Prize acquiring game apparatus

A prize acquiring game apparatus comprising:

• a prize display chamber including a wall that is at least partially transparent and arranged to separate an internal space from outside of the game apparatus, a display floor having an expanse enough to display plural prizes, an outlet located at a portion of the display floor, and a prize-grabbing unit configured to move laterally and vertically in the internal space of the prize display chamber and to grab a prize when the prize-grabbing unit has moved downward to the display floor;
• an operation means arranged outside of the prize display chamber;
• a control means that controls the prize-grabbing unit to move laterally and vertically over the display floor in response to an operation signal from the operation means, and move over the outlet to release a prize if the prize-grabbing unit has successfully grabbed the prize;
• and
• a prize storage section including a bottom floor located at a bottom level of the prize acquiring game apparatus and a vertical passage arranged between the outlet and the bottom floor so as to allow a prize released from the prize-grabbing unit to fall down freely to the bottom floor,
• wherein the prize storage section further includes:
• a take-out opening arranged along the vertical passage;
• a cover door movably covering the take-out opening, the cover door being arranged to swing inwardly about an axis provided at an upper side of the take-out opening so as to block the vertical passage when the cover door is pushed up inwardly and to allow the prize to be recovered from the bottom floor;
• and
• a buffer unit removably disposed on the bottom floor, the buffer unit being formed of a lower layer of rigid material and an upper layer of buffering material formed on the lower layer of rigid material,
• wherein the upper layer of buffering material is formed of material having a buffering characteristic enough to absorb an impact caused by the prize which has fallen freely from the prize-grabbing unit, and
• wherein the lower layer of rigid material is formed of material having a hardness enough to firmly fit the buffer unit to the bottom floor of the prize storage section against an impact of the fallen prize.