Japanese Quiz Show Arcade Game Confounds

Thanks to GameSpot for its article discussing the latest Japanese arcade games showcased at the AOU 2004 show in Tokyo, with a particular highlight, as well as an example of building a play experience unique to an arcade, being Sega's Quiz Show, which "gives the player the experience of being a contestant on an American TV quiz show." The Japanese page for the game has pictures of the massive arcade cabinet, which has players "sitting behind a colorful table, just like a real quiz show", and allows each contestant to answer trivia questions which are "randomly selected by a physical, spinning wheel that's attached to the game booth."

Comments

I just hope

[foidulus]

That this game won't dunk you in orange juice while a digital crowd mocks your worth as a human being. ah Simpsons, is there anything that can't be related to them on Slashdot?

Arcade games

[Enrico Pulatzo]

man, I wish arcade games in America were as cool as they are in Japan. American audiences don't seem to enjoy the crazy peripherials and gimmickry that fills the arcades of the East. I suppose there is hope that games like DDR may inspire a new generation of arcade gamers, but I'm not one to hope like that.

Re:Arcade games

[zero_offset]

Tried-and-true formulas and good old profit motive killed American video games. If it wasn't the next "Defender" and didn't have a Sports Theme(TM) then it never saw the light of day. That combined with the absolutely stupid trend of ever-increasing per-play prices nailed the coffin-lid on American arcade games. (As a kid in the 80s, I spent hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars in quarters -- but I only played a few fifty-cent games, and I've never looked twice at the dollar-or-more games.) I also have to assume the constant improvement in home console games and PCs contributed heavily to the demise, but I really think the Sports Theme(TM) trend was the beginning of the end. I still shake my head when I think about those endless lines of idiots mindlessly banging away on the buttons of Track & Field...

What characterized the heyday of the arcade game was creativity... and that doesn't mean "unchecked weirdness", or weird gimmicky controls, or spaz-friendly concepts like DDR.

Re:Arcade games

[The Evil Couch]

I think a big reason you'll never see games with lots of extra gadgets over here in the States isn't that the games aren't enjoyable, it's that it seems like the fanciest games over here, end up broken first, whereas in Japan, they see a game with all sorts of extras and they treat it much more gingerly than they would over here.

I've lived in Japan for a couple years as a kid and it seems like when a Japanese kid finds that the lightgun at his game is off target, he'll go find an attendant and ask for help, whereas in the US, the kid will just whack the side of the gun until it either breaks or it works better.

Re:Arcade games

[Enrico Pulatzo]

Track and Field was a great game. Don't blame sports for the state of arcades. Look at all of the cool sports-themed games in Japanese arcades. They have innovative controllers for penatly-kick soccer, fishing games, etc.

ANY genre can have creative ways of doing stuff that make games fun.

Re:Arcade games

[zero_offset]

The point is, the sports-themed games are rarely creative. If you want to play football, go play football. I'm looking for something like Space Duel, which will obviously never happen in real life, or perhaps Qix, which has no direct relationship to the real world. To me, that type of creativity was the strength of early arcade games. To a degree it was a byproduct of the limited capabilities of the hardware, but that doesn't make it a bad thing.

Re:Arcade games

[Enrico Pulatzo]

Well, us Americans do enjoy smashing stuff...probably the most popular game I can think of in America is whack-a-mole (which can be pretty fun).

Re:Arcade games

[MMaestro]

What characterized the heyday of the arcade game was creativity...

I wouldn't say arcade games weren't THAT much motivated by creativity. Why? Look at the longest lasting, tried and true arcade serieses there are. The Street Fighter series and the King of Fighter series are still going on strong (debatable) even through they still use the old 1-on-1 2D fighting game system (debatable depending on version). Look at Metal Slug as well. They're working on a 5th, and the U.S. only got 1 (on the NeoGeo Color Pocket) and X (on the PS1). We're FINALLY getting 3, after what? 2 or 3 years of waiting? (Yes we skipped 2, but X was a remake of 2 so I guess its acceptable)

Yes creativity is unarguably one of the most influencing factors when it comes to arcade games, but not the ONLY factor.

Re:Arcade games

[bugbread]

That seems more like your personal problem with arcades than a reason for the death of arcades.

Re:Arcade games

[stanmann]

perhaps that is because in Japan the attendant can or will fix it whereas in the US the attendant will either say "Tough Luck" or "go bang the side till it works better".

