Sega to begin beta test on card-based arcade game

Sega has announced that it will begin beta-testing its upcoming card-based arcade game, The Key of Avalon, in Japan. The Key of Avalon is an arcade card game that up to four people can play simultaneously. Players must first purchase a starter deck pack, consisting of cards to be used in the actual game, and a memory card for saving the game's progress. After inserting coins, the player must insert a deck of 30 cards into the machine. The game is played with a touch panel instead of control buttons, and the player must go through a board game to find the keys of Avalon that are required to pass through checkpoints in the game. Moving around the board, as well as battling against enemies who possess the keys, requires the use of cards.

There are three types of cards: monster cards, which are used for moving around the board and summoning monsters for battles; magic cards, which assist the player and obstruct other players; and battle support cards, which strengthen the monsters during battles. Players have a limited amount of life, which decreases at the end of each turn, but they can increase life points by passing through checkpoints or winning battles. The game will end once the life meter goes down to zero. After the player ends the game, the machine will dispense a number of new cards according to the number of encounters and continues.

The Key of Avalon is scheduled for beta testing starting May 3 at the GIGO arcade, located in Shibuya, Tokyo.