How to play
Catch, Trade,
Upgrade & Grab
Something Sweet.
That is the whole game in four words. Here is what each one actually means once you are stood in front of a machine.
Step 1
Catch
Get a grip that holds.
Line the claw up over the prize before you drop, not while it is falling. Aim for a seam, a limb or a tag, somewhere the claw can close on rather than slide off. Flat and round is the hardest shape in the shop.
Step 2
Trade
Small wins add up.
Nothing you catch is wasted. Bring what you have won up to the counter and turn it in for its points value instead of taking it home.
Step 3
Upgrade
Keep climbing.
Points carry over from week to week, so you can save them up and go straight for the top shelf. Plenty of people leave with a big piece they never once caught directly.
Step 4
Grab Something Sweet
Finish at the counter.
Put $10 or more on a game card and scoops of ice cream come with it, so the sweet part is already paid for by the time you are done playing.
Trading up
Small prizes are currency.
This is the part people miss. You do not have to catch the big one, you can build up to it. Turn in your catch for the day and save the points for something huge.
- 11 catch
Grab & Go
Capsule toys, keyrings, plush characters, mini plush, candy
- 21 to 10 points
Trade for medium prizes
Nerf guns, puzzles, games, cards, Needos, squishies
- 311 to 1,000 points
Trade for big prizes
Large plush, games, Nintendo Switch and plenty more
Bring what you have won up to the counter and we will do the swap. Points carry over from week to week, so there is no rush to spend them. Capsules are bought from the tower for five credits. They are a prize in their own right, so they are not traded back in for points.
Helpful hints
Six things worth knowing
From the people who restock these machines every single day.
Watch a machine before you play it
Prizes shift all day. Look for one sitting proud of the pile with a clear gap around it, rather than one wedged in the corner.
The claw is strongest on the way up
A grip that looks loose can still hold if the prize is balanced. Give it a chance before you write the go off.
Nudge, don't just grab
Moving a prize closer to the chute is a good play. Two cheap goes to set it up beats six expensive ones at a bad angle.
Ask us
The staff restock these machines every day and know exactly which ones are playing well. Ask, and we will point you at one.
Bigger cards, better value
A $100 card carries 120 credits and three scoops of ice cream. That is twenty extra plays against buying five-dollar cards one at a time.
Save your points
You do not have to spend on the day. Turn your catch in, bank the points and come back for the thing you actually want.
House rules
The short version
Nothing surprising, but worth saying out loud.
- One credit, one go. Cards work in every machine on the floor.
- Whatever the claw drops in the chute is yours to keep.
- Prizes cannot be swapped for cash, but they can be traded up at the counter. This must be done during your visit. Once a plush leaves the store it cannot be traded for points.
- Please do not tilt, shake or lean on the machines. It stops the game and we will have to reset it.
- Under-eights are welcome to play, with a grown-up nearby.
- If a machine takes a credit and does not play, come and tell us. We will put it right on the spot.
Catch, Trade, Upgrade, & Grab Something Sweet
Come and try it. Cards start at $5. Put $10 or more on one and a scoop of ice cream will be waiting at the counter when you are done.