Australias Arcooda Readies Virtual Pinball Platform For Arcade And Home Markets

MAYFIELD EAST, Australia -- New from Arcooda Pty Ltd., a division of Australia's Highway Group, is a video pinball machine platform. Arcooda Video Pinball combines the look and feel of the classic electro-mechanical pin game with the digital flexibility of a videogame.

Arcooda's new piece boasts many attributes found on a conventional machine, including a full-size cabinet and plunger. Its illuminated buttons provide sophisticated feedback technology that controls shaker motors to give the game the "play feel" of a real pin. If a player shakes the unit too much, an authentic tilt shuts the game down.

"Each coil, light and switch is recreated digitally and matched to the game software to allow game players to experience the feel of a real pinball machine, but with the ability to play hundreds of pin games on the one machine," said Arcooda chief executive Steve Josifovski.

The video pinball game is equipped with a 42" playfield, which is an HD LCD touchscreen, and a 32" backglass piece, also an LCD. Dot matrix animations run on a 15" LCD screen. Players can select standard pinball or touchscreen controls.

The company expects to launch the product loaded with 100 to 300 licensed pinball and arcade game titles, along with some original content. Josifovski said Arcooda has agreements with several video pinball publishers, including FarSight Studios.

Arcooda will ship a home model first, and that will be followed by an arcade version in 2017. The arcade version supports card readers, bill acceptors and coin mechanisms for payment options, along with tournament play, remote access and ticket redemption. The system can run advertisements and promotions on the two large LCDs.

Josifovski said that Arcooda's virtual pinball is designed for interchangeable controls. By switching out control panels, operators can turn the pinball into an arcade videogame with joystick and button controls. In videogame mode, the device supports vertical or horizontal screen orientations.

The Arcooda Video Pinball will be configured differently, according to a market's requirements, for the U.S., Europe and Asia.

FROM THE LAND DOWN UNDER:The men and women of Arcooda break for a photo op during recent IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando, FL. Pictured, from left, are Steve Josifovski, Valanetina Josifovski, John Smith, Darryl Williams, Michelle Hernandez, Olesya Stepnova and Louis Valiente.

IAAPA DEBUT:Arcooda chief Steve Josifovski shows off his company's new video pinball machine. Digital platform replicates the physical feel of a "real" pinball machine and offers all the functionality of digital game.