ASI Coin-Op Olympics
A bit last minute, just found out about the show from Adam this morning:
The public is invited to try cutting-edge arcade games before they even appear in local entertainment centers! The Amusement Showcase International is pleased to announce that for the first time in its history, it will open its doors to the public on its final show day, Saturday, March 29, from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Members of the public who attend will be the first outside of the industry to try exciting new games from well-known arcade companies. Tournament play will be available on many new games with prizes awarded to the highest scores of the day. Local Las Vegas celebrities will be attending to compete in a special celebrity tournament with prizes going to their favorite charities.
“We want to give the public a chance to try the newest, hottest games on the market,†said Michael Rudowicz, President of the American Amusement Machine Association, which sponsors ASI. “The consumer’s opinion of the new games is important to the game manufacturers as well as to the buyers who attend the show. Who better to help an entertainment center operator choose which new games to buy than the people who will be playing them?â€
Public admission to ASI is available only on Saturday, March 29, from 12 p.m.-4 p.m. Admission is $10 per person. Children under 10 are free. Registration will close at 3 p.m.
Pre-registration is recommended. Please click here to download a registration form.
The Amusement Showcase International will be located in the lower level of the Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall S1. ASI is the annual spring trade show for distributors, operators, manufacturers and suppliers of coin- operated amusements, music and games.
Operation: Darkness
A tactical RPG by Atlus featuring Nazi werewolves, zombies and vampires. How can this not be awesome.
Fuji Television Divers 2000 Series CX-1
Holy crap I want one of these.
There’s one currently on ebay, seller is asking for a tidy $799, a bit more than I’m interested in spending right now on a Dreamcast. Read more about this console oddity here.
Update: I got one! More pics and info here.
On the Best Buy HD-DVD Gift Card.
So Best Buy announced earlier this week that they’d be giving away $50 gift cards to those of us unfortunate enough to buy into the HD-DVD format. This just landed in my inbox:
Our records show that you may have purchased an HD DVD player from Best Buyâ„¢. Recently, Toshiba announced that they will no longer produce HD DVD players, and movie studios decided they will no longer release new movies in HD DVD.
At Best Buy, we are dedicated to making sure you always have the right technology for you. That is why purchasers of an HD DVD player are eligible to receive a Best Buyâ„¢ gift card. To confirm your purchase, please call us at 1-888-BEST BUY (1-888-237-8289) with your receipt handy.
If you are interested in trading in your HD DVD player and HD DVDs, check out our technology trade-in service at BestBuyTradeIn.com where we will accept HD DVD hardware and software in exchange for a Best Buy gift card based on its market value.
We truly appreciate you as a customer. If you have further questions, please go to BestBuy.com/hddvd.
I called and asked a few questions. Anyone who purchased the HD-DVD player with a Rewards Zone card should automatically receive the Hah Hah Wrong Format Sucker Here’s Fifty Bucks Gift Card in a month or so. Everyone else, as the email above states, can call with their receipt (yeah, the same receipt they probably sent away in the envelope for the free movies offer) and get things sorted out for a free card.
Maybe I’ll use the gift card for HD-DVD movies.