A merchandiser is an

arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated game machine ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade game's hardware ** Arcade system board, a standardized printed circuit board * Amusement arcade, a place with arcade games * ...

gaming device, which features a machine that contains a display of merchandise, which can be won by playing the game. In the trade, such games are described as "

skill with prize A skill with prize or skill with prizes (SWP) machine is a gaming machine which provides a payout (the prize) and whose outcome depends in part on the player's skill (the skill). They are contrasted with amusement with prize machines which, while ...

" (SWP) games, and are a hybrid of

games of skill A game of skill or game of wits is a game where the outcome is determined mainly by mental or physical skill, rather than chance. Alternatively, a game of chance is one where its outcome is strongly influenced by some randomizing device, such ...

and

games of chance A game of chance is in contrast with a game of skill. It is a game whose outcome is strongly influenced by some randomizing device. Common devices used include dice, spinning tops, playing cards, roulette wheels, or numbered balls drawn from ...

, with the preponderance of skill or chance differing between devices and often able to be set by the operator.

Description

Claw crane A claw crane, claw machine, toy crane, or skill crane is a type of arcade game known as a merchandiser, commonly found in video arcades, supermarkets, restaurants, movie theaters, shopping malls, and bowling alleys. Machine components A claw ...

s are the most common example of a merchandiser. The player guides a claw in an attempt to pick up a prize and drop it into a hole. Other types of merchandisers can offer prizes ranging from cheap and inexpensive to high end merchandise such as handheld game consoles and mobile phones. A similar class of games are

redemption game Redemption games are typically arcade games of skill that reward the player proportionally to their score in the game. The reward most often comes in the form of tickets, with more tickets being awarded for higher scores. These tickets can then ...

s, where tickets are won and can be redeemed for merchandise prizes, rather than merchandise being won directly. These are both modern forms of

carnival game A carnival game is a game of chance or skill that can be seen at a traveling carnival, charity fund raiser, amusement arcade and amusement park, or on a state and county fair midway. They are also commonly played on holidays such as Mardi Gra ...

s. Some games can be configured as either redemption games or merchandisers, such as

Flamin' Finger Flamin' Finger is an arcade redemption game and merchandiser developed by American company Dell Electronics Labs and released by Namco, notable for its retro design and electronic soundtrack. Gameplay The game generates an LED maze behind a to ...

Examples

Examples include: *

* Stacker *

, which can be configured as a redemption game or merchandiser *

Money booth A money booth, also known as cash booth, money machine, and cash cube, is an arcade game and merchandiser in the form of a phone booth in which paper money (or, alternatively, coupons, tickets, or gift certificates) are blown through the air. A ...

Regulation

machines, merchandisers are in a legal grey area, due to containing elements of skill and of chance, particularly since payout percentages can to a large extent be set by the operator – such setting leads to machines being described as rigged. They are generally regulated separately from games of pure chance such as

slot machine A slot machine (American English), fruit machine (British English) or poker machine (Australian English and New Zealand English) is a gambling machine that creates a game of chance for its customers. Slot machines are also known pejoratively a ...

s; see Claw vending machine § Legality for statutes pertaining to claw machines. Claims of being largely or entirely skill-based can expose the operator to accusations of unfair practices; thus some lawyers advise operators to not advertise the machines as being skill-based.

References

{{reflist

External links

Bandai Namco Group – Brent Sales – Prize Products
Vending