| Ice Wipe Inc. 2005-02-18, 5:44 pm |
| Japan: Mario Kart Arcade GP Revealed February 18, 2005
by: Ray Almeda
BREAKING: Mario and friends get the Triforce arcade treatment. First
pictures revealed.
Namco today announced the Japanese arcade-bound Mario Kart Grand Prix, which
will be powered by the Triforce system board - the same Namco/SEGA/Nintendo
technology that powers the already-released F-Zero AX.
The battle-oriented kart racer has all the Mario Kart-esque features one
would expect, with a few intriguing additions to the series:
Namcam2: This equipment takes a player's picture and puts it above the cart
in the middle of a race. This is used as a position marker for players on
the course, so opponents can see who is driving which kart. Accessories can
also be applied to each picture, a la Game Boy Camera-style.
Rubber band system: To keep players enjoying the game, this system keeps the
mobility of the karts consistent.
Rewriteable card: This is a rewriteable magnetic card. The game's
progression, items, and so on can be recorded for continued play later.
Players and courses: The game will allow up to four units to link up with
each other. Each kart has one rider, with Namco's Pac-Man being a special
character. In addition, the game will also feature brand-new courses similar
in theme to the past Mario Kart games.
The pictures below [from today's AOU 2005 Amusement Expo in Japan - an
annual Japanese Arcade-Game Trade Show] show off the arcade-console's
outside architecture. They also show the game's Namcam2 system:
The four-linked arcade units.
..The arcade-console up-close. Is that Pac-Man?
The Namcam2 system is seen here.
Mario Kart Arcade GP is slated for a Fall 2005 release in Japan. No U.S.
stateside release has been planned as of yet. However, considering that
F-Zero AX eventually got released in North America, the chances are
definitely favorable.
The Advanced Media Network will keep you updated on the arcade racer in the
future.
Thanks to Watch Impress of Japan for the media.
source: Namco of Japan - Press Release
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