JP7829883B2 - Gaming machine - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to gaming machines such as pachinko machines (commonly referred to as "pachinko machines") and slot machines (commonly referred to as "pachislo machines").

Conventional gaming machines are known to offer a variety of special effects that are executed during the display of changing symbols (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-107967

However, in conventional gaming machines, while there were some demonstrations and other effects that ran during the non-changing display of symbols, the number of such effects was limited. Therefore, even though players aimed to initiate the symbol changing display during the non-changing display, if the game balls failed to enter the winning combination quickly enough, the enjoyment of the game diminished.

This invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and its objective is to provide a gaming machine that can suppress the decline in gaming enjoyment during periods when the symbols are not changing.

The following describes effective solutions for achieving the above-mentioned objectives. Explanations of their operation and other aspects will be provided as needed. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, corresponding configurations and other aspects in the embodiments of the invention will be shown as appropriate, but these are not limiting.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the invention according to claim 1,
In a gaming machine that can change predetermined symbols and award rewards according to the results of the changes in said predetermined symbols,
A control panel that can be operated by the player,
A selection display means capable of displaying a selection indicator that allows the user to select at least one of a predetermined number of selection targets in response to an operation being received by the aforementioned operation unit,
Equipped with,
The pattern variation period is the period during which the variation of the predetermined pattern is performed ,
It has a pattern non-change period, which is a period during which the aforementioned pattern changes are not performed .
The selectable displays that can be displayed during the period when the symbols do not change include at least a specific selectable display that can also be displayed during the period when the symbols change, and a special selectable display that is not displayed during the period when the symbols change.
The aforementioned predetermined design, the aforementioned specific selection display, and the aforementioned special selection display are not displayed on separate display means, but are displayed on a single display means.
The aforementioned specific selection display may be displayed so as to cover at least a portion of the predetermined design,
The aforementioned special selection display is not displayed in a way that covers the aforementioned predetermined design.
The aforementioned specific selection display and the aforementioned special selection display can be displayed simultaneously.
In situations where the specified selection indicator and the special selection indicator are displayed simultaneously, the specified selection indicator will not be displayed in a way that covers the predetermined design.
It is characterized by the following:

Thus, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can suppress the decline in gaming enjoyment during periods when the symbols are not changing.

This is a front view of a pachinko machine, which is one embodiment of the design. This is a front view perspective of a pachinko machine, shown with the top tilted forward. This is a front view of a pachinko machine. This is a rear view of a pachinko machine. This is a perspective view showing the door frame, main body frame, and outer frame of a pachinko machine in the open position, with their hinges rotated. This is a disassembled perspective view of a pachinko machine, showing its main components from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of a pachinko machine, showing its main components from the rear. This is a front view of a pachinko machine with the door frame removed. Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the game board separated from the main frame. This is a front view of a pachinko machine with the door frame and game board removed. Figure 10 is a rear view of the pachinko machine. Figure 10 is a perspective view of the pachinko machine, seen from a diagonal front angle. This is a disassembled perspective view from the front, with the outer frame and main frame separated. This is a disassembled perspective view from the back, showing the outer frame and main frame separated. This is a plan cross-sectional view obtained by cutting the outer frame in the center in the vertical direction. This is a perspective view showing the lower part of the outer frame. This is a disassembled perspective view of the main frame, broken down into its main components and viewed from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of the main frame, broken down into its main components and viewed from the rear. Figure 10 is a plan view of the pachinko machine cut in half vertically down the center. Figure 19 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A. Figure 8 is a front view showing the main components, including the launch unit and foul unit, in cross-section. This is a disassembled perspective view of the main frame base unit, showing each of its main components separated and viewed from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of the main frame base unit, showing each main component separately from the rear. (a) is a front view of the main frame base in the main frame base unit, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a perspective view of multiple main frame bases stacked on top of each other. (a) is a perspective view of the ball launching unit in the main frame, seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the ball launching unit in the main frame, seen from the rear. (a) is an exploded perspective view of the ball launching unit as seen from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the ball launching unit as seen from the rear. (a) is a perspective view of the launch unit cover of the ball launching unit, seen from the left rear, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of the ball launching unit showing only the launch unit cover in cross-section in a front view. This is a front view of the ball launching unit, with the launch/decrement sensor and launch hammer indicated by dashed lines. (a) is a perspective view of the foul unit in the main frame, seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the foul unit in the main frame, seen from the rear. (a) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit as seen from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit as seen from the rear. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit with the foul shutter closed, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit with the foul shutter open. (a) is a perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the rear. (a) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment, taken from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment, taken from the rear. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit of the second embodiment with the foul shutter closed, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit of the second embodiment with the foul shutter open. (a) is a perspective view of the circulating sphere path unit in the main frame, seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the circulating sphere path unit in the main frame, seen from the rear. This is a disassembled perspective view of the circulating sphere pathway unit, seen from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the circulating sphere pathway unit, taken from the rear after disassembly. (a) is a plan view showing only the ball meandering member and ball release shutter in the circulating ball path unit, and (b) is a front perspective view showing only the ball meandering member and ball release shutter in the circulating ball path unit. (a1) is an explanatory diagram showing the ball release shutter and ball meandering member in the closed position together with the ball receiving tray in a side cross-section; (a2) is an explanatory diagram showing only the part of the ball release shutter in (a1) from the bottom; (b1) is an explanatory diagram showing the ball release shutter and ball meandering member in the open position together with the ball receiving tray in a side cross-section; and (b2) is an explanatory diagram showing only the part of the ball release shutter in (b1) from the bottom. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a front cross-section of the circulating ball path unit cut at the out-ball sensor location, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a front cross-section of the circulating ball path unit cut at the safe-ball sensor location. (a) is a front perspective view showing the lower part of the main frame along with the outer frame with the meandering cover of the circulating sphere path unit removed, and (b) is a rear perspective view showing the lower part of the main frame along with the outer frame with the meandering cover of the circulating sphere path unit removed. This is a plan view showing the ball meandering member, meandering cover, ball release shutter, and gauge section of the circulating ball path unit. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the main part of the rear cross-section cut at the out-of-ball sensor in the circulating ball path unit attached to the main frame with the lid member of the ball release mechanism closed, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing (a) with the lid member open. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the ball release shutter with the iron ball magnetically attached to it in the closed position, along with the ball meandering member and the ball release tray; (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the ball release shutter with the iron ball magnetically attached to it in the open position, along with the ball meandering member and the ball release tray; and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the ball release shutter with the ball meandering member and the ball release tray, after sliding the ball release shutter from the state in (b) to the closed position, with the iron ball magnetically attached to its lower surface. (a) is a perspective view of the ball lifting unit in the main frame, seen from the front left; (b) is a perspective view of the ball lifting unit in the main frame, seen from the front right; and (c) is a perspective view of the ball lifting unit in the main frame, seen from the rear. This is an exploded perspective view of the ball lifting unit, showing the ball lifting unit with the ball motor base and cassette pressing piece opened and the ball cassette removed. (a) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit without the Kuma cassette installed, (b) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit with the Kuma motor base and cassette pressing piece open and the Kuma cassette installed, and (c) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit with the Kuma cassette installed. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the door frame being closed with the Kuma cassette not fully locked; (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state where the door frame moves from the state in (a) towards closing and the projection of the door frame contacts the tip of the Kuma motor base; and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the state where the door frame is closed and the Kuma cut is locked from the state in (b). This is a front view showing a close-up of the main parts with the Kuma cassette removed from the ball lifting unit attached to the main frame. (a) is a right side view showing the ball lifting mechanism and the main part of the ball lifting mechanism in the ball lifting unit, (b) is a rear view showing the main part of the ball lifting mechanism, and (c) is a plan view of the main part of the ball lifting mechanism as seen from arrow A in (b). This is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the lifting spiral shaft and the polishing cloth in a ball lifting unit. (a) is a perspective view of the ball lifting unit as seen from the left rear, with an enlarged view of the lifting inlet sensor and lifting outlet sensor, and (b) is a plan cross-sectional view of the ball lifting unit cut at the lifting inlet sensor. This is a schematic diagram illustrating the front and rear sections of a spherical sensor consisting of a photosensor in a spherical passage. (a) is a perspective view of the Kuma cassette of the ball lifting unit seen from the front left, (b) is a perspective view of the Kuma cassette seen from the rear right, and (c) is a right side cross-sectional view of the Kuma cassette cut in the center in the left-right direction. (a) is a perspective view of the ball-throwing unit in the main frame, seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the ball-throwing unit in the main frame, seen from the rear. (a) is an exploded perspective view of the ball-throwing unit as seen from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the ball-throwing unit as seen from the rear. This is a front cross-sectional view of the ball-throwing unit, cut at the pre-launch sensor. This is a perspective view showing the main frame opened relative to the outer frame, with the back cover and frame circuit board unit also open. This is an explanatory diagram showing a magnified view of the frame substrate unit portion of the outer frame and main frame. This is a reference photograph showing the rear of the main frame with the frame circuit board unit open. This is an explanatory diagram showing the various pathways for the game balls on the rear side of the main frame, viewed from the back. This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the flow of game balls within the main frame. This is a block diagram that shows the control configuration of a pachinko machine in general terms. This is a flowchart showing the launch authorization process. This is a flowchart showing the process of subtracting the number of balls held. This is a graph showing the process of adding balls to your hand due to foul balls. This is a flowchart showing the launch control process. This is a time chart showing the operation of the launch solenoid and ball-feeding solenoid in the launch sequence. (a) is a flowchart showing a different launch control process than that in Figure 67, and (b) is a flowchart showing the ball deduction process in the case of the launch control process in (a). This is a flowchart showing how prize balls are processed. This is a flowchart showing the operation process of the lifting motor. This table shows the relationship between the lifting inlet sensor, lifting outlet sensor, and the operation of the lifting motor. This graph shows the relationship between the launching action of the game ball and the operation of the ball lifting unit. This graph shows the operation of the ball lifting mechanism in the ball lifting unit. (a) is a flowchart showing the security process, and (b) is a flowchart showing the security process in a different embodiment than (a). This table shows the relationship between the circulating ball under-sensor, the circulating ball over-sensor, and error notification. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor capable of detecting magnetic field lines from a magnet; (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor that cannot detect magnetic field lines from a magnet; (c) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the detection range by the magnetic sensor on the game board in a perspective view; (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the magnetic sensor and the magnetic material in which magnetic field lines from a magnet cannot be detected; (e) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the magnetic sensor and the magnetic material in which magnetic field lines from a magnet can be detected; and (f) is an explanatory diagram showing the magnetic sensor and the holding part separated. This is a front view of the game board, showing the transparent center piece and other elements in an opaque form. This is a perspective view of the game board shown in Figure 78, viewed from the front right. Figure 78 is a perspective view of the game board from the front left. Figure 78 is a perspective view of the game board from the rear. This is a disassembled perspective view of the game board, showing it broken down into its main components and viewed from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of the game board, showing it from the rear after being broken down into its main components. This is a front view of the game board, showing the game area through which the game balls circulate, with the front unit cut parallel to the surface of the game panel. (a) is a front view of the lottery mechanism in the center mechanism, and (b) is a perspective view of the lottery mechanism from the front and above. This is a side cross-sectional view of the lottery mechanism in the center of the main mechanism, cut in the middle horizontally. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of a state in which the game balls cannot loop in the lottery mechanism, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of a state in which the game balls can loop in the lottery mechanism. This is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls in a lottery mechanism. This is a front view of the game board in its normal state. This is a front view of the game board showing the rear front lifting decorative unit of the rear front performance unit in a state where it has been lowered from the standby position to the performance position, compared to the normal state. This is a front view of the game board showing the rear lifting decorative element of the rear performance unit moved from its retracted position to its appearance position, compared to its normal state. This is a front view of the game board showing the game in a state where the front-rear lifting decorative unit of the front-rear performance unit is lowered from the standby position to the performance position, and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit of the rear-rear performance unit is moved from the retracted position to the appearance position, compared to the normal state. This is a block diagram that shows the control configuration of a pachinko machine in general terms. This is an explanatory diagram showing the center component of the first embodiment, cut in the middle of the vertical direction while attached to the game panel, along with the previous component members. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the decorative element of the center piece from the front, separated into a front decorative element and a rear decorative element, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the decorative element consisting of the front decorative element and the rear decorative element from the front. This is an explanatory diagram showing the center frame of the central component in Figure 94 with its rear end facing downwards and placed on a base. This is an explanatory diagram showing a partial cross-section of a center component equipped with a center frame to which a different decorative element is attached, as shown in Figure 94. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the main part of the center component of the second embodiment as seen from inside the frame, (b) is a cross-sectional view of (a) cut along the line A-A, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the center component of (a) with the center frame placed on a base with the rear end facing downwards. This is a front view showing a game board equipped with the center feature of the third embodiment, with the rear part of the game panel omitted. Figure 99 is a disassembled perspective view of the center component and game panel as seen from the front. Figure 99 is an exploded perspective view of the center component, taken from the front. (a) to (g) are explanatory diagrams showing various joining patterns between the first frame and the second frame in the center component of the third embodiment. (a) is a front view showing the main part of a game board equipped with the side unit of the second embodiment, and (b) is a perspective view of (a) from the front. (a) is an exploded perspective view showing the side unit separated from the game panel in the game board of Figure 103, (b) is an exploded perspective view showing the side unit of (a) separated from the front, (c) is an exploded perspective view of the side unit of (b) seen from the rear, and (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the game panel and the side unit in a vertical cross-section. Figure 104 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-sectional view of the relationship between the side unit and the game panel. This is an explanatory diagram showing a side unit with a different configuration from the side unit in Figure 103, along with a game panel, in a vertical cross-section. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side unit of a different form from the side unit shown in Figure 105, along with the game panel, in a vertical cross-section, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the main parts of the LED board and board cover of the side unit in (a) in a perspective view. This is an explanatory diagram showing a side unit with a different configuration from the side unit shown in Figure 107, along with the game panel, in a vertical cross-section. This is an explanatory diagram showing a different form of side unit together with the game panel in a vertical cross-section. This is an explanatory diagram showing a different form of side unit together with the game panel in a vertical cross-section. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of a side unit of yet another form together with the game panel, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing (a) in a longitudinal section. (a) is a front view showing the main part of a game board equipped with the side unit of the third embodiment, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the out-out area in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing (b) in a vertical cross-section. (a) is an enlarged explanatory diagram showing the part of the out-out opening of a game board equipped with a side unit having a finger grip portion of a different form than that of Figure 112, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing (a) in a longitudinal cross-section. This is a schematic diagram illustrating a game panel where the opening for the side unit and the output opening are continuously connected. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface is located behind the LED substrate; (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface is located behind the LED substrate in a different configuration than (a); (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface is located so as to overlap the LED substrate; and (d) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface is located around the entire circumference of the unit cover. This is an explanatory diagram showing a decorative frame component that can be attached to and removed from a door frame. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the door frame is opened and the decorative frame components are removed during normal business hours. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a decorative frame component is removed while the door frame is open in reuse confirmation state A, and then reattached while the next door frame is open. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a decorative frame component is removed while the door frame is open in reuse confirmation state B, and then reattached while the next door frame is open. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a decorative frame component is attached or detached while the door frame is open in reuse confirmation state A. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a decorative frame component is attached or detached while the door frame is open in reuse confirmation state B. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a decorative frame component is attached after it has been determined that the frame component is not connected at the judgment timing. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a decorative frame component is removed while the door frame is open in an error state and reuse confirmation state A, and then reattached while the next door frame is open. This is a time chart showing an example of the amount of balls dispensed calculated based on the progress of the counter used to stop the game. This table shows the conditions for clearing the "amount of balls dispensed calculated before the stop-loss state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-loss state." This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and gameplay is restricted. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the restrictions on gameplay are lifted after the power is turned back on after a power outage. This is a specific example of a game animation that occurs when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a certain value at the moment a game ball enters the big prize slot during a jackpot game. This is a specific example of a presentation that occurs when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a certain value at the moment a game ball enters the general prize slot while a special symbol is being displayed in a variation mode. This is the restriction clear pattern table 4, which is selected when the restriction clear pattern selection switch is set to "4". This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a minor abnormality occurs during normal operation or when the machine is stopped. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a severe malfunction occurs during normal operation. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a severe malfunction occurs while it is in a state of being stopped from playing. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a minor abnormality occurs during the preparation state for stopping play. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a severe malfunction occurs while it is in the state of preparing to stop playing. This is a specific example of a visual effect that occurs when a minor abnormality occurs during normal or stopped-down states. This is a specific example of a visual effect that occurs when a severe abnormality occurs during normal or stopped-down states. This is a specific example of how the game will be presented when a minor or major abnormality occurs while the game is in the state of preparing to stop. This is a time chart showing the progression of pre-announcement displays after they began. This is a modified example of the limit clear pattern table 4 when the power is turned on. This is a time chart showing the start of outputting a special external signal before the shutdown preparation state and the shutdown state begin. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a state similar to a "stopped play" occurs after the machine has cleared its "stopped play" state upon power-up. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a pre-announcement or an "impossible to proceed" message is displayed while it is in standby mode. This is a time chart showing the movement of the movable parts when the game does not transition to a stop state while the special symbols are being displayed in a variable state. This is a time chart showing when the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and when the movable part does not move thereafter. This is a time chart showing when the game transitions to a stop state during the movement of a movable part while a special symbol is being displayed, and when the movable part does not move thereafter. This is a time chart showing the case where the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and the movable part then starts moving. This is a specific example of a presentation where, during the display of a special symbol, the movable part transitions to a stop state and does not move thereafter. This is a specific example of a presentation where the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and the movable part moves afterward. This is another example of a specific presentation when the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and the movable part moves afterward. This is a time chart showing the case where the game transitions to a stop state while the movable parts are inactive during the display of special symbols, and then the celebratory action of the movable parts is performed thereafter. This is a time chart showing the case where the game transitions to a stop state during the movement of a movable part while a special symbol is being displayed, and then the celebratory movement of the movable part is performed thereafter. This is a time chart showing a scenario where the movable body transitions to a stop state during an abnormal stop, and then performs a celebratory action when the movable body returns to its initial position. This is a time chart showing what happens when a movable part malfunctions and then transitions to a stop-down state, and the movable part does not return to its initial position. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the game board is replaced while the power is cut off. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the game board is replaced before the power is cut off. This table compares the notification patterns related to light emission and sound in normal standby mode, energy-saving mode, and shut-off mode. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it switches to energy-saving mode while in a state where it has stopped playing. This table compares the notification modes related to light emission and sound when transitioning to notification mode C during the stop-down state. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it transitions to notification mode C while in a stop-play state. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the first or second administrator task is performed while it is in energy-saving mode, causing it to transition to a stop-play state. This is a time chart showing when the amount of balls dispensed during a minor win game reaches a specific value. This is a time chart showing when the amount of balls dispensed during a special jackpot game does not reach a specific value. This is a time chart showing when the amount of balls dispensed during a special jackpot game reaches a specific value. This is a schematic perspective view showing the back of yet another different form of the side unit. Figure 165 is an enlarged side view showing the vicinity of the magnetic sensor. Figure 165 is an enlarged plan view showing the vicinity of the spherical sensor. This is a schematic perspective view showing the back of different types of starter units. Figure 168 is an enlarged rear view showing the vicinity of the second start port sensor. This is a schematic rear view showing another configuration of the main wiring. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when game board A1 is replaced with game board A2 during a power outage. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when game board A1 is detached while the power is cut off. This is a magnified view of the frame control board. This table shows the conditions for clearing the requirements based on the number of balls held. This is a time chart showing the conditions for the ball counting permission state to be reached, where the number of balls held can be settled. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the counting button switch is operated. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it enters the ball-removal state upon power-on. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it enters the ball-removal state upon power-on. This diagram shows a magnetic sensor placed around a foul ball sensor. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a magnetic sensor detects magnetism. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when various switches are operated upon power-on, without the game board installed. This is a front view showing the central component. This is a perspective view showing parts of the first and third center components. (a) through (c) are schematic front views illustrating the first and second center components. (a) through (c) are schematic front views illustrating the first and third center components. This is a front view showing another configuration of the center component. This is a schematic perspective view of the game board from the front right. This is a schematic perspective view of the game board from the right rear. (a) is an end view showing the A-A' end face of Figure 187, and (b) is an end view showing another embodiment of the game board shown in Figure 189(a). This is a schematic perspective view of the game panel from the front right. This is a schematic perspective view of the game panel from the right rear. This is a cross-sectional view showing the section A-A' in Figure 190. This is a schematic perspective view of the game board from the front right. This is a schematic perspective view of the game board from the right rear. This is a schematic end view showing the A-A' end face in Figure 193. This is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the game board, seen from the front right. This is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the game board, seen from the right rear. This is a schematic perspective view of the game board from the front right. This is a schematic end view showing the A-A' end face in Figure 198. This is a front view showing a portion of the game board. This is a rear-view perspective showing a portion of the game board. This is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of the front component of Figure 201. This is a side view showing a portion of the pre-constructed components placed on a flat surface. This is a perspective view showing the shape of the first positioning pin. This is a perspective view showing a portion of the gaming panel to which the aforementioned components have been attached. This is a front view showing the game board. This is a disassembled perspective view from the front showing the game board. This is a perspective view showing the decorative lower right panel in another embodiment. This is a perspective view showing the decorative lower right panel in another embodiment. This is a perspective view showing the opening/closing axis side of the game board. (a) is a front view showing the front of the side unit, and (b) is a rear view showing the rear of the side unit. This is an exploded view showing the film component detached from the side unit. This diagram shows the structural details of the film component in this example, and is an exploded view in which the film component is broken down into multiple film layers. This figure shows modified versions of the notation for the prize entry slot and the payout slot shown in Figures 211 and 212. (a) is a front view showing the front of the side unit in another embodiment, and (b) is a rear view showing the rear of the side unit in another embodiment. This is a front view showing a game board with a front unit. This is a front view showing a pachinko machine equipped with a game board to which a front unit has been assembled. This is a specific example of a game designed to explain the concept of a "spot the difference" game. This is a concrete example of a presentation designed to illustrate the sequence of events involved in a "spot the difference" game. This is a concrete example of a presentation designed to illustrate the sequence of events involved in a "spot the difference" game. This is a concrete example of a presentation designed to illustrate the sequence of events involved in a "spot the difference" game. This is a concrete example of a presentation designed to illustrate the sequence of events involved in a "spot the difference" game. This is a concrete example of a presentation designed to illustrate the sequence of events involved in a "spot the difference" game. This is a concrete example of a presentation designed to illustrate the sequence of events involved in a "spot the difference" game. This is a specific example of a presentation technique used to explain variations of the "spot the difference" game where the answer is not revealed. This is a specific example of a demonstration to illustrate variations in the appearance of the luminous ornament. This is a specific example of a demonstration to illustrate a variation in which the patterns on the game board are different. This is a specific example of a demonstration to illustrate a modified version in which the presence or absence of a specific component differs. This is a specific example of a hint-based presentation to illustrate the concept of hint-based presentation. This is a specific example of a hint presentation (Hint Presentation A) to explain the hint presentation. This is a specific example of a hint presentation (Hint Presentation B) to explain the hint presentation. This is a specific example of a hint presentation (Hint Presentation C) to explain the hint presentation. This is a specific example of a hint presentation (Hint Presentation D) to explain the hint presentation. This is a specific example of a hint-based presentation to illustrate the concept of hint-based presentation. This is a specific example of a hint-based presentation to illustrate the concept of hint-based presentation. This is a specific example of a hint-based presentation to illustrate the concept of hint-based presentation. (A) is a time chart showing the case where the spot-the-difference feature is performed while the special symbols are not displayed in a variable state, and (B) is a time chart showing the case where the spot-the-difference feature is performed while the special symbols are displayed in a variable state. (A) is a time chart showing the case where a predetermined condition is met during the execution of the spot-the-difference game and the game is forcibly terminated, and (B) is a time chart showing the case where the termination screen is displayed after the spot-the-difference game is forcibly terminated (modified example). This is a time chart showing a variation of the scenario where you select an option to skip the "spot the difference" puzzle screen while it is being displayed. (A) is a time chart showing the case where hint sequences A to C are executed simultaneously while the problem screen for the spot-the-difference presentation is displayed, and (B) is a time chart showing the case where hint sequences A to C are executed sequentially while the problem screen for the spot-the-difference presentation is displayed. This is a time chart showing a modified version where hint animation C is executed for a predetermined amount of time while the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game is displayed. (A) is a time chart indicating whether the rainbow effect can be performed when the spot-the-difference feature is performed while the special symbols are not displayed in a variable state, and (B) is a time chart indicating whether the rainbow effect can be performed when the spot-the-difference feature is performed while the special symbols are displayed in a variable state. This is a time chart showing whether the rainbow effect can be executed when the end screen is displayed after the spot-the-difference effect is forcibly terminated (a modified example). (A) is a time chart showing the illumination patterns of multiple light-emitting parts when the spot-the-difference feature is performed while the special symbols are displayed in a non-variable state, and (B) is a time chart showing the illumination patterns of multiple light-emitting parts when the spot-the-difference feature is performed while the special symbols are displayed in a variable state. This is a time chart showing the illumination patterns of multiple light-emitting parts when the end display screen is shown after the spot-the-difference game is forcibly terminated (modified example). (A) is a time chart showing the operation patterns of multiple movable parts when a spot-the-difference game is performed while a special symbol is displayed in a non-variable state, and (B) is a time chart showing the operation patterns of multiple movable parts when a spot-the-difference game is performed while a special symbol is displayed in a variable state. This is a time chart showing the operation patterns of multiple movable parts in a case where the end screen is displayed after the spot-the-difference game is forcibly terminated (a modified example). (A) is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine when a minor malfunction occurs during the spot-the-difference game, and (B) is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine when a major malfunction occurs during the spot-the-difference game. (A) is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value before the start of the spot-the-difference game, and (B) is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game is being displayed. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the preview display of the answer to a "spot the difference" game. (A) is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the "spot the difference" puzzle screen is being displayed and the "end" screen is displayed (modified version), and (B) is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the "end" screen is being displayed when the puzzle is skipped. (A) is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine when the power is cut off and then turned back on before the start of the spot-the-difference game, and (B) is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine when the power is cut off and then turned back on while the start screen of the spot-the-difference game is being displayed. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the power is cut off and then turned back on while the screen displaying the "spot the difference" puzzle is showing. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the power is cut off and then turned back on while the end display screen is being shown during a performance skip. (A) is a time chart indicating whether or not the winning sound can be output when the spot-the-difference game is performed while the special symbols are not displayed in a variable state, and (B) is a time chart indicating whether or not the winning sound can be output when the spot-the-difference game is performed while the special symbols are displayed in a variable state. This is a time chart showing whether or not the winning sound can be played when the end screen is displayed after the spot-the-difference game is forcibly terminated (a modified example). This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the number of balls held reaches the maximum limit. This is a specific example of the special effects related to prize balls that are performed during a jackpot game. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine before the number of balls held exceeds a certain value. This is a game flow chart to explain the basic flow of an RPG minigame. This is a time chart to explain the appearance of enemy characters in accordance with the time it takes for the patterns to change. This is a time chart to explain the appearance of enemy characters according to the rarity of the special effect. This is a specific example of a visual effect used in the appearance of enemy characters. This is a specific example of a presentation where enemy characters appear according to the time it takes for the patterns to change. This is a specific example of a presentation where enemy characters appear depending on the rarity of the presentation. This is a flowchart showing the execution process for the monster subjugation animation. This is a flowchart showing the execution process of the battle sequence (step S12). This is a specific example of a visual effect used in monster subjugation scenes. This is a flowchart showing the execution process for the treasure chest animation. This is a specific example of a treasure chest animation. This is a specific example of equipment animation. This is a specific example of a visual effect that occurs when an enemy character appears while the symbols are changing. This is a specific example of a visual effect that occurs when a monster subjugation animation is performed while the pattern is changing. This is a specific example of the animation that occurs when the treasure chest animation is performed while the pattern is not changing. This is a specific example of the animation that occurs when the treasure chest animation is performed while the pattern is changing. This is a specific example of a sequence of events that occurs when a treasure chest animation is performed while the symbols are changing, and then the display transitions to a state where the symbols are not changing while the treasure chest animation is running. This is a specific example of a sequence of events that occurs when a treasure chest animation is performed while the symbols are not changing, and then the display transitions to a changing symbol state while the treasure chest animation is running. This is a specific example of the animation that occurs when the "Normal Hunting Equipment Animation" is performed while the pattern is not changing. This is a specific example of the animation that occurs when the "equipment animation for boss enemy characters" is executed while the pattern is not changing. This is a specific example of the animations that occur when the "enemy character appearance animation," "defeat animation," and "treasure chest animation" are executed simultaneously. This is a specific example of the animation sequence from when the boss enemy character appears until the boss battle is defeated. This is a specific example of the animation that occurs when the "equipment animation for normal subjugation" is being performed. This is a specific example of the animation sequence from when the boss enemy character appears until the boss battle is defeated. This is a specific example of the animation that occurs when a "treasure chest animation" is played after a boss enemy character appears. This is a specific example of the animation that occurs when the "Normal Hunting Equipment Animation" is performed while the pattern is not changing. This is a specific example of the animation that occurs when the "equipment animation for boss enemy characters" is executed while the pattern is not changing. This is a specific example of a vibration effect that occurs during the enemy character appearance animation.

[1. Overall structure of a pachinko machine]
A pachinko machine 1, which is one embodiment of the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, the overall configuration of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7. Figure 1 is a front view of the pachinko machine, which is one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the pachinko machine with the top tilted forward. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the pachinko machine from the front, and Figure 4 is a rear view of the pachinko machine. Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the door frame, main body frame, and outer frame that constitute the pachinko machine in the open state by rotating the hinges. Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the pachinko machine from the front, disassembled into its main components, and Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of the pachinko machine from the rear, disassembled into its main components.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment is intended for use in island-style facilities within amusement halls. This pachinko machine 1 contains a large number of game balls (for example, 40 to 60) that are not discharged to the outside or supplied from an external source. These balls circulate internally, preventing players from touching the game balls. This is a so-called sealed-type or managed game machine. In this pachinko machine 1, the number of balls a player possesses is recorded and processed as game ball data.

The game ball B enclosed in the pachinko machine 1 only needs to have the same diameter (hereinafter also referred to as diameter D; diameter D = 11 mm) as the game balls used in conventional pachinko machines. For example, it may be made of non-magnetic stainless steel such as SUS304, or it may be a conventional iron ball (SB). Furthermore, if the game ball B is made of stainless steel, it will not rust like conventional iron balls even when enclosed in the pachinko machine 1 for a long period of time.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment comprises a frame-shaped outer frame 2 installed on an island (not shown) in a gaming hall, a door frame 3 that can be opened and closed to close the front of the outer frame 2, a main body frame 4 that can be opened and closed to support the door frame 3 and is also attached to the outer frame 2, and a game board 5 that is detachably attached to the main body frame 4 from the front and is visible to the player through the door frame 3, having a game area 5a where the player puts in game balls B.

[2. Outer frame]
The outer frame 2 of the pachinko machine 1 will be explained mainly with reference to Figures 8 to 16, etc. Figure 8 is a front view of the pachinko machine with the door frame removed. Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the pachinko machine in Figure 8 with the game board separated from the main frame. Figure 10 is a front view of the pachinko machine with the door frame and game board removed, Figure 11 is a rear view of the pachinko machine in Figure 10, and Figure 12 is a perspective view of the pachinko machine in Figure 10 from the front at an angle. Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view from the front with the outer frame and main frame separated, and Figure 14 is an exploded perspective view from the rear with the outer frame and main frame separated. Figure 15 is a plan cross-sectional view of the outer frame cut in the center in the vertical direction. Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the lower part of the outer frame.

The outer frame 2 is attached to the island equipment of a gaming hall (not shown) and can be attached to the main frame 4 in a way that allows it to be opened and closed forward and is detachable. The outer frame 2 comprises an outer frame body 10 formed in a vertically elongated frame shape, an outer frame assembly fitting 20 to which the outer frame body 10 is attached, an outer frame hinge mechanism 30 that supports the main frame 4 so that it can be opened and closed, an outer frame lock fitting (not shown) for locking the main frame 4 in the closed position, a fascia plate 45 attached to the lower frame body 14 of the outer frame body 10, and a sliding plate 46 attached to the upper surface of the fascia plate 45.

The outer frame body 10 of the outer frame 2 comprises a left frame body 11 and a right frame body 12 that extend vertically and are spaced apart horizontally, an upper frame body 13 connecting the upper ends of the left frame body 11 and the right frame body 12, and a lower frame body 14 connecting the lower ends of the left frame body 11 and the right frame body 12. The left frame body 11 and the right frame body 12 are each formed from extruded metal profiles such as aluminum alloy. The upper frame body 13 and the lower frame body 14 are formed from wood. The left frame body 11, the right frame body 12, the upper frame body 13, and the lower frame body 14 have the same dimensions in the front-to-back direction.

The outer frame assembly fittings 20 of the outer frame 2 include a left upper fitting connecting the left frame body 11 and the upper frame body 13, a right upper fitting connecting the right frame body 12 and the upper frame body 13, a left lower fitting connecting the left frame body 11 and the lower frame body 14, and a right lower fitting connecting the right frame body 12 and the lower frame body 14. The left lower fitting is also used as the outer frame lower hinge body 35.

The outer frame hinge mechanism 30 includes an upper outer frame hinge body 31 provided at the upper left end of the outer frame body 10, and a lower outer frame hinge body 35 provided at the lower left end of the outer frame body 10.

The upper hinge body 31 of the outer frame hinge mechanism 30 is attached to the upper left end surface of the upper frame body 13, with its front end protruding forward from the outer frame body 10. The upper hinge body 31 has a bearing groove 31a that penetrates vertically and is open on one side, located in the portion protruding forward from the outer frame body 10, and a locking member 32 provided on the lower surface of the portion protruding forward from the outer frame body 10, capable of opening and closing the open portion of the bearing groove 31a.

The bearing groove 31a of the upper hinge body 31 of the outer frame allows the main frame hinge shaft 511a of the upper hinge body 511 on the main frame 4 to be inserted into the open portion of the bearing groove 31a, thereby supporting the main frame hinge shaft 511a. The locking member 32 of the upper hinge body 31 is normally in a locked position, closing the open portion of the bearing groove 31a due to the biasing force of an elastic piece (not shown). When the locking member 32 is moved to the released position against the biasing force of the elastic piece, the bearing groove 31a is opened to the side, allowing the main frame hinge shaft 511a to be inserted into the bearing groove 31a from the side, or the main frame hinge shaft 511a inserted into the bearing groove 31a to be removed from the bearing groove 31a.

The lower outer frame hinge body 35 of the outer frame hinge mechanism 30 is attached to the upper left end surface of the fascia board 45 where it overlaps with the lower frame body 14 (the upper portion), and its front end protrudes forward from the outer frame body 10. The lower outer frame hinge body 35 has a hinge shaft 35a that protrudes upward from the portion that protrudes forward from the outer frame body 10. By inserting the hinge shaft 35a of the lower outer frame hinge body 35 into the outer frame shaft hole (not shown) of the lower main frame hinge body 512 in the main frame 4, the lower main frame hinge body 512 can be rotatably supported.

The outer frame hinge mechanism 30 supports the main frame 4 in an openable and closable manner by pivoting the main frame hinge shaft 511a of the main frame upper hinge body 511 in the bearing groove 31a of the outer frame upper hinge body 31, and inserting the hinge shaft 35a of the outer frame lower hinge body 35 into the outer frame shaft hole of the main frame lower hinge body 512.

The outer frame locking fittings for the outer frame 2 are provided in two, spaced vertically apart, on the inner surface (left side) of the right frame body 12. The outer frame locking fittings engage with the outer frame locking claws 784 of the locking unit 780 on the main frame 4, thereby locking the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 in a closed state, preventing it from being opened.

The fascia plate 45 of the outer frame 2 is attached to the lower frame body 14, with its front end protruding forward from the lower frame body 14. The fascia plate 45 is made of synthetic resin. Two sliding plates 46 are provided on the upper surface of the fascia plate 45, spaced apart on the left and right. The sliding plates 46 contact the lower end surface of the main frame 4 when the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2. The sliding plates 46 are made of a low-friction material with low frictional resistance, making the main frame 4 slide easily and facilitating opening and closing.

To describe the fascia board 45 in more detail, it comprises a fascia board body 45a formed to cover the portion of the lower frame body 14's upper end surface that is in front of the center in the front-to-back direction, and the front end of the lower frame body 14; a hinge body cover portion 45b provided near the left end of the upper surface of the fascia body body 45a; a rear wall portion 45c extending upward in a flat plate shape from the rear end of the hinge body cover portion 45b; and a guide display portion 45d provided on the upper surface of the fascia board body 45a.

The hinge cover portion 45b of the fascia board 45 is provided to cover the lower surface and sides of the lower outer frame hinge 35. This prevents players, maintenance workers, transporters, and installation personnel from directly touching the lower outer frame hinge 35 when reaching near it, thus preventing injury from the edges of the lower outer frame hinge 35.

Furthermore, since the hinge body cover portion 45b covers the bottom and sides of the lower outer frame hinge body 35, it is possible to hide the lower outer frame hinge body 35 from the player's side, and it is also possible to enhance the sense of unity with the fascia board 45 (fascia board body 45a) and improve the appearance.

The rear wall portion 45c of the fascia board 45 is positioned so that, when the main frame 4 is closed relative to the outer frame 2, the rear surface of the lower hinge body 512 of the main frame 4 (described later) abuts against the front surface of the rear wall portion 45c. This prevents the main frame 4 from rotating further rearward when the main frame 4 is closed relative to the outer frame 2, as the lower hinge body 512 abuts against the rear wall portion 45c.

As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the guide display section 45d of the fascia board 45 is provided so as to protrude rearward from the rear edge of the upper surface of the fascia board body 45a, and extends from the rear of the left sliding plate 46 to the rear of the right sliding plate 46 in the left-right direction. This guide display section 45d displays an arrow pointing to the left near the left end and an arrow pointing to the right near the right end, and between the two arrows, the words "! Protrusion of fixing nails and fixing brackets prohibited in this area!" are displayed. These arrows and words are engraved by a mold used for injection molding the fascia board 45.

The guidance display section 45d is positioned so as not to come into contact with the main frame 4, which is openable and closable relative to the outer frame 2. This guidance display section 45d is intended to alert workers when installing the pachinko machine 1 into the island equipment of a gaming hall. Specifically, when fixing the lower frame body 14 of the outer frame 2 to the island equipment with mounting screws (not shown in the illustration), it alerts workers to ensure that the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude above the guidance display section 45d within the range indicated on the guidance display section 45d. By fixing the outer frame 2 with mounting screws in accordance with this warning, when the main frame 4 is closed relative to the outer frame 2, the mounting screws will not come into contact with the main frame 4, and therefore will not interfere with the main frame 4.

This guide display section 45d makes it possible to prevent the mounting screws securing the outer frame 2 from interfering with the main frame 4, thus avoiding damage to the main frame 4 due to screw interference. Furthermore, the guide display section 45d serves as a marker for the amount of mounting screws to be driven in to secure the outer frame 2. This eliminates the need to open and close the main frame 4 while driving in the screws to prevent interference, thus improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, because it has a guide display section 45d, when checking the fixing status of the outer frame 2 to the island equipment, the guide display section 45d can be used as a guide to easily visually check the condition of the mounting screws.

Furthermore, since the guide indicator section 45d, which shows the fixing range of the mounting screws, is integrally molded with the main body 45a of the fascia panel, the guide indicator section 45d can be provided on the outer frame 2 simply by attaching the main body 45a of the fascia panel 45a to the lower frame 14 and assembling it with the outer frame 2. This reduces costs compared to the case where the guide indicator section 45d is provided separately.

In the above embodiment, the guide display section 45d protruding rearward from the rear end of the fascia body 45a is shown as extending continuously in the left-right direction from the leftmost arrow to the rightmost arrow. However, it is not limited to this configuration, and it is also possible to have a configuration where only the portions indicated by the left and right arrows protrude rearward from the rear end of the fascia body 45a.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows the guide display section 45d being engraved during the injection molding of the fascia board 45, the invention is not limited to this. The guide display section 45d may also be provided by attaching a sticker, printing, or painting.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows a guide display section 45d provided on the fascia board 45, the design is not limited to this, and it may also be provided on the lower frame 14, the sliding plate 46, etc. When providing the guide display section 45d on the lower frame 14, for example, a sticker may be attached, an ink stamp may be applied, or a brand mark may be applied. When providing the guide display section 45d on the sliding plate 46, for example, a recessed mark may be made on the sliding plate 46.

[3. Door frame]
The door frame 3 of the pachinko machine 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 and Figures 5 to 7. The door frame 3 is formed in a rectangular shape that extends vertically when viewed from the front and is approximately the same size as the inside of the outer frame 2, and is attached to the inside of the outer frame 2 from the front via the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable. The door frame 3 is provided in relation to the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable and has a game window 101 that, when closed, faces forward to the game area 5a of the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4, a transparent glass 120 that is detachably attached to the rear side of the door frame 100 and closes the game window 101, a ball count display unit 140 that displays the number of balls the player has, a handle 160 that the player operates to shoot game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5, a cylindrical handle cover 170 that surrounds the outer circumference of the handle 160, and a counting button switch 180 that the player can operate.

Furthermore, the door frame 3 comprises a door frame panel 190 extending from the lower end of the front of the door frame body 100 at a constant height across its entire width in the left-right direction, a shelf unit 200 protruding forward from the area between the game window 101 and the door frame panel 190 on the front of the door frame body 100, and a performance operation unit 250 located in the left-right center of the shelf unit 200 and operable by the player. The ball count display unit 140 and the counting button switch 180 are located on the upper surface of the shelf unit 200 (the upper surface of the shelf section 201).

Furthermore, the door frame 3 comprises a door frame top unit 300 located above the game window 101 on the front of the door frame body 100, a door frame left side unit 320 located to the left of the game window 101 on the front of the door frame body 100, and a door frame right side unit 340 located to the right of the game window 101 on the front of the door frame body 100.

The door frame body 100 has a door frame hinge mechanism 110 for attaching it to the main frame 4 so that it can be opened and closed. The door frame hinge mechanism 110 has an upper door frame hinge body 111 (see Figure 6) provided at the upper left end of the door frame body 100, and a lower door frame hinge body 112 provided at the lower left end of the door frame body 100. The upper door frame hinge body 111 has an upper door frame hinge shaft 111a that protrudes upward. The door frame hinge mechanism 110 supports the door frame 3 so that it can be opened and closed relative to the main frame 4 by inserting the upper hinge shaft 111a of the upper hinge body 111 into the upper shaft hole 511b for the door frame of the main frame upper hinge body 511 (described later) from below, and inserting the lower hinge shaft 112a of the lower hinge body 112 into the lower shaft hole 512b for the door frame of the main frame lower hinge body 512 (described later) from above.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 and 7, the door frame body 100 has a projection 102 that protrudes rearward from near the lower end on its rear surface. When the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, the lower surface of this projection 102 contacts the support step 501q of the main frame base 501 of the main frame 4, which will be described later, allowing the door frame 3 to be lifted to a certain extent. With this projection 102, the door frame 3 is lifted when the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, so the load of the door frame 3 can be distributed between the projection 102 and the lower door frame hinge body 112. This prevents excessive load from being continuously applied to the hinges (lower door frame hinge body 112 and lower outer frame hinge body 35) that enable the door frame 3 to be opened and closed, making the hinges less prone to distortion. Even if the hinges are distorted, the projection 102 can lift the door frame 3, allowing the door frame 3 to be closed in the correct position relative to the main frame 4. Although not shown in the diagram, the lower surface of the projection 102 has multiple ribs extending in the front-rear direction, and these ribs enhance its strength and rigidity.

The projection 102 has a guide surface 102a that is inclined to move to the left as it moves towards the rear. As will be described in detail later, the guide surface 102a of the projection 102 allows the front end of the ball lifting unit 650 to contact the guide surface 102a when attempting to close the door frame 3 against the main frame 4 while the ball lifting unit 650 ball motor base 686 is in a position other than the locked position, thereby moving (rotating) the ball motor base 686 to the locked position.

The ball count display unit 140 is composed of a 6-digit 7-segment LED. The ball count display unit 140 is located on the upper surface of the shelf unit 200, to the right of the center in the left-right direction, and to the left of the counting button switch 180.

The handle 160 is located at the lower right corner of the front surface of the door frame body 100, specifically near the right end between the game window 101 and the door frame panel 190 on the front surface of the door frame body 100. The handle 160 is mounted so that the player can rotate it with its axis of rotation facing forward and backward. The handle 160 is shaped like a car steering wheel and has a central hub portion 160a, multiple (three in this case) spoke portions 160b extending outward from the hub portion 160a, and an annular ring portion 160c connecting the ends of the spoke portions 160b.

The ring portion 160c of the handle 160 is located slightly forward from the front end of the cylindrical handle cover 170, and is positioned so that the player cannot grip the ring portion 160c. Therefore, when the player rotates the handle 160, they primarily operate it by gripping the hub portion 160a with their fingers passing between the spoke portions 160b. In this state, the player's fingers are inserted into the cylindrical part of the handle cover 170.

The handle 160 is equipped with a launch stop switch 161 that can be pressed by the player, a handle touch sensor 162 that detects changes in the electrostatic capacitance of the handle 160, and a handle rotation sensor 163 that detects the rotation angle of the handle 160 (see Figure 63).

When the player presses the launch stop switch 161, the frame control board 740 stops the drive of the launch solenoid 553. Therefore, if the player presses the launch stop switch 161 while rotating the handle 160, the launch of the game ball B can be temporarily stopped without having to reverse the rotation of the handle 160. Afterward, if the player releases the pressure on the launch stop switch 161 while keeping the handle 160 rotating, the game ball B can be launched into the game area 5a again with the same force as before the launch stop switch 161 was pressed (the force corresponding to the rotation of the handle 160).

The handle touch sensor 162 detects static electricity acting on the handle 160. When a player touches the handle 160, the sensor detects the static electricity acting from the player and detects the player's contact (touch) of the handle 160. When the handle touch sensor 162 detects the player's contact, rotating the handle 160 triggers a detection by the handle rotation sensor 163. The drive of the launch solenoid is then controlled with a strength corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160, allowing the game ball B to be launched.

Therefore, even if a player attempts to rotate the handle 160 in some way without touching it to launch the game ball B into the game area 5a, the handle touch sensor 162 will not detect the player's contact, and the launch solenoid 553 will not be driven, preventing the game ball B from being launched. This prevents players from rotating the handle 160 in a way unintended, thereby reducing the load (burden) on the gaming hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

The handle rotation sensor 163 is a variable resistor. When the handle 160 is rotated, the detection shaft rotates, and its internal resistance changes according to the rotation angle of the detection shaft. Therefore, by rotating the handle 160 and changing the internal resistance of the handle rotation sensor 163, the driving force of the launch solenoid 553 in the ball launching unit 550 (described later) changes according to that internal resistance, allowing the game ball B to be launched into the game area 5a with a force corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160.

The handle cover 170 extends rearward from the rear portion of the annular section of the handle 160, widening in diameter, and is formed in a conical shape. Openings 171 communicating with the interior are provided on the right and lower outer surfaces of the handle cover 170. These openings 171 allow any debris or liquids that enter the handle cover 170 to be discharged downwards.

The counting button switch 180 is located on the upper surface of the shelf unit 200, to the right of the center in the left-right direction. As will be described in detail later, pressing the counting button switch 180 while holding balls allows the balls to be sent to the game ball dispensing device 8 for settlement.

The door frame fascia 190 extends to the left and right at a constant height, with a length equal to the width of the door frame body 100 in the left-right direction, and is attached to the lower end of the front surface of the door frame body 100. The door frame fascia 190 penetrates from front to back through the center in the left-right direction and has a duct grille 191 located in front of the bass reflex duct 501e of the main frame 4, which will be described later. The duct grille 191 extends long and narrow to the left and right and is partitioned by multiple vertical bars. As will be described in detail later, this duct grille 191 is for releasing air vibrations (wind) caused by the drive of the main frame speaker 503 from the bass reflex duct 501e of the main frame 4 forward.

The shelf unit 200 is installed in the area between the game window 101 and the door frame panel 190 on the front of the door frame body 100. A spherical performance control unit 250 is provided in the center of the shelf unit 200 in the left-right direction. The shelf unit 200 has a shelf section 201 that bulges forward in a shelf-like shape from its upper end along the lower end of the game window 101, a speaker grille 203 located below the shelf section 201 and to the right of the performance control unit 250, a setting adjustment button 204 consisting of four push buttons arranged front-to-back and left-to-right on the upper surface of the shelf section 201, and a pair of protrusions 205 spaced apart on the left and right. The setting adjustment button 204 allows for volume adjustment by operating the front and rear push buttons, and light intensity adjustment by operating the left and right push buttons.

The shelf section 201 has a smooth upper surface. On the upper surface of the shelf section 201, a counting button switch 180 is provided near the right end, to the right of the center in the left-right direction. A ball count display section 140 is provided to the left of the counting button switch 180. A setting adjustment button 204 is also provided to the right of the center in the left-right direction, and protrusions 205 are provided on both the left and right sides near the rear end of the setting adjustment button 204.

The pair of protrusions 205 protrude higher than the setting adjustment buttons 204, and their upper ends are rounded. The pair of protrusions 205 are positioned approximately parallel to the rear edge of the shelf 201. The pair of protrusions 205 can be conveniently used, for example, to prop up a smartphone on the top surface of the shelf 201.

The speaker grille 203 is located in front of the main frame speaker 503 in the main frame 4, which will be described later, and is formed of perforated metal with multiple through holes. The speaker grille 203 is symmetrical to and the same size as the handle 160, with the center of the door frame 3 as the dividing line, and is formed in a shape that bulges forward, similar to the handle cover 170.

The performance control unit 250 is located in the center of the shelf unit 200 in the left-right direction, with its front end protruding forward of the shelf unit 200 and its upper end protruding upward of the shelf unit 200. The performance control unit 250 is formed in a spherical shape. The performance control unit 250 has a circular first performance button 251 located near the center of its upper surface, and an annular second performance button 252 surrounding the first performance button 251. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the first performance button 251 is cylindrical, and the second performance button 252 is cylindrical. The first performance button 251 and the second performance button 252 are located coaxially, and their axes are inclined to move forward as they move upward.

The first and second performance buttons 251 and 252 are designed to move upward (pop up) in response to player-participation performances. The first performance button 251 is always pressable, while the second performance button 252 is only pressable when it has popped up.

Although not shown in the diagram, a vibrator (vibration device) is installed inside the first performance button 251.

The door frame top unit 300 is positioned above the game window 101 on the front of the door frame body 100, with both ends in the left-right direction sandwiched between the upper ends of the left side unit 320 and the right side unit 340. The door frame top unit 300 protrudes forward like an overhang. The door frame top unit 300 is equipped with a semi-tubular, translucent door frame top decorative element 301 that extends left and right along its front edge. In a plan view, the door frame top decorative element 301 is curved in the front-back direction such that its left-right center is located furthest forward.

The door frame top unit 300, although not shown in the illustration, includes a door frame top decorative substrate on which multiple LEDs are mounted for illuminating the door frame top decorative element 301; a pair of door frame top speakers 303, spaced apart on the left and right sides, that output sounds such as voice, music, and sound effects; and a pair of door frame top side speakers 304, located on the left and right outer sides of the pair of door frame top speakers 303. The pair of door frame top speakers 303 are full-range speakers (or mid-range speakers), and the pair of door frame top side speakers 304 are tweeters (high-frequency speakers).

The left side unit 320 of the door frame is located on the front of the main door frame 100, to the left of the game window 101. It extends vertically from near the upper end of the main door frame 100 to near the speaker grille 203, below the shelf portion 201 of the shelf unit 200. The left side unit 320 extends along its entire vertical length and is equipped with a translucent, semi-tubular decorative element 321. The decorative element 321 curves to the right near its lower end.

The left side unit 320 of the door frame (not shown in the figure) has a door frame left side decorative circuit board on which multiple LEDs are mounted to illuminate the door frame left side decorative element 321.

The right side unit 340 of the door frame is located to the right of the game window 101 on the front of the main door frame 100. It extends vertically from near the top of the main door frame 100 to the handle cover 170, below the shelf section 201 of the shelf unit 200. The right side unit 340 protrudes further forward than the left side unit 320 and is formed as a vertically elongated partition.

The door frame right side unit 340 comprises a semi-tubular door frame right side decorative body 341 that extends vertically along the front end and is translucent; a translucent door frame right side left side decorative body (not shown) located behind the door frame right side decorative body 341 and forming the left side; a translucent door frame right side decorative body (not shown) located behind the door frame right side decorative body 341 and forming the right side; and a door frame right side decorative substrate (not shown) on which multiple LEDs are mounted to illuminate the door frame right side decorative body 341, the door frame right side left side decorative body, and the door frame right side right side decorative body. The door frame right side decorative body 341 is curved to the left near its lower end.

Furthermore, the right side unit 340 of the door frame extends forward and backward near its lower end, and has an opening 342 through which the keyhole 782 of the lock unit 780 faces forward.

[3-1. Counting Button Switch]
The counting button switch 180 is located on the upper surface of the shelf unit 200, to the right of the center in the left-right direction. When the counting button switch 180 is pressed while there are balls remaining (number of balls > 0), the balls are sent to the game ball dispensing device 8 for settlement. As will be described in detail later, the counting button switch 180 can send balls one by one or in predetermined numbers (for example, every 250 balls) depending on the pressing time. The number of balls sent to the game ball dispensing device 8 is sent to the management server 9 via the communication network, and an IC card storing that number of balls is ejected from the game ball dispensing device 8.

Here, the game ball dispensing device 8 is installed adjacent to the pachinko machine 1 in the island setup of the gaming hall (also referred to as a "sand"). The game ball dispensing device 8, although not shown in detail in the illustration, includes an input slot for inserting cash or prepaid cards, a card slot for inserting/removing IC cards, a ball dispensing button switch 8a, a return button switch, a display unit showing the amount inserted and the number of balls counted, etc. When cash or other payment is inserted into the input slot and the ball dispensing button switch 8a is pressed, a predetermined number of game balls B are dispensed within the range of the inserted amount. In this embodiment, the number of game balls B dispensed is transmitted as digital data to the frame control board and also transmitted to the management server 9 via the communication network for management.

To elaborate on the counting button switch 180, if a player has balls and "short-presses" the counting button switch 180 (for example, a single press duration of less than 500ms), one game ball B is counted from the player's balls. If the counting button switch 180 is "long-pressed" (for example, a single press duration of 500ms or more), 250 game balls B are counted at predetermined time intervals (for example, every 300ms) while the switch is long-pressed, until the number of balls falls below 250. Once the number of balls falls below 250 while the switch is long-pressed, game balls B are counted one at a time. Alternatively, if the counting button switch 180 is "long-pressed" (for example, a single press duration of 500ms or more), the entire number of balls in the player's hand may be counted unconditionally, even if the button is not continuously pressed.

When the counting button switch 180 is pressed, the number of balls displayed on the ball count display unit 140 is subtracted and displayed, and the number of balls counted is displayed on a display unit (not shown) of the game ball dispensing device 8.

[4. Main Frame]
The main frame 4 of the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 8 to 14, 17 to 21, etc. Figure 17 is an exploded perspective view of the main frame as seen from the front, disassembled into its main components, and Figure 18 is an exploded perspective view of the main frame as seen from the rear, disassembled into its main components. Figure 19 is a plan view of the pachinko machine of Figure 10 cut in the center vertically. Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 19 cut along the line A-A. Figure 21 is a front view of the main parts of the front view of Figure 8, showing the launch unit and foul unit, etc., in cross-section.

The main frame 4 is formed in a box-like shape with an open front, and the game board 5 is detachably housed inside from the front. The main frame 4 is attached to the outer frame 2, which is mounted on the island equipment of the gaming hall, at the top and bottom of the front left side, and a door frame 3 is attached to it, which can be opened and closed, to close the open front side.

The main frame 4 comprises a frame-shaped main frame base unit 500 supported by the outer frame 2 in an openable and closable manner, a ball launching unit 550 for launching game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5, a foul unit 570 for recovering game balls B that were launched by the ball launching unit 550 but did not enter the game area 5a, a circulating ball path unit 600 for sending game balls B discharged from the game board 5 and game balls B recovered by the foul unit 570 back to the ball launching unit 550, a ball lifting unit 650 for moving game balls B upward from the downstream end of the circulating ball path unit 600, and a ball delivery unit 700 for sending the game balls B lifted by the ball lifting unit 650 one by one back to the ball launching unit 550.

Furthermore, the main frame 4 includes a ball receiving tray 720 for receiving game balls B discharged from the ball outlet 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600, a frame board unit 730 having a frame control board 740 for controlling the ball launching unit 550 and the ball lifting unit 650, and a locking unit 780 for locking the space between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4, and between the door frame 3 and the main frame 4.

[4-1. Main frame base unit]
The main frame base unit 500 in the main frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 22 to 24. Figure 22 is an exploded perspective view of the main frame base unit in the main frame, disassembled into its main components and viewed from the front, and Figure 23 is an exploded perspective view of the main frame base unit in the main frame, disassembled into its main components and viewed from the rear. Figure 24(a) is a front view of the main frame base in the main frame base unit, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which multiple main frame bases are stacked in a perspective view.

The main frame base unit 500 is supported on the outer frame 2 so as to be able to open and close forward, and is also capable of supporting the door frame 3 so as to be able to open and close forward. The main frame base unit 500 is fitted with a ball launching unit 550, a foul unit 570, a circulating ball path unit 600, a ball lifting unit 650, a ball delivery unit 700, a ball receiving tray 720, a frame base unit 730, a lock unit 780, and the like.

The main frame base unit 500 comprises a main frame base 501, which is formed as a vertically elongated rectangle and has a game board insertion section 502 into which the game board 5 is inserted from the front, and a base wall section 501b provided below the game board insertion section 502; and a side reinforcing plate 509 that reinforces the left side of the main frame base 501.

Furthermore, the main frame base unit 500 includes a main frame speaker 503 attached to the rear side of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501, a box-shaped main frame speaker box 504 attached to the base wall portion 501b so as to cover the main frame speaker 503 from the rear and with the front open, and a rear cover 505 provided on the main frame base 501 so as to be openable and closable from the rear over the game board insertion portion 502.

Furthermore, the main frame base unit 500 includes a game board locking member 506 attached to the main frame base 501, a door opening switch 507 and a frame opening switch 508 attached to the main frame base 501, and a main frame hinge mechanism 510 attached to the main frame base 501.

The main frame base 501 is formed in a vertically elongated rectangular shape when viewed from the front. The main frame base 501 is made of black, opaque synthetic resin. The main frame base 501 comprises a frame-shaped frame body 501a without a left-hand side, a game board insertion section 502 that penetrates the frame body 501a from near the upper end downwards for approximately two-thirds of the total height, a base wall section 501b provided below the game board insertion section 502, a game board regulating section 501c that protrudes upward (into the game board insertion section 502) near the center in the left-right direction on the upper end surface of the base wall section 501b, a main frame speaker opening 501d that penetrates the base wall section 501b from front to back, with the main frame speaker 503 facing forward, and a bass reflex duct 501e that is horizontally elongated and penetrates the base wall section 501b from front to back near the lower center in the left-right direction.

Furthermore, the main frame base 501 includes a tray insertion recess 501f, which is recessed from the front to the rear above the bass reflex duct 501e in the base wall portion 501b, into which the ball receiving tray 720 is inserted, and a ball storage passage insertion opening 501g, which penetrates from front to back above the tray insertion recess 501f in the base wall portion 501b, into which the ball meandering member 613 and meandering cover 614 of the circulating ball path unit 600 are inserted.

Furthermore, the main frame base 501 includes a foul unit mounting portion 501h and a ball launching unit mounting portion 501i, which are provided side-by-side on the left and right above the ball storage passage insertion opening 501g on the front surface of the base wall portion 501b; a ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j, provided to the right of the ball launching unit mounting portion 501i on the base wall portion 501b; a ball delivery unit mounting portion 501k, provided on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b in the area behind the ball launching unit mounting portion 501i; a circulating ball path unit mounting portion 501l, provided on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b; and a cylinder insertion opening 501m, which penetrates from front to back near the upper right corner of the base wall portion 501b, through which the lock cylinder 781 of the lock unit 780 is inserted.

Furthermore, the main frame base 501 protrudes from the left and right inner walls of the tray insertion recess 501f, and is equipped with locking claws 501n that restrict the forward movement of the ball receiving tray 720 by engaging the elastic claws 721 of the ball receiving tray 720 inserted into the tray insertion recess 501f. The main frame base 501 also has a vertically elongated opening 501o that penetrates from front to back at the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j.

Furthermore, the main frame base 501 includes an upper cover 502a extending rearward from the upper end of the game board insertion section 502, a rear cover 502b extending downward in a short, flat shape from the rear end edge of the upper cover 502a, a left side cover 502c extending rearward from the left end of the game board insertion section 502 with its upper end connected to the upper cover 502a, a right side cover 502d extending rearward from the right end of the game board insertion section 502 with its upper end connected to the upper cover 502a, and a lower cover 502e extending rearward from the lower end of the game board insertion section 502.

Furthermore, the main frame base 501 includes a plurality of ventilation holes 502f that penetrate the rear cover 502b, a plurality of upper recesses 502g provided in the upper cover 502a and recessed downwards, a plurality of lower recesses 502h provided in the lower cover 502e and recessed downwards, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs 502i provided on the lower surface of the upper cover 502a and the upper surface of the lower cover 502e, respectively.

Furthermore, the main frame base 501 is provided above the sphere launching unit mounting portion 501i and further includes a canopy portion 501p to block light from entering the sphere launching unit 550 from above. This canopy portion 501p blocks external light from reaching the launch/subtraction sensor 554, which consists of a photosensor attached to the sphere launching unit 550 mounting portion 501i, thereby preventing false detections by the launch/subtraction sensor 554.

Furthermore, the main frame base 501 includes a support step portion 501q located between the tray insertion recess 501f and the opening 501o, slightly above the bottom surface of the tray insertion recess 501f, and a pair of support protrusions 501r located vertically separated near the right end of the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b, projecting backward. The support step portion 501q has an upward-facing surface (top surface). When the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, the projection 102 of the door frame 3 abuts against this support step portion 501q, allowing the door frame 3 to be lifted to a certain extent, thus supporting a portion of the load of the door frame 3. The rear end surface of the support protrusion 501r is provided with a locking hole into which the Nylatch 774 of the frame base unit 730 is engaged.

The game board insertion section 502 of the main frame base 501 is into which the game board 5 is detachably inserted from the front. The area of the game board insertion section 502 rearward from the base wall 501b is surrounded by the top cover 502a, the left side cover 502c, the right side cover 502d, and the bottom cover 502e.

The game board 5 is mounted on the upper end surface of the base wall 501b. The door opening switch 507, ball launching unit 550, foul unit 570, and ball receiving tray 720 are mounted on the front of the base wall 501b. The main frame speaker 503, main frame speaker box 504, frame opening switch 508, ball circulation path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, and ball delivery unit 700 are mounted on the rear of the base wall 501b.

The game board restrictor section 501c restricts the movement of the game board 5 in the left-right and rearward directions when the game board 5 is inserted into the game board insertion section 502. The main frame speaker opening 501d, as shown in the figure, is formed in a grid pattern and is positioned behind the speaker grille 203 of the door frame 3 when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4. The main frame speaker 503 is mounted on the rear surface of the base wall section 501b so as to close the main frame speaker opening 501d from the rear.

The bass reflex duct 501e is formed in a rectangular, cylindrical shape that is elongated from left to right. As will be described in detail later, the bass reflex duct 501e communicates with the enclosure 504a of the main frame speaker 503, which is composed of the base wall 501b and the main frame speaker box 504. Its purpose is to invert the phase of the sound output from the main frame speaker 503 to the rear and release it forward. In this embodiment, the cylindrical bass reflex duct 501e allows for resonance and amplification of the low-frequency range of the sound output from the main frame speaker 503, resulting in a deeper bass sound. This bass reflex duct 501e is positioned behind the duct grille 191 of the door frame 3 when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4.

The tray insertion recess 501f can detachably support the ball receiving tray 720 from the front. The bottom wall of the tray insertion recess 501f is sloped so that the front end is lower (see Figure 20). This allows game balls B to be discharged forward even if they spill into the tray insertion recess 501f when the ball receiving tray 720 is not inserted. Furthermore, because the bottom wall of the tray insertion recess 501f is sloped so that the front end is lower, the ball receiving tray 720 placed on it can be easily slid forward.

The ball storage passage insertion port 501g is provided so that the front portions of the ball meandering member 613 and meandering cover 614 of the circulating ball path unit 600, which are attached to the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b, pass through and protrude forward. The foul unit mounting portion 501h is provided near the upper end of the base wall portion 501b, to the right of the main frame speaker opening 501d. The ball launching unit mounting portion 501i is provided to the right of the foul unit mounting portion 501h. The ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j is provided in the area between the upper and lower ends of the base wall portion 501b.

The ball-feeding unit mounting section 501k is provided on the rear surface of the base wall section 501b such that the upper surface of the ball-feeding unit 700 faces upward (into the game board insertion section 502), allowing the ball-feeding unit 700 to be attached and detached from above. When the ball-feeding unit 700 is attached to the ball-feeding unit mounting section 501k, the elastic claw 709b of the ball-feeding unit 700 penetrates the locking hole in the base wall section 501b and faces forward to the right of the ball-launching unit 550. In this state, by pressing the elastic claw 709b backward to elastically deform it, and simultaneously grasping and pulling up the knob 709a provided on the upper surface of the ball-feeding unit 700, the ball-feeding unit 700 can be removed upward.

The circulating ball path unit mounting section 501l is located on the rear surface of the base wall section 501b, in the central left-right direction, above the box expansion section 504c of the main frame speaker box 504, which will be described later. The cylinder insertion port 501m is located near the upper end of the base wall section 501b, to the right of the ball lifting unit mounting section 501j.

The top cover 502a extends rearward from the game board 5 when the game board 5 is installed in the game board insertion section 502. As shown in Figures 17 and 18, the top cover 502a has two upper surface recesses 502g spaced apart to the left and right. These upper surface recesses 502g allow for the omission of some of the reinforcing ribs on the top cover 502a. This configuration allows the top cover 502a to be positioned higher than if multiple reinforcing ribs were arranged in a row horizontally on the top surface of the top cover, thereby securing the internal volume of the game board insertion section 502. Furthermore, while providing multiple reinforcing ribs on the top surface of the top cover can lead to residue during cleaning and detract from its appearance, this embodiment maintains aesthetic appeal by eliminating the reinforcing ribs from the top surface of the top cover 502a.

The upper surface of the top cover 502a and the bottom surfaces of the two upper recesses 502g are inclined so that they become lower towards the rear at an angle of approximately 2 degrees relative to the horizontal plane. Furthermore, the pachinko machine 1 is usually installed tilted backward, and this angle is generally about 0.75 degrees, resulting in a total downward slope of approximately 2.75 degrees. Also, the width of the two upper recesses 502g increases towards the rear.

By creating such a gentle slope, the game balls B falling from above the pachinko machine 1 flow down the upper surface of the upper cover 502a or the upper recess 502g, and fall into the game ball collection path of the island equipment located below the pachinko machine 1, where they are collected. Furthermore, non-spherical objects such as metal powder and screws will accumulate on the upper surface of the upper cover 502a or the upper recess 502g. To achieve this effect, it is desirable that the slope of the upper surface of the upper cover 502a from the horizontal plane be within 15 degrees.

Since the top cover 502a is formed in a flat shape, the lower surface (back surface) of the two upper recesses 502g that are recessed from above in the top cover 502a protrudes downward from the lower surface of the top cover 502a (see Figure 24(b)). In other words, the upper recesses 502g have the form of convex portions that protrude downward from the lower surface of the top cover 502a. The endpoints of the two upper recesses 502g, i.e., the front walls, are the back surfaces of the abutment surface 502j, and the abutment surface 502j contacts the rear surface of the upper edge of the game board 5 for positioning.

In other words, the underside (bottom side) of the top cover 502a has the undersides of the two top recesses 502g. The front ends of the undersides of the two top recesses 502g form abutment surface 502j, which contacts the rear surface of the top edge of the game board 5 to position the game board 5.

On the underside (bottom side) of the top cover 502a, there are four of the multiple reinforcing ribs 502i, which, together with the top recess 502g, reinforce the top cover 502a. By placing the reinforcing ribs 502i on the inner bottom surface rather than the top surface of the top cover 502a, it is possible to maintain the aesthetic appearance of the top (outer) surface of the top cover 502a.

As shown in Figure 23, multiple ribs 502k are provided on the front end of the upper surface of the top cover 502a. However, the area above these ribs 502k is covered by the frame 501a of the edge of the main frame base 501, and further above that is covered by the outer frame 2. Therefore, metal powder and other debris will not fall from above, and the aesthetic appearance will not be affected.

Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, the upper surface of the upper cover 502a and the upper recess 502g do not have gates for injecting molten resin during injection molding. This is to prevent the gates from creating irregularities that would obstruct the flow of the game balls B down the upper surface of the upper cover 502a and the upper recess 502g.

Furthermore, care has been taken to avoid leaving ejector pin marks on the upper surface of the upper cover 502a or the upper recess 502g, which are used to remove the injection-molded main frame base 501 from the mold. While ejector pin marks generally do not significantly hinder the flow of the game balls B if the burrs are properly removed, they may impair the aesthetics when cleaning the upper surface of the upper cover 502a or the upper recess 502g where metal powder or other debris may have accumulated. Therefore, care has been taken to avoid leaving ejector pin marks.

The rear cover 502b of the main frame base 501 is connected at both ends to the left side cover 502c and the right side cover 502d, respectively. Multiple vertically elongated slit-shaped ventilation holes 502f are arranged in a row in the left-right direction on this rear cover 502b.

Furthermore, the left side cover 502c of the main frame base 501 has the same depth in the front-to-back direction as the top cover 502a. In a plan view, the left side cover 502c is inclined to the right as it moves towards the rear. At the rear end of the left side cover 502c, two cover locking portions 502l are provided, spaced vertically apart, for locking the back cover 505.

The right side cover 502d of the main frame base 501 is inclined in a plan view so as it moves to the left as it approaches the rear. The portion of the right side cover 502d below the rear cover 502b is cut out from the rear end toward the front, and the rear end of this portion is located in front of the rear end of the top cover 502a. In other words, the right side cover 502d is formed with a shorter depth in the portion below the rear cover 502b. At the rear end of the right side cover 502d, below the rear cover 502b, multiple cover pivot supports 502m are provided at vertical intervals to support the back cover 505 in a hinge-rotatable manner.

The lower cover 502e of the main frame base 501 extends rearward from a point one level higher than the lower end of the game board insertion section 502 (the upper surface of the base wall section 501b). The lower cover 502e is provided so as to exclude the portion above the ball circulation path unit mounting section 501l. To the left of the ball circulation path unit mounting section 501l, it extends rearward to the same position as the rear end of the left side cover 502c, and to the right of the ball circulation path unit mounting section 501l, it extends rearward to the same position as the rear end of the portion of the right side cover 502d that is formed with a shorter depth. This lower cover 502e is sloped so that it becomes higher towards the rear.

The lower recess 502h of the main frame base 501 is recessed downward from the upper surface of the lower cover 502e. The lower recess 502h is open towards the front and is formed so that its width narrows towards the rear. The bottom surface of the lower recess 502h is sloped upward towards the rear, similar to the lower cover 502e. Since the lower cover 502e is formed in a flat shape, the lower surface (back surface) of the lower recess 502h, which is recessed from above on the lower cover 502e, protrudes downward from the lower surface of the lower cover 502e (see Figure 24(b)). In other words, the lower recess 502h has the form of a convex portion that protrudes downward on the lower surface of the lower cover 502e. A reinforcing rib 502i is provided inside the lower recess 502h.

Multiple reinforcing ribs 502i are provided on the lower surface of the upper cover 502a and on the bottom surface of the lower recess 502h, respectively. The upper cover 502a has four reinforcing ribs 502i; two extend forward from the two abutment surfaces 502j, while the remaining two are located on the left and right outer sides of the two upper recesses 502g. The reinforcing ribs 502i located on the left and right outer sides of the upper recesses 502g have their rear ends connected to the rear cover 502b and extend forward shorter than the upper recesses 502g.

Of the multiple reinforcing ribs 502i, four in total—two located on the left and right outer sides of the upper recess 502g in the upper cover 502a, and two located in the two lower recesses 502h—are provided to function as contact ribs. More specifically, the main frame base 501 of this embodiment is configured to be placed horizontally without wobbling when placed on a workbench or the like with its front end facing downwards. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 24(b), the main frame base 501 is designed to be stacked for storage. In this case, the four reinforcing ribs 502i contact the mating surface, preventing the stacked main frame bases 501 from interlocking. This reduces the time required to remove parts (main frame bases 501) due to interlocking, thereby improving the efficiency of assembly work. Additionally, because the main frame bases 501 can be stacked, it becomes possible to increase the number of units per package and reduce the size of the packaging box.

In this embodiment, the upper cover 502a of the main frame base 501, which protects the game board 5 housed in the main frame 4 from above, has a gently sloping upper surface. This allows for the proper handling of game balls B, metal powder, screws, etc., that fall from above the pachinko machine 1. Specifically, spherical game balls B can flow down the upper surface of the upper cover 502a and fall below the pachinko machine 1, thus being recovered without causing problems. Non-spherical items such as metal powder and screws can remain on the upper cover 502a without flowing down, thus also preventing problems.

Furthermore, ventilation holes 502f are not provided on the upper surface of this top cover 502a. This prevents metal powder, screws, etc., from entering through the ventilation holes 502f, thus preventing adverse effects on the electrical components of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the upper surface of the top cover 502a, which is molded by the injection molding machine, does not have a gate for injecting molten resin into the mold during molding. As a result, no irregularities originating from the gate are created on the upper surface of the top cover 502a, and therefore, the flow of the game balls B is not obstructed.

Similarly, care has been taken to avoid leaving ejector pin marks when removing the injection-molded main frame base 501 from the mold. Normally, ejector pin marks are unlikely to obstruct the flow of the game balls B if the burrs are properly removed. However, they may remain on the upper surface of the top cover 502a, where metal powder or other debris may accumulate, during cleaning, potentially impairing the aesthetic appearance. Therefore, by avoiding ejector pin marks, the aesthetic appearance can be easily restored through cleaning.

Furthermore, this top cover 502a is integrally molded with the main frame base 501. This molding method allows for reduced assembly time and improved overall strength of the main frame base unit 500 (game board housing frame).

Furthermore, the top cover 502a not only protects the game board 5 housed inside, but also has a positioning section (buttock surface 502j) on its inner side that contacts the game board 5 to position it. This fixes the positional relationship between the game board 5 and the top cover 502a, thereby fulfilling the purpose of the game board housing frame (main frame 4) in protecting the game board 5.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 18, etc., the upper surface of the top cover 502a does not have reinforcing ribs. This eliminates the difficulty of cleaning caused by ribs, making maintenance easier. However, in areas where other components (e.g., frame 501a, outer frame 2, etc.) cover the upper surface of the top cover 502a and foreign objects do not fall from it, ribs may be provided.

The side reinforcing plate 509 is formed in a U-shape in plan view, opening to the right, and is attached to replace the open left side of the frame body 501a in the main frame base 501. The side reinforcing plate 509 is formed from an extruded metal profile such as aluminum alloy. The side reinforcing plate 509 has two left position regulating members 509a, spaced apart vertically. The left position regulating members 509a are for positioning the left side of the game board 5.

The main frame speaker 503 is mounted on the rear side of the base wall 501b so as to close the main frame speaker opening 501d of the main frame base 501 from the rear. The main frame speaker 503 is a cone-type speaker that primarily outputs low frequencies.

The main frame speaker box 504 is formed in a box shape that is open to the front, and is attached to the rear side of the base wall 501b so as to cover the main frame speaker 503 from the rear. By being attached to the base wall 501b, the main frame speaker box 504 forms the enclosure 504a of the main frame speaker 503.

The main frame speaker box 504 comprises a box body portion 504b located behind the main frame speaker 503, a box extension portion 504c connected to the lower end of the box body portion 504b and extending to the right in a front view, and a frame substrate unit pivot support portion 504d provided on the rear surface of the box body portion 504b. The box extension portion 504c of the main frame speaker box 504 extends to the right, covering the rear of the bass reflex duct 501e, and a portion of it extends further rearward than the box body portion 504b.

The enclosure 504a consists of a box body 504b and a box extension 504c, and communicates with the outside through a bass reflex duct 501e. In other words, the bass reflex duct 501e, the main frame speaker 503, and the main frame speaker box 504 constitute a phase-inverting bass reflex speaker.

More specifically, the main frame speaker 503 outputs a predetermined sound both forward and backward. The sound output forward from the main frame speaker 503 is then released to the front of the pachinko machine 1 through the main frame speaker opening 501d and the speaker grille 203.

On the other hand, the sound output from the main frame speaker 503 to the rear causes the air inside the main frame speaker box 504 (enclosure 504a) to vibrate. Since this enclosure 504a is open to the front (outside) by a cylindrical bass reflex duct 501e, the sound is released forward through the bass reflex duct 501e. At this time, because the bass reflex duct 501e is formed as a cylinder of a predetermined length, the low-frequency range is amplified by resonance caused by the vibration of the air column inside it, and the sound is released forward with its phase inverted.

As a result, the sound output from the main unit speaker 503 to the front and the sound output to the rear do not cancel each other out and attenuate, but rather resonate with each other and amplify each other. This allows the main unit speaker 503 to produce a loud sound with deep bass even with a small diameter, providing players with a rich, bass-heavy sound.

The box extension 504c of the main frame speaker box 504 is formed with a depth in the front-to-back direction that is longer than its height, and its rear end is positioned to protrude slightly behind the rear end of the frame base unit 730 (see Figure 20). When assembled to the main frame 4, the box extension 504c covers the lower part of the frame base unit 730 (unit base 770 and power supply board box 772) so that a gap is formed between it and the frame base unit 730. This prevents the various wires connected to the frame base unit 730 from sagging.

As shown in Figure 20, the box extension section 504c is sloped so that its upper surface is lower towards the rear. This allows debris and game balls B that fall from above to be guided to the rear and discharged. Furthermore, the box extension section 504c is sloped so that its lower surface is higher towards the rear. This prevents the box extension section 504c from contacting the lower frame 14 of the main frame 4 when closing the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 20, the box extension portion 504c is inclined so that its lower surface becomes higher towards the rear. This allows the lower surface of the box extension portion 504c to guide the main frame 4 into the outer frame 2, even if the main frame 4 is tilted, when closing the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2.

The main frame speaker box 504, when assembled to the main frame 4, supports the rear end of the tray insertion recess 501f in the main frame base 501 by suspending it. This ensures that the game balls B discharged from the circulating ball path unit 600 are received by the ball receiving tray 720. Even if a load (the weight of multiple game balls B) acts on the tray insertion recess 501f from above via the ball receiving tray 720, the tray insertion recess 501f will not deform.

Furthermore, the main frame speaker box 504 is made of transparent synthetic resin, allowing the main frame speaker 503 to be viewed from the outside.

The back cover 505 is provided to the main frame base 501 so as to cover the rear of the game board 5 which is attached to the main frame 4 when assembled to the pachinko machine 1, and is designed to open and close. The back cover 505 is formed in an L-shape in plan view, as if the right side of a flat plate were bent forward. The back cover 505 has two locking claws 505a provided vertically separated at the left end, and a plurality of shaft portions 505b arranged vertically in a row at the right end. The locking claws 505a are detachably locked to the cover locking portion 502l on the main frame base 501. The shaft portions 505b are pivotally supported on the cover shaft support portion 502m on the main frame base 501. This allows the back cover 505 to be attached to the main frame base 501 of the main frame 4 in an open and close manner. The back cover 505 is provided with a plurality of ventilation holes so that heat from the game board 5 can be released to the outside. This back cover 505 is made of transparent synthetic resin.

The back cover 505 is designed so that, if the frame base unit 730 (described later) is closed to the main frame unit 500 first, and an attempt is made to close the back cover 505 to the main frame unit 500 (main frame base 501), it will interfere with (contact) the closed frame base unit 730, preventing it from closing. Furthermore, the back cover 505 is designed so that, if the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2, and the back cover 505 is open relative to the main frame base 501, and an attempt is made to close the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, it will interfere with (contact) the outer frame 2, preventing it from closing.

The game board locking member 506 is mounted on the front surface of the main frame base 501 (base wall portion 501b) so as to be rotatable around an axis extending in the front-rear direction. By rotating the game board locking member 506 to the locked position while the game board 5 is inserted into the game board insertion portion 502, the lower end of the game board 5 can be prevented from moving forward.

The door open switch 507 is for detecting the opening and closing of the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4. The door open switch 507 is mounted below the cylinder insertion opening 501m in the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501.

The frame release switch 508 is for detecting the opening and closing of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2. The frame release switch 508 is mounted below the door release switch 507 on the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501.

The main frame hinge mechanism 510 includes an upper main frame hinge body 511 attached to the upper left edge of the main frame base 501, and a lower main frame hinge body 512 attached to the lower left edge of the main frame base 501.

The main frame upper hinge body 511 comprises a main frame hinge shaft 511a that protrudes upward in a cylindrical shape and is inserted into the bearing groove 31a of the outer frame upper hinge body 31 on the outer frame 2, and an upper shaft hole 511b for the door frame, which is provided adjacent to the main frame hinge shaft 511a and into which the upper hinge shaft 111a of the door frame upper hinge body 111 on the door frame 3 is inserted from below. The main frame upper hinge body 511 has a flat, horizontally extending portion and a portion that extends downward from the rear end of the horizontally extending portion. The horizontally extending portion of the main frame upper hinge body 511 is provided with the main frame hinge shaft 511a and the upper shaft hole 511b for the door frame. Furthermore, the portion of the main frame upper hinge body 511 that extends downward is attached to the main frame base 501.

The main frame lower hinge body 512 includes an outer frame shaft hole (not shown) into which the hinge shaft 35a of the outer frame lower hinge body 35 in the outer frame 2 is inserted from below, and a door frame lower shaft hole 512b into which the door frame lower hinge shaft 112a of the door frame lower hinge body 112 in the door frame 3 is inserted from above. The main frame lower hinge body 512 has a flat, horizontally extending portion and a portion extending upward from the rear end of the horizontally extending portion. The horizontally extending portion of the main frame lower hinge body 512 is provided with the outer frame shaft hole and the door frame lower shaft hole 512b. The portion of the main frame lower hinge body 512 that extends downward is attached to the main frame base 501. Furthermore, the downward-extending portion of the lower hinge body 512 of the main frame abuts against the rear wall portion 45c of the fascia panel 45 when the main frame 4 is closed relative to the outer frame 2. This prevents the main frame 4 from rotating further rearward.

The main frame hinge mechanism 510 supports the main frame 4 so that it can open and close relative to the outer frame 2. This is achieved by inserting the main frame hinge shaft 511a of the upper main frame hinge body 511 into the bearing groove 31a of the upper outer frame hinge body 31 on the outer frame 2, and inserting the hinge shaft 35a of the lower outer frame hinge body 35 on the outer frame 2 into the outer frame shaft hole of the lower main frame hinge body 512.

Furthermore, the main frame hinge mechanism 510 supports the door frame 3 so that it can open and close by inserting the upper hinge shaft 111a of the upper hinge body 111 on the door frame 3 into the upper shaft hole 511b for the door frame of the upper hinge body 511 of the main frame upper hinge body 511 from below, and inserting the lower hinge shaft 112a of the lower hinge body 112 on the door frame 3 into the lower shaft hole 512b for the door frame of the lower hinge body 512 of the main frame lower hinge body 512 from above.

[4-2. Ball Launching Unit]
The ball launching unit 550 in the main frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 25 to 28. Figure 25(a) is a perspective view of the ball launching unit in the main frame from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the ball launching unit in the main frame from the rear. Figure 26(a) is an exploded perspective view of the ball launching unit disassembled and viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the ball launching unit disassembled and viewed from the rear. Figure 27(a) is a perspective view of the launching unit cover of the ball launching unit viewed from the left rear, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of the ball launching unit showing only the launching unit cover in cross-section in a front view. Figure 28 is a front view of the ball launching unit showing the launch subtraction sensor and launching hammer with dashed lines.

The ball launching unit 550 is for launching game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5. It has a ball inlet 550a for receiving game balls B sent from the ball delivery unit 700, a ball launching port 550b for releasing the launched game balls B to the outside, and a ball discharge port 550c for discharging the game balls B. The ball launching unit 550 can launch game balls B with a force corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160 at the lower right corner of the front of the door frame 3. The ball launching unit 550 is mounted on a ball launching unit mounting portion 501i located on the upper front of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501, to the right of the center in the left-right direction, below the opaque canopy portion 501p.

The ball inlet 550a of the ball launching unit 550 is located on the rear and is a rectangular opening large enough for one game ball B to pass through. When assembled on the main frame 4, this ball inlet 550a is located in front of the ball outlet 702 of the ball delivery unit 700 and communicates with the ball outlet 702. The ball launching port 550b is located at the left end of the top surface and opens diagonally so that the left end is lower. When assembled on the main frame 4, this ball launching port 550b communicates with the upper part of the foul right opening 570b of the foul unit 570. The ball discharge port 550c is located on the left side. When assembled on the main frame 4, this ball discharge port 550c communicates with the lower part of the foul right opening 570b of the foul unit 570.

The ball launching unit 550 comprises a flat unit base 551, a launching unit cover 552 mounted to cover the front side of the unit base 551, a launching solenoid 553 mounted on the rear side of the unit base 551 such that its rotating shaft 553a protrudes forward of the unit base 551, a launching subtraction sensor 554 capable of detecting whether or not a game ball B has been launched, a launching hammer 555 mounted on the rotating shaft 553a of the launching solenoid 553, a nut 556 attaching the launching hammer 555 to the rotating shaft 553a of the launching solenoid 553, an annular spacer 557 inserted on the rotating shaft 553a of the launching solenoid 553, and two contact rubbers 558 that can contact the launching hammer 555.

The unit base 551 of the ball launching unit 550 is formed from a metal plate, such as an iron plate. The unit base 551 is provided with a ball inlet 550a, which, when viewed from the front, penetrates in a rectangular shape from the center upwards.

The launch unit cover 552 is formed by injection molding using transparent synthetic resin. The launch unit cover 552 comprises a flat front plate 552a positioned forward of the unit base 551, a ball launch platform 552b located behind the front plate 552a and directly below the ball inlet 550a of the unit base 551, with its left end being higher, and a detection port 552c penetrating the ball launch platform 552b vertically.

Furthermore, the launch unit cover 552 includes an upper wall portion 552d of the launch platform that forms a gap between itself and the ball launch platform 552b in the upper right of the front view of the ball launch platform 552b, preventing the game ball B from passing through, located behind the front plate 552a; and a lower sensor mounting portion 552e and an upper sensor mounting portion 552f, which are provided to sandwich the ball launch platform 552b and the upper wall portion 552d behind the front plate 552a.

Furthermore, the launch unit cover 552 includes a barrier portion 552g provided in the launch direction of the game ball B on the ball launching platform 552b, with its upper end forming the lower end of the ball launching port 550b; an ejection guide wall portion 552h extending downward from the left end of the ball launching platform 552b on the rear side of the front plate 552a, and then sloping downward to the left; a window portion 552i penetrating from front to back above and to the right of the lower sensor mounting portion 552e; a wiring groove 552j recessed on the front surface of the front plate 552a and extending from the lower left to the upper right; and a plurality of wiring locking portions 552k protruding parallel to the bottom surface of the wiring groove 552j from the front end of the wiring groove 552j.

The ball launcher 552b is on which the game ball B supplied through the ball inlet 550a is placed. The ball launcher 552b is inclined such that the left end is higher when viewed from the front. The ball launcher 552b has a fixed cross-sectional shape (trapezoidal) that narrows downwards along the direction of the inclination. The length of the ball launcher 552b in the inclination direction (launching direction) is approximately the same as the diameter of the game ball B, and it is formed so that only one game ball B is placed on it, touching the two trapezoidal inclined surfaces. In this embodiment, the ball launcher 552b is inclined at an angle of approximately 27 degrees with respect to the horizontal.

The detection port 552c is located at the bottom of the trapezoidal recess in the ball launcher 552b. The upper wall portion 552d of the launcher is located above the inclined lower end of the ball launcher 552b. The upper wall portion 552d is positioned to form a gap between itself and the ball launcher 552b that prevents the game ball B from passing through, but allows the tip of the launching hammer 555 to pass through. As a result, the game ball B supplied to the ball launcher 552b is placed on the launcher 552b with its movement restricted to the downstream side (to the right in this case) in the inclined direction of the launcher 552b by contacting the left end of the upper wall portion 552d.

When a game ball B is placed on the ball launcher 552b, the center of the game ball B is located slightly to the right of the center of the ball inlet 550a. Furthermore, the length of the ball launcher 552b is such that only one game ball B can be placed on it. As a result, even if another game ball B is supplied to the ball launcher 552b, either by the launched game ball B returning or by the ball delivery unit 700, it will be deflected by the game ball B already on the launcher 552b and will be discharged towards the discharge guide wall 552h (foul unit 570 side) without landing on the launcher 552b, where it will be detected by the foul ball sensor 607. Therefore, even if a game ball B is placed on the ball launcher 552b and returns after being launched, or is supplied by the ball delivery unit 700, the game ball B is sent to the foul unit 570 and added to the player's hand as a foul ball. This eliminates any discrepancy between the actual number of game balls launched and the total number of balls held.

The lower sensor mounting section 552e and the upper sensor mounting section 552f are where the light-emitting section 554a and the light-receiving section 554b, which constitute the emission/subtraction sensor 554, are attached, respectively. Since the emission/subtraction sensor 554 (in this case, the light-emitting section 554a) is mounted facing upwards in the lower sensor mounting section 552e, there is a risk of false detection if dust or debris adheres to the upper surface of the light-emitting section 554a. However, because the light-emitting section 554a is mounted at an angle, dust and debris are less likely to accumulate.

The barrier portion 552g is located to the left of the ball launcher 552b, at a distance greater than the diameter of the game ball B, and below the trajectory of the game ball B launched from the ball launcher 552b. The barrier portion 552g is designed to allow contact with game balls B with weak impact force. Upon contact, the game ball B flows down between the barrier portion 552g and the ball launcher 552b onto the lower discharge guide wall portion 552h, and does not return to the ball launcher 552b. Furthermore, because the barrier portion 552g extends vertically, it can prevent the entry of game balls B from the foul unit 570 side.

The discharge guide wall 552h forms a ball discharge port 550c with the barrier portion 552g. The discharge guide wall 552h is inclined so that its left end is lower, guiding the game ball B, which has flowed down between the ball launching platform 552b and the barrier portion 552g, to the left, allowing it to be discharged from the ball discharge port 550c at the left end towards the foul unit 570. As a result, game balls B that were struck by the launching hammer 555 at the ball launching platform 552b but were not launched from the ball launching port 550b are guided by the discharge guide wall 552h and discharged from the ball discharge port 550c to the foul unit 570.

The window portion 552i is provided in the area between the ball launcher 552b and the lower sensor mounting portion 552e, and in the area in front of the tip of the launch hammer 555 in the retracted position away from the striking position. Since the launch subtraction sensor 554 (in this case, the light-emitting portion 554a) is mounted facing upward on the lower sensor mounting portion 552e, dust and debris tend to accumulate on the upper surface of the light-emitting portion 554a. This accumulation of debris may cause false detections. However, by inserting a cleaning tool such as a cotton swab through the window portion 552i between the ball launcher 552b and the lower sensor mounting portion 552e, the upper surface of the light-emitting portion 554a can be easily cleaned.

Furthermore, since the tip of the launching hammer 555 comes into contact with the game ball B, if dirt or other debris adheres to the tip of the launching hammer 555, it may become impossible to launch the game ball B properly. However, as shown in Figure 28, a window 552i is provided in front of the tip of the launching hammer 555 in the standby position. Therefore, the tip of the launching hammer 555 can be easily cleaned by inserting a cleaning tool such as a cotton swab through this window 552i.

The launch solenoid 553 is composed of a rotary solenoid having a rotating shaft 553a extending forward and backward. As will be described in detail later, the launch solenoid 553, in conjunction with the ball-feeding solenoid 706 (described later), performs a series of hardware-based operations based on a predetermined launch sequence.

The launch/subtraction sensor 554 can detect the presence or absence of game balls B on the ball launching platform 552b. The launch/subtraction sensor 554 consists of a light-emitting unit 554a that emits detection light and a light-receiving unit 554b that receives the detection light. These are attached to the lower sensor mounting portion 552e and the upper sensor mounting portion 552f of the launching unit cover 552, respectively. The detection light emitted from the light-emitting unit 554a passes through a detection port 552c located at the bottom of the ball launching platform 552b and is received by the light-receiving unit 554b. In this case, if game balls B are placed on the ball launching platform 552b, the detection light is blocked by the game balls B, and the light-receiving unit 554b does not receive the detection light. This allows the presence or absence of game balls B on the ball launching platform 552b to be detected.

The launch/subtraction sensor 554, as will be described in detail later, detects when a game ball B is launched from the ball launcher 552b and subtracts one ball from the player's remaining ball count.

In this embodiment, the number of balls held is subtracted based on the OFF determination of the launch subtraction sensor 554. However, since the number of balls held by the player changes depending on the operation of the launch subtraction sensor 554, a one-to-one reliability is required for the launch of game ball B. Incidentally, in the normal pass detection for game ball B, the determination is made by switching from OFF (from no game ball B to present) to ON (from no game ball B to present) at predetermined time intervals (for example, an interrupt period of 4 ms) in response to light from the light-emitting part of the light-receiving part. However, there are concerns about false detections of game balls other than the launched ball due to ball movement when supplying game ball B to the ball launching platform 552b (launching rail) or due to the tip of the launching hammer 555 after launch.

In contrast, this embodiment focuses on the fact that the game ball B is stationary on the ball launcher 552b. First, it determines whether or not game ball B is present on the launcher 552b, and then determines that a launch has occurred when game ball B is depleted. In other words, it first determines ON (game ball present) and then OFF (game ball absent = launch). Specifically, thresholds are set to recognize ON and OFF (for example, an ON threshold of 80 ms and an OFF threshold of 80 ms). Only when the ON threshold is exceeded is it determined that "game ball present." If the OFF threshold is then exceeded, it is recognized that game ball B has been launched ("game ball absent"), and the number of remaining balls is reduced. This prevents malfunctions due to game ball chattering or noise. It is desirable that the above thresholds be integer multiples of the interrupt period (for example, 4 ms).

The launching hammer 555 is used to strike and launch the game ball B. The launching hammer 555 is attached to the rotating shaft 553a of the launching solenoid 553 and rotates (moves) together with the rotating shaft 553a. The tip of the launching hammer 555 is positioned to pass between the ball launching platform 552b and the upper wall portion 552d of the launching platform, allowing it to contact the game ball B placed on the ball launching platform 552b.

Incidentally, in order to ensure the launching accuracy of the game ball B during mass production of the ball launching unit 550, all of the following required precise adjustments: the insertion angle of the tip of the launching hammer 555, the mounting angle of the ball launching base 552b (launching rail), and the adjustment of the tip position of the launching hammer 555 after assembly to the ball launching unit 550. This made mass production difficult. Therefore, in this embodiment, the method for determining launching accuracy was changed from ensuring accuracy based on the conventional method of contact between the game ball B and the launching rail and the shape of the launching rail, to ensuring accuracy solely based on the contact between the launching hammer 555 and the game ball B. With this change, the accuracy of the tip of the launching hammer 555 itself becomes more important for launching accuracy. Therefore, the tip of the launching hammer 555 is formed by sheet metal insert molding, and the contact area between the tip of the launching hammer 555 and the game ball B is increased compared to conventional designs. This ensures stable launching accuracy and allows for some assembly errors, enabling mass production of the ball launching unit 550.

The nut 556 is screwed onto the rotating shaft 553a of the firing solenoid 553. The spacer 557 is into which the rotating shaft 553a of the firing solenoid 553 is inserted. The rotating shaft 553a of the firing solenoid 553 is inserted from the rear, through the spacer 557, and then the firing hammer 555. The firing hammer 555 is then attached by screwing the nut 556 onto the tip protruding forward from the firing hammer 555 and tightening it.

The rubber 558 is attached to the unit base 551 to restrict the range of rotation (rotation range) of the launch hammer 555.

According to the ball launching unit 550 of this embodiment, only one game ball B is placed on the ball launching platform 552b, and the launch countdown sensor 554 detects when a game ball B has been launched from the ball launching platform 552b. Therefore, the launch of each game ball B can be reliably detected one by one.

Furthermore, in the ball launching unit 550, since the launching unit cover 552 is made of transparent synthetic resin, the inside of the ball launching unit 550 can be viewed from the front by opening the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4. While the transparency of this launching unit cover 552 could potentially cause light to enter the interior and lead to false detections in the launch/subtraction sensor 554, which is a photosensor, when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, light from the front is blocked by the door frame 3, light from the rear is blocked by the unit base 551 made of metal plate, and light from above is blocked by the eaves portion 501p of the black, opaque main frame base 501. Therefore, no light enters the interior, preventing false detections by the launch/subtraction sensor 554 due to light.

Furthermore, the pachinko machine 1 (circulating game machine) disclosed in this embodiment is designed to deduct the number of balls held only after the launch is complete. Therefore, compared to the conventional circulating game machine method that deducts the number of balls held before launch using the ball feed as a trigger, this method eliminates the need to automatically fire the remaining game balls B (balls already deducted) that were not launched and return them to the player as foul balls, and then add the remaining balls to balance the total. This allows for a quicker settlement process.

Furthermore, because the ball launching unit 550 has the launch/subtraction sensor 554 mounted at an angle, it is difficult for dirt and dust to accumulate on the detection surface of the launch/subtraction sensor 554. Even if dirt or dust does adhere to the launch/subtraction sensor 554, the detection surface can be easily cleaned by inserting a cleaning tool such as a cotton swab through the window 552i of the launching unit cover 552, thus easily eliminating false detections (malfunctions) caused by the accumulation of dirt and dust.

Furthermore, in the ball launching unit 550, since the window portion 552i is also provided in a part where the tip of the launching hammer 555 can be cleaned, the tip of the launching hammer 555 can be easily cleaned by inserting a cleaning tool through the window portion 552i in that part, thereby eliminating inconsistencies in the launch of game balls B caused by the accumulation of dirt and other debris.

[4-3. Foul Unit]
The foul unit 570 in the main frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 29 to 31. Figure 29(a) is a perspective view of the foul unit in the main frame viewed from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the foul unit in the main frame viewed from the rear. Figure 30(a) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit disassembled and viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit disassembled and viewed from the rear. Figure 31(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit with the foul shutter closed, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit with the foul shutter open.

The foul unit 570 is for collecting game balls B that were launched by the ball launching unit 550 and hit between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 on the game board 5 but did not hit the game area 5a, and game balls B that were launched by the ball launching unit 550 but did not reach the game board 5 (between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002) due to insufficient launch force. The foul unit 570 has a foul upper opening 570a on its top surface, a foul right opening 570b on its right side, and a foul ball outlet 570c that communicates with the foul upper opening 570a and the foul right opening 570b and opens towards the rear at its lower end.

The foul unit 570 is attached to the foul unit mounting portion 501h, which is located in the middle left-right portion of the upper front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501. When assembled on the main frame 4, the upper end of the foul unit 570 is at approximately the same height as the upper end of the base wall portion 501b, and the right foul opening 570b is closed by the ball launch port 550b and ball discharge port 550c of the ball launch unit 550. In other words, when assembled on the main frame 4, the right foul opening 570b communicates with the ball launch port 550b and ball discharge port 550c. The upper foul opening 570a and the right foul opening 570b are formed by the unit base 572 and front cover 573, which will be described later, and the ball discharge port 550c is formed on the unit base 572.

The foul unit 570 comprises a foul shutter 571 that can open and close the foul upper opening 570a in a way that prevents the game ball B from passing through, a unit base 572 attached to the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501, a front cover 573 attached to the front side of the unit base 572, a rear cover 574 attached to the rear side of the unit base 572 so as to cover the rear of the foul shutter 571, and a spring 575 that biases the foul shutter 571 forward.

The foul shutter 571 is supported so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction by the cooperation of the unit base 572 and the front cover 573. The foul shutter 571 has a long, strip-shaped shutter section 571a, two forward projections 571b extending forward from both the left and right ends of the shutter section 571a, and a flat, plate-shaped rear wall section 571c extending downward from the rear end edge of the shutter section 571a.

The foul shutter 571 can close the foul upper opening 570a by the shutter portion 571a, preventing the game ball B from passing through. The two forward projections 571b are provided so that their front ends protrude further forward than the front cover 573, and are positioned so that they can contact the rear surface of the door frame body 100 in the door frame 3. The front end of the spring 575 contacts the rear surface of the rear wall portion 571c.

The unit base 572 is formed in an L-shape, with a portion that extends horizontally and downwards near the right end. The unit base 572 includes a shutter housing portion 572a that extends horizontally along its upper edge and is recessed towards the rear, a ball guide portion 572b that extends horizontally below the shutter housing portion 572a and has its right end extending downwards and recessed towards the rear, a cylindrical portion 572c that extends rearward in a rectangular tube shape from the lower end of the ball guide portion 572b, and a receiving portion 572d that extends forward in a flat plate shape from the lower end of the ball guide portion 572b.

The shutter housing section 572a of the unit base 572 houses the foul shutter 571 and spring 575 from the front. The portions of the ball guide section 572b of the unit base 572 that extend to the left and right are inclined downwards to the right. The cylindrical section 572c of the unit base 572 is inclined downwards to the rear, and the opening at the rear end is the foul ball exit 570c.

The receiving portion 572d of the unit base 572 is inclined so that its rear end is lower. The right edge of this receiving portion 572d forms the lower edge of the foul right opening 570b. Since the right edge of the receiving portion 572d forms the lower edge of the foul right opening 570b, and the lower part including the lower end of the foul right opening 570b is in communication with the ball discharge port 550c of the ball launching unit 550, the game ball B that falls from the ball launching platform 552b and is discharged from the ball discharge port 550c and passes through the foul right opening 570b flows down onto the receiving portion 572d, is guided to the rear by the receiving portion 572d, passes through the cylindrical portion 572c and is discharged to the rear from the foul ball outlet 570c. With the foul shutter 571 closed, the game ball B launched from the ball launching unit 550, passing through the right foul opening 570b and contacting the back surface (bottom surface) of the foul shutter 571, is sent to the rear ball guide section 572b by the lower wall portion 573c of the front cover 573, passes behind the receiving section 572d, and is discharged from the foul ball outlet 570c via the cylindrical portion 572c.

Furthermore, the unit base 572 has a notch 572e that is recessed from the front near the right end of the bottom wall of the portion of the ball guide section 572b that extends left and right. This notch 572e is sized so as not to obstruct the flow of the game balls B, and allows debris that has entered the ball guide section 572b through the foul-upper opening 570a to be discharged downwards.

The front cover 573 comprises an L-shaped, flat front plate 573a that is long from left to right and has a portion extending downward near its right end; a left wall portion 573b extending rearward from the left edge of the front plate 573a; a lower wall portion 573c extending to the right and rearward from the lower end of the left wall portion 573b along the lower edge of the front plate 573a; a hanging wall portion 573d extending downward and rearward from the right end of the lower wall portion 573c along the left edge of the portion extending downward on the front plate 573a; and a right wall portion 573f extending rearward from the upper right end of the front plate 573a.

The upper and right edges of the front panel 573a form the front edges of the foul upper opening 570a and the foul right opening 570b. The right edge of the upper end of the left wall section 573b forms the left edge of the foul upper opening 570a, and the left edge of the upper end of the right wall section 573f forms the right edge of the foul upper opening 570a. The lower edge of the right wall section 573f forms the upper edge of the foul right opening 570b.

The front cover 573 has its lower wall portion 573c located below the foul ball upper opening 570a. This lower wall portion 573c of the front cover 573 is gently sloped downwards to the left and also downwards to the rear. This prevents it from directly receiving the impact of the game ball B falling from above as a foul ball, allowing the impact to be dissipated while the game ball B is transferred to the ball guide portion 572b of the unit base 572 located at the rear. The game ball B, after being transferred to the ball guide portion 572b, is then discharged from the lower right end of the ball guide portion 572b through the cylindrical portion 572c and out the foul ball outlet 570c to the rear.

Two springs 575 are provided, spaced apart on the left and right sides, and are positioned inside the box-shaped shutter housing 572a of the unit base 572. The front end of each spring 575 abuts against the rear surface of the rear wall portion 571c of the foul shutter 571, while the rear end abuts against the front surface of the rear wall of the shutter housing 572a. The springs 575 bias the foul shutter 571 forward.

This foul unit 570, when assembled with the pachinko machine 1, is attached to the foul unit mounting section 501h located on the upper part of the front surface of the base wall 501b of the main frame 4, near the center in the left-right direction. In this state, the ball launching unit 550 is attached adjacent to the right side of the foul unit 570.

As shown in Figure 21, the foul upper opening 570a of the foul unit 570 is located near the upper end of the base wall portion 501b and is also located on the axis of the launch direction of the game ball B in the ball launching unit 550. In other words, the foul upper opening 570a is provided in the area between the lower end opening between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 and the ball launching port 550b of the ball launching unit 550.

On the other hand, the right foul opening 570b of the foul unit 570 has its upper part communicating with the ball launch port 550b of the ball launch unit 550, and its lower part communicating with the ball discharge port 550c of the ball launch unit 550. Therefore, the upper foul opening 570a and the right foul opening 570b are provided in the area between the lower end opening between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the game board 5, and the ball launch port 550b of the ball launch unit 550. As a result, the game ball B launched from the ball launch port 550b of the ball launch unit 550 enters the foul unit 570 through the right foul opening 570b, and then enters the area between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 through the upper foul opening 570a.

In this embodiment, when the door frame 3 is opened forward relative to the main frame 4, the foul unit 570 slides forward due to the biasing force of the spring 575, as shown in Figure 34(a). The shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571 protrudes between the front surface of the unit base 572 and the front plate 573a of the front cover 573, closing the foul upper opening 570a so that the game ball B cannot pass through. In other words, the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position. In this state, the stepped portion at the rear end of the forward protruding portion 571b of the foul shutter 571 abuts against the front cover 573, preventing it from sliding further forward.

When the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position and a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550, the launched game ball B enters the foul unit 570 through the right foul opening 570b, then contacts the lower surface of the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571, and flows down within the foul unit 570 without being launched upward through the upper foul opening 570a. The game ball B that flows down within the foul unit 570 is guided by the lower wall portion 573c, the ball guide portion 572b, the cylindrical portion 572c, etc., and is supplied to the circulating ball path unit 600 from the rear foul ball outlet 570c. As a result, even if a game ball B is launched while the door frame 3 is open, the game ball B will not leak out of the foul unit 570 to the outside.

Furthermore, when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, the door release switch 507 turns OFF. Therefore, the launch of game balls B from the ball launching unit 550 may be stopped when the door release switch 507 is turned OFF. Alternatively, instead of stopping the launch of game balls B when the door frame 3 is opened, the game may be temporarily paused by the main control board 1310, and the game may be resumed when the door frame 3 is closed.

Furthermore, when the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2 (frame release switch 508 is OFF), the door frame 3 is closed and no game balls B leak out. Therefore, the launching of game balls B from the ball launching unit 550 may not be stopped. Alternatively, the same process as when the door frame 3 is opened may be performed when the main frame 4 is opened.

When the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, the rear surface of the door frame 3 abuts against the front ends of the two forward projections 571b of the foul shutter 571, causing the foul shutter 571 to slide backward against the biasing force of the spring 575 (see Figure 34(b)). In this state, the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571 is located behind the front surface of the unit base 572, and the foul upper opening 570a is open, allowing the game ball B to pass through. In other words, the foul shutter 571 is in the open position.

When the foul shutter 571 is in the open position and a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550, the launched game ball B enters the foul unit 570 through the right foul opening 570b, then passes through the upper foul opening 570a and is launched towards the upper game board 5 side (between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002). The launched game ball B then passes over the backflow prevention member 1007 located at the upper end of the inner rail 1002, causing the game ball B to be driven into the game area 5a.

Furthermore, game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 but not exceeding the backflow prevention member 1007 at the upper end of the inner rail 1002 (game balls B that were not hit into the game area) flow down between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002, enter as foul balls through the foul upper opening 570a, and are collected by the foul unit 570. The game balls B collected through the foul upper opening 570a are guided by the lower wall section 573c, ball guide section 572b, cylindrical section 572c, etc., and are discharged (supplied) to the circulating ball path unit 600 from the rear foul ball outlet 570c.

Furthermore, the foul unit 570 receives the game balls B discharged from the ball discharge port 550c of the ball launching unit 550 at the lower part of the right foul opening 570b. The game balls B that enter the foul unit 570 from the lower part of the right foul opening 570b flow down onto the receiving section 572d, and are guided backward by the inclination of the receiving section 572d before being discharged from the foul ball outlet 570c to the ball circulation path unit 600.

Thus, the foul unit 570 can collect game balls B that were launched from the ball launching unit 550 but did not land in the game area 5a of the game board 5 without leaking to the outside, and supply them to the ball circulation unit 600. As will be described in detail later, the ball circulation unit 600 detects the game balls B supplied from the foul ball outlet 570c using the foul ball sensor 607. When the foul ball sensor 607 detects a game ball B, it adds one ball to the player's remaining ball count.

Furthermore, in the foul unit 570, the unit base 572, front cover 573, etc., are formed of transparent synthetic resin, allowing for external visibility of the interior and making it easier to detect ball jams inside.

[4-3a. Foul Unit of the Second Embodiment]
Next, the foul unit 570A of the second embodiment will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 32 to 34. Figure 32(a) is a perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment from the rear. Figure 33(a) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment disassembled and viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment disassembled and viewed from the rear. Figure 34(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit of the second embodiment with the foul shutter closed, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit of the second embodiment with the foul shutter open.

The foul unit 570A is for collecting game balls B that were launched by the ball launching unit 550 and hit between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 on the game board 5 but did not hit the game area 5a, and game balls B that were launched by the ball launching unit 550 but did not reach the game board 5 (between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002) due to insufficient launch force. The foul unit 570A has a foul upper opening 570a on its top surface, a foul right opening 570b on its right side, and a foul ball outlet 570c that communicates with the foul upper opening 570a and the foul right opening 570b and opens towards the rear at its lower end.

The foul unit 570A is attached to the foul unit mounting portion 501h, which is located in the middle left-right portion of the upper front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501. When assembled on the main frame 4, the upper end of the foul unit 570A is at approximately the same height as the upper end of the base wall portion 501b, and the right foul opening 570b is closed by the ball launch port 550b and ball discharge port 550c of the ball launch unit 550. In other words, when assembled on the main frame 4, the right foul opening 570b communicates with the ball launch port 550b and ball discharge port 550c. The upper foul opening 570a and the right foul opening 570b are formed by the unit base 572 and front cover 573, which will be described later, and the ball discharge port 550c is formed on the unit base 572.

The foul unit 570A comprises a foul shutter 571 that can open and close the foul upper opening 570a in a way that prevents the game ball B from passing through, a unit base 572 attached to the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501, a front cover 573 attached to the front side of the unit base 572, a rear cover 574 attached to the rear side of the unit base 572 so as to cover the rear of the foul shutter 571, a spring 575 that biases the foul shutter 571 forward, and a foul ball grounding plate 576 provided between the unit base 572 and the front cover 573.

The foul shutter 571 is supported so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction by the cooperation of the unit base 572 and the front cover 573. The foul shutter 571 has a long, strip-shaped shutter section 571a, two forward projections 571b extending forward from both the left and right ends of the shutter section 571a, and a flat, plate-shaped rear wall section 571c extending downward from the rear end edge of the shutter section 571a.

The foul shutter 571 can close the foul upper opening 570a by the shutter portion 571a, preventing the game ball B from passing through. The two forward projections 571b are provided so that their front ends protrude further forward than the front cover 573, and are positioned so that they can contact the rear surface of the door frame body 100 in the door frame 3. The front end of the spring 575 contacts the rear surface of the rear wall portion 571c.

The unit base 572 has a flat, T-shaped main body portion 572f that is long from left to right and has a portion that extends downward near the right end; a shutter insertion opening 572g that penetrates from front to back and extends from left to right near the upper end of the main body portion 572f; and a plurality of rear support openings 572h that are provided along the lower edge to the left of the portion that extends downward on the main body portion 572f and penetrate from front to back.

The unit base 572 is provided with a foul ball outlet 570c that extends backward and through the main body 572f, near the lower end of the downward-extending portion, and extends backward in a rectangular tubular shape. The tubular foul ball outlet 570c is inclined to be lower towards the rear.

The main body portion 572f is inclined such that the lower edge of the portion to the left of the downward-extending portion slopes downward to the right. The shutter insertion opening 572g is sized to allow the shutter portion 571a and the forward-projecting portion 571b of the foul shutter 571 to pass through. Multiple rear support openings 572h are provided, each extending downward to the right, and are arranged in a row along the inclined lower edge of the main body portion 572f. The rear support openings 572h are provided so that the support piece 576a of the foul ball grounding plate 576 is inserted with a gap.

The front cover 573 comprises a flat, T-shaped front plate 573a that is long from left to right and has a portion extending downward near its right end; a left wall portion 573b extending rearward from the left edge of the front plate 573a; a lower wall portion 573c extending to the right and rearward from the lower end of the left wall portion 573b along the lower edge of the front plate 573a; a hanging wall portion 573d extending downward and rearward from the right end of the lower wall portion 573c along the left edge of the portion extending downward on the front plate 573a; a bottom wall portion 573e extending to the right and rearward from the lower end of the hanging wall portion 573d along the lower edge of the portion extending downward on the front plate 573a; and a right wall portion 573f extending rearward from the upper right end of the front plate 573a.

The upper and right edges of the front panel 573a form the front edges of the foul upper opening 570a and the foul right opening 570b. The right edge of the upper end of the left wall section 573b forms the left edge of the foul upper opening 570a, and the left edge of the upper end of the right wall section 573f forms the right edge of the foul upper opening 570a. The lower edge of the right wall section 573f forms the upper edge of the foul right opening 570b, and the right edge of the bottom wall section 573e forms the lower edge of the foul right opening 570b.

The front cover 573 has a lower wall portion 573c located below the upper foul opening 570a, which guides the game ball B that has flowed down through the upper foul opening 570a to the right, and then allows it to flow down along the hanging wall portion 573d onto the bottom wall portion 573e. This bottom wall portion 573e is inclined such that the part in front of the foul ball outlet 570c is lower towards the rear, and the part to the right of that part is inclined such that it is higher towards the right. Therefore, the game ball B that has flowed down onto the bottom wall portion 573e is guided towards the rear and discharged from the foul ball outlet 570c to the rear. In addition, since the right edge of the bottom wall portion 573e constitutes the lower edge of the right foul opening 570b, the game ball B that enters from the right foul opening 570b will flow down onto the bottom wall portion 573e, be guided by the bottom wall portion 573e, and discharged from the foul ball outlet 570c to the rear.

Furthermore, the front cover 573 has multiple front support openings 573g arranged in a row from left to right along the lower wall portion 573c on the front plate 573a, and extending through from front to back. These multiple front support openings 573g are positioned to face the rear support openings 572h of the unit base 572. The front support openings 573g are also positioned so that the support piece 576a of the foul ball grounding plate 576 is inserted with a gap between them.

The rear cover 574 is formed in a box shape with an open front. The rear portion of the foul shutter 571 is inserted into the interior of the rear cover 574, and a spring 575 is also positioned inside. The rear end of the spring 575 abuts against the front surface of the rear wall of the rear cover 574.

Two springs 575 are provided, spaced apart on the left and right sides, and are positioned inside the box-shaped rear cover 574. The front end of each spring 575 abuts against the rear surface of the rear wall portion 571c of the foul shutter 571, while the rear end abuts against the front surface of the rear wall of the rear cover 574. The springs 575 bias the foul shutter 571 forward.

The foul ball grounding plate 576 is formed from a metal plate such as an iron plate and is ultimately connected to the game hall's ground via a grounding wire (not shown). The foul ball grounding plate 576 is formed in a long, strip-like shape, with multiple support pieces 576a extending outward from its front and rear long sides. The foul ball grounding plate 576 is placed on the upper surface of the lower wall portion 573c of the front cover 573, and the multiple support pieces 576a are inserted with some play into the rear support opening 572h of the unit base 572 and the front support opening 573g of the front cover 573.

As a result, the game ball B, which has flowed down from the upper foul opening 570a toward the lower wall 573c, is guided to the right after contacting the foul ball grounding plate 576, which has discharged any static electricity it has accumulated. At this time, because the support piece 576a is loosely fitted into the rear support opening 572h and the front support opening 573g, the foul ball grounding plate 576 vibrates upon contact with the game ball B. This vibration causes dust and debris on the foul ball grounding plate 576 to be discharged to the outside through the gaps in the loosely fitted rear support opening 572h and the front support opening 573g. Furthermore, this foul ball grounding plate 576 also serves as reinforcement against the falling game ball B.

This foul unit 570A, when assembled with the pachinko machine 1, is attached to the foul unit mounting section 501h located on the upper part of the front surface of the base wall 501b of the main frame 4, near the center in the left-right direction. In this state, the ball launching unit 550 is attached adjacent to the right side of the foul unit 570A.

Furthermore, similar to the foul unit 570 of the first embodiment, the foul upper opening 570a of the foul unit 570A is located near the upper end of the base wall portion 501b and is positioned on the axis of the launch direction of the game ball B in the ball launching unit 550. In other words, the foul upper opening 570a is provided in the area between the lower end opening between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 and the ball launching port 550b of the ball launching unit 550.

On the other hand, the right foul opening 570b of the foul unit 570A has its upper part communicating with the ball launch port 550b of the ball launch unit 550, and its lower part communicating with the ball discharge port 550c of the ball launch unit 550. Therefore, the upper foul opening 570a and the right foul opening 570b are provided in the area between the lower end opening between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the game board 5, and the ball launch port 550b of the ball launch unit 550. As a result, the game ball B launched from the ball launch port 550b of the ball launch unit 550 enters the foul unit 570A through the right foul opening 570b, and then enters the area between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 through the upper foul opening 570a.

In this embodiment, when the door frame 3 is opened forward relative to the main frame 4, the foul unit 570A slides forward due to the biasing force of the spring 575, as shown in Figure 34(a). The shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571 protrudes between the front surface of the unit base 572 and the front plate 573a of the front cover 573, closing the foul upper opening 570a so that the game ball B cannot pass through. In other words, the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position. In this state, the rear wall portion 571c of the foul shutter 571 abuts against the rear surface of the main body portion 572f of the unit base 572, preventing it from sliding further forward.

When the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position and a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550, the launched game ball B enters the foul unit 570A through the right foul opening 570b, then contacts the lower surface of the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571, and flows down within the foul unit 570A without being launched upward through the upper foul opening 570a. The game ball B that flows down within the foul unit 570A is guided by the lower wall portion 573c (foul ball grounding plate 576), the hanging wall portion 573d, the bottom wall portion 573e, etc., and is supplied to the circulating ball path unit 600 from the rear foul ball outlet 570c. As a result, even if a game ball B is launched while the door frame 3 is open, the game ball B will not leak out of the foul unit 570A to the outside.

Furthermore, when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, the door release switch 507 turns OFF. Therefore, the launch of game balls B from the ball launching unit 550 may be stopped when the door release switch 507 is turned OFF. Alternatively, instead of stopping the launch of game balls B when the door frame 3 is opened, the game may be temporarily paused by the main control board 1310, and the game may be resumed when the door frame 3 is closed.

Furthermore, when the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2 (frame release switch 508 is OFF), the door frame 3 is closed and no game balls B leak out. Therefore, the launching of game balls B from the ball launching unit 550 may not be stopped. Alternatively, the same process as when the door frame 3 is opened may be performed when the main frame 4 is opened.

When the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, the rear surface of the door frame 3 abuts against the front ends of the two forward projections 571b of the foul shutter 571, causing the foul shutter 571 to slide backward against the biasing force of the spring 575 (see Figure 34(b)). In this state, the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571 is located behind the front surface of the unit base 572, and the foul upper opening 570a is open, allowing the game ball B to pass through. In other words, the foul shutter 571 is in the open position.

When the foul shutter 571 is in the open position and a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550, the launched game ball B enters the foul unit 570A through the right foul opening 570b, then passes through the upper foul opening 570a and is launched towards the upper game board 5 side (between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002). The launched game ball B then passes over the backflow prevention member 1007 located at the upper end of the inner rail 1002, causing the game ball B to be driven into the game area 5a.

Furthermore, game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 but not exceeding the backflow prevention member 1007 at the upper end of the inner rail 1002 (game balls B that were not hit into the game area) flow down between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002, enter through the foul upper opening 570a as foul balls, and are collected by the foul unit 570A. The game balls B collected through the foul upper opening 570a flow down onto the foul ball grounding plate 576 placed on the upper surface of the lower wall portion 573c, where static electricity is removed. At this time, because the foul ball grounding plate 576 is loosely fitted, it vibrates when the game ball B contacts it, and this vibration causes dust and debris on the foul ball grounding plate 576 to be discharged from the foul unit 570A through the rear support opening 572h and the front support opening 573g.

The game ball B, having flowed down onto the foul ball grounding sheet metal 576 (lower wall portion 573c), is guided to the right by its inclination, flows down along the hanging wall portion 573d onto the bottom wall portion 573e, and is guided backward by the inclination of the bottom wall portion 573e to be discharged from the foul ball outlet 570c into the ball circulation path unit 600.

Furthermore, the foul unit 570A receives the game balls B discharged from the ball discharge port 550c of the ball launching unit 550 at the lower part of the right foul opening 570b. The game balls B that enter the foul unit 570A from the lower part of the right foul opening 570b flow down onto the bottom wall 573e, and are guided backward by the inclination of the bottom wall 573e to be discharged from the foul ball outlet 570c to the ball circulation path unit 600.

Thus, the foul unit 570A can collect game balls B that were launched from the ball launching unit 550 but did not land in the game area 5a of the game board 5 without leaking to the outside, and supply them to the ball circulation unit 600. As will be described in detail later, the ball circulation unit 600 detects the game balls B supplied from the foul ball outlet 570c using the foul ball sensor 607. When the foul ball sensor 607 detects a game ball B, it adds one ball to the player's ball count.

Furthermore, in the foul unit 570A, the unit base 572, front cover 573, rear cover 574, etc., are formed of transparent synthetic resin, allowing for external visibility of the interior and making it easier to detect ball jams inside.

[4-3b. Foul Unit of the Third Embodiment]
Next, the foul unit 570 of the third embodiment will be described. The foul unit 570 of the third embodiment is the same as the foul unit 570 described above, except that the opening and closing mechanism of the foul shutter 571 is different. The foul unit 570 of the third embodiment is provided with an electric actuator such as a motor or solenoid for opening and closing the foul shutter 571, although this is not shown in the figures.

In this embodiment, when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, the door release switch 507 is turned OFF, and the foul shutter 571 slides to the closed position by an electric actuator. As a result, even if a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550 with the door frame 3 open, the game ball B will not fly out through the foul upper opening 570a.

Then, when the door frame 3 is closed and the door open switch 507 is turned ON, the electric actuator slides the foul shutter 571 to the open position, allowing the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 to be driven through the foul upper opening 570a towards the game board 5.

Furthermore, even when the frame release switch 508 is turned OFF by opening the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the foul shutter 571 may be slid to the closed position by the electric actuator. In this case, if the opening and closing process of the foul shutter 571 by the frame release switch 508 is the same as the opening and closing process by the door release switch 507 described above, the software configuration can be simplified.

Furthermore, an opening switch (not shown in the diagram) capable of detecting both the opening of the door frame 3 and the opening of the main frame 4 may be provided, allowing the foul shutter 571 to be opened and closed by an electric actuator, thus simplifying the opening and closing mechanism.

[4-4. Circulating Sphere Pathway Unit]
The circulating ball path unit 600 in the main frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 35 to 42. Figure 35(a) is a perspective view of the circulating ball path unit in the main frame viewed from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the circulating ball path unit in the main frame viewed from the rear. Figure 36 is an exploded perspective view of the circulating ball path unit disassembled and viewed from the front, and Figure 37 is an exploded perspective view of the circulating ball path unit disassembled and viewed from the rear. Figure 38(a) is a plan view showing only the ball meandering member and ball release shutter in the circulating ball path unit, and (b) is a perspective view of the circulating ball path unit showing only the ball meandering member and ball release shutter from the front. Figure 39(a1) is an explanatory diagram showing the ball release shutter and ball meandering member in the closed position together with the ball receiving tray in a side cross-section; (a2) is an explanatory diagram showing only the part of the ball release shutter in (a1) from the bottom; (b1) is an explanatory diagram showing the ball release shutter and ball meandering member in the open position together with the ball receiving tray in a side cross-section; and (b2) is an explanatory diagram showing only the part of the ball release shutter in (b1) from the bottom.

Furthermore, Figure 40(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a front cross-section of the circulating ball path unit cut at the out-ball sensor, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a front cross-section of the circulating ball path unit cut at the safe-ball sensor. Figure 41(a) is a front perspective view showing an enlarged view of the lower part of the main frame along with the outer frame with the meandering cover of the circulating ball path unit removed, and (b) is a rear perspective view showing an enlarged view of the lower part of the main frame along with the outer frame with the meandering cover of the circulating ball path unit removed. Figure 42 is a plan view showing the ball meandering member, meandering cover, ball release shutter, and gauge section of the circulating ball path unit.

The ball circulation unit 600 stores multiple game balls B discharged from the game board 5 and game balls B recovered by the foul unit 570, and sends the stored game balls B to the ball launching unit 550 via the ball lifting unit 650. The ball circulation unit 600 is attached to the ball circulation unit mounting section 501l provided on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501.

The ball circulation unit 600 includes an out-ball receiving opening 600a that is long to the left and right and opens upward, a safe-ball receiving opening 600b located behind the out-ball receiving opening 600a and also long to the left and right and opens upward, a foul-ball receiving opening 600c that opens at the front, and a ball discharge opening 600d that opens to the right near the lower end. The out-ball receiving opening 600a and the safe-ball receiving opening 600b are formed with a depth in the front-to-back direction slightly wider than the diameter of the game ball B, and are formed to allow multiple game balls B to pass through in the left-to-right direction. The foul-ball receiving opening 600c and the ball discharge opening 600d are formed to allow one game ball B to pass through at a time.

The out ball receiving port 600a receives game balls B (out balls) received at the out port of the game board 5. The safe ball receiving port 600b receives game balls B (safe balls) received at the general prize port, start port, big prize port, etc., of the game board 5. The foul ball receiving port 600c receives game balls B (foul balls) discharged from the foul ball outlet 570c of the foul unit 570. The ball discharge port 600d discharges the game balls B received at the out ball receiving port 600a, safe ball receiving port 600b, and foul ball receiving port 600c and stored inside, and hands them over to the ball lifting unit 650.

Furthermore, the ball circulation unit 600 includes an out-ball passage 601 through which game balls B received at the out-ball receiving port 600a flow, a safe-ball passage 602 through which game balls B received at the safe-ball receiving port 600b flow, a foul-ball passage 603 through which game balls B received at the foul-ball receiving port 600c flow, and a ball storage passage 604 that communicates with the downstream ends of the out-ball passage 601, the safe-ball passage 602, and the foul-ball passage 603, with its downstream end being a ball discharge port 600d.

Furthermore, the ball circulation unit 600 includes an out-ball sensor 605 that detects each game ball B (out-ball) circulating in the out-ball passage 601, a safe-ball sensor 606 that detects each game ball B (safe-ball) circulating in the safe-ball passage 602, and a foul-ball sensor 607 that detects each game ball B (foul-ball) circulating in the foul-ball passage 603. The safe-ball sensor 606 is equivalent to a conventional all-entry-port sensor in a pachinko machine, and can be used to determine fraudulent entries by comparing it with the total number of entries in all entry ports.

The circulating ball path unit 600 comprises a flat ball receiving front plate 610, a ball receiving front member 611 attached to the rear side of the ball receiving front plate 610, and a ball receiving rear member 612 attached to the rear side of the ball receiving front member 611. A ball storage passage 604 is provided below the ball receiving front plate 610, the ball receiving front member 611, and the ball receiving rear member 612.

Furthermore, the circulating ball path unit 600 includes a ball meandering member 613 located below the ball receiving front plate 610, the ball receiving front member 611, and the ball receiving rear member 612, and opening upwards; a meandering cover 614 covering the top of the ball meandering member 613; a ball release shutter 615 for discharging game balls B from the ball meandering member 613; a magnet 616 attached to the ball release shutter 615; a circulating ball path relay board 617 attached to the rear side of the ball receiving front member 611; and a gauge section 620 provided on the meandering cover 614.

The ball-receiving front plate 610 extends to the left and right, and a foul ball receiving opening 600c is provided near the lower part of the center in the left-right direction, penetrating from front to back.

The ball-receiving front member 611, on its upper surface, cooperates with the ball-receiving front plate 610 to form an out-of-bounds ball receiving opening 600a. The ball-receiving front member 611 has out-of-bounds ball passages 601 and foul ball passages 603 formed in an open state toward the front, and these front sides are closed when the ball-receiving front plate 610 is attached. The downstream end of the out-of-bounds ball passage 601 opens downward at the lower left end of the ball-receiving front member 611. The opening at the downstream end of the out-of-bounds ball passage 601 is located in front of the opening at the downstream end of the safe ball passage 602. The downstream end of the foul ball passage 603 opens downward at a location on the ball-receiving front member 611 that is to the lower right of the downstream end of the out-of-bounds ball passage 601.

The ball receiving member 611 has an upper out-ball receiving plate portion 611a that slopes downward to the right from the middle of the vertical wall forming the left edge of the out-ball receiving opening 600a to near the center in the left-right direction; a lower out-ball receiving plate portion 611b that slopes downward to the left from a portion below the upper out-ball receiving plate portion 611a on the vertical wall forming the right edge of the out-ball receiving opening 600a to near the lower left edge of the out-ball receiving opening 600a; and a crank portion 611c that extends in a crank shape downward to the left from the left end of the lower out-ball receiving plate portion 611b, with a width that allows game balls B to pass through in a single line.

The height between the right end of the upper 611a of the out-ball receiving plate and the lower 611b of the out-ball receiving plate is approximately twice the diameter of the game ball B. Therefore, the height of the lower 611b of the out-ball receiving plate on the left side decreases towards the left. This allows the game balls B received in the out-ball receiving opening 600a to be aligned in a single row.

The out-of-ball sensor 605 is mounted on the vertically extending portion directly below the downstream end of the lower out-of-ball receiving plate portion 611b in the crank section 611c.

In the ball receiving member 611, the out-ball passage 601 is formed by the upper part 611a of the out-ball receiving plate, the lower part 611b of the out-ball receiving plate, the crank part 611c, etc. Therefore, the out-ball passage 601 is formed to be wide on the upstream side to accommodate many game balls B, and the received game balls B are aligned in a line and passed to the downstream ball storage passage 604 (ball meandering member 613).

Furthermore, in the ball receiving member 611, the foul ball passage 603 slopes downwards to the left from the rear of the foul ball receiving opening 600c to the right of the left end of the lower out ball receiving plate 611b, below the upper out ball receiving plate 611a and below the lower out ball receiving plate 611b, and then extends downwards in a short distance. In the ball receiving member 611, a foul ball sensor 607 is attached to the leftward-extending portion of the foul ball passage 603. This foul ball passage 603 is formed so that game balls b flow in a single line, and game balls B that have flowed through the foul ball passage 603 are passed to a portion downstream of the portion in the ball storage passage 604 (ball meandering member 613) where they are passed from the out ball passage 601.

The ball-receiving member 611 has recesses 611d at the front edge of the upper 611a of the out-ball receiving plate, the front edge of the lower 611b of the out-ball receiving plate, and the front edges of the bottom wall that extends to the left and right, forming the foul ball passage 603. These recesses 611d allow dust and debris from the out-ball passage 601 and the foul ball passage 603 to be discharged to the outside.

Furthermore, the ball receiving member 611 has a ball circulation path relay board 617 attached to the rear portion of the foul ball passage 603 on its rear surface.

The ball-receiving rear member 612, on its upper surface, cooperates with the ball-receiving front member 611 to form a safe ball-receiving opening 600b. The ball-receiving rear member 612 has a safe ball passage 602 formed in an open state towards the front. When the ball-receiving front member 611 is attached, the front side of the safe ball passage 602 is closed. The downstream end of the safe ball passage 602 opens downwards at the lower left end of the ball-receiving rear member 612. The downstream opening of the safe ball passage 602 is located behind the downstream opening of the out ball passage 601. In other words, the downstream openings of the out ball passage 601 and the downstream opening of the safe ball passage 602 are aligned front to back.

The ball receiving member 612 has an upper safe ball receiving plate portion 612a that slopes downward to the right from the middle of the vertical wall forming the left edge of the safe ball receiving opening 600b to near the center in the left-right direction; a lower safe ball receiving plate portion 612b that slopes downward to the left from a portion below the upper safe ball receiving plate portion 612a on the vertical wall forming the right edge of the safe ball receiving opening 600b to near the lower part of the left edge of the safe ball receiving opening 600b; and a crank portion 612c that extends downward to the left in a crank shape from the left end of the lower safe ball receiving plate portion 612b with a width that allows game balls B to pass through in a single line.

The height between the right end of the upper 612a of the safe ball receiving plate and the lower 612b of the safe ball receiving plate is approximately twice the diameter of the game ball B. Therefore, the height of the lower 612b of the safe ball receiving plate on the left side decreases towards the left. This allows the game balls B received in the safe ball receiving opening 600b to be aligned in a single row.

The safety ball sensor 606 is attached to the vertically extending portion directly below the downstream end of the lower safety ball receiving plate portion 612b in the crank section 612c.

In the ball receiving member 612, the safe ball passage 602 is formed by the upper safe ball receiving plate section 612a, the lower safe ball receiving plate section 612b, the crank section 612c, etc. Therefore, the safe ball passage 602 is formed to be wide enough to receive many game balls B on the upstream side, and the received game balls B are aligned in a line and passed to the uppermost part of the downstream ball storage passage 604 (ball meandering member 613).

The ball receiving member 612 has recesses 612d at the front edge of the upper 612a and the front edge of the lower 612b of the safe ball receiving plate, which are sized not to obstruct the flow of the game balls B. These recesses 612d allow dust and debris from the safe ball passage 602 to be discharged to the outside.

The ball meandering member 613 extends in the left-right direction, meandering back and forth, with its right end becoming lower, forming a ball storage passage 604 capable of storing a large number of game balls B. As shown in Figure 38, the ball meandering member 613 has a first straight section 613a that slopes downward toward the front with its rear end as the upstream end, a first folded section 613b that bends to the right from the downstream end (front end) of the first straight section 613a and then bends further toward the rear, a second straight section 613c that extends downward toward the rear from the downstream end (rear end) of the first folded section 613b to a position near the rear end of the first straight section 613a, and a second straight section 613c that bends to the right from the downstream end (rear end) of the second straight section 613c and then A second folded portion 613d that is bent downwards toward the front, a third perpendicular portion 613e that extends downwards toward the front from the downstream end (front end) of the second folded portion 613d to the same position as the front end of the second perpendicular portion 613c, a third folded portion 613f that is bent to the right from the downstream end (front end) of the third perpendicular portion 613e and then bent downwards toward the rear, and a fourth perpendicular portion 613g that extends downwards toward the rear from the downstream end (rear end) of the third folded portion 613f to the same position as the rear end of the third perpendicular portion 613e The structure includes a fourth folded section 613h which bends to the right from the downstream end (rear end) of the fourth perpendicular section 613g and then bends further forward and downward; a fifth perpendicular section 613i which extends from the downstream end (front end) of the fourth folded section 613h to the same position as the front end of the fourth perpendicular section 613g, and a first bent section 613j which bends to the right and downward from the downstream end (front end) of the fifth perpendicular section 613i; and a first lateral section 613k which extends to the right and downward from the downstream end (right end) of the first bent section 613j. The device comprises: a second bent section 613l that curves downward towards the rear from the downstream end (right end) of the first lateral section 613k; a sixth perpendicular section 613m that extends downward towards the rear from the downstream end (rear end) of the second bent section 613l to a position near the downstream end of the fifth perpendicular section 613i; a third bent section 613n that curves downward towards the right from the downstream end (rear end) of the sixth perpendicular section 613m; and a second lateral section 613o that extends downward towards the right from the downstream end (right end) of the third bent section 613n. The opening at the downstream end of the second lateral section 613o forms a ball discharge port 600d that opens to the right.

In the ball meandering member 613 (ball storage passage 604), the downstream end opening of the safe ball passage 602 is located above the rear end of the first perpendicular section 613a, and the downstream end opening of the out ball passage 601 is located in front of it. Furthermore, the downstream end opening of the foul ball passage 603 is located above the rear end of the second perpendicular section 613c.

Furthermore, the ball-swinging member 613 includes a ball-removal opening 613p that penetrates vertically through the first traverse section 613k, a pair of rail sections 613q that extend forward and backward along the left and right edges of the ball-removal opening 613p on the lower surface of the first traverse section 613k and project downward, support pieces 613r that project from the lower ends of each of the pair of rail sections 613q so as to approach each other, locking sections 613s provided on the mutually opposing sides of the pair of rail sections 613q, and a plurality of slits 613t provided that penetrate the rolling surface (bottom surface) on which the game ball B rolls.

The ball release opening 613p of the ball serpentine member 613 is closed and opened by the ball release shutter 615, as will be described in detail later. A pair of rail sections 613q extend rearward from the ball release opening 613p. The pair of rail sections 613q support the ball release shutter 615 so that it can slide in the front-rear direction. Two support pieces 613r prevent the ball release shutter 615 from falling. Furthermore, the two support pieces 613r protrude from their respective rail sections 613q at the ball release opening 613p. This ensures that even when the load of the game ball B acts on the ball release shutter 615 through the ball release opening 613p, the ball release shutter 615 is sufficiently supported, preventing it from falling off. The locking section 613s holds the ball release shutter 615 in the open position by locking the locking projection 615f of the ball release shutter 615.

The slits 613t in the ball-swinging member 613 penetrate downwards, with a size that does not obstruct the flow of game balls B, and allow for the discharge of debris and dust from the ball storage passage 604. The slits 613t provided at the folded and bent sections are located on the outer side of the curve.

Furthermore, the ball-swinging member 613 is equipped with a circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and a circulating ball excess sensor 622, which are capable of detecting the number of game balls B in circulation, although details will be described later.

This ball-swinging member 613 allows for the formation of a ball storage passage 604 that meanders back and forth and extends laterally, becoming lower to the right. Furthermore, because the ball-swinging member 613 has multiple folded sections (first folded section 613b, second folded section 613d, third folded section 613f, fourth folded section 613h) and multiple bent sections (first bent section 613j, second bent section 613l, third bent section 613n), the flow speed of the game balls B can be suppressed at these sections, thereby mitigating the impact on the entrance side of the ball lifting unit 650.

The meandering cover 614 is attached to the ball meandering member 613 so as to cover the open upper end of the ball meandering member 613. By attaching the meandering cover 614 to the ball meandering member 613, it is possible to prevent game balls B from leaking out of the ball meandering member 613 (ball storage passage 604) and to prevent game balls B that are not compatible with the ball storage passage 604 or illegal game balls B from being inserted from the outside.

The meandering cover 614 is formed so that the length of the portion extending front to back at its left end is shorter rearward than the first perpendicular portion 613a of the spherical meandering member 613. As a result, when the meandering cover 614 is attached to the spherical meandering member 613, the rear of the first perpendicular portion 613a of the spherical meandering member 613 is opened upward, allowing communication with the out-ball passage 601 and the safe-ball passage 602 through that portion.

Furthermore, the meandering cover 614 has an opening 614a that penetrates vertically in the upper part of the ball meandering member 613, near the rear end of the second perpendicular section 613c. Through this opening 614a, the foul ball passage 603 can communicate with the ball storage passage 604.

The ball removal shutter 615 is for removing (discharging) game balls B (circulating game balls) from the circulating ball path unit 600, etc., and is mounted on the lower surface of the ball meandering member 613 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction. The ball-removal shutter 615 includes a flat door portion 615a capable of closing the ball-removal opening 613p, a knob portion 615b extending vertically and horizontally from the front edge of the door portion 615a, a pair of rod portions 615c extending rearward from the rear ends of both the left and right ends of the door portion 615a, a connecting portion 615e forming an opening 615d that penetrates vertically by connecting the pair of rod portions 615c at the rear of the door portion 615a, locking projections 615f bulging from the outer surfaces of the pair of rod portions 615c between the connecting portion 615e and their rear ends, hook portions 615g extending outward from the rear ends of the pair of rod portions 615c, and a magnet support portion 615h protruding cylindrically from the lower surface of the door portion 615a.

The magnetic support portion 615h of the ball-removing shutter 615 can support a cylindrical magnet 616 by inserting the magnet 616 into the cylinder. The magnetic support portion 615h is located upstream of the opening 615d. This magnetic support portion 615h has a portion that protrudes into the cylinder at its lower end and is open to the rear. By inserting the magnet 616 from the rear, the portion protruding below the magnet 616 is positioned, preventing the magnet 616 from falling out of the magnetic support portion 615h.

When the ball-removing shutter 615 is attached to the ball-swinging member 613, the pair of rail sections 613q of the ball-swinging member 613 are positioned on the left and right outer sides of the door section 615a and the pair of shaft sections 615c, while the lower surface of the first lateral section 613k and the upper surfaces of the pair of support pieces 613r are positioned on the upper and lower sides of the door section 615a and the pair of shaft sections 615c. This allows the ball-removing shutter 615 to slide in the front-rear direction between the closed position and the open position, as described later.

In its normal state, the ball release shutter 615 is in a closed position, as shown in Figures 39(a1) and (a2), with the door portion 615a preventing game balls B from passing through the ball release opening 613p. In this state, the rear surface of the knob portion 615b abuts against the front surface of the first lateral portion 613k, and the pair of locking projections 615f contact the respective rear end surfaces of the pair of rail portions 613q. This restricts the movement of the ball release shutter 615 in the forward and backward directions, holding it in the closed position. Therefore, when the ball release shutter 615 is in the closed position, game balls B cannot be discharged from the ball release opening 613p into the ball receiving tray 720 below (see Figure 20).

Furthermore, when the ball release shutter 615 is in the closed position, the magnet support portion 615h (magnet 616) is located below the upstream end of the ball release opening 613p. As will be described in detail later, when a steel ball SB (see Figure 44) flows through the ball storage passage 604, the magnetic force of the magnet 616 causes the steel ball SB to magnetically adhere to the door portion 615a, resulting in a ball jam. This makes it possible to detect the presence of the steel ball SB.

In the closed position of the ball-removing shutter 615, when the knob 615b is grasped and pulled forward, the locking projection 615f on the shaft 615c comes into strong contact with the rear end surface of the rail 613q. At this time, the force applied to the locking projection 615f causes the shaft 615c to elastically deform inward, moving the locking projection 615f toward the inner surface of the rail 613q, causing the ball-removing shutter 615 to slide forward from the closed position. When the locking projection 615f reaches the locking portion 613s, the elastic force of the shaft 615c locks the projection 615f into the locking portion 613s, and the hook portion 615g at the rear end of the shaft 615c approaches the rear end surface of the rail 613q. This restricts the ball-removing shutter 615 from sliding further forward.

In this state, as shown in Figures 39(b1) and (b2), the opening 615d of the ball release shutter 615 coincides with the ball release opening 613p, allowing game balls B to pass through the ball release opening 613p. In other words, the ball release shutter 615 is in the open position. When the ball release shutter 615 is in the open position, game balls B upstream of the ball release opening 613p in the ball storage passage 604 are discharged through the ball release opening 613p and the opening 615d to the ball receiving tray 720 below. This makes it possible to remove the circulating game balls B to the outside.

When the ball receiving tray 720 becomes heavy with accumulated game balls B, it rests on the bottom wall of the tray insertion recess 501f, which is sloped so that the front end is lower. The tray attempts to slide forward due to the slope of the bottom wall, but this forward sliding is prevented by the locking claw 501n. In this state, releasing the locking claw 501n allows the ball receiving tray 720 to automatically slide forward due to the weight of the stored game balls B, making it easy to remove the tray from the tray insertion recess 501f.

Furthermore, when the ball-removal shutter 615 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the rear surface of the door frame 3 is close to the front surface of the knob 615b. Therefore, even if the ball-removal shutter 615 attempts to slide forward for any reason, the knob 615b will contact the door frame 3, preventing it from sliding to the open position. This prevents the circulating game balls B from being accidentally removed and lost, and prevents the introduction of illegal game balls B through the ball-removal opening 613p.

