# The Ice Cold Beer Classic Arcade Remake Is Here!

**Source:** Knapp Arcade  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2022-12-02  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.knapparcade.org/the-ice-cold-beer-classic-arcade-remake-is-here

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## Analysis

Retro Arcade Remake has announced the imminent production of a faithful remake of Taito's 1983 arcade classic Ice Cold Beer, with full production beginning January 2023 at an MSRP of $5,499. The remake features modernized internals (stepper motors, new boards, additional sensors) while maintaining the original's distinctive two-joystick mechanical gameplay. The company also plans a family-friendly Zeke's Peak remake and is in discussions with Atari about remaking Warlords.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Full production of Ice Cold Beer remake will begin January 2023 — _Company's relaunched website announcement; explicitly stated timeline_
- [HIGH] Ice Cold Beer remake MSRP is $5,499 — _Directly stated pricing from company_
- [HIGH] Remake uses new boards and stepper motors instead of belt drives — _Technical specifications provided by Retro Arcade Remake_
- [HIGH] Zeke's Peak (1984) family-friendly version planned for future launch — _Explicitly stated in company announcements_
- [MEDIUM] Retro Arcade Remake in discussions with Atari about remaking Warlords cocktail game — _Referenced as ongoing discussions; not yet confirmed for production_

### Notable Quotes

> "The new games also have additional sensors on holes to enable potential new versions of the game to be programmed in the future."
> — **Knapp Arcade (reporting on Retro Arcade Remake specifications)**
> _Indicates forward-compatibility and extensibility of the remake platform_

> "As the prices for classic arcade machines continue to rise, newer remakes of these iconic machines become more economically viable, at least in terms of the fact that the price for a brand new remake is somewhat close to an original."
> — **Knapp Arcade (editorial commentary)**
> _Contextualizes market conditions driving arcade machine remakes_

> "The game is played using two joysticks to control a horizontal bar that balances a metal ball."
> — **Knapp Arcade**
> _Core gameplay mechanic explanation of Ice Cold Beer_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Retro Arcade Remake | company | Arcade machine remake manufacturer producing Ice Cold Beer and planning Zeke's Peak and Warlords remakes |
| Ice Cold Beer | product | 1983 Taito arcade game being remade by Retro Arcade Remake; two-joystick mechanical arcade game with ball balancing mechanic |
| Zeke's Peak | product | 1984 arcade game; family-friendly version planned for future remake by Retro Arcade Remake |
| Warlords | product | Atari cocktail arcade game; Retro Arcade Remake in discussions with Atari about potential remake |
| Taito | company | Original manufacturer/designer of Ice Cold Beer (1983) |
| Atari | company | Original manufacturer of Warlords; in discussions with Retro Arcade Remake about remake rights |
| Knapp Arcade | organization | Arcade enthusiast website/publication covering arcade machine news and remakes |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Arcade machine remakes and reproduction, Mechanical arcade game design and modernization
- **Secondary:** Arcade game pricing and market economics, Licensing and IP partnerships with original manufacturers, Retro gaming and classic arcade preservation

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.82) — Author expresses enthusiasm for the remake ('much anticipated,' 'I've always liked this'), positive framing of technical improvements, optimistic about market viability and future projects. No criticism or concerns raised.

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Market conditions making arcade machine remakes economically viable as original prices increase (confidence: medium) — Author commentary: 'As the prices for classic arcade machines continue to rise, newer remakes of these iconic machines become more economically viable'
- **[licensing_signal]** Retro Arcade Remake in discussions with Atari regarding Warlords cocktail game remake license (confidence: medium) — Referenced as ongoing discussions; 'Regular readers of this website will recall that Retro Arcade Remake has been in discussions with Atari'
- **[announcement]** Official announcement of Ice Cold Beer arcade remake with production timeline and pricing (confidence: high) — Retro Arcade Remake website announcement stating production begins January 2023; MSRP $5,499
- **[product_strategy]** Future plans include Zeke's Peak family-friendly version and competition play mode as upgrade (confidence: high) — Explicitly stated: 'planning on launching the 1984 more family-friendly Zeke's Peak version' and 'plans to add competition play to the game as a future upgrade'
- **[technology_signal]** Modernization of arcade machine internals: new boards, stepper motors replacing belt drives, additional sensors for future programming (confidence: high) — Detailed technical specifications provided: 'redesigned boards and screw drives with powerful stepper motors instead of belt drives' and 'additional sensors on holes'

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## Transcript

The much anticipated remake of Taito's 1983 sought after classic arcade game, Ice Cold Beer, is here (almost). The company's recently relaunched website says that it's here, but full production of the game won't begin until January 2023.

This is a project that I've had my eye on for a while now. I've always liked this vertical pinball-esque game. The Ice Cold Beer version of the machine will be available soon and the company, Retro Arcade Remake, is planning on launching the 1984 more family-friendly Zeke's Peak version of the game in the future.

Both machines look virtually identical to the originals and feature identical leaf switch joysticks, but they use new, redesigned boards and screw drives with powerful stepper motors instead of belt drives. The new games also have additional sensors on holes to enable potential new versions of the game to be programmed in the future. The company also plans to add competition play to the game as a future upgrade as well.

The MSRP of the new Ice Cold Beer machines is $5,499. Retro Arcade Remake is going to sell them through a number of existing arcade machine distributors.

Regular readers of this website will recall that Retro Arcade Remake has been in discussions with Atari about potentially remaking the highly sought after Warlords cocktail game. I hope that project comes to fruition as well. As the prices for classic arcade machines continue to rise, newer remakes of these iconic machines become more economically viable, at least in terms of the fact that the price for a brand new remake is somewhat close to an original.

The Ice Cold Beer arcade game is a cult classic. The game is played using two joysticks to control a horizontal bar that balances a metal ball. The objective is to maneuver the ball carefully up a playfield full of holes, with the goal to deposit the ball into the lit hole. If the player is successful, the bar returns to the bottom to reset. Each round, the game gets increasingly difficult, as the lit hole gets higher and higher up the playfield. If the ball deposits into an unlit hole, the game is over.

Anyone who is interested in finding out more information about the ICB remake or ordering one can do so by clicking on the link below:

https://retroarcaderemake.com/

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: af2760f0-5670-4ec2-9986-a5ac77e8f3c3*