With retro videogames gaining a higher profile via recent films and TV series, some companies are harnessing the heightened visibility for arcade game machine-like products.

Circa 1980s videogames have benefited from references made to them in Netflix’s Stranger Things (Namco’s “Dig Dug”; Cinematronics’ “Dragon’s Lair”) series and films such as Ready Player One (Williams Electronics’ “Joust”; Capcom’s “Black Tiger”) and Rampage, the latter based on Bally Midway’s title of the same name.

At Toy Insider’s recent Holiday Play event, Tastemasters readied five Arcade1Up mid-size machines (four foot vs. standard six foot height) for Oct. 16 launch. Each machine features a 17-inch LCD and contains four games including titles such as “Final Fight”, “Centipede”, “Asteroids”, “Galaga”, “Missile Command” and “Rampage”. At same time, Super Impulse showed Tiny Arcade keychain machines (they measure 4×2 inches and have 1.5-inch LCDs) for “Pac-Man”, “Ms. Pac-Man”, “Galaga” and “Frogger”, adding new games for a product that launched last year with three titles.

Walmart and GameStop have been taking pre-orders of the ready-to-assemble Arcade1Up machines ($299 minimum advertised price) and will have select locations with in-store displays, a Tastemasters spokesman said.

Target and Walmart have been carrying the Tiny Arcade product. Super Impulse also will introduce a new game this fall that will be exclusive to Cracker Barrel, says a Super Impulse spokeswoman

Among the other observations at Holiday Play:

• Bonkers Toys has registered strong sales of its Ryan ToysReview products at Walmart since launching there in August and expanded distribution to Target two weeks ago, says Bonkers’ Deborah Stallings Stumm. Ryan ToysReview is a YouTube Channel featuring seven-year-old Ryan unboxing toys. The line ranges from $3.99 for blind bags to a $40 egg-shaped package that contains toys and has been the top-selling item, says Stumm. The popularity of the egg, which also will be available through Amazon in January, is tied to Ryan’s unboxing toys from it on his YouTube Channel, says Stumm. Bonkers will introduce other toys based on YouTube properties in 2019, including EvanTubeHD (tweens collectibles)), JillianTubeHD (girls products) and HobbyKidsTV (boys). Pocket.watch represents the YouTube properties.
• Innovation First/Hexbug continues to expand distribution for its top-selling licensed product: Discovery Communications-licensed BattleBots construction sets, says Hexbug’s Nikki Littrell. Hexbug will launch sales of  BattleBots at Hobby Lobby in October.
• Vtech’s LeapFrog is scaling back its kids tablet PC business as it shifts focus to LeapStart electronic learning toys and licensed content, says a company spokeswoman. Vtech has fielded LeapPad and Epic tablets since buying LeapFrog. The LeapStart stylus-based electronic learning aids feature Disney-licensed activity books including Mickey’s Roadster Races and Disney Princess. “We will continue to support the tablets that are on the market, but long term we are not sure” whether Vtech will continue to sell them” since adult models have dropped in price and cut into the business, says a Vtech spokeswoman.
• Horizon Group has signed licenses for MGA Entertainment’s L.O.L. Surprise and Project MC2 properties and is readying jewelry kits and diaries for shipment in December.

Contacts:

Bonkers Toys, Deborah Stallings Stumm, SVP Sales and Marketing, 858-695-3895, Deborah@bonkerstoys.com

Horizon Group, Katie Imbriano, E-commerce and Digital Marketing Mgr., 908-810-1111 x318, kimbriano@hgusa.com

Innovation First/Hexbug, Tony Norman, Co-Founder, 903-453-0800, tony_norman@hexbug.com

Super Impulse, Alan Dorfman, CEO, 267-878-0466, info@superimpulse.com

Tastemasters/Arcade1, John Guest, EVP Strategic Initiatives, 212-967-5091

Vtech, Mary Pietrucha, Senior Product Mgr., 847-400-3600, mary_pietrucha@vtechkids.com