The magnet 616 is formed in a cylindrical shape that can be inserted into the magnet support portion 615h of the ball-removing shutter 615. This magnet 616 is for attracting the iron ball SB. A magnet with strong magnetic force, such as a neodymium magnet, is used for the magnet 616.

By the way, in a gaming hall or similar establishment, if the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment and conventional pachinko machines where players can touch the game balls (steel balls SB) are mixed together, there is a risk that steel balls SB may be mixed in when the game balls B are replenished or replaced during maintenance of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment.

In contrast, in this pachinko machine 1, when a steel ball SB is mixed in, a magnet 616 is provided in the ball release shutter 615. Therefore, when the steel ball SB flows through the ball storage passage 604, the magnetic force of the magnet 616 causes the steel ball SB to magnetically attach to the upper surface of the door portion 615a of the ball release shutter 615 in the closed position, stopping it in place. At this time, because a strong magnet 616 is used, even if a force acts to push the magnetically attached steel ball SB downstream due to the accumulation of numerous game balls B upstream of the attached steel ball SB, the steel ball SB will not move from the upper surface of the door portion 615a.

Then, with the iron ball SB magnetically attached to the door portion 615a (magnet 616) of the ball release shutter 615 in the ball storage passage 604, if the launching of game balls B from the ball launching unit 550 continues, the game balls B downstream of the magnetically attached iron ball SB will be consumed sequentially, and the consumed (launched) game balls B will be sequentially supplied upstream of the iron ball SB. Consequently, the detection of game balls B will be turned OFF in the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and the lifting inlet sensor 653, etc., located downstream of the ball release shutter 615, while the detection of game balls B will be turned ON in the circulating ball excess sensor 622, out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, foul ball sensor 607, etc., located upstream of the ball release shutter 615. This makes it possible to detect and notify that a ball jam has occurred between the circulating ball shortage sensor 621, etc. and the circulating ball excess sensor 622, etc. In other words, it is possible to detect that the iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the door portion 615a.

With the iron ball SB magnetically attached to the upper surface of the door portion 615a of the ball release shutter 615 by the magnetic force of magnet 616, when the ball release shutter 615 is slid from the closed position to the open position, the front end of the iron ball SB attached to the upper surface of the door portion 615a comes into contact with the front wall of the first lateral section 613k, preventing only the iron ball SB from moving forward. Then, when magnet 616 moves forward beyond the front wall of the first lateral section 613k, the magnetic force acting on the iron ball SB weakens, causing the iron ball SB to begin rolling downstream. At this time, the opening 615d of the ball release shutter 615 coincides with the ball release opening 613p, and since the game ball B can pass through the ball release opening 613p, the iron ball SB can be discharged from the ball release opening 613p into the ball receiving tray 720 below and removed from the ball storage passage 604.

The ball circulation path relay board 617 is mounted on the rear surface of the ball receiving front member 611, at the rear of the foul ball passage 603, and below the lower part 611b of the out-ball receiving plate of the ball receiving rear member 612. The ball circulation path relay board 617 serves to relay the connections between the out-ball sensor 605, the safe ball sensor 606, the foul ball sensor 607, the ball circulation shortage sensor 621, and the ball circulation excess sensor 622, and the frame control board 740, which will be described later.

The gauge section 620 indicates a predetermined length of appropriate quantity range in the ball storage passage 604 of the ball meandering member 613, relative to the flow direction. Here, the appropriate quantity is defined as the state where the rear end of the row of stored game balls B overlaps the gauge section 620. The gauge section 620 allows for visual confirmation of the appropriate quantity of game balls B (circulating balls) and is formed from a partially colored transparent sticker. This gauge section 620 is attached to the upper surface of the meandering cover 614. More specifically, it is attached to the upper surface of the meandering cover 614, upstream of the first lateral section 613k of the ball meandering member 613. As shown in Figure 42, the gauge section 620 has letters and symbols (arrows) indicating the appropriate range (appropriate quantity range) of stored game balls B.

The gauge section 620 is composed of three seals: an upper gauge seal 620a attached to the upper portion of the third perpendicular section 613e and the third folded section 613f of the spherical meandering member 613; a middle gauge seal 620b attached to the upper portion of the fourth perpendicular section 613g; and a lower gauge seal 620c attached to the upper portion of the fifth perpendicular section 613i and the first bent section 613j.

The upper gauge seal 620a has a line extending left and right near the center in the front-to-back direction of the third perpendicular section 613e, an arrow with its tip pointing towards the line and extending along the passage to the downstream end of the third folded section 613f downstream of the line (front side), and the words "Up to here" to the right of the arrow downstream of the arrow.

The middle gauge seal 620b has a rod-shaped portion that extends backward (downstream) to the portion indicated by the arrow on the upper gauge seal 620a, and the words "Appropriate Range" are inscribed near the upstream end of this rod-shaped portion.

The lower gauge seal 620c has a line extending forward and backward at the downstream end of the first bent section 613j, an arrow with its tip pointing towards the line and extending along the passage to the upstream end of the fifth perpendicular section 613i, and the words "From here" written (displayed) to the right of the arrow's tip.

When inspecting the gauge section 620 during maintenance, if the game balls B cannot be seen in the appropriate quantity area of the gauge section 620, that is, the area from the line of the upper gauge seal 620a to the line of the lower gauge section 620c, it indicates that there is a shortage of game balls B, meaning the quantity is less than the appropriate amount. To replenish the game balls B, insert them into the out port 1008 of the game board 5, or into the out ball receiving port 600a or the safe ball receiving port 600b, until the appropriate quantity is reached.

On the other hand, when observing the gauge section 620, if game balls B are visible in all parts of the gauge section 620, that is, if the rear end of the row of game balls B is upstream of the "up to here" point (the line on the upper gauge seal 620a), it indicates that there is an excess of game balls B, exceeding the appropriate amount. If there is an excess of game balls B, the ball release shutter 615 is pulled forward and slid to the open position, thereby discharging the game balls B from the ball release opening 613p in the ball storage passage 604 to bring the amount to the appropriate level.

Thus, with the gauge unit 620 of this embodiment, it is possible to determine at a glance whether the amount of stored game balls B is appropriate (the correct quantity), and it is also possible to easily adjust the amount of stored game balls B to the correct quantity.

In the above embodiment, the gauge section 620 is shown as a seal attached to the meandering cover 614. However, the appropriate amount area may be colored a different color from other parts, or the molding color of the gauge section 620 may be different, or the gauge section 620 may have colored lines drawn at the downstream and upstream ends of the appropriate amount area.

Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows the gauge section 620 located upstream of the ball-removal shutter 615, it is not limited to this configuration. As shown by the dashed line in Figure 62, the downstream end of the gauge section 620 may be located downstream of the ball-removal shutter 615 and near the upstream of the circulating ball under-saturation sensor 621.

In this embodiment, the circulating ball path unit 600 consists of a ball receiving front plate 610, a ball receiving front member 611, a ball receiving rear member 612, a ball meandering member 613, and a meandering cover 614, all made of transparent synthetic resin. Therefore, the internal state can be visually inspected from the outside.

The ball circulation path unit 600 has an out-of-bounds ball sensor 605 and a foul ball sensor 607 mounted between the front ball receiving plate 610 and the front ball receiving member 611, while a safe ball sensor 606 is mounted between the front ball receiving member 611 and the rear ball receiving member 612. The out-of-bounds ball sensor 605 and the safe ball sensor 606 are positioned side-by-side, front and back.

The out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, foul ball sensor 607, circulating ball shortage sensor 621, and circulating ball excess sensor 622 detect game ball B non-contact, for example, by detecting changes in induced current.

The circulating ball path unit 600 is attached to the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501 from the rear. When assembled on the main frame 4, the circulating ball path unit 600 is mounted so that the out ball receiving opening 600a and the safe ball receiving opening 600b are at the same height as the upper surface of the base wall portion 501b and in contact with the rear edge of the upper surface of the base wall portion 501b.

Furthermore, the circulating ball path unit 600 is mounted on the main frame 4 so that the ball delivery unit 700 is positioned between it and the base wall portion 501b.

Furthermore, when the circulating ball path unit 600 is assembled to the main frame 4, the portions of the ball meandering member 613 and the meandering cover 614 that are forward of their center in the front-to-back direction protrude forward, passing through the ball storage passage insertion opening 501g provided in the base wall portion 501b from the rear. This allows the game balls B inside the ball meandering member 613 (ball storage passage 604) to be visible from the front (outside) when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4.

Furthermore, when the circulating ball path unit 600 is assembled to the main frame 4, and the frame base unit 730 is opened to the rear, the interiors of the out-ball passage 601, safe ball passage 602, foul ball passage 603, and the parts of the ball storage passage 604 behind the base wall 501b can be viewed from the rear. This allows for easy identification of the location of a ball jam by opening the frame base unit 730 and checking the inside of the out-ball passage 601, etc., when a ball jam occurs.

Furthermore, when the circulating ball path unit 600 is assembled to the main frame 4, the second traverse portion 613o of the ball meandering member 613 is located behind the base wall portion 501b and below the ball launching unit 550. In other words, the circulating ball path unit 600 has a ball discharge port 600d that opens to the right, behind the base wall portion 501b and lower than the ball launching unit 550. This ball discharge port 600d communicates with the ball lifting inlet passage 651 of the ball lifting unit 650, which will be described later.

The ball circulation unit 600 of this embodiment includes a ball circulation deficiency sensor 621 for detecting when the number of stored game balls B (circulating balls) is insufficient, and a ball circulation deficiency sensor 622 for detecting when the number of stored game balls B (circulating balls) is excessive (see Figure 62).

The circulating ball under-sensor 621 is located downstream of the gauge section 620 in the ball storage passage 604. Alternatively, the circulating ball under-sensor 621 may be located near the upstream end of the ball release shutter 615. The circulating ball over-sensor 622 is located near the upstream end of the gauge section 620 in the ball storage passage 604. Both the circulating ball under-sensor 621 and the circulating ball over-sensor 622 are connected to the frame control board 740 via the circulating ball path relay board 617.

As will be explained in detail later, when the number of game balls B is at an appropriate level, the circulating ball deficiency sensor 621 detects game balls B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or longer, while the circulating ball excess sensor 622 does not detect game balls B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or longer. When the number of game balls B is insufficient, neither the circulating ball deficiency sensor 621 nor the circulating ball excess sensor 622 detects game balls B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or longer. On the other hand, when the number of game balls B is excessive, neither the circulating ball deficiency sensor 621 nor the circulating ball excess sensor 622 detects game balls B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or longer. Furthermore, if the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 fails to detect game ball B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or longer, while the circulating ball excess sensor 622 detects game ball B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or longer, a ball jam, including the inclusion of iron ball SB, has occurred between the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and the circulating ball excess sensor 622.

Here, we will explain the reason for the predetermined time k80ms as the threshold for detecting the presence or absence of game ball B. For example, on the circulation path R, the positions where sensors such as the circulating ball excess sensor 622, circulating ball insufficiency sensor 621, lifting inlet sensor 653, lifting outlet sensor 654, and launch pre-sensor 704 are located are at the stopping positions of game ball B when the ball lifting unit 650 and ball delivery unit 700 are stopped. This position is where the next game ball B is located each time one game ball B is delivered. Therefore, the detection of game ball B here is based on whether or not it has been detected for 80ms or more. This is because the time it takes for a game ball B rolling on a slope of about 5 degrees to be detected is about 50ms, so a margin is added to ensure that the presence of game ball B at that position is reliably detected, resulting in detection at 80ms. In other words, this value of 80ms is a practical value obtained through experimentation.

In this way, by combining the detection status of game balls B by the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and the circulating ball excess sensor 622, the frame control board 740 can automatically determine and notify the amount of game balls B, ball jams, etc.

In the above embodiment, a low circulation ball sensor 621 and an excess circulation ball sensor 622 were provided. However, the low circulation ball sensor 621 may be replaced with the lift inlet sensor described later, and the excess circulation ball sensor 622 may be replaced with the out ball sensor 605, the safe ball sensor 606, or the foul ball sensor 607.

[4-4a. Ball jamming relief mechanism]
Next, the circulating ball path unit 600 may be provided with a ball jam relief mechanism 630, as shown in Figure 43, to facilitate the relief of ball jams in the out ball sensor 605 and the safe ball sensor 606. Figure 43(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the main part of the rear cross-section cut at the out ball sensor in the circulating ball path unit attached to the main frame with the lid member of the ball relief mechanism closed, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in (a) with the lid member open.

The ball jam relief mechanism 630 is implemented in the ball circulation path unit 600 by making the upper wall portions of the ball receiving pre-member 611 and ball receiving post-member 612 above the out-of-ball sensor 605 and the safe-ball sensor 606 into openable/closable lid members 631. As shown in Figure 43(a), the lid member 631 is normally closed. The lid member 631 is held in the closed position by a locking claw (not shown).

This ball jam relief mechanism 630 is used to resolve ball jams that occur in the out ball passage 601 or the safe ball passage 602, or when illegal balls B', which are larger in diameter than game balls B, are inserted as a result of fraudulent activity, blocking the out ball sensor 605, etc.

For example, if an illegal ball B', larger in diameter than the game ball B, is inserted through the out-port 1008 of the game board 5 and the out-ball sensor 605 is blocked, opening the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 and then opening the frame substrate unit 730 reveals the rear of the ball circulation path unit 600. In this embodiment, a gap is formed between the area of the ball jam relief mechanism 630 in the ball circulation path unit 600 and the box body portion 504b of the main frame speaker box 504, allowing a finger to be inserted. By releasing the locking claw of the lid member 631 through this gap and rotating the lid member 631 so that its lower end moves upward, the lid member 631 can be opened (see Figure 43(b)).

Furthermore, by opening the lid member 631, a finger can be inserted into the upper part of the out-of-ball sensor 605 within the out-of-ball passage 601, allowing for easy removal of the illegal ball B' blocking the out-of-ball sensor 605. In this way, the illegal ball B' can be easily removed without having to remove the circulating ball path unit 600, which is secured with screws using a screwdriver.

Furthermore, if the safe ball sensor 606 is blocked by the illegal ball B', the illegal ball B' can be removed using the same procedure as described above.

In the above example, a ball jam relief mechanism 630 is shown with an openable and closable lid member 631. However, for example, elastic claws may be provided on the rear ball receiving member 612 and the front ball receiving member 611, and the rear ball receiving member 612 and the front ball receiving member 611 may be detached to the rear by the locking of the elastic claws. In this case, under normal conditions, the frame base plate unit 730 is located behind the circulating ball path unit 600, and even if the locking of the elastic claws loosens, the rear ball receiving member 612 and the front ball receiving member 611 will not come off to the rear. Furthermore, if the out-of-bounds ball sensor 605 is blocked by an illegal ball B', opening the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 and then opening the frame substrate unit 730 reveals the rear of the circulating ball path unit 600. By releasing the locking of the elastic claws that attach the ball receiving rear member 612 and the ball receiving front member 611, the ball receiving rear member 612 and the ball receiving front member 611 can be easily removed, allowing the illegal ball B' blocking the out-of-bounds ball sensor 605 to be easily extracted.

Alternatively, as a ball jam relief mechanism 630, the ball receiving front member 611, which is sandwiched between the ball receiving front plate 610 and the ball receiving rear member 612, may be designed so that the portion above the out-of-ball sensor 605 can be slid upward and removed. In this case, under normal conditions, the game board 5 is positioned above the circulating ball path unit 600, and gravity prevents the slidable portion of the ball receiving front member 611 from detaching upward. If the out-of-ball sensor 605 is blocked by an illegal ball B', opening the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 and removing the game board 5 from the main frame 4 exposes the upper part of the circulating ball path unit 600. By sliding the slidable portion of the ball receiving front member 611 upward and removing it, the illegal ball B' blocking the out-of-ball sensor 605 can be easily removed.

[4-4b. Ball-removing shutter of the second embodiment]
Next, in the circulating ball path unit 600, as shown in Figure 44, the magnet 616 may be attached to the front part of the opening 615d in the ball release shutter 615. Figure 44(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the ball release shutter together with the ball meandering member and ball release tray in the closed position with the iron ball magnetically attached to it, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the ball release shutter together with the ball meandering member and ball release tray in the open position with the iron ball magnetically attached to it, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the ball meandering member and ball release tray together with the ball release shutter after sliding the ball release shutter to the closed position from the state in (b) with the iron ball magnetically attached to its lower surface. In this ball release shutter 615, the rear end of the outer peripheral surface of the magnet 616 supported by the magnet support part 615h coincides with the front inner peripheral surface of the opening 615d.

According to the second embodiment of the ball-removing shutter 615, as shown in Figure 44(a), when the ball-removing shutter 615 is slid from the closed position to the open position while the iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the upper surface of the door portion 615a of the ball-removing shutter 615 by the magnetic force of the magnet 616, the front end of the iron ball SB, which is magnetically attached to the upper surface of the door portion 615a, comes into contact with the front wall of the first lateral portion 613k, preventing only the iron ball SB from moving forward. Then, as the ball-removing shutter 615 slides further forward, the door portion 615a that supported the lower end of the iron ball SB disappears, and the iron ball SB moves into the lower opening 615d due to gravity. At this time, since the rear end of the outer circumferential surface of the magnet 616 coincides with the front inner surface of the opening 615d, the iron ball SB remains magnetically attached to the outer circumferential surface of the magnet 616 (see Figure 44(b)).

Furthermore, while the iron ball SB attempts to move from its outer surface towards the pole side (in this case, the lower end surface) of the magnet 616, when the ball release shutter 615 is in the open position, the upper end surface of the ball receiving tray 720 is located below the magnet 616, preventing the iron ball SB from moving downwards. Therefore, when the ball release shutter 615 is slid to the open position, the iron ball B is located in a position overlapping with the opening 615d, and the game ball B upstream of the iron ball SB is not discharged downwards through the opening 615d, i.e., the ball release port 613p.

After sliding the ball release shutter 615 to the open position, sliding it to the rearward closed position prevents the game ball B upstream of the steel ball SB from passing through the ball release opening 613p, while the steel ball SB, which was magnetized on the outer surface of the magnet 616, moves to the underside of the magnet 616, resulting in the steel ball SB being magnetically attached to the underside of the magnet 616 (see Figure 44(c)). Then, the ball receiving tray 720 is pulled out and removed from the tray insertion recess 501f, and the steel ball SB, which is magnetically attached to the underside of the magnet 616, is removed.

In this manner, with the iron ball SB magnetically attached to the door portion 615a of the ball release shutter 615 by the magnet 616, sliding the ball release shutter 615 back and forth allows only the magnetically attached iron ball SB to be removed from the ball storage passage 604 to the outside.

[4-5. Ball Lifting Unit]
The ball lifting unit 650 in the main frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 45 to 54. Figure 45(a) is a perspective view of the ball lifting unit in the main frame viewed from the front left, (b) is a perspective view of the ball lifting unit in the main frame viewed from the front right, and (c) is a perspective view of the ball lifting unit in the main frame viewed from the rear. Figure 46 is an exploded perspective view of the ball lifting unit showing the ball motor base and cassette pressing piece open and the ball cassette removed. Figure 47(a) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit without the ball cassette installed, (b) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit with the ball motor base and cassette pressing piece open and the ball cassette installed, and (c) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit with the ball cassette installed.

Furthermore, Figure 48(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the door frame being closed with the Kuma cassette not fully locked; (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state where the door frame moves in the closing direction from the state in (a) and the projection of the door frame contacts the tip of the Kuma motor base; and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the state where the door frame is closed and the Kuma cut is locked from the state in (b). Figure 49 is a front view showing the main parts in an enlarged view with the Kuma cassette removed from the ball lifting unit attached to the main frame. Figure 50(a) is a right side view showing the Kuma mechanism and the main parts of the ball lifting mechanism in the ball lifting unit; (b) is a rear view showing the main parts of the ball lifting mechanism; and (c) is a top view of the main parts of the ball lifting mechanism as seen from arrow A in (b).

Furthermore, Figure 51 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the lifting spiral shaft and the polishing cloth in the ball lifting unit. Figure 52(a) is a perspective view of the ball lifting unit viewed from the left rear, showing an enlarged view of the lifting inlet sensor and lifting outlet sensor, and (b) is a plan cross-sectional view of the ball lifting unit cut at the lifting inlet sensor. Figure 53 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the front and rear parts of the ball sensor, which consists of a photosensor, in the ball passage. Figure 54(a) is a perspective view of the ball polishing cassette of the ball lifting unit viewed from the left front, (b) is a perspective view of the ball polishing cassette viewed from the right rear, and (c) is a right side cross-sectional view of the ball polishing cassette cut in the center in the left-right direction.

The ball lifting unit 650 is for sending game balls B, which have been discharged from the game board 5 and the foul unit 570 and circulated through the ball circulation path unit 600, to the ball launching unit 550 via the ball delivery unit 700. The ball lifting unit 650 is attached to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j, which is provided on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501.

The ball lifting unit 650 comprises a ball lifting mechanism 660 for lifting game balls B, a ball lifting inlet passage 651 for supplying game balls B sent from the circulating ball path unit 600 to the ball lifting mechanism 660, a ball lifting outlet passage 652 for supplying game balls B lifted by the ball lifting mechanism 660 to the ball transport unit 700, a lifting inlet sensor 653 provided in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 for detecting game balls B in circulation, and a lifting outlet sensor 654 provided in the ball lifting outlet passage 652 for detecting game balls B in circulation.

Furthermore, the ball lifting unit 650 includes a ball lifting inlet grounding plate 655 provided in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 so as to be in contact with the game ball B, a ball lifting outlet grounding plate 656 provided in the ball lifting outlet passage 652 so as to be in contact with the game ball B, a ball lifting relay board 657 that relays the connection to the frame control board 740, and a ball polishing mechanism 680 for polishing the game ball B that is being lifted by the ball lifting mechanism 660.

First, the ball lifting mechanism 660 of the ball lifting unit 650 comprises a lifting spiral shaft 661 extending vertically and having a helical lifting groove 661a on its outer circumference, a shaft gear 662 attached to the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661, a motor gear 663 meshing with the shaft gear 662 and rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the lifting spiral shaft 661, a lifting motor 664 with the motor gear 663 attached to its rotating shaft for rotating the lifting spiral shaft 661, a lifting motor index 665 having a detection portion 665a that extends flange-like from the lower end of the shaft gear 662 and is cut out in a part of its circumferential direction, and a lifting motor index sensor 666 capable of detecting the detection portion 665a of the lifting motor index 665.

Furthermore, the ball lifting mechanism 660 includes a motor base sheet metal 667 to which a lifting motor 664 is attached and which rotatably supports a motor gear 663, and a lifting mechanism base 668 and lifting mechanism cover 669 attached to the motor base sheet metal 667 and which rotatably support a lifting spiral shaft 661, and which are attached to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501.

The lifting spiral shaft 661 has a spiral lifting groove 661a on its outer surface, with a depth sufficient to accommodate game balls B in a single row. The lifting groove 661a is formed so that the game balls B can be lifted by rotating the lifting spiral shaft 661 in a clockwise direction when viewed from above in its axial direction (see Figure 50(c)). The spiral pitch of the lifting groove 661a is longer near the upper and lower ends than in between. The lifting spiral shaft 661 is rotatably supported by a lifting mechanism base 668 and a lifting mechanism cover 669. The axis of rotation of this lifting spiral shaft 661 is inclined with respect to the vertical such that, in a front view, the upper end is located to the right of the lower end. This allows the upper end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 to be moved to the right from the ball transport unit, making it possible to relatively increase the length of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 and thus increase the storage capacity of game balls B. In this embodiment, the rotation axis of the lifting spiral shaft 661 is inclined at an angle of 12 degrees with respect to the vertical.

Furthermore, the lifting spiral shaft 661 will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 51, this lifting spiral shaft 661 has a small-diameter section 661b with a bottom diameter (bottom diameter) of D1 in the lifting groove 661a, and a large-diameter section 661c with a bottom diameter D2 that is larger than the small-diameter section 661b. The large-diameter section 661c is positioned in the axial middle portion that overlaps with the abrasive cloth 682 of the ball abrasive cassette 681. The diameter of the lifting spiral shaft 661 is configured to gradually change between the small-diameter section 661b and the large-diameter section 661c.

Furthermore, the spiral shaft 661 has a smaller spiral pitch P2 in the larger diameter section 661c compared to the spiral pitch P1 in the smaller diameter section 661b. The smaller the spiral pitch, the slower the lifting speed of the game ball B.

The lifting spiral shaft 661 is positioned such that a gap S1 smaller than the diameter D of the game ball B is formed between the large-diameter portion 661c and the surface of the polishing cloth 682 in the ball polishing cassette 681.

Incidentally, in the lifting spiral shaft 661, if the diameter of the bottom of the lifting groove 661a is configured to be the same as the bottom diameter D1 of the small diameter section 661b along its entire length, then since the bottom diameter D1 is smaller than the bottom diameter D2 of the large diameter section 661c, the gap between the bottom of the lifting groove 661a and the polishing cloth 682 becomes larger. Therefore, even when attempting to polish the game ball B, which is being lifted by the lifting groove 661a, by rotating the lifting spiral shaft 661, the large gap between the polishing cloth 682 and the game ball B causes the game ball B to move towards the bottom of the lifting groove 661a. This reduces the contact area between the game ball B and the polishing cloth 682, resulting in decreased polishing efficiency.

In contrast, in this embodiment, in the axial intermediate portion of the lifting spiral shaft 661 where it overlaps with the polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing cassette 681, the bottom diameter D2 of the lifting groove 661a is made larger than the bottom diameter D1 of the small diameter portion 661b, resulting in a larger gap from the bottom of the lifting groove 661a to the surface of the polishing cloth 682 in the large diameter portion 661c than the gap in the small diameter portion 661b. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the gap S1 from the large diameter portion 661c to the polishing cloth 682 is smaller than the diameter D of the game ball B. As a result, in the large diameter portion 661c, the game ball B cannot escape to the bottom side of the lifting groove 661a, and the bottom of the lifting groove 661a can press the game ball B against the polishing cloth 682, causing the polishing cloth 682 to be indented together with the ball polishing sponge 683 provided on the back side of the polishing cloth 682. This increases the contact area of the polishing cloth 682 with the game ball B, thereby improving the polishing efficiency of the game ball B.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the spiral shaft 661 has a smaller spiral pitch P2 in the large-diameter section 661c that overlaps with the polishing cloth 682 than the spiral pitch P1 in the small-diameter section 661b. This allows for a slower lifting speed of the game ball B in the large-diameter section 661c. As a result, the contact time between the game ball B and the polishing cloth 682 can be increased, allowing for a more thorough polishing of the game ball B.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lifting spiral shaft 661 is designed so that its diameter gradually changes between the small-diameter section 661b and the large-diameter section 661c. This prevents abrupt changes in the load applied when lifting the game ball B, thereby reducing the load during the lifting operation.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 50(b), the lifting spiral shaft 661 of this embodiment is inclined at a 12-degree angle to the vertical, so that it intersects the polishing cloth 682 at an angle. This allows the entire width of the polishing cloth 682 to be used to polish the game ball B, enabling efficient use of the polishing cloth 682 for polishing.

Furthermore, while the lifting spiral shaft 661 shown has a large-diameter section 661c in the middle in the axial direction, it is not limited to this configuration. Alternatively, a small-diameter section 661b may be provided only at the lower end, with the large-diameter section 661c extending to the upper end.

The shaft gear 662 is a spur gear (worm wheel gear). The motor gear 663 is a worm gear. This ensures that even if the lifting spiral shaft 661 attempts to rotate due to the load acting on it from the numerous game balls B contained within the lifting groove 661a of the lifting spiral shaft 661, the motor gear 663, which is a worm gear meshed with the shaft gear 662, prevents rotation. Furthermore, because the motor gear 663 is a worm gear, even if the lifting spiral shaft 661 attempts to rotate due to the inertia when the lifting motor 664 stops, this rotation can be immediately stopped, preventing the game balls B from overshooting.

In this embodiment, the shaft gear 662 is made of POM (polyacetal resin), and the motor gear 663 is made of fiber-reinforced plastic containing polyamide carbon fiber. This makes the motor gear 663, which is a worm gear, less prone to chipping. The motor gear 663 may also be made of metal.

The lifting motor 664 is a DC motor. The lifting motor index 665 is integrally molded with the shaft gear 662 in a flange-like manner. The detection portion 665a of the lifting motor index 665 is provided with a cutout at a 45-degree angle to the entire circumference. The lifting motor index sensor 666 is a photosensor. The lifting motor index sensor 666 is in a light-receiving state at the detection portion 665a of the lifting motor index 665, and in a non-light-receiving state in the other parts of the lifting motor index 665. This makes it possible to detect the rotational position of the lifting spiral shaft 661 via the lifting motor index 665.

As will be explained in more detail later, the lifting spiral shaft 661 rotates once for every 32 rotations of the lifting motor 664's axis, thanks to the shaft gear 662 and motor gear 663. The lifting motor index sensor 666, after being positioned outside the detection unit 665a and in a non-receiving state, reaches the detection unit 665a and enters a receiving state after 28 rotations of the lifting motor 664. After entering the receiving state, the lifting motor 664 moves away from the detection unit 665a and enters a non-receiving state after another 4 rotations. In this embodiment, the origin is defined as the position two rotations after the lifting motor 664 has reached the detection unit 665a and entered the receiving state. In other words, the center of the detection unit 665a is defined as the origin of rotation for the lifting spiral shaft 661.

The motor base sheet metal 667 has the lifting motor 664 attached to its left end in a front view, and rotatably supports the right end of the motor gear 663 at its right end. The motor base sheet metal 667 is attached to the lifting mechanism base 668 at its upper end and to the lifting mechanism cover 669 at its lower end.

The lifting mechanism base 668, in cooperation with the lifting mechanism cover 669, houses the lifting spiral shaft 661 and rotatably supports the lifting spiral shaft 661. The lifting mechanism base 668 has a ball opening 668a that penetrates from front to back so that the lifting spiral shaft 661 faces forward, and a cassette mounting recess 668b that is recessed from the front to the rear and has an opening of the ball opening 668a on its bottom surface, capable of accommodating the rear end of the ball cassette 681. The ball opening 668a extends vertically with a width narrower than the diameter of the game ball B. The ball polishing opening 668a is designed so that a portion of the game ball B, which is being lifted by the lifting spiral shaft 661, protrudes forward. The portion of the game ball B that protrudes forward beyond the ball polishing opening 668a comes into contact with the polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing cassette 681 in the ball polishing mechanism 680, which is attached (mounted) in the cassette mounting recess 668b, thereby polishing the game ball B.

The lifting mechanism base 668 has a downstream portion of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 located to the right of the lifting spiral shaft 661 in a front view, near its lower end. The portion of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 provided on the lifting mechanism base 668 has an upstream end that opens towards the rear and slopes downwards towards the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 on the left. Furthermore, a lifting inlet sensor 653 is mounted on the lifting mechanism base 668 in a location to the right of the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 in a front view.

Furthermore, the lifting mechanism base 668 is provided with an upstream portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 near its upper end. The portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 provided on the lifting mechanism base 668 slopes downwards from the front of the upper end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 towards the left in a front view, then slopes downwards towards the rear, with the downstream end opening towards the rear. The ball lifting outlet passage 652 slopes downwards to the left from the rearward opening portion of the lifting mechanism base 668, then slopes downwards towards the front, opening towards the front at its front end. This portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 is formed through the cooperation of the lifting mechanism base 668 and the lifting mechanism cover 669.

Furthermore, the Kuma motor base 686, to which the Kuma motor 688 of the Kuma mechanism 680 is attached, is rotatably mounted around a vertically extending shaft on the lifting mechanism base 668.

The lifting mechanism cover 669, in cooperation with the lifting mechanism base 668, houses the lifting spiral shaft 661 and rotatably supports the lifting spiral shaft 661. It is attached from the rear to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501. A ball lifting relay board 657 is attached to the rear surface of the lifting mechanism cover 669.

The lifting mechanism cover 669 has a portion upstream of the portion provided on the lifting mechanism base 668 in the ball lifting inlet passage 651. The portion provided on the lifting mechanism base 668 in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 has its downstream end opening forward at a point near the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661, to the right in a front view, then extending rearward, bending to the left to pass behind the lifting spiral shaft 661, and then extending diagonally forward with its upstream end opening to the left. A ball lifting inlet grounding plate 655 is attached to this lifting mechanism cover 669, positioned behind the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661, and is capable of contacting the game ball B flowing through the ball lifting inlet passage 651.

Furthermore, the lifting mechanism cover 669 has a portion downstream of the portion provided on the lifting mechanism base 668 in the ball lifting outlet passage 652. The portion of the lifting mechanism cover 669 in the ball lifting outlet passage 652 has an upstream end that opens rearward, bends to the left in a front view, extends to the left to the left end, then bends forward, and at the front end of the lifting mechanism cover 669, the downstream end opens forward.

Furthermore, a lifting outlet sensor 654 is attached to the lifting mechanism cover 669 near the left end of the portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 that extends to the left in a front view. In addition, a ball lifting outlet grounding plate 656 is attached to the lifting mechanism cover 669 upstream of the lifting outlet sensor 654 in the portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 that extends to the left, and is provided to be in contact with the game ball B flowing through the ball lifting outlet passage 652.

Furthermore, the lifting mechanism cover 669 has a support projection 669a that protrudes forward from the right end, slightly below the center in the vertical direction, beyond the lifting mechanism base 668, and a locking hole 669b that penetrates the front surface of the support projection 669a and into which the nylon latch 694 is engaged. When the ball lifting unit 650 is attached to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j of the main frame 4 from the rear, the support projection 669a protrudes through the opening 501o that penetrates the base wall portion 501b, towards the front side of the base wall portion 501b.

Next, the ball lifting inlet passage 651 of the ball lifting unit 650 has an opening (inlet) at its upstream end that opens to the left near the lower part of the left side of the ball lifting unit 650. This opening is positioned to face the ball discharge port 600d of the circulating ball path unit 600 when assembled to the main frame 4. The ball lifting inlet passage 651 slopes downward from the left end inlet toward the right, extends to the right of the lifting spiral shaft 661, bypassing the rear of the lifting spiral shaft 661, then bends back toward the front and extends to the left near the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661. Then, near the lifting spiral shaft 661, it bends in a crank shape, wrapping around to the front of the lifting spiral shaft 661, and communicates with the lifting groove 661a of the lifting spiral shaft 661 near the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661.

The ball lifting inlet passage 651 is positioned so that its upstream end opening faces the ball discharge port 600d, which forms the downstream end opening of the ball storage passage 604 in the circulating ball path unit 600. Game balls B that have circulated through the ball storage passage 604 are then transferred and circulated through this passage.

The ball lifting inlet passage 651 has a lifting inlet sensor 653 installed on the right side of the lifting spiral shaft 661, and a ball lifting inlet grounding plate 655 is attached to the rear side of the lifting spiral shaft 661.

The ball lifting outlet passage 652, near the upper end of the ball lifting unit 650, has its upstream end communicating with the lifting groove 661a in front of the upper end of the lifting spiral shaft 661. It extends to the left of the lifting spiral shaft 661, then bends rearward, extending to the same position as the rear end of the lifting spiral shaft 661, before bending to the left again. From there, it extends to the left near the left end of the ball lifting unit 650, then bends forward, with its downstream end opening forward on the front surface of the ball lifting unit 650 (lifting mechanism cover 669).

The ball lifting exit passage 652 is positioned so that its downstream end opening faces the ball supply port of the ball transport unit described later, allowing game balls B to be supplied to the ball transport unit 700.

The ball lifting outlet passage 652 extends to the left near the rear end of the ball lifting unit 650. A lifting outlet sensor 654 is installed near the left end of this section, and a ball lifting outlet grounding plate 656 is attached upstream (to the right) of the sensor. The bottom wall of the section of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 where the ball lifting outlet grounding plate 656 is installed has an opening of a size that does not obstruct the flow of game balls B, allowing dust and debris to be discharged to the outside through this opening.

The lifting inlet sensor 653 detects the presence or absence of game balls B to be lifted when the lifting motor 664 rotates the lifting spiral shaft 661 to lift the game balls B. As will be described in detail later, if the lifting inlet sensor 653 does not detect game balls B, the lifting motor 664 will not be driven.

The lifting outlet sensor 654 detects the presence or absence of game balls B being supplied to the ball transport unit. As will be described in detail later, when the lifting inlet sensor 653 detects game balls B, and the lifting outlet sensor 654 no longer detects game balls B, and a predetermined condition is met (in this case, a predetermined number (e.g., 3) of game balls B are subtracted by the launch subtraction sensor 554), the lifting motor 664 drives the lifting spiral shaft 661, causing a predetermined number of game balls B to be lifted.

The lifting inlet sensor 653 and the lifting outlet sensor 654 are photosensors having a light-emitting part and a light-receiving part. They detect the presence or absence of the game ball B non-contact by blocking the light from the light-emitting part when the game ball B is present.

Here, the relationship between the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the ball lifting outlet passage 652, and the lifting inlet sensor 653 and the lifting outlet sensor 654 will be explained. Here, the relationship between the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the lifting inlet sensor 653 will be explained; the relationship between the ball lifting outlet passage 652 and the lifting outlet sensor 654 is the same and will therefore be omitted. As shown in Figures 52 and 53, the portion of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 where the lifting inlet sensor 653 is located is a V-shaped passage section 651a with a V-shaped cross-section (an inverted trapezoidal shape narrowing downwards). The portion of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 other than the V-shaped passage section 651a is a U-shaped passage section 651b with an upward-opening cross-section.

The same applies to the ball lifting outlet passage 652. The area containing the lifting outlet sensor 654 is a V-shaped passage section 652a (a V-shaped inverted trapezoidal shape narrowing downwards), while the other areas are a U-shaped passage section 652b (a U-shaped passage with an upward-opening cross-section).

In other words, the V-shaped passage sections 651a and 652a each have a pair of inclined surfaces that the game ball B contacts and that are angled so that the gap widens as it extends upwards. The U-shaped passage sections 651b and 652b each have a flat bottom surface that contacts the game ball B and is wider than the diameter of the game ball B, and a pair of side walls erected from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction. The ball transport passage 703 of the ball transport unit 700, which is downstream of the ball lifting exit passage 652, is also formed in the same shape as the U-shaped passage sections 651b and 652b.

Furthermore, if the cross-section of the passage for the lifting inlet sensor 653, which consists of a photosensor, is a U-shaped passage that opens upwards, the circulating game balls B will come into contact with the side walls. This contact with the game balls B may cause scratches or dirt on the side walls of the passage, potentially hindering the photosensor's light reception and resulting in false detections. Additionally, in a U-shaped passage, the position of the game balls B in the width direction of the passage is not constant and unstable, leading to inconsistent detection positions by the sensor and potentially causing false detections.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the lifting inlet sensor 653 (lifting outlet sensor 654) is positioned as a V-shaped passage section 651a (V-shaped passage section 652a) with a V-shaped cross-section. By holding the game ball B at two points using the diagonal sides of the V-shape, movement in the width direction of the passage can be restricted, and the position of the game ball B can be kept constant and stable relative to the width direction of the passage. As a result, the game ball B does not come into contact with the side wall of the passage at the lifting inlet sensor 653 (lifting outlet sensor 654), preventing scratches and dirt caused by contact with the game ball B, eliminating false detections, and ensuring reliable detection of the game ball.

In the above, the shape of the passage that stabilizes the position of the game ball B relative to the sensor is shown as a V-shaped passage section 651a (V-shaped passage section 652a) with a V-shaped cross-section (inverted trapezoidal shape). However, it may also be a pair of protrusions that are spaced narrower than the diameter of the game ball B and extend in the direction of the game ball B's flow.

The ball lifting inlet passage 651 has a lifting spiral shaft 661 at its downstream end. Therefore, in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 upstream of the lifting spiral shaft 661, game balls B are picked up one by one by the lifting groove 661a of the lifting spiral shaft 661, resulting in intermittent movement and causing game balls B to remain stationary in the ball lifting inlet passage 651. On the other hand, the ball lifting outlet passage 652 has a ball transport unit 700 (described later) at its downstream end. Therefore, in the ball lifting outlet passage 652 upstream of the ball transport unit 700, game balls B are transported one by one intermittently by the ball transport operation of the ball transport unit 700, causing game balls B to remain stationary in the ball lifting outlet passage 652.

Furthermore, in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 (ball lifting outlet passage 652), as shown in Figure 53, only the area around the lifting inlet sensor 653 (lifting outlet sensor 654) is a V-shaped passage section 651a (V-shaped passage section 652a), while the other areas are U-shaped passage sections 651b (U-shaped passage section 652b). Therefore, even if multiple game balls B are stationary within the passage, the ball pressure exerted by the multiple game balls B on the downstream side can be reduced.

More specifically, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 53, in the V-shaped passage section 651a (V-shaped passage section 652a), multiple game balls B are arranged in a straight line (a single row along the axis of the passage). However, in the U-shaped passage section 651b (U-shaped passage section 652b), the multiple game balls B are pushed downstream, causing them to alternately contact the side walls on both sides, resulting in a staggered arrangement. This distributes the ball pressure to the side walls, reducing the pressure exerted by the multiple game balls B downstream. Therefore, parts located downstream of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 (ball lifting outlet passage 652) (for example, the lifting spiral shaft 661, the ball-feeding movable member 705 of the ball-feeding unit 700, etc.) will not be damaged by the pressure of the multiple game balls B stored there. Furthermore, these parts do not need to be excessively reinforced against the ball pressure, thus reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

By the way, the detection of game ball B at the prize entry point, etc., is performed by checking the output from the ball sensor at predetermined interrupt cycles (for example, 4 ms), and if the output is not detected, detected, detected (in other words, "011"), it is determined that game ball B has been detected (ON). In other words, when the output from the ball sensor is "011", it is determined to be ON, and when it is anything other than "011", it is determined to be OFF. However, in ball sensors (here, the lifting entrance sensor 653 and the lifting exit sensor 654) installed in ball passages where multiple game balls B are stationary, such as the ball lifting entrance passage 651 and the ball lifting exit passage 652, if the presence or absence of game balls B is determined by the above-described determination method, then the ball sensors will only produce OFF when there are no game balls B in the ball passage, many short-interval ONs will occur when game balls B are being supplied to the ball passage, and many short-interval OFFs will occur when the game balls B stored in the ball passage are moving one by one (the game balls B are moving at the launch interval). Therefore, the above-described determination method could not accurately determine whether there were no game balls B in the ball passage.

In contrast, this embodiment sets thresholds for ON and OFF detection (for example, an ON threshold of 200 ms and an OFF threshold of 200 ms), and determines ON or OFF only when the threshold is exceeded and there is a continuous period of no detection or detection. In other words, for example, when the output from the ball sensor is "01111...", it is determined to be ON, and when it is "10000...", it is determined to be OFF. This allows for reliable detection (determination) of the presence or absence of game balls B in a ball passage where multiple game balls B are stationary.

The thresholds for determining ON and OFF may vary depending on the type of ball passage, the number of game balls B that are held, etc., and the ON threshold and the OFF threshold may be different. In this embodiment, the ball lifting inlet sensor 653 of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 has, for example, an ON threshold of 80 ms and an OFF threshold of 200 ms. Similarly, the ball lifting outlet sensor 654 of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 has, for example, an ON threshold of 80 ms and an OFF threshold of 200 ms. Furthermore, the launch pre-launch sensor 704 of the ball transport unit 700 (described later) has, for example, an ON threshold of 12 ms and an OFF threshold of 12 ms. Also, as mentioned above, the launch subtraction sensor 554 of the ball launch unit 550 has, for example, an ON threshold of 80 ms and an OFF threshold of 80 ms.

If the thresholds mentioned above are too small, even slight vibrations can cause false detections and introduce noise into the control system. Conversely, if the thresholds are excessively large, the state of the game ball B will be missed. Therefore, while the appropriate threshold varies depending on the location of the ball sensor, a minimum of 10 ms and a maximum of 300 ms is desirable. Furthermore, setting the threshold to a multiple of the interrupt cycle (e.g., 4 ms) (e.g., 3 to 60 times) reduces the software load, as only the number of interrupts needs to be counted for software control. Basically, the threshold is short for the pre-launch sensor 704, where the game ball B reliably remains in a fixed position. However, for sensors where the game ball B remains in a nearly fixed position but with some variation in its position (e.g., the lift-out exit sensor 654), the threshold is longer to provide a margin. In the launch-subtraction sensor 554, the game ball B remains (stays) in a fixed position, but the threshold is longer to prevent false detections due to human-induced vibrations.

The ball lifting inlet grounding plate 655 removes static electricity from the game balls B supplied from the circulating ball path unit 600 to the ball lifting inlet passage 651. The ball lifting inlet grounding plate 655 is located upstream of the lifting inlet sensor 653. This allows for the pre-removal of static electricity from the game balls B passing through the lifting inlet sensor 653, preventing false detections at the lifting inlet sensor 653 or malfunctions of the frame control board 740 due to static electricity from the game balls B.

The ball lifting outlet grounding plate 656 removes static electricity from the game ball B, which is lifted by the ball lifting mechanism 660 and polished by the ball polishing mechanism 680. The ball lifting outlet grounding plate 656 is located upstream of the lifting outlet sensor 654. This allows for the pre-removal of static electricity from the game ball B as it passes through the lifting outlet sensor 654, preventing false detections in the lifting outlet sensor 654 or malfunctions of the frame control board 740 due to static electricity from the game ball B.

The ball lifting relay board 657 is used to relay connections between the lifting inlet sensor 653, lifting outlet sensor 654, lifting motor 664, lifting motor index sensor 666, ball motor 688, etc., and the frame control board 740. The ball lifting relay board 657 is mounted on the rear side of the lifting mechanism cover 669.

The ball grinding mechanism 680 is mounted on the front side of the ball lifting mechanism 660. The ball grinding mechanism 680 comprises a vertically elongated rectangular box-shaped ball grinding cassette 681, an endless ring-belt-shaped grinding cloth 682 with a portion exposed to the outside on the rear surface of the ball grinding cassette 681, a sheet-like ball grinding sponge 683 provided between the exposed portion of the grinding cloth 682 and the rear surface of the ball grinding cassette 681, a ball grinding feed gear 684 rotatably supported around a left-right axis in the lower part of the ball grinding cassette 681, and a ball grinding driven gear 685 meshing with the ball grinding feed gear 684 with the grinding cloth 682 in between, and also rotatably supported around a left-right axis.

Furthermore, the Kuma mechanism 680 includes a flat plate-shaped Kuma motor base 686 located to the left of the Kuma cassette 681, with a constant front-to-back depth and extending vertically, and its rear end rotatably attached to the lifting mechanism base 668; a gear cover 687 attached to the left side of the Kuma motor base 686; a Kuma motor 688 attached to the left side of the gear cover 687, with its rotating shaft protruding between the gear cover 687 and the Kuma motor base 686; a spur gear-shaped motor gear 689 attached to the rotating shaft of the Kuma motor 688; and a gear that meshes with the motor gear 689. The transmission gear 690 has a large-diameter spur-gear-shaped gear section 690a that meshes with the large-diameter gear section 690a, and a small-diameter spur-gear-shaped gear section 690b that rotates integrally with the large-diameter gear section 690a, and is rotatably supported between the Kuma motor base 686 and the gear cover 687. It also includes a spur-gear-shaped transmission gear 691 that meshes with the small-diameter gear section 690b of the transmission gear 690 and is rotatably supported between the Kuma motor base 686 and the gear cover 687, and a rotating connecting section 692 that rotates integrally with the transmission gear 691 and protrudes to the right through the Kuma motor base 686.

Furthermore, the Kuma mechanism 680 includes a flat cassette pressing piece 693 that abuts against the front surface of the Kuma cassette 681, with its left end locked to the front end of the Kuma motor base 686 and its right end attached to the front surface of the base wall 501b of the main frame base 501; a nylon latch 694 that detachably attaches the right end of the cassette pressing piece 693 to the front surface (locking hole 669b) of the support projection 669a of the lifting mechanism cover 669; and a spring 695 that biases the cassette pressing piece 693 rearward (towards the Kuma cassette 681) relative to the Kuma motor base 686.

As shown in Figure 54, the Kuma cassette 681 of the Kuma mechanism 680 is formed in a hollow box shape, with slits 681a provided at both the upper and lower edges of the rear surface, through which the grinding cloth 682 can pass. The Kuma cassette 681 is detachably attached from the front to the lifting mechanism base 668 of the Kuma lifting mechanism 660, so as to close the Kuma opening 668a.

Furthermore, the Kuma cassette 681 has a connecting hole 681b located on the lower left side and a positioning hole 681c located in front of the connecting hole. The connecting hole 681b is into which the rotating connecting portion 692, which protrudes to the right from the Kuma motor base 686, is inserted. The tip of the rotating connecting portion 692 inserted into the connecting hole 681b is connected to the Kuma feed gear 684. The positioning hole 681c is into which the positioning pin 686b, described later, of the Kuma motor base 686 is inserted. The insertion of the positioning pin 686b positions the Kuma cassette 681 relative to the ball lifting mechanism 660, and also restricts (locks) the forward movement of the Kuma cassette 681 relative to the ball lifting mechanism 660.

Furthermore, the Kuma cassette 681 includes a plurality of rollers 681d around which the polishing cloth 682 is wound, and a flat tension spring 681e that presses the polishing cloth 682 against the rollers 681d located near the upper slit 681a. The tension spring 681e applies tension to the portion of the polishing cloth 682 exposed to the outside of the Kuma cassette 681 by pressing it against the rollers 681d, preventing the polishing cloth 682 from bending on the outer side of its rear surface.

The polishing cloth 682 is formed in the shape of an endless ring belt with a constant width on both sides. As shown in Figures 50(a) and 54(c), the polishing cloth 682 is housed within the Kuma cassette 681 in a meandering manner, with a portion of it exposed behind the rear surface of the Kuma cassette 681 through the upper and lower slits.

The Kuma sponge 683 is positioned between the rear surface of the Kuma cassette 681 and the rearward-exposed portion of the polishing cloth 682, and is attached to the rear surface of the Kuma cassette 681. The inner surface of the polishing cloth 682 is in contact with the rear surface of the Kuma sponge 683. When assembled with the ball lifting unit 650, the Kuma sponge 683 elastically presses the polishing cloth 682 against the game ball B exposed forward from the Kuma opening 668a of the ball lifting mechanism 660, ensuring that the polishing cloth 682 contacts the spherical surface of the game ball B over a wider area. The Kuma sponge 683 is replaceable and attached to the Kuma cassette 681.

The Kuma drive gear 684 is positioned so that, with the Kuma cassette 681 attached, its axis aligns with the axis of the transmission gear 691 (rotating coupling portion 692). The left end of the rotating shaft is connected to the rotating coupling portion 692, allowing it to rotate integrally with the transmission gear 691.

The Kuma driven gear 685 is meshed with the Kuma feed gear 684 such that there is a gap for the abrasive cloth 682 to fit into. As the Kuma feed gear 684 rotates, the Kuma driven gear 685 rotates in the opposite direction, and at the same time, it can feed the abrasive cloth 682 that is sandwiched between the Kuma feed gear 684 and the Kuma driven gear 685.

The Kuma motor base 686 extends vertically along the left side of the Kuma cassette 681, and its rear end is rotatably mounted around an axis extending vertically relative to the lifting mechanism base 668. This allows the Kuma motor base 686 to rotate between a locked position parallel to the left side of the Kuma cassette 681 and a released position where its front end is moved away to the left from the Kuma cassette 681. The Kuma motor base 686 has a locking hole 686a that penetrates horizontally at the front edge, above the vertical center. A locking hook 693a, located at the left end of the cassette pressing piece 693, is inserted into and locked into this locking hole 686a.

As shown in Figure 46, the Kuma motor base 686 has a rotating coupling portion 692 protruding to the right from a portion near the rear in the front-rear direction, near the lower end of the right side. The Kuma motor base 686 also has a positioning pin 686b that protrudes cylindrically to the right from a portion near the center in the front-rear direction, near the lower end of the right side. The tip (right end) of the positioning pin 686b is formed in a conical shape. This positioning pin 686b is inserted into the positioning hole 681c of the Kuma cassette 681, thereby positioning the Kuma cassette 681 and restricting its forward movement.

In detail, when the Kuma motor base 686 is rotated to a release position with its front end moved to the left in the front-rear direction, and the Kuma cassette 681 is mounted in the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668, rotating the Kuma motor base 686 so that its tip moves to the right to the lock position allows the positioning pin 686b to be inserted into the positioning hole 681c of the Kuma cassette 681 from a direction intersecting the front-rear direction, thereby positioning the Kuma cassette 681 and preventing it from moving forward from the cassette mounting recess 668b.

The Kuma motor base 686 is positioned so that its tip contacts the projection 102 (guide surface 102a) of the door frame 3. As will be described in detail later, if the door frame 3 is attempted to be closed relative to the main frame 4 while the Kuma motor base 686 is not in the locked position, the guide surface 102a of the projection 102 contacts the front end of the Kuma motor base 686, causing the Kuma motor base 686 to rotate to the locked position. This prevents accidental unlocking and also prevents the cassette pressing piece 693, etc., from being caught and damaged between the door frame 3.

The Kuma motor 688 is controlled independently of the operation of the lifting motor 664, and is controlled so that the grinding cloth 682 moves 0.17 mm for every 1000 game balls B launched.

The cassette pressing piece 693 extends to the left and right, and a hook-shaped locking hook portion 693a is provided at its left end, which is inserted into and locked into a locking hole 686a of the Kuma motor base 686. This cassette pressing piece 693 is biased by a spring 695 to rotate counterclockwise in a plan view. In other words, it is biased to press the Kuma cassette 681, which is mounted in the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668, backward. The right end of the cassette pressing piece 693 extends to the right of the Kuma cassette 681, and its rear surface is configured to contact the front surface of the support projection 669a on the lifting mechanism cover 669. A nylon latch 694 is provided near the right end of this cassette pressing piece 693.

The Nylatch 694, when the right end of the cassette pressing piece 693 is in contact with the support projection 669a of the lifting mechanism cover 669, is pressed and the tip expands in diameter to lock into the locking hole 669b of the support projection 669a, thereby locking the cassette pressing piece 693 immovably. The lock can be released by pulling the operating part 694a towards the user. More specifically, the Nylatch 694 comprises an operating part 694a consisting of a disc-shaped disc portion and a rod-shaped portion protruding from the center of the disc portion, and a cylindrical member (grommet) having a cylindrical portion into which the rod-shaped portion of the operating part 694a is slidably inserted, a flange portion extending outward from the base end of the cylindrical portion near the disc portion, and multiple slits provided circumferentially, which are notched from the tip of the cylindrical portion opposite to the flange portion toward the flange portion. When the cylindrical member is inserted into the locking hole 669b of the support projection 669a, pressing the operating part 694a toward the support projection 669a causes the rod-shaped part to slide toward the tip inside the cylindrical part, expanding the diameter so that the tip of the cylindrical part, which is divided by multiple slits, opens. This prevents the cylindrical member from coming out of the locking hole 669b, thus locking it in place.

In this embodiment, the ball lifting unit 650, when assembled to the main frame 4, is attached to the rear side of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501. When assembling this ball lifting unit 650 to the main frame base 501 of the main frame 4, the ball lifting unit 650 is attached to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j provided on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b, with the ball cassette 681 of the ball mechanism 680 removed from the ball lifting mechanism 660 (see Figure 47(a)). At this time, the ball motor base 686 and support projection 669a, which protrude forward from the lifting mechanism base 668, are made to protrude forward from the base wall portion 501b through the opening 501o that penetrates the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j.

In this state, the ball-cleaning opening 668a of the ball-cleaning mechanism base 668 of the ball-cleaning mechanism 660 is located in the opening 501o that penetrates the ball-cleaning unit mounting portion 501j on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b. Through the opening 501o and the ball-cleaning opening 668a, the game balls B being lifted onto the lifting spiral shaft 661 can be visually inspected from the front of the base wall portion 501b (main frame 4) (see Figure 49). Since the width of the ball-cleaning opening 668a is narrower than the diameter of the game balls B, the game balls B will not spill out even if the ball cassette 681 is removed. This allows the lifting spiral shaft 661 and the game balls B being lifted onto the lifting spiral shaft 661 to be inspected from the front by opening the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 and removing the ball cassette 681.

Once the ball lifting mechanism 660 side of the ball lifting unit 650 is attached to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j of the base wall portion 501b, the operating portion 694a of the Nylatch 694 protruding forward from the base wall portion 501b is pulled to release the lock, and the cassette pressing piece 693 is rotated to open forward and to the left against the biasing force of the spring 695, and the Kuma motor base 686 is rotated to the release position so that its tip is away from the Kuma cassette 681, so that the cassette pressing piece 693 and the Kuma motor base 686 do not overlap with the front of the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668. Then, with the surface where the polishing cloth 682 is exposed facing backward from the front of the base wall portion 501b, the Kuma cassette 681 is positioned in front of the cassette mounting recess 668b in the lifting mechanism base 668 so that the Kuma opening 668a is closed from the front (see Figures 46 and 47(b)).

In this state, the Kuma cassette 681 is moved backward, and its rear end is inserted into the cassette mounting recess 668b. Then, the Kuma motor base 686 is rotated to the locked position so that it is parallel to the left side of the Kuma cassette 681, and the rotating connecting portion 692 and the positioning pin 686b protruding from the right side of the Kuma motor base 686 are inserted into the connecting hole 681b and the positioning hole 681c of the Kuma cassette 681, respectively. As a result, the rotating connecting portion 692 and the positioning pin 686b are inserted into the Kuma cassette 681 from a direction intersecting the front-rear direction, thus restricting the forward movement of the Kuma cassette 681.

When the Kuma motor base 686 is moved to the locked position, the cassette pressing piece 693 attached to the front end of the Kuma motor base 686 presses the Kuma cassette 681 backward due to the biasing force of the spring 695, and the right end of the cassette pressing piece 693 comes into contact with the support projection 669a of the lifting mechanism cover 669. In this state, when the operating part 694a of the Nylatch 694 is pressed and engaged with the locking hole 669b of the support projection 669a, the cassette pressing piece 693 is locked so that it cannot rotate, and the installation of the Kuma cassette 681 is completed.

To remove the Kuma cassette 681, first pull the operating part 694a of the Nylatch 694 towards you to release the lock, and then remove the Kuma cassette 681 by performing the reverse procedure described above.

By the way, if the Kuma cassette 681 is installed in an incomplete state, such as by forgetting to lock it with the Kuma motor base 686 or the cassette pressing piece 693, the Kuma cassette 681 may come loose during gameplay, causing an interruption to the game and potentially diminishing the player's enjoyment.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the Kuma cassette 681 is configured not to come off even if the locking mechanism using the Kuma motor base 686 and the cassette pressing piece 693 is not engaged. More specifically, as shown in Figure 48(a), if the door frame 3 is attempted to be closed relative to the main frame 4 while the Kuma motor base 686 is not in the locked position and the cassette pressing piece 693 is not pressing the Kuma cassette 681 backward, the inclined guide surface 102a of the projection 102 on the door frame body 100 of the door frame 3 will contact the front end of the Kuma motor base 686 (see Figure 48(b)).

In this process, the cassette pressing piece 693, which is attached to the front end of the Kuma motor base 686, does not remain in the forward-protruding state as shown in Figure 46. Instead, due to the biasing force of the spring 695, it moves towards the rearward Kuma cassette 681 as shown in Figure 48(a). Therefore, the cassette pressing piece 693 does not come into contact with the door frame 3 and rotate in the opposite direction from the Kuma cassette 681, and neither the cassette pressing piece 693 nor the door frame 3 is damaged.

As the door frame 3 moves further in the closing direction, the tip of the Kuma motor base 686 is pushed by the guide surface 102a and rotates to the rightward lock position. This causes the rotating connecting portion 692 protruding from the right side of the Kuma motor base 686 to be inserted into the connecting hole 681b of the Kuma cassette 681, and the positioning pin 686b of the Kuma motor base 686 to be inserted into the positioning hole 681c of the Kuma cassette 681, restricting (locking) the forward movement of the Kuma cassette 681. Furthermore, the cassette pressing piece 693 is pressed backward by the biasing force of the spring 695 (see Figure 48(c)). As a result, the Kuma cassette 681 is locked and cannot be dislodged forward.

Although not shown in the diagram, a projection may be provided on the rear surface of the door frame 3 that can press the operating part 694a of the Nylatch 694 backward. This allows the cassette pressing piece 693 to be locked even if the locking mechanism of the Nylatch 694 is forgotten, thus reliably preventing the Kuma cassette 681 from falling out (coming loose).

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows a mechanism where the projection 102 on the door frame 3 moves the Kuma motor base 686 to a locked position, thereby locking the Kuma cassette 681 permanently. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the ball launching unit 550 and the foul unit 570 could be provided in a detachable manner, along with a locking mechanism to permanently lock the ball launching unit 550, etc. If the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4 while the locking mechanism is not fully engaged, the projection 102 would contact the locking mechanism, permanently locking the ball launching unit 550, etc.

In this embodiment, the ball lifting unit 650, when assembled to the main frame 4, has an opening at the upstream end of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 facing the ball discharge port 600d of the circulating ball path unit 600. Game balls B that have flowed through the meandering ball storage passage 604 are supplied. The game balls B supplied to the ball lifting inlet passage 651 come into contact with the ball lifting inlet grounding plate 655 to remove static electricity, are detected by the lifting inlet sensor 653, and are supplied to the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661. At this time, the game balls B are inserted into the ball polishing opening 668a, which has its front end penetrating forward. The front end of the game ball B comes into contact with the polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing mechanism 680, and its movement in the left-right direction is restricted by the vertically elongated ball polishing opening 668a.

In this state, when the lifting motor 664 rotates the lifting spiral shaft 661 in the direction that lifts the game ball B, the game ball B is pushed from below by the lifting groove 661a and moves upward along the ball polishing opening 668a. During this process, the game ball B moves upward while rotating, contacting the vertically extending portion of the inner periphery of the ball polishing opening 668a and the lifting groove 661a. As a result, the portion of the game ball B in contact with the polishing cloth 682 on the front end changes as the game ball B rises (rotates), making it possible to polish the entire surface of the game ball B evenly.

When the game ball B reaches the upper end of the lifting spiral shaft 661, it enters the ball lifting exit passage 652, contacts the ball lifting exit grounding plate 656, is detected by the lifting exit sensor 654, and is then sent to the ball transport unit from the downstream end of the ball lifting exit passage 652. At this time, even if the game ball B is polished by the polishing cloth 682 while being lifted by the ball lifting mechanism 660 and becomes charged with static electricity, the static electricity is removed by contact with the ball lifting exit grounding plate 656 located upstream of the lifting exit sensor 654. Therefore, no malfunctions due to static electricity from the ball polishing occur in the lifting exit sensor 654, the frame control board 740, etc.

On the other hand, in the Kuma mechanism 680, with the Kuma cassette 681 installed, when the Kuma motor 688 rotates the Kuma feed gear 684 clockwise in a right-side view, the portion of the grinding cloth 682 exposed to the outside from the rear surface of the Kuma cassette 681 is retracted into the Kuma cassette 681 through the lower slit. At this time, the exposed portion of the grinding cloth 682 is pulled downwards, causing the portion of the grinding cloth 682 retracted into the Kuma cassette 681 to be unfurled through the upper slit.

The grinding cloth 682 of the ball grinding mechanism 680 moves intermittently at a slow speed. In this embodiment, the grinding cloth 682 moves 0.17 mm every time 1000 game balls B are launched.

Thus, according to the ball lifting unit 650 of this embodiment, the game balls B discharged from the circulating ball path unit 600 can be supplied to the ball transport unit 700 while the game balls B are being polished.

[4-6. Ball Throwing Unit]
The ball-feeding unit 700 in the main frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 55 to 57. Figure 55(a) is a perspective view of the ball-feeding unit in the main frame from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the ball-feeding unit in the main frame from the rear. Figure 56(a) is an exploded perspective view of the ball-feeding unit from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the ball-feeding unit from the rear. Figure 57 is a front cross-sectional view of the ball-feeding unit cut at the launch sensor.

The ball delivery unit 700 is for supplying the game balls B, lifted by the ball lifting unit 650, one by one to the ball launching unit 550. The ball delivery unit 700 is attached to the ball delivery unit mounting section 501k, which is located on the rear side of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501. The ball delivery unit 700 is positioned between the base wall portion 501b and the circulating ball path unit 600, extending upward from the upper surface of the base wall portion 501b, and is detachably mounted upwards.

The ball delivery unit 700 includes a ball supply port 701 that opens at the rear and into which game balls B supplied from the ball lifting unit 650 can enter; a ball outlet 702 that opens at the front and delivers game balls B to the ball launching platform 552b of the ball launching unit 550; a ball delivery passage 703 connecting the ball supply port 701 and the ball outlet 702, through which game balls B can flow; a pre-launch sensor 704 capable of detecting game balls B flowing through the ball delivery passage 703; a movable ball delivery member 705 for releasing game balls B one by one from the ball outlet 702 as detected by the pre-launch sensor 704; a ball delivery solenoid 706 for moving the movable ball delivery member 705 to deliver game balls B to the ball launching unit 550; and a ball delivery relay board 707 that relays the connection between the ball delivery solenoid 706, the pre-launch sensor 704, and the frame control board 740.

Furthermore, the ball-feeding unit 700 includes a transmission member 708 that transmits the forward and backward movement of the plunger in the ball-feeding solenoid 706 to move the ball-feeding movable member 705, a box-shaped unit base 709 that is open to the rear and contains a pre-launch sensor 704 and the ball-feeding solenoid 706, etc., inside, and a flat unit cover 710 that is attached to close the opening at the rear end of the unit base 709.

The ball supply port 701 of the ball transport unit 700 is provided by penetrating the unit cover 710 that forms the rear surface of the ball transport unit 700, and is located in the upper right portion from the center when viewed from the front. The ball supply port 701 is sized to allow game balls B to pass through one at a time.

The ball outlet 702 is provided by penetrating the unit base 709, which constitutes the front side of the ball feeding unit 700, from front to back, and is located slightly below the center when viewed from the front. The ball outlet 702 is sized to allow one game ball B to pass through at a time.

The ball delivery passage 703 connects the ball supply port 701 and the ball delivery port 702. It extends downwards to the left from the ball supply port 701 to the upper part of the ball delivery port 702, and then extends downwards to the ball delivery port 702. A pre-launch sensor 704 is located near the left end of the leftward-extending portion of the ball delivery passage 703. Furthermore, the ball receiving portion 705a of the movable ball delivery member 705 is located in the vertically extending portion of the ball delivery passage 703 behind the ball delivery port 702.

The launch sensor 704 is located near the left end of the ball transport passage 703, where it extends downwards to the left. In other words, the launch sensor 704 is located directly upstream of the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball transport movable member 705. This launch sensor 704 detects the game ball B non-contactually, for example, by detecting a change in induced current.

The ball transport passage 703, where the pre-launch sensor 704 is installed, is a place where the flow of game balls B stagnates, similar to the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the ball lifting outlet passage 652. Therefore, the pre-launch sensor 704, like the lifting inlet sensor 653 and the lifting outlet sensor 654, has thresholds for ON and OFF determinations. ON or OFF is determined only when the threshold is exceeded and non-detection or detection occurs consecutively, thus reliably determining (detecting) the presence or absence of game balls B. In this embodiment, for example, the ON threshold for the pre-launch sensor 704 is set to 12 ms, and the OFF threshold is set to 12 ms.

The ball-feeding movable member 705 is designed to move in response to the drive of the ball-feeding solenoid 706, thereby releasing the game balls B one by one from the ball-feeding outlet 702 within the ball-feeding passage 703 and supplying them to the ball-launching unit 550. The ball-feeding movable member 705 comprises a ball-receiving section 705a, which is U-shaped, open to the right and front and rear, with a bottom wall inclined forward, and capable of accommodating only one game ball B; a rod section 705b extending to the left from the left end of the ball-receiving section 705a; a bearing section 705c, which penetrates the left end of the rod section 705b from front to back and into which the first shaft pin 710a of the unit cover 710 is inserted so as to be rotatable relative to the bearing section 705c; a movable gear section 705d, which is fan-shaped and coaxial with the bearing section 705c to the right; and a ball-stopping section 705e, which forms the upper part of the U-shaped ball-receiving section 705a.

The ball-feeding solenoid 706 is used to move the ball-feeding movable member 705 to supply game balls B one by one from the ball-feeding port 702 to the ball-launching unit 550. The ball-feeding solenoid 706 is located between the unit base 709 and the unit cover 710, with its magnetic pole, which generates magnetic force when energized, facing downwards, in the upper left corner of the front view. As will be described in detail later, the ball-feeding solenoid 706, in conjunction with the launching solenoid 553, performs a series of hardware operations based on a predetermined launching sequence.

The ball-transfer relay board 707 is for relaying the connection between the pre-launch sensor 704 and the ball-transfer solenoid 706 and the frame control board 740. The ball-transfer relay board 707 is located between the unit base 709 and the unit cover 710, to the right of the pre-launch sensor 704.

The transmission member 708 transmits the forward and backward movement of the plunger of the ball-feeding solenoid 706 so that the ball-feeding movable member 705 can move. The transmission member 708 includes a sheet metal holding portion 708b to which a magnetically attachable sheet metal 708a is mounted on the magnetic pole portion of the ball-feeding solenoid 706; a rod portion 708c extending to the right from the sheet metal holding portion 708b; a bearing portion 708d that penetrates the right end of the rod portion 708c from front to back, into which the second shaft pin 710b of the unit cover 710 is inserted so as to be rotatable relative to the bearing portion 708d; and a drive gear portion 708e that is fan-shaped and coaxially positioned to the left of the bearing portion 708d, and meshes with the movable gear portion 705d of the ball-feeding movable member 705.

The unit base 709 is formed in a box shape that opens to the rear, with a ball delivery port 702 extending from front to back through the lower center of the front surface. The unit base 709, in cooperation with the unit cover 710, forms the ball delivery passage 703 and holds the pre-launch sensor 704, the ball delivery movable member 705, the ball delivery solenoid 706, the ball delivery relay board 707, and the transmission member 708.

The unit base 709 has a knob portion 709a that is recessed downward and spaced apart from the left and right on its upper surface, and an elastic claw 709b provided at the lower right corner of its front surface. The knob portion 709a is formed so that an operator can grasp it from above, and is used when removing the ball-feeding unit 700 upward from the main frame base 501 of the main frame 4. The sides of the knob portion 709a that are close to each other are formed in a dovetail groove shape and are inclined to approach each other as they move downward. Multiple protrusions extending front to back are provided on the sides of the knob portion 709a, arranged vertically. The elastic claw 709b is designed to prevent the ball-feeding unit 700 from being removed upward when it is attached to the ball-feeding unit mounting portion 501k of the main frame base 501 by engaging with the locking hole of the ball-feeding unit mounting portion 501k.

To remove the ball-feeding unit 700 from the main frame base 501, the elastic claw 709b, which extends forward through the locking hole in the base wall portion 501b, is pressed backward to elastically deform it, and the knob portion 709a provided on the upper surface is grasped and pulled up, allowing the unit to be removed upward from the ball-feeding unit mounting portion 501k of the main frame base 501.

The unit cover 710 has a ball supply port 701 that penetrates from front to back in the upper right portion of the center when viewed from the front. The unit cover 710 works in cooperation with the unit base 709 to form a ball transport passage 703 and holds the pre-launch sensor 704, the ball transport movable member 705, the ball transport solenoid 706, the ball transport relay board 707, and the transmission member 708. The unit cover 710 has a first axis pin 710a and a second axis pin 710b that protrude forward in a cylindrical shape near the lower left corner when viewed from the front. The first axis pin 710a can be inserted into the bearing portion 705c of the ball transport movable member 705 to support the ball transport movable member 705 in a rotatable manner. The second axis pin 710b can be inserted into the bearing portion 708d of the transmission member 708 to support the transmission member 708 in a rotatable manner.

In this embodiment, the ball-feeding unit 700, when assembled, has a first shaft pin 710a inserted into the bearing portion 705c of the ball-feeding movable member 705, and a second shaft pin 710b inserted into the bearing portion 708d of the transmission member 708. The movable gear portion 705d of the ball-feeding movable member 705 and the drive gear portion 708e of the transmission member 708 mesh with each other. In this state, the ball-receiving portion 705a at the right end of the ball-feeding movable member 705 is located in the vertically extending portion behind the ball-feeding outlet 702 within the ball-feeding passage 703. When the ball-feeding movable member 705 rotates around the bearing portion 705c, the ball-receiving portion 705a moves vertically within the vertically extending portion of the ball-feeding passage 703.

In the normal state, the ball-feeding unit 700 has the ball-feeding solenoid 706 de-energized (OFF). Therefore, the sheet metal 708a of the transmission member 708 is separated downward from the magnetic pole of the ball-feeding solenoid 706 due to gravity. In this state, the lower surface of the ball-receiving portion 705a of the ball-feeding movable member 705 abuts against the bottom wall at the downstream end of the ball-feeding passage 703, the front end opening of the ball-receiving portion 705a coincides with the ball-feeding outlet 702, and the right end opening of the ball-receiving portion 705a does not coincide with the ball-feeding passage 703. Consequently, the game ball B flowing from upstream toward the ball-receiving portion 705a abuts against the U-shaped upper ball-stopping portion 705e of the ball-receiving portion 705a and is not received by the ball-receiving portion 705a. Meanwhile, the game ball B, held in the ball receiving section 705a, rolls forward due to the inclination of the bottom wall of the ball receiving section 705a and is released forward from the ball discharge port 702.

When the ball-feeding movable member 705 is in contact with a game ball B and stopping the ball feed, the ball-stopping portion 705e of the ball-feeding movable member 705 is positioned on the axis connecting the rotation center of the ball-feeding movable member 705 and the center of the game ball B in contact with it, as shown in Figure 57. This allows the ball pressure from the game ball B acting on the ball-stopping portion 705e to be received by the first axis pin 710a. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the ball-feeding movable member 705 from rotating and falling towards the ball-launching unit 550 due to the ball pressure from the multiple game balls B stored up to the ball-feeding unit 700.

Furthermore, in the normal state, since the ball stopper 705e is positioned on the axis connecting the center of the first axis pin 710a and the center of the game ball B being stopped, even if the game ball B in contact with the ball stopper 705e vibrates up and down due to impacts or vibrations from the surroundings, the ball-feeding movable member 705 can be rotated around the first axis pin 710a so that the ball stopper 705e follows the vibration of the game ball B, thereby preventing the ball stopper 705e from releasing. This prevents the game ball B, whose stopper has been released by the ball stopper 705e due to impacts, from being ejected to the foul unit 570 via the ball launching unit 550 and added to the number of balls held as a foul ball.

In this normal state, when the ball-feeding solenoid 706 is energized (ON), the magnetic force generated at the magnetic pole of the ball-feeding solenoid 706 attracts the sheet metal 708a of the transmission member 708 towards the upper magnetic pole, causing the transmission member 708 to rotate clockwise around its bearing portion 708d. As the transmission member 708 rotates clockwise, the movable gear portion 705d of the ball-feeding movable member 705, which meshes with the drive gear portion 708e of the transmission member 708, causes the ball-feeding movable member 705 to rotate counterclockwise around its bearing portion 705c, causing the ball-receiving portion 705a to move upward.

When the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball-feeding movable member 705 moves upward, the front end opening of the ball receiving portion 705a no longer aligns with the ball-feeding outlet 702, and the right end opening of the ball receiving portion 705a aligns with the ball-feeding passage 703. As a result, game balls B are received by the ball receiving portion 705a from the ball-feeding passage 703. In this state, because the right end opening of the ball receiving portion 705a does not align with the ball-feeding outlet 702, the game balls B received by the ball receiving portion 705a will not roll forward and be released from the ball-feeding outlet 702. Furthermore, since the ball receiving portion 705a is sized to accommodate only one game ball B, once one game ball B is received by the ball receiving portion 705a, the game ball B upstream of it will not be received by the ball receiving portion 705a.

Subsequently, when the power to the ball-feeding solenoid 706 is turned off, the attraction of the transmission member 708 from the magnetic pole portion of the ball-feeding solenoid 706 to the sheet metal 708a is released. At this time, since the game ball B is being received by the ball-receiving portion 705a of the ball-feeding movable member 705, the ball-feeding movable member 705 rotates clockwise around its bearing portion 705c so that the ball-receiving portion 705a moves downward due to the weight of the game ball B. Simultaneously, the transmission member 708 rotates counterclockwise around its bearing portion 708d via the drive gear portion 708e, which meshes with the movable gear portion 705d of the ball-feeding movable member 705, returning to its normal state.

Then, when the ball-feeding unit 700 returns to its normal state, the front end opening of the ball-receiving portion 705a of the ball-feeding movable member 705 aligns with the ball-feeding outlet 702. As a result, the game ball B that was being held by the ball-receiving portion 705a rolls forward and is released from the ball-feeding outlet 702 to the ball-launching unit 550.

Thus, with the ball-feeding unit 700 of this embodiment, by turning the ball-feeding solenoid 706 ON and OFF, the game balls B can be sent one by one to the ball-launching unit 550.

[4-7. Ball receiving tray]
The ball receiving tray 720 in the main frame 4 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 6, 7, 20, etc. The ball receiving tray 720 is located below the circulating ball path unit 600 and is for receiving game balls B discharged from the ball outlet 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600. The ball receiving tray 720 is formed in the shape of a container that is open upwards, and its bottom wall is inclined to become lower toward the front.

The ball receiving tray 720 is inserted from the front into the tray insertion recess 501f of the main frame base 501. The ball receiving tray 720 has elastic claws 721 on both the left and right side walls. When attached to the main frame base 501, the elastic claws 721 are locked to the locking claws 501n of the main frame base 501, preventing it from coming out forward. To remove the ball receiving tray 720, the locking is released by elastically deforming the elastic claws 721 inward, allowing it to be pulled forward.

When attaching the ball receiving tray 720 to the tray insertion recess 501f of the main frame base 501, the ball receiving tray 720 is moved backward from the front of the tray insertion recess 501f and inserted into the tray insertion recess 501f. At this time, because the front end of the locking claw 501n is inclined in an arrowhead shape, when the elastic claw 721 of the ball receiving tray 720 contacts the locking claw 501n from the front, the arrowhead-shaped inclination causes the elastic claw 721 to elastically deform inward, allowing the ball receiving tray 720 to be inserted into the tray insertion recess 501f. Then, when the elastic claw 721 of the ball receiving tray 720 passes the area of the locking claw 501n and contact with the locking claw 501n ceases, the elastically deformed elastic claw 721 returns to its original state, locking onto the locking claw 501n and preventing the ball receiving tray 720 from sliding forward.

The ball receiving tray 720 is placed on the bottom wall of the tray insertion recess 501f, which is sloped so that the front end is lower. Therefore, when game balls B discharged from the ball outlet 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 accumulate and become heavy, the tray attempts to slide forward due to the slope of the bottom wall. However, this sliding is prevented by the locking of the elastic claw 721 and the locking claw 501n. When the locking of the locking claw 501n by the elastic claw 721 is released, the weight of the accumulated game balls B causes the ball receiving tray 720 to slide forward automatically, allowing it to be easily removed from the tray insertion recess 501f.

Although not shown in the illustration, in this embodiment, the ball-feeding unit 700 is mounted on the main frame 4, and the wiring connector is connected to the ball-feeding relay board 707 by penetrating the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501 from the front. Therefore, even if one attempts to remove the ball-feeding unit from the mounting portion 501k upwards while the wiring connector is connected, the wiring connector will interfere, preventing removal.

Furthermore, when the ball-feeding unit 700 is attached to the main frame 4 and assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the game panel 1100 of the game board 5 is positioned above the ball-feeding unit 700, preventing the ball-feeding unit 700 from coming out upwards. Also, if the ball-feeding unit 700 is not fully inserted from above into the ball-feeding unit mounting section 501k of the main frame 4, and the game board 5 is inserted into the game board insertion section 502 from the front, the upper part of the ball-feeding unit 700 is pressed downwards by the game board 5 (game panel 1100), allowing it to be fully inserted.

[4-8. Frame substrate unit]
The frame circuit board unit 730 in the main frame 4 will be explained mainly with reference to Figures 17 and 18, 58 to 60, etc. Figure 58 is a perspective view showing the main frame opened relative to the outer frame, with the back cover and frame circuit board unit also open. Figure 59 is an explanatory diagram showing enlarged views of the frame circuit board unit in the outer frame and main frame. Figure 60 is a reference photograph showing the rear of the main frame with the frame circuit board unit open. The frame control board 740, as will be described in detail later, is for displaying the number of balls held in the ball count display unit 140, settlement processing by operating the counting button switch 180, controlling the ball launching unit 550, ball lifting unit 650, ball delivery unit 700, etc., and managing (monitoring) the game balls B in the circulating ball path unit 600, etc.

The frame base unit 730 is attached to the rear portion of the base wall 501b of the main frame base unit 501 in the main frame base unit 500, so as to be openable and closable. The frame base unit 730 includes a frame control board 740, a power supply board 750, an interface board 760, and a game ball dispensing device connection terminal board 765.

Furthermore, the frame base unit 730 includes a unit base 770 that is attached to the rear side of the main frame base unit 500 so as to be openable and closable; a frame control board box 771 attached to the rear side of the unit base 770 and housing the frame control board 740; a power supply board box 772 attached between the frame control board box 771 and the unit base 770 and housing the power supply board 750; an interface board box 773 attached to the unit base 770 on the left side of the front view of the frame control board box 771 and housing the interface board 760 and the game ball dispensing device connection terminal board 765; and a nylatch 774 for fixing the unit base 770 to the main frame base unit 500 in an immovable manner. The nylatch 774 has the same configuration as the nylatch 694 described above, and a detailed explanation of its configuration is omitted.

The frame control board 740, although not shown in the diagram, includes a ROM for storing various processing programs and commands, a RAM for temporarily storing data, a CPU for executing processing programs and commands, and other components.

The frame control board 740 includes a RAM clear switch 741 for erasing information stored in the RAM, a ball removal switch 742 used to remove the enclosed game balls B from the ball removal opening 613p of the ball circulation path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720), and a ball count memory/display clear switch 743 for clearing the number of balls the player has stored in the RAM, etc., and clearing the display on the ball count display unit 140 of the door frame 3 (see Figure 63).

The frame control board 740 is connected via bidirectional communication to the main control board 1310 (described later) located on the game board 5, and also via bidirectional communication to the game ball dispensing device connection terminal board 765. The frame control board 740 is connected to the game ball dispensing device 8 via the game ball dispensing device connection terminal board 765.

The frame control board 740 is connected to the door frame 3's ball count display unit 140, the launch stop switch 161, the handle touch sensor 162, the handle rotation sensor 163, and the counting button switch 180.

Furthermore, the frame control board 740 is connected to the following: the door opening switch 507 of the main frame 4, the frame opening switch 508, the launch solenoid 553, the launch subtraction sensor 554, the out ball sensor 605, the safe ball sensor 606, the foul ball sensor 607, the circulating ball shortage sensor 621, the circulating ball excess sensor 622, the lifting inlet sensor 653, the lifting outlet sensor 654, the lifting motor 664, the lifting motor index sensor 666, the ball motor 688, the launch pre-sensor 704, and the ball feeding solenoid 706.

The power supply board 750 is for supplying power at a predetermined voltage to the frame control board 740, the main control board 1310, the peripheral control board 1510, etc. A power switch 751 is provided near the right edge of the rear surface of the power supply board 750. This power switch 751 is exposed from the rear of the power supply board box 772 for operation.

The interface board 760 is used to relay connections between the frame control board 740 and various relay boards located on the door frame 3 side and the game board 5 side.

The game ball dispensing device connection terminal board 765 serves to relay the connection between the frame control board 740 and the game ball dispensing device 8.

The unit base 770 is elongated from left to right. A hinge shaft 770a is provided at the left end, pivotally supported by a frame substrate unit pivot support 504d located on the rear surface of the main frame speaker box 504 of the main frame base unit 500. Two Nylatch 774 are attached to the right end, with their operating sections 774a facing rearward.

The unit base 770 has a rear portion 770b that extends to the right from the left end in a length of 1/4 of the total length in the left-right direction in a plan view, a connecting portion 770c that extends a short distance forward from the right end of the rear portion 770b, and a front portion 770d that extends from the front end of the connecting portion 770c to the right end. As a result, the unit base 770 has a step in the front-rear direction between the rear portion 770b and the front portion 770d.

An interface board box 773 is detachably mounted on the rear side of the rear portion 770b of the unit base 770. Meanwhile, a power supply board box 772 is detachably mounted on the rear side of the front portion 770d of the unit base 770, and a frame control board box 771 is detachably mounted on the rear side of the power supply board box 772.

Furthermore, the unit base 770 is provided with a power harness housing section 770e that extends horizontally and recesses from rear to front, above the area where the frame control board box 771 and power supply board box 772 are mounted. This power harness housing section 770e is wider near the left end, close to the hinge axis 770a. Guide ribs are provided in the power harness housing section 770e, allowing for the accommodation of bundled power harnesses PH (see Figure 60). This prevents the power harnesses PH (power cords) from getting in the way during assembly, including mounting the frame board unit 730 to the main frame base unit 500, thereby improving the efficiency of the assembly work.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 59, a portion of the rear of the power harness housing 770e overlaps with a portion of the lower end of the back cover 505. Therefore, even if the power harness PH becomes free while the main frame 4 is being transported, contact with the back cover 505 prevents the power harness PH from flying out, thus preventing damage due to accidental snagging or other incidents.

In this embodiment, the frame base unit 730, in its normal state (usage state), has a hinge shaft 770a located at the left end of the unit base 770, which is pivotally supported by the frame base unit pivot support portion 504d of the main frame base unit 500. Furthermore, a nylon latch 774 attached to the right end of the unit base 770 is attached to a support projection 501r located on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501. In this state, the frame base unit 730 covers the rear of the circulating ball path unit 600 and the ball lifting unit 650, which are mounted on the rear side of the base wall portion 501b, making them inaccessible.

Furthermore, in the normal state, as shown in Figure 20, the front portion 770d of the unit base 770, the power supply board box 772, and the frame control board box 771 of the frame substrate unit 730 are located above the box expansion portion 504c of the main frame speaker box 504. In this configuration, since the front portion 770d and the power supply board box 772 are shorter vertically than the frame control board box 771, a space for accommodating wiring and other components is formed between the power supply board box 772 and the box expansion portion 504c.

Furthermore, in the normal state, as shown in Figure 59, the front end of the rear cover 505 is positioned behind the upper nylon latch 774, preventing the operation portion 774a of the nylon latch 774 from being pulled. Also, in the normal state, the lower part of the rear cover 505 overlaps with the rear of the frame base unit 730. As a result, unless the rear cover 505 is opened from the main frame base 501, the rear cover 505 interferes (contacts) with the frame base unit 730, preventing it from being opened backward (opening is prevented).

Therefore, under normal conditions, even if the lock of the Nylatch 774 is released for some reason and the frame base unit 730 attempts to rotate its hinge backward, the lower part of the rear cover 505 is positioned to overlap it, preventing the frame base unit 730 from rotating its hinge and opening away from the main frame base 501. This prevents the frame base unit 730 from contacting the outer frame 2 and being damaged when the main frame 4 is opened away from the outer frame 2 while the frame base unit 730 is open from the main frame base 501.

To inspect the circulating ball path unit 600 and ball lifting unit 650, etc., located at the rear of the main frame 4 from this normal state, first, open the main frame 4 forward relative to the outer frame 2. Then, open the rear cover 505 from the main frame base 501 to the rear, and pull the operating part 774a of the Nylatch 774 backward to release the lock. This detaches the support projection 501r on the right end of the unit base 770, allowing the frame base unit 730 to be opened backward by rotating the hinge around the left end hinge axis 770a. Opening the frame base unit 730 backward exposes the circulating ball path unit 600 and ball lifting unit 650, which are attached to the rear of the base wall 501b, allowing access to them (see Figures 58 and 60).

When the frame base unit 730 is opened to the rear, as shown in Figure 60, the main frame base 501 is opaque black, while the main frame speaker box 504, circulation ball path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, etc., are made of transparent material, allowing their interiors to be viewed (confirmed) from the outside.

To return the frame substrate unit 730 from the rearward-opened position to its normal position, simply reverse the procedure described above.

By the way, when returning the frame board unit 730 to its normal state after opening it from the main frame base 501, if the back cover 505 is closed to the main frame base 501 first, the frame board unit 730 will interfere with (contact with) the back cover 505, preventing it from closing. Also, if the frame board unit 730 is open (the back cover 505 is open) and the main frame 4 is attempted to close to the outer frame 2, the frame board unit 730 and the back cover 505 will interfere with (contact with) the outer frame 2, preventing it from closing. This allows the system to alert the user if the frame board unit 730 has been left open.

Furthermore, even if the operating part 774a of the Nylatch 774 is not pressed (locked) after closing the frame base unit 730 to the main frame base 501, closing the rear cover 505 to the main frame base 501 will cause the lower right front end of the rear cover 505 to contact the operating part 774a of the Nylatch 774 from behind, pressing the operating part 774a and locking it.

[4-9. Lock Unit]
The lock unit 780 in the main frame 4 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 6 and 7. The lock unit 780 is mounted from the rear along the right edge of the main frame base 501 in the main frame base unit 500 when viewed from the front. The lock unit 780 is for locking the space between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4, and between the door frame 3 and the main frame 4.

The lock unit 780 includes a cylindrical lock cylinder 781 that penetrates the cylinder insertion opening 501m of the main frame base 501 from the rear and whose front end protrudes forward, a keyhole 782 provided on the front end surface of the lock cylinder 781, a door frame lock claw 783 which, when a key corresponding to the keyhole 782 is inserted and rotated in a predetermined direction, releases the lock between the door frame 3 and the main frame 4, and an outer frame lock claw 784 which, when a key corresponding to the keyhole 782 is inserted and rotated in a direction different from the above, releases the lock between the main frame 4 and the outer frame 2.

[5. A brief explanation of the game board]
The game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 has the same board configuration as the game board 5 shown in Figure 103, etc., which will be described later, and will be briefly explained here with reference to Figure 8. The game board 5 has prize slots such as a general prize slot 2001, a first start slot 2003, a second start slot 2004, and a large prize slot 2005 within the game area 5a into which the game balls B are shot, and the player is allowed to enjoy shooting the game balls B by operating the handle 160 so that the game balls B are shot into the prize slots. The game board 5 is detachably attached from the front to the game board insertion part 502 of the main frame 4. When assembled in the pachinko machine 1, the game board 5 is visible from the player's side through the game window 101 of the door frame 3 and has a game area 5a into which the game balls B are shot when the player operates the handle 160.

The game board 5 comprises a front component 1000 that demarcates the outer periphery of the game area 5a and has a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front; a plate-shaped game panel 1100 attached to the rear side of the front component 1000 and demarcating the rear end of the game area 5a; and a plurality of obstacle nails (not shown) planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement within the game area 5a on the front surface of the game panel 1100 so as to be able to contact the game ball B.

The front component 1000 of the game board 5 is made entirely of transparent material. The front component 1000 has a roughly square outer shape when viewed from the front, and its inner shape is roughly circular, penetrating in the front-to-back direction. The inner circumference of the inner shape defines the outer perimeter of the game area 5a. The front component 1000 includes an outer rail 1001 that extends in an arc along the circumferential direction clockwise from the lower left end of the left-center direction in a front view, passing the upper center of the front view and extending to the upper right diagonally; an inner rail 1002 positioned inside the front component 1000, roughly parallel to the outer rail 1001, and extending in an arc from the lower center of the front view to the upper left diagonally; and an out-guide section 1003 formed at the lowest point of the game area 5a on the right side of the lower end of the inner rail 1002 in a front view, and sloping downwards toward the rear.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 includes a right-lower rail 1004 that slopes linearly from the right end of the out-guiding section 1003 in a front view to the vicinity of the right edge of the front component 1000, with the right end being slightly higher; a right rail 1005 that extends from the right end of the right-lower rail 1004 along the right edge of the front component 1000 to the lower side of the upper end of the outer rail 1001, with its upper part curving inward from the front component 1000; and a stopper 1006 that connects the upper end of the right rail 1005 to the upper end of the outer rail 1001, and which the game ball B that has rolled along the outer rail 1001 comes into contact with.

Furthermore, the aforementioned component 1000 is pivotally supported at the upper end of the inner rail 1002 and includes a backflow prevention member 1007 that is rotatable only between a closed position extending upward from the upper end of the inner rail 1002 to close the gap between it and the outer rail 1001, and an open position that rotates clockwise in a front view to open the gap between it and the outer rail 1001. The backflow prevention member 1007 is biased by a spring (not shown) to return to the closed position.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 is provided with an out-opening 1008 located at the lower center in the left-right direction when viewed from the front within the frame, and which penetrates from front to back at the rear end of the out-guiding section 1003. The game balls B received in the out-opening 1008 are not returned to the game area 5a but are discharged downward from the game board 5 (to the out-ball receiving opening 600a of the circulating ball path unit 600) at the rear of the game panel 1100.

The game board 5 is located behind the game panel 1100 and includes a main control board 1310 that controls the game content, which is performed by hitting game balls B into the game area 5a, and a function display unit 1400 that displays the game status based on control signals from the main control board 1310 and is mounted on the upper left corner of the front component 1000 so that it is visible to the player.

Furthermore, the game board 5 includes a peripheral control board 1510 located behind the game panel 1100, a performance display device 1600 positioned at the rear of the game panel 1100 and in the center of the game area 5a in a front view, capable of displaying predetermined performance images, a front unit 2000 attached to the front of the game panel 1100, and a rear unit 3000 attached to the rear of the game panel 1100.

The game board 5 (front unit 2000) includes: multiple general prize slots 2001 that are always open and capable of receiving game balls B played into the game area 5a; gates 2010 located at predetermined positions within the game area 5a through which game balls B can pass; first and second start slots 2003 and 2004 located at predetermined positions within the game area 5a, through which the first and second special symbols are drawn upon the receipt of game balls B; and a large prize slot 2005 that allows the receipt of game balls B according to the results of the special symbol draws conducted upon the receipt of game balls B into the first and second start slots 2003 and 2004.

The first starting opening 2003 is located below the frame-shaped center mechanism 2500, which is situated in the center of the game area 5a, and directly above the out opening 1008. The second starting opening 2004 is located in the attacker unit 2400 and opens and closes to accept game balls B according to the result of the lottery for the normal symbols drawn when the game balls B pass through the gate 2010.

The large prize slot 2005 is located in the attacker unit 2400, which is installed in the lower right corner of the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the game board 5 is equipped with a general prize slot sensor 3001 for detecting game balls B received into the general prize slot 2001, a gate sensor 2011 for detecting game balls B passing through the gate 2010, a first start slot sensor 2101 for detecting game balls B received into the first start slot 2003, a second start slot sensor 2401 for detecting game balls B received into the second start slot 2004, and a large prize slot sensor 2402 for detecting game balls B received into the large prize slot 2005 (see Figure 63).

Game balls B received into the general prize slot 2001 are detected by the general prize slot sensor 3001 behind the game panel 1100 and then discharged from the game board 5 to the safe ball receiving slot 600b in the circulating ball path unit 600 below. Game balls B received into the first start slot 2003 are detected by the first start slot sensor 2101 behind the game panel 1100 and then discharged from the game board 5 to the safe ball receiving slot 600b in the circulating ball path unit 600 below. Game balls B received into the second start slot 2004 are detected by the second start slot sensor 2401 behind the game panel 1100 and then discharged from the game board 5 to the safe ball receiving slot 600b in the circulating ball path unit 600 below. The game ball B received in the large prize slot 2005 is detected by the large prize slot sensor 2402 behind the game panel 1100, and then discharged from the game board 5 to the safe ball receiving slot 600b in the ball circulation path unit 600 below.

The main control board 1310 controls the gameplay using game balls B within the game area 5a of the pachinko machine 1. The main control board 1310 is connected via bidirectional communication to the frame control board 740 located on the main frame 4, and is also connected unidirectionally to the peripheral control board 1510 via output signals only.

The main control board 1310 receives detection signals for game ball B from the general prize slot sensor 3001, gate sensor 2011, first start slot sensor 2101, second start slot sensor 2401, large prize slot sensor 2402, etc. The main control board 1310 also outputs drive signals to the start slot solenoid 2412 for opening and closing the second start slot 2004, the attacker solenoid 2414 for opening and closing the large prize slot 2005, etc.

When the main control board 1310 detects a game ball B received into the general prize slot 2001 via the general prize slot sensor 3001, it outputs a predetermined number of prize ball commands (for example, 10 balls). This is the same as conventional pachinko machines, so there is no need to change the software of the main control board 1310. When the frame control board 740 receives this prize ball command, it interprets it as a signal to add to the number of balls held. Furthermore, when a game ball B received into the first start slot 2003 is detected by the first start slot sensor 2101, it outputs a predetermined number of prize ball commands (for example, 1 ball). Furthermore, when a game ball B received into the second start slot 2004 is detected by the second start slot sensor 2401, it outputs a predetermined number of prize ball commands (for example, 1 ball). In addition, when a game ball B received into the large prize slot 2005 is detected by the large prize slot sensor 2402, it outputs a predetermined number of prize ball commands (for example, 10 or 13 balls).

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 outputs signals such as the results of the lottery for regular symbols and the results of the lottery for special symbols to the peripheral control board 1510.

The function display unit 1400 uses multiple LEDs to display the game status (gameplay status), the results of the regular symbol draws, the results of the special symbol draws, etc., based on signals from the main control board 1310.

The function display unit 1400, although not shown in detail, includes a status indicator consisting of three LEDs that displays the game status, a regular symbol indicator consisting of two LEDs that displays the results of the regular symbol lottery conducted when game ball B passes through gate 2010, and a regular symbol reserve indicator consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of regular symbols reserved when game ball B passes through gate 2010.

Furthermore, the function display unit 1400 includes a first special symbol display unit consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the lottery for the first special symbol drawn upon the acceptance of game ball B into the first start port 2003; a first special reserved number display unit consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserved game balls related to the acceptance of game ball B into the first start port 2003; a second special symbol display unit consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the lottery for the second special symbol drawn upon the acceptance of game ball B into the second start port 2004; and a second special reserved number display unit consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserved game balls related to the acceptance of game ball B into the second start port 2004.

Furthermore, the function display unit 1400 is equipped with a round indicator consisting of five LEDs that displays the number of repetitions (rounds) of the opening and closing pattern of the main prize slot 2005 when the lottery result for the special symbols (first special symbol or second special symbol) is "win," etc.

This function display unit 1400 can display the number of reserved items, symbols, etc., by appropriately lighting, extinguishing, and flashing the provided LEDs.

The peripheral control board 1510 is mounted on the rear side of the performance display device 1600. Based on signals sent from the main control board 1310, the peripheral control board 1510 causes the performance display device 1600 to display performance images and execute light-emitting and movable effects, etc.

[6. Flow of game balls]
Next, the flow of game balls B in the pachinko machine 1 will be explained, mainly with reference to Figures 61 and 62. Figure 61 is an explanatory diagram showing the various pathways for game balls on the rear side of the main frame from the rear. Figure 62 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the flow of game balls in the main frame.

In this embodiment, when the player is not operating the handle 160, a large number (for example, 40 to 60) circulating game balls B are stored in the main frame 4 below the game board 5, as shown in Figure 62. The circulation path R for the game balls B in the main frame 4 is provided, in order from the upstream side, with a foul unit 570, a circulating ball path unit 600, a ball lifting unit 650, a ball delivery unit 700, and a ball launching unit 550. The circulation path R is composed of an out ball passage 601, a safe ball passage 602, a foul ball passage 603, a ball storage passage 604, a ball lifting inlet passage 651, a ball lifting outlet passage 652, etc.

Multiple sensors for detecting the game balls B circulating in the circulation path R are arranged in the following order from upstream: safe ball sensor 606, out ball sensor 605, foul ball sensor 607, excess circulation ball sensor 622, insufficient circulation ball sensor 621, lift inlet sensor 653, lift outlet sensor 654, pre-launch sensor 704, and launch subtraction sensor 554. Based on signals from these various sensors, the frame control board 740 executes various control processes, which will be described later.

When the player is not operating the handle 160, the safe ball sensor 606, out ball sensor 605, foul ball sensor 607, and circulating ball excess sensor 622 are in the OFF (non-detection) state, while the circulating ball shortage sensor 621, lift inlet sensor 653, lift outlet sensor 654, launch pre-sensor 704, and launch subtraction sensor 554 are in the ON (detection) state.

Within the circulation path R of the main frame 4, numerous game balls B are stored in a single line. The leading edge of the line of game balls B is located on the ball launching platform 552b of the launching unit cover 552 of the ball launching unit 550, and the rearmost edge is located within the range of the gauge section 620 in the ball storage passage 604 of the circulating ball path unit 600, upstream of the ball release shutter 615.

In the circulation path R, the section between the upper end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 and the lifting outlet sensor 654 in the ball lifting unit 650 has a specific number of game balls B (e.g., 4) lined up, which is less than the length of a predetermined number (e.g., 5) of game balls B. This is to ensure that when the lifting spiral shaft 661 is returned to its home position, even if one game ball B is lifted, there is still space to receive that lifted game ball B.

Furthermore, in the circulation path R, a predetermined number of sensors (for example, 10) are arranged between the pre-launch sensor 704 and the lifting outlet sensor 654. This prevents the situation where, even after the lifting outlet sensor 654 turns OFF (no detection) of game balls B, if the ball launching unit 550 continues to launch game balls B, the system runs out of game balls B before they are lifted and replenished by the rotation of the lifting spiral shaft 661.

Then, when the player operates the handle 160 and the launch solenoid 553 of the ball launching unit 550 is driven, the game ball B that was placed on the ball launching platform 552b in the launching unit cover 552 is launched, and the launch subtraction sensor 554 no longer detects (OFF) the game ball B. As a result, the number of balls the player has is reduced by one (see the ball count reduction process described later). Subsequently, the ball transport solenoid 706 of the ball transport unit 700 is energized for a predetermined time, the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball transport movable member 705 moves up and down, and one game ball B is placed on the ball launching platform 552b, and the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects (ON).

When a game ball B is launched one by one by the player operating the handle 160, the number of game balls B stored between the launch sensor 704 and the upper end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 (ball lifting exit passage 652) decreases by one each time, until the lifting exit sensor 654 no longer detects (turns off) the game balls B. Then, after a predetermined number of game balls B (for example, 3) have been launched since the lifting exit sensor 654 stopped detecting them, the lifting motor 664 of the ball lifting unit 650 starts rotating the lifting spiral shaft 661. After three rotations, it supplies 3 game balls B to the ball lifting exit passage 652 and then stops (see the lifting motor operation process described later).

When the lifting spiral shaft 661 rotates due to the lifting motor 664, the game balls B located at the downstream end of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 are moved to the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 and then upward. This causes the numerous game balls B lined up in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the ball storage passage 604 to flow downstream, reducing the number of game balls B stored in the ball storage passage 604.

The game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 and placed in the game area 5a of the game board 5 are received into either the out port 1008 or one of the prize ports (general prize port 2001, first start port 2003, second start port 2004, or large prize port 2005). Game balls B received into the out port 1008 of the game board 5 are discharged downwards from the game board 5 and passed to the out ball receiving port 600a of the ball circulation path unit 600. The game balls B passed to the out ball receiving port 600a pass through the out ball passage 601, are detected by the out ball sensor 605, and are sent to the ball storage passage 604.

Meanwhile, the game balls B received into the prize slot of the game board 5 are discharged downwards from the game board 5 and handed over to the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulating ball path unit 600. The game balls B handed over to the safe ball receiving port 600b pass through the safe ball passage 602, are detected by the safe ball sensor 606, and are sent to the ball storage passage 604.

When a game ball B is detected by the out ball sensor 605, the number of out balls is counted, and when a game ball B is detected by the safe ball sensor 606, the number of safe balls is counted. This makes it possible to calculate the accurate payout rate of game ball B. The calculated payout rate is displayed on the display unit (not shown) on the main control board 1310. Since this payout rate changes depending on the game state, it is calculated as the payout rate within a predetermined period (for example, per unit time, per predetermined time, per day, etc.) using the formula: "(Number of balls added due to winning within the predetermined period - Number of safe balls within the predetermined period) ÷ Number of out balls within the predetermined period = Payout rate within the predetermined period".

Incidentally, game balls B that were launched from the ball launching unit 550 (ball launching stand 552b) but did not land in the game area 5a of the game board 5 are collected as foul balls by the foul unit 570 and then passed to the foul ball receiving port 600c of the ball circulation path unit 600. The game balls B that have been passed to the foul ball receiving port 600c then circulate through the foul ball passage 603, are detected by the foul ball sensor 607, and sent to the ball storage passage 604. When the foul ball sensor 607 detects a game ball B, the player's ball count is increased by one (see the ball count addition process described later).

Thus, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B are sealed within the machine and circulate internally without being discharged or supplied from the outside. Therefore, the player never touches the game balls B.

[7. Various control processes]
Next, various control processes in the frame control board 740 of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figures 63 to 76, etc. Figure 63 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the pachinko machine in general. Figure 64 is a flowchart of the launch permission process. Figure 65 is a flowchart showing the ball deduction process, and Figure 66 is a flowchart showing the ball addition process due to foul balls. Figure 67 is a flowchart of the launch control process. Figure 68 is a time chart showing the operation of the launch solenoid and the ball feeding solenoid in the launch sequence. Figure 69(a) is a flowchart showing a launch control process different from Figure 67, and (b) is a flowchart showing the ball deduction process in the case of the launch control process in (a).

Figure 70 is a flowchart showing the prize ball processing. Figure 71 is a flowchart showing the lifting motor operation process, Figure 72 is a table showing the relationship between the lifting inlet sensor, lifting outlet sensor, and the operation of the lifting motor, and Figure 73 is a graph showing the relationship between the game ball launch operation and the operation of the ball lifting unit. Figure 74 is a graph showing the operation of the ball lifting mechanism in the ball lifting unit. Figure 75(a) is a flowchart showing the security processing, and (b) is a flowchart showing the security processing of a different embodiment than (a). Figure 76 is a table showing the relationship between the circulating ball insufficiency sensor, the circulating ball excess sensor, and error notification. Note that in Figure 63, some electronic components such as sensors, solenoids, motors, and LEDs connected to the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510 are omitted.

The main control configuration of the pachinko machine 1, as shown in Figure 63, consists of a frame control board 740 mounted on the main frame 4, and a main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510 mounted on the game board 5. The frame control board 740 primarily handles control processing for game balls B, such as launching, circulation, and the number of balls held. The main control board 1310 primarily handles game control processing. The peripheral control board 1510 primarily handles control processing for game effects.

The frame control board 740 receives signals from the following: launch stop switch 161, handle touch sensor 162, handle rotation sensor 163, counting button switch 180, door open switch 507, frame open switch 508, launch subtraction sensor 554, out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, foul ball sensor 607, circulating ball shortage sensor 621, circulating ball excess sensor 622, lift inlet sensor 653, lift outlet sensor 654, lift motor index sensor 666, launch pre-sensor 704, RAM clear switch 741, ball removal switch 742, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, etc.

Furthermore, the frame control board 740 outputs signals to the ball count display unit 140, the launch solenoid 553, the lifting motor 664, the ball motor 688, the ball feeding solenoid 706, etc.

Furthermore, the frame control board 740 receives and outputs signals from the game ball dispensing device 8 via the game ball dispensing device connection terminal board 765. The frame control board 740 also receives and outputs signals from the main control board 1310.

The main control board 1310 receives signals from the general prize slot sensor 3001, gate sensor 2011, first start slot sensor 2101, second start slot sensor 2401, large prize slot sensor 2402, etc. The main control board 1310 also outputs signals to the start slot solenoid 2412, attacker solenoid 2414, peripheral control board 1510, etc.

The game ball dispensing device 8 is located outside the pachinko machine 1 and outputs signals to the management server 9 via a communication network. The game ball dispensing device 8 receives signals from the ball dispensing button switch 8a, the return button switch, the frame control board 740, etc. The game ball dispensing device 8 also outputs signals to the display unit, the frame control board 740, etc.

[7-1. Launch Permission Procedure]
The launch permission process will be explained with reference to Figure 64. The launch permission process is the process of determining whether or not to launch the game ball B. When the launch permission process is started, first in step S101, it is checked whether or not the player is touching the handle 160. If the player is touching the handle 160 and the handle touch sensor 162 is ON (YES), the process proceeds to the next step S102. If the handle touch sensor 162 is OFF (NO) in step S101, the process proceeds to step S107, and the frame control launch permission signal is turned OFF to end the process.

In step S102, the system checks whether the launch stop switch 161 is OFF. If the launch stop switch 161 is ON, the system proceeds to step S103 with a YES response. Conversely, if the launch stop switch 161 is OFF in step S102, the system proceeds to step S107 with a NO response, and the frame control launch permission signal is turned OFF, ending the process.

In step S103, the system checks whether the frame control board 740 is connected to the game ball dispensing device 8 via the game ball dispensing device connection terminal board 765. If it is connected to the game ball dispensing device 8, the system proceeds to the next step S104 with a YES response. On the other hand, if the connection to the game ball dispensing device 8 is not confirmed in step S103, the system proceeds to step S107 with a NO response, and the frame control launch permission signal is turned OFF, ending the process.

In step S104, the presence or absence (ON/OFF) of main control firing permission from the main control board 1310 is checked. If main control firing permission is granted, the process proceeds to the next step S105, with the response set to YES. On the other hand, if main control firing permission is not granted in step S104, the process proceeds to step S107, with the response set to NO, and the frame control firing permission signal is turned OFF, ending the process.

Here, the conditions for the main control launch authorization to be turned ON include "the absence of critical errors such as RAM errors in the main control board 1310."

Furthermore, in addition to the conditions in steps S101 to S105 above, other conditions may be included as needed for the frame control launch permission (frame control launch permission signal) to be turned ON, such as "no fatal errors such as RAM errors have occurred in the frame control board 740."

In step S105, the system checks whether the player's number of balls is greater than zero. If the number of balls is greater than zero, the system selects YES and proceeds to step S106, turning on the frame control launch permission signal and ending the process. Conversely, if the number of balls is less than zero (0 balls), the system selects NO and proceeds to step S107, turning off the frame control launch permission signal and ending the process.

Thus, the launch permission process authorizes the launch of game ball B. When the player rotates the handle 160 in this state, the launch solenoid 553 is driven with a force corresponding to the rotation angle, and game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550. When the launch solenoid 553 is driven, the launch control process described later is executed.

[7-2. Ball count reduction process]
The ball count reduction process will be explained with reference to Figure 65. The ball count reduction process is a process that reduces the number of balls held by the player when a game ball B is launched. In the ball count reduction process, first in step S111, it is determined whether the launch reduction sensor 554 of the ball launching unit 550 has changed from an ON state to an OFF state. When a game ball B is placed on the ball launching platform 552b of the ball launching unit 550, the launch reduction sensor 554 detects the game ball B and is in an ON state. From this state, when the launching hammer 555 strikes the game ball B on the ball launching platform 552b by the drive of the launching solenoid 553 and the game ball B is launched, the launch reduction sensor 554 becomes non-detective and turns OFF.

Then, in step S111, when game ball B is launched and the launch subtraction sensor 554 changes from ON to OFF, the system responds with YES and proceeds to the next step S112, where the number of remaining balls is reduced by one, and the process ends.

On the other hand, in step S111, if the launch subtraction sensor 554 remains ON instead of switching from ON to OFF, the process ends without subtracting the number of remaining balls, resulting in a NO response.

Thus, through the ball count reduction process, when a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550, the player's ball count is reduced by one.

[7-3. Ball counting process]
The process of adding balls due to fouls will be explained with reference to Figure 66. When a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550, the number of balls held by the player is reduced by the ball reduction process. However, if the launched game ball B does not land in the game area 5a of the game board 5, the game will not be played with that game ball B, and if the number of balls remains reduced, it will diminish the player's enjoyment. Therefore, in the ball addition process, the game ball B that did not land in the game area 5a (foul ball) is added to the number of balls held by the player.

In the ball count addition process, step S121 determines whether the foul ball sensor 607 of the ball circulation path unit 600 has switched from OFF to ON by detecting a game ball B (foul ball). If the foul ball sensor 607 has turned ON, the process proceeds to the next step S122, where the number of balls is increased by one, and the process ends.

On the other hand, if the foul ball sensor 607 remains OFF in step S121, the process ends without adding to the number of balls held, and the result is NO.

In this way, the ball counting process prevents the player from being disadvantaged by adding a foul ball to their ball count if a game ball B, despite being launched from the ball launching unit 550, does not land in the game area 5a of the game board 5.

[7-4. Launch Control Processing]
The launch control process will be explained with reference to Figures 67 and 68, etc. The launch control process determines whether or not to actually launch the game ball B by driving the launch solenoid 553 after the player rotates the handle 160 after the frame control launch permission signal is turned ON in the launch permission process. In the launch control process, first, in step S131, it is determined whether or not frame control launch permission is granted (ON/OFF). If frame control launch permission is granted (ON), the process proceeds to the next step S132 as YES, and the launch permission signal is turned ON to end the process. On the other hand, in step S131, if frame control launch permission is not granted (OFF), the process proceeds to step S133, and the launch permission signal is turned OFF to end the process.

Then, when the launch permission signal is turned ON, the launch solenoid 553 launches the game ball B. As shown in Figure 68, first, the ball-feeding solenoid 706 is turned ON for a first time t1 (for example, 150 ms), and the ball-receiving portion 705a of the ball-feeding movable member 705 is moved upward to receive the game ball B detected by the pre-launch sensor 704. This first time t1 is set to be sufficient time for the ball-receiving portion 705a of the ball-feeding movable member 705 to receive the game ball B.

After the ball-feeding solenoid 706 is turned ON, if a second time t2 (for example, 90 ms) has elapsed, which is shorter than the first time t1, the launch solenoid 553 is turned ON for a third time t3 (for example, 23 ms) to launch the game ball B on the ball launcher 552b. Then, after the third time t3 has elapsed, the launch solenoid 553 is turned OFF. Note that the first time t1 is longer than the sum of the second time t2 and the third time t3.

Then, after the first time t1 has elapsed, the ball-feeding solenoid 706 turns OFF, and the game ball B received by the ball-receiving unit 705a is supplied to the ball-launching platform 552b. This completes the series of operations in the launch sequence.

Furthermore, if game balls B are launched continuously, after the first time period t1 has elapsed, and then after a fourth time period t4 (for example, 450.5 ms) has elapsed, the ball-feeding solenoid 706 will turn ON again for the first time period t1, and the same operation as described above will be repeated.

Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, during the first time the pachinko machine 1 is installed, no game balls B are placed on the ball launching platform 552b. As a result, in step S132 of the launch control process, "Is the launch subtraction sensor ON?" becomes NO, and in the subsequent step S136, the ball delivery solenoid 706 is turned ON, supplying game balls B to the ball launching platform 552b. After that, since game balls B are always placed on the ball launching platform 552b, game balls B can be launched at any time.

On the other hand, if a game ball B falls from the ball launcher 552b due to impact or vibration, the launch deduction sensor 554 turns OFF. Therefore, it is considered that the ball was launched, and the number of balls held is reduced by one through the ball deduction process. However, the fallen game ball B is recovered by the foul unit 570 and detected by the foul ball sensor 607. Therefore, the number of balls held is increased by one through the ball addition process, returning to the number of balls held before the fall. Thus, the player is not at a disadvantage.

Furthermore, when a game ball B launched from the ball launcher 552b returns to the launcher 552b, as described above, after launch, the ball-feeding solenoid 706 of the ball-feeding unit 700 supplies the next game ball B. Since the ball launcher 552b can only hold one game ball B, either the returned game ball B or the next game ball B supplied by the ball-feeding unit 700 will fall and be collected by the foul unit 570. Therefore, similar to the above, even if the number of balls held is reduced by launching, either the returned game ball B or the next game ball B becomes a foul ball and is added to the number of balls held, allowing the player to return to the number of balls held before launching, thus preventing the player from being at a disadvantage.

Furthermore, if a game ball B falls from the ball launcher 552b while the player's ball count is "0", the ball count cannot be reduced during the ball count reduction process. Therefore, the fallen game ball B is treated as a foul ball, and the ball count is increased to "1" during the ball count addition process. In such cases, an alarm may be issued to allow a staff member at the gaming hall to resolve the discrepancy in the ball count.

In this embodiment, if the launch countdown sensor 554 is turned OFF due to a bang or similar impact, the game ball B will inevitably fall because the ball launch platform 552b is short. Therefore, a false detection will not occur where the game ball B is placed on the ball launch platform 552b but the launch countdown sensor 554 is turned OFF and considered to have been launched.

Incidentally, it is conceivable that a power outage may occur during the launch sequence described above (the frame control board 740 or the main control board 1310 may receive a power outage signal). For example, if a power outage occurs before the launch solenoid 553 is turned ON (before excitation), the launch hammer 555 will not move. However, depending on the timing of the ball feeding solenoid 706's operation, if the next game ball B has been received by the ball receiving unit 705a, that game ball B will be supplied to the ball launcher 552b, bounced off the previously placed game ball B, and collected by the foul unit 570. However, since the frame control board 740 and others do not check the sensors when a power outage signal is received, they ignore the signal from the foul ball sensor 607. As a result, the ball is not added to the number of balls held as a foul ball, thus maintaining the accuracy of the number of balls held before the power outage.

Furthermore, if a power outage occurs while the launch solenoid 553 is being energized or has already been energized, the launch hammer 555 will move and the game ball B from the ball launcher 552b will be launched. However, before the launch subtraction sensor 554 makes an OFF determination (before the OFF threshold of 80 ms has elapsed), the frame control board 740 will stop checking the launch subtraction sensor 554, and therefore the ball will not be considered launched. At the time the launch solenoid 553 is energized, the game ball B is received by the ball receiving section 705a by the ball feeding solenoid 706. Therefore, after the game ball B is launched, the game ball B received by the ball receiving section 705a is supplied to the ball launcher 552b, returning it to the state before launch. On the other hand, even if the launched game ball B enters the prize entry slot of the game board 5, the main control board 1310 will not check the prize entry sensor, so the prize entry will be invalid and the number of balls held will not be increased. Therefore, even in this case, the accuracy of the number of balls held before the power outage is maintained.

[7-4a. Launch control processing and ball count reduction processing in the second embodiment]
In the above embodiment, the consistency of the number of game balls when the game ball B falls from the ball launcher 552b is maintained by a hardware launch sequence. However, as shown in Figure 69, consistency may also be maintained by software. In this launch control process, first, in step S131, it is determined whether or not frame control launch permission is granted (ON/OFF). If frame control launch permission is granted (ON), the process proceeds to the next step S134 as YES. On the other hand, in step S131, if frame control launch permission is not granted (OFF), the process ends without driving the launch solenoid 553 as NO.

In step S134, it is determined whether the launch subtraction sensor 554 is ON or OFF. If the launch subtraction sensor 554 is ON (meaning there is a game ball B on the ball launcher 552b), the system proceeds to the next step S135, where it is determined whether the subtraction completion flag is ON or OFF. As shown in Figure 69(b), if the number of balls held is reduced by the ball subtraction process of the second embodiment, the subtraction completion flag is turned ON in step S113; if the number of balls is not reduced, the subtraction completion flag is turned OFF in step S114.

Therefore, in the normal pre-launch state, the game ball B is placed on the ball launcher 552b, and the subtraction completion flag is OFF. As a result, step S135 determines NO, and the process proceeds to the next step S136. The launch solenoid 553 is then turned ON, striking the game ball B with a force corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160, thus ending the process.

On the other hand, if a game ball B falls from the ball launcher 552b due to an accident such as a collision, the number of remaining balls is reduced by the ball deduction process shown in Figure 69(b), and the deduction completion flag is turned ON. Therefore, step S135 of the launch control process is judged as YES, and the process proceeds to step S137.

In step S137, it is determined whether the pre-launch sensor 704 is ON or OFF. If the pre-launch sensor 704 is not ON (i.e., no game ball B is detected), the system returns to NO and proceeds to the next step S138, turning on the error display indicating "out of launch balls." The system then returns to step S137 and repeats until the pre-launch sensor 704 is ON. The error display is shown, for example, on the display screen of the performance display device.

Furthermore, the error indication may be displayed by illuminating a notification lamp, or by displaying an image on a visual display device. Alternatively, the error signal may be output to the hall computer (Holcon) of the gaming hall via the game ball dispensing device 8, causing a notification lamp installed on the gaming hall side to illuminate.

In step S137, if the pre-launch sensor 704 detects the game ball B and turns ON, the process proceeds to the next step S139, where the ball-feeding solenoid 706 is turned ON (energized) and the ball-feeding movable member 705 is moved. As a result, the game ball B detected by the pre-launch sensor 704 is transferred to the ball-receiving section 705a of the ball-feeding movable member 705. After a predetermined short time, when the ball-feeding solenoid 706 turns OFF, the game ball B transferred to the ball-receiving section 705a is supplied to the ball launching platform 552b. At this time, if there is a game ball B upstream of the game ball B sent to the ball launching platform 552b by the ball-feeding movable member 705 (in the ball lifting exit passage 652), that game ball B moves downstream and the pre-launch sensor 704 turns ON.

In step S139, if the ball-feeding solenoid 706 is turned ON, the process proceeds to the next step S140, where it is again determined whether the launch/subtraction sensor 554 is ON or OFF. If the launch/subtraction sensor 554 is not ON, the result is set to NO, and the process returns to step S137. The above flow is repeated until the launch/subtraction sensor 554 is turned ON.

Then, in step S140, if the launch countdown sensor 554 is ON, the system proceeds to the next step S141, turning OFF the "out of launch balls" error display. Afterward, it proceeds to step S136, turning ON the launch solenoid 553, and striking the game ball B with a force corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160, thus ending the process.

In this way, the launch control process confirms that the game ball B is placed on the ball launching platform 552b of the ball launching unit 550, and then launches the game ball B.

Incidentally, when a game ball B falls from the ball launcher 552b, the number of balls held is reduced by the ball deduction process shown in Figure 69(b). However, the fallen game ball B is collected by the foul unit 570 and detected by the foul ball sensor 607, triggering a ball addition process. This adds the number of balls back to the number held before the ball fell, so the player is not at a disadvantage.

Thus, even with the launch control processing and ball count reduction processing of the second embodiment, the consistency of the number of balls held can be maintained when a game ball B falls from the ball launcher 552b.

[7-5. Handling of Prize Balls]
The prize ball processing will be explained with reference to Figure 70, etc. Prize ball processing is performed when game balls B are received into prize slots such as the general prize slot 2001, the first start slot 2003, the second start slot 2004, and the big prize slot 2005, which are provided on the game board 5. As a reward, a predetermined number of prize balls corresponding to the prize slot are awarded, and these prize balls are added to the number of balls held by the player.

In the prize ball processing, when a game ball B is received into a prize slot on the game board 5, a signal (prize ball signal) output from the main control board 1310 is input to the frame control board 740. In step S141, the input prize ball signal is analyzed. The prize ball signal output from the main control board 1310 may be the number of prize balls, or it may be the type of prize slot into which the game ball B was received.

Then, in step S141, once the prize ball signal is analyzed, in the following step S142, the number of prize balls corresponding to the analyzed prize ball signal is added to the player's remaining ball count, and the process ends.

In this way, through the prize ball processing, the number of game balls B (prize balls) corresponding to the winning slots in the game board 5 can be added to the player's waiting ball count.

[7-6. Lifting Motor Operation Processing]
The lifting motor operation process will be explained with reference to Figures 71 to 74, etc. The lifting motor operation process works as follows: when the number of game balls B in the ball lifting exit passage 652 decreases due to the launching of game balls B by the ball launching unit 550, the game balls B in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 are lifted by the rotation of the lifting spiral shaft 661 of the ball lifting unit 650 and supplied to the ball lifting exit passage 652.

The lifting motor operation process first clears the retry counter 1 in step S201 and proceeds to the next step S202. In step S202, it is determined whether the lifting motor index sensor 666, which detects the lifting motor index 665 attached to the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 in the ball lifting mechanism 660 of the ball lifting unit 650, is ON or OFF.

The lifting motor index 665 has a detection section 665a that is provided by cutting out a portion of the circumferential direction of a disc-shaped (flange-shaped) surface. When the detection section 665a of the lifting motor index 665 is positioned over the lifting motor index sensor 666 due to the rotation of the lifting spiral shaft 661, the lifting motor index sensor 666 turns ON, and the lifting motor index sensor 666 turns OFF in areas other than the detection section 665a.

In step S202, if the lifting motor index sensor 666 is ON, the system proceeds to the next step S203, where it is determined whether the lifting outlet sensor 654 has been ON for 80 ms or more. In step S203, if it is determined that the lifting outlet sensor 654 has not been ON for 80 ms or more (i.e., the lifting outlet sensor 654 is OFF), the system proceeds to the next step S204, where it is determined to be NO.

On the other hand, if the lifting outlet sensor 654 is determined to be ON for 80 ms or more in step S203, the response is YES, and the process returns to step S203. This process is repeated until the lifting outlet sensor 654 is no longer ON for 80 ms or more (until the lifting outlet sensor 654 turns OFF). In other words, this process is repeated until the last of the rows of game balls B in the ball lifting outlet passage 652 decreases due to the launch of game balls B and is downstream of the lifting outlet sensor 654. When the lifting outlet sensor 654 turns OFF, the process proceeds to step S204.

In step S204, it is determined whether the lifting inlet sensor 653 has been ON for 80 ms or more. If it is determined that the lifting inlet sensor 653 has not been ON for 80 ms or more (i.e., the lifting inlet sensor 653 is OFF), the system proceeds to step S205 with the value set to NO, and the error display indicating "Lifting Inlet Bulb Burned Out" is turned ON, returning to step S204. This notifies the system of a bulb burned out in the bulb lifting inlet passage 651 and prompts the system to resolve the bulb burnout.

In step S204, if the lifting inlet sensor 653 is determined to be ON for 80 ms or more, the process proceeds to the next step S206, where the error display indicating "lifting inlet ball out" is turned OFF. Then, in the following step S207, after 1800 ms, the lifting motor 664 is started to rotate the lifting spiral shaft 661. This initiates the lifting of the game balls B within the ball lifting inlet passage 651. The lifting spiral shaft 661 dispenses one game ball B with each rotation.

To rephrase the start of operation of the lifting motor 664, as shown in Figure 73, when the lifting inlet sensor 653 is ON (continuously ON) for 80 ms or more, the lifting motor 664 is stopped, the lifting outlet sensor 654 is ON (continuously ON) for 80 ms or more, and the pre-launch sensor 704 is ON (continuously ON) for 80 ms or more, the game balls B are launched continuously at predetermined time intervals (600 ms in this case) by operating the handle 160. Then, when the lifting outlet sensor 654 turns OFF, after ts time (1800 ms in this case) has elapsed, the lifting motor 664 starts operating, and the discharge of game balls B from the upper end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 to the ball lifting outlet passage 652 side (ball discharge from the lifting device) begins.

In this embodiment, after the lifting outlet sensor 654 is turned OFF, when three game balls B are launched, the lifting motor 664 activates and the lifting spiral shaft 661 begins to rotate. The time interval for discharging game balls B by the rotation of the lifting spiral shaft 661 is set to be shorter than the time interval for continuous launching of game balls B. This ensures that the supply of game balls B to the ball launching unit 550 does not fall behind the launching of game balls B.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 73, the ball lifting unit 650 is controlled independently of the operation of the lifting motor 664, and operates so that the grinding cloth 682 moves 0.17 mm every 1000 game balls B are launched.

As shown in Figure 72, the lifting motor 664 does not operate and remains stopped except when the lifting inlet sensor 653 is ON and the lifting outlet sensor 654 is OFF.

Returning to the explanation of the lifting motor operation process, when the lifting motor 664 starts operating in step S207, the retry counter 2 is cleared in the following step S208, and in the subsequent step S209, it is determined whether the lifting motor index 665 (lifting motor index sensor 666) turned ON again within 600 ms after being OFF.

In step S209, if it is determined that the lifting motor index 665 turned ON again within 600 ms after turning OFF (indicating that the lifting spiral shaft 661 is rotating), the system proceeds to the next step S210, where it is determined whether the lifting outlet sensor 654 has been ON for 80 ms or more. If it is not ON, the system returns to step S208, and the operation of the lifting motor 664 continues.

On the other hand, if in step S210 it is determined that the lifting outlet sensor 654 has been ON for 80 ms or more, the process proceeds to the next step S211 as YES. The lifting motor 664 is stopped at the third detection position of the lifting motor index 665 by the detection unit 665a, and the process returns to step S201, repeating the lifting motor operation process.

In other words, as shown in Figures 73 and 74, after the lifting outlet sensor 654 is turned ON (continuously ON), the lifting motor 664 stops on the third time that the lifting motor index 665 rotates and does not block light (the lifting motor index sensor 666 is turned ON by the detection unit 665a). At this time, the lifting spiral shaft 661, which rotates integrally with the lifting motor index 665, discharges one game ball B per rotation towards the ball lifting outlet passage 652 (lifting device ball discharge). Therefore, three game balls B are discharged between the time the lifting outlet sensor 654 is turned ON and the lifting motor 664 stops. In other words, when the lifting outlet sensor 654 is turned ON, three game balls B are discharged towards the ball lifting outlet passage 652 and the lifting motor 664 stops. As a result, a sufficient number of game balls B are stored in the ball lifting outlet passage 652. Furthermore, to ensure that the lifting motor return process, described later, is executed smoothly, the ball lifting exit passage 652 is not completely filled with game balls B, leaving a predetermined number of empty spaces.

In this lifting motor operation process, if it is determined in step S202 that the lifting motor index 665 is not ON (the lifting motor index sensor 666 is OFF), the process proceeds to the next step S212, where it is determined whether the retry counter 1 is less than 3.

In step S212, if the retry counter 1 is less than 3, the system selects YES and executes the lifting motor origin return process in the next step S213. Then, in step S214, "1" is added to the retry counter 1, and the system returns to step S202.

In step S213, the lifting motor origin return process involves, if the lifting motor index sensor 666 is OFF, activating the lifting motor 664 to rotate the lifting motor index 665 together with the lifting spiral shaft 661. While the lifting motor index sensor 666 is OFF, the detection unit 665a reaches the sensor, turning it ON. After this, the lifting motor 664 rotates twice and stops, returning the lifting motor 664 (lifting motor index 665) to its origin.

More specifically, the lifting motor index 665 (lifting spiral shaft 661) is configured such that it rotates once for every 32 rotations of the lifting motor 664, based on the gear ratio of the shaft gear 662 and the motor gear 663. Furthermore, the circumferential length of the detection section 665a of the lifting motor index 665 is formed to correspond to four rotations of the lifting motor 664. Therefore, the position where the lifting motor 664 stops after two rotations from the time the lifting motor index sensor 666 is turned ON is located at the center of the detection section 665a. In other words, the center of the detection section 665a in the lifting motor index 665 is considered the origin of the lifting motor 664 (lifting spiral shaft 661, lifting motor index 665) (see Figure 74).

When the lifting motor return process is executed, the lifting spiral shaft 661 rotates approximately once, causing one game ball B to be discharged into the ball lifting exit passage 652. However, since the ball lifting exit passage 652 has a predetermined number of empty spaces for accommodating game balls B, the discharge of game balls B from the lifting spiral shaft 661 is not obstructed, allowing the lifting motor 664 to return to its home position.

In step S212 above, if it is determined that the retry counter 1 is not less than 3, the system proceeds to step S215, where the error display indicating "Lifting Ball Jam Error" is turned ON, and the system stops operating in the subsequent step S216. This operation stop can be released by turning the power switch 751, located on the power supply board 750 in the main unit frame 4, on or off.

On the other hand, in step S209, if it is determined that the lifting motor index 665 did not turn ON again within 600 ms after turning OFF (i.e., the lifting spiral shaft 661 is not rotating), the system proceeds to step S217, where it is determined whether the retry counter 2 is less than 3. If it is determined that the retry counter 2 is not less than 3, the system proceeds to step S215, where the error display indicating "lifting ball jamming error" is turned ON, and the system stops operation in the subsequent step S216.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S217 that the retry counter 2 is less than 3, the response is YES, and the ball jam release process in the next step S218 is executed. Then, in the following step S219, "1" is added to the retry counter 2, and the process returns to step S209.

In step S218, the ball jam release process involves stopping the lifting motor 664 without monitoring the ON/OFF status of the lifting outlet sensor 654, then reversing the rotation of the lifting motor 664, stopping the lifting motor 664 after a predetermined time (e.g., 100 ms), and then restarting the lifting motor 664 (forward rotation).

Thus, when the number of game balls B in the ball lifting exit passage 652 decreases due to the launch of game balls B by the lifting motor operation process, the lifting motor 664 rotates the lifting spiral shaft 661, lifting the game balls B in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 from the lower end and discharging them from the upper end to supply them to the ball lifting exit passage 652.

The operating time of the lifting motor 664 and the number of game balls B dispensed, as described above, are merely examples and may be adjusted to suit your needs.

[7-7. Security Processing]
The security process will be explained with reference to Figure 75, etc. The security process is for monitoring whether or not there is any fraudulent activity. As shown in Figure 75(a), the security process clears the inconsistency counter in step S301, and in the following step S302, calculates the number of balls recovered within a predetermined time in the ball circulation path unit 600. The number of balls recovered is calculated by the sum of the number of outs, the number of safes, and the number of fouls.

After calculating the number of recovered balls in step S302, the process proceeds to the next step, S303, where it is determined whether the number of balls fired and the number of recovered balls, as measured by the launch subtraction sensor 554, are the same. If they are the same, the process returns to step S302 with a value of YES. On the other hand, if the number of balls fired and the number of recovered balls are not the same, the process proceeds to step S304 with a value of NO, where "1" is added to the contradiction counter and the process proceeds to step S305.

In step S305, it is determined whether the contradiction counter is greater than n (for example, 50). If it is determined to be less than n, the response is NO and the process returns to step S302. On the other hand, if it is determined that the contradiction counter is greater than n, the response is YES and the process proceeds to the next step S306. After turning on an error message indicating that fraudulent activity has occurred, the process ends in the following step S307 by executing a game stop process.

The error display in step S306 can be cleared by switching the power switch 751, located on the power supply board 750 in the main unit frame 4, on or off.

Furthermore, the game stopping process in step S307 includes stopping the launch of game balls B by the ball launching unit 550, stopping the lifting of game balls B by the ball lifting unit 650 (stopping circulation), and stopping the game on the main control board 1310 side.

The security process may be as shown in Figure 75(b). In this security process, first, in step S311, the inconsistency counter is cleared, and in the following step S312, it is determined whether the number of balls fired by the launch subtraction sensor 554 is equal to or greater than the number of foul balls detected by the foul ball sensor 607.

In step S312, if it is determined that the number of balls fired is equal to or greater than the number of foul balls, the response is YES and the process returns to step S312. On the other hand, if it is determined that the number of balls fired is not equal to or greater than the number of foul balls, the response is NO and the process proceeds to the next step S313, where "1" is added to the contradiction counter and the process proceeds to the following step S314.

In step S314, it is determined whether the contradiction counter is greater than n (for example, 50). If it is determined to be less than n, the response is NO and the process returns to step S312. On the other hand, if it is determined that the contradiction counter is greater than n, the response is YES and the process proceeds to the next step S315. After turning on an error message indicating that fraudulent activity has occurred, the process ends in the following step S316 by executing a game stop process.

The error display in step S315 can be cleared by switching the power switch 751, located on the power supply board 750 in the main unit frame 4, on or off.

Furthermore, the game stopping process in step S316 includes stopping the launch of game balls B by the ball launching unit 550, stopping the lifting of game balls B by the ball lifting unit 650 (stopping circulation), and stopping the game on the main control board 1310 side.

In this way, the presence or absence of fraudulent activity can be determined by the number of balls launched, the number of game balls B discharged from the game board 5 (number of balls recovered), the number of foul balls, etc.

[7-8. Enclosed Ball Quantity Detection Process]
The sealed ball quantity detection process will be explained with reference to Figure 76, etc. The sealed ball quantity detection process detects whether the quantity (number of balls) of sealed game balls B is appropriate. The sealed ball quantity detection process determines whether the quantity of game balls B is appropriate by combining the ON/OFF status of the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and the circulating ball excess sensor 622. The circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and the circulating ball excess sensor 622 are turned ON when the detection of game balls B continues for a predetermined time (for example, 80 ms) or longer.

Specifically, in the ball storage passage 604 of the circulating ball path unit 600, which is upstream of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 in the ball lifting unit 650, if the last of the game balls B arranged in a line is located between the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and the circulating ball excess sensor 622, the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 will be ON and the circulating ball excess sensor 622 will be OFF. In this combination, the system determines that the amount of game balls B is appropriate, and no related errors are reported.

On the other hand, if the last of the game balls B lined up in a row in the ball storage passage 604 is located downstream of the circulating ball shortage sensor 621, then both the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and the circulating ball excess sensor 622 will be OFF. In this combination, the system determines that the number of game balls B is insufficient and an error message indicating "insufficient game balls" is issued.

Furthermore, if the last of the game balls B lined up in a row in the ball storage passage 604 is located upstream of the circulating ball excess sensor 622, beyond the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and the circulating ball excess sensor 622, then both the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and the circulating ball excess sensor 622 will turn ON. In such a combination, the system determines that there is an excess of game balls B and issues an error message indicating "excess game balls."

Incidentally, depending on the environment (amusement hall) in which the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment is installed, it may be installed together with conventional pachinko machines that use steel balls SB as game balls. In such cases, when the game balls B are replenished or replaced during maintenance of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, there is a risk that steel balls SB may become mixed in. Furthermore, if steel balls SB become mixed into this pachinko machine 1, because a strong magnet 616 is provided on the ball release shutter 615 of the ball storage passage 604 in the circulation path R, the mixed-in steel balls SB will be magnetized by the magnet 616 and remain stopped on the ball release shutter 615.

With the steel ball SB magnetically attached to the ball release shutter 615, if the ball launching unit 550 continues to launch game balls B, the game balls B downstream of the ball release shutter 615 in the ball storage passage 604 will be lifted up by the ball lifting unit 650 and decrease in number, eventually causing the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 to turn OFF. On the other hand, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 are collected by the out ball receiving port 600a, safe ball receiving port 600b, foul unit 570, etc. of the circulating ball path unit 600 and supplied to the upstream side of the ball storage passage 604, accumulating upstream of the ball release shutter 615 (steel ball SB), eventually causing the circulating ball excess sensor 622 to turn ON. Thus, in the case where the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 is OFF and the circulating ball excess sensor 622 is ON, the system determines that the iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the ball removal shutter 615, and an error message indicating "iron ball contamination" is issued.

Furthermore, if a ball jam occurs between the circulating ball under-saturation sensor 621 and the circulating ball over-saturation sensor 622 due to ball jamming, the same combination as described above will result in an error message indicating "iron ball contamination."

Furthermore, error notifications may be made by illuminating a notification lamp, or by displaying an image on a visual display device. Alternatively, the error signal may be output to the hall computer (Holcon) of the gaming hall via the game ball dispensing device 8, causing a notification lamp installed on the gaming hall side to illuminate.

In this way, the sealed ball quantity detection process allows for the appropriate management of the amount of sealed game balls B, and also enables the detection of the presence of iron balls SB.

[7-9. Ball Removal Procedure]
The ball removal process will now be explained. The ball removal process is performed in the circulating ball path unit 600 when the ball removal shutter 615 opens the ball removal opening 613p and removes the game balls B into the ball receiving tray 720. The ball removal process is performed by opening the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4, turning off the door opening switch 507, pulling the ball removal shutter 615 forward to open the ball removal opening 613p, and turning on the ball removal switch 742 provided on the frame control board 740.

[7-9. Ball Removal Procedure]
The ball removal process will now be explained. The ball removal process is performed in the circulating ball path unit 600 when the ball removal shutter 615 opens the ball removal opening 613p and removes the game balls B into the ball receiving tray 720. The ball removal process is performed by opening the door frame 3 relative to the main body frame 4, turning off the door release switch 507, pulling the ball removal shutter 615 forward to open the ball removal opening 613p, and turning on the power with the ball removal switch 742 on the frame control board 740 turned ON (by turning on the ball removal switch 742 when the power is turned on).

During the ball release process, the ON/OFF function of the lifting inlet sensor 653 is disabled, causing the launch solenoid 553 in the ball launching unit 550 to repeatedly switch ON/OFF at predetermined time intervals, while the lifting motor 664 remains in operation.

In this process, even if the launch solenoid 553 is turned ON and game ball B is launched, the door frame 3 is open, keeping the foul shutter 571 in the closed position. Therefore, the ball is not launched out of the foul unit 570 but is sent to the ball circulation unit 600 as a foul ball. During the ball removal process, although the launch of game ball B is not stopped, the game is stopped. For example, even if a starting prize is won, no game balls are dispensed, and no special symbol draws or variable displays are performed, making normal gameplay impossible. Furthermore, during the ball removal process, a special notification is provided using the display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc. Also, if the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on, the RAM clear (initializing the RAM) built into the main control board 1310 is not performed, maintaining game-related information such as the game state at the time of power cut-off.

In this way, the enclosed game balls B can be removed by the ball removal process. When refilling game balls B, they can be inserted through the out-out port 1008 of the game board 5, or by removing the game board 5 from the main frame 4 and inserting (replenishing) them through the out-ball receiving port 600a or the safe-ball receiving port 600b, which are opening upwards.

[7-10. Others]
In the above embodiment, the explanation has been based on the premise that stainless steel balls, made of stainless steel, are used as the game balls B for the pachinko machine 1. However, the invention is not limited to this, and iron balls SB may be used as game balls B, as in the conventional invention. When using iron balls as game balls B, the magnet 616 in the circulating ball path unit 600 is eliminated so that game balls B (iron balls SB) can flow through the ball storage passage 604, and the passage sensors (ball sensors) for stainless steel balls, which are provided on both the main frame 4 and the game board 5, are replaced with sensors that can detect iron balls SB. With these changes, the pachinko machine 1 becomes operational. Optical ball sensors can be used as is without replacement.

By the way, if iron balls SB are used as game balls B, it becomes possible to commit fraud using magnets M (so-called magnetic cheating). Therefore, the game board 5 requires conventional magnetic sensors (magnetic sensor 1030) for fraud detection.

The following describes the arrangement of magnetic sensors on a typical game board with reference to Figure 77, etc. Figure 77(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor capable of detecting magnetic field lines from a magnet; (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor incapable of detecting magnetic field lines from a magnet; (c) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the detection range by the magnetic sensor on the game board in a perspective view; (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the magnetic sensor and the magnetic material where magnetic field lines from a magnet cannot be detected; (e) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the magnetic sensor and the magnetic material where magnetic field lines from a magnet can be detected; and (f) is an explanatory diagram showing the magnetic sensor and the holding part separated. Note that the examples of magnetic sensor arrangements shown in Figure 77, etc., can be adopted in the game boards of each embodiment in this specification.

Generally, multiple magnetic sensors 1030 are installed in the pachinko machine 1 to detect abnormal magnetism (magnetic field lines). As shown in Figure 77(f), the magnetic sensor 1030 comprises a sensor body 1031 for detecting magnetism, a sensor substrate 1032 with a white surface on which the sensor body 1031 is mounted, and a transparent sensor case 1033 covering the sensor substrate 1032 and the sensor body 1031. Although not shown in the figure, the sensor substrate 1032 also has ICs, transistors, resistors, diodes, connectors, etc. mounted on it, in addition to the sensor body 1031. In this embodiment, a magnetic sensor using a GMR element is used for the sensor body 1031.

The magnetic sensor 1030 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, with a rectangular shape in plan view and a height lower than the length of the shorter side of the rectangle. One side in the height direction is chamfered. The internal sensor body 1031 and sensor substrate 1032 of this magnetic sensor 1030 can be viewed from the outside through the transparent sensor case 1033.

The magnetic sensor 1030 can detect the passage of magnetic field lines parallel to the longest side of a rectangular parallelepiped. Therefore, when the orientation of the magnetic sensor 1030 and the positional relationship with the magnet M are as shown in Figure 77(a), the magnetic field lines of the magnet M pass in a direction parallel to the longest side, allowing the magnetism (magnetic field lines) of the magnet M to be detected.

On the other hand, when the orientation of the magnetic sensor 1030 and the positional relationship with the magnet M are as shown in Figure 77(b), the magnetic field lines of the magnet M pass perpendicular to the long side (perpendicular to the rectangular plane formed by the long and short sides), making it impossible to detect the magnetism (magnetic field lines) of the magnet M.

Therefore, as shown by the shading in Figure 77(c), the magnetic sensor 1030 has detection areas DA for the magnet M on one side and the other side of the long side of the magnetic sensor 1030. In other words, the magnetic sensor 1030 has a gourd-shaped detection area DA formed by combining two spheres with a diameter of approximately 10 cm. Figure 77(c) is a diagram assuming that the magnetic sensor 1030 is placed near the first start opening 2003 of the game board 5 as a countermeasure against fraud.

