factor in the virtual controls of the iPhone, it sort of becomes like learning to ride a bike again. Its controls are responsive, but it takes a bit of time to make the transition from joystick to virtual thumb pad. Just stick with it; you have a girlfriend to rescue/avenge! Once you get the hang of the controls and stop swearing, you'll notice the unsung hero of Double Dragon Trilogy -- the wonderfully remixed music. These games have always had wonderfully epic, slightly cheesy soundtracks, and the remix job by Developer DotEmu sounds massive even on your tiny iPhone speakers. Double Dragon II in particular shines in the sound design department. Each punch crunches and I'm regularly finding myself humming its tunes in the shower. Multiplayer is possible via local Bluetooth support, so be prepared to have your partner sitting close to you if you want to fullly experience the double in Double Dragon. Over Bluetooth, the game runs smoothly with no hiccups or lag that might lead to your player taking a random cheap punch. People have spent 26 years playing two-player Double Dragon shoulder to shoulder with a friend. While the lack of online multiplayer is a disappointment, at least we get a two-player mode. The collection's one major weakness however is Double Dragon III, which is ironically crippled due to the original title's in-game purchases. Yes, even in 1990, games were being ruined by in-game purchases. Double Dragon III features weapons shops where gamers could buy new moves, characters, weapons and power ups for a quarter. You'll notice I said "could." DotEmu has unfortunately not included the ability to simulate feeding DD3 quarters, meaning you can go into the shops you'll find throughout the game only to be mocked with the reality that you can't fully experience the title. While I respect DotEmu for not seizing the opportunity to add in-app purchases for their $2.99 title, it's frustrating to not be able to play as any of the other playable characters. Hopefully they'll update the title at some point to include the full game. Still it isn't the greatest loss. While Double Dragon III is an interesting part of the series' history, it was originally rushed into development to meet the release of a movie that ended up not coming out in 1990. Accordingly the gameplay doesn't feel as smooth as that found in its siblings, meaning you'll probably find yourself spending most of your time with the first two games. How much enjoyment you get out of Double Dragon Trilogy will depend entirely on your tolerance of the title's incredible difficulty. Old-school gamers throw around the phrase "Nintendo hard" a lot these days, but dear lord NES had nothing on arcade games. Once you get used to the virtual controls, and ignore that a big part of Double Dragon III is unplayable, you're left with a wonderful burst of classic arcade action. For such a seemingly simple series, Double Dragon always had an extra layer of depth for people who took the time to learn the secret special moves and tactics of the enemies. On a bright day in 1987, you probably would have spent $3 playing Double Dragon without getting to the end of the game. It's nice to know that 27 years later, for the cost of one afternoon at the arcade, you can have an infinite number of chances to save Billy's and Jimmy's significant others. Maybe with enough practice I'll finally make it to the end of the game this time.
