If you’re a fan of classic video games, then you may remember an early 80’s gem called Tempest. This classic Atari shooter had you running along the edge of many types of grids, shooting at enemies coming up from the center while occasionally using a Superzapper to clear everything out of the way.
New Wave Toys, the same team that brought us the mini Centipede arcade game we enjoyed so much last year, is also a big fan of Tempest, and decided to miniaturize it for everyone to take with them wherever they go- and you can get it now!
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The company has begun shipping the Tempest Replicade, which is available now for the reasonable price of $119.99. This is a mini recreation of the arcade game, right down to the tiny spinny dial controller, the active buttons, and the light-up display on the coin slot.
The machine stands 12″ tall (like the Centipede game and features construction materials similar to the original arcade game, as well as fully playable controls and the official game ROM, licensed straight from Atari.
As far as accuracy goes, “every detail in these amazing works of arcade art has been painstakingly reproduced, including the wooden cabinet in perfect profile, control panel with reproduced PlayScale controls, illuminated marquee and cabinet accents, diecast metal coin door with a secret stashbox, and professionally reproduced cabinet artwork,” the company noted in its press release about the game.
Based on what we’ve seen with our hands-on of a model of the game, it’s fantastic. Sure, the “spinny” controls take a little bit of getting used to, but they’re still very cool. And it’s a great deal for the price, and perfect for your game room- you won’t even have to move that much stuff around.
You can get your hands on the Tempest Replicade here; and if you’re looking for even more mini-arcade fun, make sure you check out the company’s forthcoming Street Fighter II machine, which will make its debut sometime this year. You can read more details about it here.
Are you excited to own a mini-version of the classic Tempest arcade game? Let me know on Twitter at @TheDCD!
