What's YOUR Arcade Crane Game looking like?

Young_Chitlin

The dark secret of arcade crane games: 17 times out of 18, you will lose

By: Robert T. Gonzalez

Looking to bone up on your arcade crane game strategy? (You know the game I'm talking about — the one with the claw and the plush toys crammed all up inside it.) Well, we've got some sad news. It turns out strategy, at least when it comes to crane games, probably isn't as important as you think. Why? Because they're freaking rigged.

Another childhood pastime ruined.
Over on Quora, video game programmer Zack Baker claims that "most crane games are designed so the claw is randomly (and only once in many games) strong enough to let players win."

"Some even weaken in strength after a short time so players get close to victory only to see it slip from their grasp," he explains.

You hear that, people? Perfidy! Perfidy at the arcade! I had trouble coming to grips with Baker's claim at first, but, as he points out, the manuals for many crane games (and a variety of other "skill games") are actually available online, so this is easily verified.

Exhibit A: The manual for the Captain Claw Crane Game, pictured here, wherein it is clearly shown that the default setting is for the claw to be strong enough for plushie-grabbing only once every 18 games. Kinder crane-machine owners can program the machine so that your chances of operating a strong claw are one in three. Soulless, dream-depriving crane machine owners, on the other hand, can program the device so it's only strong enough once every fifty-four games.

Exhibit B: The manual for Panda Vending's Treasure Centers, which can be programmed to switch from "strong claw" mode to "weak claw" mode anywhere from 2—9 seconds after grabbing.

Is nothing sacred?

Young_Chitlin

SecondChanceBro

This is why I never play claws or games at the Fair

themadlionsfan

Anybody who doesn't think that ? is rigged........holla @ me.....I got some prime real estate I wanna sell u in Atlantis for cheap

[Trillmatic]

I thought this was common knowledge.

blackkevblazini

So basically, by the time you actually get a toy you would have paid for it in the amount of money you put in the machine.

Genius. Fuckery, but Genius nonetheless.

LUClEN

and the cow goes moooo

sapo614

The last 2 times I ? with the crane I got bears on the first try and now my daughter thinks I'm a pro and can win at will so now I play the ”I don't have any change” card so I don't disappoint her

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

(Nope)

True or not, I'm beating the odds because I crush those games.

The big homie Jerry that runs the Chinese spot at the top of my street knows what time it is when he see's me.

VIBE

Rigged.

Been known that.

One tip, if you frequent a place w a claw game and the dolls are switched out often, you have a good chance of winning.

Swiffness!

sheeeeeeeeeeeeeit, you can make the odds way worse than 54:1 in other machines

there's machines that have real game consoles n expensive ? in 'em, so you already know

unspoken_respect

When I was younger, I never won once. Not one. I feel better now.

huey

? those games waste of money