Next, as shown in Figure 77(d), when a magnetic material M1 is placed in parallel with a magnetic sensor 1030 capable of detecting magnetic field lines from a magnet M, the magnetic field lines are attracted to the magnetic material M1. This reduces the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1030, and the magnetic sensor 1030 may become unable to detect magnetic field lines (magnetism) from the magnet M.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 77(e), when a magnetic material M2 is placed in series with a magnetic sensor 1030 capable of detecting magnetic field lines from a magnet M, the magnetic field lines are attracted by the magnetic material M2, increasing the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1030. This allows for the detection of magnetism from distant magnets M or magnets M with weak magnetic force.

Incidentally, in conventional pachinko machines, magnetic sensors are attached to the game board using screws made of magnetic material. Depending on the positional relationship between the magnetic sensor and the screw, the magnetic field lines from the magnet M used for fraudulent activity can be attracted to the highly permeable screw, reducing the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor and making it impossible to detect the approach of the magnet M. In contrast, this embodiment attaches the magnetic sensor 1030 without using screws.

To be more specific, as shown in Figure 77(f), the magnetic sensor 1030 is attached to the frame of the gaming machine (main frame 4 and game board 5) via a holding part 1035 made of a non-magnetic material (in this case, synthetic resin). The holding part 1035 is integrally molded with a component not shown. This holding part 1035 has a housing part 1036 that can accommodate the magnetic sensor 1030 from one side, and an elastic claw 1037 that engages with the magnetic sensor 1030 housed in the housing part 1036. Furthermore, the holding part 1035 has a projection 1038 that protrudes into the housing part from the leg portion of the elastic claw 1037. This holding part 1035 is made of transparent synthetic resin.

When the magnetic sensor 1030 is inserted into the housing portion of the holding portion 1035 from the outside, the elastic claws 1037 elastically deform away from the housing portion 1036. Once the magnetic sensor 1030 is housed in the housing portion 1036, the elastic claws 1037 return to their original position and lock onto the end of the magnetic sensor 1030. At this time, the projections 1038 provided on the legs of the elastic claws 1037 abut against the magnetic sensor 1030, pressing the magnetic sensor 1030 against the opposite side of the elastic claws 1037 on the inner surface of the housing portion 1036.

The locking mechanism of the elastic claw 1037 prevents the magnetic sensor 1030 from moving out of the housing 1036, thereby preventing the magnetic sensor 1030 from falling out. Furthermore, the contact of the projection 1038 presses the magnetic sensor 1030 into the housing 1036, preventing rattling of the magnetic sensor 1030 within the housing 10361.

Thus, because the holding portion 1035 is made of a non-magnetic material, when a magnet M is brought close to the game area 5a, the holding portion 1035 is prevented from attracting magnetic field lines from the magnet M, thereby preventing a reduction in the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1030. Therefore, it is possible to easily detect magnetism acting on the game area 5a, enabling early detection of fraudulent activity using a magnet M. Furthermore, by notifying the magnetic sensor 1030 of suspicious magnetic field detection, fraudulent activity can be deterred, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, the non-magnetic holding portion 1035 prevents the attraction of magnetic field lines from the magnet M, thus preventing a reduction in the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1030. This allows for effective detection of the magnetism acting on the game area 5a with fewer magnetic sensors 1030 than in conventional pachinko machines, reducing the number of magnetic sensors 1030 and thus suppressing an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, by elastically deforming the elastic claws 1037 of the holding part 1035, the magnetic sensor 1030 can be easily attached to and removed from the holding part 1035. Therefore, unlike conventional pachinko machines, the magnetic sensor 1030 can be attached using the elastic claws 1037 without the need for metal screws made of magnetic material. This also simplifies the assembly of the pachinko machine 1, thereby suppressing an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the projection 1038 of the holding portion 1035 biases (presses) the magnetic sensor 1030 toward the housing portion 1036, the biasing force by the projection 1038 suppresses fine vibrations of the magnetic sensor 1030. This reduces the likelihood of the connector connected to the magnetic sensor 1030 becoming detached or experiencing poor contact due to such vibrations, thereby ensuring reliable operation of the magnetic sensor 1030.

Incidentally, in the case of a pachinko machine 1 having a circulation path R within the main frame 4 (game machine frame), if iron balls SB are used as game balls B, it becomes possible to perform fraudulent acts (so-called magnetic cheating) within the circulation path R using magnets M. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a magnetic sensor (magnetic sensor 1030) capable of detecting fraudulent magnetic fields within the circulation path R (especially around the launch/subtraction sensor 554, foul ball sensor 607, pre-launch sensor 704, etc., which are involved in adding/subtracting the number of balls held by the player). In this embodiment, the area particularly susceptible to fraud is near the launch/subtraction sensor 554 of the ball launch unit 550, specifically the path from the game balls B on the ball launch stand 552b (launch rail) to the foul unit 570 and the foul ball sensor 607. Details of the embodiment regarding the arrangement of magnetic sensors capable of detecting fraudulent magnetic fields within the circulation path R will be described later.

[8. Overall configuration of the game board]
The overall configuration of the game board 5 in the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 84. Figure 78 is a front view of the game board showing the transparent center mechanism and other elements made opaque. Figure 79 is a perspective view of the game board of Figure 78 from the front right, Figure 80 is a perspective view of the game board of Figure 78 from the front left, and Figure 81 is a perspective view of the game board of Figure 78 from the rear. Figure 82 is an exploded perspective view of the game board disassembled into its main components and viewed from the front, and Figure 83 is an exploded perspective view of the game board disassembled into its main components and viewed from the rear. Figure 84 is a front view of the game board showing the game area through which the game balls circulate, with the front unit cut parallel to the surface of the game panel.

The game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 has a game area 5a into which game balls B are played when the player operates the handle 160. The game area 5a is equipped with a general prize slot 2001, a normal prize slot 2002, a first start slot 2003, a second start slot 2004, a big prize slot 2005, a special prize slot 2006, and a second V prize slot 2008, which grant the player predetermined benefits (for example, an increase in the number of balls held) upon acceptance or passage of game balls B. This game board 5 is designed to allow players to enjoy a game where game balls B are received into the general prize slots 2001, regular prize slots 2002, first start slots 2003, second start slots 2004, large prize slots 2005, and special prize slots 2006, etc., within the game area 5a, by operating the handle 160 to insert the balls and circulating the game balls B within the game area 5a.

The game board 5 comprises a front component 1000 that demarcates the outer perimeter of the game area 5a and has a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front; a plate-shaped game panel 1100 attached to the rear side of the front component 1000 and demarcates the rear end of the game area 5a; a plurality of magnetic sensors 1030 (see Figure 93) that detect magnetic fields acting improperly within the game area 5a; and a vibration sensor 1040 (see Figure 93, etc.) that detects vibrations acting on the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1). Multiple obstacle pins that come into contact with the game balls B are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement in the portion of the front of the game panel 1100 that is within the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the game board 5 includes a circuit board holder 1200 attached to the lower rear side of the game panel 1100, and a main control unit 1300 attached to the rear surface of the circuit board holder 1200, which has a main control board 1310 (see Figure 93, etc.) that controls the game content performed by driving game balls B into the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the game board 5 includes a function display unit 1400 that displays the game status based on control signals from the main control board 1310 and is mounted on the upper left corner of the front component 1000 so that it is visible to the player; a peripheral control unit 1500 located behind the game panel 1100; an effect display device 1600 located in the center of the game area 5a in a front view and capable of displaying predetermined effect images; a panel relay board (not shown) located behind the game panel 1100 and relaying the connection between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510; a front unit 2000 mounted on the front of the game panel 1100; and a rear unit 3000 mounted on the rear of the game panel 1100.

A display device 1600 is provided on the rear surface of the rear unit 3000, and a peripheral control unit 1500 is provided on the rear surface of the display device 1600.

The front unit 2000 has multiple (three in this case) general prize slots 2001 that are always open and capable of receiving game balls B that have been driven into the game area 5a, a normal prize slot 2002 that is always open and capable of receiving game balls B and is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a, a first start slot 2003 that is always open and capable of receiving game balls B and is located in the center in the left-right direction below the center mechanism 2500, and a lottery is held when game balls B are received into the normal prize slot 2002. The game board 5 includes a second starting port 2004 that allows game balls B to be received according to the result of the lottery for the regular symbols, a large prize port 2005 or a special prize port 2006 that allows game balls B to be received according to the result of the lottery for the first special symbol drawn by the receipt of game balls B into the first starting port 2003, or the second special symbol drawn by the receipt of game balls B into the second starting port 2004, and a first V prize port 2007 and a second V prize port 2008 that allow game balls B received into the special prize port 2006 to be received. Furthermore, the game board 5 is equipped with multiple magnetic sensors 1030 (see Figure 93) that detect magnetic fields acting improperly within the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the front unit 2000 is located at the downstream end of the game area 5a and is equipped with an outlet 2020 that is always open to receive game balls B and discharges the received game balls B outside the game area 5a without returning them. It also includes two sub-outlets 2021 located upstream of the outlet 2020 within the game area 5a, which are also always open to receive game balls B and discharge the received game balls B outside the game area 5a without returning them. The outlet 2020 is provided on the left and right sides of the first start port 2003. The two sub-outlets 2021 are located to the left of the center of the game area 5a and to the right of the center of the game area 5a, respectively.

Furthermore, the front unit 2000 includes a start-up unit 2100 mounted in the center of the left-right direction within the game area 5a, directly above the lower end of the game area 5a, and having a first start-up opening 2003 and an out-up opening 2020; a side unit 2200 provided to the left of the start-up unit 2100 in a front view, along the inner rail 1002, and having three general prize-winning openings 2001 and one sub-out-up opening 2021; and a side upper left unit 2300 provided slightly above the left of the side unit 2200 in a front view. The machine comprises: an attacker unit 2400 located to the right of the starter unit 2100 and having a second starter opening 2004, a large prize opening 2005, and one sub-out opening 2021; a frame-shaped center prize opening 2500 located slightly above the center of the front view within the game area 5a and having a prize opening 2006, a first V prize opening 2007, and a second V prize opening 2008; and a normal prize opening unit 2600 located above the right end of the attacker unit 2400 and having a normal prize opening 2002.

The center mechanism 2500 comprises a frame-shaped main unit 2510 having a mechanism entry opening 2006 and a first V-entry opening 2007, and a lottery mechanism 2550 located at the lower part of the frame of the main unit 2510 and having a second V-entry opening 2008.

The back unit 3000 comprises a plurality of magnetic sensors 1030 for detecting magnetic fields acting improperly within the game area 5a, a vibration sensor 1040 for detecting vibrations acting on the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1), a back box 3010 attached to the rear surface of the panel holder 1120 on the game panel 1100, a box-shaped back box with an open front and a square opening 3010a in its rear wall, a lock slider 3020 for detachably attaching the performance display device 1600 to the rear wall of the back box 3010, and a back circuit board unit 3040 positioned behind the performance display device 1600 and attached to the rear wall of the back box 3010.

Furthermore, the back unit 3000 includes a back ball guidance unit 3100 located at the lower part near the front end of the back box 3010, through which the game ball B guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 flows; a back decoration unit 3200 located behind the back ball guidance unit 3100 within the back box 3010; a back front performance unit 3300 located to the left and above the back ball guidance unit 3100 near the front end within the back box 3010; and a back rear performance unit 3400 located behind the back front performance unit 3300 within the back box 3010.

[8-1. Front Components]
The front component 1000 of the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83. The front component 1000 is made entirely of transparent material. The front component 1000 has an outer shape that is approximately square when viewed from the front, and an inner shape that is approximately circular and penetrates in the front-to-back direction, with the inner circumference of the inner shape defining the outer periphery of the game area 5a. This front component 1000 includes an outer rail 1001 that extends in an arc shape along the circumferential direction clockwise from the lower end slightly to the left of the center in the front view, passing over the upper end of the center in the front view and extending to the upper right diagonally; an inner rail 1002 that is positioned inside the front component 1000, approximately along the outer rail 1001, and extends in an arc shape from the lower center in the front view to the upper left diagonally; and an out-guide section 1003 formed at the lowest point of the game area 5a on the right side of the lower end of the inner rail 1002 in the front view, and is inclined to be lower toward the rear.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 includes a right-lower rail 1004 that slopes linearly from the right end of the out-guiding section 1003 in a front view to the vicinity of the right edge of the front component 1000, with the right end being slightly higher; a right rail 1005 that extends from the right end of the right-lower rail 1004 along the right edge of the front component 1000 to the lower side of the upper end of the outer rail 1001, with its upper part curving inward from the front component 1000; and a stopper 1006 that connects the upper end of the right rail 1005 to the upper end of the outer rail 1001, and which the game ball B that has rolled along the outer rail 1001 comes into contact with.

Furthermore, the aforementioned component 1000 is pivotally supported at the upper end of the inner rail 1002 and includes a backflow prevention member 1007 that is rotatable only between a closed position extending upward from the upper end of the inner rail 1002 to close the gap between it and the outer rail 1001, and an open position that rotates clockwise in a front view to open the gap between it and the outer rail 1001. The backflow prevention member 1007 is biased by a spring (not shown) to return to the closed position.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 has an outlet opening 1008 located at the lower center in the left-right direction when viewed from the front within the frame, and which penetrates from front to back at the rear end of the outlet guide section 1003. This outlet opening 1008 is closed from the front by the starter unit 2100.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 is provided with anti-theft recesses 1009 that are recessed from the front end to the rear at the outer side of the parts of the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002 that extend approximately vertically from the lower ends, the underside of the out guide section 1003 and the lower right rail 1004, and the outer side of the right rail 1005. When the game board 5 is attached to the main frame 4 and the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, the rear projection (not shown) of the anti-theft cover (not shown) on the door frame 3 is inserted into these anti-theft recesses 1009. As a result, the space between the security cover and the game board 5 (front component 1000) is intricately bent by the rear projection of the security cover and the security recess 1009 of the front component 1000. Therefore, even if someone attempts to insert an unauthorized tool such as piano wire into the game area 5a from below the front of the game board 5 through the space between the security cover and the front component 1000, it will be blocked by the rear projection and the security recess 1009, thus preventing the unauthorized tool from entering the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 has a notch 1010 cut out upward from the lower end at the lower left corner when viewed from the front. This notch 1010 coincides with the notch 1122 of the game panel 1100. This notch 1010 is designed so that, when attached to the main frame of a pachinko machine that dispenses game balls to the player, the front end openings of the lower normal dispensing passage and the lower full-ball dispensing passage of the lower full-ball path unit face forward, supplying game balls to the upper and lower trays of the door frame.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 includes a function display unit mounting portion 1011 formed in the upper left corner when viewed from the front, to which the function display unit 1400 is attached, and a sticker attachment portion 1012 formed in the lower right corner.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 is formed to be almost entirely transparent, allowing the game panel 1100 and the rear unit 3000, which are located on the rear side, to be visible from the front.

[8-2. Game Panel]
The game panel 1100 in the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83. The game panel 1100 is attached to the rear surface of the front component 1000, and the front unit 2000 and the back unit 3000 are attached to it. The game panel 1100 comprises a flat panel plate 1110 made of transparent synthetic resin, the outer circumference of which is formed to be slightly larger than the inner circumference of the frame-shaped front component 1000, and a frame-shaped panel holder 1120 which holds the outer circumference of the panel plate 1110 and is attached to the rear side of the front component 1000, and the back unit 3000 is attached to its rear surface. Multiple obstacle nails are planted on the front surface of the game panel 1100 in a predetermined gauge arrangement.

The panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100 is formed from synthetic resin boards such as acrylic resin, polycarbonate resin, polyarylate resin, or methacrylic resin, or from inorganic boards such as glass or metal. The thickness of this panel board 1110 is thinner than that of a wooden game panel, which is approximately 20 mm. The minimum thickness required to adequately support obstacle nails planted on the front and the mounting of the front unit 2000 is approximately 10 mm. In this embodiment, the panel board 1110 is formed from a transparent synthetic resin board.

The panel 1110 is located at the lowest position within the game area 5a, and the position corresponding to the out-hole 1008 of the front component 1000 is recessed upward from the lower end. In other words, in this embodiment, the out-hole 1008 of the panel 1110 is not a hole, but rather a notch that opens downwards. However, the out-hole 1008 may also be formed as a hole. Furthermore, the panel 1110 has multiple openings 1112 that penetrate from front to back, for attaching the front unit 2000. In this embodiment, the openings 1112 are formed as holes, but they may also be formed as notches that open outwards from the outer circumferential surface of the panel 1110.

Furthermore, the panel plate 1110, although not shown in the illustration, includes a plurality of positioning holes formed as through-holes and short elongated holes, and a plurality of engagement steps that are spaced apart in the left-right direction at the upper and lower edges, respectively, and are formed with a thin plate thickness. The positioning holes are for positioning relative to the panel holder 1120 by inserting the protruding pins (not shown) of the panel holder 1120. The engagement steps are for detachably attaching to the panel holder 1120 by engaging with the engagement claws (not shown) and engagement pieces (not shown) of the panel holder 1120.

The panel 1110 has a large opening 1112 for mounting the center mechanism 2500, which is offset above the center when viewed from the front. This gives the panel 1110 a frame-like shape. When viewed from the front, the width perpendicular to the direction of movement of the game balls B (the circumferential direction of the frame) is such that the left, right, and bottom sides are wide enough to accommodate multiple game balls B, while the top side is narrow enough that multiple game balls B cannot be arranged side by side.

The panel holder 1120 of the game panel 1100 is sized to enclose the panel board 1110 and has a roughly rectangular shape. It is thicker than the panel board 1110 (in this embodiment, approximately 38 mm, the same thickness as a wooden game panel). This is to allow gameplay by attaching the game panel 1100, whether made of wood or transparent synthetic resin, to the main frame 4 of the same pachinko machine 1 (game machine).

This panel holder 1120 is made of a transparent synthetic resin (for example, a thermoplastic synthetic resin). The panel holder 1120 has a retaining step (not shown) that is approximately the same size as the panel plate 1110 and recessed from the front to the rear, and a through-hole 1121 that penetrates the retaining step in the front-to-back direction and is approximately the same size as the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the panel holder 1120 has a notch 1122 cut out upward from the lower end at the lower left corner when viewed from the front. This notch 1122 is formed to coincide with the notch 1010 of the previous component 1000. This notch 1122 is designed to allow the front end openings of the lower normal payout passage and the lower full payout passage of the lower full ball path unit to face forward when the panel holder is attached to the main frame of a pachinko machine that dispenses game balls to the player, by passing through the notch 1010 and the notch 1122, thereby supplying game balls to the upper and lower trays of the door frame.

Furthermore, the panel holder 1120 has an outlet recess 1123 that extends upward from its lower end to a position corresponding to the outlet opening 1008, and is recessed from the rear surface toward the front. The upper part of the outlet recess 1123 is in communication with the outlet opening 1008.

Furthermore, the panel holder 1120, although not shown in the illustration, includes a plurality of protruding pins that protrude forward from the retaining step and are inserted into a plurality of positioning holes in the panel plate 1110, three engaging claws that are positioned outside the retaining step and elastically engage with the engaging steps on the upper and lower left inclined portions of the panel plate 1110, and a pair of engaging pieces that protrude upward from the lower outer side of the retaining step and engage with the two engaging steps on the lower edge of the panel plate 1110. The panel holder 1120 can be detachably attached to the panel plate 1110 while it is housed in the retaining step by engaging the engaging steps on the lower edge of the panel plate 1110 with the engaging pieces from diagonally above the front, and then moving the upper part of the panel plate 1110 backward to elastically engage the engaging steps on the upper and lower left inclined portions with the engaging claws. At this point, the protruding pins of the panel holder 1120 are inserted into the positioning holes of the panel plate 1110, thereby positioning the panel plate 1110 in a predetermined position relative to the panel holder 1120.

Since this game panel 1100, along with the front component 1000 attached to the front, is made of transparent material, when assembled with the game board 5, it reduces the visibility of the boundary of the game area 5a, giving the player a sense of openness. Furthermore, although the actual size of the game area 5a remains unchanged, it makes the game area 5a appear larger (wider) to the player.

Furthermore, since the game panel 1100 is transparent along with the front component 1000, light from the display device 1600, the front unit 2000, the back unit 3000, etc., can be reflected or refracted forward (towards the player), making it appear as if it is emitting light, thereby further enhancing the overall decorative appeal of the game board 5.

[8-3. Circuit board holder]
The circuit board holder 1200 in the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83. The circuit board holder 1200 is formed in a horizontally elongated box shape with the top and front open, and the bottom surface is inclined to become lower towards the center in the left-right direction. The circuit board holder 1200 has an ejection section 1201 that is cut out from the front end toward the rear at the center in the left-right direction of the bottom surface. When assembled to the game board 5, the circuit board holder 1200 covers the lower part of the back unit 3000 attached to the rear side of the game panel 1100 from below and behind, and the main control board box 1320 of the main control unit 1300 is attached to its rear surface.

When assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the circuit board holder 1200 has its discharge section 1201 positioned directly above the out ball receiving port 600a and the safe ball receiving port 600b in the circulation ball path unit 600 of the main frame 4. As a result, the game balls B discharged to the rear of the game panel 1100 through the out port 2020 and the sub-out port 2021 are discharged to the out ball receiving port 600a in the circulation ball path unit 600, and after being received by the out ball receiving port 600a, they flow through the out ball passage 601 and are detected (counted) one by one by the out ball sensor 605. On the other hand, game balls B that are received into prize slots such as the general prize slot 2001, the regular prize slot 2002, the first start slot 2003, the second start slot 2004, the large prize slot 2005, and the special prize slot 2006, and discharged downward from the front unit 2000 and the back unit 3000, are discharged to the safe ball receiving slot 600b in the circulating ball path unit 600. Upon receiving the safe ball receiving slot 600b, they circulate through the safe ball passage 602 and are detected (counted) one by one by the safe ball sensor 606.

[8-4. Main Control Board Unit]
The main control unit 1300 in the game board 5 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 81 to 83, etc. The main control unit 1300 is detachably attached to the rear surface of the board holder 1200. The main control unit 1300 includes a main control board 1310 (see Figure 93) that controls the game content and the granting of benefits to players, and a main control board box 1320 that houses the main control board 1310 and is attached to the board holder 1200.

The main control board box 1320 consists of a board base 1330, which is attached to the board holder 1200 and to which the main control board 1310 is attached at the rear, and a board cover 1340, which is attached to the board base 1330 so as to cover the main control board 1310 from the rear. The board base 1330 and the board cover 1340 are made of transparent polycarbonate. The main control board 1310 is housed in the internal space formed by the board base 1330 and the board cover 1340. Because the board base 1330 and the board cover 1340 are made of transparent polycarbonate, the condition of the front and back sides of the main control board 1310 (whether or not unauthorized modifications have been made, or whether or not unauthorized ICs are mounted) can be checked from the outside of the main control board box 1320.

Furthermore, the main control board box 1320 is equipped with multiple sealing mechanisms 1350 corresponding to the board base 1330 and the board cover 1340, respectively. When the main control board box 1320 is closed using one sealing mechanism 1350, opening the box requires destroying that sealing mechanism 1350, leaving a trace of the opening and closing. Therefore, by examining these traces, unauthorized opening and closing of the main control board box 1320 can be detected, thus enhancing the deterrent against unauthorized actions against the main control board 1310.

The main control board 1310 of the main control unit 1300 is connected to the interface board 760, the out-of-bounds sensor 605, the peripheral control board 1510, and the like. Furthermore, the main control board 1310 is connected to the function display unit 1400, general prize entry sensor 3001, normal prize entry sensor 3002, first start entry sensor 2101, second start entry sensor 2401, large prize entry sensor 2402, special prize entry sensor 2501, first V prize entry sensor 2502, second V prize entry sensor 2503, losing entry sensor 2504, start entry solenoid 2412, attacker solenoid 2414, special prize entry solenoid 2516, first distribution solenoid 2534, second distribution solenoid 2544, lottery loop solenoid 2558, striking piece drive motor 2561, gutter oscillating drive motor 2564, oscillating piece solenoid 2565, magnetic sensor 1030, vibration sensor 1040, etc.

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 has a base monitor consisting of four 7-segment LEDs (not shown in the figure). The base monitor can be viewed from the rear through a transparent board cover 1340. This base monitor displays the number of game balls B launched by the ball launching unit 550 that have entered the game area 5a, been discharged downwards from the game board 5, and detected by the out-ball sensor 605 located in the circulating ball path unit 600 of the main frame 4. In this embodiment, the base monitor displays the number of balls counted by the out-ball sensor 605 after 100 balls have been launched (the number of balls that have returned to the game hall side) as a percentage.

[8-5. Function Display Unit]
The function display unit 1400 in the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 78, etc. The function display unit 1400 is attached to the upper left corner of the front component 1000 outside the game area 5a. When assembled in the pachinko machine 1, the function display unit 1400 can be seen from the front (player side) through the game window 101 of the door frame 3. Based on control signals from the main control board 1310, the function display unit 1400 uses multiple LEDs to display the game status, the results of the lottery for normal symbols, the results of the lottery for special symbols, etc.

The function display unit 1400, although not shown in detail, includes a status indicator consisting of three LEDs that displays the game status, a regular symbol indicator consisting of two LEDs that displays the lottery result of regular symbols drawn when game balls B are received into the regular prize slot 2002, and a regular reserve indicator consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserved game balls B received into the regular prize slot 2002.

Furthermore, the function display unit 1400 includes a first special symbol display unit consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the lottery for the first special symbol drawn upon the acceptance of game ball B into the first start port 2003; a first special reserved number display unit consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserved game balls related to the acceptance of game ball B into the first start port 2003; a second special symbol display unit consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the lottery for the second special symbol drawn upon the acceptance of game ball B into the second start port 2004; and a second special reserved number display unit consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserved game balls related to the acceptance of game ball B into the second start port 2004.

Furthermore, the function display unit 1400 includes a round indicator consisting of five LEDs that displays the number of repetitions (rounds) of the opening and closing pattern of the large prize slot 2005 when the lottery result for the first special symbol or the second special symbol is "win," etc.

This function display unit 1400 can display the number of reserved items, symbols, etc., by appropriately lighting, extinguishing, and flashing the provided LEDs.

[8-6. Peripheral Control Units]
The peripheral control unit 1500 in the game board 5 will be described mainly with reference to Figure 81, etc. The peripheral control unit 1500 is located behind the performance display device 1600, which is located on the rear side of the back box 3010 of the back unit 3000. More specifically, the peripheral control unit 1500 is mounted on the rear side of the liquid crystal spacer 1610 to which the performance display device 1600 is attached to the rear surface of the back box 3010. The peripheral control unit 1500 comprises a peripheral control board 1510 (see Figure 93) that controls the performances presented to the player based on control signals from the main control board 1310, and a peripheral control board box 1520 that houses the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 comprises a peripheral control unit 1511 for controlling light-emitting effects, sound effects, and movable effects, etc., and a performance display control unit 1512 for controlling performance images.

The peripheral control board 1510 of the peripheral control unit 1500 is connected to the main control board 1310, the performance operation unit 250, various decorative boards on the door frame 3 side, the performance display device 1600, etc. (see Figure 93). The peripheral control unit 1500 is mounted on the rear side of the performance display device 1600, as will be described in detail later.

[8-7. Performance display device]
The performance display device 1600 in the game board 5 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83. The performance display device 1600 is positioned in the center of the game area 5a when viewed from the front, and is attached to the rear side of the game panel 1100 via the back box 3010 of the back unit 3000. The performance display device 1600 is attached to the front of the liquid crystal spacer 1610 which is attached to the rear wall of the back box 3010. Since the liquid crystal spacer 1610 is detachable from the back box 3010, the performance display device 1600 can be attached to and detached from the back box 3010 via the liquid crystal spacer 1610. When the game board 5 is assembled, the performance display device 1600 can be seen from the front (player side) through the transparent game panel 1100 and the frame of the frame-shaped center mechanism 2500.

The display device 1600 is a 15-inch full-color liquid crystal display with a white LED backlight, mounted horizontally on the front of the liquid crystal spacer 1610. The display device 1600 is connected to the peripheral control board 1510 and can display predetermined still images and videos.

The display device 1600 is mounted offset (eccentrically) from the center of the liquid crystal spacer 1610, so that space is created above and to the left of the spacer.

The liquid crystal spacer 1610 is formed in the same size as a 19-inch liquid crystal display device and is a transparent, flat plate. The liquid crystal spacer 1610 comprises two upper fixing pieces 1611 protruding upward from its upper end surface and one lower fixing piece 1612 protruding downward from its lower end surface. With the liquid crystal screen of the display device 1600 facing forward, the liquid crystal spacer 1610 is attached to the back box 3010 (described later) by inserting the two upper fixing pieces 1611 into two fixing grooves 3010c opening on the upper inner circumferential surface of the opening 3010a of the back box 3010 from the diagonal rear of the back box 3010, then moving the lower fixing piece 1612 forward, inserting the lower fixing piece 1612 into the opening of the lock slider 3020, and sliding the lock slider 3020 to the left in a rear view.

[8-8. Overall structure of the table unit]
The front unit 2000 in the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83. The front unit 2000 is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front, with its front end protruding forward beyond the front surface of the game panel 1100, and a portion of its rear end protruding into the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100.

The front unit 2000 includes a plurality (three in this case) of general prize slots 2001 that are always open to receive game balls B that have been driven into the game area 5a, a normal prize slot 2002 located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and that is always open to receive game balls B, a first start slot 2003 located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and that is always open to receive game balls B, and a normal symbol that is drawn when a game ball B is received into the normal prize slot 2002. The machine includes a second starting port 2004 that allows the acceptance of game ball B according to the lottery results, a large prize port 2005 and a special prize port 2006 that allow the acceptance of game ball B according to the first special symbol drawn by the acceptance of game ball B into the first starting port 2003 or the second special symbol drawn by the acceptance of game ball B into the second starting port 2004, and a first V prize port 2007 and a second V prize port 2008 that allow the acceptance of game ball B that has been accepted into the special prize port 2006.

Furthermore, the front unit 2000 is further equipped with an outlet 2020 and a sub-outlet 2021 for discharging game balls B that have been played into the game area 5a to the outside of the game area 5a. The outlet 2020 and sub-outlet 2021 are always open to receive game balls B. The outlet 2020 is located at the downstream end of the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the front unit 2000 includes a first start-up sensor 2101 for detecting game balls B received in the first start-up opening 2003, a second start-up sensor 2401 for detecting game balls B received in the second start-up opening 2004, a large prize-winning opening sensor 2402 for detecting game balls B received in the large prize-winning opening 2005, a first V-prize-winning opening sensor 2502 for detecting game balls B received in the first V-prize-winning opening 2007, a second V-prize-winning opening sensor 2503 for detecting game balls B received in the second V-prize-winning opening 2008, a losing-prize-winning opening sensor 2504 for detecting game balls B received in the losing-prize-winning opening 2009, and a magnetic sensor 1030 for detecting unauthorized magnetism acting within the game area 5a.

Multiple (three in this case) general prize entry points 2001 are located to the left of the center in the lower part of the game area 5a. The regular prize entry point 2002 is located near the right edge of the game area 5a (when viewed from the front) and below the center in the vertical direction. The first start entry point 2003 is located in the center of the game area 5a (left-right direction) between the two out entry points 2020. The second start entry point 2004 is located near the right edge of the game area 5a and below the regular prize entry point 2002. The large prize entry point 2005 is located to the right of the first start entry point 2003 within the game area 5a. The special prize entry point 2006 is located near the right edge of the game area 5a and above the regular prize entry point 2002.

The out-out opening 2020 is located at the downstream end of the game area 5a, below both the left and right sides of the first start-up opening 2003. One of the sub-out-out openings 2021 is located to the left of the three general prize-winning openings 2001, while the other is located below the second start-up opening 2004.

The front unit 2000 comprises a start-up unit 2100 mounted in the center of the game area 5a in the left-right direction, directly above the lower end of the game area 5a, and having a first start-up opening 2003 and an out-up opening 2020; a side unit 2200 provided to the left of the start-up unit 2100 in a front view, along the inner rail 1002, and having three general prize-winning openings 2001 and one sub-out-up opening 2021; and a side upper left unit 2300 provided slightly above and to the left of the side unit 2200 in a front view.

Furthermore, the front unit 2000 further comprises an attacker unit 2400 located to the right of the starter unit 2100 and having a second starter opening 2004, a large prize opening 2005, and one sub-out opening 2021; a frame-shaped center prize opening 2500 located slightly above the center of the front view within the game area 5a and having a prize opening 2006, a first V prize opening 2007, a second V prize opening 2008, and a losing opening 2009; and a normal prize opening unit 2600 located above the attacker unit 2400 and having a normal prize opening 2002.

[8-8a. Starter Unit]
Next, the start port unit 2100 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 80 and Figure 84. The start port unit 2100 of the front unit 2000 is located within the game area 5a, near the lower end of the center in the left-right direction, directly above the out port 1008, and is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front. The start port unit 2100 has a first start port 2003 that is always open upward with a width that can accept only one game ball B, and two out ports 2020 that are always open to accept game balls B and discharge the accepted game ball B outside the game area 5a without returning it. The start port unit 2100 also has a first start port sensor 2101 that detects the game ball B received in the first start port 2003 (see Figure 93).

The outlet 2020 is located at a lower position than the first start 2003. The two outlets 2020 of the start unit 2100 are located symmetrically on either side of the first start 2003. The first start 2003 opens upward with a width sufficient for one game ball B to pass through. The outlet 2020 opens upward with a width sufficient for two game balls B and is located at the lowest position within the game area 5a.

The starting port unit 2100 is designed so that the height difference between the first starting port 2003 and the out port 2020 is smaller (lower) than the height difference between the first starting port and the out port (out port 1008) in conventional pachinko machines. This creates the illusion for the player that the first starting port 2003 is located lower than the conventional first starting port, making the game area 5a appear relatively wider.

The start-up unit 2100 is located below the first start-up opening 2003 and has a start-up display unit 2110 capable of displaying a predetermined pattern. The start-up display unit 2110 is composed of a single 7-segment LED. This start-up display unit 2110 can display a predetermined pattern (including numbers) according to the progress of the game. When assembled to the game board 5, the start-up unit 2100 closes the out-up opening 1008 from the front using the start-up display unit 2110, making the out-up opening 1008 invisible to the player. This allows the player to recognize that the out-up opening 2020 is at the lowest end of the game area 5a.

When assembled to the game board 5, the start port unit 2100 has its first start port 2003 located directly below the central discharge section 2513a on the stage 2513 of the center mechanism 2500, allowing it to receive game balls B released from the central discharge section 2513a with a high probability. The game balls B received in this first start port 2003 are detected by the first start port sensor 2101, guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, and then handed over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, before being discharged to the safe ball receiving port 600b of the lower circulating ball path unit 600.

The game ball B received at the out exit 2020 is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, handed over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and then discharged from the back ball guidance unit 3100 to the out ball receiving opening 600a of the lower circulating ball path unit 600.

[8-8b. Side Unit]
Next, the side unit 2200 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 80 and Figure 84. The side unit 2200 of the front unit 2000 extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the start opening unit 2100 within the game area 5a and is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front. The side unit 2200 is equipped with three general prize openings 2001 that are open to receive game balls B at all times, and one sub-out opening 2021 that is open to receive game balls B at all times.

The three general prize entry openings 2001 of the side unit 2200 are arranged in an arc shape along the inner rail 1002, and are positioned higher towards the left. Each general prize entry opening 2001 has an opening (width) the size of one game ball B. To the left of the leftmost general prize entry opening 2001, there is a sub-out opening 2021. The sub-out opening 2021 has an opening (width) the size of one game ball B.

Furthermore, the side unit 2200 has a shelf section 2201 that slopes downwards towards the right, extending to the right of the rightmost general prize entry opening 2001. The shelf section 2201 extends to the right, near the right end of the left-side out opening 2020 in the starting opening unit 2100. In other words, when the game ball B rolls along the shelf section 2201, it is received by the left-side out opening 2020.

When assembled to the game board 5, the side unit 2200 has three general prize slots 2001 and one sub-out slot 2021 that protrude forward from the front of the game panel 1100. This side unit 2200 can guide the game balls B received in the general prize slots 2001 to the rear of the game panel 1100 and hand them over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000. The game balls B, after being handed over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, are detected by the general prize slot sensor 3001 and then discharged downwards.

Furthermore, the side unit 2200 can guide the game balls B received in the sub-out port 2021 to the rear of the game panel 1100 and hand them over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000. The game balls B handed over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 are then discharged to the safe ball receiving port 600b of the lower circulating ball path unit 600.

[8-8c. Upper left side unit]
Next, the upper left side unit 2300 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 80 and Figure 84. The upper left side unit 2300 of the front unit 2000 is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front so as to the left of the side unit 2200 and in contact with the inner rail 1002 within the game area 5a. The upper left side unit 2300 has a shelf section 2301 that slopes downward to the right.

When assembled to the game board 5, the upper left side unit 2300 has a shelf section 2301 that protrudes forward beyond the front of the game panel 1100. The upper left side unit 2300 can guide the game balls B, which have flowed down the left side of the center mechanism 2500, to the right side, below the center mechanism 2500, via the shelf section 2301.

[8-8d. Attacker Unit]
Next, the attacker unit 2400 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 80 and Figure 84, etc. The attacker unit 2400 of the front unit 2000 is located to the right of the start opening unit 2100, which is in the lower right corner when viewed from the front, within the game area 5a, and is attached to the front of the game panel 1100 from the front. This attacker unit 2400 is equipped with a second start opening 2004, a large prize opening 2005, and one sub-out opening 2021 (see Figure 84, etc.).

In a front view, the attacker unit 2400 has a second starting port 2004 located slightly to the right of the center in the left-right direction, a large prize port 2005 located to the left of the center in the left-right direction and lower than the second starting port 2004, and one sub-out port 2021 located below the second starting port 2004 and lower than the large prize port 2005.

Furthermore, the attacker unit 2400 includes a second start port sensor 2401 for detecting game balls B received into the second start port 2004, a large prize port sensor 2402 for detecting game balls B received into the large prize port 2005, and a magnetic sensor 1030 for detecting fraudulent magnetism (see Figure 93). Two large prize port sensors 2402 are provided side-by-side.

Furthermore, the attacker unit 2400 has a dummy sensor 2403 located behind the sub-out port 2021 and visible from the front. While this dummy sensor 2403 cannot detect game balls B, it is formed in the same manner as a through sensor that detects the passage of game balls B, such as the large prize port sensor 2402. This configuration allows the dummy sensor 2403 to be replaced with a sensor capable of actually detecting game balls B, making it possible to switch between counting out balls in the main frame 4 and not counting them. Although the dummy sensor 2403 is formed in the same manner as a through sensor, it could also be used as a spacer to eliminate any steps that could cause ball jams in that area.

The attacker unit 2400 includes a second starter door 2411 capable of opening and closing the second starter opening 2004, a starter solenoid 2412 that opens and closes the second starter door 2411 according to the result of a normal lottery determined by the acceptance of game balls B into the normal prize winning opening 2002, a large prize winning opening door 2413 capable of opening and closing the large prize winning opening 2005, and an attacker solenoid 2414 that opens and closes the large prize winning opening door 2413 according to the result of a first special lottery determined by the acceptance of game balls B into the first starter opening 2003 or the second starter opening 2004, according to the result of a second special lottery.

The second starting opening 2004 of the attacker unit 2400 opens upwards with a width slightly larger than the diameter of the game ball B in the left-right direction. The large prize opening 2005 opens upwards with a width 4 to 6 times the diameter of the game ball B in the left-right direction. The second starting opening door 2411, which allows the second starting opening 2004 to be opened and closed, is provided to move back and forth in the front-rear direction and is inclined so that the left end is lower. The large prize opening door 2413, which allows the large prize opening 2005 to be opened and closed, is provided to move back and forth in the front-rear direction by rotating around an axis extending in the left-right direction and is inclined so that the left end is lower.

The second start port door 2411 is designed to move in the front-rear direction. When the start port solenoid 2412 is not energized, the second start port door 2411 moves forward due to the spring biasing force of the plunger of the start port solenoid 2412, closing the second start port 2004. When the start port solenoid 2412 is energized, the second start port door 2411 moves backward due to the spring biasing force of the plunger of the start port solenoid 2412, opening the second start port 2004.

The large prize opening door 2413 is a long, flat plate located below the large prize opening sensor 2402. It rotates around a horizontally extending axis, allowing it to move back and forth. The large prize opening door 2413 can open and close the large prize opening 2005 by the forward and backward movement of the plunger of the attacker solenoid 2414. When the attacker solenoid 2414 is not energized, the plunger of the attacker solenoid 2414 protrudes due to the biasing force of a spring, moving the large prize opening door 2413 forward and closing the large prize opening 2005. When the attacker solenoid 2414 is energized, the plunger of the attacker solenoid 2414 retracts against the biasing force of a spring, moving the large prize opening door 2413 backward and opening the large prize opening 2005.

The attacker unit 2400 has an upper shelf portion 2421 at its upper end, which forms a space between the second start opening 2004 and the large prize opening 2005 through which game balls B can flow. The upper shelf portion 2421 is sloped downwards towards the left and covers the area above these openings. The upper shelf portion 2421 extends horizontally from the upper right end of the second start opening 2004 to the upper left end of the large prize opening 2005.

The attacker unit 2400 comprises: a first shelf section 2422 that slopes downward toward the second starter opening 2004 to the left from a point above the second starter opening 2004, with a gap large enough for one game ball B to pass through from the right end (right rail 1005) of the attacker unit 2400; a second shelf section 2423 that slopes downward toward the left from the left end of the second starter opening 2004; a third shelf section 2424 that slopes downward toward the large prize opening 2005 to the left from a point to the left and below the second shelf section 2423, with a gap large enough for one game ball B to pass through between it and the second shelf section 2423; and a fourth shelf section 2425 that slopes downward toward the left from the left end of the large prize opening 2005.

When a game ball B enters the gap to the right of the first shelf section 2422, or the gap between the second shelf section 2423 and the third shelf section 2424, the attacker unit 2400 receives the ball in the sub-outlet 2021 and discharges the game ball B outside the game area 5a.

The attacker unit 2400, although not shown in detail, has multiple triangular contact points protruding from the front and rear walls forming the space between the upper shelf 2421 and the large prize opening 2005, in an alternating leftward direction. These contact points allow the game balls B rolling on the large prize opening door 2413 to move in a large zigzag pattern in the front-to-back direction when the large prize opening 2005 is closed, thereby increasing the time the game balls B move on the large prize opening door 2413.

In the normal state, the attacker unit 2400 has its starter solenoid 2412 and attacker solenoid 2414 both de-energized (OFF). In this normal state, the plunger of the starter solenoid 2412 protrudes forward due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown), and the second starter door 2411 also protrudes forward. In this state, the second starter door 2411 is located above the second starter opening 2004, preventing the acceptance of game balls B into the second starter opening 2004. In other words, the second starter opening 2004 is closed by the second starter door 2411.

Furthermore, in the normal state, the plunger of the attacker solenoid 2414 protrudes forward due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown), and the large prize opening door 2413 also protrudes forward. In this state, the large prize opening door 2413 is located above the large prize opening 2005, making it impossible to receive game balls B into the large prize opening 2005. In other words, the large prize opening 2005 is closed by the large prize opening door 2413.

In this normal state, when a game ball B flows down onto the first shelf 2422, the inclination of the first shelf 2422 causes the game ball B to roll to the left, then rolls along the upper surface of the second start door 2411 and the second shelf 2423, before being released to the left from the left end of the second shelf 2423. The game ball B released to the left from the second shelf 2423 falls onto the third shelf 2424 or the large prize door 2413, depending on its momentum, and rolls to the left due to their inclinations. Furthermore, if the game ball B released to the left from the second shelf 2423 hits the lower surface of the upper shelf 2421 and bounces back to the right, it may enter the gap between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424.

Then, the game ball B, rolling on the large prize opening door 2413 that is closing the large prize opening 2005, alternately strikes against multiple contact points provided in the space between the upper shelf 2421 and the large prize opening 2005, causing it to roll to the left in a zigzag pattern in the front-back direction. After rolling to the left on the large prize opening door 2413, the game ball B rolls along the fourth shelf 2425 and is then released from its left end to the outside of the attacker unit 2400. Since the left end of the fourth shelf 2425 is lower than the first start opening 2003, the game ball B released to the left from the fourth shelf 2425 is received by the out opening 2020.

When a game ball B flows down onto the upper shelf 2421 of the attacker unit 2400, it is guided to the left due to its incline and released to the left of the attacker unit 2400 without being given the opportunity to be received by the second starting opening 2004 or the large prize opening 2005. Since the left end of the upper shelf 2421 is located higher than the first starting opening 2003, there is a possibility that the game ball B released to the left from the upper shelf 2421 could be received by the first starting opening 2003.

In this attacker unit 2400, when a game ball B flows down to the right of the first shelf 2422, it enters the sub-out port 2021. Also, when a game ball B enters the gap between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424, it enters the sub-out port 2021. The game ball B that enters the sub-out port 2021 is not returned to the game area 5a, but is discharged onto the lower circuit board holder 1200 through the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and is handed over to the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulation ball path unit 600. In this attacker unit 2400, the game balls B that circulate on the right side of the first shelf section 2422 and the game balls B that pass through the gap between the second shelf section 2423 and the third shelf section 2424 are both configured to enter the sub-outlet 2021, effectively providing two sub-outlet 2021s.

In this normal state, when a game ball B is received into the normal prize slot 2002, and the result of the normal lottery is determined, the start slot solenoid 2412 is energized (ON). Against the biasing force of the spring, the plunger retracts, and the second start slot door 2411 moves backward. As the second start slot door 2411 moves backward, the upper part of the second start slot 2004 becomes open, allowing the game ball B to be received into the second start slot 2004. In other words, the second start slot 2004 becomes open.

When the second start port 2004 is open, and a game ball B is received into the second start port 2004, it is detected by the second start port sensor 2401 and then discharged backward from the attacker unit 2400. The game ball B received into the second start port 2004 and discharged backward from the attacker unit 2400 is then passed to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 and discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the lower circulating ball path unit 600.

On the other hand, under normal conditions, when a game ball B is received into the first start port 2003 or the second start port 2004, and the result of the special lottery (first special lottery result or second special lottery result) is determined, the attacker solenoid 2414 is energized (ON), causing the plunger to retract against the biasing force of the spring, and the large prize opening door 2413 to move backward. As the large prize opening door 2413 moves backward, the large prize opening 2005 opens upward, making it possible to receive game ball B into the large prize opening 2005. In other words, the large prize opening 2005 becomes open.

When the large prize slot 2005 is open, and a game ball B is received into the large prize slot 2005, it is detected by one of the two large prize slot sensors 2402 located below, and then released backward from the attacker unit 2400. The game ball B received into the large prize slot 2005 and released backward from the attacker unit 2400 is then passed to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 and discharged into the safe ball receiving slot 600b of the lower ball circulation path unit 600.

Thus, according to the attacker unit 2400 of this embodiment, the game balls B received in the large prize opening 2005 are detected by one of the two large prize opening sensors 2402 before being released backward. This prevents the game balls B from becoming stuck between the large prize opening 2005 and the large prize opening sensor 2402, and allows for the reception of a large number of game balls B in a short time.

[8-8e. Center piece]
Next, the center mechanism 2500 in the table unit 2000 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 80, 84, 85 to 88, etc. Figure 85(a) is a front view of the lottery mechanism in the center mechanism, and (b) is a perspective view of the lottery mechanism viewed from the front and above. Figure 86 is a side cross-sectional view of the lottery mechanism in the center mechanism, cut in the middle in the left-right direction. Figure 87(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of the state in which the game balls cannot loop in the lottery mechanism, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of the state in which the game balls can loop in the lottery mechanism. Figure 88 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls in the lottery mechanism.

The center component 2500 of the front unit 2000 is positioned within the game area 5a, above the start unit 2100, and slightly above the center when viewed from the front. It is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. The center component 2500 is formed in the shape of a transparent frame.

The center mechanism 2500, as detailed below, includes a mechanism entry opening 2006 that opens and closes to accept game balls B according to the lottery results of the first special symbol drawn by the acceptance of game balls B into the first start opening 2003 and the second special symbol drawn by the acceptance of game balls B into the second start opening 2004; a second V-entry opening 2008 that can only accept game balls B accepted into the mechanism entry opening 2006; and a losing opening 2009 that accepts game balls B that were accepted into the mechanism entry opening 2006 but not into the second V-entry opening 2008.

The center mechanism 2500 includes a mechanism entry sensor 2501 that detects game ball B received into the mechanism entry opening 2006, a first V-entry sensor 2502 that detects game ball B received into the first V-entry opening 2007, a second V-entry sensor 2503 that detects game ball B received into the second V-entry opening 2008, and a losing slot sensor 2504 that detects game ball B received into the losing slot 2009.

The center mechanism 2500 comprises a frame-shaped main unit 2510 and a lottery mechanism 2550 located at the lower part of the frame of the main unit 2510. The main unit 2510 has a mechanism entry opening 2006 and a first V-entry opening 2007. The lottery mechanism 2550 has a second V-entry opening 2008 and a losing opening 2009.

[8-8e-1. Main Unit]
The main unit 2510 of the center mechanism 2500 will now be described in detail. The main unit 2510 has a mechanism entry opening 2006. The main unit 2510 includes a transparent frame-shaped center frame 2511 attached to the front of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), warp passages 2512 that can guide game balls B from the outside of the center frame 2511 to the inside of the frame, and a stage 2513 provided at the lower edge inside the frame of the center frame 2511 that rolls the game balls B that have flowed through the warp passages 2512 in the left and right directions before releasing them into the game area 5a.

The center frame 2511 includes a frame-shaped insertion portion 2511a that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 and is provided to follow the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, extending in the front-rear direction; a flat plate-shaped flange portion 2511b that protrudes outward from the outer circumference of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a and abuts against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100; an inflow restricting portion 2511c that extends forward from the flange portion 2511b and restricts the inflow of game balls B flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100; and a flat plate-shaped support portion 2511d that protrudes from the inner circumference of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a.

The insertion portion 2511a is positioned so that, when assembled on the game board 5, its rear end coincides with the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. The inflow restriction portion 2511c, when assembled on the game board 5, has its front end (excluding the lower edge of the frame-shaped (annular) portion) protruding forward beyond the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. This allows the inflow restriction portion 2511c to prevent (restrict) the entry (inflow) of game balls B from the outside of the center mechanism 2500 (center frame 2511) into the inside of the frame when assembled on the game board 5.

The flange portion 2511b and the support portion 2511d are thinner than the thickness of the panel plate 1110 (1/4 to 1/5 the thickness of the panel plate 1110). The flange portion 2511b and the support portion 2511d protrude from the insertion portion 2511a at the same position in the front-rear direction.

The support portion 2511d is partially and in multiple locations on the inner circumference of the insertion portion 2511a. Furthermore, the support portion 2511d is also provided on the non-protruding parts of the flange portion 2511b of the insertion portion 2511a, reinforcing the insertion portion 2511a (center frame 2511). The protruding edges of the support portion 2511d are formed to conform to the front shape of the insertion portion 2511a, or to be straight, making the support portion 2511d inconspicuous. The amount of protrusion of the support portion 2511d from the insertion portion 2511a is within a range (1 mm to 10 mm) from the thickness of the support portion 2511d to the thickness of the panel plate 1110, thus providing reinforcement while remaining inconspicuous to the player.

The warp passage 2512 is open at the left-hand side of the inflow restriction section 2511c in a front view, allowing game balls B within the game area 5a to enter. The warp passage 2512 can guide the entered game balls B to the stage 2513. A portion of the warp passage 2512 is formed by the center frame 2511.

The stage 2513 is attached to the insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511. The stage 2513 has a curved shape with a recessed central section in the left-right direction. It is positioned directly above the first start port 2003 of the start port unit 2100. That is, when the center component 2500 is attached to the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, the approximately center position in the left-right direction is slightly higher than both sides. This stage 2513 has a central release section (central release section 2513a) that is slightly higher than both sides of the center, and the lowest sections on both sides (side release sections 2513b) are inclined downwards towards the front. Game balls B can be released into the game area 5a from these sections.

When assembled to the game board 5, the raised central portion of the stage 2513 (central release section 2513a) is positioned directly above the first start opening 2003 of the start opening unit 2100. This ensures that when game balls B are released from the central release section 2513a of the stage 2513, they are received by the first start opening 2003 with extremely high probability.

Furthermore, the main unit 2510 of the center mechanism 2500 is located in the upper right corner of the center frame 2511 and is equipped with a group of guide passages 2520 consisting of two passages through which the game balls B can flow. The group of guide passages 2520 guides the game balls B above the normal prize entry opening 2002 and the attacker unit 2400.

As shown in Figure 84, the guide passage group 2520 is provided outside the inflow restriction section 2511c of the center frame 2511. It consists of a first guide passage 2521, whose upper entrance is located at the stopper section 1006, and a second guide passage 2522, whose upper entrance is located adjacent to the left side of the entrance of the first guide passage 2521. Both the guide passage group 2520 (first guide passage 2521 and second guide passage 2522) are made of colorless, transparent material, allowing the game balls B circulating inside to be visible from the front.

The first guide passage 2521 extends vertically and briefly downward from the stopper portion 1006 of the front component 1000, then bends at a right angle to the right. Approaching the right rail 1005, it bends downward and extends along the right rail 1005. At approximately 3/4 of the height below the height of the game area 5a, it bends to the left, gradually decreasing in angle. At a position to the left of the entrance to the second guide passage 2522, it bends downward to the height of the center of the game area 5a, then bends to the right to the vicinity of the right rail 1005, and subsequently bends downward, forming an exit that opens downwards.

The first guide passage 2521 does not bend in the front-to-back direction and guides the game ball B downwards on approximately the same plane as the front of the game panel 1100. A prize entry opening 2006 is provided in the upper left-extending portion of the first guide passage 2521. Furthermore, a regular prize entry opening 2002 opens upwards below the exit of the first guide passage 2521.

On the other hand, the second guide passage 2522 is located to the left of the entrance to the first guide passage 2521, with its entrance opening upwards. The second guide passage 2522 extends almost straight downward from the entrance at the top end, then bends backward at a height lower than the first rightward bend of the first guide passage 2521, then bends downward behind the front of the game panel 1100, aligning with the first guide passage 2521 in the front-to-back direction. It extends downward so that its left-to-right direction roughly coincides with the leftmost downward-extending portion of the first guide passage 2521, then bends to the right in a crank shape at the height of the center of the game area 5a, then bends downward, and after bending forward at a point below the lower rightward-extending portion of the first guide passage 2521, it bends to the right so as to extend along the lower side of the lower rightward-extending portion of the first guide passage 2521, while being on the same plane in the front-to-back direction as the first guide passage 2521, and then bends downward adjacent to the left side of the exit of the first guide passage 2521, forming a shape in which the exit opens downward.

Furthermore, the main unit 2510 is installed in the middle of one of the guide passages 2520 (in this case, the first guide passage 2521), and has a prize entry opening 2006 into which game balls B can be received according to the results of the first special lottery and the second special lottery, which are drawn when game balls B are received into the first start opening 2003 and the second start opening 2004, and a chance opening into which game balls B received into the prize entry opening 2006 are placed. The system includes a first distribution device 2530 that distributes the game balls to 2531, a second distribution device 2540 that distributes the game balls B distributed to the chance opening 2531 by the first distribution device 2530 to the first V-prize opening 2007, and a lottery guidance passage 2545 that guides the game balls B that were not distributed to the first V-prize opening 2007 (game balls B distributed to the second miss opening 2541) to the lottery mechanism 2550.

The prize entry opening 2006 in the main unit 2510 (center prize mechanism 2500) is located in the upper left-extending portion of the first guide passage 2521. It extends horizontally along approximately the entire length of this portion and opens upwards. The prize entry opening door 2515 extends front to back and is formed as a plate-like shape extending horizontally with the left end being lower. By moving it back and forth, it can open and close the prize entry opening 2006, which opens upwards. The prize entry opening door 2515 can close the prize entry opening 2006 by moving forward. When the prize entry opening 2006 is closed, it forms the bottom surface of the left-extending portion of the first guide passage 2521, guiding the game balls B flowing from the upstream side towards the exit side of the first guide passage 2521.

The prize entry door 2515 retracts when driven by the prize entry solenoid 2516, opening the prize entry opening 2006 and allowing the game ball B that has been flowing through the first guide passage 2521 to be received into the prize entry opening 2006. When the prize entry solenoid 2516 is OFF (not energized), the prize entry door 2515 closes the prize entry opening 2006, and when the prize entry solenoid 2516 is ON (energized), it opens the prize entry opening 2006.

The first distribution device 2530 includes a chance opening 2531 and a first empty opening 2532 into which game balls B, received in the prize entry opening 2006 and detected by the prize entry opening sensor 2501, can enter; a distribution rotating body 2533 having a housing section 2533a on its outer circumference capable of accommodating only one game ball B and rotatable around an axis in the front-rear direction; and a first distribution solenoid 2534 (see Figure 93) for rotating the distribution rotating body 2533 between a state where the housing section 2533a of the distribution rotating body 2533 is facing to the right and a state where it is facing upward. The distribution rotating body 2533 is formed in the shape of a frustoconical cone with its outer circumference tapering towards the rear.

The chance opening 2531 of the first distribution device 2530 is located downstream of the distribution rotating body 2533 relative to the flow of game balls B, and is designed to allow game balls B housed in the housing section 2533a of the distribution rotating body 2533 to enter. It is located to the right of the distribution rotating body 2533. The chance opening 2531 is connected to the second distribution device 2540. The first empty opening 2532 is located upstream of the distribution rotating body 2533 relative to the flow of game balls B, and is designed to allow game balls B not housed in the housing section 2533a of the distribution rotating body 2533 to enter. It is located above the distribution rotating body 2533. The first empty opening 2532 opens forward and guides the entered game balls B behind the game panel 1100.

In the first distribution device 2530, when the first distribution solenoid 2534 is OFF (not energized), the housing portion 2533a of the distribution rotating body 2533 faces to the right. In this state, when a game ball B received into the prize entry opening 2006 is detected by the prize entry opening sensor 2501 and flows down from above into the distribution rotating body 2533, it comes into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the distribution rotating body 2533. Since the outer circumferential surface of the distribution rotating body 2533 is formed in a frustoconical shape that narrows towards the rear, the inclination of the outer circumferential surface guides the game ball B backward, causing it to enter the first slit opening 2532.

On the other hand, when the first distribution solenoid 2534 is ON (energized), the distribution rotating body 2533 rotates 90 degrees counterclockwise, so that the housing section 2533a faces upward. In this state, when a game ball B received into the prize entry opening 2006 is detected by the prize entry opening sensor 2501 and flows down from above into the distribution rotating body 2533, only one ball is housed in the housing section 2533a. With a game ball B housed in the housing section 2533a of the distribution rotating body 2533, if another game ball B flows down from above into the distribution rotating body 2533 from the prize entry opening 2006 side, the game ball B will come into contact with the game ball B housed in the housing section 2533a before entering the first gap opening 2532 at the rear. Game ball B, upon entering the first slot 2532, is detected by a sensor and then transferred to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. From the back ball guidance unit 3100, the ball is discharged into the safe ball receiving slot 600b of the lower circulating ball path unit 600.

With the game balls B contained in the storage section 2533a, the first distribution solenoid 2534 rotates the distribution rotating body 2533 90 degrees clockwise, so that the storage section 2533a faces to the right. The game balls B contained in the storage section 2533a then roll to the right and are received into the chance opening 2531. The game balls B received into the chance opening 2531 are then sent to the second distribution device 2540.

Thus, the first distribution device 2530 can distribute the game balls B received in the prize entry opening 2006 to either the chance opening 2531 side (second distribution device 2540 side) or the first miss opening 2532 side.

The second distribution device 2540 distributes the game balls B, which have been allocated to the chance opening 2531 by the first distribution device 2530, to either the second miss opening 2541 or the first V-prize opening 2007. In a front view, the second distribution device 2540 is located at the height between the first distribution device 2530 and the exit of the guide passage group 2520. The second distribution device 2540 is located behind the distribution rotating body 2533 of the first distribution device 2530.

The second distribution device 2540 includes a second dispensing opening 2541 and a first V-prize opening 2007, into which game balls B, which are housed in the housing section 2533a of the distribution rotating body 2533 in the first distribution device 2530 and distributed to the chance opening 2531, can enter; a distribution piece 2543 that can open and close the second dispensing opening 2541 by moving back and forth; and a second distribution solenoid 2544 (see Figure 93) for moving the distribution piece 2543 back and forth.

The second slot 2541 opens upward at a position to the right of the distribution rotating body 2533, and the game balls B distributed to the chance slot 2531 are supplied from above. The first V-prize slot 2007 is located adjacent to the right side of the second slot 2541 and also opens upward. The distribution piece 2543 is a flat plate that slopes downward to the right, and by protruding forward, it can close the upper end opening of the second slot 2541, preventing the game balls B from being received into the second slot 2541. At the same time, it can guide the game balls B that are in contact with the upper surface to the right and receive them into the first V-prize slot 2007.

In the second distribution device 2540, when the second distribution solenoid 2544 is OFF (not energized), the distribution piece 2543 is advanced, closing the second opening 2541. In this state, when game balls B distributed to the chance opening 2531 in the first distribution device 2530 flow down, they contact the upper surface of the distribution piece 2543 and are guided to the right by the inclination of the distribution piece 2543, and received (distributed) into the first V-entry opening 2007. The game balls B distributed into the first V-entry opening 2007 are detected by the first V-entry opening sensor 2502 and then handed over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. From the back ball guidance unit 3100, they are discharged into the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the lower circulation ball path unit 600.

On the other hand, when the second distribution solenoid 2544 is ON (energized), the distribution piece 2543 retracts, opening the second opening 2541 upwards, making it possible to receive game balls B into the second opening 2541. In this state, when game balls B that have been distributed to the chance opening 2531 by the first distribution device 2530 flow down, these game balls B pass in front of the retracted distribution piece 2543 and are received (distributed) into the second opening 2541. Then, the game balls B distributed into the second opening 2541 are guided by the lottery guidance passage 2545 to the lottery mechanism 2550 on the left.

Thus, the second distribution device 2540 can distribute the game balls B, which were stored in the housing section 2533a of the distribution rotating body 2533 in the first distribution device 2530—that is, the game balls B distributed to the chance opening 2531—to either the second loss opening 2541 (lottery mechanism 2550) side or the first V-prize opening 2007 side.

The lottery guidance passage 2545 is equipped with a lottery mechanism ball entry sensor 2546 that detects the flow of game balls B. When game balls B are detected by this lottery mechanism ball entry sensor 2546, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 controls the performance display device 1600, the main frame speaker 503, the top center speaker, the top side speakers, and LEDs provided on the game board 5 and door frame 3, etc., to execute a performance that enhances the excitement of the lottery (distribution) of game balls B within the lottery mechanism 2550. As a result, game balls B are distributed to the second slot 2541 in the second distribution device 2540, dispelling the player's disappointment and increasing their anticipation for the lottery mechanism 2550.

[8-8e-2. Lottery mechanism]
The lottery mechanism 2550 in the center mechanism 2500 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 85 to 88. The lottery mechanism 2550 of the center mechanism 2500 is located in the lower part of the frame of the frame-shaped main unit 2510 and has a second V-prize entry opening 2008 and a losing opening 2009. The lottery mechanism 2550 is supplied with game balls B that have been received into the mechanism entry opening 2006. More specifically, the game balls B that have been received into the mechanism entry opening 2006, distributed to the chance opening 2531 by the first distribution device 2530, and then distributed to the second losing opening 2541 by the second distribution device 2540 are supplied to this lottery mechanism 2550. Furthermore, the lottery mechanism 2550 includes a second V-entry slot sensor 2503 that detects game balls B received into the second V-entry slot 2008, and a losing slot sensor 2504 that detects game balls B received into the losing slot 2009.

The lottery mechanism 2550 of the center mechanism 2500 is supplied with game balls B that have been distributed to the second disqualification opening 2541 by the second distribution device 2540 and have flowed through the lottery guidance passage 2545, and has a guide path 2551 that slopes downward toward the left, a distribution unit 2552 that distributes the game balls B that have flowed through the guide path 2551 to either the loop side or the non-loop side (losing opening 2009 side), a striking unit 2553 that can strike the game balls B that have been distributed to the loop side by the distribution unit 2552 toward the rear, and the game balls B that have been struck toward the rear by the striking unit 2553 are supplied toward the front The device comprises: a swinging trough 2554 that slopes downwards toward the front and is capable of reciprocating rotation so as to swing about an axis in the vertical direction; a table 2555 on which game balls B guided by the swinging trough 2554 roll, with a wide surface in the front, back and sides that slopes downwards toward the front guide path 2551, and a second V-prize opening 2008 provided near the downstream end; and a pair of swinging pieces 2556 provided between the second V-prize opening 2008 and the swinging trough 2554 on the table 25555, which are capable of swinging about an axis in the vertical direction.

As will be explained in detail later, this lottery mechanism 2550 allows the game balls B to loop between the striking section 2553 and the striking section 2553, as long as the game balls B are distributed to the loop side by the distribution section 2552.

The guide path 2551 of the lottery mechanism 2550 extends along the right edge of the lottery mechanism 2550 from near the rear end to the front end, with the front end being lower, and then extends along the front edge of the lottery mechanism 2550 to near the left end, with the left end being lower, forming an L-shape in plan view. This guide path 2551 extends with a width slightly larger than the diameter of the game ball B. The game ball B is supplied to the guide path 2551 from the lottery guidance passage 2545 in the portion extending in the front-rear direction along the right edge.

The distribution section 2552 of the lottery mechanism 2550 is located near the downstream end (left end) of the portion of the guideway 2551 that extends in the left-right direction. The distribution section 2552 comprises a losing opening 2009 that penetrates the guideway 2551 and opens upward, a cantilevered distribution bridge 2557 located near the left end of the losing opening 2009, which is rotatable around an axis extending in the front-rear direction and allows the losing opening 2009 to be opened and closed, and a lottery loop solenoid 2558 (see Figure 93) for rotating the distribution bridge 2557. The guideway 2551 is divided into an upstream side and a downstream side, with the losing opening 2009 as the boundary.

The split bridge 2557, in a plan view, is formed as a long, flat plate extending from left to right. The left side is supported so as to be rotatable around an axis in the front-to-back direction, while the right side is a free end. The split bridge 2557 is rotatably positioned between a loop position (see Figure 87(a)) where the right side approaches the right side of the exit gate 2009 and extends horizontally, tilted, and a non-loop position (see Figure 87(b)) where the right side is positioned above the left side and extends vertically, standing upright.

When the splitting bridge 2557 is in the loop position, it bridges the two sections of the guideway 2551, which are divided into upstream and downstream sides by the exit gate 2009. This allows the game balls B to roll from the upstream side to the downstream side across the splitting bridge 2557. In other words, when the splitting bridge 2557 is in the loop position, it can close the exit gate 2009, preventing the game balls B from being received. On the other hand, when the splitting bridge 2557 is in the non-loop position, the exit gate 2009 is opened upwards, allowing the game balls B rolling from upstream to be received into the exit gate 2009 without passing to the downstream side. Thus, the distribution unit 2552 can distribute the game balls B to either the loop side or the non-loop side using the splitting bridge 2557.

This distribution bridge 2557 has a distribution indicator section 2557a, which is formed in a flag shape with an "X" mark, on the side opposite to the rolling surface of the game ball B. This distribution indicator section 2557a becomes visible to the player when the distribution bridge 2557 is in a non-loop position, opening the losing opening 2009. This allows the player to recognize that the game ball B cannot reach the downstream striking section 2553 (cannot loop).

Furthermore, the left end of the split bridge 2557, which is rotatably supported, is positioned to the left of the left end of the downstream end (front edge) of the table 2555. Therefore, the game balls B released from the table 2555 toward the guideway 2551 are released to the right of the split bridge 2557 in the non-loop position. Thus, when the table 2555 is in the non-loop position, the game balls B do not go downstream of the split guideway 2551 (downstream of the split bridge 2557), but are instead received by the open losing slot 2009.

The striking section 2553 of the lottery mechanism 2550 includes a rising section 2559, which is inclined so that its front end is lower than the downstream end of the guide path 2551 and rises towards the rear, and to which game balls B distributed to the loop side by the distribution section 2552 are supplied; a fan-shaped striking piece 2560 provided at the downstream end of the rising section 2559 and capable of striking the game balls B; and a striking piece drive motor 2561 (see Figure 93) that rotates the striking piece 2560 around an axis perpendicular to the rising section 2559.

The fan-shaped striking piece 2560 is rotated at a relatively high speed by the striking piece drive motor 2561. Therefore, the strength with which the game ball B is struck varies depending on the timing of when the game ball B reaches the part of the striking piece 2560 and the timing of the rotation position of the striking piece 2560. As a result, if the game ball B is struck hard enough, it can overcome the climbing section 2559 and go to the rear oscillating trough 2554 side, but if the strike is weak, it will not be able to overcome the climbing section 2559 and will return to the front. This makes it possible to create suspense and excitement for the player depending on whether the game ball B is struck hard enough to go to the oscillating trough 2554 (table 2555) side or not, thus entertaining the player. Also, since the game ball B returns when the strike by the striking piece 2560 is weak, the time until the game with that game ball B is confirmed can be extended, and the player can feel that they have gained something, thus entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

This lottery mechanism 2550 has a swinging passage 2562 between the striking section 2553 and the swinging trough 2554. The swinging passage 2562 is curved so that the left and right ends are higher and the center is lower. A discharge port 2563 is located in the center of the swinging passage 2562 and discharges the game balls B into the swinging trough 2554. Multiple irregularities are provided near the higher left and right ends of the swinging passage 2562 to reduce the rolling speed of the game balls B. This swinging passage 2562 is located along the rear edge of the lottery mechanism 2550 and behind the table 2555. The game balls B supplied from the striking section 2553 to the swinging passage 2562 roll in the left-right direction, similar to the stage 2513, before being discharged from the central discharge port 2563 into the swinging trough 2554.

The oscillating trough 2554 of the lottery mechanism 2550 is formed in a disc shape and has a trough-shaped recessed section 2554a extending from the center outward. The axis of rotation of the disc-shaped oscillating trough 2554 is inclined so that the rear side is higher. The lottery mechanism 2550 has a trough oscillating drive motor 2564 (see Figure 93) for reciprocating the oscillating trough 2554 within a predetermined angular range. The oscillating trough 2554 is reciprocated by the trough oscillating drive motor 2564 so that the tip of the trough section 2554a faces the second V-prize opening 2008 at the front, and its tip faces left and right within a predetermined angular range.

The oscillating trough 2554 is located at the rear end (upper end) of the table 2555, in the center of the left-right direction. Game balls B released from the discharge port 2563 are transferred to the trough 2554a. Because the oscillating trough 2554 reciprocates, the game balls B received by the trough 2554a can be released within a fan-shaped range corresponding to the direction of rotation of the tip of the trough 2554a on the table 2555. During this process, the oscillating trough 2554 continues to rotate as the received game ball B rolls along the trough 2554a before being released from its tip. This rotation creates an inertial force on the game ball B. Therefore, the game ball B released from the tip of the trough 2554a does not roll straight across the table 2555 in the direction the trough 2554a is facing, making its direction of rolling unpredictable.

The table 2555 of the lottery mechanism 2550 is sloped so that the front end is lower, and the length in the left-right direction of the front end, which is the downstream end, is shorter than the length in the left-right direction of the rear end. The table 2555 has a swinging channel 2554 at the upper end of the left-right center, and a second V-prize opening 2008 near the lower end of the left-right center. The table 2555 has a central groove 2555a extending from the swinging channel 2554 to the second V-prize opening 2008 at the left-right center, and a recess 2555b that is recessed from the surrounding area near the lower end of the left-right center. The recess 2555b is recessed in the shape of a pentagonal home plate, and the second V-prize opening 2008 is located at its bottom.

This table 2555 has a central groove 2555a leading to the second V-prize opening 2008, and a recess 2555b at the bottom where the second V-prize opening 2008 is located. Therefore, it can give the player the impression that when the game ball B enters these grooves, it will be received by the second V-prize opening 2008, allowing them to enjoy the movement of the game ball B rolling on the table 2555.

The front end of the table 2555, which is the downstream end, is positioned higher than the forward guideway 2551. Therefore, the game balls B flowing through the guideway 2551 cannot be supplied onto the table 2555 without passing through the striking section 2553 and the oscillating trough 2554.

The oscillating pieces 2556 of the lottery mechanism 2550 are provided in pairs symmetrically on both sides of the table 2555, between the oscillating trough 2554 and the second V-prize opening 2008, with the table 2555's left-right center as the dividing line. The oscillating pieces 2556 are formed in a teardrop shape, with a circular base portion facing forward and a pointed tip pointing backward, and are rotatable around the circular base end.

The lottery mechanism 2550 is equipped with a oscillating piece solenoid 2565 that causes a pair of oscillating pieces 2556 to reciprocate within a predetermined angular range around a vertical axis. The pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are arranged to rotate in opposite directions by a single oscillating piece solenoid 2565.

The pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are rotated by the oscillating piece solenoid 2565, resulting in a faster rotation speed compared to when they are rotated by a drive motor. Therefore, when a game ball B comes into contact with the oscillating piece 2556 while it is oscillating, the game ball B can be strongly deflected. Thus, depending on the rotation direction of the oscillating piece 2556, the game ball B that has come into contact can be sent towards the center of the table 2555 or to either end of the table, thereby altering the flow of the game balls B.

When the pointed tips of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are close together, the distance between them narrows, and the rearward-facing surfaces of the oscillating pieces 2556 are inclined to move away from the center in the left-right direction as they move forward, resulting in a state where the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are narrowed towards the rear. This increases the likelihood that game balls B flowing down from the rear of the oscillating trough 2554 and table 2555 will be received by the second V-prize opening 2008 when they pass between the pair of oscillating pieces 2556. Conversely, when the balls contact the rearward-facing surfaces of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556, the inclination guides them away from the center in the left-right direction, thus reducing the likelihood of them being received by the second V-prize opening 2008.

On the other hand, when the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are in a state where their pointed tips are moving away from each other (shown by dashed lines in Figure 88), the rearward-facing surfaces of the oscillating pieces 2556 are inclined to approach the center in the left-right direction as they move forward, resulting in a state where the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are expanded backward. As a result, when a game ball B flowing down from the rear of the oscillating trough 2554 or table 2555 strikes the rearward-facing surfaces of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556, the inclination guides it towards the center in the left-right direction, potentially allowing it to be received into the second V-prize opening 2008.

Therefore, when the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are expanded backward, the game ball B that comes into contact with the oscillating pieces 2556 is guided towards the center in the left-right direction. Compared to when the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are narrowed backward, the probability of the game ball B flowing down from the rear being received into the second V-prize opening 2008 is higher. In other words, the probability of the game ball B being received into the second V-prize opening 2008 can be changed depending on the state of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556.

The lottery mechanism 2550 in this embodiment is equipped with a transparent cover 2566 that covers the entire mechanism from above (see Figures 78 to 80, etc.). This cover 2566 prevents the game balls B supplied through the lottery guidance passage 2545 from flying out of the lottery mechanism 2550, and also prevents game balls B from being supplied (entering) from outside the lottery guidance passage 2545.

Next, the flow of game balls B in the lottery mechanism 2550 will be explained. In the lottery mechanism 2550, one of the game balls B received into the prize entry opening 2006, which opens and closes in a predetermined pattern according to the results of the first and second special lottery draws (for example, "prize win"), is supplied to the upstream area of the guide path 2551 via the lottery guidance passage 2545. The game ball B supplied to the upstream area of the guide path 2551 rolls towards the distribution section 2552 on the left, following the slope of the guide path 2551.

In the distribution section 2552, the distribution bridge 2557 is tilted for a predetermined period of time, creating a loop. The game ball B, rolling from the upstream side, passes through the distribution bridge 2557 and rolls to the striking section 2553 on the downstream side. The game ball B supplied to the striking section 2553 is then struck backward by the rotating striking piece 2560, causing it to roll upward up the ascending section 2559 extending to the rear.

In this process, because the striking piece 2560 is formed in a fan shape and rotates at a relatively high speed, depending on the timing of contact between the game ball B and the rotational position of the striking piece 2560, the game ball B may be struck strongly or only grazed, resulting in varying force of the game ball B being struck backward. Therefore, if the strike by the striking piece 2560 is weak, the game ball B may not be able to climb the rising section 2559, causing it to return along the section 2559 and move back and forth along it.

Then, when the game ball B, struck by the striking piece 2560, overcomes the rising section 2559, it enters the oscillating passage 2562 located at the rear, and rolls from side to side along the oscillating passage 2562, which is lower in the center in the left-right direction. At this time, since multiple bumps and grooves are provided near both ends of the oscillating passage 2562, the rolling speed of the game ball B is reduced by the impact of these bumps as it passes over them. This reduces the momentum of the game ball B after it has been struck by the striking piece 2560 and overcome the rising section 2559.

The game ball B, which rolls along the oscillating passage 2562 in a left-right direction, is finally released onto the table 2555 from the central release port 2563 via the oscillating trough 2554. At this time, the oscillating trough 2554 is oscillating and rotating within a predetermined angle range by the trough oscillating drive motor 2564. Therefore, depending on the timing of the game ball B being released from the release port 2563 into the oscillating trough 2554 and the rotational position of the oscillating trough 2554, the game ball B will be released from the oscillating trough 2554 in various directions.

The game ball B, released from the oscillating trough 2554 to the table 2555, rolls forward according to the inclination of the table 2555 and is released from the front edge into the guide path 2551. At this time, a pair of oscillating pieces 2556, spaced apart on the left and right sides near the center of the table 2555 in the front-to-back direction, oscillate. These oscillating pieces 2556 can deflect the game ball B upon contact, changing its rolling direction. Furthermore, a second V-prize entry point 2008 is provided near the front end of the table 2555 in the left-to-right center; therefore, the game ball B rolling on the table 2555 may be received by the second V-prize entry point 2008.

The game ball B received in the second V-entry slot 2008 is detected by the second V-entry slot sensor 2503, then handed over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and finally discharged to the safe ball receiving slot 600b of the lower ball circulation path unit 600. When game ball B is received in the second V-entry slot 2008, a "jackpot game" is executed, which is a favorable game state that causes the large prize slot 2005 to open and close in a predetermined pattern. Therefore, when game ball B is supplied to the lottery mechanism 2550, the player can be kept on edge and excited depending on whether or not the game ball B is received in the second V-entry slot 2008, thus entertaining the player and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

The game ball B released from the front edge of the table 2555 onto the guideway 2551 will be supplied to the hitting section 2553 via the distribution bridge 2557 of the distribution section 2552, as long as it is within a predetermined time, because the distribution bridge 2557 of the distribution section 2552 is in a loop position. Therefore, as long as the distribution bridge 2557 is in the loop position, the game ball B can loop between the hitting section 2553 and the table 2555 any number of times, unless the game ball B is received into the second V-prize opening 2008. In other words, as long as the distribution bridge 2557 is in the loop position, there will be multiple opportunities for the game ball B to be received into the second V-prize opening 2008. As a result, even if the game ball B rolling on the table 2555 is not received into the second V-prize opening 2008, it will pass through the loop-positioned distribution bridge 2557, giving the player another opportunity to receive it into the second V-prize opening 2008, thus allowing the player to continue enjoying the game.

Then, after a predetermined time has elapsed, the distribution bridge 2557 of the distribution unit 2552 moves from the loop position to an upright non-loop position, and the losing opening 2009, which was closed by the distribution bridge 2557, opens upward. In this state, the game balls B released from the front edge of the table 2555 and the game balls B that have rolled along the guide path 2551 are received by the losing opening 2009, and the lottery at the lottery mechanism 2550 ends without the game balls B looping. At this time, the distribution indicator unit 2557a, which resembles an "X" flag, rises up due to the upright distribution bridge 2557 and becomes visible, so the distribution indicator unit 2557a can make it clear to the player that the game balls B will not loop.

The game ball B received in the losing slot 2009 is detected by the losing slot sensor 2504, then handed over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and finally discharged to the safe ball receiving slot 600b of the lower ball circulation path unit 600.

Thus, according to the lottery mechanism 2550 of this embodiment, the game ball B supplied from the mechanism's prize entry opening 2006 can create suspense and excitement in the player depending on whether or not it is accepted into the second V-prize entry opening 2008, thus entertaining the player. Furthermore, even if the game ball B is not accepted into the second V-prize entry opening 2008, when the distribution bridge 2557 of the distribution unit 2552 is in the loop position, the game ball B is sent again via the striking unit 2553 to the oscillating chute 2554 located upstream of the second V-prize entry opening 2008, creating another opportunity for it to be accepted into the second V-prize entry opening 2008. This provides the player with renewed anticipation, entertaining them and preventing a decline in their enjoyment.

[8-8f. Standard Prize Entry Unit]
Next, the regular prize winning slot unit 2600 in the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 80 and Figure 84. The regular prize winning slot unit 2600 has a regular prize winning slot 2002 and is located near the left end of the game area 5a, below the center in the vertical direction. This regular prize winning slot unit 2600 is located between the attacker unit 2400 and the guide passage group 2520 in the center mechanism 2500, and is positioned so that the regular prize winning slot 2002 is located directly below the exit of the first guide passage 2521.

The normal prize entry opening 2002 of the normal prize entry unit 2600 is always open upwards to receive game balls B. Game balls B received in the normal prize entry opening 2002 are guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, then handed over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, detected by the normal prize entry sensor 3002, and then discharged to the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the lower ball circulation path unit 600.

[8-9. Flow of game balls within the game area]
Next, the flow of game balls B within the game area 5a will be explained in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 84, etc. When assembled on the game board 5, the center mechanism 2500 is located approximately in the center of the game area 5a. Although not shown in the illustration, within the game area 5a, multiple obstacle pins are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement on the left and right outer parts and the lower part of the center mechanism 2500, and in the area between the attacker unit 2400 and the guide passage group 2520 in the center mechanism 2500. In addition, a windmill (not shown) that rotates upon contact with game balls B is provided on the left side of the center mechanism 2500, above the side upper left unit 2300.

To the left of the center mechanism 2500, multiple obstacle pins are provided, planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement between it and the inner rail 1002. To the left of the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, at a point below the vertical center of the inflow restriction section 2511c of the center frame 2511, the entrance to the warp passage 2512 opens slightly upward from the left. A windmill is provided between the warp passage 2512 and the shelf section 2301 of the side upper left unit 2300.

A game ball B that is shot to the left of the center mechanism 2500 enters the warp passage 2512 with a certain probability. The game ball B that enters the warp passage 2512 is supplied to the stage 2513 located within the frame of the center mechanism 2500, rolls on the stage 2513 in the left-right direction, and is released back into the game area 5a from either the central release section 2513a or the side release section 2513b. The central release section 2513a of the stage 2513 is located in the left-right center of the game area 5a and directly above the first start opening 2003, so the game ball B released from the central release section 2513a is received by the first start opening 2003 with a high probability. The game ball B released from the side release sections 2513b on both the left and right sides of the central release section 2513a is also received by the first start opening 2003 with a certain probability.

The game ball B received in the first start port 2003 is detected by the first start port sensor 2101 of the start port unit 2100, then guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, and handed over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, from which it is discharged downwards. When the game ball B is detected by the first start port sensor 2101, a predetermined number of game balls B are added to the player's ball count, and a lottery for the first special symbol is performed, enabling a favorable game state for the player if predetermined conditions are met (for example, the number of reserved first special symbols is less than 4). The first special symbol drawn is also referred to as the first special symbol lottery result.

Game balls B released from stage 2513 and not received by the first start opening 2003 are received by the out opening 2020 and discharged outside the game area 5a. Game balls B received by the out opening 2020 are guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, handed over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and then discharged from the back ball guidance unit 3100 to the out ball receiving opening 600a of the lower circulation ball path unit 600.

Game balls B that are driven to the left outer edge of the center mechanism 2500 and do not enter the warp passage 2512 will, with a high probability, flow to the right along multiple obstacle pins arranged diagonally along the lower edge of the center mechanism 2500 if they circulate to the right of the center of the windmill. Game balls B that circulate to the right of the center of the windmill may be received by the first start opening 2003 or the general prize opening 2001 provided in the side unit 2200. Also, game balls B that circulate to the right of the center of the windmill may be received by the sub-out opening 2021 provided in the side unit 2200. Game balls B that are not received by the first start opening 2003, the general prize opening 2001, and the sub-out opening 2021 are received by the out opening 2020 and discharged outside the game area 5a.

The game ball B, received into the general prize slot 2001, is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 and then handed over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. After being detected by the general prize slot sensor 3001, it is discharged downwards. When the general prize slot sensor 3001 detects game ball B, a bonus is awarded, adding a predetermined number of balls to the player's total.

On the other hand, if the balls circulate to the left of the windmill's center, they flow down onto the shelf 2301 of the upper left side unit 2300 and then flow down the shelf 2301 to the right. Game balls B that circulate to the left of the windmill's center may be received by the general prize entry opening 2001 and the sub-out opening 2021 located in the side unit 2200. Game balls B received by the sub-out opening 2021 are guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, then handed over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and discharged downwards from the back ball guidance unit 3100. Game balls B that are not received by the general prize entry opening 2001 and the sub-out opening 2021 are received by the out opening 2020 and discharged outside the game area 5a.

Next, to the right of the center mechanism 2500, the following are arranged from top to bottom: guide passage group 2520, mechanism entry opening 2006, regular entry opening 2002, second start opening 2004, large entry opening 2005, and sub-out opening 2021. Multiple obstacle pins are planted between the guide passage group 2520 and the second start opening 2004.

In the game board 5 of this embodiment, when a game ball B is struck with enough force to enter the upper part of the inflow restriction section 2511c of the center frame 2511 of the center mechanism 2500, specifically the part that slopes downward from near the center in the left-right direction toward the right, the game ball B will flow through either the first guide passage 2521 or the second guide passage 2522 of the guide passage group 2520.

To be more specific, when a game ball B is struck with enough force to contact the impact point 1006, which protrudes inward from the outer rail 1001 that forms part of the periphery of the game area 5a (so-called "right-handed shot"), the game ball B that has contacted the impact point 1006 enters the first guide passage 2521. Having entered this first guide passage 2521, the game ball B rolls along the upper surface of the prize entry door 2515, which closes the prize entry opening 2006 located midway through the first guide passage 2521, before being released from the right-hand exit at the lower end of the guide passage group 2520 towards the lower ordinary prize entry unit 2600.

Meanwhile, when the game ball B, which is launched above the center mechanism 2500, enters the entrance of the second guide passage 2522 and flows through it, it is twisted backward and aligned with the first guide passage 2521 in the front-to-back direction. Then, it is twisted forward and released from the left exit of the first guide passage 2521 towards the lower normal prize winning unit 2600.

The regular prize entry point 2002 of the regular prize entry unit 2600 is located directly below the exit of the first guide passage 2521. Therefore, game balls B that have circulated through the first guide passage 2521 are more likely to be accepted into the regular prize entry point 2002 than game balls B that have circulated through the second guide passage 2522.

The game ball B received in the regular prize slot 2002 is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 and then handed over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. After being detected by the regular prize slot sensor 3002, it is discharged to the safe ball receiving slot 600b of the lower ball circulation path unit 600. When the regular prize slot sensor 3002 detects the game ball B, a bonus is granted, adding a predetermined number of balls to the player's ball count. Furthermore, if predetermined conditions are met (for example, the number of reserved regular symbols is less than 4), a lottery for regular symbols is performed, enabling the acceptance of game ball B into the second start slot 2004. The drawn regular symbols are also referred to as the regular lottery results.

After being shot to the right within the game area 5a and circulating through the guide passage group 2520, game balls B that are not accepted into the normal prize entry opening 2002 flow down onto the attacker unit 2400, contacting multiple obstacle pins along the way. When game balls B flow down to the upper shelf section 2421 of the attacker unit 2400, they are guided to the left and downward according to the slope of the upper shelf section 2421, and are discharged to the left from the attacker unit 2400 without having the opportunity to be accepted into the second start opening 2004 or the large prize entry opening 2005. Note that since the downstream end (left end) of the upper shelf section 2421 of the attacker unit 2400 is located above the first start opening 2003, there is a possibility that game balls B that have circulated through the upper shelf section 2421 could be accepted into the first start opening 2003.

Meanwhile, when the game ball B flows down to the first shelf 2422 of the attacker unit 2400, it rolls to the left due to its inclination, and after rolling along the upper surface of the second start door 2411 and the second shelf 2423, it is released to the left from the left end of the second shelf 2423. The game ball B released to the left from the second shelf 2423 then falls onto the third shelf 2424 or the large prize door 2413, and due to their inclination, it rolls to the left, rolls along the fourth shelf 2425 from the large prize door 2413, and is released to the left from the fourth shelf 2425, outside the attacker unit 2400. The game ball B released from the fourth shelf 2425 is received by the out opening 2020.

Furthermore, if the game ball B does not flow down to either the upper shelf 2421 or the first shelf 2422 of the attacker unit 2400, but flows to the right of the first shelf 2422, it is received by the sub-out port 2021. Also, even if the game ball B flows down onto the first shelf 2422, if it enters the gap between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424, it is received by the sub-out port 2021. The game ball B received by the sub-out port 2021 is not returned to the game area 5a, but is instead passed to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 and discharged to the out ball receiving port 600a of the lower circulation ball path unit 600.

When a game ball B flows down into the first shelf section 2422 of the attacker unit 2400, the game ball B rolls through the second start-up door 2411. Therefore, when a game ball B is received into the normal prize-winning opening 2002, resulting in a "normal win" being drawn as a normal symbol (normal lottery result), and the second start-up door 2411 retracts due to the start-up solenoid 2412, opening the second start-up opening 2004, if a game ball B flows (rolls) from the first shelf section 2422 side, it is received into the second start-up opening 2004.

The game ball B received in the second start port 2004 is detected by the second start port sensor 2401, then handed over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and subsequently discharged downwards from the back ball guidance unit 3100. When the game ball B is detected by the second start port sensor 2401, a bonus is granted, adding a predetermined number of balls to the player's ball count. Furthermore, if predetermined conditions are met (for example, the number of reserved second special symbols is less than 4), a lottery for the second special symbol is performed, enabling a favorable game state for the player. The second special symbol drawn is also referred to as the second special symbol lottery result.

Furthermore, game balls B that flow down to the first shelf section 2422 of the attacker unit 2400 and roll along the second start-up door 2411 and the second shelf section 2423 will roll along the big prize door 2413. Therefore, depending on the first special symbol (first special draw result) drawn upon the acceptance of game ball B into the first start-up opening 2003, and the second special symbol (second special draw result) drawn upon the acceptance of game ball B into the second start-up opening 2004 (for example, when the drawn special symbol (special draw result) is "Big Win," "Medium Win," "Small Win," etc.), when the attacker solenoid 2414 retracts the big prize door 2413 and opens the big prize opening 2005, if game ball B flows (rolls) from the second shelf section 2423 side, the game ball B will be accepted into the big prize opening 2005.

The game ball B, received in the large prize slot 2005, is detected by one of the two large prize slot sensors 2402 located below it. It is then guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, handed over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and finally discharged into the safe ball receiving slot 600b of the lower ball circulation path unit 600. When game ball B is detected by the large prize slot sensor 2402, a bonus is awarded, adding a predetermined number of balls to the player's ball count.

Incidentally, when a game ball B is received into the first starting port 2003 or the second starting port 2004 and a "prize win" is drawn as the first or second special symbol, the prize entry port 2006, located in the middle of the first guide passage 2521, opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, and the distribution rotating body 2533 of the first distribution device 2530 and the distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540 operate in a predetermined pattern. Therefore, when a "prize win" is drawn, the prize entry port 2006 opens and closes, allowing the player to perform a "right-handed shot" so that the game ball B flows through the first guide passage 2521 where the prize entry port 2006 is located, in order to receive the game ball B into the prize entry port 2006.

In this embodiment, the probability of winning a "prize" is higher than that of a "jackpot," and three patterns of "prize wins" are set: "first prize win," "second prize win," and "third prize win." In each pattern, the prize entry opening 2006 opens and closes twice.

First, the opening and closing of the prize entry opening 2006 in each "prize win" will be described in detail. In the "first prize win," after a certain period of time (3000 ms) has elapsed since the start of execution, the prize entry opening 2006 will be open for a short time (80 ms), then closed for a short period of time (1252 ms), then open again for a short period of time (80 ms) before closing to complete the win. In the "second prize win," after a certain period of time (3000 ms) has elapsed since the start of execution, the prize entry opening 2006 will be open for a short time (80 ms), then closed for a longer period of time (5420 ms) than in the "first prize win," then open for a longer period of time (9414 ms) before closing to complete the win. The "Third Prize Win" occurs after a certain period of time (3000 ms) has elapsed since the start of execution. The prize entry opening 2006 then opens for a short period (80 ms), then closes. After a longer period (19366 ms) than the "Second Prize Win," it remains open for a longer period (9404 ms) before closing, completing the win.

The second opening of the prize entry slot 2006 during the "first prize win" begins after the time from the start of execution until the completion of the "first prize win." Similarly, the second opening of the prize entry slot 2006 during the "third prize win" begins after the time from the start of execution until the completion of the "second prize win."

Furthermore, during the second extended opening period in the "Second Prize Win" and "Third Prize Win," eight openings (80 ms) are repeated at regular intervals (1252 ms). In other words, the prize entry point 2006 opens and closes (remains open) twice during the "First Prize Win," and nine times during the "Second Prize Win" and "Third Prize Win."

Next, in the case of a "bonus item win," the operation of the distribution rotating body 2533 of the first distribution device 2530 is as follows: Immediately upon the start of execution, it rotates counterclockwise, and for a predetermined time (3020 ms), it enters the first storable state with the housing section 2533a facing upwards. Then, it rotates clockwise, entering the unstorable state with the housing section 2533a facing to the right. After a predetermined time (4560 ms), it enters the second storable state for a longer period than the first (13446 ms), then enters the unstorable state for a short period (500 ms), and finally enters the third storable state for the same period as the second (13446 ms), before returning to the unstorable state.

The first retractable state of the distribution rotating body 2533 ends during the first opening state of the prize entry opening 2006 in the "prize hit" and becomes unretractable. Furthermore, the distribution rotating body 2533 enters its second retractable state after the time from the start of execution until the completion of the "first prize hit." Therefore, during the "first prize hit," control of the distribution rotating body 2533 ends before the second retractable state, and the second and third retractable states are not executed. In this distribution rotating body 2533, the second retractable state begins before the second opening state of the prize entry opening 2006 in the "second prize hit," and becomes unretractable after the second opening state closes.

Furthermore, the distribution rotating body 2533 enters its third retractable state after the time from the start of execution until the completion of the "second prize win." Therefore, during the "second prize win," control of the distribution rotating body 2533 ends before it enters its third retractable state, and the third retractable state is not executed. In other words, the distribution rotating body 2533 enters its retractable state once during the "first prize win," twice during the "second prize win," and three times during the "third prize win." The third retractable state of the distribution rotating body 2533 begins before the second opening state of the prize entry opening 2006 during the "third prize win," and enters the unretractable state after the second opening state ends and the opening state closes.

Next, in the case of a "prize win," the distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540 operates as follows: Upon execution, it immediately protrudes forward, closing the second slot 2541 for a predetermined time (3020 ms), entering a first closed state (a state where distribution to the first V-prize slot 2007). Afterward, it retracts, opening the second slot 2541 (a state where distribution to the lottery prize 2550). After a predetermined time (23006 ms), it enters a second closed state for a longer period (13446 ms) than the first open state, before returning to the open state.

The first closing state of the distribution piece 2543 ends midway through the first opening state of the prize entry opening 2006 during a "prize win," and it becomes open. Furthermore, in the second distribution device 2540, the second closing state of the distribution piece 2543 begins midway through the second opening state of the prize entry opening 2006 during a "third prize win," and after the second opening state of the prize entry opening 2006 has closed, the distribution piece 2543 changes from the closed state to the open state. Therefore, in the second distribution device 2540, the second closing state of the distribution piece 2543 is executed only during a "third prize win," and not during a "first prize win" or a "second prize win."

For these reasons, in the "first prize win," the prize entry opening 2006 opens and closes twice in a short period of time, making it unlikely that the game ball B circulating in the first guide passage 2521 via "right-hand shooting" will be accepted into the prize entry opening 2006. Similarly, in the "second prize win" and "third prize win," the first opening of the prize entry opening 2006 is also short, making it unlikely that the game ball B will be accepted into the prize entry opening 2006. Furthermore, since the time during which the first ready-to-receive state of the distribution rotating body 2533 in the first distribution device 2530 overlaps with the first open state of the prize entry opening 2006 during a "prize win" is shorter than the time the prize entry opening 2006 is open for the first time, the possibility of the game ball B received into the prize entry opening 2006 being stored in the storage section 2533a of the distribution rotating body 2533 when the prize entry opening 2006 is open for the first time is even lower. Moreover, since the time during which the first ready-to-receive state of the distribution rotating body 2533 ends and the time during which the first closed state of the distribution piece 2543 in the second distribution device 2540 ends is the same, the game ball B stored in the storage section 2533a when the distribution rotating body 2533 is in its first ready-to-receive state will not be distributed to the first V prize entry opening 2007 side.

On the other hand, in the "second prize win" and "third prize win," the second opening of the prize entry opening 2006 is longer, making it highly likely that the game ball B will be received into the prize entry opening 2006 via the first guide passage 2521. At this time, the distribution rotating body 2533 of the first distribution device 2530 becomes receptive before the prize entry opening 2006 opens, and then becomes unreceptable after the prize entry opening 2006 closes. Therefore, it is highly likely that the game ball B received into the prize entry opening 2006 during its second opening will be receptive to the receptacle section 2533a of the distribution rotating body 2533.

Thus, in this example, the probability of game ball B being received by the prize entry opening 2006 during the first opening state of the prize entry opening 2006 in the "second prize win" and "third prize win" is low. Furthermore, the probability of game ball B received by the prize entry opening 2006 being stored in the storage section 2533a of the distribution rotating body 2533 during the first opening state of the prize entry opening 2006 is even lower. Nevertheless, simultaneously with the start of the prize win game state, the distribution rotating body 2533 is rotated counterclockwise to position the storage section 2533a upwards, creating a storage-ready state. After a predetermined period (3020 ms) with the storage section 2533a facing upwards, it is rotated clockwise to position the storage section 2533a to the right, creating a non-storage state. In other words, although the probability of the distribution rotating body 2533 distributing game balls B towards the chance opening 2531 is low immediately after the start of the bonus game state, the distribution rotating body 2533 performs the action of distributing game balls B towards the chance opening 2531, thus demonstrating the distribution action by the distribution rotating body 2533 in advance.

Similarly, although the probability of the distribution rotating body 2533 distributing game ball B to the chance opening 2531 is low immediately after the start of the bonus game state, the distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540 is extended forward to close the second empty opening 2541 at the start of the bonus game state, making it possible to distribute to the first V-entry opening 2007. After a predetermined time (3020 ms) has elapsed, it retracts, opening the second empty opening 2541 and making it possible to distribute to the lottery bonus device 2550. In other words, although the probability of the distribution piece 2543 distributing game ball B to the first V-entry opening 2007 is low immediately after the start of the bonus game state, the distribution piece 2543 performs an action to distribute game ball B to the first V-entry opening 2007, and the distribution action by the distribution piece 2543 is shown in advance.

In this example, the distribution rotating body 2533 and the distribution piece 2543 operate simultaneously with the start of the prize-winning game state, that is, during the execution of the opening sequence for the prize-winning game state (an opening sequence for the prize-winning game state in which explanations of the game in the prize-winning game state are given, such as "Aim for the prize-winning slot 2006"). After the distribution rotating body 2533 and the distribution piece 2543 operate, the prize-winning slot 2006 opens for the first time. This reduces the possibility of the distribution rotating body 2533 distributing the game ball B to the chance slot 2531 side and the distribution piece 2543 distributing the game ball B to the second miss slot 2541 side. Furthermore, if the possibility of the distribution of game ball B to the chance opening 2531 side by the distribution rotating body 2533 and the distribution of game ball B to the second miss opening 2541 side by the distribution piece 2543 is nonexistent or extremely low, the prize entry opening 2006 may be opened for the first time simultaneously with the operation of the distribution rotating body 2533 and the distribution piece 2543.

Furthermore, it is also possible to pre-operate only one of the distribution rotating body 2533 and the distribution piece 2543, while not pre-operating the other. That is, among the multiple movable parts (distribution rotating body 2533, distribution piece 2543) that distribute the game balls B that have entered the prize winning opening 2006, it is possible to pre-operate some of the movable parts to indicate the distribution operation, while not pre-operating the other movable parts. For example, the distribution piece 2543, which has a high probability of causing game balls B to enter the V prize winning opening (first V prize winning opening 2007 in this example) when it is operated (high V prize winning expectation), may not be pre-operated, while the distribution rotating body 2533, which has a lower probability of causing game balls B to enter the V prize winning opening (second V prize winning opening 2008 in this example) than the distribution piece 2543 (low V prize winning expectation), may be pre-operated. This allows the player to know in advance some of the destinations for game ball B that enter the prize slot 2006, while keeping the other destinations unknown. When the other destinations are revealed, the increased number of destinations will surprise the player, heightening their anticipation. Furthermore, it draws attention to the movement of game ball B as it is distributed, allowing players to enjoy the game and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, by not activating the movable part (distribution piece 2543) with a high probability of V-entry beforehand, its existence is concealed, leading the player to believe that game ball B will enter the lottery mechanism 2550. When the "third mechanism win" is executed, the movable part (distribution piece 2543) with a high probability of V-entry activates, causing game ball B to enter the V-entry opening (the first V-entry opening 2007 in this example), creating an element of surprise and enhancing the enjoyment of the game by having game ball B enter an unexpected distribution destination. Additionally, the distribution to the first V-entry opening 2007 is concealed, leading the player to believe there are only two distribution destinations: the first empty opening 2532 and the lottery mechanism 2550. This prevents disappointment if the "second mechanism win," which has a lower probability of V-entry than the "third mechanism win," is executed and game ball B is distributed to the lottery mechanism 2550.

Furthermore, in this example, the distribution rotating body 2533 is positioned in a manner that is easily visible to the player, while the distribution piece 2543 is a flat plate that moves back and forth in front of the game board 5, and because its front surface area is small, its operation is difficult to notice. Consequently, the player is less likely to notice the passage on the first V-entry opening 2007 side that becomes accessible when the distribution piece 2543 protrudes forward. Therefore, when a "third prize win" occurs, the player is less likely to notice the behavior of game ball B when the distribution piece 2543 operates and the game ball B enters the first V-entry opening 2007. This gives the player the feeling that a V-entry has suddenly occurred and a 15R jackpot has been executed without them realizing that game ball B has entered the first V-entry opening 2007.

Furthermore, by operating the distribution rotating body 2533 in advance during the opening sequence of the bonus prize game state, the player can easily recognize the target area, i.e., the position to aim for during the bonus prize game state, in addition to the instructions given during the opening sequence, such as "Aim for the bonus prize entry point 2006," through the operation of the distribution rotating body 2533.

As described above, when a "prize win" is drawn, the prize entry opening 2006 opens. When the game ball B, which has flowed down the first guide passage 2521, is received by the prize entry opening 2006, it is detected by the prize entry opening sensor 2501 and then sent to the first distribution device 2530. When the prize entry opening sensor 2501 detects the game ball B, a bonus is awarded, such as adding a predetermined number of balls to the player's ball count.

In the case of a "second prize win," when the prize entry opening 2006 is open for the second time, the distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540 is also open. Therefore, when the distribution rotating body 2533 rotates from a storable state to an unstorable state, the game balls B stored in the storage section 2533a flow down through the chance opening 2531 to the second distribution device 2540 side, then through the lottery guidance passage 2545 from the second empty opening 2541, are detected by the lottery prize ball entry sensor 2546, and are sent to the lottery prize 2550.

In the lottery mechanism 2550, the distribution bridge 2557, which is in a non-loop position, becomes a loop position. For example, in response to the opening of the second opening 2541 due to the retraction of the distribution piece 2543 in the second distribution device 2540, the distribution bridge 2557 is set to the loop position. Then, the game balls B sent from the second distribution device 2540 to the lottery mechanism 2550 roll to the left along the guide path 2551, pass through the loop-positioned distribution bridge 2557, and are sent to the striking section 2553. The game balls B sent to the striking section 2553 are then struck by the rapidly rotating striking piece 2560 and supplied to the oscillating trough 2554 located at the central rear end of the table 2555, and are released from the oscillating trough 2554 onto the table 2555.

The game ball B, released onto the table 2555, rolls forward due to its inclination and either enters the second V-prize opening 2008 located at the central front end of the table 2555, or is released forward (towards the guideway 2551) from the front edge of the table 2555. If the distribution bridge 2557 is still in the loop position when the game ball B is released forward from the front edge of the table 2555, the game ball B will be supplied to the striking section 2553 via the distribution bridge 2557. Therefore, when the distribution bridge 2557 is in the loop position, the game ball B will loop through the striking section 2553, the swinging chute 2554, the table 2555, and the guideway 2551 in that order until it is received by the second V-prize opening 2008.

Then, the lottery for a V-win in the lottery mechanism 2550 ends when either the game ball B is received into the second V-winning slot 2008, or when the distribution bridge 2557 opens to a non-loop position after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed, allowing the game ball B to be received into the losing slot 2009.

Game balls B received in the second V-entry slot 2008 are detected by the second V-entry slot sensor 2503 and then discharged to the safe ball receiving slot 600b of the lower ball circulation path unit 600 via the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. On the other hand, game balls B received in the losing slot 2009 are detected by the losing slot sensor 2504 and then discharged to the safe ball receiving slot 600b of the lower ball circulation path unit 600 via the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. When game ball B is detected by the second V-entry slot sensor 2503, the large prize slot 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, granting a special bonus.

By the way, in the "third prize win," when the prize entry opening 2006 is in the open state for the second time, the distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540 is in the closed state. As a result, when the distribution rotating body 2533 rotates from a storable state to an unstorable state, the game ball B stored in the storage section 2533a passes through the chance opening 2531, contacts the upper surface of the closed distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540, is guided to the right, and enters (is received) in the first V prize entry opening 2007. The game ball B that enters the first V prize entry opening 2007 is detected by the first V prize entry opening sensor 2502 and then discharged to the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the lower circulation ball path unit 600 via the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. When the first V-prize entry sensor 2502 detects a game ball B, the main prize entry opening 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, granting a special bonus.

In this embodiment, during the drawing of special symbols for the first and second special symbols, where the large prize slot 2005 and the special prize slot 2006 open and close to create an advantageous game state for the player, the first start slot 2003 is always open to receive game balls B, whereas the second start slot 2004 is configured to accept game balls B in a predetermined pattern only when the normal drawing, which is conducted by receiving game balls B into the normal prize slot 2002, results in a "normal win". As a result, the first start slot 2003 has a higher probability of receiving game balls B than the second start slot 2004.

Therefore, under normal conditions, the player can be instructed to insert the game ball B so that it flows down the left side of the center mechanism 2500, allowing the game ball B to be received into the first start opening 2003. This allows the player to observe the movement of the game ball B guided by multiple obstacle pins, enabling them to enjoy the original gameplay of the pachinko machine 1 using the game ball B, while also increasing their anticipation for the game ball B to be received into the first start opening 2003.

Then, when game ball B is received into the first starting opening 2003, if a "win" (for example, "minor win," "medium win," "big win," "prize win," etc.) is drawn as the result of the first special symbol lottery, the large prize opening 2005 or the prize opening 2006 will open and close in a predetermined pattern. This allows players to enjoy the operation of shooting game ball B towards the right side of the center prize 2500 (so-called "right-handed shooting") so that game ball B is received into the large prize opening 2005 or the prize opening 2006, and also increases the anticipation of game ball B being received into the large prize opening 2005 or the prize opening 2006.

When shooting game balls B to the right of the center mechanism 2500, a group of guide passages 2520, consisting of a first guide passage 2521 and a second guide passage 2522, is provided to the right of the center mechanism 2500. Because it has various flow paths, the force with which game balls B are shot can be adjusted so that they flow through the desired path, allowing the player to enjoy the game ball shooting operation.

Furthermore, a regular prize entry point 2002 is provided to the right of the center mechanism 2500. When a game ball B is received into the regular prize entry point 2002, a regular lottery is held to determine whether the second start entry point 2004 becomes available. Therefore, players can be entertained by whether or not the game ball B, shot to the right, passes through the regular prize entry point 2002, and also by whether or not the game ball B is received into the second start entry point 2004 when it becomes available. In this case, since the regular prize entry point 2002 is located directly below the exit of the first guide passage 2521 in the guide passage group 2520, players can enjoy the operation of shooting game ball B towards the first guide passage 2521.

Furthermore, in the prize entry opening 2006, one game ball B, which has been received and selected by the first distribution device 2530, is distributed by the second distribution device 2540 to either the first V prize entry opening 2007 or the second empty opening 2541. This allows the player to feel suspense and excitement depending on whether or not the game ball B is distributed to the first V prize entry opening 2007. Even if the game ball B is distributed to the second empty opening 2541 by the second distribution device 2540, the game ball B is supplied to the lottery mechanism 2550, which is conspicuously located in the lower center of the center prize entry opening 2500. This allows the player to feel anticipation for the game ball B to be received by the second V prize entry opening 2008 in the lottery mechanism 2550. Subsequently, the game ball B, which is rolling along table 2555 of the lottery mechanism 2550, can be used to excite and thrill the player again depending on whether or not it is accepted into the second V-entry slot 2008, thus entertaining the player and preventing a decline in their enjoyment.

Furthermore, when game ball B is received into the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008, or when a "jackpot" is drawn as the first special symbol or second special symbol by receiving game ball B into the first start slot 2003 and the second start slot 2004, the large entry slot 2005 of the attacker unit 2400 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, creating an opportunity for many game balls B to be added to the player's ball count. Therefore, the player can be instructed to aim their shots at the right side of the center mechanism 2500 so that game ball B is received into the opening and closing large entry slot 2005, thereby entertaining the player and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

[8-10. Overall configuration of the hidden unit]
Next, the overall configuration of the back unit 3000 in the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83. The back unit 3000 includes a vibration sensor 1040 (see Figure 93) that detects vibrations acting on the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1), a general prize entry sensor 3001 that detects game balls B that have been received into the general prize entry 2001 and guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, and a normal prize entry sensor 3002 that detects game balls B that have been received into the normal prize entry 2002 and guided to the rear of the game panel 1100. The general prize entry sensor 3001 and the normal prize entry sensor 3002 are provided in the back ball guidance unit 3100.

The back unit 3000 comprises a back box 3010, which is attached to the rear surface of the panel holder 1120 of the game panel 1100, is box-shaped with an open front and has a square opening 3010a in its rear wall, a lock slider 3020 that is slidably mounted on the rear wall of the back box 3010 in the left-right direction and is used for attaching and detaching the display device 1600, and a back circuit board unit 3040 that is hinge-rotatably mounted on the rear wall of the back box 3010.

The back circuit board unit 3040 comprises a thin, box-shaped circuit board box 3041 with an L-shape when viewed from the front, and a panel relay board and a performance drive board (not shown) housed within the circuit board box 3041. The circuit board box 3041 has two shaft portions 3041a on the outer edges of the vertically extending L-shaped portion, which are rotatably supported by the pivot portion 3010f of the back box 3010. Furthermore, the circuit board box 3041 has locking claws 3041b at the ends of the horizontally extending L-shaped portions, which engage with the locking portion 3010g of the back box 3010.

Furthermore, the back unit 3000 includes a back ball guidance unit 3100 located at the lower part near the front end of the back box 3010, through which the game ball B guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 flows; a back decoration unit 3200 located behind the back ball guidance unit 3100 within the back box 3010; a back front performance unit 3300 located to the left and above the back ball guidance unit 3100 near the front end within the back box 3010; and a back rear performance unit 3400 located behind the back front performance unit 3300 within the back box 3010.

The back ball guidance unit 3100 is mounted on the front of the back decoration unit 3200. The back decoration unit 3200 is mounted on the front of the rear wall of the back box 3010 via a mounting support (not shown in the diagram). The front back display unit 3300 is mounted on its left end near the front end of the back box 3010, and on its right end on the front of the right end of the rear back display unit 3400. The rear back display unit 3400 is mounted on its upper part to the front of the rear wall of the back box 3010 via a mounting support (not shown in the diagram), and its lower part is mounted on the back decoration unit 3200.

The hidden decoration unit 3200, the hidden pre-effect unit 3300, and the hidden post-effect unit 3400 in the hidden unit 3000 are capable of showing predetermined movable and illuminating effects to the player in accordance with the progress of the game.

[8-10a. Back of the box]
Next, the back box 3010 of the back unit 3000 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83. The back box 3010 is attached to the rear side of the game panel 1100 (panel holder 1120), and the performance unit is mounted inside the box, while the performance display device 1600 and the back circuit board unit 3040 are mounted on the rear surface. The back box 3010 is made of transparent material. This allows the inside to be seen from the outside even when assembled on the game board 5.

The back box 3010 is box-shaped with an open front and a rectangular opening 3010a penetrating the rear wall; a mounting surface 3010b provided on the lower edge of the opening 3010a on which the display device 1600 is placed; two fixing grooves 3010c recessed upward from the inside of the frame on the upper edge of the opening 3010a; and a locking mechanism 3010d provided on the lower side near the center in the left-right direction of the mounting surface 3010b on which the lock slider 3020 is mounted so as to be slidable from side to side.

The opening 3010a of the back box 3010 is formed as a rectangle with a length-to-width ratio of 3:4 when viewed from the front. The opening 3010a is formed to be approximately the same size as the left-to-right dimension of the back wall of the back box 3010. Furthermore, the opening 3010a is positioned offset (eccentrically) upward from the vertical center of the back box 3010. The opening 3010a is formed to be the same size as the liquid crystal spacer 1610 (a 19-inch liquid crystal display device).

The upper fixing piece 1611 of the liquid crystal spacer 1610, to which the display device 1600 is attached, is inserted into the two fixing grooves 3010c of the back box 3010 from below. Furthermore, the lower fixing piece 1612 of the liquid crystal spacer 1610, to which the display device 1600 is attached, can be inserted from the rear into the locking mechanism 3010d of the back box 3010 when the lock slider 3020 is slid to the left in a rear view. With the lower fixing piece 1612 of the liquid crystal spacer 1610 inserted into the locking mechanism 3010d, sliding the lock slider 3020 to the right in a rear view prevents the lower fixing piece 1612 from moving backward, allowing the liquid crystal spacer 1610 (display device 1600) to be attached.

Furthermore, the back box 3010 is equipped with a flat, plate-shaped fixing piece 3010e extending outward from its front end. This fixing piece 3010e is attached to the game panel 1100 with its front surface in contact with the rear surface of the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, the back box 3010 includes a pair of shaft support portions 3010f on its rear surface, capable of rotatably supporting the shaft portion 3041a of the back circuit board unit 3040 around an axis extending in the vertical direction, and a locking portion 3010g provided on the rear surface opposite to the pair of shaft support portions 3010f in the left-right direction, into which the locking claw 3041b of the back circuit board unit 3040 is locked.

The back box 3010, with its pair of pivot points 3010f and locking portion 3010g, allows the back circuit board unit 3040 to be attached to the rear side, straddling the opening 3010a (LCD spacer 1610 and display device 1600). When assembled to the game board 5, the L-shaped vertically extending portion of the back circuit board unit 3040 is located to the left of the peripheral control unit 1500 in a rear view. The L-shaped horizontally extending portion of the back circuit board unit 3040 is located below the peripheral control unit 1500.

With the back box 3010 assembled to the game board 5, the locking claw 3041b of the back circuit board unit 3040, which is locked to the locking part 3010g, can be released. By rotating the locking claw 3041b so that it moves backward around the shaft part 3041a, the rear of the LCD spacer 1610 attached to the back box 3010 can be opened. This allows the LCD spacer 1610, or the display device 1600, to be attached and detached without removing the back circuit board unit 3040 from the back box 3010.

Furthermore, the back box 3010 has multiple functional holes, each consisting of two through-holes arranged vertically or horizontally, on the front-to-back facing surface excluding the fixing piece 3010e, and a functional surface facing front-to-back that can be used during the assembly of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5). The two through-holes in the functional holes have the same diameter. The functional holes are for attaching the performance unit to the back box 3010 directly or via a mounting support.

[8-10b. Reverse Ball Guidance Unit]
Next, the back ball guidance unit 3100 in the back unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figure 82, etc. The back ball guidance unit 3100 is provided at the lower part near the front end inside the back box 3010 and is attached to the back box 3010 via the back decoration unit 3200. The back ball guidance unit 3100 includes a general prize slot sensor 3001 that detects game balls B received into the general prize slot 2001, a normal prize slot sensor 3002 that detects game balls B received into the normal prize slot 2002, and a plurality of magnetic sensors 1030 that can detect illegal magnetism acting within the game area 5a.

The reverse ball guidance unit 3100 receives game balls B received in the general prize slot 2001, normal prize slot 2002, first start slot 2003, second start slot 2004, big prize slot 2005, first V prize slot 2007, second V prize slot 2008, losing slot 2009, and first empty slot 2532 of the front unit 2000 at the rear of the game panel 1100, guides them to the vicinity of the center in the left-right direction, and then discharges them to the safe ball receiving slot 600b of the lower circulation ball path unit 600. Furthermore, the reverse ball guidance unit 3100 receives game balls B received in the out slot 2020 and sub-out slot 2021 of the front unit 2000 at the rear of the game panel 1100, guides them to the vicinity of the center in the left-right direction, and then discharges them to the out ball receiving slot 600a of the lower circulation ball path unit 600.

[8-10c. Reverse Decorative Unit]
Next, the back decorative unit 3200 in the back unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83, etc. The back decorative unit 3200 is located behind the back ball guide unit 3100 inside the back box 3010 and is attached to the front of the rear wall of the back box 3010 via a mounting supporter. A vibration sensor 1040 is attached to the back decorative unit 3200. The back ball guide unit 3100 is attached to the front of this back decorative unit 3200.

The rear decoration unit 3200, when assembled on the game board 5, comprises a rear lower left decorative element 3210 and a rear lower right decorative element 3220 that decorate the rear of both the left and right outer sides of the lottery element 2550 in the center element 2500, and a rear lower left decorative circuit board and a rear lower right decorative circuit board (not shown) on which multiple LEDs are mounted to illuminate the rear lower left decorative element 3210 and the rear lower right decorative element 3220, respectively.

The lower left decorative element 3210 and the lower right decorative element 3220 are translucent, and multiple miniature town-like protrusions are formed on their respective upper surfaces. The lower left decorative substrate and the lower right decorative substrate are located below the lower left decorative element 3210 and the lower right decorative element 3220, respectively, and multiple LEDs (full-color LEDs) are mounted on their upper surfaces. By appropriately illuminating the LEDs mounted on the lower left decorative substrate and the lower right decorative substrate, the lower left decorative element 3210 and the lower right decorative element 3220 can be illuminated.

[8-10d. Behind-the-scenes production unit]
Next, the front-reverse performance unit 3300 in the back unit 3000 will be explained mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 80 and Figure 82, etc. The front-reverse performance unit 3300 is provided to the left and above the back ball guidance unit 3100 near the front end inside the back box 3010, with its left end attached near the front end of the back box 3010 and its right end attached to the right end of the rear-reverse performance unit 3400.

The back-front display unit 3300 comprises a long, flat, plate-shaped back-front left decorative element 3301 located on the left end, a back-front lifting decorative element unit 3310 that is vertically movable and located to the right of the back-front left decorative element 3301, and a back-front lifting mechanism 3350 for raising and lowering the back-front lifting decorative element unit 3310.

The front left decorative element 3301 of the front-back display unit 3300 is equipped with a magnetic sensor 1030 located slightly below the center in the vertical direction. The front left decorative element 3301 extends vertically to approximately the same length as the total height inside the back box 3010 and is translucent. Behind the front left decorative element 3301 is a front left decorative circuit board (not shown in the diagram) with multiple LEDs mounted on its front surface. By appropriately illuminating the LEDs on this front left decorative circuit board, the front left decorative element can be illuminated.

The rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 is formed to be elongated in the left-right direction. The rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 comprises a long, transparent, flat rear front lifting base 3311, a rear front central decorative unit 3320 mounted on the front center of the rear front lifting base 3311 and having a performance count display unit 3005, a rear front center left decorative unit 3330 mounted to the left of the rear front central decorative unit 3320 on the front of the rear front lifting base 3311, and a rear front center right decorative unit 3340 mounted to the right of the rear front central decorative unit 3320 on the front of the rear front lifting base 3311.

The rear-front central decorative element 3320 comprises a rear-front central decorative section 3321 formed in a predetermined three-dimensional shape, a rear-front central decorative substrate (not shown) provided behind the rear-front central decorative section 3321 and on which multiple LEDs are mounted, and a rear-front central base 3323 that supports the rear-front central decorative substrate and the rear-front central decorative section 3321 from the rear and is attached to the rear-front lifting base 3311. The rear-front central decorative section 3321 has a portion that three-dimensionally imitates a pine tree pattern, and a performance count display section 3005 consisting of four 7-segment displays is provided in this portion. The performance count display section 3005 uses some of the multiple LEDs mounted on the rear-front central decorative substrate.

The rear front-center-left decorative body 3330 comprises a rear front-center-left decorative section 3331 formed in a relief shape resembling the head of a predetermined character and possessing light-transmitting properties; a rear front-center-left decorative substrate (not shown) provided behind the rear front-center-left decorative section 3331 and equipped with multiple LEDs; and a rear front-center-left base 3333 that supports the rear front-center-left decorative substrate and the rear front-center-left decorative section 3331 from the rear and is attached to the rear front lifting base 3311. The rear front-center-left decorative body 3330 can illuminate the rear front-center-left decorative section 3331 by appropriately illuminating the LEDs on the rear front-center-left decorative substrate.

The rear front center-right decorative body 3340 comprises a rear front center-right decorative section 3341 formed in a relief shape resembling the head of a predetermined character and possessing light-transmitting properties; a rear front center-right decorative substrate (not shown) provided behind the rear front center-right decorative section 3341 and equipped with multiple LEDs; and a rear front center-right base 3343 that supports the rear front center-right decorative substrate and the rear front center-right decorative section 3341 from the rear and is attached to the rear front lifting base 3311. The rear front center-right decorative body 3340 can illuminate the rear front center-right decorative section 3341 by appropriately illuminating the LEDs on the rear front center-right decorative substrate.

The front-rear lifting mechanism 3350 comprises a front-rear left lifting rail (not shown) located behind the front-rear left decorative element 3301, which supports the left end of the front-rear lifting decorative element unit 3310 so that it can move up and down; a front-rear right lifting rail 3352 located behind the front-rear right decorative element unit 3310 so that it can move up and down; and a front-rear lifting drive unit (not shown) located behind the front-rear left decorative element 3301 for raising and lowering the front-rear lifting decorative element unit 3310. The front-rear lifting mechanism 3350 also includes, although not shown, a drop solenoid for lowering the front-rear lifting decorative element unit 3310 from its raised standby position, and a front-rear lifting drive motor for raising the front-rear lifting decorative element unit 3310 from its lowered performance position to its upper standby position.

The rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 of the rear front performance unit 3300 is positioned so that it can be seen from the front through the frame of the center mechanism 2500 when assembled on the game board 5. In its normal state, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 of the rear front performance unit 3300 is in a standby position at its upper moving end, and downward falling is prevented by the locking claw. In its normal state, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 is located near the upper edge of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, as shown in Figure 78, etc.

Furthermore, in the normal standby position, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 of the rear-front performance unit 3300 is positioned behind the retracted rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 of the rear-back performance unit 3400, making the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 invisible from the front.

The front-facing display unit 3300, from its normal state, moves the lifting slider to the lower end using the front-facing lifting drive motor, allowing the front-facing lifting decorative unit 3310 to drop from its standby position to the lower display position. Then, from this state, the locking mechanism is released by the drop solenoid, allowing the front-facing lifting decorative unit 3310 to freefall towards the standby position. When the front-facing lifting decorative unit 3310 has fallen to the display position, it is positioned above the lottery mechanism 2550 of the center mechanism 2500, and slightly below the vertical center of the game area 5a.

When the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 drops to its display position, the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 of the rear display unit 3400, located at the rear, becomes visible from the front. This can surprise the player and make them think that something good might happen (that an opportunity has arrived).

Furthermore, a damper is provided at the lower part of the rear front lifting mechanism 3350 to absorb or mitigate the impact caused by the falling rear front lifting decorative unit 3310.

The rear-facing lifting decorative unit 3310, which has fallen to the performance position, rises to the upper standby position due to the upward movement of the lifting slider by the rear-facing lifting drive motor, and returns to the standby position when the locking claw automatically engages.

This front-rear performance unit 3300 has a performance count display unit 3005 consisting of four 7-segment displays on the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (front-rear central decorative unit 3320). Therefore, by executing a countdown display where the number displayed on the performance count display unit 3005 decreases, the player can be shown a countdown performance in which the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 falls. In the countdown performance, the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 may be moved to a lower appearance position without dropping the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310, or the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 may be dropped while the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 is moved to a lower appearance position.

[8-10e. Behind-the-scenes production unit]
Next, the rear-view performance unit 3400 in the rear unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83, etc. The rear-view performance unit 3400 is located behind the front-view performance unit 3300 inside the rear box 3010, with its upper part attached to the rear wall of the rear box 3010 via a mounting supporter, and its lower part attached to the rear decorative unit 3200. The rear-view performance unit 3400 comprises a rear-view lifting decorative body 3410 that is long from left to right, and a rear-view lifting mechanism 3450 for raising and lowering the rear-view lifting decorative body 3410.

The rear-facing lifting decorative element 3410 in the rear-facing performance unit 3400 comprises a rear-facing lifting decorative section 3411 that is long and translucent from left to right, a rear-facing lifting decorative substrate (not shown) provided behind the rear-facing lifting decorative section 3411 and equipped with multiple LEDs, and a rear-facing lifting base (not shown) that supports the rear-facing lifting decorative substrate and the rear-facing lifting decorative section from the rear and is raised and lowered by the rear-facing lifting mechanism 3450. The rear-facing lifting decorative section 3411 has a logo section 3411a that extends along its entire length in the left-right direction and consists of a predetermined logo, and a character section 3411b provided above the logo section 3411a in a relief shape, with multiple characters different from those on the rear-facing lifting decorative unit 3310 arranged in rows on the left and right. By appropriately illuminating the LEDs on the rear-facing lifting decorative substrate, the rear-facing lifting decorative section 3411 can be illuminated.

The rear lifting mechanism 3450 in the rear display unit 3400 comprises a U-shaped rear base 3451 that opens downwards, a translucent, flat rear fixing decorative part 3452 provided on the front surface of the upper edge of the rear base 3451, and a rear fixing decorative substrate 3453 provided between the rear fixing decorative part 3452 and the rear base 3451, on which multiple LEDs are mounted. The rear fixing decorative part 3452 is formed to be approximately the same length as the rear lifting decorative body 3410 in the left-right direction, and a predetermined pattern is applied to its front surface. By appropriately illuminating the LEDs on the rear fixing decorative substrate 3453, the rear fixing decorative part 3452 can be illuminated.

Furthermore, the rear lifting mechanism 3450, although not shown in the illustration, includes a rear left rail provided on the left side of the rear base 3451, which supports the left end of the rear lifting decorative element 3410 so that it can be raised and lowered; a rear right rail provided on the right side of the rear base 3451, which supports the right end of the rear lifting decorative element 3410 so that it can be raised and lowered; and a rear lifting drive unit provided on the left side of the rear base for raising and lowering the rear lifting decorative element 3410.

The rear lifting drive unit has a rear lifting drive motor, which allows the rear lifting decorative element 3410 to be raised and lowered between a retracted position (the upper end of movement) and an exposed position (the lower end of movement). Furthermore, the rear lifting decorative element 3410 can be stopped at any position between the retracted and exposed positions.

In its normal state, the rear-view display unit 3400 has its rear-view lifting decorative element 3410 in the retracted position, which is its upper moving end. In this state, the rear-view lifting decorative element 3410 is located in front of the rear-view fixed decorative element 3452 of the rear-view lifting mechanism 3450. Therefore, the rear-view fixed decorative element 3452 is hidden from view from the front by the retracted rear-view lifting decorative element 3410.

When assembled on the game board 5, the rear-view display unit 3400 is located behind the front-view display unit 3300. Therefore, in the normal state, the front-view display unit 3310, which is in the standby position for the front-view display unit 3300, is positioned in front of the rear-view lifting decorative unit 3410. The rear-view lifting decorative unit 3310 hides the rear-view display unit 3400, making it invisible from the front.

The rear-view display unit 3400, when moved from its normal state to the appearance position (the lower end of the movement) by the rear-view lifting drive motor of the rear-view lifting mechanism 3450, positions itself below the standby position of the front-view lifting display unit 3310 and slightly above the vertical center of the game area 5a. This makes the rear-view lifting display unit 3410 visible to the player.

Furthermore, even when the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 is moved downward from its retracted position, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 is in its standby position, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 is positioned in front of the rear-rear fixed decorative unit 3452, and therefore the rear-rear fixed decorative unit 3452 is not visible from the front. Consequently, only when the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 is moved downward (to its appearance position) from its retracted position, and the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 is dropped from its standby position to the lower performance position, does the rear-rear fixed decorative unit 3452 become visible from the front. This adds a sense of premium quality to the visibility of the rear-rear fixed decorative unit 3452.

When the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 is moved to its lower appearance position, and the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 is dropped to its performance position, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 is positioned in front of the logo section 3411a of the rear-rear lifting decorative section 3411 of the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410. This hides the logo section 3411a, and simultaneously, the character section 3411b, which consists of multiple characters arranged in a row, is positioned above and facing forward from above the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (see Figure 92).

With the rear-mounted lifting decorative element 3410 moved to its appearance position, reversing the rear-mounted lifting drive motor of the rear-mounted lifting mechanism 3450 allows the rear-mounted lifting decorative element 3410 to rise and return to its retracted position.

[8-11. Game board-based presentation]
Next, the effects provided by the game board 5 will be explained in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 89 to 92. Figure 89 is a front view of the game board in its normal state. Figure 90 is a front view of the game board in its normal state, with the front-rear lifting decorative unit of the front-rear effect unit dropped from the standby position to the effect position. Figure 91 is a front view of the game board in its normal state, with the rear-rear lifting decorative unit of the rear-rear effect unit moved from the retracted position to the appearance position. Figure 92 is a front view of the game board in its normal state, with the front-rear lifting decorative unit of the front-rear effect unit dropped from the standby position to the effect position, and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit of the rear-rear effect unit moved from the retracted position to the appearance position.

As shown in Figure 89 and other figures, the game board 5 of this embodiment allows the rear unit 3000 and the display screen of the performance display device 1600 to be visible mainly through the frame of the center mechanism 2500. In this game board 5, the lottery mechanism 2550 and the rear lower left decorative element 3210 and rear lower right decorative element 3220 of the rear decorative unit 3200, located near the lower edge of the center mechanism 2500, are always visible through the frame. Furthermore, the rear front left decorative element 3301 of the rear front performance unit 3300 is always visible near the left edge of the frame of the center mechanism 2500.

In the normal state, the game board 5 has the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 of the front-rear performance unit 3300 in the back unit 3000 in a standby position, which is its upper moving end, and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 of the rear-rear performance unit 3400 in a retracted position, which is its upper moving end. The front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310, which is in the standby position, is visible from the upper edge within the frame of the center mechanism 2500, facing forward. The rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410, which is in the retracted position, is located behind the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310, at the same height as the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 in the standby position, and is hidden by the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310, making it invisible from the front.

Furthermore, in the normal state, the rear lifting decorative body 3410, in its retracted position, is located in front of the rear fixed decorative part 3452 of the rear display unit 3400. Further in front of that, the front lifting decorative body unit 3310, in its standby position, is located, concealing the rear unit from view from the front.

In this normal state, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 is moved to an upper standby position. Therefore, the performance count display unit 3005, located on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (rear front central decorative unit 3320), is positioned above the center of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. This allows it to be easily seen by the player without obstructing the performance image displayed on the performance display device 1600.

In this embodiment, the game board 5 can perform the effects shown in Figure 90 using the front-rear performance unit 3300 of the back unit 3000. In this effect, in the normal state where the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 is in an upper standby position, the front-rear lifting mechanism 3350 moves the lifting slider to the lower end using the front-rear lifting drive motor, then releases the locking claw with a drop solenoid, allowing the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 to free-fall and reach the performance position. When the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 has fallen to the performance position, it is positioned above the lottery mechanism 2550 of the center mechanism 2500 and slightly below the vertical center of the game area 5a, obscuring the area near the vertical center of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, when the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 drops to its performance position, the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410, which is in its retracted position, becomes visible near the upper edge within the frame of the center feature 2500. This causes the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 to appear to be free-falling, surprising the player and making them believe that something good might happen (that a chance has arrived).

Next, the game board 5 can execute the effects shown in Figure 91 using the rear-view effect unit 3400 of the rear-view unit 3000. In this effect, while the rear-view lifting decorative element 3410 is in its normal state, moved to its upper retracted position, the rear-view lifting drive motor of the rear-view lifting mechanism 3450 moves the rear-view lifting decorative element 3410 to its lower end, bringing it to the appearance position. This makes the rear-view lifting decorative element 3410, which was previously obscured by the rear-view front lifting decorative element unit 3310, visible, surprising the player and increasing their anticipation for the game by making them believe a chance has arrived. Furthermore, when the rear-view lifting decorative element 3410 moves to the appearance position, it is positioned approximately in the vertical center of the display screen of the effect display device 1600. Therefore, the rear-view lifting decorative element 3410 can divide the display screen vertically, allowing the player to see an effect where the effect image is physically divided vertically.

Furthermore, as a performance using the rear-view performance unit 3400, since the rear-view lifting decorative body 3410 can be moved to any height between the retracted position and the appearance position by the rear-view lifting drive motor, as a pre-announcement performance, the rear-view lifting decorative body 3410 may be moved slightly downward from the retracted position or vibrated up and down.

Next, the game board 5 can execute the effects shown in Figure 92 using both the front-rear effect unit 3300 and the rear-rear effect unit 3400 of the rear unit 3000. In this effect, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 is lowered from its standby position to the effect position, and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 is moved downward from its retracted position to the appearance position. As a result, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 cover the display screen of the effect display device 1600, creating a strong impact on the player. Furthermore, the rear-rear fixed decorative unit 3452, located above the display screen and previously invisible, becomes visible, giving the player a sense of premium quality and increasing their anticipation for the occurrence of advantageous game states (e.g., jackpot games).

In this performance, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 may be moved downward simultaneously, or the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 may be dropped first, followed by the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 being moved downward, or the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 may be moved downward first, followed by the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 being dropped.

Furthermore, since the game board 5 has a performance count display unit 3005 that is always visible from the front on the back unit 3000, it is possible to execute performances using this performance count display unit 3005. For example, a countdown display that continuously decreases the number shown on the performance count display unit 3005 may be used to count down the timing when the back front lifting decorative unit 3310 falls or the back rear lifting decorative unit 3410 moves downward. Alternatively, for example, the detection of game ball B by the lottery mechanism ball entry sensor 2546 may be used to count down until the game ball B can no longer loop in the lottery mechanism 2550.

Furthermore, the performance count display unit 3005 may display (suggest) as a number the expected probability of a special symbol being drawn by receiving game balls B into the first start port 2003 or the second start port 2004. Alternatively, since the performance count display unit 3005 has four 7-segment displays, the performance symbol may be constructed by combining the illumination of each segment, and after displaying the performance symbol in a variable manner, it may be stopped, and the expected probability may be suggested by the stopped performance symbol.

[9. Control Configuration]
Next, the control configuration for various operations of the pachinko machine 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 63 and 93. Figure 93 is a block diagram that schematically shows the control configuration of the pachinko machine. Note that in Figure 93, some electronic components such as sensors, solenoids, motors, and LEDs connected to the frame control board 740 are omitted.

The main control configuration of the pachinko machine 1, as shown in the figure, consists of a main control board 1310 and a peripheral control board 1510 attached to the game board 5, and a frame control board 740 attached to the main frame 4, with each component responsible for a specific control function. The main control board 1310 controls the game operation (progress of the game). The peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control unit 1511 that controls various effects during gameplay based on commands from the main control board 1310, and an effect display control unit 1512 that controls the display of effect images on the effect display device 1600 based on commands from the peripheral control unit 1511.

[9-1. Main Control Board]
The main control board 1310, which controls the progress of the game, is not shown in detail in the illustration, but it includes a main control MPU, which is a microprocessor with built-in ROM for storing various processing programs and commands, and RAM for temporarily storing data; a main control I/O port as an input/output device (I/O device); a main control input circuit to which detection signals from various detection switches are input; a main control solenoid drive circuit for driving various solenoids; a RAM clear switch for completely erasing information stored in the RAM built into the main control MPU; a setting display for displaying setting values and error displays; and a base monitor for displaying the number of game balls B collected by the out port 2020 and sub-out port 2021 provided in the game area 5a partitioned in the game board 5. In addition to its built-in ROM and RAM, the main control MPU also has built-in watchdog timers to monitor its operation (system) and functions to prevent fraud.

The main control MPU includes not only its built-in RAM (hereinafter referred to as "main control built-in RAM") and ROM (hereinafter referred to as "main control built-in ROM"), but also a watchdog timer (hereinafter referred to as "main control built-in WDT") for monitoring its operation (system), and functions to prevent fraud.

Furthermore, the main control MPU incorporates non-volatile RAM. This non-volatile RAM pre-stores a unique ID code (a code unique to each unit in the world) assigned by the manufacturer of the main control MPU for individual identification. Because this ID code is stored in non-volatile RAM, it cannot be overwritten even with external devices. The main control MPU is designed to retrieve and reference the ID code from the non-volatile RAM.

Furthermore, the main control MPU also has a built-in circuit that forcibly resets itself via hardware if it is affected by electrical noise (hereinafter referred to as the "built-in reset circuit"). The built-in reset circuit monitors the contents of a predetermined register of the main control MPU and, if the register changes to an inconsistent state, it forcibly resets the main control MPU, assuming it has been affected by electrical noise. This forced reset by the built-in reset circuit cannot be controlled or disabled by a user program. Therefore, when the main control MPU is forcibly reset by the built-in reset circuit, it resets without executing the main control side power-off processing described later, and then executes the main control side power-on processing described later again. In this case, since the main control side power-off processing is not executed, a checksum (sum value) error will inevitably occur in the main control's built-in RAM, as described later, and the contents of the main control's built-in RAM will be completely erased (cleared). Furthermore, even if the main control MPU is forcibly reset by its built-in reset circuit, the main control MPU's built-in reset circuit does not output a reset signal to the frame control board 740. Therefore, only the main control board 1310 (main control MPU) restarts, while the frame control board 740 remains in its powered-up state.

Furthermore, the main control MPU incorporates a hardware random number circuit (hereinafter referred to as the "main control built-in hardware random number circuit") that updates the random number used for determining whether or not to generate a jackpot state, among the various random numbers related to the game. This main control built-in hardware random number circuit generates random numbers within a predetermined numerical range (in this embodiment, a numerical range of 0 as the minimum value and 65535 as the maximum value is predetermined), and the circuit is configured so that a different value is set each time the main control MPU is reset, rather than the predetermined initial value being fixed (i.e., the initial value is not fixed). Specifically, when the main control MPU is reset, the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit first uses a value of 1 within a predetermined numerical range as its initial value. Based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU (a clock signal output from a crystal oscillator, not shown, that is separate from the main control MPU), it rapidly extracts other values within the predetermined numerical range without repetition. Once all values within the predetermined numerical range have been extracted, it again extracts a value of 1 within the predetermined numerical range and rapidly extracts other values within the predetermined numerical range without repetition based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU. This high-speed lottery is repeatedly performed by the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit, and the main control MPU sets the value extracted by the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit at the time of obtaining the value from it as the random number for determining the jackpot.

The main control input circuit lacks a reset terminal to forcibly reset the information received from detection signals from various sensors at its various input terminals, and therefore does not have a reset function. For this reason, the main control input circuit is configured as a circuit that does not receive a system reset signal from the main control system reset (not shown). In other words, the main control input circuit is configured as a circuit where various signals based on the detection signals from various sensors input to its various input terminals are output from its various output terminals, because the information based on that information is not reset by the main control system reset.

The main control MPU of the main control board 1310 is equipped with a first start port sensor 2101 that detects game balls B received into the first start port 2003, a second start port sensor 2401 that detects game balls B received into the second start port 2004, a general prize port sensor 3001 that detects game balls B received into the general prize port 2001, a general prize port sensor 3002 that detects game balls B received into the general prize port 2002, a large prize port sensor 2402 that detects game balls B received into the large prize port 2005, a special prize port sensor 2501 that detects game balls B received into the special prize port 2006, and a first V prize port 2007 Detection signals from the first V-entry slot sensor 2502 (which detects inserted game balls B), the second V-entry slot sensor 2503 (which detects game balls B received in the second V-entry slot 2008), the losing slot sensor 2504 (which detects game balls B received in the losing slot 2009), the out ball sensor 605 and safe ball sensor 606 (which detect game balls B ejected from the game board 5), the magnetic sensor 1030 (which detects unauthorized magnetism within the game area 5a), and the vibration sensor 1040 (which detects vibrations acting on the game board 5), etc., are input to the input terminals of predetermined input ports of the main control MPU via the main control input circuit.

Furthermore, the detection signals from the door open switch 507 and the frame open switch 508 are input to the main control board 1310 via the frame control board 740, and then input to the input terminals of predetermined input ports of the main control MPU via the main control input circuit.

Furthermore, the detection signals from the out-ball sensor 605, the first start-up sensor 2101, and the second start-up sensor 2401 are input directly to the main control board 1310 without going through other boards, and are then input to the input terminals of predetermined input ports on the main control MPU via the main control input circuit. In contrast, the detection signals from the general prize-winning slot sensor 3001, the normal prize-winning slot sensor 3002, the large prize-winning slot sensor 2402, the special prize-winning slot sensor 2501, the first V-prize-winning slot sensor 2502, the second V-prize-winning slot sensor 2503, the losing slot sensor 2504, the magnetic sensor 1030, and the vibration sensor 1040 are input indirectly to the main control board 1310 via the panel relay board, and are then input to the input terminals of predetermined input ports on the main control MPU via the main control input circuit.

Based on these detection signals, the main control MPU outputs control signals to the main control solenoid drive circuit from the output terminals of its predetermined output ports. This allows the main control solenoid drive circuit to output drive signals to the start-up solenoid 2412, attacker solenoid 2414, prize-winning slot solenoid 2516, first distribution solenoid 2534, second distribution solenoid 2544, lottery loop solenoid 2558, striking piece drive motor 2561, gutter swing drive motor 2564, and swing piece solenoid 2565, indirectly via the panel relay board. Alternatively, it may output drive signals to the status indicator, normal symbol indicator, normal hold indicator, first special symbol indicator, first special hold number indicator, second special symbol indicator, second special hold number indicator, and round indicator of the function display unit 1400 directly, without going through other boards. Furthermore, the main control MPU outputs a drive signal from the output terminal of its designated output port based on these detection signals, thereby outputting a drive signal to the setting change permission lamp on the setting change board.

Furthermore, the main control MPU outputs various game-related information (game information) to the frame control board 740 by outputting various game-related information (game information) from the output terminals of its predetermined output ports, outputs a signal (power outage clear signal) to the power outage monitoring circuit by outputting a signal (power outage clear signal) from the output terminals of its predetermined output ports, and outputs a launch permission signal to the frame control board 740 that allows the launch of game ball B by outputting a launch permission signal from the output terminals of its predetermined output ports. The logic of this launch permission signal that allows launching is set to launch permission logic when launching is permitted, and to launch stop logic (launch non-permission logic), which is the inverse of the launch permission logic, when launching is not permitted. Furthermore, the logic of the launch permission signal is configured, as an initial value (default), to be set to a launch stop logic (launch non-permission logic), which is the inverted launch permission logic, from the time the pachinko machine 1 is powered on (after power is restored) until the launch permission signal setting process in the main control timer interrupt processing described later begins. This is achieved through hardware including a main control output circuit with a reset function.

In this embodiment, the first start port sensor 2101, the second start port sensor 2401, the regular prize port sensor 3002, the big prize port sensor 2402, the special prize port sensor 2501, the first V prize port sensor 2502, the second V prize port sensor 2503, the losing port sensor 2504, the out ball sensor 605, the safe ball sensor 606, and the foul ball sensor 607 use non-contact type electromagnetic proximity switches, while the regular prize port sensor 3001 uses a contact type ON/OFF operation mechanical switch. This is because game balls B frequently enter the first start port 2003, the second start port 2004, and the regular prize port 2002, so the detection of game balls B by the first start port sensor 2101, the second start port sensor 2401, and the regular prize port sensor 3002 also occurs frequently. Therefore, the first start port sensor 2101, the second start port sensor 2401, and the regular prize entry port sensor 3002 utilize proximity switches with high durability and a long lifespan.

