The first day of AAA Expo 2026 in Guangzhou has revealed a broad selection of new and updated arcade games, alongside rides, attractions and amusement equipment. Wahlap supplied the largest collection of highlights, while Bandai Namco also presented a substantial regional lineup.
AAA Expo is one of mainland China’s two major amusement trade shows each year, alongside GTI Asia China Expo in September. The event forms part of the Grandeur World Culture & Tourism Industry Expo, and 2026 marks its 22nd edition.
Many of the machines shown in China may eventually appear in Western markets through manufacturers or distributors, although regional release plans are not confirmed. For Australian operators and collectors, the scale of the event also provides a useful snapshot of where commercial arcade hardware is heading.
For more buying context, see RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide and browse the latest arcade machines.
AAA Expo 2026: a huge exhibition footprint
The show covers a substantial area of the exhibition venue. Area A contains the principal arcade activity across seven halls, while surrounding areas host additional amusement products and co-located events. Even with a three-day schedule, the amount of equipment on display makes a complete inspection difficult.
The floor layout gives an indication of the event’s size and the number of halls involved.
Wahlap’s major arcade reveals
Wahlap once again occupied an expansive booth, reflecting the scale commonly seen from major Chinese amusement companies at AAA and GTI. Its presentation included original games, licensed products, card-based attractions and returning Japanese titles.
Asphalt 9 Legends Arcade Plus
Asphalt 9 Legends Arcade Plus adds new content to the existing arcade racer, including a ticket-redemption mode. The update is housed in a cabinet with a vertical screen, giving the machine a different presentation from the earlier version.
Asphalt Moto Blitz Plus
Wahlap also unveiled Asphalt Moto Blitz Plus, a corresponding update for its motorcycle racer. It appeared alongside the car-based game, following the use of vertical displays in Storm Racer 2 and Storm Rider X. The motorcycle title is reportedly around 70% complete, so it appears to be less advanced than its four-wheeled counterpart.
Both games could plausibly appear at IAAPA in November, although their Western distribution arrangements remain uncertain. LAI Games would be a logical possibility because it has distributed earlier Asphalt arcade titles, but Wahlap and IGS games are not necessarily restricted to one distributor.
Demon Hunter 1892
Demon Hunter 1892 is a new original light-gun shooter from Wahlap. The company has often worked with IGS or licensed properties in this category, although it has produced home-grown projects such as Teratoma.
Set during the late 1800s, the game uses a demon-hunting theme and includes quick-time events, randomised stages and branching endings. It is designed for four players in the cabinet format previously associated with Monster Eye 3 Unite, rather than a two-player environmental setup.
NBA Superstars
NBA Superstars from Raw Thrills and Play Mechanix, released in some markets in 2024, is now being introduced to China in a modified form. The regional version adds card vending and player-specific progression features.
The Chinese cabinet appears to differ from the Western design, which may make the added features difficult to transfer to existing machines. Card and progression systems also have stronger market adoption in China and Japan, making a direct update for other regions less likely.
Monster Eye 3 Plus
Monster Eye 3 Plus is a super-deluxe presentation of the Wahlap and IGS shooting game. Its full-size theatre-style attraction occupies a large dedicated space, with giant monster cut-outs forming part of the display.
This type of deluxe shooting attraction has traditionally been associated with companies such as Sega and Namco. Its size would make it difficult to accommodate at many overseas trade-show booths, so its eventual appearance outside China remains to be seen.
Eggy Hop and Step Dash
Two original video-based active-entertainment games, Eggy Hop and Step Dash, received a quieter showing. Eggy Hop is a pogo-stick racing game with similarities to Taito’s Hopping Road and UNIS’ Jump Master.
Step Dash resembles Wahlap’s earlier Skip Time in its design. Some photographs make the platforms appear to contain screens, but other views suggest the effect comes from strong lighting rather than built-in displays. The booth banner also creates some uncertainty around the game’s naming, appearing to reference Eggy Party even though that does not seem to be the actual title.
Other Wahlap products
Beyond the major video-game launches, Wahlap displayed card games including Geeese!, Card Storm and Infinite Tower, along with the Chinese version of Elaut’s Smurfs. Returning licensed Japanese titles included Maimai DX, Chunithm, Initial D The Arcade, Taiko no Tatsujin, Bombergirl and Jubeat.
Wahlap is also expanding the physical presentation of its own Kingdoms Fantasy card battler. The booth featured playing-card tables and additional merchandise, suggesting the property has performed well enough in Asia to receive a broader promotional push.
For readers interested in compact home formats, RETROCADE also covers racing arcades and bartop arcades.
Bandai Namco at AAA 2026
Bandai Namco returned to the Chinese amusement expos in 2024 after an absence, making its presence an interesting part of the regional show. This year’s booth did not appear to contain an entirely new arcade game debut, but it included several notable machines.
The Asia and Oceania-exclusive motion deluxe version of Dead Heat Unleashed returned, alongside GoldStorm Pirates. The latter was previously shown by UNIS at GTI in an enclosed Japanese-style cabinet, while Bandai Namco presented the open-top format also seen in Australia and other markets. Current Pac-Man machines were displayed as well.
The regional lineup also included Pokémon Mega Get Nagetore BOX, a combination ball-toss and card game that originally launched in Japan several years ago. It is now expanding into other Asian markets, but the cabinet artwork specifies regional sales, making an Australian release unlikely.
What day one tells us
AAA Expo 2026’s opening day showed a strong mix of racing, shooting, sports, rhythm, card and active-entertainment products. Wahlap’s booth focused on large-format attractions and games with clear regional variations, while Bandai Namco concentrated on established machines and Asia-focused releases.
Further coverage will examine products from UNIS and Ace Amusement. For ongoing arcade news and industry coverage, visit the RETROCADE Arcade Blog.
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