Galloping Ghost Arcade

SEGAbits Presents Arcade Adventure 2: Arcade meetup at Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, IL on April 27, 2024

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It’s the sequel you’ve been waiting for: SEGAbits Presents Arcade Adventure 2! Meet up with fellow SEGA fans at Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, Illinois on April 27th, 2024 to play hundreds of arcade games in the world’s largest arcade!

Let us know you will be attending by clicking “Yes” on this form
(this is not a ticket or official commitment, it is simply a gauge for us to know how many will be attending)

This event requires no advance ticketing or advance access, simply show up to the arcade and pay them $25 for all day play. The arcade is open from 11am to 2pm the following day, and you are free to come and go as you please – just hang on to that receipt. The meetup will take place between 1pm and 6pm and will feature impromptu tournaments, arcade and world record attempts and the chance to meet and hang out with fellow SEGA fans.

Want to grab something to drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) and eat before the hang? We are planning a pre-game meetup from 12pm to 1pm at Imperial Oak Brewing, which is across the street at 9526 Ogden Ave. The venue is all ages (until 10pm) and allows customers to order food delivery from local restaurants. This is a great way to meetup before the meetup and answers the question many had during our first hang: “Where can we eat?”.

For those unaware, Galloping Ghost Arcade is HUGE. Want to play The House of the Dead 1 through 4? How about Monkey Ball with that ridiculous banana joystick? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to play SegaSonic the Hedgehog starring Sonic, Ray and Mighty? They have all those, plus nearly every super scaler game, Sonic the Fighters, Virtua Fighter, Fantasy Zone, Ghost Squad, L.A. Machineguns, Gunblade NY, Shinobi, Altered Beast, The Revenge of Death Adder, All-Stars Racing, and many, many, many more! Heck I’m just naming off a handful of the SEGA titles. There are close to 1,000 games!

Hope to see you there!

Artwork credit: Pseudochel

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SEGAbits Presents Arcade Adventure: Arcade meetup at Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, IL on 9/9/2023

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Start working out those thumbs, because we’re announcing SEGAbits Presents Arcade Adventure! Meet up with fellow SEGA fans at Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, Illinois on September 9th, 2023 to play hundreds of arcade games in the world’s largest arcade!

Let us know you will be attending by clicking “Yes” on this form
(this is not a ticket or official commitment, it is simply a gauge for us to know how many will be attending)

This event requires no advance ticketing or advance access, simply show up to the arcade and pay them $25 for all day play. The arcade is open from 11am to 2pm the following day, and you are free to come and go as you please – just hang on to that receipt. The meetup will take place between 1pm and 9pm and will feature impromptu tournaments, arcade and world record attempts and the chance to meet and hang out with fellow SEGA fans. Oh yeah, and isn’t a certain SEGA console turning 24 years old on that day? Well, join us as we also wish the SEGA Dreamcast a happy birthday!

For those unaware, Galloping Ghost Arcade is HUGE. Want to play The House of the Dead 1 through 4? How about Monkey Ball with that ridiculous banana joystick? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to play SegaSonic the Hedgehog starring Sonic, Ray and Mighty? They have all those, plus nearly every super scaler game, Sonic the Fighters, Virtua Fighter, Fantasy Zone, Ghost Squad, L.A. Machineguns, Gunblade NY, Shinobi, Altered Beast, The Revenge of Death Adder, All-Stars Racing, and many, many, many more! Heck I’m just naming off a handful of the SEGA titles. There are close to 1,000 games!

Hope to see you there!

8/15 UPDATE: It is looking like a great group of Arcade Adventurers are forming, with over 20 confirmed guests! Guests will receive free Ryo and Kazuma stickers (as seen on our promotional art)! We will likely see many more who did not fill out the Google Form linked above. I was told by Galloping Ghost Arcade that the R-360 is being repaired, so it will not be operating on the day. However, there are dozens if not hundreds of SEGA machines up and running including some deluxe super scaler cabinets, light gun classics (House of the Dead 1-4 all lined up), all three SEGA Star Wars arcade games including the ultra rare Star Wars Arcade and games that saw Dreamcast ports from Capcom including Power Stone and Cannon Spike!

