The 65th edition of ATEI (Amusement Trades Exhibition International) is coming fast and it's time to register for your free entry badge if not already done. Gathering more than 115 exhibitors from across the world, this show is the coin-op reference in Europe and showcases everything you can imagine from cranes to kiddie rides including video games, merchandising and coin pushers. Aside leading manufacturers like Sega, Namco Bandai or Benchmark Games whom will be presenting their latest products, many distributors will be there. So this is a great opportunity to save money on new machines since the low British pound against Euro value grants you a 27% discount! Belgian companies exhibiting this year are Charlier-Brabo Group, Coin Manufactory (Verheyden), Fravend International (Welkenhuysen), SOS Candy (Peeters) and Van de Wege International. After their big booths of the past two years, Elaut moves to IGE (see below) but stay visible at ATEI through Crown Leisure and John Ferguson Spares' stands. Among the events organized aside the show, there will be a free redemption seminar which will take place on the first two days explaining the best way to increase income through operation practice improvement and various tips and tricks. A free networking party is also to mention. This drink will be offered to BACTA members and their guests on Tuesday from 5:30pm to 7:30pm (contact a participating BACTA member company to get your invitation). We reminds our readers this is a trade only event and that access is restricted to professionals only. New measures are taken this year, especially regarding press access. Only trade magazines are allowed. All other magazines (including on-line media) must contact KWP Limited prior the show or they will be turned away at the door. Video will be forbidden and photography will be authorized during guided tours only. Any photo taken outside the tour will cause your expulsion. Taking place at the same time, IGE (International Gaming Exhibition) incorporates ICE and ICEi for all your gambling needs (casinos and on-line gaming). Attention, as this is a different exhibition, you need a different badge to enter. ATEI 2009 will take place from Tuesday 27th to Thursday 29th of January in London's Earls Court. Take your chance, London is only 1h50 away from Brussels when traveling by Eurostar!
Author: Nomax More info... Permalink
As many of you know, Esash, one of the managers of the PlayerOne video game shop (formerly Player) in Fléron is imprisoned in Lantin. Esash and his shop are well known among arcade games fanatics since he was organizing fighting games tournaments there. He was also the first to share his passion, proofs being the arcade cabinets he brought at the last Asianim and his AB forums membership. His crime? He fired at a 16 year-old man. This teenager (whom is alive and recovering) is a member of a gang which is well-known in the neighbourhood especially for vandalism acts. Everything started several months ago when shop owners, Esdash and Judeau, asked these delinquents to never come back to the shop. It had the opposite effect since the guys kept coming back but became more and more violent. Seeing the threats were becoming more serious, the shops managers called the police several times and a complaint was registered but the police said there was nothing they could do since minors were involved. Threats and brutalization went on until that Tuesday, December 23th of 2008 when an exceeded Esash fired three times towards the mobs, hurting one gang member. The same day, while Esash was being interrogated by the police, hoods broke the shop window. The police calm them down and the window is promptly replaced. But two days later, on Christmas Eve, they break the window again while Esash is in jail. The shop then have to be closed and emptied, one year after its opening. Of course, Esash's move was excessive but... In our business, we have all faced troubles involving delinquents one day or another but what can we do against people whom are above the law??? Esash is an enthusiast, those teenagers without any other goal than spoil others lives broke Esash life when he just achieved to fulfil his life's dream: opening a video game shop. Nowadays, he's in jail while the gang keeps terrorizing the district without any concern. We invite all people who wish to support Esash to sign this petition and to join the support demonstration that will be organized on Saturday, January 10th in Fléron at 2 o'clock PM. The rendezvous point is the parking of the BayBonnet shopping centre where Player shop was located. Here's the address for your navigation needs: Avenue des Martyrs 280, 4620 Fléron. This is a peaceful demonstration to protest against the impunity protecting the delinquents. Bring your banners!
Attention: Saturday's support demonstration is cancelled because of lacks of police protection.
