Hey Howdy Hey Tappers!
Well time to live life in the fast lane because we’ve got ourselves a Pin Pals Bowling Mini Event in Springfield! That’s right our pocket-sized Springfield’s have gone to the gutter….the bowling gutter that is…as we set em up to knock em down with this Bowling event!
Remember, this event is designed to follow a series of tasks via the questline to unlock prizes. For each of the parts of the Pin Pals questline you’ll have to earn 
via various character tasks in order to unlock the prize for that part.
Let’s take a look at the details of the third prize, the Claw Machine. What it does and how you unlock it…
The third prize unlocked during the Pin Pals Mini Event is the Claw Machine:
Here are some more details behind it…
How You Unlock It: Make Moe Orchestrate an Accident for Kirk- 3hrs, Earns 1, 35xp
Collect Blowing Shoes- x30.
Size: 3×2
Conform-O-Meter Impact: Vanity +100
Build Time: Instant
Earns: Bowling shoes and prizes, more details below
Task: Otto has a 3hr visually animated task there.
You’ll notice from the popup above that you won’t have the option to initially place this in your Springfield. Instead it goes straight to your inventory and you’ll have to go in there to retrieve it. Once you’ve unlocked it you’ll see a few popups as well as a task. Here’s what you should see:
You’ll then get a task popup for it:
So once you’ve placed it in Springfield you’ll be able to “Play” the Claw Machine. Simply tap on it, and then hit the purple start button:
This will trigger some animation in the Claw Machine and you’ll earn bowling shoes…while the event is still going on (i.e. While you still have prizes in the prize track to unlock):
Once you’ve played through it once it’ll start it’s “cool down” time. And you’ll be able to play it again in 3hrs…
In the meantime you’ll get the following popup (a whole lotta popups with this one. I guess they miss VH1’s popup video…)
Assuming you have Otto, you’ll know unlock the ability for Otto to earn you 2 every 3hrs via the Claw Machine. That’s right, now Otto can feed his Claw Machine addition right in your very own Springfield…while helping you earn more !
The Claw Machine doesn’t need to “cool down” for Otto to play. He can play as long as he’s free. And you can still “play” the Claw Machine every 3hrs…even if Otto’s on a task there.
So now, the question most of you are wondering. What happens when you’re done collecting Bowling Shoes? What will the Claw Machine do?
So it’ll continue to payout. This time items from the game…kinda like a Mystery Box, without spending the donuts. Although, honestly, the prizes aren’t that great. It will cost you $1,000 for a try after you’ve earned all of your bowling shoes…
Here’s what you can unlock…
-Ice Scuplture
-Rabbit Hedge
-Gas Pump
-Wood Chipper
-Gazebo
-Phone Booth
-Gargoyle
-Sir Love A Lot
It’s also possible to not win a thing…
Honestly, none of the prizes are that great and you can buy each one for in-game cash (with the exception of Sir Love A Lot).
So that’s it my friends..the details behind the Claw Machine, the third Pin Pals prize.
What are your thoughts on the Claw Machine? Where have you placed it in your Springfield? Thoughts on the prizes you can earn from it? Sound off in the comments below, you know we love hearing from you!
I won Sir Love-a-Lot in the Claw Machine and the pop-up said he was being placed in my inventory (as in the graphic above), but I can’t find him in my inventory, nor do I already have him in my Springfield. Any advice on where to look or what to do?
Thanks for any help!
My claw machine says reset in 6 hours. Haven’t won any prizes after 15 tries now it’s going into inventory.
So I’ve played the claw machine a few times, got shoes, a wood chipper, nothing, Sir-Loves-A Lot, and a snow figurine. Problem is that Sir Loves a Lot didn’t appear in my inventory as the game said it would. Contacting EA was no help….. after reexplaining the issue, I was told they don’t have the option to put Sir-Loves in my game. better luck next time.
#EAFail
I had the same thing happen… I think you’re limited to just one in your Springfield?
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I don’t believe I have any.
EA did give me 25 donuts for the issue.
Result !
I earned Sir Oves and can not find it in my inventory. I’ll have to check if I have one in my Springfield.
BTW, I guess Sir Loves is a DECORATION, and as such would be stored THERE.
