Hi everybody, Newbie here...

[Veuve-Cliquot]

Hi everybody!

Just found this board today, and it's terrific! Lots of great information.

Last week I bought a Pachinko machine from Ebay. It's the Playschool model, and it arrived today. Before I opened it, I had read some very disturbing things about the seller (pachinkopros) here on your site, but everything seems to have turned out okay.

Here's the link to the listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...186458826&rd=1

After reading some posts, I was afraid it either wouldn't show up, or would be a mess. To my relief, it is in near mint condition. There's a small fingernail scratch on what I think is the casino call button on the front, otherwise, no scuffs on the body of the machine. The balls were very clean, no rust. On the minus side, it didn't come with any feet, which I thought it would. It didn't come with any trays. It was well packed. I did the "buy it now" for $139.00, and the shipping was $49.00, and it arrived at my house exactly a week after I ordered it.

It's very cool. I've been looking at machines for over a year now, coveting one. Finally I saw this one, and I couldn't resist the wacky colors... flourescent green, hot pink, it's all very Japanese.

So after setting it up (which wasn't easy, without the feet, it's balanced on a chair), putting the balls in, and plugging it in, it's really fun. The sound isn't that great, however. It appears that there is only one speaker -- I've read here that some machines have "great stereo sound," and this speaker sounds like a teensy boombox speaker that has been turned up to it's loudest setting and is into overdrive. Is this common? Or are some machines mono and others stereo?

The video screen is very sharp and clear, although I'm not exactly sure what it's trying to tell me. I suppose when I play around with it some more I'll figure it all out.

Anyway, just wanted to say "Hey!" I wish I had found this site before I had ordered the machine, but I'm not disappointed with the end result. Thanks for all your posts -- they're very informative, and I'm glad to be a new member of the site.

V-C

[Firewire]

Welcome! And it's great to hear your machine arrived in excellent condition! As for feet you can use shelf wood from Home Depot or buy or build a cabinet like many here do. I bought one from Gameroomcabinets on ebay and love it.

The biggest problem with your seller is warranty and shipping cost, but you are okay since you found us (for help) and shipping is finally reasonable from that seller.

We are glad you made it!

[Veuve-Cliquot]

Welcome! And it's great to hear your machine arrived in excellent condition! As for feet you can use shelf wood from Home Depot or buy or build a cabinet like many here do. I bought one from Gameroomcabinets on ebay and love it.

The biggest problem with your seller is warranty and shipping cost, but you are okay since you found us (for help) and shipping is finally reasonable from that seller.

We are glad you made it!

Thanks, David!

Yes, I read some previous posts about this seller, and he has dropped the shipping costs. The total price seemed very reasonable. I can't recommend him as a great seller or anything, I don't have anything to compare this machine to. But I was expecting it to show up looking more "used" than it did (or not show up at all). I'm very pleased with it.

The warranty clause in his ad was a bit disturbing, but I had done the "buy it now" before I researched the info on this site. I guess if it had shown up smashed or in non-working condition, I would have been screwed. Fortunately, that wasn't the case. The luck of the newbie, I guess.

As I said, I'm not impressed with the sound on the machine, but I don't have anything to compare it to.

[Tulsa]

Welcome

Well it looks like it's called a hi_hanamaru. Not sure what year it was made but here's the website link to it. This should give you a headache but some useful info to start with. Oh yes, some only have one speaker in them, usually the ones a few years older.

I've run the link through an on-line translator to help out but it's still going to take a little bit of thought to decipher.

hi_hanamaru

[Veuve-Cliquot]

Welcome

Well it looks like it's called a hi_hanamaru. Not sure what year it was made but here's the website link to it. This should give you a headache but some useful info to start with. Oh yes, some only have one speaker in them, usually the ones a few years older.

I've run the link through an on-line translator to help out but it's still going to take a little bit of thought to decipher.

hi_hanamaru

ROFL!!! Thanks for posting the link, Tulsa. I think my favorite part was this:

Development comment</B>It did that it changes because you applied, queer motif was appointed.

And then this: "Big hit coming out ball".

Did I buy the gayest Pachinko machine ever? It appears that I did.

[Tulsa]

I think you can translate "queer" in this case to mean strange or odd. Big hit coming out ball, should be in reference to a bonus payout.

[pachi_sloter]

The one shown in the ebay listing is a CR Hanamaru Ichinensei 2 (Hanamaru First Grader) made by Fuji in 1999. Hanamaru is the boy's name.
http://www.fujimarukun.co.jp/joho/hi...rhanamaru.html
http://www.pachinkovillage.ne.jp/new...hinensei2.html
http://www.pachinkovillage.ne.jp/cat...ei2/index.html

[Veuve-Cliquot]

Wow, I'm so confused. I've been playing this machine for hours, and I still can't figure out the basic gameplay going on here.

Is the "reach" they mention on that website when the little flower thing that starts the slot machine reels going opens? What makes it stay open?

I understand the four lights that light up, everytime you get it into the bottom flower thingee a light goes on, some balls drop out, and the reels spin.

But once the reels are spinning, is it good to get keep the balls going, or do you wait? Sometimes, the wheels chirp and a graphic comes up, and then occasionally Godzilla comes out. Is there a skill thing going on here? Am I supposed to try to get a ball into a certain pocket when this is happening, or is it all random? It feels like I'm missing something, because the video screen seems to be telling me to do something, and I can't figure out what it is.

And what about the numbers on the slot reels? There are numbers 1 through 9, and then some symbols. Twice now I've gotten the "fever" round, and it goes to 15 rounds, and the bottom tray opens up, and I win a bazillion balls. But is there a difference depending on which numbers turn up on the slots, or do three like symbols always trigger the same thing? One time I matched 3 threes, and another time I matched 3 nines. Is it a multiplier thing? Do I win more? (I can't tell. I only have 400 balls. I feed them in until they stop).

Also, on this machine, there are two side gates. When a ball goes through the side gate, there's a light that goes on above the LED screen. One says "pink" and the other says "green," but I haven't been able to figure out what this means. The lights stay lit up for what seems to be a predetermined time, and then go out. No balls are released when these light up, however.

Sorry for the idiotic questions. I've read the FAQs here (which are very helpful as far as setting up your machine and so forth), but I don't understand the basic gameplay. I'm sure all machines are different, but if anyone can point me to some general information, I would appreciate it.

[Tulsa]

You're doing quite well so far. The flower thingee, we generally refer to it as the flippers. When a ball lands here you will receive 5 balls back and the reels will spin. When you land a ball in the outside pockets you'll get 13 balls back. These payouts vary but this is for your particular machine.

Yes the four lights show you you're spins that get "banked" or "stored", for lack of a better term.

The numbers you line up on the slot reels but you into a bonus round, that's when the gate opens below the flippers and you want to land as many as possible in there. Keep shooting is the key, the more balls in play, the more opportunities to win. You can and we all do vary our patterns of shooting but that's really a personal preference.

Your pink and green lights, I really don't have a clue.

[luckydog]

you need to really get at least 1,000 more balls to really enjoy and keep up in jackpot round.

the more you play the more you learn