Andamiro Draws Big Crowds at 11th GTI Asia China Expo; Pirates of Bikini Bottom Arcade is Previewed

GUANGZHOU, China, September 2019 — The 11th annual GTI Asia China Expo took place from September 10 to 12 at the expansive China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex in Guangzhou City in Guangdong Province. Once again, Andamiro Co. Ltd. was among the leading exhibitors of amusement machines at the trade show known simply as GTI China.

Only 11 years old, GTI China has become one of the largest amusement industry events in Asia. The annual trade fair has been organized by Game Time International (GTI), Haw Ji Co. Ltd. and GZCESC since 2009. The show highlights the development of China-made amusement products. This year’s event reportedly had almost 150,000 participants from over 60 nations.

The trade show covered more than 2.2 million square feet with products made by 600 companies from China, Taiwan, Japan, New Zealand, India, Turkey, UAE and France, among other countries. South Korea’s Andamiro was a major exhibiting company in the arcade amusement space.

GTI China’s official post-show press release state: “Generally speaking, the exhibits were more diversified and comprehensive in comparison with the previous year. Last year’s hot product crane machines and capsule machines showed a cooling trend this year, while VR/AR/MR, dancing machines, coin pushers and trampolines were particularly hot this year…”

Taking center stage in Andamiro’s GTI booth was SpongeBob SquarePants Pirates of Bikini Bottom Arcade, a new pusher-style game that takes its name from the final SpongeBob chapter book written by David Lewman and illustrated by Harry Moore (Simon Spotlight/Nickelodeon, 2007, 64 pages).

Not unlike the book’s illustrations, the game’s cabinet features SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward and Mr. Krabs on a sloop and dressed as pirates. Instead of tokens, the skill game employs miniature balls that players fire at a moving target; the balls are deposited on the pusher platform and playfield. Collectible cards and chips — which double as ticket redemption media — can also populate the playfield. SpongeBob SquarePants Pirates of Bikini Bottom Arcade will be offered in a two-player cabinet. It’s expected to ship in 2020.

Andamiro manufactures several SpongeBob-themed games through its partnership with Nickelodeon, which is part of Viacom Media Networks. SpongeBob Pineapple Arcade (2015), a coin pusher game that operates with a collectible card set, is the world’s most successful card-dispensing game.

In addition to Nickelodeon, Andamiro has licensing agreements with NBCUniversal, NFL Players Association and World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. The company recently signed agreements with Disney (for Marvel’s Avengers), the MLB Players Association (for likenesses of Major League Baseball players) and Tezuka Productions Co. Ltd. (for Astro Boy).

While the development of electro-mechanical arcade attractions based on leading entertainment and sports brands has become a growing part of Andamiro’s business today, pure Andamiro games remain a core part of the company’s portfolio. These were not in short supply at GTI Expo, and they included Monster Catcher and Tight Rope, video redemption games, Basketball Pro, a new pound-and-shoot novelty, and the internationally acclaimed Pump It Up rhythm and dance simulator.

South Korea’s Andamiro, which is headquartered in Goyang, a high-tech satellite city of the Seoul capital region, sells many of its products in China. To meet the growing demand for Andamiro products in China, the company opened a branch office in Guangzhou in 2011.

The next GTI Asia China Expo will take place at the same location from Sept. 9 to 11. Up-to-date information on the 2020 GTI China will be posted at gtiexpo.com.tw/cnen.