There’s something about amusement centers that gets us hook, line and sinker. The game machine’s lilting ring beckons teenage girls to come out and play, and, in the boys’ case, show off their gaming skills to the girls. Parents show up come pay day to reward themselves for their hard work.
And that’s where its boon and bane come from. The boon comes when all the stress — the pent-up anger, tension, etc. — melts as you focus on the game at hand.
Worlds of Fun (WOF) marketing manager Lovella Sy says a call center executive has approached them for the possibility of installing machines in their office. The executive knows what the WOF staff and experts in human behavior knew all along: Diversions like game machines preserve our sanity in the concrete jungle.
Come to think of it, these game machines can also ease the tension in media offices, especially on Fridays, when work piles up as the number of newspaper pages increase.
The story changes when you talk to GenXers. This time, a trip to the amusement center means hooking up with the barkada, spotting the cutest guy for girls and showing off for the boys. Figures why parents sometimes use all the tricks in the book to lure their teenagers away from the amusement center.
Hold it, says WOF GM Antonio Abaya Jr., WOF happens to be a friend, not a foe of students. For one, it has a Study Now, Play Later program which promotes good grades.
Students who can show high grades in their report cards get to play games for free. The higher the grade, the more free games the student gets. And this doesn’t apply only to academic subjects. Good deportment grades are also counted.
Sy adds that they have also tied up with schools that may want to get signages that say “Silence, please” and “Don’t litter.” This way, the amusement center wants to prove it is a partner, not a deterrent in student welfare.
It is even expanding in Cebu, where it will open two branches: One in Gaisano Colon and another in Gaisano Mandaue come first week of December.
These new outlets will join existing ones in a series of events WOF has lined up for its 20th year. The ongoing Pump It Up Dance Competition will see contestants testing their agility at the new Pump It Up dance machine. Participants must be between 13 and 25 years old, male and/or female and must perform as a duo. They must purchase one of the token value specials. Registration is ongoing up to Dec. 1.
The Search for the Videoke Idol singing tilt, on the other hand, is open to customers aged between 16 and 30 who must first present proof of birth. They must also be amateurs. Those who want to join must buy 10 tokens.
The first prize winner in the singing tilt will get P20,000 cash and a trophy. Second to fifth prize winners will also get cash prizes.
For the daily promos, the winner of the Guess The Number of Tokens in the Jars gets P10,000. One must correctly guess the numbers of tokens in the two jars seen at the WOF branches. Those who buy a Token Value Special pick from three choices: 720, 820 and 920 pieces.
Customers who share their most memorable experiences in the most unforgettable, convincing way wins P30,000 worth of cash prizes and gift packs. Three entries will be selected per branch in the daily promo dubbed Share Your Fun Moments with WOF.
Since children may wander into the WOF store on weekends, Woffy, the company mascot, will roam the stores to say hello.
The biggest-earning outlet, the SM San Lazaro branch (thanks to students in nearby schools and universities) will hold games with matching prizes on Dec. 16. On the same day, finalists of the Groove & Move Dance Competition will show their skills in WOF’s Pump It Up Machines.
How’s that for packing ’em with customers this holiday season?