Gatcha — Attraction in Edison

If you LOVE claw machines, Gatcha is the arcade for you. However, if you're a claw machine purist, Gatcha may be a bit underwhelming as the allure of winning is overshadowed by guaranteed wins. Either way, Gatcha offers seemingly higher quality of prizes compared to your average claw machines - the stuffies are definitely super cute!

The arcade operates with an in-house NFC card which arcade tokens can be loaded onto. For $55 dollars, you'll receive about 196 tokens. Depending on the claw machine and prize, you'll spend anywhere from 18 tokens (small prize; key chain sized/4" sized stuffy) to 147 tokens (large prize; 24" sized stuffy) per game. So per math, you're looking at $3.56 per token. Expensive? Perhaps. Ultimately, it's what you decide to make out of the experience.

The other neat part about the guaranteed prize system is that you are able to collect and trade in the stuffies for "tickets." As you might imagine, the amount of tickets you receive depends on the type/size of the stuffy. These tickets can then be redeemed for shelved prizes. These prizes can be compared to what you would find in a Pop Mart or MINISO. Note: Not all stuffies can be traded in for tickets. There are also some claw machines that offer a lottery ticket prize system.

There are also several non-claw, Japanese arcade games available for an all-encompassing arcade experience.

Gatcha is located on the ground floor of the Menlo Park Mall. The best entrance in proximity to the arcade would be the one by the parking deck feature between the Macy's and Barnes and Nobles stores. It is easy to miss if you're already walking around in the mall as it is located along one of the side corridors - look for the spiral stairs by Auntie Anne's and...

Finally Found a Claw Machine Where You ALWAYS Win!

Ever dreamed of a place where claw machines actually let you win? Gatcha in Edison is that magical spot! Their amazing "play until you win" policy guarantees everyone walks away with a prize - it's the perfect setup for family fun and happy kids!

Taking our daughter to Gatcha was one of our best family decisions recently. When we walked in, her eyes lit up seeing rows of colorful claw machines filled with adorable plushies and collectibles. The Japanese arcade atmosphere was vibrant and exciting - a perfect environment for creating lasting memories.

The game cards offer great value with packages starting at $11 for 28 credits. We spent about $33 for a couple hours of non-stop entertainment, and my daughter left hugging two beautiful plushies she absolutely adores. Seeing her excitement was priceless and made every credit worthwhile!

The staff were exceptionally friendly and attentive, even sharing helpful tips with my daughter on claw machine techniques. Everything was spotlessly clean and beautifully maintained throughout the arcade - they clearly take pride in providing a premium experience.

Beyond the amazing claw machines, they have fantastic rhythm games and other arcade classics that kept our whole family thoroughly entertained. My daughter has already asked multiple times when we can go back, and honestly, I'm just as excited for our next visit! If you want guaranteed fun and prizes that actually deliver smiles, Gatcha is absolutely the...

I'm pretty disappointed. I was really excited the first time I found this place. It had Japanese cranes and so many cool games, I was so excited to come back and see changes and win new items.

Then they changed everything to play till you win.

Now, maybe that is your cup of tea, and the idea of winning regardless of effort or skill is fun to you. What is the point of a skill game business if I can't actually try and use my skill? I might as well just buy the product, it might as well just get rid of the cranes and be a full store with a few games.

I would understand if this was something they did for a few cranes or even a once a week event, but to have it constantly be that feels like taking the actual fun out of the game.

Then, they got rid of the thing that made them unique to other arcades, the Japanese cranes. I was so excited to see this and practice using them, only for my next trip for them to be off, and then my last for them to be completely gone.

I really did enjoy this place, but now that they've taken away what I loved the first time I came, I don't think I will personally be returning. If I do, and they fix these issues, I will be more than glad to edit this to be a better review. As someone who loves to play crane games, though, I will not be recommending this place to anyone unless they want the instant dopamine of...