InterGame considers what simulators and interactive theatres bring to the amusement mix.
FEW family entertainment centres or arcades are complete without a simulator or interactive theatre experience. Today, operators are able to choose between a host of different products designed to offer an immersive and highly interactive experience to their customers. Crucially, these experiences are almost impossible to replicate in the home, providing a compelling reason to visit amusement locations.
“With the popularity of console games, such as Wii, Xbox 360 or PS3, for example, the regular video games are not enough to satisfy consumers,” said Cynthia Lai of Taiwan’s Injoy Motion. Her company has an array of simulator products, including its latest offering, Allied Tank Attack. Based on the company’s Air Series motion platform designed to provide a more affordable simulator solution, Allied Tank Attack challenges players to drive a tank around a battlefield and use cannons and machine guns to defeat enemies within the game. “A simulator is definitely eye-catching as an attraction,” Lai said. “From my experience of our customers’ locations, our machines often see a number of people crowding around while they are in operation.”
As technology has developed, there has been a shift in the type of simulator and theatre equipment on offer – this has challenged the perception of such experiences as being limited solely to huge, park-like locations. Today, simulators and dark rides can be found in most FECs, as well as a host of other locations.
“Commercial operators, such as FECs, museums, sports facilities and cruise liners, benefit from the ‘wow’ factor of a full-size interactive simulator,” said Chris Lee of sports simulator company Visual Sports. “Simulators provide a unique attraction that stand out from the typical arcade machine.”
Their place within the amusement sector has taken on even greater importance, it seems.
Read the full article in the October issue of InterGame.
