Play Meter
Issue: 1980 April 15 - Vol 6 Num 7 - Page 10
Frankfurt , West Germany and the
ATE Show in London , England , late
in January, they found about fifteen
versions of a new video game that
had been well-received at the AMOA
Show. The game , Galaxians , which
was designed by Namco of Japan
and licensed to Midway , was a big
attraction at the November show-
apparently not only to the distributors
and operators there but also to some
copycat manufacturers who wasted
no time in manufacturing the game
many had tabbed as the successor to
Space Invaders.
By contrast , it should be pointed
out that Space Invaders , which has
proved to be an enigma in more
ways than one , is a puzzle in this
regard , as well. Space Invaders did
not make a big splash at the AMOA
.Show. In fact, it was overlooked by
many. Much of the attention was
focused instead on the likes of Atari's
Football and Exidy's Star Fire-two
solid games in their own right. But
why was Space Invaders over-
looked? One reason seems to be that
the great glut of new games at the
AMOA Show helped obscure such a
simple winning design.
And this suggests an interesting
ploy which manufacturers may be
starting to use to insure the exclu-
sivity of their new games . It appears
manufacturers may be trying to hide
the winning games in their stables by
surrounding them with several shill
games which may or may not be
manufactured or which may or may
not be successful on location. In this
way , by presenting a sheer gorge of
new games at the earlier show , they
can distract the attention of copycat
manufacturers and keep to them-
se lves their prized video possessions
until they are ready to release them.
And, in th e meantime , they can give
sn eak pre views for those few industry
insiders.
If this theory is true-and, admit-
tedly , it is all conjecture-then it
follows that if the lead time is stripped
away, manufacturers will not have to
resort to such ploys for a show in the
spring . The really big one won 't be
hidden behind a curtain or up in an
exclusive hospitalitv suite. Instead,
it'll be right there on the floor.
That means it'll be easier for the
conve ntion goers because there
won 't be as many blind ga·mes to sift
through , and with all those no-count
games out of the way , only the real
winners will be left.
So , with that short scenario of the
manufacturers' chess game behind
us , what can we expect to see at the
AOE March 20-22?
In the pinball department , we can
expect to see the heavyweights put-
ting out some heavyweight pinballs.
And , speaking of heavyweights,
10
Stern Electronics will be previewing
its latest about boxing's greatest-
Ali. It's a conventionally-sized pin
that should attract a fair share of
quarters simply because of the name
and face recognition of the sports
world's most famous figure. Also ,
two other pins , which were pre-
viewed at the AMOA Show and are
now in full production-Big Game
(Stern's wide body) and Galaxy (a
conventionally-sized pin) -will be on
display.
From Bally , there will be the
conventionally-sized pin Silverball
Mania , of course , and the company's
next conventionally-sized pm about
some heavyweight entertainers.
Also , the Bally people will be
taking the wraps off their dynamite
new wide body pin , Space Invaders.
That's right-the name that made a
killing for you in the video games
market now comes to pinball-land.
And it'll be interesting to see how
Bally incorporated the video game's
theme into a pinball game.
From Williams, which is still
turning out one hot game after
another , there'll be the wide body
Laser Ball on display, but also a
conventionally-sized pin which many
Williams people think will be the
Flash of 1980. It's Firepower , a
captive ball game that features multi-
player and multi-ball capabilities.
And Gottlieb, which will be
showing off its new System 80
concept with Spider Man (a conven-
tionally-sized pin) , will also be
exhibiting a new wide body game ,
Circus. To date , the Northlake ,
Illinois manufacturer is keeping close
counsel about this one.
And , finally, Game Plan , which
made its mark with Sharpshooter,
will still be showing its Coney Island
upright pin , its Vegas sitdown-and
a new upright called Super Nova. So
it looks as if, after a few quiet
months , the pinball manufacturers
will be busting loose with some really
hot items.
In the video department , Midway
will be showing both Deluxe Space
Invaders and Galaxians in upright
and cocktail models , as well as Super
Speed Race, Submarine, Phantom,
18- Wheeler , and a couple of sur-
prises, including possibly a sports
attraction game.
Exidy, which purchased Cinema-
tronics' subsidiary, Vectorbeam, a
few months back, will be showing its
Tailgunner 2 sitdown game and the
ever-popular Star Fire, along with
Fire One , Side Trak , and Bandito.
Universal USA has been making
a big splash in the United States in
recent months, and it intends to
maintain that posture by showing
both upright qn<;l cocktail versions of
Galaxy Wars-, · Cosmic Guerilla, and
Cosmic Alien. The company will also
be showing its sitdown driving game ,
Getaway .
