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A Frustrating History of the Claw Machine

Author: Ruby

May. 27, 2024

A Frustrating History of the Claw Machine

Where they came from, why the FBI cared so much about them, and whether or not they&#;re actually rigged

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So, I&#;ve got a problem with the first Toy Story movie. No, it&#;s not the mystery of who Andy&#;s father is, or even the fact that it&#;s all about death. What bugs me is that scene where Sid catches Woody and Buzz from the claw machine. First he catches one of those claw-obsessed aliens no problem, then he spots Buzz Lightyear and catches him perfectly by his helmet with such a secure grip that Woody can&#;t free Buzz from it.

Despite being a movie about living toys, this is easily the most unrealistic thing to happen in the entire film. As a guy who loves the claw machine, I can tell you that no claw machine has ever worked that well or had that sturdy a grip. &#;Maybe he got lucky!&#; you&#;re thinking. Well, that&#;s possible, I guess, but if you knew how a claw machine worked, you&#;d realize just how stacked against you the odds of winning really are.

As Vox detailed in its investigation into the machines, these devices have a variety of adjustable features that the owner can set in order to make them more or less challenging. For one, the operator can adjust claw strength not only to make it stronger or weaker, but how often it&#;s strong or weak. In other words, that crafty claw only has full strength every once in a while &#; most of the time, the machine hampers the claw by sending less voltage to it. There&#;s also something called &#;dropping skill,&#; which basically pre-programs the amount of times the claw is supposed to pick something up and then drop it so that it appears that you almost got it, when in reality you never had a chance. 

The most surprising feature, though, is undoubtedly the fact that owners can manually set a profit margin for their game. By putting in the cost of the prize, the cost of the gameplay and the desired profit margin, the machine will only send the claw a stronger voltage once in a while, as determined by how much profit they want to make. So, using Vox&#;s example, if a game costs 50 cents to play and the prize costs $7, the machine will only send full strength to the claw approximately every 21 games (though not exactly 21 games, to ensure a dedicated player can&#;t figure out any sort of pattern).

While this revelation may send you into murderous rage, some do contend that there are good reasons for these features to be there. James Roller, an amusement historian who began operating claw machines back in , admits to me that, &#;All carnival games are historically suspect of being rigged &#; and sometimes with good reason,&#; but adds that when it comes to claw strength, adjusting this can help an operator adjust for heavier or lighter prizes. So if a game is filled with stuffed animals, beanie babies or an iPad touch, the machine can be programmed accordingly.

As for the programmed winning intervals, Roller argues, &#;Does it not balance the wins between the experience of die-hard players against learning players and younger players? Therefore handicapping the more skillful players and benefiting the poorer players?&#; Roller is basically saying that by having these pre-programmed win intervals, the claw game &#; which is primarily meant to appeal to children &#; can occasionally be won by someone with relatively low skill (perhaps even by violent sociopathic children like Sid).

Perhaps it would help you to better accept the reality of the claw machine by reexamining how you view it. Instead of seeing it as a balanced game of skill that you can master &#; like skee-ball or Super Shot Basketball &#; think of it as a game of chance instead, like a slot machine. This, incidentally, is exactly how the government views it: A great number of states have laws around the claw machine, as it&#;s usually considered, legally, to be a form of gambling. Rather than regulate how the machines are built or operated, though &#; which may be complicated as many are built overseas &#; the states dictate how much the prizes inside are allowed to be worth. By limiting the value of the prizes, states feel that this becomes less of a gambling game and more of a game of chance for kids, since all that can be won is some shitty stuffed bear.

That said, merely determining prize value is nothing compared to the control the government used to have over them. At first introduction, the crane game &#; as they&#;re also known &#; wasn&#;t a game at all: Instead, they were simply amusement displays showing off scale models of the steam shovels being used during the construction of the Panama Canal. From there, &#;the first commercially viable crane digger game is generally considered to be the Erie Digger, manufactured in Hartford, Connecticut, in ,&#; Roller explains. 

Filled with candy, the early games soon became wildly popular, being both cheap to play and cheap to operate, as it required no electricity. As Mental Floss explains, as the game became more popular, operators began to branch out and put in prizes aimed at adults (cigarette lighters, watches and the like), which is why it eventually caught the eye of the federal government.

