Day two of GTI Asia China Expo 2024 turns the spotlight on UNIS, one of China’s largest amusement manufacturers and a company with established overseas operations through headquarters in Texas and Canada. Those international links could make several of the games shown here more likely to reach Western markets.
The exhibition had largely finished, but there was still plenty to examine across the remaining show coverage. Some machines could not be photographed or filmed, so the titles affected are described from available information instead. Restrictions on sharing booth media appear to be becoming more common, possibly because products are still early in development or because manufacturers are concerned about piracy.
UNIS also supplied a substantial range of redemption and videmption products, including its prominent partnership with the Emoji company. The company is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and its large GTI presentation suggested that it had held back several developments for this event.
For more arcade-industry reporting, visit the RETROCADE Arcade Blog. Thanks are also due to Oga-Shi of Sega Amusements for providing most of the photographs and information used in this report, with assistance from Ted.
Although several UNIS products could not be shown in detail, the booth still featured a notable selection of new video games, racing cabinets, card battlers, motion attractions and VR projects.
Neon Rush
Neon Rush is UNIS’s most prominent reveal that can currently be discussed. It joins the growing two-screen racing category, following the popularity of titles such as Raw Thrills’ Fast & Furious Arcade and UNIS’s truck-themed Bigfoot Mayhem. This time, the format is applied to motorbikes in an original science-fiction racing game.
The cabinet uses a cyberpunk-inspired visual design, with character imagery appearing on the toppers. Its concept has been described as a blend of Tron, a Raw Thrills-style arcade racer and Motor Raid, adding shooting to the racing rather than physical combat.
Two modes were visible: Race, which appears to be the standard competition mode, and Mayhem. The latter seems intended to focus on score-driven arena action, although it may not have been finished in the demonstrated build. It is also possible that Mayhem becomes available only after a race has been completed.
Whether Neon Rush appears at UNIS’s IAAPA booth in November was not confirmed. The concept looks suited to Western arcades, but UNIS may still make further changes before showing a later version.
Picture Book Land
Picture Book Land, UNIS’s card-based battler with similarities to Minecraft Dungeons, returned after its debut at AAA 2024 in May. The cabinet and 2D gameplay remain broadly familiar, but its theme has been revised around cartoon characters based on the Chinese tokusatsu series Armor Hero.
Because the updated version was covered by a photography restriction, the changes could not be documented visually. The new direction appears to position the game against products such as Wahlap’s released Kingdoms Fantasy and Bandai Namco’s Ultraman card game, which was also being carried by Wahlap.
The format could have Western potential, although a widely recognised licence such as Minecraft might make it easier to connect with players outside Asia. The same consideration applies to Kingdoms Fantasy.
Bigfoot Mayhem
UNIS displayed a lower-cost version of Bigfoot Mayhem, which has already been available internationally for some time. Photography of the new model was restricted, but the earlier cabinet provides a useful comparison.
The revised machine keeps the two-screen layout while using smaller displays. Its cabinet treatment is also more restrained: the Bigfoot styling has been reduced to the point that the vehicle resembles a sports car rather than a truck.
Bigfoot Smash, another UNIS title shown at AAA 2024, was not visible at GTI. If it also fails to appear at IAAPA, that may indicate the project has been cancelled.
One Piece United Fight
UNIS has worked with several international manufacturers, including Taito and Bandai Namco. Its GTI booth featured One Piece United Fight, a Bandai Namco children’s trading-card arcade game being sold into China.
At the time of the show, the title had not been released elsewhere, including Japan. Bandai Namco has been expanding its non-arcade One Piece trading-card game in Western markets, but it was not clear whether this arcade adaptation would follow, either through UNIS or another route.
Fast & Furious Arcade
Alongside its own racing products, UNIS continues to distribute Raw Thrills’ Fast & Furious Arcade in China. Raw Thrills’ mainland arcade catalogue appears to be divided between UNIS and Wahlap, with UNIS generally handling larger experience cabinets such as this one while Wahlap has offered smaller products.
With Chinese manufacturers exploring two-screen motorbike racing, it is reasonable to wonder whether Raw Thrills could eventually develop a similar format for Super Bikes. No such project was confirmed.
Other UNIS Developments
Several additional UNIS projects were present but could not be fully revealed because of the booth’s media restrictions. Available details indicate a busy development programme.
- Super Kart: an original kart racer using a sit-in, fully motion-based kart. Its presentation is closer to a modern cartoon kart game than earlier motion cabinets such as Namco’s Kart Duel and Sega’s Club Kart.
- Rapid River-style rafting game: another motion attraction apparently using the same base as Super Kart. It represents a new attempt at a concept related to UNIS’s unreleased Rowing Champs project from around 2020.
- Amazing Universe: a second original card-vending battler accompanying Picture Book Land. It uses anime-inspired female characters and four-way movement reminiscent of older Legend of Zelda games, although the overall concept was difficult to interpret from the available information.
- Carnival: a prize-vending shooting game first seen at AAA 2024. Its play style was compared with Point Blank, combined with a prize mechanism similar to products from Firestone Amusement.
- Sailor’s Quest VR follow-up: an apparent sequel to UNIS’s VR motion shooting simulator, developed again with IGS. The cabinet has reportedly been revised to reduce costs, while lighter headsets should improve comfort for players. The earlier game was less common in arcades than Godzilla Kaiju Wars VR.
Other Companies at the Expo
UNIS was the main focus of this report, but a small number of other manufacturers and distributors had already shared GTI-related material. Yuto Games, Firestone Amusement and FunInVR were among them. FunInVR’s video showed several new VR motion simulators, although it was not always possible to identify which machines were new.
Another booth video posted elsewhere suggests that demand for simulator attractions remains present in Japan, even as their popularity has declined there. European distributor UDC out of Europe, which handles products from companies including Wahlap and Ace Amusement, also shared photographs of its team and partners at the event.
What Comes Next?
The lack of media for several UNIS games makes it difficult to judge their final designs, but the company’s GTI line-up covered a broad range of arcade formats. Racing, motion, card vending, VR and licensed entertainment were all represented, with Neon Rush standing out as the clearest new video-game reveal.
Further details may emerge at IAAPA in November or through future international distribution announcements. For readers comparing cabinet formats and planning a home setup, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide and arcade machine range provide useful starting points.
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