Supplier News
UK – Party Time Cat D shines brightly at the coast
By Phil - 8 July 2013
The renaissance of Astra Games’ massively popular Party Time continues at a rapid pace with the launch of a new, lower cost Category D version of the multi-player.
According to the firm’s Sales and Marketing Director, Alan Rogers, buyers of this latest incarnation of the model can expect some real ‘old school’ charm thanks to reels positioned on both top and bottom of the game and a healthy quotient of ‘bling’ to help boost the cashbox.
He commented: “We’ve been working tremendously hard with some of the best and most knowledgeable coastal operators to produce a game that we believe should be high on the shopping list of every seaside arcade. To qualify that, early results in this sector are already indicating that it has emerged as the established class leader.”
Mr. Rogers was keen to add that the lower purchase price of the Cat D version should not lead buyers to expect any compromise in quality. “Our objective is to offer a great player experience that is beautifully packaged, and at a price point that is sensitive to the highly specific needs of the coastal sector,” he stated. “In essence, the brief was to deliver a desirable, compelling product at a realistic price.”
Mr. Rogers confirmed that orders for Party Time are currently being taken as a direct result of consistently strong performances on both the multi-stake Cat C and the single stake Cat D (10p £8 is also a free option).
Astra’s Design Director, Andy Dinning, is unsurprised by the current success of Party Time, a product that first hit the headlines a full 15 years ago. He added, however, that propelling the concept to market for a second bite at the cherry was far from easy.
He commented: “Once the profile for the game had been created and the stats approved, the acid test was to see if the early momentum and earning power it had achieved could be sustained and increased. It’s not unusual for a game like Party Time to be an instant hit with players. After all who could miss it with its high impact graphics, specially moulded balloons, twin screens, blown reels and LED lighting? But there has to be more to a game than aesthetics – it has to have the playability to maintain and grow the cashbox. Our design briefs are never easy, but this one has proved to be among the toughest challenges so far.”
