Hey there arcade gamers, in my last post I explained how some games can be rigged to be impossible to win until the machine has earned enough money. As always, any game could be rigged like this, so if you are unfamiliar with the game, you should do a quick Google search for the game's manual. However here are some common machines that are ALWAYS rigged. Bear in mind that if you're feeling lucky and are good at any of these games, putting in a dollar or two isn't that bad as you may happen to play the game when it has received enough money, and will actually payout to the next winner, but these are not games you want to spend too much time or money on.
1. Stacker.
Stacker is a game where you have a screen with blocks that move from left to right. The objective is to stop each block on top of one another until you reach the top to win a big prize. Common prizes in these machines range from Xbox consoles, to Ipads, or large gift cards. Stacker machines come in various forms, but they are ALL rigged. The only exception to this is on some of the machines, there is a Small Prize you could win for only going halfway up, and usually small prizes are not rigged. I can confirm this with experience, because I've cleaned out a stacker machine of its minor prizes before. Usually the minor prizes aren't worth getting though, especially if you're looking to re-sell for profit. Occasionally though there is something like candy that is worth the 1$ you put in to the machine.
2. Most Roulette games.
Roulette games are the games where you usually have a big circle of lights, and you have to stop the light at a particular spot to win a prize or jackpot. There are hundreds of variations of these types of games, but in my experiences I'd say about 80% of them are rigged. A good rule of thumb if you can't obtain the game's manual is the bigger the jackpot, the more chance of the game being rigged. Its noteworthy to point out however that on some days Dave and Buster's arcades actually rig the machines to payout MORE then other arcades normally do. I suppose this is because in the eyes of Dave and Busters, people seeing someone win a jackpot on a machine is going to make them put more money into that machine. I made some decent tickets off one in a D&B a few years ago, because I noticed if I came back to the machine once every 30 minutes or so, I could hit a jackpot in 1-3 tries, and the jackpot was 500 tickets for 50 cents a play. Assuming it took 2 tries on average, 1 Dollar for 500 tickets, isn't too shabby.
3. Carnival games.
Some arcades include carnival games, and they are ALWAYS rigged. No exceptions on this one, and I've worked in an amusement park that had these kinds of games, so I know exactly how all of them are rigged. Maybe Ill do a post about this one day, but these types of games are borderline scams in my book. At my old job, which I wont disclose for personal protection, and legal reasons, we had a game where you can throw a bean bag at wall full of balloons, and each balloon had a spike behind it. The objective was to pop a balloon to win a prize, the balloons were each different sizes, so smaller sizes gave you bigger prizes, and larger balloons gave you smaller prizes. The large balloons weren't rigged in any way, so if you wanted to pay 5$ to get a bunch of small prizes, knock yourself out, but the spikes behind the small balloons were so dull, even pushing a balloon against it with your hand couldn't pop it.
4. Flaming Finger
Flaming Finger is the game where you have a maze, and you have to use your finger to navigate the maze to the end before the time limit is up. And as you progress through the maze the time moves faster and faster. Some people swear that there is a method you could use to consistently win this game, and some youtube videos of people winning convince a lot of people this game is skill based. But the truth is, according to the game's manual, the arcade can set how often the game is winnable. Its worthwhile to mention some arcades actually don't utilize this feature, and thus the game could be skill based in some locations, but usually these arcades don't have great prizes. Some Flaming finger games have their own prizes like Xbox games, or movies, while some just payout tickets based on how far you got before time was up. The same rule of thumb applies here, the bigger the payout, the more likely the game is rigged.
5. Most Claw Machines.
Claw Machines, are a completely different ballpark from other arcade games. They are a staple in arcades and wal-marts alike, and have been around for years. Newer claw-machines however, are rigged. There are many ways they can be rigged, but typically the claw has 2 different strength settings, weak, and strong. And once the claw machine receives enough money, the claw becomes stronger until someone wins. The newer a claw machine is, the more chances of it being rigged. However, there are still plenty of skill-based claw machines out there, usually in small businesses who likely got the machines because they were cheap. However, despite claw machines being rigged, there are still many ways you could win off them, as physics cannot be manipulated by machines. If you like claw machines, check out a popular youtuber by the name of Matt3756. This guy knows more about claw machines then anyone I've ever met, and he's even bought one of his own just to practice and study it. Claw-Machines usually aren't my go-to game, usually the only time I play them is if I see something I want personally, or I stumble upon a skill based claw machine and try to clean it out. But Matt has some great tips for winning claw machines that aren't supposed to let you win, and you should definitely check his videos out. If you do, let him know I sent you there, because my blog sure could use the publicity.
Well there you have it, again you should ALWAYS check for the game's manuals before playing them, but here are some games you should always avoid. Hopefully this helps you not get scammed out of your money, so you have more money to invest in better arcade games. Lately I've been posting nothing but redemption game tips, so I'm going to start posting tips on non-redemption games, such as shooting or racing games. If anyone has a game they like to play and wants some tips on improving, feel free to leave a suggestion!
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