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Thread: Arrange Ball Machines-General Description

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    Pachi Puro emmadog's Avatar
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    Default Arrange Ball Machines-General Description

    ArrangeBall/ChallengeBall Machines:

    The purpose of this is to shed some light on this unique and extremely interesting type of pachinko machine that pays out in tokens and not pachinko balls. They are frequently referred to as “ArrangeBall or ChallengeBall” machines. These are also terms used generically but were used by the manufacturers Satomi and Taiyo, respectively and were also used by other brands. Speaking of manufacturers, the two most prevalent were Satomi and Taiyo. They are represented the most by collectors and also seem to generally be the most innovative and fun to play but there were many others such as Nishijin, Fuji, Sanyo, Kyoraku and Meiyu just to name a few.
    The info contained here has been gathered over an approximately 2 year period from my personal experience and from other members of this website. This data is by no means complete and is not meant to be a be-all, end-all authoritative document. There are still a fair amount of machines that I and any other Pachitalk member as far as I know have only seen in pictures so their exact details are not known. Anyone with additional info of any sort relating to this subject is encouraged to email me via this forum so I can augment this document. Thanks.
    Most vintage pachinko enthusiasts on this site are probably familiar with these machines but likely have never played one. They get snapped up by collectors quickly when they do appear on Craigs List, eBay, etc. Thanks to search engines, when one does become available many people are aware of it’s presence so they don‘t stay for sale long.
    Arrange Balls (AB’s) resemble traditional pachinkos and look almost the same at first glance. Game play is different and requires the shooting of balls onto a play field (PF) full of pins and pockets but only 16 balls are used and they stay contained within the machine. Therefore, payouts are not in balls but in tokens. Basic game play requires the player to insert a token to cause 16 balls to roll down to the shooter area. Then the balls are fired onto the PF via a manual lever like any other vintage pachinko. The word “arrange” refers to the fact that the way to win payouts is by lighting/ getting a correct arrangement of numbers in rows, columns, etc., on typically a 4X4 matrix for a total of 16 numbers. This is similar to bingo and is the norm but there are other number layouts such as circles, twin 4X4 matrices, etc. There are also several machines that use Mahjongg tiles as opposed to numbers. At the bottom of the playfield are 16 numbered pockets lined up horizontally. Balls in these pockets light the corresponding number in the matrix. Frequently, the far pockets on either end of the row do not light a number and allow the ball to be shot again.
    These machines also contain various pockets on the PF that do different things. A ball in a PF pocket may light certain number(s) on the matrix, some immediately award a coin, and others cause PF animation such as causing tulip pockets to electrically open and close, etc. One interesting example comes from a Satomi “Buffalo”. A ball in the top PF pocket causes a Bull’s horns to slowly open and close. The object is to shoot a ball while this is going on to light the corresponding number as well as award a token. Balls in pockets on some machines will start a bonus mode that allows the player to have the option of lighting to 4 specific numbers to help complete a row at the player‘s discretion. If at the end of a game utilizing a bonus number won’t complete anything for a payout, it can be saved for the next game. This carry over makes the game play more fun and interesting but it’s main reason for existence in my opinion is to encourage the player to drop yet another token. Other machines have a 3 digit LED readout somewhere on the PF. When a game starts, these 3 numbers “spin” and are stopped by the first 3 balls going in any pocket. Ideally the numbers will stop on 1,2,or 3 number 7’s or 3 of the same number. This causes one or more tulips or a trap door to open for a specific interval. The amount of time depends on the number of 7’s that come up. For example on one of my Taiyos, 1,2, or 3 number 7’s will open the tulips for .5,2, or 10 seconds, respectively. For 3 of a kind it’s 3 seconds. This increases the chances for a ball to go in and lighting up to 4 numbers at once on the matrix. Another similar Taiyo I own does the same thing but the time intervals are different. An interesting strategy emerges since the machine will only open the tulips (provided there’s one or two 7’s displayed) after the last number stops spinning. So the player should fire as many balls as possible while the last number spins if they have one or two 7’s in the readout. Once the 3rd number stops and the tulips open, the player ideally has balls on the playfield falling down and hopefully into the tulips. In some cases a trap door as opposed to a tulip will open. Later machines also incorporated sound effects as well.
    Score/tokens won is displayed by an LED readout or by a score bar that contains the numbers 1,2, or 3. The appropriate score numbers would light as certain rows, columns, etc. were lit. The player simply adds these numbers for the total and inserted a token to be paid and start a new game. If a new game was not desired, a checkout button could be pressed and the tokens are deposited in a lower tray.
    There’s also another type of coin op machine that is a little more similar to a traditional, vintage pachinko in that there is no number matrix or series of numbers to light in a certain configuration. I’m not sure what to call these since it’s technically not an AB but still uses only 16 balls and pays out in tokens. These types of machines have more pockets on the PF than a typical AB and the couple of examples that I own as well as the few others I’ve seen, have a sports theme. So far the majority have a baseball motif, and at least one has to do with boxing. Balls in pockets count as base hits, homeruns, fouls (to be returned to the shooter), punches, and knock outs depending on the machine. Runs and punches are kept track of by an LED display, or by lights coming on in a scoring section usually in the upper left or right of the PF.
    Many machines have stickers on the top of the frame indicating the maximum token payout. I’ve seen factory stickers showing 5 or 10 as the max no matter if the player has actually won more according to lit numbers. There is usually a slider switch inside on the circuit board to allow the parlor owner to choose. Since these are factory stickers I’m guessing there were laws passed that determined max payouts which may have varied by location. Then again, this may have been something parlor owners could choose for themselves based on winnings vs. payouts. Many AB’s to include 3 of mine have in/out token counters to aid in book keeping. I think it’s a neat feature and is a reminder of their commercial origins but unfortunately those counters have been removed over time in many cases.
    To accomplish these various functions, these machines are necessarily electronic but are primitive by today’s standards. That’s good news for collectors when it comes to trouble shooting.
    However, there is one machine that I’ve seen that seemed to be all mechanical but that’s just a guess based on pictures.
    The inside of an AB consists mainly of solenoids, micro switches, leaf switches, a power supply, circuit board(s), plastic ball track, token related parts, and a few other components. Micro switches are used extensively and are used to detect an incoming token for game start, detect a ball in a pocket although sometimes leaf switches are used for this purpose, used inline in the ball tracks to award tokens, detect low or high amount of tokens in token tube (if low a light comes on alerting the player and parlor attendant that the machine needs tokens. Usually when tokens are low a game can‘t be started. On some machines a coil with a wire attached is energized and this wire moves into the path of an incoming token. The token is then diverted back to the player. If the token tube is too full, tokens are diverted into the overflow container. Micro switches are also behind any player-actuated buttons such as payouts or bonus modes.
    Solenoids are used to payout tokens, to pivot the metal rod that acts as a ball rest and allow the balls to fall to the shooter area at game start, and other tasks.
    Circuit boards are self explanatory but some have a switch to limit max payouts in general and some have parameters that can be changed such as tokens awarded per row, column, etc., or how they can be won. For example, my Taiyo Mars can be adjusted so that tokens can be won on diagonals or 4 corners in addition to what is stated on the game’s instructions. I can also adjust the lower left and right pockets to pay out immediately or just add 1 to the score when a ball goes in.
    These pachinkos are hard to find, few in number, and it seems not much is known (at least among Pachitalk members) about their development, evolution, and disappearance. As best as I can tell, they appeared around the early to mid 70’s and disappeared in the early 80’s. The newest ones that I have seen happen to be 3 Taiyo brand units and are dated up to 1982 but there is at least one generation newer than these. I don’t know the reasons behind their demise. Maybe they weren’t that popular with a public that was so used to using and winning pachinko balls only, they may have been converted to play on actual currency (which is easy to do and reversible) making them frowned upon by authorities, or a combination of reasons. Actually, a few are still made in very limited numbers but they are pachinko ball-only machines that payout in balls called "arepachis" and are beyond the scope of this article. I have tried to contact the companies that made these and surprisingly received some replies but all were to the effect of “no records available”. In dealing with YJA proxy bidders and pachinko shops in Japan, my perception is that they’re rare over there too.
    Note to AB owners: in an effort to make this info as complete as possible and more interesting, it would be great if owners could post game play rules with each machine. YouTube links with each machine would be an asset as well. I'm currently getting my pics up to spec. The number in parentheses next to the machine title is the number of machines of that model that I'm aware of.
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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    Tokie Owens Game Guy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arrange Ball Machines-General Description