Taito , which in the past had
attracted enough attention to itself
with Space Invaders and which most
recently generated even more inter-
est by opening a U.S . plant , will be
showing a new space-type piece that
a company spokesman says is not
anything like Space Invaders-as far
as the game theme , that is.
Also, Taito can be counted on to
introduce a new video gun piece and
a ne w cocktail table model. Of
course, Space Chaser will be there in
both upright and cocktail versions as
well as Field Goal , a football game , in
both configurations and a Space
Invaders in a color cocktail version .
Gremlin will be featuring its Dual
game concept with game programs
of Head-On, Invinco , and Deep
Scan. The San Diego-based com-
pany also will be featuring
new
cocktail tables in Dual and slim-line
configurations. Monaco GP may be
there , a company official reported ,
and a couple other new games.
IJS , the exclusive importers of
Nichibutsu products from Japan , will
be showing four videos- Two in One
Rolling Crash , Moon Alien , Moon
Base , and Phase II.
In the Cinematronics booth you
can expect to see Tailgunner , of
course. But , also , Cinematronics'
officials promise a delightful new
game surprise which they are
keeping especially mum about.
Game-a- Tron will be showing four
upright gaming video games-Space
Zap , Thorobred , Draw Poker, and
Stud Poker.
And Allied Leisure will be show-
ing , in addition to its Clay Shoot ar-
cade game , an updated version of
Space Bug, and possibly another
video piece. Also , possibly, the firm
will be ready to show a special
electro-mechanical arcade game
relating to sports .
Other game manufacturers will
include DUSA , which will be show-
ing its two-player arcade piece, Astra
Ball; and Zamperla, which will be
showing two strength testing mach-
ines-Punch Ball and Bull Machine ,
as well as a coin-op helicopter ride.
And so , the spring sweepstakes
are upon us.
The pinball majors are coming
now with their big ones , and in
videos , the manufacturers are keep-
ing hush-hush , not wanting any-
thing to jeopardize the timing the
AOE Show is providing for them .
But, for the visitor to the Amusement
Operators Expo, it can mean only
one thing. There will be a lot of
heavyweight equipment making its
first debut at the industry's first spring
show.
PLAY METER, April, 1980
ATE Show in London , England , late
in January, they found about fifteen
versions of a new video game that
had been well-received at the AMOA
Show. The game , Galaxians , which
was designed by Namco of Japan
and licensed to Midway , was a big
attraction at the November show-
apparently not only to the distributors
and operators there but also to some
copycat manufacturers who wasted
no time in manufacturing the game
many had tabbed as the successor to
Space Invaders.
By contrast , it should be pointed
out that Space Invaders , which has
proved to be an enigma in more
ways than one , is a puzzle in this
regard , as well. Space Invaders did
not make a big splash at the AMOA
.Show. In fact, it was overlooked by
many. Much of the attention was
focused instead on the likes of Atari's
Football and Exidy's Star Fire-two
solid games in their own right. But
why was Space Invaders over-
looked? One reason seems to be that
the great glut of new games at the
AMOA Show helped obscure such a
simple winning design.
And this suggests an interesting
ploy which manufacturers may be
starting to use to insure the exclu-
sivity of their new games . It appears
manufacturers may be trying to hide
the winning games in their stables by
surrounding them with several shill
games which may or may not be
manufactured or which may or may
not be successful on location. In this
way , by presenting a sheer gorge of
new games at the earlier show , they
can distract the attention of copycat
manufacturers and keep to them-
se lves their prized video possessions
until they are ready to release them.
And, in th e meantime , they can give
sn eak pre views for those few industry
insiders.
If this theory is true-and, admit-
tedly , it is all conjecture-then it
follows that if the lead time is stripped
away, manufacturers will not have to
resort to such ploys for a show in the
spring . The really big one won 't be
hidden behind a curtain or up in an
exclusive hospitalitv suite. Instead,
it'll be right there on the floor.
That means it'll be easier for the
conve ntion goers because there
won 't be as many blind ga·mes to sift
through , and with all those no-count
games out of the way , only the real
winners will be left.
So , with that short scenario of the
manufacturers' chess game behind
us , what can we expect to see at the
AOE March 20-22?
In the pinball department , we can
expect to see the heavyweights put-
ting out some heavyweight pinballs.
