Tip: No Buried Treasure

As I shared with all of you claw machine enthusiasts last, the first trick to a successful claw is to want what you can get, not to get what you want. This will be the first in a series of tips on how to spot your easiest target.

I've never witnessed nor participated in the filling of a claw machine with its prizes. I have a suspicion that each Claw Machine Technician is trained not only in how the technology works, but also in the psychology of prize placement. Most often--especially with plush prizes--the items have been wedged between one another very purposefully. This is a strategy to make it difficult to just pluck your winnings from the pile.

To overcome the obstacle of the tight-squeeze, peel your eyes for animals that have come loose. Preferably if has such things, all four legs, the tail, the head, and the rump should all be freed from the other plushies. After spotting a claw machine and approaching it, this is the first thing I scope prior to inserting my money. If every single item is wedged against another, do not waste your money! While each claw is different and is programmed with its own grab strength, none are designed to do any kind of yanking. Don't be foolish, claw machine enthusiasts!

Keep an eye out for next time, when I explain why the prize's location in the chamber makes a difference. You can find all of my tips here.

My name is Brooke and I am fortunate enough to be named Claw Machine Review's Chicago correspondent. I was raised on both classic and modern arcade games, with a full-sized pinball machine in my home.  My father trained me well on claw machines, and I currently have about a 50% claw machine success rate. Check out my life-style blog,  The Broke Brog, and say hello!

Tip: What's Your Target?

When engaging a claw machine, it's important to set a realistic goal for yourself. The object of your play cannot be to win a specific prize--say, the red Angry Bird plushie in the right corner or the licensed Chicago Bulls hat in the front. Claw machines are not about getting what you want, they are about getting something. The most crucial tip I can share with you is to set your sights on what will be easiest to win, not what catches your fancy. Your claw machine joy should come from your successes, not the prizes themselves.

So maybe you've won an unsightly mouse plushie filled with what seems to be insulation, but at least you've won. The mark of a successful claw machine run is to first revel in your success, then examine your prize while shrugging, "Ugh, now what?"*

Stay tuned for future tips on how to pinpoint the easiest targets in the machine!

*Give them to a pet or child in your life, or look like a hero and offer it to a nearby child.


My name is Brooke and I am fortunate enough to be named Claw Machine Review's Chicago correspondent. I was raised on both classic and modern arcade games, with a full-sized pinball machine in my home.  My father trained me well on claw machines, and I currently have about a 50% claw machine success rate. Check out my life-style blog,  The Broke Brog, and say hello!