Do any of you remember the hilarious SpongeBob SquarePants episode entitled "Skill Crane" (Season 4)? In this episode, Squidward attempts to win a prize from the claw crane that Mr. Krabs installs in the Krusty Krab.
Jealous about SpongeBob effortlessly winning cute stuffed animals from the machine, frustrated Squidward desperately tries to win a prize for himself, but eventually runs out of money.
SpongeBob eventually tells Squidward that the secret to win a prize is to be the crane and success follows, but there will be a rather bizarre twist in Squidward's fate.
Walking around Shilin Night Market in Taipei – but also in other areas of the city where you can find a multitude of claw crane arcades competing for your attention – you may end up feeling a bit like Squidward.
Shilin Night Market offers a vast maze of the ever-popular claw machine arcades, scattered between food stalls and vendor carts, all of them representing an irresistible attraction for locals and tourists.
In these arcades players can test their skills in winning a variety of prizes for just 10 Taiwanese Dollars (NT; about 0,29 €).
The claw machine trend started around ten years ago: arcades nearly double by 2018, something that prompted the government to order an increased production of $10 NT coins to meet the demand.
The boom was caused by the fact that as wages stagnated, claw machines started being seen as an investment opportunity, almost as a side hustle to get by: landlords own arcades, but individuals can hire or purchase one or more claw machines in the arcade paying a rent to the landlord, and keeping the profits for themselves.
Renters are responsible for supplying the prizes and maintaining the machine, while landlords must make sure they adhere to legal standards that regard goods sold, but also the position of the arcade that must not be located in the proximity of junior-high or elementary schools, high schools, vocational schools or hospitals.
Arcades continued spreading all over Taiwan after Covid-19 drove many small business owners to shut their doors.
Claw game arcades moved into the empty stores and continued to spread all over Taiwan, but not in Taipei where rental rates discouraged the opening of more arcades.
Claw machine arcades remain extremely popular, though, and they are the leading source of tax revenue in the Taiwanese entertainment industry.
In most cases players use a joystick to control the mechanical arm, which extends into the cabinet with a claw at the end. The objective is to position the claw perfectly to grab a prize and release it into the prize chute.
Yet the machines come in different configurations: most of us know the classic glass cabinet filled with prizes of different sizes and values, but here the range is immense and goes from plush toys and action figures to gadgets, key chains, stuffed animals, figurines, electronics, and even food items like snacks and candy.
The allure of these machines is undeniable: they combine the thrill of gaming with the excitement of potentially winning prizes.
The latter vary in quality and rarity, which contributes to the addictive nature of these machines. Some players aim for the easy-to-grab items, while others seek out the elusive, high-value collectibles.
It's not uncommon to find claw machines featuring adorable plush toys, anime merchandise, or even limited-edition items tied to popular franchises.
Yet, beyond toys and merchandise, as stated above, the Taipei arcade scene has diversified to include machines that dispense food and beverages as prizes.
These machines allow players to test their skills and earn a tasty reward with prizes ranging from bags of candy to instant noodles or even popular Japanese snacks and drinks.
This unique combination of gaming and gastronomy adds a new layer of fun to the arcade experience as these specialized machines feature therefore a local twist with an array of exotic treats – from Taiwanese pineapple cakes to peeled chestnuts.
There are also machines offering household supplies, including toilet paper – a cheaper way to get it if you can master the art of "being the crane", SpongeBob style.
There are also other types of machines in a more "wheel of fortune" style with a colourful wheel that activates when you put in a couple of coins and press a button. The wheel randomly stops to indicate the prize – among the others there are SpongeBob or Pokémon figurines – you may have won.
One interesting point about these machines is that the owners clearly know about trends and fill the machines with tempting products that target their desired customers or arrange them strategically to allow players to win every now and then and return.
It may seem deceptively easy playing with one of these machines, but the level of skills and precision required depends on several factors: the strength of the claw's grip, the positioning of the prizes, a healthy dose of luck and, last but not least, the integrity of the setup.
Conventional wisdom suggests indeed that these claw games are rigged as quite often the claws seem too loose to successfully grasp the prize, or they release their grip just when it seems victory is at hand, sometimes even launching the prize away from the chute.
The joyful chaos, friendly competition environment and mini-competitions with friends, fellow tourists or locals who try to give you tips about how to catch a prize (let's admit it, the sense of camaraderie and shared enthusiasm and frustration among players can be fun), with players vying to see who can collect the most prizes within a time limit, contribute to making a stop at claw crane arcades memorable, especially for tourists.
But, if you feel you're not the lucky type or your skills are not SpongeBob's, and you still want a souvenir, well, opt for the gashapon-like vending machines that for 20 Taiwanese Dollars (about 0,58 €) will reward you with a small toy in a capsule (you may not be winning it, but the element of surprise adds to the excitement and fun).
As an alternative, rather than behaving like Squidward and spending all your change on the machines, think how you can employ the claw cranes as an inspiration for a personal creative project.
Fashion design students, could the claw machine arcade serve as a muse for your collections? Could it be a captivating backdrop for a runway show, or even an inspiration for a unique runway invitation? The possibilities are endless, yet, while working on this theme, try to think also about the environmental impact associated with many of the prizes found in these machines.
Although claw cranes are a source of amusement and delight, they also imply consumption and overconsumption, and can cause addiction. So there's a caveat here for players not to succumb to the allure of the claw crane and go down the Squidward-way when wandering the streets of Taipei and stumbling upon one of these arcades.
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