ARCADE WATCH

Keeping an eye on the coin-op gaming scene

Cabinet Astro City Mini Manufacturer Sega

Alright, so it’s not exactly coin-op: you’d be hard-pressed to cram a quarter into this dinky thing. Nevertheless, the spirit of the arcade is very much present in Sega’s Astro City Mini. It’s based on the 1993 multipurpose arcade cabinet: a successor to the Aero City, the Astro allowed operators to install a game board of their choice. With that flexibility and range in mind, the Mini comes with a large variety of Sega titles packed in. And we do mean variety: you’ve got Space Harrier, Altered Beast and Puyo Puyo, sure, but then there are also some very niche inclusions, seemingly at the expense of the real classics. Ninja Princess over Out Run? Rad Mobile over After Burner? Sega, we just want to talk.

Regardless, the hardware itself looks solid. There’s an HDMI-out on the rear, two USB-A ports, a micro USB and a headphone jack. To our delight, in addition to an eight-way digital joystick (which, unlike SNK’s recent Neo Geo Mini cab, uses proper microswitches), the joystick in the Mini boasts a full six-button setup, plus Start and Select – perfect for a decent, if cramped, game of Virtua Fighter. Die-hard players, however, can grab a full-sized arcade stick peripheral – while collectors might want to treat themselves to a tiny model stool, or a base that adds a non-functional coin slot and collection door. At a time when many won’t feel comfortable returning to the arcades, it’s a lovely way to recapture a little of the magic. A crying shame, then, that it’ll only be available in Japan this

December, with pre-orders already underway.

Prepare for eBay madness.