Here’s the Ticket
Amusement Expo 2-day trade show format took place March 26-27 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The one full day of educational seminars (with lunch included) on March 25 with all sessions located in one section of the Hotel was well attended by approximately 275 people. There were several new games that impressed the AEM Team and they are all listed in the Test Game and Top 50 Redemption & Merchandise Sections below.
I spent one full day looking for new ideas and play features that could have a positive effect on our industry. Here is a list of those that impressed me:
- Incredible Technologies Loony Tix is a videmption game with a 6-Point touchscreen. This means that 3 people with 2 hands each can all help play one interactive game. Of course one person could try to use their 2 hands, head, elbows, shoulders…or depending on how the screen is placed, perhaps in the future feet and knees or stomach can be used. Also Incredible Technologies plans on using this platform as a kit system and will be releasing other games at around $1000 each.
- Benchmark’s Monster Drop X-Treme Ranks #1. For its first complete week on site, Monster Drop X-Treme earned $7,554 and ranked #1 in the Top 50. Wizard of Oz 6 Player fell to #2 for the first time in 2014. TRR will have more detailed information on Monster Drop X-Treme in the next TRR #24.
- LAI Pinata is a videmption game that has 4 stages. Most players can get to the 2nd stage with a little practice, but for those who are having difficulty, there is a ‘Continue’ payment option that will take the player to the 2nd stage. This new concept can be used to keep players from being discouraged from not getting to play at the advanced levels of many games and add additional revenue as well.
Coast to Coast Side Box (Winner of AMOA Innovator Award) can be added onto to any type of crane, merchandiser, or bulk vendor. Side Box ($825) has five locked locker compartments, each opened with a specially labeled key.
A key is won from the original game merchandiser and is used to unlock locker A for example. The key stays in the lock until staff can fill up Locker A and remove the Key A and place it back into the merchandiser to be won again.
This simple concept can be used in unlimited creative ways. I liked the idea of filling one compartment full of ticket strips or ticket bundles. Players could even win 2 keys at a time. For more information, call Jim Chapman (800) 224-1717, ext. 726; Web (www.cranemachines.com).
- Smart Industries Fright Night is a whack a mole type redemption game with an optional add on prize dispensing side cabinet. The player can choose to receive tickets, use points to go towards a pre-selected prize, or play for a prize and receive any additional points as tickets. The game tells the player how many points is required for each prize. This concept can be adapted for any redemption game and opens the door to placing redemption games in many locations that do not have space for a redemption prize center or automated RPC.
- New Concept Not Yet Fully Implemented—Redemption game where a current or new player has a choice to start at the place where the previous game ended or reset the game back to its original starting point. Of course the player does not earn the tickets that would have been earned reaching the level he/she starts at. This concept will permit players to get closer to higher ticket payout and jackpot levels. Innovations like this are made possible by videmption applications.
