Page 69 - BCM May 2024

ATTRACTIONS INSIDER

Games to Watch in the Wake of AEI

First impressions are good. By Bowl Expo, the data should be in.

musement Expo International 2024 was noticeably larg- football game by Baytek is impressively large at 13.5 feet
Aer and more crowded than in years past. AEI provides tall, and provides a simple but fun football toss experience.
an opportunity to get updated numbers on new games (some Baytek showed a smaller version, similar in size to “Down the
introduced at the IAAPA Expo in November but not yet ready Clown,” that will be an option for locations without the space
to ship), and we now have sales data. or budget for the large version.
e smaller show oor is focused heavily n “Spiderman” coin pusher by Andamiro. is company
on arcades and FECs, providing signi cantly has been very successful with its pusher games, especially
more time to spend with vendors discuss- the “Avengers” pusher that tops many lists for the best in the
ing new games and attractions. is month, industry. e new “Spiderman” pusher is a beautiful game
we’ll focus on the new and newer games that that generated a lot of buzz at AEI.
are interesting and we continue to monitor n “Lane Master Extreme” by UNIS. e original Lane
HOWARD in the eld. Our philosophy is that a game Master was a solid game at a reasonable price point. e new
McAULIFFE must demonstrate ROI before we’re willing version has upgraded features and a higher-end look and
to recommend it, no matter how much we feel. If the price point is below average and the game per-
personally like it. Most of the games here still forms well, it could be a nice capacity game.
need to prove themselves in operation, but early results are n “Drakons” by Adrenaline. is new video game looks
positive. appealing and solidly built, and we enjoyed playing it. ere
n “Double Dribble” by ICE. A fun game that can be played have not been a lot of new video games this year, but this is
by young children head-to-head with a parent or older sib- one to watch.
ling. It likely will not be a top-10 earner but could provide a
nice experience for the very young guest. Cashing in on Cranes
n “Zombie Ready, Deady, Go” by SEGA. Attractive and Cranes remain an important part of the arcade as the
appears solidly built. We’re looking forward to seeing earn- games have a small footprint, are solid earners and last for
ings. years if maintained well. ere are numerous new, nice-
n “Goatz and Ropes” by Baytek. A very fun game that’s looking cranes available from multiple manufacturers for less
attractive and has a unique interactive component — a rope than $3,000. We particularly like the “Smart Toy Chest” in the
that must be pulled by the genre of low-cost cranes.
player. We also are intrigued by
n “Godzilla VR” by Raw the “JJ Bot” crane from Smart.
rills. is successful video Amusement Expo’s show fl oor is is machine has a robot
game manufacturer — with focused heavily on arcades and inside that the player controls
several hits including multiple to pick up a prize. e robot’s
driving games as well as “Ju- FECs, providing signifi cantly more antics are part of the fun for
rassic Park” — is investing a time to spend with vendors talking the player and spectators
large portion of its R&D bud- about new games and attractions. alike. Our primary concern is
get in virtual reality. Its rst that the cost is over $50,000
VR game, “King Kong Skull and it’s a single-player game,
Island,” has been successful, so it will really need to earn.
and “Godzilla” appears to have an upgraded headset and We are monitoring all the new games throughout the
improved game play and graphics. It is hitting the street this spring. By the time Bowl Expo in Denver rolls around, we
spring, so we should have good numbers by Bowl Expo. Look should have solid earnings and reliability reports, and will be
for more VR releases from Raw rills in the future. ready to recommend purchases. Please stop by and see us at
n “Emerald City Wizard of Oz” pusher by Elaut. e our booth, or drop me an email if you would like updates on
company’s original “Wizard of Oz” pusher sparked a resur- game data or want to let us know about a new game we didn’t
gence in pusher games. e new version is a beautiful game mention that is doing well for you.
— available in six-, three- and two-player versions — that
likely will perform well. We are considering this piece for Howard McAuli e is vice president of Pinnacle Entertain-
upgrading older “Wizard of Oz” pushers. ment Group and has more than 20 years of experience in the
n “Tundra Toss Football Fury” by Baytek. e new FEC industry. He can be reached at 314-378-4522.

www.bcmmag.com BCM • MAY 2024 • 67

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