Pachinko is the Japanese version of pinball that has its roots dating back to 18th Century France but began in the 1920s. It was officially released in 1929 with its first Nagoya pachinko hall opening in 1930.
This mechanical game is mostly used as a recreational arcade game. A person is likely to see the machines in the city of Tokyo.
Pachinko is quite similar to pinball but differs in the game’s objective, which is how many balls a player can hit the jackpot with. In return, players stand a chance of winning exciting prizes. However, these machines reward the players with an automatic payoff as seen in gambling slot machines.
Technology plays a significant role in making the game enjoyable. The machines look simplistic from the outside but contain complex parts and connections when opened. The machines have been improvised to provide motorized handlers and rapid-firing capabilities to improve a user’s experience. Although technology is an attractive feature, the variety of machines, type of game, branding, or price, are critical in pulling crowds.
According to Japanese laws, pachinko is classified as a ‘game.’ Therefore, nobody can get arrested in Japan for playing pachinko.
Today, the machines remain electronic in nature. However, the core gameplay is largely the same and has not changed through the years. Japanese pachinko has gained immense popularity which looks to grow even further in the coming decades.
