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PSA: First set of classics for Capcom Arcade Cabinet out on XBLA/PSN today
The first pack of games for the Capcom Arcade Cabinet app is out today on PSN and XBLA. 1943: The Battle of Midway, Avengers and Black Tiger launched on the app, which will see the release of four other game packs through May 21.This first game pack is available now for $5 (400 MSP), and every subsequent game pack will cost $10 (800 MSP). Each individual game will launch for $4 (320 MSP). The second pack is scheduled to arrive March 5, and includes Ghosts n Goblins, Gun.Smoke and Section Z.%Gallery-179251%
Beercade replaces arcade coin slots with beer taps, rewards winners with brew
Forget prize tickets or high scores. The minds at McKinney creative agency may have come up with the greatest reward for arcade victors -- an ice cold pour of beer. Created as a marketing tool for Big Boss Brewing Company, the aptly named Beercade features The Last Barfighter, a Street Fighter-like arcade game set inside a biker bar. To begin, two players place their cups in the tray below their respective tap, which replaces the machine's coin slots. Beer-thirsty combatants can do battle with a selection of five characters, all named after Big Boss brews. After three rounds of intense fisticuffs, fire throwing and unicorn horn impaling, the winner's cup is filled with a sample of beer from a keg placed within the machine. Don't believe us? You can click past the break for a video of the machine in action.
Custom arcade cabinet puts games, projectors inside a work of art
We fell for Love Hulten's R-KAID-6 device, a custom-designed MAME machine made of interlocking handcrafted wooden pieces, back in 2011.Hulten has evolved the concept to add wireless controllers, a trackball accessory, and a built-in projector – all still encased in a custom, decorated wooden case that allows the joysticks to be stored on top. Hulten's designs show us what it looks like when game machines are designed not for efficiency by engineers, but for beauty by artisans. The result turns out to be pretty efficient in its own way.
Daily iPhone App: After Burner Climax brings high flying action to iOS
After Burner Climax was originally an arcade title, part of the old After Burner series (that was installed in an actual sit-in unit that spun around as you were flying -- pretty neat!). The title made the leap to Xbox Live Arcade and PSN a few years ago, and now Sega has released this version for iOS, available now on the App Store. Unfortunately, without all of the arcade bells and whistles, this version feels just a little bit flat -- it's probably meant more for nostalgic Sega fans than anyone else. But the graphics are still very impressive. You choose a jet, pick Arcade, Score Attack, or Climax modes (Climax is a special power that allows you to take down multiple enemies at the same time), and then get flying, using virtual controls or tilt to move your aiming reticule around. The shooting game is pretty shallow, but it's definitely colorful and fun. Fans of games like the Sky Gamblers series may be a little disappointed that you basically can just fly back and forth (and barrel roll, of course), but this is an arcade title, not a simulation title, so the goal is just to be flashy and exciting, and After Burner Climax does that. The game also brings in some really excellent features, including HDMI and Airplay support. This isn't a half-considered port -- Sega really did an excellent job in bringing this game over to iOS. I really enjoy After Burner Climax. It's definitely an arcade game, with all of the shallowness that entails. But it's fast and fun, and it's very nice to have a version of the old arcade favorite available on my phone whenever I want to jump in and play. Those who favor real flying will have to look elsewhere, but if you just want to shoot down some tangos while flying at high speed, After Burner Climax is available now for US$1.99.
Capcom Arcade Cabinet brings back the classics on February 19
The Capcom Arcade Cabinet app for PSN and XBLA launches on February 19, staggering the releases of 15 classic games through May 21. All 15 games are from the 1984 - 1988 catalog, sold individually or in bundles. Purchasing all five game packs or 15 individual releases adds two free games to your haul, both to be announced at a later date.Games include Black Tiger, 1943: The Battle of Midway, Ghosts n Goblins, Legendary Wings, Commando, Pirate Ship Higemaru, Avengers, Section Z and more. Each game runs $4 (320 MSP) and each bundle is $10 (800 MSP), except for Game Pack 1, which is $5 (400 MSP) and includes Avengers, 1943: The Battle of Midway and Black Tiger. Avengers and 1943 are not available as individual games on XBLA. PSN and XBLA get the Black Tiger demo; players on XBLA will have one credit to play with before restarting, while PSN players get unlimited credits, effectively giving them the entire game for free.Check out the entire lineup and release dates for the Capcom Arcade Cabinet games below.%Gallery-178242%
PlayStation Home Arcade drags classic cabinet games to Vita
If you're looking for a convenient arcade experience, put those quarters away, wash your hands and sit right down. PlayStation Home Arcade is now on Vita, offering classic arcade games alongside Icebreaker and Wipeout 2D, both of which are free during the initial games lineup.Also free is a demo of Scribble Shooter. The following games are $1.50 each, all playable via PSN on the Vita and PS3: Frogger, Time Pilot, Asteroids, Centipede, Astrosmash Gen2, Shark! Shark! and Mad Blocker. Download the Home Arcade app for free in the Vita's PlayStation Store.
