Crane Machines

A claw vending machine consists of prizes, usually plush toys such as teddy bears or alternatives such as jewelry, inside a cabinet made of glass or plexiglas with a claw or crane attached to the ceiling of the cabinet. The player puts coins into the machine, which then allows the player to manipulate a joystick that controls the claw for 15 to 30 seconds (in some cases, a claw vending machine might offer a minute of time). The player is able to move the claw back, forth and sideways, but not up or down.

At the end of that time (or earlier if the player presses a trigger button on the joystick), the claw drops down and makes a gripping attempt. Some machines allow the user to move the claw after it has been partially dropped. After making the gripping attempt, the claw then moves over an opening in the corner of the cage and releases its contents. If the player is successful, then the prize the claw is holding is dropped into the opening and dispensed through a chute into a hatch for pickup.