Furthermore, when a favorable game state occurs that is advantageous to the player (such as a "jackpot" game), the large prize entry point 2005 and the prize entry point 2006 open, and game balls B enter frequently, resulting in frequent detection of game balls B by the large prize entry point sensor 2402 and the prize entry point sensor 2501. For this reason, highly durable and long-lasting proximity switches are used for both the large prize entry point sensor 2402 and the prize entry point sensor 2501. In addition, a large number of game balls B launched into the game area 5a are collected by the out-out openings 2020 and sub-out-out openings 2021 provided in the game area 5a partitioned on the game board 5, resulting in frequent detection of game balls B by the out-ball sensor 605. For this reason, a highly durable and long-lasting proximity switch is also used for the out-ball sensor 605. In contrast, the general prize slot 2001, into which game ball B does not frequently enter, does not experience frequent detection by the general prize slot sensor 3001. Therefore, the general prize slot sensor 3001 uses a mechanical switch, which has a shorter lifespan than a proximity switch. However, regardless of whether game ball B frequently enters the general prize slot 2001 or not, a proximity switch with high durability and a long lifespan may also be used.

Furthermore, the main control MPU transmits various information related to the game (game information) and various commands related to the granting of benefits to the frame control board 740, and receives various commands related to the state of the pachinko machine 1 from the frame control board 740. In addition, the main control MPU transmits various commands related to the control of game effects and various commands related to the state of the pachinko machine 1 to the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 via the main control I/O ports. As will be explained in detail later, when the main control MPU receives various commands related to the state of the pachinko machine 1 from the frame control board 740, it formats these commands and transmits them to the peripheral control unit 1511.

The main control board 1310 receives various voltages from the power supply board 750 of the frame board unit 730, although a detailed explanation will follow later. This power supply board 750, which supplies various voltages to the main control board 1310, is equipped with an electric double-layer capacitor (hereinafter simply referred to as "capacitor") as a backup power supply to provide power to the main control board 1310 for a predetermined time even when the power supply is cut off. This capacitor allows the main control MPU to store various information in the RAM during power-off processing, even when the power supply is cut off. This stored information is completely erased (cleared) from the RAM when the RAM clear switch on the main control board 1310 is operated upon power-up. The operation signal (detection signal) for this RAM clear switch is also output to the frame control board 740.

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 is equipped with a power outage monitoring circuit. This power outage monitoring circuit monitors the decrease in various voltages supplied from the power supply board 750, and when these voltages fall below the power outage warning voltage, it outputs a power outage warning signal. This power outage warning signal is input to the main control MPU via the main control I/O port, and is also output to the frame control board 740, etc.

[9-2. Frame control board]
The frame control board 740, which controls the number of game balls B held by the player, includes a RAM clear switch 741 for erasing information stored in RAM, a ball removal switch 742 used when removing the enclosed game balls B from the ball removal opening 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720), and a ball count memory/display clear switch 743 for clearing the number of game balls held by the player stored in RAM, etc., and clearing the display on the game ball count display unit 140 of the door frame 3.

[9-3. Peripheral Control Board]
As shown in Figure 93, the peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control unit 1511 that performs performance control based on commands from the main control board 1310, and a performance display control unit 1512 that performs drawing control of the performance display device 1600 based on control data from the peripheral control unit 1511.

[9-3a. Peripheral Control Unit]
The peripheral control unit 1511, which controls the performance on the peripheral control board 1510, is not shown in detail in the illustration, but it includes a peripheral control IC on which a CPU, RAM, VDP, VRAM, sound source, SATA controller, and various I/O interfaces are integrated on a single semiconductor chip, a peripheral control ROM that stores various processing programs and commands, a sound source IC that performs high-quality performance, and a sound ROM that stores sound information such as music, voice, and sound effects referenced by the sound source IC.

The peripheral control IC integrates multiple parallel I/O ports, serial I/O ports, etc., on a single semiconductor chip. When it receives various commands from the main control board 1310, the CPU of the peripheral control IC transmits game board-side light emission data from the serial I/O port for the lamp drive board to each decorative board of the game board 5 to output lighting signals, blinking signals, or gradation lighting signals to the color LEDs, etc., provided on each decorative board of the game board 5. It also transmits game board-side drive data from the serial I/O port for the game board decoration drive board to the drive motors of the game board 5 to output drive signals to the drive motors that operate the various performance units provided on the game board 5. The system transmits door-side drive data, consisting of door-side drive data for sending to a drive solenoid or to a vibrator or other device provided on the door frame 3, and door-side light-emitting data for outputting lighting signals, blinking signals, or gradation lighting signals to color LEDs or other devices provided on each decorative board of the door frame 3, from the serial I/O port for the frame decorative drive board to the door frame 3. It also transmits control data (display commands) indicating the screen to be displayed on the display device 1600 from the serial I/O port for the display control unit to the display control unit 1512. Furthermore, it outputs control signals (sound commands) for extracting sound information from the sound ROM to the sound source IC.

The detection signals from the first and second effect buttons 251 and 252 of the effect control unit 250, located on the door frame 3, are input to the peripheral control IC.

Furthermore, the CPU of the peripheral control IC receives a signal (operation signal) from the performance display control unit 1512 indicating that the unit is functioning normally, and monitors the operation of the performance display control unit 1512 based on this operation signal.

The sound source IC extracts sound information from the sound ROM based on control data (sound commands) from the CPU of the peripheral control IC, and controls the playback of music and sound effects, etc., from the top center speaker, top side speakers, and main frame speaker 503 of the main frame 4, which are located on the door frame 3 and main frame 4, respectively, to match various effects. The volume can be adjusted by rotating a volume adjustment switch that protrudes rearward from the peripheral control board box housing the peripheral control board 1510. In this embodiment, by sending acoustic signals (e.g., 2-channel stereo signal, 4-channel stereo signal, 2.1-channel surround signal, or 4.1-channel surround signal, etc.) as sound information to the top center speaker and top side speakers on the door frame 3 and the main frame speaker 503 for bass on the main frame 4, it is possible to present more realistic sound effects (sound effects) than before.

Furthermore, the peripheral control unit 1511 is equipped with an external WDT (watchdog timer), not just the internal WDT built into the peripheral control IC's CPU. The peripheral control IC's CPU uses both the internal and external WDTs to diagnose whether its system is malfunctioning.

The display commands output from the peripheral control IC's CPU to the display control unit 1512 are performed via a serial input/output port. In this embodiment, the bitrate (the amount of data that can be transmitted per unit time) is set to 19.2 kilobits per second (bps). On the other hand, the initial data, door frame side illumination/flashing commands, game board side illumination/flashing commands, movable body drive commands, etc., output from the peripheral control IC's CPU to the game board 5 are performed via multiple serial input/output ports different from those used for the display commands. In this embodiment, the bitrate is set to 250 kbps.

[9-3b. Production display control section]
The performance display control unit 1512 controls the drawing of the performance display device 1600. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the performance display control unit 1512 includes a display control MPU as a microprocessor, a display control ROM that stores various processing programs, various commands and various data, a VDP (abbreviation for Video Display Processor) that controls the display of the performance display device 1600, an image ROM that stores various data of the screen displayed on the performance display device 1600, and an image RAM to which the various data stored in this image ROM is transferred and copied.

This display control MPU incorporates parallel I/O ports, serial I/O ports, etc., and controls the VDP based on control data (display commands) from the peripheral control unit 1511 to control the drawing of the display device 1600. When the display control MPU is operating normally, it outputs an operation signal to the peripheral control unit 1511 to indicate this. Furthermore, the display control MPU receives an execution signal from the VDP, and triggers an interrupt process every 16ms when this execution signal stops.

The display control ROM stores various programs for generating the screen to be drawn on the performance display device 1600, as well as schedule data corresponding to control data (display commands) from the peripheral control unit 1511, and non-resident area transfer schedule data corresponding to that control data (display commands). The schedule data is composed of screen data that defines the screen configuration arranged in chronological order, and defines the order in which the screen to be drawn on the performance display device 1600 is determined. The non-resident area transfer schedule data is composed of non-resident area transfer data arranged in chronological order that defines the order in which various data stored in the image ROM are transferred to the non-resident area of the image RAM. This non-resident area transfer data pre-defines the order in which various data are transferred from the image ROM to the non-resident area of the image RAM in accordance with the progress of the schedule data, so that the screen data to be drawn on the performance display device 1600 is determined in advance.

The display control MPU extracts the first screen data from the display control ROM and outputs it to the VDP, based on the control data (display command) from the peripheral control unit 1511 and the corresponding schedule data. Then, it extracts the screen data following the first screen data from the display control ROM and outputs it to the VDP. In this way, the display control MPU extracts the screen data, which is arranged chronologically in the schedule data, one by one from the display control ROM, starting from the first screen data, and outputs it to the VDP.

The VDP, upon receiving screen data output from the display control MPU, extracts sprite data from the image RAM based on this input screen data to generate drawing data to be displayed on the performance display device 1600, and outputs this generated drawing data to the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, if the performance display device 1600 does not accept screen data from the display control MPU, the VDP outputs an execution signal to the display control MPU to indicate this. The VDP employs a line buffer system. This "line buffer system" is a method in which drawing data for one line representing the left-right direction of the performance display device 1600 is held in a line buffer, and this line of drawing data held in the line buffer is output to the performance display device 1600.

The image ROM stores a very large amount of sprite data, resulting in a large capacity. As the image ROM capacity increases, that is, as the number of sprites to be drawn on the display device 1600 increases, the access speed of the image ROM becomes significant, affecting the drawing speed on the display device 1600. Therefore, in this embodiment, the sprite data stored in the image ROM is transferred and copied to the image RAM, which has a faster access speed, and the sprite data is extracted from this image RAM. Note that the sprite data is the base data, which is the data before the sprite is expanded into bitmap format, and is stored in the image ROM in a compressed state.

To explain "sprites" here, a "sprite" is an image displayed as a unified unit on the visual display device 1600. For example, when displaying various people (characters) on the visual display device 1600, the data used to draw each person is called a "sprite." Therefore, when displaying multiple people on the visual display device 1600, multiple sprites are used. In addition to people, elements that make up the background, such as houses, mountains, and roads, are also sprites, and the entire background can be treated as a single sprite. These sprites are drawn on the visual display device 1600 after their positions on the screen and their overlapping order (hereinafter referred to as "sprite overlapping order") are set.

A sprite is composed of multiple rectangular areas, each 64 pixels wide and 64 pixels high. The data used to draw these rectangular areas is called a "sprite character." Small sprites can be represented using a single sprite character, while larger sprites, such as those of people, can be represented using a total of six sprite characters, for example, arranged in a 2x3 grid. Even larger sprites, like backgrounds, can be represented using even more sprite characters. Thus, the number and arrangement of sprite characters can be arbitrarily specified for each sprite.

The display device 1600 is driven by a main scan, which sets the display state of each pixel in one direction along the pixels, sequentially from left to right when viewed from the front, and a sub-scan, which repeats the main scan in a direction intersecting that direction. When the display device 1600 receives drawing data for one line output from the display control unit 1512, it performs a main scan, sequentially outputting to each pixel of that line, from left to right when viewed from the front. Once the output for one line is complete, the display device 1600 moves to the line directly below as a sub-scan. Similarly, when drawing data for the next line is received, it performs a main scan based on this next line's drawing data, sequentially outputting to each pixel of that line, from left to right when viewed from the front.

[10. Game Details]
The gameplay of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 84, etc. In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when a player rotates the handle 160 located at the lower right corner of the front of the door frame 3, the game balls B sealed in the circulation path R are driven into the upper part of the game area 5a through the space between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 on the game board 5, and the game with the game balls B begins. The game balls B driven into the upper part of the game area 5a flow down either to the left or to the right of the center mechanism 2500 depending on the force with which they are driven. The force with which the game balls B are driven can be adjusted by the amount of rotation of the handle 160, and the more it is rotated clockwise, the stronger the balls are driven, and it is possible to continuously drive up to 100 game balls B per minute, that is, at intervals of 0.6 seconds.

Furthermore, within the game area 5a, multiple obstacle pins are planted on the front of the game panel 1100 at appropriate positions in a predetermined gauge arrangement. When the game ball B strikes these obstacle pins, its flow velocity is suppressed, and various movements are imparted to the game ball B, allowing players to enjoy these movements. In addition to the obstacle pins, a windmill that rotates upon contact with the game ball B is also provided within the game area 5a, above the upper left side unit 2300 and to the left of the center mechanism 2500.

When a game ball B is driven into the upper part of the center mechanism 2500, it enters the left side of the center mechanism 2500's outer surface, beyond the highest point when viewed from the front. It then flows along the left side of the center mechanism 2500, that is, between the inner rail 1002 and the center mechanism 2500, while abutting against multiple obstacle pins. On the left side of the center mechanism 2500, the entrance to the warp passage 2512 is always open to receive the game ball B.

The game ball B that enters the warp passage 2512 is supplied to the stage 2513 located within the frame of the center mechanism 2500. It rolls horizontally across the stage 2513 and is released back into the game area 5a from either the central release section 2513a or the side release sections 2513b. Since the central release section 2513a of the stage 2513 is located in the center of the game area 5a, directly above the first start opening 2003, game ball B released from the central release section 2513a is received by the first start opening 2003 with a high probability. Game ball B released from the side release sections 2513b on either side of the central release section 2513a may also be received by the first start opening 2003 with a certain probability.

When a game ball B is received into the first starting port 2003, a predetermined number of game balls B (for example, 3) are added to the number of balls held by the frame control board 740 via the main control board 1310. Simultaneously, the main control board 1310 conducts a lottery for the first special symbol (for example, "Miss," "Small Win," "Feature Win," "2R Big Win," "5R Big Win," "15R Big Win," "Probability Change Win," "Time Reduction Win," "Probability Change Time Reduction Win," "Probability Change No Time Reduction Win," "Second Big Win," etc.). If the result of the lottery for the first special symbol is anything other than "Miss," a favorable game state is entered, giving the player an advantage. The result of the lottery for the first special symbol is then indicated to the player over a predetermined period of time (for example, 0.1 to 360 seconds, also referred to as the special variation time).

In this embodiment, if a game ball B is received into the first start port 2003 between the start of the special lottery and the indication of the lottery result for the first special symbol (special variation time), the indication of the lottery result for the first special symbol cannot be started. Therefore, the indication of the lottery result for the first special symbol is withheld until the indication of the previously drawn first special symbol is completed. The number of withheld lottery results for the first special symbol is limited to four for each of the first start ports 2003. Any results exceeding this limit are discarded without being withheld, even if game ball B is received into the first start port 2003. This suppresses the increase in the burden on the gaming hall due to the accumulation of withheld results.

Incidentally, if the game ball B that flows down to the left side of the center mechanism 2500 does not enter the warp passage 2512, it will be pushed towards the center in the left-right direction by the shelf section 2301 of the upper left side unit 2300 and the obstructing pins, and may be received by the general prize entry opening 2001 or sub-out opening 2021 of the side unit 2200, or the first start opening 2003 of the start opening unit 2100, etc. When the game ball B is received by the general prize entry opening 2001, a predetermined number (for example, 10) of game ball B is added to the number of balls held by the frame control board 740 via the main control board 1310.

On the other hand, if a game ball B, which is driven into the upper part of the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, enters to the right of the highest point of the inflow restriction section 2511c of the center frame 2511 of the center mechanism 2500, it will pass through either the first guide passage 2521 or the second guide passage 2522 of the guide passage group 2520 of the center mechanism 2500. A game ball B that enters the first guide passage 2521 will roll along the upper surface of the mechanism entry door 2515, which closes the mechanism entry opening 2006, before being released above (directly above) the normal entry opening unit 2600. A game ball B that enters the second guide passage 2522 will be released above and to the left of the normal entry opening 2002. Therefore, if a game ball B enters the first guide passage 2521, there is a possibility that it will be received by the mechanism entry opening 2006.

The prize entry opening 2006 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern to accept game balls B when the special symbol lottery result, which is determined by receiving game balls B into the first start opening 2003 or the second start opening 2004, is a "minor win" or "prize win," etc. When game balls B are accepted into the prize entry opening 2006, a predetermined number of game balls B (for example, 10 or 13) are added to the number of game balls held by the frame control board 740 via the main control board 1310.

The game ball B received in the prize entry opening 2006 is sent to the first distribution device 2530, where it is distributed by the distribution rotating body 2533 to either the chance opening 2531 or the first empty opening 2532. Game ball B distributed to the first empty opening 2532 is discharged. Game ball B distributed to the chance opening 2531 is sent to the second distribution device 2540. Game ball B sent to the second distribution device 2540 is distributed to either the first V prize entry opening 2007 or the second empty opening 2541. When game ball B is received into the first V prize entry opening 2007 by the distribution of the second distribution device 2540, a "jackpot" game is executed, in which the large prize entry opening 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined opening and closing pattern.

When the game ball B is distributed to the second slot 2541 in the second distribution device 2540, it is sent to the lottery mechanism 2550. The game ball B sent to the lottery mechanism 2550 loops between the table 2555, where the second V-prize slot 2008 is located, and the striking unit 2553, which supplies the game ball B to the table 2555, while the distribution bridge 2557 of the distribution unit 2552 moves to its loop position. When the game ball B is received by the second V-prize slot 2008, a "jackpot" game is executed, in which the large prize slot 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined opening and closing pattern.

On the other hand, once a predetermined time has elapsed and the splitting bridge 2557 has moved from the loop position to the non-loop position, opening the losing slot 2009, the game balls B that were not accepted into the second V-prize slot 2008 of the table 2555 are accepted into the losing slot 2009. The game balls B accepted into the losing slot 2009 are then discharged.

The regular prize entry point 2002, located downstream of the guide passage group 2520, is situated directly below the exit of the first guide passage 2521. Therefore, game balls B that have circulated through the first guide passage 2521 are more likely to be accepted into the regular prize entry point 2002 than game balls B that have circulated through the second guide passage 2522. Game balls B that are not accepted into the regular prize entry point 2002 flow down to the attacker unit 2400.

When a game ball B is received into the regular prize slot 2002 and detected by the regular prize slot sensor 3002, a regular lottery is performed on the main control board 1310. If the result of the lottery for the selected regular symbols is a "regular win," the second start slot 2004, which is closed by the second start slot door 2411, opens for a predetermined time (for example, 0.3 to 10 seconds), allowing the game ball B to be received into the second start slot 2004.

In this embodiment, in the normal lottery conducted when a game ball B is received into the normal prize slot 2002, a certain amount of time is set between the start of the normal lottery and the indication of the normal symbol lottery result (for example, 0.01 to 60 seconds, also referred to as the normal variation time). This indication of the normal symbol lottery result is displayed on the function display unit 1400 of the game board 5. The second start slot 2004 opens after the normal variation time has elapsed.

Furthermore, if another game ball B is received by the regular prize slot 2002 between the time the game ball B is received and the result of the regular symbol draw is indicated, the indication of the regular symbol draw cannot begin. Therefore, the indication of the regular symbol draw is delayed until the previous indication of the regular symbol draw has finished. Also, the number of reserved regular symbol draw results is capped at four; any additional game balls B received by the regular prize slot 2002 are discarded without being reserved. This prevents an increase in the burden on the arcade due to an accumulation of reserved results.

Game balls B that are not received by the regular prize slot 2002 and instead flow down will flow to one of the following locations in the attacker unit 2400: the upper shelf 2421, the first shelf 2422, or to the right of the first shelf 2422. Game balls B that flow down to the upper shelf 2421 are guided to the left and released to the left of the large prize slot 2005. Therefore, game balls B that flow down onto the upper shelf 2421 will not be received by the second start slot 2004 or the large prize slot 2005.

The game ball B, having flowed down to the first shelf section 2422 of the attacker unit 2400, rolls to the left due to its inclination, and after rolling through the second start opening door 2411 (which closes the second start opening 2004), the second shelf section 2423, the large prize opening door 2413 (which closes the large prize opening 2005), and the fourth shelf section 2425, it is released to the left. The game ball B released from the fourth shelf section 2425 is received and discharged into the out opening 2020. Therefore, when game ball B flows down to the first shelf section 2422, there is a possibility that it will be received into the second start opening 2004 or the large prize opening 2005.

Game balls B that flow down to the right of the first shelf section 2422 of the attacker unit 2400 are received and discharged through the sub-outlet 2021. Although rare, if game balls B that flow down to the first shelf section 2422 enter the gap between the second shelf section 2423 and the third shelf section 2424, they are also received and discharged through the sub-outlet 2021.

When a game ball B is received into the second start port 2004 of the attacker unit 2400, a predetermined number (for example, 1) of game balls B are added to the number of balls held by the frame control board 740 via the main control board 1310, and the main control board 1310 also performs a lottery for a second special symbol (for example, "miss", "minor win", "special feature win", "2R big win", "5R big win", "15R big win", "probability change win", "time reduction win", "probability change time reduction win", "probability change no time reduction win", "second big win", etc.). If the result of the lottery for the second special symbol is anything other than "miss", a favorable game state is entered which is advantageous to the player. The result of the second special symbol draw is then hinted to the player over a predetermined period of time (for example, 0.1 to 360 seconds, also referred to as the special variation time) that is longer than the special variation time for the first special symbol draw.

In this embodiment, if a game ball B is received into the second starting port 2004 between the start of the special lottery and the indication of the lottery result for the second special symbol (special variation time), the indication of the lottery result for the second special symbol cannot be started. Therefore, the indication of the lottery result for the second special symbol is withheld until the indication of the previously drawn second special symbol is completed. The number of withheld lottery results for the second special symbol is limited to four for each second starting port 2004. Any results exceeding this limit are discarded without being withheld, even if game ball B is received into the second starting port 2004. This suppresses the increase in the burden on the gaming hall due to the accumulation of withheld results.

The special variation time for the second special symbol lottery result, determined by the acceptance of game ball B into the second starting port 2004, is set longer than the special variation time for the first special symbol lottery result, determined by the acceptance of game ball B into the first starting port 2003. Because the second special symbol lottery result takes longer to consume the reserved balls, even if the number of game balls B accepted per unit time into the first starting port 2003 and the second starting port 2004 is the same, the second starting port 2004 will execute fewer second special symbol lottery results. Therefore, under normal conditions, even if game ball B is shot to the right of the center mechanism 2500, there is only a possibility of it being accepted into the second starting port 2004. Since the frequency of the second special symbol lottery result being executed is low, players can be encouraged to actively perform shooting operations that cause game ball B to circulate to the left of the center mechanism 2500.

As described above, when game ball B is received into the first start opening 2003 or the second start opening 2004, the result of the lottery for the first special symbol or the second special symbol determines whether the main prize opening 2005 or the prize opening 2006 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, making them ready to receive game ball B.

Then, in the attacker unit 2400, when the large prize opening 2005 becomes available for receiving game balls B due to the results of the lottery for the first special symbol, the lottery for the second special symbol, or the acceptance of game balls B into the first V prize opening 2007 or the second V prize opening 2008, the game balls B are received into the large prize opening 2005. Once the game balls B are received into the large prize opening 2005, a predetermined number of game balls B (for example, 10 or 13) are added to the number of game balls held by the frame control board 740 via the main control board 1310.

The large prize slot 2005 opens to accept game balls B, and then, after a predetermined time (for example, 20 to 40 seconds) has elapsed, or after a predetermined number of game balls B (for example, 10) have been accepted into the large prize slot 2005, it closes to a state where it cannot accept game balls B. This opening and closing pattern (one opening and closing pattern is referred to as one round) is repeated a predetermined number of times (a predetermined number of rounds). For example, if it's a "2R jackpot," it repeats for 2 rounds; if it's a "5R jackpot," it repeats for 5 rounds; and if it's a "15R jackpot," it repeats for 15 rounds, creating a favorable game state for the player.

Furthermore, in the case of a "jackpot," there are "wins" that change the probability of drawing the first or second special symbols (such as the "jackpot") after the jackpot game ends ("probability-changing win"), or change the display time of the visual effects that hint at the results of the first or second special symbol draws ("time-saving win").

If the result of the lottery for the first special symbol or the second special symbol (for example, the result of the lottery for the second special symbol) is "Second Jackpot," the large prize slot 2005 or the prize slot 2006 will become capable of accepting game balls B in a predetermined pattern, and then a special time (ST) will be generated as a favorable game state. This ST maintains a state of probability variation or time reduction for a predetermined number of spins.

In this way, when the large prize slot 2005 and the special prize slot 2006 are capable of accepting game ball B, allowing game ball B to be accepted into the large prize slot 2005 and the special prize slot 2006 allows a large number of game ball B to be added to the player's ball count, thus entertaining the player and preventing a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game.

In this embodiment, the results of the lottery for the first special symbol and the results of the lottery for the second special symbol are indicated by the function display unit 1400 and the performance display device 1600. The function display unit 1400 is directly controlled by the main control board 1310 to indicate the lottery results for the special symbols (the lottery results for the first special symbol and the lottery results for the second special symbol). The function display unit 1400 indicates the lottery results for the special symbols by repeatedly switching multiple LEDs on and off for a predetermined time, and then indicating the lottery results for the special symbols based on the combination of the lit LEDs.

Meanwhile, the performance display device 1600, based on control signals from the main control board 1310, is indirectly controlled by the peripheral control board 1510 and displays an image indicating the result of the special symbol lottery. The performance image indicating the special symbol lottery result on the performance display device 1600 displays three rows of symbols arranged horizontally. Each row of symbols is then manipulated, and the manipulated rows are sequentially stopped. The three stopped rows of symbols are then displayed so that their combinations correspond to the special symbol lottery result. If the special symbol lottery result is anything other than "miss," after the three rows of symbols stop and each symbol is displayed, a confirmation image indicating the special symbol lottery result is displayed on the performance display device 1600, and a favorable game state (e.g., "minor win" game, "big win" game, etc.) corresponding to the special symbol lottery result occurs.

Furthermore, the time indicated by the function display unit 1400 for suggesting the special symbol lottery result (LED blinking time (special variation time)) and the time indicated by the performance display device 1600 for suggesting the special symbol lottery result (the time from when the symbol sequence changes until the confirmed image is displayed) are different, with the function display unit 1400 having a longer time setting.

Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510, in addition to displaying performance images to indicate the results of the special symbol lottery by the performance display device 1600, can also perform player-participation performances in which the player operates the first performance button 251 and the second performance button 252 on the performance operation unit 250 in the door frame 3, depending on the results of the special symbol lottery. In player-participation performances, the first performance button 251 and the second performance button 252 can be made prominent by popping them up, allowing players to enjoy the player-participation performance by operating the first performance button 251 and the second performance button 252.

Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 can appropriately utilize the decorative boards provided on the door frame 3, the decorative boards provided on the game board 5, the performance display device 1600, the start gate display unit 2110, the performance count display unit 3005, the back decoration unit 3200, the front back performance unit 3300, the rear back performance unit 3400, etc., to perform lighting effects, display effects, movable effects, etc. This allows the player to be entertained through various effects, and helps to prevent a decline in the player's interest in the game.

Furthermore, in player-participation events where the player operates the first performance button 251 or the second performance button 252, the peripheral control board 1510 notifies the player if they make a mistake or fail to perform the required operation, prompting them to perform the correct operation.

According to this embodiment, when a game ball B is played into the game area 5a by a player, and a predetermined condition is met, the prize winning slot 2006 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern according to the result of the lottery for special symbols drawn by the acceptance of the game ball B into the first starting slot 2003 and the second starting slot 2004. The game ball B that has been accepted into the prize winning slot 2006 passes through the first distribution device 2530 and the second distribution device 2540 and is supplied to the guide path 2551 of the lottery prize device 2550 in the center prize device 2500, and the game ball B flows toward the downstream distribution section 2552. In the distribution unit 2552, when the losing gate 2009 opening into the guideway 2551 is closed by the distribution bridge 2557, the game ball B is distributed to the first side, the striking unit 2553. When the distribution bridge 2557 is rotated by the lottery loop solenoid 2558 and the losing gate 2009 is opened, the game ball B is distributed to the losing gate 2009 (second side). The distribution status of the game ball B is indicated by the distribution display unit 2557a of the distribution bridge 2557. When the game ball B is distributed to the first side in the distribution unit 2552, it is supplied to the striking unit 2553. On the other hand, when the game ball B is distributed to the second side (losing gate 2009) in the distribution unit 2552, it is not supplied to the striking unit 2553 and is discharged from the lottery mechanism 2550.

The game ball B supplied from the distribution unit 2552 to the striking unit 2553 is struck backward by the rotating striking piece 2560 of the striking unit 2553, causing it to circulate (roll) as it ascends the rising section 2559, which rises towards the rear. In this striking unit 2553, depending on the timing of when the game ball B is supplied and when the striking piece 2560 strikes the game ball B, the game ball B may be struck strongly or hardly struck at all. As a result, the momentum of the game ball B being struck backward varies, and if the momentum of the struck game ball B is weak, the game ball B may not be able to climb the rising section 2559 and will return to the striking unit 2553, causing the game ball B to move back and forth along the rising section 2559. Then, when the game ball B is struck forcefully by the striking section 2553 and overcomes the climbing section 2559, it is supplied to the oscillating trough 2554 located at the center of the rear end of the table 2555 in the left-right direction, and released from the oscillating trough 2554 onto the table 2555. At this time, because the oscillating trough 2554 reciprocates and oscillates around its vertical axis, the timing of the supply of the game ball B and the rotational position of the oscillating trough 2554 determine how the game ball B is released from the trough section 2554a of the oscillating trough 2554 onto the table 25555 in various directions.

The game ball B released from the oscillating trough 2554 to the table 2555 rolls forward according to its inclination and is released from the front end of the table 2555 into the guideway 2551. At this time, there is a possibility that the game ball B will be received by the second V-entry opening 2008, which is located on the central axis in the front-to-back direction passing through the center of the oscillating trough 2554 near the front end of the table 2555. At the same time, the game ball B will come into contact with the oscillating piece 2556, which is located symmetrically on both sides of the central axis between the oscillating trough 2554 and the second V-entry opening 2008, causing the direction of flow of the game ball B to either move towards the second V-entry opening 2008 or away from the second V-entry opening 2008. When the game ball B is received by the second V-entry opening 2008 of the table 2555, a favorable game state (for example, a jackpot game) is generated. On the other hand, if game ball B is not received by the second V-entry slot 2008 and is instead released from the front end of table 2555 into the guide path 2551, and then distributed to one side by the distribution unit 2552, game ball B is supplied to the oscillating trough 2554 by the striking unit 2553. Therefore, as long as game ball B is distributed to one side (striking unit 2553) by the distribution unit 2552, game ball B loops through the guide path 2551, distribution unit 2552, striking unit 2553, oscillating trough 2554, and table 2555 in that order until it is received by the second V-entry slot 2008.

Therefore, when the prize entry opening 2006 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, making it possible to supply the game ball B to the lottery prize mechanism 2550, the player can confirm whether the distribution display unit 2557a of the distribution unit 2552 is in a state to distribute the game ball B to the first side (hitting unit 2553) by looking at it. This allows the player to be excited by whether or not the game ball B received in the prize entry opening 2006 (in this case, the game ball B housed in the housing unit 2533a of the distribution rotating body 2533 in the first distribution device 2530) is supplied to the lottery prize mechanism 2550 (guidance path 2551) when the distribution display unit 2557a indicates that the distribution unit 2552 is in a state to distribute to the first side (hitting unit 2553, and consequently to the second V prize entry opening 2008). Subsequently, when the game ball B received into the prize entry opening 2006 is supplied to the lottery mechanism 2550 (guidance path 2551), the distribution unit 2552 can make the player feel excited and on edge depending on whether or not it is distributed to the first side (hitting unit 2553 side). Then, when the game ball B is distributed to the first side and supplied to the hitting unit 2553, depending on the timing of when the game ball B is struck, the game ball B may move back and forth on the climbing unit 2559, so the player can be entertained depending on whether or not the game ball B is struck with enough force to overcome the climbing unit 2559. Furthermore, since the game ball B that overcomes the climbing section 2559 is supplied to the reciprocating oscillating trough 2554, the timing of when the oscillating trough 2554 can release the game ball B toward the second V-prize opening 2008 can be used to supply the game ball B to the oscillating trough 2554. The player can be thrilled and entertained by whether or not the game ball B is struck with enough force to overcome the climbing section 2559.

When the game ball B, struck by the striking section 2553, passes over the climbing section 2559 and is supplied to the oscillating trough 2554, the player can be thrilled and excited depending on whether or not the game ball B is released from the reciprocating oscillating trough 2554 toward the second V-prize opening 2008. Even if the game ball B is released from the oscillating trough 2554 toward the central axis (second V-prize opening 2008), depending on the oscillation of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556, which are provided symmetrically on both sides of the central axis, the game ball B that comes into contact with the oscillating pieces 2556 may be pushed toward the central axis and toward the second V-prize opening 2008. Therefore, the player will not be disappointed, and the excitement will be kept high. Furthermore, the game can create suspense and excitement for the player depending on whether or not the game ball B is accepted into the second V-entry slot 2008 located near the downstream end of table 2555. If the ball is accepted into the second V-entry slot 2008, a favorable game state (a jackpot game where the main entry slot 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern) is triggered, providing the player with great enjoyment.

On the other hand, even if the game ball B is not accepted into the second V-prize opening 2008, it is released into the guideway 2551 from the downstream end of the table 2555. Therefore, the distribution unit 2552 located downstream of the guideway 2551 can raise the player's expectations depending on whether or not the game ball B is distributed back to the first side (hitting unit 2553). If it is distributed back to the first side by the distribution unit 2552, it is supplied to the oscillating chute 2554 upstream of the table 2555 via the hitting unit 2553 and the climbing unit 2559, so the chance to be accepted into the second V-prize opening 2008 comes again, and the player will not be disappointed. At this point, when the distribution indicator 2557a of the distribution bridge 2557 indicates that the distribution unit 2552 is distributing to the first side (hitting unit 2553), the player can be excited by whether or not the game ball B is released from the front end of the table 2555 into the guide path 2551. Therefore, since the lottery mechanism 2550 can create suspense and excitement for the player in various situations, it is possible to keep the player from getting bored, prevent a decline in interest, and provide a pachinko machine equipped with a lottery mechanism 2550 that can entertain the player.

Furthermore, the lottery mechanism 2550 of the center mechanism 2500 has a wide, flat table 2555 extending in the front, back, left, and right directions, and a guide path 2551 is provided in front of the front end of the table 2555. Because the lottery mechanism 2550 is large, it makes the pachinko machine 1 stand out, strongly attracting the attention of players. It also increases players' anticipation for games using the lottery mechanism 2550, making it easier for players to choose this pachinko machine 1 to play, thus providing a highly appealing pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the second V-prize entry point 2008 is located on the central axis in the left-right direction of the table 2555, which is tilted so that its rear end is higher, the second V-prize entry point 2008 can be made more prominent, making it easier to direct the player's gaze towards it. This also makes it easier to create anticipation for the acceptance of game balls B into the second V-prize entry point 2008, thus making it easier to encourage the player to choose this pachinko machine 1 as their preferred pachinko machine to play.

Furthermore, since a swinging chute 2554 is provided near the rear end of the table 2555, which has a raised rear end, and a pair of swinging pieces 2556 are provided symmetrically on either side of the central axis, the visibility of the rear swinging chute 2554 is not obstructed by the swinging pieces 2556. This allows the player to clearly see the second V-prize opening 2008, the pair of swinging pieces 2556, and the swinging chute 2554 on the table 2555. Therefore, the rotation and swinging of the pair of swinging pieces 2556 and the swinging chute 2554 become easier to recognize, making it easier to predict the rolling path of the game ball B. This allows the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B depending on whether or not it rolls as predicted.

Furthermore, since the distribution unit 2552 has a losing opening 2009 in the guideway 2551 that communicates with the second side, when the distribution bridge 2557 is rotated by the lottery loop solenoid 2558 from a closed state by the distribution bridge 2557 to a state where the losing opening 2009 is opened upwards in the guideway 2551, the losing opening 2009 becomes visible to the player, making it easier for the player to recognize that the game ball B circulating in the guideway 2551 is being distributed to the second side (losing opening 2009), that is, that it is not being distributed to the first side (hitting unit 2553, and consequently, the second V-prize opening 2008). Therefore, if the conspicuous diverting exit 2009 is closed by the diverting bridge 2557, it is easy to recognize that the traffic is being diverted to the first side (hitting section 2553), and it is easy to determine which side the traffic is being diverted to simply by looking at the taxiway 2551.

Furthermore, depending on the timing of the striking of the game ball B by the striking unit 2553, the game ball B may move back and forth on the ascending unit 2559. This allows for an extended stay time for the game ball B in the lottery mechanism 2550, preventing the game from ending too quickly and disappointing the player. Additionally, the time gained by the ascending unit 2559 allows for sufficient display of the effects, such as the images on the effects display device 1600, to the player, thus providing a more enjoyable pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since a climbing section 2559 is provided between the striking section 2553 and the oscillating trough 2554 (oscillating passage 2562), even if the game ball B is struck hard by the striking section 2553, its momentum can be attenuated by climbing the climbing section 2559, and its momentum can be further attenuated by oscillating it left and right in the oscillating passage 2562. As a result, even though the oscillating trough 2554 is reciprocating and rotating to change the discharge direction, the momentum of the game ball B causes it to be discharged from the oscillating trough 2554 in a direction different from the discharge direction of the oscillating trough 2554, which can cause discomfort to the player. Also, the force with which the game ball B is discharged from the oscillating trough 2554 onto the table 2555 can shorten the time the game ball B stays on the table 2555. Therefore, it is possible to allow players to enjoy the release of game balls B from the oscillating trough 2554 without causing them any discomfort, and to easily allow them to enjoy the movement of game balls B rolling on the table 2555.

Furthermore, if the timing of the supply of game balls B to the lottery mechanism 2550 can be selected by the player through the operation of inserting the game balls B, then it becomes possible to insert the game balls B at the timing when the distribution display unit 2557a indicates that the game balls B are being distributed to the first side. This allows players to enjoy not only the movement of the game balls B within the lottery mechanism 2550, but also the operation of inserting the game balls B, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that can suppress a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, when the losing gate 2009 is opened, the distribution bridge 2557 is positioned with its tip above its base, creating an upright position from the guideway 2551. Therefore, even if the game ball B flows rapidly along the guideway 2551 and attempts to jump over the losing gate 2009, the upright distribution bridge 2557 prevents it from jumping over and entering the first side (hitting section 2553), ensuring that the game ball B is reliably distributed to the losing gate 2009 (second side).

Furthermore, when the losing gate 2009 is opened, the distribution bridge 2557 will be positioned with its tip above its base, appearing to stand upright from the guideway 2551. This makes the distribution bridge 2557 highly visible to the player, and the distribution indicator 2557a on the bridge 2557 becomes visible. Therefore, the distribution bridge 2557 (distribution indicator 2557a) can also be used to determine that the game ball B is being distributed to the second side.

[11. Details of the center mechanism on the game board]
Next, we will explain the details of the center mechanism 2500 provided on the game board 5 described above.

[11-1. Center component of the first embodiment]
The center component 2500 of the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figures 94 to 97, etc. Figure 94 is an explanatory diagram showing the center component of the first embodiment attached to the game panel, cut in the middle in the vertical direction, and shown together with the front components. Figure 95(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the decorative body of the center component disassembled into a front decorative part and a rear decorative part, viewed from the front, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the decorative body consisting of the front decorative part and the rear decorative part, viewed from the front. Figure 96 is an explanatory diagram showing the center component of Figure 94 with the center frame placed on the base with the rear end facing downwards. Figure 97 is an explanatory diagram showing a partial cross-section of a center component equipped with a center frame to which a different decorative body from that of Figure 94 is attached.

The center mechanism 2500 of the first embodiment is provided on the game board 5 of the first embodiment shown in Figures 78 to 83, etc. This center mechanism 2500 comprises a transparent frame-shaped center frame 2511 attached to the front surface of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), warp passages 2512 that can guide game balls B from the outside to the inside of the center frame 2511, and a stage 2513 provided at the lower edge within the frame of the center frame 2511, which causes the game balls B that have flowed through the warp passages 2512 to roll left and right before being released into the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the center component 2500 is further equipped with a decorative body 2570, which is attached to the center frame 2511 and has predetermined decorations applied to it.

The center frame 2511 includes a frame-shaped insertion portion 2511a that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 and is provided to follow the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, extending in the front-rear direction; a flat plate-shaped flange portion 2511b that protrudes outward from the outer circumference of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a and abuts against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100; an inflow restricting portion 2511c that extends forward from the flange portion 2511b and restricts the inflow of game balls B flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100; and a flat plate-shaped support portion 2511d that protrudes from the inner circumference of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a.

The rear end of the center frame 2511 (insertion portion 2511a) is positioned forward of the rear end (rear surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel holder 1120). The rear end of the center frame 2511 may or may not protrude beyond the rear surface of the game panel 1100.

As shown in Figure 94, the decorative body 2570 comprises a flat, transparent front plate 2571 attached to the front end of the center frame 2511, a front decorative portion 2572 attached to the front surface of the front plate, and a rear decorative portion 2573 provided in front of the rear end of the center frame 2511 (insertion portion 2511a). In other words, the decorative body 2570 is provided to extend within the frame of the center frame 2511 and has a rear decorative portion 2573 provided in front of the rear end of the center frame 2511, and a front decorative portion 2572 provided to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion 2573. The front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573 are decorated in a way that coordinates with each other.

The front plate 2571 is positioned so that its rear surface abuts against the front end surface of the inflow restriction section 2511c. This front plate 2571 forms a ball passage 2517 through which game balls B can flow between it and the support section 2511d.

As shown in Figure 95, the front decorative portion 2572 of the decorative body 2570 is decorated with a predetermined pattern (in this case, a pattern of cloud-like designs arranged around the face of a demon). The front decorative portion 2572 has a transparent, translucent portion 2572a located in front of the spherical passage 2517, and a plurality of opaque, dot-like portions 2572b located on the translucent portion 2572a, which constitute part of the decorative pattern (see Figure 95(a)).

The transparent portion 2572a of the front decorative portion 2572 is formed to be either colorless and transparent or colored and transparent. In the colored and transparent portion 2572a, it is colored to a color similar to the color of the design, so as to constitute a part of the design. In this embodiment, the transparent portion 2572a of the demon's face is colored and transparent, while the transparent portion 2572a of the cloud design is colorless and transparent.

Each dot portion 2572b of the front decorative portion 2572 is colored in the same color as the pattern. As shown in the enlarged view in Figure 95(a), each of the multiple dot portions 2572b is formed in a circular shape and is arranged at an angle of 45 degrees vertically to the horizontal, with spacing equal to the diameter of each dot.

The rear decorative section 2573 is attached to the rear side of the transparent support section 2511d of the center frame 2511. The rear decorative section 2573 is provided so as to extend within the frame of the frame-shaped insertion section 2511a of the center frame 2511. The decoration on the rear decorative section 2573 is the same pattern as the front decorative section 2572, but applied opaquely. Note that if the game panel 1100 is made of a transparent material, the rear decorative section 2573 may be located on the back surface of the game panel 1100. In this case, there is an effect of increasing the area of decoration.

The front decorative section 2572 and the rear decorative section 2573 are made of a transparent resin film with a decorative pattern printed on it. In this embodiment, the front decorative section 2572 and the rear decorative section 2573 are formed in film form.

As shown in Figure 95(b), when viewed from the front, the decorative element 2570 allows the decoration (pattern) of the rear decorative element 2573 to be seen through the transparent, translucent portion 2572a of the front decorative element 2572. Therefore, the pattern of the rear decorative element 2573 compensates for the translucent portion 2572a, resulting in the original pattern being visible as if the translucent portion 2572a were absent.

On the other hand, when the game ball B flows through the ball passage 2517 provided between the front decorative section 2572 and the rear decorative section 2573, the game ball B becomes visible through the transparent translucent section 2572a of the front decorative section 2572. This prevents the game ball B from becoming temporarily invisible, thus avoiding causing distrust or anxiety in the player, and allows them to enjoy the game with the game ball B, thus preventing a decline in enjoyment.

In this embodiment, the decorative element 2570 is attached to the center frame 2511 at a point forward of the rear end of the insertion portion 2511a. That is, when the decorative element 2570 is attached to the center frame 2511, no part of the decorative element 2570 protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511. As a result, as shown in Figure 96, when the center frame 2511 is placed on the base TA with its rear end facing downwards, only the rear end surface of the insertion portion 2511a contacts (touches) the base TA.

In this embodiment, the center mechanism 2500, although details are omitted, includes, in addition to the decorative body 2570, a symbol display 2518, a first distribution device 2530, a second distribution device 2540, a lottery mechanism 2550, etc., which are mounted on the center frame 2511. The symbol display 2518 displays special symbols, fourth symbols, etc., that are drawn by receiving game balls B into the first start port 2003 and the second start port 2004.

Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the solenoids, such as the first distribution solenoid 2534 of the first distribution device 2530 and the second distribution solenoid 2544 of the second distribution device 2540, which are attached to the center frame 2511, are mounted so that their metal cases are located at the rear end. This ensures that when the center frame 2511 (center component 2500) is placed on the base TA with its rear end facing downwards, the sturdy metal cases of the solenoids touch the base TA, making them less susceptible to damage during assembly. In this case, a resin cover that conceals the metal cases of the solenoids may also be provided.

Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, the center component 2500 is provided with wiring connected to the LED board, relay board, solenoid, etc. This wiring is routed along the insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511 of the center component 2500, and is concealed by the decorative element 2570. This prevents the wiring from being visible to the player, thus minimizing the visual deterioration. Alternatively, the insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511 could be formed as a double wall, with the wiring passed between the walls. In this case, it is desirable to use flexible flat cable (FFC) for the wiring.

In the above embodiment, the transparent portion 2572a and the dot portion 2572b may be reversed. More specifically, the transparent portion 2572a may be an opaque portion with a pattern, while the dot portion 2572b may be a transparent portion.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows the transparent portion 2572a as a transparent area, it is not limited to this, and may also be a portion that penetrates from front to back.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows a decorative body 2570 consisting of a front decorative body 2572 having a transparent portion 2572a and a dot portion 2572b in the applied decoration (pattern), and a rear decorative body 2573 having decoration (pattern) that complements the transparent portion 2572a, provided on the center frame 2511 of the center mechanism 2500, the invention is not limited to this. The decorative body 2570 may also be provided on the starter unit 2100, side unit 2200, attacker unit 2400, back unit 3000, etc.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the decoration of the front decorative part 2572 and rear decorative part 2573 constituting the decorative body 2570 was shown as a transparent film with a printed pattern. However, it is not limited to this, and a center component 2500 with a center frame 2511 to which the decorative body 2570A is attached, as shown in Figure 97, may also be used. This decorative body 2570A comprises a flat plate-shaped front decorative part 2572 attached to the front end of the inflow restricting part 2511c of the center frame 2511, and a three-dimensionally formed rear decorative part 2573 attached within the frame of a frame-shaped insertion part 2511a behind the front decorative part 2572.

The front decorative section 2572 and the rear decorative section 2573 of the decorative body 2570A, although detailed illustrations are omitted, are each adorned with three-dimensionally molded decorations. The front decorative section 2572 and the rear decorative section 2573 are each adorned with decorations that harmonize with each other. Furthermore, the front decorative section 2572 and the rear decorative section 2573 are positioned so that at least a portion of them overlap when viewed from the front.

The decorative element 2570A (rear decorative element 2573) is positioned forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511. Therefore, when the decorative element 2570A is attached to the center frame 2511, no portion of the decorative element 2570A protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511.

The decorative element 2570A may be molded from pre-colored resin, or it may be painted or have stickers applied after molding. Furthermore, metallic pigments or plating may be used as decoration for the decorative element 2570A, allowing for a sparkling decoration that strongly attracts the player's attention and provides a highly appealing pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, as part of the decorative element 2570A, a portion of the rear decorative element 2573 may be made to protrude forward to the same position as the front decorative element 2572. This makes it easier to create a sense of depth in the decorative element 2570A, thereby enhancing the decorative effect.

According to this embodiment, a decorative body 2570 is provided on a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the game panel 1100 of the game board 5. This decorative body 2570 consists of a rear decorative part 2573 provided in front of the rear end of the center frame 2511, and a front decorative part 2572 provided so as to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative part 2573. Because the center frame 2511 is transparent, it is less conspicuous, making the decorative body 2570 stand out relatively. Furthermore, because a portion of the front decorative part 2572 and the rear decorative part 2573 of the decorative body 2570 overlap, it is possible to make the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative part 2572 and the decoration of the rear decorative part 2573 difficult to discern, allowing the decoration of the front decorative part 2572 and the rear decorative part 2573 to be shown to the player in good condition. As a result, the front decorative section 2572 and the rear decorative section 2573 can be used to form a decorative body 2570 with a high decorative effect. This decorative body 2570 can strongly attract the player's attention, making it less likely for them to get bored, and thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that can suppress a decline in the player's enjoyment.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the decoration of a portion of the front decorative section 2572 constituting the decorative body 2570 (the portion in front of the ball passage 2517) is composed of a transparent section 2572a and multiple dot sections 2572b. Additionally, a rear decorative section 2573 is provided behind this section, featuring decoration that coordinates with the decoration of the front decorative section 2572 (the same pattern). Therefore, the rear decorative section 2573, visible through the transparent section 2572a, compensates for the transparent section 2572a, creating the illusion of a single, excellent decoration (pattern) that appears as if the transparent section 2572a were not present. This excellent decoration provides a highly effective decorative effect, entertaining the player.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, as described above, the decoration of the front portion of the ball passage 2517 in the front decorative section 2572 is composed of a transparent section 2572a and multiple dot sections 2572b. Therefore, the game ball B circulating in the ball passage 2517 can be viewed from the front through the transparent section 2572a. This allows players to enjoy the excellent decoration of the front decorative section 2572 and rear decorative section 2573 when no game ball B is circulating in the ball passage 2517, as the decoration of the rear decorative section 2573 is visible through the transparent section 2572a. When game ball B is circulating in the ball passage 2517, the game ball B can be viewed through the transparent section 2572a, preventing the game ball B from becoming invisible and thus avoiding causing distrust or anxiety to the player. This allows players to enjoy the game with the game ball B and prevents a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the rear decorative portion 2573 of the decorative body 2570 is positioned in front of the rear end of the center frame 2511, when the decorative body 2570 is attached to the center frame 2511 and the center frame 2511 is placed on the base TA with its rear end facing downwards, only the rear end surface of the insertion portion 2511a contacts the base TA. Therefore, when assembling or disassembling the center frame 2511 with its rear end facing downwards on the base TA, the center frame 2511 does not wobble, making assembly and disassembly easier.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the rear decorative portion 2573 of the decorative body 2570 is positioned forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511, the decorative body 2570 is prevented from protruding further rearward than the rear end of the center frame 2511. This makes it easier to secure space behind the center frame 2511 (game panel 1100). Therefore, it becomes possible to install large decorative bodies or movable decorative bodies behind the center frame 2511, making it easier to construct a pachinko machine 1 that can provide greater enjoyment to players.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the symbol display unit 2518 for displaying special symbols is attached to the center frame 2511, the symbol display unit 2518 can be attached to the game panel 1100 together with the center frame 2511. This reduces the effort required to assemble the pachinko machine 1 compared to the case where the symbol display unit 2518 is attached separately.

Furthermore, the decoration of the center frame 2511 (decorative elements 2570 and 2570A) may be coordinated with the decoration applied to the game panel 1100.

[11-2. Center component of the second embodiment]
The center component 2500 of the second embodiment will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 98, etc. Figure 98(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the main part of the center component of the second embodiment as seen from inside the frame, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the center component of (a) with the center frame placed on the base with the rear end facing downwards.

The center mechanism 2500 of the second embodiment, although not shown in detail, is similar to the center mechanism 2500 of the first embodiment in that it comprises a transparent frame-shaped center frame 2511 attached to the front of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), warp passages 2512 that can guide game balls B from the outside of the center frame 2511 to the inside of the frame, and a stage 2513 provided at the lower edge within the frame of the center frame 2511, which causes the game balls B that have flowed through the warp passages 2512 to roll in the left-right direction before being released into the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the center component 2500 also includes a decorative body 2580, which is attached to the center frame 2511 and has a predetermined decoration applied to it.

The center frame 2511 includes a frame-shaped insertion portion 2511a that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 and is provided to follow the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, extending in the front-rear direction; a flat plate-shaped flange portion 2511b that protrudes outward from the outer circumference of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a and abuts against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100; an inflow restricting portion 2511c that extends forward from the flange portion 2511b and restricts the inflow of game balls B flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100; and a flat plate-shaped support portion 2511d that protrudes from the inner circumference of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a.

The rear end of the center frame 2511 (insertion portion 2511a) is positioned forward of the rear end (rear surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel holder 1120). The rear end of the center frame 2511 may or may not protrude beyond the rear surface of the game panel 1100.

The decorative body 2580 comprises a front decorative section 2581, a rear decorative section 2582, a transparent front cover 2583 covering the front side of the rear decorative section 2582, a flat diffuser lens 2584 provided on the rear side of the rear decorative section 2582 and capable of irradiating light incident from the side forward, a transparent rear cover 2585 attached to the rear side of the front cover 2583 so as to cover the diffuser lens 2584 from behind, and an LED substrate 2586 on which LEDs 2586a that irradiate light onto the side of the diffuser lens 2584 are mounted.

The front decorative section 2581 is positioned further forward than the rear decorative section 2582. The front decorative section 2581 is attached to the rear side of the transparent support section 2511d on the center frame 2511.

The rear decorative portion 2582 extends within the frame of the center frame 2511, and a portion of it protrudes further rearward than the rear end of the center frame 2511 (insertion portion 2511a).

The front decorative section 2581 and the rear decorative section 2582 are decorated in a harmonious manner, and are arranged so that at least a portion of them overlap when viewed from the front. Although not shown in the illustration, the decoration of the front decorative section 2581 and the decoration of the rear decorative section 2582 are each applied to the corresponding portion of a single design, with the overlapping portion in the front view serving as the boundary.

The front decorative section 2581 and the rear decorative section 2582 are formed entirely of opacity. That is, the front decorative section 2581 and the rear decorative section 2582 are composed of opaque parts. Furthermore, the front decorative section 2581 and the rear decorative section 2582 are translucent. Alternatively, a transparent (transparent) portion may be provided in part of the decoration of the front decorative section 2581 or the rear decorative section 2582.

The front decorative section 2581 and the rear decorative section 2582 are made of a transparent resin film with a decorative pattern printed on it. In this embodiment, the front decorative section 2581 and the rear decorative section 2582 are formed in film form.

The LED board 2586 is located behind the front decorative section 2581. This ensures that the LED board 2586 and the wiring connected to it are hidden from view by the front decorative section 2581. The LED board 2586 can illuminate the rear decorative section 2582 by illuminating the multiple LEDs 2586a mounted on it.

In this embodiment, when the decorative element 2580 is attached to the center frame 2511, a portion of it protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511. As a result, as shown in Figure 98(c), when the center frame 2511 is placed on the base TA with its rear end facing downwards, the rear end of the decorative element 2580 (rear decorative portion 2582) contacts (touches) the base TA, and a portion of the rear end of the center frame 2511 also contacts the base TA.

In this embodiment, the center mechanism 2500, although details are omitted, includes, in addition to the decorative body 2580, a symbol display 2518, a first distribution device 2530, a second distribution device 2540, a lottery mechanism 2550, etc., which are mounted on the center frame 2511. The symbol display 2518 displays special symbols, fourth symbols, etc., that are drawn by receiving game balls B into the first start port 2003 and the second start port 2004.

Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the solenoids, such as the first distribution solenoid 2534 of the first distribution device 2530 and the second distribution solenoid 2544 of the second distribution device 2540, which are attached to the center frame 2511, are mounted so that their metal cases are located at the rear end. This ensures that when the center frame 2511 (center component 2500) is placed on the base TA with its rear end facing downwards, the sturdy metal cases of the solenoids touch the base TA, making them less susceptible to damage during assembly. In this case, a resin cover that conceals the metal cases of the solenoids may also be provided.

In the above embodiment, the insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511 may be formed as a double wall, and the wiring of the LED substrate 2586 may be passed between the two walls. In this case, it is desirable to use a flexible flat cable (FFC) for the wiring.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the front decorative part 2581 and the rear decorative part 2582 constituting the decorative body 2580 were shown as having a pattern printed on a transparent film. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and the front decorative part 2581 and the rear decorative part 2582 may be three-dimensionally molded. Alternatively, the configuration of the decorative body 2570 shown in Figure 95 may be applied to this embodiment.

According to this embodiment, a decorative body 2580 is provided on a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the game panel 1100 of the game board 5. This decorative body 2580 consists of a rear decorative part 2582 that partially protrudes further back than the rear end of the center frame 2511, and a front decorative part 2581 that is located in front of the rear decorative part 2582. As a result, the transparent center frame 2511 is less conspicuous, making the decorative body 2580 stand out relatively. Furthermore, the front decorative part 2581 and the rear decorative part 2582 of the decorative body 2580 create a decorative effect with depth that can be shown to the player. In this configuration, the rear decorative section 2582 and the front decorative section 2581 are adorned with decorations that coordinate with each other, and are designed so that parts of each overlap when viewed from the front. This makes it difficult to discern the boundary between the decorations of the front decorative section 2581 and the rear decorative section 2582 when viewed from the front. This allows the large decorations of the front and rear decorative sections 2581 and 2582 to be clearly visible to the player, and the rear and front decorative sections 2582 and 2581 can form a large, deep, and highly decorative decorative body 2580. Therefore, since a highly decorative decorative body 2580 can be provided on the center frame 2511, this decorative body 2580 can strongly attract the player's attention, making it less likely for them to become bored, and thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that can suppress a decline in the player's enjoyment.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the rear decorative portion 2582 constituting the decorative body 2580 extends within the frame of the center frame 2511, the rear decorative portion 2582 does not narrow the game area 5a on the front of the game panel 1100 or make it difficult to see the game balls B flowing down the game area 5a. This allows players to enjoy playing with the game balls B in the game area 5a in a good condition.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the rear decorative part 2582 constituting the decorative body 2580 extends within the frame of the center frame 2511, it is possible to decorate the area around the display device 1600 (display screen) or to display a more decorative effect (performance) in cooperation with the decorative body (movable decorative body) of the rear display unit 3300 and the rear performance unit 3400, which are located behind the game panel 1100. This provides a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that can strongly attract the player's attention.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opaque portion of the decorative body 2580 makes it difficult to see the wiring of electronic components such as the LED substrate 2586 from the front. Since the wiring can be hidden by the opaque portion, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of appearance due to visible wiring, and thus the decorative effect of the decorative body 2580 can be more easily achieved.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the decorative element 2580 (front decorative element 2581) is provided in front of the LED substrate 2586, the decorative element 2580 (decoration) can conceal the LED substrate 2586. This avoids the unsightly appearance caused by the LED substrate 2586 being visible, and makes it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative element 2580.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the symbol display unit 2518 for displaying special symbols is attached to the center frame 2511, the symbol display unit 2518 can be attached to the game panel 1100 together with the center frame 2511. This reduces the effort required to assemble the pachinko machine 1 compared to the case where the symbol display unit 2518 is attached separately.

Furthermore, the decoration of the center frame 2511 (decorative element 2580) may be coordinated with the decoration applied to the game panel 1100.

[11-3. Center component of the third embodiment]
Next, the center mechanism 2500A of the third embodiment will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 99 to 102. Figure 99 is a front view showing the game board in which the center mechanism of the third embodiment is installed, with the rear part of the game panel omitted. Figure 100 is an exploded perspective view from the front of the center mechanism and game panel of Figure 99 in a disassembled state. Figure 101 is an exploded perspective view from the front of the center mechanism of Figure 99 in a disassembled state. Figures 102(a) to (g) are explanatory diagrams showing various joining patterns between the first frame and the second frame of the center mechanism. In the following, the same reference numerals will be used for components that are the same as those of the center mechanism 2500 described above, and detailed explanations will be omitted.

As shown in Figure 99, the center component 2500A of the third embodiment is positioned within the game area 5a, above the starter unit 2100, and slightly above the center in a front view, and is attached to the front of the game panel 1100. The game panel 1100 in this embodiment is constructed from a single plate, as shown in Figure 100.

The center component 2500A comprises a transparent, frame-shaped center frame 2700, warp passages 2512 that guide game balls B from the outside to the inside of the center frame 2700, and a stage 2513 provided at the lower edge within the frame of the center frame 2700, which causes the game balls B that have flowed through the warp passages 2512 to roll left and right before being released into the game area 5a. As will be described in detail later, the frame-shaped center frame 2700 is divided into multiple frames in the circumferential direction of the frame. In this embodiment, decorative elements 2570 (shown in Figure 95) and 2580 (shown in Figure 98) may also be provided. Furthermore, the decoration of the center frame 2700 (decorative elements 2570, 2570A, and 2580) may be coordinated with the decoration applied to the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, the center component 2500A has connecting and holding parts 2710 that connect adjacent frames to each other, for the multiple frames that make up the center frame 2700.

Furthermore, the center mechanism 2500A includes a symbol display 2518 that displays the lottery results of special symbols drawn by receiving game balls B into the first start opening 2003 and the second start opening 2004; a second start opening unit 2720 having a gate 2010 and the second start opening 2004; an attacker unit 2730 having a large prize opening 2005; and a prize opening unit 2740 having a prize opening 2006.

[11-3a. Center Frame]
In the third embodiment, the center frame 2700 in the center mechanism 2500A is provided corresponding to the edge of the opening 1112 formed in the game panel 1100, and has an inflow restricting portion 2700a that restricts game balls B flowing down the game area 5a from flowing into the interior of the opening 1112, and a flange portion 2700b that extends from the rear end of the inflow restricting portion 2700a in a direction parallel to the front surface of the game panel 1100.

The inflow restriction portion 2700a of the center frame 2700 protrudes forward from the front of the game panel 1100 when the center frame 2700 is attached to the game panel 1100.

The flange portion 2700b extends in a flat, plate-like manner to the outside or inside of the frame, depending on its circumferential location on the center frame 2700. When the center frame 2700 is attached to the front surface of the game panel 1100, a portion of the rear surface of the flange portion 2700b abuts against the front surface of the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, the center frame 2700 has a non-flanged portion 2700c from the rear end of the inflow restriction portion 2700a on at least one side of the frame (outside or inside) where the flange portion 2700b does not extend, and an insertion portion (not shown) that extends further rearward than the flange portion 2700b and is inserted into the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100. In this non-flanged portion 2700c, the rear surface of the inflow restriction portion 2700a coincides with the rear surface of the flange portion 2700b. The insertion portion is provided in part around the entire circumference of the center frame 2700.

The frame-shaped center frame 2700 of this embodiment is divided into multiple sections in the circumferential direction. More specifically, the center frame 2700 is divided into five sections: the first frame 2701, the second frame 2702, the third frame 2703, the fourth frame 2704, and the fifth frame 2705, each formed with a similar configuration. This center component 2500A has connecting and holding sections 2710 that connect adjacent frames.

The first frame 2701 constitutes the upper part of the center frame 2700, from the upper and lower midpoint to the left edge. The second frame 2702 constitutes the lower part of the center frame 2700, from the upper and lower midpoint to the bottom edge, continuing from the lower end of the left edge of the first frame 2701. The third frame 2703 constitutes the upper part of the right edge of the center frame 2700, continuing from the right edge of the first frame 2701. The fourth frame 2704 continues from the lower end of the third frame 2703, constituting the middle part of the right edge of the center frame 2700. The fifth frame 2705 constitutes the lower part of the center frame 2700, continuing from the lower end of the fourth frame 2704 and also from the right edge of the second frame 2702.

The second frame 2702 has the warp passage 2512 and stage 2513 installed. The third frame 2703 has the prize entry unit 2740 installed. The fourth frame 2704 has the second start-up unit 2720 installed. The fifth frame 2705 has the attacker unit 2730 installed.

Below, we will describe in detail the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, as representative examples of the multiple frames that make up the center frame 2700.

First, the first frame 2701 of the center frame 2700 is made of transparent material. This first frame 2701 is formed to constitute the upper edge portion and the upper vertical portion of the left edge portion of the center frame 2700 (center component 2500A).

The first frame 2701 is provided to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 formed in the game panel 1100 and includes a first inflow restricting portion 2701a that restricts the flow of game balls B flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112, a flat plate-shaped first flange portion 2701b connected to the rear end of the first inflow restricting portion 2701a and extending along the front surface of the game panel 1100, and a first non-flange portion 2701c at the rear end of the first inflow restricting portion 2701a where the first flange portion 2701b is not provided on at least one side of the frame, either the outside or the inside.

The first inflow restricting portion 2701a of the first frame 2701 is linearly inclined from near the center in the left-right direction on the upper edge so that the right side becomes lower towards the right. The left side of this portion then bends in multiple stages, becoming lower towards the left, and transitions to the left edge, with the lower end of the left edge extending vertically downwards.

One end of the connecting and holding portion 2710 is detachably attached to the inner portion of the frame near the right end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a, and to the inner portion of the frame in the portion extending vertically downward at the lower left end.

The first flange portion 2701b is provided to extend both to the outside and inside of the frame in the portion of the first inflow restricting portion 2701a that slopes linearly downwards to the right of the upper edge. Furthermore, in the portion of the first inflow restricting portion 2701a that bends in multiple stages downwards towards the left, the first flange portion 2701b extends to the outside of the frame, except near the left end. Near the left end (above the portion extending vertically downwards from the lower left end of the first inflow restricting portion 2701a), it also extends to the inside of the frame.

The first flange portion 2701b is provided with mounting holes at appropriate positions for attachment to the game panel 1100.

The first non-flange portion 2701c is provided only on the inside of the frame at the right end of the first inflow restricting portion 2701a, and on both the outside and inside of the frame at the portion that extends vertically downward from the lower left end of the first inflow restricting portion 2701a.

Next, the second frame 2702 of the center frame 2700 is formed transparently. This second frame 2702 is formed to constitute the lower vertical portion and the lower edge portion on the left side of the center frame 2700 (center component 2500A). The warp passage 2512 and the stage 2513 are attached to the second frame 2702.

The second frame 2702 of the center frame 2700 is provided to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 formed in the game panel 1100, and has a second inflow restricting portion 2702a that restricts the flow of game balls B flowing down the game area 5a into the interior of the opening 1112, a flat plate-shaped second flange portion 2702b connected to the rear end of the second inflow restricting portion 2702a and extending along the front surface of the game panel 1100, and a second non-flanged portion 2702c at the rear end of the second inflow restricting portion 2702a where the second flange portion 2702b is not provided on at least one side of the frame, either the outside or the inside.

The second inflow restriction section 2702a of the second frame 2702 is divided into left and right portions: a portion extending vertically along the left edge and a portion at the right end of the lower edge. There is no section between these two portions. More specifically, the left-side second inflow restriction section 2702a extends downward along the left edge from the upper end, then transitions to the lower edge, and extends briefly to the right (down-right) along the lower edge, with the right end becoming lower. The right-side second inflow restriction section 2702a extends vertically along the right end of the lower edge.

One end of the connecting and holding portion 2710 is detachably attached to the inner portion of the frame at the upper end of the left-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a, and to the right-side (right-side surface) portion of the right-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a.

The second inflow restriction section 2702a on the left side is provided with an entrance to the warp passage 2512, and a stage 2513 is provided between the left and right second inflow restriction sections 2702a.

The second flange portion 2702b is provided to extend inward from the frame in the portion that extends vertically (the left-side portion) of the left-side second inflow restricting portion 2702a, and to extend both outward and inward from the frame in the portion that extends downward to the right along the lower edge of the left-side second inflow restricting portion 2702a. This second flange portion 2702b extends significantly outward from the frame at the lower edge, connecting the two second inflow restricting portions 2702a, which are separated into left and right sections by this portion.

The second flange portion 2702b is provided with mounting holes at appropriate positions for attachment to the game panel 1100.

The second non-flange portion 2702c is located outside the frame in the portion that extends vertically along the left edge of the left-side second inflow restricting portion 2702a, and is located on the right side (right side surface) of the right-side second inflow restricting portion 2702a.

This second frame 2702 extends rearward from the second flange portion 2702b and further has a second insertion portion (not shown) that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100. The second insertion portion protrudes rearward from the second flange portion 2702b, connecting the two second inflow restricting portions 2702a, which are separated to the left and right. The stage 2513 is attached to this second insertion portion.

Next, the attachment of the center frame 2700 to the game panel 1100 will be explained using the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 as examples. The first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 are attached to the game panel 1100 by mounting screws through mounting holes provided in the first flange portion 2701b and the second flange portion 2702b.

For example, between the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, as shown in Figures 99 and 102(a), the first inflow restriction section 2701a of the first frame 2701 and the second inflow restriction section 2702a of the second frame 2702 are attached to the game panel 1100 so that they are adjacent to each other.

More specifically, the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 are mounted on the front of the game panel 1100 with the second inflow restricting section 2702a of the second frame 2702 positioned to the right of the first inflow restricting section 2701a of the first frame 2701, so that their vertical positions slightly overlap. In other words, the right side of the first inflow restricting section 2701a, where the first non-flange section 2701c is located, and the left side of the second inflow restricting section 2702a, where the second non-flange section 2702c is located, are mounted facing each other. This allows the first inflow restricting section 2701a and the second inflow restricting section 2702a to be brought as close together as possible by the first non-flange section 2701c and the second non-flange section 2702c.

By the way, in the case of the center component 2500 of the first embodiment, which uses a center frame 2511 that is not divided in the circumferential direction, if the size of the game area 5a on the front of the game panel 1100 needs to be changed due to design changes or other reasons, the center frame 2511 needs to be remade, which may increase costs.

In contrast, the center frame 2700 of this embodiment is divided into multiple frames (in this case, five frames: the first frame 2701 to the fifth frame 2705) in the circumferential direction of the frame. Therefore, the size of the game area 5a can be freely changed by changing the mounting position of each frame.

Specifically, for example, to enlarge the area below the second frame 2702 in the game area 5a, the second frame 2702 is mounted in a position moved upward compared to the state shown in Figure 102(a), as shown in Figure 102(b). This allows for expansion and contraction of the game area 5a (the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100) in the vertical direction.

Alternatively, to reduce the area to the left of the second frame 2702 in the game area 5a, as shown in Figure 102(c), the second inflow restricting section 2702a of the second frame 2702 is positioned to the left of the first inflow restricting section 2701a of the first frame 2701. This allows the second frame 2702 to be mounted in a position further to the left than in Figure 102(a). This enables expansion and contraction of the game area 5a (the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100) in the left-right direction.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 102(d), the lower end of the first inflow restriction section 2701a of the first frame 2701 and the upper end of the second inflow restriction section 2702a of the second frame 2702 may be positioned opposite each other and then butted together before being attached to the game panel 1100. This allows the left and lower areas of the second frame 2702 in the game area 5a to be reduced compared to the state shown in Figure 102(a). Also, in this case, because the first inflow restriction section 2701a and the second inflow restriction section 2702a are butted together, the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 can be made to appear as a single unit.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 102(e), a gap C may be formed between the first inflow restriction section 2701a of the first frame 2701 and the second inflow restriction section 2702a of the second frame 2702. In this case, it is desirable that the gap C be smaller than the diameter of the game ball B. If the gap C is larger than the diameter of the game ball B, obstruction pins can be installed to prevent the game ball B from passing through the gap C.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 102(f), the second non-flange portions 2702c, where the second flange portion 2702b is not formed, may also be provided on both the left and right sides of the second inflow restricting portion 2702a side of the second frame 2702. This allows the first non-flange portions 2701c to be provided on both the left and right sides of the first inflow restricting portion 2701a, and the second non-flange portions 2702c to be provided on both the left and right sides of the second inflow restricting portion 2702a, thus enabling the first inflow restricting portion 2701a and the second inflow restricting portion 2702a to be brought as close as possible in the left-right direction. Therefore, the degree of freedom in positioning the second frame 2702 relative to the first frame 2701 can be increased, allowing for adaptation to various sizes of the game area 5a due to design changes, etc. In other words, it becomes easier to accommodate expansion and contraction of the game area 5a (the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100) in both the vertical and left-right directions.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 102(g), the first flange portion 2701b may be provided in the first frame 2701 up to the lower end of the first inflow restricting portion 2701a. This increases the rigidity of the first inflow restricting portion 2701a due to the presence of the first flange portion 2701b, making it less susceptible to damage even when the game ball B comes into contact with the first inflow restricting portion 2701a.

In this center frame 2700, a margin is provided between adjacent frames. This margin, although not specifically labeled, is a portion (the area around the frame ends) that allows relative movement between the ends of adjacent frames, as illustrated in Figure 102. If the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 may expand or contract in the left-right direction, at least two margins are required to allow movement in the left-right direction. Similarly, if the opening 1112 may expand or contract in the up-down direction, at least two margins are required to allow movement in the up-down direction. Furthermore, if the opening 1112 may expand or contract in the up-down, left-right, and right-right directions, at least two margins are required in the up-down direction, and at least two in the left-right direction.

Specifically, vertical clearance is provided at both ends of the second frame 2702, that is, between the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, and between the second frame 2702 and the fifth frame 2705 (see Figures 99 to 101). Similarly, horizontal clearance is provided at both ends of the third frame 2703, that is, between the first frame 2701 and the third frame 2703, and between the third frame 2703 and the fourth frame 2704. Note that while the vertical clearance is shown in Figure 102, the horizontal clearance is similar.

Incidentally, regarding the left-right margin, for example, in the area between the first frame 2701 and the third frame 2703, since the game ball B rolls on the upper surface of the left-right extending portion of the first inflow restricting portion 2701a of the first frame 2701, if the first frame 2701 is moved to the left and installed, a gap will be formed between the first frame 2701 and the third frame 2703, and this gap may obstruct the flow of game ball B. In such cases, spacers or obstruction pins can be provided in the margin area to prevent obstruction of the flow of game ball B. For these reasons, expanding the game area 5a (opening 1112 of the game panel 1100) in the left-right direction is more difficult than expanding it in the vertical direction, due to reasons such as the flow of game ball B.

Thus, according to this embodiment, the frame-shaped center frame 2700 in the center mechanism 2500A is divided into multiple frames such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 in the circumferential direction of the frame. Therefore, when it is desired to change the size of the game area 5a due to design changes, etc., the mounting position of the divided frames such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 can be changed, making it easy to accommodate the change without having to remake the entire center frame 2700. This provides a pachinko machine 1 with a high degree of design flexibility.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the center frame 2700 in the center mechanism 2500A is divided into multiple frames such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, when partially changing the design of the center mechanism 2500A, the center mechanism 2500A can be easily changed to the desired design by changing only the frame corresponding to the part to be changed. This reduces the cost of changing models and provides a pachinko machine 1 that can easily adapt to model changes.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the frame-shaped center frame 2700 is divided into multiple frames such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 in the circumferential direction of the frame, the size of the game area 5a can be easily changed without having to remake the entire center frame 2700 by changing the mounting position of each frame to the game panel. Therefore, the cost of the pachinko machine 1 can be reduced.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the frame-shaped center frame 2700 in the center mechanism 2500A is divided into multiple frames such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 in the circumferential direction of the frame, when a malfunction occurs in the symbol display unit 2518, the second start unit 2720, the attacker unit 2730, etc., provided in the center mechanism 2500A, it is not necessary to remove the entire center frame 2700 from the game panel 1100. Instead, only the frame containing the malfunctioning unit needs to be removed, thus simplifying maintenance work.

[11-3b. Connection holding part]
The connecting and holding section 2710 connects adjacent frames in each frame of the center frame 2700, which is divided into multiple frames such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 in the circumferential direction of the frame.

By the way, in the center frame 2700 of this embodiment, as described above, the frame is divided into multiple frames in the circumferential direction. Therefore, there is a risk that some frames may fall and be damaged during assembly, maintenance, or other detachment work. To address this, this embodiment provides connecting and holding parts 2710 that connect adjacent frames. As shown in Figures 99 to 101, the connecting and holding parts 2710 are formed from flexible linear (string-like) members. From the viewpoint of fall protection, the length of these connecting and holding parts 2710 should, for example, be such that it does not reach the lower end of the game board 5 when the center frame 2700 is removed while the game board 5 is standing upright.

The connecting and holding portion 2710 in this embodiment uses a decorative ball chain. This allows the connecting and holding portion 2710 to serve a decorative purpose even when visible, thus maintaining the overall appearance of the game board 5.

The connecting and holding portion 2710 is, for example, detachably attached at one end to the first inflow restricting portion 2701a of the first frame 2701 and at the second frame 2702, and detachably attached at the other end to the second inflow restricting portion 2702a of the second frame 2702. This attachment of the connecting and holding portion 2710 is similar between other frames.

Figures 99 to 101 show how the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, the first frame 2701 and the third frame 2703, and the second frame 2702 and the fifth frame 2705 are connected by a connecting and holding part 2710. However, the third frame 2703 and the fourth frame 2704, and the fourth frame 2704 and the fifth frame 2705 are also connected by a similar connecting and holding part 2710.

This connecting and holding section 2710 connects adjacent frames to each other in the multiple frames that make up the center frame 2700, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702. Therefore, even if one frame is removed during attachment/detachment work, the removed frame will not fall onto the workbench or floor, preventing damage to the frame due to falling.

In the above embodiment, the connecting and holding portion 2710 is shown as also serving a decorative purpose, but it is not limited to this, and may be a separate portion that does not serve a decorative purpose. In this case, it is desirable to provide the connecting and holding portion 2710 in a location that is difficult to see from the front, hidden by the center frame 2700 or decorative elements.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows the connecting and holding portion 2710 visible to the player, it is not limited to this configuration. It may also be designed to be completely invisible to the player under normal conditions. In other words, if the connecting and holding portion 2710 is provided in a part of the center frame 2700 that is not visible to the player, it will not be seen by the player during normal gameplay.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows all adjacent frames connected by the connecting and holding part 2710, it is not limited to this configuration. Frames that do not need to be removed from the game panel 1100 for maintenance, etc., do not need to be connected to adjacent frames by the connecting and holding part 2710. For example, the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 have no movable parts and therefore do not require maintenance, and are also light in weight, so there is no risk of damage even if they fall, and thus they do not need to be connected. Conversely, the third frame 2703 to the fifth frame 2705 have movable parts and are heavier, so the need for connection increases. Therefore, it is desirable to simplify the system by not connecting the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, and to detachably connect the third frame 2703 to the fifth frame 2705 to other sturdy members on the back of the game board 5 (game panel 1100) rather than to other frames.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, multiple connecting and holding parts 2710 may be provided. In this case, it is desirable to bundle multiple connecting and holding parts 2710 together to prevent the connecting and holding parts 2710 from becoming entangled with obstacle nails or the like and bending them during manufacturing or maintenance.

Furthermore, by providing multiple connecting and holding parts 2710 and connecting them to multiple locations on the back of the game board 5 (game panel 1100), it becomes possible to maintain the orientation of the center frame 2700 (each frame) even when the mounting screws attaching the center frame 2700 to the game panel 1100 are removed. Therefore, during manufacturing and maintenance, it is not necessary to support the center frame 2700, improving work efficiency.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the center frame 2700 is divided into multiple frames such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 in the circumferential direction of the frame, and adjacent frames are connected to each other by connecting and holding parts 2710. Therefore, during assembly or maintenance, even if some frames detach from the game panel 1100 and attempt to fall when the mounting screws attached to the game panel 1100 are removed, the flexible, string-like connecting and holding parts 2710 connect them to the other frames, causing the connecting and holding parts 2710 to act like a safety line, keeping the detached frames suspended. As a result, the detached frames will not fall onto the workbench or floor, and will not be damaged.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the connecting and holding portion 2710 is detachably attached to the first inflow restricting portion 2701a, the second inflow restricting portion 2702a, etc., the first frame 2701, etc. can be removed from the game panel 1100 as a standalone unit by removing the attachment portion of the connecting and holding portion 2710 from the first inflow restricting portion 2701a, etc.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since adjacent frames are connected by a flexible, string-like connecting and holding portion 2710, even if the position of the second frame 2702 is changed relative to the first frame 2701 due to design changes, the connecting and holding portion 2710 can deform and follow, thus accommodating the change in position. This provides a pachinko machine 1 with a high degree of design flexibility.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 102(a), when the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 are attached to the game panel 1100 such that a gap C is formed between the first inflow restricting portion 2701a of the first frame 2701 and the second inflow restricting portion 2702a of the second frame 2702, the connecting and holding portion 2710 that connects (connects) the first inflow restricting portion 2701a and the second inflow restricting portion 2702a may be provided with a function as a restricting portion to prevent game balls B from passing through the gap C.

[12. Details of the side unit on the game board]
Next, the details of the side unit 2200 provided on the game board 5 described above will be explained. The side unit 2200 extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the start port unit 2100 within the game area 5a and is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front. The side unit 2200 includes three general prize slots 2001 that are open to receive game balls B at all times, and one sub-out slot 2021 that is open to receive game balls B at all times.

The side unit 2200, although not shown in detail, has a general prize-winning opening 2001 and a sub-out opening 2021, and has a U-shaped cross-section that extends short in the front-to-back direction and is open upwards and to the rear, and is arranged in rows in the left-to-right direction. It also has a shelf section 2201 that extends short in the front-to-back direction in a frame-like shape, the same length as the ball-receiving sections, and is located to the right of the ball-receiving section at the right end of the front view. A flat front plate connects the front ends of the multiple ball-receiving sections and the shelf section. Flange sections extend outward in a flat shape from the rear ends of the ball-receiving section and shelf section 2201 at the left end of the front view, and trough sections extend rearward in a trough-like shape from the rear end of each ball-receiving section.

Furthermore, the side unit 2200 has two positioning protrusions projecting rearward from the flange portion and two mounting holes penetrating the flange portion. The positioning protrusions are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 (see Figure 104) of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100 to position the side unit 2200 relative to the panel plate 1110. The mounting holes are for attaching the side unit 2200 to the front surface of the panel plate 1110 by inserting mounting screws from the front and screwing them into the mounting holes 1114 (see Figure 104) of the panel plate 1110 with the flange portion in contact with the front surface of the panel plate 1110.

When assembled to the game board 5, the side unit 2200 has multiple ball receiving sections—namely, three general prize entry points 2001 and one sub-out entry point 2021—that protrude forward from the front surface of the game panel 1100. Furthermore, the troughs extending rearward from the ball receiving sections have their rear ends located within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and do not protrude beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110.

This side unit 2200 guides the game balls B received in the general prize entry opening 2001 (ball receiving section) to the rear of the game panel 1100 via the trough section, and hands them over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000. The game balls B, after being handed over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, are detected by the general prize entry opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downwards. Meanwhile, game balls B received in the sub-out opening 2021 are similarly handed over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 and discharged to the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the lower circulating ball path unit 600.

This side unit 2200 connects the front ends of multiple ball-receiving sections, each with a U-shaped cross-section, to the front end of the frame-shaped shelf section 2201 with a flat front plate. Therefore, compared to conventional side units where multiple ball-receiving sections protrude forward from a flat base plate, it has higher rigidity. Consequently, during disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2200 to the panel plate 1110 are removed and the side unit 2200 is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the side unit 2200 prevents it from bending. This prevents the positioning projections of the side unit 2200 from tilting relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110, allowing for easy removal of the side unit 2200 from the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting.

Furthermore, since a portion of the front panel of the side unit 2200 protrudes upward from the shelf section 2201 at its front end, during the disassembly of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily pull the side unit 2200 forward by hooking their fingers onto the protruding portion from the shelf section, thus improving the efficiency of the disassembly process.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2200 is assembled to the game board 5, the flat base plate covers the opening 1112 from the front, thus preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the game area 5a on the front side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110.

[12-1. Side unit of the second embodiment]
Next, the side unit 2800 of the second embodiment will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 103 to 105. Figure 103(a) is a front view showing the main part of a game board in which the side unit of the second embodiment is installed, and (b) is a perspective view of (a) from the front. Figure 104(a) is an exploded perspective view showing the side unit separated from the game panel in the game board of Figure 103, (b) is an exploded perspective view showing the side unit of (a) separated from the front, (c) is an exploded perspective view of the side unit of (b) viewed from the rear, and (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the game panel and the side unit in a longitudinal section. Figure 105 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the side unit and the game panel of Figure 104 in a cross section.

In the game board 5 equipped with the side unit 2800 of this embodiment, parts with the same configuration as those shown in Figure 78 of the game board 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions are omitted.

In the second embodiment, the side unit 2800 extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the start port unit 2100 within the game area 5a where the game ball B is launched when the player operates the handle 160, and is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front. The side unit 2800 is equipped with three general prize slots 2001 that are open to receive the game ball B at all times.

As shown in Figure 104, the side unit 2800 consists of a first component 2811 attached from the front to the flat panel plate 1110 on which the obstacle nails in the game panel 1100 are planted, and a second component 2812 attached from the rear to the first component 2811. In this embodiment, the second component 2812 is attached to the rear of the first component 2811.

The first component 2811 of the side unit 2800 has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and a plurality of ball receiving portions 2811b that protrude forward from the base plate 2811a, are open at the top and rear, and form a general prize entry opening 2001.

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the front component 1000. The three ball-receiving portions 2811b are spaced apart from each other to the left and right, and are positioned so that the rightmost ball-receiving portion 2811b is positioned lower than the leftmost portion. The front end surface of the leftmost ball-receiving portion 2811b is formed parallel to the base plate 2811a all the way to its lower end. The remaining (center and rightmost) ball-receiving portions 2811b are inclined so that their front end surfaces move backward towards their lower ends.

Furthermore, the first component 2811 has two positioning protrusions 2811c projecting rearward from the base plate 2811a, a plurality (three in this case) of mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a for attachment to the game panel 1100, and a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) provided on the rear end surface of the ball receiving portion 2811b (base plate 2811a) for attaching the second component 2812.

The two positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 provided in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. In this embodiment, the two positioning protrusions 2811c are of the same length.

The three mounting holes 2811d are located near the positioning projection 2811c on the base plate 2811a and on the upper part near the left-right center of the base plate 2811a. These mounting holes 2811d have countersunk recesses on the front side, allowing countersunk mounting screws (not shown) to be inserted from the front into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110. When mounted on the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

The mounting holes are into which mounting screws are screwed, which are inserted through the mounting holes (not shown) of the second component 2812, described later.

The second component 2812 is formed in a container shape that opens forward and has a ball passage 2812a that allows game balls B received in the general prize opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b) to flow down along the surface (plate surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), a passage outlet 2812b that opens towards the rear at the downstream end of the ball passage 2812a, and a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) for attachment to the first component 2811.

As shown in Figures 104(d) and 105, the second component 2812 of this embodiment is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth fits within the thickness of the panel plate 1110. Note that Figure 104(d) is a cross-section at the ball receiving portion 2811b in the center in the left-right direction.

The spherical passage 2812a of the second component 2812 follows the inner rail 1002 of the front component 1000 and is formed to become lower towards the right along the surface of the panel plate 1110. The passage exit 2812b opens towards the rear at the right end of the second component 2812, which is the downstream end of the spherical passage 2812a.

The mounting holes of the second component 2812 are provided in the same locations as the mounting holes of the first component 2811. By inserting mounting screws through the mounting holes of the second component 2812 from the rear and screwing them into the mounting holes of the first component 2811, the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

As shown in Figure 105, the side unit 2800 of this embodiment has a branch section 2801 (the area shown with light shading in Figure 105) that communicates with the general prize entry opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), and a main section 2802 (the area shown with dark shading in Figure 105) that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. The ball passage 2812a is composed of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

The branch section 2801 extends rearward from a point in front of the front surface of the panel plate 1110 to a point behind the front surface of the panel plate 1110, above the main section 2802 (within the thickness of the panel plate 1110).

The main channel 2802 runs along the surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 and extends from near the left end to near the right end of the base plate 2811a, sloping downwards to the right. The length of the main channel 2802 is at least twice the diameter of the game ball B (in this embodiment, 8 to 10 times).

In this embodiment, the side unit 2800 is assembled by positioning the second component 2812 behind the first component 2811 and screwing mounting screws from the rear of the second component 2812 through the mounting holes in the second component 2812 into the mounting holes of the first component 2811. This constructs the side unit 2800, in which the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

As shown in the figure, the ball passage 2812a of the second component 2812 is open to the front. However, when the first component 2811 is attached to the front side for construction on the side unit 2800, the front end of the ball passage 2812a is closed by the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811, preventing the game balls B from spilling forward from the ball passage 2812a. In other words, the ball passage 2812a is formed by the first component 2811 and the second component 2812. To put it another way, the ball passage 2812a is provided between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812.

This side unit 2800 brings the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 into contact with the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, so that the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 closes the opening 1112 through which the panel plate 1110 penetrates. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811 are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110. In this state, the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 coincides with the mounting hole 1114 of the panel plate 1110.

Then, by screwing the mounting screws through the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811 into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 and tightening them from the front, the side unit 2800 is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110. At this time, because the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811 are provided near the positioning projection 2811c, screwing the mounting screws through the mounting holes 2811d into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 on the game panel 1100 allows the positioning projection 2811c to be firmly pressed towards the panel plate 1110 side, ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole 1113, and preventing the positioning projection 2811c from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

When the side unit 2800 is attached to the front of the panel board 1110 (the assembled game board 5), the second component 2812 is located within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and within the thickness of the panel board 1110, and is located in front of the rear surface of the panel board 1110. In other words, when assembled to the game board 5, the side unit 2800 does not protrude beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110, making it possible to secure ample space behind the panel board 1110.

In this embodiment, the side unit 2800 and the panel board 1110 are made of transparent synthetic resin, allowing the decoration of the performance unit located behind the panel board 1110 to be viewed from the front through the side unit 2800, etc. Here, a lower performance unit 3500 is provided behind the side unit 2800, having a lower movable decorative element 3510 that can be raised and lowered according to the progress of the game. This lower movable decorative element 3510 is provided so as to be able to move up and down between a standby position where most of it is located below the frame of the center feature 2500, and an advanced position where it rises from the standby position and is located within the frame of the center feature 2500. When the lower movable decorative element 3510 is in the lowered standby position, it can be viewed from the front through the transparent side unit 2800 and panel board 1110.

In the side unit 2800, when a game ball B is received into the general prize opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving section 2811b, which forms the general prize opening 2001, to the ball passage 2812a located behind the front surface of the panel plate 1110. After flowing down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 via the ball passage 2812a, it is handed over from the passage exit 2812b to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, which is located behind the side unit 2800. The game ball B handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 is detected by the general prize opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downwards.

In this embodiment, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the passage exit 2812b of the second component 2812 is located below the lower movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In other words, the general prize entry sensor 3001, which detects the game ball B received in the general prize entry opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), is located below the lower movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. Therefore, the side unit 2800, the general prize entry sensor 3001, etc., do not obstruct the lower movable decorative body 3510.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the side unit 2800 does not have a general prize entry sensor 3001, while the back unit 3000 (back ball guidance unit 3100) has the general prize entry sensor 3001. In other words, the side unit 2800 has a wiring-free structure. In this way, by providing electronic components such as ball sensors and magnetic sensors, which require wiring, on the back unit 3000 for various units attached to the front of the panel board 1110 in the game panel 1100, when the mounting screws attached to the panel board 1110 are removed and the unit is pulled forward, the unit remains connected by wiring through the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110. Therefore, there is no need to cut the wiring or disconnect the connectors, and the unit can be removed from the panel board 1110 without worrying about the wiring, allowing for efficient disassembly.

According to the side unit 2800 of this embodiment, since the first component 2811 is provided with a flat base plate 2811a, mounting screws are screwed through mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a into mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, thereby attaching the first component 2811 to the front surface of the panel plate 1110. This allows the base plate 2811a to cover the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 from the front, making it possible to hide the rear of the panel plate 1110 (game panel 1100) through the opening 1112 from the front (player side), thereby improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5). On the other hand, since the second component 2812 is provided with a ball passage 2812a that allows the game ball B to flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110, the cross-section of the ball passage 2812a is U-shaped, and the rigidity of the second component 2812 can be increased by the presence of the ball passage 2812a. Furthermore, although the rigidity of the first component 2811 may be low because the base plate 2811a is flat, the rigidity of the first component 2811 may be low because the second component 2812, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage 2812a, is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811 from the mounting holes using mounting screws to form the side unit 2800, and therefore the rigidity of the side unit 2800 can be increased compared to conventional side units. Therefore, during the disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or other purposes, when the mounting screws screwed into the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 via the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811 are removed and the side unit 2800 is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800 prevents it from bending. As a result, the positioning projection 2811c of the side unit 2800 (first component 2811) does not tilt relative to the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110. This allows the side unit 2800 to be easily removed from the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), thus reducing the disassembly work required for sorting and recycling.

However, since the two positioning protrusions 2811c on the first component 2811 are positioned to be separated in the longitudinal direction of the first component 2811, when the first component 2811 is pulled forward during disassembly, the center of the first component 2811 will bend forward, causing it to curve. This bending will cause a force to act on the positioning protrusions 2811c so that their tips, which are separated in the longitudinal direction, tend to move closer together, potentially causing the positioning protrusions 2811c to become stuck in the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. However, in this embodiment, as described above, the side unit 2800 is formed by attaching the second component 2812 to the rear side of the first component 2811. Because the rigidity of the side unit 2800 is increased, even when the side unit 2800 is pulled forward, the side unit 2800 does not bend, and the positioning projection 2811c, which is separated in the longitudinal direction, does not tilt. This allows the side unit 2800 to be easily removed from the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the disassembly work required for separation.

Furthermore, because multiple ball-receiving portions 2811b protrude forward beyond the front surface of the panel plate 1110 on the game panel 1100, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1, the ball-receiving portions 2811b can be grasped and pulled forward when removing the side unit 2800 from the panel plate 1110, making the removal of the side unit 2800 easier.

Furthermore, since the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100 from the front, it is possible to prevent foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the game area 5a on the front side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, since the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811 from the rear side using mounting screws via mounting holes (not shown), the mounting screws attaching the second component 2812 can be made less visible from the front, thereby improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5).

Furthermore, since a ball passage 2812a is provided between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812 to guide the game ball B that has entered the ball receiving section 2811b (general prize entry opening 2001) down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and this passage protrudes into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, compared to conventional side units where the game ball B that has entered the general prize entry opening 2001 is guided behind the rear surface of the game panel 1100 and the ball passage is provided behind the rear surface of the game panel 1100 to guide it down, the thickness of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) can be effectively utilized, and it is easier to secure empty space behind the panel plate 1110. Therefore, it becomes possible to install a performance device such as the back-side performance unit 3500 (back-side movable decorative body 3510) in this empty space, and a pachinko machine 1 with a higher appeal to players can be provided.

Furthermore, since the two positioning protrusions 2811c on the first component 2811 are positioned to be separated in the longitudinal direction of the first component 2811, when the side unit 2800 is attached to the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, the side unit 2800 does not rotate along the surface of the panel plate 1110, and the side unit 2800 can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the game panel 1100.

In the above embodiment, the game panel 1100 is shown to be made of a transparent resin panel board 1110, but it is not limited to this, and the game panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By using wood for the game panel 1100, the thickness of the board is increased compared to that of a resin board, making it easier to utilize the thickness of the game panel 1100 more effectively.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800 is shown having a ball passage 2812a composed of multiple branch sections 2801 communicating with each ball receiving section 2812c, and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 merge, it is not limited to this configuration. The ball passage 2812a may also be independent for each ball receiving section 2811b.

Furthermore, although the above-described side unit 2800 does not include a ball sensor for detecting the game ball B received in the ball receiving section 2811b, it is not limited to this configuration, and a ball sensor may be included. If a ball sensor is included in the side unit 2800, it is desirable to place the ball sensor within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, or to place the ball sensor below the rear display device (rear lower display unit 3500).

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800 does not have an LED board on the rear side, it is not limited to this configuration, and LEDs for illumination decoration may also be provided. When an LED board is provided in the side unit 2800, it is desirable to provide a unit cover that covers the LED board from the rear and whose front end surface abuts against the rear surface of the side unit 2800 (second component 2812), and to provide non-contact surfaces that do not touch the contact surfaces where the unit cover and the side unit come into contact. This allows the LEDs on the LED board to illuminate the side unit 2800, and allows heat from the LEDs to be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surfaces.

[12-2. Modifications of the side unit]
Next, various modifications of the side unit 2800 of the above embodiment will be described in detail.

[12-2a. Modification of the side unit 1]
Next, a side unit 2800A, which has a different configuration from the side unit 2800 shown in Figure 103 above, will be described mainly with reference to Figure 106. Figure 106 is an explanatory diagram showing a side unit with a different configuration from the side unit in Figure 103, together with a game panel in a vertical cross-section. Here, components that are the same as those in the side unit 2800 above will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800A extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starter unit 2100 within the game area 5a where the game ball B is launched when the player operates the handle 160, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general prize entry openings 2001 that are open to receive game ball B at all times.

The side unit 2800A consists of a first component 2811, which is attached from the front to the flat panel plate 1110 on which the obstacle nails in the game panel 1100 are planted, and a second component 2813, which is provided behind the first component 2811.

The first component 2811 of the side unit 2800A has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and a plurality of ball receiving portions 2811b that protrude forward from the base plate 2811a and are open at the top and rear, forming a general prize entry opening 2001. The first component 2811 also has a plurality of positioning projections 2811c that protrude rearward from the base plate 2811a, and a plurality of mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a for attachment to the game panel 1100 (see Figure 104).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the front component 1000. Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 provided in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are provided near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and in the upper part near the left-right center of the base plate 2811a. Countersunk recesses are formed on the front side of these mounting holes 2811d, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When mounted on the front of panel 1110, the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude beyond the front surface of base plate 2811a.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the base plate 2811a and the front surface of the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component 2811.

The second component 2813 of the side unit 2800A has a ball passage 2813a that allows game balls B that have entered the ball entry opening of the ball receiving portion 2811b (general prize entry opening 2001) of the first component 28111 to flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 within an opening 1112 that penetrates the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 so as to be within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, and a ball sensor 2813b that detects game balls B flowing through the ball passage 2813a.

The second component 2813 may be composed of a single component or may be composed of a combination of multiple components.

As shown in the figure, the spherical passageway 2813a is positioned near the lower end of the opening 1112, bends backward, and then bends downward along the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, with its downstream end extending below the opening 1112. In other words, the spherical passageway 2813a bends backward at a point below the rearward-facing display unit 3500 (rearward-facing movable decorative element 3510). This allows for sufficient space for the rearward-facing display unit 3500, enabling a wider range of motion (up/down range) of the rearward-facing movable decorative element 3510, or allowing the rearward-facing movable decorative element 3510 to be made larger.

The sphere sensor 2813b is located in a portion of the sphere passage 2813a that extends along the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. In other words, the sphere sensor 2813b is located below the rearward-facing display unit 3500 (rearward-facing movable decorative element 3510) located in the sphere passage 2813a, and therefore does not obstruct the rearward-facing movable decorative element 3510.

The first component 2811 of the side unit 2800A is attached to the front surface of the panel 1110 of the game panel 1100 by screwing mounting screws into mounting holes 1114 of the panel 1110 via mounting holes 2811d, while simultaneously inserting the base plate 2811a into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel 1110, with the base plate 2811a abutting against the front surface of the panel 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the corresponding opening 1112 in the panel 1110, and tightening the mounting screws into mounting holes 1114 of the panel 1110 via mounting holes 2811d.

On the other hand, the second component 2813 of the side unit 2800A is attached to the back box 3010 of the back unit 3000. When the second component 2813 is attached to the back unit 3000, although not shown in the illustration, a portion of the spherical passage 2813a (the part housed within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110) protrudes forward from the back box 3010.

Then, when the rear unit 3000 is attached to the rear side of the game panel 1100, the portion of the second component 2813 that protrudes forward from the rear box 3010 is inserted from the rear into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and this portion is positioned behind the first component 2811, thus constructing the side unit 2800A.

When assembled to the game board 5, the rear surface of the portion of the second component 2813 that extends into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in the ball passage 2813a protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. This protrusion amount TL is set to be less than or equal to half the diameter D of the game ball B.

By the way, when the game panel 1100 is formed by injection molding, the thickness of the game area 5a where the obstacle nails are planted tends to be thinner than when the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) is made of wooden plywood or a resin plate that has been cut. Therefore, the portion of the second component 2813 that is aligned with the surface of the panel plate 1110 in the ball passage 2813a may not fit within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 and may protrude behind the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. If the amount of protrusion of the second component 2813 behind the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 is large, it becomes impossible to secure sufficient space behind it. In contrast, in this embodiment, the amount TL protruding from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 at the ball passage 2813a portion of the second component 2813 is set to 1/2 or less of the diameter D of the game ball B. Therefore, sufficient space can be secured at the rear, and a rear-facing display unit 3500 (rear-facing movable decorative element 3510) of the desired size can be provided.

In the side unit 2800A, when a game ball B is received into the general prize opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component 2811, which forms the general prize opening 2001, to the ball passage 2813a located behind the front surface of the panel plate 1110, and then transferred to the ball passage 2813a of the second component 2813. The game ball B, having been transferred to the ball passage 2813a of the second component 2813, first flows down along the surface of the panel plate 1110, staying within the thickness of the panel plate 1110. Near the lower end of the opening 1112, it flows behind the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, and then flows downward along the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. Afterward, the game ball B is detected by the ball sensor 2813b and then discharged downward from an outlet (not shown).

The side unit 2800A of this embodiment can achieve the same effects and advantages as the side unit 2800 described above.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800A, the second component 2813, which is equipped with the ball sensor 2813b, is attached to the rear unit 3000 located behind the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110). Therefore, the first component 2811, which is attached to the panel board 1110, does not have the ball sensor 2813b. Consequently, electronic components such as the ball sensor 2813b are grouped together in the rear unit 3000, and the wiring from the ball sensor 2813b does not extend from the game panel 1100. Therefore, during the manufacturing of the game board 5, when assembling the game panel 1100 and the rear unit 3000, the wiring from the ball sensor 2813b will not get caught on obstacles such as pins, thus avoiding wire breakage due to snagging and improving the efficiency of the assembly work.

Furthermore, with the side unit 2800A, by assembling it with the game board 5, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 closes the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100 from the front. This prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the game area 5a on the front side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, the side unit 2800A may be provided with an independent ball passage 2813a for each ball receiving section 2811b, or, similar to the ball passage 2812a of the side unit 2800, a single ball passage 2813a may be provided downstream of the ball receiving section 2811b to merge the game balls B that have entered each ball receiving section 2811b.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800A shows the second component 2813 attached to the rear unit 3000, it is not limited to this configuration; the second component 2813 may also be attached to the rear side of the first component 2811.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows a game panel 1100 equipped with a transparent resin panel board 1110, it is not limited to this, and a wooden game panel 1100 may also be used. By using wood for the game panel 1100, the board thickness is increased compared to a resin one, making it easier to utilize the board thickness of the game panel 1100 more effectively.

[12-2b. Modification of the side unit 2]
Next, a side unit 2800B, which has a different configuration from the side unit 2800 and side unit 2800A described above, will be explained mainly with reference to Figure 107. Figure 107(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side unit with a different configuration from the side unit shown in Figure 105, along with the game panel, in a vertical cross-section, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the main parts of the LED board and board cover of the side unit in (a) in a perspective view. Here, components with the same configuration as the side unit 2800 described above will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800B extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starter unit 2100 within the game area 5a where the game ball B is launched when the player operates the handle 160, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general prize entry openings 2001 that are open to receive the game ball B at all times.

The side unit 2800B comprises a unit body 2810 attached from the front to a flat panel plate 1110 on which obstacle nails are planted in the game panel 1100; a unit cover 2820 attached from the rear of the unit body 2810; and an LED board 2825 provided between the unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820, on which multiple LEDs 2825a are mounted. The unit body 2810 and unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800B are made of transparent synthetic resin.

Furthermore, the side unit 2800B has a contact surface portion 2830 where the unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 provided on a part of the contact surface portion 2830 that is not in contact with each other.

The unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800B includes a first component 2811 attached from the front to the flat panel plate 1110 on which obstacle nails are planted in the game panel 1100; a second component 2812 attached from the rear to the first component 2811; and a support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer edge of the unit cover 2820, with its rear end surface abutting the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. In this embodiment, the second component 2812 is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811. Also in this embodiment, the support frame portion 2814 protrudes from the rear surface of the second component 2812.

The first component 2811 of the unit body 2810 has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and a plurality of ball receiving portions 2811b that protrude forward from the base plate 2811a, are open at the top and rear, and form a general prize entry opening 2001. Furthermore, the first component 2811 has a plurality of positioning protrusions 2811c that protrude rearward from the base plate 2811a, a plurality of mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a for attachment to the game panel 1100, and a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) provided on the rear end surface of the base plate 2811a for attaching the second component 2812 (see Figure 104).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the front component 1000. Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 provided in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are provided near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and in the upper part near the left-right center of the base plate 2811a. Countersunk recesses are formed on the front side of these mounting holes 2811d, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When mounted on the front of panel 1110, the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude beyond the front surface of base plate 2811a.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the base plate 2811a and the front surface of the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component 2811.

The second component 2812 is formed in a container shape that opens forward and has a ball passage 2812a that allows game balls B received in the general prize opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b) to flow down along the surface (plate surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), a passage outlet (not shown) that opens towards the rear at the downstream end of the ball passage 2812a, a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) for attachment to the first component 2811, and mounting holes (not shown) provided on the rear surface for attaching the unit cover 2820.

The second component 2812 has a support frame portion 2814 on its rear side, the rear end of which abuts against the front end of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the second component 2812 has a support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer peripheral edge of the unit cover 2820, with its rear end surface abutting against the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. The rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 abuts against the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820, which will be described later, when assembled with the side unit 2800B. That is, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b constitute the contact surface portion 2830.

The support frame portion 2814 (contact surface portion 2830) of the second component 2812 is located above the exit of the spherical passage 2812a, which is not shown. In other words, the exit of the passage of the second component 2812 is located below the support frame portion 2814 (contact surface portion 2830).

The unit body 2810 is assembled by positioning the second component 2812 behind the first component 2811, and then screwing mounting screws from the rear of the second component 2812 through the mounting holes in the second component 2812 into the mounting holes of the first component 2811. This constructs the unit body 2810, in which the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

As shown in Figure 107, the second component 2812 of this embodiment is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth fits within the thickness of the panel plate 1110.

The unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800B is formed in a shallow, open container shape, and houses the LED substrate 2825 inside. As shown in Figure 107, the unit cover 2820 has a flat cover portion 2820a, a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2820b protruding forward from the outer edge of the cover portion 2820a, and a notch portion 2820c recessed from the front end in a part of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. Multiple ventilation slits may be provided in the cover portion 2820a.

Furthermore, the unit cover 2820 has multiple boss portions 2820d that protrude forward from the front surface of the cover portion 2820a, shorter than the peripheral wall portion 2820b, for mounting the LED substrate 2825, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the cover portion 2820a, through which mounting screws for attaching it to the unit body 2810 are inserted.

The cover portion 2820a of the unit cover 2820 is sized to cover the LED substrate 2825 from the rear. The peripheral wall portion 2820b has the same outer shape as the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810. The front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b contacts the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810 when assembled to the side unit 2800B. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b constitute the contact surface portion 2830.

The notches 2820c are provided on the upper and lower sides of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. By assembling the notches 2820c to the side unit 2800B, a gap can be formed between the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b and the front end surface of the support frame portion 2814 on the unit body 2810. In other words, the notches 2820c form a non-contact surface portion 2831 on a part of the contact surface portion 2830, which is formed by the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. These notches 2820c allow ventilation inside the container-shaped unit cover 2820, enabling heat from the LED substrate 2825 mounted inside to be dissipated to the outside, preventing heat buildup in the unit cover 2820.

The LED board 2825 of the side unit 2800B is mounted inside the unit cover 2820 with its rear surface in contact with the front end of the boss portion 2820d on the unit cover 2820. The multiple LEDs 2825a mounted on the LED board 2825 are full-color LEDs, and by assembling them into the side unit 2800B, the side unit 2800B can be illuminated and decorated with various colors.

This side unit 2800B can be assembled by attaching the LED board 2825 to the boss portion 2820d inside the unit cover 2820, bringing the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 into contact with the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810, and then screwing mounting screws into the mounting holes of the second component 2812 of the unit body 2810 through the mounting holes of the unit cover 2820 from the rear of the unit cover 2820 and tightening them.

To attach the side unit 2800B to the game panel 1100, first, from the front of the panel plate 1110 on the game panel 1100, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 is brought into contact with the front surface of the panel plate 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 through which the panel plate 1110 penetrates. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811 are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110. In this state, the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 coincides with the mounting hole 1114 of the panel plate 1110.

Then, by screwing the mounting screws through the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811 into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 and tightening them from the front, the side unit 2800B is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110. At this time, because the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811 are provided near the positioning projection 2811c, screwing the mounting screws through the mounting holes 2811d into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100 allows the positioning projection 2811c to be firmly pressed towards the panel plate 1110 side, ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole 1113, and preventing the positioning projection 2811c from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

In the side unit 2800B, the second component 2812 of the unit body 2810 is provided with a ball passage 2812a that allows the game balls B to flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110. Since the cross-section of the ball passage 2812a portion of the second component 2812 is U-shaped, the presence of the ball passage 2812a increases the rigidity of the second component 2812. Furthermore, since the second component 2812, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage 2812a, is attached to the first component 2811, which may have low rigidity due to having a flat base plate 2811a, from the rear side to form the side unit 2800B, the rigidity of the side unit 2800B can be increased compared to conventional side units. Therefore, during the disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or other purposes, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800B to the panel board 1110 are removed and the side unit 2800B is pulled forward, the rigidity of the side unit 2800B is increased, preventing it from bending. As a result, the positioning projection 2811c of the side unit 2800B (first component 2811) does not tilt relative to the positioning hole 1113 of the panel board 1110, allowing the side unit 2800B to be easily removed from the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting.

When the side unit 2800B is attached to the front of the panel board 1110 (the assembled game board 5), the second component 2812 of the unit body 2810 is located within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and within the thickness of the panel board 1110, and is located in front of the rear surface of the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the side unit 2800B is assembled to the game board 5, the unit cover 2820 protrudes further rearward than the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, and a portion of the notch 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) of the unit cover 2820 also protrudes further rearward than the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. In this case, since the notches 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) are provided both above and below, the upper notch 2820c allows heat from the LED substrate 2825 to be discharged upward, while the lower notch 2820c allows outside air to be drawn in. Also, when assembled to the game board 5, a gap is provided between the outer circumference of the portion of the unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800B that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, that is, between the outer circumference of the second component 2812 and the inner circumference of the opening 1112. These features make it easier to release heat from the LED substrate 2825 to the outside through the notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831), allowing for efficient heat dissipation.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, the LED board 2825 is positioned behind the notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831) in the side unit 2800B. In other words, in a plan view, the LED board 2825 is positioned so as not to overlap with the notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831). This makes it difficult for dust and dirt to enter the unit cover 2820 through the notch 2820c and thus minimizes the impact of dust and dirt. In addition, since a notch 2820c is also provided on the lower side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enter from the upper notch 2820c can be discharged downwards from the lower notch 2820c.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the side unit 2800B, when assembled to the game board 5, uses the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 to block the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100 from the front. This prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the game area 5a on the front side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800B is assembled to the game board 5, the unit cover 2820, which is attached to the rear side of the second component 2813 of the unit body 2810, protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. This protrusion is set to be less than or equal to half the diameter D of the game ball B, similar to the side unit 2800A in Figure 106.

Incidentally, when the game panel 1100 is formed by injection molding, the thickness of the game area 5a where the obstacle nails are planted tends to be thinner than when the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) is made of wooden plywood or a cut resin plate. As a result, the part of the unit body 2810 that is aligned with the surface of the panel plate 1110 in the ball passage 2812a, and the unit cover 2820 attached to the rear of the unit body 2810, may not fit within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 and may protrude further back than the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, if the amount of protrusion behind the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 in the side unit 2800B is large, it becomes impossible to secure sufficient space behind it. In contrast, in this embodiment, the amount of protrusion from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 of the side unit 2800B, which extends within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 in the ball passage 2813a and along the surface of the panel plate 1110, is set to be 1/2 or less of the diameter D of the game ball B. Therefore, sufficient space can be secured at the rear, and a rear-facing display unit 3500 (rear-facing movable decorative element 3510) of the desired size can be provided.

In the side unit 2800B, when a game ball B is received into the general prize opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving section 2811b, which forms the general prize opening 2001, to the ball passage 2812a located behind the front surface of the panel plate 1110. After flowing down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 via the ball passage 2812a, it is transferred to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, which is located at the rear via a passage exit (not shown). The game ball B transferred to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 is detected by the general prize opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downwards.

In this embodiment, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the side unit 2800B has a passage exit (not shown) of the second component 2812 in the unit body 2810 that is positioned below the movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In other words, the general prize slot sensor 3001, which detects the game ball B received in the general prize slot 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), is positioned below the movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. Therefore, the side unit 2800B, the general prize slot sensor 3001, etc., do not obstruct the movable decorative body 3510.

In this embodiment, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the side unit 2800B has the same unit body 2810 as the side unit 2800 in Figure 104, and includes a branch section 2801 communicating with the general prize entry opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), and a main section 2802 that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100. The ball passage 2812a is composed of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

The side unit 2800B of this embodiment can achieve the same effects and advantages as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the above-described side unit 2800B, a notch 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) is provided in the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820. However, the design is not limited to this configuration. Alternatively, the notch 2820c may be provided in the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810, extending from the rear end to the front. Alternatively, notches (non-contact surfaces) may be provided in both the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800B shows a frame-shaped support frame portion 2814 projecting rearward from the unit body 2810, with its rear end surface serving as a contact surface portion 2830, the design is not limited to this configuration. Alternatively, the unit body 2810 may be designed without the support frame portion 2814, with the front end of the unit cover 2820 (peripheral wall portion 2820b) contacting the rear surface of the unit body 2810, thus serving as the contact surface portion 2830. This eliminates the need for the rearward-projecting support frame portion 2814, reducing the amount of projection from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 in the side unit 2800B, and allowing for a wider space behind the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800B shows the LED board 2825 mounted on the unit cover 2820, it is not limited to this configuration. The LED board 2825 may also be mounted on the rear side of the unit body 2810 (second component 2812).

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800B described above, a diffusion lens portion consisting of multiple protrusions and indentations that diffuse light from the LED 2825a may be provided in front of the LED substrate 2825. This diffusion lens portion may be provided on the rear surface of the unit body 2810 (second component 2812), or on a separate component from the unit body 2810.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800B is shown to have a ball passage 2812a composed of multiple branch sections 2801 communicating with each ball receiving section 2811b, and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 merge, it is not limited to this configuration. The ball passage 2812a may also be independent for each ball receiving section 2811b.

Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows a game panel 1100 equipped with a transparent resin panel board 1110, it is not limited to this, and a wooden game panel 1100 may also be used. By using wood for the game panel 1100, the thickness of the board will be greater compared to a resin one, making it easier to make more effective use of the thickness of the game panel 1100. However, if the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110) is transparent, the light from the LED 2825a of the LED substrate 2825 will enter the panel board 1110 from the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and diffuse inside the panel board 1110, reducing the amount of light irradiated forward, which may weaken the effect of the light emission. In contrast, by making the game panel 1100 out of wood (opaque), the light from the LEDs 2825a of the LED substrate 2825 does not enter the interior of the game panel 1100 from the inner surface of the opening 1112. Instead, it can be reflected by the inner surface of the opening 1112, thereby suppressing the reduction in the amount of light emitted forward and making it easier to fully realize the effects of the light emission.

[12-2c. Modification of the side unit 3]
Next, a side unit 2800C, which has a different configuration from the one described above, will be explained, mainly with reference to Figure 108. Figure 108 is an explanatory diagram showing a side unit with a different configuration from the side unit shown in Figure 107, along with the game panel, in a vertical cross-section. Here, components that are the same as those in the side unit 2800B described above will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800C extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starter unit 2100 within the game area 5a where the game ball B is launched when the player operates the handle 160, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general prize entry openings 2001 that are open to receive the game ball B at all times.

The side unit 2800C comprises a unit body 2810 attached from the front to a flat panel plate 1110 on which obstacle nails are planted in the game panel 1100; a unit cover 2820 attached from the rear of the unit body 2810; and an LED board 2825 provided between the unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820, on which multiple LEDs 2825a are mounted. The unit body 2810 and unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800B are formed from transparent synthetic resin.

Furthermore, the side unit 2800C has a contact surface portion 2830 where the unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 provided on a part of the contact surface portion 2830 that is not in contact with each other.

The unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800B includes a first component 2811 attached from the front to a flat panel plate 1110 on which obstacle nails are planted in the game panel 1100; a second component 2812 attached from the rear to the first component 2811; a support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer edge of the unit cover 2820, with its rear end surface abutting the front end surface of the unit cover 2820; and a ball sensor 2815 (general prize slot sensor 3001) provided between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812 for detecting game balls B received into the general prize slot 2001. In this embodiment, the second component 2812 is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811. Also in this embodiment, the support frame portion 2814 protrudes from the rear surface of the second component 2812.

The first component 2811 of the unit body 2810 has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and a plurality of ball receiving portions 2811b that protrude forward from the base plate 2811a, are open at the top and rear, and form a general prize entry opening 2001. Furthermore, the first component 2811 has a plurality of positioning protrusions 2811c that protrude rearward from the base plate 2811a, a plurality of mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a for attachment to the game panel 1100, and a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) provided on the rear end surface of the base plate 2811a for attaching the second component 2812 (see Figure 104).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the front component 1000. Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 provided in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are provided near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and in the upper part near the left-right center of the base plate 2811a. Countersunk recesses are formed on the front side of these mounting holes 2811d, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When mounted on the front of panel 1110, the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude beyond the front surface of base plate 2811a.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the base plate 2811a and the front surface of the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component 2811.

The second component 2812 is formed in a container shape that opens forward and has a ball passage 2812a that allows game balls B received in the general prize opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b) to flow down along the surface (plate surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), a passage outlet 2812b that opens towards the rear at the downstream end of the ball passage 2812a, a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) for attachment to the first component 2811, and mounting holes (not shown) provided on the rear surface for attaching the unit cover 2820.

The second component 2812 has a support frame portion 2814 on its rear side, the rear end of which abuts against the front end of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the second component 2812 has a support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer peripheral edge of the unit cover 2820, with its rear end surface abutting against the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. The rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 abuts against the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820, which will be described later, when assembled with the side unit 2800C. That is, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b constitute the contact surface portion 2830.

The support frame portion 2814 (contact surface portion 2830) of the second component 2812 is positioned above the passage exit 2812b of the sphere passage 2812a and the sphere sensor 2815. In other words, the passage exit 2812b and the sphere sensor 2815 of the second component 2812 are positioned below the support frame portion 2814 (contact surface portion 2830). This makes it less likely for the sphere sensor 2815 to interfere with the illumination decoration by the LEDs 2825a of the LED substrate 2825.

The unit body 2810 is assembled by positioning the second component 2812 behind the first component 2811, and screwing mounting screws from the rear of the second component 2812 through the mounting holes of the second component 2812 into the mounting holes of the first component 2811. At this time, the ball sensor 2815 is positioned and assembled in a predetermined location in the ball passage 2812a so that it is sandwiched between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812. This constructs the unit body 2810 with the second component 2812 attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

As shown in Figure 108, the second component 2812 of this embodiment is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth fits within the thickness of the panel plate 1110.

The unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800C is formed in a shallow, open container shape, and houses the LED substrate 2825 inside. This unit cover 2820 has a flat cover portion 2820a, a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2820b protruding forward from the outer edge of the cover portion 2820a, and a notch portion 2820c recessed from the front end in a part of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. Multiple ventilation slits may be provided in the cover portion 2820a.

Furthermore, the unit cover 2820 has multiple boss portions 2820d that protrude forward from the front surface of the cover portion 2820a, shorter than the peripheral wall portion 2820b, for mounting the LED substrate 2825, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the cover portion 2820a, through which mounting screws for attaching it to the unit body 2810 are inserted.

The cover portion 2820a of the unit cover 2820 is sized to cover the LED substrate 2825 from the rear. The peripheral wall portion 2820b has the same outer shape as the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810. The front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b contacts the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810 when assembled to the side unit 2800C. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b constitute the contact surface portion 2830.

The notches 2820c are provided on the upper and lower sides of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. By assembling the notches 2820c to the side unit 2800C, a gap can be formed between the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b and the front end surface of the support frame portion 2814 on the unit body 2810. In other words, the notches 2820c form a non-contact surface portion 2831 on a part of the contact surface portion 2830, which is formed by the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. These notches 2820c allow ventilation inside the container-shaped unit cover 2820, enabling heat from the LED substrate 2825 mounted inside to be dissipated to the outside, preventing heat buildup in the unit cover 2820.

The LED board 2825 of the side unit 2800C is mounted inside the unit cover 2820 with its rear surface in contact with the front end of the boss portion 2820d on the unit cover 2820. The multiple LEDs 2825a mounted on the LED board 2825 are full-color LEDs, and by assembling them into the side unit 2800C, the side unit 2800C can be illuminated and decorated with various colors.

This side unit 2800C can be assembled by attaching the LED board 2825 to the boss portion 2820d inside the unit cover 2820, bringing the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 into contact with the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810, and then screwing mounting screws into the mounting holes of the second component 2812 of the unit body 2810 through the mounting holes of the unit cover 2820 from the rear of the unit cover 2820 and tightening them.

To attach the side unit 2800C to the game panel 1100, first, from the front of the panel plate 1110 on the game panel 1100, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 is brought into contact with the front surface of the panel plate 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 through which the panel plate 1110 penetrates. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811 are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110. In this state, the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 coincides with the mounting hole 1114 of the panel plate 1110.

Then, by screwing the mounting screws through the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811 into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 and tightening them from the front, the side unit 2800C is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110. At this time, because the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811 are provided near the positioning projection 2811c, screwing the mounting screws through the mounting holes 2811d into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100 allows the positioning projection 2811c to be firmly pressed towards the panel plate 1110 side, ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole 1113, and preventing the positioning projection 2811c from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

In the side unit 2800C, the second component 2812 of the unit body 2810 is provided with a ball passage 2812a that allows the game balls B to flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110. Since the cross-section of the ball passage 2812a portion of the second component 2812 is U-shaped, the presence of the ball passage 2812a increases the rigidity of the second component 2812. Furthermore, since the second component 2812, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage 2812a, is attached to the first component 2811, which may have low rigidity due to having a flat base plate 2811a, from the rear side to form the side unit 2800C, the rigidity of the side unit 2800C can be increased compared to conventional side units. Therefore, during the disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or other purposes, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800C to the panel board 1110 are removed and the side unit 2800C is pulled forward, the rigidity of the side unit 2800C is increased, preventing it from bending. As a result, the positioning projection 2811c of the side unit 2800C (first component 2811) does not tilt relative to the positioning hole 1113 of the panel board 1110, allowing the side unit 2800C to be easily removed from the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting.

When the side unit 2800C is attached to the front of the panel board 1110 (the assembled game board 5), the second component 2812 and the ball sensor 2815 of the unit body 2810 are located within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and within the thickness of the panel board 1110, and are located in front of the rear surface of the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the side unit 2800C is assembled to the game board 5, the unit cover 2820 protrudes further rearward than the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, and a part of the notch 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) of the unit cover 2820 also protrudes further rearward than the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. In this case, since the notches 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) are provided both above and below, the upper notch 2820c allows heat from the LED substrate 2825 to be discharged upward, while the lower notch 2820c allows outside air to be drawn in. Also, when assembled to the game board 5, a gap is provided between the outer circumference of the portion of the unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800C that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, that is, between the outer circumference of the second component 2812 and the inner circumference of the opening 1112. These features make it easier to release heat from the LED substrate 2825 to the outside through the notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831), allowing for efficient heat dissipation.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, the LED board 2825 is positioned behind the notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831) in the side unit 2800C. In other words, in a plan view, the LED board 2825 is positioned so as not to overlap with the notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831). This makes it difficult for dust and dirt to reach the LED board 2825 even if they enter the unit cover 2820 through the notch 2820c, thus minimizing the impact of dust and dirt. Additionally, since a notch 2820c is provided on the lower side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enters through the upper notch 2820c can be discharged downwards through the lower notch 2820c.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the side unit 2800C, when assembled to the game board 5, uses the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 to block the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100 from the front. This prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the game area 5a on the front side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800C is assembled to the game board 5, the unit cover 2820, which is attached to the rear side of the second component 2813 of the unit body 2810, protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. This protrusion is set to be less than or equal to half the diameter D of the game ball B, similar to the side unit 2800A in Figure 106.

By the way, when the game panel 1100 is formed by injection molding, the thickness of the game area 5a where the obstacle nails are planted tends to be thinner than when the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) is made of wooden plywood or a cut resin plate. As a result, the part of the unit body 2810 that is aligned with the surface of the panel plate 1110 in the ball passage 2812a, and the unit cover 2820 attached to the rear of the unit body 2810, may not fit within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 and may protrude behind the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, if the amount of protrusion behind the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 in the side unit 2800C is large, it becomes impossible to secure sufficient space behind it. In contrast, in this embodiment, the side unit 2800C, in which the portion of the panel plate 1110 that extends within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 in the ball passage 2813a and extends along the surface of the panel plate 1110 protrudes from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 to less than or equal to half the diameter D of the game ball B, allows sufficient space to be secured at the rear, and a rear-facing display unit 3500 (rear-facing movable decorative body 3510) of the desired size can be provided.

In the side unit 2800C, when a game ball B is received in the general prize opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving section 2811b, which forms the general prize opening 2001, to the ball passage 2812a located behind the front surface of the panel plate 1110. The ball then flows down the ball passage 2812a along the surface of the panel plate 1110 within its thickness, is detected by the ball sensor 2815, and is discharged from the passage outlet 2812b, which opens towards the rear.

In this embodiment, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the side unit 2800C has a passage exit 2812b of the second component 2812 in the unit body 2810 positioned below the lower movable decorative element 3510 in the standby position. Furthermore, the ball sensor 2815 (general prize slot sensor 3001), which detects the game ball B received in the general prize slot 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), is provided within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100 and within the thickness of the panel plate 1110. Therefore, the side unit 2800C, the ball sensor 2815, etc., do not interfere with the lower movable decorative element 3510.

In this embodiment, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the side unit 2800C has the same unit body 2810 as the side unit 2800 in Figure 104, and includes a branch section 2801 communicating with the general prize entry opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), and a main section 2802 that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100. The ball passage 2812a is composed of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

The side unit 2800C of this embodiment can achieve the same effects and advantages as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the above-described side unit 2800C, a notch 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) is provided in the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820. However, the design is not limited to this configuration. Alternatively, the notch 2820c may be provided in the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820, while a notch (non-contact surface portion 2831) is provided in the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810, cut from the rear end to the front. Alternatively, notches (non-contact surfaces) may be provided in both the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800C shows a frame-shaped support frame portion 2814 projecting rearward from the unit body 2810, with its rear end surface serving as a contact surface portion 2830, the design is not limited to this configuration. Alternatively, the unit body 2810 may be designed without the support frame portion 2814, with the front end of the unit cover 2820 (peripheral wall portion 2820b) contacting the rear surface of the unit body 2810, thus serving as the contact surface portion 2830. This eliminates the need for the rearward-projecting support frame portion 2814, reducing the amount of projection from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 in the side unit 2800C, and allowing for a wider space behind the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800C shows the LED board 2825 mounted on the unit cover 2820, it is not limited to this configuration. The LED board 2825 may also be mounted on the rear side of the unit body 2810 (second component 2812).

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800C described above, a diffusion lens portion consisting of multiple protrusions and indentations that diffuse light from the LED 2825a may be provided in front of the LED substrate 2825. This diffusion lens portion may be provided on the rear surface of the unit body 2810 (second component 2812), or on a separate component from the unit body 2810.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800C is shown to have a ball passage 2812a composed of multiple branch sections 2801 communicating with each ball receiving section 2811b, and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 merge, it is not limited to this configuration. The ball passage 2812a may also be independent for each ball receiving section 2811b.

Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows a game panel 1100 equipped with a transparent resin panel board 1110, it is not limited to this, and a wooden game panel 1100 may also be used. By using wood for the game panel 1100, the thickness of the board will be greater compared to a resin one, making it easier to make more effective use of the thickness of the game panel 1100. However, if the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110) is transparent, the light from the LED 2825a of the LED substrate 2825 will enter the panel board 1110 from the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and diffuse inside the panel board 1110, reducing the amount of light irradiated forward, which may weaken the effect of the light emission. In contrast, by making the game panel 1100 out of wood (opaque), the light from the LEDs 2825a of the LED substrate 2825 does not enter the interior of the game panel 1100 from the inner surface of the opening 1112. Instead, it can be reflected by the inner surface of the opening 1112, thereby suppressing the reduction in the amount of light emitted forward and making it easier to fully realize the effects of the light emission.

[12-2d. Modification of the side unit 4]
Next, a side unit 2800D, which has a different configuration from the one described above, will be explained, mainly with reference to Figure 109. Figure 109 is an explanatory diagram showing a side unit of yet another configuration in a vertical cross-section together with the game panel. Here, components with the same configuration as those of the side unit 2800, side unit 2800B, and side unit 2800C described above will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800D extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starter unit 2100 within the game area 5a where the game ball B is launched when the player operates the handle 160, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general prize entry openings 2001 that are open to receive the game ball B at all times.

The side unit 2800D comprises a unit body 2810A attached from the front to a flat panel plate 1110 on which obstacle nails are planted in the game panel 1100; a unit cover 2820 attached from the rear of the unit body 2810A; and an LED board 2825 provided between the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820, on which multiple LEDs 2825a are mounted. The unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800D are made of transparent synthetic resin.

Furthermore, the side unit 2800D has a contact surface portion 2830 where the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 provided on a part of the contact surface portion 2830 that is not in contact with each other.

The unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800D has a first component 2811A attached from the front to the flat panel plate 1110 on which the obstacle nails in the game panel 1100 are planted, a second component 2812A attached from the rear to the first component 2811A, and a support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer edge of the unit cover 2820, with its rear end surface abutting the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. In this embodiment, the second component 2812A is attached to the front side of the first component 2811A. Also, the support frame portion 2814 protrudes from the rear surface of the first component 2811A.

The first component 2811A of the unit body 2810A has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and a ball passage 2811e that penetrates the base plate 2811a and through which game balls B can flow. The upstream end of the ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A is located behind the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A, which will be described later.

Furthermore, the first component 2811A has a plurality of positioning protrusions 2811c projecting rearward from the base plate 2811a, a plurality of mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a for attachment to the game panel 1100, a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the base plate 2811a for attaching the second component 2812A, and a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) provided on the rear surface for attaching the unit cover 2820 (see Figure 104).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the front component 1000. Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 provided in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are provided near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and in the upper part near the left-right center of the base plate 2811a. Countersunk recesses are formed on the front side of these mounting holes 2811d, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When mounted on the front of panel 1110, the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude beyond the front surface of base plate 2811a.

The first component 2811A has a support frame portion 2814 on its rear side, the rear end of which abuts against the front end of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the first component 2811A has a support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer peripheral edge of the unit cover 2820, with its rear end surface abutting against the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. The support frame portion 2814 is located on the rear surface of the base plate 2811a, below the spherical passage 2811e. The rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 abuts against the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820, which will be described later, when assembled with the side unit 2800D. That is, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b constitute the contact surface portion 2830.

The second component 2812A has several ball-receiving portions 2812c that extend short in the front-rear direction and are open at the top and rear, forming a general prize-winning opening 2001; a flat front plate 2812d connecting the front ends of the several ball-receiving portions 2812c; and several mounting holes (not shown) for attachment to the first component 2811A. The ball-receiving portions 2812c are located in front of the ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the front plate 2812d of the second component 2812A.

The unit body 2810A is assembled by positioning the second component 2812A in front of the first component 2811A, and then screwing mounting screws into the mounting holes of the second component 2812A from the rear through the mounting holes of the first component 2811A. This constructs the unit body 2810A, in which the second component 2812A is attached to the first component 2811A from the rear. In this unit body 2810A, the ball-receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A protrudes forward from the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A.

As shown in Figure 109, the first component 2811A of this embodiment is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth fits within the thickness of the panel plate 1110.

The unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800D is formed in a shallow, open container shape, and houses the LED substrate 2825 inside. This unit cover 2820 has a flat cover portion 2820a, a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2820b protruding forward from the outer edge of the cover portion 2820a, and a notch portion 2820c recessed from the front end in a part of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. Multiple ventilation slits may be provided in the cover portion 2820a.

Furthermore, the unit cover 2820 has multiple boss portions 2820d that protrude forward from the front surface of the cover portion 2820a, shorter than the peripheral wall portion 2820b, for mounting the LED substrate 2825, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the cover portion 2820a, through which mounting screws for attaching it to the unit body 2810A are inserted.

The cover portion 2820a of the unit cover 2820 is sized to cover the LED substrate 2825 from the rear. The peripheral wall portion 2820b has the same outer shape as the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A. The front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b contacts the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A when assembled to the side unit 2800D. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b constitute the contact surface portion 2830.

The notches 2820c are provided on the upper and lower sides of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. By assembling the notches 2820c to the side unit 2800D, a gap can be formed between the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b and the front end surface of the support frame portion 2814 on the unit body 2810A. In other words, the notches 2820c form a non-contact surface portion 2831 on a part of the contact surface portion 2830, which is formed by the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. These notches 2820c allow ventilation inside the container-shaped unit cover 2820, enabling heat from the LED substrate 2825 mounted inside to be dissipated to the outside, preventing heat buildup in the unit cover 2820.

The LED board 2825 of the side unit 2800D is mounted inside the unit cover 2820 with its rear surface in contact with the front end of the boss portion 2820d on the unit cover 2820. The multiple LEDs 2825a mounted on the LED board 2825 are full-color LEDs, and by assembling them into the side unit 2800D, the side unit 2800D can be illuminated and decorated with various colors.

This side unit 2800D can be assembled by attaching the LED board 2825 to the boss portion 2820d inside the unit cover 2820, bringing the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 into contact with the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A, and then screwing mounting screws into the mounting holes of the first component member 2811A of the unit body 2810A through the mounting holes of the unit cover 2820 from the rear of the unit cover 2820 and tightening them.

To attach the side unit 2800D to the game panel 1100, first, from the front of the panel plate 1110 on the game panel 1100, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A is brought into contact with the front surface of the panel plate 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 through which the panel plate 1110 penetrates. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811A are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110. In this state, the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811A coincides with the mounting hole 1114 of the panel plate 1110.

Then, by screwing the mounting screws through the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811A into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 and tightening them from the front, the side unit 2800D is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110. At this time, because the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811A are provided near the positioning projection 2811c, screwing the mounting screws through the mounting holes 2811d into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100 allows the positioning projection 2811c to be firmly pressed towards the panel plate 1110 side, ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole 1113, and preventing the positioning projection 2811c from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

In the side unit 2800D, when assembled to the unit body 2810A, the multiple ball receiving portions 2812c of the second component 2812A are sandwiched at their front and rear ends between the front plate 2812d of the second component 2812A and the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A. This structure allows for increased rigidity compared to conventional side units. Therefore, during disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or other purposes, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800D to the panel plate 1110 are removed and the side unit 2800D is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800D prevents it from bending. As a result, the positioning projection 2811c of the side unit 2800D (first component 2811A) does not tilt relative to the positioning hole 1113 of the panel board 1110, allowing the side unit 2800D to be easily removed from the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting.

When the side unit 2800D is attached to the front of the panel board 1110 (the assembled game board 5), the ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A of the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 (LED board 2825) are located within the thickness of the panel board 1110 within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, and are located in front of the rear surface of the panel board 1110. Because the LED board 2825 is provided within the thickness of the panel board 1110 in the game panel 1100, the thickness of the panel board 1110 is effectively utilized, making it easier to secure empty space behind the LED board 2825 (unit cover 2820). Therefore, it becomes possible to install part of the display device in this empty space, providing a pachinko machine 1 with a higher appeal to players.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800D of this embodiment, the unit cover 2820 has notches 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) at the top and bottom. Therefore, the upper notch 2820c allows heat from the LED substrate 2825 to be expelled upwards, while the lower notch 2820c allows outside air to be drawn in. Also, when assembled to the game board 5, a gap is provided between the outer circumference of the portion of the unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800D that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and the inner circumference of the opening 1112. These features facilitate the release of heat from the LED substrate 2825 to the outside through the notches 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831), enabling efficient heat dissipation.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, the LED board 2825 is positioned behind the notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831) in the side unit 2800D. In other words, in a plan view, the LED board 2825 is positioned so as not to overlap with the notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831). This makes it difficult for dust and dirt to enter the unit cover 2820 through the notch 2820c and thus minimizes the impact of dust and dirt. In addition, since a notch 2820c is also provided on the lower side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enter from the upper notch 2820c can be discharged downwards from the lower notch 2820c.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the side unit 2800D is assembled to the game board 5, the notch 2820c of the unit cover 2820 is located within the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and within the thickness of the panel plate 1110. Therefore, dust and dirt are less likely to enter the unit cover 2820 from above through the notch 2820c.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the side unit 2800D is assembled to the game board 5, a gap is provided between the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100. The opening 1112 is also covered from the front by the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811. This allows heat from the LED substrate 2825 inside the unit cover 2820 to be dissipated towards the rear of the panel plate 1110 through the gap between the notch 2820c and the inner surface of the opening 1112. It also prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the game area 5a on the front side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110.

In the side unit 2800D, when a game ball B is received into the general prize opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A, which forms the general prize opening 2001, to the ball passage 2811e of the rear first component 2811A. After flowing backward through the ball passage 2811e within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, it is handed over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, which is located behind the panel plate 1110 (game panel 1100). The game ball B handed over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 is detected by the general prize opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward.

The side unit 2800D of this embodiment can achieve the same effects and advantages as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the above-described side unit 2800D, a notch 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) is provided in the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820. However, the design is not limited to this configuration. Alternatively, the notch 2820c may be provided in the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820, while a notch (non-contact surface portion 2831) is provided in the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A, cut from the rear end to the front. Alternatively, notches (non-contact surfaces) may be provided in both the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800D shows a frame-shaped support frame portion 2814 projecting rearward from the unit body 2810A, with its rear end surface serving as a contact surface portion 2830, the design is not limited to this. Alternatively, the support frame portion 2814 may be omitted from the unit body 2810A, and the front end of the unit cover 2820 (peripheral wall portion 2820b) may contact the rear surface of the unit body 2810A, with the contact area serving as the contact surface portion 2830. This eliminates the need for the rearward-projecting support frame portion 2814, allowing the LED board 2825 to be positioned further forward, thus enabling a brighter luminous decoration (luminous effect) to be displayed to the player.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800D shows the LED board 2825 mounted on the unit cover 2820, it is not limited to this configuration. The LED board 2825 may also be mounted on the rear side of the unit body 2810A (first component 2811A).

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800D described above, a diffusion lens portion consisting of multiple protrusions and indentations to diffuse light from the LED 2825a may be provided in front of the LED substrate 2825. This diffusion lens portion may be provided on the rear surface of the unit body 2810A (the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A), or it may be provided on a component separate from the unit body 2810A.

Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows a game panel 1100 equipped with a transparent resin panel board 1110, it is not limited to this, and a wooden game panel 1100 may also be used. By using wood for the game panel 1100, the thickness of the board will be greater compared to a resin one, making it easier to make more effective use of the thickness of the game panel 1100. However, if the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110) is transparent, the light from the LED 2825a of the LED substrate 2825 will enter the panel board 1110 from the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and diffuse inside the panel board 1110, reducing the amount of light irradiated forward, which may weaken the effect of the light emission. In contrast, by making the game panel 1100 out of wood (opaque), the light from the LEDs 2825a of the LED substrate 2825 does not enter the interior of the game panel 1100 from the inner surface of the opening 1112. Instead, it can be reflected by the inner surface of the opening 1112, thereby suppressing the reduction in the amount of light emitted forward and making it easier to fully realize the effects of the light emission.

[12-2e. Modification 5 of the side unit]
Next, a side unit 2800E with a different configuration from the one described above will be explained, mainly with reference to Figure 110. Figure 110 is an explanatory diagram showing a side unit with a different configuration in a vertical cross-section together with the game panel. Here, components with the same configuration as the side unit 2800D described above will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800E extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starter unit 2100 within the game area 5a where the game ball B is launched when the player operates the handle 160, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general prize entry openings 2001 that are open to receive the game ball B at all times.

The side unit 2800E comprises a unit body 2810A attached from the front to a flat panel plate 1110 on which obstacle nails are planted in the game panel 1100; a unit cover 2820 attached from the rear of the unit body 2810A; and an LED board 2825 provided between the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820, on which multiple LEDs 2825a are mounted. The unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800E are made of transparent synthetic resin.

Furthermore, the side unit 2800E has a contact surface portion 2830 where the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 provided on a part of the contact surface portion 2830 that is not in contact with each other.

The unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800E has a first component 2811A that is attached from the front to the flat panel plate 1110 on which the obstacle nails of the game panel 1100 are planted, a second component 2812A that is attached from the rear to the first component 2811A, and a support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer edge of the unit cover 2820, with its rear end surface abutting the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. In this embodiment, the second component 2812A is attached to the front side of the first component 2811A. Also, the support frame portion 2814 protrudes from the rear surface of the first component 2811A.

The first component 2811A of the unit body 2810A includes a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), a ball passage 2811e that penetrates the base plate 2811a and opens forward, allowing game balls B received in the general prize entry opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2812c) to flow down along the surface (plate surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and a passage outlet (not shown) that opens towards the rear at the downstream end of the ball passage 2811e.

Furthermore, the first component 2811A has a plurality of positioning protrusions 2811c projecting rearward from the base plate 2811a, a plurality of mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a for attachment to the game panel 1100, a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the base plate 2811a for attaching the second component 2812A, and a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) provided on the rear surface for attaching the unit cover 2820 (see Figure 104).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the front component 1000. Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 provided in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are provided near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and in the upper part near the left-right center of the base plate 2811a. Countersunk recesses are formed on the front side of these mounting holes 2811d, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When mounted on the front of panel 1110, the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude beyond the front surface of base plate 2811a.

The first component 2811A has a support frame portion 2814 on its rear side, the rear end of which abuts against the front end of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the first component 2811A has a support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer peripheral edge of the unit cover 2820, with its rear end surface abutting against the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. The support frame portion 2814 is provided on the rear surface of the base plate 2811a. The rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 abuts against the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820, which will be described later, when assembled with the side unit 2800E. That is, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b constitute the contact surface portion 2830.

The second component 2812A has a plurality of ball-receiving portions 2812c that extend short in the front-rear direction and are open at the top and rear, forming a general prize-winning opening 2001; a flat rear plate 2812e connecting the rear ends of the plurality of ball-receiving portions 2812c; and a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) for attachment to the first component 2811A.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative seal 2803 is attached to the front surface of the ball-receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A and to the front surface of the rear plate 2812e.

The unit body 2810A is assembled by positioning the second component 2812A in front of the first component 2811A, and then screwing mounting screws into the mounting holes of the second component 2812A from the rear through the mounting holes of the first component 2811A. This constructs the unit body 2810A, in which the second component 2812A is attached to the first component 2811A from the rear. In this unit body 2810A, the ball-receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A protrudes forward from the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A.

The unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800E has a branch section 2801 that communicates with the general prize entry opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2812c), and a main section 2802 that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel plate 1110 on the game panel 1100. The ball passage 2811e is composed of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

The branch section 2801 extends rearward from a point in front of the front surface of the panel plate 1110 to a point behind the front surface of the panel plate 1110, above the main section 2802 (within the thickness of the panel plate 1110).

The main channel 2802 runs along the surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 and extends from near the left end to near the right end of the base plate 2811a, sloping downwards to the right. The length of the main channel 2802 is at least twice the diameter of the game ball B (in this embodiment, 8 to 10 times).

Furthermore, when assembled to the unit body 2810A, the ball passage 2811e, which is open to the front in the first component 2811A, is closed off by the rear plate 2812e of the second component 2812A, except for the area behind the ball receiving portion 2812c. This prevents game balls B from spilling forward from the ball passage 2811e. In other words, the ball passage 2811e is formed by the first component 2811A and the second component 2812A. To put it another way, the ball passage 2811e is provided between the first component 2811A and the second component 2812A.

As shown in Figure 110, the first component 2811A of this embodiment is formed such that the portion excluding the base plate 2811a is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and its depth fits within the thickness of the panel plate 1110.

The unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800E is formed in a shallow, open container shape, and houses the LED substrate 2825 inside. This unit cover 2820 has a flat cover portion 2820a, a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2820b protruding forward from the outer edge of the cover portion 2820a, and a notch portion 2820c recessed from the front end in a part of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. Multiple ventilation slits may be provided in the cover portion 2820a.

