Is it a bird? Is it a plan? No, it’s Ticket Man! The latest game in Andamiro’s Coin Catcher series, Ticket Man employs the manufacturer’s magnetic retrieval mechanism that picks up novelty metal coins.
The Ticket Man character and motif were created by Andamiro exclusively for ticket redemption venues. The central object in Andamiro’s new game is the “Krypto Coin.” Krypto Coins are redemption currency with a ticket value on the obverse side and a barcode (storing that information) on the reverse side. Players use Ticket Man’s magnetic powers to pick up the coins.
Andamiro’s Coin Catcher system features a revolving drum that holds up to 2,000 coins. Players move a joystick to guide Ticket Man over the vat full of coins and press a button to drop the magnet to pick up the coins. The magnet returns to the home position where the “catch” is positioned above the prize hole and released. Up to five coins can be retrieved at once.
Krypto Coins are made of galvanised metal and have a diameter of 1.45″ (37mm); the same material content and size as Andamiro’s NFLPA and SpongeBob coins. “You’ve done an amazing job, these are so heavy,” Ticket Man commends the player who wins a coin.
To double the superhero excitement, Andamiro offers a dual-cabinet solution that uses transitional marquees seamlessly blending two machines into a single attraction. The operator simply banks two games for a larger side-by-side presentation.
During its first test run in a gameroom with 100-plus pieces, Ticket Man operated alongside Andamiro’s Redeem Machine kiosk that was able to validate various game cards and Krypto Coins. “The game and ticket fulfilment combination functioned soundly – and players responded positively to the self-service option,” reported Andamiro USA president Drew Maniscalco. Ticket Man’s revenue ranked between nine and 20 among all games over a nine-week period. During the final three weeks in the initial trial, Andamiro tested two Ticket Man games side by side, and the dual format propelled the game to the No. 2 earnings spot.
“We put Ticket Man through other tests in different location types around the country and it consistently was a top-ranking earner,” Maniscalco added. “Player reactions and collections have been outstanding. As a homegrown trademarked product, we are very proud of Ticket Man and look forward to a successful run.”
Andamiro’s Redeem Machine is a self-service kiosk that validates and secures new redemption media formats – collectable cards, character coins like Ticket Man Krypto Coins, tokens and chips – that are featured in today’s top games. The Redeem Machine centrally secures valuable redemption currency, prevents theft, defeats counterfeiters and reduces labour costs for gameroom operators.
Andamiro is planning to offer two Ticket Man versions. An enhanced version will be equipped with a self-redeeming mechanism that will allow players to reinsert won coins into the machine and add the ticket values from those coins to their card accounts. The self-redeeming model uses the same barcode-reading validation system featured in the Redeem Machine kiosk. A basic version will not have the self-redeeming feature and is suitable for operations that prefer traditional counter service or modern automation enabled by a kiosk.
Ticket Man measures 31” W. x 41” D. by 84” H. (75” H. without the marquee). Andamiro’s rugged game cabinet is decked out with cityscape graphics reminiscent of the comic books and superhero TV shows of the 1950s. Ticket Man ships with 2,000 Krypo Coins included.
Scheduled to ship in late October, Ticket Man is marketed in the U.S. by Andamiro USA Corp. and sold by the company’s distributors. Andamiro USA is a subsidiary of Andamiro Co, a Korean game manufacturer founded in 1992. Andamiro makes ticket redemption amusements, prize merchandisers, sports games and videogames, including Pump It Up dance simulators.