Introduction
Pachinko is a game that originated in Japan and its name originated from the Japanese word Pachi – Pachi meaning to snap one’s fingers. This mechanical-styled game is classed as an arcade game but is used as a gambling device. Pachinko fills a niche in the Japanese gambling market as slot machines do in Western gambling. Initially, Pachinko was only played by children, and it was then called Corinth, however, in the 1930s it was adopted by adults which led to the boom of Pachinko parlours.
Pachinko although simple, boasts impressive features, and it’s extremely popular amongst players in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and more recently, the US and UK.
How to play Pachinko
The object of Pachinko is to direct balls into winning pockets; it’s a pinball and slot machine hybrid. On the playing field, players will encounter several obstacles which are known as tulip catchers. These tulip catchers alter the trajectory, of the balls making the outcome unpredictable yet exciting. During gameplay, the balls roll down like a pinball game. Should the balls land in the right boxes, players then receive more balls and this is the equivalent of a free spin in slot games. The more balls players manage to get into the catcher, the more substantial the cash prize.
Pachinko games look like regular 3-reel fruit machines and the only difference is the button you usually use to spin the reels is now the one to stop them from turning.
Final Thoughts
Pachinko is an online game every avid spinner should try. For starters give Evoplay’s Pachislot Pachin Girl, a reel and enjoy a fun-filled online gaming experience. Another popular developer of Pachinko games is Neko Gaming, a Microgaming subsidiary. They developed the online Pachinko variant that plays out differently from Evoplay’s variant. Instead, it’s more akin to an instant 90-ball bingo game with an Asian theme.