Star Tech Journal

STAR*TECH Journal
9 AMOA 86: COMMENTS AND OPINIONS
By Todd Erickson
Surmnit Amuserrent
st. Paul, Minnesota
'Ihe Amuserrent & Music Operators
Association's 37th International
Exhibition & Educational Seminar for the
Coin-operated Games, Music & Vending
Industry was held November 6-8, 1986 at
the Hyatt Regency Olicago.
This was an excellent show. Pinball, in
particular, showed its strength with three
excellent garres: PINOOI' from Williams,
S~E SCIENCE from Bally and GOLDEN
W!N:;S from Premier/Gottlieb. My
preference, overall, was the Williams
PINOOl'. I have had this garre on location
for quite awhile now and it is earning as
strong as Williams' HIGH SPEED did \'then it
was new!
A williams has alot going for its games; I
•
like the plywood cabinet -this is
irnp:>rtant when the game gets moved around
alot. ('Ihe plywood is also lighter than
presslx>ard.) The new Williams legs are
stronger because of a rib. Also, a
thre:tded blind rivet is used for the leg
levelers for additional strength there.
Automatic percentaging, high score table,
reset, bad switch elimination, & reporting
is also included in the Williams
electronic packet. All these footures are
what rnakes·Williams Pinball
"user-friendly".
Within the next game or two, I expect to
see Williams add to its trouble isolation
procedures;, reµ>rting of problems in the
Game-Play node. This should include coin
switch reµ>rting if there is not a switch
closure in twelve operations.
December 1986 (3)
was between Sega with OOT RJN and Konarni
with their LEMANS sit-down driving games.
('Ihese garres are in the ten thousand
dollar range!) Both looked excellent as
attractions for big arcades.
Atari has a proven winner with
CHAMPIONSHIP SPRINI'. This game will do as
well as their SUPER SPRINI' in most
locations. As their next dedicated game,
720, (a skateboard theme), appears to be a
real winner for arcades. It's good to see
quality games from Atari again.
Bally Midway showed KWER DRIVER which is
their follow up to RAMPAGE. 'Ibis is a
3-player game. This looks like 2 good
games in a row from them.
Cinernatronics presented ~ER ZCl-lE. This
game has a monitor that roves with the
handles. I thought it was a very
impressive game!
Nintendo presented SLALOM SKI. 'Ibis game
has a base plate for the player to stand
on which controls his left-right noverrent.
This is a new concept that should be
excellent for winter locations. PLAYCHOICE
10 has been out for awhile and should be
good for 1 game locations.
capcom SPEED RJMBLER kit is doing well.
Rornstar is doing well with ARKANOIIS and
showed BUBBLE BCBBLE as their next hit.
Arachnid presented their new 6000 dart
rrachine with a nonitor. Excellent!
Konarni had TOP GUNNER, LIFE FORCE and
DClJBLE DRIBBLE as kits. I have heard sorre
big collections from OOUBLE DRIBBLE.
Rowe had a CD, (corrpact disc), for their
juke box. 'Ibey will have CD's and 45's.
The battle for the best big arcade game
Seeburg has been doing excellent with
their new CD box. Hopefully, this will
STAR•TECH JOURNAL, December 1986,
STAR•TECH JOURNAL (ISSN 0739-1048) is
Volume 8, Number 10. Copyright (cl 1986
by Star*Tech Journal, Inc. All rights
reserved. Address inquiries to: POB 1065,
Merchantville, NJ 08109. Advertising rates
on request. Phone: 609/662-1080.
James Calera: Publisher/Editor.
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