After several months of Internet speculation, the newest Stern pinball is in full production. Honoring legendary British band Iron Maiden and named “Legacy of the Beast,” the game features sights and sounds from the iconic rock group. Stern people said they wanted to match the excitement, energy and experience of a live Iron Maiden concert. Players will immerse themselves in an interactive Iron Maiden universe transforming into various forms of Eddie, the band’s legendary mascot. The game is outfitted with an arsenal of toys and features; players will go to battle with four flippers, two spinners, a set of three-bank…
Author: Casey Minter
The doors have closed for good on the fabled Northwestern Corp. A final sale of the assets of the Morris, Illinois-based bulk vending equipment manufacturer took place on March 27. Acquired by National Entertainment Network (Broomfield, Colo.) last year, the sale included the remaining manufacturing equipment of the iconic firm. Founded in 1909 by Emerson A. Bolen, Northwestern’s first venders dispensed matches and stamps. Entering the bulk vending arena in the 1930s, the company eventually grew into the premier supplier of bulk vending equipment in America. Run by multiple generations of the Bolen family, closure of the company ends a…
Industry folks in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Orlando, Fla., got a treat from Betson at the end of March: the company hosted two open houses with over 50 attendees in the cities. Myrtle Beach got a host of new and exciting machines on display on March 21, with Betson trucking things over to Orlando on March 24 for the other event. The annual Myrtle Beach Show was held at The Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort. The spacious ballroom allowed vendors to comfortably showcase their latest games and product, and the resort was the perfect home away from home to guests who traveled…
Each year, the Amusement Expo heralds in a lot of changes for the industry, one of which being new AMOA leadership. As of March 1, 2018, the AMOA’s Class of 2021 was elected and joins the volunteer operator group’s board of directors (pictured above). Joe Bundra, PDQ Merchant Enterprises, McHenry, lll. John Lemieux, Player One Amusement Group, Simi Valley, Calif. Jordan Barberio, Barberio Music Co., San Antonio, Texas Kirby Cline, Antler Amusement Company, San Antonio, Texas Jared McElwee, Melody Entertainment Inc., Champaign, Ill. Jeffrey Prescott, Valley Vending Service, Inc., Plattsburgh, N.Y. Yaroslav Sobko, Alpha Omega Amusements & Sales, East Brunswick,…
RePlay has learned that John Schultz’s wife Linda has died from cancer. She was well known to many manufacturers and distributors, having accompanied John during his years as Rock-Ola president and later as Executive Director of the AAMA. Some veteran Southern California vending operators will remember her as well, from his days running Weymouth Distributing out there. The AAMA had this message of condolence on its Facebook page: “It is with deep sorrow that we share news of the passing of Linda Schultz, wife of former AAMA EVP John Schultz. Linda was a truly kind and loving spirit. Those who…
Family Entertainment Group (FEG) has added three Going Bonkers FECs to its diverse portfolio. Located in Quincy, Ill., Columbia, Miss., and Topeka, Kansas, these facilities are the newest additions to George Smith’s rapidly growing company, and one of several recent acquisitions by FEG as the company continues to look for high-value entertainment centers. The Going Bonkers locations were previously owned and operated by Richard and Lori Houseweart and Tim Anderson. Said Richard: “I’ve been fortunate to work with many companies over the years. I can honestly say without reservation that none have been more honest, fair and pleasant to deal with…
A recent article in AZ Central celebrated the multiple VR arcades popping up around Phoenix, and what they describe as the cheap accessibility they provide for VR fans to try out the tech. Due to the steep cost of headsets and space restrictions, for many consumers, VR at home is out of the picture. However, as the hype builds around the tech (especially with major Hollywood releases like Ready Player One), plenty of consumers are curious to see what the fuss is about. That’s where the VR arcade comes in, and Pheonix isn’t even the hub of it. In coastal…
Big Buck HD players are in for a treat this coming May! Raw Thrills has announced a brand-new game mode dropping in on the first of the month. The new content lets players dive into a zombified world of beasts and blast away. Players venture onto an undiscovered island full of ferocious, haunted creatures, taking aim at new trophies, bonus games and hunting sites. All Big Buck HD games running v8.22 and above that are connected to the Internet will be automatically updated with the new content at midnight on May 1. Call 866-646-1975 or email [email protected] to get your machines…
Pitamoni and LMBOL, an FEC and bowling center in Los Mochis, Mexico, recently added Semnox’ Parafait system. The locations added POS, food and beverage solutions, an RFID card system, party reservation and inventory management software. Semnox says their products’ multi-lingual features allowed easy configuration to the Spanish language in these new Mexican locations, which got into card systems about 15 years back. “Creating fun moments is serious business. We wanted to get it right, so we selected Semnox Parafait after a detailed evaluation of systems over two years,” said Ramiro López. “As Semnox continues to expand the business in the…
Scene75, a Dayton, Ohio-based family entertainment company, recently announced plans for a 90,000-square-foot location in the Pittsburgh-adjacent suburb of Edgewood, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. To be built in a recently shuttered Kmart, the location will include a slew of attractions, including: indoor go-karts, laser tag, food trucks, blacklight mini golf, virtual reality headsets, bumper cars, a 4-D motion theater and 120 arcade games. The location will be the company’s fourth, but its first outside of Ohio. It currently operates locations in Cincinnati, Dayton and Cleveland. “We’ve been looking for an opportunity in the Pittsburgh market for a long time,…