Same thing here! I’ve supposedly won Sir Love A Lot twice, and it’s nowhere in my inventory.
Turns out I had sir loves a lot from a previous event and it was in my town. Had to do a detailed examination to find him since I had buried him.
So as someone else mentioned. You can only have one. Check your town to see if you placed him in a previous event
How did you contact them? I’m having trouble finding the contact info.
I don’t see any animation. I tap it and nothing happens then a box comes up saying I won one shoe or two shoes. I have never lost. I have never seen any animation either.
If you zoom into the Claw Machine.. very hard to see on a phone.screen. You will see the claw moves inside the machine and you see the shoes drop into the pocket. If you are playing on a tablet you will see it better.
The only time you can play it is when you see the Joystick floating above it. Every 3 hours.
You will always win one or two pairs of shoes during the event. Once you have finished the event the Claw Machine goes to a 6 hour time renewal. It will cost you $1000 to play and you won’t always win. Just like a real Claw Machine.
The prizes may be underwhelming, but they are better than the Springfield Heights prizes that some other mini games award. I have plenty of pills and devices, so it’s nice to win something different. And it makes TSTO more interesting.
What I like is the Drone game.. you win Trash Cans for the dump. and tablets for SH. A good amount of trash cans too. This really helps with the monorail building. Can get through all 5 levels in less than a day and that includes having everything at full status.
That’s good to know! I stopped hauling trash for monorail parts long ago because it was so time consuming.
For doughnuts, I still play the Where’s Maggie game and the Sideshow You game. For fun, I play the Insanity Cauldron game.
I have played 9 times now and have not won anything. Everybody seems to have won something. I feel pretty cheated. Is it normal to have not won anything after 9 attempts? Has this been happening to other ppl? Any suggestions?
I say… Play a 10th time!
Have you ever payed THE REAL claw machine…? This is nothing out of the ordinary 😉
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Played 10th time. Still nutter. The claw machine is in now in storage. The claw machine is the worst prize ever
😢
(I won the ice statue today)
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Well, how many times have YOU done it?
Dozens… Be got so many gas pumps, ice sculptures, patio furniture sets…2 bunnies (sorry Bunny 😉 and 2 wood chippers.
** yes, I utilized the “glitch” and whenever I won, I typically got two of that prize.
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Hi guys,
Homer is missing from my game and same goes to all my stand alone characters and NPCs. I tried restarting, logged in and out and visited other Springfield but nothing works. I tried contacting EA but apparently the help desk is not much help. Any idea how to resolve this issue?
Try storing the Simpson house then placing it back in your Springfield. I’ve seen this work for other glitches so may help you 🙂
Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, the game does not allow me to store the Simpsons house.
Wow, never look a gift horse in the mouth people.
This whole event has been soOoOo boring! I unlocked everything yesterday and there’s still seven days left. The machine was cute and didnhelp me gather shoes, but once I finished everything it’s meh now. I’ve played it twice post-finishing and have sold the things I won (two gazebos YAY).
But since I’m finished now… I can get Homer to finally work on his quests for his camera hat amd the one with the bond character.
I am excited to win the bear and the wood chipper will be nice. I have most recently unfortunately had four “misses” in a row though and am getting annoyed. I won a gas pump and gazebo earlier which was cool
Oh! Come on! Give it a break! I like the surprise effect, the prize does not really matters as I have all but I love the surprise of what or what not I will be getting. It’s the kid in me! And memories of begging for that coin to use in the machine for the surprise in the round plastic balls, as we did not have claw machine in France or Spain were I grew up. I discovered the 1st claw machine in the UK and I must say I never won anything out of them. So far I have some patio tables, a gazebo, the ice statue. Only once did I not get anything. The prizes though should be new things that we cannot buy otherwise. Except for donuts! I would love the claw machine to give us sprinklies! EA please? 🤗 I am sure everyone would love you even more for it!
That’s the spirit! I agree with you on the prizes too, something a little more unique would be nice. And the chance for a donut once in a while would be a huge impetus for tappers to keep playing this minigame.
