The Sweet Thud of Success - Target Toss Pro: Bags Transforms 'Cornhole' Phenomenon Into Hit Arcade Game

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., June 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Call it "cornhole," "corn toss," or "bags." Whatever you call it, the grassroots game of beanbag toss, now a prerequisite at barbeques and tailgating events, is hotter than a bratwurst blistering on a grill.

And it's about to get even hotter, because Incredible Technologies -- creator of Golden Tee Golf, the most popular coin-operated video game in history -- just launched an ingenious arcade version of the backyard phenomenon.

Since unveiling Target Toss Pro: Bags (http://www.targettosspro.com/) at the Las Vegas Nightclub & Bar Show in February, Incredible Technologies can't produce the game consoles fast enough.

Like beanbag toss, the object of Bags is simple: toss a beanbag into the hole of a platform, or box. If you "put it in the basement," as the players say, you get three points. Land the beanbag on the box, and you get one point. Of course with Bags, the beanbags and box are virtual.

Since originating in the Midwest in the 1980s, beanbag toss has become a staple at outdoor social events coast-to-coast. In Chicago, Incredible Technologies' home turf, it's called "bags." In Cincinnati, it's "cornhole." (The original beanbags were filled with corn kernels. In fact, some still are.) The outdoor game is so popular, leagues and tournaments are springing up nationwide.

True to form, Incredible Technologies meticulously recreated the beanbag toss sensory experience -- from the feel of the trackball controller, which emulates the backward/forward motion of tossing a beanbag, to the sound of the bag landing-thud! -- on a heavy wooden platform. Even the three random game backdrops (a football stadium, a park and a beach) are authentically detailed.

Because bags aficionados pride themselves on their unique tossing style, Bags gives players a choice of three shots: the flop (which sticks where it lands), the slide (which skims along the box surface), and the bounce (which jumps after landing-ideal for hopping over your opponent's "blockers").

However, Incredible Technologies upped the ante by adding some unique features of its own. In addition to one and three pointers, Bags players can score five points for a virtual "swish" (a perfect shot). And they can turn up the heat with side-action features like Vegas Bags (which awards a playing card for each ringer, allowing competitors to play a hand of poker, too) and Call the Shot (which pauses the bag mid-flight, so players can guess if they're going to score or not).

"The idea of embedding 'games within a game' is to ratchet up the excitement and competitive spirit," says Ralph Melgosa, project manager. "We want players to really get their money's worth."

Speaking of which, the cost is only $1 for a six-inning game, whether playing alone or competitively.

And competitors need never reach for a pencil and paper to keep track of tournament play. Bags is the first video arcade game in history that allows players to organize and track their own tournaments onscreen, creating four, eight, and even 16-player brackets simply by pressing a button.

"The fantasy element of all our games -- Golden Tee Golf, Silver Strike Bowling and now Bags -- is that we enable players to score better than they do on real-life playing fields, whether it's a golf course, bowling alley, or bags court," says Melgosa.

"Incredible Technologies is at it again," says Steve White, editor of industry trade mag, RePlay Magazine. "Golden Tee has become as much a part of the bar scene as pool tables, jukeboxes, and darts. Then they released Silver Strike Bowling, which on occasion surpasses Golden Tee on our monthly charts. Now with Bags, they're going for three in a row. They're always coming up with new surprises, which is the essence of entertainment."

No matter how you say it, with Bags, Incredible Technologies has once again put it in the basement ... scored a ringer ... and made a perfect swish!