Taito is also giving away free games to fans with personal memories of the Crown 602.

Crane games are so ubiquitous in Japan that they feel like something that’s always been a part of the country, like the arcade landscape equivalent of Mt. Fuji. But much like how there was no Mt. Fuji until what would become Japan’s tallest mountain formed through volcanic activity, so too is there a starting point for the history of Japanese-made crane games, and Taito claims to be the originator.

Taito is most famous for being the video game developer that created Space Invaders, though arguably in the modern era their Bubble Bobble/Puzzle Bobble/Bust-a-Move franchise gets more attention and playtime. However, before Taito created any of those series’ titles, they manufactured the Crown 602, which is said to be the oldest Japanese-made crane game machine. Though not an officially established record due to the less stringent documentation practices of the arcade industry in its early days, there’s no record of any other Japanese company mass-producing crane games prior to 1965, when the Crown 602 made its debut.

As you can see, the Crown 602 was very different from the crane machines/claw machines/UFO catchers we have today. Instead of an upright cabinet with a prize case that’s as tall or taller than players, the Crown 602 was more of a box, or maybe you could call it a treasure chest, with a clear glass top and sides. With a height of just 87 centimeters (34.3 inches), even kids could look down into it from above. That probably also means that the techniques that give players the best chance of winning a prize were a little different from the tactics favored for modern machines, but there’s currently no way to be sure. Why? Because not only does Taito no longer have a Crown 602 in its offices or warehouses, there’s not even an archival video of it in play. All the company has in its records is a few still images.

Not keeping at least one working example of such a major piece of pop cultural history might seem like a major screwup, but in Taito’s defense, at the time no one knew that crane machines were going to go on to be such an enduringly popular multigenerational form of entertainment, and with the amusement machine sector still in its infancy, the rapid pace of technological progress no doubt created an “out with the old, in with the new” atmosphere. With the perspective we have here in 2025, though, Taito regrets not doing a better job preserving this part of its legacy, and so it’s launched the Search for the Crown 602 campaign in order to properly celebrate the machine’s 60th anniversary.

Ideally, Taito is hoping that someone can come forward with information leading them to a surviving Crown 602 machine. However, that’s not the only thing the company wants to hear from people about. With the Crown 602 turning 60, most people who played, built, operated, or serviced the machines are getting up there in age as well, and even younger game fans who encountered the machine after it was already firmly in the “retro” category are few and far between. So in addition to possible leads on where to find a Crown 602 that’s either in operation condition or can be restored to such, Taito simply wants to hear from people with direct experience or other personal stories connected to the Crown 602.

Until January 16, Taito is soliciting such stories and information, which can be submitted either through the online form here or by following and posting to the official Taito Twitter (here) or Facebook (here) accounts with the hashtag ＃クラウン602 or ＃クレーンゲーム60周年(#Crown602 or #Cranegame60thanniversary). For the most useful information regarding acquiring a Crown 602 machine, Taito is offering a 100,000 yen (US$667) reward, and the participants who submit the three most heart-warming personal stories will each receive a copy of a new Taito video game. Full details, including licensing information regarding submitted stories, can be found on the Taito website here.

Source: PR Times, Taito
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: Taito
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!