During my trip to Japan I came across several claw machines to catch pets, mainly anime figures in absolutely every corner. The arcade stores were packed, and there were stores with only claw machines and the like. In this article, we will talk a little about these machines with claws that in Brazil we know as a crane or machine to catch teddy bears. In Japan, these machines are called UFO CATCHER.
Japanese teddy-bear machines have several gifts in addition to plushies. There you will find anime figures and manga, bags, clothes, chocolates and even ice cream. These machines usually cost 100 yen or 6 chances for 500 yen. In Japan we find people of all ages playing these prize-winning machines, and they always manage to get the desired prizes without spending hundreds of yen. So I came to the conclusion that these claws are not games of chance, just require skill.
Types of claw machines - UFO Catcher
There are several types of claw and also other machines with the same proposal. Let's see some of them below:
The tweezers - This claw has only 2 arms that close in a pincer movement. Clamp machines have prizes of all values. As is to be expected, the strength of the arms is very weak and the claws have no grip, which makes it difficult to catch the prize.
Single finger - This claw has only one finger, and works in the same way as the clamp. To get the prizes you need to fit this single claw to a ring to hold and lift the object.
Suspended awards – Some machines have prizes suspended in different ways. Some hang from a pole and you can try to grab them, push them and knock them down. Others are on top of a platform and their objective is to try to cut a ribbon or fit a geometric figure in the perfect space for the prize to fall. There are several types of claw and different games. There are other types of machines where the prizes are inside capsules.
My experience with these machines
My experience with these UFO catcher machines in Japan was not very good. Walking in the neighborhood Nipponbashi Denden Town in Osaka (equivalent to Akihabara), I came across several stores of this type, and in all of them there was a beautiful girl dressed as a schoolgirl to attract customers. One of them caught me handing out that little card that I didn't know that if I get it I would have to play it. During this game I ended up using my dear yen coins. I tried for more the girl with that voice saying Ganbatte made me spend 3,000 yen.
I had gone for a while and I saw that it was complicated. So she took me to a machine that seemed easier, I had to fit a business in a circle, but it was not easy. In the end I couldn't get the figure from Sinon Sword Art Online. And to be more ironic, she let me do a test once, and during that test I managed to get it the first time. Stay away from these machines, they are addictive, even though I only kept playing because of the girl.
If the person has the skill, it is not difficult to win from these machines or take a figure without spending a lot. In these stores I went to, the girl gave me the option to choose the prize, so she put it inside the machine herself. I really wanted to get that figure.
Tips to beat UFO Catcher machines
Look for easy machines. - Many people end up trying to get the prize but give up just when it is hanging close to falling. Look for these machines that are very easy to get, even if you spend a little trying, it will be much more advantageous than trying to push a prize from the beginning.
Keep an eye on employees. - Employees always keep an eye on the machines, if they see that a machine has already yielded many gains, they change the difficulty or place a prize in an easy position. Keep an eye on the employees it pays to get the best machine.
Analyze the awards. - You need to keep an eye on the size and shape of the prizes. Ask yourself: is this prize too big or too heavy for that claw? Is this prize too small to grab? Can I use the claw to push the prize instead of grabbing it?
Watch someone playing first. - Keep an eye on someone's game to find out if that machine is right for you. Observe and ask yourself: How fast does the claw move? When does the grapple stop grabbing? Does the claw change position? By paying attention to others' games you can come up with your own strategy.
The article is still halfway through, but we recommend also reading:
What is the goal of the UFO Catcher?
I think everyone should know that these pet-catching machines are made to make a profit. The chances of winning are practically impossible, the claws never act the way we want or they just don't have enough strength to grab the prizes.
But the employees like it when we win and some are nice. If you speak: iten wo toriyasui basho ni oitekure masuka? they can leave the prize in an easier position. Most people play these cranes just for fun. If you want to play this UFO Catcher just think about the fun, forget that you are going to spend money and take a pre-defined amount.
If you have ever had the experience of playing on these machines, we would like to see in the comments. We thank you for reading and sharing. Hope you enjoyed this article. We'll finish by leaving a video for you to feel motivated. not play!
