IAAPA 2024 delivered a strong showing for the international arcade industry, with established manufacturers, emerging developers and new redemption concepts competing for operators’ attention. This first round-up covers Raw Thrills, TouchMagix, Amusement Source International, Wahlap, Alan-1 and Night Heron Entertainment.
The focus here is on what was shown, what is already shipping and which products are expected soon. Further coverage will examine additional companies and provide more detail about release timing as information becomes available.
Raw Thrills and Betson
The Betson and Raw Thrills stand remained one of the busiest areas of the exhibition. Betson also celebrated 90 years in business during the show. Raw Thrills displayed the products previously expected, although there may be another announcement planned for a later event. That possibility is speculation rather than a confirmed reveal.
The displayed Raw Thrills titles and their stated status were:
- Angry Birds Boom! — now shipping
- Big Buck Hunter Reloaded — now shipping
- Fast & Furious Arcade — now shipping
- Godzilla Kaiju Wars VR — new chapter update coming soon
- Halo: Fireteam Raven 2-Player Upright — now shipping
- King Kong of Skull Island VR II — now shipping
- Marvel: Contest of Champions — software update now shipping
- Minecraft Dungeons Arcade 2-Player — now shipping
- NBA Superstars — new software coming soon
- Super Bikes 3 — now shipping
- T-Rex Safari Adventure — now shipping
Betson’s wider display also included a Skittles Remix vending machine and a Disney Photo Booth from Apple Industries.
Angry Birds Boom! had previously appeared at IAAPA Expo Europe, but IAAPA 2024 was the first opportunity for many visitors to experience it. The compact redemption game is accessible even without familiarity with the licence, with consistent level design and colourful presentation. Its oversized launcher and straightforward action make it an appealing choice for players deciding between it and another family redemption title.
Godzilla Kaiju Wars VR was shown with all five levels, giving the title a more complete presentation than earlier appearances. The machine was also present at several distributor stands. The new chapters were expected to become available soon, although no firm release date had been provided.
NBA Superstars received a substantial software update rather than a routine bug fix. Player proportions are now more exaggerated and the action moves at a faster pace. Feedback from operators and players appears to have influenced the changes, although the update was not yet installed at every location running the game.
Marvel: Contest of Champions also received a smaller software and marquee refresh, with stronger emphasis on the popularity of Deadpool & Wolverine. The update reflects the film’s strong performance while several other recent Marvel releases struggled at the box office.
TouchMagix
TouchMagix occupied a compact stand near UNIS at the edge of the Games & Arcade area. Its IAAPA line-up included:
- Carnival Cups — now shipping
- Carnival Cups Crane — now shipping
- Crazy Prize — software update, now shipping
- Drift ’N Thrift — now shipping
- Minions: Bullseye Mania — Q1 2025
- Pop It! — now shipping
- Pudgy Penguins Polar Challenge — now shipping
- SpaceWarp 66 DX — now shipping
- Treasure Chest — Q1 2025
The stand’s main attraction was Minions: Bullseye Mania, a dart-tossing redemption game that had made a low-profile appearance at Japan’s Amusement Expo through Bandai Namco Technica. Players throw large, blunt darts at the screen to fill a purple meter before entering a bonus Banana round. Collecting the Minions contributes towards a super bonus. The formula is simple, polished and clearly builds on TouchMagix’s experience with family-focused redemption games.
Treasure Chest takes a more traditional redemption approach while adding a distinctive playfield. Three players use a single button to release ball-like pieces, aiming to send them through moving hoops for better rewards. Filling the treasure chest triggers a larger release of pinballs, while landing in all the illuminated holes awards the bonus.
Amusement Source International
Amusement Source International, commonly known as ASI, filled a booth of similar size to the previous year with a broader selection of redemption products. Notably, Sniper Strike II was absent this time.