&#;The Johnson Interstate Transportation Act of forbid the transportation of gambling machines, or gambling machine parts, from crossing state lines,&#; says Roller. The crane game became an unfortunate victim of this general crackdown on gambling, with some episodes even including Diggers being destroyed by the FBI. Due to the sudden high risk of operating crane games, most operators opted out of the business, but Lee Moss, who owned Erie Manufacturing Corp (a builder of crane machines), fought the federal government on the issue and eventually won a level of victory, successfully getting some crane games reclassified as &#;amusement devices&#; instead of &#;gambling devices,&#; although any crane game with electricity would remain illegal into the s.

In , the feds started to chill out a bit as far as gambling went, and the crane games began to reappear in greater numbers. They were also coin-operated again, which had ceased during the dark years of to . But things didn&#;t just go back to normal: Soon, a new kind of crane machine would begin to arrive in America. In the early s, larger, more technologically advanced machines poured in from Europe, and before long, these new machines &#; which more commonly had a claw as opposed to a shovel &#; would begin to appear everywhere, from Walmarts to truck stops to boardwalks, where they still remain today. (While some places still have old-school diggers, Roller explains that this new kind of machine pretty effectively killed off the Digger business in the s.)

Prior to the new machines, explains Allen Kevorkov, of claw-machine-enthusiast website Be The Claw, crane games were generally considered to be a hard win, and back then, they were right: It was tough to swing that little shovel just right, but with patience and practice, you could get better at it. Today, though, with the adjustable features gained over time, the game has gone from a hard win to a near-impossible one in some cases. And while I understand Roller&#;s point that, instead of it being a game of skill, the claw machine is more a game of chance, I find it hard to accept that 95 percent of the time I put my money in, I almost definitely cannot win, no matter how good I get at the game. 

Despite now knowing the secrets of the claw machine, I also know that I&#;ll still never completely swear them off, especially if some perfectly placed pikachu ends up calling my name as I pass by his glass prison. Then there&#;s my newfound knowledge that it&#;s designed to pay out some of the time, and maybe I&#;ll get lucky! I may catch the machine at just the right win interval, or I may find a machine where the claw strength is accidentally too strong. 

There&#;s the fact as well that despite those adjustable settings, some people have gotten so good at claw machines that they can win despite the rigged claw strength. Perhaps one day, with enough practice and disposable income, I&#;ll be as good as Chen Zhitong, who&#;s won over 15,000 prizes from claw games. Or even Sid from Toy Story, who won an alien, Buzz Lightyear and Woody all in just two turns. The little prick.

Brian VanHooker

Brian VanHooker is a staff writer at MEL specializing in pop culture, food (especially pizza) and long form oral histories. He is the co-creator of the comic book "Barnum & Elwood" and "The Tramp," a comedy pilot starring John O'Hurley. He also hosts a TMNT interview podcast called "Turtle Tracks" and was once called a "Good Guy" by Mr. T.

History Of Claw Machines: From The Early 20th Century To ...

History Of Claw Machines: From The Early 20th Century To Present Day

Claw machines have been a staple of amusement and entertainment since the early twentieth century. From the mechanical components to the coin-operated nature of the machines, the claw machine has come a long way. In this blog post, we will be exploring the history of claw machines, from their invention in the early s to their resurgence in the s and beyond. We will also take a look at the mechanics of these machines, the legal regulations they must abide by, and the various ways they have been depicted in popular culture. So, grab your coins and get ready to find out all there is to know about the fascinating history of claw machines!


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The concept of a claw machine is simple; with a joystick or other controller, a player attempts to grab a prize with a mechanical claw. The first of these machines date back to the early twentieth century, when they were merely mechanical devices operated by a hand crank. As time progressed, the machines got more elaborate and the popularity of claw machines skyrocketed, as corners of arcades and malls filled with these machines and families gathered to try their luck. With the introduction of prizes ranging from cuddly toys to electronics and valuable collectibles, claw machines have continued to become bigger and more popular. As claw machines become more popular, so do the legal regulations that must be adhered to. Each state in the United States has its own restrictions on the types of prizes that can be won, as well as the amount of money that can be charged per game. Additionally, stricter regulations on the parts and design of machines have been put in place, in order to ensure consumer safety. Last but not least, claw machines appear in various forms of media, from video games to cartoons. With the increased popularity of claw machines, it&#;s no surprise that these machines have transcended into the realm of entertainment. From movies to comic books, it&#;s easy to see why everyone loves claw machines.

The Components Of A Claw Crane Machine

Claw crane machines are popular arcade games found in video arcades, supermarkets and other venues. They consist of multiple parts, including a printed circuit board (PCB), power supply, currency detector, credit/timer display, joystick and wiring harness / loom. The game typically contains two main moving carriages that were responsible for forward and backward movement along with sideways movement of the claw on Y axis.


