How do you play Claw Machine?
Move the claw left or right until it sits above the plush you want, then press the red button. The claw drops, closes, rises and travels to the prize chute on the left, where it opens. If the plush falls into the chute you win it, and you get ten drops per round.
The screen is an arcade claw machine seen from the front. Inside the glass box sit bears, rabbits, cats, ducks, star cushions and heart cushions, and somewhere in the pile hides a single gold star. There are no coins to insert. Press Start and you receive ten tries; when they are used up, the number of plushes you won and your score appear on the result screen.
Why does the claw keep dropping things?
The claw is deliberately weak, so every plush has its own chance of being gripped, and even a gripped plush can slip out while it is being carried. Just like a real machine, the more the claw swings, the more it drops.
Centering the claw over a plush gives the best grip chance, while catching it by the edge drops the odds sharply. Even after a successful grab, a slip check runs the whole time the claw is rising and travelling to the chute. While the claw is swinging hard the slip chance multiplies, so it pays to let it settle before you drop.
| Plush | Grip chance | Slipping | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bear | Low | Often | 3 |
| Rabbit · Cat | Medium | Sometimes | 2 |
| Duck | High | Rarely | 1 |
| Star cushion · Heart cushion | Very high | Almost never | 1 |
| Gold star (one per round) | Very low | Very often | 10 |
How is the score counted?
Every plush that lands in the chute adds its own points, and the result screen shows your score, the number won and a one line rank. Your best score is saved in this browser.
Bears are big and heavy, so they are worth 3 points; rabbits and cats give 2; ducks and cushions give 1. The gold star gives 10, enough to turn a round around with a single catch. A plush that slips from the claw and happens to roll into the chute counts just the same. The rank depends on how many you won, and past seven the arcade owner is said to be crying.
What is the gold star?
It is the one rare plush in each round, a glittering golden star cushion. It has the lowest grip chance and slips the most, but it is worth 10 points.
The gold star is often buried under other plushes. The usual plan is to pick off whatever is lying on top, or nudge things with the claw, and then go for it. A soft glow surrounds it, so you can always see where it is. Try it while you still have plenty of tries, and spend the last one or two on a sure cushion to bank points; that gives a higher average score.
What does the collection record?
It is a checklist showing how many of each plush you have won so far. Open it with the Collection button on the title screen.
- Seven kinds: bear, rabbit, cat, duck, star cushion, heart cushion and gold star. Kinds you have not won yet are shown in grey.
- Running totals: at the end of every round the plushes you won are added. A round you quit halfway is not counted.
- Where it lives: only in this browser, never sent to a server. Clearing browser data clears it too.
How do you win more plushes?
- Go for the plush on top. One that is pinned under others does not let the claw sink in, so the grip chance is low.
- Drop only after the claw has stopped swinging. Dropping the moment you stop moving sends it down crooked and it catches an edge. After dragging the glass, wait a beat before pressing the button.
- Plushes near the chute are the easy ones. The shorter the trip, the fewer chances to slip. A cushion lying on the left is almost a guaranteed point.
- Stage the bear. Carrying a bear a long way usually ends in a drop. Let it fall near the chute once, then grab it again on the next try.
- Make the last try a safe one. With one try left, a reliable cushion beats a gamble on the gold star on average.
Controls
- Phone and tablet: hold the ◀ ▶ buttons below the machine to move the claw and press the red button to drop it. Drag a finger inside the glass and the claw follows to that spot.
- Mouse: the buttons work the same way, and you can drag inside the glass too.
- Keyboard: ← → or A D to move, Space, Enter, ↓ or S to drop. Press Space or Enter on the title screen to start right away.
- Sound: motor hum, claw clacks and a win jingle. The speaker button at the top right turns it off, and the setting is remembered.
Results mix luck with positioning, so the same spot can give a different outcome each time. No money or coins are involved, and every record stays in this browser only.