Furthermore, the unit cover 2820 has multiple boss portions 2820d that protrude forward from the front surface of the cover portion 2820a, shorter than the peripheral wall portion 2820b, for mounting the LED substrate 2825, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the cover portion 2820a, through which mounting screws for attaching it to the unit body 2810A are inserted.

The cover portion 2820a of the unit cover 2820 is sized to cover the LED substrate 2825 from the rear. The peripheral wall portion 2820b has the same outer shape as the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A. The front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b contacts the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A when assembled to the side unit 2800E. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b constitute the contact surface portion 2830.

The notches 2820c are provided on the upper and lower sides of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. By assembling the notches 2820c to the side unit 2800D, a gap can be formed between the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b and the front end surface of the support frame portion 2814 on the unit body 2810A. In other words, the notches 2820c form a non-contact surface portion 2831 on a part of the contact surface portion 2830, which is formed by the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. These notches 2820c allow ventilation inside the container-shaped unit cover 2820, enabling heat from the LED substrate 2825 mounted inside to be dissipated to the outside, preventing heat buildup in the unit cover 2820.

The LED board 2825 of the side unit 2800E is mounted inside the unit cover 2820 with its rear surface in contact with the front end of the boss portion 2820d on the unit cover 2820. The multiple LEDs 2825a mounted on the LED board 2825 are full-color LEDs, and by assembling them into the side unit 2800E, the side unit 2800E can be illuminated and decorated with various colors.

This side unit 2800E can be assembled by attaching the LED board 2825 to the boss portion 2820d inside the unit cover 2820, bringing the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 into contact with the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A, and then screwing mounting screws into the mounting holes of the first component member 2811A of the unit body 2810A through the mounting holes of the unit cover 2820 from the rear of the unit cover 2820 and tightening them.

To attach the side unit 2800E to the game panel 1100, first, from the front of the panel plate 1110 on the game panel 1100, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A is brought into contact with the front surface of the panel plate 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 through which the panel plate 1110 penetrates. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811A are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110. In this state, the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811A coincides with the mounting hole 1114 of the panel plate 1110.

Then, by screwing the mounting screws through the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811A into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 and tightening them from the front, the side unit 2800E is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110. At this time, because the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811A are provided near the positioning projection 2811c, screwing the mounting screws through the mounting holes 2811d into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100 allows the positioning projection 2811c to be firmly pressed towards the panel plate 1110 side, ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole 1113, and preventing the positioning projection 2811c from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

In the side unit 2800E, the first component 2811A is provided with a ball passage 2811e that allows game balls B to flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110. Since the cross-section of the ball passage 2811e is U-shaped, the rigidity of the first component 2811A is increased by the presence of the ball passage 2811e. On the other hand, the second component 2812A has a form in which multiple ball receiving parts 2812c protrude forward from a flat rear plate 2812e, so it is similar to a conventional side unit and has low rigidity. However, by assembling it with the unit body 2810A, the rigidity can be increased compared to a conventional side unit due to the increased rigidity of the first component 2811A. Therefore, during the disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or other purposes, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800E to the panel board 1110 are removed and the side unit 2800E is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800E prevents it from bending. As a result, the positioning projection 2811c of the side unit 2800E (first component 2811A) does not tilt relative to the positioning hole 1113 of the panel board 1110, allowing the side unit 2800E to be easily removed from the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting.

When the side unit 2800E is attached to the front of the panel board 1110 (the assembled game board 5), the first component 2811A of the unit body 2810A is located within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and within the thickness of the panel board 1110, and is located in front of the rear surface of the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the side unit 2800E is assembled to the game board 5, the unit cover 2820 protrudes further rearward than the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. In this case, since notches 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) are provided at the top and bottom, the upper notch 2820c allows heat from the LED substrate 2825 to be discharged upward, while the lower notch 2820c allows outside air to be drawn in. Also, when assembled to the game board 5, a gap is provided between the outer circumference of the portion of the unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800E that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, that is, between the outer circumference of the ball passage 2811e of the first component member 2811A and the inner circumference of the opening 1112. These features make it easier to release heat from the LED substrate 2825 to the outside through the notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831), allowing for efficient heat dissipation.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, the LED board 2825 is positioned behind the notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831) in the side unit 2800E. In other words, in a plan view, the LED board 2825 is positioned so as not to overlap with the notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831). This makes it difficult for dust and dirt to reach the LED board 2825 even if they enter the unit cover 2820 through the notch 2820c, thus minimizing the impact of dust and dirt. In addition, since a notch 2820c is also provided on the lower side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enter from the upper notch 2820c can be discharged downwards from the lower notch 2820c.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the side unit 2800E is assembled to the game board 5, the notch 2820c of the unit cover 2820 is located within the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and within the thickness of the panel plate 1110. Therefore, dust and dirt are less likely to enter the unit cover 2820 from above through the notch 2820c.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the side unit 2800E is assembled to the game board 5, a gap is provided between the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100. The opening 1112 is also covered from the front by the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811. This allows heat from the LED substrate 2825 inside the unit cover 2820 to be dissipated towards the rear of the panel plate 1110 through the gap between the notch 2820c and the inner surface of the opening 1112. It also prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the game area 5a on the front side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800E is assembled to the game board 5, as shown in Figure 110, a portion (the front end) of the ball passage 2811e provided in the unit body 2810A protrudes forward beyond the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. Here, the ball passage 2811e protrudes forward by the thickness of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A. This reduces the amount of protrusion of the unit cover 2820 (LED substrate 2825) that protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, thus ensuring sufficient space behind the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and allowing for the installation of a rear-facing display unit 3500 (rear-facing movable decorative element 3510) of the desired size.

Furthermore, the amount of projection from the panel 1110 toward the rear is set to be less than or equal to half the diameter D of the game ball B, similar to the side unit 2800A in Figure 106.

By the way, when the game panel 1100 is formed by injection molding, the thickness of the game area 5a where the obstacle nails are planted tends to be thinner than when the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) is made of wooden plywood or a cut resin plate. As a result, the part of the unit body 2810A that is aligned with the surface of the panel plate 1110 in the ball passage 2811e, and the unit cover 2820 attached to the rear side of the unit body 2810A, may not fit within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 and may protrude behind the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, if the amount of protrusion behind the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 in the side unit 2800E is large, it becomes impossible to secure sufficient space behind it. In contrast, in this embodiment, the amount of protrusion from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 in the side unit 2800E is set to 1/2 or less of the diameter D of the game ball B. Therefore, sufficient space can be secured at the rear, and a rear-facing display unit 3500 (rear-facing movable decorative element 3510) of the desired size can be installed.

In the side unit 2800E, when a game ball B is received into the general prize opening 2001, it is guided to the rear ball passage 2811e by the ball receiving section 2812c that forms the general prize opening 2001. The ball then flows down along the surface of the panel plate 1110, staying within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, before being passed to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 via a passage exit (not shown). After being passed to the rear ball guidance unit 3100, the game ball B is detected by the general prize opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downwards.

In this embodiment, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the side unit 2800E has a passage exit (not shown) of the first component 2811A in the unit body 2810A that is positioned below the movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In other words, the general prize slot sensor 3001, which detects the game ball B received in the general prize slot 2001 (ball receiving section 2812c), is positioned below the movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. Therefore, the side unit 2800E, the general prize slot sensor 3001, etc., do not obstruct the movable decorative body 3510.

The side unit 2800E of this embodiment can achieve the same effects and advantages as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the above-described side unit 2800E, a notch 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) is provided in the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820. However, the design is not limited to this configuration. Alternatively, the notch 2820c may be provided in the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820, while a notch (non-contact surface portion 2831) is provided in the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A, cut out from the rear end to the front. Alternatively, notches (non-contact surfaces) may be provided in both the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800E shows a frame-shaped support frame portion 2814 projecting rearward from the unit body 2810A, with its rear end surface serving as a contact surface portion 2830, the design is not limited to this configuration. Alternatively, the support frame portion 2814 may be omitted from the unit body 2810A, and the front end of the unit cover 2820 (peripheral wall portion 2820b) may abut against the rear surface of the unit body 2810A, with the abutting portion serving as the contact surface portion 2830. This eliminates the need for a rearward-projecting support frame portion 2814, thereby reducing the amount of projection from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 in the side unit 2800E, and allowing for a wider space behind the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800E shows the LED board 2825 mounted on the unit cover 2820, it is not limited to this configuration. The LED board 2825 may also be mounted on the rear side of the unit body 2810A (first component 2811A).

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800E described above, a diffusion lens portion consisting of multiple protrusions and indentations that diffuse light from the LED 2825a may be provided in front of the LED substrate 2825. This diffusion lens portion may be provided on the rear surface of the unit body 2810A (first component 2811A), or it may be provided on a separate component from the unit body 2810A.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800E has a ball passage 2811e composed of multiple branch sections 2801 communicating with each ball receiving section 2812c, and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 merge, the design is not limited to this configuration. The ball passage 2811e may also be independent for each ball receiving section 2812c.

Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows a game panel 1100 equipped with a transparent resin panel board 1110, it is not limited to this, and a wooden game panel 1100 may also be used. By using wood for the game panel 1100, the thickness of the board will be greater compared to a resin one, making it easier to make more effective use of the thickness of the game panel 1100. However, if the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110) is transparent, the light from the LED 2825a of the LED substrate 2825 will enter the panel board 1110 from the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and diffuse inside the panel board 1110, reducing the amount of light irradiated forward, which may weaken the effect of the light emission. In contrast, by making the game panel 1100 out of wood (opaque), the light from the LEDs 2825a of the LED substrate 2825 does not enter the interior of the game panel 1100 from the inner surface of the opening 1112. Instead, it can be reflected by the inner surface of the opening 1112, thereby suppressing the reduction in the amount of light emitted forward and making it easier to fully realize the effects of the light emission.

[12-2f. Modification 6 of the side unit]
Next, a side unit 2800F with a different configuration from the one described above will be explained, mainly with reference to Figure 111, etc. Figure 111(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of a side unit with a different configuration together with the game panel, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing (a) in a longitudinal section. Here, the same reference numerals are used to describe the same components as in the side unit 2800D described above.

The side unit 2800F extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starter unit 2100 within the game area 5a where the game ball B is launched when the player operates the handle 160. It is equipped with multiple (two to four) general prize entry openings 2001 that are open to continuously receive the game ball B.

The side unit 2800F comprises a unit body 2810A attached from the front to a flat panel plate 1110 on which obstacle nails are planted in the game panel 1100; a unit cover 2820 attached from the rear of the unit body 2810A; and an LED board 2825 provided between the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820, on which multiple LEDs 2825a are mounted. The unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800F are made of transparent synthetic resin.

Furthermore, the side unit 2800F has a contact surface portion 2830 where the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 provided on a part of the contact surface portion 2830 that is not in contact with each other.

The unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800F has a first component 2811A that is attached from the front to the flat panel plate 1110 on which the obstacle nails of the game panel 1100 are planted, a second component 2812A that is attached from the rear to the first component 2811A, and a support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer edge of the unit cover 2820, with its rear end surface abutting the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. In this embodiment, the second component 2812A is attached to the front side of the first component 2811A. Also, the support frame portion 2814 protrudes from the rear surface of the first component 2811A.

The first component 2811A of the unit body 2810A includes a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), a ball passage 2811e that penetrates the base plate 2811a and opens forward, allowing game balls B received in the general prize entry opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2812c) to flow down along the surface (plate surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and a passage outlet (not shown) that opens towards the rear at the downstream end of the ball passage 2811e.

Furthermore, the first component 2811A has a plurality of positioning protrusions 2811c projecting rearward from the base plate 2811a, a plurality of mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a for attachment to the game panel 1100, a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the base plate 2811a for attaching the second component 2812A, and a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) provided on the rear surface for attaching the unit cover 2820 (see Figure 104).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the front component 1000. Furthermore, in the side unit 2800F, the spherical passage 2811e of the first component 2811A is located below the vertical center of the base plate 2811a.

Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are provided spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 provided in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are provided near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and at the upper part near the left-right center of the base plate 2811a. These mounting holes 2811d have countersunk recesses on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When mounted on the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

The first component 2811A has a support frame portion 2814 on its rear side, the rear end of which abuts against the front end of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the first component 2811A has a support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer peripheral edge of the unit cover 2820, with its rear end surface abutting against the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. The support frame portion 2814 is provided above the spherical passage 2811e and on the rear surface of the base plate 2811a. The rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 abuts against the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820, which will be described later, when assembled with the side unit 2800F. That is, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b constitute the contact surface portion 2830.

The second component 2812A has a plurality of ball receiving sections 2812c that extend short in the front-rear direction and are open at the top and bottom, forming a general prize entry opening 2001; a flat front plate 2812d connecting the front ends of the plurality of ball receiving sections 2812c; a ball passage 2812f located behind the front plate 2812d and below the ball receiving sections 2812c, open to the rear, through which the game balls B received in the ball receiving sections 2812c flow; and a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) for attachment to the first component 2811A.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the front plate 2812d of the second component 2812A.

The unit body 2810A is assembled by positioning the second component 2812A in front of the first component 2811A, and then screwing mounting screws into the mounting holes of the second component 2812A from the rear through the mounting holes of the first component 2811A. This constructs the unit body 2810A, in which the second component 2812A is attached to the first component 2811A from the rear. In this unit body 2810A, the ball-receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A protrudes forward from the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A.

The unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800F has a branch section 2801 (shown as a lightly shaded area in Figure 111) that communicates with the general prize entry opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2812c), and a main section 2802 (shown as a darkly shaded area in Figure 111) that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. The ball passages 2811e and 2812f are composed of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

In a front view, the branch portion 2801 extends downward in front of the panel plate 1110 at the ball-receiving portion 2812c in the left-right direction and at the ball-receiving portion 2812c at its left end, while the ball-receiving portion 2812c at its right end extends backward from the portion in front of the panel plate 1110 to the portion within the thickness of the panel plate 1110.

The main channel 2802 extends along the surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, from below the leftmost ball receiving portion 2812c in a front view to below the center ball receiving portion 2812c in the left-right direction. It then bends backward at the center ball receiving portion 2812c, extends within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, and continues along the surface of the panel plate 1110 to the rear of the rightmost ball receiving portion 2812c within the panel plate thickness. The length of the main channel 2802 is at least twice the diameter of the game ball B (in this embodiment, 8 to 15 times).

When assembled to the main unit 2810A, the ball passage 2811e, which is open to the front in the first component 2811A, is closed by the ball passage 2812f and rear surface of the second component 2812A. Similarly, the ball passage 2812f, which is open to the rear in the second component 2812A, is closed by the base plate 2811a and ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A. As a result, game balls B will not spill out of the ball passages 2811e and 2812f. In other words, the ball passages 2811e and 2812f are formed by the first component 2811A and the second component 2812A. To put it another way, the ball passages 2811e and 2812f are provided between the first component 2811A and the second component 2812A.

As shown in Figure 111, the first component 2811A of this embodiment is formed such that the portion excluding the base plate 2811a is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and its depth fits within the thickness of the panel plate 1110.

The unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800F is formed in a shallow, open container shape, and houses the LED substrate 2825 inside. This unit cover 2820 has a flat cover portion 2820a, a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2820b protruding forward from the outer edge of the cover portion 2820a, and a notch portion 2820c recessed from the front end in a part of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. Multiple ventilation slits may be provided in the cover portion 2820a.

Furthermore, the unit cover 2820 has multiple boss portions 2820d that protrude forward from the front surface of the cover portion 2820a, shorter than the peripheral wall portion 2820b, for mounting the LED substrate 2825, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the cover portion 2820a, through which mounting screws for attaching it to the unit body 2810A are inserted.

The cover portion 2820a of the unit cover 2820 is sized to cover the LED substrate 2825 from the rear. The peripheral wall portion 2820b has the same outer shape as the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A. The front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b contacts the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A when assembled to the side unit 2800F. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b constitute the contact surface portion 2830.

The notches 2820c are provided on the upper and lower sides of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. By assembling the notches 2820c to the side unit 2800D, a gap can be formed between the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b and the front end surface of the support frame portion 2814 on the unit body 2810A. In other words, the notches 2820c form a non-contact surface portion 2831 on a part of the contact surface portion 2830, which is formed by the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. These notches 2820c allow ventilation inside the container-shaped unit cover 2820, enabling heat from the LED substrate 2825 mounted inside to be dissipated to the outside, preventing heat buildup in the unit cover 2820.

The LED board 2825 of the side unit 2800F is mounted inside the unit cover 2820 with its rear surface in contact with the front end of the boss portion 2820d on the unit cover 2820. The multiple LEDs 2825a mounted on the LED board 2825 are full-color LEDs, and by assembling them into the side unit 2800F, the side unit 2800F can be illuminated and decorated with various colors.

This side unit 2800F can be assembled by attaching the LED board 2825 to the boss portion 2820d inside the unit cover 2820, bringing the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 into contact with the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A, and then screwing mounting screws into the mounting holes of the first component member 2811A of the unit body 2810A through the mounting holes of the unit cover 2820 from the rear of the unit cover 2820 and tightening them.

To attach the side unit 2800F to the game panel 1100, first, from the front of the panel plate 1110 on the game panel 1100, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A is brought into contact with the front surface of the panel plate 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 through which the panel plate 1110 penetrates. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811A are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110. In this state, the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811A coincides with the mounting hole 1114 of the panel plate 1110.

Then, by screwing the mounting screws through the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811A into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 and tightening them from the front, the side unit 2800F is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110. At this time, because the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811A are provided near the positioning projection 2811c, screwing the mounting screws through the mounting holes 2811d into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 on the game panel 1100 allows the positioning projection 2811c to be firmly pressed towards the panel plate 1110 side, ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole 1113, and preventing the positioning projection 2811c from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

In the side unit 2800F, the first component 2811A is provided with a ball passage 2811e that allows game balls B to flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110. Since the cross-section of the ball passage 2811e is U-shaped, the rigidity of the first component 2811A is increased by the presence of the ball passage 2811e. On the other hand, the second component 2812A is also provided with a ball passage 2812f that allows game balls B to flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110. Since the cross-section of the ball passage 2812f is U-shaped, the rigidity of the second component 2812A is increased by the presence of the ball passage 2812f. As a result, the side unit 2800F is constructed by combining the first component 2811A and the second component 2812A, which have increased rigidity, making it possible to increase the rigidity compared to conventional side units. Therefore, during the disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or other purposes, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800F to the panel board 1110 are removed and the side unit 2800F is pulled forward, the rigidity of the side unit 2800F is increased, preventing it from bending. As a result, the positioning projection 2811c of the side unit 2800F (first component 2811A) does not tilt relative to the positioning hole 1113 of the panel board 1110, allowing the side unit 2800F to be easily removed from the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting.

When the side unit 2800F is attached to the front of the panel board 1110 (the assembled game board 5), the ball passage 2811e and the unit cover 2820 (LED substrate 2825) of the first component 2811A of the unit body 2810A are located within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and within the thickness of the panel board 1110, and are located in front of the rear surface of the panel board 1110. In other words, when assembled to the game board 5, the side unit 2800 does not protrude behind the rear surface of the panel board 1110, making it possible to secure ample space behind the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800F of this embodiment, the unit cover 2820 has notches 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) at the top and bottom. Therefore, the upper notch 2820c allows heat from the LED substrate 2825 to be expelled upwards, while the lower notch 2820c allows outside air to be drawn in. Also, when assembled to the game board 5, a gap is provided between the outer circumference of the portion of the side unit 2800F inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in the unit body 2810A, that is, between the outer circumference of the support frame portion 2814 of the first component 2811A and the inner circumference of the opening 1112. These features facilitate the release of heat from the LED substrate 2825 to the outside through the notches 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831), enabling efficient heat dissipation.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, the LED board 2825 is positioned behind the notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831) in the side unit 2800F. In other words, in a plan view, the LED board 2825 is positioned so as not to overlap with the notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831). This makes it difficult for dust and dirt to reach the LED board 2825 even if they enter the unit cover 2820 through the notch 2820c, thus minimizing the impact of dust and dirt. Additionally, since a notch 2820c is provided on the lower side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enters through the upper notch 2820c can be discharged downwards through the lower notch 2820c.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the side unit 2800F is assembled to the game board 5, the notch 2820c of the unit cover 2820 is located within the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and within the thickness of the panel plate 1110. Therefore, dust and dirt are less likely to enter the unit cover 2820 from above through the notch 2820c.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the side unit 2800F is assembled to the game board 5, a gap is provided between the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100. The opening 1112 is also covered from the front by the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811. This allows heat from the LED substrate 2825 inside the unit cover 2820 to be dissipated towards the rear of the panel plate 1110 through the gap between the notch 2820c and the inner surface of the opening 1112. It also prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the game area 5a on the front side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, when assembled to the game board 5, the side unit 2800F, as shown in Figure 111, has a ball passage 2812f through which the game balls B received in the ball receiving section 2812c flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. This passage is located in front of the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. This allows the unit cover 2820 (LED substrate 2825), located on the rear side of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A, to be housed within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 and within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, preventing it from protruding beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. Therefore, sufficient space can be secured behind the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) in the side unit 2800F, allowing for the installation of a rear-facing display unit 3500 (rear-facing movable decorative element 3510) of the desired size.

In the side unit 2800F, when a game ball B is received into the general prize opening 2001, it flows down into the ball passage 2812f below via the ball receiving section 2812c that forms the general prize opening 2001. The ball flows down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 in front of the front surface of the panel plate 1110 via the ball passage 2812f, then bends backward in a crank shape and flows down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, before being handed over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, which is located at the rear via a passage exit (not shown). The game ball B handed over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 is detected by the general prize opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward. On the other hand, if a game ball B flowing down toward the side unit 2800F is not received by the general prize entry opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2812c) of the side unit 2800F, the game ball B flows down through the space between the base plate 2811a and the front plate 2812d to the out opening 1008, and is discharged through the out opening 1008 to the rear and downward of the game panel 1100.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 111(b), the side unit 2800F has a passage exit (not shown) of the first component 2811A in the unit body 2810A positioned below the movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In other words, the general prize slot sensor 3001, which detects the game ball B received in the general prize slot 2001 (ball receiving section 2812c), is positioned below the movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. Therefore, the side unit 2800F, the general prize slot sensor 3001, etc., do not obstruct the movable decorative body 3510.

The side unit 2800F of this embodiment can achieve the same effects and advantages as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the above-described side unit 2800F, a notch 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) is provided in the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820. However, the design is not limited to this configuration. Alternatively, the notch 2820c may be provided in the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820, while a notch (non-contact surface portion 2831) is provided in the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A, cut from the rear end to the front. Alternatively, notches (non-contact surfaces) may be provided in both the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800F shows a frame-shaped support portion 2814 projecting rearward from the unit body 2810A, with its rear end surface serving as a contact surface portion 2830, the design is not limited to this configuration. Alternatively, the support portion 2814 may be omitted from the unit body 2810A, and the front end of the unit cover 2820 (peripheral wall portion 2820b) may abut against the rear surface of the unit body 2810A, with the abutting portion serving as the contact surface portion 2830. This eliminates the need for the rearward-projecting support portion 2814, thereby reducing the amount of rearward projection in the side unit 2800F.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800F shows the LED board 2825 mounted on the unit cover 2820, it is not limited to this configuration. The LED board 2825 may also be mounted on the rear side of the unit body 2810A (first component 2811A).

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800F described above, a diffusion lens portion consisting of multiple protrusions and indentations to diffuse light from the LED 2825a may be provided in front of the LED substrate 2825. This diffusion lens portion may be provided on the rear surface of the unit body 2810A (first component 2811A), or it may be provided on a separate component from the unit body 2810A.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800F is shown to have a ball passage 2811e composed of multiple branch sections 2801 communicating with each ball receiving section 2812c, and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 merge, it is not limited to this configuration. The ball passage 2811e may also be independent for each ball receiving section 2812c.

Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows a game panel 1100 equipped with a transparent resin panel board 1110, it is not limited to this, and a wooden game panel 1100 may also be used. By using wood for the game panel 1100, the thickness of the board will be greater compared to a resin one, making it easier to make more effective use of the thickness of the game panel 1100. However, if the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110) is transparent, the light from the LED 2825a of the LED substrate 2825 will enter the panel board 1110 from the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and diffuse inside the panel board 1110, reducing the amount of light irradiated forward, which may weaken the effect of the light emission. In contrast, by making the game panel 1100 out of wood (opaque), the light from the LEDs 2825a of the LED substrate 2825 does not enter the interior of the game panel 1100 from the inner surface of the opening 1112. Instead, it can be reflected by the inner surface of the opening 1112, thereby suppressing the reduction in the amount of light emitted forward and making it easier to fully realize the effects of the light emission.

[12-3. Side Unit, etc., of the Third Embodiment]
Next, the side unit 2800G of the third embodiment will be described mainly with reference to Figures 112 and 114. Figure 112(a) is a front view showing the main part of a game board in which the side unit of the third embodiment is installed, (b) is an enlarged explanatory diagram showing the part of the out opening in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing (b) in a vertical cross-section. Figure 113(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged explanatory diagram of the part of the out opening of a game board in which a side unit having a finger grip portion of a different form than that of Figure 112 is installed, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing (a) in a vertical cross-section. Figure 114 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a panel plate of a game panel in which the opening to which the side unit is installed and the out opening are continuously connected. Here, the same components as described above will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800G of the third embodiment extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the start port unit 2100 within the game area 5a where the game ball B is launched when the player operates the handle 160, and is attached to the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) from the front. The side unit 2800G is equipped with three general prize entry openings 2001 that are open to receive game ball B at all times.

In this embodiment, the game panel 1100 has an opening region 1101 that penetrates the panel plate 1110, allowing game balls B to flow from the front to the rear of the panel plate 1110. This opening region 1101 consists of a normal opening region 1102 through which game balls B received into the general prize-winning opening 2001 of the side unit 2800G can flow, and a specific opening region 1103 through which game balls B not received into the general prize-winning opening 2001 can flow. The normal opening region 1102 is the opening 1112 at the location where the side unit 2800G is attached, and the specific opening region 1103 is the out-out opening 1008. This out-out opening 1008 is formed in the panel plate 1110 as a notch that opens downwards.

In the embodiments shown in Figure 112 and Figure 113 (described later), the ordinary opening region 1102 and the specific opening region 1103 constituting the opening region 1101 are independent of each other and not connected. That is, the specific opening region 1103 is formed separately from the ordinary opening region 1102 on the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. In other words, the out opening 1008 is composed of the specific opening region 1103 formed separately from the ordinary opening region 1102 into which the side unit 2800G is fitted, on the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. This makes it possible to reduce the area of the portion of the panel plate 1110 that is notched outward from the outer periphery, thereby suppressing the reduction in the strength of the panel plate 1110 caused by forming the opening region 1101.

This side unit 2800G has a finger grip portion 2816 whose outer edge partially overlaps the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103) that penetrates the panel 1110 when attached to the panel 1110. In other words, the side unit 2800G is attached to the panel 1110 such that a portion of its outer edge overlaps the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103).

Because the side unit 2800G is provided with a finger grip portion 2816, during the disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or other purposes, with the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800G to the panel board 1110 removed, a finger or tool can be inserted into the outlet 1008 to hook the finger grip portion 2816 and pull the side unit 2800G forward. This allows for easy removal of the side unit 2800G from the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), reducing the disassembly work required for sorting.

To further explain the side unit 2800G of this embodiment, the side unit 2800G, like the side unit 2800 shown in Figure 104, consists of a first component 2811 attached from the front to a flat panel plate 1110 on which obstacle nails are planted in the game panel 1100, and a second component 2812 attached from the rear to the first component 2811. In this embodiment, the second component 2812 is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811.

The first component 2811 of the side unit 2800G has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and a plurality of ball receiving portions 2811b that protrude forward from the base plate 2811a, are open at the top and rear, and form a general prize entry opening 2001.

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the front component 1000. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 112, the right end of the base plate 2811a extends to the right of the ball receiving portion 2811b at the right end, approaching the start port unit 2100. This base plate 2811a is provided such that a portion of its outer edge overlaps the outlet port 1008 (specific opening region 1103). In other words, when attached to the panel plate 1110, a portion of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a is formed to protrude forward of the outlet port 1008 (specific opening region 1103) in a front view, overlapping the outlet port 1008. In this embodiment, the portion of the base plate 2811a that protrudes forward of the outlet port 1008 is the finger rest portion 2816.

The outer edge of the base plate 2811a is inclined such that the front surface moves backward as it approaches the outer edge. Therefore, the portion of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a corresponding to the outlet 1008, that is, the front end surface of the finger rest 2816, is inclined toward the outlet 1008.

The three ball-receiving sections 2811b are spaced apart from each other to the left and right, and are positioned so that the rightmost ball-receiving section 2811b is positioned lower than the leftmost section. The front end surface of the leftmost ball-receiving section 2811b is formed parallel to the base plate 2811a all the way to its lower end. The remaining (center and rightmost) ball-receiving sections 2811b have front end surfaces that are inclined so that they move backward as they approach their lower ends.

Furthermore, the first component 2811 has two positioning protrusions 2811c projecting rearward from the base plate 2811a, a plurality (three in this case) of mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a for attachment to the game panel 1100, and a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) provided on the rear end surface of the ball receiving portion 2811b (base plate 2811a) for attaching the second component 2812.

The two positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate 2811a. Here, the two positioning protrusions 2811c are located near the out opening 1008 and farther away from the out opening 1008. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 provided in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. In this embodiment, the two positioning protrusions 2811c are of the same length.

The three mounting holes 2811d are located near the positioning projection 2811c on the base plate 2811a and on the upper part near the left-right center of the base plate 2811a. These mounting holes 2811d have countersunk recesses on the front side, allowing countersunk mounting screws (not shown) to be inserted from the front into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110. When mounted on the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

The mounting holes are into which mounting screws are screwed, which are inserted through the mounting holes (not shown) of the second component 2812, described later.

The second component 2812 is formed in a container shape that opens forward and has a ball passage 2812a that allows game balls B received in the general prize opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b) to flow down along the surface (plate surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), a passage outlet 2812b that opens towards the rear at the downstream end of the ball passage 2812a, and a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) for attachment to the first component 2811.

The second component 2812 of this embodiment is inserted (fitted) into the opening 1112 (normal opening area 1102) of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth fits within the thickness of the panel plate 1110.

The spherical passage 2812a of the second component 2812 follows the inner rail 1002 of the front component 1000 and is formed to become lower towards the right along the surface of the panel plate 1110. The passage exit 2812b opens towards the rear at the right end of the second component 2812, which is the downstream end of the spherical passage 2812a.

The mounting holes of the second component 2812 are provided in the same locations as the mounting holes of the first component 2811. By inserting mounting screws through the mounting holes of the second component 2812 from the rear and screwing them into the mounting holes of the first component 2811, the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

The side unit 2800G of this embodiment has a branch section 2801 that communicates with the general prize entry opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), and a main section 2802 that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel plate 1110 on the game panel 1100. The ball passage 2812a is composed of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

The branch section 2801 extends rearward from a point in front of the front surface of the panel plate 1110 to a point behind the front surface of the panel plate 1110, above the main section 2802 (within the thickness of the panel plate 1110).

The main channel 2802 runs along the surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 and extends from near the left end to near the right end of the base plate 2811a, sloping downwards to the right. The length of the main channel 2802 is at least twice the diameter of the game ball B (in this embodiment, 8 to 10 times).

In this embodiment, the side unit 2800G is assembled by positioning the second component 2812 behind the first component 2811 and screwing mounting screws from the rear of the second component 2812 through the mounting holes in the second component 2812 into the mounting holes of the first component 2811. This constructs the side unit 2800G in which the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

The ball passage 2812a of the second component 2812 is open to the front. However, when the first component 2811 is attached to the front side, the front end of the ball passage 2812a is closed by the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811, preventing the game balls B from spilling out of the ball passage 2812a. In other words, the ball passage 2812a is formed by the first component 2811 and the second component 2812. To put it another way, the ball passage 2812a is provided between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812.

This side unit 2800G, from the front of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, brings the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 into contact with the front surface of the panel plate 1110 so that the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 closes the opening 1112 (normal opening area 1102 of the opening area 1101) that penetrates the panel plate 1110. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811 are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110. In this state, the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 coincides with the mounting hole 1114 of the panel plate 1110.

Then, by screwing the mounting screws through the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811 into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 and tightening them from the front, the side unit 2800G is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110. At this time, because the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811 are located near the positioning projection 2811c, screwing the mounting screws through the mounting holes 2811d into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100 allows the positioning projection 2811c to be firmly pressed towards the panel plate 1110 side, ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole 1113, and preventing the positioning projection 2811c from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

In this embodiment, when the side unit 2800G is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 (when the game board 5 is assembled), the finger rest portion 2816 of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 protrudes forward of the out opening 1008 (specific opening area 1103 of the opening area 1101).

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800G is attached to the front of the panel board 1110 (the assembled game board 5), the second component 2812 is located within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and within the thickness of the panel board 1110, and is located in front of the rear surface of the panel board 1110. In other words, when assembled to the game board 5, the side unit 2800G does not protrude beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110, making it possible to secure ample space behind the panel board 1110.

In the side unit 2800G, when a game ball B is received into the general prize opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving section 2811b, which forms the general prize opening 2001, to the ball passage 2812a located behind the front surface of the panel plate 1110. After flowing down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 via the ball passage 2812a, it is handed over from the passage exit 2812b to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000. The game ball B handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 is detected by the general prize opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downwards.

In this embodiment, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the passage exit 2812b of the second component 2812 is located below the lower movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In other words, the general prize entry sensor 3001, which detects the game ball B received in the general prize entry opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), is located below the lower movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. Therefore, the side unit 2800G, the general prize entry sensor 3001, etc., do not obstruct the lower movable decorative body 3510.

The side unit 2800G of this embodiment can achieve the same effects and advantages as the side unit 2800 described above.

In this embodiment, the side unit 2800G is provided with a ball passage 2812a in the second component 2812 that allows the game balls B to flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110. Since the cross-section of the ball passage 2812a is U-shaped, the rigidity of the second component 2812 can be increased by the presence of the ball passage 2812a. Furthermore, since the side unit 2800G is formed by attaching the second component 2812, which has increased rigidity, from the rear side of the first component 2811, the rigidity of the side unit 2800 can be increased compared to conventional side units. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or other purposes, and the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800G to the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 are removed and the side unit 2800G is pulled forward, the side unit 2800 will not bend due to its increased rigidity. As a result, the positioning projection 2811c of the side unit 2800G (first component 2811) does not tilt relative to the positioning hole 1113 of the panel board 1110, allowing the side unit 2800G to be easily removed from the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the side unit 2800G has a finger-grip portion 2816 on a part of its outer edge that overlaps with the outlet opening 1008 of the panel board 1110. Therefore, during the disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or other purposes, with the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800G to the panel board 1110 removed, a finger or tool can be inserted into the outlet opening 1008, allowing the finger to hook onto the finger-grip portion 2816 and pull the side unit 2800G forward. This allows for easy removal of the side unit 2800G from the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), reducing the disassembly work required for sorting.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800G of this embodiment, the finger rest portion 2816 is provided so as to overlap with the outlet opening 1008 (specific opening area 1103). Since the outlet opening 1008 is the size of two or more game balls B, the worker's fingers can be easily inserted into the outlet opening 1008, and their fingers can be easily hooked onto the finger rest portion 2816.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800G, the finger grip portion 2816 of the base plate 2811a is positioned to protrude forward of the out-out opening 1008 so as to overlap with the out-out opening 1008. This prevents game balls B, which have flowed down the game area 5a, from entering the out-out opening 1008 by flowing down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 from above the out-out opening 1008, or from bouncing upwards at the out-guide portion 1003 in front of the out-out opening 1008 and hitting the front corner. In other words, the finger grip portion 2816 protects the game balls B from hitting the front corner of the out-out opening 1008 on the panel plate 1110. This prevents the front end of the out-out opening 1008 from being chipped.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800G, the front surface of the finger grip portion 2816 on the base plate 2811a is inclined toward the outlet opening 1008, resulting in an obtuse angle at the outer edge. Therefore, during the disassembly of the pachinko machine 1, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, if the worker's fingers or other body parts come into contact with the corner of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G, the obtuse angle makes it less likely to injure the fingers or other body parts compared to a case where the corner is a right angle, allowing for safe removal of the side unit 2800G by hand.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800G, the front surface of the finger grip portion 2816 on the base plate 2811a is inclined toward the out-out opening 1008. This allows the game balls B flowing down along the front surface of the base plate 2811a toward the out-out opening 1008, smoothly guiding them toward the out-out opening 1008 and preventing the game balls B from becoming stuck near the out-out opening 1008. Additionally, because the front surface of the finger grip portion 2816 is inclined, the front corner of the finger grip portion 2816 is obtuse, making it less prone to chipping.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800G, by assembling it with the game board 5, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 closes the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100 from the front. This prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the game area 5a on the front side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110.

Incidentally, since the side unit 2800G is provided with two positioning protrusions 2811c, each of which is inserted into a positioning hole 1113 in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel plate 1110 during disassembly, attempting to pull out both positioning protrusions 2811c simultaneously from the positioning holes 1113 would require pulling the side unit 2800G forward with considerable force, potentially increasing the burden on the worker. In contrast, in this embodiment, since the positioning projection 2811c is provided in both a portion close to the out opening 1008 and a portion far from it, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, the worker can hook their fingers or the like onto the finger-grip portion 2816 on the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800 that overlaps with the out opening 1008 and pull it forward, thereby applying a strong pulling force to the positioning projection 2811c closer to the out opening 1008. This allows the two positioning protrusions 2811c to be removed first from the positioning hole 1113, while the remaining positioning protrusion 2811c, which is further away from the outlet 1008, can be removed from the positioning hole 1113. Compared to removing both positioning protrusions 2811c simultaneously, this requires less force, reducing the burden on the worker.

In the above-described side unit 2800G, the finger rest portion 2816 is shown as a flat plate-shaped portion along the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. However, it is not limited to this, and a finger rest portion 2817 in the form shown in Figure 113 may also be used.

The finger rest portion 2817, when the side unit 2800G is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110, overlaps with the outlet 1008 that penetrates the panel plate 1110 in a front view, and extends from the front surface of the panel plate 1110 to the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 along the inner surface of the outlet 1008. This finger rest portion 2817 is provided on the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the first component member 2811 of the side unit 2800G. Furthermore, the front surface of the finger rest portion 2817 is inclined toward the outlet 1008.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 113, the depth of the finger grip portion 2817, which overlaps with the outlet opening 1008 (specific opening region 1103) at the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G, is increased, and the portion inserted into the outlet opening 1008 has a certain thickness. Therefore, the thickness of the finger grip portion 2817 reduces the size of the outlet opening 1008 (the passage volume for discharging the game balls B becomes smaller). However, in this embodiment, the size of the outlet opening 1008 is increased to account for the thickness of the finger grip portion 2817 (the passage volume for discharging the game balls B is increased). This allows the game balls B to be discharged smoothly through the outlet opening 1008.

This finger-grip portion 2817 provides the same functionality and effect as the finger-grip portion 2816 described above. Therefore, during the disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling, etc., with the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800G to the panel board 1110 removed, inserting a finger or tool into the outlet opening 1008 allows the finger to hook onto the finger-grip portion 2817 and pull the side unit 2800G forward. This allows for easy removal of the side unit 2800G from the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), reducing the disassembly work required for sorting.

Furthermore, since the finger rest portion 2817 protrudes further back than the rear surface of the panel board 1110 along the inner surface of the outlet opening 1008, the finger rest portion 2817 can protect the inner surface of the outlet opening 1008. Also, when using a wooden game panel 1100, the finger rest portion 2817 can conceal the inner surface of the outlet opening 1008 where the wood is exposed, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5).

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows the side unit 2800G equipped with finger rests 2816 and 2817, it is not limited to this configuration. As shown in Figures 112 and 113, the starter unit 2100 and attacker unit 2400, which are attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100, may also be equipped with finger rests 2816 and 2817, with a portion of their outer edges overlapping the out-of-out

More specifically, the start-up unit 2100 has a flat base plate 2103 that abuts against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. Finger rests 2816 and 2817 are provided on the base plate 2103 in the area overlapping with the out-out opening 1008. Although not shown in the illustration, the start-up unit 2100 also has multiple positioning protrusions that project rearward from the base plate 2103 and are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, the attacker unit 2400 has a flat base plate 2431 that abuts against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. Finger rests 2816 and 2817 are provided on the base plate 2431 in the portion that overlaps with the out opening 1008. Although not shown in the illustration, the attacker unit 2400 has multiple positioning protrusions that project rearward from the base plate 2431 and are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110.

These starting port units 2100 and attacker units 2400 can also achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800G described above.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the opening 1112, which is closed by the side unit 2800G, and the out-port 1008 are shown to be separate and not connected in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. However, the invention is not limited to this, and as shown in Figure 114, the opening 1112 and the out-port 1008 may be connected in a continuous manner. In other words, the panel plate 1110 may have an opening region 1101 in which the ordinary opening region 1102, which is closed by the side unit 2800G, and the specific opening region 1103, which constitutes the out-port 1008, are connected. To put it another way, the out-port 1008 may be formed in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 so as to be continuous with the ordinary opening region 1102 into which the side unit 2800G is fitted, but may also be composed of a specific opening region 1103 into which the side unit 2800G is not fitted.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 114, the side unit 2800G is provided with a finger rest 2816 such that a portion of the base plate 2811a overlaps the outlet 1008 (specific opening region 1103). This provides the same effects as described above. Furthermore, since the specific opening region 1103 is formed in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 so as to be continuous with the normal opening region 1102, when forming the normal opening region 1102 and the specific opening region 1103 on the panel plate 1110 using a cutting tool such as an end mill, the normal opening region 1102 and the specific opening region 1103 can be cut continuously, thereby reducing the cost of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows a finger rest 2816 (finger rest 2817) on the base plate 2811a (base plate 2103, base plate 2431) that abuts against the front surface of the panel board 1110 in the game panel 1100, overlapping with the out opening 1008, the embodiment is not limited to this. The finger rest 2816 (finger rest 2817) may also be provided on a portion of the panel board 1110 that is separated from the board surface in the front-rear direction (for example, the front plate 2812d that is separated from the panel board 1110 in the front direction).

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows a game panel 1100 equipped with a transparent resin panel board 1110, it is not limited to this, and a wooden game panel 1100 may also be used. By using wood for the game panel 1100, the board thickness is increased compared to a resin one, making it easier to utilize the board thickness of the game panel 1100 more effectively.

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800G is shown having a ball passage 2812a composed of multiple branch sections 2801 communicating with each ball receiving section 2812c, and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 merge, the design is not limited to this configuration. The ball passage 2812a may also be independent for each ball receiving section 2811b.

Furthermore, although the above-described side unit 2800G does not include a ball sensor for detecting the game ball B received in the ball receiving section 2811b, it is not limited to this configuration, and a ball sensor may be included. If a ball sensor is included in the side unit 2800G, it is desirable to place the ball sensor within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, or to place the ball sensor below the rear display device (rear lower display unit 3500).

Furthermore, while the above-described side unit 2800G does not have an LED board on the rear side, it is not limited to this configuration, and LEDs for illumination decoration may also be provided. When an LED board is provided in the side unit 2800G, it is desirable to provide a unit cover that covers the LED board from the rear and whose front end surface abuts against the rear surface of the side unit 2800G (second component 2812), and to provide non-contact surfaces that do not touch the contact surfaces where the unit cover and the side unit come into contact. This allows the LEDs on the LED board to illuminate the side unit 2800G, and allows heat from the LEDs to be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surfaces.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the side units 2800 (side units 2800A, 2800B, 2800C, 2800D, 2800E, 2800F, and 2800G) were shown as effective uses of the thickness of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. However, the invention is not limited to these, and the thickness of the panel plate 1110 may also be effectively utilized in the start-up unit 2100, attacker unit 2400 (attacker unit 2730), normal prize-winning unit 2600, second start-up unit 2720, special prize-winning unit 2740, etc.

[12-4. Relationship between the LED substrate and the non-contact surface in the side unit]
Next, the relationship between the LED substrate 2825 and the non-contact surface portion 2831 in the side units 2800B to 2800F, where the LED substrate 2825 is provided, will be explained mainly with reference to Figure 115, etc. Figure 115(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided behind the LED substrate, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided behind the LED substrate in a different form than (a), (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided so as to overlap the LED substrate, and (d) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided around the entire circumference of the unit cover. In Figures 115(a) and (c), the side unit 2800B of Figure 107 is shown as an example, and in Figures 115(c) and (d), the side unit 2800D of Figure 109 is shown as an example. Here, the same components as described above will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

The LED substrate 2825 shown in Figures 107 to 111 has a resistor mounted on a separate substrate to limit the current driving the mounted LED 2825a. Therefore, the LED 2825a generates the most heat on this LED substrate 2825. In other words, a large amount of heat is released from the front side of the LED substrate 2825 where the LED 2825a is mounted. In the embodiment shown in Figures 107 to 111, a non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch 2820c) is provided near the front side of the LED substrate 2825 where heat generation is greatest. This allows heat from the LED substrate 2825 to be quickly dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch 2820c), preventing heat from accumulating inside the unit cover 2820.

In the above embodiment, the resistor (current-limiting resistor) is shown mounted on a separate board from the LED board 2825. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration, and the resistor may also be mounted on the LED board 2825. For example, the resistor may be mounted on the same side of the LED board 2825 as the LED 2825a is mounted. In this case, similar to the embodiments shown in Figures 107 to 111, a non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch portion 2820c) should be provided on the side of the LED board 2825 closest to the side where the LED 2825a and the resistor are mounted (in this case, the front).

Furthermore, when mounting the LED 2825a and resistor on the same side of the LED substrate 2825, it is desirable to ensure that the LED 2825a and resistor do not overlap in the vertical direction. This prevents the heat emitted from the LED 2825a and resistor from affecting each other.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 115, the LED 2825a and the resistor 2825b for limiting the current supplied to the LED 2825a may be mounted on different sides of the LED substrate 2825. In other words, the resistor 2825b is mounted on the side of the LED substrate 2825 opposite to the side on which the LED 2825a is mounted. In this case, since the heat generated by the resistor 2825b is greater than that of the LED 2825a, a non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch portion 2820c) should be provided on the side of the LED substrate 2825 closest to the side on which the resistor 2825b is mounted (in this case, the rear side), as shown in Figure 115.

More specifically, in the embodiment shown in Figure 115(a), the boss portion 2820d of the unit cover 2820 is extended forward so that the non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch portion 2820c) is located closer to the resistor 2825b mounted on the rear surface of the LED 2825a. This ensures that the LED substrate 2825 is positioned within the frame of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810. This allows heat from the LED substrate 2825 to be quickly dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch portion 2820c), preventing heat buildup inside the unit cover 2820.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 115(a), the LED substrate 2825 is positioned so as not to overlap with the notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831) in a plan view. Therefore, even if dust or dirt enters the unit cover 2820 through the notch 2820c, it is less likely to come into contact with the LED substrate 2825, thus minimizing the impact of dust and dirt. Furthermore, since a notch 2820c is also provided on the lower side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enters through the upper notch 2820c can be discharged downwards through the lower notch 2820c.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 115(a), the non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch portion 2820c) is shown on the unit cover 2820 side. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration; it may also be provided on the unit body 2810 (support frame portion 2814) side, or on both the unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820.

Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in Figure 115(b), the unit body 2810 has a plurality of boss portions 2814a that protrude rearward from within the frame of the support frame portion 2814 on the rear surface of the unit body 2810, to which the LED substrate 2825 is attached, and a notch portion 2814b that is cut out forward from the rear end surface of the frame-shaped support frame portion 2814. In this embodiment, the unit cover 2820 has only a flat cover portion 2820a, but it may also have a peripheral wall portion 2820b as described above.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 115(b), the LED 2825a is mounted on the front of the LED substrate 2825, and the resistor 2825b is mounted on the rear. When the LED substrate 2825 is attached to the boss portion 2814a, the notch 2814b is located behind the rear surface of the LED substrate 2825. In other words, the non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch 2814b) is provided on the side of the LED substrate 2825 closest to the side on which the resistor 2825b is mounted (in this case, the rear surface). This allows heat from the LED substrate 2825 to be quickly dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch 2814b), preventing heat from accumulating inside the unit cover 2820.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 115(b), the LED substrate 2825 is positioned so as not to overlap with the notch 2814b (non-contact surface 2831) in a plan view. Therefore, even if dust or dirt enters the unit cover 2820 through the notch 2814b, it is less likely to come into contact with the LED substrate 2825, thus minimizing the impact of dust and dirt. Furthermore, since a notch 2814b is also provided on the lower side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enters through the upper notch 2814b can be discharged downwards through the lower notch 2814b.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 115(b), the non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch portion 2814b) is provided on the unit body 2810 (support frame portion 2814) side. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration; it may also be provided on the unit cover 2820 side, or on both the unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the LED substrate 2825 is shown not overlapping with the non-contact surface portion 2831 (notches 2814b and 2820c) in a plan view. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and as shown in Figure 115(c), the LED substrate 2825 may overlap with the non-contact surface portion 2831 (notches 2820c). More specifically, in the embodiment shown in Figure 115(c), the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 attached to the support frame portion 2814 are provided so as to be located within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100, within the thickness of the panel plate 1110. In other words, the space formed by the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820, in which the LED substrate 2825 is housed, is provided within the thickness of the panel plate 1110. As a result, even if the LED substrate 2825 is positioned to overlap with the non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch portion 2820c), the notch portion 2820c is located within the thickness of the panel plate 1110's opening 1112. Therefore, the possibility of foreign matter such as dust and dirt from the outside of the panel plate 1110 entering the opening 1112 and then further entering the unit cover 2820 through the notch portion 2820c is minimized. This makes it less likely for dust and dirt to come into contact with the LED substrate 2825, thus minimizing the impact of dust and dirt.

Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in Figure 115(c), a non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch portion 2820c) is provided so as to extend over the LED substrate 2825. Therefore, both the heat from the LED 2825a mounted on the front of the LED substrate 2825 and the heat from the resistor 2825b mounted on the rear can be efficiently dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831, preventing heat from accumulating inside the unit cover 2820.

Note that while Figure 115(c) shows the LED 2825a and resistor 2825b mounted on different sides of the LED substrate 2825, the design is not limited to this configuration. The LED 2825a and resistor 2825b may also be mounted on the same side of the LED substrate 2825.

Furthermore, while Figure 115(c) shows a unit cover 2820 with a notch 2820c as the non-contact surface portion 2831, the design is not limited to this. The non-contact surface portion 2831 may also be provided on the unit body 2810A (support frame portion 2814) side, or on both the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 115(c), a portion of the LED substrate 2825 may be inserted into the non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch portion 2820c) between the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820, or it may protrude outward as long as it does not block the opening of the non-contact surface portion 2831. By inserting the LED substrate 2825 into the non-contact surface portion 2831, or by allowing it to protrude outward through the non-contact surface portion 2831, the LED substrate 2825 can be exposed to the outside air, further enhancing the heat dissipation effect.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows a non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch portion 2820c) provided on a part of the contact surface portion 2830 between the unit body 2810A (support frame portion 2814) and the unit cover 2820, the embodiment is not limited to this. As shown in Figure 115(d), the non-contact surface portion 2831 may be provided around the entire circumference of the unit cover 2820. In other words, a gap is provided around the entire circumference between the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820. In this embodiment, the unit cover 2820 is attached to a boss portion 2814a that protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the unit body 2810A.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 115(d), a portion of the LED substrate 2825 is either inserted into or protrudes from the non-contact surface portion 2831 (gap) between the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A and the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820. Even in this case, the LED substrate 2825 is kept within a range that does not block the opening of the non-contact surface portion 2831. According to this embodiment, the LED substrate 2825 can be more easily exposed to the outside air, thereby improving heat dissipation. Furthermore, since it prevents the intrusion of foreign matter such as dust and dirt, utilizing the opening of the non-contact surface portion 2831 becomes more useful.

The LED substrate 2825 described above, although not shown in the illustration, uses a light-colored (e.g., white) solder resist on at least the substrate surface on which the LED 2825a is mounted. This resist prevents solder from adhering to unnecessary areas during the mounting of electronic components and protects the circuit pattern from oxidation and provides insulation. This allows for increased luminous efficiency by reflecting light from the LED 2825a using the light-colored solder resist. Alternatively, when using a full-color LED as the LED 2825a, the white solder resist allows for synchronization with the viewer's color perception across various light colors, resulting in a natural-looking illuminated decoration.

On this LED board 2825, information such as the part numbers and mounting locations of the electronic components to be mounted, the name of the LED board 2825, its mounting position, and mounting direction (in characters and symbols) are printed (e.g., using silk screen printing) in a similar color (e.g., yellow) so that they can be easily read when needed.

Incidentally, electronic components such as resistors and LED drivers mounted on LED boards are often packaged in black resin. Therefore, if the LED board is located close to the player, these electronic components become conspicuous, even when the LEDs are off, potentially affecting the appearance of the gaming machine. In contrast, in the embodiment shown in Figure 115, the resistor 2825b is mounted on the rear surface of the LED board 2825, thus concealing the resistor 2825b from the player and improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, in the embodiments shown in Figures 107 to 111, when a resistor 2825b is mounted on the front surface of the LED substrate 2825, it is desirable to ensure that the resistor 2825b is not conspicuous to the player. In this embodiment, a translucent decorative seal 2803 with a predetermined decoration is provided on the front of the LED substrate 2825, making the resistor 2825b less noticeable.

Alternatively, when mounting the resistor 2825b on the front of the LED board 2825, a plate-shaped or sheet-shaped diffusion lens that diffuses light may be provided in front of the LED board 2825 to make the resistor 2825b less conspicuous. Alternatively, a plate-shaped or sheet-shaped decorative element with a partially opaque design may be provided in front of the LED board 2825, so that the design of the decorative element hides the resistor 2825b and makes it unnoticeable. Furthermore, the resistor 2825b mounted on the front of the LED board 2825 may be colored with a light-colored paint or ink. These decorative stickers 2803, diffusion lenses, decorative elements, etc., may be used in appropriate combinations.

Furthermore, the game panel 1100 can be made of wood, which does not transmit light, or of resin, which does transmit light. In the case of wood, the opening 1112 is a dark tunnel shape, thus blocking a certain amount of external light. However, in the case of transparent resin, even if the opening 1112 is the same tunnel shape, the outside can be seen through. Therefore, by using the above-mentioned configuration to improve the appearance, the above-mentioned effects can be achieved when utilizing the thickness of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110).

[13. Relationship between the present invention and its embodiments]
In this embodiment, the projection 102 of the door frame body 100 in the door frame 3 corresponds to the projection of the present invention, the ball launching unit 550 of the main frame 4 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball launching means of the present invention, the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball feeding unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball circulation means of the present invention, the ball cassette 681 in this embodiment corresponds to the attachment/detachment unit of the present invention, the ball motor base 686 in this embodiment corresponds to the locking piece of the locking means of the present invention, the positioning pin 686b and the rotating connecting part 692 in this embodiment correspond to the insert body of the present invention, the cassette pressing piece 693 in this embodiment corresponds to the pressing piece of the present invention, and the nylon latch 694 in this embodiment corresponds to the fixing means of the present invention.

[14. Characteristic effects of this embodiment]
In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 into the game area 5a of the game board 5 are collected by the foul unit 570, the ball circulation path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball delivery unit 700 and supplied back to the ball launching unit 550. At the same time, the ball launching unit 550 is configured to launch game balls B based on the player's ball holding data. In this pachinko machine 1 (a so-called sealed game machine, managed game machine), with the ball cassette 681 attached to the main frame 4, when the ball motor base 686 of the ball mechanism 680 in the ball lifting unit 650 is set to the locked position, the positioning pin 686b and the rotating connecting part 692 are inserted into the ball cassette 681 from a direction intersecting the front-rear direction, and the ball cassette 681 is pressed backward by the cassette pressing piece 693 (spring 695). In this state, the pressing piece is fixed immovably by the locking mechanism's nylon latch. This allows the Kuma cassette 681 to be properly installed by pressing it backward, even if the Kuma cassette 681 is not fully installed. Furthermore, the positioning pin 686b and the like prevent the Kuma cassette 681 from coming off forward. In addition, the nylon latch 694 maintains the pressure on the Kuma cassette 681 by the cassette pressing piece 693, preventing the Kuma cassette 681 from being removed. At this time, by observing the position of the operating part 694a on the nylon latch 694, it is easy to determine whether the nylon latch 694 has fixed the cassette pressing piece 693 immovably, thereby reducing the chance of forgetting to lock it. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the Kuma cassette 681 from coming off unintentionally during gameplay due to vibration or other reasons, and to avoid interruptions to gameplay caused by the Kuma cassette 681 coming off, thereby suppressing a decline in the player's enjoyment.

In this state, when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4 for maintenance, etc., the cassette pressing piece 693 is pressing the Kuma cassette 681 backward, and the Nylatch 694 prevents the cassette pressing piece 693 from moving. Therefore, even when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, the pressure on the Kuma cassette 681 by the cassette pressing piece 693 is maintained, preventing the Kuma cassette 681 from immediately coming off forward. To remove the Kuma cassette 681, the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4 supporting the game board 5, the Nylatch 694 is operated to make the cassette pressing piece 693 movable, and the Kuma motor base 686 is rotated from the locked position to the unlocked position. This causes the positioning pin 686b etc. to separate from the Kuma cassette 681, allowing the Kuma cassette 681, which is attached to the main frame 4 (cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668), to be removed forward. This allows for the removal of the ball polishing cassette 681, which contains the polishing cloth 682 for polishing the circulating game balls B. This makes it possible to inspect the inside of the ball lifting mechanism 660 (including the lifting spiral shaft 661) of the ball lifting unit 650 located behind it, thereby improving the efficiency of maintenance on the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, when closing the door frame 3 against the main frame 4, even if the Kuma motor base 686 is not in the locked position, closing the door frame 3 causes the projection 102 of the door frame 3 to contact the Kuma motor base 686, causing the Kuma motor base 686 to rotate and move to the locked position. Simultaneously, the positioning pin 686b, etc., is inserted into the Kuma cassette 681 from a direction intersecting the front-rear direction. This prevents forgetting to lock the cassette and prevents the Kuma cassette 681 from coming loose during gameplay. Moreover, the contact of the door frame 3 does not damage the Kuma motor base 686, cassette pressing piece 693, Kuma cassette 681, etc.

Furthermore, if the door frame 3 is closed while the Kuma motor base 686 is not yet in the locked position, the projection 102 of the door frame 3 contacts the Kuma motor base 686. This causes the Kuma motor base 686 to rotate and move to the locked position, and the biasing force of the spring 695 causes the cassette pressing piece 693 to press the Kuma cassette 681 backward. Therefore, even if the Kuma cassette 681 is not fully installed, in addition to the locking mechanism of the Kuma motor base 686 by the positioning pin 686b, the Kuma cassette 681 can be properly installed, and the Kuma cassette 681 can be reliably prevented from coming loose.

Furthermore, the projection 102 on the door frame 3 causes the door frame 3 to lift when it is closed against the main frame 4. This prevents excessive load from being continuously applied to the door frame hinge mechanism 110, which allows the door frame 3 to open and close. This reduces the likelihood of the hinge becoming distorted, and even if the hinge does become distorted, the projection 102 can still lift the door frame 3, allowing the door frame 3 to be closed in the correct position relative to the main frame 4.

Furthermore, since the Kuma cassette 681 is equipped with a polishing cloth 682 for polishing the circulating game balls B, if the polishing cloth 682 becomes dirty, the Kuma cassette 681 can be removed and replaced with a new Kuma cassette 681 that has a clean polishing cloth 682, thereby maintaining the circulating game balls B in a clean and good condition. Also, by applying the above configuration to the Kuma cassette 681 (detachable unit) which undergoes periodic maintenance such as replacement, problems associated with attaching and detaching the detachable unit during maintenance can be minimized.

[15. Regarding other features included in this embodiment]
[15-1. First Technical Features]
This specification has the following technical features, which differ from those described above.

[15-1a. Background of the First Technical Feature]
A proposed gaming machine, such as a pachinko machine, uses digitized data on the player's ball holdings to launch game balls into the game area via a ball launching mechanism. When a game ball is launched, the number of launched game balls is subtracted from the ball holdings data. If a game ball is launched by the ball launching mechanism but is not supplied to the game area and is instead collected by a foul ball collection mechanism, the number of collected game balls is added to the ball holdings data (for example, Patent Document A: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-89489). According to the technology of Patent Document B, game balls can be circulated within the gaming machine, which reduces the burden on the gaming hall where the gaming machine is installed.

However, in the technology described in Patent Document A, if a game ball launched by the ball launching means returns to the ball launching means for any reason, that game ball is not recovered by the foul ball recovery means. As a result, the number of game balls remains subtracted from the ball holding data, potentially causing a discrepancy between the actual number of game balls launched into the game area and the calculated number, which could disadvantage the player.

Therefore, in light of the above circumstances, the objective of the following method is to provide a gaming machine that can eliminate the error between the actual number of gaming balls launched into the game area and the number of balls returned after being launched.

[15-1b. Means for solving the first technical feature]
Method 1: In a gaming machine,
A game board having a game area in which games are played using game balls,
A ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board,
A foul ball retrieval means for retrieving game balls that were launched by the ball launching means but were not supplied to the game area,
A ball circulation means for collecting game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplying them back to the ball launching means,
A gaming machine comprising the above, wherein the ball launching means launches game balls based on digitized data of the player's ball holdings,
The ball launching means is
It has a launching rail on which the game ball to be launched is placed, and the launching rail is long enough to hold only one game ball.
If, while game balls are placed on the launch rail, new game balls are supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means, the game balls supplied to the launch rail afterward will be collected by the foul ball collection means.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of Means 1, the game machine comprises a game board having a game area in which the game is played using game balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board, a foul ball retrieval means for retrieving game balls that were launched by the ball launching means but not supplied to the game area, and a ball circulation means for retrieving game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplying them back to the ball launching means, and the game machine is configured to launch game balls by the ball launching means based on digitized player ball data, the ball launching means having a launching rail on which the game ball to be launched is placed, the launching rail is long enough to hold only one game ball, and if a new game ball is supplied to the launching rail by the ball circulation means while a game ball is placed on the launching rail, the game ball supplied to the launching rail afterwards is retrieved by the foul ball retrieval means (see the descriptions in Chapters 4-2. Ball Launching Unit and 7-4. Launching Control Processing, Figures 27 and 68, etc. in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows for a game machine (a so-called sealed game machine, a managed game machine) in which game balls launched from a ball launching means into the game area of the game board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied back to the ball launching means, and game balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holdings data (for example, if the number of balls held is 1 or more). In this machine, the length of the launching rail in the ball launching means is set to a length that can accommodate only one game ball. Therefore, if a launched game ball returns to the launching rail for any reason, and the next game ball is already placed on the launching rail, the game ball already on the launching rail can deflect the returned game ball, resulting in a foul ball. On the other hand, if a launched game ball returns before the next game ball is placed on the launching rail, the returned game ball will be placed on the launching rail, but the next game ball supplied from the ball circulation means can be deflected by the returned game ball already on the launching rail, resulting in a foul ball. Therefore, while the player's ball count is reduced when a ball is launched from the launch rail, even if a launched ball returns to the launch rail, since only one ball can be placed on the launch rail at a time, either the returned ball or the next ball will become a foul ball and be collected by the foul ball collection mechanism. By detecting the foul ball and adding to the ball count data, the ball count data can be returned to its state before launch, eliminating the error between the calculated number of balls and the actual number launched into the game area, thus preventing the player from suffering any disadvantage.

Furthermore, since the launch rail is designed to accommodate only one game ball at a time, there is a risk of the ball falling off due to vibrations, etc. However, if a game ball falls off the launch rail while there is existing ball data, the system may mistakenly interpret the fall as a launch, resulting in a decrease in the ball count. Even if this is incorrect, the ball will be recovered by the foul ball recovery system and treated as a foul ball, returning the ball count to its pre-fall state. On the other hand, if there is no ball data (the ball count is 0) and a game ball falls off the launch rail and is recovered by the foul ball recovery system, it may be opt-out to not add the ball count to the data, or an alarm may be issued to the gaming hall where the game machine is installed.

Furthermore, the ball circulation mechanism may be used to supply one game ball to the launch rail after the game ball launching operation by the ball launching mechanism. This ensures that after a game ball is launched from the launch rail, the ball circulation mechanism always supplies one game ball to the launch rail. Therefore, even if a launched game ball returns to the launch rail for any reason, it can be deflected by the game ball supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation mechanism, resulting in a foul ball. This reliably provides a game machine that achieves the aforementioned effects.

Furthermore, as described above, when a ball circulation mechanism supplies one game ball to the launch rail after the game ball launch operation, the launch of the game ball by the ball launch mechanism and the supply of the game ball to the ball launch mechanism (launch rail) by the ball circulation mechanism can be made into a single operation. Therefore, compared to a system where the presence or absence of a game ball on the launch rail, the operation of the ball launch mechanism and the ball circulation mechanism are used to determine whether the launched game ball has returned to the launch rail (by programming this determination), the control load on the game machine can be reduced.

Furthermore, the game machine may be further equipped with a ball retention subtraction means that subtracts one game ball from the ball retention data when the number of game balls on the launch rail changes from present to absent while there is ball retention data, and a ball retention addition means that adds one game ball to the ball retention data when a game ball is recovered by the foul recovery means. This allows the player to enjoy playing with game balls when, while there is ball retention data for the player (a number of game balls of 1 or more), the ball launching means launches a game ball towards the game area of the game board, the ball retention subtraction means subtracts one game ball from the ball retention data, and a game ball is supplied to the game area. On the other hand, if a game ball launched by the ball launching means is not supplied to the game area, it is collected as a foul ball by the foul ball retrieval means, and one game ball is added to the player's game data by the game ball addition means. Therefore, the player does not suffer any disadvantage due to the game ball not being supplied to the game area, and can continue to enjoy the game. Furthermore, if a launched game ball returns to the launch rail for any reason, since the launch rail is designed to hold only one game ball at a time, if the next game ball is already placed on the launch rail, the ball already on the launch rail can deflect the returning game ball, resulting in a foul ball. This means that both the returned game ball and the next game ball supplied from the ball circulation mechanism can be deflected by the already placed ball, also resulting in a foul ball. Therefore, the ball counting mechanism can add one game ball to the ball count data, restoring the data to its state before launch, thus eliminating the error between the calculated number of game balls launched into the game area and the actual number of balls.

Furthermore, the system may be designed to allow the recovery of game balls that have fallen from the launch rail using a foul ball recovery mechanism. This means that if a game ball that has been launched and returned, or the next game ball supplied by the ball circulation mechanism, is deflected by a game ball already on the launch rail, it can be recovered by the foul ball recovery mechanism. This allows the ball to be added to the ball count data as a foul ball, thus reliably providing a game machine that achieves the aforementioned effects.

Furthermore, as described above, when a game ball that has fallen from the launch rail is recovered by a foul ball recovery mechanism, even if the game ball falls from the launch rail due to vibration or other reasons, it can be recovered by the foul ball recovery mechanism, added to the player's ball data as a foul ball, and returned to the state before it fell, so the player is not at a disadvantage.

Means 2: In the configuration of means 1,
"The ball circulation means is,
The system is characterized by "supplying one game ball to the launch rail after the game ball launching operation by the ball launching means."

According to the configuration of means 2, the ball circulation means supplies one game ball to the launch rail after the game ball launching operation by the ball launching means (see Chapter 7-4. Launch Control Processing and Figure 68, etc., in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This ensures that once a game ball is launched from the launch rail, the ball circulation mechanism always supplies one game ball back to the launch rail. Therefore, even if a launched game ball returns to the launch rail for any reason, it can be deflected by the ball supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation mechanism, resulting in a foul ball. This reliably provides a game machine that achieves the aforementioned effects.

Furthermore, since the launching of game balls by the ball launching mechanism and the supply of game balls to the ball launching mechanism (launching rail) by the ball circulation mechanism can be performed as a single continuous operation, the control load on the game machine can be reduced compared to, for example, a system that determines whether a launched game ball has returned to the launching rail based on the presence or absence of game balls on the launching rail, the operation of the ball launching mechanism and the ball circulation mechanism (a system that uses a program to make this determination).

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"When the number of game balls on the launch rail changes from present to absent while the aforementioned game ball data exists, a game ball subtraction means subtracts one game ball from the game ball data,"
When a game ball is recovered by the aforementioned foul ball recovery means, the ball counting means adds one game ball to the ball count data,
It is characterized by further possessing the following features.

According to the configuration of means 3, the game machine is further equipped with a ball retention subtraction means that subtracts one game ball from the ball retention data when the number of game balls on the launch rail changes from present to absent while there is ball retention data, and a ball retention addition means that adds one game ball to the ball retention data when a game ball is recovered by the foul recovery means (see the descriptions in chapters [7-2. Ball Retention Subtraction Processing] and [7-3. Ball Retention Addition Processing], Figures 65 and 66, etc. in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, when a player has ball data (a number of balls of 1 or more), and the ball launching means launches a game ball towards the game area of the game board, the ball subtraction means subtracts one game ball from the ball data, and the game ball is supplied to the game area, allowing the player to enjoy playing with the game balls. On the other hand, if a game ball launched by the ball launching means is not supplied to the game area, it is collected as a foul ball by the foul ball collection means, and one game ball is added to the ball data by the ball addition means. Therefore, the player does not suffer any disadvantage due to the game ball not being supplied to the game area, and can continue to enjoy playing. Furthermore, if a launched game ball returns to the launch rail for any reason, since the launch rail is designed to hold only one game ball at a time, if the next game ball is already placed on the launch rail, the ball already on the launch rail can deflect the returning game ball, resulting in a foul ball. This means that both the returned game ball and the next game ball supplied from the ball circulation mechanism can be deflected by the already placed ball, also resulting in a foul ball. Therefore, the ball counting mechanism can add one game ball to the ball count data, restoring the data to its state before launch, thus eliminating the error between the calculated number of game balls launched into the game area and the actual number of balls.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 3,
"The foul ball retrieval means is,
The game balls that fall from the aforementioned launch rail can be recovered.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 4, the foul ball retrieval means makes it possible to retrieve game balls that have fallen from the launch rail (see the description of the ball launch unit 550 and the foul unit 570 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This design ensures that game balls that fall from the launch rail are collected by the foul ball collection mechanism. Therefore, if a game ball that has been launched and returned, or the next game ball supplied from the ball circulation mechanism, is deflected by a game ball already on the launch rail, it can be collected by the foul ball collection mechanism. This allows the ball to be added to the player's ball count data as a foul ball, thus reliably providing a game machine that achieves the aforementioned effects.

Furthermore, since game balls that fall from the launch rail are collected by a foul ball retrieval mechanism, even if a game ball falls from the launch rail due to vibration or other reasons, it will be collected by the foul ball retrieval mechanism, added to the player's ball data as a foul ball, and returned to the state before it fell, so the player will not be at a disadvantage.

Furthermore, if there is no ball data (the number of balls held is 0), and a game ball falls from the launch rail and is recovered by the foul ball retrieval device, it may be stipulated that this data should not be added to the ball data, or an alarm may be issued to the gaming hall where the game machine is installed.

Method 5: In a gaming machine,
A game board having a game area in which games are played using game balls,
A ball launching means that is capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board and has a launching rail on which the game balls to be launched are placed,
A foul ball retrieval means for retrieving game balls that were launched by the ball launching means but were not supplied to the game area, and game balls that fell from the launching rail,
A ball circulation means for collecting game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplying them back to the ball launching means,
A gaming machine comprising the above, wherein the ball launching means launches game balls based on digitized data of the player's ball holdings,
When the number of game balls on the launch rail changes from present to absent while the aforementioned game ball data exists, a game ball subtraction means subtracts one game ball from the game ball data.
When a game ball is recovered by the foul ball recovery means, the ball count addition means adds one game ball to the ball count data,
It further comprises,
The launch rail is of a length that can accommodate only one game ball.
The ball circulation means supplies one game ball to the launch rail after the game ball launching operation by the ball launching means.
If, while game balls are placed on the launch rail, new game balls are supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means, the game balls supplied to the launch rail afterward will be collected by the foul ball collection means.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 5, the game machine comprises a game board having a game area in which the game is played using game balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board and having a launching rail on which the game balls to be launched are placed, a foul ball retrieval means for retrieving game balls that were launched by the ball launching means but not supplied to the game area, and game balls that fell from the launching rail, and a ball circulation means for retrieving game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplying them back to the ball launching means, and the game machine launches game balls by the ball launching means based on digitized player ball data, and in the state that there is ball data The system further comprises a ball retention subtraction means that subtracts one game ball from the ball retention data when the number of game balls on the launch rail changes from present to absent, and a ball retention addition means that adds one game ball to the ball retention data when a game ball is recovered by the foul ball recovery means. The launch rail is of a length that can accommodate only one game ball, and the ball circulation means supplies one game ball to the launch rail after the game ball launching operation by the ball launching means. If a game ball is placed on the launch rail and a new game ball is supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means, the game ball supplied to the launch rail later is recovered by the foul ball recovery means.

As a result, in a gaming machine (a so-called sealed gaming machine, a managed gaming machine) in which a ball launching means launches game balls into the game area of the game board, a ball recycling means collects the game balls launched from the ball launching means and supplies them back to the ball launching means, and also launches game balls from the ball launching means based on the player's ball data (for example, the number of balls held is 1 or more), when the ball launching means launches a game ball toward the game area of the game board while the player has ball data (the number of balls held is 1 or more), one game ball is subtracted from the ball data by the ball subtraction means, and a game ball is supplied to the game area, allowing the player to enjoy playing with the game balls. On the other hand, if a game ball launched by the ball launching mechanism is not supplied to the game area, it is collected as a foul ball by the foul ball retrieval mechanism, and one game ball is added to the player's game data by the game ball addition mechanism. Therefore, the player does not suffer any disadvantage due to the game ball not being supplied to the game area, and can continue to enjoy the game.

Furthermore, if a launched game ball returns to the launch rail for any reason, since the launch rail is long enough to hold only one game ball, if the next game ball has already been placed on the launch rail by the ball circulation means, the returning game ball will be deflected by the game ball already on the launch rail and fall off, and will be collected as a foul ball by the foul ball collection means. On the other hand, if a launched game ball returns before the next game ball has been placed on the launch rail by the ball circulation means, the returned game ball will be placed on the launch rail, but the next game ball supplied by the ball circulation means will be deflected by the game ball already on the launch rail and fall off, and will be collected as a foul ball by the foul ball collection means. Therefore, in the player's ball data, when a ball is launched from the launch rail, one ball is subtracted from the ball data by the ball subtraction mechanism. However, even when a launched ball returns to the launch rail, since only one ball is placed on the launch rail at a time, either the returned ball or the next ball becomes a foul ball and is collected by the foul ball collection mechanism. As a result, one ball is added to the ball data by the ball addition mechanism, restoring the ball data to its state before launch. This eliminates the error between the calculated number of balls and the actual number of balls launched into the game area, preventing the player from suffering any disadvantage.

Furthermore, since the ball circulation mechanism ensures that one game ball is always supplied to the launching rail after a game ball is launched from the launching rail, even if a launched game ball returns to the launching rail for any reason, it can be deflected by the game ball supplied to the launching rail by the ball circulation mechanism, resulting in a foul ball. This ensures that a game machine that achieves the aforementioned effects can be reliably provided.

Furthermore, the ball circulation mechanism supplies one game ball to the launch rail after the game ball launch operation. This allows the launch of the game ball by the ball launch mechanism and the supply of game balls to the launch mechanism (launch rail) by the ball circulation mechanism to be performed as a single continuous operation. Compared to a system where the system determines whether a launched game ball has returned to the launch rail based on factors such as the presence or absence of game balls on the launch rail and the operation of the ball launch mechanism and ball circulation mechanism (by programming this determination), the control load on the game machine can be reduced.

Furthermore, since the launch rail is designed to accommodate only one game ball at a time, there is a risk of the game ball falling off the launch rail due to vibrations, etc. However, if a game ball falls off the launch rail due to vibrations, etc., while there is game ball data (a game ball count of 1 or more), even if the game ball is mistakenly identified as having been launched as a result of the fall, and the game ball data (number of game balls) is reduced, the game ball can be recovered by the foul ball recovery mechanism. The game ball recovery mechanism then adds one game ball back to the game ball data as a foul ball, returning the game to its state before the fall, so the player is not at a disadvantage.

Furthermore, since the launch rail is designed to accommodate only one game ball, if a game ball falls from the launch rail and is recovered by the foul ball retrieval device when there is no game ball data (the number of game balls is 0), the game ball may not be added to the game ball data by the game ball addition device, or an alarm may be issued to the gaming hall where the gaming machine is installed.

Thus, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can eliminate the error between the actual number of game balls launched into the game area and the number of balls returned after being launched.

[15-1c. Relationship between the means of solving the first technical feature and the embodiment]
In this embodiment, the ball launching unit 550 of the main frame 4 corresponds to the ball launching means of the above solution, the ball launching platform 552b of the ball launching unit 550 corresponds to the launching rail of the above solution, the foul unit 570 corresponds to the foul ball retrieval means of the above solution, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball delivery unit 700 correspond to the ball circulation means of the above solution, the ball subtraction process in the frame control board 740 of this embodiment corresponds to the ball subtraction means of the above solution, and the ball addition process in the frame control board 740 of this embodiment corresponds to the ball addition means of the above solution.

[15-1d. Characteristic effects of the first technical feature]
In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 into the game area 5a of the game board 5 are collected by the foul unit 570, the ball circulation path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball delivery unit 700 and supplied back to the ball launching unit 550. At the same time, the ball launching unit 550 is configured to launch game balls B based on the player's ball holdings data (number of balls held is 1 or more). In this pachinko machine 1 (a so-called sealed game machine, managed game machine), when the ball launching unit 550 launches game balls B toward the game area 5a of the game board 5 while the player's ball holdings data exists (number of balls held is 1 or more), one game ball B is subtracted from the ball holdings data by a ball holdings subtraction process, and game balls B are supplied to the game area 5a, allowing the player to enjoy playing with game balls B. On the other hand, if a game ball B launched by the ball launching unit 550 is not supplied to the game area 5a, it is collected as a foul ball by the foul unit 570, and one game ball B is added to the player's ball data through the ball counting process. Therefore, the player does not suffer any disadvantage due to the game ball B not being supplied to the game area 5a, and can continue to enjoy the game.

If a launched game ball B returns to the ball launcher 552b for any reason, and since the ball launcher 552b is designed to hold only one game ball B, if the ball delivery unit 700 has already placed the next game ball B on the launcher 552b, the returning game ball B will be deflected by the game ball B already on the launcher 552b, fall from the launcher 552b, and be collected by the foul unit 570 as a foul ball. On the other hand, if a launched game ball B returns before the ball delivery unit 700 places the next game ball B on the launcher 552b, the returning game ball B will be placed on the launcher 552b, but the next game ball B supplied by the ball delivery unit 700 will be deflected by the game ball B already on the launcher 552b, fall from the launcher 552b, and be collected by the foul unit 570 as a foul ball. Therefore, in the player's ball data, when a ball is launched from the ball launcher 552b, one game ball B is subtracted from the ball data through the ball subtraction process. However, even when the launched game ball B returns to the launch rail, only one game ball B is placed on the ball launcher 552b. Therefore, either the returned game ball B or the next game ball B becomes a foul ball and is collected by the foul unit 570. Consequently, one game ball B is added to the ball data through the ball addition process, restoring the ball data to its state before launch. This eliminates the error between the calculated number of game balls B launched into the game area 5a and the actual number of game balls B launched, preventing the player from suffering any disadvantage.

Furthermore, since the ball delivery unit 700 is designed to always supply one game ball B back to the ball launcher 552b after a game ball B is launched from the ball launcher 552b, even if a launched game ball B returns to the ball launcher 552b for any reason, it can be deflected by the game ball B supplied to the ball launcher 552b by the ball delivery unit 700, turning it into a foul ball. This ensures that the pachinko machine 1 exhibits the aforementioned effects and advantages.

Furthermore, the ball delivery unit 700 supplies one game ball B to the ball launching platform 552b after the game ball B is launched. Because the launch of game ball B by the ball launching unit 550 and the supply of game ball B to the ball launching platform 552b by the ball delivery unit 700 are performed as a single continuous operation, the control load on the pachinko machine 1 can be reduced compared to a system where the system determines whether the launched game ball B has returned to the ball launching platform 552b based on factors such as the presence or absence of game ball B on the ball launching platform 552b and the operation of the ball launching unit 550 and the ball delivery unit 700 (a system where this determination is made by programming).

Furthermore, since the ball launcher 552b is designed to hold only one game ball B, there is a risk that game ball B may fall from the launcher 552b due to vibration, etc. However, if game ball B falls from the launcher 552b due to vibration, etc., while there is ball data (a state where the number of balls held is 1 or more), even if the fall is mistakenly interpreted as a launch and the ball data (number of balls held) is reduced, the ball can be recovered by the foul unit 570. This allows the ball to be added back to the ball data as a foul ball, returning the state to what it was before the fall, and the player will not be at a disadvantage.

Furthermore, if there is no ball data (the number of balls held is 0), and a game ball B falls from the ball launcher 552b and is recovered by the foul unit 570, the ball count addition process may be configured not to add game ball B to the ball data, or an alarm may be issued to the gaming hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

[15-2. Second Technical Features]
This specification has the following technical features, which differ from those described above.

[15-2a. Background of the Second Technical Feature]
A proposed gaming machine, such as a pachinko machine, comprises a main frame that detachably supports a game board, a ball circulation means provided on the main frame for circulating game balls within the gaming machine, and a circuit board unit attached to the rear surface of the main frame below the game board (for example, Patent Document B: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-188537). According to the technology of Patent Document B, since the circuit board unit having a control board for controlling the ball circulation means, etc., is provided below the game board, the depth of the game board can be utilized as much as possible, making it possible to further differentiate it from other gaming machines.

However, in technologies like that described in Patent Document B, a portion of the ball circulation mechanism is located between the rear surface of the main frame and the substrate unit. To inspect or maintain this portion, the substrate unit must be removed, resulting in cumbersome maintenance. To address this problem, one might consider providing a rear unit, such as the substrate unit, that can be opened and closed relative to the main frame, thereby eliminating the need for removal and improving maintainability. However, forgetting to close the rear unit could lead to malfunctions.

Therefore, in light of the above circumstances, the objective of the following method is to provide a gaming machine that can prevent the rear unit, which is provided on the rear side of the main frame so as to be openable and closable, from being forgotten to be closed during maintenance, etc.

[15-2b. Solution to the second technical feature]
Method 1: In a gaming machine,
"A main frame that detachably supports a game board having a game area where games are played using game balls, from the front,
A rear cover is provided on the main frame so as to be able to open and close to the rear of the main frame, so as to cover the game board which is supported on the main frame from the rear,
The main frame is provided with a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area,
A ball circulation means that collects the game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them back to the ball launching means,
A gaming machine comprising the above, which launches game balls using the ball launching means based on digitized data of the player's ball holdings,
The main frame further comprises a rear unit that is provided on the rear surface of the main frame in a portion below the game board and is capable of opening and closing to the rear,
The rear unit is designed so as to interfere with the rear cover when attempting to close the rear cover into the main body frame while it is open from the main body frame.
It is characterized by being such.

Here, "rear unit" refers to a board unit having a frame control board for controlling the ball launching means and ball circulation means, a power supply board for supplying power, etc., a ball passage unit that constitutes part of the ball path in the ball circulation means, a speaker unit having a speaker, a protective cover that protects the rear side of the board, passage members, etc.

According to the configuration of Means 1, the game machine comprises a main frame that detachably supports a game board having a game area where the game is played using game balls from the front, a back cover that is provided to cover the game board supported by the main frame from the rear and is detachably openable and closable relative to the main frame, a ball launching means provided on the main frame that can supply game balls to the game area, and a ball circulation means that collects the game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them back to the ball launching means, and is configured to launch game balls by the ball launching means based on digitized player ball data, and further comprises a rear unit that is detachably openable and closable relative to the back cover at a portion of the rear surface of the main frame below the game board, and the rear unit is provided such that it interferes with the back cover when attempting to close the back cover to the main frame while it is open from the main frame (see Chapter 4-8. Frame Substrate Unit, Figures 58 to 60, etc. in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows for a game machine (a so-called sealed game machine, a managed game machine) in which game balls launched from a ball launching means into the game area of the game board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied back to the ball launching means, and game balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holdings data (for example, if the number of balls held is 1 or more). By providing a rear unit in the part of the rear of the main frame that is below the game board, the component that is provided at the rear of the game board in conventional game machines can be replaced with this rear unit, thereby increasing the depth of the game board by the amount of this component. This makes it possible to further differentiate the game machine from other game machines by providing a game machine with a game board that is wider in the depth direction, and to provide a game machine that is more appealing to players. Furthermore, since this rear unit is provided to be openable and closable, by opening the rear unit to the rear, the component provided in front of the rear unit on the rear of the main frame, the front side of the rear unit, etc. can be checked and maintained, improving the workability for maintenance, etc. In this case, the rear unit and the back cover interfere with (come into contact with) each other. Therefore, when performing maintenance, the back cover should be opened first, then the rear unit, and after maintenance is complete, the rear unit should be closed, followed by the back cover. Consequently, if the rear unit is open relative to the main frame and an attempt is made to close the back cover that covers the rear of the game board, the unclosed rear unit and the back cover will interfere with each other. In other words, the unclosed rear unit prevents the back cover from closing, thus alerting the user that the rear unit is not closed and preventing it from being forgotten during maintenance.

Furthermore, because the rear unit and the back cover are designed to interfere with each other, even if the rear unit attempts to open from the main frame due to vibration or other reasons during gameplay, the back cover will interfere with (prevent) it from opening too wide, thus preventing malfunctions caused by the rear unit opening unintentionally.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the rear unit be designed so that at least a portion of the ball circulation mechanism is visible from the rear when it opens away from the main frame. This allows for inspection and maintenance of the area between the main frame and the rear unit within the ball circulation mechanism by opening the rear unit relative to the main frame, making it easier to resolve malfunctions in the ball circulation mechanism. Additionally, even if the rear unit is not properly closed relative to the main frame after maintenance, attempting to close the back cover will prevent it from closing due to interference (contact) between the unclosed rear unit and the back cover. This alerts the user that the rear unit is not closed, thus preventing forgetting to close it during maintenance.

Furthermore, the gaming machine may be equipped with a locking mechanism that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. When the rear unit is moved to the locked position while closed to the main frame, the locking mechanism locks the rear unit, preventing it from opening or closing. The locking mechanism may also be configured to move to the locked position when the rear cover is closed to the main frame while the rear unit is in the unlocked position and closed to the main frame. This allows the rear unit to be locked in the locked position while closed to the main frame, preventing it from opening unintentionally due to vibration or other reasons, thus preventing malfunctions caused by the rear unit opening. Additionally, even if the locking mechanism is forgotten after closing the rear unit to the main frame at the end of maintenance, closing the rear cover moves the locking mechanism to the locked position, preventing accidental locking.

Furthermore, when a locking mechanism like the one described above is provided, the locking mechanism moves between a locked position and an unlocked position. Therefore, by checking the position of the locking mechanism, it is easy to determine whether or not the device is locked, thus preventing accidental unlocking.

Furthermore, the gaming machine may be further equipped with a frame-shaped outer frame that supports the main frame so that it can be opened and closed forward. The back cover may be designed so that when attempting to close the main frame to the outer frame while the main frame is open relative to the outer frame and the back cover is open relative to the main frame, the back cover interferes with the outer frame. This allows the rear of the main frame to be seen when the main frame is opened forward relative to the outer frame while the outer frame is attached to the island equipment in the gaming hall. In this state, opening the back cover allows the rear of the game board to be seen, and further opening the rear unit allows the components between the main frame and the rear unit to be seen, thereby improving the workability for inspection and maintenance. Moreover, when closing the main frame relative to the outer frame, if an attempt is made to close the back cover without closing the rear unit, the back cover will interfere with (contact) the rear unit and will not be able to close, making the user aware that the rear unit has been left open and preventing the rear unit from being left open. Furthermore, when attempting to close the main frame against the outer frame while the rear unit is closed and the back cover is open, or when both the rear unit and the back cover are open, the back cover will interfere with (contact) the outer frame, preventing it from closing. This alerts the user that the back cover is open, thus preventing them from forgetting to close it.

Means 2: In the configuration of means 1,
"The aforementioned rear unit is,
The system is designed so that, when opened from the main frame, at least a portion of the ball circulation mechanism can be seen from the rear.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 2, the rear unit is designed so that at least a portion of the ball circulation mechanism can be seen from the rear when it opens from the main frame (see the description of the ball circulation path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, frame substrate unit 730, etc. in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the rear unit to be opened relative to the main frame, enabling inspection and maintenance of the area between the main frame and the rear unit in the ball circulation mechanism, making it easier to resolve malfunctions in the ball circulation mechanism. Furthermore, even if the rear unit is not closed relative to the main frame after maintenance, attempting to close the back cover will prevent it from closing due to interference (contact) between the unclosed rear unit and the back cover. This alerts the user that the rear unit is not closed, thus preventing forgetting to close it during maintenance.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
The rear unit is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and when the rear unit is moved to the locked position while closed to the main frame, it is further equipped with a locking mechanism that locks the rear unit so that it cannot be opened or closed.
The locking mechanism is,
When the rear cover is closed relative to the main body frame while the rear unit is closed relative to the main body frame in the aforementioned release position, it is designed to move to the locked position."
It is characterized by being such.

Here, examples of "locking mechanisms" include: "a mechanism in which the operating part is pushed into a locked position and fixed by the expansion of its tip when the back cover comes into contact (e.g., a nylon latch)," "a mechanism in which one end is rotatably supported and the other end has a locking piece that rotates from the unlocked position to the locked position when the back cover comes into contact," "a mechanism in which, when the back cover comes into contact and moves from the unlocked position to the locked position, it has a pressing piece that presses the rear unit against the main frame," "a mechanism in which, when the back cover comes into contact and moves from the unlocked position to the locked position, it has a locking pin that is inserted into the rear unit or main frame from a direction intersecting the front-rear direction," and "a mechanism in which the back cover slides from the unlocked position to the locked position when it comes into contact."

According to the configuration of means 3, the gaming machine is further equipped with a locking mechanism that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. When the rear unit is moved to the locked position with the rear unit closed relative to the main frame, the locking mechanism locks the rear unit so that it cannot be opened or closed. The locking mechanism is designed to move to the locked position when the rear cover is closed relative to the main frame while the rear unit is in the unlocked position and the rear unit is closed relative to the main frame (see the description of the rear cover 505 and the nylon latch 774 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This design allows the rear unit to be locked in place when the rear unit is closed against the main frame, preventing it from opening or closing due to vibration or other reasons. This prevents malfunctions caused by the rear unit opening unintentionally. Furthermore, even if the locking mechanism is forgotten after closing the rear unit against the main frame during maintenance, closing the back cover will move the locking mechanism to the locked position, thus preventing accidental locking.

Furthermore, since the locking mechanism moves between the locked and unlocked positions, it is easy to determine whether the device is locked or not by checking the position of the locking mechanism, thus preventing accidental unlocking.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 3,
"The main body frame is further provided with a frame-shaped outer frame that supports the main body frame so that it can be opened and closed forward."
The aforementioned back cover is
The main body frame is open relative to the outer frame, and the back cover is open relative to the main body frame. When attempting to close the main body frame towards the outer frame, it is designed to interfere with the outer frame.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 4, the gaming machine is further provided with a frame-shaped outer frame that supports the main body frame so that it can be opened and closed forward. The back cover is provided so as to interfere with the outer frame when attempting to close the main body frame to the outer frame while the main body frame is open relative to the outer frame and the back cover is open relative to the main body frame (see the description regarding the back cover 505 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This design allows the rear of the main frame to be inspected when the main frame is opened forward relative to the outer frame while the outer frame is attached to the island equipment in the gaming hall. Opening the back cover in this state allows inspection of the rear of the gaming board, and further opening the rear unit allows inspection of components between the main frame and the rear unit, improving the efficiency of inspection and maintenance. Furthermore, when closing the main frame relative to the outer frame, attempting to close the back cover without closing the rear unit will cause the back cover to interfere with (contact) the rear unit, preventing it from closing. This alerts the user to the possibility of forgetting to close the rear unit, thus preventing it from being left open. Additionally, if the rear unit is closed and the back cover is open, or if both the rear unit and the back cover are open, attempting to close the main frame relative to the outer frame will cause the back cover to interfere with (contact) the outer frame, preventing it from closing. This alerts the user to the possibility of the back cover being open, thus preventing it from being left open.

Method 5: In a gaming machine,
"A frame-shaped outer frame,
A main frame is supported so as to be able to open and close forward relative to the outer frame, and a game board having a game area in which the game is played with game balls is detachably supported from the front,
A rear cover is provided on the main frame so as to be able to open and close to the rear of the main frame, so as to cover the game board which is supported on the main frame from the rear,
The main frame is provided with a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area,
A ball circulation means that collects the game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them back to the ball launching means,
A gaming machine comprising the above, which launches game balls using the ball launching means based on digitized data of the player's ball holdings,
A rear unit is provided on the rear surface of the main frame in a portion below the game board that is movably openable and closable to the rear, and when opened from the main frame, at least a part of the ball circulation means becomes visible from the rear.
The rear unit is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and when the rear unit is moved to the locked position while closed to the main frame, the locking means locks the rear unit so that it cannot be opened or closed.
It also has the following features:
The aforementioned rear unit is provided such that when the rear cover is opened from the main frame, it interferes with the rear cover when attempting to close the rear cover to the main frame.
The locking mechanism is provided such that when the rear cover is closed relative to the main body frame while the rear unit is closed relative to the main body frame in the released position, it moves to the locked position.
The aforementioned back cover is provided such that, when the main body frame is open relative to the outer frame, and the back cover is open relative to the main body frame, attempting to close the main body frame towards the outer frame will cause it to interfere with the outer frame.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 5, the game machine comprises a frame-shaped outer frame, a main frame that is supported so as to be able to open and close forward relative to the outer frame and detachably supports a game board having a game area where the game is played with game balls from the front, a back cover that is provided so as to be able to open and close backward relative to the main frame so as to cover the game board supported by the main frame from the rear, a ball launching means provided on the main frame that can supply game balls to the game area, and a ball circulation means that collects the game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them back to the ball launching means, and the game machine is configured to launch game balls by the ball launching means based on digitized player ball data, and is provided so as to be able to open and close backward at a part below the game board on the rear surface of the main frame, and by opening from the main frame, at least ball circulation The device further comprises a rear unit, part of which is visible from the rear, and a locking mechanism that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. When the rear unit is moved to the locked position while closed to the main frame, the locking mechanism locks the rear unit in a way that prevents it from being opened or closed. The rear unit is designed to interfere with the back cover when attempting to close the back cover to the main frame while the rear unit is open to the main frame. The locking mechanism is designed to move to the locked position when the back cover is closed to the main frame while the rear unit is in the unlocked position and the rear unit is closed to the main frame. The back cover is designed to interfere with the outer frame when attempting to close the main frame to the outer frame while the main frame is open to the outer frame and the back cover is open to the main frame.

As a result, in a gaming machine (a so-called sealed gaming machine, a managed gaming machine) that launches game balls into the game area of the game board, collects the game balls launched by a ball recycling means and supplies them back to the ball launching means, and launches game balls from the ball launching means based on the player's ball data (for example, if the number of balls held is 1 or more), a rear unit is provided on the rear surface of the main frame, below the game board. Therefore, by replacing the member that is provided at the rear of the game board in conventional gaming machines with this rear unit, the depth of the game board can be increased by the amount of this member. This makes it possible to further differentiate the gaming machine from other gaming machines by providing a gaming machine with a game board that is wider in the depth direction, and to provide a gaming machine that is more appealing to players. In this gaming machine, with the outer frame attached to the island equipment in the gaming hall, opening the main frame forward relative to the outer frame allows inspection of the rear of the main frame. Opening the back cover in this state allows inspection of the rear of the game board. Furthermore, opening the rear unit allows inspection and maintenance of the area between the main frame and the rear unit in the ball circulation mechanism, the components located in front of the rear unit on the rear surface of the main frame, the front side of the rear unit, etc., thereby improving the efficiency of maintenance work.

Furthermore, when closing the main frame against the outer frame, if the rear cover is attempted to be closed without closing the rear unit, the rear cover will interfere with (contact) the rear unit, preventing it from closing. This alerts the user to the fact that the rear unit has been left open, thus preventing it from being forgotten. Additionally, if the rear unit is closed but the rear cover is open, or if both the rear unit and the rear cover are open, attempting to close the main frame against the outer frame will cause the rear cover to interfere with (contact) the outer frame, preventing it from closing. This alerts the user to the fact that the rear cover is open, thus preventing it from being forgotten. Therefore, this prevents the rear unit and rear cover from being forgotten during maintenance and other procedures.

Furthermore, because the rear unit and the back cover are designed to interfere with (contact with) each other, even if the rear unit attempts to open from the main frame due to vibration or other reasons during gameplay, the back cover will interfere with (prevent) it from opening too wide, thus preventing malfunctions caused by the rear unit opening unintentionally.

Furthermore, by moving the locking mechanism to the locked position while the rear unit is closed against the main frame, the rear unit can be locked in a way that prevents it from opening or closing unintentionally due to vibration or other reasons, thus preventing malfunctions caused by the rear unit opening. Additionally, even if the locking mechanism is forgotten after closing the rear unit against the main frame at the end of maintenance, closing the back cover will move the locking mechanism to the locked position, thus preventing the unit from being forgotten to lock.

Furthermore, since the locking mechanism moves between the locked and unlocked positions, it is easy to determine whether the device is locked or not by checking the position of the locking mechanism, thus preventing accidental unlocking.

Thus, according to the above solution, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that prevents the rear unit, which is provided on the rear side of the main frame so as to be openable and closable, from being forgotten to be closed during maintenance, etc.

[15-2c. Relationship between the means for solving the second technical feature and the embodiment]
In this embodiment, the ball launching unit 550 of the main frame 4 corresponds to the ball launching means of the above solution, the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball circulation means of the above solution, the frame substrate unit 730 in this embodiment corresponds to the rear unit of the above solution, the nylon latch 774 in this embodiment corresponds to the locking means of the above solution, and the back cover 505 in this embodiment corresponds to the back cover of the above solution.

[15-2d. Characteristic effects of the second technical feature]
In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 into the game area 5a of the game board 5 are collected by the foul unit 570, the ball circulation path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball delivery unit 700 and supplied to the ball launching unit 550, and the game balls B are launched from the ball launching unit 550 based on the player's ball data (number of balls held is 1 or more), Since the frame substrate unit 730 is provided as a rear unit on the rear surface of the main frame 4, below the game board 5, by replacing the member provided at the rear of the game board in conventional pachinko machines with the frame substrate unit 730 of this embodiment, the depth of the game board 5 can be increased by the amount of this member. As a result, the pachinko machine 1, which has a game board 5 with a wider depth, can be further differentiated from other pachinko machines, and a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players can be provided. In this pachinko machine 1, with the outer frame 2 attached to the island equipment of the gaming hall, opening the main frame 4 forward relative to the outer frame 2 allows the rear of the main frame 4 to be seen. In this state, opening the back cover 505 allows the rear of the game board 5 to be seen. Furthermore, opening the frame circuit board unit 730 allows the main frame speaker 503, main frame speaker box 504, ball circulation path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, the front side of the circuit board unit 730, etc., to be seen and maintained, thereby improving the workability for maintenance and other tasks.

Furthermore, when closing the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, if the back cover 505 is attempted to be closed without closing the frame board unit 730, the back cover 505 will interfere with (contact) the frame board unit 730, preventing it from closing. This alerts the user to the fact that the frame board unit 730 has been left open, thus preventing it from being left open. Additionally, if the frame board unit 730 is closed but the back cover 505 is open, or if both the frame board unit 730 and the back cover 505 are open, attempting to close the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 will cause the back cover 505 to interfere with (contact) the outer frame 2, preventing it from closing. This alerts the user to the fact that the back cover 505 is open, thus preventing it from being left open. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the frame board unit 730 and the back cover 505 from being left open during maintenance, etc.

Furthermore, since the frame circuit board unit 730 and the back cover 505 are designed to interfere with (contact with) each other, even if the frame circuit board unit 730 attempts to open from the main frame 4 due to vibration or other reasons during gameplay, the back cover 505 will interfere with (prevent) it, thus preventing the frame circuit board unit 730 from opening too wide and thus preventing malfunctions caused by the frame circuit board unit 730 opening.

Furthermore, when the frame board unit 730 is closed against the main frame 4, pressing the nylon latch 774, which acts as a locking mechanism, to move it to the locked position locks the frame board unit 730 in an unopenable position. This prevents the frame board unit 730 from opening unintentionally due to vibration or other reasons, thus preventing malfunctions caused by the frame board unit 730 opening. Also, even if the nylon latch 774 is forgotten after closing the frame board unit 730 against the main frame 4 at the end of maintenance, closing the back cover 505 moves the nylon latch 774 to the locked position, thus preventing forgetting to lock it.

Furthermore, since the Nylatch 774, which serves as the locking mechanism, is designed to move between the locked and unlocked positions, it is easy to determine whether it is locked or not by checking the position of the operating part 774a of the Nylatch 774, thereby preventing accidental unlocking.

[15-3. Third Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features, which differ from those described above.

[15-3a. Background of the Third Technical Feature]
In gaming machines such as pachinko machines, a ball sensor having a detection hole in the vertically extending portion of the ball passage through which the game balls circulate is installed to detect the game balls circulating in the ball passage (for example, Patent Document C: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-96868).

Incidentally, if a ball sensor with a detection hole, such as the one described in Patent Document C, is installed in a ball passage where game balls flow in the left-right (or front-back) direction, the passage may narrow at the location of the detection hole, potentially reducing the ball's flow speed or causing jams. Therefore, using a photosensor without a detection hole as the ball sensor is conceivable. However, if the inner circumference of the ball passage is square, the game balls tend to swing in the width direction of the passage. This frequent contact between the game balls and the side walls can cause wear and tear on the sides, leading to the accumulation of dirt and debris. This dirt and debris can interfere with the photosensor's light and shadow reception, potentially causing false detections.

Therefore, in light of the above circumstances, the objective of the following method is to provide a gaming machine that can reduce the false detection of game balls circulating in the ball passage.

[15-3b. Solution to the third technical feature]
Method 1: In a gaming machine,
A game board having a game area in which games are played using game balls,
A ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board,
A ball circulation means that collects the game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them back to the ball launching means,
A gaming machine comprising the above, which launches game balls using the ball launching means based on digitized data of the player's ball holdings,
The aforementioned spherical circulation means is
The ball passage through which game balls are distributed,
It has a photosensor that detects game balls circulating in the ball passage,
The aforementioned ball passage is
At least the part where the photosensor is provided is positioned so as to make contact at two points below the center of the game ball.
It is characterized by being such.

Here, examples of parts in the ball passage that "contact at two points below the center of the game ball" include "a pair of inclined surfaces that are angled upwards with increasing spacing (e.g., a V-shaped cross-section, an inverted trapezoidal cross-section that narrows downwards)" and "a pair of protrusions extending in the direction of flow at a spacing narrower than the diameter of the game machine."

According to the configuration of Means 1, the game machine comprises a game board having a game area where the game is played using game balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board, and a ball circulation means that collects the game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them back to the ball launching means. The game machine is configured to launch game balls using the ball launching means based on digitized data of the player's ball holdings. The ball circulation means includes a ball passage through which the game balls circulate and a photosensor for detecting the game balls circulating in the ball passage. The ball passage is configured such that at least the portion where the photosensor is installed touches the game ball at two points below its center (see Chapter 4-5, Ball Lifting Unit, Figures 52 and 53, etc., in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This enables a gaming machine (a so-called sealed gaming machine, a managed gaming machine) in which game balls launched from a ball launching means into the game area of the game board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied back to the ball launching means, and game balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holdings data (e.g., the number of balls held is 1 or more). In this machine, at least the portion of the photosensor in the ball passage through which the game balls circulate is positioned so that the game balls make contact at two points below their center. Therefore, the game balls do not swing in the width direction of the ball passage at the photosensor portion, preventing the game balls from contacting the side walls of the ball passage and causing wear or damage to the side walls, thus preventing the generation of dirt, dust, and other contaminants. Consequently, dirt, dust, and other contaminants in the ball passage can be reduced as much as possible, preventing false detections caused by the photosensor's light-receiving and emission being hindered by dirt, and thus providing a gaming machine that can reduce false detections of game balls circulating in the ball passage.

Furthermore, since the game balls do not move in the width direction of the ball passage, at least at the location of the photosensor in the ball passage, the positional relationship between the photosensor and the game balls can be kept constant. This eliminates false detections due to deviations in this positional relationship, allowing for reliable detection of game balls circulating in the ball passage.

Furthermore, the ball passage may include a first shaped passage section, provided at least in the area where a photosensor is installed. This passage section has a pair of inclined surfaces that the game balls contact with, and the gap between them widens as the balls move upwards. This allows the game balls to contact the pair of inclined surfaces in the first shaped passage section where the photosensor is installed. Compared to the case where the game balls contact a pair of protrusions, this reduces wear and damage to the contact area caused by the game balls, prevents the generation of dirt and dust, and reduces false detection of game balls by the photosensor.

Furthermore, as described above, when a first shaped passage section is provided in the ball passage, a pair of inclined surfaces are provided in the first shaped passage section of the ball passage. Therefore, even if dirt such as dust and debris is generated due to contact with the game ball, these inclined surfaces can guide the dirt downwards from the contact area with the game ball. This reduces the impact of dirt on the photosensor and prevents dirt from adhering to the game ball.

Furthermore, the ball passage may have an opening located upstream of the section where the photosensor is installed, opening downwards in a size that does not obstruct the flow of game balls. This allows debris and dust from within the ball passage to be discharged to the outside through the opening, thereby reducing the impact of dirt on the photosensor and reducing false detections of game balls caused by dirt in the photosensor.

Furthermore, the ball passage may have a second shaped passage section provided at least on the downstream or upstream side of the section where the photosensor is installed. This second shaped passage section has a flat bottom surface that contacts the game balls and has a width greater than the diameter of the game balls, and a pair of side walls erected from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction. As a result, at least one of the downstream or upstream side of the section where the photosensor is installed in the ball passage is a second shaped passage section consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side walls. When multiple game balls stop in the second shaped passage section, they are pushed by the game balls on the upstream side, causing the game balls to line up so that they alternately contact the pair of side walls from the downstream side. In other words, when multiple game balls stop in the second shaped passage section, they line up in a staggered pattern and do not line up in a single row along the axis of the ball passage. Therefore, since a portion of the pressure exerted by the game balls downstream can be alternately released to the contacting side wall surface, the pressure exerted on the member holding multiple game balls can be reduced compared to when they are arranged in a single line along the axis. This makes the member less susceptible to damage, and eliminates the need for excessive reinforcement, thus suppressing an increase in the cost of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, if the flow of game balls can be temporarily stopped at a location in the ball passage where a photosensor is installed, the presence or absence of a game ball at a location in the ball passage where a game ball remains may be determined when the detection time and non-detection time of a game ball by the photosensor exceed predetermined thresholds. Incidentally, the detection of game balls at prize entry points, etc., is performed by checking the output from the photosensor (ball sensor) at predetermined interrupt cycles (for example, 4 ms), and when the output is non-detection, detected, detected (in other words, "011"), it is determined that a game ball has been detected (ON). That is, when the output from the photosensor is "011", it is determined to be ON, and when it is anything other than "011", it is determined to be OFF. However, if a photosensor installed in a section where the flow of game balls temporarily stops (a stationary section) is used to determine the presence or absence of game balls using the above-described determination method, the photosensor will only produce OFF when there are no game balls in the stationary section, produce many ON signals at short intervals when game balls are being supplied to the stationary section, and produce many OFF signals at short intervals when the game balls stored in the stationary section are moving one by one (the game balls are moving at the launch interval). Therefore, the above-described determination method could not accurately determine whether there were any game balls in the stationary section. In contrast, the presence or absence of game balls is determined by whether the detection time and non-detection time of game balls by the photosensor exceed predetermined thresholds. In other words, thresholds are set for ON (present) and OFF (absent) determinations, and ON or OFF is determined only when non-detection or detection occurs consecutively beyond the threshold. In other words, for example, when the output from the photosensor is "01111...", it is determined to be ON, and when it is "10000...", it is determined to be OFF. This allows for reliable determination of the presence or absence of game balls in the ball-holding section of a ball passage where multiple game balls are held.

Means 2: In the configuration of means 1,
"The aforementioned ball passage is,
It has a first shaped passage section provided at least in the area where the photosensor is located, and each has a pair of inclined surfaces that are in contact with the game ball and are inclined such that the gap between them widens as it moves upward."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 2, the ball passage has a first shaped passage section provided at least in the area where a photosensor is installed, each having a pair of inclined surfaces that the game balls come into contact with, and the gap between them widens as the ball moves upward (see the description of the V-shaped passage section 651a of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the V-shaped passage section 652a of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, in the first shaped passage section where the photosensor is installed in the ball passage, the game ball is brought into contact with a pair of inclined surfaces. Compared to the case where the game ball is brought into contact with a pair of protrusions, this reduces wear and damage to the contact area caused by the game ball, prevents the generation of dirt and dust, and reduces false detection of game balls by the photosensor.

Furthermore, because a pair of inclined surfaces are provided in the first shaped passage section of the ball passage, even if dirt such as dust and debris is generated by contact with the game ball, these inclined surfaces can guide the dirt downwards from the contact point with the game ball. This reduces the impact of dirt on the photosensor and prevents dirt from adhering to the game ball.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The aforementioned ball passage is,
It is located upstream of the part where the aforementioned photosensor is installed, and has an opening that opens downwards and is of a size that does not obstruct the flow of game balls.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 3, the ball passage has an opening located upstream of the part where the photosensor is installed, and which opens downwards in a size that does not obstruct the flow of game balls (see the description of the ball lifting inlet grounding plate 655 and the ball lifting outlet grounding plate 656 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows debris and dust from within the ball passage to be discharged to the outside through the opening, thereby reducing the impact of dirt on the photosensor and decreasing the likelihood of false detection of game balls caused by dirt in the photosensor.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 3,
"The aforementioned spherical passage is,
The second shaped passage section is provided on at least one of the downstream or upstream side of the part where the photosensor is provided, and has a flat bottom surface in contact with the game ball and having a width greater than the diameter of the game ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces erected from both ends in the width direction of the bottom surface."
It is characterized by being such.

Incidentally, if the shape of the ball passage is such that it touches the game ball at two points below its center, as mentioned above, the game ball will not swing in the width direction of the passage. Therefore, when multiple game balls remain in the passage, they will be aligned in a single line along the axis of the passage. As a result, a large pressure from the multiple game balls will act on the component holding the multiple game balls, potentially making the component prone to damage. Reinforcing the component to prevent damage may increase costs.

According to the configuration of means 4, the ball passage has a second shaped passage section provided at least on the downstream or upstream side of the portion where the photosensor is installed. This passage section has a flat bottom surface that contacts the game ball and has a width greater than the diameter of the game ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces erected from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction (see the description of the U-shaped passage section 651b of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the U-shaped passage section 652b of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, at least one of the downstream or upstream sides of the portion of the ball passage where the photosensor is installed is a second-shaped passage section consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side walls. Therefore, when multiple game balls are stationary in the second-shaped passage section, they are pushed by the upstream game balls, causing the downstream game balls to alternately contact the pair of side walls. In other words, when multiple game balls are stationary in the second-shaped passage section, they are arranged in a staggered pattern and not in a single line along the axis of the ball passage. Consequently, a portion of the ball pressure from the downstream game balls can be alternately released to the contacting side walls. This reduces the ball pressure on the component holding the multiple game balls compared to the case where they are lined up in a single line along the axis, making the component less susceptible to damage and eliminating the need for excessive reinforcement, thus suppressing an increase in the cost of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, the second shaped passage section may be provided only on the downstream side of the photosensor, only on the upstream side of the photosensor, or on both the downstream and upstream sides of the photosensor. In the case of a ball passage where many game balls are held downstream of the photosensor, it is desirable to provide the second shaped passage section at least on the downstream side of the photosensor.

Method 5: In a gaming machine,
A game board having a game area in which games are played using game balls,
A ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board,
A ball circulation means that collects the game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them back to the ball launching means,
A gaming machine comprising the above, which launches game balls using the ball launching means based on digitized data of the player's ball holdings,
The aforementioned spherical circulation means is
The ball passage through which game balls are distributed,
It has a photosensor that detects game balls circulating in the ball passage,
The aforementioned ball passage is
A first shaped passage section is provided in the area where the photosensor is installed, and has a pair of inclined surfaces that the game ball contacts at two points below the center of the game ball, with the gap between them widening as it moves upwards.
An opening is provided on the upstream side of the first shaped passage section, and is sized not to obstruct the flow of game balls and opens downwards,
The second shaped passage section is provided on at least one of the downstream or upstream sides of the first shaped passage section and has a flat bottom surface in contact with the game ball and having a width greater than the diameter of the game ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces erected from both ends in the width direction of the bottom surface.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 5, the game machine comprises a game board having a game area in which the game is played using game balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board, and a ball circulation means that collects the game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them back to the ball launching means, and the game machine launches game balls using the ball launching means based on digitized player ball data, and the ball circulation means has a ball passage through which game balls circulate and a photosensor that detects game balls circulating in the ball passage, and the ball passage is provided in the part where the photosensor is installed, The device comprises: a first shaped passage section having a pair of inclined surfaces that contact the game ball at two points below its center, with the gap between them widening as it moves upwards; an opening provided upstream of the first shaped passage section, opening downwards to a size that does not obstruct the flow of the game ball; and a second shaped passage section provided at least on either the downstream or upstream side of the first shaped passage section, having a flat bottom surface that contacts the game ball and is wider than the diameter of the game ball, and a pair of side walls erected from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction.

This enables a gaming machine (a so-called sealed gaming machine, a managed gaming machine) in which a ball launching means that launches game balls into the game area of a game board is collected by a ball circulation means and supplied back to the ball launching means, and game balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holdings data (for example, if the number of balls held is 1 or more), in which at least the part of the ball passage through which the game balls flow that contains the photosensor is a first-shaped passage section having a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the distance between them widens as they move upward, so that the game balls make contact with the pair of inclined surfaces at two points below their center, so that the game balls do not swing in the width direction of the ball passage at the part of the photosensor, and dirt and dust are not generated due to the game balls contacting the side walls of the ball passage and causing wear or damage to the side walls. Therefore, by minimizing dirt, dust, and other contaminants within the ball passage, it is possible to prevent false detections caused by interference with the photosensor's light reception due to dirt, etc., thereby providing a gaming machine that can reduce false detections of game balls circulating in the ball passage.

Furthermore, in the first shaped passage section where the photosensor is installed in the ball passage, the game ball does not swing in the width direction of the ball passage. Therefore, the positional relationship between the photosensor and the game ball can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to deviations in this positional relationship, and ensuring reliable detection of game balls circulating in the ball passage.

Furthermore, in the first shaped passage section where the photosensor is installed, the game ball is brought into contact with a pair of inclined surfaces. Compared to the case where the game ball is brought into contact with a pair of protrusions, this reduces wear and damage to the contact area caused by the game ball, prevents the generation of dirt and dust, and reduces false detection of the game ball by the photosensor.

Furthermore, because a pair of inclined surfaces are provided in the first shaped passage section of the ball passage, even if dirt such as dust and debris is generated by contact with the game ball, these inclined surfaces can guide the dirt downwards from the contact point with the game ball. This reduces the impact of dirt on the photosensor and prevents dirt from adhering to the game ball.

Furthermore, since an opening is provided on the upstream side of the first shaped passage section where the photosensor is installed in the ball passage, dirt and debris inside the ball passage can be discharged to the outside through the opening. This reduces the impact of dirt on the photosensor, thereby reducing false detection of game balls caused by dirt in the photosensor.

Furthermore, since at least one of the downstream or upstream sides of the first shaped passage section, where at least a photosensor is installed in the ball passage, is a second shaped passage section consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side walls, when multiple game balls are stationary in the second shaped passage section, they are pushed by the upstream game balls, causing the downstream game balls to alternately contact the pair of side walls. In other words, when multiple game balls are stationary in the second shaped passage section, they are arranged in a staggered pattern and not in a single line along the axis of the ball passage. Therefore, a portion of the ball pressure from the downstream game balls can be alternately released to the contacting side walls, reducing the ball pressure on the component holding the multiple game balls compared to when they are lined up in a single line along the axis. This makes the component less susceptible to damage, and eliminates the need to unnecessarily increase the strength and rigidity of the component, thus suppressing an increase in the cost of the gaming machine.

Thus, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reduce the false detection of game balls circulating in the ball passage.

[15-3c. Relationship between the means for solving the third technical feature and the embodiment]
In this embodiment, the ball launching unit 550 of the main frame 4 corresponds to the ball launching means of the above solution, the foul unit 570, circulating ball path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, and ball delivery unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball circulation means of the above solution, the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and ball lifting outlet passage 652 of the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball delivery passage 703 of the ball delivery unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball passage of the above solution, the V-shaped passage sections 651a and 652a in this embodiment correspond to the first shaped passage section of the above solution, the U-shaped passage sections 651b, 652b, and ball delivery passage 703 in this embodiment correspond to the second shaped passage section of the above solution, and the parts to which the ball lifting inlet grounding sheet metal 655 and the ball lifting outlet grounding sheet metal 656 in this embodiment are attached correspond to the openings of the above solution.

[15-3d. Characteristic effects of the third technical feature]
In the following, the effects and benefits of the ball lifting exit passage 652 in the ball lifting unit 650 will be described as a ball passage, and since the ball lifting inlet passage 651 also has similar effects and benefits, the description of the effects and benefits of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 will be omitted. In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 that launches game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5 are collected by the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball delivery unit 700 and supplied to the ball launching unit 550, and game balls B are launched from the ball launching unit 550 based on the player's ball data (number of balls held is 1 or more), and in the pachinko machine 1 (so-called sealed game machine, managed game machine), the ball lifting exit passage of the ball lifting unit 650 through which the game balls B circulate The portion of the lifting outlet sensor 654, which consists of a photosensor in 652, is a V-shaped passage section 652a with a cross-section that has a pair of inclined surfaces that are spaced apart as they extend upward, so that the game ball B makes contact with the pair of inclined surfaces at two points below its center. As a result, the game ball B does not swing in the width direction of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 at the portion of the lifting outlet sensor 654, and it is possible to avoid the generation of dirt and dust by the game ball B contacting the side walls of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 and causing wear or damage to the side walls. Therefore, it is possible to reduce dirt and dust inside the ball lifting outlet passage 652 as much as possible, which prevents false detections from occurring due to the light and light reception of the photosensor in the lifting outlet sensor 654 being obstructed by dirt, and thus provides a pachinko machine 1 that can reduce false detections of game balls B flowing through the ball lifting outlet passage 652.

Furthermore, in the V-shaped passage section 652a where the lifting exit sensor 654, which consists of a photosensor, is provided in the ball lifting exit passage 652, the game ball B does not swing in the width direction of the ball lifting exit passage 652. Therefore, the positional relationship between the lifting exit sensor 654 (photosensor) and the game ball B can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to deviations in this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of the game ball B circulating in the ball lifting exit passage 652.

Furthermore, in the V-shaped passage section 652a where the lifting outlet sensor 654, which consists of a photosensor, is provided, the game ball B is brought into contact with a pair of inclined surfaces. Compared to the case where the game ball B is brought into contact with a pair of protrusions, this reduces wear and damage to the contact area caused by the game ball B, prevents the generation of dirt and dust, and reduces false detection of the game ball B by the lifting outlet sensor 654.

Furthermore, because a pair of inclined surfaces are provided in the V-shaped passage section 652a of the ball lifting outlet passage 652, even if dirt such as debris and dust is generated by contact with the game ball B, these inclined surfaces can guide the dirt downwards from the contact point with the game ball B. This reduces the impact of the dirt on the lifting outlet sensor 654 and prevents the dirt from adhering to the game ball B.

Furthermore, since an opening is provided upstream of the V-shaped passage section 652a where the ball lifting outlet grounding plate 656 is attached, dirt and debris inside the ball lifting outlet passage 652 can be discharged to the outside through this opening. This reduces the impact of dirt on the lifting outlet sensor 654, thereby reducing false detection of game balls B caused by dirt in the lifting outlet sensor 654.

Furthermore, since at least one of the downstream or upstream sides (here, both the upstream and downstream sides) of the V-shaped passage section 652a, where the lifting exit sensor 654 consisting of a photosensor is provided in the ball lifting exit passage 652, is a U-shaped passage section 652b and a ball transport passage 703 with a U-shaped cross-section consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side walls, when multiple game balls B are stationary in the U-shaped passage section 652b and the ball transport passage 703, they are pushed by the game balls B on the upstream side, causing the game balls B from the downstream side to alternately contact the pair of side walls. In other words, when multiple game balls B are stationary in the U-shaped passage section 652b and the ball transport passage 703, they are arranged in a staggered pattern and not in a straight line along the axis of the ball lifting exit passage 652 or the ball transport passage 703. Therefore, since a portion of the pressure from the game balls B moving downstream can be alternately released to the contacting side wall surface, the pressure on the ball-feeding movable member 705 (ball stopper 705e) of the ball-feeding unit 700 that holds multiple game balls B can be reduced compared to the case where they are lined up in a single row along the axis. This makes the ball-feeding movable member 705 less susceptible to damage, and eliminates the need for excessive reinforcement of the ball-feeding movable member 705, thereby suppressing an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

[15-4. Fourth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features, which differ from those described above.

[15-4a. Background of the Fourth Technical Feature]
As a gaming machine similar to a pachinko machine, a system has been proposed in which ball sensors are installed in the ball passage through which the game balls circulate, and the presence or absence of game balls in the ball passage is determined by the detection of game balls by the ball sensors (for example, Patent Document D: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-188537). In the technology of Patent Document 1, two ball sensors are installed in the ball passage at a distance from each other, and the presence or absence of game balls is determined by the combination of detection signals from the two ball sensors.

However, the technology described in Patent Document D involves using multiple ball sensors to determine the presence or absence of game balls at predetermined points in the ball passage. This increases costs and the load on the control means involved in the determination process. Therefore, while it is conceivable to determine the presence or absence of game balls using a single ball sensor, accurately determining the absence of game balls at points where the flow of game balls temporarily stops (stationary points) is difficult.

Therefore, in light of the above circumstances, the following solution aims to provide a gaming machine capable of reliably detecting the presence or absence of gaming balls in a stopping section where gaming balls temporarily stop in the passage through which the balls circulate.

[15-4b. Solution to the fourth technical feature]
Method 1: In a gaming machine,
A game board having a game area in which games are played using game balls,
A ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board,
A ball circulation means that collects the game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them back to the ball launching means,
A control means capable of controlling the ball circulation means and the ball launching means,
A gaming machine comprising the above, which launches game balls using the ball launching means based on digitized data of the player's ball holdings,
The ball launching means and the ball circulation means are
A stationary section is provided on the circulating ball path through which game balls circulate, and the flow of game balls can be temporarily stopped.
A ball sensor for detecting game balls that are stationary in the stationary section,
It has,
The control means is
When the detection time and non-detection time of the game balls by the ball sensor exceed predetermined thresholds, the presence or absence of game balls in the holding section is determined and the ball circulation means is controlled.
It is characterized by being such.

Here, "storage section" refers to the following: "launching rail (launching platform) in the ball launching mechanism," "ball supply passage of the ball supply unit that supplies game balls one by one to the ball launching mechanism in the ball circulation mechanism," "ball lifting inlet and outlet passages of the ball lifting unit that lifts game balls in the ball circulation mechanism," and "ball storage passage of the circulating ball path unit that stores game balls in the ball circulation mechanism."

Furthermore, examples of "ball sensors" include "photosensors having a light-emitting part and a light-receiving part," "dielectric sensors that detect changes in induced current," "contact sensors that detect contact with game balls," "magnetic sensors that detect changes in magnetism," and "capacitance sensors that detect changes in electrostatic capacitance." If multiple stabling sections are provided, the ball sensors provided in each stabling section may be of the same type or different types.

Incidentally, conventionally, the detection of game balls at prize entry points, etc., involves checking the output from a photosensor (ball sensor) at predetermined interrupt cycles (for example, 4 ms). If the output is non-detection, detected, detected (in other words, "011"), it is determined that a game ball has been detected (ON). That is, when the output from the photosensor is "011", it is determined to be ON, and when it is anything other than "011", it is determined to be OFF. However, when a ball sensor is installed in a stagnant area where the flow of game balls temporarily stops, if the presence or absence of game balls is determined using the conventional determination method described above, the ball sensor will only produce OFF when there are no game balls in the stagnant area, many short-interval ONs will occur when game balls are being supplied to the stagnant area, and many short-interval OFFs will occur when the game balls stored in the stagnant area are moving one by one (the game balls are moving at the launch interval). Therefore, the conventional determination method could not accurately determine whether there were no game balls in the stagnant area.

According to the configuration of Means 1, the game machine comprises a game board having a game area where the game is played using game balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board, a ball circulation means that collects the game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them back to the ball launching means, and a control means capable of controlling the ball circulation means and the ball launching means. The game machine is configured to launch game balls using the ball launching means based on digitized player ball data. The ball launching means and the ball circulation means are provided on a circulating ball path through which the game balls circulate, and include a stationary section capable of temporarily stopping the flow of game balls, and a ball sensor that detects game balls stationary in the stationary section. The control means determines the presence or absence of game balls in the stationary section and controls the ball circulation means when the detection time and non-detection time of game balls by the ball sensor exceed predetermined thresholds (see Chapter 4-5. Ball Lifting Unit, Figures 52 and 53, etc., in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, in a gaming machine (a so-called sealed gaming machine, a managed gaming machine) in which gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the game area of the game board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied back to the ball launching means, and gaming balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holdings data (for example, the number of balls held is 1 or more), a ball sensor is provided at a stationary section on the circulating ball path in which the gaming balls circulate, where the gaming balls can be temporarily stopped. A control means determines the presence or absence of gaming balls at the stationary section and controls the ball circulation means when the detection time and non-detection time of gaming balls by the ball sensor exceed predetermined thresholds. In other words, while conventional detection methods use only the condition (threshold) for the presence (ON) of a game ball to determine its presence or absence (ON/OFF), this method sets thresholds for both ON (present) and OFF (absence) detection, and determines ON or OFF only when the threshold is exceeded and there are consecutive instances of non-detection or detection. That is, for example, when the output from the ball sensor is "01111...", it is determined to be ON, and when it is "10000...", it is determined to be OFF. This allows for reliable determination of the presence or absence of game balls in the stagnant section of a ball passage where multiple game balls are held.

Furthermore, because the system reliably determines the presence or absence of game balls in the holding area and controls the ball circulation mechanism accordingly, it is possible to prevent situations where a ball runs out in the circulation path (holding area), preventing the launch of game balls even if there is ball data (number of balls held). It also prevents damage to the ball circulation mechanism or ball jams caused by supplying more game balls when the holding area is full. This allows players to continue enjoying the game.

Furthermore, if the threshold is too small, even slight vibrations can cause false detections and introduce noise into the control system. Conversely, if the threshold is excessively large, it will fail to capture the state of the game balls. Therefore, while the appropriate threshold varies depending on the location of the ball sensor, a minimum of 10 ms and a maximum of 300 ms is desirable. Additionally, setting the threshold to a multiple of the interrupt cycle reduces the software load, as software control only requires counting the number of interrupts.

Furthermore, multiple stopping points may be provided on the circulating ball path, and the control means may be configured to determine the presence or absence of game balls using the same or different thresholds depending on the stopping point. This allows for different thresholds to be used for determining the presence or absence of game balls depending on the stopping point (ball sensor). For example, the threshold can be set lower for ball sensors in stopping points such as the ball transport passage of a ball transport unit that supplies game balls to the ball launching means, or higher for ball sensors in stopping points such as the ball lifting inlet and exit passages of a ball lifting unit that lifts game balls to the ball transport unit. Therefore, by determining the presence or absence of game balls according to the ball flow speed (stopping frequency) and the number of game balls that are stopped in the stopping points, the control means can be operated more efficiently, reducing the load on the control system.

Furthermore, multiple stopping points may be provided on the circulating ball path, and control means may be used to determine the presence or absence of game balls using the same threshold or different thresholds depending on the stopping point. This allows the threshold for the presence of game balls and the threshold for the absence of game balls to be different depending on the stopping point (ball sensor). For example, the ball sensor in a stopping point such as the launch rail of a ball launching means that launches game balls may have the same threshold for the presence or absence of game balls, while the ball sensor in a stopping point such as the ball lifting inlet passage or ball lifting outlet passage of a ball lifting unit that lifts game balls may have different thresholds for the presence or absence of game balls. Therefore, by adjusting the threshold values for the presence and absence of game balls according to the ball flow rate (stopping frequency) and the number of game balls held in the holding area, the control means can be efficiently adjusted to the holding area, thereby reducing the load on the control system.

Furthermore, a U-shaped passage may be provided in at least a portion of the stopping section, having a flat bottom surface that contacts the game ball and is wider than the diameter of the game ball, and a pair of side walls erected from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction. This ensures that a U-shaped passage consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side walls is provided in at least a portion of the stopping section where the game ball temporarily stops. When multiple game balls stop in the U-shaped passage, they are pushed by the upstream game balls, causing them to line up so that they alternately contact the pair of side walls from the downstream side. In other words, when multiple game balls stop in the U-shaped passage, they line up in a staggered pattern, and the game balls never line up in a single row along the axis of the stopping section (passage). Therefore, since a portion of the ball pressure from the game balls can be alternately released to the contacting side wall surface, the ball pressure on the predetermined component holding the game balls can be reduced, making the component less susceptible to damage. Furthermore, there is no need to excessively reinforce the component, thus suppressing an increase in the cost of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, the ball sensor may be made to include a photosensor, and a V-shaped passage may be provided at least at the location of the photosensor in the ball stabling section, having a pair of inclined surfaces that are angled such that the gap between them widens as the game ball moves upwards. This ensures that the V-shaped passage is located at the location of the photosensor in the ball stabling section. As a result, the game ball does not swing in the width direction of the passage (ball passage) in the ball stabling section at the location of the photosensor, preventing the game ball from contacting the side walls and causing wear or damage, thus preventing the generation of dirt, dust, and other contaminants. Therefore, dirt, dust, and other contaminants within the ball stabling section can be reduced as much as possible, preventing false detections caused by interference with the photosensor's light-receiving and emission due to dirt, and thus providing a game machine that can reduce false detections of game balls stagnating in the ball stabling section.

Furthermore, as described above, when a V-shaped passage is provided, at least in the area of the photosensor in the holding section, the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage prevent the game ball from swinging in the width direction of the ball passage. Therefore, the positional relationship between the photosensor and the game ball can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to deviations in this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of the game ball.

Furthermore, as described above, when a V-shaped passage is provided, the V-shaped passage has a pair of inclined surfaces. Therefore, even if dirt such as dust and debris is generated by contact with the game ball, these inclined surfaces can guide the dirt downwards from the contact point with the game ball. This reduces the impact of dirt on the photosensor and prevents dirt from adhering to the game ball. Note that the V-shaped passage only needs to have a pair of inclined surfaces; it may be a passage with a V-shaped cross-section where the lower ends of the pair of inclined surfaces are connected, or it may be a passage with an inverted trapezoidal cross-section that narrows downwards.

Means 2: In the configuration of means 1,
"The aforementioned resting section is,
Multiple units are provided on the aforementioned circulating sphere path,
The control means is
Depending on the retention area, the presence or absence of a game ball is determined using the same threshold or a different threshold."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 2, multiple retention points are provided on the circulating ball path, and the control means determines the presence or absence of game balls using the same threshold or different thresholds depending on the retention point (see the description regarding the launch subtraction sensor 554, the lifting inlet sensor 653, the lifting outlet sensor 654, the pre-launch sensor 704, etc. in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows for different thresholds to be used to determine the presence or absence of game balls depending on the stagnant area (ball sensor). For example, the threshold can be set lower for ball sensors in stagnant areas such as the ball transport passage of a ball transport unit that supplies game balls to the ball launching means, or higher for ball sensors in stagnant areas such as the ball lifting inlet and exit passages of a ball lifting unit that lifts game balls to the ball transport unit. Therefore, by determining the presence or absence of game balls according to the ball flow speed (stopping frequency) and the number of game balls that are stagnant in the stagnant area, the control means can be operated more efficiently, and the load on the control system can be reduced.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The aforementioned resting section is,
Multiple units are provided on the aforementioned circulating sphere path,
The control means is
Depending on the stationary section, the presence or absence of a game ball is determined by the same threshold, or by different thresholds."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 3, multiple retention points are provided on the circulating ball path, and the control means determines the presence or absence of a game ball based on either the same threshold or different thresholds, depending on the retention point (see the description regarding the launch subtraction sensor 554, the lifting inlet sensor 653, the lifting outlet sensor 654, the pre-launch sensor 704, etc., in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the threshold values for the presence and absence of game balls to be different depending on the stagnant section (ball sensor). For example, the ball sensor in a stagnant section, such as the launch rail of a ball launching mechanism, can have the same threshold for both. Conversely, the ball sensor in a stagnant section, such as the ball lifting inlet and exit passages of a ball lifting unit, can have different threshold values. Therefore, by determining whether the presence and absence of game balls are the same or different depending on the ball flow speed (stopping frequency) and the number of stagnant game balls in the stagnant section, the control means can efficiently adjust control to the stagnant section, thereby reducing the load on the control system.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 3,
"The aforementioned resting section is,
A U-shaped passage section is provided in at least a portion of the facility, having a flat bottom surface that contacts the game ball and is wider than the diameter of the game ball, and a pair of side walls erected from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction.
It is characterized by being such.

Furthermore, in the ball circulating path, the ball flow is temporarily stopped at the stopping point using a predetermined component. Therefore, as the number of balls stopped at the stopping point increases, the pressure on the component holding the balls increases, potentially making the component more susceptible to damage. Reinforcing the component to prevent damage may increase costs.

According to the configuration of means 4, a U-shaped passage is provided in at least a part of the stabling section, having a flat bottom surface that contacts the game ball and has a width greater than the diameter of the game ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces erected from both ends in the width direction of the bottom surface (see the description of the U-shaped passage 651b of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the U-shaped passage 652b of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, a U-shaped passage consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side walls is provided in at least a portion of the stopping section where the game balls temporarily stop. Therefore, when multiple game balls stop in the U-shaped passage, they are pushed by the upstream game balls, causing the downstream game balls to alternately contact the pair of side walls. In other words, when multiple game balls stop in the U-shaped passage, they are arranged in a staggered pattern, and the game balls never line up in a single row along the axis of the stopping section (passage). Consequently, a portion of the ball pressure from the downstream game balls can be alternately released to the contacting side walls, reducing the ball pressure on the predetermined member holding the game balls. This makes the member less susceptible to damage and eliminates the need for excessive reinforcement, thus suppressing an increase in the cost of the gaming machine.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 4,
"The aforementioned spherical sensor is,
It includes a photosensor,
The aforementioned resting section is,
A V-shaped passage section is provided at least in the area of the photosensor, having a pair of inclined surfaces that are angled such that the gap between them widens as the game ball moves upwards.
It is characterized by being such.

Incidentally, when using a photosensor as a ball sensor, if the inner circumference of the photosensor portion in the ball stabling section is square, the game ball will easily swing in the width direction of the stabling section (ball passage). This frequent contact of the game ball with the side walls can cause wear and scratches on the sides, leading to the accumulation of dirt and dust. This dirt and debris can interfere with the photosensor's light and receiving, potentially causing false detections.

According to the configuration of means 5, a photosensor is included as the ball sensor, and at least the portion of the photosensor in the stabling section is provided with a V-shaped passage section having a pair of inclined surfaces that are angled such that the gap between them widens as the game ball comes into contact with them and moves upward (see the description of the V-shaped passage section 651a of the ball lifting inlet passage 651, the V-shaped passage section 652a of the ball lifting outlet passage 652, the lifting inlet sensor 653, the lifting outlet sensor 654, etc. in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, since a V-shaped passage is provided in the area where the photosensor is located in the ball-holding section, the game ball comes into contact with the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage. This prevents the game ball from swinging in the width direction of the passage (ball passage) in the ball-holding section at the location of the photosensor, thus preventing the game ball from contacting the side walls and causing wear or damage, thus preventing the generation of dirt, dust, and other contaminants. Therefore, dirt, dust, and other contaminants in the ball-holding section can be reduced as much as possible, preventing false detections caused by the photosensor's light-receiving and emission being obstructed by dirt, and thus providing a game machine that can reduce false detections of game balls held in the ball-holding section.

Furthermore, at least in the area of the photosensor in the stationary section, the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage prevent the game ball from swinging in the width direction of the ball passage. Therefore, the positional relationship between the photosensor and the game ball can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to deviations in this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of the game ball.

Furthermore, because the V-shaped passage section has a pair of inclined surfaces, even if dirt or dust is generated due to contact with the game ball, these inclined surfaces can guide the dirt downwards from the contact point with the game ball. This reduces the impact of dirt on the photosensor and prevents dirt from adhering to the game ball.

Furthermore, the V-shaped passageway only needs to have a pair of inclined surfaces. It may be a passageway where the cross-section formed by connecting the lower ends of the pair of inclined surfaces is V-shaped, or it may be a passageway with an inverted trapezoidal cross-section that narrows downwards.

Means 6: In a gaming machine,
A game board having a game area in which games are played using game balls,
A ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board,
A ball circulation means that collects the game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them back to the ball launching means,
A control means capable of controlling the ball circulation means and the ball launching means,
A gaming machine comprising the above, which launches game balls using the ball launching means based on digitized data of the player's ball holdings,
The ball launching means and the ball circulation means are
Multiple stopping points are provided on the circulating ball path through which game balls circulate, and the flow of game balls can be temporarily stopped.
Each of the stopping sections detects the game balls that are stopped, and multiple ball sensors, including a photosensor,
It has,
The aforementioned resting section is,
A V-shaped passage section having a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined such that the game balls contact each other and the gap between them widens as they move upward is provided at least in the area of the photosensor, and a U-shaped passage section having a flat bottom surface that contacts the game balls and is wider than the diameter of the game balls, and a pair of side wall surfaces erected from both ends in the width direction of the bottom surface is provided in the area excluding the V-shaped passage section.
The control means is
When the detection time and non-detection time of the game ball by the ball sensor exceed predetermined thresholds, the presence or absence of a game ball in the stagnant section is determined and the ball circulation means is controlled. Furthermore, "the presence or absence of a game ball is determined by the same threshold or different thresholds depending on the stagnant section," and "the presence or absence of a game ball is determined by the same threshold or different thresholds depending on the stagnant section."
It is characterized by the following:

According to the configuration of means 6, the game machine comprises a game board having a game area in which the game is played using game balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board, a ball circulation means that collects the game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them back to the ball launching means, and a control means capable of controlling the ball circulation means and the ball launching means, and is configured to launch game balls using the ball launching means based on digitized player ball data, wherein the ball launching means and the ball circulation means are provided on a circulating ball path through which the game balls circulate and have a plurality of stopping sections that can temporarily stop the flow of game balls, and a plurality of ball sensors including a photosensor that detect game balls stopped at each stopping section, and the spacing between the stopping sections increases as the game balls come into contact with each of them and move upward A V-shaped passage section having a pair of inclined surfaces that spread outwards is provided at least at the location of the photosensor, and a U-shaped passage section having a flat bottom surface that contacts the game ball and is wider than the diameter of the game ball, and a pair of side walls erected from both ends in the width direction of the bottom surface is provided in the area excluding the V-shaped passage section. The control means controls the ball circulation means by determining the presence or absence of a game ball in the stagnant section when the detection time and non-detection time of the game ball by the ball sensor exceed predetermined thresholds, and further by determining the presence or absence of a game ball using the same threshold or different thresholds depending on the stagnant section, and by determining the presence or absence of a game ball using the same threshold or different thresholds depending on the stagnant section.

As a result, in a gaming machine (a so-called sealed gaming machine, a managed gaming machine) in which gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the game area of the game board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied back to the ball launching means, and gaming balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holdings data (for example, the number of balls held is 1 or more), a ball sensor is provided at a stationary section on the circulating ball path in which the gaming balls circulate, where the gaming balls can be temporarily stopped. A control means determines the presence or absence of gaming balls at the stationary section and controls the ball circulation means when the detection time and non-detection time of gaming balls by the ball sensor exceed predetermined thresholds. In other words, while conventional detection methods use only the condition (threshold) for the presence (ON) of a game ball to determine its presence or absence (ON/OFF), this method sets thresholds for both ON (present) and OFF (absence) detection, and determines ON or OFF only when the threshold is exceeded and there are consecutive instances of non-detection or detection. That is, for example, when the output from the ball sensor is "01111...", it is determined to be ON, and when it is "10000...", it is determined to be OFF. This allows for reliable determination of the presence or absence of game balls in the stagnant section of a ball passage where multiple game balls are held.

Furthermore, because the system reliably determines the presence or absence of game balls in the holding area and controls the ball circulation mechanism accordingly, it is possible to prevent situations where a ball runs out in the circulation path (holding area), preventing the launch of game balls even if there is ball data (number of balls held). It also prevents damage to the ball circulation mechanism or ball jams caused by supplying more game balls when the holding area is full. This allows players to continue enjoying the game.

Furthermore, the threshold for determining the presence or absence of game balls can be varied depending on the stagnant section (ball sensor). For example, the threshold can be set lower for ball sensors in stagnant sections such as the ball transport passage of a ball transport unit that supplies game balls to the ball launching means, or higher for ball sensors in stagnant sections such as the ball lifting inlet and exit passages of a ball lifting unit that lifts game balls to the ball transport unit. Therefore, by determining the presence or absence of game balls according to the ball flow speed (stopping frequency) and the number of game balls that are stagnant in the stagnant section, the control means can be operated more efficiently, reducing the load on the control system.

Furthermore, the threshold values for the presence and absence of game balls can be varied depending on the stagnant section (ball sensor). For example, the ball sensor in a stagnant section, such as the launch rail of a ball launching mechanism, can have the same threshold for both. Conversely, the ball sensor in a stagnant section, such as the ball lifting inlet and exit passages of a ball lifting unit, can have different threshold values. Therefore, by adjusting the threshold values for the presence and absence of game balls according to the ball flow rate (stopping frequency) and the number of stagnant game balls in the stagnant section, the control means can efficiently adjust control to the stagnant section, thereby reducing the control load.

Furthermore, because a V-shaped passage is provided in the area where the photosensor is located in the ball-holding section, the game ball comes into contact with the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage. This prevents the game ball from swinging in the width direction of the passage (ball passage) in the ball-holding section at the photosensor's location. This avoids the generation of dirt and dust by preventing the game ball from contacting the side walls, which could cause wear or damage. Therefore, dirt and dust within the ball-holding section can be reduced as much as possible, preventing false detections caused by interference with the photosensor's light-receiving and emission due to dirt, and thus providing a game machine that can reduce false detections of game balls held in the ball-holding section.

Furthermore, since a U-shaped passage consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side walls is provided in areas other than the V-shaped passage where the photosensor is installed in the ball retention section, when multiple game balls are retained in the U-shaped passage, the upstream game balls push against the downstream game balls, causing them to line up so that they alternately contact the pair of side walls from the downstream side. In other words, when multiple game balls are retained in the U-shaped passage, they line up in a staggered pattern, and the game balls do not line up in a single row along the axis of the retention section (passage). Therefore, a portion of the ball pressure from the downstream game balls can be alternately released to the contacting side walls, thereby reducing the ball pressure on the predetermined component that retains the game balls. This makes the component less susceptible to damage, and eliminates the need for excessive reinforcement of the component, thus suppressing an increase in the cost of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, in the photosensor area of the ball-holding section, the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage prevent the game ball from swinging in the width direction of the ball passage. This allows for a consistent positional relationship between the photosensor and the game ball, eliminating false detections due to deviations in this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of the game ball.

Furthermore, because the V-shaped passage has a pair of inclined surfaces, even if dirt such as dust and debris is generated by contact with the game ball, these inclined surfaces can guide the dirt downwards from the contact area with the game ball. This reduces the impact of dirt on the photosensor and prevents dirt from adhering to the game ball. The V-shaped passage only needs to have a pair of inclined surfaces; it may be a passage with a V-shaped cross-section where the lower ends of the pair of inclined surfaces are connected, or it may be a passage with an inverted trapezoidal cross-section that narrows downwards.

