Whatever it may be, the earliest form of pachinko was a horizontal table game mostly found in sweet shops where children would play and win sweets, snacks, and small toys. However, a more recent discovery claims that the game machine was imported from Europe. Pachinko is said to be based on the American Bagatelle game. If you walk past one, you can hear the loud music and see the flashing lights even from outside, usually accompanied by the smell of cigarette smoke. Their colourful lighting and loud noises make them easily mistaken for arcades (game centres).
In Japan, it is a recreational gambling game enjoyed mostly by middle-aged to elderly people. The game is a cross between a pinball and slot game as it features each game's most distinctive features, namely the launching of a ball and the pulling of a lever. Pachinko is played on pachinko machines which can be found in pachinko parlours. Pachinko パチンコ is a gambling game unique to Japan. Learn how to play this game and more below. Unlike the Western slot machines, Pachinko requires skill and precision calculation to get small metal balls into a pocket rather than spinning for numbers. Pachinko is a common pastime for Japanese people with some money to spare.
