Stacker is a gamemerchandiser manufactured by LAI Games, first produced in 2004. The goal of the game is to align rows of lights on top of each other. A player who stacks 11 rows can choose to win a minor prize, which is usually low in value, sometimes lower in value than the amount of money the player paid to play the game. A player who gets to the top row wins a major prize. Major prizes vary from machine to machine but will often include high-value items such as game consoles and mobile phones and gift cards from 50 to 100$. There are three different colorways for the machines; blue and black, red and black, and red, yellow, and blue.
Standard layout
There is a row of three LED blocks which move side to side on the screen, at the first row. When the player pushes the start/stop button, the row of blocks will stop. Then, another row of three moving blocks appears above the previous row, moving faster than the one before it. If the blocks do not align directly above the previous set, any overhanging blocks will be removed. If the player misses completely, the game is over. The number of available blocks is automatically reduced to two, then one, during the game. The goal is to consistently get the blocks directly above the previous set, 'stacking' them to the minor prize and ultimately the major prize level. According to the merchandise manual, a major prize is worth about 100 times the cost per play.
Difficulty
Stacker is a skill with prize game, although the relative proportions are not specified by LAI or in the operator's manual, it does state a disclaimer that it is '100% a game of skill and although it is very difficult, every game played can be a winning game.' The owner's manual states that at the game's highest difficulty level, the estimated ratio of wins to losses will be near 1-in-800. However, the actual ratio may be lower or higher based somewhat on the skill of the players, with the approximate frequency of winning the major prize being set at the discretion of the game's operator. If a person reaches the 'Major Prize' level, the blocks will flash on and off spelling the word 'Win.'
Variations of Stacker
Stacker Standard - The original Stacker created in 2004.
Stacker Club - Similar to Stacker Standard but with different colors and graphics aimed towards older people.
Mini Stacker - This is a smaller version of Stacker, meant for places that do not have enough space for the regular Stacker game.
Stacker Giant - A bigger version of Stacker.
Stacker Double Up - This version of Stacker only pays out tickets. When players reach the 'Double Up Zone', they are offered to double their tickets. When players reach the 'Super Bonus Zone,' they win the jackpot displayed.
Stack-It - This is a later version of Stacker Double Up. This version is more similar to the original Stacker game.
Stack n' Grab - In this version of Stacker, the playfield is smaller, and when players get to the top, they get unlimited tries to grab a prize with a claw machine.
Stacker Wall Street - A version of Stacker that can be mounted on a wall, and has 4 areas for prizes.
Mega Stacker - The largest version of Stacker. This version has an adjustable ticket amount instead of the minor prize. It also has a platform to stand on and a metal bar to sit on.
Mega Stacker Lite - This version of Mega Stacker only pays out tickets. It also does not have a platform or metal bar.
Sales tactics
Stacker has been advertised as being a successor to crane games. A typical stacker game is 78" high by 27". A more recently released version of the game, called Stacker Giant, is about twice the size. Stacker games come in two different color schemes; black and blue, or red and blue. Yet another version has been added to the family recently: the Stacker Mini. It is just like the standard Stacker except it only has two major prize arms and four minor prize arms, and only has 10 rows of lights instead of the standard 15. It is red, black, and white and stands about 6 feet tall by two feet deep and two feet wide. All of the different schemes are attractively painted to draw in customers. Stacker games have large windows covering the top half of the machine on three sides. The large windows are to allow passersby to be able to view the prizes, which may, in turn, lead them to play the game. Such techniques use prizes such as the Nintendo Wii, the Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS systems and other products that are either difficult for children to obtain due to cost, or are appealing to kids because of looks. The four "Prize rods" on a Stacker game are spread far apart and lit from the ceiling to add emphasis.
Distribution
In Europe, the primary distributor of Stacker is the Austrian company funworld AG, distributing in 14 European countries: Germany, Switzerland, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary, the United Kingdom and Cyprus.
