Welcome to a different version of Newsbytes, the collection of posts right here at Arcade Heroes that rounds up bytes of stories from throughout the arcade and pinball worlds. What began off comparatively quiet has now turn into an eventful month by way of arcade happenings, and that’s solely going to select up much more with IAAPA now precisely one month away, so let’s get into the right here and now earlier than the information cycle turns once more.

BuckFest 2025

First up, one of many largest occasions round for only one arcade sport acquired even greater just lately, as the primary ever BuckFest that includes the Massive Buck Hunter World Championships was held per week in the past. This went down in Nashville, TX at Marathon Music Works, and had stay music, Uncooked Thrills/Play Mechanix arcade video games aplenty (first, second and third technology Massive Buck cupboards had been all readily available to play, with the others being High Gun, NBA Superstars, Indignant Birds Increase, Minecraft and Halo), and the eighteenth World Championships as the primary occasion. Right here’s the Day 1 stream of these championships:

Day 2’s stream can be discovered beneath; for many who don’t need to sit via all of it, Jordan Classen was this 12 months’s Massive Buck Champion (profitable the highest prize of $25k – AH reader Federico Learn got here second and acquired $12.5k) while Kattey Cross took house the win within the girls division.

Sadly, these hoping for any new Premium content material in Massive Buck Hunter Reloaded can have been disenchanted, as the one replace introduced on the present was for the addition of the Mountain Goat in Spring 2026 (as voted on by the BBH group), plus just a few bonuses. It’s slightly shocking they didn’t have something greater to commemorate the sport’s twenty fifth anniversary, particularly since Reloaded now has a house port. That mentioned, their platform operates lots like Golden Tee does at this level (annual content material updates), so it could nonetheless be just a few years earlier than they resolve to wholly change that aspect of issues up.

Commerce Present Updates

October is often the ‘breather’ month between the peaks of September and November in commerce present season, however there are nonetheless smaller amusement expos taking place this month to be aware of. Out in Bangkok, Thailand, there was the TAAPE (Thailand Amusement & Attraction Parks Expo) present, which had quite a few corporations (principally Chinese language ones) present up. Among the many notable examples, there was UNIS, who had been there with a few of their new video games like Spin Metropolis and Bounce Grasp, and Joint Enjoyable, who had the merchandise we’ve beforehand seen from them at different Asian exhibits, equivalent to Saga of Knight, Buggy Empire, and Operating Ostrich DX. None of those have had a lot critical illustration out West but, excepting a number of the smaller European distributors, however maybe that will change come IAAPA:

Then for commerce exhibits nonetheless to return, increasingly preview bulletins have been popping out for Japan’s Amusement Expo in November, chief amongst these being Bandai Namco Expertise’s sales space contents. One sport that already appeared destined to look was Wangan Midnight Pace Ignition, which will likely be taking heart stage, alongside their just lately revealed One Piece Daybreak Strike puncher and the primary pusher medal sport primarily based on that franchise. It is going to be slightly attention-grabbing to see whether or not that releases exterior of Japan, although the puncher doesn’t sound doubtless from what has been talked about.

Their new unique rhythm sport Penlalive and a kids’s cooking title referred to as Tekipaki Kitchen that quietly confirmed up on take a look at final 12 months may also be on present, however seemingly absent are Biohazard RE:2/Resident Evil 2 Arcade (not a shock given its present early standing) and Bike Sprint Supply, their bike-based meals supply sport which has sporadically been examined within the East and West (and at Japan’s earlier couple Amusement Expos) way back to 2023. Nonetheless, with the sport’s absence right here, it appears to be like prefer it might be cancelled in any case… except BN have a shock West-only launch of it hidden up their sleeves. There’s no signal of Magi Blast both, which is a slight disgrace as that sport appeared fairly distinctive.

Sega Japan have additionally made the primary bulletins of what they may carry to JAE, largely being simply StarHorse Get together (which just lately went again on take a look at) and UFO Catcher reveals for now, though it does sound like there will likely be slightly extra to return from them than simply this.

