Arcades may be extinct, but they are such an important part of the history of the game that interest in them remains high. There are many people there who are old enough to remember the thrill of visiting a local entertainment center and coming up with the changing changes in their favorite wardrobe, which is why we have seen dozens of graphic design projects over the years.
It is UK-based Quarterbacks have come up with one of the most interesting properties, mainly because – as the name implies – its 1/4 size real-estate units are therefore easy to fit in with the average house within a real house. The company has been working with the likes of Bandai Namco and Taito to reproduce some of the best-known arcade era titles, and has big plans for a future release.
With that in mind, we sat down with Partner Manager Matt Precious and Creative Director Karl Mizen to talk about the scope.
Can you tell us where the idea for the Quarter Arcades came from?
Quarter Arcades was born out of our love of retro videos and the limited access we needed to play. The classic games have not disappeared, but the experience of playing Classics with their intended shape and layout actually happens. It doesn't help, most, to collect full-size equipment, so we wanted to bring these games back in a collectible way to those who remember their youth playing in the arcades and the younger generation who totally missed them. We designed these as a showroom to use and display, the look, design and craftsmanship of these original machines was as important as the game itself, so why did he want to replicate the machines as they were originally played and played.
How did you go about selecting the topics you want to use in the range?
The introduction of the Quarter Arcades, in which it is the first of the most successful – and, arguably, most recognizable – arcade game of all time. PAC-MAN.
From there, we took a look at some arcade games from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment (Namco), and Gallery it seemed a natural choice. It did not seem appropriate to skip the action of Galaga's predecessor and the first Namco to shoot Galaxian added to range side by side Mrs. PAC-MAN, another great article.
There are several really amazing machines we want to make, but making these machines is a very long process but with every machine, we get better and faster so you'll see more machines come over the next few years as we build that dream arcade.
What was it like working with IP managers about these games?
They have been instrumental in developing this product and are excited as we see their old buildings being renovated as 1/4 times as much. It has surprised me to work with myths like Iwatani-san on PAC-MAN, and IP managers have the same passion and respect for the original machines we make, so the closeness to this reality is something we have been working on together.
How long does it take from concept to final product, on average? What is the development process like?
The concept of the final product may vary, but on average we cover 12 to 18 months per machine. PAC-MAN, our first machine took about three years!
The first step of this long process is to find the original wardrobe; this is important to produce a complete 1/4 Arcade. Finding the original can prove difficult, and it is not uncommon for equipment to be obtained and shipped from all over the world. From there we painstakingly measure all the data prior to the onset of the model at 1/4 scale. As the process progresses, we can look at the work of art, where we work with the IP managers to see what material is available. It is a long process, with many obstacles but the satisfaction of getting the final arcade makes it all worthwhile.
Given that you work with games that have decades, what is the biggest challenge you have overcome during the process?
There has been a huge resurgence in retro arcades in recent years so it can take months to get our hands on some machine. Ours Space Invaders The wardrobe is the original Japanese model we found in Australia!
Real art can also be difficult to find a source if it's not readily available from IP managers, and is a long process to expand it if needed. There are many ways to do it again, and we have to do a lot of research to make sure we're using the real ones.
Can you tell us about the senders you use for these games? How did you ensure the highest accuracy?
We wanted these machines to remind people of playing real in their youth. It was also important for those new retro gaming enthusiasts to have the exact same experience. We built an emulator to run real arcade ROMs to do just that. Our latest equipment also lets you change the dip change settings, so you now have control over the amount of life, extra health settings and difficulty – all the different game items, arcade to arcade.
What is the reaction from the game community such as arriving at the Quarter Arcade?
The response was generally very positive, and fans always asked us to create their favorite games. We are very focused on creating the most accurate image of ourselves, and the community seems very impressed with what we have been able to accomplish. But we always listen to the fans and take all the points on the board so we can improve what we have and make it physically fit.
Has worked with the likes of Namco, Taito and Konami – Are there any plans to work with other companies, such as Capcom, Sega or Nintendo?
Yes, we would like to partner with other companies and expand the Quarter Arcade Range. 1/4 scale Donkey Kong it will look fantastic!
We have a lot of equipment in development from other companies that are sure to please a lot of people. Our dream is to introduce broadband, so there's something for everyone.
What’s next in the Quarter Arcade range? Do you stick to high-end cabinets or can we see you being bombarded with tabletop or other forms?
Quarter Arcades is all about collecting authentic, playful equipment where you won't have the space (or permission) to collect full-size cabinets.
We would like to release a complete range of materials and materials to create the entire arcade environment at home. Things like tables and chairs, 80s style carpets and wall coverings, TV screens and jukeboxes – all things you can find in an old-school arcade.
And of course, other types of gaming machines are something we can always imagine. We want the community to tell us what they want and we will do our best to make this happen, as we fully invest in the Quarter Arcades as a list of products for many years to come.