Centuri, formerly known as Allied Leisure, was an American
arcade game
An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily game of skill, games of skill and in ...
manufacturer.
They were based in
Hialeah, Florida, and were one of the top six suppliers of coin-operated
arcade video game
An arcade video game is an arcade game that takes player input from its controls, processes it through electrical or computerized components, and displays output to an electronic monitor or similar display. All arcade video games are coin-oper ...
machinery in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
during the early 1980s. Centuri in its modern inception was formed when former
Taito America president Ed Miller and his partner Bill Olliges took over Allied Leisure, Inc. They renamed it "Centuri" in 1980. The company's vice president was Joel Hochberg from about 1976 to 1982, before he went on to work for
Rare.
Many of the
video game
A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
machines distributed in the US under the Centuri name were licensed from overseas manufacturers, particularly Japanese developers such as
Konami
, commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
. Allied Leisure previously also manufactured
pinball
Pinball games are a family of games in which a ball is propelled into a specially designed table where it bounces off various obstacles, scoring points either en route or when it comes to rest. Historically the board was studded with nails call ...
and
electro-mechanical games, which were developed in-house.
Centuri had a close relationship with Konami, which licensed the North American rights of their games to Centuri during the early 1980s. This led to Konami acquiring 5% of Centuri's stocks in 1983, with Konami founder
Kagemasa Kōzuki announcing he would become a director at Centuri. Centuri discontinued their video game operations in January 1985.
Games
Allied Leisure and Centuri published the following
arcade games
An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily games of skill and include arcade ...
in the United States:
Pinball
Pinball games are a family of games in which a ball is propelled into a specially designed table where it bounces off various obstacles, scoring points either en route or when it comes to rest. Historically the board was studded with nails call ...
and
electro-mechanical games released as Allied Leisure (1969–1979)
* ''Monkey Bizz'' (1969)
* ''Unscramble'' (1969)
* ''Wild Cycle'' (1970)
* ''Sea Hunt'' (1972)
* ''Spooksville'' (1972)
* ''Crack Shot'' (1972)
* ''Monte Carlo'' (1973)
* ''Chopper'' (1974)
* ''Super Shifter'' (1974)
* ''F-114'' (1975)
* ''Dyn O' Mite'' (1975;
solid-state pinball machine)
* ''Daytona 500'' (1976)
* ''Take Five'' (1978;
cocktail
A cocktail is a mixed drink, usually alcoholic beverage, alcoholic. Most commonly, a cocktail is a combination of one or more liquor, spirits mixed with other ingredients, such as juices, flavored syrups, tonic water, Shrub (drink), shrubs, and ...
pinball)
* ''Clay Champ'' (1979; licensed from
Namco
was a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company founded in 1955. It operated video arcades and amusement parks globally, and produced video games, films, toys, and arcade cabinets. Namco was one of the most influential c ...
)
* ''Star Shooter'' (1979; cocktail pinball)
* ''Hearts Spades'' (Year unknown; cocktail pinball)
Arcade video game
An arcade video game is an arcade game that takes player input from its controls, processes it through electrical or computerized components, and displays output to an electronic monitor or similar display. All arcade video games are coin-oper ...
s released as Allied Leisure (1973–1979)
* ''Paddle Battle'' (1973), a ''
Pong''-style game
* ''Super Soccer'' (1973), a ''Pong''-style game, sold 5,000
arcade cabinets, among top 5 best-selling
arcade video games of 1973.
* ''Tennis Tourney'' (1973), ''Pong''-style game, sold 5,000 cabinets, among top 5 best-selling arcade video games of 1973.
* ''Fire Power'' (1975)
* ''Bomac'' (1976)
* ''Chase'' (1976)
* ''Battle Station'' (1977)
* ''Battlestar'' (1979; unreleased?)
* ''Lunar Invasion'' (1979; unreleased?)
* ''Space Bug'' (1979; unreleased?)
* ''Clay Shoot'' (1979; video game version of ''Clay Champ'')
Arcade video games released as Centuri (1980–1984)
* ''
Rip-Off'' (1980; color cocktail version licensed from
Cinematronics
Cinematronics Incorporated was an arcade game video game developer, developer that primarily released vector graphics games in the late 1970s and early 1980s. While other companies released games based on raster graphics, raster displays, early ...
)
* ''Targ'' (1980; cocktail version licensed from
Exidy)
* ''
Eagle
Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...
'' (1980; developed by
Nichibutsu as ''
Moon Cresta)''
* ''Killer Comet'' (1980; developed in-house; licensed to
Game Plan)
* ''Megatack'' (1980; developed in-house; licensed to
Game Plan)
* ''
Phoenix'' (1980; developed by a "smaller Japanese developer"
such as Hiraoka or TPN);
licensors: Hiraoka
and Amstar Electronics
* ''
Route 16'' (1981; developed by
Sun Electronics); licensor:
Tehkan
* ''
Pleiades
The Pleiades (), also known as Seven Sisters and Messier 45 (M45), is an Asterism (astronomy), asterism of an open cluster, open star cluster containing young Stellar classification#Class B, B-type stars in the northwest of the constellation Tau ...
'' (1981; developed by
Tehkan)
* ''
Round-Up'' (1981; developed by
Taito
is a Japanese company that specializes in video games, Toy, toys, arcade cabinets, and game centers, based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The company was founded by Michael Kogan in 1953 as the importing vodka, Vending machine, vending machines, and Juk ...
and Hiraoka); licensor: Hiraoka & Co.
* ''
The Pit'' (1981; developed by AW Electronics); licensor: Zilec
* ''
Vanguard'' (1981; developed by
TOSE); licensor:
SNK
* ''Challenger'' (1981; developed in-house)
* ''D-Day'' (1982; developed by Olympia)
* ''
Locomotion'' (1982; developed by
Konami
, commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
)
* ''
Swimmer'' (1982; developed by
Tehkan)
* ''
Time Pilot'' (1982; developed by
Konami
, commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
)
* ''
Tunnel Hunt'' (1982; developed by
Atari, Inc.)
* ''
Aztarac'' (1983; developed in-house)
* ''
Gyruss'' (1983; developed by
Konami
, commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
)
* ''
Guzzler'' (1983; developed by
Tehkan)
* ''
Track & Field
Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and ...
'' (1983; developed by
Konami
, commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
)
* ''
Munch Mobile'' (1983; developed by
SNK)
* ''
Circus Charlie'' (1984; developed by
Konami
, commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
)
* ''
Hyper Sports'' (1984; developed by
Konami
, commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
)
* ''
Mikie: High School Graffiti'' (1984; developed by
Konami
, commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
)
* ''
Badlands'' (1984; developed by
Konami
, commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
)
References
* {{note, nytimes}
"Financial Desk: Company Briefs", ''The New York Times'', January 17, 1985.(subscription required). "Centuri Inc., Hialeah, Fla., said it would discontinue operations of its video games division and close its National Interport Services Inc. boat repair facility in Hampton, Va., resulting in a $2.5 million charge against 1984 results."
External links
Killer List of Videogame's entry on Centuri
The Centuri Arcade Database
Defunct video game companies of the United States
Video game companies disestablished in 1985
Video game publishers
Defunct companies based in Florida
Companies based in Hialeah, Florida