Portland Retro Recreation & Pinball Expo 2025

Nonetheless staying on the occasions tack however much less on the industry-focused aspect of issues, this 12 months’s annual Pinball Expo acquired underway this week out in Schaumburg, IL, while over in Oregon, the Portland Retro Recreation Expo has additionally been taking place. Sadly no one at Arcade Heroes might make the previous on this event (we did have protection final 12 months), owing to the overlap with PRGE, however there was nonetheless loads taking place there regardless, as this tour makes clear. Two occasion debuts for brand spanking new video games really occurred concurrently at each PE and PRGE – for pinball, it was Stern’s Star Wars: Fall of the Empire. This had a pleasant sport move to it, and appeared simpler for newcomers than their 2018 SW pin:

Then in video video games, Alan-1’s arcade version of Gravitar Recharged made its first look at each exhibits. The sport has been getting some good protection from Jon at GenXGrownUp, as will be considered beneath. Elsewhere in arcades, PRGE additionally had a slew of newer video games like Halo Fireteam Raven and DanceRush, indie developer Eftsith Software program’s dungeon crawler Unfathom, and an enormous multiplayer San Francisco Rush 2049 setup (proper subsequent to at least one for Most Tune 3DX+), which will be seen right here.

Whirl-O-Ball by Orbit Video games additionally sounds prefer it was successful at Pinball Expo, with our buddy Joe at Indie Arcade Wave taking the highest spot within the competitors they held for the sport. They posted some video of it to the American Pinball Instagram, the place it appears to be like like youngsters actually loved it. Pinball Information moreover have a plethora of movies from PE on their YouTube channel; it’s all an excessive amount of to share right here, so try their channel if . There’s tons of interviews, panels, and content material to observe for days when you’re into pinball.

Konami Location Check Mania

One firm that’s frequently making waves this 12 months is none apart from Konami, who in addition to their reopening of US amusement gross sales and restructuring of their arcade division have been doing quite a few location checks of latest video games in current months. That has got here to a head just lately with a number of video games popping up – final month noticed them check out the brand new Tremendous Punch Mania in Japan and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pusher within the US, and now the previous is testing Stateside too. As will be seen from the beneath picture posted by Konami’s US arcade product supervisor Kwang Jae Lee, there’s unsurprisingly a particular emphasis extra on the ticket redemption side on this model, and extra vibrant lighting:

However that’s not all, as additionally receiving R1US location checks over on the flagship Puente Hills Mall location are their ball toss piece Gashaaaan! (seen on take a look at in Japan just lately too), and one more new pusher primarily based on the anime Bleach, with a heavy card merchandising focus and clips from the unique collection taking part in. The latter sport faucets into slightly little bit of a development we’re seeing now for pushers, as seen with the One Piece one above… although once more, whether or not any will flip up at IAAPA by way of somebody related to Konami stays to be seen.

RIP Paul Williams

Lastly, this unhappy information was solely talked about briefly on the prime of one other story, so will likely be coated right here. Weeks after stepping down, Sega Amusements Worldwide confirmed that their former CEO and longtime director Paul Williams handed away on Wednesday. From what’s been shared with us, he had fallen ailing no less than one 12 months in the past, however stored working till his sickness turned extra aggressive only recently. Paul handed peacefully on Tuesday morning along with his household; we at Arcade Heroes prolong our condolences to them and everybody who has identified him. For our half, Paul kindly assisted us with our reportage on quite a few events (together with the current US launch of Maimai DX), and although we didn’t know him personally past some e-mail exchanges and temporary conversations at exhibits, we too will miss him deeply. [Photo: InterGame]

Headlines

Tomonobu Itagaki, Creator Of Lifeless Or Alive And Ninja Gaiden’s Revival, Dies – One other unhappy passing…

Aged Individuals In Japan Play Taiko No Tatsujin For Care Prevention, Socializing – On the lighter aspect

Vanguard Princess R Begins Transport

Photograph Gallery From American Pinball At Pinball Expo 2025

Taito Shares New Darius-Impressed Reception Room Wall Mural Art work

Bandai Namco’s Penlalive Checks Once more, This Time Unannounced

An Odd Compact “SP” Monster Eye 3 Cupboard Checks In Japan

Konami Releases New Mahjong Struggle Membership Model

Konami Additionally Updates Their Quiz Magic Academy

Pump It Up Phoenix 2024 Updates To Ver. 2.11

Workforce Play Reveals Ghostbusters Wheel For IAAPA

As soon as Once more, We’re Solely A Month Away From IAAPA 2025

[Home Headlines]

Atari Declares The Intellivision Dash Recreation Console – It’s a intelligent business to announce this. I acquired to make use of this palms on at PRGE and it’s cool, though I don’t maintain any nostalgia for the console as nobody on my avenue had one after I was a child. Nonetheless, when you’re into retro video games, it has some enjoyable video games (Thunder Fort specifically for me was good).

Rave Racer Will get An Anniversary Occasion – Is A Port Subsequent?

Combating Vipers Is Receiving A thirtieth Anniversary Album

M2 Teases Thriller New Announcement With A “3”

Psikyo Ends Gross sales Of Their Titles On Steam

That’s it for this Newsbytes; which of the above tales (e.g. BuckFest 2025) you most?