News: AOU2006 line-up

February 07, 2006, 01:55 AM

by chazumaru, via AOU -
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This picture comes from System16.comThis year's All Nippon Amusement Machine Operators' Union (which most people only know as 'AOU'), is coming up on Feb.17 and Feb.18. It should confirm the current trend of trading card-based games, the growing disinterest of Capcom and SNK in this once-lucrative market, and also show that the outrageous domination of Sega has been tarnished by the demise of the Atomiswave. We now have a close to complete list of the companies and games presented. The most important information is of course the absence of SNK Playmore (as of right now) which, combined with their absence at last AM show gives more credit to the theory that they might soon leave the arcade game market. Tecmo, River Service, Katou and Aruze have not yet confirmed their presence either. Grev is rumored to show something. Here is a current list of what is known to be shown, classified per publisher and with the developer in parenthesis:

AMI
Pink Sweets (Cave)
Ibara Kuro -Black Label- (Cave)
Unless you have a personal grudge against Recap, you can't have escaped those two.

Able
Sangokushi Yuuki (unknown developer)
Kuru Kuru Chameleon (Star Fish)
Tsuushin Taisen Mahjong Touryuumon Version up (Yuki Enterprise)
They might also host an unknown game from Mile Stone. Kuru Kuru Chameleon was released on PSP last january. The arcade version runs on Naomi, hence making it yet another potential "final Dreamcast game", although Sega recently claimed Under Defeat would keep the crown. The developer Star Fish was already responsible for recent DS releases such as Wizardry Asterisk and Super Black Bass. We mentioned Yuki's Touryuumon recently via its Xbox 360 adaptation. Between the recent release of Sega's MJ3 and the AOU 2006 unveiling of Mahjong Fight Club 5, this new version might have a hard time finding an audience. The Sangokushi game is apparently just an online card/trump game in the same vein as the recent mahjong titles. It will only be presented in video form.

Capcom
War of the Grail (Capcom)
Rockman Exe (Capcom)
Various medal games
War of the Grail has been in development for quite some time now. It might find an audience among Monster Hunter fans, since it is apparently Capcom's new hot license. Rockman Exe is a clever move, awkward they did not think of that sooner.

Konami
Nothing confirmed yet...
...but these titles are a given, according to Hamapika-Ya: Beatmania IIDX 13, Mahjong Fight Club 5, Hammer Punching, DDR SuperNova, Winning Eleven 2006, Game Robo, Grand Cross, Giga Drake OnLine, Pleasure Party and the awkwardly Killer7-inspired Cooper's 9.

Sega
Virtua Fighter 5 (Sega)
The House of the Dead 4 Special (Sega)
Virtua Striker 4 Ver.2006 (Sega)
Touch de Zunou (Sega)
Rumors project that Sega will also show After Burner Climax, Psy-Phi, Exelica, Metal Slug 6, as well as any SNK game that might show up, and a new title from Yuki. System16.com already has images of Virtua Striker 4 ver.2006. Sega might also show an arcade cabinet with the PC version of Ford Racing Full Blown running on it, for promotion purposes.

Taito
Half Life 2 Survivor (Valve System)
Shikigami no Shiro 3 (AlfaSystem/Skonec)
Both run on Type-X, naturally. Moss and X-Nauts should also show some yet-unannounced titles in Taito's booth, and the presence of Homura 2 is heavily rumored. No sign of Squenix's involvement with Taito to be seen yet.

Bandai-Namco
Nothing officially confirmed
For their first joint effort at AOU, Bandai and Namco should rely on safe licenses such as Time Crisis 4, Druaga Online, Taikou no Tatsujin 8, Soul Calibur IIIAC and some Gundam game(s).

Banpresto
Nothing officially confirmed
Bandai's self-sufficient offspring is focusing heavily on card games to take on Sega's recent hits. After Gundam and Digimon to counter Sangokushi Taisen and Mushiking respectively, the next universes to be turned into arcade card battle games will be Dragon Ball Z and Tamagochi. Kinnikuman should also appear on their stand.