Crystal Maze

[jonhughes]

I know this isn't everyone's thing, but these machines help bring me an income in when I was studying. I picked them both up non-working for £100 each and have since got them working again. After a little practice I am now able to empty the original game and I'm pretty close on the Ocean Zone. Just need to get my eye back in a little. Very nostalgic pieces to me and remind me of the pub crawls searching them out and the 'free' nights out playing them.

 

[silverfox0786]

nice

are these gambling machines?

 

[jonhughes]

They're skill with prizes machines by Barcrest - £5 Jackpot on each play. The thing is to collect 50 gold tokens at the end of each game and on these versions it gives you 60 but with lots of silver on the board also. You need to gather 8+ crystals to do it (I've managed with 8) but 10 is usually enough (to a maximum of 13).

It's that outside chance that enables you to empty them but you have to be really quick at the games and really good at avoiding the silver tokens at the end.

 

[silverfox0786]

you need to do a video of you playing this game

 

[muddymusic]

This used to be in my local bowling alley and I always liked a couple of credits. Never won the fiver though that's for sure! Would also like to see a vid of it

 

[jonhughes]

Yes, I will do that for you. I need to rig up my camera - the positioning of it will be the most interesting part

 

[jonhughes]

Ok, I've uploaded a video. The quality isn't so good because I only have the recording function on a bog standard camera and it's aiming at an angle so the picture is fuzzy.

I've completed the game by the skin of my teeth, but it's usually always done by the skin of the teeth in any case. There are only 60 gold tokens in the dome (same as after a win). In the last few seconds I'm hovering above the last gold token but decide not to take it because the silver are swarming all over it.

The game works by awarding a prize with 50 gold. After each win the gold count resets down to 60 gold. After taking £15 to £20 the gold starts to increase, usually swapping 3 silver out for 3 gold. The machine isn't supposed to be paying out during this time of taking money. After £20 though the gold starts and keeps on increasing until there is well above 100 gold on the end screen. A win is then not a problem. The owners problem is though, if you provide no chance of winning no-one will generally play on it. So they put 60 gold in to 'give you a chance'. That's where I creep in to take the prize before it's meant to pay out. You just keeping repeating the process until the pay tubes empty.

I have a version where the gold count resets down to 51 after a win, now that's near impossible to complete. My best ever silver count is 2. So I don't have much hope at all on that version.

People with Team Challenge game have a grabbing hand at the dome, which provides no means of accuracy on the token collection. This 'emptying' can't be done on the Team Challenge version. These two earlier versions have a cross hair target so you have accuracy when collecting the tokens. Needless to say I didn't play on the Team Challenge one a lot and could only wait for the right time to go on it.

Enjoy the video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoTMGuNLZas

 

[silverfox0786]

That was awesome

 

[muddymusic]

Well that makes it look very easy

 

[jonhughes]

Trust me it isn't, it's taken a lot of £1 coins to get there. For those who remember the game, they will know that isn't easy.

Hope you enjoyed it.

 

[strykr]

I get the sneaking feeling you've played that a few times?

nice skills

 

[jayspider]

I've never seen this played through to the prize before, good skills! I've wondered about buying one a few times on ebay as they never seem to fetch much, if I had more room I probably would.

 

[monty]

I used to have one of these about 10 years ago, great for friends. My version actually had a fan that blew the gold tickets around in a visible window.

How many versions did they produce?

 

[Bensonrad]

I love the show, and have always fancied owning one, I remember going to a bowling alley in Crawley as a teenager, I was having a drink with my girlfriend at the time, a guy walked in off the street, went straight to the machine. Played it right the way through, got the £5 payout then walked out, I reckon he probably did it everyday to pay for his lunch or something. haha

 

[silverfox0786]

I love the show, and have always fancied owning one, I remember going to a bowling alley in Crawley as a teenager, I was having a drink with my girlfriend at the time, a guy walked in off the street, went straight to the machine. Played it right the way through, got the £5 payout then walked out, I reckon he probably did it everyday to pay for his lunch or something. haha

cool story

lunch was on him then i guess

what was it 20p play?

 

[TonyElyod]

Fantastic Video...

You where crap at the Spaceship Arcade Game tho

 

[chubsta]

This game was a staple part of pub crawls when I was younger, love it, will get one myself some time