Cannons Lasers Rockets hits Steam Greenlight
Cannons Lasers Rockets, a free-to-play, cross-platform title by Net Games Laboratory, has been introduced to Steam Greenlight, where it will be subjected to the scrutiny of the community. Net Games is describing CLR as a "PvP/co-op arcade space game" that provides light-hearted gameplay. Players will be able to fight in 10v10 co-op and 50v50 clan warfare, with the options of hundreds of different ship and equipment types for optimal customization. The game will be F2P with cash shop support, but Net Games is adamant that any stats on items purchase with meatspace money will be on-par with items available in the game itself. Skip below the cut to check out the gameplay trailer.
Groove Coaster going to arcades in Japan
Groove Coaster is moving from its extremely portable iOS format to the least portable format possible: a dedicated arcade machine. Taito has revealed plans for an arcade version of Reisuke Ishida's touchscreen music game, for release in Japan only this winter.Rather than a touchscreen, the arcade game uses a mysterious "BOOSTER" system, seen above. Is it an Etch-a-Sketch type situation? We don't know. We do know that Taito promises a "very different control experience" from both other music games and the existing Groove Coasters.The cabinet will make its debut at the Japan Amusement Expo on February 15 and 16. If you have an iOS device and haven't tried Groove Coaster, get Groove Coaster Zero for free and check it out. Put your headphones on if you're at work.%Gallery-177610%
Primal Rage 2 footage surfaces, breaks our heart
Primal Rage 2 is one of the more mythical cancelled games of yore. Plenty of rumors and legends surround its life and death, but there's very little in the way of concrete, verifiable information when it comes to what the game was actually like. Now though, thanks to some new off-screen footage captured from a working prototype version, we have a slightly better idea of what could have been.As shown in the video above, Primal Rage 2 maintained the claymation aesthetic found in the original game, though the character models and their various animations look much more fluid than Primal Rage's Harryhausen-esque staccato jitters. Furthermore, the combo system appears to have been improved and expanded, though to what extent is difficult to ascertain.Essentially, it looks like everything we ever could have wanted. Finding absolute proof that we're not living in the best of all possible universes wasn't really on our "To Do:" list today, but here we are. Someday we'll open a worm hole to the bubble universe where Primal Rage 2 was released, and it'll be so great. Provided everyone in that universe breathes oxygen, of course; alternate universes can get complicated.
Arduino project has Sega Rally cabinets steer RC cars: like the game with more bruised ankles (video)
We've seen attempts at recreating video game racing in real life. For Artica and The Arcade Man, there's no desire to preserve the illusion -- they've jury-rigged two Sega Rally cabinets to control the strictly real-world racing experiences of RC cars. Their two-machine setup from the recent Codebits VI event in Portugal yanks the original arcade computing power in favor of an Arduino-powered system that maps the steering wheel and pedals to the tiny vehicles through a wireless Xbee link. The setup does make a nod to traditional video games through the cameras, however: drivers can pick either an arcade-style overhead camera or jump to a cabin-level view. The only true challenge during the build process was to find viable displays for the rigs, as the original CRTs proved too problematic for the retrofit. Some might consider it sacrilege to gut a classic cabinet for the sake of some RC action, but the end result is a racing experience that's at once very familiar and yet surprisingly fresh. Spectators had better watch their feet, though -- the competition might get fierce out there.
