UFO Catcher
From Sega Retro
| UFO Catcher | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| System(s): UFO Board | |||||
| Publisher: Sega | |||||
| Developer: Sega | |||||
| Number of players: 1-2 | |||||
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UFO Catcher (UFOキャッチャー) is a crane game released by Sega in 1985.
UFO Catcher was Sega's first arcade machine of this nature, becoming so popular with Japanese consumers that the term "UFO Catcher" became a widespread term for describing these types of game, regardless of whether they were produced by Sega (or had claws shaped like UFOs). Its success ensured numerous updates in the years which followed, although many 1985 models are still in active service today.
The 1985 model is a boxy machine with a pink/red finish. It is reportedly more susceptible to breakdowns, and the angluar nature of the cabinet was at one point identified as a safety hazard.
During development the machine was known as Eagle Catcher (the claw being an eagle's foot), although was reportedly changed due to mechanical limitations, creating a crane that looked more like a UFO. References to this older name can be found in technical manuals and part descriptions.