Gone are the days of wearing our PE shirts inside out at the arcade and blowing all our pocket money on that one level we could never quite beat. But whether you’re a student shooting hoops or gingerly working the claw machine as an adult, we’re all after the thrill of winning, winning, winning – these five arcade game hacks will help keep your streak going strong.
Whether you’re fans of arcade classics like Bishi Bashi or newer games like Temple Run Arcade, these hacks will score you a fair share of envious glances as you rake in a basket full of tickets, stat.
Ah, the classic claw machine – some say it’s rigged, others say it’s impossible. While there’s definitely an element of luck to this game, there are also plenty of tips and tricks to level up your technique for a higher chance of winning.
The most important ‘hack’ is to find a machine with the highest bunch of toys stacked inside. Not only will it make it easier for you to grab a toy with the claw, but in the not-so-rare chance that the toy does slip from its grip, the toy will hopefully bounce off the mountain of plushies and land in the chute – right where you want it.
In addition, ensuring the shortest claw travel distance by aiming for a toy that is positioned near the chute will increase the probability of it bouncing and dropping in. Plus, most arcades will let you swap out your prize with the other toys in the machine so finding an easier target will definitely help your chances.
This hack works best for small objects like squishies that require more grip
Although these arcade hacks are probably the most powerful way to win at the claw machine, another helpful tip is to spin the joystick of the claw machine vigorously to get the most grip. This is particularly effective on small prizes like rounds of tickets or candies because the sweeping motion of the claw will latch onto the objects more easily.
Playing the machine in the middle will give the highest chance of scoring the bonus
This hack may seem like a no-brainer but when it comes to choosing the machine to play, most people tend to overlook the high score of their machine. Granted, actually beating the high score is tough but choosing a machine that has a lower high score definitely boosts your chances.
For example, the three basketball machines at the Fat Cat Arcade had different high scores to beat in order to win the 500 ticket bonus, varying from 300 all the way to 900. If you’re confident about your skills and want to win extra tickets, strategically choosing your machine is the best way to do so.
When it comes to fun and excitement back in the day, carnival games are the real OGs, but action-packed, flashy modern arcade machines like race cars or coin pushers are often more enticing ways to spend your tokens these days.
However, with a whole slew of different tips and tricks, you stand a good chance at maxing out your number of tickets earned. The first and most important hack to win is to play as a team. For games like Down the Clown, Milk Toss Jug, and Bean Bag Toss, you’ll definitely do a lot better when you play with other people, especially with their short time limit.
(L-R): Down The Clown, Bean Bag Toss, Milk Jug Toss
For Down The Clown, try throwing the balls with your wrist instead of your arm. The flick of your wrist will give you a more accurate throw and can help you to knock down those scary clowns row by row.
Instead of throwing it with your arm, as shown above, a flick of the wrist will make it easier to knock down the clowns.
For Milk Jug Toss, try aiming the ball at the cartoon man’s mouth with an underhand throw. Your arm should be inside the cage for the best shot but be careful not to go too far in or you’ll probably end up with a warning from a staff member. The ball should ideally bounce off the backboard and land cleanly inside the milk jug.
For the Bean Bag Toss, it’s all about the throw. Using a bean bag throwing method that the American Cornhole League recommends – yes, America has a league for bean bag throwing – try keeping the bean bag as flat as you can to get the best aim. Your arm should be locked with a flick of the wrist at the very end to almost frisbee the bean bag in.
The Wheel of Fortune was a game recommended to us by the staff and we ended up with over 500 tickets
Different arcades have different games and rules so if you’re in it for the tickets, asking the staff which games they recommend is always a good idea.
For the Fat Cat Arcade, a staff member recommended the Golden Fishing Rod, a fishing game that you’ve probably seen an ah ma or two playing before. While the game was admittedly a little hard to get the hang of, it definitely gave us a ton of tickets at the end and only cost us four tokens.
Playing the kids’ version of basketball will give you a higher score, more tickets, and less cramped calves the next day.
Another hack to suss out the most hua games is to always play the kids version of the adult games, for example, playing kids basketball instead of regular basketball. While it definitely isn’t as challenging, you’re sure to get a much higher score and a lot more tickets which is part of the arcade fun after all.
Going to the arcade often means that you’ll meet all sorts of people, from those who are just there to have a good time to those who are determined to claim a prize from the gift store with their thousands of tickets. If you’re the latter, playing ticket-based games will definitely help you to reach your goal more quickly.
Classic arcade games like claw machines and air hockey don’t typically give out tickets so spending your tokens there is probably a waste of time and money. Instead, concentrating on the games that give out ticket-based prizes and that have prize pools will almost always be more worth it.
Luck-based games that directly give you tokens give you the most value.
For example, playing luck-based games like Monster Drop, Tower of Tickets, and Jackpot Wheel will definitely give you more rewards than other games at the arcade. However, if you’re a pro basketballer or F1 racer, this hack probably won’t apply to you.
You’ll be able to play arcade games to your heart’s content with the claimable Fat Cat Arcade Ticket Card
Despite being armed with all of these arcade hacks, actually claiming a prize from the gift shop will still take quite a bit of time and effort. While good things come to those who wait, if you want an easier way to win some toys, check out Toys Around’s Treasure Hunt.
You can win a large variety of toys, including ones from Marvel and Disney
Not only will you and your kids have an entire indoor playground to yourself to explore during the game, but you’ll also get to go home with a free toy and a limited edition Fat Cat Arcade Ticket Card with 50 pre-credited tokens. You’ll also get a voucher to redeem 400 tokens at $50 – a 25% discount for your gaming needs.
The actual Wheel of Happiness will be spun virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions
To play, all you’ll have to do is spin the virtual “Wheel of Happiness” to determine the toys you’ll win. With prizes ranging from Thor’s Stormbreaker or Captain America’s Shield from Avengers: Endgame for the Marvel fans to enduring tabletop favourites like Monopoly Singapore Edition and Jenga, you’ll be sure to score hours of fun with the family.
The toys will be hidden in random spots around the room so keep your eyes peeled
It’ll be a fun-filled search, and you’ll be guaranteed to walk away with one of the toys scattered around the indoor playground. Do be warned – there’s quite an area to cover, and you’ll want to accompany your kids so they don’t get lost in the playground’s many “rooms” and tunnels. After you’ve snagged your quarry, you’ll also get to hear from Toys Around’s representative about all they have to offer.
This post was brought to you by Qiren Organisation.
Photography by John Low.
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