Pachinko is a game of gambling which is particularly popular in Japan. Looks-wise, it is more like the Western Pinball game. In the game, you sit in front of a Pinball-like machine, and you release a ball inside the machine. Now, where this ball stops in the machine determines which things you win or if you win any money or you don’t win anything at all.
Knowing the origin, the word Pachinko refers to the sound “Pachin,” which the machine makes, and “Ko” refers to small. The game has been in popularity in Japan since 1953; however, it is not very much known outside of the country.
The Pachinko machines are set in an arcade, and there are various rows in which multiple Pachinko machines are placed. Hence many players can play the game at a time on their machines.
Pachinko is also one reason why Japan’s streets look so bright, colorful, and cheering with the sound accompanying the game.
The Mechanism of Pachinko
To start the play, the player sits in front of the Pachinko machine. He rents some small steel balls to target the particular places inside the machine. The player loads these balls into the machine. He then shoots the balls by pressing a lever given, which releases the hammer.
This hammer then pushes the ball in a metal track where the ball gradually slows down and falls in a place. There are several small cups inside the machine holding a gift or money. When the ball drops in any of these cups, the player wins that particular gift.
This is the basic idea of how Pachinko works.
Pachinko and the Slot Machine
Many players compare the game with slot machines. However, it is not exactly like a slot machine. It can be said that Pachinko holds some similarities to the slot machine but not all. For example, in Pachinko, the player holds the lever to push the balls further. So here, the player controls the force when he releases the lever, which further decides the velocity of the ball.
Slots are more luck-based, whereas Pachinko depends on your manner of using the lever. Your force decides where the ball will end up and which means you have control of the game in some amount.
These days, Pachinko is available online, where the website mimics the look of the machine. However, it doesn’t give the same satisfaction; an online game doesn’t need you to go to Japan particularly to play your game.