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 Hialeah ( ; ) is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. With a population of 223,109 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the sixth-largest city in Florida. It is the second largest city by population in Miami-Da ...

, 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 game Electro-mechanical games (EM games) are types of arcade games that operate on a combination of some electronic circuitry and mechanical actions from the player to move items contained within the game's cabinet. Some of these were early light gu ...

s, 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

s 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 ''Pong'' is a 1972 sports video game developed and published by Atari for arcades. It is one of the earliest arcade video games; it was created by Allan Alcorn as a training exercise assigned to him by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell, but B ...

''-style game * ''Super Soccer'' (1973), a ''Pong''-style game, sold 5,000

arcade cabinet An arcade cabinet, also known as an arcade machine or a coin-op cabinet or coin-op machine, is the housing within which an arcade game's electronic hardware resides. Most cabinets designed since the mid-1980s conform to the Japanese Amusement Ma ...

s, 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 Exidy, Inc. was an American developer and manufacturer of coin-operated electro-mechanical and video games which operated from 1973 to 1999. They manufactured many notable titles including '' Death Race'' (1976), ''Circus'' (1978), '' Star Fire' ...

) * ''

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 was a Japanese video game developer and publisher headquartered in Kita, Osaka. In the past they had also manufactured and sold yachts. The main video game brand of the company was Nichibutsu (日物、ニチブツ), with adult video games ( ...

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 The vanguard (sometimes abbreviated to van and also called the advance guard) is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force. ...

'' (1981; developed by TOSE); licensor:

SNK is a Japanese video gaming and interactive entertainment company. It was founded in 1978 as by Eikichi Kawasaki and began by developing arcade games. SNK is known for its Neo Geo arcade system on which the company established many franchises ...

* ''Challenger'' (1981; developed in-house) * ''D-Day'' (1982; developed by Olympia) * '' Locomotion'' (1982; developed by

) * ''

Swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

'' (1982; developed by Tehkan) * ''

Time Pilot is a multidirectional shooter arcade video game designed by Yoshiki Okamoto and released by Konami in 1982. It was distributed in the United States by Centuri, and by Atari Ireland in Europe and the Middle East. While engaging in aerial comb ...

'' (1982; developed by

) * '' Tunnel Hunt'' (1982; developed by Atari, Inc.) * '' Aztarac'' (1983; developed in-house) * ''

Gyruss is shoot 'em up arcade video game designed by Yoshiki Okamoto and released by Konami in 1983. ''Gyruss'' was initially licensed to Centuri in the United States for dedicated machines, before Konami released their own self-distributed conversion ...

'' (1983; developed by

) * '' 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

) * '' Munch Mobile'' (1983; developed by

) * '' Circus Charlie'' (1984; developed by

) * '' Hyper Sports'' (1984; developed by

) * '' Mikie: High School Graffiti'' (1984; developed by

) * ''

Badlands Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded."Badlands" in '' Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 47. They are characterized by steep slopes, ...

'' (1984; developed by

)

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