Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Arcade Edition starts operation in Japan today and will also be available in a few days all over the world. This title is developed by Sega in collaboration with Nintendo. This is the fifth game in the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series and the first to be released in arcades. The game consists of 9 events: 100m, 100m hurdles, long jump, trampoline, 100m freestyle, hammer throw, javelin throw, archery and rhythmic gymnastics. There are 20 characters and each has its specificity (power, speed and technique). The cabinet features a pad with sensors and two large joysticks with a button on each. Depending of the discipline, the player must therefore really run, jump at the right time or rotate the joysticks as quickly as possible. Up to 4 cabinets of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Arcade Edition can be linked for multiplayer. You can see a video of the gameplay shot at EAG International 2016 here.

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The JAEPO show ended yesterday after two intense days of game announces and presentations. Despite an attendance down from last year: 17053 entries on both days (professionals, visitors and press included) against 20604 entries in 2015, the JAEPO is still a hit. The predominance of musical games that appeared a few years ago is confirmed, almost all publishers prensented at least one new musical game: Cytus Ω and crossbeats REV.SUNRISE for Capcom, DanceDanceRevolution A, OTOIROHA (which uses a sliding controller), Nostalgia (equipped with a piano keyboard) for Konami, Groove Coaster 3 Link Fever for Taito and, finally, the new Theatrhythm Final Fantasy All-Star Carnival for Square Enix. In addition to the new music games, there were a lot of new titles announced: a new Sangokushi Taisen from Sega that will use cards printed on both sides. Capcom returns with Shingeki no Kyojin Team Battle which uses a three-dimensional mobility device controller. Konami introduces the arcade version of the smartphone game Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu BALL ☆ SPARK and the new Mahjong Fight Club ZERO. Finally, Byking announced the launch of a new arcade platform: the BNAS (provisional name) for "Byking Network Arcade System" that will work the same way as Taito's NESYS. The first game will be Magicians DEAD, an action game using a non-contact Kinect-like motion sensor. Previously announced games were also present at the show such as Tekken 7 Fated Retribution, Mobile Suit Gundam UC Card Builder and Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme VS. Maxi Boost ON on Bandai Namco stand and Kancolle Arcade on Sega stand. The JAEPO 2017 will be held at Makuhari Messe on February 11 and 12.

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Dengeki Bunko FIGHTING CLIMAX IGNITION Ver.2.20 is out today! This update adds characters that were already available in the PlayStation version. Shirai Kuroko from Toaru Majutsu no Index and Yuuki Konno from Sword Art Online are the new playable characters. There are also new support characters: Uiharu Kazari from Toaru Kagaku no Railgun, Asama Satoshi from Horizon on the Middle of Nowhere, Kana Iriya from Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu, Zero from Magic Book to Start from Zero and LLENN from Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online I Squad Jam. Four new stages are added: Wonderland Wars stage, Hi-sCoool! SeHa Girls stage, World End Eclipse stage and Training Stage.

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February 2016 has begun and it's time for the new 1cc Shirts T-shirt. This month's theme is Tatsujin. This vertical shoot'em up was developed by Toaplan and released by Taito in October 1988. Tatsujin is the original Japanese title, the Truxton name has been used for the European and American releases. Under orders from Dogurava, the Gidans launch the invasion of planet Bogoro from five giant asteroids. A surviving pilot attempts to destroy them all. The game has 5 long levels that repeat indefinitely while becoming increasingly difficult. Tatsujin was long considered the hardest shooter ever made. This sand coloured T-shirt is the first 1cc to use Direct-To-Garment printing (as opposed to the transfer technique previously used). The featured logo comes from the cover of the Mega Drive port of the game, this version of the logo was famously improved when compared to the first version seen on the arcade flyer. As usual, the only way of purchase is pre-order and the T-shirt will never be reissued. You have until Sunday, February 21st to order your T-shirt.

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CHUNITHM PLUS starts running today. This new version of Sega's game introduces new songs and a new degree of difficulty: WORLD'S END for experimented players seeking a new challenge. The new licensed songs are: Elemental Creation (dj TAKA meets DJ YOSHITAKA), Sugar song and bitter step (UNISON SQUARE GARDEN), Xanadu as fashion (Kanae Shinjo - Suzuko Mimori), oath sign (LiSA), Paradise Wings (Maon Kurosaki), Kaire! Setsugetsuka (Setsugekka - Hitomi Harada / Hearth - Ai Kayano / Small Purple - Yui Ogura), Peerless Stargate (Aoi Shota), XL TECHNO (PACA PACA PASSION). There are also 3 new original songs: SNIPE WHOLE (Masayoshi Minoshima feat.Mei Ayakura), MUSIC PЯAYER (A-One) and Cyberozar (Delete). You can watch a video of a player playing in WORLD'S END difficulty here.