Doodle Jump getting an Arcade version, plushies via licensing deal
Doodle Jump has been moving along at a much slower pace than Rovio's Angry Birds lately, but of course it's one of the other early success stories from the App Store. Developers Lima Sky have updated the game almost constantly since its launch (including just recently to make it compatible with the iPhone 5), and as a result, it's a hugely played and downloaded game. Lima Sky has now turned that success into a major licensing deal with a company called Innovation First International. Thanks to this new deal, you can expect to see all sorts of Doodle Jump merch available soon, from plushies and collectibles to robotic toys and other merchandise offerings on the brand. In addition to those toys, Lima Sky has also teamed up with a company called Innovative Concepts in Entertainment and a game developer named Raw Thrills to create Doodle Jump Arcade. That's an HD version of the game, played in arcades on a 42-inch HD monitor (similar to Fruit Ninja's arcade version, as well as the Infinity Blade arcade spinoff that appeared recently). That sounds fun! The Doodle Jump arcade game should be in Dave and Buster's and other similar places soon, and I'm guessing we won't have to look too far for that merch when it's finally ready. Update: @wildcowboy on Twitter notes that Doodle Jump Arcade is already out and about in the wild. So if you want your Doodle Jump fix on the bigger screen, there's no need to wait!
Razer's customizable fight stick returns to TGS for final beta, is still nameless (video)
Remember that disassembly friendly, unnamed Xbox 360 arcade stick Razer trotted out at TGS last year? It's back, and while it hasn't gained any traction in the moniker category, it's received a few notable hardware tweaks. Razer's TGS team told us the stick has been through a total of thirteen revisions since it entered closed beta last year, and is now entering its final beta before production. Leveraging feedback from over 200 enthusiasts, Razer has made a number of tweaks to the controller, including alternative joystick tops, an included miniature screwdriver and a honeycomb screw-mount bottom so modders can install custom PCBs. The new unit also wears an acrylic cover, allowing perspective buyers to swap Razer's default artwork for a custom inlay. Just like last year, this unit features Sanwa Denshi components -- but picky players will be able to swap them out for their preferred parts without fear of voiding their warranty. Razer couldn't tell us how long the final beta phase would last, and only said that the stick would be released once it was "perfect." Our host did hazard a guess, however, that it would be out by early next year. Want to see more? Relive our TGS booth visit after the break.
Daily iPhone App: Super Hexagon is a wild ride
Terry Cavanagh is one of my favorite game developers. He's probably best known for his retro, mind-bending platformer VVVVVV (yes, that's its name, six Vs in a row), but he's made a number of other great titles, including the somber Don't Look Back, and the wild cat-based MMO ChatChat. Now, he's released a game on iOS called Super Hexagon, and, well, it's pretty insane. Super Hexagon is a fairly straightforward arcade game -- you control a little triangle on the screen, rotating it around left or right by pressing your thumbs on either side. Lines fly in from the sides, and the goal of the game is to move the triangle quick enough to avoid lines for as long as possible. Here's the thing, however: This game is hard. Really hard. Like, you will not survive for more than 10 seconds the first few times you play. The retro but flashy graphics, combined with the chaotic chiptunes of Chipzel make this game a freaky experience, so if the extent of your gaming prowess starts and ends with Angry Birds, you might want to wait for another Daily App tomorrow. But if you know, as a gamer, how much fun it can be to take on a really challenging but well-designed game, and fight your hardest for just a few extra seconds of life and a high score, Super Hexagon is probably for you. The game's trailer will show how wacky this one eventually gets. If that doesn't scare you away, it's on sale right now at a launch price of just $0.99.
ThinkGeek's Power-Up brings the arcade controls to your room's light switch
Sure, you could get one of Think Geek's iCade controllers to play actual arcade-style button mashing games -- or you just bring the nostalgia of the joystick to your light switch for $30 with its recently introduced Power-Up Arcade light switch plate. The unit can replace any standard light switch plate, turning it into a faux gaming control panel. A traditional joystick replaces your old switch nub to control the lights, while its two action buttons enable "pew pew" sound effects when pressed. If all that wasn't enough, the Power-Up also acts as a nightlight after you use it to pwn hit the main lights in your quarters (you'll have to provide of a duo of AA batteries yourself). Check out the video below to see it in action for yourself.