Re:Arcade games

[kc78]

actually my favorite arcade game of all time was the skiing game of a few years back. I had gotten really good at that one. I would go to the arcade just to drop 5 bucks on that game, I was so dissapointed the last time I went and the skis weren't working right, I couldn't cut and it drove me crazy. That's the best arcade game I'd ever played.

Re:Arcade games

[zero_offset]

Um, yeah... That would be the reason I said "I think" when I suggested the rise of sports-themed contributed to the death of the American arcade game. Had I instead claimed, "It is an incontrovertible fact," then you'd have a point.

Re:Arcade games

[bugbread]

True...but why do you even think that's the reason it contributed?

Let's see...even if I don't like company names that start with P, saying "I think pets.com went out of business because it starts with a P" doesn't make a lot of sense. It's not grandly insane, like "It is incontrovertible fact that pets.com went out of business because it starts with a P", but that just because it isn't insane doesn't mean it makes any sense.

Just so you understand, I'm not saying that you're wrong. It's just that when the issue of why sports games led to the downfall of arcades came up, your response was just "because I don't like them". Even padded with "I think", that's not the most logical chain of thought around.

Re:Arcade games

[zero_offset]

No, I think sports games contributed to the downfall of arcades because I don't think they're particularly creative. They are a symptom of the overall decline in creativity. (And I appreciate the explanation at the end, I wasn't really following you until that point.)

Re:Arcade games

[bugbread]

That's fair, and, in fact, on re-read your initial post was pretty clear. My mind must have been preoccupied. I thought I understood what you were saying, but it likes like I totally missed the point. Sorry.

Re:Arcade games

[zero_offset]

No big deal, probably just the usual meadering-discussion thing... You're obviously like me and will actually "converse" here, which means you probably end up doing that in several threads, and I know how the original point can get fuzzy after a few days. :)

Why an American gameshow?

[Anonymous Coward]

Is it because Jap ones are so fucking wierd?

"Ah, Hamatao-san is being laped by a erephant. 10 points!!"
"You, sir, ah, you win schoolgirl and battle lobot"

Re:Why an American gameshow?

[Bushcat]

On Japanese games shows, the contestants are rarely members of the public. Instead, a small pool of "talents" appear on show after show, channel after channel.

On US game shows, the contestants are usually members of the public; Japanese are aware of this difference. Having a "Japanese game show" booth wouldn't ring true.

Re:Why an American gameshow?

[Guppy06]

"Is it because Jap ones are so fucking wierd?"

If they could squeeze Takeshi's Castle into an arcade hell yeah I'd pay to play!

I'm still disappointed there won't be a "Captain Tenille" option on the ballot this November..

Considering how many of them are under water

[Anonymous Coward]

that means a lot of "Holding it in."

Arcade games are dead in the us. Overreacting parents killed them. Just like they killed sweet toys.

The Fish is your friend.

[Stubtify]

its in engrish, but at least its a start:

They are the plural opposition type quiz games which adopt the element of the party game which has familiarity anyone such as "quiz" "bingo". Because also rule is simple, anyone can participate with ease, the contents which can enjoy the development which still incandesces has become. The audience facing, the answer person who lines up (the prayer), with quiz program the same straw raincoat gimmick full load the problem sentence which is indicated in the frame and the enormous monitor. And, sort such as the chairman whom it mounds in the light talk also the person of clinging stopping the foot unintentionally, it observes, not only the prayer even in the gallery the pleasant real quiz Shaw game. That is "THE QUIZ SHOW". The popularity chairman bar moth - with popularity quiz program of the American HMTV channel where beauty serves the host. It is the popularity longevity program which 20 years or more continues from start of broadcast, Sunday evening 17 o'clock there is OA while happy circle to do in the family, you watch at this program, fixed turn. Furthermore, the answer person decides at application system from the All-American. Rather than hitting against the lottery in the number of applications of remainder, it is difficult also. As for secret of popularity, making questions and bar moth from colorful genre - light talk. That and existence of beauty . By the way the 5th generation assistant. Name:THE QUIZ SHOW (the quiz Shaw) Genre:Crowd opposition type quiz game Play number of people:1 - 4 people Basis:NAOMI Work time:Undecided Play fee:Undecided In addition:IC card use Copyright inscription:(C) Hitmaker/SEGA, 2004

Re:The Fish is your friend.

[DjMd]

start of broadcast, Sunday evening 17 o'clock
So 5pm? what comes on at 5pm sunday? Football?

