Circulating vs. non-circulating machines

[alucard7x7]

Hey all!

I have zero experience with circulating machines. I know what they do and how they do it, and I know they are less desirable. Is there a big reason why? Is it possible to still hit a fever on the circulating machine? I can imagine if it ran just like a regular pachinko machine but only circulated balls, even through a fever, that it would be less "exciting" as you aren't winning large amounts of prize balls but is that the extent of why they aren't as sought after? I know many Japanese sellers make them circulating because they are more practical for home use; fewer balls to buy, less noise from balls, etc. Why is that not enticing to collectors?

Just curious and thought I'd ask. Thanks!

[Spyder138]

Good question. I've never played a circulating machine and I make sure not to buy one when I do buy direct from Japan. I am playing my machines with a ball lifter and a Dave Rob dongle to loan balls, so I am essentially doing the same thing as a circulating machine in that I am not ever stockpiling thousands of balls on a fever and I never have to manually load balls or shift them from front to back. Maybe it's just a prejudice I learned hearing people talk about being careful about circulating machines. Maybe if I see an older title at a good price I might buy one and give it a try. I did try a mini desktop with no balls and an autocontroller. (I bought it for the circuit board to repair another cell). Now that was boring, but I could see maybe a little bit of appeal if I was living in a small apartment with lots of neighbors and needed to be conscious of noise. There's just no skill whatsoever involved in playing it.

[Moparformances]

dont want to jump on the band wagon but cyclic machines are not for me either... guess im to American and want the loud noise and the feeling of winning balls..

for me the point in playing is the winning.. the chanch of A jackpot..

now i must say im a bit different.. cause i can use the same reasons for not being a fan of modern Pachinko and any Pachislo... cause i get board with the winning fever and bonus rounds.. i find that after 3 or 4 bonus round spins im ready for it to be over and for it to get back to reg play..

but thats why i love vintage Pachinko's and vagas slot machines

cyclic = no jackpot = no fun

my 2 tokens

[luckydog]

I go my Bunny Girl as a gift from Arby he's a great guy

its full cyclic with an autoplay button

you can play with a dozen balls or just press the autoplay button for reaches

you get the same videos and music along with fever rounds!!

just no payouts

[MrGneiss]

I don't think I'd have as much fun without payouts..But I've never tried a cyclic machine so who knows!!

[hanabi]

I like the full on Fever experience, nothing like frantically trying to refill the hopper in a Fever round whilst perching precariously with one leg on a chair

it's the lights, sounds AND the outpouring of shiny sphericals that hold the magic for me,

so not sure I'd enjoy a full Cyclic machine myself, but can see they may be of interest to other people for various reasons? perhaps with young families or where the pachinko balls are difficult or expensive to purchase?

[Drunkenclam]

Hmm shall I convert Nao Oikawa back from cyclic

[stampeed valkyrie]

I have zero experience as well with cyclic machines..
I can tell you from my point of view it takes out the gaming aspect... I can't say I'd purchase a cyclic personally.. unless it was a machine I could not get otherwise.

[alucard7x7]

You guys do have a point! I remember my first fever, frantically trying to refill the hopper so the lights would stay on while simultaneously trying to shoot balls. It was quite an experience! I suppose the biggest difference sounds like the amount of balls coming out during a fever is really the exciting part. Technically, all machines are cyclic if you have them for home use i.e.. You are "circulating" balls back to the hopper and to shoot manually. It seems like the number of balls is kind of a differentiator. Interesting perspective and I thank you all for your responses. I think I may purchase one just to try it out

[alucard7x7]

Very interesting! So more to just watch the videos than to play. Very different indeed!

[alucard7x7]

The desktop machines are so weird.... I was curious as to what their purpose was.

[luckydog]

they don't take up much room, space is tight in Japan, apartments are small

[Drunkenclam]

Good for spare parts
Also I've seen some wired to coin mech.

I've seen my desktop play reaches and videos that I had never seen when it was in the frame. Because you can just let it run.

[alucard7x7]

Maybe good for a storefront display

[Wayne-Ooo]

Seems as if all the responses are coming from Members who have never even had a Cycle machine. I do find some of the responses humorous and a little misleading.

Just because the machine cycle's, (meaning the lost balls are returning to the upper or lower trays on the front of the machine), and not to the rear of the machine. This has absolutely nothing to do with Payouts.

You can keep your hopper full, as you always have, and the machine plays and pays out exactly the same as it always has. Just because it cycles, doesn't mean you can't get payouts or win Jackpots. It just means you have the option of not filling the hopper and getting no pay outs and being able to play the machine with a handful of balls.

I have several machines that cycle. I play them with the hopper full of balls, just as you would a Non-Cycle machine. Absolutely No Difference.
It's a matter of convenience. Having the lost balls return to the front tray. No need for a Daverob dongle/ball loan system, (Sorry Daverob), because the shooter tray is always full.

I think most members have a great misunderstanding of what a cycle machine really is and the different options you have to play it.

[Drunkenclam]

Hmm shall I convert Nao Oikawa back from cyclic

Nao Oikawa is now no longer cyclic. Just waiting for the paint to dry.

[luckydog]

well Arby removed the back ball tray and payout out system on my Bunny Girl,

so it is either full cyclic with a dozen balls or auto play

[Drunkenclam]

well Arby removed the back ball tray and payout out system on my Bunny Girl,

so it is either full cyclic with a dozen balls or auto play

That's why. When I buy a cyclic machines. I always make sure the tray and payout assembly is still there. So I can convert it back if I want to.

[Wayne-Ooo]

Because all the balls are coming to the front of the machine, with the proper cabinet design, you never have to stop playing to refill the hopper. During a Fever Round you can keep one hand on the shooter knob and watching what is going on, on the LCD screen, filling the hopper with the other hand. No need for a expensive ball lifter.

You must also realize that if you cycle some newer machines and decide to not fill the hopper and play with a handful of balls. The machine will error after awhile, because it is not paying out.

[alucard7x7]

Wow, very helpful! Thank you Wayne! I always thought this was the case. That's why I was curious. To me, a cyclic machine with the hopper and payout system sounded better than a regular non modified machine because it sounded like it did what I already did manually, automatically. I think I'm less hesitant to try one or two out and see how they do!