Furthermore, if the threshold is too small, even slight vibrations can cause false detections and introduce noise into the control system. Conversely, if the threshold is excessively large, it will fail to capture the state of the game balls. Therefore, while the appropriate threshold varies depending on the location of the ball sensor, a minimum of 10 ms and a maximum of 300 ms is desirable. Additionally, setting the threshold to a multiple of the interrupt cycle reduces the software load, as software control only requires counting the number of interrupts.

Thus, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reliably detect the presence or absence of game balls in a stopping section where game balls temporarily stop in the passage through which they circulate.

[15-4c. Relationship between the means of solving the fourth technical feature and the embodiment]
In this embodiment, the ball launching unit 550 of the main frame 4 is connected to the ball launching means of the above solution, the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 in this embodiment are connected to the ball circulation means of the above solution, the circulation path R in this embodiment is connected to the circulating ball path of the above solution, the ball launching platform 552b of the ball launching unit 550, the ball storage passage 604 of the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the ball lifting outlet passage 652 of the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit The ball transport passage 703 of the T700 corresponds to the stabling section of the above solution, the launch subtraction sensor 554 of the ball launching unit 550, the circulating ball under-sensor 621 and circulating ball over-sensor 622 of the circulating ball path unit 600, the lifting inlet sensor 653 and lifting outlet sensor 654 of the ball lifting unit 650, and the launch pre-sensor 704 of the ball transporting unit 700 correspond to the ball sensors of the above solution, and the launch subtraction sensor 554, lifting inlet sensor 653 and lifting outlet sensor 654 of the above solution correspond to the photosensors of the above solution.

In this embodiment, the ball launching platform 552b, the V-shaped passage section 651a of the ball lifting inlet passage 651, and the V-shaped passage section 652a of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 correspond to the V-shaped passage section of the above-described solution; the ball storage passage 604, the U-shaped passage section 651b of the ball lifting inlet passage 651, the U-shaped passage section 652b of the ball lifting outlet passage 652, and the ball transport passage 703 correspond to the U-shaped passage section of the above-described solution; and the frame control board 740 in this embodiment corresponds to the control means of the above-described solution.

[15-4d. Characteristic effects of the fourth technical feature]
In the following, the effects of the lifting inlet sensor 653 in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 of the ball lifting unit 650, which serves as a station where the flow of game balls B is temporarily stopped and the balls stop in a fixed position, are described. Similar effects are achieved by the launch subtraction sensor 554, the circulating ball shortage sensor 621, the circulating ball excess sensor 622, the lifting outlet sensor 654, the pre-launch sensor 704, etc., so unless specifically necessary, their effects will not be described. According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 into the game area 5a of the game board 5 are collected by the foul unit 570, the ball circulation path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball delivery unit 700 and supplied back to the ball launching unit 550. In addition, the pachinko machine 1 (a so-called sealed-type game machine) launches game balls B from the ball launching unit 550 based on the player's ball holdings data (number of balls held is 1 or more). In a gaming machine (managed gaming machine), a lifting inlet sensor 653, consisting of a photosensor, is provided in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 of a ball lifting unit 650, which serves as a station where gaming balls B can be temporarily stopped on a circulation path R through which gaming balls B circulate. The frame control board 740 determines the presence or absence of gaming balls B in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and controls the drive of the lifting motor 664 when the detection time and non-detection time of gaming balls B by the lifting inlet sensor 653 exceed predetermined thresholds. In other words, while conventional determinations use only the condition (threshold) for the presence (ON) of gaming balls B to determine the presence or absence (ON/OFF) of gaming balls B, in this embodiment, thresholds are set for the ON (present) determination and the OFF (absent) determination, and ON or OFF is determined only when non-detection or detection occurs consecutively beyond these thresholds. In other words, for example, when the output from the lifting inlet sensor 653 is "01111...", it is determined to be ON, and when it is "10000...", it is determined to be OFF. This makes it possible to reliably determine the presence or absence of game balls B in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 where multiple game balls B are stationary.

Furthermore, because the presence or absence of game balls B in the ball lifting entrance passage 651 is reliably determined and the drive of the lifting motor 664 is controlled accordingly, it is possible to avoid situations where a ball shortage occurs in the circulation path R (in this case, the ball lifting entrance passage 651), preventing the launch of game balls B even if there is ball data (number of balls held), or where damage to the ball lifting unit 650 or ball jams occur due to the supply of game balls B when the ball lifting entrance passage 651 is full. This allows players to continue enjoying the game.

Furthermore, since the threshold for determining the presence or absence of game balls B can be varied depending on the stagnant section where the flow of game balls B is temporarily stopped, it is possible to set a smaller threshold for the pre-launch sensor 704 located in a stagnant section such as the ball transport passage 703 of the ball transport unit 700 that supplies game balls B to the ball launch unit 550, or to set a larger threshold for the lifting inlet sensor 653 and lifting outlet sensor 654 located in a stagnant section such as the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and ball lifting outlet passage 652 of the ball lifting unit 650 that lifts game balls B to the ball transport unit 700. Therefore, by determining the presence or absence of game balls B according to the flow speed (stopping frequency) of game balls B in the stagnant section, the number of game balls B that are stagnant, etc., the control by the frame control board 740 can be performed efficiently, and the load on the control can be reduced.

Furthermore, the threshold for the presence of game ball B and the threshold for the absence of game ball B may be different depending on the stationary section where the flow of game ball B is temporarily stopped. For example, in a stationary section such as the ball launching platform 552b of the ball launching unit 550 that launches game ball B, the launch subtraction sensor 554 can have the same threshold for the presence of game ball B and the same threshold for the absence of game ball B. In contrast, in a stationary section such as the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and ball lifting outlet passage 652 of the ball lifting unit 650 that lifts game ball B, the lifting inlet sensor 653 and lifting outlet sensor 654 can have different thresholds for the presence of game ball B and the absence of game ball B. Therefore, by setting the threshold for the presence of game balls B and the threshold for the absence of game balls B to the same or different values depending on the flow speed (stopping frequency) of game balls B in the stopping section, the number of game balls B that are stopped, etc., the frame control board 740 can efficiently control the game balls in accordance with the stopping section, thereby reducing the load on the control system.

Furthermore, because a V-shaped passage section 651a is provided in the area where the lifting entrance sensor 653, which consists of a photosensor, is located in the ball lifting entrance passage 651, the game ball B comes into contact with the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage section 651a. This prevents the game ball B from swinging in the width direction of the ball lifting entrance passage 651 at the location of the lifting entrance sensor 653, thus preventing the game ball B from contacting the side walls and causing wear or damage, thus avoiding the generation of dirt and dust. Therefore, dirt and dust within the ball lifting entrance passage 651 can be reduced as much as possible, preventing false detections caused by the light and light reception of the lifting entrance sensor 653 (consisting of a photosensor) being obstructed by dirt, and thus reducing false detections of game balls B stationary in the stagnant section. This provides a pachinko machine 1 that can achieve this.

Furthermore, since a U-shaped passage section 651b consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side walls is provided in the part of the ball lifting entrance passage 651 other than the V-shaped passage section 651a where the lifting entrance sensor 653, which consists of a photosensor, is installed, when multiple game balls B stop in the U-shaped passage section 651b, they are pushed by the game balls B on the upstream side, causing the game balls B to line up so that they alternately contact the pair of side walls from the downstream side. In other words, when multiple game balls B stop in the U-shaped passage section 651b, they line up in a staggered pattern, and the game balls B never line up in a single row along the axis of the ball lifting entrance passage 651. Therefore, since a portion of the pressure exerted by the game ball B downstream can be alternately released to the contacting side wall surface, the pressure exerted on the lifting spiral shaft 661 that holds the game ball B can be reduced, making the lifting spiral shaft 661 less susceptible to damage. Furthermore, there is no need to excessively reinforce the lifting spiral shaft 661, thus suppressing an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in the area of the ball lifting entrance sensor 653, which consists of a photosensor, the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage 651a prevent the game ball B from swinging in the width direction of the ball lifting entrance passage 651. Therefore, the positional relationship between the lifting entrance sensor 653 and the game ball B can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to deviations in this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of the game ball B.

Furthermore, since the V-shaped passage section 651a of the ball lifting entrance passage 651 has a pair of inclined surfaces, even if dirt such as debris and dust is generated by contact with the game ball B, the inclined surfaces can guide the dirt downwards from the contact point with the game ball B. This reduces the impact of the dirt on the lifting entrance sensor 653, which is a photosensor, and prevents the dirt from adhering to the game ball B. Note that the V-shaped passage section 651a only needs to have a pair of inclined surfaces; it may be a passage with a V-shaped cross-section where the lower ends of the pair of inclined surfaces are connected, or it may be a passage with an inverted trapezoidal cross-section that narrows downwards.

[15-5. Fifth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features, which differ from those described above.

[15-5a. Background of the Fifth Technical Feature]
As a type of gaming machine, such as a pachinko machine, there are known gaming machines that circulate a large number of game balls sealed inside during gameplay, so that the player does not touch the game balls (so-called sealed gaming machines, managed gaming machines) (for example, Patent Document X: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-162850). In a gaming machine like the one in Patent Document X, the game balls that are driven into the game area of the game board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to a ball launching means.

These so-called enclosed-type gaming machines are not currently widespread, and it is expected that as they become more common, they will be mixed in with conventional pachinko machines in the same island-style setups.

Therefore, even in so-called enclosed gaming machines, the supply balls flow above the back of the machine, and the collected balls flow below the back of the machine. As a result, gaming balls, metal powder generated from the balls, and even screws that were forgotten during the replacement process fall from above.

Therefore, in light of the above circumstances, the objective of the following method is to provide a gaming machine that can appropriately handle objects falling from above.

[15-5b. Solution to the fifth technical feature]
Method 1: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine in which gaming balls are sealed inside the machine and the game is played using gaming balls that circulate inside the machine,
The aforementioned gaming machine houses a game board within a gaming machine frame, and the gaming machine frame comprises a top cover that protects the game board from above and a rear cover that protects it from behind.
The upper surface of the upper cover is characterized by having a gentle slope that allows spherical game balls to flow backward, while non-spherical members can remain on the upper surface of the upper cover.

Here, "a gaming machine that encloses game balls within the machine and uses these balls to play the game" refers to gaming machines such as enclosed-type pachinko machines, circulating-type pachinko machines, and managed gaming machines.

Furthermore, examples of "top cover" and "rear cover" include plate-shaped components made of synthetic resin. Regarding the "rear cover," it is desirable for it to be openable for maintenance purposes, but from a security standpoint, it is desirable that it cannot be easily opened or closed.

A gentle slope is defined as an angle of a few degrees to about 15 degrees from the horizontal plane. A steeper angle is unsuitable because non-spherical screws or metal powders may slide down.

According to the configuration of Means 1, in a game machine in which game balls are sealed inside the game machine and the game is played using game balls circulating inside the game machine, the game machine houses a game board within a game machine frame. The game machine frame comprises an upper cover that protects the game board from above and a rear cover that protects it from behind. The upper surface of the upper cover has a gently sloping surface that allows spherical game balls to flow downwards to the rear, while non-spherical members can remain on the upper surface of the upper cover (see Chapter 4-1. Main Frame Base Unit, Figures 22 to 24, etc., in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With the configuration described above, for example, game balls falling from the ball supply path will simply flow down the top surface of the top cover and fall into the game ball collection passage for collection, thus avoiding any problems. Furthermore, metal powder and screws will not flow down due to the gentle slope, but will remain on the top surface of the protective cover. Therefore, foreign objects such as screws will not fall into the collection passage, preventing problems such as obstructing the collection of game balls.

As described above, creating a gentle slope allows falling objects to selectively flow down or remain in place. In other words, it becomes possible to appropriately handle objects falling from above the gaming machine.

In this embodiment, the inclination of the upper surface of the protective cover from above is 2.00 degrees from the horizontal plane. Considering the so-called "tilted" position of the pachinko machine when installed (generally tilted backward by about 0.75 degrees), this results in a downward slope of 2.75 degrees.

Furthermore, while ventilation holes are essential in the protective cover of the gaming machine frame that houses the game board to dissipate the heat generated by the game board, it is preferable to provide these ventilation holes on the rear cover but not on the top cover. By not providing ventilation holes on the top cover, adverse effects of metal powder on the electrical components of the game board can be prevented. Also, the unevenness caused by the ventilation holes will not obstruct the flow of the game balls.

Furthermore, when the top cover is molded using a resin injection molding machine, it is desirable not to provide a so-called gate on the top surface of the top cover where the resin is injected into the mold. This is because providing a gate can create unevenness, potentially hindering the flow of the game balls.

Furthermore, when the top cover is molded using a resin injection molding machine, it is desirable to avoid leaving ejector pin marks, similar to the gate marks, that result from pushing the molded product out of the mold. Naturally, even small ejector pin marks can create unevenness, potentially hindering the flow of game balls, and can also lead to metal dust becoming trapped during cleaning, resulting in an unsightly appearance.

By maintaining the top surface of the top cover as smooth as possible, the effect of this invention—the proper handling of objects falling from above the gaming machine—can be more effectively realized.

Means 2: In the configuration of means 1,
The characteristic feature is that "the upper surface of the upper cover does not have ventilation holes, while the rear cover does have ventilation holes."

According to the configuration of means 2, ventilation holes are not provided on the upper surface of the top cover, but are provided on the rear cover. In other words, ventilation holes are essential for the protective cover of the game machine frame that houses the game board, for the purpose of dissipating heat generated by the game board. It is preferable to provide these ventilation holes on the rear cover but not on the top cover (see the description regarding ventilation holes 502f in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

By configuring it in this way, the absence of ventilation holes on the top surface of the top cover prevents adverse effects on the electrical components of the game board from falling metal powder. Furthermore, the unevenness caused by ventilation holes does not obstruct the flow of game balls.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
The upper cover is made of resin, and the upper surface of the upper cover does not have a resin injection port.

According to the configuration of means 3, the top cover is made of resin, and no resin injection port is provided on the top surface of the top cover (see the description regarding the top cover 502a of the main frame base 501 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This configuration prevents the unevenness caused by the resin injection port (the so-called gate) from forming on the upper surface of the top cover, thus not obstructing the flow of the game balls.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 3,
The upper cover is made of resin, and the upper surface of the upper cover is not marked with ejector pin marks.

According to the configuration of means 4, the top cover is made of resin, and the upper surface of the top cover is designed so as not to leave marks from the ejector pins (see the description regarding the top cover 502a in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This configuration improves the smoothness of the top surface of the top cover because it eliminates the ejector pin marks left when the molded product is pushed out during injection molding. While the ejector pin marks don't create significant irregularities, their absence prevents obstruction of the game ball's flow. Furthermore, during cleaning, the lack of ejector pin marks prevents metal powder and other debris from entering, resulting in a cleaner appearance.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 4,
The amusement machine frame is characterized by comprising an outer frame fixed to the amusement arcade island equipment and a game board housing frame pivotally supported on the outer frame, and the top cover being integrally molded with the game board housing frame.

According to the configuration of means 5, the gaming machine frame comprises an outer frame fixed to the gaming island equipment and a game board housing frame pivotally supported by the outer frame, with the top cover integrally molded with the game board housing frame (see the description regarding the main frame base 501 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This configuration allows for savings in assembly time through integrated molding and improves the overall strength of the game board housing frame (main frame).

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 5,
The above cover is characterized by having a positioning section on its inside that contacts and positions the game board when the game board is housed in the game board housing frame.

According to the configuration of means 6, when the game board is housed in the game board housing frame, the top cover has a positioning section on its inner side that contacts the game board for positioning (see the description regarding the abutment surface 502j in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This configuration ensures that the positional relationship between the game board and the top cover is firmly fixed, effectively protecting the game board within the game board housing frame.

Thus, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine capable of appropriately handling objects falling from above.

[15-5c. Relationship between the means of solving the fifth technical feature and the embodiment]
In this embodiment, the main frame 4 of the game board 5 corresponds to the game board housing frame of the above solution, the upper cover 502a of the main frame base 501 corresponds to the upper cover of the above solution, the rear cover 502b corresponds to the rear cover of the above solution, and the ventilation holes 502f correspond to the ventilation holes of the above solution.

[15-5d. Characteristic effects of the fifth technical feature]
In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the upper cover 502a of the main frame base 501, which protects the game board 5 housed in the main frame 4 from above, has an upper surface that slopes downwards towards the rear, so that game balls B, metal powder, screws, etc. that fall from above the pachinko machine 1 can be properly handled. Specifically, spherical game balls B can flow down the upper surface of the upper cover 502a and fall to the bottom of the pachinko machine 1, so the game balls B can be recovered as they are and no trouble occurs. Also, non-spherical items such as metal powder and screws can be kept on the upper cover 502a without flowing down, so no trouble occurs either.

Furthermore, ventilation holes 502f are not provided on the upper surface of this top cover 502a. This prevents metal powder, screws, etc., from entering through the ventilation holes 502f, thus preventing adverse effects on the electrical components of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the upper surface of the top cover 502a, which is molded by the injection molding machine, does not have a gate for injecting molten resin into the mold during molding. As a result, no irregularities originating from the gate are created on the upper surface of the top cover 502a, and therefore, the flow of the game balls B is not obstructed.

Similarly, care has been taken to avoid leaving ejector pin marks when removing the injection-molded main frame base 501 from the mold. Normally, ejector pin marks are unlikely to obstruct the flow of the game balls B if the burrs are properly removed. However, they may remain on the upper surface of the top cover 502a, where metal powder or other debris may accumulate, during cleaning, potentially impairing the aesthetic appearance. Therefore, by avoiding ejector pin marks, the aesthetic appearance can be easily restored through cleaning.

Furthermore, this top cover 502a is integrally molded with the main frame base 501. This molding method allows for reduced assembly time and improved overall strength of the main frame base unit 500 (game board housing frame).

Furthermore, the top cover 502a not only protects the game board 5 housed inside, but also has a positioning section (buttock surface 502j) on its inner side that contacts the game board 5 to position it. This fixes the positional relationship between the game board 5 and the top cover 502a, thereby fulfilling the purpose of the game board housing frame (main frame 4) in protecting the game board 5.

Furthermore, the top surface of the top cover 502a does not have reinforcing ribs. This eliminates the difficulty of cleaning caused by ribs, making maintenance easier. However, in areas where other components (e.g., frame 501a, outer frame 2, etc.) cover the top surface of the top cover 502a and foreign objects do not fall from it, ribs may be provided.

[15-6. Sixth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features, which differ from those described above.

[15-6a. Background of the sixth technical feature]
In recent years, the efficient use of resources has become increasingly important due to environmental concerns. From this perspective, development is progressing to create more parts for gaming machines from recyclable materials. On the other hand, the replacement cycle of gaming machines at amusement halls (amusement parlors) has become shorter, and the number of machines being discarded and dismantled is on the rise. As a result, the burden of dismantling and sorting gaming machines is increasing, and there is a demand to reduce this workload as much as possible.

For example, in conventional gaming machines like the one described in Patent Document Y (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-018185), when attempting to remove the side unit (ball entry unit), which has multiple general prize entry slots, from the gaming panel by pulling it forward for disassembly, the ball entry unit bends, causing the positioning projections inserted into the positioning holes of the gaming panel to tilt, resulting in a time-consuming disassembly process.

Therefore, in light of the above circumstances, the objective of the following measures is to provide gaming machines that can reduce the disassembly work required when sorting them for recycling, etc.

[15-6b. Solution to the sixth technical feature]
Method 1: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine having multiple ball entry openings into which game balls can be entered, and equipped with a ball entry unit attached to the front of a game panel through which game balls can flow down,
The aforementioned ball entry unit is
A first component member having a positioning projection that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and a first mounting hole for attachment to the game panel, and attached to the game panel so as to close the opening provided that penetrates the game panel from the front,
A second component having a second mounting hole for attachment to the first component, and being attached from the rear side of the first component,
It is characterized by having "a feature that

Here, "entry slots" include "entry slots that award predetermined benefits upon entry of game balls (e.g., general entry slots, regular entry slots, start-up entry slots (start-up slots), large entry slots, special feature entry slots, V-entry slots, etc.)" and "out slots that discharge game balls outside the game machine without awarding any benefits or returning them to the player."

Furthermore, the "ball entry opening" may be provided on either the first component or the second component.

Furthermore, examples of "game panels" include those made from wooden plywood such as veneer, those consisting of a panel made by cutting a transparent resin sheet and a panel holder that holds the outer edge of the panel, and those made by injection molding transparent resin.

According to the configuration of Means 1, in a game machine equipped with a ball entry unit having multiple ball entry openings into which game balls can be entered, and the front surface of the ball entry unit being attached to the front of a game panel through which game balls can flow, the ball entry unit comprises a first component having a positioning projection inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and a first mounting hole for attachment to the game panel, and being attached to the game panel so as to close the opening provided to penetrate the game panel from the front; and a second component having a second mounting hole for attachment to the first component, and being attached from the rear of the first component (see Chapter 12-1. Side Unit of the Second Embodiment and Figures 103 to 105 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, the first component, which is attached to the front of the game panel via mounting screws through the first mounting holes, is attached to the second component via mounting screws through the second mounting holes. This increases the rigidity of the ball entry unit, which is composed of the first and second components. Therefore, during disassembly of the game machine for recycling, etc., when the mounting screws screwed into the game panel via the first mounting holes are removed and the ball entry unit is pulled forward, the ball entry unit does not bend due to its increased rigidity. Consequently, the positioning projection of the ball entry unit (first component) does not tilt relative to the positioning hole in the game panel, allowing the ball entry unit to be easily removed from the game panel, thus reducing the disassembly work required for sorting.

Furthermore, since the second component is attached to the first component from the rear side using mounting screws via the second mounting hole, the mounting screws attaching the second component can be made less visible from the front, thus improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide the first mounting hole for attaching the first component to the game panel near the positioning projection. This allows the mounting screw to be screwed into the game panel through the first mounting hole, firmly pressing the positioning projection toward the game panel and ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole on the game panel, thereby preventing the projection from lifting due to incomplete insertion.

Furthermore, the second component may be attached from the rear of the first component so as to protrude into the opening. This allows the second component, attached from the back of the first component, to protrude into the opening of the game panel. Compared to cases where the second component protrudes from the front or rear of the game panel, this allows for more effective use of the game panel's thickness and makes it easier to secure empty space in front of and behind the game panel. Therefore, it becomes possible to install decorative elements, LED boards, or movable parts in this empty space, providing a game machine with a higher appeal to players.

Furthermore, the second component may be attached from the rear of the first component so as to protrude into the opening, and may have a ball passage between it and the first component that allows game balls that have entered the ball entry opening to flow down along the surface of the game panel. Because the second component has a ball passage that allows game balls to flow down along the surface of the game panel, the cross-section of the ball passage is U-shaped, thus increasing the rigidity of the second component. Since the second component, whose rigidity is enhanced by the ball passage, is attached from the rear of the first component to form the ball entry unit, the rigidity of the ball entry unit can be further increased, making it possible to provide a game machine that reliably achieves the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, as described above, the second component, which is attached from the back of the first component, protrudes into the opening of the game panel. Additionally, a ball passage is provided between the first and second components to allow game balls that enter the ball entry point to flow down along the surface of the game panel. Compared to cases where the ball passage is located behind the rear surface of the game panel, this design allows for more effective use of the game panel's thickness and makes it easier to secure empty space behind the game panel. Therefore, it becomes possible to install decorative elements, LED boards, and movable parts in this empty space, providing a game machine with a higher appeal to players.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide at least two positioning protrusions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component. This ensures that the multiple positioning protrusions on the first component are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component. Therefore, when the ball entry unit is attached to the game panel, the ball entry unit will not rotate along the surface of the game panel, and the ball entry unit can be reliably positioned at the desired location on the game panel.

Incidentally, when a conventional ball entry unit with low rigidity has multiple positioning protrusions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, pulling the ball entry unit forward during disassembly causes the center of the unit to bend and move forward. This bending causes a force to act on the positioning protrusions, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, causing them to tilt towards each other, making it impossible to remove the positioning protrusions from the positioning holes in the game panel. In contrast, as described above, when multiple positioning protrusions on the first component are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component, the rigidity of the ball entry unit is increased by attaching the second component to the first component. Therefore, even when the ball entry unit is pulled forward, the ball entry unit does not bend, and the positioning protrusions, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, do not tilt. This allows the ball entry unit to be easily removed from the game panel, and a game machine that reduces the disassembly work required for separation can be provided.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide the ball entry openings on the first component so that they protrude forward beyond the front of the game panel. This allows multiple ball entry openings to protrude forward beyond the front of the game panel, making it easier to remove the ball entry unit during disassembly by allowing the ball entry openings to be grasped and pulled forward when removing the unit from the game panel.

Furthermore, the second component may have multiple ball entry openings that protrude forward from the front surface of the first component, and a flat front plate connecting the front ends of the multiple ball entry openings. This allows the second component, which connects the front ends of the multiple forward-protruding ball entry openings with the flat front plate, to be attached to the rear of the first component (which is mounted on the front surface of the game panel) via the first mounting holes, thereby forming the ball entry unit. This increases the rigidity compared to conventional ball entry units, achieving the same effects as described above.

Furthermore, the first component may have a flat base plate that can abut against the front of the game panel. This allows the first component to be attached to the front of the game panel via the first mounting hole, thereby covering the opening of the game panel from the front. This allows the rear of the game panel to be concealed by the base plate through the opening from the front (player side), improving the appearance of the game machine. While the flat base plate may reduce the rigidity of the first component, the second component is attached from the rear of the first component. Therefore, the rigidity of the ball entry unit, formed by the first and second components, can be increased compared to conventional ball entry units, achieving the same effects as described above.

Means 2: In the configuration of means 1,
"The second component is attached from the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 2, the second component is attached from the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening (see the description regarding the second component 2812 of the side unit 2800 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, the second component, which is attached from the back of the first component, protrudes into the opening of the game panel. Compared to cases where the second component protrudes from the front or rear of the game panel, this allows for more effective use of the game panel's thickness, making it easier to secure empty space in front of and behind the game panel. Therefore, it becomes possible to install decorative elements, LED boards, and movable parts in this empty space, providing a game machine with a higher appeal to players.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The second component is attached from the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening, and has a ball passage between it and the first component that allows game balls that have entered the ball entry opening to flow down along the surface of the game panel."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 3, the second component is attached from the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening, and has a ball passage between it and the first component that allows game balls that have entered the ball entry opening to flow down along the surface of the game panel (see the description of the second component 2812 of the side unit 2800 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, the second component is provided with a ball passage that allows game balls to flow down along the surface of the game panel. Because the cross-section of this ball passage is U-shaped, the rigidity of the second component can be increased by the presence of the ball passage. Furthermore, since the second component, whose rigidity has been enhanced by the ball passage, is attached to the rear of the first component to form the ball entry unit, the rigidity of the ball entry unit can be further increased, thus providing a game machine that reliably achieves the aforementioned effects.

Furthermore, since the second component, which is attached from the back of the first component, protrudes into the opening of the game panel, and a ball passage is provided between the first and second components to allow game balls that enter the ball entry opening to flow down along the surface of the game panel, the thickness of the game panel can be used more effectively compared to cases where the ball passage is located behind the rear surface of the game panel, making it easier to secure empty space behind the game panel. Therefore, it becomes possible to install decorative elements, LED boards, and other display devices such as movable parts in this empty space, providing a game machine with a higher appeal to players.

Furthermore, when installing a ball sensor to detect game balls circulating in the ball passage, it is desirable to install the ball sensor within the thickness of the game panel (within the opening). Alternatively, it is desirable to install the ball sensor below the display device (movable mechanism) located at the rear. This prevents the ball sensor from interfering with the display device and allows for a larger range of motion for the movable mechanism.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 3,
"At least two of the positioning protrusions are provided so as to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 4, at least two positioning protrusions are provided so as to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component (see the description regarding the first component 2811 of the side unit 2800 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, the multiple positioning protrusions on the first component are arranged to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component. Therefore, when the ball entry unit is attached to the game panel, the ball entry unit does not rotate along the surface of the game panel, and the ball entry unit can be reliably positioned at the desired location on the game panel.

Incidentally, in conventional ball entry units with low rigidity, when multiple positioning protrusions are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, pulling the ball entry unit forward during disassembly causes the center of the unit to bend forward. This bending causes a force to act on the positioning protrusions, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, causing them to tilt towards each other, preventing them from being removed from the positioning holes in the game panel. In contrast, in this configuration, as described above, the rigidity of the ball entry unit is increased by attaching the second component to the first component. Therefore, even when the ball entry unit is pulled forward, the unit does not bend, and the positioning protrusions, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, do not tilt. This allows the ball entry unit to be easily removed from the game panel, and a game machine that reduces the disassembly work required for separation can be provided.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 5,
"The ball entry opening is provided on the first component so as to protrude forward from the front surface of the game panel."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 5, the ball entry opening is provided on the first component so as to protrude forward from the front surface of the game panel (see the description regarding the first component 2811 of the side unit 2800 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, multiple ball entry points protrude forward beyond the front of the game panel. Therefore, during the disassembly of the game machine, when pulling the ball entry unit forward to remove it from the game panel, the ball entry points can be grasped and pulled, making the removal of the ball entry unit easier.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 5,
"The second component has a plurality of ball entry openings that protrude forward from the front surface of the first component, and a flat front plate that connects the front ends of the plurality of ball entry openings."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 6, the second component has a plurality of ball entry openings that protrude forward from the front surface of the first component, and a flat front plate connecting the front ends of the plurality of ball entry openings (see the description of the second component 2812A of the side unit 2800D in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, the second component, which connects the front ends of multiple ball entry openings protruding forward with a flat front plate, is attached to the rear of the first component, which is mounted on the front of the game panel via the first mounting hole, thereby forming the ball entry unit. This allows for increased rigidity compared to conventional ball entry units, achieving the same effects as described above.

Means 7: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 6,
"The first component has a flat base plate that can be in contact with the front surface of the game panel."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 7, the first component has a flat base plate that can abut against the front surface of the game panel (see the description of the first component 2811 of the side unit 2800 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, since the first component is equipped with a flat base plate, attaching the first component to the front of the game panel via the first mounting hole allows the base plate to cover the opening of the game panel from the front. This makes it possible to conceal the rear of the game panel from the front (player side) through the opening, improving the appearance of the game machine. While the flat base plate may reduce the rigidity of the first component, attaching the second component from the rear of the first component allows the combined rigidity of the ball entry unit (combined by the first and second components) to be higher than that of conventional ball entry units, thus achieving the same effects as described above.

Means 8: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine having multiple ball entry openings into which game balls can be entered, and equipped with a ball entry unit attached to the front of a game panel through which game balls can flow down,
The aforementioned ball entry unit is
A first component member having a positioning projection that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and a first mounting hole for attachment to the game panel, and attached to the game panel so as to close the opening provided that penetrates the game panel from the front,
A second component having a second mounting hole for attachment to the first component, and being attached from the rear side of the first component,
Equipped with,
The first component has a flat base plate through which the positioning projection protrudes and the first mounting hole penetrates, and which can abut against the front surface of the game panel, and at least two of the positioning projections are provided so as to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate, and the ball entry opening is provided so as to protrude forward from the front surface of the base plate.
The second component is attached from the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening, and has a ball passage between it and the first component that allows game balls that have entered the ball entry opening to flow down along the surface of the game panel.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 8, in a game machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a game panel through which game balls can flow, the ball entry unit has a positioning projection that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and a first mounting hole for attaching to the game panel, and is attached to the game panel so as to close the opening provided so as to penetrate the game panel from the front, and a second mounting hole for attaching to the first component, which is attached from the rear of the first component The system comprises a first component and a second component. The first component has a flat base plate with positioning projections and a first mounting hole through it, allowing it to abut against the front surface of the game panel. At least two positioning projections are provided on the base plate, spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, and an entry opening is provided so as to protrude forward from the front surface of the base plate. The second component is attached from the rear of the first component so as to protrude into the opening, and has a ball passage between it and the first component that allows game balls that have entered the entry opening to flow down along the surface of the game panel.

As a result, since the first component is provided with a flat base plate, the mounting screws are screwed into the game panel through the first mounting holes that penetrate the base plate, thereby attaching the first component to the front of the game panel. This allows the opening of the game panel to be covered from the front by the base plate, and the rear of the game panel to be hidden by the base plate through the opening from the front (player side), improving the appearance of the game machine. On the other hand, since the second component is provided with a ball passage that allows game balls to flow down along the surface of the game panel, the cross-section of the ball passage is U-shaped, and the rigidity of the second component can be increased by the presence of the ball passage. Furthermore, although the rigidity of the first component may be low because the base plate is flat, the second component, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage, is attached to the rear of the first component with mounting screws through the second mounting holes to form a ball entry unit, thus increasing the rigidity of the ball entry unit compared to conventional ball entry units. Therefore, during the disassembly of a gaming machine for recycling or other purposes, when the mounting screws screwed into the game panel through the first mounting hole are removed and the ball entry unit is pulled forward, the ball entry unit's increased rigidity prevents it from bending. As a result, the positioning projection of the ball entry unit (first component) does not tilt relative to the positioning hole in the game panel, allowing for easy removal of the ball entry unit from the game panel and reducing the disassembly work required for sorting.

Incidentally, since the multiple positioning protrusions on the first component are arranged to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component, when the first component is pulled forward during disassembly, the center of the first component will bend and move forward. This bending causes a force to act on the positioning protrusions, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, causing them to tilt towards each other. This could potentially prevent the positioning protrusions from being removed from the positioning holes in the game panel. However, in this configuration, as described above, the second component is attached to the rear of the first component to form the ball entry unit. Because the rigidity of this ball entry unit is increased, even when the ball entry unit is pulled forward, the unit does not bend, and the positioning protrusions, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, do not tilt. Therefore, the ball entry unit can be easily removed from the game panel, and a game machine that reduces the disassembly work required for separation can be provided.

Furthermore, because multiple ball entry points protrude forward beyond the front of the game panel, during the disassembly of the game machine, the ball entry points can be grasped and pulled forward when removing the ball entry unit from the game panel, making the removal of the ball entry unit easier.

Furthermore, since the second component is attached to the first component from the rear side using mounting screws via the second mounting hole, the mounting screws attaching the second component can be made less visible from the front, thus improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, since a ball passage is provided between the first and second components to guide the game balls that enter the ball entry opening down along the surface of the game panel, projecting into the opening of the game panel, compared to conventional ball entry units where the game balls that enter the ball entry opening are guided behind the rear surface of the game panel and then guided downwards through a ball passage located behind the rear surface of the game panel, the thickness of the game panel can be used more effectively, and it is easier to secure empty space behind the game panel. Therefore, it becomes possible to install decorative elements, LED boards, and movable parts in this empty space, providing a game machine with a higher appeal to players.

Furthermore, since the multiple positioning protrusions on the first component are arranged to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component, when the ball entry unit is attached to the game panel, the ball entry unit does not rotate along the surface of the game panel, and the ball entry unit can be reliably positioned at the desired location on the game panel.

Furthermore, by positioning the first mounting hole for attaching the first component to the game panel near the positioning projection, screwing the mounting screw into the game panel through the first mounting hole firmly presses the positioning projection toward the game panel, ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole of the game panel. This prevents the positioning projection from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

Thus, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting for recycling, etc.

[15-6c. Relationship between the means of solving the sixth technical feature and the embodiment]
In this embodiment, the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 in the game board 5 corresponds to the game panel of the above solution, the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the above solution, the positioning hole 1113 in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning hole of the above solution, the general prize entry opening 2001, the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component 2811, and the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812 in this embodiment correspond to the ball entry opening of the above solution, and the side units 2800, 2800B, 2800C, 2800D, 2800E, 2800F, and 2800G in this embodiment correspond to the ball entry units of the above solution.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first component 2811 and the first component 2811A correspond to the first component of the solution, the base plate 2811a corresponds to the base plate of the solution, the positioning projection 2811c corresponds to the positioning projection of the solution, the mounting hole 2811d corresponds to the first mounting hole of the solution, the second component 2812 and the second component 2812A correspond to the second component of the solution, the ball passage 2812a and the ball passage 2812f correspond to the ball passage of the solution, the front plate 2812d corresponds to the front plate of the solution, and the mounting hole of the second component 2812 corresponds to the second mounting hole of the solution.

[15-6d. Characteristic effects of the sixth technical feature]
Here, the features of side unit 2800, side unit 2800B, side unit 2800C, side unit 2800D, side unit 2800E, side unit 2800F, and side unit 2800G in this embodiment will be described using side unit 2800 as a representative example. According to this embodiment, in the side unit 2800 attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100, a flat base plate 2811a is provided on the first component 2811. By screwing mounting screws into the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100 through mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a, the first component 2811 can be attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110. This allows the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 to be covered from the front by the base plate 2811a, and the rear components of the game panel 1100 can be hidden by the base plate 2811a through the opening 1112 from the front (player side), thereby improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1. On the other hand, since the second component 2812 is provided with a ball passage 2812a that allows game balls B to flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100, the cross-section of the ball passage 2812a is U-shaped, and the rigidity of the second component 2812 can be increased by the presence of the ball passage 2812a. Furthermore, although the rigidity of the first component 2811 may be low because the base plate 2811a is flat, the rigidity of the first component 2811 may be low because the second component 2812, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage 2812a, is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811 from the mounting hole using mounting screws to form the side unit 2800, and therefore the rigidity of the side unit 2800 can be increased compared to conventional side units. Therefore, in the disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5) for recycling, etc., when the mounting screws screwed into the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 are removed through the mounting holes 2811d and the side unit 2800 is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800 prevents the side unit 2800 from bending. As a result, the positioning projection 2811c of the first component 2811 on the side unit 2800 does not tilt relative to the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110, allowing the side unit 2800 to be easily removed from the panel plate 1110, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting.

By the way, in the side unit 2800, the multiple positioning protrusions 2811c on the first component 2811 are arranged to be separated in the longitudinal direction of the first component 2811. Therefore, when the first component 2811 is pulled forward during disassembly, the center of the first component 2811 will bend forward, causing it to curve. This bending causes a force to act on each positioning protrusion 2811c so that the tips of the longitudinally separated positioning protrusions 2811c tend to move closer together, which may cause the positioning protrusions 2811c to become stuck in the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100. However, in this embodiment, as described above, the side unit 2800 is formed by attaching the second component 2812 to the rear side of the first component 2811. Because the rigidity of the side unit 2800 is increased, even when the side unit 2800 is pulled forward, the side unit 2800 does not bend, and the positioning projection 2811c, which is separated in the longitudinal direction, does not tilt. This allows the side unit 2800 to be easily removed from the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the disassembly work required for separation.

Furthermore, because the side unit 2800 has multiple ball receiving sections 2811b (general prize entry points 2001) that protrude forward beyond the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1, the ball receiving sections 2811b can be grasped and pulled forward when removing the side unit 2800 from the panel plate 1110, making the removal of the side unit 2800 easier.

Furthermore, since the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811 from the rear side using mounting screws through its mounting holes, the mounting screws attaching the second component 2812 can be made less visible from the front, thereby improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, with the side unit 2800, a ball passage 2812a is provided between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812, which allows the game ball B that enters the ball receiving portion 2811b (general prize opening 2001) to flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. This passage protrudes into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110. Compared to conventional side units, which guide the game ball B that enters the general prize opening 2001 to a position behind the rear surface of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) and provide a ball passage behind the rear surface of the game panel 1100 to flow downward, the thickness of the panel plate 1110 can be effectively utilized, and it is easier to secure empty space behind the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110). Therefore, it becomes possible to install decorative elements, LED circuit boards, and movable components (under-cabinet performance unit 3500) in the empty space, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that is more appealing to players.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800, since the multiple positioning protrusions 2811c on the first component 2811 are arranged to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component 2811, when the side unit 2800 is attached to the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, the side unit 2800 does not rotate along the surface of the panel plate 1110, and the side unit 2800 can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800, the mounting hole 2811d for attaching the game panel 1100 to the panel plate 1110 of the first component 2811 is provided near the positioning projection 2811c. Therefore, by screwing the mounting screw into the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 through the mounting hole 2811d and tightening it, the positioning projection 2811c can be strongly pressed towards the panel plate 1110, ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110. This prevents the positioning projection 2811c from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

[15-7. Seventh Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features, which differ from those described above.

[15-7a. Background of the seventh technical feature]
In recent years, the efficient use of resources has become increasingly important due to environmental concerns. From this perspective, development is underway to create more parts for gaming machines using recyclable materials. On the other hand, the replacement cycle of gaming machines at amusement halls (amusement parlors) has shortened, and the number of machines being discarded and dismantled is on the rise. As a result, the burden of dismantling and sorting gaming machines is increasing, and there is a demand to reduce this workload as much as possible.

For example, in conventional gaming machines like the one described in Patent Document Y (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-018185), when attempting to remove the side unit (ball entry unit), which has multiple general prize entry slots, from the gaming panel by pulling it forward for disassembly, the positioning projections of the ball entry unit are inserted into the positioning holes of the gaming panel. This creates resistance against the inner surface of the positioning holes, making the disassembly process cumbersome.

Therefore, in light of the above circumstances, the objective of the following measures is to provide gaming machines that can reduce the disassembly work required when sorting them for recycling, etc.

[15-7b. Solution to the seventh technical feature]
Method 1: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine having multiple ball entry openings into which game balls can be entered, and equipped with a ball entry unit attached to the front of a game panel through which game balls can flow down,
The aforementioned game panel is
It has an opening area that allows game balls to flow from the front to the rear.
The aforementioned ball-entry unit is
The device has a positioning projection that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and a mounting hole for attaching it to the game panel, and is attached to the game panel such that it closes the normal opening area from the front where game balls that have entered the ball entry slot can flow, and is attached to the game panel such that a part of the outer edge of the ball entry unit overlaps with a specific opening area where game balls that have not entered the ball entry slot can flow.
It is characterized by being such.

Here, "entry slots" include "entry slots that award predetermined benefits upon entry of game balls (e.g., general entry slots, regular entry slots, start-up entry slots (start-up slots), large entry slots, special feature entry slots, V-entry slots, etc.)" and "out slots that discharge game balls outside the game machine without awarding any benefits or returning them to the player."

Furthermore, examples of "game panels" include those made from wooden plywood such as veneer, those consisting of a panel made by cutting a transparent resin sheet and a panel holder that holds the outer edge of the panel, and those made by injection molding transparent resin.

Furthermore, examples of "opening regions" include "hole-shaped openings that penetrate the game panel and have an inner surface that is connected around its entire circumference," and "notch-shaped openings that penetrate the game panel and have a portion that is open to the side of the game panel." Also, the "opening region" may have a normal opening region through which game balls that enter the entry slot can flow, and a specific opening region (outlet) through which game balls that do not enter the entry slot can flow. The specific opening region may be connected to the normal opening region, or it may be independent and not connected to the normal opening region.

Furthermore, examples of "ball entry units" include: "a unit comprising at least a first component attached to the front of the game panel so as to close the normal opening area penetrating the game panel from the front, and a second component attached from the rear of the first component, with a ball entry opening provided in either the first or second component"; "a unit comprising at least a flat base plate attached to the front of the game panel so as to close the normal opening area penetrating the game panel from the front, and a ball receiving portion protruding forward from the base plate and open upward and backward, forming a ball entry opening"; and "a unit comprising at least a flat base plate attached to the front of the game panel so as to close the normal opening area penetrating the game panel from the front, and a ball entry opening penetrating the base plate."

Furthermore, "a portion of the outer edge of the ball entry unit that overlaps the ball discharge opening" only needs to overlap with the ball discharge opening when viewed from the front. The outer edge constituting this portion may or may not be in contact with the front surface of the game panel.

According to the configuration of Means 1, in a game machine equipped with a ball entry unit attached to the front of a game panel through which game balls can flow, the game panel has an opening region through which game balls can flow from the front to the rear. The ball entry unit has a positioning projection that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and a mounting hole for attaching it to the game panel. The ball entry unit is attached to the game panel so as to close the normal opening region through which game balls that have entered the ball entry slots can flow from the front, and is attached to the game panel such that a part of the outer edge of the ball entry unit overlaps with a specific opening region through which game balls that have not entered the ball entry slots can flow (see the description in Chapter 12-3. Side Unit, etc. of the Third Embodiment, Figures 112 and 114, etc., in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the game panel by inserting the positioning projection of the ball entry unit into the positioning hole of the game panel from the front, and then screwing the mounting screws into the game panel through the mounting holes. At the same time, game balls that enter the ball entry opening of the ball entry unit can be guided to the rear of the game panel through the normal opening area of the game panel. In this case, since the normal opening area of the game panel is blocked from the front by the ball entry unit, the rear of the game panel can be made difficult to see through the normal opening area and hidden, improving the appearance of the game machine. When this ball entry unit is attached to the front of the game panel, a part of the outer edge of the ball entry unit overlaps with a specific opening area of the opening area (in a front view, a part of the outer edge overlaps with the projection range of the specific opening area), so that part of the outer edge protrudes toward the center of the specific opening area. Furthermore, during the disassembly of a gaming machine for recycling or other purposes, when removing the ball entry unit from the game panel, the worker's fingers or tools can be hooked onto the area overlapping with a specific opening on the outer edge of the ball entry unit. This allows the ball entry unit to be pulled forward with considerable force. Therefore, the ball entry unit can be easily removed from the game panel against the resistance between the positioning hole and the positioning projection, thereby reducing the disassembly work required for sorting and recycling.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide mounting holes for attaching the ball entry unit to the game panel near the positioning projection. This allows the mounting screws to be screwed into the game panel through the mounting holes, firmly pressing the positioning projection toward the game panel and ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole on the game panel, thus preventing the projection from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

Furthermore, the front edge of the outer rim of the ball entry unit may be sloped toward the rear. Because the front edge of the outer rim of the ball entry unit is sloped toward the rear, the corners of the outer rim are obtuse. Therefore, when disassembling the gaming machine and removing the ball entry unit from the gaming panel, if a worker hooks their fingers or other body parts onto the part of the outer rim of the ball entry unit that overlaps with a specific opening area, even if the fingers or other body parts come into contact with the corners of the outer rim, the obtuse angle makes it less likely to injure the fingers or other body parts compared to a case where the corners are right angles, allowing for safe removal of the ball entry unit by hand.

Furthermore, as described above, when the front surface of the outer edge is sloped, the corner of the outer edge in the ball entry unit becomes obtuse. Compared to the case where the corner is right angle, even if the game ball rolls along the outer edge to enter a specific opening area, the corner of the outer edge will not chip, thus improving the durability of the ball entry unit.

Furthermore, as described above, tilting the outer edge of the ball entry unit backward allows for smoother guidance of the game balls into the specific opening area, thus preventing ball congestion within that area.

Furthermore, it is desirable to make the outer edge of the ball-receiving unit transparent. This allows the size of the specific opening area to appear smaller, even if a portion of the outer edge overlaps with the specific opening area, because the outer edge of the ball-receiving unit is transparent.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide positioning protrusions at both the portion close to the specific opening region and the portion farther from the specific opening region. This ensures that the two positioning protrusions are spaced apart from each other, preventing the ball entry unit from rotating along the surface of the game panel when attached, thus reliably positioning the ball entry unit at the desired location on the game panel.

Incidentally, if the ball entry unit is provided with two positioning protrusions, each of which is inserted into a positioning hole in the game panel, then when removing the ball entry unit from the game panel during disassembly, attempting to pull both positioning protrusions out of the positioning holes simultaneously would require pulling the ball entry unit forward with considerable force, potentially increasing the burden on the worker. In contrast, as described above, if the positioning protrusions are provided at both points close to and far from the specific opening area, one positioning protrusion is located near the specific opening area. Therefore, when removing the ball entry unit from the game panel during disassembly for recycling or other purposes, the worker can hook their fingers or other body parts onto the part of the outer edge of the ball entry unit that overlaps with the specific opening area and pull it forward, thereby applying a strong pulling force to the positioning protrusion closer to the specific opening area. This allows for easier removal during disassembly. The positioning projection closest to the specific opening region can be removed first, followed by the remaining projection further away. This requires less force compared to simultaneously removing both projections, thus reducing the burden on the worker.

Furthermore, the portion of the outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area may be made to protrude beyond the rear surface of the game panel, penetrating the specific opening area. However, during the disassembly of the game machine, when a worker hooks their fingers or the like onto the portion of the outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area and pulls it forward in order to remove the ball entry unit from the game panel, if the strength of that portion is weak, the outer edge may crack, and the ball entry unit may remain on the game panel side. In contrast, as described above, by increasing the depth of the portion overlapping the specific opening area on the outer edge of the ball entry unit, the size of the specific opening area (ball discharge port) becomes smaller (the passage volume for discharging game balls becomes smaller) compared to the method of overlapping a portion of the outer edge (extended portion) on the front of the game panel. Alternatively, the size of the specific opening area (ball discharge port) can be widened beforehand (the passage volume for discharging game balls becomes larger). However, because the strength of this portion can be increased, it will not crack (break) even if an operator hooks their finger or other object into this portion and pulls it forward, allowing the ball entry unit to be reliably removed from the game panel.

Furthermore, as described above, by extending the portion of the outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area through the specific opening area and protruding behind the rear surface of the game panel, this portion can cover the inner surface of the specific opening area, making it less visible to the player and improving the appearance of the game machine.

Furthermore, the ball entry unit may have a base plate that forms an outer edge and has a positioning projection and mounting holes that penetrate it, allowing it to abut against the front of the game panel. This allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the game panel via the mounting holes, thereby blocking the normal opening area of the game panel from the front. This also allows the rear of the game panel to be hidden from the front (player side) through the normal opening area, improving the appearance of the game machine.

Method 2: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming panel from which game balls can flow down,
An entry unit having an entry opening into which game balls can be inserted,
The system includes a ball discharge port into which game balls that did not enter the aforementioned ball entry port can be entered,
The ball entry unit has a positioning projection that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and a mounting hole for attaching it to the game panel, and is attached to the game panel so as to fit into a normal opening area formed in the game panel.
The ball discharge port is formed by a specific opening region in the game panel, separate from the ordinary opening region into which the ball entry unit is fitted.
An extended portion is formed on the outer edge of the ball-receiving unit.
The extended portion is formed such that, when the positioning projection of the ball entry unit is inserted into the positioning hole of the game panel, at least a portion of it overlaps with the edge of the specific opening region."
It is characterized by being such.

Here, "ordinary opening area" and "specific opening area" include "a hole-like opening that penetrates the game panel and whose inner surface is connected around its entire circumference," and "a notch-like opening that penetrates the game panel and is partially open to the side of the game panel," etc.

According to the configuration of means 2, in a game machine equipped with a game panel through which game balls can flow, the machine comprises a ball entry unit having a ball entry port into which game balls can enter, and a ball discharge port into which game balls that did not enter the ball entry port can enter. The ball entry unit has a positioning projection that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and a mounting hole for attaching it to the game panel, and is attached to the game panel so as to fit into a normal opening region formed in the game panel. The ball discharge port is composed of a specific opening region formed in the game panel, separate from the normal opening region into which the ball entry unit is fitted, and an extended portion is formed on the outer edge of the ball entry unit, and the extended portion is formed so that at least a part of it overlaps with the edge of the specific opening region when the positioning projection of the ball entry unit is inserted into the positioning hole of the game panel (see the description of the embodiment shown in Figures 112 and 113 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the game panel by inserting the positioning projection of the ball entry unit into the positioning hole of the game panel from the front, and then screwing the mounting screws into the game panel through the mounting holes. At the same time, game balls that enter the ball entry opening of the ball entry unit can be guided to the rear of the game panel through the normal opening area of the game panel. In this case, since the ball entry unit is attached to the game panel so as to fit into the normal opening area of the game panel, the rear of the game panel can be obscured and hidden through the normal opening area, improving the appearance of the game machine. When this ball entry unit is attached to the front of the game panel, the extended portion of the outer edge of the ball entry unit is formed so that a part of it overlaps with the edge of a specific opening area (in a front view, a part of the outer edge overlaps with the projected range of the specific opening area), so that a part of the extended portion protrudes toward the center of the specific opening area. Furthermore, during the disassembly of a gaming machine for recycling or other purposes, when removing the ball entry unit from the game panel, the worker's fingers or tools can be hooked onto the portion (extended portion) that overlaps with the edge of a specific opening area on the outer edge of the ball entry unit. This allows the ball entry unit to be pulled forward with considerable force. Therefore, the ball entry unit can be easily removed from the game panel against the resistance between the positioning hole and the positioning projection, thereby reducing the disassembly work required for sorting and recycling.

Furthermore, because the ball discharge port (specific opening area) is formed separately from the normal opening area in the game panel, the reduction in the strength of the game panel can be suppressed compared to cases where the normal opening area and the specific opening area are connected.

Method 3: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming panel from which game balls can flow down,
An entry unit having an entry opening into which game balls can be inserted,
The system includes a ball discharge port into which game balls that did not enter the aforementioned ball entry port can be entered,
The ball entry unit has a positioning projection that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and a mounting hole for attaching it to the game panel, and is attached to the game panel so as to be inserted into a normal opening area formed in the game panel.
The ball discharge port is formed in the game panel so as to be continuous with the normal opening region into which the ball entry unit is fitted, but is composed of a specific opening region into which the ball entry unit is not fitted.
An extended portion is formed on the outer edge of the ball-receiving unit.
The extended portion is formed such that, when the positioning projection of the ball entry unit is inserted into the positioning hole of the game panel, at least a portion of it overlaps with the edge of the specific opening region."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 3, in a game machine equipped with a game panel through which game balls can flow, the machine comprises a ball entry unit having a ball entry opening into which game balls can enter, and a ball discharge opening into which game balls that did not enter the ball entry opening can enter. The ball entry unit has a positioning projection that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and a mounting hole for attaching it to the game panel, and is attached to the game panel so as to be inserted into a normal opening area formed in the game panel. The ball discharge opening is formed in the game panel so as to be continuous with the normal opening area into which the ball entry unit is fitted, but is composed of a specific opening area into which the ball entry unit is not fitted. An extended portion is formed on the outer edge of the ball entry unit, and the extended portion is formed so that at least a part of it overlaps with the edge of the specific opening area when the positioning projection of the ball entry unit is inserted into the positioning hole of the game panel (see the description of the embodiment shown in Figure 114 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the game panel by inserting the positioning projection of the ball entry unit into the positioning hole of the game panel from the front, and then screwing the mounting screws into the game panel through the mounting holes. At the same time, game balls that enter the ball entry opening of the ball entry unit can be guided to the rear of the game panel through the normal opening area of the game panel. In this case, since the ball entry unit is attached to the game panel so as to fit into the normal opening area of the game panel, the rear of the game panel can be obscured and hidden through the normal opening area, improving the appearance of the game machine. When this ball entry unit is attached to the front of the game panel, the extended portion of the outer edge of the ball entry unit is formed so that a part of it overlaps with the edge of a specific opening area (in a front view, a part of the outer edge overlaps with the projected range of the specific opening area), so that a part of the extended portion protrudes toward the center of the specific opening area. Furthermore, during the disassembly of a gaming machine for recycling or other purposes, when removing the ball entry unit from the game panel, the worker's fingers or tools can be hooked onto the portion (extended portion) that overlaps with the edge of a specific opening area on the outer edge of the ball entry unit. This allows the ball entry unit to be pulled forward with considerable force. Therefore, the ball entry unit can be easily removed from the game panel against the resistance between the positioning hole and the positioning projection, thereby reducing the disassembly work required for sorting and recycling.

Furthermore, because the ball discharge port (specific opening area) is formed in the game panel so as to be continuous with the normal opening area, when forming the normal and specific opening areas on the game panel using a cutting tool such as an end mill, the normal and specific opening areas can be machined continuously, thereby reducing the cost of the game panel.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 3,
"The ball-catching unit is inclined such that the front surface of its outer edge is directed towards the rear."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 4, the ball-entry unit has an outer edge that is inclined so that the front surface is directed towards the rear (see the description of the base plate 2811a, finger rest portion 2816, and finger rest portion 2817 of the first component member 2811 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, the front edge of the outer edge of the ball entry unit is sloped toward the rear, making the corners of the outer edge obtuse. Therefore, when disassembling the game machine and removing the ball entry unit from the game panel, if a worker hooks their fingers or other body parts onto the part of the outer edge (extended portion) of the ball entry unit that overlaps with a specific opening area, even if the fingers or other body parts come into contact with the corners of the outer edge, the obtuse angle makes it less likely to injure the fingers or other body parts compared to when the corners are right angles, allowing the ball entry unit to be safely removed by the fingers or other body parts.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, because the outer edge corners of the ball entry unit are obtuse, compared to cases where these corners are right angles, even if the game ball rolls along the outer edge to enter a specific opening area, the outer edge corners will not chip, thus improving the durability of the ball entry unit.

Furthermore, because the outer edge of the ball entry unit is sloped backward, the game balls can be smoothly guided into the specific opening area, preventing them from becoming stuck in that area.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 4,
"The ball-receiving unit has a transparent outer edge."
It is characterized by the following:

According to the configuration of means 5, the ball entry unit is characterized by having a transparent outer edge (see the description regarding the base plate 2811a of the first component member 2811 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the outer edge of the ball entry unit to be made transparent, thus preventing the specific opening area from appearing smaller even if a portion of the outer edge overlaps with it.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 5,
"The positioning projection is provided in a portion that is close to the specific opening region and in a portion that is far from the specific opening region."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 6, the positioning projection is provided in a portion close to the specific opening region and in a portion far from the specific opening region (see the description regarding the positioning projection 2811c of the first component member 2811 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, since the two positioning protrusions are positioned apart from each other, when the ball entry unit is attached to the game panel, the ball entry unit does not rotate along the surface of the game panel, and the ball entry unit can be reliably positioned at the desired location on the game panel.

Incidentally, if the ball entry unit is provided with two positioning protrusions, each of which is inserted into a positioning hole in the game panel, then when removing the ball entry unit from the game panel during disassembly, attempting to pull both positioning protrusions out of the positioning holes simultaneously would require pulling the ball entry unit forward with considerable force, potentially increasing the burden on the worker. In contrast, with this configuration, since one positioning protrusion is provided near the specific opening area, when removing the ball entry unit from the game panel during disassembly of the game machine for recycling or other purposes, the worker can hook their fingers or other body parts onto the part of the outer edge (extended portion) of the ball entry unit that overlaps with the specific opening area and pull it forward, thereby applying a strong pulling force to the positioning protrusion closest to the specific opening area. This allows for easier removal during disassembly. The positioning projection closest to the specific opening region can be removed first, followed by the remaining projection further away. This requires less force compared to simultaneously removing both projections, thus reducing the burden on the worker.

Means 7: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 6,
"The portion of the outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening region penetrates the specific opening region and protrudes further back than the rear surface of the game panel."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 7, the portion of the outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening region extends through the specific opening region and protrudes further rearward than the rear surface of the game panel (see the description regarding the finger grip portion 2817 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

Incidentally, during the disassembly of a gaming machine, when removing the ball entry unit from the gaming panel, if the strength of the part where the outer edge (extended portion) overlaps with a specific opening area is weak, the outer edge may crack, and the ball entry unit may remain attached to the gaming panel. In contrast, this configuration increases the depth of the part of the outer edge of the ball entry unit that overlaps with the specific opening area. Compared to the method of overlapping a portion of the outer edge (extended portion) on the front of the gaming panel, this results in a smaller size for the specific opening area (ball discharge port) (a smaller passage volume for discharging gaming balls), or a larger size for the specific opening area (ball discharge port) beforehand (a larger passage volume for discharging gaming balls). However, this increases the strength of the part, preventing cracking (damage) even when the worker hooks their fingers or other objects into the part and pulls it forward, allowing for reliable removal of the ball entry unit from the gaming panel.

Furthermore, because the portion of the outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area is extended through the specific opening area and protrudes further back than the rear surface of the game panel, this portion can cover the inner surface of the specific opening area, making it less visible to the player and improving the appearance of the game machine.

Means 8: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 7,
The ball entry unit is characterized in that "the positioning projection protrudes from the base plate that forms the outer edge of the game panel, and the mounting hole penetrates through it, and the base plate is flat and can contact the front surface of the game panel."

According to the configuration of means 8, the ball entry unit has a base plate that forms an outer edge and has a positioning projection that protrudes and a mounting hole that penetrates it, and is in the shape of a flat plate that can abut against the front surface of the game panel (see the description of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, since the ball entry unit is equipped with a flat base plate, by attaching the ball entry unit to the front of the game panel via mounting holes, the base plate can block the normal opening area of the game panel from the front. This allows the rear of the game panel to be hidden by the base plate through the normal opening area from the front (player side), improving the appearance of the game machine.

Means 9: In any one configuration of means 1 and means 4 through 8,
"The specified opening region is provided to penetrate the game panel independently of the ordinary opening region and is not connected to it."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 9, the specific opening region is provided to penetrate the game panel independently of the normal opening region (see the description of the embodiment shown in Figures 112 and 113 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This provides the same effects as described above, but because the specific opening area is provided independently on the game panel without being connected to the normal opening area, it is possible to suppress the reduction in the strength of the game panel compared to when the normal opening area and the specific opening area are connected.

Means 10: In any one configuration of means 1 and means 4 to 8,
"The aforementioned specific opening region is provided to connect with the aforementioned ordinary opening region."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 10, the specific opening region is provided so as to be connected to the ordinary opening region (see the description of the embodiment shown in Figure 114 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This provides the same effects as described above, and because it connects the specific opening area and the normal opening area, when forming the opening areas (normal and specific opening areas) on the game panel using a cutting tool such as an end mill, the normal and specific opening areas can be machined continuously, thereby reducing the cost of the game panel.

Means 11: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine having multiple ball entry openings into which game balls can be entered, and equipped with a ball entry unit attached to the front of a game panel through which game balls can flow down,
The aforementioned game panel is
The game balls are able to flow from the front to the rear, and the game panel has an opening area that is either an ordinary opening area through which game balls that have entered the ball entry opening can flow, or a specific opening area through which game balls that have not entered the ball entry opening can flow, wherein the specific opening area penetrates the game panel independently without being connected to the ordinary opening area, or the specific opening area is connected to the ordinary opening area.
The aforementioned ball-entry unit is
A flat base plate that can abut against the front surface of the game panel, a positioning projection that protrudes from the base plate and is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and a mounting hole that penetrates the base plate and is attached to the game panel such that it closes the ordinary opening area of the opening region from the front, and a part of the transparent outer edge of the base plate overlaps the specific opening area of the opening region.
Furthermore, the front surface of the outer edge of the base plate is inclined toward the rear, and the positioning projection is provided in both a portion close to the ball discharge port and a portion farther away from the ball discharge port.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 11, in a gaming machine equipped with a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow, the gaming panel is configured such that gaming balls can flow from the front to the rear, and consists of a normal opening area through which gaming balls that have entered the ball entry area can flow, and a specific opening area through which gaming balls that have not entered the ball entry area can flow, and the specific opening area penetrates the gaming panel independently without being connected to the normal opening area, or the specific opening area is connected to the normal opening area, and the ball entry unit is a gaming machine The device has a flat base plate that can abut against the front of the panel, positioning projections that protrude from the base plate and are inserted into positioning holes provided in the game panel, and mounting holes that penetrate the base plate for attachment to the game panel. It is attached to the game panel so as to close the normal opening area from the front, and so as to overlap a portion of the transparent outer edge of the base plate with a specific opening area. Furthermore, the front surface of the outer edge of the base plate is inclined toward the rear, and the positioning projections are provided at both the portion close to the ball discharge port and the portion farther from the ball discharge port.

This allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the game panel by inserting the positioning projection protruding from the base plate of the ball entry unit into the positioning hole of the game panel from the front, and then tightening the mounting screws through the mounting holes that penetrate the base plate into the game panel. At the same time, game balls that enter the ball entry opening of the ball entry unit can be guided to the rear of the game panel through the normal opening area of the game panel's opening region. In this case, since the normal opening area of the game panel is covered from the front by the base plate of the ball entry unit, the rear of the game panel can be made difficult to see through the normal opening area and hidden, improving the appearance of the game machine. When this ball entry unit is attached to the front of the game panel, a part of the transparent outer edge of the base plate of the ball entry unit overlaps with a specific opening area of the opening region (in a front view, a part of the outer edge overlaps with the projection range of the specific opening area), so that a part of the outer edge protrudes toward the center of the specific opening area. Furthermore, during the disassembly of gaming machines for recycling, etc., when removing the ball entry unit from the game panel, the worker's fingers or tools can be hooked onto the area overlapping with a specific opening on the outer edge of the base plate. This allows the ball entry unit to be pulled forward with considerable force along with the base plate. Therefore, the ball entry unit can be easily removed from the game panel against the resistance between the positioning hole and the positioning projection, providing a gaming machine that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting.

Incidentally, if the ball entry unit is provided with two positioning protrusions, each of which is inserted into a positioning hole in the game panel, then when removing the ball entry unit from the game panel during disassembly, attempting to pull both positioning protrusions out of the positioning holes simultaneously would require pulling the ball entry unit forward with considerable force, potentially increasing the burden on the worker. In contrast, with this configuration, the positioning protrusions are provided at both points: one close to the specific opening region and the other far from it. Therefore, when disassembling a game machine for recycling or other purposes, when removing the ball entry unit from the game panel, the worker can hook their fingers or other body parts onto the part of the outer edge of the ball entry unit that overlaps with the specific opening region and pull it forward, thereby applying a strong pulling force to the positioning protrusion closer to the specific opening region. This allows for easier removal during disassembly. The positioning projection closest to the specific opening region can be removed first, followed by the remaining projection further away. This requires less force compared to simultaneously removing both projections, thus reducing the burden on the worker.

Furthermore, because the front edge of the outer edge of the ball entry unit's base plate is sloped toward the rear, the corners of the outer edge are obtuse. Therefore, when disassembling the gaming machine and removing the ball entry unit from the gaming panel, if a worker hooks their fingers or other body parts onto the part of the outer edge of the ball entry unit that overlaps with a specific opening area, even if the fingers or other body parts come into contact with the corners of the outer edge, the obtuse angle makes it less likely to injure the fingers or other body parts compared to a case where the corners were right angles, allowing for safe removal of the ball entry unit by hand.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, because the outer edge corners of the ball entry unit are obtuse, compared to cases where these corners are right angles, even if the game ball rolls along the outer edge to enter a specific opening area, the outer edge corners will not chip, thus improving the durability of the ball entry unit.

Furthermore, because the front edge of the outer edge of the ball entry unit's base plate is sloped toward the rear, the corners of the outer edge are obtuse. Therefore, even if the game ball rolls along the outer edge to enter a specific opening area, the obtuse corners prevent chipping, thus improving the durability of the ball entry unit.

Furthermore, because the outer edge of the base plate in the ball entry unit is tilted backward, the game balls can be smoothly guided into the specific opening area, preventing them from becoming stuck in that area.

Furthermore, because the outer edge of the base plate in the ball-in unit is transparent, even if a portion of the outer edge overlaps with the specific opening area, it is possible to avoid the specific opening area appearing smaller than it actually is.

Furthermore, because the two positioning protrusions are positioned apart from each other, when the ball entry unit is attached to the game panel, the ball entry unit does not rotate along the surface of the game panel, ensuring that the ball entry unit is reliably positioned at the desired location on the game panel.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide mounting holes for attaching the ball entry unit to the game panel near the positioning projection. This allows the mounting screws to be screwed into the game panel through the mounting holes, firmly pressing the positioning projection toward the game panel and ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole on the game panel, thus preventing the projection from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

Thus, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting for recycling, etc.

[15-7c. Relationship between the solution to the seventh technical feature and its embodiment]
In this embodiment, the out port 1008 and specific opening area 1103 in the game board 5 correspond to the ball discharge port (specific opening area) of the above solution, the opening area 1101 of the game panel 1100 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening area of the above solution, the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 in this embodiment corresponds to the game panel of the above solution, the opening 1112 and normal opening area 1102 of the panel plate 1110 in this embodiment correspond to the normal opening area of the above solution, the positioning hole 1113 in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning hole of the above solution, the general prize entry port 2001 and the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component member 2811 in this embodiment correspond to the ball entry port of the above solution, and the side unit 2800G in this embodiment corresponds to the ball entry unit of the above solution.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the base plate 2811a corresponds to the base plate (extension portion) of the above-described solution, the positioning projection 2811c corresponds to the positioning projection of the above-described solution, and the mounting hole 2811d corresponds to the mounting hole of the above-described solution. Moreover, in this embodiment, the finger rests 2816 and 2817 correspond to the portion where a part of the outer edge (base plate, extension portion) of the ball entry unit (side unit 2800G) overlaps with the ball discharge port (outlet 1008, specific opening area 1103) of the above-described solution.

[15-7d. Characteristic effects of the seventh technical feature]
According to this embodiment, the positioning projection 2811c protruding from the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G in the game board 5 is inserted from the front into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100, and the base plate 2811a is brought into contact with the front surface of the panel plate 1110. Then, mounting screws are screwed into the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 through mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a and tightened. This allows the side unit 2800G to be attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and also allows game balls B that have entered the general prize entry opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b) of the side unit 2800G to be guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 through the opening 1112 (normal opening area 1102 of the opening area 1101) of the panel plate 1110. In this case, the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 is covered from the front by the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G, making it difficult to see the rear of the game panel 1100 through the opening 1112 and thus improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5). When the side unit 2800G is attached to the front of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, a part of the transparent outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G (finger grip portion 2816 or finger grip portion 2817) overlaps with the out opening 1008 (a specific opening area 1103 within the opening area 1101) (in a front view, a part of the outer edge overlaps with the projection range of the out opening 1008), so the finger grip portion 2816 (finger grip portion 2817) protrudes toward the center of the out opening 1008. Furthermore, during the disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or other purposes, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, the finger grip portion 2816 (finger grip portion 2817) overlapping with the out opening 1008 on the outer edge of the base plate 2811a allows the worker to hook their fingers or tools onto it, enabling them to pull the side unit 2800G forward with considerable force together with the base plate 2811a. Consequently, the side unit 2800G can be easily removed from the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 against the resistance between the positioning hole 1113 and the positioning projection 2811c, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting.

Incidentally, since the side unit 2800G is provided with two positioning protrusions 2811c, each of which is inserted into a positioning hole 1113 in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel plate 1110 during disassembly, attempting to pull out both positioning protrusions 2811c simultaneously from the positioning holes 1113 would require pulling the side unit 2800G forward with considerable force, potentially increasing the burden on the worker. In contrast, in this embodiment, the positioning projection 2811c is provided in both a portion close to the out opening 1008 and a portion far from it. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, the worker can hook their fingers or the like onto the finger grip portion 2816 (finger grip portion 2817) on the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800 that overlaps with the out opening 1008 and pull it forward, thereby applying a strong pulling force to the positioning projection 2811c closer to the out opening 1008. This allows the two positioning protrusions 2811c to be removed first from the positioning hole 1113, while the remaining positioning protrusion 2811c, which is further away from the outlet 1008, can be removed from the positioning hole 1113. Compared to removing both positioning protrusions 2811c simultaneously, this requires less force, reducing the burden on the worker.

Furthermore, since the front edge of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G is inclined toward the rear, the corners of the outer edge are obtuse. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1, in order to remove the side unit 2800G from the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, if the worker's fingers or other body parts come into contact with the corners of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G, the obtuse angle of these corners makes it less likely to injure the fingers or other body parts compared to a case where the corners were right angles, allowing the side unit 2800G to be safely removed by the fingers or other body parts.

Furthermore, as described above, because the outer edge corner of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G is obtuse, compared to the case where the corner is right-angled, even if the game ball B rolls along the outer edge of the base plate 2811a to enter the out opening 1008, the outer edge will not chip, thus improving the durability of the side unit 2800G.

Furthermore, because the outer edge of the base plate 2811a in the side unit 2800G is tilted backward, the game balls B can be smoothly guided to the out opening 1008, thus preventing congestion of the game balls B at the out opening 1008.

Furthermore, because the outer edge of the base plate 2811a in the side unit 2800G is made transparent, even if a portion of the outer edge overlaps with the outlet 1008, such as the finger rest 2816 (finger rest 2817), it is possible to avoid the outlet 1008 appearing smaller than it actually is.

Furthermore, because the two positioning protrusions 2811c are positioned apart from each other, when the side unit 2800G is attached to the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, the side unit 2800G does not rotate along the surface of the panel plate 1110, and the side unit 2800G can be reliably positioned at the desired location on the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, since the mounting holes 2811d for attaching the game panel 1100 to the panel plate 1110 of the side unit 2800G are provided near the positioning projection 2811c, screwing the mounting screws into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 via the mounting holes 2811d and tightening them firmly presses the positioning projection 2811c toward the panel plate 1110, ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110. This prevents the positioning projection 2811c from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

By the way, during the disassembly of the pachinko machine 1, when the worker hooks their fingers or the like onto the part of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a that overlaps with the out opening 1008 in order to remove the side unit 2800G from the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 and pulls it forward, if the strength of that part is weak, there is a risk that the outer edge will crack and the side unit 2800G will remain on the game panel 1100 side. In contrast, in the embodiment shown in Figure 113, the depth of the finger grip portion 2817, which overlaps with the outlet opening 1008 at the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G, is increased. Compared to the method of overlapping a portion of the outer edge (extended portion) of the base plate 2811a on the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, this results in either a smaller size for the specific opening area 1103 (outlet opening 1008) (a smaller passage volume for discharging game balls B), or a larger size for the specific opening area 1103 (outlet opening 1008) beforehand (a larger passage volume for discharging game balls B). However, this increases the strength of the finger grip portion 2817, preventing it from cracking (breaking) even if an operator hooks their finger or the like onto it and pulls it forward, allowing the side unit 2800G to be reliably removed from the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, the finger grip portion 2817 on the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G, which overlaps with the out-opening 1008, is designed to penetrate the out-opening 1008 and protrude further back than the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. This allows the finger grip portion 2817 to cover the inner surface of the out-opening 1008, making it less visible to the player and improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

[15-8. Eighth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features, which differ from those described above.

[15-8a. Background of the Eighth Technical Feature]
In recent years, in amusement machines such as pachinko machines, methods have been used to create effects that can attract the attention of players, such as making the effect devices larger, increasing the range of motion of the effect devices, and decorating the effect devices with flashy lights.

By the way, in conventional gaming machines such as those described in Patent Document Y (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-018185), a ball entry unit is attached to the front of the gaming panel, through which the game balls flow. This unit has multiple ball entry openings (for example, general prize entry openings). Game balls that enter these entry openings are guided to the rear of the gaming panel, where they are detected by a ball sensor in a ball guidance unit located behind the gaming panel, and then discharged downwards. To illuminate and decorate such a ball entry unit, it is necessary to install LEDs mounted on the rear side of the ball guidance unit located behind the ball entry unit. However, installing an LED board reduces the space behind the ball entry unit, making it difficult to secure more space for the display device.

Therefore, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that can present a more impactful presentation by making it easier to secure space behind the ball entry unit, taking into account the above-mentioned circumstances.

[15-8b. Solution to the eighth technical feature]
Method 1: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine having multiple ball entry openings into which game balls can be entered, and equipped with a ball entry unit attached to the front of a game panel through which game balls can flow down,
The aforementioned ball-entry unit is
A first component is attached to the game panel such as having a positioning projection that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and a first mounting hole for attachment to the game panel, and closing an opening provided so as to penetrate the game panel from the front,
The second component has a second mounting hole for attachment to the first component, and is attached from the rear side of the first component such that it forms a predetermined space within the opening together with the first component,
An LED substrate on which LEDs are mounted is provided in the space formed by the first component and the second component."
It is characterized by being such.

Here, "entry slots" include "entry slots that award predetermined benefits upon entry of game balls (e.g., general entry slots, regular entry slots, start-up entry slots (start-up slots), large entry slots, special feature entry slots, V-entry slots, etc.)" and "out slots that discharge game balls outside the game machine without awarding any benefits or returning them to the player."

Furthermore, examples of "game panels" include those made from wooden plywood such as veneer, those consisting of a panel made by cutting a transparent resin sheet and a panel holder that holds the outer edge of the panel, and those made by injection molding transparent resin.

Furthermore, the "LED substrate" may be attached to the first component or to the second component. Also, the "non-contact surface" may be provided on the first component, on the second component, or on both the first and second components.

According to the configuration of Means 1, in a game machine equipped with a ball entry unit that has multiple ball entry openings into which game balls can be entered and is attached to the front of a game panel through which game balls can flow, the ball entry unit comprises: a first component having a positioning projection inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel and a first mounting hole for attachment to the game panel, and attached to the game panel so as to close the opening provided to penetrate the game panel from the front; and a second component having a second mounting hole for attachment to the first component, and attached from the rear of the first component so as to form a predetermined space within the opening with the first component, and an LED substrate on which LEDs are mounted is provided in the space formed by the first component and the second component (see the description in Chapter [12-2b. Modification 2 of the Side Unit], Figure 107, etc. in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the game panel by attaching the second component to the rear of the first component via the second mounting hole using mounting screws, inserting the positioning projection of the first component into the positioning hole of the game panel from the front, and then screwing the mounting screws into the game panel via the first mounting hole. Furthermore, the opening that penetrates the game panel can be covered by the first component, making it difficult to see the rear of the game panel through the opening, thus improving the appearance of the game machine, and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front of the game panel from the rear through the opening. In addition, the first component and the second component, which is attached to the rear of the first component via the second mounting hole using mounting screws, form a space within the opening of the game panel, and since an LED board is installed in this space, the ball entry unit can be illuminated and decorated with LEDs on the LED board. In this design, a space for the LED circuit board is formed within the opening of the game panel. This allows the space and the LED circuit board to be housed within the thickness of the game panel, minimizing the amount of protrusion from the rear of the game panel and allowing for more space behind the ball entry unit. Consequently, it becomes possible to install large display devices or devices with a wide range of motion behind the ball entry unit, enabling the presentation of more impactful visuals to players and providing a highly appealing gaming machine.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide the first mounting hole for attaching the ball entry unit to the game panel near the positioning projection. This allows the positioning projection to be firmly pressed against the game panel by screwing the mounting screw into the game panel through the first mounting hole, ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole on the game panel and preventing the projection from lifting due to incomplete insertion.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a non-contact surface area in the ball entry unit where the first and second components are in contact with each other, on a portion of the contact surface area where they are in contact. This allows the LED substrate to be placed in the space between the first and second components, and because a non-contact surface area is provided on a portion of the contact surface area where the first and second components are in contact, heat from the LED substrate can be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface area, thus avoiding thermal effects.

Furthermore, when a non-contact surface is provided as described above, the front end of the opening in the game panel is blocked by the first component. Therefore, the heat released from the non-contact surface to the outside does not flow to the front of the game panel, but can instead be dissipated to the rear of the game panel.

Furthermore, when a non-contact surface is provided as described above, it is desirable to form the ball entry unit so that a gap is provided between it and the inner circumference of the opening in the game panel, and to provide the non-contact surface at least on the upper contact surface. This ensures that the non-contact surface, capable of dissipating heat from the LED substrate located within the space formed by the first and second components, is provided at least on the upper part of the contact surface. Therefore, the heat from the LED substrate can be reliably dissipated to the outside by this non-contact surface, preventing heat buildup within the space. In this case, a gap is provided between the outer circumference of the part of the ball entry unit inserted into the opening in the game panel and the inner circumference of the opening. In other words, because a gap is provided between the non-contact surface and the inner circumference of the opening, heat from the LED substrate can be reliably dissipated from the non-contact surface to this gap, and heat can be exhausted from within the opening through this gap.

Furthermore, when a non-contact surface is provided as described above, it is desirable to position the LED substrate so that it does not overlap the non-contact surface in a plan view. This makes it less likely for foreign matter such as dust and dirt to enter the space where the LED substrate is located through the non-contact surface, thus minimizing the impact of foreign matter.

Furthermore, it is desirable to make the game panel opaque. Because the game panel is opaque, light from the LEDs on the LED substrate does not enter the interior of the game panel from the inner surface of the opening. Instead, it is reflected by the inner surface of the opening, which suppresses the reduction in the amount of light projected forward and makes it easier to fully realize the visual effects produced by the LED light emission.

Furthermore, when a non-contact surface is provided as described above, it may be positioned behind the rear surface of the game panel. This allows heat from the LED substrate located in the space between the first and second components to be reliably dissipated through the non-contact surface to the rear of the game panel, thereby avoiding heat-related effects.

Furthermore, the first component may have a flat base plate with a positioning projection and a mounting hole that penetrates it, allowing it to contact the front of the game panel. This means that by providing the ball entry unit with a flat base plate, the ball entry unit can be attached to the front of the game panel via the mounting hole. This allows the base plate to cover the opening of the game panel from the front, concealing the rear of the game panel from the front (player side) through the opening, thus improving the appearance of the game machine.

Furthermore, as described above, by providing a base plate in the first component, the base plate of the ball entry unit can close the opening of the game panel from the front. This allows heat from the LED substrate located in the space between the first and second components to be dissipated to the rear of the game panel through the non-contact surface, and prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front of the game panel through the opening.

Means 2: In the configuration of means 1,
"The ball entry unit is,
The first component and the second component are provided with non-contact surfaces that do not come into contact with each other, on a portion of the contact surface where they come into contact with each other.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 2, the ball-entry unit has a non-contact surface portion that does not come into contact with the contact surface portion where the first component and the second component come into contact with each other (see the description of the side unit 2800B, the contact surface portion 2830, and the non-contact surface portion 2831 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, the LED substrate is placed in the space between the first and second components, and a non-contact surface is provided on a portion of the contact surface where the first and second components are in contact with each other. Therefore, heat from the LED substrate can be dissipated to the outside through this non-contact surface, thus avoiding thermal effects.

Furthermore, because the front end of the opening in the game panel is sealed by the first component, the heat released to the outside from the non-contact surface does not flow to the front side of the game panel, but can instead be dissipated to the rear side of the game panel.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 2,
"The ball entry unit is formed such that a gap is provided between it and the inner circumference of the opening in the game panel,
The non-contact surface portion is provided on at least the upper contact surface portion.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 3, the ball entry unit is formed such that a gap is provided between it and the inner circumference of the opening in the game panel, and the non-contact surface is provided at least on the upper contact surface (see the description of the side unit 2800B and the non-contact surface 2831 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, a non-contact surface portion, capable of dissipating heat from the LED substrate located within the space formed by the first and second components, is provided at least on the upper part of the contact surface portion. Therefore, heat from the LED substrate can be reliably dissipated to the outside by this non-contact surface portion, preventing heat buildup within the space. In this case, a gap is provided between the outer circumference of the portion of the ball entry unit inserted into the opening of the game panel and the inner circumference of the opening. In other words, because a gap is provided between the non-contact surface portion and the inner circumference of the opening, heat from the LED substrate can be reliably dissipated from the non-contact surface portion into this gap, and heat can be exhausted from within the opening through this gap.

Means 4: In the configuration of means 2 or means 3,
"The LED substrate is provided so as not to overlap with the non-contact surface in a plan view."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 4, the LED substrate is provided so as not to overlap the non-contact surface portion in a plan view (see the description of the LED substrate 2825 and the non-contact surface portion 2831 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This makes it difficult for foreign matter such as dust and dirt to enter the space where the LED substrate is installed through the non-contact surface, thus minimizing the impact of foreign matter on the LED substrate.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 4,
"The aforementioned game panel is opaque."
It is characterized by the following:

Incidentally, if the game panel is made transparent, the light from the LED substrate may enter the interior of the game panel from the inner surface of the opening and diffuse, reducing the amount of light projected forward. This could potentially weaken the visual effects produced by the LED light.

According to the configuration of means 5, the game panel is made opaque (see the description of the game panel 1100 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, since the game panel is made opaque, light from the LEDs on the LED substrate does not enter the interior of the game panel from the inner surface of the opening. Instead, it is reflected by the inner surface of the opening, which suppresses the reduction in the amount of light projected forward and makes it easier to fully realize the visual effects of the LED illumination.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from means 2 to means 5,
"The non-contact surface is located behind the rear surface of the game panel."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 6, the non-contact surface is located behind the rear surface of the game panel (see the description regarding side unit 2800B in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows heat from the LED substrate, located in the space between the first and second components, to be reliably dissipated through the non-contact surface to a point behind the rear surface of the game panel, thereby avoiding the effects of heat.

Means 7: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 6,
"The first component has a flat base plate through which the positioning projection protrudes and the mounting hole penetrates, and which can abut against the front surface of the game panel."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 7, the first component has a positioning projection and a mounting hole that penetrates it, and has a flat base plate that can abut against the front surface of the game panel (see the description of the unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800B in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This design, which includes a flat base plate on the ball entry unit, allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the game panel via mounting holes. The base plate then covers the opening of the game panel from the front, concealing the rear of the game panel from the player's side through the opening. This improves the overall appearance of the game machine.

Furthermore, because the base plate of the ball entry unit can close the opening of the game panel from the front, heat from the LED substrate located in the space between the first and second components can be dissipated to the rear of the game panel through the non-contact surface. At the same time, it prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front of the game panel through the opening from the rear.

Means 8: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine having multiple ball entry openings into which game balls can be entered, and equipped with a ball entry unit attached to the front of a game panel through which game balls can flow down,
The aforementioned ball entry unit is
A first component is attached to the game panel such as having a positioning projection that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and a first mounting hole for attachment to the game panel, and closing an opening provided so as to penetrate the game panel from the front,
A second component having a second mounting hole for attachment to the first component, and attached from the rear side of the first component such that together with the first component, a predetermined space is formed within the opening,
It is equipped with and formed such that a gap is provided between the inner circumference of the opening of the game panel and the game panel,
A non-contact surface portion is provided at least on the upper side of the contact surface portion where the first component and the second component are in contact with each other, and
An LED substrate is provided in the space formed by the first component and the second component so as not to overlap with the non-contact surface in a plan view."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 8, in a gaming machine equipped with a ball entry unit that has multiple ball entry openings into which gaming balls can be entered and is attached to the front of a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow, the ball entry unit comprises: a first component having a positioning projection inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for attachment to the gaming panel, and attached to the gaming panel so as to close the opening provided to penetrate the gaming panel from the front; and a second component having a second mounting hole for attachment to the first component, and attached from the rear of the first component so as to form a predetermined space within the opening with the first component. Furthermore, a gap is provided between the first and second components and the inner circumference of the opening in the gaming panel. At least the upper portion of the contact surface where the first and second components touch each other is provided with a non-contact surface, and an LED substrate on which LEDs are mounted is provided in the space formed by the first and second components so as not to overlap the non-contact surface in a plan view.

This allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the game panel by attaching the second component to the rear of the first component via mounting screws through the second mounting holes, inserting the positioning projection protruding from the flat base plate of the first component into the positioning hole of the game panel from the front, and then screwing the mounting screws into the game panel via the first mounting holes so that the base plate abuts against the front of the game panel. This also allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the game panel, and because the base plate of the first component can close the opening that penetrates the game panel, it is possible to make it difficult to see the rear of the game panel through the opening, improving the appearance of the game machine, and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front of the game panel from the rear of the game panel through the opening. Furthermore, the first component and the second component, which is attached to the rear of the first component via mounting screws through the second mounting holes, form a space within the opening of the game panel, and since an LED board is installed in this space, the ball entry unit can be illuminated and decorated with LEDs on the LED board. In this design, a space for the LED circuit board is formed within the opening of the game panel. This allows the space and the LED circuit board to be housed within the thickness of the game panel, minimizing the amount of protrusion from the rear of the game panel and allowing for more space behind the ball entry unit. Consequently, it becomes possible to install large display devices or devices with a wide range of motion behind the ball entry unit, enabling the presentation of more impactful visuals to players and providing a highly appealing gaming machine.

Furthermore, an LED substrate is provided in the space between the first and second components, and a non-contact surface is provided at least on the upper part of the contact surface where the first and second components are in contact with each other. Therefore, heat from the LED substrate can be dissipated to the outside through this non-contact surface, thus avoiding thermal effects. In this case, a gap is provided between the outer circumference of the part of the ball entry unit inserted into the opening of the game panel and the inner circumference of the opening. In other words, a gap is provided between the non-contact surface and the inner circumference of the opening, allowing heat from the LED substrate to be reliably dissipated from the non-contact surface to this gap. And, since the front end of the opening of the game panel is closed by the base plate of the first component, the heat released from the non-contact surface to the gap can be guided to the rear side of the game panel instead of flowing to the front side of the game panel through the gap, thus reliably dissipating heat from the LED substrate.

Furthermore, because the LED substrate is positioned so as not to overlap with the non-contact surface in a plan view, even if foreign matter such as dust or dirt enters the space where the LED substrate is located through the non-contact surface, it is less likely to come into contact with the LED substrate, thus minimizing the impact of foreign matter.

Furthermore, because the game panel is opaque, light from the LEDs on the LED substrate does not enter the interior of the game panel from the inner surface of the opening. Instead, it is reflected by the inner surface of the opening, which suppresses the reduction in the amount of light projected forward, making it easier to fully realize the visual effects produced by the LEDs.

Furthermore, because the base plate of the ball entry unit blocks the opening of the game panel from the front, heat from the LED substrate located in the space between the first and second components can be dissipated to the rear of the game panel through the non-contact surface. This also prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front of the game panel through the opening.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the first mounting hole, which penetrates the base plate for attachment to the game panel, be provided near the positioning projection in the first component of the ball entry unit. This allows the positioning projection to be firmly pressed against the game panel by screwing the mounting screw into the game panel through the first mounting hole, ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole on the game panel and preventing the projection from lifting due to incomplete insertion.

Thus, by using the above solution, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can present a more impactful visual effect by making it easier to secure space behind the ball entry unit.

[15-8c. Relationship between the means of solving the eighth technical feature and the embodiments]
In this embodiment, the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 in the game board 5 corresponds to the game panel of the above solution, the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the above solution, the positioning hole 1113 in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning hole of the above solution, the general prize entry opening 2001 and the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component member 2811 in this embodiment correspond to the ball entry opening of the above solution, and the side units 2800B, 2800C, 2800D, 2800E, and 2800F in this embodiment correspond to the ball entry units of the above solution.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the unit body 2810 and unit body 2810A correspond to the first component of the solution, the base plate 2811a corresponds to the base plate of the solution, the positioning projection 2811c corresponds to the positioning projection of the solution, the mounting hole 2811d corresponds to the mounting hole of the solution, the unit cover 2820 corresponds to the second component of the solution, and the LED substrate 2825 corresponds to the LED substrate of the solution. Also, the contact surface portion 2830 (the portion where the support frame portion 2814 and the unit cover 2820 are in contact) corresponds to the contact surface portion of the solution, and the non-contact surface portion 2831 (the notch portion 2814b of the support frame portion 2814 and the notch portion 2820c of the unit cover 2820) corresponds to the non-contact surface portion of the solution.

[15-8d. Characteristic effects of the eighth technical feature]
Here, the features of side units 2800B, 2800C, 2800D, 2800E, and 2800F in this embodiment will be described using side unit 2800B as a representative example. According to this embodiment, in side unit 2800B which is attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100, the unit cover 2820 is attached from the rear side of the unit body 2810 by mounting screws through mounting holes, and then the positioning projection 2811c protruding from the flat base plate 2811a of the first component member 2811 of the unit body 2810 is inserted from the front into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100, and then the mounting screws are inserted through mounting holes 2811d so that the base plate 2811a abuts against the front surface of the panel board 1110. By screwing and tightening the side unit 2800B into the mounting plate 1110, the side unit 2800B can be attached to the front of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, the base plate 2811a can close the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel plate 1110, making it difficult to see the rear of the game panel 1100 through the opening 1112, thereby improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1. In addition, foreign matter such as dust and dirt can be prevented from entering the front side (game area 5a) of the panel plate 1110 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112. The unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820, which is attached to the rear of the unit body 2810 from the rear side of the unit body 2810 by mounting screws via mounting holes, form a space within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110. Since the LED board 2825 is provided in this space, the LEDs 2825a of the LED board 2825 can illuminate and decorate the side unit 2800B. In this case, a space for the LED substrate 2825 is formed within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100. This makes it possible to house the space and the LED substrate 2825 within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, minimizing the amount of rearward protrusion from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 and allowing for a wider space to be secured behind the side unit 2800B. Consequently, it becomes possible to install large display devices or display devices with a wide range of motion behind the side unit 2800B, enabling the presentation of more impactful displays to players and providing a pachinko machine 1 with high appeal to players.

Furthermore, the LED substrate 2825 is provided in the space between the unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800B. In addition, a non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch portion 2820c) is provided at least on the upper part of the contact surface portion 2830 where the unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other. As a result, heat from the LED substrate 2825 can be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831, thus avoiding the effects of heat. In this case, a gap is provided between the outer circumference of the portion of the side unit 2800B that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 and the inner circumference of the opening 1112. In other words, a gap is provided between the non-contact surface portion 2831 and the inner circumference of the opening 1112, so that heat from the LED substrate 2825 can be reliably dissipated from the non-contact surface portion 2831 into this gap. Furthermore, since the front end of the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 is closed by the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 in the unit body 2810, the heat released from the non-contact surface portion 2831 into the gap can be guided to the rear side of the panel plate 1110 without flowing through the gap to the front side of the panel plate 1110, thereby reliably dissipating heat from the LED substrate 2825.

Furthermore, since the LED substrate 2825 is positioned so as not to overlap with the non-contact surface portion 2831 in a plan view, even if foreign matter such as dust or dirt enters the space where the LED substrate 2825 is located through the non-contact surface portion 2831, it is difficult for it to come into contact with the LED substrate 2825, thus minimizing the impact of foreign matter.

Furthermore, by making the game panel 1100 opaque, light from the LED 2825a of the LED substrate 2825 does not enter the interior of the game panel 1100 from the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100. Instead, it can be reflected by the inner surface of the opening 1112, thereby suppressing the reduction in the amount of light emitted forward and making it easier to fully realize the visual effects produced by the light emission of the LED 2825a.

Furthermore, since the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 in the side unit 2800B closes the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 from the front, heat from the LED substrate 2825, which is located in the space between the unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820, can be dissipated to the rear of the panel plate 1110 through the non-contact surface portion 2831. At the same time, foreign matter such as dust and dirt can be prevented from entering the front side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800B, the first component 2811 of the unit body 2810 has a mounting hole 2811d that penetrates the base plate 2811a for attachment to the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. This mounting hole 2811d is located near the positioning projection 2811c. By screwing the mounting screw into the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 through the mounting hole 2811d and tightening it, the positioning projection 2811c can be strongly pressed towards the panel plate 1110, ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110. This prevents the positioning projection 2811c from lifting due to incomplete insertion.

[15-9. Ninth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features, which differ from those described above.

[15-9a. Background of the Ninth Technical Feature]
In recent years, in amusement machines such as pachinko machines, methods have been used to create effects that can attract the attention of players, such as making the effects devices larger, increasing the range of motion of the effects devices, and decorating the effects devices with flashy lights.

As an example of this type of gaming machine, conventional gaming machines such as those described in Patent Document Y (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-018185) are known to include a ball entry unit having multiple ball entry openings (e.g., general prize entry openings) on the front of a gaming panel through which gaming balls flow, and a ball guidance unit that detects the gaming balls that have entered the ball entry openings of the ball entry unit at the rear of the gaming panel and then discharges them downwards.

However, in the technology described in Patent Document Y, a ball guidance unit is provided behind the game panel. The presence of this ball guidance unit reduces the space behind the ball entry unit, making it impossible to secure a larger space for the display device.

Therefore, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that can present a more impactful presentation by making it easier to secure space behind the ball entry unit, taking into account the above-mentioned circumstances.

[15-9b. Means for solving the ninth technical feature]
Method 1: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine having multiple ball entry openings into which game balls can be entered, and equipped with a ball entry unit attached to the front of a game board through which game balls can flow,
The aforementioned ball-entry unit is
A first component is attached to the game board such as to close an opening provided through the game board from the front, having a positioning projection that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game board, and a mounting hole for attaching to the game board,
A second component is provided on the rear side of the first component and has a ball passage that allows game balls that have entered the ball entry opening to flow down along the surface of the game board within the opening so as to be within the thickness of the game board,
It is characterized by being equipped with [the following features].

Here, "entry slots" include "entry slots that award predetermined benefits upon entry of game balls (e.g., general entry slots, regular entry slots, start-up entry slots (start-up slots), large entry slots, special feature entry slots, V-entry slots, etc.)" and "out slots that discharge game balls outside the game machine without awarding any benefits or returning them to the player."

Furthermore, "game boards" are those on which obstacle pins are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement, and examples include "those made of wooden plywood such as veneer," "those made of panel boards cut from transparent resin sheets," and "those made from injection-molded transparent resin."

Furthermore, the "ball passage" may extend entirely within the thickness of the game board, or only partially within the thickness of the game board.

According to the configuration of Means 1, in a game machine equipped with a ball entry unit having multiple ball entry openings into which game balls can be entered, and the front surface of the game board through which game balls can flow, the ball entry unit comprises: a first component having a positioning projection inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game board, and a mounting hole for attachment to the game board, and attached to the game board so as to close the opening provided to penetrate the game board from the front; and a second component provided behind the first component, having a ball passage through which game balls that have entered the ball entry openings can flow down along the surface of the game board within the opening so as to be within the thickness of the game board (see the description in Chapter [12-1. Side Unit of the Second Embodiment], Figures 103 to 108, etc., in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the first component (ball entry unit) to be attached to the front of the game board by inserting the positioning projection of the first component into the positioning hole of the game panel from the front, and then screwing the mounting screws into the game board through the mounting holes. Furthermore, the first component can close the opening that penetrates the game board, making it difficult to see the rear of the game board through the opening, thus improving the appearance of the game machine, and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front of the game board from the rear through the opening. In addition, the second component, which is provided on the rear side of the first component, is provided with a ball passage that extends along the surface of the game board within the opening so as to be within the thickness of the game board. As a result, game balls that have entered the ball entry opening can be allowed to flow down within the thickness of the game board by using the thickness of the game board, the amount of protrusion of the ball entry unit from the rear surface of the game board can be made as small as possible, and a wider space can be secured behind the ball entry unit. Therefore, it becomes possible to install large display devices or display devices with a wide range of motion (movable mechanisms) behind the ball entry unit, allowing for more impactful presentations to players and providing a gaming machine with greater appeal to them.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide the mounting holes for attaching the ball entry unit's first component to the game board near the positioning projection. This allows the mounting screws to be screwed into the game board through the mounting holes, firmly pressing the positioning projection toward the game board and ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole, thereby preventing the projection from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

Furthermore, at least the portion of the ball passage that is in front of the movable mechanism may be positioned so as to extend within the thickness of the game board. This ensures that the portion of the movable mechanism acting as a display device in the ball passage extends within the thickness of the game board, thereby providing sufficient space in the front-to-back direction for the area where the movable mechanism is installed. It also allows for a wider range of motion for the movable mechanism, enabling the provision of a game machine that can present players with more impactful displays.

Furthermore, as described above, when the portion of the movable mechanism in the ball passage is positioned within the thickness of the game board, it becomes possible to secure sufficient space in the front-to-back direction of the portion where the movable mechanism is located on the rear side of the game board. Therefore, for example, a decorative element can be placed between the ball entry unit and the movable mechanism, and this decorative element can conceal the movable mechanism in its lowered position from the player's view. This allows for a visual effect where the movable mechanism appears when it is raised from its lowered position, providing a game machine that delivers a strong impact and provides enjoyment to the player.

Furthermore, a ball sensor for detecting game balls flowing down the ball passage may be installed below the movable mechanism located at the rear of the ball passage. This ensures that the ball sensor, which detects game balls entering the ball entry point, is positioned below the movable mechanism, preventing it from interfering with the mechanism and allowing the desired effects of the movable mechanism to be fully realized.

Furthermore, the ball passage may have a branch section that communicates with the ball entry point and extends to the rear, and a main section that merges with the branch section and extends downward along the surface of the game board. This allows each branch section communicating with each ball entry point to merge with the main section and flow downward, eliminating the need to provide a separate ball passage for each of the multiple ball entry points. This allows for the balls to be discharged collectively through a single ball passage and makes it easier to secure space behind the ball entry unit.

Furthermore, the second component may be attached to the rear of the first component. This allows the rigidity of the first component to be increased by the second component, as the second component is attached to the rear of the first component. To elaborate, for example, during the disassembly of a gaming machine for recycling, when the first component is pulled forward to remove it from the game board, if the rigidity of the first component is low, it will bend. This bending causes the positioning projection inserted into the positioning hole in the game board to tilt, making it difficult to remove from the positioning hole and potentially increasing the difficulty of the disassembly process. In contrast, by attaching the second component to the rear of the first component, a ball passage is provided in the second component. Since the cross-section of this ball passage is U-shaped, the rigidity of the second component is increased by the presence of the ball passage. Therefore, attaching this second component increases the rigidity of the first component (ball entry unit). Therefore, during the disassembly of a gaming machine for recycling or other purposes, when the ball entry unit is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the ball entry unit prevents the first component with the positioning projection from bending. As a result, the positioning projection does not tilt relative to the positioning hole in the game board, allowing the ball entry unit to be easily removed from the game board. This reduces the disassembly work required for sorting and recycling, thus providing a gaming machine with improved functionality.

Furthermore, the second component may be attached to a rear member located at the rear of the game board. This allows the second component of the ball entry unit to be attached to the rear member at the rear of the game board, making it possible to extend the ball passage downwards beyond the opening that penetrates the game board at the rear. More specifically, if the second component is attached to the first component, the first component blocks the opening of the game board from the front, requiring the second component, where the ball passage is located, to be smaller than the opening, making it difficult to extend a portion of the ball passage downwards beyond the opening at the rear of the game board. In contrast, by attaching the second component to a rear member located at the rear of the game board, a portion of the ball passage can be extended downwards beyond the opening at the rear of the game board. Therefore, the ball passage can be extended to the lower end of the game board, reducing the drop height of the game balls discharged downwards and thus reducing the impact of the discharged game balls. Furthermore, since a portion of the ball passage can be extended downwards beyond the opening at the rear of the game board, it is not necessary to extend the opening that penetrates the game board all the way down to the bottom edge of the game board, thus preventing a decrease in the strength of the game board.

Furthermore, as described above, by attaching the second component of the ball entry unit to the rear panel at the back of the game board, if a ball sensor is installed in the ball passage, electronic components such as the ball sensor will be installed on the rear panel side at the back of the game board. This allows the electronic components to be grouped together on the rear panel side, eliminating the need to install electronic components such as the ball sensor on the game board side. Therefore, during assembly and disassembly of the game machine, since the wiring of electronic components does not extend from the game board side, the wiring will not get caught on components such as obstacle pins, hindering work or causing the wiring to break.

Means 2: In the configuration of means 1,
"The second component is provided such that at least the portion in front of the movable mechanism in the ball passage extends within the thickness of the game board."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 2, the second component is provided such that at least the portion in front of the movable mechanism in the ball passage extends within the thickness of the game board (see the description regarding the ball passage 2812a of the second component 2812 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This design ensures that the front portion of the movable mechanism, which acts as a visual effect device in the ball passage, is positioned within the thickness of the game board. This allows for sufficient space in the front-to-back direction around the movable mechanism, while also enabling a wider range of motion for the mechanism, resulting in a game machine capable of providing players with more impactful visual effects.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, it becomes possible to secure sufficient space in the front-to-back direction of the area where the movable mechanism is located on the rear side of the game board. For example, a decorative element can be placed between the ball entry unit and the movable mechanism, and this decorative element can conceal the movable mechanism in its lowered position from the player's view. This allows for a visual effect where the movable mechanism appears when it is raised from its lowered position, providing a game machine that delivers a strong impact and enhances the player's enjoyment.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The second component is provided with a ball sensor located below the movable mechanism located at the rear of the ball passage, which detects game balls flowing down the ball passage."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 3, the second component is equipped with a ball sensor that detects game balls flowing down the ball passage, located below the movable mechanism located at the rear of the ball passage (see the description of ball sensor 2813b in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, the ball sensor that detects game balls entering the ball entry slot is positioned below the movable mechanism located at the rear. Therefore, the ball sensor does not obstruct the movable mechanism, allowing the desired visual effects of the movable mechanism to be fully realized.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 3,
"The ball passage has a branch section that communicates with the ball entry opening and extends to the rear, and a main section that merges with the branch section and extends downward along the surface of the game board."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 4, the ball passage has a branch section that communicates with the ball entry point and extends to the rear, and a main section that merges with the branch section and extends downward along the surface of the game board (see the description of the branch section 2801 and the main section 2802 in the ball passage 2812a in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This design allows each connected tributary section at each ball entry point to merge with the main stream and flow downstream. Therefore, it eliminates the need for separate ball passages at each entry point, allowing all balls to be discharged through a single passage, and also makes it easier to secure space behind the ball entry unit.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 4,
"The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 5, the second component is attached to the rear side of the first component (see the description regarding the second component 2812 of the side unit 2800 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, since the second component is attached to the rear of the first component, the rigidity of the first component can be increased by the second component. More specifically, for example, when disassembling a gaming machine for recycling, if the rigidity of the first component is low, when pulling the first component forward to remove it from the game board, the first component will bend, and this bending will cause the positioning projection that was inserted into the positioning hole of the game board to tilt, making it difficult to remove from the positioning hole and potentially making the disassembly process more difficult. In contrast, in this means, the second component is provided with a ball passage, and since the cross-section of the ball passage is U-shaped, the rigidity of the second component is increased by the presence of the ball passage, and by attaching this second component, the rigidity of the first component (ball entry unit) can be increased. Therefore, during the disassembly of a gaming machine for recycling or other purposes, when the ball entry unit is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the ball entry unit prevents the first component with the positioning projection from bending. As a result, the positioning projection does not tilt relative to the positioning hole in the game board, allowing the ball entry unit to be easily removed from the game board. This reduces the disassembly work required for sorting and recycling, thus providing a gaming machine with improved functionality.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 4,
"The second component is attached to a rear member located behind the game board."
It is characterized by being such.

Here, "rear components" can include "rear decorative elements," "rear units," and "rear boxes," among others.

According to the configuration of means 6, the second component is attached to the rear member provided at the rear of the game board (see the description regarding the second component 2813 of the side unit 2800A in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, the second component of the ball entry unit is attached to the rear back member of the game board, making it possible to extend the ball passage downwards below the opening that penetrates the game board at the rear. More specifically, if the second component is attached to the first component, the first component closes the opening of the game board from the front, so the second component, which is provided with the ball passage, must be smaller than the opening, making it difficult to extend a portion of the ball passage downwards below the opening at the rear of the game board. In contrast, in this means, since the second component is attached to the rear back member of the game board, a portion of the ball passage can be extended downwards below the opening at the rear of the game board. Therefore, since the ball passage can be extended to the lower end of the game board, the drop height of the game balls discharged downwards can be reduced, and the impact caused by the discharged game balls can be reduced. Furthermore, since a portion of the ball passage can be extended downwards beyond the opening at the rear of the game board, it is not necessary to extend the opening that penetrates the game board all the way down to the bottom edge of the game board, thus preventing a decrease in the strength of the game board.

Furthermore, since the second component of the ball entry unit is attached to the rear panel at the back of the game board, if a ball sensor is installed in the ball passage, electronic components such as the ball sensor will be installed on the rear panel side of the game board. This allows the electronic components to be grouped together on the rear panel side, eliminating the need to install electronic components such as the ball sensor on the game board side. Therefore, during assembly and disassembly of the game machine, since no wiring for electronic components extends from the game board side, there is no risk of the wiring getting caught on obstacles such as pins, hindering work, or being cut.

Means 7: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine having multiple ball entry openings into which game balls can be entered, and equipped with a ball entry unit attached to the front of a game board through which game balls can flow,
The aforementioned ball-entry unit is
A first component is attached to the game board such as to close an opening provided through the game board from the front, having a positioning projection that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game board, and a mounting hole for attaching to the game board,
A second component is provided on the rear side of the first component and has a ball passage that allows game balls that have entered the ball entry opening to flow down along the surface of the game board within the opening so as to be within the thickness of the game board,
Equipped with,
The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component, or to a rear member provided behind the game board, and a ball sensor for detecting game balls flowing down the ball passage is provided at a location below the movable mechanism.
The ball passage has a branch section that communicates with the ball entry opening and extends to the rear, and a main section that merges with the branch section and extends downward along the surface of the game board, and is provided such that at least the portion in front of the movable mechanism is within the thickness of the game board.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 7, in a game machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a game board through which game balls can flow, the ball entry unit has a positioning projection that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game board, and a mounting hole for attaching to the game board, and is attached to the game board so as to close the opening provided so as to penetrate the game board from the front, and is provided on the rear side of the first component, and is provided so as to allow game balls that have entered the ball entry opening to lie within the thickness of the game board along the surface of the game board within the opening The device comprises a second component having a ball passage through which balls can flow downward. The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component, or to a rear member located behind the game board. A ball sensor for detecting game balls flowing down the ball passage is provided below the movable mechanism. The ball passage has a branch section communicating with the ball entry point and extending rearward, and a main section merging with the branch section and extending downward along the surface of the game board. At least the portion in front of the movable mechanism is positioned within the thickness of the game board.

This allows the first component (ball entry unit) to be attached to the front of the game board by inserting the positioning projection of the first component into the positioning hole of the game panel from the front, and then screwing the mounting screws into the game board through the mounting holes. Furthermore, the first component can close the opening that penetrates the game board, making it difficult to see the rear of the game board through the opening, thus improving the appearance of the game machine, and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front of the game board from the rear through the opening. In addition, the second component, which is provided on the rear side of the first component, is provided with a ball passage that extends along the surface of the game board within the opening so as to be within the thickness of the game board. As a result, game balls that have entered the ball entry opening can be allowed to flow down within the thickness of the game board by using the thickness of the game board, the amount of protrusion of the ball entry unit from the rear surface of the game board can be made as small as possible, and a wider space can be secured behind the ball entry unit. Therefore, it becomes possible to install large display devices or display devices with a wide range of motion (movable mechanisms) behind the ball entry unit, allowing for more impactful presentations to players and providing a gaming machine with greater appeal to them.

Furthermore, by positioning the front portion of the movable mechanism, which serves as a visual effect device in the ball passage, within the thickness of the game board, sufficient space can be secured in the front-to-back direction of the area where the movable mechanism is installed. This also allows for a wider range of motion for the movable mechanism, enabling the provision of a gaming machine that can present players with more impactful visual effects.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, it becomes possible to secure sufficient space in the front-to-back direction of the area where the movable mechanism is located on the rear side of the game board. For example, a decorative element can be placed between the ball entry unit and the movable mechanism, and this decorative element can conceal the movable mechanism in its lowered position from the player's view. This allows for a visual effect where the movable mechanism appears when it is raised from its lowered position, providing a game machine that delivers a strong impact and enhances the player's enjoyment.

Furthermore, because the ball sensor that detects game balls entering the ball entry slot is located below the movable mechanism at the rear, the ball sensor does not interfere with the movable mechanism, allowing the desired visual effects of the movable mechanism to be fully realized.

Furthermore, since the respective tributaries connected at each ball entry point are merged into the main stream and allowed to flow downstream, there is no need to provide separate ball passages for each of the multiple ball entry points. Balls can be discharged collectively through a single ball passage, and it is easier to secure space behind the ball entry unit.

Furthermore, by attaching the second component to the rear of the first component, the rigidity of the first component can be increased by the second component. To elaborate, for example, during the disassembly of a gaming machine for recycling, when the first component is pulled forward to remove it from the game board, if the rigidity of the first component is low, the first component will bend, and this bending will cause the positioning projection inserted into the positioning hole of the game board to tilt, making it difficult to remove from the positioning hole and potentially making the disassembly process more difficult. In contrast, by attaching the second component to the rear of the first component, the second component is provided with a ball passage, and since the cross-section of this ball passage is U-shaped, the rigidity of the second component is increased by the presence of the ball passage. Therefore, by attaching this second component, the rigidity of the first component (ball entry unit) can be increased. Therefore, during the disassembly of a gaming machine for recycling or other purposes, when the ball entry unit is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the ball entry unit prevents the first component with the positioning projection from bending. As a result, the positioning projection does not tilt relative to the positioning hole in the game board, allowing the ball entry unit to be easily removed from the game board. This reduces the disassembly work required for sorting and recycling, thus providing a gaming machine with improved functionality.

Furthermore, by attaching the second component of the ball entry unit to the rear member at the rear of the game board, it becomes possible to extend the ball passage downwards beyond the opening that penetrates the game board at the rear. In detail, if the second component is attached to the first component, the first component closes the opening of the game board from the front, so the second component, which is provided with the ball passage, must be smaller than the opening, making it difficult to extend a portion of the ball passage downwards beyond the opening at the rear of the game board. In contrast, by attaching the second component to the rear member provided at the rear of the game board, it becomes possible to extend a portion of the ball passage downwards beyond the opening at the rear of the game board. Therefore, it becomes possible to extend the ball passage to the lower end of the game board, which reduces the drop height of the game balls being discharged downwards and reduces the impact caused by the discharged game balls. Furthermore, since a portion of the ball passage can be extended downwards beyond the opening at the rear of the game board, it is not necessary to extend the opening that penetrates the game board all the way down to the bottom edge of the game board, thus preventing a decrease in the strength of the game board.

Furthermore, by attaching the second component of the ball entry unit to the rear panel of the game board, electronic components such as ball sensors located in the ball passage are positioned on the rear panel side of the game board. This allows the electronic components to be consolidated on the rear panel side, eliminating the need to provide electronic components such as ball sensors on the game board side. Therefore, during assembly and disassembly of the game machine, since no wiring for electronic components extends from the game board side, there is no risk of the wiring getting caught on obstacles such as pins, hindering work, or being cut.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide the mounting holes for attaching the ball entry unit's first component to the game board near the positioning projection. This allows the mounting screws to be screwed into the game board through the mounting holes, firmly pressing the positioning projection toward the game board and ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole, thereby preventing the projection from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

Thus, by using the above solution, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can present a more impactful visual effect by making it easier to secure space behind the ball entry unit.

[15-9c. Relationship between the means of solving the ninth technical feature and its embodiment]
In this embodiment, the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 in the game board 5 corresponds to the game board of the above solution, the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the above solution, the positioning hole 1113 in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning hole of the above solution, the general prize entry opening 2001 and the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component member 2811 in this embodiment correspond to the ball entry opening of the above solution, and the side unit 2800, side unit 2800A, side unit 2800B, side unit 2800C, and side unit 2800G in this embodiment correspond to the ball entry unit of the above solution.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first component 2811 of the unit body 2810 corresponds to the first component of the solution, the positioning projection 2811c corresponds to the positioning projection of the solution, the mounting hole 2811d corresponds to the mounting hole of the solution, the second component 2812 and the second component 2813 correspond to the second component of the solution, the ball passages 2812a and 2813a correspond to the ball passages of the solution, the ball sensors 2813b and 2815 correspond to the ball sensors of the solution, the back unit 3000 (back box 3010) corresponds to the back member of the solution, and the back lower display unit 3500 corresponds to the movable part of the solution.

[15-9d. Characteristic effects of the ninth technical feature]
Here, the features of side unit 2800, side unit 2800A, side unit 2800B, side unit 2800C, and side unit 2800G in this embodiment will be described using side unit 2800 as a representative example. According to this embodiment, in the game board 5, the positioning projection 2811c of the first component 2811 of the side unit 2800 is inserted from the front into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and then the mounting screws are screwed into the panel plate 1110 through the mounting holes 2811d and tightened, thereby allowing the first component 2811 (side unit 2800) to be attached to the front of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel plate 1110 is closed by the first component 2811, making it difficult to see the rear of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112, thereby improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1, and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front of the panel plate 1110 (game area 5a) from the rear through the opening 1112. Furthermore, since the second component 2812, which is provided on the rear side of the first component 2811, is provided with a ball passage 2812a that extends within the opening 1112 along the surface of the panel plate 1110 so as to overlap with the thickness of the panel plate 1110, the game balls B that have entered the ball receiving section 2811b (general prize entry opening 2001) can be allowed to flow down through the ball passage 2812a so as to overlap with the thickness of the panel plate 1110. By utilizing the thickness of the panel plate 1110, the amount of the side unit 2800 protruding rearward from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 can be made as small as possible, and a wider space can be secured behind the side unit 2800. Consequently, it becomes possible to provide a large performance device such as the back performance unit 3500 or a performance device with a wide range of motion behind the side unit 2800, so that a more impactful performance can be presented to the player, and a pachinko machine 1 with high appeal to the player can be provided.

Furthermore, since the portion of the lower-back display unit 3500 in the ball passage 2812a is positioned within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, sufficient space can be secured in the front-to-back direction of the area where the lower-back display unit 3500 is installed. This also allows for a wider range of motion for the lower-back display unit 3500, resulting in a pachinko machine 1 capable of presenting players with more impactful visual effects.

Furthermore, as described above, sufficient space can be secured in the front-to-back direction of the area where the rear-side display unit 3500 is located on the rear side of the panel board 1110. For example, a decorative element can be placed between the side unit 2800 and the rear-side display unit 3500, and this decorative element can conceal the lowered rear-side movable decorative element 3510 from the player's view. This allows for a visual effect where the rear-side movable decorative element 3510 appears when raised from its lowered position, providing a pachinko machine 1 that delivers a strong and enjoyable experience for the player.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800, since each branch section 2801, which is connected at each ball receiving section 2811b, is merged into the main section 2802 and flows downstream, there is no need to provide a separate ball passage 2812a for each of the multiple ball receiving sections 2811b. The balls can be discharged together through a single ball passage 2812a, and it is also easier to secure space behind the side unit 2800.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800A, the ball sensor 2813b, which detects the game ball B that has entered the ball receiving section 2811b (general prize entry opening 2001), is located below the rear-facing display unit 3500. Therefore, the ball sensor 2813b does not obstruct the rear-facing display unit 3500, allowing the desired display effects of the rear-facing display unit 3500 to be fully realized.

Furthermore, by attaching the second component 2812 to the rear side of the first component 2811, as in the side unit 2800, the rigidity of the first component 2811 can be increased by the second component 2812. More specifically, for example, during the disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling, when the first component 2811 is pulled forward to remove it from the panel plate 1110, if the rigidity of the first component 2811 is low, the first component 2811 will bend, and this bending will cause the positioning projection 2811c, which was inserted into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110, to tilt, making it difficult to remove from the positioning hole 1113, which may make the disassembly process more difficult. In contrast, if the second component 2812 is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811, the second component 2812 is provided with a ball passage 2812a, and since the cross-section of this ball passage 2812a is U-shaped, the rigidity of the second component 2812 is increased by the presence of the ball passage 2812a. Therefore, by attaching this second component 2812, the rigidity of the first component 2811 (side unit 2800) can be increased. Consequently, during the disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling, etc., when the side unit 2800 is pulled forward, the rigidity of the side unit 2800 is increased, so the first component 2811, on which the positioning projection 2811c protrudes, does not bend. Therefore, the positioning projection 2811c does not tilt relative to the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110, and the side unit 2800 can be easily removed from the panel plate 1110, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800A, the second component 2813 is attached to a rear member such as the rear unit 3000 behind the panel board 1110, making it possible to extend the spherical passage 2813a below the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel board 1110 on the rear side of the panel board 1110. In detail, if the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811, the first component 2811 closes the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 from the front, so the second component 2812, on which the spherical passage 2812a is provided, must be smaller than the opening 1112, making it difficult to extend a part of the spherical passage 2812a below the opening 1112 on the rear side of the panel board 1110. In contrast, in the side unit 2800A, the second component 2813 is attached to a rear member such as the rear unit 3000, which is located behind the panel plate 1110. Therefore, a portion of the ball passage 2813a can be extended downwards below the opening 1112 on the rear side of the panel plate 1110. Consequently, the ball passage 2813a can be extended to the lower end of the panel plate 1110, thereby lowering the drop height of the game balls B being discharged downwards and reducing the impact caused by the discharged game balls B. Furthermore, because a portion of the ball passage 2813a can be extended downwards below the opening 1112 on the rear side of the panel plate 1110, there is no need to extend the opening 1112, which penetrates the panel plate 1110, downwards to the lower end of the panel plate 1110, and the strength of the panel plate 1110 is not reduced.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800A, the second component 2813 is attached to the rear member such as the rear unit 3000 behind the panel board 1110. Therefore, electronic components such as the ball sensor 2813b, which is provided in the ball passage 2813a, are located on the rear member side behind the panel board 1110. This allows the electronic components to be grouped together on the rear member side, eliminating the need to provide electronic components such as the ball sensor 2813b on the panel board 1110 side. Consequently, during the assembly and disassembly of the pachinko machine 1, since the wiring of the electronic components does not extend from the panel board 1110 side, the wiring will not get caught on obstacles such as nails, hindering work or causing the wiring to break.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800, the mounting hole 2811d for attaching the first component 2811 to the panel plate 1110 is provided near the positioning projection 2811c. Therefore, by screwing the mounting screw into the panel plate 1110 through the mounting hole 2811d and tightening it, the positioning projection 2811c can be strongly pressed towards the panel plate 1110, ensuring secure insertion into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110. This prevents the positioning projection 2811c from lifting due to incomplete insertion.

[15-10. Tenth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features, which differ from those described above.

[15-10a. Background of the Tenth Technical Feature]
As a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine, there is a known type that includes a center component that is attached from the front to an opening in a game panel where a game area is formed through which game balls can flow, and has a decorative body that is decorated with a predetermined ornament (for example, Patent Document Z: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-074434). In the technology of Patent Document Z, the appearance of the gaming machine is improved by the decorative body provided on the center component.

However, in the technology described in Patent Document Z, a flat decorative element is placed near the front end of the center component. Therefore, even if the decorative element has relief-like decorations, it lacks a sense of depth, potentially causing players to quickly tire of it and diminishing their enjoyment.

Therefore, in light of the above circumstances, the objective of the following method is to provide a gaming machine that can suppress the decline in player interest by incorporating decorative elements with a higher decorative effect.

[15-10b. Solution to the Tenth Technical Feature]
Method 1: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine equipped with a game board having a game panel that forms a game area in which game balls can flow down,
The RE game board is
A frame-shaped center frame is attached from the front to an opening formed in the aforementioned gaming panel,
A decorative body attached to the center frame and having a predetermined decoration,
Equipped with,
The decorative element is
The center frame has a rear decorative portion that extends within the frame and a portion of which protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion that is provided in front of the rear decorative portion.
The aforementioned rear decorative section and the aforementioned front decorative section are decorated in a way that coordinates with each other.
It is characterized by being such.

Here, "game panel" can refer to various types of panels, including: "opaque panels such as plywood," "panel boards made of transparent resin," and "panel boards made of transparent resin and frame-shaped panel holders that hold the outer edge of the panel board."

Furthermore, examples of "center frames" include: "a flat flange portion that can abut against the front surface of the game panel, and an inflow restricting portion that extends forward from the flange portion and restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area into the opening of the game panel," and "an insertion portion that is inserted into the opening of the game panel and provided along the inner circumferential surface of the opening, a flat flange portion that extends from the front end of the insertion portion in a direction along the surface of the game panel and can abut against the front surface of the game panel, and an inflow restricting portion that extends forward from the flange portion and restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area into the opening of the game panel."

Furthermore, "decorative elements" include items with decorations consisting of patterns created by printing or painting, items with three-dimensionally sculpted decorations, and items with decorations that have a metallic luster, such as plating.

Furthermore, examples of "decorative elements" include: "those that are illuminated by the light emitted by LEDs mounted on an LED board," "those that have opaque sections to make the wiring of electronic components (e.g., LED boards, relay boards, sphere sensors, magnetic sensors, displays (special pattern displays), solenoids, etc.) located at the rear difficult to see from the front," and "those that have electronic components (e.g., LED boards, relay boards, sphere sensors, magnetic sensors, displays (special pattern displays), solenoids, etc.) that protrude further rearward than the rear end of the center frame."

Furthermore, examples of "harmonious decorations" include: "decorations where the decorations of the front and back sections form a single decoration (pattern)," "decorations with patterns (figures) where the decorations of the front and back sections are continuous with each other," and "decorations where the decorations of the front or back section enhance (emphasize) the decorations of the back or front section."

According to the configuration of Means 1, in a game machine equipped with a game board having a game panel in which a game area is formed through which game balls can flow, the game board comprises a frame-shaped center frame attached from the front to an opening formed in the game panel, and a decorative body attached to the center frame and having predetermined decorations. The decorative body has a rear decorative part that extends within the frame of the center frame and a portion of which protrudes further rearward than the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative part provided in front of the rear decorative part, and the rear decorative part and the front decorative part are decorated in a manner that coordinates with each other. (See Chapter 11-2. Center Mechanism of the Second Embodiment and Figure 98, etc., in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

As a result, the center frame attached to the game panel of the game board is fitted with a decorative body consisting of a rear decorative section that partially protrudes beyond the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative section positioned in front of the rear decorative section. This allows the player to see a decorative body with depth, created by the front and rear decorative sections. Because the rear and front decorative sections are designed to coordinate with each other, a large decorative effect can be presented to the player, creating a large, deep, and highly effective decorative body. Therefore, by providing a highly effective decorative body on the center frame, it is possible to strongly attract the player's attention and prevent them from becoming bored, thus providing a game machine that can suppress a decline in the player's enjoyment.

Furthermore, because the decorative rear section, which constitutes the decorative element, extends within the frame of the center frame, it does not narrow the game area on the front of the game panel or obscure the view of the game balls flowing through the game area. This allows players to enjoy the game with the game balls in a good condition.

Furthermore, because the rear decorative section constituting the decorative element extends within the frame of the center frame, when a performance display device, movable decorative element, or other decorative element is provided behind the game panel, the rear decorative element can be used to decorate the area around the performance display device (display screen) or to work in conjunction with the decorative element (movable decorative element) to create a more effective decorative effect (performance), thereby providing a highly appealing game machine that can strongly attract the player's attention.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the front and rear decorative sections overlap at least partially when viewed from the front. This allows the front and rear decorative sections, which feature harmonious decorations, to partially overlap when viewed from the front. As a result, the boundary between the front and rear decorative sections becomes less noticeable when viewed from the front, allowing the large decorative elements of both sections to be displayed to the player in a more favorable state and enhancing the decorative effect of the ornament.

Furthermore, it is desirable to make the center frame transparent. This makes the center frame less visible and less conspicuous to the player, allowing the decorative elements (front and rear decorative parts) to stand out more, thereby enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative elements.

Furthermore, the decorative element may have an opaque portion that makes the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame difficult to see from the front. This allows the wiring to be hidden by the opaque portion, preventing the wiring from being visible and thus preventing a deterioration in appearance, thus allowing the decorative effect of the decorative element to be more easily achieved.

Furthermore, the decorative element may be placed in front of the LED board on which the LEDs are mounted. This allows the decorative element to conceal the LED board, thus avoiding the unsightly appearance caused by the visible LED board and allowing the decorative element to more effectively enhance its decorative effect.

Furthermore, a display unit capable of showing the results of the special symbol draw, which is determined by the initial ball entry of game balls within the game area, may be attached to the center frame. This allows the display unit for showing the special symbols to be attached to the center frame, enabling it to be mounted to the game panel together with the center frame. Compared to cases where the display unit is mounted separately, this reduces the effort required for assembling the game machine.

Means 2: In the configuration of means 1,
"The front decorative section and the rear decorative section are arranged so that at least a portion of them overlap when viewed from the front."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 2, the front decorative part and the rear decorative part are provided so that at least a portion of them overlap when viewed from the front. (See the description regarding decorative body 2580 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

This design, which features coordinated decorations on the front and rear sections, allows them to partially overlap when viewed from the front. This makes the boundary between the front and rear decorations less noticeable when viewed from the front, allowing the large decorative elements of both sections to be more clearly displayed to the player and enhancing the decorative effect of the ornament.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 and means 2,
The center frame is characterized by being made of transparent material.

According to the configuration of means 3, the center frame is formed transparently. In other words, the center frame is formed from a transparent material. (See the description regarding the center frame 2511 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

This makes the center frame less visible and less conspicuous to the player because it is transparent, allowing the decorative elements (front and rear decorative parts) to stand out more and enhancing their decorative effect.

Furthermore, because the center frame is transparent, when the game panel is also transparent and decorative elements or display devices are installed behind the game panel, the center frame becomes less conspicuous. This makes the decorative elements and display images visible through the transparent game panel more noticeable, thus providing a game machine that can entertain players more.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 3,
"The aforementioned decorative body is,
The center frame has an opaque section that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to it from the front.
It is characterized by being such.

Here, "electronic components" include "LED boards," "relay boards," "ball sensors for detecting game balls," "magnetic sensors," "display units for showing special patterns," "solenoids for opening and closing variable prize slots," and "solenoids or drive motors for moving movable decorative elements," etc.

According to the configuration of means 4, the decorative body has an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front. (See the description of decorative body 2580 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

This design makes it difficult to see the wiring of electronic components from the front due to the opaque portion of the decorative element. Because the wiring can be hidden by the opaque portion, it prevents the appearance from deteriorating due to visible wiring, and allows the decorative effect of the element to be more easily achieved.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 4,
"The aforementioned decorative body is,
It is located in front of the LED circuit board on which the LEDs are mounted.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 5, the decorative element is provided in front of the LED substrate on which the LEDs are mounted. (See the description regarding the LED substrate 2586 of the decorative element 2580 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

This design, which places the decorative element in front of the LED circuit board, allows the LED board to be concealed by the decorative element. This avoids the unsightly appearance caused by the visible LED board, and makes it easier to maximize the decorative effect of the element.

Furthermore, by directing the light from the LEDs mounted on the LED board onto the decorative object, the LED board can illuminate the decorative object, making it appear brighter and more beautiful, thus entertaining the player and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 5,
"The aforementioned center frame includes,
A display unit capable of showing the results of the special symbol draw, which is determined by the initial ball entry of a game ball within the aforementioned game area, is installed."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 6, a display unit capable of displaying the lottery results of special symbols drawn by game balls entering the game area is attached to the center frame. (See the description regarding the symbol display unit 2518 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

This design allows the display unit for showing special symbols to be attached to the center frame, enabling the display unit to be mounted to the game panel together with the center frame. This reduces the effort required for assembling the game machine compared to a system where the display unit is mounted separately.

Means 7: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine equipped with a game board having a game panel that forms a game area in which game balls can flow down,
The RE game board is
A display unit capable of displaying the results of a special symbol lottery, which is drawn by a game ball entering the game area, is installed, and a frame-shaped transparent center frame is attached from the front to an opening formed in the game panel,
A decorative body is attached to the center frame, has a predetermined decoration, and has an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front, and is provided in front of the LED board on which the LEDs are mounted,
Equipped with,
The decorative element is
The center frame has a rear decorative portion that extends within the frame and a portion of which protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion that is provided in front of the rear decorative portion.
The rear decorative section and the front decorative section are decorated in a way that coordinates with each other, and are arranged so that at least a portion of them overlap when viewed from the front.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 7, the gaming machine comprises a game board having a game panel forming a game area through which game balls can flow. The game board has a display unit attached capable of displaying the results of a special symbol draw determined by game ball entry within the game area. It includes a frame-shaped transparent center frame mounted from the front into an opening formed in the game panel, and a decorative body attached to the center frame, which is decorated and has an opaque portion that makes the wiring of electronic components attached to the center frame difficult to see from the front. The decorative body is located in front of an LED substrate on which LEDs are mounted. The decorative body has a rear decorative portion extending within the frame of the center frame and a portion projecting further back than the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion located in front of the rear decorative portion. The rear and front decorative portions are decorated in a coordinated manner and are arranged so that at least a portion overlaps when viewed from the front.

As a result, a decorative body is provided on the transparent center frame attached to the game panel of the game board. This decorative body consists of a rear decorative part that protrudes further back than the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative part that is positioned in front of the rear decorative part. Because the center frame is transparent, it is less conspicuous, making the decorative body stand out relatively. At the same time, the front and rear decorative parts of the decorative body create a decorative effect with depth, which can be seen by the player. In this case, the decorations on the rear and front decorative parts are coordinated with each other, and parts of each overlap when viewed from the front. Therefore, when viewed from the front, it is possible to make the boundary between the decorations of the front and rear decorative parts difficult to discern, allowing the large decorative effect created by the front and rear decorative parts to be seen by the player in good condition, and creating a large, deep decorative body with a high decorative effect. Consequently, a decorative body with a high decorative effect can be provided on the center frame, which can strongly attract the player's attention and prevent them from getting bored, thus providing a game machine that can suppress the decline in the player's interest.

Furthermore, because the decorative rear section, which constitutes the decorative element, extends within the frame of the center frame, it does not narrow the game area on the front of the game panel or obscure the view of the game balls flowing through the game area. This allows players to enjoy the game with the game balls in a good condition.

Furthermore, because the rear decorative section constituting the decorative element extends within the frame of the center frame, when a performance display device, movable decorative element, or other decorative element is provided behind the game panel, the rear decorative element can be used to decorate the area around the performance display device (display screen) or to work in conjunction with the decorative element (movable decorative element) to create a more effective decorative effect (performance), thereby providing a highly appealing game machine that can strongly attract the player's attention.

Furthermore, the opaque portion of the decorative element makes it difficult to see the wiring of electronic components from the front. Because the wiring can be hidden by the opaque portion, the aesthetic deterioration caused by visible wiring can be prevented, and the decorative effect of the element can be more easily achieved.

Furthermore, since the decorative element is positioned in front of the LED circuit board, it can conceal the LED circuit board, thus avoiding the unsightly appearance caused by the visible LED circuit board and allowing the decorative element to more effectively enhance its aesthetic appeal.

Furthermore, since the display unit for showing special symbols is mounted on the center frame, the display unit can be attached to the game panel together with the center frame. This reduces the effort required for assembling the game machine compared to when the display unit is attached separately.

Thus, according to the above solution, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can suppress the decline in player interest by providing decorative elements with a higher decorative effect.

[15-10c. Relationship between the solution to the tenth technical feature and its embodiment]
In this embodiment, the game panel 1100, consisting of a panel board 1110 and a panel holder 1120 in the game board 5, corresponds to the game panel of the above solution; the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the game panel of the above solution; the center frame 2511 of the center mechanism 2500 in this embodiment corresponds to the center frame of the above solution; the pattern display 2518 in this embodiment corresponds to the display of the above solution; the decorative body 2580 in this embodiment corresponds to the decorative body of the above solution; the front decorative part 2581 in this embodiment corresponds to the front decorative part of the above solution; the rear decorative part 2582 in this embodiment corresponds to the rear decorative part of the above solution; and the LED substrate 2586 in this embodiment corresponds to the LED substrate of the above solution.

[15-10d. Characteristic effects of the tenth technical feature]
According to this embodiment, a decorative body 2580 is provided on a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the game panel 1100 of the game board 5. This decorative body 2580 consists of a rear decorative part 2582 that partially protrudes further back than the rear end of the center frame 2511, and a front decorative part 2581 that is provided in front of the rear decorative part 2582. As a result, the transparent center frame 2511 is made less conspicuous, making the decorative body 2580 stand out relatively, and the front decorative part 2581 and the rear decorative part 2582 of the decorative body 2580 create a decorative effect with depth that can be shown to the player. In this case, the rear decorative section 2582 and the front decorative section 2581 are decorated in a way that coordinates with each other, and parts of each overlap when viewed from the front. As a result, when viewed from the front, the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative section 2581 and the decoration of the rear decorative section 2582 is made indistinguishable, allowing the large decoration of the front decorative section 2581 and the rear decorative section 2582 to be shown to the player in good condition, and the rear decorative section 2582 and the front decorative section 2581 can be used to form a large, deep decorative body 2580 with a high decorative effect. Therefore, since a highly decorative body 2580 can be provided on the center frame 2511, the decorative body 2580 can strongly attract the player's attention and make it difficult for them to get bored, and a pachinko machine 1 can be provided that can suppress a decline in the player's enjoyment.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the rear decorative portion 2582 constituting the decorative body 2580 extends within the frame of the center frame 2511, the rear decorative portion 2582 does not narrow the game area 5a on the front of the game panel 1100 or make it difficult to see the game balls B flowing down the game area 5a. This allows players to enjoy playing with the game balls B in the game area 5a in a good condition.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the rear decorative part 2582 constituting the decorative body 2580 extends within the frame of the center frame 2511, it is possible to decorate the area around the display device 1600 (display screen) or to display a more decorative effect (performance) in cooperation with the decorative body (movable decorative body) of the rear display unit 3300 and the rear performance unit 3400, which are located behind the game panel 1100. This provides a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that can strongly attract the player's attention.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opaque portion of the decorative body 2580 makes it difficult to see the wiring of electronic components such as the LED substrate 2586 from the front. Since the wiring can be hidden by the opaque portion, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of appearance due to visible wiring, and thus the decorative effect of the decorative body 2580 can be more easily achieved.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the decorative element 2580 (front decorative element 2581) is provided in front of the LED substrate 2586, the decorative element 2580 (decoration) can conceal the LED substrate 2586. This avoids the unsightly appearance caused by the LED substrate 2586 being visible, and makes it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative element 2580.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the symbol display unit 2518 for displaying special symbols is attached to the center frame 2511, the symbol display unit 2518 can be attached to the game panel 1100 together with the center frame 2511. This reduces the effort required to assemble the pachinko machine 1 compared to the case where the symbol display unit 2518 is attached separately.

[15-11. Eleventh technical feature]
This specification has the following technical features, which differ from those described above.

[15-11a. Background of the Eleventh Technical Feature]
As a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine, there is a known type that includes a center component that is attached from the front to an opening in a game panel where a game area is formed through which game balls can flow, and has a decorative body that is decorated with a predetermined ornament (for example, Patent Document Z: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-074434). In the technology of Patent Document Z, the appearance of the gaming machine is improved by the decorative body provided on the center component.

However, in the technology described in Patent Document Z, a flat decorative element is placed near the front end of the center component. Therefore, even if the decorative element has relief-like decorations, it lacks a sense of depth, potentially causing players to quickly tire of it and diminishing their enjoyment.

In response to this, one might consider enhancing the decorative aspect by adding a three-dimensional decorative element to the center component in the front-to-back direction. However, if the rear end of the decorative element protrudes further back than the center component (center frame), this protruding part can easily get in the way during the manufacturing of the gaming machine, potentially increasing manufacturing costs due to poor handling.

Therefore, in light of the above circumstances, the objective of the following measures is to provide a gaming machine that can improve handling during manufacturing while maintaining its decorative appeal.

[15-11b. Solution to the Eleventh Technical Feature]
Method 1: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine equipped with a game board having a game panel that forms a game area in which game balls can flow down,
The RE game board is
A frame-shaped center frame is attached from the front to an opening formed in the aforementioned gaming panel,
A decorative body attached to the center frame and having a predetermined decoration,
Equipped with,
The decorative element is
A rear decorative portion extending within the frame of the aforementioned center frame and provided in front of the rear end of the center frame,
It is characterized by having a front decorative part that overlaps at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative part.

Here, "game panel" can refer to various types of panels, including: "opaque panels such as plywood," "panel boards made of transparent resin," and "panel boards made of transparent resin and frame-shaped panel holders that hold the outer edge of the panel board."

Furthermore, examples of "center frames" include: "a flat flange portion that can abut against the front surface of the game panel, and an inflow restricting portion that extends forward from the flange portion and restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area into the opening of the game panel," and "an insertion portion that is inserted into the opening of the game panel and provided along the inner circumferential surface of the opening, a flat flange portion that extends from the front end of the insertion portion in a direction along the surface of the game panel and can abut against the front surface of the game panel, and an inflow restricting portion that extends forward from the flange portion and restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area into the opening of the game panel."

Furthermore, "decorative elements" include items with decorations consisting of patterns created by printing or painting, items with three-dimensionally sculpted decorations, and items with decorations that have a metallic luster, such as plating.

Furthermore, examples of "decorative elements" include: "those that are illuminated by the light emitted by LEDs mounted on an LED board," "those that have opaque sections to make the wiring of electronic components (e.g., LED boards, relay boards, sphere sensors, magnetic sensors, displays (special pattern displays), solenoids, etc.) located at the rear difficult to see from the front," and "those that have electronic components (e.g., LED boards, relay boards, sphere sensors, magnetic sensors, displays (special pattern displays), solenoids, etc.) that protrude further rearward than the rear end of the center frame."

Furthermore, regarding the relationship between the rear and front decorative parts that constitute the decorative body, examples include: "the rear decorative part having decorations that coordinate with the decorations of the front decorative part," "the rear decorative part having the same decorations as the front decorative part in a way that coordinates with the decorations of the front decorative part," "the rear decorative part having decorations different from those of the front decorative part," "the front decorative part having a transparent section that allows the rear decorative part to be visible," and "the front decorative part having a transparent section that allows the rear decorative part to be visible, and multiple dot sections in the transparent section that have decorations that form part of the front decorative part."

According to the configuration of Means 1, in a game machine equipped with a game board having a game panel in which a game area is formed through which game balls can flow, the game board comprises a frame-shaped center frame attached from the front to an opening formed in the game panel, and a decorative body attached to the center frame and having predetermined decorations. The decorative body extends within the frame of the center frame and has a rear decorative portion provided in front of the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion provided so as to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion. (See Chapter 11-1. Center Mechanism of the First Embodiment and Figures 94 to 97 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

This design provides a decorative element on the center frame attached to the game panel of the game board. The decorative element consists of a rear decorative section positioned in front of the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative section overlapping at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative section. This allows the player to see a decorative element with depth, created by the overlapping front and rear decorative sections. Because the rear and front decorative sections overlap, the boundary between them is less noticeable when viewed from the front. This allows the player to see a large decorative element created by the front and rear decorative sections, resulting in a large, deep, and highly effective decorative element. Therefore, by providing a highly effective decorative element on the center frame, it is possible to strongly attract the player's attention, preventing boredom and thus providing a game machine that can suppress a decline in player interest.

Furthermore, by positioning the rear decorative section in front of the rear end of the center frame, and by preventing any parts from protruding backward from the center frame, there are no parts that would get in the way during the manufacturing of the gaming machine. This improves handling during manufacturing, enhancing work efficiency and thus suppressing increases in manufacturing costs. Specifically, for example, when the center frame is placed on a workbench with the rear end facing downward, the center frame will not wobble. Alternatively, when handling the center frame during assembly or transportation, since no part of the decorative section protrudes backward from the rear end of the center frame, there is no risk of the protruding part hitting and damaging other components. Therefore, it is not necessary to work with extreme caution, improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, because the decorative rear section, which constitutes the decorative element, extends within the frame of the center frame, it does not narrow the game area on the front of the game panel or obscure the view of the game balls flowing through the game area. This allows players to enjoy the game with the game balls in a good condition within the game area.

Furthermore, because the rear decorative section, which constitutes the decorative element, extends within the frame of the center frame, when a performance display device, movable decorative element, or other decorative element is provided behind the game panel, the rear decorative section can decorate the area around the performance display device (display screen) or work in conjunction with the decorative element (movable decorative element) to create a more effective decorative effect (performance), thereby providing a highly appealing game machine that can strongly attract the player's attention.

Furthermore, it is desirable to apply decorations to the rear decorative section that coordinate with the decorations of the front decorative section. This allows the decorations of the rear and front decorative sections to present a single, large decorative element to the player, thereby enhancing the decorative effect of the ornament.

Furthermore, it is desirable to make the center frame transparent. This makes the center frame less visible and less conspicuous to the player, allowing the decorative elements (front and rear decorative parts) to stand out more, thereby enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative elements.

Furthermore, the decorative element may have an opaque portion that makes the wiring of electronic components mounted on the center frame difficult to see from the front. This allows the wiring to be hidden by the opaque portion, preventing the wiring from being visible and thus preventing a deterioration in appearance, thus allowing the decorative effect of the decorative element to be more easily achieved.

Furthermore, the rear decorative section is adorned with the same decorative decoration as the portion of the front decorative section that overlaps with the front decorative section in a front view. The front decorative section may also have a transparent portion in front of the ball passage through which game balls flow, located at least in a portion between the front and rear decorative sections of the front decorative section, allowing the rear decorative section and the game balls flowing through the ball passage to be visible from the front. This allows the rear decorative section to be visible through the transparent portion in front of the ball passage when no game balls are flowing through the ball passage between the front and rear decorative sections. In this case, since the rear decorative section has the same decoration as the front decorative section, the rear decorative section complements the transparent portion of the front decorative section, allowing the player to see the original decoration as if the front decorative section did not have a transparent portion, thus ensuring that the decorative effect of the decorative body is reliably achieved. On the other hand, when the game balls are circulating through the ball passage between the front and rear decorative sections, the game balls are visible through the transparent section of the front decorative section. Therefore, even a temporary loss of sight of the game balls can prevent feelings of distrust or anxiety from being caused to the player, thus allowing them to enjoy the game and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, as described above, when a transparent section is provided in the front part of the front decoration section in front of the ball passage, and the same rear decoration is applied to the rear decoration section behind the transparent section, the front decoration section may have multiple dot sections, which are smaller than the game balls and form part of the front decoration, and are provided in the transparent section. This allows the player to see the game balls in the ball passage while preventing the decoration from looking unsightly, thus fully demonstrating the decorative effect of the decoration.

