The Trick to Winning at the Claw Machine

So close, but so far. Just beyond the glass, separated by a thin barrier, yet light years away. There it is, the prize you’ve been dreaming of, trapped in the loose and jiggly clutches of the feared and dreaded CLAW MACHINE. 

Okay, so maybe we’re being dramatic, but if you’ve ever gazed longingly at a prize inside a claw machine game, you know the feeling. Don’t despair, because it IS possible to retrieve your treasure. Read on to learn how to beat a claw machine and get ready to grab destiny by the claw on your next visit to our Charleston arcade. 

Claw Machine Tips

Don’t waste your time and money going in without an idea of what you’re doing. First thing’s first, do your research. These claw machine tips are simple, but they can have a big payoff. 

• Do some recon. Watch someone else play the game to see what they try and whether their approach is a good idea. 
• Get your bearings. Take a look at the prize pit. What areas are piled up high and what areas are lower? Are the prizes packed in or are there any that seem “loose,” as if they could fall at any moment? 
• Select your victim. While it may be tempting to grab your favorite item even though it’s not situated well, be strategic. See if there’s anything you can bump or drag into the chute with minimal effort. 
• Think strategically. Of course, sometimes you just have to get that one item. Use your turns to clear other items out of the way that may be blocking it, setting yourself up for a better chance when you do go in for the attack. 
• Position the claw. Once you’ve done everything you can to put your target item in a good position, it’s on to the claw. You should spend most of your time getting the claw into the perfect position. 
• Know when to cut your losses. Sometimes grabbing that one specific prize is just not going to work, at least not for the moment. Walk away and see if someone else steps up to the machine; you never know what they’ll knock out of the way, completely altering the “landscape” of the prize pit. 

BONUS TIP: Don’t assume all claw machines are rigged to be impossible. You’d be amazed how many people don’t even attempt the claw machine because they assume the claw mechanism is rigged to drop anything it picks up. Not true! While some claw machines do allow operators to adjust the settings of the claw mechanism to make it more challenging, that’s not always the case. Give the claw game a shot if you see a prize you want; you’ll never win if you don’t try! 

Whether you love playing new and classic arcade games, racing around the go-kart track, or battling it out in our VR arena, you’re always going to have a blast at Charleston Fun Park.