Amusement arcade claw machines have been frustrating players for decades – but one person claims to have two tips to help you succeed in winning that elusive soft toy
Anyone who has visited a British seaside resort will recognise the frustration of attempting to win a soft toy from a claw machine. To help ease your amusement arcade disappointment, YouTube channel Arcade Friends has shared two strategies which they claim will stop you feeding endless coins into the machines.
“All you need to do is use the simple powers of observation,” they explained in a video demonstrating their approach. “The key here is to pay attention to the shelves in the back of the machine – if you are observant you will notice the entire top row of plushies has gone from this machine.”
The side-by-side machines featured in Arcade Friends’ footage revealed how participants had apparently enjoyed greater success with one unit, evidenced by its depleted soft toy reserve stock on the rear shelving.
“That means many people have won this prize since the last time it was restocked,” they said. “If several people have already won, that means this machine is probably paying out pretty well and should be easy to win like I did here.”
For their second recommendation, Arcade Friends advised viewers to watch for ‘Coming Up Next’ notices that are sometimes displayed within the claw machines.
“It’s not always the case, but often times when you see this sign, it means that they [the arcade] are ready to liquidate the old prizes in the machine,” they highlighted.
Therefore, Arcade Friends suggests these particular machines are probably configured to more accessible difficulty levels. “You might think I simply got lucky on the first play with a payout grab,” they continued in their video.
“But I was able to win on this machine three times back-to-back all with strong grabs.”
Arcade Friends concluded: “In mini machines, the sign might be smaller, but the same concept applies. Any time I see this ‘Coming Up Next’ sign, I make sure to give it a try.
“Use this tip in conjunction with other claw machine techniques like the double-tap and you will start to see your wins pile up.”
Elsewhere, fellow arcade enthusiasts Katie and Spencer previously outlined the double-tap technique.
“This [method] will stop the claw during the drop to grab the prize,” they explained. The approach involves pressing the button once more as the claw prepares to collect the soft toy, securing a firmer hold.
However, they cautioned: “It is not a guaranteed win! It should be used as a skill to stop the claw where you want.”
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