Furthermore, the decorative element may be placed in front of the LED board on which the LEDs are mounted. This allows the decorative element to conceal the LED board, thus avoiding the unsightly appearance caused by the visible LED board and allowing the decorative element to more effectively enhance its decorative effect.

Furthermore, a display unit capable of showing the results of the special symbol draw, which is determined by the initial ball entry of game balls within the game area, may be attached to the center frame. This allows the display unit for showing the special symbols to be attached to the center frame, enabling it to be mounted to the game panel together with the center frame. Compared to cases where the display unit is mounted separately, this reduces the effort required for assembling the game machine.

Means 2: In the configuration of means 1,
"The rear decorative section is adorned with decorations that coordinate with the decorations of the front decorative section."
It is characterized by being such.

Here, "harmonious decorations" include examples such as: "decorations where the decorations of the front and back parts form a single decoration (pattern)," "decorations with patterns (figures) where the decorations of the front and back parts are continuous with each other," and "decorations where the decorations of the front or back parts enhance (emphasize) the decorations of the back or front parts."

According to the configuration of means 2, the rear decorative section is fitted with decorations that coordinate with the decorations of the front decorative section. (See the description of decorative body 2570 and decorative body 2570A in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

This design allows the rear decoration to be coordinated with the front decoration, creating a single, large decorative element that the player can see, thus enhancing the decorative effect of the ornament.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The aforementioned center frame is made of transparent material."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 3, the center frame is formed transparently. In other words, the center frame is formed from a transparent material. (See the description regarding the center frame 2511 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

This makes the center frame less visible and less conspicuous to the player because it is transparent, allowing the decorative elements (front and rear decorative parts) to stand out more and enhancing their decorative effect.

Furthermore, because the center frame is transparent, when the game panel is also transparent and decorative elements or display devices are installed behind the game panel, the center frame becomes less conspicuous. This makes the decorative elements and display images visible through the transparent game panel more noticeable, thus providing a game machine that can entertain players more.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 3,
"The aforementioned decorative body is,
The center frame has an opaque section that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to it from the front.
It is characterized by being such.

Here, "electronic components" include "LED boards," "relay boards," "ball sensors for detecting game balls," "magnetic sensors," "display units for showing special patterns," "solenoids for opening and closing variable prize slots," and "solenoids or drive motors for moving movable decorative elements," etc.

According to the configuration of means 4, the decorative body has an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front. (See the description of decorative body 2570 and decorative body 2570A in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

This design makes it difficult to see the wiring of electronic components from the front due to the opaque portion of the decorative element. Because the wiring can be hidden by the opaque portion, it prevents the appearance from deteriorating due to visible wiring, and allows the decorative effect of the element to be more easily achieved.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from Means 1 to Means 4,
"The rear decorative section is fitted with the same decorative trim as the portion of the front decorative section that overlaps with the front decorative section in a front view."
The front decorative section has a transparent section in the front of the ball passage through which game balls flow, which is provided in at least a portion of the front decorative section and the rear decorative section, allowing the rear decorative section and the game balls flowing through the ball passage to be visible from the front.
It is characterized by being such.

Here, "transparent areas" can include "colorless and transparent areas," "colored and transparent areas," and "through-hole areas," among others.

According to the configuration of means 5, the rear decorative section is fitted with the same decorative trim as the portion of the front decorative section that overlaps with the front decorative section in a front view. The front decorative section has a transparent portion in the front of the ball passage through which the game balls flow, located at least in a portion between the front and rear decorative sections of the front decorative section, allowing the rear decorative section and the game balls flowing through the ball passage to be visible from the front. (See the description regarding decorative body 2570 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

This allows the player to see the rear decoration of the rear decoration through the transparent section located in front of the ball passage in the front decoration of the front decoration when no game balls are flowing through it. Since the rear decoration of the rear decoration is the same as the front decoration of the front decoration, the rear decoration of the rear decoration compensates for the transparent section in the front decoration of the front decoration, allowing the player to see the original decoration as if there were no transparent section in the front decoration of the front decoration, thus ensuring that the decorative effect of the decoration is fully realized.

On the other hand, when the game balls are circulating through the ball passage between the front and rear decorative sections, the game balls are visible through the transparent section of the front decorative section. Therefore, even a temporary loss of sight of the game balls can prevent causing distrust or anxiety among players, thus allowing them to enjoy the game and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Means 6: In the configuration of means 5,
"The aforementioned front decorative part is,
The transparent portion has multiple dots that are smaller than the game balls and are decorated with ornaments that form part of the front decoration."
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 6, the front decorative part has multiple dots provided in the transparent section, which are smaller than the game balls and form part of the front decorative part. (See the description regarding the decorative body 2570 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

This allows the decoration of the rear decorative element to be fully realized even if the decoration of the rear decorative element, visible through the transparent portion of the front decorative element, is obscured by the game balls circulating in the ball passage between the front and rear decorative elements. This ensures that the player can still see the game balls in the ball passage while the decorative element remains visually appealing, thus fully realizing its decorative effect.

Means 7: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine equipped with a game board having a game panel that forms a game area in which game balls can flow down,
The RE game board is
A transparent, frame-shaped center frame is attached from the front to an opening formed in the aforementioned gaming panel,
A decorative body is attached to the center frame and has a predetermined decoration, and has an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see the wiring of electronic components attached to the center frame from the front,
Equipped with,
The decorative element is
A rear decorative portion extending within the frame of the aforementioned center frame and provided in front of the rear end of the center frame,
It has a front decorative portion that is provided so as to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion,
The rear decorative portion is fitted with the same decorative trim as the front decorative portion of the front decorative portion, in coordination with the front decorative portion, and in a front view, the portion of the front decorative portion that overlaps with the front decorative portion of the front decorative portion.
The front decorative portion includes, at least a portion of the front decorative portion between the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion, a transparent portion in front of the ball passage through which game balls flow, which allows the rear decorative portion and the game balls flowing through the ball passage to be visible from the front, and a plurality of dot portions provided in the transparent portion, which are decorated to be smaller than the game balls and constitute a part of the front decorative portion.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 7, in a game machine equipped with a game board having a game panel in which a game area is formed through which game balls can flow, the game board comprises a frame-shaped transparent center frame that is attached from the front to an opening formed in the game panel, and a decorative body that is attached to the center frame and has predetermined decorations, and has an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see the wiring of electronic components attached to the center frame from the front, the decorative body extending into the frame of the center frame and provided in front of the rear end of the center frame, and at least one in the rear decorative portion The rear decorative section has a front decorative section that overlaps the front of the rear decorative section, and the rear decorative section is decorated in coordination with the front decorative section, and in a front view, it is decorated in the same way as the part of the front decorative section that overlaps the front decorative section of the front decorative section. The front decorative section has a transparent section in the front of the ball passage through which the game balls flow, provided in at least a portion between the front decorative section and the rear decorative section, which allows the rear decorative section and the game balls flowing through the ball passage to be visible from the front, and a plurality of dot sections provided in the transparent section, which are decorated to be smaller than the game balls and constitute part of the front decorative section.

As a result, the transparent center frame attached to the game panel of the game board is fitted with a decorative body consisting of a rear decorative part positioned in front of the rear end of the center frame and a front decorative part positioned to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative part. Because the center frame is transparent, it is less conspicuous, making the decorative body stand out relatively, and the front and rear decorative parts of the decorative body allow the player to see a decorative body with depth. In this case, the rear and front decorative parts are decorated in a harmonious manner, and parts of each overlap when viewed from the front, making it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decorative parts of the front and rear decorative parts when viewed from the front. This allows the player to see the large decorative body formed by the front and rear decorative parts in good condition, and the rear and front decorative parts can be used to form a decorative body with a large, deep, and highly decorative effect. Therefore, since a highly decorative element can be provided on the center frame, this element can strongly attract the player's attention, making it less likely for them to get bored, and thus providing a gaming machine that can suppress a decline in the player's enjoyment.

Furthermore, the rear decoration section is adorned with the same decoration as the portion of the front decoration section that overlaps with the front decoration section in a front view. The front decoration section has a transparent section in front of the ball passage through which game balls flow, located at least in a portion between the front and rear decoration sections. This transparent section allows the rear decoration and the game balls flowing through the ball passage to be visible from the front, and includes multiple dot sections, smaller than the game balls, that form part of the front decoration. Therefore, when no game balls are flowing through the ball passage between the front and rear decoration sections, the rear decoration section can be viewed through the transparent section in front of the ball passage in the front decoration section. In this case, since the rear decoration section is the same as the front decoration section, the rear decoration section complements the transparent section in the front decoration section, allowing the player to see the original decoration as if there were no transparent section in the front decoration section, thus ensuring the decorative effect of the decoration is fully realized.

On the other hand, when game balls are circulating in the ball passage between the front and rear decorative sections, the game balls are visible through the transparent section of the front decorative section. Therefore, even if the game balls are temporarily hidden, this prevents causing distrust or anxiety among players, allowing them to enjoy the game and preventing a decline in interest. In this case, because multiple dots constituting part of the front decorative section are provided in the transparent section, even if the decoration of the rear decorative section, visible through the transparent section of the front decorative section, is obscured by the game balls circulating in the ball passage between the front and rear decorative sections, the multiple dots in the transparent section in front of the game balls remain visible. This allows players to see the game balls in the ball passage while preventing the decorative elements from looking unsightly, thus allowing the decorative elements to fully exert their decorative effect.

Furthermore, by positioning the rear decorative section in front of the rear end of the center frame, and by preventing any parts from protruding backward from the center frame, there are no parts that would get in the way during the manufacturing of the gaming machine. This improves handling during manufacturing, enhancing work efficiency and thus suppressing increases in manufacturing costs. Specifically, for example, when the center frame is placed on a workbench with the rear end facing downward, the center frame will not wobble. Alternatively, when handling the center frame during assembly or transportation, since no part of the decorative section protrudes backward from the rear end of the center frame, there is no risk of the protruding part hitting and damaging other components. Therefore, it is not necessary to work with extreme caution, improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, because the decorative rear section, which constitutes the decorative element, extends within the frame of the center frame, it does not narrow the game area on the front of the game panel or obscure the view of the game balls flowing through the game area. This allows players to enjoy the game with the game balls in a good condition.

Furthermore, because the rear decorative section constituting the decorative element extends within the frame of the center frame, when a performance display device, movable decorative element, or other decorative element is provided behind the game panel, the rear decorative element can be used to decorate the area around the performance display device (display screen) or to work in conjunction with the decorative element (movable decorative element) to create a more effective decorative effect (performance), thereby providing a highly appealing game machine that can strongly attract the player's attention.

Furthermore, the opaque portion of the decorative element makes it difficult to see the wiring of electronic components from the front. Because the wiring can be hidden by the opaque portion, the aesthetic deterioration caused by visible wiring can be prevented, and the decorative effect of the element can be more easily achieved.

Thus, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that maintains its decorative appeal while improving handling during manufacturing.

[15-11c. Relationship between the means of solving the eleventh technical feature and its embodiment]
In this embodiment, the game panel 1100, consisting of a panel board 1110 and a panel holder 1120 in the game board 5, corresponds to the game panel of the above solution; the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the game panel of the above solution; the center frame 2511 of the center mechanism 2500 in this embodiment corresponds to the center frame of the above solution; the ball passage 2517 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball passage of the above solution; the decorative body 2570 and decorative body 2570A in this embodiment correspond to the decorative body of the above solution; the front decorative part 2572 in this embodiment corresponds to the front decorative part of the above solution; the transparent part 2572a in this embodiment corresponds to the transparent part of the above solution; the dot part 2572b in this embodiment corresponds to the dot part of the above solution; and the rear decorative part 2573 in this embodiment corresponds to the rear decorative part of the above solution.

[15-11d. Characteristic effects of the eleventh technical feature]
According to this embodiment, a decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) is provided on a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the game panel 1100 of the game board 5. This decorative body 2570 consists of a rear decorative part 2573 provided in front of the rear end of the center frame 2511 and a front decorative part 2572 provided so as to overlap with at least a part of the front of the rear decorative part 2573. As a result, the transparent center frame 2511 is made less conspicuous, making the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) stand out relatively, and the front decorative part 2572 and the rear decorative part 2573 of the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) provide the player with a decorative effect that gives depth. In this case, the rear decorative section 2573 and the front decorative section 2572 are decorated in a way that coordinates with each other, and are arranged so that parts of each overlap when viewed from the front. As a result, when viewed from the front, the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative section 2572 and the decoration of the rear decorative section 2573 is made indistinguishable, allowing the large decoration of the front decorative section 2572 and the rear decorative section 2573 to be shown to the player in good condition, and the rear decorative section 2573 and the front decorative section 2572 can be used to form a large, deep decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) with a high decorative effect. Therefore, since a decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) with a high decorative effect can be provided on the center frame 2511, the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) can strongly attract the player's attention and make it difficult for them to get bored, and a pachinko machine 1 can be provided that can suppress a decline in the player's interest.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the decorative body 2570, the rear decorative portion 2573 is decorated with the same decorative (rear decoration) as the portion of the front decorative portion 2572 that overlaps in front of the decorative portion (front decoration) when viewed from the front, and the front decorative portion 2572 is provided with a transparent portion 2 in front of the ball passage 2517 through which the game ball B flows, which is provided in at least a part of the decoration between the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573, allowing the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 and the game ball B flowing through the ball passage 2517 to be visible from the front. The decoration has 572a and multiple dot sections 2572b provided on the transparent section 2572a, which are smaller in size than the game ball B and form part of the decoration of the front decoration section 2572. Therefore, when the game ball B is not flowing through the ball passage 2517 provided between the front decoration section 2572 and the rear decoration section 2573, the decoration of the rear decoration section 2573 can be seen through the transparent section 2572a provided in the front part of the decoration of the front decoration section 2572. In this case, since the decoration of the rear decoration section 2573 is the same as the decoration of the front decoration section 2572, the decoration of the rear decoration section 2573 complements the transparent section 2572a in the decoration of the front decoration section 2572, allowing the player to see the original decoration of the front decoration section 2572 as if there were no transparent section 2572a, thus ensuring that the decorative effect of the decoration body 2570 is reliably achieved.

On the other hand, when the game ball B is circulating in the ball passage 2517 provided between the front decorative section 2572 and the rear decorative section 2573, the game ball B is visible through the transparent section 2572a in the decoration of the front decorative section 2572. Therefore, it is possible to avoid causing distrust or anxiety to the player by temporarily making the game ball B invisible, thereby allowing the player to enjoy the game with the game ball B and preventing a decline in enjoyment. In this case, since the transparent portion 2572a is provided with multiple dot portions 2572b that constitute part of the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572, even if the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573, which is visible through the transparent portion 2572a of the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572, is obscured by the game ball B circulating in the ball passage 2517 provided between the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573, the decoration of the multiple dot portions 2572b provided on the transparent portion 2572a in front of the game ball B remains visible. This allows the player to see the game ball B in the ball passage 2517 while avoiding a deterioration in the appearance of the decorative body 2570, thus allowing the decorative effect of the decorative body 2570 to be fully realized.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A), the rear decorative portion 2573 is provided in front of the rear end of the center frame 2511. Because there are no parts that protrude rearward from the center frame 2511 and would get in the way during the manufacturing of the pachinko machine 1, handling (manageability) during manufacturing can be improved, and the increase in manufacturing costs can be suppressed by improving work efficiency. Specifically, for example, when the center frame 2511 is placed on a workbench TA with its rear end facing downwards, the center frame 2511 will not wobble. Alternatively, when handling the center frame 2511 during assembly or transportation, since no part of the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511, there is no risk of the protruding part from the center frame 2511 contacting and damaging other components. Therefore, it is not necessary to work with extreme caution, and work efficiency can be improved.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the rear decorative portion 2573 constituting the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) extends within the frame of the center frame 2511, the rear decorative portion 2573 does not narrow the game area 5a on the front of the game panel 1100 or make it difficult to see the game balls B flowing down the game area 5a. This allows players to enjoy playing with the game balls B in the game area 5a in a good condition.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the rear decorative part 2573 constituting the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) extends within the frame of the center frame 2511, it is possible to decorate the area around the display screen of the performance display device 1600 (display screen) or to display a more decorative effect (performance) in cooperation with the decorative body (movable decorative body) of the rear performance unit 3300 and the rear performance unit 3400, which are located behind the game panel 1100. This provides a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that can strongly attract the attention of players.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opaque portion of the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) makes it difficult to see the wiring of electronic components such as LED substrates from the front. Since the wiring can be hidden by the opaque portion, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of appearance due to visible wiring, and thus the decorative effect of the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) can be more easily achieved.

[15-12. Twelfth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features, which differ from those described above.

[15-12a. Background of the Twelfth Technical Feature]
As a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine, there is a known type of center mechanism that is attached from the front to the opening of a gaming panel in which a gaming area is formed through which gaming balls can flow, and which serves as an inflow restricting part that restricts the flow of gaming balls flowing through the gaming area into the opening of the gaming panel (for example, Patent Document Z: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-074434). According to the technology of Patent Document Z, it is possible to divide the gaming area into a desired size using the center mechanism.

However, in the technology described in Patent Document Z, if the size of the opening in the game panel differs depending on the model of the gaming machine, it is necessary to manufacture a separate center component (inflow restriction section), making it difficult to reuse the inflow restriction section.

Therefore, in light of the above circumstances, the objective of the following method is to provide a gaming machine that allows the use of the inflow restriction section even if the opening of the gaming panel differs depending on the model.

[15-12b. Solution to the twelfth technical feature]
Method 1: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine equipped with a game board having a game area in which game balls can flow down,
The RE game board is
A game panel in which the game area is formed on the front side,
An inflow restricting section is provided corresponding to the edge of an opening formed in the game panel, and restricts game balls flowing down the game area from flowing into the interior of the opening,
Equipped with,
The inflow restriction unit comprises at least a first inflow restriction unit and a second inflow restriction unit.
The first inflow restriction section and the second inflow restriction section each have a flange portion formed along the front surface of the game panel, and at least one of the ends of each section has a non-flanged portion where the flange portion is not formed. The first inflow restriction section and the second inflow restriction section are attached to the front surface of the game panel by mounting portions provided on the flange portion so that the ends of the first inflow restriction section and the ends of the second inflow restriction section are adjacent to each other.
It is characterized by being such.

Here, "game panel" can refer to various types of panels, including: "opaque panels such as plywood," "panel boards made of transparent resin," and "panel boards made of transparent resin and frame-shaped panel holders that hold the outer edge of the panel board."

Furthermore, "flange portions" can include those that "extend outward from the opening in the game panel, separated by the inflow restriction portion," those that "extend inward from the opening in the game panel, separated by the inflow restriction portion," and those that "extend both outward and inward from the opening in the game panel, separated by the inflow restriction portion."

Furthermore, the "non-flange portion" may be provided on the side facing the center of the game panel in the inflow restriction section, on the side facing outward opposite the center of the game panel in the inflow restriction section, or on both sides of the inflow restriction section.

Furthermore, configurations in which "the end of the first inflow restriction section and the end of the second inflow restriction section are attached adjacent to each other" include: "the end face of the end of the first inflow restriction section and the end face of the end of the second inflow restriction section are attached facing each other," "the inner side surface of the end of the first inflow restriction section and the outer side surface of the end of the second inflow restriction section are attached facing each other," and "the outer side surface of the end of the first inflow restriction section and the inner side surface of the end of the second inflow restriction section are attached facing each other." Also, the ends of the first inflow restriction section and the ends of the second inflow restriction section may be in contact with each other or separated from each other.

According to the configuration of Means 1, in a game machine equipped with a game board having a game area through which game balls can flow, the game board comprises a game panel with a game area formed on its front side, and an inflow restricting section provided corresponding to the edge of an opening formed in the game panel, which restricts game balls flowing down the game area from flowing into the opening. The inflow restricting section comprises at least a first inflow restricting section and a second inflow restricting section, each having a flange portion formed along the front surface of the game panel, and at least one of the ends of each having a non-flanged portion without a flange portion. The ends of the first inflow restricting section and the second inflow restricting section are attached to the front surface of the game panel by mounting portions provided on the flange portions so that they are adjacent to each other. (See Chapter 11-3. Center Mechanism of the Third Embodiment and Figures 99 to 102 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

This design allows for the installation of an inflow restriction section, which is provided corresponding to the edge of the opening in the game panel where the game area is formed on the front side. This inflow restriction section, which restricts the flow of game balls into the opening, consists of at least a first inflow restriction section and a second inflow restriction section. The two sections are attached to the front of the game panel via flange mounting sections, so that the ends of the first and second inflow restriction sections are adjacent to each other. By appropriately selecting the mounting positions of the first and second inflow restriction sections on the game panel, the inflow restriction section can be installed on game panels with openings of various sizes and shapes without the need to manufacture a new one, and the inflow restriction section can be reused even across different models.

To elaborate, for example, by installing the ends of the first and second inflow restriction sections so that they are separated from each other, it is possible to accommodate game panels with large openings. In this case, it is desirable that the gap between the ends of the first and second inflow restriction sections be large enough that game balls cannot pass through. However, if the gap is large enough for game balls to pass through, obstruction pins may be installed to prevent game balls from passing through.

Alternatively, by mounting the ends of the first and second inflow restriction sections so that their respective sides face each other, it is possible to accommodate game panels with small openings. In this case, since a non-flange portion is provided at least one end of the first and second inflow restriction sections, it becomes possible to bring the sides of the ends of the first and second inflow restriction sections as close together as possible. This increases the flexibility in the placement of the first and second inflow restriction sections, making it easier to accommodate game panels with openings of various sizes.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, since it is possible to accommodate game panels with openings of various sizes, if the size of the game area needs to be changed due to design modifications, the size of the game area can be easily changed by altering the relationship between the mounting positions of the first and second inflow restriction units, thereby increasing the design flexibility of the game machine. Therefore, there is no need to manufacture a new inflow restriction unit to match the changed size of the game area, which helps to suppress increases in the cost of the game machine.

Furthermore, the game board may be further equipped with multiple frames, from the first frame on which the first inflow restriction section is located to the nth frame on which the nth inflow restriction section (where n is an integer of two or more) is located, and a connecting and holding section that prevents at least one frame from falling from the game panel. This allows the inflow restriction section to be composed of multiple frames, and by appropriately setting the mounting position of each frame on the game panel, the same effects as described above can be achieved. Also, because the inflow restriction section is composed of multiple frames, if a malfunction occurs in some frames, only that frame needs to be replaced, reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, the presence of the connecting and holding section prevents the frames from falling from the game panel and being damaged or broken during assembly or maintenance of the game machine.

Furthermore, as described above, when a connecting and holding portion is provided, it is desirable that the connecting and holding portion be formed in the shape of a flexible string. Because the connecting and holding portion is made of a flexible string, even if the relationship between the mounting positions of the first inflow restriction portion (first frame) and the second inflow restriction portion (second frame) is changed, the connecting and holding portion can flexibly deform to accommodate this change, preventing the frame from falling from the game panel while accommodating the size and shape of the opening in the game panel.

Furthermore, as described above, by providing a flexible, string-like connecting and holding part, when the frame attempts to detach from the game panel, the connecting and holding part will flexibly deform, creating resistance and preventing immediate detachment from the game panel. If the frame does detach from the game panel, the flexible deformation of the connecting and holding part can reduce the falling speed and absorb the impact, thus preventing damage to the frame.

Furthermore, as described above, when a connecting and holding section is provided, it is desirable to connect adjacent frames using the connecting and holding section. This makes it easier to handle multiple frames as a single unit compared to connecting one end of the connecting and holding section to the game panel or other components, thereby improving work efficiency during the manufacturing of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, when a connecting and holding part is provided, it is desirable to make the connecting and holding part detachable from the frame. This allows for easier handling and management of the frames, and thus improves work efficiency, for example, when attaching multiple frames to the game panel sequentially, or when removing some frames from the game panel for maintenance. By attaching or detaching the connecting and holding part, the frame can be easily moved and reattached.

Furthermore, as described above, making the connecting and holding parts detachable allows the frame to be connected by the connecting and holding parts until it is attached to the game panel, and then the connecting and holding parts can be removed once the frame is attached to the game panel. This avoids the unsightly appearance caused by the presence of the connecting and holding parts.

Furthermore, as described above, when multiple frames are provided, the game board may also be equipped with electronic components attached to at least one of the frames. This ensures that at least one frame has electronic components attached. While the weight of the frame with the electronic components increases, making it more susceptible to damage if it detaches from the game panel and falls during assembly, a connecting and holding mechanism is provided to prevent the frame from falling onto a workbench or floor, thus preventing damage. Therefore, a game machine can be provided that reliably utilizes the effects of the electronic components attached to the frame.

Means 2: In the configuration of means 1,
"The aforementioned game board is,
A plurality of frames from the first frame in which the first inflow restriction unit is provided to the nth frame in which the nth inflow restriction unit (where n is an integer of two or more) is provided,
The invention is characterized by further comprising a connecting and holding part that prevents at least one of the frames from falling from the game panel.

Here, the number of frames "n" should preferably be within the range of 2 to 6. If the number of frames exceeds this range, the assembly of the frames during the manufacturing of the gaming machine becomes more time-consuming, potentially increasing costs. It is acceptable for some of the frames to have electronic components, such as LED boards, attached.

Furthermore, examples of "connecting and holding parts" include "flexible string-like materials" and "flexible strip-like materials." Other examples of "connecting and holding parts" include "materials that connect adjacent frames," "materials that connect a frame to other components," and "materials that connect a frame to a game panel." Moreover, "connecting and holding parts" may or may not have decorative properties. Ideally, the length of the "connecting and holding parts" should be such that, when the game board is upright, the frame detaches from the game panel and falls, preventing it from contacting the table, floor, etc.

According to the configuration of means 2, the game board further comprises a plurality of frames, from the first frame on which the first inflow restriction unit is provided to the nth frame on which the nth inflow restriction unit (n is an integer of two or more) is provided, and a connecting and holding unit that prevents at least one frame from falling from the game panel. (See the description of the center frame 2700 and the connecting and holding unit 2710 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

As a result, since the inflow restriction section is composed of multiple frames, the same effects as described above can be achieved by appropriately setting the mounting position of each frame on the game panel. Furthermore, because the inflow restriction section is composed of multiple frames, if a malfunction occurs in some frames, only that frame needs to be replaced, reducing maintenance costs. In addition, because a connecting and holding section is provided, it is possible to prevent the frames from falling from the game panel and being damaged or broken during assembly or maintenance of the game machine.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 2,
"The aforementioned connecting and holding portion is,
It is characterized by being "formed in a flexible, string-like shape."

According to the configuration of means 3, the connecting and holding portion is formed in a flexible, string-like shape. (See the description regarding the connecting and holding portion 2710 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

As a result, the connecting and holding portion is made of a flexible, string-like material. Therefore, even if the relationship between the mounting positions of the first inflow restriction portion (first frame) and the second inflow restriction portion (second frame) is changed, the connecting and holding portion can adapt through flexible deformation. This prevents the frame from falling from the game panel while accommodating the size and shape of the game panel's opening.

Furthermore, because the connecting and holding portion is made of a flexible, string-like material, when the frame attempts to detach from the game panel, the connecting and holding portion will flexibly deform, providing resistance and preventing immediate detachment. If the frame does detach from the game panel, the flexible deformation of the connecting and holding portion reduces the falling speed and absorbs the impact, thus preventing damage to the frame.

Means 4: In the configuration of means 2 or means 3,
"The aforementioned connecting and holding portion is,
It is characterized by "connecting adjacent frames."

According to the configuration of means 4, the connecting and holding portion connects adjacent frames. (See the description regarding the connecting and holding portion 2710 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

This makes it easier to handle multiple frames as a single unit compared to connecting one end of the connecting and holding part to the game panel or other components, thereby improving work efficiency during the manufacturing of gaming machines.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from means 2 to means 4,
"The aforementioned connecting and holding portion is,
It is characterized by being "detachably provided to the frame."

According to the configuration of means 5, the connecting and holding portion is detachably provided to the frame. (See the description regarding the connecting and holding portion 2710 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

This allows for improved handling and management of the frames, and thus enhances work efficiency, for example, when attaching multiple frames to the game panel in sequence, or when removing some frames from the game panel for maintenance. By allowing the connecting and holding parts to be removed or attached, the frame's maneuverability and handling can be improved.

Furthermore, because the connecting and holding parts are detachable, it is possible to connect the frame using the connecting and holding parts until the frame is attached to the game panel, and then remove the connecting and holding parts once the frame is attached to the game panel. This avoids the aesthetic problem caused by the presence of the connecting and holding parts.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from means 2 to means 5,
"The aforementioned game board is,
At least one of the electronic components attached to the frame,
It is characterized by having "additional features."

Here, "electronic components" include "LED boards," "intermediate boards," "sphere sensors," "magnetic sensors," "displays (displays with special patterns)," "solenoids," and "motors," among others.

According to the configuration of means 6, the game board further comprises electronic components mounted on at least one frame. (See the description of the symbol display 2518 and the center frame 2700 in [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention].)

This design ensures that electronic components are mounted on at least one frame. While the weight of the frame with the electronic components increases, making it more susceptible to damage if it detaches from the game panel and falls during assembly, a connecting and holding mechanism is provided to prevent the frame from falling onto a workbench or floor and being damaged. Therefore, this design allows for the reliable performance of the electronic components mounted on the frame, providing a truly functional gaming machine.

Means 7: In a gaming machine,
In a gaming machine equipped with a game board having a game area in which game balls can flow down,
The RE game board is
A game panel in which the game area is formed on the front side,
The game panel is provided with respect to the edge of the opening formed therein, and restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area into the opening, and has an inflow restricting section from the first inflow restricting section to the nth inflow restricting section (where n is an integer of two or more),
A plurality of frames from the first frame in which the first inflow restriction unit is provided to the nth frame in which the nth inflow restriction unit (where n is an integer of two or more) is provided,
A connecting and holding part that prevents at least one of the frames from falling from the game panel,
At least one of the aforementioned frames is equipped with an electronic component,
Equipped with,
The inflow restriction unit is,
The m-inflow restriction portion (where m is an integer between 1 and n-1) and the (m+1) inflow restriction portion each have a flange portion formed along the front surface of the game panel, and at least one end of each has a non-flanged portion where the flange portion is not formed, and the end of the m-inflow restriction portion and the end of the (m+1) inflow restriction portion are attached to the front surface of the game panel by mounting portions provided on the flange portion so that they are adjacent to each other.
The aforementioned connecting and holding portion is
It is formed in a flexible, string-like shape, connecting adjacent frames and being detachably attached to the frames.
It is characterized by being such.

According to the configuration of means 7, in a game machine equipped with a game board having a game area through which game balls can flow, the game board comprises: a game panel in which a game area is formed on the front side; an inflow restricting section provided corresponding to the edge of an opening formed in the game panel, which restricts game balls flowing down the game area from flowing into the opening, and which has an inflow restricting section from the first inflow restricting section to the nth inflow restricting section (n is an integer of two or more); a plurality of frames from the first frame in which the first inflow restricting section is provided to the nth frame in which the nth inflow restricting section (n is an integer of two or more) is provided; a connecting and holding section that prevents at least one frame from falling from the game panel; and at least one frame The system includes electronic components mounted on the frame, and the inflow restriction section has a flange portion formed along the front surface of the game panel on the m-th inflow restriction section (where m is an integer between 1 and n-1) and the (m+1)-th inflow restriction section. At least one end of each section has a non-flanged portion where no flange portion is formed. The ends of the m-th inflow restriction section and the (m+1)-th inflow restriction section are attached to the front surface of the game panel by mounting portions provided on the flange portions, so that they are adjacent to each other. The connecting and holding portion is formed in the shape of a flexible string, connecting adjacent frames and being detachably attached to the frame.

This design allows for the construction of multiple inflow restriction sections, at least from the first to the nth inflow restriction section (where n is an integer of two or more), which are provided corresponding to the edges of the opening in the game panel where the game area is formed on the front side, and which restrict the flow of game balls into the opening. Each of these sections is attached to the front of the game panel via flange mounting sections, so that the end of the mth inflow restriction section (where m is an integer between 1 and n-1) and the end of the (m+1) inflow restriction section are adjacent. By appropriately selecting the relationship between the mounting positions of the mth and (m+1) inflow restriction sections on the game panel, the inflow restriction section can be attached to game panels with openings of various sizes and shapes without the need to manufacture new sections, and the inflow restriction section can be reused even between different models.

In the following, assuming m = 1, for example, by installing the ends of the first and second inflow restriction sections so that they are separated from each other, it is possible to accommodate game panels with large openings. In this case, it is desirable that the gap between the ends of the first and second inflow restriction sections be large enough that game balls cannot pass through. However, if the gap is large enough for game balls to pass through, obstruction pins may be installed to prevent game balls from passing through.

Alternatively, by mounting the ends of the first and second inflow restriction sections so that their respective sides face each other, it is possible to accommodate game panels with small openings. In this case, since a non-flange portion is provided at least one end of the first and second inflow restriction sections, it becomes possible to bring the sides of the ends of the first and second inflow restriction sections as close together as possible. This increases the flexibility in the placement of the first and second inflow restriction sections, making it easier to accommodate game panels with openings of various sizes.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, since it is possible to accommodate game panels with openings of various sizes, if the size of the game area needs to be changed due to design modifications, the size of the game area can be easily changed by altering the relationship between the mounting positions of the first and second inflow restriction units, thereby increasing the design flexibility of the game machine. Therefore, there is no need to manufacture a new inflow restriction unit to match the changed size of the game area, which helps to suppress increases in the cost of the game machine.

Furthermore, since the inflow restriction section is composed of multiple frames, the same effects as described above can be achieved by appropriately setting the mounting position of each frame on the game panel. Also, because the inflow restriction section is composed of multiple frames, if a malfunction occurs in one frame, only that frame needs to be replaced, reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, because a connecting and holding section is provided, it is possible to prevent the frame from falling from the game panel and being damaged or broken during assembly or maintenance of the game machine.

Furthermore, because the connecting and holding portion is made of a flexible, string-like material, even if the relationship between the mounting positions of the first inflow restriction portion (first frame) and the second inflow restriction portion (second frame) is changed, the connecting and holding portion can adapt through flexible deformation. This prevents the frame from falling from the game panel while accommodating the size and shape of the opening in the game panel.

Furthermore, because a flexible, string-like connecting and holding portion is provided, when the frame attempts to detach from the game panel, the connecting and holding portion will flexibly deform, creating resistance and preventing immediate detachment from the game panel. If the frame does detach from the game panel, the flexible deformation of the connecting and holding portion reduces the falling speed and absorbs the impact, thus preventing damage to the frame.

Furthermore, because the connecting and holding parts connect adjacent frames, compared to cases where one end of the connecting and holding part is connected to the game panel or other components, multiple frames can be handled as a single unit, improving work efficiency during the manufacturing of gaming machines.

Furthermore, because the connecting and holding parts are detachably attached to the frame, for example, when attaching multiple frames to the game panel in sequence, or when removing some frames from the game panel for maintenance, the connecting and holding parts can be attached or detached to improve the handling and maneuverability of the frames, thereby enhancing work efficiency.

Furthermore, because the connecting and holding parts are detachable, it is possible to keep the frame connected by the connecting and holding parts until it is attached to the game panel, and then remove the connecting and holding parts once the frame is attached to the game panel. This avoids the unsightly appearance caused by the presence of the connecting and holding parts.

Furthermore, since electronic components are mounted on at least one frame, and the weight of the frame with the electronic components mounted increases, if the frame detaches from the game panel and falls during assembly work, it is more likely to break due to its weight. However, a connecting and holding mechanism is provided to prevent the frame from falling, so it will not fall onto a workbench or floor and be damaged. Therefore, it is possible to provide a game machine that can reliably achieve the effects of the electronic components mounted on the frame.

Thus, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reuse the inflow restriction section even if the opening of the gaming panel differs depending on the model.

[15-12c. Relationship between the means of solving the twelfth technical feature and its embodiment]
In this embodiment, the game panel 1100 (see Figure 100) in the game board 5 corresponds to the game panel of the above solution, the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the game panel of the above solution, the symbol display unit 2518, the second start port unit 2720, the attacker unit 2730, and the prize winning port unit 2740 in this embodiment correspond to the electronic components of the above solution, and the inflow restricting portion 2700a of the center frame 2700 in the center prize 2500A in this embodiment corresponds to the above In this embodiment, the flange portion 2700b of the center frame 2700, the first flange portion 2701b of the first frame 2701, and the second flange portion 2702b of the second frame 2702 correspond to the flange portion of the solution in the inflow restricting section of the solution, while the non-flanged portion 2700c of the center frame 2700, the first non-flanged portion 2701c of the first frame 2701, and the second non-flanged portion 2702c of the second frame 2702 correspond to the non-flanged portion of the solution.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first frame 2701, second frame 2702, third frame 2703, fourth frame 2704, and fifth frame 2705 correspond to the frames of the above-mentioned solution; the first inflow restricting portion 2701a corresponds to the first inflow restricting portion of the above-mentioned solution; the second inflow restricting portion 2702a corresponds to the second inflow restricting portion of the above-mentioned solution; the mounting holes provided in the flange portions 2700b, such as the first flange portion 2701b and the second flange portion 2702b, correspond to the mounting portions of the above-mentioned solution; and the connecting and holding portion 2710 corresponds to the connecting and holding portion of the above-mentioned solution.

[15-12d. Characteristic effects of the twelfth technical feature]
According to this embodiment, in the center frame 2700 of the center mechanism 2500A of the game board 5, an inflow restricting portion 2700a is provided corresponding to the edge of the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 in which the game area 5a is formed on the front side, and which restricts the inflow of game balls B into the opening 1112, and is composed of at least a plurality of first inflow restricting portions 2701a and second inflow restricting portions 2702a, and the game panel 1100 is connected via the mounting portions of the flange portions 2700b (first flange portion 2701b and second flange portion 2702b) provided on each Since the end of the first inflow restriction section 2701a and the end of the second inflow restriction section 2702a are mounted adjacent to each other on the front, by appropriately selecting the relationship between the mounting positions of the first inflow restriction section 2701a and the second inflow restriction section 2702a on the game panel 1100, the inflow restriction section 2700a (center frame 2700) can be attached to game panels 1100 having openings 1112 of various sizes and shapes without having to newly manufacture a new inflow restriction section 2700a (center frame 2700), and the inflow restriction section 2700a (center frame 2700) can be reused even if the model is different.

More specifically, for example, by installing the ends of the first inflow restriction section 2701a and the second inflow restriction section 2702a so that they are separated from each other, it is possible to accommodate a game panel 1100 with a large opening 1112. In this case, it is desirable that the gap C between the end of the first inflow restriction section 2701a and the end of the second inflow restriction section 2702a be large enough that the game ball B cannot pass through. However, if the gap is large enough for the game ball B to pass through, obstruction pins may be installed to prevent the game ball B from passing through.

Alternatively, by attaching the end of the first inflow restriction section 2701a and the end of the second inflow restriction section 2702a so that their respective sides face each other, it is possible to accommodate game panels 1100 with small openings 1112. In this case, since a non-flange section 2700c (first non-flange section 2701c or second non-flange section 2702c) is provided at least one end of the first inflow restriction section 2701a and the second inflow restriction section 2702a, it becomes possible to bring the side of the end of the first inflow restriction section 2701a and the side of the end of the second inflow restriction section 2702a as close together as possible. This increases the degree of freedom in the placement of the first inflow restriction section 2701a (first frame 2701) and the second inflow restriction section 2702a (second frame 2702), making it easier to accommodate game panels 1100 with openings 1112 of various sizes.

Furthermore, as described above, since it is possible to accommodate game panels 1100 having openings 1112 of various sizes, if the size of the game area 5a needs to be changed due to design modifications, the size of the game area 5a can be easily changed by altering the relationship between the mounting positions of the first inflow restriction section 2701a (first frame 2701) and the second inflow restriction section 2702a (second frame 2702), thereby increasing the design flexibility of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, there is no need to newly manufacture an inflow restriction section 2700a (center frame 2700) to match the changed size of the game area 5a, thus suppressing an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the inflow restriction section 2700a (center frame 2700) is composed of multiple frames, such as the first frame 2701 to the fifth frame 2705, the same effects as described above can be achieved by appropriately setting the mounting position of each frame to the game panel 1100. Also, because the inflow restriction section 2700a is composed of multiple frames, if a malfunction occurs in one of the frames, only that frame needs to be replaced, thus reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, because a connecting and holding section 2710 is provided, it is possible to prevent the frame from being damaged or broken by falling from the game panel 1100 during assembly or maintenance of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the connecting and holding portion 2710 is made of a flexible, string-like material, even if the relationship between the mounting positions of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a (first frame 2701) and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a (second frame 2702) is changed, the connecting and holding portion 2710 can flexibly deform to accommodate the change. This prevents the frame from falling from the game panel 1100 while accommodating the size and shape of the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, because a flexible, string-like connecting and holding portion 2710 is provided, when a frame such as the first frame 2701 attempts to detach from the game panel 1100, the connecting and holding portion 2710 will resist by flexibly deforming, thereby preventing immediate detachment from the game panel 1100. If a frame does detach from the game panel 1100, the flexible deformation of the connecting and holding portion 2710 reduces the falling speed and absorbs the impact, thus preventing damage to the frame.

Furthermore, since the connecting and holding portion 2710 connects adjacent frames, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, compared to the case where one end of the connecting and holding portion 2710 is connected to the game panel 1100 or other components, multiple frames can be handled as a single unit, improving work efficiency during the manufacturing of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the connecting and holding portion 2710 is detachably attached to the frame, for example, when attaching multiple frames to the game panel 1100 in sequence, or when removing some frames from the game panel for maintenance, the connecting and holding portion 2710 can be detached or attached, improving the handling and maneuverability of the frames and enhancing work efficiency.

Furthermore, since the connecting and holding part 2710 is detachable, it is possible to connect the frame using the connecting and holding part 2710 until the frame is attached to the game panel 1100, and then remove the connecting and holding part 2710 once the frame is attached to the game panel 1100. This avoids the aesthetic problem caused by the presence of the connecting and holding part 2710.

Furthermore, since at least one frame is equipped with an electronic component such as a pattern display 2518, the weight of the frame with the electronic component attached increases. Therefore, if the frame detaches from the game panel 1100 and falls during assembly of the pachinko machine 1, it is prone to damage due to its weight. However, a connecting and holding part 2710 is provided to prevent the frame from falling, thus preventing damage to the frame upon impact with a workbench or floor. Therefore, a pachinko machine 1 is provided that can reliably achieve the effects of the electronic components attached to the frame.

[Regarding ID codes for decorative frame components]
In this embodiment, a game board 5 is attached to the main frame 4, allowing the game area 5a to be viewed from the front. On the door frame 3, decorative frame members are attached, including a door frame top unit 300 located above the game window 101 on the front of the door frame body 100, a door frame right side unit 340 located to the right of the game window 101 on the front of the door frame body 100, and a performance operation unit 250 (operating device) located in the center of the shelf unit 200 in the left-right direction, which can be operated by the player. Figure 116 is an explanatory diagram showing decorative frame members that can be attached to and detached from the door frame.

As shown in Figure 116, the game board 5, door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250 can be attached and detached while the pachinko machine 1 is mounted on the island equipment of the gaming hall. For each series of machines, a predetermined set of game board 5, door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250 can be installed as one group. In other words, when changing to a new series of machines, while the pachinko machine 1 is mounted on the island equipment of the gaming hall, the game board 5, door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250 corresponding to the previous series of machines are removed, and then the game board 5, door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250 corresponding to the new series of machines are installed. This configuration allows for efficient renewal of both gameplay and the machine's appearance when changing models, as it reduces the cost of modifying the main frame 4 and door frame 3.

In this example, the right side unit 340 of the door frame is integrally formed with the top unit 300 of the door frame, and the top unit 300 and the right side unit 340 are designed to be attached to and detached from the door frame 3 as a single unit. However, the right side unit 340 could also be made separate from the top unit 300, allowing for separate attachment and detachment from the door frame 3. Such a right side unit 340 would not only revamp the appearance of the gaming machine, but its protruding lateral portion would act as a barrier between the player and other players who have left their seats, reducing the discomfort of players who are concerned about being seen by others. Furthermore, the protrusions of the upper and lateral portions would create a private space for the player.

The peripheral control board 1510, attached to the game board 5, is electrically connected to the door frame top relay board (not shown) attached to the door frame top unit 300. The door frame top relay board serves to relay connections to the door frame top decoration board, which has multiple LEDs mounted to illuminate the door frame top decoration 301 of the door frame top unit 300, and to the door frame right side decoration board, which has multiple LEDs mounted to illuminate the door frame right side decoration 341, the left side decoration, and the right side decoration of the door frame right side unit 340. As a result, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 can control the illumination of various LEDs mounted on, for example, the door frame top decoration board and the door frame right side decoration board via the door frame top relay board.

Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510, which is attached to the game board 5, is electrically connected to the operation unit relay board (not shown) attached to the performance operation unit 250. The operation unit relay board serves to relay the connection to the operation unit decoration board (not shown), which has multiple LEDs mounted on it for illuminating the first performance button 251 and the second performance button 252 of the performance operation unit 250. As a result, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 can control the illumination of various LEDs mounted on the operation unit decoration board, for example, via the operation unit relay board.

The door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300 and the operation unit relay board attached to the performance operation unit 250 each have a unique ID code pre-stored on them. This ID code is special information, a unique code (a code that exists only once in the world) used to identify the series of the machine. Each machine series has its own unique ID code and cannot be rewritten even with external devices. The peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 can retrieve and reference the ID code from the door frame top relay board and the operation unit relay board. Furthermore, the RAM built into the peripheral control unit 1511 stores a table for referencing the ID codes attached to the door frame top relay board and the operation unit relay board. The ID codes stored in this table match the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300 and the ID code of the operation unit relay board attached to the performance operation unit 250, which are both corresponding to the same machine series as the game board 5.

When the power is turned on, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 determines within a predetermined determination period whether the ID code stored in the reference table matches the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300, and whether the ID code stored in the reference table matches the ID code of the operation unit relay board attached to the performance operation unit 250. Here, if the door frame top unit 300 and door frame right side unit 340 that belong to the same series (i.e., have a proper relationship) are attached to the game board 5, the ID code stored in the reference table matches the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300. On the other hand, if the door frame top unit 300 and door frame right side unit 340 that belong to different series (i.e., do not have a proper relationship) are attached to the game board 5, their respective ID codes will not match. Similarly, when a performance control unit 250 with a matching machine series (i.e., a legitimate relationship) is attached to the game board 5, the ID code stored in the reference table and the ID code of the control unit relay board attached to the performance control unit 250 will match. On the other hand, when a performance control unit 250 with a mismatched machine series (i.e., a legitimate relationship) is attached to the game board 5, the ID code stored in the reference table and the ID code of the control unit relay board attached to the performance control unit 250 will not match.

In this example, the following power-on patterns A to C are provided for the operation when the power is turned on. Power-on pattern A is when the power switch 751 is operated without turning on the RAM clear switch 743, and the RAM clear, which initializes the RAM built into the main control board 1310, is not performed, and the information related to the game is not initialized. Power-on pattern B is when the power switch 751 is operated while the RAM clear switch 743 is turned on, and the RAM clear is performed, and the information related to the game is initialized. Power-on pattern C is when the power switch 751 is operated while the ball removal switch 742 is turned on, although the RAM clear switch 743 is not turned on, and the ball removal process described above is performed. In power-on pattern C, the RAM clear is not performed and the information related to the game is not initialized, but the progress of the game during the ball removal process is stopped. The determination of whether the above ID codes match is performed when the power is turned on with power-on patterns A and B, but not when the power is turned on with power-on pattern C. In other words, when power is turned on using power-on pattern C, the game progress is stopped during the ball removal process, and there is no need to execute the light-up effect using the frame decoration components. Therefore, the check to see whether the component matches the ID code is not performed.

Furthermore, if only the ID code of the door frame top unit 300 does not match that of the game board 5, the display device 1600 will execute error notification pattern 1 (for example, displaying "Please check the type of door frame top unit") to notify that a door frame top unit 300 and door frame right side unit 340 of which do not belong to the same series have been installed. Furthermore, if only the ID code of the performance operation unit 250 does not match that of the game board 5, the display device 1600 will execute error notification pattern 2 (for example, displaying "Please check the type of performance operation unit") to notify that a performance operation unit 250 of which does not belong to the same series has been installed. Furthermore, if the ID code of the door frame top unit 300 and the ID code of the performance control unit 250 do not match for the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 will execute error notification pattern 3 (for example, displaying "Please check the types of the door frame top unit, door frame right side unit, and performance control unit") which indicates that the door frame top unit 300 and door frame right side unit 340, and the performance control unit 250, which do not belong to the same series, are installed.

On the other hand, if the door frame top unit 300 and the performance operation unit 250 are not attached to the door frame 3, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 cannot retrieve and reference the ID code from the door frame top relay board or the operation unit relay board when the power is turned on. In such a case, when the power is turned on, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 cannot determine whether the ID code stored in the reference table matches the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300, or whether the ID code stored in the reference table matches the ID code of the operation unit relay board attached to the performance operation unit 250, because there is no input of an ID code to the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510, and therefore cannot confirm the ID code. Specifically, when the power is turned on, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the unit is not connected if no ID code is input from the door frame top relay board or the operation unit relay board even after a predetermined determination period has elapsed.

Furthermore, if only the ID code of the door frame top unit 300 cannot be confirmed (obtained) for the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 will execute error notification pattern 4 (for example, displaying "Please check the connection of the door frame top unit and the door frame right side unit") to notify that the performance operation unit 250 and the door frame right side unit 340 are not installed. Furthermore, if only the ID code of the performance operation unit 250 cannot be confirmed (obtained) for the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 will execute error notification pattern 5 (for example, displaying "Please check the connection of the performance operation unit") to notify that the performance operation unit 250 is not installed. Furthermore, if neither the ID code of the door frame top unit 300 nor the ID code of the performance control unit 250 can be confirmed (obtained) for the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 will execute an error notification pattern 6 (for example, displaying "Please check the connection between the door frame top unit, the door frame right side unit 340, and the performance control unit 250") indicating that the door frame top unit 300, the door frame right side unit 340, and the performance control unit 250 are not installed.

Here, regarding the game board 5, regardless of whether the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300 or the ID code of the control unit relay board attached to the performance control unit 250 match, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the game board 5 can be controlled to illuminate during normal performances (performances during reel spinning and non-reel spinning). Similarly, regarding the game board 5, even if there are components among the door frame top unit 300, the door frame right side unit 340, or the performance control unit 250 whose ID codes cannot be confirmed, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the game board 5 can be controlled to illuminate during normal performances (performances during reel spinning and non-reel spinning).

Furthermore, regarding the door frame top unit 300 and the door frame right side unit 340, if the ID code stored in the reference table matches the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300, then during the execution of normal effects (effects during variation and effects during non-variation), the various LEDs mounted on, for example, the door frame top decorative board of the door frame top unit 300 and the door frame right side decorative board of the door frame right side unit 340 can be controlled via the door frame top relay board. However, if they do not match, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the door frame top unit 300 and the door frame right side unit 340, which belong to different series (not in a regular relationship), will not be controlled, and those LEDs will remain off. Also, if the door frame top unit 300 and the door frame right side unit 340 are not installed and the ID code of the door frame top relay board cannot be confirmed, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the door frame top unit 300 and the door frame right side unit 340 will not be controlled.

Similarly, regarding the performance control unit 250, if the ID code stored in the reference table matches the ID code of the control unit relay board attached to the performance control unit 250, then during the execution of normal performances (performances during variation or non-variation), the various LEDs mounted on, for example, the front decoration board 321 and rear decoration board 322 can be controlled via the control unit relay board. However, if they do not match, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the performance control unit 250, which is not in a matching series (not in a regular relationship), will not be controlled, and those LEDs will remain off. Furthermore, if the performance control unit 250 is not installed and the ID code of the control unit relay board cannot be confirmed, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the performance control unit 250 will not be controlled.

Furthermore, when predetermined execution conditions are met, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the game board 5 are controlled to emit light, and the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the door frame top unit 300 and the door frame right side unit 340, which are components located around the game board 5, are controlled in cooperation with the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the performance operation unit 250. This makes it possible to perform an integrated lighting effect using not only the game board 5, but also the door frame top unit 300, the door frame right side unit 340, and the performance operation unit 250. However, components of the door frame top unit 300, the door frame right side unit 340, and the performance operation unit 250 whose ID codes do not match those of the game board 5 cannot participate in the lighting effect because the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of those components are not controlled to emit light. Similarly, components of the door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and performance control unit 250 that are not attached to the door frame 3 and whose ID codes cannot be confirmed cannot participate in the lighting effects because they do not control the illumination of the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting circuit boards of those components.

As described above, when the predetermined execution conditions are met, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the game board 5 are controlled to emit light. This control is performed collaboratively with the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the door frame top unit 300 and the door frame right side unit 340, which are components located around the game board 5, and with the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the performance operation unit 250. Furthermore, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the door frame 3 can also be controlled collaboratively. This allows for the execution of an integrated light-emitting effect using not only the game board 5, the door frame top unit 300 and the door frame right side unit 340, and the performance operation unit 250, but also the door frame 3.

[Regarding the functional testing of decorative frame components (reusable products)]
In recent years, with the improvement of gaming machine performance, there is a risk that the cost of manufacturing gaming machines will become high if new parts are always procured. To curb such cost increases, it is conceivable to reuse some or all of the specific decorative parts that are part of the gaming machine (including drive-related and light-emitting parts). For example, the game board 5 can be easily attached to and detached from the door frame 3, and similarly, the frame decoration members mentioned above can also be easily attached to and detached from the door frame 3 and used as reusable parts. However, since it is necessary to determine whether such reusable parts are functioning correctly during inspection at the point of shipment, it is necessary to individually check the operating status of these reusable parts. However, when attaching or detaching reusable parts, if the reusable parts are attached to the game board 5, for example, and it is necessary to temporarily remove the game board 5 from the door frame 3, or if the operating status of the reusable parts can only be checked after the power has been turned off and then on again, then it becomes time-consuming to check the operating status of the reusable parts, as it is necessary to remove the game board 5 and turn off the power each time a reusable part is attached or detached. In this example, the time and effort required to remove the game board 5 and turn off the power is eliminated, thereby improving the efficiency of checking the operating status of reusable parts and providing a highly convenient pachinko machine 1.

The frame decoration members described above are specific decorative parts that are part of the pachinko machine 1, but they are not parts attached to the game board 5, but rather parts attached to the door frame 3. Therefore, the frame decoration members can be attached to and detached from the door frame 3 without removing the game board 5 from the door frame 3, and without removing the game board 5 from the door frame 3. Furthermore, for the attachment and detachment of the frame decoration members, such as the door frame top unit 300, the door frame right side unit 340, and the performance operation unit 250, a tool-less locking mechanism is employed to reduce the installation work for the hall manager. Examples of tool-less locking mechanisms include thumbscrews with a knob on the head for hand-turning, well-known snap locks that can be attached and detached with a one-touch operation by moving a lever up or down (not shown), and well-known crescent locks that can be attached and detached by rotating a lever. In this way, the frame decoration members can be easily attached to and detached from the door frame 3, and checking the operation status of the frame decoration members is not time-consuming.

Furthermore, the frame trim can be attached and detached both before and after power-on. However, if the power is cut off while the power is on, the frame trim can be attached and detached, and then the power is turned on again to check the operational status of the attached and detached frame trim, it becomes time-consuming to check the operational status. Therefore, in this example, if a specific operation is performed before attaching or detaching the frame trim while the power is on, the system transitions to a special state (reuse confirmation state) that allows the operational status of the attached and detached frame trim to be checked after the frame trim has been attached and detached, without having to cut off and then turn the power back on. In addition, while the power is on, the system monitors whether the reuse permission switch has been operated as a specific operation, and at a determination timing after a predetermined period (e.g., 3 seconds) has elapsed since power-on, it is determined whether the reuse permission switch was turned ON before that determination timing. Specifically, at a predetermined time after power-on, the system checks the operation information of the reuse permission switch. If the operation information indicates "operation performed" (for example, if the reuse permission switch was turned ON before or simultaneously with the determination timing), the reuse confirmation state is initiated. In this reuse confirmation state, the system allows for the confirmation of the operational status of the removed decorative frame member by attaching or detaching it. On the other hand, if the operation information of the reuse permission switch is "no operation performed" (for example, if the reuse permission switch was turned ON after the determination timing), the system does not initiate the reuse confirmation state and remains in the normal state. In this normal state, even if the decorative frame member is attached or detached, the operational status of the removed decorative frame member cannot be confirmed. Furthermore, during the period from power-on until the predetermined time has elapsed, the system may notify the operator that the reuse permission switch can be turned ON, and this notification may be sent externally.

In this example, the following power-on patterns A to C are provided as ways of operating when the power is turned on. Power-on pattern A is when the power switch 751 is operated without turning on the RAM clear switch 743, and the RAM clear, which initializes the RAM built into the main control board 1310, is not performed, and the information related to the game is not initialized. Power-on pattern B is when the power switch 751 is operated while the RAM clear switch 743 is turned on, and the RAM clear is performed, and the information related to the game is initialized. Power-on pattern C is when the power switch 751 is operated while the ball removal switch 742 is turned on, although the RAM clear switch 743 is not turned on, and the ball removal process described above is performed. In power-on pattern C, the RAM clear is not performed and the information related to the game is not initialized, but the progress of the game is stopped during the ball removal process. Furthermore, regarding the determination timing described above, the determination of whether the reuse permission switch was turned ON before that timing is performed when power is turned on using power-on patterns A and B, but not when power is turned on using power-on pattern C. In other words, when power is turned on using power-on pattern C, only the ball removal process is executed; the reuse confirmation state is not initiated, and the operating status of the frame decorative member cannot be confirmed.

To explain the specific operation described above in more detail, on the back side of the pachinko machine 1, a reuse permission switch is provided on the main control board 1310 as an operational control section (such as a button that allows switching between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that allows switching between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) that cannot be touched by the player. Furthermore, before the determination timing when a predetermined period has elapsed after power-on, each time the reuse permission switch is turned ON, the operation information of the reuse permission switch is input to the main control board 1310, and the main control board 1310 stores the number of times the operation information of the reuse permission switch has been input. Then, at the determination timing after a predetermined period has elapsed since power-on, the main control board 1310 refers to the stored number of times the reuse permission switch operation information has been input. If the stored number of times the operation information has been input is "1" (for example, if the reuse permission switch was turned ON once before or simultaneously with the determination timing), reuse confirmation state A is started. If the stored number of times the operation information has been input is "2 or more" (for example, if the reuse permission switch was turned ON twice before or simultaneously with the determination timing), reuse confirmation state B is started. These reuse confirmation states may be terminated after a certain period of time has elapsed, but it is preferable that they be terminated arbitrarily by an operation performed by the operator (for example, by operating the same operation unit that was operated when the reuse confirmation state was started). This allows the duration of the reuse confirmation state to be arbitrarily determined, improving the convenience for operators when attaching and detaching frame decorative members and checking the operational status of the attached and detached frame decorative members. In this example, the decision of whether to initiate reuse confirmation state A or reuse confirmation state B is determined by the number of times the reuse permission switch operation information is entered; however, this could be determined by a different operation method.

Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 monitors whether or not it is electrically connected to the frame decorative members, such as the door frame top unit 300 and the door frame right side unit 340. In this example, each of the frame decorative members is connected to the main frame 4 and door frame 3 of the pachinko machine 1 using drawer connectors. If the electrical connection via the drawer connector is interrupted, the frame decorative member has become detached from the pachinko machine 1 or has shifted position, and the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decorative member is not connected. In other words, for example, if an operator removes a frame decorative member while the power is on, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decorative member is not connected, and if the frame decorative member is reattached, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decorative member is connected. In contrast to this example, a detection switch could be provided to determine whether each frame ornament is in its correct position. If the detection switch, which is wired to the peripheral control board 1510, is OFF, it indicates that the frame ornament has detached from the pachinko machine 1 or is misaligned. The peripheral control board 1510 would then determine that the frame ornament is not connected.

The following describes the behavior of the pachinko machine 1, focusing on the operation of the decorative frame members, when the door frame 3 is opened and the decorative frame members are attached or detached during normal operation. Normal operation refers to the state where, with the power on, the reuse permission switch has not been operated before the predetermined period elapsed since power-on; the decorative frame members are attached or detached in the normal state, not the reuse confirmation state. Next, the behavior of the pachinko machine 1, focusing on the operation of the decorative frame members, is described when the door frame 3 is opened and the decorative frame members are attached or detached during the reuse confirmation state. The reuse confirmation state refers to the state where, with the power on, the reuse permission switch has been operated before the predetermined period elapsed since power-on; the decorative frame members are attached or detached after transitioning to the reuse confirmation state.

(Removal and installation of decorative frame components during normal business hours)
Figure 117 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when the door frame 3 is opened and the frame decorative member is attached or detached during normal operation. First, we will explain the case where the reuse permission switch is not operated before a predetermined judgment timing, so the machine does not transition from the normal state to the reuse confirmation state, and the frame decorative member is attached or detached while remaining in the normal state. Furthermore, regarding the attachment or detachment of the frame decorative member during normal operation, it is assumed that if a malfunction (abnormality or failure, etc.) occurs in the frame decorative member, such as when the LED of the frame decorative member stops emitting light, the door frame 3 is opened and the frame decorative member is removed, then the door frame 3 is closed temporarily with the frame decorative member still unconnected, and then the door frame 3 is opened again to attach the same frame decorative member or a different frame decorative member.

As shown in Figure 117, first, after power is turned on at timing ts, the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510 perform power-on processing to control the game state on the main control board 1510 to the normal state, and a period is provided during which the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 can proceed. In other words, in the normal state after power is turned on, when the player operates the handle 160, a game ball can be launched into the game area 5a, when a starting prize is won, the special symbol variation display can be started, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can be started, allowing for normal gameplay. In the normal state, regardless of whether the frame decoration member has been removed at timing t2, etc., which will be described later, the period during which the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 can proceed continues. Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 monitors whether the decorative frame components, such as the door frame top unit 300, the door frame right side unit 340, and the performance operation unit 250, are electrically connected. After power is turned on at timing ts, and before timing tx (described later) arrives, the board determines that the decorative frame components have not been removed and are therefore connected.

Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 controls the internal LEDs (lamps A) mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament members, the external LEDs (lamps B) mounted on various decorative boards other than the frame ornament members, the liquid crystal display device 1600, and the speaker. For the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate, they are configured to perform their normal operation after being powered on at timing ts. Lamp B can be further classified into external LEDs 1 mounted on various decorative boards of some components other than the frame ornament members, and external LEDs 2 mounted on various decorative boards of other components. External LEDs 1 are configured to perform their normal operation regardless of whether the door frame 3 is open or closed, or whether the frame ornament members are installed or not. In normal operation, when the special symbol variation display is not being executed, the system performs an action corresponding to a standby sequence (e.g., a demo sequence) while waiting for the special symbol variation display to begin. When the special symbol variation display is being executed, the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command and performs an action corresponding to the variation sequence (a sequence based on the variation pattern). For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command, the sequence display device 1600 executes a sequence including the variation display of decorative symbols (e.g., a reach sequence), and lamps A (LED inside the frame decoration), B (LED 1 outside the frame decoration), and B (LED 2 outside the frame decoration) light up or blink in conjunction with the sequence display executed by the sequence display device 1600. The speaker also outputs sound in conjunction with the sequence display executed by the sequence display device 1600.

Furthermore, for components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, normal operation is performed after power-on at timing ts. For such components, the volume and brightness can be changed by operating the setting adjustment button 204. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the system internally adjusts the volume and brightness to reflect the change, which is then reflected in the currently running volume and brightness. However, for lamp B (outer frame decorative LED 1), one of the components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, the LED brightness is kept constant, so that the volume and brightness do not change even when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Furthermore, the external terminal board can output predetermined signals to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 by receiving these signals. In this case, since the door frame 3 is closed, the door frame open signal (described later) is not output. Also, since this is a normal state and not the reuse confirmation state (described later), the reuse confirmation signal (described later) is not output.

Furthermore, after power-on at timing ts, a determination timing is provided at timing tz1, after a predetermined period has elapsed, to determine whether the reuse permission switch was operated before timing tz1. In other words, the determination timing determines whether the reuse permission switch was operated between timing ts and timing tz1. Here, since the reuse permission switch was not operated before timing tz1, the system does not transition to the reuse confirmation state at timing tz1, and continues in the normal state thereafter. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is also assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing tz1. For example, components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510 continue to perform their normal operation even after timing tz1.

Furthermore, even if the reuse permission switch is operated at timing tz2 after it has been determined that the reuse permission switch was not operated at timing tz1, the system does not transition from the normal state to the reuse confirmation state, and continues in the normal state thereafter. In other words, the operation of the reuse permission switch at timing tz2 is treated as invalid. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is also assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing tz2. For example, components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510 continue to perform their normal operation even after timing tz2.

Next, at timing t1, if the door frame 3 is opened under normal conditions, a signal from the open switch to detect the opening of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame open command to communicate the opening of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. At this time, after power-on at timing ts, the components that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate perform their normal operations. However, at timing t1, based on the peripheral control board 1510 receiving the door frame open command, it performs the operation required for opening the door frame.

Specifically, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a door frame open command, lamps A (LED inside the frame decoration) and B (LED 2 outside the frame decoration) light up or blink in a single color with high brightness as a symbol of opening. The display device 1600 displays the message "Door frame is open" as a symbol of opening, and the speaker outputs the sound "Door frame is open" as an opening sound. However, among the components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, lamp B (LED 1 outside the frame decoration) continues its normal operation without performing an opening action.

Furthermore, at timing t1, when the door frame 3 is opened in the normal state, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, excluding lamp B (frame decorative LED 1), perform the opening operation. During this opening operation, the light intensity of LEDs and other components, and the volume from the speaker, are kept constant. Therefore, even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the volume and light intensity of the components performing the opening operation will not change. Specifically, while the setting adjustment button 204 can be used to internally adjust the volume and light intensity, this adjustment is not reflected in the currently running volume and light intensity. These internally adjusted volume and light intensity levels are then reflected in the currently running volume and light intensity when the system returns to normal operation. Note that the light intensity of the display device 1600 may change when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Furthermore, at timing t1, if the door frame 3 is opened under normal conditions, the external terminal board outputs a door frame open signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to recognize that the door frame 3 has been opened. This door frame open signal is output to the hall computer only after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed following the closing of the door frame 3 at timing t2, as described later. This makes it easier for the hall to notice that the door frame 3 has been opened, even if the opening and closing time is short.

Next, after opening the door frame 3, if the frame ornament is removed in the normal state at timing tx, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame ornament is not connected. At this time, after opening the door frame 3 at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 executes the opening operation for the components it has instructed to operate. However, after removing the frame ornament at timing tx, although the peripheral control board 1510 can execute the operation for the components it has instructed to operate, it prioritizes executing the opening operation over the operation for the components it has instructed to operate. The operation for the components it has instructed to operate is executed after closing the door frame 3 and completing the opening operation. In this way, if the peripheral control board 1510 prioritizes executing the operation for the components it has instructed to operate, there is a possibility that fraudulent activity could be carried out on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 without the hall manager noticing that the door frame 3 has been opened. However, by prioritizing the opening operation, such a situation can be prevented. Under normal conditions, regardless of whether the frame decoration member is removed at timing t2, the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 can continue to run for an extended period.

However, among the components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, the display device 1600 performs an operation for when the frame decoration is not connected, in addition to the operation for when the door is open. Specifically, the display device 1600 not only displays the message "The door frame is open" when the door is open, but also displays the message "The frame decoration component is not connected" when the frame decoration is not connected. In other words, under normal conditions, removal of the frame decoration component is not permitted without executing the operation for when the frame decoration is not connected. Furthermore, regarding lamp A (LED inside the frame decoration), since the frame decoration component has been removed, the LED will not light up or blink afterward.

Next, after removing the frame trim, at timing t2, if the door frame 3 is closed under normal conditions, a signal from the close switch to detect the closing of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame close command to indicate the closing of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. At this time, after removing the frame trim at timing tx, the peripheral control board 1510 prioritizes the opening operation over the operation when the frame trim is not connected for the components it has instructed to operate. However, at timing t2, based on the peripheral control board 1510 receiving the door frame close command, the opening operation is terminated and the operation when the frame trim is not connected is executed.

Specifically, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a door frame closing command, lamp B (external frame decoration LED 2) lights up or blinks in a single color (a different color from the color emitted when the door is open) with high brightness as a light emission when the frame decoration is not connected. The performance display device 1600 displays the message "Frame decoration member is not connected" as a display when the frame decoration is not connected, and the speaker outputs an audio message "Frame decoration member is not connected" as a frame decoration disconnection notification sound. However, among the members whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, lamp B (external frame decoration LED 1) continues its normal operation without performing the operation when the frame decoration is not connected. Also, among the members whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, lamp B (external frame decoration LED 2) performs the light emission when the door is closed for a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) after receiving the door frame closing command, and after that predetermined period has elapsed, it performs the light emission when the frame decoration is not connected. This makes it easier for the hall staff to notice that the door frame 3 has been opened, even if the opening and closing time of the door frame 3 is short, by activating the illumination when the door is closed.

Furthermore, at timing t2, if the door frame 3 is closed in the normal state, the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate will perform the operation as if the frame decoration were not connected, except for lamp B (frame decoration external LED 1). In this operation as if the frame decoration were not connected, the light intensity of LEDs and other components is kept constant, and the volume from the speaker is kept constant. Therefore, for components performing the operation as if the frame decoration were not connected, the volume and light intensity will not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the system can accept the operation and internally adjust the volume and light intensity, but this is not reflected in the volume and light intensity during operation. When the system returns to normal operation, these internally adjusted volume and light intensity levels will be reflected in the volume and light intensity during operation based on those internally adjusted levels. Note that for the performance display device 1600, the light intensity may change when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Next, at timing t3, if the door frame 3 is opened again in the normal state to install the decorative frame member, the behavior is almost the same as when the door frame 3 is opened at timing t1 in the normal state. In other words, when the door frame 3 is opened again while the decorative frame member is removed, the peripheral control board 1510 prioritizes the opening operation over the operation when the decorative frame member is not connected for the components that it is instructed to operate. However, for lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame member), since the decorative frame member has been removed, the opening operation is not performed. Furthermore, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 instructs to operate, the display device 1600 performs the operation when the decorative frame member is not connected in addition to the opening operation.

Next, after opening the door frame 3, if the frame ornament is reattached in the normal state at timing ty, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame ornament has been connected. At this time, after opening the door frame 3 at timing t2, the peripheral control board 1510 performs the opening operation for the components it instructs to operate. However, even after attaching the frame ornament at timing ty, the peripheral control board 1510 continues to perform the opening operation for the components it instructs to operate. However, among the components the peripheral control board 1510 instructs to operate, the display device 1600 continues to perform the operation when the frame ornament is not connected, in addition to the opening operation, even after attaching the frame ornament at timing ty. Furthermore, after attaching the frame ornament, when closing the door frame 3 at timing t4 (described later), the opening operation ends, but it does not return to the normal operation, and continues to perform the operation when the frame ornament is not connected. This design ensures that, under normal circumstances, if the decorative frame member is removed, even if it is reattached, it will leave a trace indicating that the frame member was disconnected. This prevents unauthorized actions using the attachment and detachment of the frame member.

Furthermore, at timing ty, if the frame ornament is attached under normal conditions, while power is supplied to lamp A (LED within the frame ornament) upon attachment, it remains off and does not subsequently light up or blink. This ensures that if the frame ornament is removed under normal conditions, even if it is reattached, it leaves a trace indicating that the frame ornament was disconnected, preventing unauthorized actions using the attachment and detachment of the frame ornament. Additionally, in this example, the reuse permission switch is not operated before the timing tz1 determination, and the system does not transition to the reuse confirmation state after timing tz1, but even if the frame ornament is attached (or detached) under such normal conditions, the operational status of the attached (or detached) frame ornament cannot be confirmed. In other words, under normal conditions, the operation of the frame ornament by attaching it is not permitted.

Next, after the frame ornament is installed, at timing t4, if the door frame 3 is closed in the normal state, a signal from the close switch to detect the closing of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame close command to indicate the closing of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. At this time, after the frame ornament is installed at timing ty, the components that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate perform the open operation, but at timing t4, based on the peripheral control board 1510 receiving the door frame close command, the open operation is terminated and the normal operation is performed. However, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate, lamp B (frame ornament outer LED 2) performs closed illumination for a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) after receiving the door frame close command, and after that predetermined period has elapsed, it performs normal illumination. This makes it easier for the hall staff to notice that the door frame 3 has been opened, even if the opening and closing time of the door frame 3 is short, by activating the illumination when the door is closed.

Furthermore, as detailed above, after the decorative frame component is installed and the door frame 3 is closed at timing t4, the opening operation ends, but it does not return to the normal operation; instead, it continues the operation as it was when the decorative frame component was not connected. Also, at timing ty, when the decorative frame component is installed in the normal state, lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame component) is turned off. However, even after closing the door frame 3 at timing t4, it remains off. In such cases, unless the power is turned back on afterward, the lamp will not turn back on, making it cumbersome to check the operating status of the detached decorative frame component.

(Removal and attachment of decorative frame members in reuse confirmation state A, part 1)
Figure 118 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a decorative frame member is removed while the door frame 3 is open in reuse confirmation state A, and then the decorative frame member is attached while the next door frame 3 is open. First, we will explain the case where the reuse permission switch is operated before a predetermined judgment timing, thereby transitioning from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A, and then the decorative frame member is attached or detached. Furthermore, regarding the attachment and detachment of decorative frame members in reuse confirmation state A, it is assumed that when checking the operating status of multiple decorative frame members used as reusable parts, the door frame 3 is opened and the decorative frame member is removed, then the door frame 3 is closed temporarily with the decorative frame member still unconnected, and then the door frame 3 is opened again to attach a different decorative frame member, or the same decorative frame member is attached again for reconfirmation.

As shown in Figure 118, after powering on at timing ts, the system behaves the same as when powering on at timing ts as shown in Figure 117. For example, after powering on at timing ts, the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510 perform power-on processing, controlling the game state on the main control board 1510 to the normal state, and allowing the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 to proceed. In other words, in the normal state after power-on, when the player operates the handle 160, game balls can be launched into the game area 5a, when a starting prize is won, the special symbol variation display can be started, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can be started, allowing for normal gameplay. Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 monitors whether the decorative frame components, such as the door frame top unit 300, the door frame right side unit 340, and the performance operation unit 250, are electrically connected. After power-on at timing ts, and before timing tx (described later) arrives, the board determines that the decorative frame components are not removed and are connected. Also, for components that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate, normal operation is performed after power-on at timing ts.

Then, after the power is turned on at timing ts, at timing tz1, which is after a predetermined period has elapsed, a determination timing is provided to determine whether or not the reuse permission switch was operated before timing tz1. In other words, the determination timing determines whether or not the reuse permission switch was operated between timing ts and timing tz1. Here, by operating the reuse permission switch at timing tx3, which is before timing tz1, the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1. After transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the main control board 1310 is configured to be unable to proceed with gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, even if the player operates the handle 160, game balls cannot be launched into the game area 5a, and even if a starting prize is won, the special symbol variation display cannot be started, making it impossible to play normal gameplay. This prevents the attachment and detachment of frame decorative members, and the confirmation of their operation, from being hindered by normal gameplay during reuse confirmation state A. Furthermore, during reuse confirmation state A, gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310 is disabled for a period of time until the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 (described later) to exit reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some of the components it has instructed to operate to perform the reuse confirmation operation. Specifically, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the display device 1600 displays the message "You can now perform operation confirmation of the frame decoration components" as the display for reuse confirmation, and outputs the voice message "You can now perform operation confirmation of the frame decoration components" from the speaker as the reuse confirmation sound. On the other hand, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate, lamp A (LED inside the frame decoration), lamp B (LED 1 outside the frame decoration), and lamp B (LED 2 outside the frame decoration) continue their normal operation without performing the reuse confirmation operation. Thus, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, only some of the components controlled by the peripheral control board 1510 perform the reuse confirmation operation. However, since the transition to reuse confirmation state A is caused by the operator operating the reuse permission switch, and there is no need to easily recognize or notify externally, lamps A (LED inside the frame decoration), B (LED 1 outside the frame decoration), and B (LED 2 outside the frame decoration) do not perform the reuse confirmation operation. Furthermore, this reuse confirmation operation continues until the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, as described later, to exit reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, some of the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate will perform the reuse confirmation operation. For such components, the light intensity of LEDs and other devices will be kept constant, and the volume from the speakers will also be kept constant. Therefore, for components that are performing the reuse confirmation operation, the volume and light intensity will not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the system can accept the operation and internally adjust the volume and light intensity, but this is not reflected in the volume and light intensity during operation. When the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, as described later, the system transitions from reuse confirmation state A to the normal state and returns to normal operation, and these internally adjusted volume and light intensity settings will be reflected in the volume and light intensity during operation based on those settings. On the other hand, even after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the components that continue to operate under normal conditions, such as lamp A (LED inside the frame decoration) and lamp B (LED 2 outside the frame decoration), have their light intensity changed by operating the setting adjustment button 204. However, for lamp B (LED 1 outside the frame decoration), the LED light intensity is kept constant, so that the light intensity does not change even when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Thus, in this example, since components with constant LED light intensity are provided, it is easy to determine whether the light intensity of components with variable LED light intensity is changing or not. Note that the display device 1600 may also have its light intensity change when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Furthermore, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the external terminal board outputs a reuse confirmation signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to be aware of the transition to reuse confirmation state A. This reuse confirmation signal is terminated when the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 (described later) to exit reuse confirmation state A. Alternatively, the reuse confirmation signal may be terminated after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed after exiting reuse confirmation state A. This makes it easier for the hall to notice the transition to reuse confirmation state A, even if the transition period is short.

Next, at timing t1, if the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A, a signal from the open switch to detect the opening of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame open command to communicate the opening of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t1. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate, components that are performing normal operation continue to perform normal operation even after timing t1, and components that are performing reuse confirmation operation continue to perform reuse confirmation operation even after timing t1. In other words, when the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame open command, but the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate do not perform the opening operation, and therefore remain unchanged before and after timing t1. This prevents the removal and attachment of frame decorative members, and the confirmation of their operational status, from being hindered by the operation performed during the release phase when the reuse confirmation state A is reached.

Furthermore, at timing t1, if the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A, the external terminal board outputs a door frame open signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to recognize that the door frame 3 has been opened. This door frame open signal is output to the hall computer only after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the door frame 3 was closed at timing t2, as described later. This makes it easier for the hall to notice that the door frame 3 has been opened, even if the opening and closing time is short.

Next, after opening the door frame 3, if the frame ornament is removed in reuse confirmation state A at timing tx, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame ornament is not connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 remains unchanged before and after timing tx. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate, components that are performing normal operation continue to perform normal operation even after timing tx, and components that are performing reuse confirmation operation continue to perform reuse confirmation operation even after timing tx. Furthermore, if the frame ornament is removed in reuse confirmation state A, even though the frame ornament is removed, the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate do not perform the operation when the frame ornament is not connected, and remain unchanged before and after timing tx. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, removal of the frame ornament is permitted without performing the operation when the frame ornament is not connected. This prevents the removal and attachment of frame trim members and the confirmation of their operational status from being hindered by the execution of operations performed when the frame trim is not connected, thus preventing the confirmation of the frame trim's operational status from being hindered in reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, while the behavior of pachinko machine 1 remains unchanged before and after timing tx, lamp A (LED within the frame decoration) no longer lights up or blinks after the frame decoration component is removed.

Next, after removing the frame ornament, if the door frame 3 is closed in reuse confirmation state A at timing t2, a signal from the close switch to detect the closing of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame close command to indicate the closing of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t2. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate, components that are performing normal operation continue to perform normal operation even after timing t2, and components that are performing reuse confirmation operation continue to perform reuse confirmation operation even after timing t2. In other words, when the door frame 3 is closed in reuse confirmation state A, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame close command, but the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate do not perform the closing operation, and therefore remain unchanged before and after timing t2. This prevents the removal and attachment of frame trim members and the confirmation of their operation from being hindered by the closing operation during reuse confirmation state A.

Next, if the door frame 3 is opened again at timing t3 in reuse confirmation state A to install the decorative frame member, the behavior is approximately the same as when the door frame 3 was opened at timing t1 in reuse confirmation state A. In other words, when the door frame 3 is opened again while the decorative frame member is removed, the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate will not perform the operation required for opening, and will remain unchanged before and after timing t3. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate, those performing normal operation will continue their normal operation even after timing t3, while those performing reuse confirmation operation will continue their reuse confirmation operation even after timing t3.

Next, after opening the door frame 3, if the frame ornament is reattached in reuse confirmation state A at timing ty, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame ornament has been connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 remains unchanged before and after timing ty. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate, components performing normal operation continue their normal operation even after timing ty, while components performing reuse confirmation operation continue their reuse confirmation operation even after timing ty.

Furthermore, if the frame decoration member is attached in reuse confirmation state A at timing ty, the lamp A (LED inside the frame decoration) will start receiving power as a result of the attachment of the frame decoration member, and will perform its normal operation. As described in detail above, in normal operation, when the special symbol variation display is not being performed, the system performs an operation corresponding to a standby performance (for example, a demo performance) in a state of waiting for the special symbol variation display to start. When the special symbol variation display is being performed, the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command and performs an operation corresponding to a variation performance (a performance based on a variation pattern). For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command, the lamp A (LED inside the frame decoration) lights up or blinks in conjunction with the performance display performed by the performance display device 1600. However, if, after installing the decorative frame component, a problem occurs such as a broken wire to lamp A (LED inside the frame component) resulting in no power supply, or a malfunction of lamp A (LED inside the frame component) itself, the normal operation will not be performed, and the LED will not light up or blink.

In this example, if the reuse permission switch is not operated before the timing tz1 determination timing, the system remains in the normal state and does not transition to the reuse confirmation state. Even if the decorative frame member is removed and then reattached, it does not light up or blink afterward, remaining in an off state. However, if the reuse permission switch is operated once before the timing tz1 determination timing, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state A. In reuse confirmation state A, after removing the decorative frame member, reattaching it at timing ty causes the system to perform the normal operation. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, the operation of the decorative frame member is permitted by attaching it. The system transitions to reuse confirmation state A on the condition that the reuse permission switch is operated once before the timing tz1 determination timing. When the decorative frame member is attached (or detached) in reuse confirmation state A, the operating state of the attached (or detached) decorative frame member can be confirmed.

Furthermore, in this example, during the period from timing tx to timing ty, that is, during the period when the decorative frame member is removed for attachment and detachment in reuse confirmation state A, the LED of lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame) does not light up or blink. However, during this period, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but this is not reflected in the light intensity of lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame). When the decorative frame member is reattached at timing ty, as described later, and the LED becomes able to light up or blink, the internally adjusted volume and light intensity will be reflected in the light intensity of lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame) based on the internally adjusted light intensity. Thus, in this example, when the decorative frame member is reattached at timing ty, as described later, the internally adjusted light intensity is not reset to its initial state, and the internally adjusted light intensity is reflected as is. Therefore, it is easy to determine whether the light intensity of lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame) of the attached (detached) decorative frame member has changed normally. Furthermore, regardless of whether the frame trim is removed or not, the light intensity of lamp B (LED 1 outside the frame trim) is kept constant, so that the light intensity does not change even when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Therefore, when the frame trim is reattached at timing ty, it is easy to determine whether the light intensity of the frame trim has changed normally compared to lamp A (LED inside the frame trim) by comparing it to lamp B (LED 1 outside the frame trim).

The lamp A (LED within the frame decoration) described above is an LED mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member, and is provided on the frame decoration member. However, the frame decoration member may also be provided with a separate LED 2 (lamp A') mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member, in addition to lamp A (LED within the frame decoration member). The light intensity of lamp A' (LED 2 within the frame decoration member) is kept constant, so that the volume and light intensity do not change even when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. As a result, since lamp A' (LED 2 within the frame decoration member) is also provided on the frame decoration member, when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, it is easy to determine whether the light intensity of lamp A' (LED 2 within the frame decoration member) on the frame decoration member has changed normally by comparing it with the light intensity of lamp A' (LED 2 within the frame decoration member) on the frame decoration member, based on the internal adjustments made during the period when the frame decoration member was removed.

Next, after attaching the frame trim, if the door frame 3 is closed at timing t4 in reuse confirmation state A, it exhibits approximately the same behavior as when the door frame 3 was closed at timing t2 in reuse confirmation state A. In other words, when the door frame 3 is closed after attaching the frame trim, the components that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate do not perform their closing operation and remain unchanged before and after timing t4. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate, those performing their normal operation continue their normal operation even after timing t4, while those performing their reuse confirmation operation continue their reuse confirmation operation even after timing t4.

Next, after closing the door frame 3, if the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, reuse confirmation state A is terminated and the system returns to the normal state. Here, the normal state is the same as the normal state after power-on at timing ts. In other words, after the main control board 1310 returns to the normal state at timing tz4, it is possible to proceed with gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. Furthermore, for components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, the system performs its normal operation after returning to the normal state at timing tz4. Thus, in this example, while attaching and detaching the frame ornament component as a reusable part, after confirming the operating state of the frame ornament component, it is possible to return from reuse confirmation state A back to the normal state. Therefore, following the confirmation of the operating state of the frame ornament component, it is possible to confirm whether the game (main game) proceeds normally.

In this example, after removing the decorative frame member in reuse confirmation state A, the lamp A (LED inside the frame) performs its normal operation when the decorative frame member is reattached at timing ty. However, it is also possible to configure the lamp A (LED inside the frame) to perform its normal operation when the decorative frame member is reattached at timing ty, and to perform its normal operation when the operation permission switch is operated after the decorative frame member is reattached. The operation permission switch is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 and is a work-use operation part (such as a button that can switch between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) that cannot be touched by the player, and is provided on the main control board 1310. Furthermore, between the time the decorative frame member is reattached at timing ty and the operation permission switch is operated, the lamp A (LED inside the frame) is in a standby state, for example, the LED is either lit or off. This allows hall managers to arbitrarily initiate the monitoring of the frame decoration's operating status by operating the operation permission switch, thereby improving convenience.

The operation permission switch described above is provided separately from the reuse permission switch, but the reuse permission switch may also perform the function of the operation permission switch. That is, at timing ty, when the frame ornament is reattached, the normal operation may not be performed. However, by operating the reuse permission switch after the frame ornament is attached, lamp A (LED inside the frame ornament) may perform its normal operation. Furthermore, the reuse permission switch may be configured to allow selection of one option from multiple options, and may have an option for initiating the reuse confirmation state and an option for lamp A (LED inside the frame ornament) to perform its normal operation.

Furthermore, in this example, after removing the decorative frame member in reuse confirmation state A, the lamp A (LED inside the frame member) performs its normal operation when the decorative frame member is reattached while the door frame 3 is open at timing ty. However, it is also possible to configure the system so that when the decorative frame member is reattached while the door frame 3 is open at timing ty, the lamp A (LED inside the frame member) does not perform its normal operation, and instead, when the open door frame 3 is closed at timing t2, the lamp A (LED inside the frame member) performs its normal operation. In this case, from the time the decorative frame member is reattached while the door frame 3 is open at timing ty until the open door frame 3 is closed, the lamp A (LED inside the frame member) operates in a standby state, for example, by being either lit or off. This allows the hall manager to arbitrarily start checking the operating status of the decorative frame member by closing the door frame 3, thereby improving convenience.

Furthermore, in this example, at timing tz4, before operating the reuse permission switch again to end the reuse confirmation state, there is a period during which it is not possible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. At timing tz4, when operating the reuse permission switch again to end the reuse confirmation state, there is a period during which it is possible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. However, even at a timing before operating the reuse permission switch again to end the reuse confirmation state, it may be possible to transition to a period during which it is possible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side by operating the game permission switch. The game permission switch is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 and is provided on the main control board 1310 as an operational part (such as a button that can switch between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) that cannot be touched by the player. As a result, during the period when the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side, when the handle 160 is operated, a game ball can be launched into the game area 5a, a starting prize can be awarded, a lottery can be held and the special symbol variation display can be started, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can be started. Therefore, the hall manager can arbitrarily start checking whether the game (main game) is proceeding normally by operating the game permission switch, thereby improving convenience.

The game permission switch described above is provided separately from the reuse permission switch, but the reuse permission switch may also perform the function of the game permission switch. In other words, by operating the reuse permission switch before ending the reuse confirmation state, the system may transition to a period in which gameplay (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the reuse permission switch may be configured to allow selection of one option from multiple options, and may have an option for initiating the reuse confirmation state and an option for transitioning to a period in which gameplay (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310.

In the above, at a predetermined judgment timing after power-on, if the number of times the reuse permission switch operation information has been input is "1" (for example, if the reuse permission switch is turned ON once before or simultaneously with the judgment timing), the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A, and the frame decorative member is attached and detached in reuse confirmation state A. However, if the number of times the reuse permission switch operation information has been input is "2 or more" (for example, if the reuse permission switch is turned ON twice before or simultaneously with the judgment timing), the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state B, and the frame decorative member can be attached and detached in reuse confirmation state B. Here, reuse confirmation state A is a period during which it is not possible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side, while reuse confirmation state B is a period during which it is possible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. Furthermore, in reuse confirmation state B, the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is the same as in reuse confirmation state A in all other respects. For example, even if the system transitions to reuse confirmation state B based on the condition that the number of times the reuse permission switch operation information has been input is "two or more" at the timing tz1 determination timing, it is still possible to confirm the operational status of the frame decorative member when it is attached (or detached) in reuse confirmation state B.

Figure 119 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when the decorative frame member is removed while the door frame 3 is open in reuse confirmation state B, and then reattached while the next door frame 3 is open. This section focuses on the differences from reuse confirmation state A.

As shown in Figure 119, after power is turned on at timing ts, power-on processing is performed on the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510 to control the game state on the main control board 1510 to the normal state, allowing a period during which gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310 can proceed. Then, at timing tz1, after a predetermined period has elapsed since power was turned on at timing ts, a determination timing is provided to determine whether or not the reuse permission switch was operated before timing tz1. At this determination timing, the number of times the reuse permission switch was operated between timing ts and timing tz1 is also determined. In this case, by operating the reuse permission switch twice before timing tz1, the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state B at timing tz1. Then, in reuse confirmation state A, a period is provided during which gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310 can proceed. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, when the player operates the handle 160, a game ball can be launched into the game area 5a, when a starting prize is achieved, the special symbol variation display can begin, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing for normal gameplay. Furthermore, in reuse confirmation state A, the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 can continue to progress until the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 to end reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, if the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the timing tz1 judgment timing, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state B. In reuse confirmation state B, the decorative frame member is removed, and then at timing ty, the decorative frame member is reattached to perform normal operation. In other words, in reuse confirmation state B, the operation of the decorative frame member is permitted by attaching it. The system transitions to reuse confirmation state B on the condition that the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the timing tz1 judgment timing. When the decorative frame member is attached (or detached) in reuse confirmation state B, the operational status of the attached (or detached) decorative frame member can be confirmed.

In this example, if the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the timing tz1 judgment timing, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state B. This reuse confirmation state B is a period during which the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310. Therefore, in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to verify whether the game (main game) proceeds normally. In other words, in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to detach and reattach frame decorative members as reusable parts while simultaneously checking the operating state of those frame decorative members. Furthermore, verification of whether the game (main game) proceeds normally can be performed simultaneously without waiting to return from reuse confirmation state B to the normal state, thus improving the efficiency of inspection of the pachinko machine 1, including the verification of the operating state of multiple frame decorative members.

(Removal and attachment of frame decorative members in reuse confirmation state A, part 2)
Figure 120 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a decorative frame member is attached or detached while the door frame 3 is open in reuse confirmation state A. First, we will explain the case where the reuse permission switch is operated before a predetermined judgment timing, thereby transitioning from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A, and then the decorative frame member is attached or detached. Furthermore, regarding the attachment and detachment of decorative frame members, in order to check the operating status of multiple decorative frame members used as reusable parts, it is assumed that after opening the door frame 3 and removing the decorative frame member, another decorative frame member may be attached or the same decorative frame member may be attached again for reconfirmation without closing the door frame 3.

As shown in Figure 120, after powering on at timing ts, the frame decorative member is removed at timing tx in reuse confirmation state A after a predetermined procedure. During this period, the behavior is the same as that shown in Figure 118, from powering on at timing ts to removing the frame decorative member at timing tx in reuse confirmation state A. In other words, after powering on at timing ts, the reuse permission switch is operated at timing tz3, the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the door frame 3 is opened at timing t1 in reuse confirmation state A, and the frame decorative member is removed at timing tx in reuse confirmation state A. Therefore, the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is the same as that shown in Figure 118.

In this example, after opening the door frame 3, the decorative frame member is removed at timing tx in reuse confirmation state A. However, without closing the door frame 3 after removing the decorative frame member, the decorative frame member is reattached at timing ty while the door frame 3 is still open. In this case, where the decorative frame member is reattached at timing ty in reuse confirmation state A while the door frame 3 is open, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the decorative frame member has been connected.

Furthermore, while the door frame 3 is open, if the frame ornament is attached at timing ty in reuse confirmation state A, the lamp A (LED inside the frame ornament) will start receiving power as a result of the attachment of the frame ornament, and will perform its normal operation. As described in detail above, in normal operation, when the special symbol variation display is not being performed, the system performs an operation corresponding to a standby performance (for example, a demo performance) in a state of waiting for the special symbol variation display to start. When the special symbol variation display is being performed, the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command and performs an operation corresponding to a variation performance (a performance based on a variation pattern). For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command, the lamp A (LED inside the frame ornament) lights up or blinks in conjunction with the performance display performed by the performance display device 1600. However, if, after installing the decorative frame component, a problem occurs such as a broken wire to lamp A (LED inside the frame component) resulting in no power supply, or a malfunction of lamp A (LED inside the frame component) itself, the normal operation will not be performed, and the LED will not light up or blink.

Furthermore, the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing ty. For example, among the components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, components performing normal operation continue their normal operation even after timing ty, and components performing reuse confirmation operation continue their reuse confirmation operation even after timing ty.

In this example, if the reuse permission switch is not operated before the timing tz1 determination timing, the system remains in the normal state and does not transition to the reuse confirmation state. Even if the decorative frame member is reattached, it does not light up or blink afterward and remains in an off state. However, if the reuse permission switch is operated once before the timing tz1 determination timing, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state A, and by reattaching the decorative frame member, the system performs the normal operation. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, the operation of the decorative frame member is permitted by attaching it. The system transitions to reuse confirmation state A on the condition that the reuse permission switch is operated once before the timing tz1 determination timing, and when the decorative frame member is attached (or detached) in reuse confirmation state A, the operating state of the attached (or detached) decorative frame member can be confirmed. Furthermore, in this example, even if the decorative frame member is removed in reuse confirmation state A at timing tx while the door frame 3 is open, and then reattached at timing ty while the door frame 3 is still open, it is still possible to check the operational status of the attached (detached) decorative frame member. In other words, after removing the decorative frame member in reuse confirmation state A at timing tx, it is not necessarily required to close and reopen the door frame 3 between then and reattaching the decorative frame member at timing ty. Thus, even when the decorative frame member is detached in reuse confirmation state A while the door frame 3 is open, it is possible to check the operational status of the detached decorative frame member, thereby improving the efficiency of checking the operational status of multiple decorative frame members.

Furthermore, in this example, during the period from timing tx to timing ty, that is, during the period when the decorative frame member is removed for attachment and detachment in reuse confirmation state A, the LED of lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame) does not light up or blink. However, during this period, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but this is not reflected in the light intensity of lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame). When the decorative frame member is reattached at timing ty, as described later, and the LED becomes able to light up or blink, the internally adjusted volume and light intensity will be reflected in the light intensity of lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame) based on the internally adjusted light intensity. Thus, in this example, when the decorative frame member is reattached at timing ty, as described later, the internally adjusted light intensity is not reset to its initial state, and the internally adjusted light intensity is reflected as is. Therefore, it is easy to determine whether the light intensity of lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame) of the attached (detached) decorative frame member has changed normally. Furthermore, regardless of whether the frame trim is removed or not, the light intensity of lamp B (LED 1 outside the frame trim) is kept constant, so that the light intensity does not change even when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Therefore, when the frame trim is reattached at timing ty, it is easy to determine whether the light intensity of the frame trim has changed normally compared to lamp A (LED inside the frame trim) by comparing it to lamp B (LED 1 outside the frame trim).

Next, after the frame ornament is attached, if the door frame 3 is closed in reuse confirmation state A at timing t2, a signal from the close switch to detect the closing of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame close command to indicate the closing of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t2. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate, components that are performing normal operation continue to perform normal operation even after timing t2, and components that are performing reuse confirmation operation continue to perform reuse confirmation operation even after timing t2. In other words, when the door frame 3 is closed in reuse confirmation state A, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame close command, but the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate do not perform the closing operation, and therefore remain unchanged before and after timing t2. This prevents the removal and attachment of frame trim members and the confirmation of their operation from being hindered by the closing operation during reuse confirmation state A.

Next, after opening the door frame 3 again, if another decorative frame member is to be attached or detached while the door frame 3 is open, the period from timing t1 to timing t2 described above will be repeated. That is, at timing t1', the door frame 3 is opened; at timing tx', the decorative frame member is removed; at timing ty', another decorative frame member is attached; and at timing t2', the door frame 3 is closed. In this way, the same operations as the period from timing t1 to timing t2 described above are performed, and the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is the same.

Next, after closing the door frame 3, if the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, reuse confirmation state A is terminated and the system returns to the normal state. Here, the normal state is the same as the normal state after power-on at timing ts. In other words, after the main control board 1310 returns to the normal state at timing tz4, it is possible to proceed with gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. Furthermore, for components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, the system performs its normal operation after returning to the normal state at timing tz4. Thus, in this example, while attaching and detaching the frame ornament component as a reusable part, after confirming the operating state of the frame ornament component, it is possible to return from reuse confirmation state A back to the normal state. Therefore, following the confirmation of the operating state of the frame ornament component, it is possible to confirm whether the game (main game) proceeds normally.

In the above, at a predetermined judgment timing after power-on, if the number of times the reuse permission switch operation information has been input is "1" (for example, if the reuse permission switch is turned ON once before or simultaneously with the judgment timing), the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A, and the frame decorative member is attached and detached in reuse confirmation state A. However, if the number of times the reuse permission switch operation information has been input is "2 or more" (for example, if the reuse permission switch is turned ON twice before or simultaneously with the judgment timing), the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state B, and the frame decorative member can be attached and detached in reuse confirmation state B. Here, reuse confirmation state A is a period during which it is not possible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side, while reuse confirmation state B is a period during which it is possible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. Furthermore, in reuse confirmation state B, the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is the same as in reuse confirmation state A in all other respects. For example, even if the system transitions to reuse confirmation state B by operating the reuse permission switch twice before the timing tz1 determination timing, it is still possible to confirm the operational status of the frame decorative member when it is attached (or detached) in reuse confirmation state B.

Figure 121 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when the decorative frame member is attached or detached while the door frame 3 is open in reuse confirmation state B. This chart focuses on the differences from reuse confirmation state A.

As shown in Figure 121, after power is turned on at timing ts, power-on processing is performed on the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510 to control the game state on the main control board 1510 to the normal state, and a period is set during which gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310 can proceed. Then, at timing tz1, after a predetermined period has elapsed since power was turned on at timing ts, a determination timing is provided to determine whether or not the reuse permission switch was operated before timing tz1. At this determination timing, the number of times the reuse permission switch was operated between timing ts and timing tz1 is also determined. In this case, by operating the reuse permission switch twice before timing tz1, the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state B at timing tz1. Then, in reuse confirmation state B, a period is set during which gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310 can proceed. In other words, in reuse confirmation state B, when the player operates the handle 160, a game ball can be launched into the game area 5a, when a starting prize is achieved, the special symbol variation display can begin, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing for normal gameplay. Furthermore, in reuse confirmation state B, the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 can continue to progress until the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 to end reuse confirmation state B.

Furthermore, if the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the timing tz1 judgment timing, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state B. In reuse confirmation state B, the decorative frame member is removed, and then at timing ty, the decorative frame member is reattached to perform normal operation. In other words, in reuse confirmation state B, the operation of the decorative frame member is permitted by attaching it. The system transitions to reuse confirmation state B on the condition that the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the timing tz1 judgment timing. When the decorative frame member is attached (or detached) in reuse confirmation state B, the operational status of the attached (or detached) decorative frame member can be confirmed.

In this example, if the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the timing tz1 judgment timing, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state B. This reuse confirmation state B is a period during which the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310. Therefore, in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to verify whether the game (main game) proceeds normally. In other words, in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to detach and reattach frame decorative members as reusable parts while simultaneously checking the operating state of those frame decorative members. Furthermore, verification of whether the game (main game) proceeds normally can be performed simultaneously without waiting to return from reuse confirmation state B to the normal state, thus improving the efficiency of inspection of the pachinko machine 1, including the verification of the operating state of multiple frame decorative members.

(Regarding the installation of decorative frame members when they are not connected at the time of determination)
Figure 122 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a frame ornament is attached after it has been determined that the frame ornament is not connected at the determination timing. In the above, if the reuse permission switch is operated before the predetermined determination timing, and it is determined that the frame ornament is connected at the predetermined determination timing, the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A, and when the frame ornament is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state A, it is possible to check the operating state of the attached (detached) frame ornament. On the other hand, even if the reuse permission switch is operated before the predetermined determination timing, if it is determined that the frame ornament is not connected at the predetermined determination timing, the system does not transition from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A. Furthermore, even if the frame ornament is attached afterward, the LED does not light up or blink, making it impossible to check the operating state of the attached (detached) frame ornament. A specific example of this will be explained below.

As shown in Figure 122, after powering on at timing ts, the behavior is almost the same as when powering on at timing ts as shown in Figure 117. For example, after powering on at timing ts, the power-on processing of the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510 is performed, controlling the game state on the main control board 1510 to the normal state, and allowing the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 to proceed. In other words, in the normal state after power-on, when the player operates the handle 160, a game ball can be launched into the game area 5a, when a starting prize is won, the special symbol variation display can be started, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can be started, allowing for normal gameplay. Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 monitors whether the performance operation unit 250 and other frame decoration members are electrically connected. However, after power is turned on at timing ts, and before timing tx (described later) arrives, it determines that the frame decoration members are not connected. Therefore, for lamp A (LED within the frame decoration), since the frame decoration member is not connected, the LED does not light up or blink. Also, for members that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate, normal operation is performed after power is turned on at timing ts.

Furthermore, after power-on at timing ts, at timing tz1, a predetermined period has elapsed, and a determination timing is provided to determine whether the reuse permission switch was operated before timing tz1. At this determination timing, it is also determined whether the frame decorative member is disconnected. If the reuse permission switch was operated before timing tz1, and the determination timing determines that the frame decorative member is connected, the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A. However, if the determination timing determines that the frame decorative member is disconnected, the system does not transition from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A, and continues in the normal state. In the normal state, regardless of whether the frame decorative member is disconnected at timing tz1, etc., the system continues to allow gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310 to proceed.

Furthermore, after determining at timing tz1 that the frame ornament members are not connected, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some of the members it has instructed to operate to perform the operation for when reuse confirmation is not activated. Specifically, after determining at timing tz1 that the frame ornament members are not connected, the display device 1600 displays the message "Unable to perform operation confirmation of frame ornament members" as an indication for when reuse confirmation is not activated, and outputs an audio message from the speaker saying "Unable to perform operation confirmation of frame ornament members" as an indication for when reuse confirmation is not activated. On the other hand, among the members that the peripheral control board 1510 instructs to operate, lamp A (LED inside frame ornament), lamp B (LED 1 outside frame ornament), and lamp B (LED 2 outside frame ornament) continue their normal operation without performing the operation for when reuse confirmation is not activated. Thus, after determining at timing tz1 that the frame trim member is not connected, only some of the members that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate perform the operation for when reuse confirmation is not activated. However, since the determination that the frame trim member is not connected at timing tz1 is due to the operator operating the reuse permission switch, and there is no need to easily recognize and notify externally, lamps A (LED inside the frame trim), B (LED 1 outside the frame trim), and B (LED 2 outside the frame trim) do not perform the operation for when reuse confirmation is not activated. Furthermore, this operation for when reuse confirmation is not activated continues regardless of whether the frame trim member was attached or not after determining at timing tz1 that the frame trim member is not connected, or whether the door frame 3 was opened or closed.

Furthermore, after determining at timing tz1 that the frame ornament members are not connected, some of the members that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate perform the operation that occurs when reuse confirmation is not performed. For such members, the light intensity of LEDs and other components is kept constant, and the volume from the speaker is kept constant. Therefore, for members that are performing the operation that occurs when reuse confirmation is not performed, the volume and light intensity will not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the system accepts the operation and can internally adjust the volume and light intensity, but this is not reflected in the volume and light intensity being performed. On the other hand, even after determining at timing tz1 that the frame ornament members are not connected, for members that are performing normal operation, the light intensity of lamp B (frame ornament outer LED 2) changes when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, but for lamp B (frame ornament outer LED 1), the light intensity of the LED is kept constant, and the light intensity does not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Thus, in this example, since a component with a constant LED light intensity is provided, it is easy to determine whether the light intensity is changing compared to a component with a variable LED light intensity. Furthermore, the light intensity of the display device 1600 may be configured to change when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Furthermore, after determining at timing tz1 that the frame trim member is not connected, the external terminal board does not output a reuse confirmation signal to the hall computer.

Next, at timing t1, if the door frame 3 is opened in the normal state, a signal from the open switch to detect the opening of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame open command to communicate the opening of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t1. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate, components that are performing normal operations continue to perform normal operations even after timing t1, and components that are performing operations when reuse confirmation is not activated continue to perform operations when reuse confirmation is not activated even after timing t1. In other words, if the door frame 3 is opened in the normal state after it has been determined that the frame decorative component is not connected, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame open command, but the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate do not perform the opening operation, and therefore remain unchanged before and after timing t1. This prevents the normal operation of the game (main game) from being hindered by the release mechanism, which occurs after determining that the frame decorative member is not connected.

Furthermore, at timing t1, if the door frame 3 is opened under normal conditions, the external terminal board outputs a door frame open signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to recognize that the door frame 3 has been opened. This door frame open signal is output to the hall computer only after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed following the closing of the door frame 3 at timing t2, as described later. This makes it easier for the hall to notice that the door frame 3 has been opened, even if the opening and closing time is short.

Next, after opening the door frame 3, if the frame ornament is attached in the normal state at timing ty, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame ornament has been connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 remains unchanged before and after timing ty. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate, components performing normal operation continue their normal operation even after timing ty, while components performing operation when reuse confirmation is not activated continue their operation even after timing ty.

Furthermore, if the frame decoration member is attached in the normal state at timing ty, although the power supply to lamp A (LED inside the frame decoration) begins when the frame decoration member is attached, it will not light up or blink afterward, but will remain off. This ensures that even if the frame decoration member is attached in the normal state after it has been determined that it is not connected, it leaves a trace that the frame decoration member was not connected, preventing fraudulent activity using the attachment and detachment of the frame decoration member. Also, if the LED inside lamp A (LED inside the frame decoration) lights up or blinks when the frame decoration member is attached, it could hinder the operator's ability to check whether the game (main game) is progressing normally. In this example, if the reuse permission switch is operated before the timing tz1 determination timing, and the frame decoration member is deemed unconnected at that determination timing, even if the frame decoration member is attached afterward, the LED inside lamp A (LED inside the frame decoration) will not light up or blink, preventing such verification from being hindered. On the other hand, if the reuse permission switch is operated before the timing tz1 judgment timing, and the frame decoration member is connected at that judgment timing, then when the frame decoration member is installed afterward, the lamp A (LED inside the frame decoration) will light up or blink. Therefore, the operator can choose at the judgment timing whether they want to confirm the operational status of the frame decoration member as a reusable part, or simply confirm whether the game (main game) proceeds normally.

Next, after the decorative frame member is installed, if the door frame 3 is closed in the normal state at timing t2, a signal from the close switch to detect the closing of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame close command to indicate the closing of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t2. For example, among the members that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate, those that are performing normal operation continue to perform normal operation even after timing t2, and those that are performing operation when reuse confirmation is not activated continue to perform operation when reuse confirmation is not activated even after timing t2. In other words, if the door frame 3 is closed in the normal state after it has been determined that the decorative frame member is not connected, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame close command, but the members that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate do not perform the closing operation, and remain unchanged before and after timing t2. This prevents the normal operation of checking whether the game (main game) proceeds correctly after determining that the frame decorative member is not connected from being hindered by the closing operation.

Next, if the door frame 3 is opened again at timing t3 in the normal state to remove the decorative frame member, the behavior is approximately the same as when the door frame 3 is opened at timing t1 in the normal state. In other words, when the door frame 3 is opened again while the decorative frame member is installed, the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate will not perform the operation required for opening, and will remain unchanged before and after timing t3. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate, those performing the normal operation will continue their normal operation even after timing t3, while those performing the operation required for reuse confirmation will continue the operation required for reuse confirmation even after timing t3.

Next, after opening the door frame 3, if the frame ornament is removed again under normal conditions at timing tx, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame ornament is not connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 remains unchanged before and after timing tx. In other words, if the frame ornament is removed again after opening the door frame 3, the peripheral control board 1510 does not perform the operation for when the frame ornament is not connected, and therefore remains unchanged before and after timing tx. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate, components performing normal operation continue their normal operation even after timing tx, while components performing the operation for when reuse confirmation is not performed continue their operation for when reuse confirmation is not performed even after timing tx.

Furthermore, while the behavior of pachinko machine 1 remains unchanged before and after timing tx, lamp A (LED within the frame decoration) no longer lights up or flashes after the frame decoration component is removed.

Next, after removing the decorative frame member, if the door frame 3 is closed in the normal state at timing t4, it exhibits approximately the same behavior as when the door frame 3 was closed in the normal state at timing t2. In other words, when the door frame 3 is closed after removing the decorative frame member, the components that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate do not perform the closing operation and remain unchanged before and after timing t4. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate, those performing the normal operation continue their normal operation even after timing t4, while those performing the operation for when reuse confirmation has not been performed continue their operation for when reuse confirmation has not been performed even after timing t4.

In this example, after determining at timing tz1 that the frame ornament is not connected, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some of the components it has instructed to operate to perform the operation for when the reuse check is not activated. However, this operation for when the reuse check is not activated continues regardless of whether the frame ornament is subsequently attached or whether the door frame 3 is opened or closed. This ensures that even if the frame ornament is attached after determining at timing tz1 that it is not connected, a trace of the frame ornament being unconnected remains, preventing unauthorized actions using the attachment and detachment of the frame ornament. Furthermore, as explained earlier, if the reuse permission switch was not operated at timing tz1 while the frame ornament was connected, and the frame ornament was subsequently removed, the peripheral control board 1510 would execute the operation for the components it was instructing to operate as if the frame ornament were not connected. However, in this example, if the reuse permission switch was operated at timing tz1 while the frame ornament was not connected, even if the frame ornament was subsequently removed, the peripheral control board 1510 would not execute the operation for the components it was instructing to operate as if the frame ornament were not connected. This prevents the confirmation of whether the game (main game) will proceed normally in the normal state after it is determined that the frame ornament is not connected from being hindered by the execution of the operation for when the frame ornament is not connected. Also, in this example, the purpose of the operation when the reuse confirmation is not activated is to inform that the operation of the frame ornament cannot be confirmed, and is different from the operation for when the frame ornament is not connected as explained earlier, but these operations may be made common.

(Regarding the confirmation of error illumination when frame decorative members are attached or detached in reuse confirmation state A)
Figure 123 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a decorative frame member is removed while the door frame 3 is open in an error state and reuse confirmation state A, and then reattached while the next door frame 3 is open. In the above, if the reuse permission switch is operated before a predetermined judgment timing, the machine transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A, and when the decorative frame member is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state A, it is possible to check the operating state of the attached (detached) decorative frame member. On the other hand, if an abnormality is detected, such as the detection of magnetism, vibration, or radio waves to the pachinko machine 1, the machine transitions to an error state. In such an error state, the LED of the decorative frame member lights up in an error state, and to check the operating state of the decorative frame member, it is also necessary to check whether the LED of the decorative frame member lights up in an error state normally. In this example, if reuse confirmation state A and error state occur simultaneously, it is possible to confirm that when a decorative frame member is attached (or detached) in that state, the LED of the attached (or detached) decorative frame member will emit an error light. A specific example of this is described below.

In this example, the error detection unit includes configurations that detect magnetism by using a magnetic sensor to detect the magnetic field applied to the pachinko machine 1 when a magnet is brought close to it, configurations that detect vibrations by using a vibration sensor to detect vibrations applied to the pachinko machine 1 when it is shaken or struck, and configurations that detect radio waves by using a radio wave sensor to detect radio waves applied to the pachinko machine 1 when it is irradiated with unauthorized radio waves. The main control board 1310 monitors whether or not magnetism, vibration, and radio waves are being detected on the pachinko machine 1 after power-on at timing ts.

As shown in Figure 123, after powering on at timing ts, the behavior is the same as when powering on at timing ts as shown in Figure 117. For example, after powering on at timing ts, the power-on processing of the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510 is performed, controlling the game state on the main control board 1510 to the normal state, and allowing the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 to proceed. In other words, in the normal state after power-on, when the player operates the handle 160, game balls can be launched into the game area 5a, when a starting prize is won, the special symbol variation display can be started, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can be started, allowing for normal gameplay. Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 monitors whether the decorative frame components, such as the door frame top unit 300, the door frame right side unit 340, and the performance operation unit 250, are electrically connected. After power-on at timing ts, and before timing tx (described later) arrives, the board determines that the decorative frame components are not removed and are connected. Also, for components that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate, normal operation is performed after power-on at timing ts.

Then, after power is turned on at timing ts, when signals from the magnetic sensor for detecting magnetism, the vibration sensor for detecting vibration, and the radio wave sensor for detecting radio waves are input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 at timing t0, the main control board 1310 detects abnormalities in magnetism, vibration, and radio waves, and outputs an abnormality notification command to the peripheral control board 1510 to indicate the execution of an abnormality notification based on the occurrence of the abnormality. At this time, after power is turned on at timing ts, the components that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate perform their normal operation, but at timing t0, an error state occurs based on the peripheral control board 1510 receiving an abnormality notification command. In the error state, the peripheral control board 1510 does not perform its normal operation, but instead performs the operation required for errors. Furthermore, even after the main control board 1310 sends an abnormality notification command to the peripheral control board 1510 at timing t0, it maintains the game state in the same way as when no abnormality has occurred, allowing the main control board 1310 to continue the game (main game) for a specified period.

Specifically, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives an abnormality notification command, lamps A (LED inside the frame decoration) and B (LED 2 outside the frame decoration) illuminate or blink in a single color with high brightness as an error indication. The display device 1600 displays an error message such as "A magnetic error has occurred," "A vibration error has occurred," or "A radio wave error has occurred." The speaker also outputs an error sound indicating "A magnetic error has occurred," "A vibration error has occurred," or "A radio wave error has occurred." Furthermore, in this example, the abnormality notification actions differ depending on whether magnetism, vibration, or radio waves are detected. For example, the message display, LED illumination color, and notification sound are different, allowing the system to determine whether magnetism, vibration, or radio waves have been detected. However, among the components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, lamp B (LED 1 outside the frame decoration) continues its normal operation without executing any error actions.

Furthermore, if an abnormality is detected at timing t0, the peripheral control board 1510 executes the error operation for the components it is instructing to operate, except for lamp B (frame decorative LED 1). In this error operation, the light intensity of LEDs and other components is kept constant, and the volume from the speaker is kept constant. Therefore, for components executing the error operation, the volume and light intensity will not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the system can accept the operation and internally adjust the volume and light intensity, but this is not reflected in the volume and light intensity during operation. These internally adjusted volume and light intensity levels will be reflected in the current volume and light intensity when the system returns to normal operation, based on the internally adjusted levels. Note that for the performance display device 1600, the light intensity may change when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Furthermore, if an anomaly is detected at timing t0, the external terminal board outputs an error signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to be aware that an anomaly has been detected.

Next, after the power is turned on at timing ts, a determination timing is provided at timing tz1, which is after a predetermined period has elapsed, to determine whether or not the reuse permission switch was operated before timing tz1. In other words, the determination timing determines whether or not the reuse permission switch was operated between timing ts and timing tz1. Here, by operating the reuse permission switch at timing tx3, which is before timing tz1, the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1. After transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the main control board 1310 is configured to be unable to proceed with gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, even if the player operates the handle 160, game balls cannot be launched into the game area 5a, and even if a starting prize is won, the special symbol variation display cannot be started, making it impossible to play normal gameplay. This prevents the attachment and detachment of frame decorative members, and the confirmation of their operation, from being hindered by normal gameplay during reuse confirmation state A. Furthermore, during reuse confirmation state A, gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310 is disabled for a period of time until the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 (described later) to exit reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some of the components it has instructed to operate to perform the reuse confirmation operation. Specifically, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the display device 1600 displays the message "You can now perform operation confirmation of the frame decorative components" as an added message to the error display. The speaker outputs an audio message, "You can now perform operation confirmation of the frame decorative components," as a reuse confirmation sound. Meanwhile, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, lamp A (LED inside the frame decorative component), lamp B (LED 2 outside the frame decorative component), and the speaker continue their operation as if an error had occurred. This reuse confirmation operation continues until the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, as described later, to exit reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the external terminal board outputs a reuse confirmation signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to be aware of the transition to reuse confirmation state A. This reuse confirmation signal is terminated when the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 (described later) to exit reuse confirmation state A. Alternatively, the reuse confirmation signal may be terminated after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed after exiting reuse confirmation state A. This makes it easier for the hall to notice the transition to reuse confirmation state A, even if the transition period is short.

Next, at timing t1, if the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A, a signal from the open switch to detect the opening of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame open command to communicate the opening of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t1. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate, components that are performing error operations continue to perform error operations even after timing t1, and components that are performing reuse confirmation operations continue to perform reuse confirmation operations even after timing t1. In other words, when the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame open command, but the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate do not perform opening operations, and therefore remain unchanged before and after timing t1. This prevents the removal and attachment of frame decorative members, and the confirmation of their operational status, from being hindered by the operation performed during the release phase when the reuse confirmation state A is reached.

Furthermore, at timing t1, if the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A, the external terminal board outputs a door frame open signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to recognize that the door frame 3 has been opened. This door frame open signal is output to the hall computer only after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the door frame 3 was closed at timing t2, as described later. This makes it easier for the hall to notice that the door frame 3 has been opened, even if the opening and closing time is short.

Next, after opening the door frame 3, if the frame ornament is removed in reuse confirmation state A at timing tx, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame ornament is not connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 does not change before and after timing tx. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate, components that are performing error operations continue to perform error operations even after timing tx, and components that are performing reuse confirmation operations continue to perform reuse confirmation operations even after timing tx. Also, if the frame ornament is removed in reuse confirmation state A, even though the frame ornament is removed, components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate do not perform the operation for when the frame ornament is not connected, and therefore do not change before and after timing t1. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, removal of the frame ornament is permitted without performing the operation for when the frame ornament is not connected. This prevents the removal and attachment of frame trim members and the confirmation of their operational status from being hindered by the execution of operations performed when the frame trim is not connected, thus ensuring that the reuse confirmation state A is correct.

Furthermore, while the behavior of pachinko machine 1 remains unchanged before and after timing tx, lamp A (LED within the frame decoration) no longer lights up or flashes after the frame decoration component is removed.

Next, after removing the frame ornament, if the door frame 3 is closed in reuse confirmation state A at timing t2, a signal from the close switch to detect the closing of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame close command to indicate the closing of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t2. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate, components that are performing error operations continue to perform error operations even after timing t2, and components that are performing reuse confirmation operations continue to perform reuse confirmation operations even after timing t2. In other words, when the door frame 3 is closed in reuse confirmation state A, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame close command, but the components that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate do not perform closing operations, and their behavior remains unchanged before and after timing t2. This prevents the removal and attachment of frame trim members, and the confirmation of their operational status, from being hindered by the closing operation during reuse confirmation state A.

Next, if the door frame 3 is opened again at timing t3 in reuse confirmation state A to install the frame trim, the behavior is approximately the same as when the door frame 3 was opened at timing t1 in reuse confirmation state A. In other words, when the door frame 3 is opened again while the frame trim is removed, the components that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate do not perform the operation required for opening, and their behavior remains unchanged before and after timing t3. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate, those performing the error operation continue to perform the error operation even after timing t3, while those performing the reuse confirmation operation continue to perform the reuse confirmation operation even after timing t3.

Next, after opening the door frame 3, if the frame decorative member is reattached in reuse confirmation state A at timing ty, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decorative member has been connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 remains unchanged before and after timing ty. For example, among the members that the peripheral control board 1510 is instructing to operate, those performing error operations continue their error operations even after timing ty, and those performing reuse confirmation operations continue their reuse confirmation operations even after timing ty.

Furthermore, at timing ty, if the frame decoration component is installed in reuse confirmation state A, the lamp A (LED within the frame decoration) will begin receiving power upon installation of the frame decoration component. However, this operation will execute the error operation, not the normal operation. As detailed above, the error operation for lamp A (LED within the frame decoration) involves the LED lighting up or flashing in a single color with high brightness as an error illumination. However, if, when the frame decoration component is installed, a problem occurs such as a broken wire to lamp A (LED within the frame decoration) preventing power supply, or a malfunction of lamp A (LED within the frame decoration) itself, the error operation will not be executed, and the LED will not light up or flash.

In this example, if the reuse permission switch is operated before the timing tz1 determination timing, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state A. If the decorative frame member is emitting an error light in reuse confirmation state A, the system removes the decorative frame member and then reattaches it at timing ty to resume the error operation. In other words, reuse confirmation state A allows the system to resume the error operation targeting the decorative frame member by attaching it. Furthermore, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state A on the condition that the reuse permission switch is operated before the timing tz1 determination timing. When the decorative frame member is attached (or detached) in reuse confirmation state A, it is possible to verify whether the attached (or detached) decorative frame member emits an error light correctly.

Next, after attaching the frame trim, if the door frame 3 is closed at timing t4 in reuse confirmation state A, it exhibits approximately the same behavior as when the door frame 3 was closed at timing t2 in reuse confirmation state A. In other words, when the door frame 3 is closed after attaching the frame trim, the components that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate do not perform their closing operation and remain unchanged before and after timing t4. For example, among the components that the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed to operate, those performing error operation continue their error operation even after timing t4, while those performing reuse confirmation operation continue their reuse confirmation operation even after timing t4.

Next, after closing the door frame 3, if the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, the reuse confirmation state A is terminated and the system returns to the normal state. Here, the normal state is the same as the normal state before transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing t1. In other words, after the main control board 1310 transitions to the normal state at timing tz4, it is possible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. Furthermore, for components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, after transitioning to the normal state at timing tz4, the system executes error-related actions based on the error state. Thus, in this example, while attaching and detaching the frame decorative component as a reusable part, after confirming the operating state of the frame decorative component, it is possible to return from reuse confirmation state A back to the normal state. Therefore, following the confirmation of the operating state of the frame decorative component, it is possible to confirm whether the game (main game) proceeds normally.

In this example, after removing the decorative frame member in reuse confirmation state A, the lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame) performs the error operation when the decorative frame member is reattached at timing ty. However, if the decorative frame member is reattached at timing ty, the error operation may not be performed. Instead, the lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame) may perform the error operation when the operation permission switch is operated after the decorative frame member is reattached. The operation permission switch is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 and is a work-use operation part (such as a button that can switch between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) that cannot be touched by the player, and is provided on the main control board 1310. Furthermore, between the time the decorative frame member is reattached at timing ty and the operation permission switch is operated, the lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame) is in a standby state, for example, the LED is either lit or off. This allows hall managers to arbitrarily initiate the monitoring of the frame decoration's operating status by operating the operation permission switch, thereby improving convenience.

The operation permission switch described above is provided separately from the reuse permission switch, but the reuse permission switch may also perform the function of the operation permission switch. That is, when the frame ornament is reattached at timing ty, the error operation may not be performed. However, by operating the reuse permission switch after the frame ornament is reattached, the lamp A (LED inside the frame ornament) may perform the error operation. Furthermore, the reuse permission switch may be configured to allow selection of one option from multiple options, and may have an option for initiating the reuse confirmation state and an option for the lamp A (LED inside the frame ornament) to perform the error operation.

Furthermore, in this example, after removing the decorative frame member in reuse confirmation state A, the lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame) performs the error operation when the decorative frame member is reattached while the door frame 3 is open at timing ty. However, if the decorative frame member is reattached while the door frame 3 is open at timing ty, the error operation may not be performed. Instead, the lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame) may perform the error operation when the open door frame 3 is closed at timing t2. In this case, from the time the decorative frame member is reattached while the door frame 3 is open at timing ty until the open door frame 3 is closed, the lamp A (LED inside the decorative frame) operates in a standby state, for example, by being either lit or off. This allows the hall manager to arbitrarily start checking the operating status of the decorative frame member by closing the door frame 3, thereby improving convenience.

Furthermore, in this example, at timing tz4, before operating the reuse permission switch again to end the reuse confirmation state, there is a period during which it is not possible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. At timing tz4, when operating the reuse permission switch again to end the reuse confirmation state, there is a period during which it is possible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. However, even at a timing before operating the reuse permission switch again to end the reuse confirmation state, it may be possible to transition to a period during which it is possible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side by operating the game permission switch. The game permission switch is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 and is provided on the main control board 1310 as an operational part (such as a button that can switch between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) that cannot be touched by the player. As a result, during the period when the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side, when the handle 160 is operated, a game ball can be launched into the game area 5a, a starting prize can be awarded, a lottery can be held and the special symbol variation display can be started, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can be started. Therefore, the hall manager can arbitrarily start checking whether the game (main game) is proceeding normally by operating the game permission switch, thereby improving convenience.

The game permission switch described above is provided separately from the reuse permission switch, but the reuse permission switch may also perform the function of the game permission switch. In other words, by operating the reuse permission switch before ending the reuse confirmation state, the system may transition to a period in which gameplay (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the reuse permission switch may be configured to allow selection of one option from multiple options, and may have an option for initiating the reuse confirmation state and an option for transitioning to a period in which gameplay (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310.

[Change or confirm settings]
In the following example, the fourth embodiment of the pachinko machine 1 is described, which is a pachinko machine 1 of each of the embodiments described above with added setting functions. The pachinko machine 1 of this example has setting values related to the probability of winning or losing, and by performing predetermined operations when the power is turned on, it is possible to change the setting values or to display the setting values for confirmation.

First, the main control board 1310 is connected via bidirectional communication to the frame control board 740 located on the main frame 4, and is also connected unidirectionally to the peripheral control board 1510, providing only output signals. The main control board 1310 receives detection signals for game balls B from the general prize-winning slot sensor 3001, gate sensor 2011, first start-up slot sensor 2101, second start-up slot sensor 2401, large prize-winning slot sensor 2402, etc. The main control board 1310 also outputs drive signals to the start-up slot solenoid 2412 for opening and closing the second start-up slot 2004, the attacker solenoid 2414 for opening and closing the large prize-winning slot 2005, etc.

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 includes a setting key switch with a setting key cylinder that is rotated when a setting key is inserted, a setting change permission lamp that can emit light in a single color (e.g., red), and a setting indicator consisting of a single 7-segment LED display with a decimal point (so-called dot). The setting indicator is capable of displaying the setting value of the pachinko machine 1.

Regarding the setting key switch, the initial position of the setting key switch is OFF when it is ready to be inserted into the socket formed on the front of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch (for example, when the longitudinal direction of the rectangular socket is aligned with the vertical direction). When the setting key cylinder is in the initial position, a metal setting key can be inserted into the socket and removed from the socket. In this embodiment, even if the back cover 640 covering the rear of the game board 5 is detached from the pachinko machine 1 for some reason, and the setting key is still inserted into the socket, the setting key switch is designed with a depth dimension such that it does not interfere with or damage other pachinko machine components (or components of the gaming hall's island equipment) arranged in a row facing each other in the gaming hall's island setup.

Furthermore, the setting key switch can be turned ON by rotating the setting key cylinder 60 degrees clockwise from its initial position, and this setting key ON signal is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310. Conversely, the setting key switch can be turned OFF by rotating the setting key cylinder 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotation position where the setting key was turned ON back to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position where the setting key switch is turned OFF), and this OFF signal is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310.

Next, we will briefly explain the setting key switch and setting indicator of the main control board 1310. Here, we will first explain how to change the setting value, and then how to display the current setting value. Note that the setting key is an important key that allows you to not only change the setting value but also check the current setting value; therefore, only a limited number of people, including the manager of the amusement hall, are permitted to possess it, and this is limited to 2-3 people.

First, when changing the setting value, the following "predetermined conditions for permission to change the setting value" must be met: when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage); the main frame 4 is opened from the outer frame 2; the setting key is inserted into the slot of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch on the main control board 1310; the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, thereby turning the setting key switch ON; and the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 741 on the frame control board 740 is operated. In other words, the person actually changing the settings must first confirm that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then open the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2, then insert the metal setting key into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch and rotate it 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, thereby turning the setting key switch ON, and then, while operating the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 741, operate the power switch 751 to power on the pachinko machine 1.

To change the settings, the user must first confirm that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off). Then, they must open the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2. Next, they insert the metal setting key into the setting key cylinder slot of the setting key switch and rotate the setting key cylinder 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, thereby setting the setting key switch to the ON position. Next, while operating the press-button of the RAM clear switch 741, they operate the power switch 751 to power on the pachinko machine 1. This sends the ON signals from the RAM clear switch 741 and the setting key to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. The main control MPU displays the current setting value (the value set among setting values 1 to 6 at the time the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch was turned ON) stored in a specific area of its built-in RAM on the setting display and switches the setting change permission lamp from off to on.

When a user changes the setting value, pressing the press button on the RAM clear switch 741 on the frame control board 740 triggers a detection signal from the RAM clear switch 741, which is then input from the frame control board 740 to the main control MPU 1310a on the main control board 1310. Each time the user presses the press button on the RAM clear switch 741, the main control MPU 1310a, based on the detection signal from the RAM clear switch 741, increases the current setting value by 1. Upon reaching the maximum value of 6, it returns to the initial value of 1, then increases the value again by 1, displaying the setting value on the setting indicator.

When changing a setting value, the user rotates the setting key switch 60 degrees counterclockwise from the position where the setting key cylinder is ON to its original initial position (i.e., the position where the setting key cylinder is OFF) to OFF. This OFF signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. As a result, the main control MPU 1310a stores the changed and determined setting value in a specific area of the RAM built into the main control MPU, switches the setting indicator from displaying the setting value to hiding it, and switches the setting change permission lamp from lit to off.

The person performing the setting change removes the metal setting key from the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch, closes the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, and completes the setting change procedure.

Next, in order to display the currently set setting value, the following "predetermined setting value display permission conditions" must be met: when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage); the main frame 4 is open to the outer frame 2; the setting key is inserted into the slot of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch; the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, thereby turning the setting key switch ON; and the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 741 is not operated. In other words, the person actually performing the verification and display of the currently set values must first confirm that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then open the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2, and then insert the metal setting key into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch and rotate it 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON. Finally, without operating the press-button of the RAM clear switch 741, they operate the power switch 751 to power on the pachinko machine 1.

The person performing the check and display of the currently set setting value first confirms that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then opens the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, then inserts the metal setting key into the slot of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch, and rotates the setting key cylinder 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, thereby setting the setting key switch to the setting key ON position. Next, without operating the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 741, the person operates the power switch 751 to power on the pachinko machine 1. As a result, the setting key ON signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. The main control MPU displays the current setting value (the value set among setting values 1 to setting values 6 at the time the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch was turned ON) stored in a specific area of its built-in RAM on the setting display. At this time, the setting change permission lamp remains off, and even if the person responsible for displaying the currently set setting value presses the press-button operation section of the RAM clear switch 741, the setting value will not be changed at all in response to this operation, nor will the content displayed on the setting display unit be changed.

The person performing the confirmation display of the currently set value, after confirming the current setting value, rotates the setting key switch 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key switch is OFF), thereby performing the OFF operation. This setting key OFF signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. As a result, the main control MPU switches from displaying the setting value on the setting display to hiding it.

The person performing the verification and display of the currently set settings removes the metal setting key from the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch, closes the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, and completes the verification and display of the currently set settings.

Furthermore, the "predetermined conditions for permission to change setting values" require, as described above, that when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage), the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the slot of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, thereby turning the setting key ON, and the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 741 is operated. In contrast, the "predetermined conditions for permission to display setting values" require, as described above, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage), the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the slot of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, thereby turning the setting key ON, and the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 741 is not operated. Thus, the "predetermined setting value change permission conditions" and the "predetermined setting value display permission conditions" share a common requirement: when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power interruption), the main body frame 4 is open to the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch, and the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to activate the setting key ON operation. However, the "predetermined setting value change permission conditions" require that "the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 741 is operated when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power interruption)," whereas the "predetermined setting value display permission conditions" require that "the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 741 is not operated when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power interruption)."

To briefly explain the setting values, in this example, the "setting values" are those that allow the probability of the first special symbol and the second special symbol resulting in a jackpot to be changed, and are pre-set probabilities (degrees of advantage) that are advantageous to the player (i.e., that increase the number of game balls the player can win). In this embodiment, the following setting values are pre-set: setting value 1 (jackpot probability of 1/319), setting value 2 (jackpot probability of 1/310), setting value 3 (jackpot probability of 1/300), setting value 4 (jackpot probability of 1/290), setting value 5 (jackpot probability of 1/280), and setting value 6 (jackpot probability of 1/270), and the probabilities (degrees of advantage) that are advantageous to the player are pre-set from setting value 1 to setting value 6. The main control MPU of the main control board 1310 selects various tables used in various lottery judgments associated with set values (for example, a jackpot judgment table that defines the proportion of jackpot judgment values indicating a jackpot has been won), and various tables used in various distribution rates associated with set values (for example, a distribution table that defines the time for distribution, a block that manages the driving of electrical drive sources such as motors and solenoids, etc.). The various tables used in various lottery judgments associated with set values are allocated to various judgment values in predetermined proportions. The various tables used in various lottery judgments are set so that at least some of the values differ from each other, and the various tables used in various distribution rates are set so that at least some of the values differ from each other, or they are set so that the values differ based on the relationship between a table corresponding to a block that manages the driving of one electrical drive source and a table corresponding to a block that manages the driving of another electrical drive source. Furthermore, while the above-mentioned setting values were six integers ranging from setting value 1 to setting value 6, the range can be smaller or larger. For example, it could be four integers ranging from setting value 1 to setting value 4, or eight integers ranging from setting value 1 to setting value 8.

In this example, setting values 1 to 6 are pre-configured, each with a different jackpot probability. However, while multiple setting values are available, it is also possible to set all of them to be the same (the same jackpot probability). For example, even though six setting values are available, it is possible to set all of them to setting value 1 in a single step. In this way, when all setting values are set to setting value 1, even if a setting change state occurs and the setting value is switched, it will only switch from setting value 1 to setting value 1, and the setting value will not change. Also, even if a setting check is performed in the setting confirmation state, setting value 1 will always be confirmed. Here, there are two types of pachinko machines 1: one that requires a change in setting value (change in jackpot probability) and one that does not. However, by making it possible to set all setting values to be the same, the control program can be used in common regardless of whether a change in setting value is necessary or not. Furthermore, for pachinko machines 1 that do not require a change in the setting value (change in the jackpot probability), it is acceptable to retain the configuration of the setting key switch, etc., but instead of making it possible to set six setting values, only one setting value may be made possible, achieving a single-step setting.

Furthermore, while setting values are being changed or confirmed, the main control board 1310 controls the system to a state where gameplay is not possible. For example, even if game balls B enter various entry points such as the first start opening 2003, the display of changing symbols will not begin. In addition, the frame control board 740 controls the system to a state where game ball circulation is not possible. For example, even if the handle 160 is operated, game balls B will not be launched from the ball launching unit 550. It also stops various controls such as settlement processing via the counting button switch 180, the ball launching unit 550, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball delivery unit 700, and does not manage (monitor) game balls B in the circulating ball path unit 600. As a result, if gameplay or ball circulation proceeds while setting values are being changed or confirmed, the work related to those setting values may be hindered. However, by stopping gameplay and ball circulation, such a situation can be prevented. After that, once the setting value change and confirmation display are finished and the setting value is no longer displayed on the setting display, the system enters a state where gameplay and ball circulation can be performed. For example, operating the handle 160 may cause game balls B to be launched from the ball launching unit 550, or game balls B may enter various entry points such as the first start opening 2003, causing the display of changing symbols to begin, and the system may also initiate settlement processing via the counting button switch 180, and initiate various controls such as the ball launching unit 550, ball lifting unit 650, and ball transport unit 700 to manage (monitor) game balls B in the circulating ball path unit 600.

However, during the setting change or confirmation display of the setting value, the system may be controlled to a state where ball circulation is possible. For example, operating the handle 160 may launch game balls B from the ball launching unit 550, or the system may be controlled to initiate settlement processing via the counting button switch 180, and to initiate various controls such as the ball launching unit 550, ball lifting unit 650, and ball delivery unit 700, thereby managing (monitoring) game balls B in the circulating ball path unit 600. This allows for a quick start to the game after the setting change or confirmation display of the setting value is completed.

Furthermore, as described above, the setting display unit, in addition to displaying the setting value, also checks the contents of its built-in RAM when the main control MPU restores power to determine if there is an abnormality. If an abnormality is found, or if the main control side power-off processing has not completed normally when the power is cut off, the setting display unit indicates that there is an abnormality (or that the contents stored in its built-in RAM are unreliable) and communicates this fact. In this embodiment, the main control MPU 1310a displays the letter E on the setting display unit as an error.

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 has a base monitor consisting of six 7-segment LED displays with decimal points (so-called dots) arranged in a row, separate from the setting display. While the setting display allows for the display of the setting value of the pachinko machine 1, the base monitor, as will be described in more detail later, allows for the display of the calculation result of the ratio of payouts to balls entered (number of prize balls to balls entered). Alternatively, only the base monitor could be provided, combining the functions of displaying the setting value of the pachinko machine 1 and displaying the calculation result of the ratio of payouts to balls entered. In such a case, the base monitor displays the setting value of the pachinko machine 1 when the setting value can be changed (change permission state) or when the setting value is being confirmed (confirmation display state), while displaying the calculation result of the ratio of payouts to balls entered when the change permission state and confirmation display state are excluded. This reduces the number of parts and lowers costs.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the RAM clear switch 741 is provided on the frame control board 740, and the operation-related parts for setting values (setting key switches, setting indicators, and the RAM clear switch 741) are distributed between the frame control board 740 and the main control board 1310. This arrangement requires operation of multiple operation units located in different positions to change the setting value, making unauthorized setting changes more difficult compared to the case where the operation-related parts for setting values are concentrated on a single board, thus being effective in preventing fraud. Alternatively, the RAM clear switch 741 could be concentrated on the main control board 1310, where the setting key switches and setting indicators are located, instead of the frame control board 740. In this case, although the effectiveness of fraud prevention would be less than when they are distributed, the arrangement makes the various operation and confirmation parts easier to recognize at a glance, improving the operational efficiency when setting and confirming the setting value.

[Manage base monitors]
Next, the base monitor of the pachinko machine 1 of the fourth embodiment will be described. In the other embodiments described above, the base monitor (four 7-segment LEDs) was described as displaying the number of game balls B that have been counted by being detected by the out ball sensor 605 provided in the circulating ball path unit 600. However, the base monitor of the fourth embodiment counts the number of balls that enter and the number of balls that are dispensed (prize balls) that increase as the game progresses, and displays the base value (the ratio of the number of balls dispensed to the number of balls that enter). The basic configuration of the base monitor, such as having four 7-segment LEDs, is the same as in the other embodiments.

The game area 5a, which is partitioned on the game board 5, is provided with multiple entry points into which game balls B can enter. Of the multiple entry points, the entry points that are subject to awarding prize balls (assigning a number of prize balls) upon entry include: multiple (in this case, three) general entry points 2001 that are always open to receive game balls B played into the game area 5a; ordinary entry points 2002 that are provided at predetermined locations within the game area 5a and are always open to receive game balls B; and first entry points that are provided at predetermined locations within the game area 5a and are always open to receive game balls B. The machine includes a starting port 2003, a second starting port 2004 which allows the acceptance of game ball B according to the result of a lottery for a regular symbol drawn when game ball B is accepted into the regular prize port 2002, and a large prize port 2005 and a special prize port 2006 which allow the acceptance of game ball B according to the result of a lottery for a first special symbol drawn when game ball B is accepted into the first starting port 2003 or a second special symbol drawn when game ball B is accepted into the second starting port 2004. Furthermore, game balls B that entered the general prize slot 2001, the regular prize slot 2002, the first start slot 2003, the second start slot 2004, the large prize slot 2005, and the special prize slot 2006 were detected by the general prize slot sensor 3001, the regular prize slot sensor 3002, the first start slot sensor 2101, the second start slot sensor 2401, the large prize slot sensor 2402, and the special prize slot sensor 2501, respectively.

Furthermore, among the multiple ball entry points, the out-out points for collecting game balls B that did not enter the prize entry points include an out-out point 2020 located furthest downstream within the game area 5a, which is always open to receive game balls B and discharges the received game balls B outside the game area 5a without returning them, and two sub-out-out points 2021 located upstream of the out-out point 2020 within the game area 5a, which are also always open to receive game balls B and discharge the received game balls B outside the game area 5a without returning them.

Then, among the multiple ball entry points, game balls B that are discharged to the rear of the game panel 1100 through the out entry point 2020 and sub-out entry point 2021 are discharged to the out ball receiving port 600a in the ball circulation path unit 600. Upon receiving the out ball receiving port 600a, they circulate through the out ball passage 601 and are detected (counted) one by one by the out ball sensor 605. On the other hand, game balls B that are received into entry points such as the general entry point 2001, normal entry point 2002, first start entry point 2003, second start entry point 2004, large entry point 2005, and special feature entry point 2006, and discharged downwards from the front unit 2000 and back unit 3000, are discharged to the safe ball receiving port 600b in the ball circulation path unit 600. Upon receiving the safe ball receiving port 600b, they circulate through the safe ball passage 602 and are detected (counted) one by one by the safe ball sensor 606.

The main control MPU counts the number of game balls B that enter the entry points (prize entry points and out entry points) located in the game area 5a partitioned off the game board 5. Specifically, it counts the total number of game balls B: the number of game balls B that enter the prize entry points (which dispense prize balls) detected by the safe ball sensor 606, and the number of game balls B that enter the out entry points (which collect game balls that did not enter the prize entry points) detected by the out entry sensor 605.

Furthermore, the main control MPU counts the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls when a ball enters a prize slot (hereinafter referred to as the "dispensed number"). Specifically, it is predetermined that a certain number of game balls B (for example, 3 balls for balls entering the first start slot 2003 or the second start slot 2004) will be dispensed in relation to the prize slots that dispense prize balls when a ball enters them. When a detection sensor corresponding to a prize slot that dispenses prize balls detects a ball entering it, the MPU counts that predetermined number of game balls B as the "dispensed number." For example, when a game ball B enters the general prize slot 2001, 10 game balls B are dispensed; when a game ball B enters the regular prize slot 2002, 1 game ball B is dispensed; when a game ball B enters the first start slot 2003 or the second start slot 2004, 3 game balls B are dispensed; and when a game ball B enters the large prize slot 2005 or the special prize slot 2006, 10 game balls B are dispensed. The number of game balls B dispensed as prize balls is counted as the number of balls dispensed. In this example of pachinko machine 1, since there is no actual ball payout, the number of game balls B dispensed (given) as prize balls is added to the player's ball count.

The main control MPU calculates the ratio of payouts to balls received, stores the result as a base value in a specific area of the built-in RAM, and displays it on the base monitor. The formula for calculating the ratio of payouts to balls received is "Base Value = (Payouts ÷ Balls Received) × 100". For example, if the ratio of payouts to balls received is too high, it may indicate that balls are entering only the prize-winning slots (where prize balls are paid out). By monitoring the information displayed on the base monitor, it is possible to detect whether balls are being entered into the prize-winning slots through fraudulent means.

In this example, among the various game states, only in the low-probability non-time-saving state are the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slot (prize entry slot, out entry slot) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of balls paid out) counted and reflected on the display on the base monitor. Here, in the low-probability time-saving state (time-saving state) and high-probability time-saving state (probability-changing state), balls frequently enter the second start slot 2004, resulting in a larger number of game balls B being paid out as prize balls, and a tendency for the ratio of payouts to balls entered to be higher. In other words, whether or not the ratio of payouts to balls entered is high depends on the period of the low-probability time-saving state (time-saving state) or high-probability time-saving state (probability-changing state). By excluding such periods, the ratio of payouts to balls entered can be kept within a certain range, provided there is no fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, while the base monitor displays the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered, it may also be possible to display the number of game balls B that entered the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, payout slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that were paid out as prize balls (number of balls paid out).

