Arepachi and Arrangeball

[Eddie]

I could be mistaken but I believe that the 2 terms are being mixed up as to some machine types.

Arraingeball machines require 16 balls to fill in consecutive numbers on a board( 1234 , 123456 etc) by the balls dropping into corresponding numbered pockets. Game play is initiated with Balls and pays out in Balls as does Pachinko machines.

Examples are Apollo-1 and Vickey chance

Arepachi machines also play with 16 balls yet the game is initiated with the use of Tokens and pays out in Tokens the balls remain within the machine. And wins are payed out by filling in complete rows or columns on a board. Not Consecutive numbers!

Examples are Electron (see vid on homepage) and the Jinn

The Arepachi/Arangement ball machine with the use of Tokens came first and was created by the MFG Taiyo soon other manufacturers followed.

[johntofva]

The Apollo is definitely an arepachi.

http://www.taiyoelec.co.jp/english/history.html

Taiyoelec use to have a wonderful articule about it. That I am trying to find.

[dishpan]

John, run this Taiyo link through the Google translator:

ŽŸ�¢‘ã—V‹Z‹@�uƒAƒŒƒpƒ`�v�Fƒ^ƒCƒˆ�[ƒGƒŒƒbƒN

It is my understanding that the 70's coin op. machines like yours with the 4x4 matrix of numbered lights and 16 lower pockets, are generally called "Arrangement Ball" games.

Arepachi is a unique name trademarked by Taiyo who pioneered games like the Penguin and Apollo 1, which combine elements from the four basic Pachinko game types, including "Arrangement Ball", all into one machine. Each type adds it's own distinctive play style. But I guess in general terms, Arepachi could be thought of as an abbreviation for "Arrangement Ball".

The Main game types are:

- Arrangement Ball games like yours.

- Type 1 is the modern computerized "Dejipachi" or 777 "Fever" type of game play. You line up and match three characters and the bonus door opens for the big payout.

- Type 2 are the "Hanemono" or "Wing/Feather" type of games. You target the "1" and "2" pockets to open the Wings for a short interval to enter the "Chance" area. If you are lucky enough to then enter the "V" for Victory pocket, the bonus fun begins.

- Type 3 are the rarer "Kenrimono" or "Right/Claim/Privilege" acquisition" type of game play for the serious gamblers. A "Tulip" pocket will open under certain conditions for a fixed period of time whereby you must shoot 3 balls into it to obtain the rights to a jackpot. (Rupan had a good explanation for this type or machine but I can't locate it right now.)

- Arepachi's which combine elements from all of the above game types into one machine like your new Apollo 1.

Nowadays what we see mostly are the Dejipachi's and now and again the Wing Type units are released. Taiyo does a great job with their Arepachi's but doesn't release them very often. I was surprized to see Sankyo try their luck with the "CR Vicky Chance" but I prefer the Taiyo's for game play. The "Rights" type of games are rarer still.

Arranged Ball machines that used tokens were first made in 1972. They were built by companies such as Satomi which is now Sammy, Taiyo's Solar -Electron, Fuji, Sansei R&D, and Ginza/Samsung's "Three Star".

They were not mainstream games because the play rules were more complicated, but consequently proved to be very popular with the "back hall" and university crowd looking for better payouts. They became so popular in fact that the gaming laws were changed to outlaw them. This law was later repealed which once again allowed their manufacture and in 1982 Taiyo developed the "Arepachi" games which used balls that incorporated some of the play features of those original token games.

Fuji had a popular series of Arepachi games based upon the Aladdin or Arabian themed machine, "Arredin" first built in 1992.

This was followed in 1993 by the Taiyo Arepachi games we know today which incorporates features of the Dejipachi (Type 1), the Hanemono (Type 2) Wing/Feather and Kenrimono (Type 3) games.

Things were kind of quiet after that until 2002 when theTaiyo CR Penguin arrived, shortly followed by the CR Apollo 1H in 2004 and then later in 2004, the CR Rapid Fire which was the first Arepachi to use an LCD display.

Sankyo also built Arepachis in the form of the original CR Vicky Chance, the Vicky Magnum and the current CR Vicky Chance REV introduced in 2006.

The bottom line is that the term Arepachi is simply an abbreviation for Arrangement Pachinko and it evolved from a token or cash machine into one that now uses balls.

My Arepachi collection currently includes all three of the modern Taiyo games as well as the Sankyo's CR Vicky Chance REV.