Stacker (game)

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Picture of the standard size game machine, there is also a larger size machine which can hold larger prizes.

Stacker is an "Amusement with prizes" style game manufactured by LAI Games. The aim is to align rows of moving blocks on top of each other by pressing a button, when a player gets to the top row he/she/it wins a prize. There is also a "minor prize" which costs significantly less than the price per play; the sole purpose of this is to get people addicted to playing the game and give the impression that it is possible to win a major prize; however it can be very hard, and according to an operator's manual for the game, the approximate win per play ratio can be set as high as 1 in 800. On the last few levels the system appears to "cheat" by not stopping the moving block when the player pushes the button. This is to maintain the odds the operator specified and to ensure the operator maximum profits.

Standard layout of stacker games; there is a row of three red squares which move left and right on the screen. When the player pushes the button, the row of squares will stop. Then another row of three moving red squares appears above the previous row. The aim is to get the squares directly above the previous set. If the squares do not align directly above the previous set, then the overlapping square will be removed. For example if one square overlapped, then the next moving row will only have two squares instead of three. You must have at least one square to continue playing. Two rows before reaching the minor prize, you are automatically reduced to having one block. There are four rows between the minor prize goal and the major prize goal. The squares begin to bounce faster from left to right towards the major prize goal in order to make it harder.

It is said that up to 90% of players do not take the minor prize and will continue to play for the larger ones. Minor prizes are usually fluffy toys or lollipops while major prizes are popular consumer electronics devices such as mobile phones, gaming consoles, iPods etc.

Often, operators of the game make prizes impossible to fall in to the prize box. In the event of this type of cheating, it is advisable to contact the operator to notify them of your win, and in most cases, they will hand over the prize without any problem. In the event of an operator's refusal to furnish the prize you chose, they must either give you the choice of choosing another of the prizes in the machine, or give a cash-equivilent of the prize chosen. If neither conditions are met, it is advisable to file a civil lawsuit against the operator. There are at least two known cases of such abuse.