This awesome Japanese arcade chain has crane game coaches to help you win prizes

In Japan, the popular arcade chain Benex has crane game coaches to help novice players increase their chances of winning prizes. The crane game industry in Japan has experienced significant growth, more than doubling between 2013 and 2024, thanks to the wide variety of prizes available, such as plush toys, figures of popular characters, candies, chocolates, snacks, cleaning supplies, and other household goods.

Players can spend 100 yen (approximately US$0.65) per attempt to win these items. Despite the increased popularity, some players like Japanese reporter Natsuno Futon struggle with consistently winning at crane games. To improve her skills, Natsuno visited Benex, a chain of all-crane game arcades with branches in Tokyo and neighboring prefectures.

Benex provides a dedicated free-to-play crane game for practice, as well as a team of employees known as the "Assist Crew." The Assist Crew offers personalized advice and guidance to help players develop specialized strategies, such as determining the center of gravity for specific items. During her visit to a Benex branch in Kawasaki, Natsuno used a budget of 5,000 yen to play the crane games with the assistance of the Assist Crew.