Artwork credit: Pseudochel

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Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, Illinois Debuts Incredibly Rare SEGA R360 Arcade Machine – Only Publicly Playable Machine in America

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I’ve covered the Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, Illinois a bit here on SEGAbits. Mainly because it is just a short drive away from the SEGAbits Midwest HQ (or SEGAbits Building 2 as I will now refer to it as). The arcade opened in August 2010, and has since expanded to fill an entire block of storefront property in the Chicagoland suburb. In the past, the arcade has debuted countless SEGA classics and hidden treasures including Space Harrier, Air Bike Cop, Star Wars Arcade and Ribbit.

As the arcade nears 800 games and hits its 10 year anniversary, arcade owner Doc Mack has long wanted to celebrate the milestone by debuting the ultra rare and expensive SEGA R360. The process to obtain one has been in the works for a while, with Doc even reaching out to SEGAbits for help in finding somebody willing to part with one. Thankfully, it looks like Doc’s efforts paid off as now, for the first time in decades, a functioning SEGA R360 machine is publicly playable in America!

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SEGA rarity A.B. Cop now playable at Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, IL

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Released around 1989, A.B. Cop (Air Bike Cop) is a Sega X Board rarity that few know about and even fewer have played. A super scaler game, like After Burner and Thunder Blade (also Sega X Board titles), A.B. Cop was jointly developed by Aicom and SEGA. In the game, you control an air bike cop who is out to arrest criminals by crashing into their vehicles, thus disabling them. The game is played on a sweet dedicated cabinet in which you perch yourself on a seat and use handlebar controls to move left and right, a button to jump and a lever to accelerate.

Sounds great, right? Want to play it? Well Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, IL just added the game to their arcade floor in a lovely dedicated cabinet! Revealed as their Monday Mystery Game via live stream, A.B. Cop came to the arcade direct from Japan. You can hear the story of how they acquired it and check out some gameplay footage on the stream. I plan to check the game out this weekend, and if you want to give A.B. Cop and 600+ more games a spin head to Galloping Ghost Arcade for yourself!

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Rare 1987 SEGA arcade game Bullet now playable at Galloping Ghost Arcade

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The largest arcade in the world, Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, IL, has appeared quite a bit on our news page thanks to their continued efforts to make as many games playable as possible in their ever expanding lineup of machines (at well over 600). Their latest addition is a unique title from SEGA’s arcade past: 1987’s shoot ’em up Bullet. Developed by AM1 and playing similarly to Smash TV, the game is quite rare. According to Galloping Ghost only a few boards are known to exist and the one in their possession is the only one in the United States. The game uses two sticks, one for shooting and one for moving. Aesthetically, the game resembles Alien Syndrome and appears to recycle assets from Golden Axe.

If you want to play the game for yourself, head on over to Galloping Ghost the next time your in the Chicagoland area. If you can’t make it over, stay tuned to SEGAbits as we plan to head over there for an arcade game review. Thanks to Galloping Ghost for reviving this lost game!

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Rare unreleased SEGA arcade game “Ribbit!” playable at the Galloping Ghost

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The largest arcade in the world, Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, IL, has appeared quite a bit on our news page thanks to their continued efforts to make as many games playable as possible in their ever expanding lineup of machines (at well over 600). Their latest addition is a unique title from SEGA’s arcade past: 1991’s Ribbit!. Developed and published by SEGA for the System C Hardware (an arcade board most notably used for Puyo Puyo, Columns and SegaSonic Popcorn Shop), the game plays similarly to Frogger where 1-2 players control frogs in four directions with the goal being to eat all the small bugs but ignore the larger ones.

Unfortunately, the game played too similarly to Frogger and it is said Konami threatened a lawsuit which lead to the game not seeing a full release. How Galloping Ghost got their hands on the board is a story they say will be told soon. In the meantime, fans of obscure arcade games can head on over to the arcade and play this hidden gem now! Worth noting, the team at Galloping Ghost placed Ribbit! into an original Frogger cabinet and had custom side art, marquee and control panel art made at Galloping Ghost Reproductions.

After the break, check out a gallery of images and I’ll be sure to write up an arcade game review of the game the next time I head over there!

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Swingin’ Report Show #90: Game Designer and International Video Game Hall of Fame Inductee Chris Tang

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The SEGAbits Swingin’ Report Show is back with returning guest Chris Tang! Chris is a game designer and gaming tournament champion, and was recently inducted into the International Video Game Hall of Fame. SEGA fans know Chris as the winner of SEGA’s Sonic & Knuckles Rock the Rock competition in 1994, and before that Chris was a finalist in 1990’s Nintendo World Championships. Since then, Chris has worked on games at Atari and Capcom, including Gauntlet IV, Primal Rage, Street Fighter III, Rival Schools and Power Stone. Chris is also the yearly announcer for the Tetris World Championships and originator of the BOOM! Tetris for Jeff meme.

