Home >> Toys >> Stuffed Animals

Claw Machine Tricks

Claw machines are the games often located near the doors of a department store or mall that contain stuffed animals or other toys which you can win by grabbing them with a claw. The concept is tempting--often you have the chance win a stuffed animal or other toy for under a dollar--however, in reality you can spend more than that and leave empty-handed.

Survey the Claw Machine
- Prior to putting any money into the machine, you should survey the machine to know its limitations and properties. Check the size and style of the claw--does it have four or three prongs? Note whether you navigate the claw with a joystick or with buttons. The joysticks will allow you to push a button to send the claw down, while the button-operated machines will drop the claw once you have stopped moving the claw. Look to see how far the claw will travel in the machine--some will allow you to navigate the claw to the perimeter of the machine, while others are restricted. A good way to survey the machine is to watch others play the machine prior to you attempting it.
Survey the Prizes
- Before you begin playing the claw machine, you must search for a potentially winnable prize. In some cases, the stuffed animals or other prizes are placed in the machine in such a fashion that they are lodged against others and cannot be pulled by the claw. Look for a prize that resting on top of the other prizes or one that is not placed too closely to the other prizes.
Use a Friend
- If possible, have a friend help you line up the claw with the prize that you are trying to win. In some cases, the machine may be against a wall or other machine, and you do not have the time to move around the machine fully to gauge the claw&'s location. The claw must be properly aligned horizontally and vertically so you can grab the prize where you would like; you can determine this best with the help of a friend.
Be Aware of the Time
- In most cases, you will have between 10 and 30 seconds to maneuver and deploy the claw. Even though there is generally not a great deal of time, you should not rush your attempt because you have until the clock expires to deploy the claw or it will automatically deploy. Be aware of the time remaining and position the claw exactly where you need it. This is easiest with the joystick style claw machine. For the machines that require you to operate the claw with buttons, align your claw vertically before moving the claw horizontally because once you stop moving the claw horizontally, it will deploy.

Stuffed Animals