Pachinko is quite a popular game in Japan.
It is so common that there are over 8.8 thousand pachinko parlors and about 2.3 million pachinko machines around the country, boosting the gaming industry.
While the ones popularly found in most gaming centers are the hanemano, there are other types of pachinko machines. This post will tell you all you need to know about pachinko machines and where you can find them.
Types of Pachinko Machines
A Pachinko machine is used to play the pachinko game. It combines an automated slot machine and a pinball game that contains a game PC board and a control center PC and arranges the percentage of wins and losses.
Here are three main types of pachinko machines.
1. Hanemono Pachinko Machines.
These are the first models of pachinko machines that were made. They were very popular in the 1970s, but we can still find them in many pachinko parlors around the world to date.
These models are the best machines for beginners to use. They are very similar to pinball machines, and they are quite beginner-friendly. To use the Hanemono machine, you need to develop some gaming skills to win.
One common trick you should know when using this machine is to hit an area of the machine. What this does is to make some additional holes open around the central hole for you. Interestingly, the Hanemono pachinko machine is the cheapest to play with, and it gives the smallest jackpots.
2. Diji- pachi machines.
The Diji-pachi machine is known for its digital screen in the middle of the machine, which spins numbers like a slot machine. It is one pachinko machine that quickly became sought after by fans.
It gained prominence in the 1990s, taking over the pachinko machine scene and causing a shift from the Hanemono machines. When using this machine, the possibility of winning depends on how and where the ball falls.
You should know that there are different winning combinations, and a good winning combination may give you a bonus round to start. With this bonus round, your payout increases as you earn more winning combinations.
3. Kenrimono Pachinko Machines.
This is a rare type of pachinko machine. To play with this machine, you need to have a good mastery of the game. This machine has a set of rules that players learn while in the game.
In some versions of the kenrimono machine, your chances of winning other rounds increase by ten percent if you win a round. Because of the complexity of this machine, it offers big payout prizes, but it isn’t easy to win.
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About Pachinko
Pachinko is Japan’s alternative for gambling. It is an interesting arcade game that has earned its place in the Japanese market. Although gambling is illegal in the country, Pachinko is allowed.
It is a low strategy gambling that does not involve winning direct money. However, prices won can be exchanged or sold for cash. It is quite an addictive game that has become a favorite of many Japanese men and women.
Also, its popularity has earned it a place in the Japanese movie industry, as a TV series was also named after it. It is quite a lucrative business in Japan.
How to play Pachinko
If you move around the streets and roadsides of Japan, you will see different pachinko halls and parlors. It is one of the favorite pastimes of most Japanese people; however, you need some skills to play this game.
To play the Pachinko using the manual pachinko machine, the first thing players have to do is to insert cash into the machine. The players sit in front of the pachinko machine and then turn a dial which releases the pachinko balls.
The balls turn downward through a heap of pins, levers, and spinners. If the balls fall into a winning pocket along the way, the player is given 15 extra points to keep playing. When using the digital pachinko machines, you can have a special winning pocket that provides big rewards.
The landing balls in this pocket are like a slot machine. It lights up numbers on the screen. If a player gets a good match, the player can win up to 1,000 or even more at a time.
Where to buy a pachinko machine
If you’re a fan of Pachinko and would love to play it in the comfort of your home, these alternatives are for you. You can purchase these machines online and ship them directly to your doorpost. Here are some places you can buy a pachinko machine;
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Pachinko Planet.
As the name suggests, pachinko planet is an online store dedicated to just the sales of pachinko machines. There is a wide variety of these machines displayed on the website. They have restored machines, which means they are available for immediate purchase. The fee also covers your shipping charges when you pay for a pachinko machine.
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Modern Pachinko.
This is another place to purchase pachinko machines online. It is an online marketplace with various modern pachinko machines and accessories. Apart from that, you can also find pinballs on this site. You can get your pachinko machine delivered to your doorstep with this website. When you visit this website, you’ll find several models.
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Alibaba.com.
Alibaba.com is a Chinese e-commerce site where you can find anything you want. They have quality Pachinko & pinball machines on display too. The machines on Alibaba.com are made with the best quality of materials you can find. Your machine will be delivered to you within 3-10 days if you buy from here.
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Amazon.
Amazon is the one-stop online shop for everything you want, from clothes to household items, and pachinko machines aren’t left out. Pachinko machines are available on Amazon, both new second-hand and machines. Some game parlors even buy their pachinko machines from Amazon. Their delivery is quick, and you get a well-packaged machine delivered in good condition.
- Vintage Pachinko.
If you are a lover of vintage machines, then vintage Pachinko is the place for you. You can get restored machines on this website. With vintage Pachinko, you don’t have to bother with outside advertisements clustering your window. Also, you get your machine delivered to your home with no stress.
How to use the pachinko machine
To play with the pachinko machine effectively, you need to know how to use it. Here are the basic things you need to know to enable you to use the machine.
- You need to put money on the left side of the machine. The machine only accepts cash. No other means of payment is allowed.
- Press the play button
- To enable you to shoot out the metal balls, you need to turn the lever around. Hold it for a long time so that the balls keep shooting out.
- Make sure you aim at the balls for the upper left area of the pachinko board.
- READ MORE: Why is Japan called Japan?
How to make money on the pachinko game
Unlike gambling, playing Pachinko doesn’t guarantee a stash of money immediately. In fact, you do not win money directly. But on the bright side, when you play the Pachinko, you can win a lot of new balls to earn gifts that can fetch you money.
You should know that earning lots of new balls depends on the amount you put into the pachinko machine.
The balls are then exchanged for goods or other prizes at the parlor’s gift shop. If a pachinko player wants to exchange their earnings, they need to call a staff member using a call button. This call button is found just at the top of their station.
The staff member then carries the player’s balls to an automated counter to count how many balls they have. When they record the number of balls won by the player, the staff member will then issue a voucher or card stating the number of balls the player has.
The player then gives the card to the person at the parlor’s exchange center to claim their prizes. The prizes can be little things like pens, chocolate bars or big things, like electronics, bicycles, etc. These prizes can then be sold for money if the player pleases.
Conclusion.
Pachinko is to Japan what casinos are to America and other countries in the west.
Entering a pachinko parlor gives you the feeling of being in a casino. It is not a gambling game, though it has very close similarities. Both men and women (mostly men) love Pachinko in Japanese society. It can be one of their favorite things to do.
The pachinko game has also contributed to the economy of Japan, taking people out of unemployment and contributing about 5% of Japan’s GDP. When next you are in Japan, consider checking out one of their parlors, or better still, you can order the machine from one of the sites listed here and play the game in the comfort of your home.