Pianocade synthesizer lets DJs practice their shoryuken skills
Tired of the same-old DJ equipment or chiptune gear? Then may want to consider this new and unique piece of kit from Toronto-based Portmanteau Devices. Dubbed the Pianocade, it's a synthesizer and MIDI controller that, as you can see, is disguised as an arcade authentic joystick (albeit one with quite a few extra buttons). Naturally, it's also designed to be fully hackable and customizable (both the hardware and software are open source), and it even includes some strap mounts so you can wear it like a keytar. Sadly, the one thing it can't be used for at the moment is an actual USB joystick, although Portmanteau hopes to add that feature before it ships, or roll out a firmware upgrade later failing that. Those interested can get their pre-orders in now for $250 or $325 Canadian for the one and two octave models, respectively, with shipments are expected to go out 8-12 weeks after the end of the pre-order period on September 14th. An electronics only package is also available for $100 if you'd prefer to build your own. Head on past the break to check it out in action.
Bioshock custom rig is Big Daddy of pinball machines, gives players a taste of Rapture
If you're going to revisit a certain underwater dystopia, you might as well have a ball. At least that's the approach being taken by Sweden-based DIYer rasmadrak, who has decided to build a Bioshock-themed custom pinball machine just for kicks. The project is filled with lots of neat little touches from Rapture, including Little Sister vents and a few Big Daddy homages. The builder also does a pretty good job of drilling into the details and providing insight on the creation process -- like the challenge in using two different systems such as Arduino and chipKIT together, for example -- via detailed posts in the Poor Man's Pinball! blog. The project proved to be a pleasant shock to the system for fellow pinball aficionado Ben Heck, who gave the project a sprinkling of Heckendorn love via Twitter. Pinball geeks can also follow the saga, so to speak, by checking out the source link below.
New BlazBlue game 'Chrono Phantasma' hits arcades this winter
The next game in the BlazBlue franchise is titled Chrono Phantasma, and is set to hit Japanese arcades beginning this winter. Chrono Phantasma features three new characters: Amane Nishiki, Bullet and Azrael.Amane uses her feminine wiles and ribbon-like robes to attack, Bullet takes the idea of "firepower" to a very real level, and Azrael appears to use his size and brute strength to his advantage, all visible in the above video. Chrono Phantasma includes updated and new backgrounds, music, and abilities for existing characters.The new BlazBlue will go on location test at Hey Arcade in Akihabara on August 6-12, if you needed an excuse to jump on a plane to Japan right now.
The Rumble Fish series returning ... to arcades
Last week, developer Dimps announced that it had picked up the rights to its The Rumble Fish fighting games, and promised more information about plans. Today, the company revealed that it's going to "tune up" The Rumble Fish 2, originally released in 2005, and bring it back to Japanese arcades.While the original release used Sammy's Atomiswave arcade hardware, the new versions will be released on the ubiquitous NESiCAxLive platform, arcade hardware that allows games to be downloaded to cabinets.Dimps calls this re-release the first part of its Rumble Fish revival project. Perhaps after Japanese consumers get reacquainted with the series, the developer will unleash a new game in the bizarrely titled series.
Dimps acquires rights to its Rumble Fish series
No, not the book. The Rumble Fish, by Street Fighter IV developer Dimps, was a 2D fighting series that debuted on Sammy's Atomiswave arcade hardware in 2004, followed by a sequel.Now Dimps has picked up the rights from Sega Sammy, who didn't seem to be doing anything with them. Dimps relaunched the series' website, promising new information soon. The simplest course of action for the company would be to release the PS2 ports digitally on PS3, but there's no news yet about how involved Dimps' plans are.
Daily iPhone App: Knights of the Round Cable
At this point in the App Store's lifecycle, we're seeing a lot of copycats and reused ideas. Even some of the best apps out there are borrowing ideas and genres instead of creating something entirely new. But Knights of the Round Cable can't be accused of that -- it's one of the more original polished titles I've seen out there lately. It's no wonder that it's from Chillingo. The idea is that you control a Knight bouncing around a 2D space, and you get two buttons to control him with. One simply sends out a cable that grabs on to the nearest peg from whatever distance you're at, and the other switches direction, so the Knight starts spinning one way instead of the other. The goal is the game is to spin around and collect gems as quickly as you can. You get a bonus for collecting all gems in a line, and each stage is timed, so you're kicked on to the next one when time runs out. It's fun -- controlling the spinning and bouncing is tough at first, but there is a fair amount of subtle depth to getting good at it. You can also upgrade various specs and stats (and even use other knights), so there's a lot of replayability to the title as well. As with all of Chillingo's other releases, Knights of the Round Cable is just 99 cents, and it's a very fun, well-made game that tries a little something new and different.
