Arcade clients claw way to success

Snaring toys by machine requires a combination of skill and luck

Rows of toy claw machines can be seen at shopping malls, cinemas and subway stations in China's big cities. Young people surround the machines, some playing them in groups and others alone.

These machines originated from candy dispensers, which appeared in Western countries early in the 20th century and evolved over the decades. They emerged in Japan in the 1980s and were introduced to the Chinese mainland in the 1990s after proving popular in Taiwan.