Author: Nomax More info... Permalink
Each year, Japanese magazine Arcadia rewards the best arcade productions of the year. As you'll see, fighting games takes the cake as Capcom's Street Fighter IV is praised with the Game of the Year, Best Graphics and Best Production awards. Special mention to Tekken 6 which reaches best titles top 3's second place and receives the Best Income award. Square Enix's card game Lord of Vermillion is ranked third. Many famous mangakas and character designers are responsible for its illustrations like Kazushi Hagiwara (Bastard), Hiroaki Samura (Blade of the Immortal), Atsushi Okubo (Soul Eater) or Shiro Amano (Kingdom Hearts) to name a few. Discover all results in our charts section.
Author: Nomax More info... Permalink
We present you our best wishes for 2009! Although 2008 was the year of our 5th birthday, it wasn't a good one: many arcades closed down and only a few new products made it to Belgium. But this bad period should not darken the expectations for this new year. Indeed, you will discover new titles from Sega, Konami, Namco and Global VR in our annual ATEI report. Moreover, operators are changing their mind and now directly contact manufacturers to gather information about new games. This suggests new titles will reach us this year. On our side, we are working on a complete rebuilding of the website and we thank all people whom supported us in 2008!
Author: AB Team More info... Permalink
Raw Thrills has just announced its last release: a racing game taking place in the world of Nickelodeon cartoons, a famous American channel entirely dedicated to the children. In this game, the young children will enjoy to play with their favorite characters like Spongebob, Timmy Turner, Avatar Aang, Invader Zim, Jimmy Neutron and Danny Phantom, plus one secret racer. Players will race on 6 differents tracks inspired by theses cartoons. Weapons and bonus will be available and players must negotiate jumps and traps without brakes! Distributed by Bandai Namco Games, Nicktoons Nitro Racing features a 27" monitor and can be linked up to 6 units.
Author: SophieKitty More info... Permalink
The third edition of Asianim, the Belgian convention dedicated to the Japanese culture, will take place in Liège during November 1st and 2nd weekend from 10:00 to 18. Beside the traditional stands of sale of mangas and projections of animes, the visitors could also enjoy: martial arts demonstrations of martial arts, tea ceremonies, meetings, dedications, initiations to Japanese, Go and Mahjong games, cosplay contest,... Video games fans will be happy too since 4 stands will be reserved to them: the first one will be hold by the DDR Belgium which will be present for the third consecutive year with of course GDR but also ParaParadise, Donkey Konga and Guitar Hero. Our friends of Player store from Fléron will be also present with arcade and consoles (X-box 360, Wii and PS3). For most nostalgic players, the Asbl Passerelle Japon will propose consoles old school consoles (Nintendo, Sega, NeoGeo and PC Engine) and finally, a Lan DS and PSP stand will be at the disposal of games coming with their own console. Ticket 1 day will cost 7 € and the ticket weekend 12 €. You will be able to also attend AciD FlavoR concert on Sunday for 10 € moreover. Find all the infos on Asianim's website.
Author: SophieKitty More info... Permalink
We had already talk about animated adaptations of arcade games like Mushiking and Love and Berry. Now, it's the turn of Dinosaur King to be under the spotlights. Indeed, the second season of this anime is broadcasted since January in Japan, and the first season (49 episodes) can be watched since the end of August on France 3, wednesday and saturdays morning. Named Kodai oja kyôryû King: D-Kids Adventure, this anime produced by Sunrise has been unfortunately altered by the american company 4Kids Entertainment already in charge of censured editions of Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! A DS version will be soon available but it's especially the cards sets distributed by Upper Deck Europe which will hold our attention: are they the cards used in the Dinosaur King arcade game? Notice also the Japanese release of Quiz Magic Academy, an anime from studioAIC adapted from Konami's game which is a great success in the Japanese arcade.