And, sort such as the chairman whom it mounds in the light talk also the person of clinging stopping the foot unintentionally

Ahhh so its the mounding light talk, and the stopping foot, UNintentionally... I thought it was intentional.

I know I know its Engrish... you have no chance to survive make your time... blah blah for great justice

OBPA

[mrfunky405]

Eight posts and still no obligatory Penny Arcade link. *sigh*

Re:OBPA

[Alizarin Erythrosin]

Actually, I was thinking more like this one, in an article about odd games.

Re:OBPA

[Anonymous Coward]

Eight posts and still no obligatory Penny Arcade link.

Maybe it is because they are not funny, are over rated, and suck?

Wheel... Of... Fish!

[hitchhacker]

Kuni: What's it going to be, Weaver?

Phyllis Weaver: I'll take the box! The box!

Kuni: You took the box! Let's see what in the box!

Kuni: Nothing! Absolutely nothing!! Stupid!! You're so stupid!!!


-metric

Re:Wheel... Of... Fish!

[Yorrike]

So few hours of Weird Al, so many quotes;

Kuni and dojo: SUPPLIES!

and

Rahul: Badgers? Badgers!? We don't need no stinking badgers!!

I better stop before going too crazy. It's been a while, I really need to watch that movie again.

Game needs to have updates..

[LordJezo]

..otherwise it will become obsolete because everyone will have memorized all of the answers..

Unlike other games like DDR or Pac-Man where you can improve your skill this game would involve the players to simply learn the answers.. right?

Re:Game needs to have updates..

[Ayaress]

Like Trivial Pursuit. It's fun for about a week, then your friend goes through the box, reads all the cards, and has the game entirely memorized, and the game becomes all pursuit and no trivia.

Re:Game needs to have updates..

[MonMotha]

Actually, I have quite the same problem with DDR.

I am now to the point where I can do every single song on a DDRMAX2 machine (though I can't always muster up enough stamina for MAX300 or Maxx Unlimited). This isn't because I'm "that good". I certainly couldn't sight read many of the 9s. It's because I've practically memorized the song (at least when the steps are, not the actual sequences).

When the local arcade got a new Extreme arcade I found that there were actually a couple 8 footers that I didn't pass on my first try. While it's annoying losing your money, it's quite fun to get thrown a loop on some stream pattern you don't see very often or some more odd gallop-8th-16th step sequences.

Though don't get me started on the "100% not upbeats or downbeats" song that is memories (the 4th stage on the Naoki Neo-Standard oni course that is keeping me at #5 on this machine).

Re:Game needs to have updates..

[DLWormwood]

Except for the life size game consoles, there's really nothing new about this game concept. Merit Industries and, until recently, Midway made bar kiosks that had trivia/game show like games on them. (As well as gambling games, Photoshop'ed image matching, porn games, as well as games combining all of the above.)

Every 6-12 months, they would release a new rev that would update the image art and trivia databases. I can't read the Japanesse site, but I'm also guessing there might be some kind of cartridge or CD reader than can load in new questions as well...

Re:Game needs to have updates..

[Cap'nMike]

I think you need to lay off the DDR man. That shit is rotting your brain.

Re:Game needs to have updates..

[Tofino]

Try the DVD edition of Trivial Pursuit, which my sister-in-law thoughtfully bought us for xmas. Was great fun the first three times through. Then the questions started repeating. Bye-bye game. $13 a play, that was.

With friends like that...

[Rufus88]

...who needs enemies?

that's one scarry looking host

[Sarreq Teryx]

I wouldn't want him to come anywhere near my TV

Such differences

[Anonymous Coward]

Our arcades are full of light gun shooters and fighters highlighting the american obssession with violence, while Japan arcades have Dancing games, quiz games, and mahjong games.

Freaky hosts!

[Jackazz]

Those caucasian, pseudo-asian host characters are freaking me out man...

talk about a mis-proportioned woman too, she isn't even attractive

Re:Freaky hosts!

[nsideops]

Yeh, you are right. She isn't attractiove at all. She is nowhere near anorexic enough. She looks more like a normal woman with real body parts that you might see every day. She is...wait a min. You do realize this is a cartoon caracter right? :)

Eureka!!

[Embedded Geek]

answer trivia questions which are "randomly selected by a physical, spinning wheel that's attached to the game booth."

Call Dibold! I think I just figured out a way to make electronic voting work!