Throw, Shoot, Score!
Quarterback Pro and Double Dribble a Ball of Fun from ICE
Innovative Concepts in Entertainment, which launched in 1982 with their iconic Chexx bubble hockey table, is no stranger to great sports games. Their two latest options, Quarterback Pro and Double Dribble, are certainly no exception.
Company sales representative Ryan Coppola said it’s been nearly 20 years since ICE came out with the football game 2 Minute Drill and they were due for another. (Ryan, it’s worth noting, was a kid in the 2000s, seeing games like that being built by his grandfather, the late Ralph Coppola, and father, Joe Coppola, who leads the company today.)
Quarterback Pro, the redemption game that’s available now in a single cabinet or a double cabinet with a mega marquee, takes the fun of their recent Dodgeball Ultimate Arena and brings it into a football theme.
“It’s all about hitting targets,” Coppola said of the game. “We had already gone through the process once with Dodgeball, so we had the mechanisms we used with the Dodgeball targets.”
He explained that players must skillfully throw the footballs at six pop-out targets in 45 seconds, testing them on how many passing yards they had, how many touchdowns they threw and their overall accuracy. They’re judged at the end of the game with a QB rating, which calculates in ICE’s software the same way the NFL calculates it.
The footballs dispense to players on a built-in conveyer belt. Once players tally up 100 passing yards, they are awarded a touchdown. Additionally, the mega marquee features a leaderboard with the top five scores.
“This game has been in development for us well over a year,” Coppola said. “We tested it in around five different locations and the game with one single unit was earning quite well, so we knew it was a game we wanted to move forward with.” (The single unit measures 41” W x 120” L x 98” H, while the double unit with the mega marquee is 85” W x 120” L x 122” H.)
Like Quarterback Pro, their new 2-player kiddie basketball game Double Dribble is also shipping. Coppola noted, “We typically show games at Amusement Expo that are currently in production.” Lead times, he added, are between 3-4 weeks.
Of the process of bringing a game like Double Dribble to market, Coppola said the company built five prototypes and put them out on test for about two months. “If we’re happy and the customer’s happy, after 5-8 weeks, we decide it’s a game we want to move forward with and go into production.”
The development of Double Dribble began about 11 months ago when ICE’s international sales director Gene Brogowski brought the idea to the team. “We hadn’t seen too many 2-player kiddie basketball games on the market,” Coppola said.
Of the cabinet, he added, “It’s a more inviting game for little kids with the smaller footprint, and glass and lights. We wanted to make it feel brighter, too, which is why we chose the color white.”
While gameplay time is operator adjustable, competitive mode is set to 45 seconds. After that time, if the score is tied, there’s a 15-second bonus round. With the double unit, both have a play card swipe. It can also be used in single-player or a general multi-player mode.
Coppola added, “Double Dribble is a great piece for young kids looking to compete with each other or even for a parent to be able to play with their son or daughter. We are always driven to create games that will create lasting memories for the kids and families that play them, and this new game checks those boxes.” (Double Dribble measures at 59” W x 67” D x 75” H.)
Learn more about these games and ICE’s full lineup at www.icegame.com. You can also give the New York-based manufacturer a call at 716-759-0370.