Currently, Chris is hard at work on Flight Armor Project: STRIKE HARBINGER (working title – subject to change), a new game inspired by classic SEGA titles like Space Harrier. The game combines the fast paced forward flying gameplay of Space Harrier with the RPG and combat elements of Phantasy Star while utilizing a unique arcade control structure that evokes Virtual On. The game is developed by HitSparks Games, and features the work of senior artist Kiyoshi Okuma, whose past work includes Gauntlet: Legends, World Series Baseball 2K2, The Sims 2 and Darkspore.

I sat down with Chris for an update on the development of Flight Armor Project: STRIKE HARBINGER, including the incredibly fun two player mode, and to discuss more of his past career, his work as an announcer for the Tetris World Championships and his recent induction into the International Video Game Hall of Fame.

Want more information on Flight Armor Project: STRIKE HARBINGER? Visit the official website!

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Galloping Ghost Arcade celebrates 600 games with SEGA’s Star Wars Arcade

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I really lucked out when I ended up buying a house 15 minutes away from the Galloping Ghost Arcade. Opened in 2010 in Brookfield, IL, Galloping Ghost Arcade has fast become the largest arcade in the world with 599 games available to play. Yesterday, that total hit 600 with a Mystery Monday reveal of SEGA AM3 and LucasArts’ Star Wars Arcade. This Model 1 game released in 1993 to Japanese arcades and remained an exclusive. Few machines are known to exist, with only three listed on Aurcade as being publicly playable in the US. The game is best known for its SEGA 32X port, which is a faithful home version of the game. However, having now played both I have to say that the arcade version feels much bigger and livelier, with a higher polygon count, more ships and more hazards. Interestingly, I did not notice the Y-Wing as being playable in the arcade version, with the one and two player co-op modes both piloting the X-Wing fighter.

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SEGA News Bits: Strike Harbinger First Impressions and Exclusive Gameplay Footage

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Get ready, as our Strike Harbinger coverage continues! In this SEGA News Bits, Barry talks George through what it was like playing an early arcade build of Strike Harbinger during its debut at Galloping Ghost Arcade‘s SEGA Week. Created by the game development and design studio HitSparks Games, which is co-owned by Lead Game Designer Chris Tang and Senior Artist Kiyoshi Okuma, Strike Harbinger takes inspiration from classic SEGA titles including Space Harrier and Phantasy Star. The game is not due out until 2017, but this early first look at the game shows a lot of promise! Featuring unique controls and RPG-style elements, there is a lot more to Strike Harbinger than you’d think. So click play above and hear what Barry thought of the game and see some lovely 1080p 60fps gameplay footage courtesy of the developers.

More SEGA Week coverage is to come, including even more Strike Harbinger details and footage, so stay tuned! If you enjoy the SEGA News Bits video formats make sure to like, share and subscribe to our YouTube for more.

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Swingin’ Report Show #86: Strike Harbinger Game Designer and SEGA Tournament Champion Chris Tang

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On this episode of the Swingin’ Report Show podcast, Barry sits down with game designer and gaming tournament champion Chris Tang at the Galloping Ghost Arcade’s SEGA Week. SEGA fans may know Chris best as the winner of SEGA’s Sonic & Knuckles Rock the Rock competition in 1994, and before that Chris was a finalist in 1990’s Nintendo World Championships. Since then, Chris has worked on games at Atari and Capcom, including Gauntlet IV, Primal Rage, Street Fighter III, Rival Schools and Power Stone. Now, Chris is hard at work on a new game inspired by classic SEGA titles like Space Harrier and Phantasy Star. The game, titled Strike Harbinger, combines the fast paced forward flying gameplay of Space Harrier with the RPG and combat elements of Phantasy Star while utilizing a unique control structure that evokes Virtual On.

Strike Harbinger – developed by Chris’s company HitSparks Games – was revealed Saturday, April 30th at Galloping Ghost Arcade where I had the pleasure to meet Chris and the game’s Senior Artist Kiyoshi Okuma, whose past work includes Gauntlet: Legends, World Series Baseball 2K2, The Sims 2 and Darkspore. I also had the honor to be the first member of the public to play the game, and following that experience I chatted with Chris about his life as a tournament gamer, his career, and his plans for Strike Harbinger. 

