Arcade1Up's New Full-Size Claw Machine Has Optional "Scam" Difficulty Mode

You’ll find a lot of cool arcade cabinets in the Arcade1Up catalog, many of which feature tough-as-nails retro games. But on November 5, Arcade1Up’s lineup expands with the most challenging classic game of all, the claw machine. Arcade1Up’s Full-Size Claw Machine is available to preorder now for $500 at Amazon. Though it may sound pricey–it’s the same price as many traditional Arcade1Up machines that offer a bunch of preloaded game–at least you won’t waste any quarters playing this claw machine. Plus, if you want a standing claw machine for your game room, it’d be difficult to find one this low of a price, as they are still largely sold as commercial products.

$500

It features a light-up marquee and button, adjustable sound volume, and includes 12 plastic capsules for you to fill with goodies. Of course, you can also throw stuffed animals and other items into the playing arena without any issue–making it a pretty cool activity for a birthday party or family get-together.

Arguably the coolest thing about this claw machine is it has adjustable difficulty settings: easy, medium, and scam, otherwise known as the default mode in the machines at your local Walmart.

This also opens the door for an innovative spin on taking toys away from your kids when they are misbehaving. Your son won’t stop attempting yo-yo tricks near the priceless family heirlooms? Toss the yo-yo in the machine, crank the difficulty up to scam mode, and tell him he can have it back when he wins it. Honestly, this “punishment” might be a bit too fun.

If you’re wondering what “full-size” means here, the machine weighs 80 pounds and has dimensions of 22.5 x 22 x 61.25 inches. If you have one of Arcade1Up’s other machines with a riser (or a deluxe model), that’s what you can expect from this claw machine. Standing at just over five feet and a width and depth of close to two feet, the claw machine definitely isn’t as big as the machines in grocery stores that you badgered your parents about playing. That said, the fact a standing height claw machine for $500 exists at all is notable.

Despite the ubiquity of claw machines in arcades and retail shops, the vast majority of home claw machines are tiny tabletop models. You can find a bunch of those on Amazon, but you won’t find a full-size model for kids and adults at a major retailer. Claw machines are typically sold by specialty retailers to businesses for significantly higher prices, often in the thousands. The current claw machine market is pretty similar to the arcade machine landscape before Arcade1Up popularized budget-priced cabinets for home use.

A handful of other Arcade1Up machines are on sale right now at Amazon, including the versatile Infinity Game Table. This 32-inch electronic board game table lets you play digital versions of over 100 games and activities, like Monopoly, Scrabble, Chutes and Ladders, and Yahtzee. It also supports online play, so you can dive into multiplayer games with friends around the world. While it’s not discounted, an 18.5-inch tablet version dubbed the Infinity Game Board offers the same features for $500.

For more conventional arcade fun, check out Amazon’s steep discounts on Pac-Man and Street Fighter 2 Arcade1Up cabinets as well as Attack from Mars Pinball featuring classic Williams and Bally boards.