Ducking Around for Plushies and Fun!
Duck. Duck. Goose!
Or, if you’re a Minnesotan like me, it’s “Grey Duck!”
Funny enough, I don’t have any recollection of calling it grey duck. Was it because my early childhood memories were crafted in the land of cheese and bratwurst, Wisconsin? I’ve always known it as “Duck, Duck, Goose.”
Hmm… perhaps when I finally made my way to Minnesota, the game fell out of favor. Or maybe my childhood memories were so embarrassing that my mind decided to block them out entirely.
Duck – The Claw Machine Experience
Recently, I ventured to Duck, Minnesota’s largest Asian-themed claw machine arcade that opened its doors at the start of this year. Duck is a treasure trove of claw and gacha machines, and it serves up an irresistible array of bubble tea (boba) and Korean-style shaved ice desserts!
Of all the claw machine arcades I’ve encountered in Minnesota, Duck stands out as the biggest in both size and selection of machines. I absolutely adore that you can order drinks and desserts while you wait your turn at the claw machines. Honestly, if I had an endless supply of cash, I could easily spend an entire day there, playing to my heart’s content.
During my time in Korea, I was spoiled with claw machine arcades at nearly every hot spot, but in Minnesota, they’re typically confined to malls. Fortunately, the past few years have seen a surge in dedicated claw machine arcades, and I must say, Duck is a delightful discovery!
I still reminisce about my adventures in Tokyo, where every corner I turned revealed another claw machine arcade, each one calling out to my heart. In Seoul, the flashing lights from the machines seemed to cast a spell on me like black magic. The excitement of girls cheering as their boyfriends snagged prizes and the groans of dismay from men when plushies slipped from their grasp all flooded back as I stepped into Duck.
I’ll be honest: at first glance, Duck’s token pricing seemed quite reasonable. For ten bucks, you get 18 tokens; twenty dollars nets you 38; fifty gives you a whopping 108; and if you’re feeling generous, a hundred bucks lands you 248 tokens. Plus, I love that when you win plushies, you can choose to keep them, trade them in for bigger prizes, or save them for future trading. “What a treat!” I thought, eagerly approaching the machines.
But here’s the kicker: each machine devours tokens like candy! In the blink of an eye, I watched my stack of 108 tokens vanish. Looks like this is what I have to shell out for the chance to grab a PopMart Labubu!
Now, I wouldn’t call myself a total disaster at claw machine games, but let’s just say I’m no master magician either!
I wanted to extend my stay and squeeze in a few more rounds, but Duck was growing more crowded by the second. It was a bustling hive of activity, and I was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed—between my string of losses and the sheer number of people vying for space.
So, with a heavy heart and a Labubu-less void in my hands, I bid farewell to the arcade. But hey, at least I can stash my winnings for another adventure next time! (Heh! Only snagged two tiny plushies after feeding 108 tokens into the machines—talk about a plushie heist gone wrong!)
If you find yourself in the area, I wholeheartedly recommend you check it out. I’m sure your significant other will have a blast, too!
Here’s to your adventures overflowing with plushie victories and marvelous trades! (Especially those charming Labubus! But hey, if you want, there are some Pokémon figurines!) Duck is packed with an amazing selection of treasures just waiting for you! Can’t wait to dive into the excitement with everyone at Duck again!
Peach out!