Just an FYI, you can also win a Patio Table from the claw machine after you finish the quest chain.
i won a patio table first try..but i don’t see it listed as a prize…
This event was quite boring really. I got every prize yesterday, doing the quests that come afterwards right now. The prizes aren’t ones that look like they should go outside, it looks really weird in my Springfield and I would have probably preferred if EA didn’t drop this event at all…
So far, get 2 pairs bowling shoes each time I have played. Have played 6 times.
Alissa could you do a post on buildings/decorations that have
” actions” ( things like the nicks teleporter, the claw machine etc?
Does anyone know if Sir Love-A-Lot is supposed to be unique? I already have one, and when I managed to win him on my third go at the claw machine, it didn’t actually show up in my inventory (I checked all of it, twice.) Anyone else win him but not receive anything? Not sure if it’s worth the bother of contacting EA, and I don’t recall him having any bonus % or other benifit other than vanity.
Same thing happened to me last night…
Just finished the quest line and received my trophy award. I’m not too fond of the gifts and the skin on Homer is alright. I’m on the next quest starting off with Homer with Rutterball Pt. 1.
They didn’t have Lord Hugging to ?!
It’s the same basic bear…
I like the animation when Otto plays 😊 Other than that EA really dropped the ball (again) by awarding lame prizes from the claw game. I won’t bother playing it if that’s all that it’s awarding 😕 I’m getting bored 😐
I’m happy you can get Sir Love-A-Lot! He was limited time!! Every Six Hours a chance to get a Limited time item FROM a Limited time item?? SWEET! Better than The Eliminator (If you have Lisa at it, every 12 Hours a chance to get a NON-Limited time Item FROM A Limited time item! It does earn a bonus, but still)!
Actually, you can play for a chance to win Sir Love-A-Lot (& other prizes) every three hours. 🙂
From what I have seen in my game, and by the time, it’s every SIX hours.
It’s currently six for me too
That’s so weird! Alissa says 3 hours & in my game it’s 3 as well!! What the heck, EA?! 🙁 :-O
It is every six hours ONCE you’re done with the Pin Pals mini event!
Oooh… I didn’t know that! Thank you for letting me know!
(Reading back, I realized that my initial comment came across as snarky & like I might be reprimanding the OP. That wasn’t my intention – I was inspired by the OP’s enthusiasm & I thought that, if I had the correct info that it was fewer hours between plays, it would increase that excitement. I’m sorry if I sounded rude. :-/ )
I like the enthusiasm
Come on lobsty…
I’m going for that Harvard diploma!
Do we know the odds of winning any individual prize? Or…”totally at random” for any general prize listed?
Also, I played once and won TWO patio tables!
So this a glitch, or can y9u win multiple prizes in ONE play?
I think it’s a glitch. I played this morning and won three wood chippers in a single game.
Too bad I don’t get the glitch in a time when I’d win the bear! LOL
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Love the otto animation….so defeated…lol
The otto-mation…
I have bad memories about claw machines. They are always rigged. The reach is too short, the grip too weak and the steering too fast 😡
I never won a thing 😭
The animation at the clae machine is underwhelming/unnoticeable and the 1st few times I played I thought I was missing doing something to increase my odds for a bigger payout.
I thought this was really cool at first. I didn’t get anything the 1st time I played after the event. Seeing the prizes now, I’m really disappointed and probably won’t play again. Bummer EA
3 times so far and nothing either… Alissa any chance you can get the odds from the files and post them?
I tend to not post odds any more, but rabbit hedges to seem to be the most common.
Never tell me the odds!
I still have to score nothing 🙂
I got a phone booth the first time I played. And probably the ONLY time I play it.
I have played it 5 or 6 times and have not won a thing. With those odds and lack lustre prizes it seems pointless to play. So obviously the odds are very low. Come on EA put or its straight to storage.
I managed to finish the mini event last Friday/Saturday morning.
Played the claw machine a few times and got Gas Pump and Patio Table
That is one you will have to add to the list of prizes from the Claw Machine.
Put the machine at the Pin Pals Bowling lanes.
I think the claw machine is like the real claw machine games outside of Walmart. Pretty much a waste of time, but that might be part of the joke. We need a Cleetus 1 hour task where he spends his meth profits trying to win the bear.
The claw, OOOOO.