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In operation since 2002, WCCF celebrates its 14th anniversary this year with World Club Champion Football 2015-2016 that was released yesterday. In this latest version, the line-up includes 19 prestigious European clubs and six national teams. In addition to Japanese players such as Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa, new cards of famous international players appear such as Roberto Baggio in the History of Legends series, Eden Hazard in the Player of the Year series and Ricardo Zamora in the King of Legends series. Sega continues to develop the secretaries with a big power-up of their functionalities to help the player and the release of secretaries cards.

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The first major update of BlazBlue CentralFiction is out today. This update starts a new chapter in the BlazBlue story named "Act 2 - Nightmare Memory". Available in arcade mode, this new story chapter ends Ragna's story and start the story of Nine the Phantom. Hades Izanami, the main antagonist of the BlazBlue series, becomes a playable character for the first time. Her goal is to reduce everything in the universe to nothing. There are also new game modes: a new solo mode named the Speed Star Mode: the player must defeat random enemies in a limited time and a new Score Attack mode. Now, you can customize your opponent when you play against the CPU. You can watch the Act 2 trailer here.

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Now is the time! Presale tickets for the next GamePlay convention are available now at YesGoLive! The fifth edition of this human scale convention will be held at Espace Magnum in Colfontaine (near Mons) on May 7-8 from 10am to 6pm. Originally announced on April 2-3, the organizers decided to postpone the event following the announcement of the holding of a spring edition of FACTS convention in Ghent at the same time. Although few details have been announced so far, the GamePlay convention is known for its relaxed atmosphere, its cosplays, its video games and its special activities rarely seen at this type of event (airsoft and paintball were featured last year). No guest name is known at this time but we already know that the arcade area will be larger than last year. This is great because the Arcade Belgium stand was a bit overcrowded at the last edition. The selection of games is left at the discretion of the organizers so we do not even know what titles will be featured on our stand... But it will be nothing but good stuff, that's for sure! Ticket prices are as follow: Adult: €9.49 (one day)/€15.49 (weekend), Child: €4.49 (one day)/€6.49 (weekend), Cosplay: €7.49 (one day)/€12.49 (weekend). Tickets are available here.

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EAG International 2016 trade show is next week! This is Sega's turn to unveil the new products they will present on their stand: the main event will undoubtedly be Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Arcade Edition. First seen at a location test in Tokyo last July, the game takes advantage of the popularity of the biggest sporting event of the year. This game features popular Nintendo and Sega characters including Sonic and Mario (obviously) but also Luigi, Peach, Wario, Tails and Knuckles. It will be possible to participate in nine different sport events including 100m, hammer throw, javelin throwing and archery. The cabinet is equipped with a 55" HD screen and the game is controlled via 2 joysticks with buttons on their ball and sensors. It is possible for four players to compete in these fun Olympics. Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Arcade Edition will be released in February. Remember that 2016 marks the 25th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sega takes the opportunity to propose several other Sonic games; Sonic Dash Extreme, a video game with a redemption otption where Sonic must catch rings and Sonic Blast Ball, an improved lucky hit game. The Sonic Sports series of machines (air hockey and basketball) have been rebranded with new visual and new Sonic themed sound. Sega Amusements distributes ticket redemption machines by American manufacturer ICE in Europe, you will find their latest games on Sega's stand such as Angry Bird Arcade where the player throw balls at a screen using a cannon, Pink Panther Jewel Heist which offers 100 levels where the player must steal a jewel and escape to the next floor while avoiding Inspector Clouseau. There will also be the Ghostbusters electromechanical video game for 2 players where you have to catch ghosts to win tickets. The game features 8 sequences of the popular movie that will delight nostalgic minds while a new feature film will be released this year. The motion version of Wahlap's Storm Racer G will also be showcased. The enormous Sega booth will of course host the Sega Total Solutions division which offers spare parts and tickets and Sega Prize Europe with new plush toys and new prizes for cranes. Discover all of this and more on stand 550! EAG International 2016 will be held at ExCeL London on January 12th, 13th and 14th.

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While Video System T-shirts are on their way to buyers, it is already possible to order the model of January 2016. This new T-shirt is of gray gravel colour and proudly displays the IREM logo on the front. This is the version of the logo used in the '90s featuring a dragonfly. Founded in Hakusan, Japan in 1974 under the IPM Corp name (for International Playing Machine), this amusement machine rental company begins developing its own games in 1979, it then changes its name to IREM, an acronym of International Rental Electronics Machines. The meaning of the letters changes in the '80s to become Innovations in Recreational Electronic Media. Their first productions were copies of existing arcade hits but the quality of IREM games improved over time and among the sixty arcade games that came out between 1979 and 1994, many titles will be fondly remembered by players like Moon Patrol, Kung-Fu Master (Spartan X in Japan), R-Type, Hammerin' Harry, Undercover Cops, In the Hunt and Gun Force II. We also owe them the arcade versions of Bomber Man, Spelunker and Lode Runner. As usual with 1cc Shirts, this T-shirt is available for a short period of time only. You have until January 24 to place your order! The price is the same as usual: $25 including shipping within the USA and $33 for the rest of the world.

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