The announcement about the partnership between AtGames and Zen Studios came out of the blue, so here we are reacting to it!
Yep, Zen has moved on from Arcade 1Up and instead has partnered with AtGames for their upcoming 4K pinball cabinet.
We’ve got plenty of questions and only a few answers.
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Show notes
Chris gets to play an Arcade 1Up Star Wars Machine
The Arcade 1Up Star Wars machine was found to be smaller than expected, which initially surprised Chris. However, the size didn’t significantly affect the gameplay experience after you start playing it for a bit. While the haptics and 720p graphics weren’t outstanding, the flipper lag was minimal, making it a decent gaming experience. But not for the price that has stayed the same since its release.
05:40 - Hardware Specifications of the AtGames Legends Pinball 4K
The AtGames Legends Pinball 4K has a 32-inch 4K playfield, a 23.8-inch HD back glass display, and an 8-inch HD DMD.
It features built-in solenoids and speakers for haptics, 3.5-inch audio speakers, and a refreshed user interface.
Additionally, it supports optional accessories such as an arcade control panel and a surround sound feedback kit.
The cabinet is designed to provide an authentic pinball experience. It includes integration options with PC so you can play Pinball FX through what AtGames calls USB On The Go (OTG).
11:00 Concerns About the Rockchip 3588 System-on-a-Chip
One major concern raised by Jared was the use of the Rockchip 3588 system-on-a-chip in the AtGames Legends Pinball 4K. While the chip has multi-monitor capabilities, Jared thought it could struggle to handle demanding games like 'The Addams Family' at 4K resolutions.
The absence of a dedicated GPU raises questions about potential graphical sacrifices for the embedded tables. The placement of the control panel at the top of the screen is also a concern, although it might be subject to change.
16:00 Price and Editions
The pricing for The Addams Family Pinball cabinet is $1,500 at full MSRP. It can be pre-ordered for as low as $1,100 during a very limited and specific period.
This version of the cabinet will be unlimited in number.
Additionally, Zen plans to release 15 other Collector’s Editions of the cabinet, limited to 5000 units, with custom toppers.
All AtGames products are only available in the United States. There are no distribution partners outside the US for Europe or Asia-Pacific. So, if you want one and don’t live in the US, expect hefty import fees and no warranty.
21:49 - Game Titles and Compatibility
The cabinet includes The Addams Family and 14 other titles, most of which are Zacharia Deluxe tables.
Notably, if you already own Legends pinball tables on the HD platform, they do not transfer to the Legends 4K platform.
The option of buying additional Zen Pinball FX tables on this cabinet was unclear at the recording time.
27:46 Haptic Feedback through the PC
Haptic feedback through the PC is essential for an immersive pinball experience, and the cabinet must provide this feature to justify the price.
Connecting the cabinet to a PC should be seamless, ideally with a one-click cabinet mode in Pinball FX to fully utilize its capabilities.
32:30 - Subscription Service
AtGames offers a subscription service to 160 games for $15 a month. It also seems as though you need the subscription service to access online leaderboards and special exclusive tournaments.
40:35 - Zen Pinball Cabinet Discussion
We’re excited about the AtGames Legends 4K Pinball Cabinet with its features and integration options. We’re very excited about the possibility of connecting a PC to enhance gameplay. But is the price right if you don’t get in on the pre-order?
Now that Zen has a hardware partner, Chris and I both feel that there should be renewed interest and development investment in more cabinet options from Zen Studios.
Footnote: Wagner’s Tech Talk Deep Dive
Thanks to Wagner’s Tech Talk site for their deep-dive into an AtGames Legends 4K Pinball engineering sample they received.
It is really worth checking out at Wagner’s Tech Talk page about the AtGames Legends Pinball 4K EVT (Engineering Sample) because it offers a comprehensive review of the product. One of the videos even conducts an experiment measuring round-trip lag times with buttons.
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