Quoted from Sparky

Some redemption games out there are pretty fun. Just different. One that is irritating is Stacker... that stupid game that you practically see everywhere. Every once in a while I play, and I know they are fixed. I did get lucky 3 weeks ago though and managed to get the big prize.  

I enjoy playing redemption games, I equate it to playing games at a fair or carnival without having to deal with the carnies hassling you every two seconds to play the game.

I really like the Simpsons Kooky Carnival redemption game that Stern put out, it's a token rolling game gut is actually pretty fun, I wouldn't mind putting one in the house just to have around as a fun added item.  

But when down in Niagara Falls Denise and I will spend a day at the Great Canadian Midway and just play a bunch of redemption games are try and win her something good.  It's a fun way to spend an afternoon for only about $40.  

Quoted from wbradley

Also, parents nowadays dont want their kids to go to hangouts where there might be cigarettes, soft drugs etc.

Funny that's what drew kids to arcades and other hang-outs with pinballs in the 60's and 70's ... maybe there will be backlash revisitation once kids realize they are being corralled?  (But likely not since the 2 working parent family always offers kids an unserpervised gamesroom somewhere.)

Quoted Text

Funny thing is, I just recently browsed thru a book about the current popularity of arcades in Japan. Of course it is all about video; Dance Dance Rev, Shooting and fighting games. They draw people in with a series of various claw games with substantial prizes at the entrance. They don't mention pinball, and probably due to maintenance and cost to bring in American machines there probably are few if any there.

I will ask a friend of mine who travels regularly to Japan.  It "might" catch on, but they prefer uprights that fit into smaller spaces and most assuredly there is NO ROOM in people's houses (and no basements) to house pinballs.  The rage are gambling machines called Pachinkos and Pachislos. Arcades and Gambling Pachinko Parlours in Japan (where it is illegal to gamble, by the way) are run by Koreans and the Yakuza and considered a base form of entertainment (and addiction).

Pachislo machines, in particular, are stripped down to their bare components and used in a home environment. The Japanese youth are very competitive, and unless they perceive that "pinball" is a "team" skill that suits their particular interests....  I would imagine that the South Park pinball would do well there given ththe Japanese affection for alll things to do with poop jokes.  

Quoted from Vengeance

The redemtion arcades are now the new "arcade" for youth.  Kiddie gambling or whatever you want to call it is the direction that arcades are headed in.    

We're comin gpretty much full circle.  Penny Arcades and Nickel Cranes were engineered as a way to rob youth of the few pennies they had in order to gamble for what they perceive was a bigger prize.  I for one have been addicted since youth to Compton's Penny Falls.