And , speaking of heavyweights,
10
Stern Electronics will be previewing
its latest about boxing's greatest-
Ali. It's a conventionally-sized pin
that should attract a fair share of
quarters simply because of the name
and face recognition of the sports
world's most famous figure. Also ,
two other pins , which were pre-
viewed at the AMOA Show and are
now in full production-Big Game
(Stern's wide body) and Galaxy (a
conventionally-sized pin) -will be on
display.
From Bally , there will be the
conventionally-sized pin Silverball
Mania , of course , and the company's
next conventionally-sized pm about
some heavyweight entertainers.
Also , the Bally people will be
taking the wraps off their dynamite
new wide body pin , Space Invaders.
That's right-the name that made a
killing for you in the video games
market now comes to pinball-land.
And it'll be interesting to see how
Bally incorporated the video game's
theme into a pinball game.
From Williams, which is still
turning out one hot game after
another , there'll be the wide body
Laser Ball on display, but also a
conventionally-sized pin which many
Williams people think will be the
Flash of 1980. It's Firepower , a
captive ball game that features multi-
player and multi-ball capabilities.
And Gottlieb, which will be
showing off its new System 80
concept with Spider Man (a conven-
tionally-sized pin) , will also be
exhibiting a new wide body game ,
Circus. To date , the Northlake ,
Illinois manufacturer is keeping close
counsel about this one.
And , finally, Game Plan , which
made its mark with Sharpshooter,
will still be showing its Coney Island
upright pin , its Vegas sitdown-and
a new upright called Super Nova. So
it looks as if, after a few quiet
months , the pinball manufacturers
will be busting loose with some really
hot items.
In the video department , Midway
will be showing both Deluxe Space
Invaders and Galaxians in upright
and cocktail models , as well as Super
Speed Race, Submarine, Phantom,
18- Wheeler , and a couple of sur-
prises, including possibly a sports
attraction game.
Exidy, which purchased Cinema-
tronics' subsidiary, Vectorbeam, a
few months back, will be showing its
Tailgunner 2 sitdown game and the
ever-popular Star Fire, along with
Fire One , Side Trak , and Bandito.
Universal USA has been making
a big splash in the United States in
recent months, and it intends to
maintain that posture by showing
both upright qn<;l cocktail versions of
Galaxy Wars-, · Cosmic Guerilla, and
Cosmic Alien. The company will also
be showing its sitdown driving game ,
Getaway .
Taito , which in the past had
attracted enough attention to itself
with Space Invaders and which most
recently generated even more inter-
est by opening a U.S . plant , will be
showing a new space-type piece that
a company spokesman says is not
anything like Space Invaders-as far
as the game theme , that is.
Also, Taito can be counted on to
introduce a new video gun piece and
a ne w cocktail table model. Of
course, Space Chaser will be there in
both upright and cocktail versions as
well as Field Goal , a football game , in
both configurations and a Space
Invaders in a color cocktail version .
Gremlin will be featuring its Dual
game concept with game programs
of Head-On, Invinco , and Deep
Scan. The San Diego-based com-
pany also will be featuring
new
cocktail tables in Dual and slim-line
configurations. Monaco GP may be
there , a company official reported ,
and a couple other new games.
IJS , the exclusive importers of
Nichibutsu products from Japan , will
be showing four videos- Two in One
Rolling Crash , Moon Alien , Moon
Base , and Phase II.
In the Cinematronics booth you
can expect to see Tailgunner , of
course. But , also , Cinematronics'
officials promise a delightful new
game surprise which they are
keeping especially mum about.
Game-a- Tron will be showing four
upright gaming video games-Space
Zap , Thorobred , Draw Poker, and
Stud Poker.
And Allied Leisure will be show-
ing , in addition to its Clay Shoot ar-
cade game , an updated version of
Space Bug, and possibly another
video piece. Also , possibly, the firm
will be ready to show a special
electro-mechanical arcade game
relating to sports .
Other game manufacturers will
include DUSA , which will be show-
ing its two-player arcade piece, Astra
Ball; and Zamperla, which will be
showing two strength testing mach-
ines-Punch Ball and Bull Machine ,
as well as a coin-op helicopter ride.
And so , the spring sweepstakes
are upon us.
The pinball majors are coming
now with their big ones , and in
videos , the manufacturers are keep-
ing hush-hush , not wanting any-
thing to jeopardize the timing the
AOE Show is providing for them .
But, for the visitor to the Amusement
Operators Expo, it can mean only
one thing. There will be a lot of
heavyweight equipment making its
first debut at the industry's first spring
show.
PLAY METER, April, 1980
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).