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All about midway games

By News-Sentinel Staff

What is it about carnival midway games you always wanted to know about, but were too afraid — or never have gotten the chance — to ask about?

A Butler Amusements official answered some common questions asked by the Lodi News-Sentinel about the company’s midway games, which will be featured again at this year’s Grape Festival and Harvest Fair.

Can you list the most popular midway games?

One of the most popular games on the midway is the Water Race game. This game pits players against one another as they shoot a stream of water into a target. The first player to fill his or her reservoir to the top wins a prize.

How are they invented or designed?

There are manufacturing companies that develop concepts for games and build upon old ideas in the creation and construction of carnival games. Each winter, there is a convention at which carnivals and manufacturers gather to buy and sell the latest and greatest in carnival entertainment.

What are the most popular prizes?

One of the most popular prize has been a stuffed bulldog.

How have carnival games changed through the years with the advent of technology?

In the last 10 years, technology has played a bigger and bigger role in carnival games. Today, nearly 90 percent of all the games on the midway are run by computer.

It is no longer the game operator but a computer that selects the winner.

How many prizes does Butler Amusement give away per year or per carnival?

Most of the games on the midway are games that challenge payers to compete against each other. This guarantees a winner and a loser, meaning that a prize is given every time the game is played.

Can a customer simply take a complaint to the fair or carnival manager?

Each midway has a field office located in a trailer on the carnival lot. Customers are encouraged to inform the field office on site of any problems or concerns.

What is the oldest game?

The ring toss is thought to be the first game ever played at the modern American carnival. It is a long way from the arcade style of games that we see on the midways today.