Toy-Catching: My Addiction

The purpose of this entry is really my own rationalization for my addiction and something to remind myself on the need to exercise more self-control. A note to self. You would have noticed a proliferation of claw machines popping up everywhere these days. From single machines at neighbourhood shophouses, to rows of colourful blinking lights along walkways beckoning one to try, and now we have a few operators becoming anchor tenants at the shopping malls! So what is happening here?

Just a quick snap of a small portion of my few months of playing.

This scene was reminiscent of what happened more than a decade ago, when some HDB shophouses were rented solely to house claw machines for customers to play and they were doing a really bustling business "selling" cheap China-made soft toys at prices way beyond what any normal person would reasonably pay for at the retail shops. But people were still happy to patronize, maybe because some operators were really friendly or the lure of the next catch was strong but most importantly, the excitement when one is playing. There is a also a slim chance of you getting it cheaper than what the toy is actually worth. In other words, it is a gamble and the thrill is deadly.

I was already addicted once back in 2008 when Steffi was barely a few months old but stopped after a year or two and that was followed by the decline in toy-catching craze and the closure of many small operators. So what we are seeing now in year 2019, is a resurgence and they are back in full force. Some operators go the mass market way of cheap non-licensed items that are easily caught while others go the premium route of having authentic products but with harder game plays that cost much more.

From my own experience, it is usually the case whereby one is lulled into easy wins at the pasar malam stores before progressing to the "expert" levels. All being equal, having prior experience with the same setup, thinking out of the box at times, plus knowing your physics does give one an advantage. But you need to know the hard truth is, whether one is able to catch anything from the machines, really lies in the hand of the one who sets up the machines. To many, I may seem like an "expert" toy-catcher but I must quantify that I only play more than most people, and am totally not an expert at all, because the real expert knows when to stop, especially on days when the set up is for players to fail due to earlier payouts.

I am really a miser when it comes to spending money for anything and would calculate and ensure the best value for money before making any purchases. And yet I am such a loser now, paying so much for some of the toys that one can buy cheaper off the racks just for the thrill at the moment. The feeling is so much akin to playing those jackpot machines. I know, because I was once very much addicted to gambling at the casinos. I console myself that when I lose at the casino, I lose everything but for toy-catching, I would at least bring back some toys. 

However I find it really alarming that I am spending way too much money these days on these machines and feels very ashamed now, hence this post. I know I needed to stop but the excitement and adrenaline rush when playing the machines kept me going back for more. The worst thing is, there are even toy-catching apps for the days I cannot be out physically. I needed to stop. Period. 

It is all fine and dandy if one only passes by these machines occasionally and spends a few dollars just for the fun of it. However when one reaches my level of addiction and is always thinking about playing, then help is needed. So please stop me if you happen to see me at the arcades and tell me off in my face! But if you are just as addicted as me, always thinking of playing but yet not knowing what to do with all the toys, and often feel sad when tallying up all the money spent, let's do it together and stop! Toy-catching is really not as innocent as it may seem.