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Pizza, beer and scratchies: the latest comforts

Where's everyone spending their 'fun' dollar these days? The following article appeared in Sydney's Sun Herald newspaper on 8th March. Australians are escaping their economic worries with beer, fast food and lottery tickets. Brewers are posting record profits, while takeaway food and inexpensive forms of gambling are doing well despite the economic downturn. Commsec chief economist Craig James calls it the cocooning effect, where people are happy to spend on affordable pleasures such as a cheap meal, a six-pack of beer and a scratchie. "People are still spending on pizza and Chinese takeaway and packaged beer to have at home while watching their high-definition TVs," Mr James said. "In any economic cycle, there are winners and losers." Lion Nathan, brewers of Tooheys, Hahn and James Squire beers, posted a net sales growth of 7 per cent for the quarter ending December 31. "The market is robust and it doesn't look like at this stage ... it's been affected, but we need to remain vigilant," Lion Nathan corporate affairs director James Tait said. According to AC Nielsen, the Australian beer market grew by 2.3 per cent for the last quarter. Now what goes perfectly with pizza and beer?  Fun!  No one really likes to wallow in their doom and gloom, and a little escapism never did anybody any harm.  Invite your patrons to enjoy a couple of games at the Arcade Table, on the house: "Buy a Tooheys beer, get a game of Galaga on us!" Call me and we'll get an Arcade Table out to you within days.  We'll also provide you with tokens at no extra charge, to promote however you like.  Bottle shop owners!!  Get an edge over other shops in your area and make yours the place to be!  Any customer stopping by for their carton of beer will be hard pressed to resist playing a few games in store.  Watch the coins pile up!

What are you doing this weekend?

How’s your social life looking?  Is talk of the recession draining your ability to have fun? For many families, talk of an impending recession means tightening the belt and forgoing fun.  But for some families, it means approaching their social life differently.  News reports are saying that less money is being spent in high end restaurants and more in food courts and fast food joints.  Instead of paying to go to the movies – well that was always more expensive than it needed to be – they’re renting DVD’s and staying home. For us, it’s meant that more families are purchasing Arcade Tables for home use than ever before! 

Here’s why:

1. It’s an investment in long-term fun.  Buy it now, enjoy it for years and years, recession or not.
2. The quality construction and good looks ensure it holds its value.  That doesn’t happen with cheap, decal-covered, poorly constructed units.  Even our second hand units go for around $2,000!
3. Keeping kids at home where they’re out of mischief and spending no money is a challenge.  But they love inviting friends around for a few games on the Arcade Table.  Add a couple of bags of chips or some homemade treats and everyone’s happy!
4. Whatever the weather, the Arcade Table is ready to play!  Too hot outside?  Too cold?  Too wet?  No problem!
5. It’s fantastic family entertainment!  I don’t know about you but I can’t get excited about my sons’ modern gaming consoles.  But give me a shot at Space Invaders and I can spend hours!  It’s the only time I beat them at games.
6. No matter the age, it’s safe and innocent fun.  No shoot ‘em up games,  no car theft games, no blood and guts games.  Just real fun!

Anyway, now’s the time to order your family an Arcade Table.  We’ve reduced our regular pricing of $3,300 to $2,980 for a limited time, and we offer payment plans too!  We can have a brand new, 60-game Arcade Table out to you this week!  So, what are you doing this weekend?

Testimonial: Troy Stone

Bringing back the good old days of gaming! "Hi Gina Thanks very much. Very happy with the machine. My wife and I are spending hours recreating our misspent youth at the local fish and chip shop. At least this way we don’t have to part with 20 cents each time. Thanks again!" Troy Stone Buddina, Qld

Testimonial: Matt Johnson Design

The feedback we're receiving from interior design companies is that our gorgeous, stylish Asobu Arcade Table is the ants' pants and the icing on the cake as far as their clients are concerned.  When looking for an entertainment option to add to their media room, the old pool table is taking a bit of a back seat to techno-wizardry.  We're happy to say that the design of our tables sits well with a wide range of decors.  The absence of tacky decals and the stainless steel accents of our product mean that it can be accommodated in stylish interiors as a conversation piece and an item of furniture in its own right.  The last thing you want to have to do is tuck away your games table because it's ugly, right? Matt Johnson of Matt Johnson Design in Sydney agrees wholeheartedly: “We were searching for a fun, retro games console. The Arcade Table met the client brief and more... with modern technology and up-to-date custom finishes. It’s not just the typical pool table and it fits into smaller spaces like lofts and apartments.”
   
