Bowl Expo 2023 has concluded, bringing several new arcade and redemption titles into view. This report focuses on products and details that were not covered in the earlier event preview, based on information shared by attendees and participating companies.
Many exhibitors presented the same products seen at Amusement Expo 2023 in March, so this recap concentrates on newer announcements, unexpected reveals and notable cabinet developments. There were fewer major surprises than at some industry events, but several releases stood out for arcade and family entertainment centre operators.
For broader industry coverage, visit the RETROCADE arcade news blog.
Touch Magix presents Pop It! and MagixPool
Touch Magix returned with its own exhibition booth after appearing alongside Elaut at many post-pandemic trade shows. Pop It! and MagixPool attracted attention as part of the company’s latest arcade offering.
Pop It! is an arcade redemption game based on the licensed toy and game concept created by FoxMind. Touch Magix developed the cabinet under licence, presenting it as the first arcade game based on Pop It! The company also showed MagixPool during the event.
Two trailers were made available for visitors and operators who wanted a closer look at the games.
Asphalt 9 Legends Arcade VR reaches the wider market
There were no major new details to add about Asphalt 9 Legends Arcade VR, but the title had officially entered wider industry release by the end of June 2023. Arcade and FEC operators could therefore pursue a unit if the game suited their available budget.
For operators comparing different cabinet formats, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide provides useful planning context.
JET Games reveals Big Shot and Prize Shot
The JET Games booth provided some of the event’s more unexpected announcements, reflecting the company’s increasing interest in videmption products.
Big Shot is a deluxe version of the light-gun arcade game Quick Shot. Whereas Quick Shot uses one player per cabinet, Big Shot places two players into a single cabinet. It can be configured as either a redemption or amusement-only game.
The cabinet also uses an unusual monitor aspect ratio, reported as approximately 5:4. JET Games was accepting orders for Big Shot and the Quick Toss redemption game displayed nearby, although both carried a 45-day lead time. Big Shot was treated as a June 2023 release for industry tracking purposes.
Another title positioned near these machines was Prize Shot. JET Games described the game as 70% complete and brought it to Bowl Expo to collect operator feedback before making further changes. The company expected Big Shot, Quick Toss and Prize Shot to reach IAAPA.
Emoji Frenzy from UNIS
UNIS’s Emoji Frenzy redemption game had already appeared in the event preview, but a new event photograph provided a clearer look at the machine.
King Size Duck Catcher
Coast-To-Coast Entertainment displayed a much larger version of the popular Duck Catcher crane. The King Size Duck Catcher was presented as a MegaHuge model designed to give the familiar prize-catching format a bigger footprint.
Other products on display
Coastal Amusements was also carrying Bullseye: Crack Shot. No suitable photograph of that game was available for this report.
Touch Magix said its wider portfolio would be showcased at AAMA Game Room 1151 at the Orange County Convention Center in Florida on 28–29 June 2023. Operators seeking information about its products were directed to [email protected].
About Touch Magix and Pop It!
FoxMind licensed Pop It! to Touch Magix for development as an arcade redemption game. FoxMind CEO David Capon said the company was pleased to collaborate on the first arcade title based on the Pop It! concept.
Touch Magix CTO Anup Tapadia said the company was excited to bring the licence to a new redemption format and that early testing had produced positive results.
Touch Magix manufactures coin-operated redemption games in the United States and operates a research and development facility in Pune, India. Its stated catalogue includes Mega Blaster, Carnival Cups, SpaceWarp 66, Drift ‘N’ Thrift, Dicey Jump, Hop N Stack and MagixFloor.
The company also develops interactive display products including Interactive Floor and Interactive Wall. In partnership with Brunswick, Touch Magix introduced Spark technology, described as an immersive interactive scoring system for bowling-lane projection experiences.
For readers interested in the hardware behind arcade equipment, RETROCADE also covers arcade parts and controls, arcade repairs and maintenance and arcade machines.
Touch Magix’s official website and social channels were provided as additional sources of product information:
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