ARCADE WATCH

Outnumbered LAI Games In the golden era of arcades, nailing a high score was enough to keep players coming back. Now, has an app for that. For its new lightgun shooter, LAI Games has developed Weapon Forge, which tracks the player’s score and unlocks rewards – items and mods with which to craft and customise guns. It’s an on-rails Midway-style carnival shooter with three themed levels: High Noon, Quarantine Zone and Deep Space. So far, so nostalgic. But away from the cabinet, the app comes into its own. It’s similar to a redemption game, but instead of spitting tickets at you, it gives you loadout options for the weapon’s sight, body and ammo. Ammo dictates bullet trails and destruction effects. Some ammo effects, while providing no real technical edge, make weapons feel more powerful, and it’s fun to try out your Forge creations and experiment with loadouts. It’s a smart twist that could breathe life back into the scene once arcades reopen. The app also monitors global leaderboards and averages, so you can make your mark – with more than just three letters, too.