Crane Game Gag: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

We have all seen them, either at arcades or children's entertainment centers. You see the machine with toys, often with a coin slot or a card to swipe for arcade credits. All you have to do is fork over a quarter. Just point the claw, press the button, and get a toy. Easy, right?

 

 

{{examples}}

== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==

* ''[[Cardcaptor Sakura]]'' in the anime features this in the [[Freaky Friday Flip]] episode. After the latest card makes Syaoran and Kero switch bodies, Syaoran ends up trapped in an arcade crane game machine. Turns out that Kero is the only one with the skills, owing to his many hours spent gaming. He gets frustrated when the first few attempts go south.

** Crane Game Joe has one as his [[Establishing Character Moment]]. He uses telekinesis to win toys from crane arcade games, so as to bypass the established rigging. The DiC dub tries to handwave that he donates the toys to charity, but in the original anime and Viz dub, he keeps it for himself.

** During episode 109 of ''S'' where Minako gets her heart stolen, she's playing a crane game while talking to Usagi about making herself worthy. Usagi, flashing back to when Minako and the Senshi died in season one as well as everyone getting their hearts stolen, starts banging her against the machine, begging her not to risk her life. As a result, Minako wins ''twenty'' toys, which she proceeds to give to everyone. When her heart gets removed and she runs off with it, the Senshi toss the toys at the daimon to distract it.

* One episode of ''[[Lucky Star]]'' shows Kagami having so much trouble getting a particular toy from a crane game that the montage includes a shot of her getting more change in order to keep playing.

 

== [[Fan Works]] ==

* In ''[[Squid Game]]'', a crane game toy fumble caps off the terrible day Gi-hun is having. When he's pickpocketed by Sae-byeok and coerced by loan sharks just as he earns enough money from betting on horse races to treat his daughter for his birthday, he's reduced to winning her a prize from a crane game. Though a child kindly helps him acquire one, the gift ends up being a gun-shaped cigarette lighter. Ga-yeong takes it well. [[TV Sins]] pointed out how dumb Gi-hun was since the next crane game had Stitch plushies in them.

* In ''[[The Good Place]]'', Eleanor when distracting Michael shows him the joy of a crane game machine. He wins a Minion prize and mentions he doesn't know why he is so happy he got it, but he is.

 

== [[Video Games]] ==

* In ''[[Ryu ga Gotoku|Yakuza 0]]'', one sidequest involves Majima helping a little girl to win a prize from a crane game.

 

== [[Web Original]] ==

* The [[YouTube]] channel [https://www.youtube.com/@clawcraziness Claw Craziness] is entirely about an expert's experiences with crane games, ranging from simply documenting his attempts at beating machines to explaining tips and tricks to use yourself.

 

* In ''[[Clarence]]'', the titular character pretend to get trapped in a claw machine. He "helps" his friend Voo win a toy dinosaur while saying he is trapped forever.

* ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]'' has an episode called "Skill Crane" where Squidward becomes addicted to a crane game that his boss Mr. Krabs installs. Mr. Krabs further enables the addiction so he can get more quarters from his employee. Ironically, Spongebob keeps winning toys without even trying. In the climax, Squidward gets so addicted that he hijacks a ''real'' crane that rapidly goes out of control.

 

== [[Real Life]] ==

 

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