Casino claw game

A casino claw gaming machine comprising:

• a cabinet;
• a play field within the cabinet, the play field supporting a plurality of prize objects;
• a claw assembly moveably attached within the cabinet;
• a shooter unit positioned within the cabinet;
• a player input device positioned outside the cabinet;
• a display device attached to the cabinet
• a currency acceptor attached to the cabinet;
• at least one processor;
• at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor causes the at least one processor to:
• (a) after receiving physical indicia of monetary value via the currency acceptor, validate the receiving of the physical indicia of monetary value;
• (b) receive an electronic communication to begin a claw game;
• (c) determine a game outcome for the claw game based on a computerized random number generator;
• (d) cause the claw assembly to move based on input received by the player input device;
• (e) determine whether the claw assembly picked up one of the plurality of prize objects;
• (f) when the determination of whether the claw assembly picked up one of the plurality of prize objects is the claw assembly picked up one of the plurality of prize objects, determine whether the picked up prize object matches a component of the determined game outcome,
• (g) when the determination of whether the picked up prize object matches a component of the determined game outcome is the picked up prize object matches a component of the determined game outcome, instruct the claw assembly to drop the picked-up prize object on the shooter unit;
• (h) when the determination of whether the picked up prize object matches a component of the determined game outcome is the picked up prize object does not to match a component of the determined game outcome, instruct the claw assembly to drop the picked-up prize object on the play field;
• (i) when the picked-up prize object is dropped on the shooter unit, cause the shooter unit to verify the prize object dropped on the shooter unit and return the prize object dropped on the shooter unit to the play field;
• (j) allow steps (d) through (i) to be repeated until a prescribed condition occurs;
• (k) cause the display device to display messaging about the determined game outcome;
• and
• (l) cause any awards from the claw game to be provided to the player.

A method of controlling a casino claw gaming machine, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an electronic communication to begin a claw game;
• determining a game outcome for the claw game based on a computerized random number generator;
• causing a claw assembly to move based on input received by a player input device;
• determining if the claw assembly picked up one of a plurality of prize objects;
• when the determined game outcome is a losing outcome and a prize object was not picked up, ending the claw game;
• when the determined game outcome is a losing outcome and a prize object was picked up, causing the claw assembly to move in a predetermined release pattern and drop the picked-up prize object onto the play field;
• when the determined game outcome is a winning outcome and a prize object was picked up, causing the claw assembly to drop the picked-up prize object on a shooter unit;
• when the determined game outcome is a winning outcome and a prize object was not picked up, causing a video display device to display a winning game presentation;
• and
• causing the video display to display messaging about the determined game outcome.