Hotly anticipated, Basketball Pro – Andamiro’s new sports piece – is a fast-action game in an upright arcade package, and the company has announced that it has now begun shipping.
The game’s compact footprint makes it ideal for bars and other street locations, and its cabinet ensures that it will stand out on the gameroom floors of even the largest family entertainment centres. Basketball Pro ships as a ticket redemption game, but for street locations it can be modified for non-ticket play.
A distinguishing feature of the piece is the player interface that consists of two controllers which are the size and shape of real basketballs. Players hit the big external balls to shoot the little balls inside the play zone, and the air-powered interface allows players to control all their shots. The game’s two player stations offer single play or side-by-side competitive play. Its two backboards, equipped with hoops and game clocks, move up and down as players propel the mini balls at them with each pound.
Gameplay is simple and engaging. Players select “single mode” or “versus mode,” and the game begins when the music does. Players quickly learn to adjust their hitting power applied to the external ball by following the moving basket, and score three points every time they make a basket, and six points during the final 10 seconds of the game called “double time.” The game ends with the sound of a whistle (40 seconds is the default play time).
Whether a player is alone or competing against a friend, gameplay is fast, fun and spirited; most operators will agree that games offering competitive play are more exciting and typically generate greater earnings. When Basketball Pro’s versus mode is enabled, backboard movement is synchronized.
“Basketball Pro is both a great family game for arcades and two-player competitive piece for the bar and street market,” said Andamiro USA President Drew Maniscalco. “It has loads of entertainment value.”
Basketball Pro measures 32” W. x 38” D. x 98” H. (79″ H. without the marquee). The game’s player zones, separated with fine stainless-steel wire ropes, have plenty of room for some great shooting. The concave court surface directs the balls into the shooting mechanism. Each court measures 14″ W. x 20″ D. and has a vertical drop of three feet. During gameplay the moving backboards climb and descend over much of that vertical.
Andamiro’s designers created colorful basketball-themed graphics to wrap around the game’s classic coin-op cabinet. A lively soundtrack, background cheers and an announcer calling the shots enhance the Basketball Pro experience.
Basketball Pro is marketed by Andamiro USA of Gardena, CA, and its authorized distributors. Andamiro USA is a unit of South Korea’s Andamiro Co, a leading manufacturer of commercial amusement devices.
Andamiro is including at no charge a replacement set of basketball controllers with each Basketball Pro purchase. The ball material is made of PVC and elastomer, a synthetic compound known for its flexibility and durability.