Arcade game snaps arms, conquers world

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 22nd August 2007
Comments (19) Stumble
The arcade game Arm Spirit has left three gamers with broken arms in Japan.

The arcade game Arm Spirit has left three gamers with broken arms in Japan.

Robots will eventually rise up and take over the world - this much we are resigned too and completely understand, but one thing we can't quite get our heads around is how the inevitable uprising of our soon-to-be robotic overlords has apparently started in Japanese arcades.

Still, that's what appears to be happening as Japanese arm-wrestling game, Arm Spirit, is now being recalled from arcades after the game literally crushed it's opponents.

The game, which is distributed by Atlus, is like a literal one-armed bandit. It has a lifesize plastic arm emerging from the front, which players then grip and wrestle with in the usual way, all the while being taunted by on-screen prompts and cues. The difficulty of the game is supposed to be quite low at first but recently the machines have started (evolved?) to show inhuman strength and cruelty - snapping the arms of their meatbag opposition.

Three would-be challengers were reportedly left with broken limbs after going up against The Machine and now Atlus has decided to recall all 150 devices as a precautionary measure.

"The machine isn't that strong, much less so than a muscular man. Even women should be able to beat it," said Atlus spokeswoman Ayano Sakiyama to Newsday.com.

"We think that maybe some players get overexcited and twist their arms in an unnatural way," she said.

Atlus is now investigating into the issue and trying to find the cause of the malfunction. Our advice though is just to let the machines slowly crush all who oppose them - their takeover is inevitable and the sooner the Machines take charge then the sooner we can all have beautiful robotic girlfriends.

Stop looking at me like that, you know you'd like it too.

What's your worst computer injury or hardware disaster? Let us know in the forums.
Quote fwalm 22nd August 2007, 09:58
That sounds nasty bought how stupid is it them saying they must have twisted there arms wrong, the super strength robots will kill us all.
Quote Woodstock 22nd August 2007, 10:04
Joe you are very unique, and very disturbing at times
Quote Shadow_101 22nd August 2007, 10:09
ha. i love the totaly non sexist statement from the Atlus Spokeswoman
Quote riggs 22nd August 2007, 10:13
Hehe, brilliant!

Didn't there used to be an arm wrestling arcade game years ago? We're talking late 80's...

I wonder if anyone ever broke their fingers/wrist playing Sonic Blast Man?
Quote Bauul 22nd August 2007, 10:32
Quote:
Originally Posted by riggs
Hehe, brilliant!

Didn't there used to be an arm wrestling arcade game years ago? We're talking late 80's...

I wonder if anyone ever broke their fingers/wrist playing Sonic Blast Man?

Yeah, I've seen arm wrestling games in arcades for years. Maybe they've accidentally released a Seth Brundle limited edition version?

(prize for getting the pop culture reference)
Quote bilbothebaggins 22nd August 2007, 10:34
I'm just wondering ... why would the beautiful robot gals go out with us meatbags and not just get a handsome robot guy?
Quote riggs 22nd August 2007, 10:41
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bauul
Maybe they've accidentally released a Seth Brundle limited edition version?
lollerchops!
That scene still makes me cringe, what with the bone sticking out through the guys arm!

*shudder*
Quote g3n3tiX 22nd August 2007, 10:46
I, for one, welcome our arm-wrestling-crunching-taunting robots overlords.
Quote Hugo.B 22nd August 2007, 10:59
The worst struggle I have with a machine is with my CD-drive...and though it doesn't get to arm-breaking proportions, it still makes you feel that they're taking over.
Quote mikeuk2004 22nd August 2007, 11:43
The three that broke their arms were just not strong enough :) Whimps lol
Quote DXR_13KE 22nd August 2007, 11:52
they need milk...... "got milk?"
Quote Tulatin 22nd August 2007, 13:00
I'm not sure who made it, but there's an arcade machine EXACTLY like those in downtown toronto; you have a bunch of AIs that you "wrestle", and basically, by strength alone, you can win. For a game made in the early 90's, it's pretty clever to crank up the force when you try to cheat (two hand bandit). It's been there for YEARS, though, so i doubt any snaps've come of it.
Quote DXR_13KE 22nd August 2007, 13:12
paint.net to the rescue!!!!

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/7269/untitledxo2.jpg

my first crappy try at the program.....
Quote kenco_uk 22nd August 2007, 13:38
As long as the robots weren't updated by Microsoft - there'd be no telling what new bug fixes/patches would be capable of. One moment you're busy er.. exploring hidden depths and the next everything you own has been auctioned off on ebay and dumped into a dozen bank accounts.

btw, first line - "are resigned too and" - wants an 'o' taking off.
Quote Redbeaver 22nd August 2007, 15:33
myworst experience with a mechanical toy is that the punch-arcade. no, not the sonic one, the one where u can take a picture of ur face or somebody else, and the harder u hit, the more skewed the face gonna be, and it tells u how hard, in points, u hit the bag.
once i hit it so hard incorretly that i torn a muscle.

since then i never play that game again. whoever has a ripped muscle incident knows why.
Quote mattthegamer463 22nd August 2007, 18:19
I'm sure these machines will find new light after the revolution as slave-whipping machines.
Quote completemadness 22nd August 2007, 21:24
Quote:
Originally Posted by riggs
lollerchops!
That scene still makes me cringe, what with the bone sticking out through the guys arm!
i was gonna comment on that scene :p and yes, its rather horrific :o
Quote 2JSC 22nd August 2007, 22:48
If the arm tries to push you down, thats the problem. If it only resists you trying to push its arm down there wouldn't be an issue.
Quote chrisb2e9 23rd August 2007, 04:46
It sounds like these people had bone issues. I knew a guy about 3 or 4 years ago who fell down a grassy hill about 5 feet, maybe a 30 degree angle, and broke his leg. It happened because he was a skateboarder and his leg had developed a hairline fracture. I would bet something similar is at work here.
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