Namco kiddie rides division to make a stand within a stand at ATEI '09

Namco Europe's kiddie rides division, which was formed on the eve of ATEI 2008 following the acquisition of the Amutec brand and subsequent appointment of Chris Bell as general manager, is set to gain a significantly higher profile at the 2009 London Show with an expanded presence on what the company is describing as a 'stand within a stand'.

The Amutec portfolio for ATEI '09 includes no fewer than seven rides making their worldwide show debut, all but one of which has been licensed on popular television characters.

Postman Pat's Girocopter makes a landing in both lifting and rocking guises, both single-seat rides featuring children's television's favourite postie. The production model of the two-seat rocker, Finley the Fire Engine, now incorporates an interactive touchscreen panel. Little Einsteins flies in for the first time while Little Red Tractor sows the seeds for current and future generations. Wrapping up the licensed kiddie ride collection launches is Baby Balamory, an infant 'cabriolet' version of the popular Balamory Bus.

Maintaining a traditional element to the Amutec range, a new, three-seat horse carousel will also get its first outing at ATEI 2009, alongside the popular DisneyPixar ride Lightning McQueen, manufactured by Merkur Gaming.

Also appearing in Amutec's showcase on stand 2220 will be ICE's Buster Bubbles, a giant fibreglass squirrel offering children's amusement/redemption on a touchscreen panel, as well as Andamiro's Pump It Up Jump, a junior dance machine featuring favourite nursery rhymes.

Chris Bell explained: "The addition of junior amusement products into our range represents a natural progression of the business. These games and general entertainment devices, targeting the same age group as our core kiddie ride line, offer operators additional and complementary income generating opportunities in traditional amusement and family entertainment environments as well as single site route locations such as shopping malls." Further products on offer from the kiddie ride division include Raw Thrills/Chicago’s child-friendly Nicktoons Nitro Racing videogame, Bandai Namco Games Family Bowl 2, ICE Hammerhead and Fantasy Entertainment photo-booths Portrait to Anywhere and Foto Cube.

Bell concluded: "We have spent 12 months developing a cross-section of new rides and visitors to our stand will see for themselves the culmination of that work. The licensed rides will naturally become instant hits as children flock to play with their favourite characters."