| Pachinko
rules in Japan. A close approximation of pachinko in the United
States would be pinball but whereas the attraction of our table
sport has faded in recent years, the Japanese continue to love their
pachinko parlors. From the neon buzz of Tokyo to the natural
settings of rural villages, pachinko halls dot the landscape and
draw both men and women, consumed by pachinko madness. Outsiders may
view a pachinko table as a rather staid affair. Simple Hanemono
pachinko machines sport a circular play board pock-marked by little
wooden or plastic pegs and spinners. Shoot a succession of small
metal balls from a firing location and watch as they tumble down
through the maze of pegs to land inside open slots which are marked
with scores and bonuses. Hit the bonus slots and you'll receive a
payoff in tokens or additional metal balls to continue your game. Pachinko
Station V focuses on Deji-Pachi, or digital pachinko, machines.
A step above Hanemono, the payoffs are determined by a microchip.
These pachi stations invariably feature an LCD screen in the center
which is set off whenever a metal ball slides into a special slot.
Keep hitting that special slot and you'll garner a straight. When a
certain sequence such as 7-7-7 is hit, the lucky shooter nabs a
payoff known as a fever. The gambling aspect of Pachinko is
undeniable and perhaps therein lies the root of it's popularity
among the Japanese populace. It's relatively low cost of play and
potential rewards also make it a simple game of leisure. |
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