Bespoke Residential Interiors Matt Johnson, Matt Johnson Design, Sydney http://www.mattjohnson.com.au/ t: 02 9698 4556

Testimonial: Sam Scott-Young

What does an elite sportsman do when he retires from his game?  How does he continue to thrive in the 'real world'?  Well for Sam Scott-Young, former Wallabies player who helped demolish the All Blacks in the 1991 Bledisloe Cup, the keys to maintaining that competitive edge are business, and fun!  To pay the bills, Sam is Managing Director of his own business, www.orthotechgroup.com, a Brisbane-based company specialising in top quality orthopaedic and spinal products.  But to keep his adrenalin in top gear, an Arcade Table takes pride of place in the Scott-Young home, where the family enjoy challenging friends to enthusiastic rounds of 1980's games classics.  Sam had this to say: "Now that I'm a retired Wallaby, I manage my natural competitive streak with regular Galaga challenges at home!" Taking the No. 64 spot on "The 101 Toughest Aussie Sports Stars of our Time" list compiled by Alpha Magazine, we reckon Sam Scott-Young must be a force to be reckoned with at the Arcade Table too!

Testimonial: Glenden Town Club

The Glenden Town Club is often considered the centre of the town and is 'the' place to hang out.  Parents often bring their children to the town club and everyone enjoys an atmosphere of family dining and entertainment.  Roger Decker, the club's Manager, purchased two Arcade Tables in July 08 and has been thrilled with their performance: "THEY KEEP THE CHILDREN AMUSED, then mum and dad can relax. Also the machines will have paid for themselves within 24 months. My customers believe that they are good value for money, (we can set the number of credits per $) and the older retro games appeal to a broad cross section of the community." For Glenden Town Club, offering a range of entertainment options - including live entertainment - means they can appeal to everyone in town.  There's something to please all!

Colour customise for your decor

Black not your thing?  Craving that old wood grain look from the 80's?  Can do!  We are now able to offer you a choice of over 50 custom colours for the cabinetry of your Arcade Table for just $100 extra! The standard Arcade Table (if you can call it 'standard') is black with the stainless steel consoles and 'wings'.  But you can go albino by choosing Polar White or authentic 80's by choosing Wenge.  How about Olympia Blue, that gorgeous primary colour that will rock your media room like nothing else can.  Is your personality wayyy extroverted?  How about a stunning Olympia Red table? View our colour chart here. Ordinarily, to customise a quality electronics product, you could expect to pay hundreds of dollars extra, but we are happy to offer this option for just $100 because we believe you have every right to personalise your entertainment equipment. Now, if only Sony or Panasonic would give you such flexibility!

It's Game On at the Queensland State Library!

Don't miss your opportunity to see the Arcade Tables in action at the thrilling Game On exhibition this weekend at the Queensland State Library! About the "Game On" exhibition Play your way through the history of videogames at the international blockbuster exhibition Game On. This action-packed celebration of videogames culture has thrilled more than one million players of all ages around the world. This summer it’s here at the State Library of Queensland from 17 November 2008 – 15 February 2009. On Saturday 22nd November, you'll have the opportunity to play one of two Arcade Tables that will be onsite at the party.  That is, if you don't mind waiting your turn? It's going to be a spectacular event, with over 100 consoles available for free play.  Take the kids, take the neighbours, but don't miss out!

about us

Though we are based in sunny Brisbane, Australia, we love to send our totally cool Arcade Tables all over the world.  Just as Space Invaders represents the quest for universal domination, so too do we aim to dominate the arcade gaming market by infiltrating it and applying subliminal coercion to play those irresistible classics that we are reviving.

memories of the old fish n chip shop

Hi Gina Thanks very much. Very happy with the machine. My wife and I are spending hours recreating our misspent youth at the local fish and chip shop. At least this way we don’t have to part with 20 cents each time. Thanks again! Troy Stone Buddina, Qld