- Basketball Duel / Soccer Duel
- Clown Ball
- Egg Mania
- Go! Hero of Robots
- Infinity Roll
- Play-A-Ball
- Print Cases
- Skull of Shadow
- Super Air Blaster
- Super Shooting
- Happy Mania
- Zombie Roller
ASI stated that all of these products were shipping. Developed by Ace Amusement, Skull of Shadow combines elements of modern jungle adventure games and light-gun action rather than simply reproducing the formula of a pirate shooter. Three cabinet models are available, although only two were represented at IAAPA: the mounted three-player gun version was at the Ace Amusement booth, while the environmental cabinet was not displayed.
Print Cases was another notable product. The vending machine produces personalised smartphone cases for iPhone and Samsung devices, printing a customer’s uploaded photograph directly onto the case rather than applying a sticker or vinyl. The exhibition demonstration charged $20 and took about four minutes. A more engaging touchscreen activity or timer could help occupy customers during production, but the concept has clear potential in high-footfall locations such as areas near mobile-phone retailers.
Wahlap
Wahlap presented a stand centred largely on its established Asphalt range. The company’s IAAPA line-up was reported as shipping and included:
- Asphalt Moto Blitz DX
- Asphalt 9 Legends DX
- Kaiju Rampage
- Prize Popper
- Thunderbolt Shot
- Cranes
More Asphalt Moto Blitz footage was recorded for later coverage. Kaiju Rampage received a more prominent presentation at the LAI Games stand, while Wahlap also promoted the original version under the name Monster Eye 3. Apart from the name, the two versions were not understood to have meaningful differences.
Alan-1 and Night Heron Entertainment
Alan-1’s first arcade release, Asteroids Recharged, represents Atari’s return to selling a video arcade game since Coastal did Breakout back in 2016. The arcade edition has been substantially reworked from the home version, making the two experiences more like related but separate designs.
The cabinet includes wind effects, two rumble motors and a pinball knocker, along with a striking visual design created by company artist Alejandro Radio. Its controls follow the classic Asteroids button arrangement, while the game adds selectable difficulty, new power-ups, additional rocks and fresh challenges across more than 256 waves.
Alan-1’s Major League eSports app is also integrated into the game. It helps players locate machines, monitor scores, collect league points and receive notifications when another player has beaten their result. Asteroids Recharged was shipping in two formats: a two-player Pro model aimed at bars, routes and party-rental operators, and a three-player Deluxe model intended more for family entertainment centres.
The combination of cabinet hardware, presentation and competitive features earned Asteroids Recharged first place in the Games & Devices category at the IAAPA 2024 Brass Ring Awards.
Alan-1 also showed Avian Knights, which remains in development. Its revised cabinet design was already in place and presented an especially eye-catching look. The game was scheduled for Q1 2025, with further gameplay improvements planned. The stand also included comic books based on Alan-1’s games.
Night Heron Entertainment’s Kung Fu Panda: The Warrior’s Gauntlet took second place in the same Brass Ring category. The VR attraction places players in the world of Kung Fu Panda, where they strike targets and avoid flamethrowers. Rather than using heat to simulate the hazards, the game employs a haptic floor that creates the sensation of the platform moving beneath the player.
The experience was notable for its comfortable motion design. Despite initial reservations about claims that the system reduced vertigo and related problems, the session produced neither discomfort during play nor the headaches that can follow some VR motion experiences. Night Heron’s team includes people with experience at The Void and other major game development companies, and that background was evident in the result.
Night Heron’s Lynx platform is designed as a successor to the type of VR arcade system previously associated with VRsenal. It also supports Vader Immortal Lightsaber Dojo, although only one game can be installed at a time. The platform was presented as having improved design and lighting, with a planned Q1 2025 launch and a stated price below $40,000.
What stood out at IAAPA 2024?
This first selection shows how broad the current arcade market has become, from compact redemption games and personalised vending concepts to competitive video games and location-based VR. For Australian operators assessing new equipment, shipping status, cabinet format and ongoing software support are just as important as the initial reveal.
Home collectors can explore the arcade machine buying guide before comparing available arcade machines. Readers interested in industry developments can follow the RETROCADE arcade blog, while operators and owners may also find the arcade repair service useful when planning long-term maintenance.
Further IAAPA coverage will look at additional exhibitors, including Taiko No Tatsujin and Bandai Namco Amusements.
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