Redemption-type arcade game with game token return

A guaranteed-award arcade game comprising:

• a token accepting mechanism for accepting one or more game tokens from a player, said token accepting mechanism including a coin slot, said game tokens having a monetary value;
• a playing surface receptive to said accepted game tokens, said playing surface including an upper end and a lower end and being inclined such that said upper end is higher than said lower end, said coin slot positioned above said upper end;
• a guiding member movably arranged within said arcade game so as to influence the direction of movement of said game tokens on said playing surface, said guiding member including a rotatable member having an angular position controllably positioned by said player p guide said game tokens in desired directions across said playing surface;
• a plurality of targets positioned relative to said playing surface and engageable by said game tokens, wherein at least one of said targets includes an aperture in said playing surface into which one or more of said game tokens may fall;
• a bonus collector positioned relative to said playing surface, said bonus collector being engageable by said game tokens that do not engage said targets and operable to collect game tokens which engage it and to keep a progressive bonus score, wherein said bonus collector is positioned at said lower end of said playing surface are includes means for displaying collected game tokens to said player;
• an award dispenser coupled to said plurality of targets and said bonus collector, said award dispenser being operative to dispense a non-monetary award to said player under any one of three conditions, said three conditions being:
• (i) when a predetermined plurality of said targets have been engaged by one or more of said game tokens, wherein said non-monetary award is proportional to said progressive bonus score;
• (ii) when one of said game tokens engages said bonus collector;
• or
• (iii) when one of said game tokens engages one of said targets;
• and a return positioned relative to said playing surface, said return being operative to engage said game tokens that do not engage said targets and said bonus collector and subsequently to dispense a returned token of said monetary value to said player, wherein said return includes an aperture positioned near a lower end of said playing surface for receiving said game tokens and a mechanism for returning said token to said player, and wherein said returned token is said accepted game token that does not engage said targets and said bonus collector.

A method for playing an arcade game that allows players to either win an award or receive their money back, the method comprising:

• receiving a game coin from a player to start a game;
• providing a playing surface;
• causing one or more game pieces to move across said playing surface;
• providing a guide controllable by said player;
• allowing the player to influence the movement of said game pieces across said playing surface with said guide;
• providing one or more award goals, said award goals being met when one or more of said game pieces engages one or more of said award goals, wherein said award goals include at least one aperture means for receiving one or more of said playing pieces and for sensing where one or more of said playing pieces is received;
• providing a bonus collector, said bonus collector being operative to collect one or more of said game pieces from said playing surface which engage said collector, wherein said game pieces collected by said bonus collector are displayed to said player and are collected over a plurality of said games;
• providing a non-monetary award to said player if one or more award goals are met;
• providing a non-monetary award to said player if one or more of said game pieces are received by said bonus collector;
• dispensing a bonus award based on one or more game pieces collected by said bonus collector of a progressive goal is achieved when a predetermined plurality of said award goals are met;
• and
• dispensing a returned coin to said player if no award goals are met, said returned coin having the equivalent monetary value as said game coin.

A progressive goal game for a player comprising:

• means for accepting a game token from said player, said game token having a monetary value;
• a playing surface;
• a playing piece moveably urged across said playing surface, said playing piece having a motion;
• guide means for guiding said motion of said playing piece on said playing surface, said guide means being controllable by said player, wherein said guide means includes a rotatable guide that interrupts and redirects, said motion of said playing as said playing piece moves down an incline of said playing surface;
• obstacle means for influencing said motion of said playing piece on said playing surface;
• target means for receiving a playing piece from said playing surface, said target means having a plurality of targets, wherein said target include apertures in said playing surface, said apertures being sized to receive said playing piece;
• collector means for collecting a plurality of playing pieces from said playing surface;
• return means for returning said game token to said player if said playing piece is not received by said target means or collected by said collector means;
• award means for awarding a non-monetary award to said player if said playing piece is received by said target means or collected by said collector means;
• and
• bonus collector means for collecting playing pieces that engage it and for providing a bonus to said player if a plurality of said playing pieces are received by a predetermined plurality of said targets, wherein said bonus collector means includes means for displaying said collected playing pieces to said player.