Want more information on Strike Harbinger? Stay tuned for an upcoming SEGA News Bits as well as a SEGA Week writeup!

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Galloping Ghost Arcade’s SEGA Week tournament games revealed

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SEGA Week at Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, IL (just outside Chicago) kicks off today! While we have a lot of fun stuff planned for this Saturday the 30th, dubbed SEGAbits Saturday (which you can read more about here), all week long you can take part in tournaments for ten SEGA arcade games. Simply show up to the arcade, ask the front desk for more information, and start playing. But what will you be playing? That was a mystery… until today.

While we knew there would be some new games added to the arcade as part of the tournament, the big surprise was that all games in the tournament are new to the arcade! Players will battle for the high scores in: The rare SEGA AM2 action game Arabian Fight, the Tetris-like puzzler Bloxeed, the classic puzzle game Columns, Fantasy Zone starring everyone’s favorite Opa Opa, the 2D fighter Golden Axe the Duel, Zaxxon‘s sequel/revision Super Zaxxon and the Westone developed Wonder Boy, the beat ’em up Fist of the North Star, and biggest of all (literally) the sit down deluxe Galaxy Force II! So come on over to Galloping Ghost Arcade all week long for dozens of classic SEGA arcade games and more.

Note: Astro Blaster has been pulled due to technical issues, but will be replaced with another game soon.

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Meet Sonic & Knuckles Rock the Rock champion Chris Tang at Galloping Ghost Arcade’s SEGA Week

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SEGA Week at Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, IL runs from April 25th to the 30th, and we’re excited to announce a special guest who will be in attendance all week long: Sonic & Knuckles Rock the Rock finalist and champ Chris Tang! Back in 1994, SEGA of America held an insane Sonic & Knuckles event on Alcatraz Island dubbed “Rock the Rock”, featuring TV coverage by MTV and co-hosting duties by Daisy Fuentes. Sounds crazy, right? Well that’s the 90s for you. Chris Tang’s other accomplishments include the 1990 Nintendo World Championships grand finals and in later years becoming a creator in the game industry, contributing to franchises that include Street Fighter, Transformers, Marvel vs. Capcom and Power Stone.

If you live in the area, or have never visited Chicago, head on over to the Galloping Ghost Arcade! On April 30th join us for SEGAbits Saturday, which will highlight the many SEGA games celebrating anniversaries as well as the arcade originals of the SEGA 3D Classics titles – SEGA 3D Classics Collection releases that same week to the Nintendo 3DS. We also plan to feature special tournaments with prizes . There will also be surprise reveals of classic SEGA arcade machines, playable for the first time at the arcade, and Chris Tang will be there.

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Join us for SEGA Week at Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, IL, April 25th to 30th

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SEGAbits is excited and honored to reveal that we’ll be collaborating with Galloping Ghost Arcade, America’s largest arcade, for SEGA Week from Monday, April 25th to Saturday, April 30th at midnight. Galloping Ghost Arcade is located just outside Chicago in Brookfield, IL, and features over 500 classic and modern arcade machines, and several of them are made by SEGA. SEGA Week’s main focus will be tournaments covering 10 SEGA arcade titles, of which will remain a mystery until the day of the tournament. Still, if you want an idea of what to expect, the arcade has SEGA titles which include OutRun, Space Harrier, Thunder Blade, Monkey Ball, Crazy Taxi, Zaxxon, SegaSonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Championship, Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker, Golden Axe, Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder and several more.

On April 30th join us for SEGAbits Saturday, which will highlight the many SEGA games celebrating anniversaries as well as the arcade originals of the SEGA 3D Classics titles – SEGA 3D Classics Collection releases that same week to the Nintendo 3DS. We also plan to feature special tournaments with prizes courtesy of SEGA and Archie Comics. There will also be surprise reveals of classic SEGA arcade machines, playable for the first time at the arcade, and you might even encounter a special guest or two.

More details to be shared as SEGA Week draws near, but make sure to mark both the week and SEGAbits Saturday on your calendar now as it is an event that is not to be missed! For details on the arcade and more, visit the Galloping Ghost website and the SEGA Week event page on Facebook.

After the break, check out some photos of the arcade, just to get a sense of the size and selection of games. It’s huge.

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