The cabinets are typically constructed from medium density fiberboard with wooden or metal inner support structures however new machines contain high end LED lighting behind plastic panels. The top half consists of a metal frame with tempered safety glass windows which feature an acrylic panel graphic depicting bold lettering above it containing the model name. Claw crane machines can be found in both Japanese and American versions and both have a similar playstyle although there are some subtle differences.


There is much interest in claw crane machines as they provide an entertaining experience while also teaching players fundamental skills such as hand-eye coordination, problem solving and critical thinking. Arcade claw crane machines often come with multiple games to keep players entertained for hours on end while they learn new skills or revisit old ones.

The Mechanics Of Crane Machines

Crane machines have been around for a long time, and they're still popular today. This type of machine is usually made from aluminum alloy or MDF and is covered with either fish gravel or polystyrene packing peanuts for decorative purposes. The goal of the game is to manipulate the claw inside the cabinet in order to grab a desired prize, which is then dispensed and collected by the player if successful. Controlling methods vary between machines skill intensive &#;up and across&#; gameplay system where two buttons are used for movement, joystick control for full directional movement, or an electro mechanical style of movement with a small wheel before inserting money. In some machines plastic balls are used as decoration, such as UFO Catchers in Japan.

Claw Machines: Legal Regulations & History

Claw machines &#; also known as skill cranes, trolley games, or crane games &#; are a popular type of arcade game that originated in Japan. These machines allow players to win prizes by correctly manipulating a machine that is equipped with claw-like devices. While most claw machines are exempt from gambling regulations in the United States, there are a few jurisdictions, such as Canada, where skill cranes must allow players to make repeated attempts (on a single credit) until they win prizes in order be considered legal games of chance.


While modern trolley style claw machines originated in Japan during the s when Sega and Taito began manufacturing them; by the s these machines were being used for displaying stuffed animals which led to modern claw machines today. With their popularity continuing to grow throughout Japan during the late 70's and early 80's, it's no wonder that these games became so popular within Japanese arcades and gaming culture overall. If you're interested in learning more about howclaw machines work and how they've evolved over the years, be sure to check out our blog post!

The Popularity Of Claw Crane Games

Claw crane games &#; also known as candy dispensers or coin operated carnival games &#; are some of the most popular attractions in history. These games have been around since the early 20th century and were popularized by Sega's UFO Catcher Series, released in . This game featured an eagle claw shape and kawaii family friendly design that caught on with players all over the world.


As a result of this popularity, Sega made over 40 000 UFO Catcher cabinets by . This led to other parts of Asia also embracing crane games during the s and s. Early versions of these machines were candy dispensers made with a glass front cabinet where players had to insert a nickel into a slot before manually using gears that would allow them access their winnings. William Bartlett patented his successful Miami Digger model in which featured prizes such as silver dollars or rolls coins instead of candies offering more lucrative rewards. Today, claw crane games are still very popular and can be found at carnivals and arcades around the world.

Claw Machines: From Grubb's Novel To Toy Story And Beyond

Claw machines are a popular attraction at amusement parks and amusement centers across the United States. These machines typically take the form of a crane game in which players can win prizes by retrieving objects placed at various heights above their heads. The popularity of these machines is due in part to


Following the arrival of Japanese and European claw machines in the late 's these became popular across America in the late 's particularly at Pizza Hut. These games were often played for free with the first one being given away as a promotion. This was followed by NFL collected stuffed footballs of each team placed throughout some machines followed by MLB, NBA, and NHL to advertise as well. By Claw Machines had become staples of establishments such as Safeway Fry's Supermarket Kmart Walmart Hotels and Sports Venues filling them with collectibles related to their home teams. The Disney/Pixar computer animated film Toy Story featured Buzz Lightyear and Sheriff Woody climbing into a Claw Machine filled with aliens worshipping claws while Mr Krabs introduced to Skill Crane Machine to SpongeBob SquarePants in Season 4 episode &#;Skill Crane&#;.

In Summary

Claw machines have been a part of the entertainment industry for over a century, providing hours of amusement and entertainment to players around the world. From their humble beginnings in the early twentieth century to their modern resurgence in the late s, claw machines have come a long way. With their ability to teach key skills like hand-eye coordination and problem-solving, as well as providing an entertaining experience for all ages, it is no wonder that these games remain popular today! If you are looking for your own arcade experience at home or are just curious about these unique machines, get the HINKA Claw Machine Game App (https://hinka.co)  to try out one of these fun Japanese claw machines today!

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