    Thanks for the info

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    Eye Shooter cait001's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arrange Ball Machines-General Description

    Do we have any confirmation on the years of manufacture?
    WANTED: 10¥ games, pre-1950s machines, スマートボール (Smart Ball), payazzo/kronespill, Pickwick-style (~1905)
    if you have any of these in North America, let's talk.

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    Chicken Fried Steak takethecastle57's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arrange Ball Machines-General Description

    American Pickers had the part where they had a guy with one that has a cigarette prize with the winning shot just this last week.
    When things don't go right the 1st time , Step back ,Take a break and come back renewed. RGS

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    Pachi Puro emmadog's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arrange Ball Machines-General Description

    Quote Originally Posted by cait001 View Post
    Do we have any confirmation on the years of manufacture?
    Like so much data concerning pachinko/arrangeball machines, it’s hard to find definitive info. I based my manufacture years on what I’ve seen in person and online research. Satomi and Taiyo made their machines with generational changes in the frame/case and I’ve owned machines of the latest case which have dates stamped on them. I think my estimate is accurate to within a year or so but I could be wrong.
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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    Blind Shooter LJB's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arrange Ball Machines-General Description

    Just picked up a Miracle arrange ball "Hollywood " and starting a cleaning then on to replacing circuit boards and leds.....pictures are coming....

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    Pachi Puro emmadog's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arrange Ball Machines-General Description

    replacing circuit boards? looking forward to the pics.
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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    Blind Shooter LJB's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arrange Ball Machines-General Description

    Using arguing due with 4 relays, doing the programming now but I’m still looking for another arrange ball.

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