Author: SophieKitty More info... Permalink
This weekend, the Player video game shop in Fléron organizes a tournament on 2D (arcade games) and 3D (consoles) fighting games. You'll compete on Street Fighter III - 3rd Strike and The King of Fighters XI arcade games and Dragon Ball Z - Burst Limit, Dead or Alive 4 and Tekken 5 - Dark Resurrection consumer titles. Matches will be composed of two winning rounds and each victory will grant you points. At the end of the tournament, the player who earned the most points will be designed as "King of Player" and will win the grand prize which is a consumer video game of its choice. Video games will be also given for each victory on one of the games. Please note that some characters usage is fobidden like Akuma in Street Fighter III and bosses in The King of Fighters XI. The tourney will be held this Sunday, July 27th. Entry price is 4 €. Attention, You must register before Saturday! Spectators are of course welcome! You'll find more information on the shop's website.
Author: Nomax More info... Permalink
It keeps getting worse... After the transformation of the Family Games Gallery in Bruxelles into a Japanese restaurant and the metamorphosis of Family Games Centers into casinos (gambling machines replaced video games), the Luna Neuve definitively closes its door tomorrow. Opened in 1978 by Mr. Frans Herbiest, a former butcher, this big arcade located in the heart of the Louvain-la-Neuve student city have meet several generations of games and players during its lifespan. Following the decreasing interest of the audiance for arcade games, half of the hall was converted to a 50PCs internet café in 2001 by the manager of the time, Mr. Patrick Vandenplas. The operation space progressively decreased as years passed by to reach a final surface of 330 m². Th business was took over in 2007 by Mr. Bernard Leroy (former managing director of Namusco) who renewed the arcade part. Unfortunately, the location attendance was not high enough to grant its survival. The Luna Neuve always offered the latest arcade games and pinballs (Stern's Indiana Jones was installed one week ago). Low games price (same as in the 90's) and deluxe cabinets (two OutRun 2 SP and The House of the Dead 4 among others) failed to attract players (do they still exist?). From now on, people will have to go to the Coast to play the newest titles. However, a second life is possible since the space is to let. If you're interested, send an e-mail to info@lunaneuve.net and save the last big arcade left in the heart of the country!
Author: Nomax More info... Permalink
A new arcade will open on Saturday June 14th, 18 o'clock in La Courneuve (north of Paris). Specialized in fighting games, La Mythik (its name) is operated by a small group of passioned people. The line-up showcased in the numerous Japanese arcade cabinets is rather impressive and will please fighting games fans, see for yourself: The King of Fighters '98 - Ultimate Match, '95, '96, '97, '99, 2000, 2001, 2002 and XI, Street Fighter III - 3rd Strike, Street Fighter Zero 3, Super Street Fighter II X - Grand Master Challenge, Hokuto no Ken, Capcom vs SNK 2, SvC Chaos, Garou - Mark of the Wolves, Fatal Fury Special, Fatal Fury Real Bout 2, The Last Blade 2, Marvel Super Heroes, The Rumble Fish 2, Breakers Revenge, Karnov's Revenge, Art of Fighting 2, Samurai Spirits IV and Double Dragon. A puzzle corner is also planned (for enjoying waiting girlfriends?) with Magical Drop III, Puzzle de Pon, Pon 'n Bounce, Panic Bomber, Joy Joy Kid and the Twinkle Star Sprites shoot'em up. Prices are reasonable with new titles at 1 € per play while most games are proposed at 50 cents per credit and older titles are priced at 50 cents for 2 credits. The arcade will be open every days of the week and is already seen as the future meeting point for high-skilled players. So it's the place to train yourself for the next Tougeki... La Mythik is located at the corner of Edgar Quinet and Politzer streets in La Courneuve (former Ronaldland). You'll find more info on the official website. It sounds like an audacious project but in France exists a quite developed scene of die-hard fighters fans (activity known as "pro-fighting") and we wish them a lot of success!
Author: Nomax More info... Permalink
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