Furthermore, the base monitor calculates the ratio of payouts to balls entered using the main control MPU, stores the calculation result in a specific area of the built-in RAM, and displays it on the base monitor. The information stored in the specific area of RAM (the ratio of payouts to balls entered) is not cleared even if the RAM clear switch 741 is operated when the power is turned on. However, regarding the ratio of payouts to balls entered, the ratio is recalculated each time the number of game balls B entered into the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) reaches 60,000 balls. The calculation results of the ratio of payouts to balls entered, including older calculations, are saved as a history up to a predetermined number of calculations. In such a base monitor specification, for example, the display of the payout ratio to the number of balls entered may be restricted from the time a new ratio of balls to payouts is calculated until at least 1000 game balls B have entered the ball entry slots (prize slots, payout slots). This is because immediately after calculating the payout ratio to the number of balls entered, biases are likely to occur. For example, if balls continue to enter the prize slots that award prize balls, the payout ratio may be higher than the standard value. Conversely, if balls continue not to enter the prize slots that award prize balls, the payout ratio may be lower than the standard value. Therefore, immediately after calculating the payout ratio to the number of balls entered, the information obtained from the base monitor information command may be deemed unreliable, and the display of the payout ratio to the number of balls entered may be restricted.

Furthermore, in this example, game balls B collected in the out-out port 2020 and sub-out-out port 2021 are detected (counted) by the out-ball sensor 605 provided on the main frame 4 side, and game balls B that enter prize-winning ports such as the general prize-winning port 2001, normal prize-winning port 2002, first start-up port 2003, second start-up port 2004, large prize-winning port 2005, and special prize-winning port 2006 are detected (counted) by the safe-ball sensor 606 provided on the main frame 4 side. However, these sensors may also be provided on the game board 5 side. Alternatively, a passage may be formed so that game balls B collected in the out-out port 2020 and sub-out-out port 2021 and game balls B that enter the various prize-winning ports merge, and a single sensor may be provided on this passage to count the number of game balls B that enter the prize-winning ports (out-out ports) based on the detection of this single sensor.

Furthermore, in this example, the base monitor is located on the main control board 1310, but it may also be located on the frame control board 740. In such a case, the ratio of balls dispensed to balls entered is calculated on the main control board 1310, and the calculation result is displayed on the base monitor via the frame control board 740, but other methods may be used. For example, commands related to the number of balls entered and dispensed could be sent from the main control board 1310 to the frame control board 740 at predetermined timings, and the frame control board 740 could calculate the ratio of balls dispensed to balls entered and display the calculation result on the base monitor. In this way, by having the frame control board 740 handle some of the base monitor-related control, the control burden on the main control board 1310 can be reduced.

Furthermore, in this example, the number of game balls B that enter the entry points (prize entry points, out entry points) is calculated using the out ball sensor 605 and the safe ball sensor 606. However, the number of game balls B that enter the entry points (prize entry points, out entry points) may be calculated using a different configuration. For example, when the frame control board 740 calculates the ratio of the number of balls dispensed to the number of balls that enter, the number of game balls launched into the game area 5a may be calculated based on the detection result of the launch subtraction sensor 554 in the ball launch unit 550, and this value (the number of game balls launched into the game area 5a) may be used as a substitute for the "number of game balls B that enter the entry points (prize entry points, out entry points)". It is preferable that the "number of game balls launched into the game area" here excludes the number of balls that were processed as foul balls as described above. In this case, the calculation of the base value on the frame control board 740 can be exemplified by "Base Value = (Number of Payouts ÷ Number of Game Balls Launched into the Game Area) × 100". By having the frame control board 740 handle some of the base monitor-related control in this way, the control burden on the main control board 1310 can be reduced.

[New forms of game management]
In recent years, even when a large amount of winnings are awarded to a cheater due to new fraudulent activities, it is difficult to distinguish this from cases where a large amount of winnings were awarded to a legitimate player due to a bias in the probability of winning or losing. This makes it difficult for the amusement hall to stop the cheater from playing, creating a problem in managing the amusement machines. Furthermore, a large amount of winnings can be awarded to legitimate players due to a bias in the probability of winning or losing, leading to problems such as so-called "gambling addiction." Therefore, as one embodiment of solving these problems, with the aim of properly managing amusement machines that have been awarded a large amount of winnings, a new game control that extracts the "amount of winnings over a predetermined period" and reflects it in the progress of the game, separate from the control that calculates and displays the base value mentioned above, will be described below. For the sake of explanation, the following explanation will be based on the pachinko machine 1 of the fourth embodiment.

(Extraction of the amount of balls dispensed over a specified period)
In this example, the pachinko machine 1 allows the main control board 1310 to calculate and derive the following two types of payout amounts A and B as the payout amount (net payout amount) for a predetermined period.

First, the main control MPU counts the number of game balls B launched into the game area 5a by operating the handle 160. Specifically, when game balls B are launched into the game area 5a by operating the handle 160, the launch/subtraction sensor 554 detects that game balls B have been launched from the ball launcher 552b. The number of these game balls B (excluding those processed as foul balls) is then counted as the "number of launches" used to calculate the payout amounts A and B. Note that the counting of launches may be done by other methods; for example, a separate sensor could be installed to detect and count game balls entering the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the main control MPU counts the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls when a ball enters a prize slot. Specifically, it is predetermined that a certain number of game balls B (for example, 3 balls for balls entering the first start slot 2003 or the second start slot 2004) will be dispensed (given) for each prize slot that dispenses (given) prize balls upon entry. When a ball is detected by a detection sensor corresponding to the prize slot that dispenses prize balls upon entry, the MPU counts the predetermined number of game balls B as the "dispensed number (given number)" used to calculate the payout amounts A and B. For example, when a game ball B enters the general prize slot 2001, 15 game balls B are dispensed; when a game ball B enters the regular prize slot 2002, 1 game ball B is dispensed; when a game ball B enters the first start slot 2003 or the second start slot 2004, 3 game balls B are dispensed; and when a game ball B enters the large prize slot 2005 or the special prize slot 2006, 15 game balls B are dispensed. The number of game balls B dispensed as prize balls is counted as the number of dispensed balls used to calculate the payout amounts A and B. In this example of pachinko machine 1, since there is no actual ball payout, the number of game balls B assigned as prize balls is counted as the number of dispensed balls used to calculate the payout amounts A and B.

Furthermore, the main control MPU calculates the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls dispensed within a period until a predetermined clear condition (described later) is met, in addition to the normal number of balls that the player can settle by operating the counting button switch 180 (the number of balls displayed on the ball count display unit 140). The calculated result can be stored in the "stop counter" as a value for calculating the payout amounts A and B. The value of the stop counter is stored in a specific area of the built-in RAM. The formula for calculating the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls dispensed is "value of stop counter = payout amount - number of shots". For example, if the value of the stop counter becomes too high, it can be determined that a large amount of balls have been dispensed from the pachinko machine 1, regardless of whether the player has changed. Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, the normal number of balls held by player A is reduced by the launch of game ball B, and increased by the payout of prize balls, thereby managing the increase or decrease in player A's normal number of balls (the number of balls displayed on the ball count display unit 140). However, as mentioned above, the value of the stop counter is stored (memorized) separately from the normal number of balls and managed by the main control MPU. This stop counter value is also reduced by the launch of game ball B and increased by the payout of prize balls, and in this respect, it is similar to the process of managing the increase or decrease in the normal number of balls. However, the value of the stop counter cannot be settled by the player by operating the counting button switch 180, and in this respect, it differs significantly from the normal number of balls. The following describes the payout amounts A and B calculated using the value of the stop counter.

The payout amount A is the difference between the value of the stop counter at its highest point within the period until the predetermined clear conditions described later are met, and the value of the stop counter at its lowest point within the period until the predetermined clear conditions described later are met. In other words, the main control MPU stores the changes in the stop counter, calculates the difference between the maximum and minimum values of the stop counter, updates the calculated result as payout amount A as needed, and stores it in a specific area of the built-in RAM. Payout amount A is cleared when the predetermined clear conditions described later are met, and is returned to its initial value of 0. Note that the clear conditions described later do not include "settling the balls held (operation of the counting button switch 180)," and even if player B starts playing after player A has settled their game, as long as the clear conditions have not been met, the payout amount A for both player A and player B during their gameplay is accumulated and stored (maintained). This allows us to detect not only cases where a single gaming machine unexpectedly awards a large number of balls to a single player, but also cases where a single gaming machine unexpectedly awards a large number of balls to multiple players.

The payout amount B is the difference between a predetermined initial value of 0 and the value at the point when the stop counter reaches its highest value within the period until the predetermined clear conditions described later are met. In other words, the main control MPU stores the progress of this stop counter, calculates the difference (i.e., a difference of 0 or more) from the initial value of 0 to the value at the point when the stop counter reaches its highest value, updates the calculated result as the payout amount B as needed, and stores it in a specific area of the built-in RAM. The payout amount B is cleared when the predetermined clear conditions described later are met, and is returned to its initial value of 0. Note that the clear conditions described later do not include "settling the balls held (operation of the counting button switch 180)," and even if player B starts playing after player A has settled their balance, as long as the clear conditions have not been met, the payout amount B for both player A and player B during their gameplay is accumulated and stored (maintained). This allows us to detect not only cases where a single gaming machine unexpectedly awards a large number of balls to a single player, but also cases where a single gaming machine unexpectedly awards a large number of balls to multiple players.

Figure 124 is a time chart showing an example of the amount of balls dispensed calculated based on the progress of the stop counter. Here, we will explain a specific example where the stop counter starts at an initial value of 0 and repeatedly increases and decreases as the game is played.

As shown in Figure 124, the stop counter starts at an initial value of 0, then decreases to -2000, increases to 3000, decreases to -4000, increases to 2000, decreases to -500, increases to 4000, and decreases to 2500. In this case, the payout amount A is calculated as the difference between the highest value (4000) on the stop counter and the lowest value (-4000), resulting in 8000, which is stored in memory. On the other hand, the payout amount B is calculated as 4000, starting from the initial value of 0 on the stop counter and using the highest value (4000) on the stop counter as the starting point, and is stored in memory. Note that the maximum difference between payout amounts A and B is stored, and the stored payout amounts A and B are updated when a new maximum difference is calculated.

In this example, the main control board 1310 calculates two types of payout amounts, A and B. The configuration allows the hall to freely choose which to use, according to their operating style. Specifically, an operation switch A is provided on the back of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, on the main control board 1310), which can be operated by the hall manager. By operating this switch A, either payout amount A or payout amount B is selected. On the other hand, considering the control load on the main control board 1310, only one of payout amounts A or B may be adopted and implemented. Furthermore, the operation of switch A when selecting between payout amounts A and B may be judged and reflected only when the power is turned on, or it may be judged continuously after power-on and reflected in real time.

Furthermore, while the base value calculation described above calculates the ratio of payouts to the number of balls received, the payout amount calculation calculates the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls paid out. These calculation programs are executed by separate programs within the main control MPU. This ensures that even if the base value calculation fails, it does not affect the payout amount calculation. It also facilitates separate control of processes related to the initialization of the base value and payout amount, including the predetermined clear conditions described later. Additionally, it becomes easy to rewrite the payout amount calculation program for each machine model; for example, it becomes easy to change which of payout amount A or payout amount B is used for each machine.

Furthermore, while the base value mentioned above is displayed on the base monitor, the payout amount, unlike the base value, should not be displayed at all times from the perspective of preventing fraud. However, when the hall manager performs a prescribed operation (for example, when a dedicated switch is operated to turn on the power), the payout amount may be displayed on a prescribed display device (for example, the performance display device 1600 or a dedicated display device installed on the back of the gaming machine).

Furthermore, in this example, the payout amount is calculated on the main control board 1310, but other methods may be used. For example, a stop counter may be provided on the frame control board 740, and commands related to the number of shots and payouts may be sent from the main control board 1310 to the frame control board 740 at predetermined timings. The frame control board 740 may then manage the stop counter and calculate the payout amount from the increase or decrease in the stop counter. Alternatively, a stop counter may be provided on the main control board 1310, and commands related to the stop counter may be sent from the main control board 1310 to the frame control board 740 at predetermined timings. The frame control board 740 may then calculate the payout amount from the increase or decrease in the received stop counter. Also, from the viewpoint of reducing the control burden, while the payout amount is calculated on the main control board 1310, the base value mentioned above may be calculated on the frame control board 740. Furthermore, from the perspective of reducing the control burden, the management of the normal number of balls and the ball-stopping counter may be calculated separately on the main control board 1310 and the frame control board 740.

Furthermore, while the calculation of the payout amount is currently performed using a stop counter, which is the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls dispensed, it is also possible to calculate the payout amount by storing the "difference between the number of balls dispensed and the number of balls dispensed" in the stop counter, using the number of balls that entered as the base value mentioned above. In other words, the "number of shots" used for calculating payout amounts A and B may be replaced with the "number of game balls B that entered the ball entry point (prize entry point, out entry point) (number of balls dispensed)." In this case, the value of the stop counter can be exemplified as "value of stop counter = number of balls dispensed - number of balls dispensed." By using the number of balls that entered as the base value mentioned above as the value stored in the stop counter, and sharing it with some of the base monitor-related controls on the main control board 1310 side, the control burden on the main control board 1310 can be reduced. In pachinko machine 1, the game balls launched into the game area 5a by operating the handle 160 enter the ball entry points (winning entry points, out entry points) and are discharged to the outside. Therefore, the number of balls launched and the number of balls entered should be approximately the same value. As a result, regardless of whether the number of balls launched or the number of balls entered is used, the amount of balls dispensed will be approximately the same value.

(Restrictions on gameplay)
In this example, when the amount of balls dispensed (amounts A and B) reaches a specific value, the pachinko machine 1 executes one of the following three restriction patterns, causing the main control board 1310 to enter a stop-play state and enabling the restriction of gameplay. When the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the restriction of gameplay is executed, but information related to the gameplay, such as the game state (high probability state, time-saving state, information on the number of reserved balls stored, and information on the symbols in motion), is not cleared and is retained. Furthermore, as will be described in more detail later, the system is configured so that it is possible to choose whether to maintain or clear the information related to the gameplay when the power is turned back on after a power outage.

First, the specific value is configured to allow selection from one of three predetermined values: 50,000, 80,000, or 100,000 balls. Specifically, on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the main control board 1310), there is an operation switch B that can be operated by the hall manager. By operating this operation switch B, one of 50,000, 80,000, or 100,000 balls is selected. Here, the lower the value selected as the specific value, the higher the likelihood of imposing a restriction on gameplay, and the higher the value selected as the specific value, the lower the likelihood of imposing a restriction on gameplay. Furthermore, from the perspective of conserving the capacity of the ROM that stores various processing programs, only one of the specific values may be adopted. Also, the selected specific value may be used in common for both payout amounts A and B, or it may be selectable separately for payout amounts A and B. Furthermore, regarding the operation of switch B when selecting a specific value from multiple options, the system may either evaluate the selection only at power-on and reflect the result, or it may evaluate the selection continuously after power-on and reflect the result in real time.

Furthermore, the system is configured to allow selection of one of three restriction patterns, 1 to 3, each with different restrictions on gameplay. Specifically, an operation switch C is provided on the back of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the main control board 1310), which can be operated by the hall manager. By operating this switch C, one of the restriction patterns 1 to 3 is selected. However, from the perspective of conserving the capacity of the ROM that stores various processing programs, only one of the restriction patterns 1 to 3 may be adopted. Also, when selecting one of multiple restriction patterns, the operation of the operation switch C may be judged only at power-on and reflected accordingly, or it may be judged continuously after power-on and reflected accordingly in real time.

Restriction Pattern 1 is a pattern in which a stop-play state is activated, accompanied by a "game stop," when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. When the "game stop" occurs, the player can launch game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160. However, even if a starting prize is awarded, no game balls are dispensed, the special symbol display cannot begin, and normal gameplay is impossible. In other words, although the launch of game balls is permitted, the game (main game) running on the main control board 1310 is forcibly stopped, preventing the main game from continuing on the main control board 1310.

Restriction pattern 2 is a pattern in which a stop-shooting state is activated with a "shooting stop" when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. When "shooting stop" occurs, the player cannot launch game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160. However, if a starting prize is won, game balls will be dispensed, the special symbol display can start, and the player can play the game as usual. In other words, since the launch of game balls is not permitted, a starting prize will not be won in the first place, and the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 that is currently running will be allowed to proceed until then, but the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 cannot proceed any further. Specifically, "launch stop" can refer to a state where the frame control board 740 is unable to circulate the game balls. For example, this could include a state where game balls B are not launched from the ball launching unit 550 even when the handle 160 is operated, or a state where various controls such as the ball launching unit 550, ball lifting unit 650, and ball transport unit 700 are stopped, resulting in a state where the management (monitoring) of game balls B in the circulating ball path unit 600 is not performed.

Restriction Pattern 3 is a pattern in which, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, a stop-play state is implemented involving both "stopping gameplay" and "stopping ball launching." When "stopping gameplay" and "stopping ball launching" occur, not only is it impossible for the player to launch game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160, but even if a starting win occurs, no game balls are dispensed, the special symbol display cannot begin, and normal gameplay cannot be performed. In other words, the launching of game balls is not permitted, and the game (main game) currently running on the main control board 1310 is forcibly stopped, preventing the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 from continuing.

In this example, in all of the restriction patterns 1 to 3, the counting button switch 180 is not disabled, but rather enabled (allowed) to perform settlement processing by operation. This means that even if a player is unable to continue playing due to any of the restriction patterns 1 to 3, they can still perform settlement processing by operating the counting button switch 180, thus preventing confusion among players. However, considering the possibility of a large number of winnings being awarded to a cheater due to fraudulent activity, it may be possible to disable settlement processing by operation of the counting button switch 180 in all of the restriction patterns 1 to 3. In such cases, it is conceivable that the counting button switch 180 could be enabled (settlement processing enabled) by a predetermined operation by the hall manager (for example, by operating a spare counting button switch provided on the frame control board 740) after it has been confirmed that no fraudulent activity occurred.

Furthermore, while any of the above-mentioned restriction patterns 1 to 3 is applied, the game is forcibly continued in a "stopped state" until the clear conditions described later are met. The clear conditions described later exclude those that can be met by any action on the player's side, and the player cannot release the state. As mentioned above, even if the player is allowed to operate the counting button switch 180 to perform the settlement process while in the stopped state, the stopped state continues even after the counting button switch 180 is operated and the settlement process is executed. Also, if the stopped state continues after the settlement process is executed, it is preferable to disable the normal addition of balls to the number of balls held by new players and the acceptance of data transfer from the game ball dispensing device 8, so that new players cannot start playing. Furthermore, in such cases, it is conceivable to control the display mode of the ball count display unit 140 to an unacceptable mode corresponding to the stopped state, such as "EEEE," to inform new players that they cannot start playing.

In this example, by triggering a "stop" state where gameplay is restricted based on one of three restriction patterns when the amount of winnings reaches a specific value, it is possible to prevent fraudulent activity by preventing large amounts of winnings from being awarded to fraudulent players. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent problems such as "addiction" by preventing large amounts of winnings from being awarded to legitimate players due to biases in the probability of winning or losing. This allows for proper management of gaming machines that have awarded large amounts of winnings.

Furthermore, in this example, the restrictions imposed when the game reaches its limit include patterns such as "stopping gameplay," "stopping firing," and "stopping gameplay" and "stopping firing." However, the restrictions are not limited to these methods, as long as they make it difficult to increase the payout after the payout reaches a specific value. For example, as another restriction, the time it takes for all special symbols to change after the payout reaches a specific value (change time) may be made longer, so that even if a starting win occurs, it takes time for the result of the special symbol change display to be shown, thereby restricting game progress. Also, in a game machine that controls the game state to either a low probability state or a high probability state with a higher winning probability than the low probability state, regardless of whether a win that should have resulted in the high probability state was achieved, after the payout reaches a specific value, the game may be forcibly controlled to only the low probability state, thereby restricting game progress. In these cases, since it takes longer to win compared to before the game restriction, it becomes more difficult to increase the amount of payout obtained thereafter, which can reduce the motivation to continue playing. Furthermore, even if "game stop" or "shooting stop" is not performed after the payout reaches a specific value, a special notification corresponding to the payout reaching that value may be displayed using the performance display device 1600 or other performance devices. In such a case, the progress of the performance will be interrupted by the special notification, which can reduce the desire to continue playing. Also, when a special notification is displayed, it is preferable to display a special image on the entire screen of the performance display device 1600 so that conventional performance displays are not visible at all. In such a case, the progress of the performance will be significantly interrupted, which can more effectively reduce the desire to continue playing.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the information about the amount of balls dispensed is retained and not erased until the clear conditions described later are met. After the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the updating of ball dispensed amounts A and B (updating the stop counter) may be forcibly stopped, or the calculation may continue without stopping. For example, if the updating of ball dispensed amounts A and B (updating the stop counter) continues without stopping, it is possible that, when the aforementioned "launch stop" does not occur, some malfunction or fraudulent activity may cause game balls to be launched, resulting in a decreasing trend in the stop counter. In such cases, the stop counter may fall below a specific value. Considering this, it is preferable to continue the stop state without ending it, even if the stop counter decreases further after the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value.

(Completion of restrictions on payout amount and gameplay)
In this example, pachinko machine 1 is designed to enter a stop-play state when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. However, the "amount of balls dispensed calculated before the stop-play state began" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" can be either maintained or cleared by the gaming hall when the power is turned back on after a power outage.

First, there are five types of power-on patterns for the operation when the power is turned on. Power-on pattern 1 is the case where the RAM clear switch 741 and the setting key switch are not turned ON when the power is turned on (when the power switch 751 is operated). In this case, the game state (game information) at the time of power cut-off is maintained without initialization, without changing or displaying any setting values.

Power-on pattern 2 is the case where the RAM clear switch 741 is turned ON when the power is turned on, but the setting key switch is not turned ON. In this pattern, no setting value changes or confirmation displays are performed, but a RAM clear is executed to initialize the RAM built into the main control board 1310, resetting the game state to its state when the power was cut off. However, information related to the setting values is not initialized by the RAM clear.

Power-on pattern 3 involves turning on the RAM clear switch 741 and the setting key switch when the power is turned on. After changing the setting value, a RAM clear is performed to initialize the RAM built into the main control board 1310, resetting the game state to what it was when the power was cut off. However, information related to the setting value is not initialized by the RAM clear.

Power-on pattern 4 is the case where the setting key switch is turned ON without turning ON the RAM clear switch 741 when the power is turned on. After the setting value is displayed, the game state at the time of power-off is maintained without being initialized.

Power-on pattern 5 is the same as power-on pattern 1 in that the RAM clear switch 741 and the setting key switch are not turned ON when the power is turned on. However, in this case, the ball removal switch 742 provided on the frame control board 740 is turned ON, and the game state (game information) at the time of power cut-off is maintained without changing the setting values or displaying confirmations. When the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON, the ball removal process described above is executed, and the enclosed game balls B can be removed from the ball removal port 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). Note that if the RAM clear switch 741 and the setting key switch are turned ON, and the ball removal switch 742 is also turned ON when the power is turned on, the ball removal process described above is executed preferentially without changing the setting values, displaying confirmations, or performing a RAM clear.

Thus, of the power-on patterns 1 to 5, power-on patterns 2 and 3 initialize the game state at the time of power-off by turning on the RAM clear switch 741 when the power is turned on, whereas power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 maintain the game state at the time of power-off by not turning on the RAM clear switch 741 when the power is turned on. The game state at the time of power-off includes not only game states such as high probability state, time-saving state, and winning game state, but also the presence or absence of display of special symbol changes during execution, the presence or absence of reserved symbols, etc. Furthermore, when power is turned on using power-on patterns 2 and 3, the game state at the time of power-off is not restored, but when power is turned on using power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5, the game state at the time of power-off is restored.

Figure 125 is a table showing the clearing conditions for "the amount of balls dispensed calculated before the stop-play state begins" and "the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." In this example, the system is configured so that one of the restriction clearing pattern tables 1 to 3, each with different clearing conditions, can be selected. Specifically, a restriction clearing pattern selection switch, operable by the hall manager, is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the main control board 1310), and by operating this restriction clearing pattern selection switch, one of the restriction clearing pattern tables 1 to 3 is selected. Note that, from the viewpoint of suppressing the capacity of the ROM that stores various processing programs, only one of the restriction clearing pattern tables 1 to 3 may be adopted. Furthermore, when selecting a restriction clearing pattern table from 1 to 3, the operation of the restriction clearing pattern selection switch may be judged only when the power is turned on and reflected accordingly, or it may be judged continuously after the power is turned on and reflected accordingly in real time. Furthermore, the "amount of balls dispensed" in Figure 125 also includes the "value of the stop counter." In this example, if the amount of balls dispensed is maintained, the value of the stop counter is also maintained, and if the amount of balls dispensed is cleared, the value of the stop counter is also cleared.

Figure 125(A) shows the restriction clear pattern table 1 selected when the restriction clear pattern selection switch is set to "1". Power-on pattern 1 maintains the game state as it was when the power was cut off, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." When this stop-play state is maintained, the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 cannot proceed. Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in blue, the speaker outputs the message "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained," and the display device 1600 also displays a message image saying "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained."

In power-on pattern 2, when the power is turned on, the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized), but the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are also cleared (initialized). Specifically, if gameplay is restricted in restriction pattern 1 as described above, "gameplay is stopped," but the "gameplay stop" is released when the stop-play state is cleared. If gameplay is restricted in restriction pattern 2, "firing is stopped," but the "firing is stopped" is released when the stop-play state is cleared. If gameplay is restricted in restriction pattern 3, "gameplay" and "firing are stopped," but the "gameplay stop" and "firing is stopped" are released when the stop-play state is cleared. In all cases, it is possible to resume gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 will light up red, an audio message saying "Payout amount and play limit cleared" will be output from the speaker, and the display device 1600 will display an image of the message "Payout amount and play limit cleared."

Power-on pattern 3 clears (initializes) the game state from when the power was cut off upon power-on. It also clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in red, an audio message "Ball amount and stop-play state cleared" is output from the speaker, and a message image "Ball amount and stop-play state cleared" is displayed on the display device 1600.

Power-on pattern 4 maintains the game state as it was when the power was cut off, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in blue, the speaker outputs the message "Ball amount and stop-play state cleared," and the display device 1600 displays a message image saying "Ball amount and stop-play state cleared."

Power-on pattern 5 maintains the game state as it was when the power was cut off, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop-play state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in blue, the speaker outputs the message "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained," and the display device 1600 displays a message image saying "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained."

Thus, in Restriction Clear Pattern Table 1, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) as in Power-On Patterns 2 and 3, the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are cleared (initialized). On the other hand, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power-off is maintained as in Power-On Patterns 1, 4, and 5, the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are maintained. This means that not only the game state at the time of power-off, but also the amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are cleared all at once, making it less likely for hall managers to make operational errors regarding whether or not to clear the amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state.

Figure 125(B) shows the restriction clear pattern table 2 selected when the restriction clear pattern selection switch is set to "2". Of the power-on patterns 1 to 5, power-on patterns 2 to 5 are the same as those in restriction clear pattern table 1, and therefore their explanation is omitted.

Power-on pattern 1 maintains the game state as it was when the power was cut off, but clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in yellow, the speaker outputs the message "Amount of balls dispensed and stop-play state cleared," and the display device 1600 displays a message image saying "Amount of balls dispensed and stop-play state cleared."

Thus, power-on pattern 1 is the same as power-on pattern 4 in that it maintains the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but it differs from power-on pattern 4 in that it clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." In other words, in restriction clearing pattern table 2, when the power is turned on and the game state at the time of power-off is maintained, the hall manager can choose whether to clear (initialize) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" as in power-on pattern 1, or to maintain the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" as in power-on pattern 4. Furthermore, in power-on pattern 1, since it is not necessary to turn on the RAM clear switch 741 and the setting key switch when the power is turned on, the clearing (initialization) of "the amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and "the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" can be easily performed by the hall manager.

Figure 125(C) shows the restriction clear pattern table 3 selected when the restriction clear pattern selection switch is set to "3". Of the power-on patterns 1 to 5, power-on patterns 1 and 3 to 5 are the same as those in restriction clear pattern table 1, so their explanation is omitted.

Power-on pattern 2 clears (initializes) the game state from when the power was cut off upon power-on, but maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in blue, an audio message "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained" is output from the speaker, and a message image "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained" is displayed on the display device 1600.

Thus, power-on pattern 2 is the same as power-on pattern 3 in that it clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but it differs from power-on pattern 3 in that it maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." In other words, in restriction clear pattern table 3, when the power is turned on and the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized), the hall manager can choose whether to maintain the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" as in power-on pattern 2, or to clear (initialize) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" as in power-on pattern 3. Furthermore, only when powered on using power-on pattern 3 can the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" be cleared (initialized). Since power-on pattern 3 requires both the RAM clear switch 741 and the setting key switch to be turned ON when powered on, the clearing (initialization) of the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" can be carried out under the strict control of the hall manager.

In this example, the payout amount can be cleared (initialized) by powering on the machine in a predetermined power-on pattern. Alternatively, it could be cleared (initialized) every unit of time (e.g., every three hours). If the payout amount is not cleared (initialized) every unit of time (e.g., every three hours), the payout amount from the previous player will affect the next player in terms of whether the payout reaches a specific value. However, by clearing (initializing) the payout amount every unit of time (e.g., every three hours), the payout amount from the previous player will have less influence on the next player.

(Details of game restrictions)
In this example, the pachinko machine 1 enters a stop-play state where the main control board 1310 implements a restriction on gameplay when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. The details of this state are explained below.

Figure 126 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and gameplay is restricted. Here, we explain the case where, at timing t1, it is determined that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value based on the payout of prize balls entering the winning slots, and the machine is determined to have turned on the stop flag, transitioning to the stop state. Furthermore, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, restriction pattern 3 is selected as the restriction for gameplay in the stop state, which includes both "stopping gameplay" and "stopping ball launches." After transitioning to the stop state, when the power is turned back on after a power outage, a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the gameplay state at the time of the power outage, as well as the number of balls dispensed and the stop state.

As shown in Figure 126, prior to timing t1, the game state on the main control board 1310 is controlled to a normal state (not a stop-play state), allowing the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 to proceed. In other words, in the normal state (not a stop-play state), when a starting prize is won, the special symbol variation display can begin, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing for normal gameplay.

Furthermore, the performance display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), lamp C (LED mounted on the light-emitting substrate of the function display unit 1400), speaker, and movable body are configured to perform their normal operations before timing t1. Note that lamp C is controlled by the main control board 1310, while the other components are controlled by the peripheral control board 1510. Here, for lamp C, multiple LEDs on the function display unit 1400 light up or blink as the game progresses. On the other hand, for components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, when the special symbol variation display is not being executed, they perform an operation corresponding to a standby performance (e.g., a demo performance) while waiting for the special symbol variation display to begin. When the special symbol variation display is being executed, the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command and performs an operation corresponding to a variation performance (a performance based on a variation pattern). For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variable pattern command, the performance display device 1600 executes a performance display including a variable display of decorative patterns (e.g., a reach performance), the LEDs of lamps A and B light up or blink in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600, the speaker outputs sound in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600, and the movable parts perform predetermined actions in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600.

Furthermore, the external terminal board can output predetermined signals to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 by receiving these signals. For example, it outputs corresponding signals when a starting win occurs, when the special symbol display stops on a winning symbol and a jackpot game is being played, or when an abnormality is detected.

Furthermore, prior to timing t1, it is possible to launch a game ball into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 160.

Furthermore, the base monitor counts the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of balls paid out). It then calculates the ratio of the number of balls paid out to the number of balls entered and displays the result as a base value. This calculation can be performed before timing t1.

Furthermore, prior to timing t1, when a ball enters the prize slot, it is possible to dispense a predetermined number of game balls as prize balls. The number of game balls dispensed as prize balls is then added to the player's remaining ball count, and the game end counter is also updated accordingly.

Next, at timing tx, which is before timing t1, when the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering the prize slot, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some components, such as the display device 1600, to execute the pre-notification operation. Here, the ball entering the prize slot at timing tx is one ball earlier than the ball entering the prize slot at timing t1. Even if prize balls are dispensed (awarded) based on the ball entering the prize slot at timing tx, the total number of balls dispensed will not reach a specific value. However, when prize balls are dispensed (awarded) based on the ball entering the prize slot at timing t1, the total number of balls dispensed will reach a specific value.

The pre-notification operation is performed using the performance display device 1600 and lamp B. Specifically, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Remaining +XX balls until game limit" as a pre-notification display, and lamp B flashes its LED as a pre-notification illumination. This allows players to understand that gameplay will be restricted in the near future. Furthermore, since only some components such as the performance display device 1600 are used for the pre-notification operation, the variable animation based on the winning combination can still be performed, and the enjoyment of that animation is not diminished.

In this example, the pre-notification action is executed when the ball enters the prize slot one ball before timing t1. However, the pre-notification action can be executed at any timing before reaching a specific value, such as from an earlier ball entry (for example, five balls earlier). Alternatively, the pre-notification action may be executed each time a predetermined number of balls enter or a special symbol change is displayed, prior to the ball entering the prize slot at timing t1. Another example of the pre-notification action is to display "Remaining +XX balls until play limit" based on the current payout amount for a certain period after power-on, or continuously after power-on, to give the player an idea of how much time is left before the game is considered over.

Next, at timing t1, the system determines that the amount of balls dispensed based on balls entering the prize slot reaches a specific value. When the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering the prize slot, it turns on the stop flag, and transitions to a "stopped state" where restriction pattern 3, which performs both "stop gameplay" and "stop firing," is applied. In this stopped state, the firing of game balls is disabled, and the main control board 1310 cannot proceed with the game (main game). In other words, in the stopped state, there is no display of special symbol variations or execution of jackpot games. Even if a starting prize is awarded, the display of special symbol variations will not begin anew.

Furthermore, the display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, and movable parts perform actions to indicate a game-breaking state after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1. Specifically, the display device 1600 displays the message "Game Restriction in Progress" as a game-breaking indication, lamps A and B light up or flash in a single color as a game-breaking illumination, and the speaker outputs an audio message stating, "Gameplay is restricted because the daily payout limit has been reached."

Furthermore, Lamp C includes a function display unit 1400 equipped with a status indicator, a normal symbol indicator, a normal hold indicator, a first special symbol indicator, a first special hold count indicator, a second special symbol indicator, a second special hold count indicator, a round indicator, etc., and all of these LEDs are designed to light up. However, as an alternative, the function display unit 1400 may be equipped with a dedicated LED for stop notification, and when the stop state is reached, this dedicated stop notification LED will light up while the other LEDs will turn off.

Furthermore, the movable parts are rendered inoperable after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1. For example, if a movable part is in operation before the predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1, the movable part is forcibly stopped mid-operation when the predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1. However, as an alternative, the movable parts may be returned to their initial position after the predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1, and then stopped. This ensures that even if the movable part is positioned in front of the display area of the display device 1600 when the predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1, the movable part will return to its initial position after the predetermined time has elapsed, making it less likely to miss the display of the inoperable state being displayed on the display device 1600.

In this example, although the game transitions to a stop-play state at timing t1, the display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, and movable parts perform the stop-play operation after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1. This is because, if a ball enters the prize slot at timing t1, the prize balls based on that ball will be dispensed afterward. By performing the stop-play operation after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1, the system can wait for the prize balls to be dispensed before executing the stop-play operation, thus preventing any unnatural appearance. However, the display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, and movable parts may also perform the stop-play operation from timing t1.

Furthermore, at timing t1, the external terminal board transitions to a stop-down state and outputs a security signal. This security signal is output when an anomaly is detected, when a setting value is being changed, or when a setting value is being displayed for confirmation. The same security signal is also output when transitioning to the stop-down state. In other words, in the stop-down state, even if no anomaly has been detected, and no setting value is being changed or a setting value is being displayed for confirmation, the system is forced to output the security signal. This allows the hall computer to receive the security signal when the machine is stopped, enabling the hall to understand that the machine has transitioned to the stop-down state.

Furthermore, in this example, at timing t1, the system transitions to a stop state and outputs a security signal. However, if, for example, a security signal based on an anomaly detection is already being output at timing t1, the system does not terminate the existing security signal and output a new one; instead, it continues to output the existing security signal. This prevents the hall operator from mistakenly believing that anomaly detection has ended.

Furthermore, in this example, the external terminal board outputs various signals to the hall computer, including security signals, game status, ball entry into prize slots, and prize ball payouts. If any of these signals are currently being output at timing t1, they are terminated before the security signal is output. This allows the hall to reliably determine that the game has entered a "stopped playing" state.

Furthermore, at timing t1, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the player is prevented from launching game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160. However, in this example, restriction pattern 3, which performs both "stop play" and "stop launching" when the payout amount reaches a specific value, is selected. If restriction pattern 1, which performs only "stop play" and does not "stop launching" when the payout amount reaches a specific value, is selected, then after transitioning to the stop-play state, the player will be able to launch game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160.

Furthermore, at timing t1, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the number of game balls B that enter the entry slots (prize slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of balls paid out) are not included in the count. In other words, calculations regarding the ratio of paid-out balls to entered balls are disabled and not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor. However, the number of game balls B that enter the entry slots (prize slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) may be included in the count, and calculations regarding the ratio of paid-out balls to entered balls may be performed to reflect this in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state at timing t1, any balls detected entering the prize slot before timing t1 will be dispensed as prize balls, and the number of prize balls dispensed will be added to the player's ball count. This allows the player to receive prize balls up to the number of balls played until the total payout reaches a specific value. On the other hand, if a ball is detected entering the prize slot after transitioning to the stop-play state at timing t1, no prize balls will be dispensed, nor will they be added to the player's ball count. However, the system may be configured not to detect balls entering the prize slot after transitioning to the stop-play state at timing t1. Similarly, even if a ball enters the prize slot, no prize balls will be dispensed, nor will they be added to the player's ball count.

In this example, at timing t1, when a ball is detected entering the prize slot, even though the prize balls based on that entry have not yet been dispensed, the system determines that the total number of balls dispensed will reach a specific value and transitions to the stop-play state. However, other methods may be employed. For example, at timing t1, when a ball is detected entering the prize slot, the system may not transition to the stop-play state. Instead, it may transition to the stop-play state only after the prize balls dispensed based on that entry have been completed and the total number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value. This allows the system to wait until the prize balls dispensed based on the entry have been completed and the total number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value before transitioning to the stop-play state, thus preventing any unnatural feeling.

Furthermore, in this example, at timing t1, after transitioning to the stop-play state, no abnormality check is performed to determine whether or not an abnormality such as magnetic fields or vibrations has been detected. In other words, even if an abnormality is detected after transitioning to the stop-play state, since no abnormality check is performed, no abnormality notification is executed to inform external parties that an abnormality has occurred. In this way, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the system prioritizes executing the action required when the game cannot proceed, over abnormality notification, thereby ensuring that players and hall managers are reliably aware that the game has transitioned to the stop-play state. However, at timing t1, the system may be configured not to detect abnormalities such as magnetic fields or vibrations after transitioning to the stop-play state. Similarly, if no abnormalities are detected at all, even if an abnormality occurs, no abnormality notification will be executed to inform external parties that an abnormality has occurred.

Next, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the power is shut off at timing t2, and then restarted at timing t3. In this example, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the power restart pattern selected maintains the game state at the time of the power shutoff, as well as the payout amount and the stop-play state. Therefore, after restarting the power at timing t3, the system does not return to the normal state (not the stop-play state), but maintains the stop-play state, just as at timings t1 and t2.

Furthermore, the manner of the stopped state remains the same as the stopped state at timings t1 to t2. In other words, at timing t3, after the power is turned back on, the stopped state is maintained, so for example, it is impossible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side during this period, and the display device 1600, lamps A to C, speaker, and movable parts perform the actions that occur when the game cannot proceed. This allows players and hall managers to recognize that the game has returned to the stopped state when the power is turned back on after being cut off. In this example, although not shown in the diagram, before performing the actions that occur when the game cannot proceed, the speaker outputs the message "The payout amount and stopped state are maintained," and the display device 1600 temporarily displays a message image saying "The payout amount and stopped state are maintained." Also, for lamps A to C, the LEDs light up in the light color corresponding to the power-on pattern selected when the power is turned back on. Furthermore, the period during which the speaker outputs the message "The payout amount and the stop-play state are being maintained," and the display of the message image "The payout amount and the stop-play state are being maintained" on the display device 1600 is omitted.

Furthermore, at timing t3, after the power is restarted, the display device 1600 displays the message "Game Restriction in Progress" as an indication that further progress is impossible. However, the message content may be changed from the message indicating the game is stopped at timings t1-t2. Also, simultaneously with or prior to the "Game Restriction in Progress" message, the message "Payout Amount and Game Stop Status Maintained" is displayed. This allows the hall manager to recognize that the game is continuing from the previous day when the power is turned on on the next business day, preventing confusion among the hall manager in the event of a sudden game stop.

Furthermore, when the power is turned on normally, rather than after a power cut-off while the machine is in a stopped-play state, the speaker outputs the normal power-on sound. However, in this example, at timing t3, after the power is turned on again, the speaker outputs the message "The payout amount and stopped-play state are maintained," but it does not output the normal power-on sound. Thus, when the machine returns to a stopped-play state after power is turned on, the speaker outputs the message "The payout amount and stopped-play state are maintained" with priority over the normal power-on sound, ensuring that players and hall managers are reliably aware that the machine has returned to a stopped-play state.

Furthermore, during normal power-on (not after a power-off in a stopped state), the movable part performs initial movements to determine if it is functioning correctly and to adjust to its initial position. However, in this example, at timing t3, after power-on, the movable part has stopped moving and has not performed its initial movements. Thus, when the system returns to a stopped state upon power-on, the absence of initial movements by the movable part indicates that it has not returned to a normal state (not a stopped state). However, it is also possible to configure the movable part to perform its initial movements after power-on at timing t3.

Figure 127 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the game restrictions are lifted upon power restoration after a power outage. In the above explanation, after the payout reaches a specific value and transitions to a stop-play state, the game state, payout, and stop-play state are maintained upon power restoration after a power outage. However, in this example, upon power restoration after a power outage, the game state, payout, and stop-play state are all cleared (initialized). Specifically, after transitioning to a stop-play state, upon power restoration after a power outage, a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the game state, payout, and stop-play state. Here, since the process up to power outage at timing t2 is the same as above, the explanation focuses on the process from power restoration at timing t3 onwards.

As shown in Figure 127, after the power is cut off in the stopped state, the power is turned back on at timing t3. However, when the power is turned back on after the power cut off, a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of the power cut off, as well as the payout amount and the stopped state. Therefore, after the power is turned back on at timing t3, the stopped state flag is turned OFF, and the stopped state is not maintained. However, before returning to the normal state (not the stopped state), the system is controlled to a recovery waiting state, waiting to return to the normal state (not the stopped state). During this recovery waiting state, it is impossible to proceed with gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310. In other words, in the stopped state, there is no display of special symbol variations or execution of jackpot games, and even if a starting payout occurs, the display of special symbol variations will not be started anew.

Furthermore, the display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, and movable parts execute their recovery actions at timing t3. Specifically, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount and play limit cleared" as a recovery indicator, lamps A-C illuminate with the LED color corresponding to the power-on pattern selected when the power is turned back on as a recovery illumination, and the speaker outputs the recovery sound "Payout amount and play limit cleared."

Furthermore, the movable parts are rendered inoperable at timing t3.

Furthermore, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at timing t3, just as it does when the machine enters the stop-play state. In other words, in the recovery waiting state, even though no abnormality has been detected, and no setting value has been changed or confirmed, a forced output state is maintained where the security signal is forcibly output. This allows the hall computer to receive a security signal in the recovery waiting state, enabling the hall to understand the possibility of the stop-play state being released.

Furthermore, at timing t3, after transitioning to the recovery waiting state, the player is prevented from launching game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160. As detailed above, if restriction pattern 1 is selected, where only "game stop" is performed and "launch stop" is not performed when the payout amount reaches a specific value, the player is allowed to launch game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160 after transitioning to the stop-play state. However, even in such cases, at timing t3, after transitioning to the recovery waiting state, the player is prevented from launching game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160.

Furthermore, at timing t3, after transitioning to the recovery waiting state, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are dispensed as prize balls (number of balls dispensed) are not counted. In other words, calculations regarding the ratio of dispensed balls to entered balls are disabled, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, at timing t3, after transitioning to the recovery waiting state, even if a ball is detected entering the prize slot, the predetermined number of game balls will not be dispensed as prize balls, nor will they be added to the player's ball count. However, at timing t3, after transitioning to the recovery waiting state, the system may be configured not to detect a ball entering the prize slot. Similarly, if a ball is not detected entering the prize slot at all, even if a ball enters the prize slot, the predetermined number of game balls will not be dispensed as prize balls, nor will they be added to the player's ball count.

Next, at timing t4, after a predetermined time (e.g., 5 seconds) has elapsed from timing t3, the recovery waiting state ends, and the game state on the main control board 1310 transitions to the normal state (not the stopped state). Here, the normal state (not the stopped state) is the same as the normal state (not the stopped state) before timing t1, and the restrictions on gameplay in the stopped state are lifted. Note that the timing for ending the recovery waiting state is not limited to the elapsed time (e.g., 5 seconds) from timing t3; it may also be triggered by the hall manager performing a predetermined restart operation. As an example of a restart operation, if the power-on operation at timing t3 is power-on pattern 3, the setting key switch can be rotated 60 degrees counterclockwise to return it to its initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch OFF) to perform the OFF operation.

Furthermore, at timing t4, after returning to the normal state (not the stopped state), lamps A to C perform their initial illumination upon power-on. Similarly, even during normal power-on, not just after power-off and subsequent power-on in the stopped state, lamps A to C perform their initial illumination upon power-on.

Furthermore, at timing t4, after returning to the normal state (not the stopped state), the speaker outputs the normal power-on sound. Note that even during normal power-on, not just after power is cut off in the stopped state, the speaker outputs the normal power-on sound.

Furthermore, at timing t4, after returning to the normal state (not the stopped state), the movable parts perform initial movements to check whether they are functioning correctly and to adjust to their initial positions. Note that these initial movements of the movable parts are also performed during normal power-on, not just after power is cut off and then restored in the stopped state. However, the initial movements of the movable parts may be performed at timing t3, before returning to the normal state (not the stopped state). This allows the initial movements of the movable parts to be completed before returning to the normal state (not the stopped state), enabling them to perform actions corresponding to the variation effects (effects based on variation patterns) immediately after returning.

Furthermore, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at timing t3 during the recovery waiting state. Although the system returns to the normal state (not in a stopped state) between timing t4 and the end of a predetermined time, the security signal continues to be output. This allows the hall to understand the possibility of the stopped state being released, even if the recovery waiting state ends quickly, because the security signal continues to be output to the hall computer.

In this example, after the power is cut off in the stopped state, the power is restored at timing t3. However, upon restoration after the power cut, the system is controlled to a recovery waiting state before returning to the normal state (not stopped). Alternatively, upon restoration after the power cut, the system could return to the normal state (not stopped) without being controlled to a recovery waiting state. This would allow gameplay to begin immediately after restoration.

(Example of a special effect when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game or while special symbols are being displayed.)
In this example, the game is restricted when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. Of the number of balls dispensed, ball dispensed A is the difference between the value at the time the stop counter is at its highest and the value at the time the stop counter is at its lowest, and ball dispensed B is the difference between a predetermined initial value of 0 and the value at the time the stop counter is at its highest. In both cases, the value at the time when the number of balls held is at its highest is involved. When a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005 during a jackpot game, or when a game ball enters a prize slot other than the large prize slot 2005 (general prize slot 2001, normal prize slot 2002, first start slot 2003, second start slot 2004) while a special symbol is being displayed in a variable or non-variable state, the number of balls dispensed increases due to the payout of prize balls, and the stop counter increases. At the time these balls enter, it is determined that the number of balls dispensed will reach a specific value, and the game is restricted. Here, we will first explain specific examples of animations that occur when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the moment a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005 during a jackpot game. Next, we will explain specific examples of animations that occur when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the moment a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 during the display of special symbols.

Figure 128 shows a specific example of the animation when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the moment a game ball enters the large prize slot during a jackpot game. In this example, the "specific value" is set to 80,000, and either restriction pattern 1 or restriction pattern 3 is selected. Specifically, if restriction pattern 1 is set, the game will stop when the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls). If restriction pattern 3 is set, the game will stop when the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls), resulting in a complete stop with both gameplay and ball firing halt. Furthermore, in this example, if the special symbol draw results in a jackpot, a 10-round jackpot game is awarded, opening and closing the large prize slot 2005 and the special prize slot 2006. After the jackpot game ends, a high-probability state is awarded.

As shown in Figure 128(A), the performance display device 1600 executes a variation performance (performance based on variation patterns) corresponding to the variation display of the special symbols, and displays the variation of the decorative symbols in the central area of the performance display device 1600. Here, in the "continuous win mode" in which a high probability state continues depending on the lottery result of the special symbols, or the acceptance of game balls B into the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008, etc., when the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "777" is displayed as the stop symbol for the decorative symbols in the central area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the variation display of the second decorative symbol is performed in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600, and when the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "〇" is displayed as the stop symbol for the second decorative symbol. Furthermore, the lower left area of the display device 1600 shows a hold indicator for the number of special symbols that have entered the first or second start slot 2003 or 2004 and are waiting for their variation display to be completed. The lower right area of the display device 1600 displays a "Consecutive Win Mode" message indicating that the game is in "Consecutive Win Mode," and also displays a "Right Shot" arrow instructing the player to aim for the large prize slot 2005 located in the game area 5a to the right of the display device 1600 during a jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 128(B), at the start of a jackpot game, the central area of the display device 1600 displays the message "Special Bonus! Aim for V!", instructing the player to open and close the large prize slot 2005 and the prize slot 2006 during the jackpot game, and to aim for the game balls to enter the first V prize slot 2007 and the second V prize slot 2008 during the jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 128(C), during a jackpot game, the upper left area of the display device 1600 shows the current round number, and the central area of the display device 1600 shows the total number of prize balls dispensed when game balls enter the large prize slot 2005 during "consecutive win mode." Here, "3R" is displayed as the current round number, and "18,000 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls.

In this example, before the main control board 1310 implements a restriction on gameplay when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the main control board 1310 monitors the number of remaining balls until the number of balls dispensed reaches that specific value. When a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005 and the remaining number of balls becomes "+1500", a pre-flag is turned ON, and this ON information of the pre-flag is transmitted from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 then receives the ON information of the pre-flag and continues to execute the actions that were announced in advance until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (until the number of remaining balls becomes 0). The calculation of the number of balls dispensed is performed by the main control board 1310 based on a stop counter, which is the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls paid out. In other words, the number of remaining balls until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value increases as the number of shots increases, and decreases as the number of balls paid out increases. Furthermore, regarding the pre-notification process, the system continues to run after a predetermined value is reached before the payout reaches a specific value (in this example, when the remaining number of balls until the payout reaches a specific value is 1500, i.e., when the payout has reached 78500 balls), until the payout reaches that specific value. This ensures that players do not miss information regarding restrictions on gameplay.

Furthermore, in this example, once a prior notification is issued, even if the number of remaining balls until the payout reaches a specific value exceeds a predetermined value (1500 balls remaining), the prior notification will not terminate and will continue until the payout reaches the specific value. Specifically, even if the number of shots increases after the ON information of the prior flag is transmitted from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510, and the number of remaining balls until the payout reaches a specific value exceeds a predetermined value (1500 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 will keep the prior flag ON without turning it OFF. This prevents frequent switching of the prior flag on the main control board 1310, even if the number of remaining balls exceeds 1500 after reaching 1500 balls, and then returns to 1500 balls again, thus avoiding repeated transmission of the ON information of the prior flag to the peripheral control board 1510 and thus avoiding increased control burden and complexity.

As shown in Figure 128(D), when a game ball enters the large prize pocket 2005 during a jackpot game, and the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+1500 balls", the upper area of the display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message indicating "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit is reached" as a pre-notification operation. Here, the current number of rounds is displayed as the final "10R", and the total number of prize balls is displayed as "18800 balls GET". Furthermore, the display device 1600 continuously displays the current round number in the upper left area, the total number of prize balls paid out when game balls enter the big prize pocket 2005 during "continuous win mode" in the upper area, the stop symbol of the second decorative symbol in the upper right area, and the "shoot to the right" arrow in the lower right area, even before the pre-notification display is displayed. However, the pre-notification display "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed overlapping the background image, but it is displayed so as not to overlap with the important information displays related to the ongoing jackpot game. Specifically, in this example, "current round number," "total number of prize balls," and the "shoot to the right" arrow are important information displays that should be made known to the player, so the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with these information displays. However, it is acceptable for the pre-notification display to overlap at least a part of these information displays, as long as the content of the information displays can be recognized, and not completely overlapped to the point where the player cannot see them. This ensures that information regarding the ongoing jackpot game is not missed, allowing for smooth gameplay during the jackpot. The movable part can be directed towards the front of the display device 1600 during the jackpot game, but it may also be directed towards the front of the display when the pre-announcement message "Remaining +1500 balls until the game limit" is displayed. This prevents a decrease in the enjoyment of the game during the jackpot.

As shown in Figure 128(E), at the end of a jackpot game, the message "Continuing Win Mode! (10th Time)" is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600, informing the player that the high-probability state will continue after the jackpot game ends (that "Continuing Win Mode" will continue). Here, at the end of the jackpot game, the same pre-announcement message "Remaining +1500 balls until the game limit" is displayed as during the jackpot game. Since the "Continuing Win Mode! (10th Time)" message is also important information that the player should be aware of, the pre-announcement message is displayed in a position that does not overlap with this information display. However, as long as the pre-announcement message does not completely overlap with the information display and the player can still recognize the content, it is acceptable for at least a portion of the information display to overlap with the pre-announcement message.

As shown in Figure 128(F), during "Continuous Win Mode," when a variation animation (an animation based on a variation pattern) corresponding to the variation display of special symbols is executed again, the variation of decorative symbols is displayed in the central area of the animation display device 1600. Furthermore, the variation of the second decorative symbol is displayed in the upper right area of the animation display device 1600. In addition, four pending displays are displayed in the lower left area of the animation display device 1600, and the appearance of pending displays with a high probability of winning can be changed. Furthermore, while the variation of decorative symbols is being displayed, the volume and brightness can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. During volume and brightness adjustment, an image corresponding to the volume or brightness being adjusted is displayed in the left area of the animation display device 1600. The image corresponding to the volume or brightness being adjusted is displayed starting when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated and disappears after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Furthermore, during the display of the changing decorative symbols in "Consecutive Win Mode," a pre-announcement message, "Remaining +1500 balls until the play limit," is displayed, just as during a big win. The display device 1600 displays the changing decorative symbols in the central area, the changing second decorative symbols in the upper right area, the "Consecutive Win Mode" message and a "Right-Handed Shot" arrow in the lower right area, the hold indicator in the lower left area, and images corresponding to volume and brightness in the left area. However, the pre-announcement message, "Remaining +1500 balls until the play limit," is displayed overlapping the background image, but it is not displayed overlapping with other important information displays related to the ongoing changing game. Specifically, in this example, the "changing decorative symbols," "changing second decorative symbols," "the 'Consecutive Win Mode' message," "the 'Right-Handed Shot' arrow," "the hold indicator," and "images corresponding to volume and brightness" are important information displays that should be made known to the player, so the pre-announcement display is placed in a position that does not overlap with these information displays. Furthermore, regarding these information displays, it is permissible to have at least a portion of the information display overlap with the pre-notification display, provided that the content of the information display is not so overlapping that it becomes impossible for the player to see. This prevents players from missing information related to the ongoing variable gameplay, allowing for smooth gameplay during variable gameplay. Regarding the movable parts, while they can be moved towards the front of the performance display device 1600 during variable gameplay, they may be moved towards the front of the pre-notification display, such as "Remaining +1500 balls until game limit." This prevents a decrease in the enjoyment of the game during variable gameplay.

As shown in Figure 128(G), during "Consecutive Win Mode," when the special symbol draw result is again a win, "777" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the decorative symbols in the central area of the display device 1600. Here, although the pre-announcement display of "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed overlapping the background image, it is not displayed overlapping with the "777" display (a type of important information display) which is the stopping symbol for the decorative symbols, thus allowing the player to see the "777" display.

As shown in Figure 128(H), when a jackpot game is restarted, the message "Special Bonus! Aim for V!" is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600. This message indicates that the large prize slot 2005 and the prize slot 2006 should be opened and closed during the jackpot game, and that the player should aim to enter the first V prize slot 2007 and the second V prize slot 2008 during the jackpot game. At this point, the same pre-announcement message "Remaining +1500 balls until game limit" is displayed as during the previous jackpot game. Here again, although the "Remaining +1500 balls until game limit" pre-announcement message is displayed overlapping the background image, it is not displayed overlapping with the "Special Bonus! Aim for V!" message (a type of important information display), ensuring that the player can see the "Special Bonus! Aim for V!" message.

As shown in Figure 128(I), during a jackpot game, the upper left area of the display device 1600 shows the current round number, and the central area of the display device 1600 shows the total number of prize balls dispensed when game balls enter the large prize slot 2005 during "continuous win mode". Here, "10R" is displayed as the current round number, and "19900 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls. At this point, the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value is decreasing due to the payout of prize balls during the jackpot game, and a pre-notification message "+10 balls remaining until game limit" is displayed.

In this example, before the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and gameplay is restricted, the remaining number of balls until the dispensed value reaches that specific value is monitored. However, if the number of remaining balls becomes "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on balls entering the large prize slot 2005 during a jackpot game, the stop flag is turned ON when the dispensed value reaches the specific value. The game then transitions to a stop state until the predetermined clear conditions are met, and the action for when the game cannot proceed is executed. At the point of transitioning to the stop state, the ongoing jackpot game is stopped (interrupted), forcibly closing the large prize slot 2005. This prevents any further balls from entering the large prize slot 2005, thus initiating the gameplay restriction.

As shown in Figure 128(J), when the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the entry of game balls into the large prize slot 2005 during a jackpot game (when transitioning to the stop-play state), the upper area of the display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) indicating the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value: "+0 balls remaining until game limit is reached." Here, "10R" is displayed as the current round number, and "19915 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls. Then, after the predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has elapsed since the "+0 balls remaining until game limit is reached" pre-notification message was displayed, the image corresponding to the stop-play state shown in Figure 128(K) is displayed.

In this example, the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement displayed on the display device 1600 are reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display, respectively, by the amount of prize balls paid out when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005, which causes the total number of balls to reach a specific value. However, the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display are not displayed at the moment a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005, which causes the total number of balls to reach a specific value, but rather continue to be displayed for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) after the amount of prize balls has been reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display. This prevents players from missing information regarding whether or not the total number of balls has reached a specific value, and ensures that players are reliably aware of the reason why the payout stop state begins afterward. Furthermore, just before the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0 balls," a pre-notification message is displayed stating "+10 balls remaining until the play limit is reached." However, even if the number of remaining balls exceeds the number of balls until the payout reaches the specific value, the excess payout balls (5 balls in this example) for the prize balls paid out when a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005 (15 balls in this example) are paid out. This prevents situations where, even if a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005, the number of prize balls exceeding the specific value is not paid out, thus reducing the likelihood of player dissatisfaction. However, if monitoring the payout amount is a priority from the perspective of preventing fraud, the excess prize balls exceeding the specific value may be withheld from the payout.

In the above example, the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display are continuously displayed until the amount of prize balls is reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display, rather than when the amount of prize balls reaches a specific value. However, it is also possible to make the display end when the amount of prize balls reaches a specific value and display an image corresponding to the stop-play state. In other words, instead of displaying the image shown in Figure 128(J), the display may proceed to the image shown in Figure 128(K), which will be described later. This way, when the amount of prize balls reaches a specific value, the system transitions to the stop-play state, and at the same time, by displaying an image corresponding to the stop-play state, the player can immediately understand that the system has transitioned to the stop-play state.

Furthermore, since the game transitions to a stop-play state and restricts gameplay once the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, it is preferable that the "right-hand shot" arrow, which encourages ball dispensing, be hidden from the player's view after the image corresponding to the stop-play state is displayed, in order to prevent the player from accidentally firing balls. In this example, it is hidden. Also, under other circumstances, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while a display encouraging ball dispensing (e.g., right-hand shot, left-hand shot, "Aim for V!" display) is shown, the display encouraging ball dispensing is hidden from the player's view at that point (hidden).

As shown in Figure 128(K), when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and gameplay is restricted, the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the "gameplay restricted" state. The image corresponding to the "gameplay restricted" state displays the message "Gameplay is restricted because the daily limit of 80,000 balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch 180 used to execute the settlement process. In addition, before the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the current number of rounds, the stopped symbol of the second decorative symbol, the total number of prize balls, and pre-notification displays. However, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the "gameplay restricted" message is displayed, such game-related information is hidden (made invisible), and the message is displayed on a darkened screen. This allows players to understand that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and gameplay is restricted, and that the gameplay restriction cannot be lifted without the operation of the hall manager. Furthermore, it can be understood that the number of balls a player possesses can be settled by operating the counting button switch 180.

In the above example, before the payout reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 shows the current round number, the stopped symbol of the second decorative symbol, the total number of prize balls, and pre-announcement information. However, all such game-related information is made unreadable once the payout reaches the specific value. However, when the payout reaches the specific value, some of the game-related information may be made unreadable, while other information remains readable. For example, the total number of prize balls and pre-announcement information, which indicate whether or not game restrictions will be imposed, may be made unreadable, while the current round number and the stopped symbol of the second decorative symbol may remain readable. This allows for understanding the circumstances under which the payout reached the specific value, even after the payout has reached that value.

In this example, for the predetermined clear conditions to be met for the end of the stop-play state to be satisfied, it is necessary to re-energize the power after a power outage using a predetermined power-on pattern. Here, we will explain the following power-on patterns: one that maintains the game state at the time of power outage, as well as the payout amount and the stop-play state (in this example, power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 4 and 5 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 3); one that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power outage, as well as the payout amount and the stop-play state (in this example, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on pattern 3 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 3); and one that maintains the game state at the time of power outage, as well as clearing (initializes) the payout amount and the stop-play state (in this example, power-on pattern 1 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 2 and power-on pattern 2 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 3).

First, after transitioning to the stop-play state, if a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power-off, as well as the payout amount and stop-play state, then the restriction on gameplay in the stop-play state is not lifted, and the display device 1600 displays the image shown in Figure 128(K) again. In this example, although not shown in the illustration, before displaying the image shown in Figure 128(K), the speaker outputs the message "Payout amount and stop-play state are maintained," and the display device 1600 temporarily displays a message image saying "Payout amount and stop-play state are maintained." Here, the dedicated period for displaying the message image "Payout amount and stop-play state are maintained" on the display device 1600 may be omitted. However, prioritizing the hall manager's awareness of the maintenance of the payout amount and stop-play state, the dedicated period may be omitted, but the message image "Payout amount and stop-play state are maintained" may also be displayed on the display device 1600 along with the image shown in Figure 128(K).

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, if a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off, as well as the payout amount and stop-play state, the restrictions on gameplay in the stop-play state are removed by clearing (initializing) the payout amount and stop-play state. Here, when clearing (initializing) the payout amount and stop-play state, all information related to the calculation of the payout amount, such as the stop-play counter, payout count, and shot count, is cleared (initialized). In addition, information regarding the remaining jackpot game at the time of interruption when transitioning to the stop-play state, and information regarding the "continuous play mode" (high probability state) after the jackpot game, is retained after transitioning to the stop-play state or when power is cut off. However, when power is cut off and the machine is restarted, such information regarding the remaining jackpot game at the time of interruption and information regarding the "continuous play mode" (high probability state) after the jackpot game are lost, resulting in the game starting in a low probability state. Therefore, as shown in Figure 128(L), the display device 1600 displays an initial image in which the decorative pattern is stopped at the initial pattern.

On the other hand, if, after transitioning to the stop-play state, a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power-off and clears (initializes) the payout amount and stop-play state, the restrictions on gameplay in the stop-play state are removed by clearing (initializing) the payout amount and stop-play state. In addition, information regarding the remaining jackpot game at the time of interruption when transitioning to the stop-play state, and information regarding the "continuous play mode" (high probability state) after the jackpot game are retained after transitioning to the stop-play state or when power is off. Furthermore, even when power is turned on after power-off, the information regarding the remaining jackpot game at the time of interruption and the "continuous play mode" (high probability state) after the jackpot game are retained, so that the game can be resumed in the state it was in when it was interrupted. For this reason, as shown in Figure 128 (L'), the display device 1600 returns to displaying an image related to the "continuous play mode" (high probability state), which is the ending period after the final round of the jackpot game has finished. Furthermore, if a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the payout amount and the stop-play state, a special recovery notification (an image and sound indicating that the game will return to the state before the game restriction) may be displayed before resuming gameplay after power is turned on again after the power is cut off. This special recovery notification corresponds to the recovery display, recovery light, and recovery sound during the recovery waiting state at timings t3 to t4 in Figure 125 described above. As mentioned above, examples include outputting the voice message "Payout amount and stop-play state have been cleared" from the speaker, or displaying the message image "Payout amount and stop-play state have been cleared" on the display device 1600.

Figure 129 shows a specific example of the animation when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the moment a game ball enters the general prize slot while a special symbol is being displayed. In this example, the "specific value" is set to 80,000, and either restriction pattern 1 or restriction pattern 3 is selected as the "restriction pattern." Specifically, if restriction pattern 1 is set, the game will stop when the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls). If restriction pattern 3 is set, the game will stop when the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls), resulting in both a "game stop" and a "ball firing stop."

As shown in Figure 129(A), the performance display device 1600 executes a variation performance (performance based on variation patterns) corresponding to the variation display of the special symbols, and displays the variation of the decorative symbols in the central area of the performance display device 1600. Here, in the "continuous win mode" in which a high probability state continues depending on the lottery result of the special symbols, or the acceptance of game balls B into the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008, etc., when the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "777" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the decorative symbols in the central area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the variation display of the second decorative symbol is performed in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600, and when the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "〇" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the second decorative symbol. Furthermore, the lower left area of the display device 1600 shows a hold indicator for the number of special symbols that have entered the first or second start slot 2003 or 2004 and are waiting for their variation display to be completed. The lower right area of the display device 1600 displays a "Consecutive Win Mode" message indicating that the game is in "Consecutive Win Mode," and also displays a "Right Shot" arrow instructing the player to aim for the large prize slot 2005 located in the game area 5a to the right of the display device 1600 during a jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 129(B), at the start of a jackpot game, the message "Special Bonus! Aim for V!" is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600. This message also indicates that the opening and closing of the large prize slot 2005 and the prize slot 2006 will begin during the jackpot game, and that the player should aim to enter the first V prize slot 2007 and the second V prize slot 2008 during the jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 129(C), during a jackpot game, the upper left area of the display device 1600 shows the current round number, and the central area of the display device 1600 shows the total number of prize balls dispensed when game balls enter the large prize slot 2005 during "consecutive win mode." Here, "3R" is displayed as the current round number, and "17,500 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls.

In this example, before the main control board 1310 implements a restriction on gameplay when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the main control board 1310 monitors the number of remaining balls until the number of balls dispensed reaches that specific value. When a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005 and the remaining number of balls reaches "+1500 balls", a pre-flag is turned ON, and this ON information of the pre-flag is transmitted from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 then receives the ON information of the pre-flag and continues to execute the actions that were announced in advance until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value. The calculation of the number of balls dispensed is performed by the main control board 1310 based on a stop counter, which is the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls paid out. In other words, the number of remaining balls until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value increases as the number of shots increases, and decreases as the number of balls paid out increases. Furthermore, regarding the pre-notification process, the system continues to run after a predetermined value is reached before the payout reaches a specific value (in this example, when the remaining number of balls until the payout reaches a specific value is 1500, i.e., when the payout has reached 78500 balls), until the payout reaches that specific value. This ensures that players do not miss information regarding restrictions on gameplay.

Furthermore, in this example, once a prior notification is issued, even if the number of remaining balls until the payout reaches a specific value falls below a predetermined value (1500 balls remaining), the prior notification will not terminate and will continue until the payout reaches the specific value. Specifically, even if the ON information for the prior flag is transmitted from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510, and only the number of shots increases, causing the number of remaining balls until the payout reaches a specific value to fall below a predetermined value (1500 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 will keep the prior flag ON without turning it OFF. This prevents frequent switching of the prior flag on the main control board 1310, even if the number of remaining balls falls below 1500 after reaching 1500 balls, and then returns to 1500 balls again. This avoids repeated transmission of the ON information for the prior flag to the peripheral control board 1510, thus reducing the control burden and complexity.

As shown in Figure 129(D), when a game ball enters the large prize winning slot 2005 during a jackpot game, and the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+1500 balls", the upper area of the display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message indicating "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit is reached" as a pre-notification operation. Here, the current number of rounds is displayed as the final "10R", and the total number of prize balls is displayed as "18800 balls GET". Furthermore, the display device 1600 continuously displays the current round number in the upper left area, the total number of prize balls paid out when game balls enter the big prize pocket 2005 during "continuous win mode" in the upper area, the stop symbol of the second decorative symbol in the upper right area, and the "shoot to the right" arrow in the lower right area, even before the pre-notification display is displayed. However, the pre-notification display "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed overlapping the background image, but it is displayed so as not to overlap with the important information displays related to the ongoing jackpot game. Specifically, in this example, "current round number," "total number of prize balls," and the "shoot to the right" arrow are important information displays that should be made known to the player, so the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with these information displays. However, it is acceptable for the pre-notification display to overlap at least a part of these information displays, as long as the content of the information displays can be recognized, and not completely overlapped to the point where the player cannot see them. This ensures that information regarding the ongoing jackpot game is not missed, allowing for smooth gameplay during the jackpot. The movable part can be directed towards the front of the display device 1600 during the jackpot game, but it may also be directed towards the front of the display when the pre-announcement message "Remaining +1500 balls until the game limit" is displayed. This prevents a decrease in the enjoyment of the game during the jackpot.

As shown in Figure 129(E), at the end of a jackpot game, the message "Continuing Win Mode! (10th Time)" is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600, informing the player that the high-probability state will continue after the jackpot game ends (that "Continuing Win Mode" will continue). Here, at the end of the jackpot game, the same pre-announcement display as during the jackpot game, "Remaining +1500 balls until the game limit," is also displayed. Since the "Continuing Win Mode! (10th Time)" message is also important information that the player should be aware of, the pre-announcement display is positioned so as not to overlap with this information display. However, regarding these information displays, it is acceptable for the pre-announcement display to overlap at least a portion of the information display, as long as the content of the information display can be recognized, and not completely obscured by the overlap.

As shown in Figure 129(F), during "Continuous Win Mode," when a variation animation (an animation based on a variation pattern) corresponding to the variation display of special symbols is executed again, the variation display of decorative symbols is shown in the central area of the animation display device 1600. Furthermore, the variation display of the second decorative symbol is shown in the upper right area of the animation display device 1600. In addition, four pending displays are shown in the lower left area of the animation display device 1600, and the appearance of pending displays with a high probability of winning can be changed. Furthermore, while the variation display of decorative symbols is in progress, the volume and brightness can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. During volume and brightness adjustment, an image corresponding to the volume or brightness being adjusted is displayed in the left area of the animation display device 1600. The image corresponding to the volume or brightness being adjusted is displayed starting when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated and disappears after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Furthermore, during the display of the changing decorative symbols in "Continuous Win Mode," a pre-announcement message, "10 balls remaining until the play limit," is displayed, just as during a big win. The display device 1600 displays the changing decorative symbols in the central area, the changing second decorative symbols in the upper right area, the "Continuous Win Mode" message and a "Right Shot" arrow in the lower right area, the hold indicator in the lower left area, and images corresponding to volume and brightness in the left area. However, the pre-announcement message, "10 balls remaining until the play limit," is displayed overlapping the background image, but it is not displayed overlapping with other important information displays related to the ongoing changing game. Specifically, in this example, the "changing decorative symbols," "changing second decorative symbols," "the 'Continuous Win Mode' message," "the 'Right Shot' arrow," "the hold indicator," and "images corresponding to volume and brightness" are important information displays that should be made known to the player, so the pre-announcement display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with these information displays. Furthermore, regarding these information displays, it is permissible to have at least a portion of the information display overlap with the pre-notification display, provided that the content of the information display is recognizable and not completely obscured by the player's vision. This prevents players from missing information related to the ongoing variable gameplay, allowing for smooth gameplay during variable gameplay. Regarding the movable parts, while they can be moved towards the front of the performance display device 1600 during variable gameplay, they may be moved towards the front of the pre-notification display, such as "10 balls remaining until the game limit." This prevents a decrease in the enjoyment of the game during variable gameplay.

In this example, before the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game is restricted, the remaining number of balls until the number of balls dispensed reaches that specific value is monitored. However, if the number of remaining balls becomes "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on game balls entering the general prize pocket 2001 during the special symbol variation display, the stop flag for the number of balls dispensed reaching a specific value is turned ON, and the game transitions to a stop state until the predetermined clear condition is met, and the action for when the game cannot proceed is executed. When the game transitions to the stop state, the timing of the variation time is stopped (interrupted) so that the variation display of the special symbol that is currently running does not proceed, and the game is forcibly stopped, initiating the restriction on gameplay. Here, the function display unit 1400 when the timing of the variation time is stopped (interrupted) so that the variation display of the special symbol that is currently running does not proceed will be explained. In the function display unit 1400, the LED in the first special symbol display or the second special symbol display continues to blink (control mode during variation display) (the variation time is not measured, so it continues to blink until the clear condition is met). However, the LEDs in the first special symbol indicator or the second special symbol indicator of the function display unit 1400 may not blink, but may be fully lit or fully extinguished. In this case, not only the LEDs of the first special symbol indicator or the second special symbol indicator, but also other LEDs in the function display unit 1400 (such as the status indicator, normal symbol indicator, normal hold indicator, first special hold count indicator, second special hold count indicator, round indicator, etc.) may be fully lit, fully lit, or fully extinguished. Furthermore, if the function display unit 1400 is equipped with an LED specifically for stop notification, that LED may be lit, and the other LEDs may be extinguished. Note that the remaining variation time when the timing of variation time is stopped (interrupted) is stored in the RAM built into the main control board 1310.

As shown in Figure 129(G), when a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 during the special symbol variation display and a prize ball is paid out, and the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0", the upper area of the performance display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) that says "Remaining +0 balls until the game limit is reached," informing the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value. Here, just before the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0", the decorative symbol variation display and the second decorative symbol variation display are shown, but when the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0", the decorative symbol variation display is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stop symbol (in this example, "767"), and the second decorative symbol variation display is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stop symbol (in this example, "×"). Then, after a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has elapsed since the pre-notification message "0 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" was displayed, the image corresponding to the play limit state shown in Figure 129(H) will be displayed.

In this example, the amount of prize balls dispensed when a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 is reflected in the pre-announcement display on the performance display device 1600. However, the content of the pre-announcement display is not shown at the moment a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, but rather continues to be displayed for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) after the amount of prize balls is reflected in the pre-announcement display. This prevents players from missing information regarding whether or not the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value, and ensures that players are reliably aware of the reason why the stop-play state begins afterward. Furthermore, just before the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0 balls," a pre-notification message "Remaining +10 balls until the play limit is reached" is displayed. However, even if the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches the specific value exceeds the number of remaining balls for the prize payout (15 balls in this example), the excess prize balls (5 balls in this example) are paid out when a game ball enters the general prize entry point 2001. This prevents situations where, despite a game ball entering the general prize entry point 2001, the number of prize balls exceeding the specific value are not paid out, thus reducing the likelihood of player dissatisfaction. However, if monitoring the payout amount is a priority from the perspective of preventing fraud, the excess prize balls exceeding the specific value may be withheld from the payout.

In the above example, the pre-announcement display continues to show the content not until the payout reaches a specific value, but until the amount of winning balls is reflected in the pre-announcement display. However, it is also possible to make the display end when the payout reaches a specific value and display an image corresponding to the stop-play state. In other words, instead of displaying the image shown in Figure 129(G), the display may proceed to the image shown in Figure 129(H), which will be described later. This allows the player to transition to the stop-play state when the payout reaches a specific value, and simultaneously, by displaying an image corresponding to the stop-play state, the player can immediately understand that the player has transitioned to the stop-play state.

Furthermore, since the game transitions to a stop-play state and restricts gameplay once the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, it is preferable that the "right-hand shot" arrow, which encourages ball dispensing, be hidden from the player's view after the image corresponding to the stop-play state is displayed, in order to prevent the player from accidentally firing balls. In this example, it is hidden. Also, under other circumstances, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while a display encouraging ball dispensing (e.g., right-hand shot, left-hand shot, "Aim for V!" display) is shown, the display encouraging ball dispensing is hidden from the player's view at that point (hidden).

As shown in Figure 129(H), when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and gameplay is restricted, the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the "gameplay restricted" state. The image corresponding to the "gameplay restricted" state displays the message "Gameplay is restricted because the daily limit of 80,000 balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch 180 used to execute the settlement process. When the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 also displays the stopped symbols of the decorative symbols, the stopped symbols of the second decorative symbols, the hold indicator, and the pre-notification indicator. However, such game-related information is hidden (made invisible) once the "gameplay restricted" message is displayed after the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and the message is displayed on a darkened screen. This allows players to understand that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and gameplay is restricted, and that the gameplay restriction cannot be lifted without the operation of the hall manager. Furthermore, it can be understood that the number of balls a player possesses can be settled by operating the counting button switch 180.

In the above description, before the payout reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the stop symbols of the decorative symbols, the stop symbols of the second decorative symbols, the hold indicator, and the pre-notification indicator. However, all such game-related information is made unreadable once the payout reaches the specific value. However, when the payout reaches the specific value, some of the game-related information may be made unreadable, while the rest remains readable. For example, the pre-notification indicator, which contains information about whether or not game restrictions will be imposed, may be made unreadable, while the stop symbols of the decorative symbols, the stop symbols of the second decorative symbols, and the hold indicator may remain readable. This allows for understanding the circumstances under which the payout reached the specific value, even after the payout has reached that value.

Here, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to a ball entering the general prize slot 2001 during the special symbol display, the same actions as when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to a ball entering the large prize slot 2005 during a jackpot game are performed, such as displaying an image corresponding to the stop-play state. In this way, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and gameplay is restricted, a common notification is given regardless of the trigger, ensuring that players are reliably aware that the game has entered the stop-play state.

In this example, for the predetermined clear conditions to be met for the end of the stop-play state to be satisfied, it is necessary to re-energize the power after a power outage using a predetermined power-on pattern. Here, we will explain the cases when the power-on pattern is selected as follows: a power-on pattern that maintains the game state at the time of power outage, as well as the payout amount and the stop-play state (in this example, power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Restriction Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 4 and 5 in Restriction Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Restriction Clear Pattern Table 3); a power-on pattern that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power outage, as well as the payout amount and the stop-play state (in this example, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Restriction Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Restriction Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on pattern 3 in Restriction Clear Pattern Table 3); and a power-on pattern that maintains the game state at the time of power outage, as well as clearing (initializes) the payout amount and the stop-play state (in this example, power-on pattern 1 in Restriction Clear Pattern Table 2 and power-on pattern 2 in Restriction Clear Pattern Table 3).

First, after transitioning to the stop-play state, if a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power-off, as well as the payout amount and the stop-play state, then the restriction on gameplay in the stop-play state is not lifted, and the display device 1600 will display the image shown in Figure 129(H) again.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, if a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off, as well as the payout amount and stop-play state, the restrictions on gameplay in the stop-play state are removed when the power is turned back on after a power-off. Here, when the payout amount and stop-play state are cleared (initialized), all information related to the calculation of the payout amount, such as the stop-play counter, payout count, and shot count, is cleared (initialized). In addition, information regarding the remaining fluctuation time at the time of interruption when transitioning to the stop-play state, information regarding "continuous mode" (high probability state), and information regarding held balls are retained after transitioning to the stop-play state or when the power is turned off. However, when the power is turned back on after a power-off, such information regarding the remaining fluctuation time at the time of interruption, information regarding "continuous mode" (high probability state), and information regarding held balls are lost, resulting in the game starting in a low probability state with no held balls. Therefore, as shown in Figure 129(I), the display device 1600 does not display a hold indicator and displays an initial image where the decorative symbols are stopped at the initial symbols.

On the other hand, if, after transitioning to the stop-play state, a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power-off and clears (initializes) the payout amount and stop-play state, the restrictions on gameplay in the stop-play state are removed by clearing (initializing) the payout amount and stop-play state. In addition, information regarding the remaining spin time when interrupted at the time of transitioning to the stop-play state, information regarding "continuous mode" (high probability state), and information regarding held balls are retained after transitioning to the stop-play state or when power is off. However, even when power is turned on after power-off, this information regarding the remaining spin time when interrupted, information regarding "continuous mode" (high probability state), and information regarding held balls is retained, so that the game resumes in the high probability state, with held balls, and in the middle of the previous spin. In other words, if the timing of the spin time is stopped (interrupted) at the time of transitioning to the stop-play state, the remaining spin time is stored in the RAM built into the main control board 1310. After power is turned on, the display of decorative symbols and the display of second decorative symbols are executed for the duration of that remaining spin time. Therefore, as shown in Figure 129(I'), the display device 1600 returns to displaying an image related to the "continuous win mode" (high probability state), and resumes displaying the variation of the decorative symbols and the variation of the second decorative symbols based on the information regarding the held symbols. Furthermore, if a power-on pattern that clears (initializes) the payout amount and the stop-play state is selected, a special return notification (an image and sound indicating a return to the state before the game restriction) may be displayed before the various display effects are restored after the power is turned back on after the power is cut off.

Furthermore, while the above describes a system where a stop-play state is immediately triggered when the payout reaches a specific value during a jackpot, as an alternative, the start of the stop-play state may be delayed until the end of the jackpot game when the payout reaches a specific value during a jackpot game. That is, if the payout reaches a specific value during multiple rounds of a jackpot game, the jackpot game may continue until the end of the final round. In such a case, the payout will increase even after reaching the specific value due to prize ball payouts, but such an increase in payout is permitted. The system then waits until the jackpot game ends before entering a stop-play state accompanied by "game stop" or "ball firing stop." This prevents the game from being restricted during a jackpot game and avoids any disadvantage in acquiring prize balls, thus reducing the likelihood of player dissatisfaction.

Furthermore, while the fourth embodiment described above explained a type of gaming machine that circulates and reuses game balls without dispensing actual prize balls outside the machine (a so-called sealed-type gaming machine, a managed gaming machine), the "technology for generating a stop-play state based on the amount of balls dispensed (amounts A and B)" described above is not limited to this type of gaming machine, but can also be applied to conventional types of gaming machines (gaming machines that dispense actual prize balls outside the machine). When applying to conventional types of gaming machines, it is preferable to set the timing of the stop-play state and the game control during the stop-play state as follows.

In other words, conventional gaming machines have a payout control board instead of a frame control board 740, and this payout control board is generally capable of controlling a payout device that dispenses game balls stored in a ball tank on the back of the gaming machine as prize balls. The prize balls dispensed into the ball tray on the front of the gaming machine are then given to the player as actual balls. However, in this configuration, there is a larger time lag between when game balls enter the various prize slots and when the prize balls are dispensed compared to gaming machines that use a circulation system for game balls. In particular, it is conceivable that during a jackpot game, multiple game balls may enter the large prize slot 2005, resulting in a large number of prize balls being stored as undispensed. In such cases, there is a possibility that many prize balls will remain stored as undispensed even after the start of the aforementioned stop-play state. In such cases, as with the fourth embodiment described above, if the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 is stopped at the same time as the payout processing on the payout control board when the stop-play state begins, there is a risk that the player will not be able to obtain the profit they are rightfully entitled to (the prize balls that are stored as unpaid). Therefore, when applying the "technology of generating a stop-play state based on the amount of balls dispensed (amounts A and B)" to a conventional type of gaming machine, the following two control methods can be considered.

First, one pattern involves using the actual number of balls dispensed as the "dispensed count" for the payout counter calculation. Specifically, a ball sensor is installed to detect the number of game balls sent out by the dispensing device towards the ball tray, and the detection result of this ball sensor is reflected in the "dispensed count." This reduces the number of undispensed prize balls compared to calculating the payout counter based on the prize ball information on the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, in the second pattern, even if the game is stopped when the payout limit is reached, the payout of any unpaid prize balls will continue. The game will then completely stop once all unpaid prize balls have been dispensed. Note that the second pattern may be used in conjunction with the first pattern.

(Addition of Restriction Clear Pattern Table 4)
In the above, restriction clear pattern tables 1 to 3 are provided as restriction clear pattern tables with different clearing conditions for "the amount of balls calculated before the stop-loss state begins" and "the restriction on gameplay during the stop-loss state." However, a restriction clear pattern table 4 may also be provided separately. In such a case, the hall manager will select one of restriction clear pattern tables 1 to 4 by operating a restriction clear pattern selection switch that can be operated by the hall manager. However, regarding the restriction clear pattern tables, from the viewpoint of suppressing the capacity of the ROM that stores various processing programs, it is also possible to adopt only restriction clear pattern table 4.

Figure 130 shows the restriction clear pattern table 4, which is selected when the restriction clear pattern selection switch is set to "4". When this restriction clear pattern table 4 is selected, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" can be chosen by the gaming hall to either maintain or clear it upon power re-energization after a power outage. However, the "amount of balls dispensed calculated before the stop-play state began" is always cleared upon power re-energization after a power outage.

Power-on pattern 1 maintains the game state as it was when the power was cut off, but it clears (initializes) the amount of balls dispensed before and after the "stop-play" state began, while maintaining the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate green, and the speaker outputs the message, "Ball amounts have been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained." The display device 1600 also displays a message image saying, "Ball amounts have been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained." (This corresponds to the clear notification 1 and the "cannot proceed" notification described later). In addition to these notifications, a clear method notification showing how to clear the stop-play state may also be added for hall managers.

In power-on pattern 2, when the power is turned on, the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized), but the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are also cleared (initialized). Specifically, if gameplay is restricted in restriction pattern 1 as described above, "gameplay is stopped," but the "gameplay stop" is released when the stop-play state is cleared. If gameplay is restricted in restriction pattern 2, "firing is stopped," but the "firing is stopped" is released when the stop-play state is cleared. If gameplay is restricted in restriction pattern 3, "gameplay" and "firing are stopped," but the "gameplay stop" and "firing is stopped" are released when the stop-play state is cleared. In all cases, it is possible to resume gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 will light up red, an audio message saying "Payout amount and play limit cleared" will be output from the speaker, and the display device 1600 will display a message image saying "Payout amount and play limit cleared" (corresponding to the clear notification 2 described later).

Power-on pattern 3 clears (initializes) the game state from when the power was cut off upon power-on. It also clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate red, an audio message "Ball amount and stop-play state cleared." is output from the speaker, and a message image "Ball amount and stop-play state cleared." is displayed on the display device 1600. (This corresponds to the clear notification 2 described later).

Power-on pattern 4 maintains the game state as it was when the power was cut off, but it clears (initializes) the amount of balls dispensed before and after the "stop-play" state began, while maintaining the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in blue, and the speaker outputs the message, "Ball amounts have been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained." The display device 1600 also displays a message image saying, "Ball amounts have been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained." (This corresponds to the clear notification 1 and game-inability notification described later). In addition to these notifications, a clear method notification showing how to clear the stop-play state may also be added for hall managers.

Power-on pattern 5 maintains the game state as it was when the power was cut off, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop-play state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in blue, the speaker outputs the message "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained," and the display device 1600 displays a message image saying "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained."

Thus, in Limit Clear Pattern Table 4, when power is turned on, regardless of whether the game state at the time of power-off is maintained (as in Power-On Patterns 1 and 4) or the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) (as in Power-On Patterns 2 and 3), the "amount of balls dispensed before the start of the stop-play state and after the start of the stop-play state" is cleared (initialized). This prevents hall managers from forgetting to clear the amount of balls dispensed when powering on, such as at opening time, and prevents the stop-play state from occurring immediately after opening due to the amount of balls dispensed reaching a specific value. Note that if Power-On Pattern 5 is selected when power is turned on, only the ball removal process described above is executed, and gameplay does not start, so the "amount of balls dispensed before the start of the stop-play state and after the start of the stop-play state" is not cleared (initialized) and is maintained.

Furthermore, in the restriction clear pattern table 4, when the power is turned on, the "restriction on playing during a stopped state" is cleared (initialized) only if the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3. On the other hand, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power-off is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "restriction on playing during a stopped state" is maintained. In other words, regarding the "restriction on playing during a stopped state," the gaming hall can choose whether to maintain or clear it when the power is turned on again after a power-off. For example, if a stopped state has already occurred and you want to remove the restriction on playing, you should perform the power-on operation to clear the "restriction on playing during a stopped state" after the power is turned off. If you want to maintain the restriction on playing, you should perform the power-on operation to maintain the "restriction on playing during a stopped state" after the power is turned off. Note that when power-on pattern 5 is selected, only the ball removal process described above is executed, and the game does not start, so the "restriction on playing during a stopped state" is maintained without being cleared (initialized).

(Notification regarding the amount of balls dispensed in the event of an anomaly detection)
In this example, the system is designed to detect abnormalities such as magnetic fields and vibrations while the power is on, and to determine whether or not an abnormality has been detected. Depending on the type of abnormality, the system may stop the game when an abnormality is detected, and the game cannot be resumed until the power is turned back on. However, if the power is turned back on, as is clear from, for example, the restriction clear pattern table 4, depending on the manner of operation when the power is turned on, the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-loss state begins or after the stop-loss state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-loss state" may be cleared (initialized). Therefore, there is a possibility of new fraudulent activities occurring where an abnormality is intentionally generated at the stage just before the ball amount approaches a certain value and transitions to the stop-loss state, or during the stop-loss state, in order to force the hall manager to turn the power back on and clear (initialize) the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-loss state begins or after the stop-loss state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-loss state". In this example, to prevent such new forms of fraud, the following explains how to implement notifications regarding "the amount of balls dispensed before the stop-loss state begins and after the stop-loss state begins" and "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-loss state" when an anomaly is detected.

Furthermore, in this example, an abnormality check is performed during power-on to determine whether an abnormality has been detected. The abnormality is classified as either minor or major. Minor abnormalities include situations such as the main frame 4 being opened relative to the outer frame 2, the door frame 3 being opened relative to the main frame 4, or the decorative frame members being removed. When a minor abnormality is detected, the game does not stop. When a minor abnormality is detected, an abnormality notification is sent to inform the external system of the occurrence of a minor abnormality. However, the notification is terminated when a predetermined error termination condition is met, such as the elapsed of a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds). In other words, when a minor abnormality is detected, although there is a possibility that the main frame 4 was opened relative to the outer frame 2 due to fraudulent activity, it is easy to confirm whether or not such an action has occurred, so the abnormality notification is terminated at a predetermined time.

On the other hand, detecting severe anomalies includes detecting magnetism, vibration, and radio waves on the pachinko machine 1. The pachinko machine 1 in this example is equipped with a magnetic sensor for detecting magnetism, a vibration sensor for detecting vibration, and a radio wave sensor for detecting unauthorized radio waves, each enabling the detection of magnetism, vibration, and radio waves. When a severe anomaly is detected, it is highly likely that the magnetism, vibration, or radio waves were applied through unauthorized actions rather than by the hall manager, and therefore the game is stopped. Furthermore, when a severe anomaly is detected, an anomaly notification is issued to inform the outside that a severe anomaly has occurred. However, even after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed, this notification does not terminate. Therefore, when a severe anomaly occurs, the hall manager must shut off the power to terminate the anomaly notification, and then restart the power to resume the game.

Furthermore, abnormality notifications are implemented not only using components on the front of the pachinko machine 1, such as the display device 1600, but also using components on the back of the pachinko machine 1, such as the back of the main frame 4 and the back of the game board 5. This allows, for example, a hall manager to detect an abnormality even while performing work on the back of the pachinko machine 1.

Figures 131 to 133 are time charts showing the behavior of a pachinko machine in the event of minor or major malfunctions. This example will explain, in order, the behavior of the pachinko machine when a minor malfunction occurs during the normal state or the stop-play state, when a major malfunction occurs during the normal state, and when a major malfunction occurs during the stop-play state. Note that the normal state refers to a state that is not the stop-play state, before the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. This can include the display of special symbols, the execution of a jackpot game, or the standby state where neither special symbols nor a jackpot game is being executed.

Furthermore, regarding the case where, at timing t1, the payout amount reaches a specific value due to the distribution of prize balls based on balls entering the winning slots, and the machine is determined to have turned on the stop flag and transition to the stop state, this has already been explained using Figure 126. In other words, the behavior of the pachinko machine in the state before the payout amount reaches a specific value (normal state), and in the stop state when no minor or major abnormalities have occurred, has already been explained, so it is omitted here. However, in Figure 126, no abnormality check is performed to determine whether or not an abnormality such as magnetism or vibration has been detected after transitioning to the stop state at timing t1. In this example, however, abnormality checks are performed even during the stop state, and an abnormality notification is executed to inform the outside that an abnormality has occurred.

Furthermore, in this example, when the payout reaches a specific value, restriction pattern 3 is selected, which performs both "stop gameplay" and "stop firing" as restrictions on gameplay in the stop-play state. Additionally, when the power is turned back on after a power outage, restriction clear pattern table 4 is used as the restriction clear pattern table. The explanation describes the cases where power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which clear the payout but maintain the stop-play state, and where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear both the payout and the stop-play state.

Figure 131 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a minor abnormality occurs during normal operation or when the machine is stopped.

First, before the timing t1 when the system transitions to the stop-down state, it is controlled to the normal state (not the stop-down state). The behavior in the normal state (not the stop-down state) is as described above.

This section describes the case where a minor anomaly is detected at timing tx during normal operation (not in a stopped state). When a minor anomaly is detected, an anomaly notification is triggered to inform the external system of the anomaly. The display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), speaker, and external terminal board perform the error-specific actions as part of the anomaly notification. However, aspects other than the execution of the anomaly notification, such as the progress of the game, remain unchanged from the state before timing tx when no minor anomaly was detected, and the behavior of the normal state (not in a stopped state) is maintained.

Specifically, the performance display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute error-handling operations at timing tx. For example, if a minor anomaly is detected, such as the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the performance display device 1600 will display the message "Door Open Error" as error display A, and will also display the message "Remaining +XX balls until game limit is reached" as current status display A, indicating the remaining amount of balls to be dispensed before gameplay is restricted (the remaining amount of balls to be dispensed before gameplay reaches a specific value). Specifically, the system displays a pre-announcement when the remaining number of balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value reaches 5,000. However, even when this pre-announcement is not being displayed, if a minor anomaly is detected when, for example, the number of balls remaining until the total number of balls reaches the specific value is 50,000, the display device 1600 will display the message "Remaining until the game limit is reached: +50,000 balls" as the current status display A. Note that while current status display A shows the remaining number of balls until the total number of balls reaches the specific value, it may also show the current number of balls at that point in time.

As described above, if a minor anomaly is detected during normal operation (not in a stopped state), the display device 1600 displays not only error display A but also current status display A, showing the remaining amount of balls until gameplay is restricted (the remaining amount of balls until the total amount of balls reaches a specific value). At this time, if the power is cut off, the detection of the minor anomaly is resolved, but when the power is restarted using power-on patterns 1-4 in the restriction clear pattern table 4, the ball count is cleared. In this example, however, the hall manager can determine whether it is safe to restart the power after understanding the remaining amount of balls until gameplay is restricted.

Furthermore, prior to the timing t1 when the game is about to enter the stop-play state, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some components, such as the performance display device 1600, to enable pre-notification operations in order to notify the player that the amount of balls dispensed is approaching a specific value. Specifically, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Remaining until the play limit is +XX balls" in a specific display area as a pre-notification display. This specific display area is set as part of the display area of the performance display device 1600 and is used to display when the amount of balls dispensed is approaching a specific value. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the game state so that the hall manager does not overlook it. If a minor abnormality is detected while such a pre-notification display is being executed, the performance display device 1600 may also display the current status display A, using the same data as the pre-notification display. Furthermore, when using the pre-notification display to show current status display A, it is configured to be displayed on a higher (front) layer than the layers displaying other visual effects. In this example, current status display A is displayed as the top layer, and the display is controlled to ensure that it can be reliably and continuously recognized during the execution of anomaly notification. This prevents current status display A from becoming unrecognizable.

Furthermore, in this example, the start operation during the pre-notification (the operation at the start of the pre-notification) is handled not only by the pre-notification display using the performance display device 1600, but also by the use of lamp B (an LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) to blink for a predetermined period (e.g., 2 seconds) as a pre-notification illumination. This makes it easier to recognize when the amount of balls dispensed is approaching a specific value.

Furthermore, in this example, a pre-notification display is executed when the remaining number of balls to be dispensed reaches 5000, before the total number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. This pre-notification display, as will be explained in more detail later, terminates when the remaining number of balls exceeds 5000. Additionally, the pre-notification display cannot be dismissed after a predetermined time has elapsed or through administrator operation. On the other hand, in the event of a minor or severe abnormality (as described later), the current status display A is executed. This current status display A does not terminate even if the remaining number of balls dispensed changes. Furthermore, the current status display A can be dismissed, for example, after a predetermined time has elapsed until error display A terminates, or through administrator operation that resolves the abnormality. This ensures that it is always possible to distinguish between the pre-notification display and the current status display A.

Furthermore, in this example, the current status display A is executed on the performance display device 1600. However, instead of using the display element on the front of the pachinko machine 1, the remaining amount of balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value may be displayed using the display elements on the back of the pachinko machine 1, such as the back of the main frame 4 or the back of the game board 5. Also, even when the current status display A is executed on the performance display device 1600, the current status display A may display the remaining amount of balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value, or an encrypted version depending on the amount of balls (for example, displaying "A" when the remaining amount of balls is between 0 and 5000). This allows only the hall manager to check the current status display A, preventing fraudulent attempts to obtain the amount of balls by intentionally causing anomalies.

Furthermore, in this example, the display device 1600 executes the current status display A when a minor abnormality occurs, or when a major abnormality occurs (as described later). However, in the case of frequent operational abnormalities (errors), such as the upper tray becoming full in a conventional type of gaming machine (a gaming machine that dispenses prize balls as actual balls outside the machine), the display device 1600 does not execute the current status display A. This prevents the current status display A from being displayed frequently.

Furthermore, in this example, the current status display A is executed on the performance display device 1600 when a minor abnormality occurs or when a severe abnormality occurs (as described later). However, even in the case of a RAM error, the current status display A is executed on the performance display device 1600, treating it as a severe abnormality. However, in the case of a RAM error, since the memory related to the payout amount itself may be abnormal, the current status display A may not be executed on the performance display device 1600.

Furthermore, at timing tx, lamps A and B illuminate or flash in a single color as an error signal, and the speaker outputs an error sound stating, "Door open error."

Furthermore, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at timing TX. This allows the hall computer to receive a security signal if a minor anomaly is detected, enabling the hall to understand that a minor anomaly has occurred.

Furthermore, in this example, the abnormality notification starts at timing tx, but ends after a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), speaker, and external terminal board are returned to normal operation. However, if a minor abnormality, such as the closing of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, is detected to have been resolved before the predetermined period has elapsed, the abnormality notification will end at that point.

Next, at timing t1, the system determines that the amount of balls dispensed based on balls entering the prize slots reaches a specific value. When the main control board 1310 detects balls entering the prize slots, it turns on the stop-play flag, and transitions to a "stopped-play state" where restriction pattern 3 is applied, performing both "stop play" and "stop firing." The behavior of the stopped-play state is as described above.

This section describes the case where a minor anomaly is detected at timing ty while the game is in a stopped state. When a minor anomaly is detected, an anomaly notification is executed to inform an external party of the occurrence of the anomaly. The display device 1600 performs the error-specific actions as part of the anomaly notification. However, other than executing the anomaly notification, such as disabling gameplay, the behavior remains unchanged from the situation before timing ty when no minor anomaly was detected, and the stopped state behavior is maintained.

Specifically, the display device 1600 executes the error handling operation at timing tx. For example, if a minor anomaly is detected, such as the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the display device 1600 displays the message "Door Opening Error" as error display A, and also displays the message "Game Limit Reached" as current status display B, indicating that the game has already entered a stop-play state and is restricted (that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value).

As described above, if a minor anomaly is detected while the machine is in a stopped-play state, the display device 1600 will display not only error display A but also current status display B, indicating that the machine has already entered a stopped-play state and is restricting gameplay (that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value). At this point, restarting the power will resolve the detection of the minor anomaly. However, restarting the power using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the restriction clear pattern table 4 maintains the restriction on gameplay during the stopped-play state, while restarting using power-on patterns 2 and 3 clears the restriction on gameplay during the stopped-play state. In this example, the hall manager can understand that the machine has already entered a stopped-play state and is restricting gameplay, and then decide which power-on pattern is appropriate to restart the power.

In this example, only the display device 1600 is used to perform abnormality notification, and other components are prioritized to perform actions when the game is unable to proceed. This allows for easy understanding that even if a minor abnormality is detected during a game-stop state, the game has already entered a game-stop state and gameplay is restricted.

Furthermore, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the stop-play state, or if a major abnormality occurs (as described later), the current status display B is executed. However, this current status display B will not terminate even if the amount of balls dispensed changes afterward. Additionally, the current status display B can be cleared, for example, after a predetermined time has elapsed until error display A terminates, or through administrator operation that resolves the abnormality. This prevents the current status display B from being displayed unnecessarily.

Furthermore, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the stop-play state, or if a major abnormality (described later) occurs, the display device 1600 executes the current status display B. However, if a frequently occurring operational abnormality (error) occurs, such as the upper tray becoming full in a conventional type of gaming machine (a gaming machine that dispenses prize balls as actual balls outside the machine), the display device 1600 does not execute the current status display B. This prevents the current status display B from being displayed frequently.

Furthermore, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the stop-down state, or if a severe abnormality occurs (as described later), the performance display device 1600 executes the current status display B. However, even if a RAM error occurs, for example, it is treated as a severe abnormality, and the performance display device 1600 executes the current status display B. However, if a RAM error occurs, the memory related to the stop-down state itself may be abnormal, so the performance display device 1600 may choose not to execute the current status display B.

Furthermore, regarding the speaker, after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1, it executes an action for when the game cannot proceed, outputting a sound indicating that the daily payout limit has been reached and gameplay is restricted. However, this sound indicating that the game cannot proceed may be terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed since its start. This prevents the sound indicating that the game cannot proceed from continuing to be output after the game has entered a state where play has stopped, thus preventing interference with other players playing on other pachinko machines 1.

Furthermore, the external terminal board is forced to output a security signal from timing t1, when the machine transitions to the stop-down state. However, if a minor anomaly is detected at timing tx, the system does not terminate the currently outputting security signal and output a new one; instead, it continues to output the security signal. This prevents the hall staff from mistakenly believing that the machine has stopped.

Furthermore, in this example, the abnormality notification is initiated at timing ty, but terminates after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed. In other words, the display device 1600 returns to its operation as it was when the system was unable to proceed. However, if a minor abnormality, such as the closing of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, is detected to have been resolved before the predetermined period has elapsed, the abnormality notification will terminate at that point.

Next, after transitioning to the stop-down state, the power is shut off at timing t2, and then restored at timing t3. In this example, when the power is restored, the limit clear pattern table 4 is used as the limit clear pattern table.

First, at timing t3, the power is restored. We will now explain the case where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the payout amount and the stop-play state. When power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized). This includes clearing (initializing) the payout amount before and after the stop-play state began, as well as the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state. Therefore, regardless of whether power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected, the system is controlled to a normal state (not in a stop-play state) by clearing the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state. In other words, it becomes possible to resume gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310. The behavior in the normal state (not in a stop-play state) is as described above.

The display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 2 at timing t3. For example, the display device 1600 displays a predetermined combination of decorative patterns as its initial display, and also displays the message "Limit cleared" as clear notification 2 to indicate that the payout amount and play limit have been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount and play limit have been cleared when the power is restored. However, regarding clear notification 2, if the play limit is not reached when the power is cut off, it is not necessary to notify that the play limit has been cleared, or it may be necessary to notify that the payout amount has been cleared, or the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Furthermore, at timing t3, lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 2, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing in red.

Furthermore, at timing t3, the speaker outputs a voice message, "Limit cleared," as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and the limit have been cleared.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 2 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their normal operation. However, the normal operation may be started before the clear notification 2 is terminated. Also, the clear notification 2 displayed on the display device 1600 may continue to be displayed even after the predetermined period has elapsed. Furthermore, it may be possible to erase such a clear notification 2 through administrator operation. This makes it more difficult to perform fraudulent acts, as the clear notification 2 will remain displayed unless erased by administrator operation.

Next, we will explain the case where the power is restored at timing t3', specifically when power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which clear the payout amount but maintain the stop-play state. When power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, the game state at the time of power cut-off is maintained. However, the payout amount before and after the stop-play state began is cleared (initialized), while the restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state is maintained. Therefore, regardless of whether power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected, the behavior of the stop-play state is maintained by maintaining the restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state. In other words, it becomes impossible to restart gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. The behavior of the stop-play state is as described above.

The display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 1 at timing t3'. For example, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount cleared" as clear notification 1 to indicate that the payout amount has been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount has been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, clear notification 1 may also notify that the stop-play state was maintained when the power was cut off, or it may not only notify that the payout amount has been cleared, but also the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Furthermore, at timing t3', lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 1, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing in green.

Furthermore, at timing t3', the speaker outputs a voice message indicating that the payout amount has been cleared, as a clear notification 1.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 1 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their operation when the game is unable to proceed. However, the operation when the game is unable to proceed may be started before the clear notification 1 is terminated.

Specifically, the display device 1600 displays the message "Game Restriction in Progress" as a notification of an inability to proceed (indication of inability to proceed). In addition, the display device 1600 displays the message "A RAM reset will return the machine to normal state" as a notification of how to clear the state (indication of how to clear the state), intended for hall managers. This allows hall managers to understand that the state cannot be cleared unless power-on patterns 2 or 3, which involve a RAM reset, are selected when the power is turned back on.

Furthermore, regarding the speaker, when the system performs an action to indicate that the game has become unplayable, it outputs a voice message as a notification of unplayable state (a sound indicating that the game has become unplayable): "You have reached the daily payout limit, and gameplay is restricted." However, as mentioned above, while this unplayable sound may end after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since its start, even if the unplayable sound is stopped during the unplayable state, if the power is turned back on at timing t3', the unplayable sound may be output again. In this case, the unplayable sound will end after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t3'. This allows the player to easily understand that the unplayable state has not been cleared and gameplay is restricted, as the unplayable sound is output again upon power-on.

In this example, if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected when the power is turned on again, the payout amount is cleared, but the stop-play state is maintained. Therefore, the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification are executed after the clear notification 1 is completed, and clear notification 1 is executed with priority over the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount has been cleared when the power is turned on again. Alternatively, the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification may be executed in parallel with clear notification 1, or they may be executed alternately. Furthermore, when the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification are executed in parallel with clear notification 1, clear notification 1 may be executed in some of the components and the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification in the remaining components, or even in the same component, clear notification 1 may be executed in some areas and the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification in the remaining areas. Furthermore, even when the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification are executed in parallel with clear notification 1, clear notification 1 may be terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. Furthermore, the notification of how to clear the system may also be terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds).

Figure 132 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a severe malfunction occurs during normal operation.

First, prior to the timing tx for detecting a severe anomaly, the system is controlled to a normal state (not in a stopped state). The behavior in the normal state (not in a stopped state) is as described above.

This section explains what happens when a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx during normal operation (not in a stopped state). When a severe abnormality is detected, the launch of game balls is disabled, and the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 cannot proceed. In other words, if a severe abnormality occurs, the special symbol variation display and jackpot game will not be executed. Even if a starting prize is won, the special symbol variation display will not begin anew.

Furthermore, if a severe abnormality is detected, an abnormality notification is executed to inform an external party of the occurrence of the abnormality. The display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, movable parts, and external terminal board perform the appropriate actions when an error occurs as part of the abnormality notification.

Specifically, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute error-handling actions at timing tx. For example, if a severe abnormality such as magnetism is detected, the display device 1600 displays the message "Magnetic Abnormality" as error display B, and also displays the message "Remaining +XX balls until game limit is reached" as current status display A, indicating the remaining amount of balls until gameplay is restricted (the remaining amount of balls until gameplay reaches a specific value).

As described above, if a severe abnormality is detected during normal operation (not in a stopped state), the display device 1600 displays not only error display B but also current status display A, showing the remaining amount of balls until gameplay is restricted (the remaining amount of balls until the total amount of balls reaches a specific value). At this time, if the power is cut off, the detection of a severe abnormality is resolved, but when the power is restarted using power-on patterns 1-4 in the restriction clear pattern table 4, the amount of balls is cleared. In this example, however, the hall manager can determine whether it is safe to restart the power after understanding the remaining amount of balls until gameplay is restricted.

Furthermore, before transitioning to the stop-play state, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some components, such as the performance display device 1600, to enable pre-notification operations in order to notify the player that the amount of balls dispensed is approaching a specific value. Specifically, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Remaining until play limit is +XX balls" as a pre-notification display in a specific display area. This specific display area is set as part of the display area of the performance display device 1600 and is used to display when the amount of balls dispensed is approaching a specific value. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the game state so that the hall manager does not overlook it. If a serious abnormality is detected while such a pre-notification display is being executed, the performance display device 1600 may also display the current status display A, using the same data as the pre-notification display. Furthermore, when using the pre-notification display to show current status display A, it is configured to be displayed on a higher (front) layer than the layers displaying other visual effects. In this example, current status display A is displayed as the top layer, and the display is controlled to ensure that it can be reliably and continuously recognized during the execution of anomaly notification. This prevents current status display A from becoming unrecognizable.

Furthermore, at timing tx, lamps A and B are designed to illuminate or blink in a single color as an error signal.

Furthermore, Lamp C includes a function display unit 1400 equipped with a status indicator, a normal symbol indicator, a normal hold indicator, a first special symbol indicator, a first special hold count indicator, a second special symbol indicator, a second special hold count indicator, a round indicator, etc., and all of these LEDs are configured to light up. However, as an alternative, the function display unit 1400 may be equipped with an LED dedicated to abnormality notification, and if a severe abnormality is detected, this abnormality notification LED may be illuminated while the other LEDs are turned off.

Furthermore, the speaker is configured to emit an error sound stating, "A magnetic anomaly has occurred."

Furthermore, movable parts are rendered inoperable at timing tx. For example, if a movable part is in motion at timing tx, it is forcibly stopped mid-movement. However, as an alternative, movable parts may be returned to their initial position after timing tx if they are not in their initial position, and then stopped. This ensures that even if a movable part is positioned in front of the display area of the display device 1600 at timing tx, it will return to its initial position after timing tx, making it less likely to miss error display B or current status display A displayed on the display device 1600.

Furthermore, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at timing TX. This means that if a severe anomaly is detected, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand that a severe anomaly has occurred.

Furthermore, if a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx, the system prevents the game ball from being launched into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 160.

Furthermore, if a severe anomaly is detected at timing tx, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are dispensed as prize balls (number of balls dispensed) are not included in the count. In other words, calculations regarding the ratio of dispensed balls to entered balls are disabled, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor. However, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) may be included in the count, and calculations regarding the ratio of dispensed balls to entered balls may be performed to reflect this in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, if a severe anomaly is detected at timing TX, any balls that entered the prize slot before timing TX will be dispensed as prize balls, and the number of prize balls dispensed will be added to the player's ball count. This allows the player to receive prize balls up to the number of balls played until the total payout reaches a specific value. On the other hand, if a ball is detected entering the prize slot after a severe anomaly has been detected at timing TX, no prize balls will be dispensed, nor will they be added to the player's ball count. However, if a severe anomaly is detected at timing TX, the system may be configured not to detect balls entering the prize slot. Similarly, even if a ball enters the prize slot, no prize balls will be dispensed, nor will they be added to the player's ball count.

Furthermore, if a severe anomaly is detected at timing tx, the system executes the error-specific action as an anomaly notification. However, if another severe anomaly is detected at timing ty, the system continues executing the error-specific action without changing it. However, it is also possible to configure the system so that no further severe anomalies are detected after a severe anomaly has been detected at timing tx.

Furthermore, in this example, although the abnormality notification starts at timing TX, it does not terminate even after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed. Therefore, in the event of a severe abnormality, the hall manager must terminate the abnormality notification by shutting off the power, and then restart the game by restoring power.

Next, after detecting a severe anomaly during normal operation (not in a stopped state), the power supply is shut off at timing t2 to terminate the anomaly notification, and then the power is restored at timing t3. In this example, the limit clear pattern table 4 is used as the limit clear pattern table when the power is restored.

First, at timing t3, the power is restored. We will now explain the case where power restoration patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the payout amount and the stop-play state. When power restoration patterns 2 and 3 are selected, the game state at the time of power interruption is cleared (initialized). This includes clearing (initializing) the payout amount before and after the stop-play state begins, as well as the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state. In this example, since the game is not in a stop-play state at the time of power interruption at timing t2, when the power is restored at timing t3, regardless of whether power restoration patterns 2 and 3 are selected, the system is controlled to a normal state (not in a stop-play state). In other words, it is possible to resume gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310. The behavior in the normal state (not in a stop-play state) is as described above.

The display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 2 at timing t3. For example, the display device 1600 displays a predetermined combination of decorative patterns as its initial display, and also displays the message "Limit cleared" as clear notification 2 to indicate that the payout amount and the stop-play state have been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount and the stop-play state have been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, regarding clear notification 2, since the stop-play state is not cleared when the power is cut off, it is not necessary to notify that the stop-play state has been cleared, or it may be necessary to notify that the payout amount has been cleared, or the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Furthermore, at timing t3, lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 2, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing in red.

Furthermore, at timing t3, the speaker outputs a voice message, "Limit cleared," as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and the limit have been cleared.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 2 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their normal operation. However, the normal operation may be started before the clear notification 2 is terminated. Also, the clear notification 2 displayed on the display device 1600 may continue to be displayed even after the predetermined period has elapsed. Furthermore, it may be possible to erase such a clear notification 2 through administrator operation. This makes it more difficult to perform fraudulent acts, as the clear notification 2 will remain displayed unless erased by administrator operation.

Next, we will explain the case where, at timing t3', the power is restored, and power restoration patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which clear the payout amount but maintain the stop-play state. When power restoration patterns 1 and 4 are selected, the game state at the time of power cut-off is maintained, but the payout amount before and after the stop-play state began is cleared (initialized), while the restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state is maintained. In this example, since the game was not in a stop-play state when the power was cut off at timing t2, when the power is restored at timing t3, regardless of whether power restoration patterns 1 and 4 are selected, the system is controlled to a normal state (not in a stop-play state). In other words, it is possible to resume gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310. The behavior in the normal state (not in a stop-play state) is as described above.

The display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 1 at timing t3'. For example, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount cleared" as clear notification 1 to indicate that the payout amount has been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount has been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, clear notification 1 may also notify that the stop-play state was maintained when the power was cut off, or it may not only notify that the payout amount has been cleared, but also the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Furthermore, at timing t3', lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 1, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing in green.

Furthermore, at timing t3', the speaker outputs a voice message indicating that the payout amount has been cleared, as a clear notification 1.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 1 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. In other words, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their normal operation. However, the normal operation may be started before the clear notification 1 terminates.

Figure 133 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a severe malfunction occurs while it is in a stopped-play state.

First, the system is controlled to a shutdown state before the timing tx, which is used to detect severe abnormalities. The behavior of the shutdown state is as described above.

This section describes the case where a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx while the game is in a stopped state. When a severe abnormality is detected, an abnormality notification is executed to inform an external party of the occurrence of the abnormality. The display device 1600 performs the error-specific actions as an abnormality notification. However, other than executing the abnormality notification, such as disabling gameplay, the behavior remains unchanged from the state before timing tx when a severe abnormality was not detected, and the stopped state behavior is maintained.

Specifically, the display device 1600 executes the error handling operation at timing tx. For example, if a severe anomaly is detected, such as magnetism, the display device 1600 displays the message "Magnetic Anomaly" as error display B, and also displays the message "Game Limit Reached" as current status display B, indicating that the game has already entered a stop-play state and is restricted (that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value).

As described above, if a severe abnormality is detected while the machine is in a stopped-play state, the display device 1600 will display not only error display B but also current status display B, indicating that the machine has already entered a stopped-play state and gameplay is restricted (that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value). At this point, restarting the power will resolve the detection of the severe abnormality. However, when the power is restarted using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the restriction clear pattern table 4, the restriction on gameplay during the stopped-play state is maintained, while when the power is restarted using power-on patterns 2 and 3, the restriction on gameplay during the stopped-play state is cleared. In this example, the hall manager can understand that the machine has already entered a stopped-play state and gameplay is restricted, and then decide which power-on pattern is appropriate to restart the power.

Furthermore, in this example, only the display device 1600 is used to perform abnormality notification, and other components are prioritized to perform actions when the game is unable to proceed. This allows for easy understanding that even if a severe abnormality is detected during a game-stop state, the game has already entered a game-stop state and gameplay is restricted.

Furthermore, the external terminal board is forced to output a security signal from timing t1, when the machine transitions to the stop-down state. However, if a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx, the system does not terminate the currently outputting security signal or output a new one; instead, it continues to output the security signal. This prevents the hall staff from mistakenly believing that the machine has stopped.

Furthermore, in this example, although the abnormality notification starts at timing TX, it does not terminate even after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed. Therefore, in the event of a severe abnormality, the hall manager must terminate the abnormality notification by shutting off the power, and then restart the game by restoring power.

Next, after detecting a severe anomaly while the system is in a stopped state, the power is shut off at timing t2 to terminate the anomaly notification, and then the power is restored at timing t3. In this example, when the power is restored, the restriction clear pattern table 4 is used as the restriction clear pattern table.

First, at timing t3, the power is restored. We will now explain the case where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the payout amount and the stop-play state. When power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized). This includes clearing (initializing) the payout amount before and after the stop-play state began, as well as the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state. Therefore, regardless of whether power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected, the system is controlled to a normal state (not in a stop-play state) by clearing the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state. In other words, it becomes possible to resume gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310. The behavior in the normal state (not in a stop-play state) is as described above.

The display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 2 at timing t3. For example, the display device 1600 displays a predetermined combination of decorative patterns as its initial display, and also displays the message "Limit cleared" as clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and play limit have been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount and play limit have been cleared when the power is restored. However, regarding clear notification 2, if the play limit is not reached when the power is cut off, it is not necessary to notify that the play limit has been cleared, or it may be necessary to notify that the payout amount has been cleared, or the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Furthermore, at timing t3, lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 2, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing in red.

Furthermore, at timing t3, the speaker outputs a voice message, "Limit cleared," as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and the limit have been cleared.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 2 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their normal operation. However, the clear notification 2 displayed on the display device 1600 may continue to be displayed even after the predetermined period has elapsed. Also, such a clear notification 2 may be made available for deletion by an administrator. This makes it more difficult to perform fraudulent acts, as the clear notification 2 will remain displayed unless deleted by an administrator.

Next, we will explain the case where the power is restored at timing t3', specifically when power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which clear the payout amount but maintain the stop-play state. When power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, the game state at the time of power cut-off is maintained. However, the payout amount before and after the stop-play state began is cleared (initialized), while the restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state is maintained. Therefore, regardless of whether power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected, the behavior of the stop-play state is maintained by maintaining the restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state. In other words, it becomes impossible to restart gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. The behavior of the stop-play state is as described above.

The display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 1 at timing t3'. For example, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount cleared" as clear notification 1 to indicate that the payout amount has been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount has been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, clear notification 1 may also notify that the stop-play state was maintained when the power was cut off, or it may not only notify that the payout amount has been cleared, but also the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Furthermore, at timing t3', lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 1, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing in green.

Furthermore, at timing t3', the speaker outputs a voice message indicating that the payout amount has been cleared, as a clear notification 1.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 1 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their operation when the game is unable to proceed. However, the operation when the game is unable to proceed may be started before the clear notification 1 is terminated.

Specifically, the display device 1600 displays the message "Game Restriction in Progress" as a notification of an inability to proceed (indication of inability to proceed). In addition, the display device 1600 displays the message "A RAM reset will return the machine to normal state" as a notification of how to clear the state (indication of how to clear the state), intended for hall managers. This allows hall managers to understand that the state cannot be cleared unless power-on patterns 2 or 3, which involve a RAM reset, are selected when the power is turned back on.

Furthermore, regarding the speaker, when the system performs an action to indicate that the game has become unplayable, it outputs a voice message as a notification of unplayable state (a sound indicating that the game has become unplayable): "You have reached the daily payout limit, and gameplay is restricted." However, as mentioned above, while this unplayable sound may end after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since its start, even if the unplayable sound is stopped during the unplayable state, if the power is turned back on at timing t3', the unplayable sound may be output again. In this case, the unplayable sound will end after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t3'. This allows the player to easily understand that the unplayable state has not been cleared and gameplay is restricted, as the unplayable sound is output again upon power-on.

In this example, when power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected upon power-on restart, the payout amount is cleared, but the stop-play state is maintained. Therefore, after clear notification 1 is completed, the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification are executed, with clear notification 1 taking priority over the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount has been cleared upon power-on restart. Alternatively, clear notification 1 may be executed in parallel with the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification, or they may be executed alternately. Furthermore, when executing clear notification 1 in parallel with the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification, clear notification 1 may be executed in some of the components while the remaining components execute the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification. Even within the same component, clear notification 1 may be executed in some areas while the remaining areas execute the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification. Even when executing clear notification 1 in parallel with the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification, clear notification 1 may be terminated after a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds).

(If a stop-loss preparation state is set: Notification regarding the amount of balls dispensed when an abnormality is detected during the stop-loss preparation state)
In the above configuration, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the main control board 1310 puts the game into a stop-play state to restrict gameplay. However, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game, the game may be configured not to put the game into a stop-play state until the jackpot game ends, but rather to transition to the stop-play state when the jackpot game ends. For example, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during an intermediate round of a jackpot game, the game may not immediately put the game into a stop-play state, but rather transition to the stop-play state when the final round of the jackpot game ends. In other words, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game, it is possible to obtain balls that exceed the specific value. In this way, by not ending the jackpot game when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game, player dissatisfaction can be reduced.

In this example, when the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop-play preparation state. Although the transition to the stop-play state is confirmed, the jackpot game continues. Furthermore, similar to the stop-play state, the system is configured to either maintain or clear the stop-play preparation state upon power re-energization after a power outage.

Specifically, in the restriction clear pattern table 4, when the power is turned on, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" is cleared (initialized) only if the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3, but the stop-play preparation state is also cleared (initialized). On the other hand, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power-off is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" is maintained, but the stop-play preparation state is also maintained. In other words, regarding the stop-play preparation state, just like the stop-play state, it is possible to choose whether to maintain or clear it when the power is turned on again after a power-off. For example, if the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value and a stop-play preparation state occurs, and you want to clear that stop-play preparation state, you should perform a power-on operation to clear the stop-play preparation state after the power is turned off, but such a power-on operation will clear the jackpot game that was in progress. On the other hand, if you want to maintain the stop-play preparation state, you can perform the power-on operation to maintain the stop-play preparation state after the power is cut off. However, this power-on operation will restart any ongoing jackpot game. Note that if power-on pattern 5 is selected at power-on, only the ball removal process described above will be executed, and the game will not start; therefore, the stop-play preparation state will not be cleared (initialized) and will be maintained.

Figure 134 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a minor abnormality occurs during the preparation state for stopping play.

First, at timing t1 during a jackpot game, the system determines that the amount of balls dispensed based on balls entering the winning slot reaches a specific value. When the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering that slot, it turns on the stop flag and transitions to the stop preparation state. Prior to timing t1, when transitioning to the stop preparation state, the system is controlled to the normal state (not the stop state), and the jackpot game is executed. The behavior in the normal state (not the stop state) is as described above.

Furthermore, in the stop-and-go preparation state, the ongoing jackpot game continues. Also, in the stop-and-go preparation state, after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1, the display device 1600 is used to perform a standby notification to inform the external system that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value. For example, in addition to displaying information about the ongoing jackpot game (normal display), the display device 1600 also displays a standby message indicating that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value, such as "The jackpot is over, and today's game is finished." In this way, the stop-and-go preparation state provides advance notice that the game will transition to the stop-and-go state when the jackpot game ends.

On the other hand, aspects other than the execution of the standby notification, such as the progress of the jackpot game, remain unchanged from the situation before timing t1, and maintain the behavior of the normal state (not in a stopped state).

In this example, the standby notification is performed using only the performance display device 1600, and other components are prioritized for normal operation. This allows for easy acquisition of information regarding the ongoing jackpot game during the stop-play preparation state.

Next, we will explain the case where a minor abnormality is detected at timing tx during the stop-play preparation state. When a minor abnormality is detected, an abnormality notification is executed to inform the external system of the occurrence of the abnormality. The display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), speaker, and external terminal board perform the error-specific actions as an abnormality notification. On the other hand, aspects other than the execution of the abnormality notification, such as the progress of the jackpot game, remain unchanged from the state before timing tx when no minor abnormality was detected, and maintain the behavior of the normal state (not in the stop-play state).

Specifically, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute error-handling actions at timing tx. For example, if a minor anomaly is detected, such as the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the display device 1600 will display the message "Door Opening Error" as error display A, and also display the message "Big Win Ended, Today's Game Over" as current status display C, indicating that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value.

As described above, if a minor anomaly is detected during the stop-play preparation state, the display device 1600 displays not only error display A but also current status display C, indicating that the payout amount has already reached a specific value. At this point, if the power is cut off, the detection of the minor anomaly is resolved. However, when the power is restarted using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the limit clear pattern table 4, the stop-play preparation state is maintained, while restarting the power using power-on patterns 2 and 3 clears the stop-play preparation state. In this example, the hall manager can determine which power-on pattern is appropriate to restart the power after understanding that the payout amount has already reached a specific value and the machine has entered the stop-play preparation state.

Furthermore, during the stop-loss preparation state, the performance display device 1600 displays a message, "The jackpot is over, and today's game is finished," as a standby display, indicating that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. However, if a minor abnormality is detected during this stop-loss preparation state, the performance display device 1600 may reuse the same data as the standby display to display the current status display C. When using the standby display to display the current status display C, the current status display C is displayed as the highest layer, and the display is controlled to ensure continuous recognition during the execution of abnormality notification. This prevents the current status display C from becoming unrecognizable.

Furthermore, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the stop-play preparation state, or if a major abnormality occurs (as described later), the current status display C is executed. However, this current status display C will not terminate even if the amount of balls dispensed changes afterward. Also, the current status display C can be cleared, for example, after a predetermined time has elapsed until error display A terminates, or through administrator operation that resolves the abnormality. This prevents the current status display C from being displayed unnecessarily.

Furthermore, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the preparation state for stopping play, or if a major abnormality (described later) occurs, the display device 1600 executes the current status display C. However, if a frequently occurring operational abnormality (error) occurs, such as the upper tray becoming full in a conventional type of gaming machine (a gaming machine that dispenses prize balls as actual balls outside the machine), the display device 1600 does not execute the current status display C. This prevents the current status display C from being displayed frequently.

Furthermore, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the stop-down preparation state, or if a severe abnormality (described later) occurs, the performance display device 1600 executes the current status display C. However, even if a RAM error occurs, for example, it is treated as a severe abnormality, and the performance display device 1600 executes the current status display C. However, if a RAM error occurs, the memory related to the stop-down preparation state itself may be abnormal, so the performance display device 1600 may choose not to execute the current status display C.

Furthermore, at timing tx, lamps A and B illuminate or flash in a single color as an error signal, and the speaker outputs an error sound stating, "Door open error."

Furthermore, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at timing TX. This allows the hall computer to receive a security signal if a minor anomaly is detected, enabling the hall to understand that a minor anomaly has occurred.

Furthermore, in this example, the abnormality notification starts at timing tx, but ends after a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), speaker, and external terminal board are returned to normal operation. However, if a minor abnormality, such as the closing of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, is detected to have been resolved before the predetermined period has elapsed, the abnormality notification will end at that point.

Next, at timing tz, it is determined that the jackpot game has ended. However, after the jackpot game state ends, the system transitions to a "stopped play state" where restriction pattern 3 is applied, which involves both "stopping gameplay" and "stopping firing." The behavior of the stopped play state is as described above.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the power is shut off at timing t2, and then restarted at the subsequent timing t3. In this example, when the power is restarted, the limit clear pattern table 4 is used as the limit clear pattern table. Here, the power is restarted at timing t3, but the power restart patterns selected are power restart patterns 2 and 3, which clear the payout amount and the stop-play state; and the power is restarted at timing t3', but the power restart patterns selected are power restart patterns 1 and 4, which clear the payout amount but maintain the stop-play state. These behaviors are explained in Figure 131.

Figure 135 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a severe malfunction occurs during the preparation phase for stopping play.

First, prior to the timing tx where a severe anomaly is detected, the system is controlled to a stop-play preparation state, and the jackpot game is executed. The behavior of the stop-play preparation state is as described above.

This section describes the case where a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx during the stop-play preparation state. If a severe abnormality is detected, the launch of game balls is disabled, and the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 cannot proceed. In other words, if a severe abnormality occurs, the currently running jackpot game is stopped.

Furthermore, if a severe abnormality is detected, an abnormality notification is executed to inform an external party of the occurrence of the abnormality. The display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, movable parts, and external terminal board perform the appropriate actions when an error occurs as part of the abnormality notification.

Specifically, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame decoration members), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute error-handling actions at timing tx. For example, if a severe abnormality such as magnetism is detected, the display device 1600 displays the message "Magnetic abnormality" as error display B, and also displays the message "Big win ended, today's game is over" as current status display C, indicating that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value.

As described above, if a severe abnormality is detected during the stop-play preparation state, the display device 1600 displays not only error display A but also current status display C, indicating that the payout amount has already reached a specific value. At this point, if the power is cut off, the detection of the severe abnormality is resolved. However, when the power is restarted using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the limit clear pattern table 4, the stop-play preparation state is maintained, while restarting the power using power-on patterns 2 and 3 clears the stop-play preparation state. In this example, the hall manager can determine which power-on pattern is appropriate to restart the power after understanding that the payout amount has already reached a specific value and the machine has entered the stop-play preparation state.

Furthermore, during the stop-loss preparation state, the performance display device 1600 displays a message, "The jackpot is over, and today's game is finished," as a standby display, indicating that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. However, if a severe abnormality is detected during this stop-loss preparation state, the performance display device 1600 may reuse the same data as the standby display to display the current status display C. When using the standby display to display the current status display C, the current status display C is displayed as the highest layer, and the display is controlled to ensure continuous recognition during the execution of the abnormality notification. This prevents the current status display C from becoming unrecognizable.

Furthermore, at timing tx, lamps A and B are designed to illuminate or blink in a single color as an error signal.

Furthermore, Lamp C includes a function display unit 1400 equipped with a status indicator, a normal symbol indicator, a normal hold indicator, a first special symbol indicator, a first special hold count indicator, a second special symbol indicator, a second special hold count indicator, a round indicator, etc., and all of these LEDs are configured to light up. However, as an alternative, the function display unit 1400 may be equipped with an LED dedicated to abnormality notification, and if a severe abnormality is detected, this abnormality notification LED may be illuminated while the other LEDs are turned off.

Furthermore, the speaker is configured to emit an error sound stating, "A magnetic anomaly has occurred."

Furthermore, movable parts are rendered inoperable at timing tx. For example, if a movable part is in motion at timing tx, it is forcibly stopped mid-movement. However, as an alternative, movable parts may be returned to their initial position after timing tx if they are not in their initial position, and then stopped. This ensures that even if a movable part is positioned in front of the display area of the display device 1600 at timing tx, it will return to its initial position after timing tx, making it less likely to miss the error display B or current status display C being displayed on the display device 1600.

Furthermore, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at timing TX. This allows the hall computer to receive a security signal if a severe anomaly is detected, enabling the hall to understand that a severe anomaly has occurred.

Furthermore, if a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx, the system prevents the game ball from being launched into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 160.

Furthermore, if a severe anomaly is detected at timing tx, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are dispensed as prize balls (number of balls dispensed) are not included in the count. In other words, calculations regarding the ratio of dispensed balls to entered balls are disabled, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor. However, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) may be included in the count, and calculations regarding the ratio of dispensed balls to entered balls may be performed to reflect this in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, if a severe anomaly is detected at timing TX, any balls that entered the prize slot before timing TX will be dispensed as prize balls, and the number of prize balls dispensed will be added to the player's ball count. This allows the player to receive prize balls up to the number of balls played until the total payout reaches a specific value. On the other hand, if a ball is detected entering the prize slot after a severe anomaly has been detected at timing TX, no prize balls will be dispensed, nor will they be added to the player's ball count. However, if a severe anomaly is detected at timing TX, the system may be configured not to detect balls entering the prize slot. Similarly, even if a ball enters the prize slot, no prize balls will be dispensed, nor will they be added to the player's ball count.

Furthermore, in this example, although the abnormality notification starts at timing TX, it does not terminate even after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed. Therefore, in the event of a severe abnormality, the hall manager must terminate the abnormality notification by shutting off the power, and then restart the game by restoring power.

Next, after detecting a severe anomaly during the shutdown preparation state, the power is shut off at timing t2 to terminate the anomaly notification, and then the power is restored at timing t3. In this example, the limit clear pattern table 4 is used as the limit clear pattern table when the power is restored.

First, at timing t3, the power is restored. We will now explain the case where power restoration patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the payout amount and the stop-play state. When power restoration patterns 2 and 3 are selected, the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized), thus clearing information related to the ongoing jackpot game. Furthermore, the "payout amount before and after the start of the stop-play state" and "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are cleared (initialized), as is the stop-play preparation state. Therefore, regardless of whether power restoration pattern 2 or 3 is selected, the system is controlled to a normal state (not in a stop-play state) by clearing the stop-play preparation state. In other words, it is possible to resume gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310. However, the ongoing jackpot game will not be resumed. The behavior in the normal state (not in a stop-play state) is as described above.

The performance display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 2 at timing t3. For example, the performance display device 1600 displays a predetermined combination of decorative patterns as its initial display, and also displays the message "Limit cleared" as clear notification 2 to indicate that the payout amount and the stop-play preparation state have been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount and the stop-play preparation state have been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, regarding clear notification 2, if the machine is not in the stop-play preparation state when the power is cut off, it is not necessary to notify that the stop-play preparation state has been cleared, or it may be necessary to notify that the payout amount has been cleared, or the payout amount at the time of clearing. Also, regarding clear notification 2, a common notification is executed when the stop-play state is cleared and when the stop-play preparation state is cleared, but different notifications may be executed.

Furthermore, at timing t3, lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 2, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing in red.

Furthermore, at timing t3, the speaker outputs a voice message, "Limit cleared," as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and the stop-play preparation state have been cleared.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 2 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their normal operation. However, the normal operation may be started before the clear notification 2 is terminated. Also, the clear notification 2 displayed on the display device 1600 may continue to be displayed even after the predetermined period has elapsed. Furthermore, it may be possible to erase such a clear notification 2 through administrator operation. This makes it more difficult to perform fraudulent acts, as the clear notification 2 will remain displayed unless erased by administrator operation.

Next, we will explain the case where the power is restored at timing t3', specifically when power restoration patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which clear the payout amount but maintain the stop-play state. When power restoration patterns 1 and 4 are selected, the game state at the time of the power cut is maintained, thus preserving information about the ongoing jackpot game. Furthermore, the payout amount before and after the start of the stop-play state is cleared (initialized), while the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state are maintained, as is the stop-play preparation state. Therefore, regardless of whether power restoration pattern 1 or 4 is selected, the stop-play preparation state is maintained. In other words, in the stop-play preparation state, the ongoing jackpot game will resume. The behavior of the stop-play preparation state is as described above.

The display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 1 at timing t3'. For example, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount cleared" as clear notification 1 to indicate that the payout amount has been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount has been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, clear notification 1 may also notify that the stop-play state was maintained when the power was cut off, or it may not only notify that the payout amount has been cleared, but also the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Furthermore, at timing t3', lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 1, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing in green.

Furthermore, at timing t3', the speaker outputs a voice message indicating that the payout amount has been cleared, as a clear notification 1.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 1 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. In other words, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their normal operation. However, the normal operation may be started before the clear notification 1 terminates.

Specifically, the display device 1600 displays information about the resumed jackpot game (normal display), and also displays a standby message, "The jackpot is over for today," indicating that the payout has reached a specific value. In addition, the display device 1600 displays a message for hall managers indicating how to clear the stop-play preparation state, stating, "A RAM clear will return it to the normal state." This allows hall managers to understand that the stop-play preparation state cannot be cleared unless power-on patterns 2 and 3, which involve a RAM clear, are selected when the power is turned on again. However, the notification of the clear method may be executed after waiting for the machine to transition from the stop-play preparation state to the stop-play state.

In this example, if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected when the power is restarted, the display device 1600 displays the normal display (display related to the resumed jackpot game) or the standby display after the clear notification 1 has finished. However, the normal display and standby display may be executed in parallel with the clear notification 1. This prevents the player from missing out on winnings when the jackpot game resumes.

Furthermore, in this example, since the payout amount is cleared but the stop-play preparation state is maintained, the standby display notification and clear method notification are executed after the clear notification 1 is completed, and clear notification 1 is executed with priority over the standby display notification and clear method notification. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount has been cleared when the power is turned back on. Alternatively, the standby display notification and clear method notification may be executed in parallel with clear notification 1, or the clear notification 1 and the standby display notification and clear method notification may be executed alternately. Also, when the standby display notification and clear method notification are executed in parallel with clear notification 1, clear notification 1 may be executed in some of the components and the standby display notification and clear method notification in the remaining components, or even in the same component, clear notification 1 may be executed in some areas and the standby display notification and clear method notification in the remaining areas. Furthermore, even when the standby display notification and clear method notification are executed in parallel with clear notification 1, clear notification 1 may be terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. Furthermore, the notification of how to clear the system may also be terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds).

Figure 136 shows specific examples of how the game plays when a minor anomaly occurs during normal or stopped-play states. In this example, the "specific value" is set to 100,000, and restriction pattern 3 is selected as the "restriction pattern." That is, when restriction pattern 3 is set, the game enters a stopped-play state with "game stop" and "shooting stop" when the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (100,000 balls).

As shown in Figure 136(A), the performance display device 1600 executes a variation performance (performance based on variation patterns) corresponding to the variation display of special symbols, and displays the variation of decorative symbols in the central area of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, the variation display of the second decorative symbol is displayed in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the lower left area of the performance display device 1600 displays a hold indicator for the number of special symbol variations that are waiting to be displayed when a game ball enters the first start slot 2003 or the second start slot 2004.

As shown in Figure 136(B), if a minor anomaly is detected during normal operation, such as the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the display of the decorative symbols continues. However, in the central area of the performance display device 1600, an error display A is shown, indicating that the main frame 4 is open: "Door open error. Please call an attendant." Furthermore, in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, a current status display A is shown, indicating the remaining amount of balls until the game is restricted (the remaining amount of balls until the total amount of balls reaches a specific value): "+42,000 balls remaining until game restriction." These error displays A and current status displays A are displayed on a higher layer than the game-related information displays such as decorative symbols. Also, the current status display A is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the game-related information displays or error displays A. This ensures that the remaining amount of balls until game restriction is reliably determined when a minor anomaly occurs.

As shown in Figure 136(C), when a predetermined error termination condition is met, such as the closing of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, the display device 1600 clears the error display A and the current status display A.

As shown in Figure 136(D), when the number of balls dispensed approaches a specific value, for example, when the number of balls remaining until the dispensed amount reaches the specific value becomes "+500 balls", the upper area of the display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message indicating "Remaining balls until game limit is reached +500 balls," as part of the pre-notification operation. Note that this pre-notification message is displayed in a position that does not overlap with game-related information displays such as decorative symbols.

As shown in Figure 136(E), when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game enters a stop-play state and restricts gameplay. The display device 1600 then displays an image corresponding to the stop-play state. The image corresponding to the stop-play state displays the message "Gameplay Restricted," along with the messages "Gameplay is restricted because the daily limit of 100,000 balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch 180 used to execute the settlement process. When the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the stop symbols of the decorative symbols, the stop symbols of the second decorative symbols, the hold indicator, and the pre-notification indicator. However, such game-related information is not displayed (made invisible) once the "Gameplay Restriction" message is displayed after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and the message is displayed on the darkened screen. This allows us to understand that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and that a restriction on gameplay has been imposed, and that the restriction cannot be lifted without intervention from the hall manager. Furthermore, it allows us to understand that the number of balls a player has can be settled by operating the counting button switch 180.

In the above description, before the payout reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the stop symbols of the decorative symbols, the stop symbols of the second decorative symbols, the hold indicator, and the pre-notification indicator. However, all such game-related information is made unreadable once the payout reaches the specific value. However, when the payout reaches the specific value, some of the game-related information may be made unreadable, while the rest remains readable. For example, the pre-notification indicator, which contains information about whether or not game restrictions will be imposed, may be made unreadable, while the stop symbols of the decorative symbols, the stop symbols of the second decorative symbols, and the hold indicator may remain readable. This allows for understanding the circumstances under which the payout reached the specific value, even after the payout has reached that value.

As shown in Figure 136(F), if a minor anomaly is detected during the stop-play state, such as the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the display of the decorative symbols continues. However, in the central area of the performance display device 1600, an error display A is shown, indicating that the main frame 4 is open, with the message "Door open error. Please call an attendant." In addition, in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, a current status display B is shown, indicating that the game has already entered the stop-play state and is restricted (that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value), with the message "Game restriction reached" displayed in a specific display area. This specific display area is set as part of the display area of the performance display device 1600 and is also used for the pre-notification display and current status display A mentioned above. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the game state so that hall managers do not overlook it. Furthermore, these error displays A and current status displays B are configured to be displayed on a higher (front) layer than the layer displaying other visual effects such as the image display corresponding to the stop-play state. In this example, error displays A and current status displays B are displayed as the top layer. Also, current status displays B are displayed in a position that does not overlap with the image display (message) corresponding to the stop-play state or error displays A. This ensures that, when a minor abnormality occurs, the player can reliably understand that gameplay is being restricted.

As shown in Figure 136(G), when a predetermined error termination condition is met, such as the closing of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, the display device 1600 clears the error display A and the current status display B.

In this example, for the predetermined clear conditions to be met for the end of the stop-play state to be satisfied, the power must be turned on again after the power is cut off using a predetermined power-on pattern. Here, we will explain the cases where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the game state at the time of power cut off, and clear the payout amount and the stop-play state, and where power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which maintain the game state at the time of power cut off, clear the payout amount, but maintain the stop-play state.

First, after transitioning to the stop-play state, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the game state at the time of power-off, the payout amount, and the stop-play state when power is turned back on after a power-off, the stop-play state is cleared, and the restrictions on gameplay in the stop-play state are removed. In addition, information regarding the remaining fluctuation display and the reserve information at the time of interruption when transitioning to the stop-play state is retained after transitioning to the stop-play state or when power is turned off, but when power is turned back on after a power-off, such information regarding the remaining fluctuation display and the reserve information at the time of interruption is cleared, so that the game starts in a low probability state with no reserves. For this reason, as shown in Figure 136 (H-1), the performance display device 1600 displays an initial image with no reserve display and the decorative symbols stopped at the initial symbols. Also, in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, a message "Restrictions cleared" is displayed as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and stop-play state have been cleared. This Clear Notification 2 is displayed on a higher layer than the display of game-related information such as decorative patterns, and is positioned so as not to overlap with the game-related information display. This ensures that, upon restarting the power, it is reliably confirmed that the payout amount and the game-stop status have been cleared.

On the other hand, if, after transitioning to the stop-play state, power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected—which maintain the game state at the time of power-off and clear the payout amount while maintaining the stop-play state—the restriction on gameplay due to the stop-play state is not lifted. Therefore, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount cleared" as a clear notification 1, indicating that the payout amount has been cleared, and then displays the image shown in Figure 136 (H-2) again. Furthermore, in the upper area of the display device 1600, a message indicating the method for clearing the stop-play state is displayed for hall managers: "A RAM clear will return to the normal state." This clear method display is displayed on a higher layer than the image display corresponding to the stop-play state and is positioned so as not to overlap with the image display (message) corresponding to the stop-play state. This ensures that, at the time of power-on, it is reliably understood that a power-on with a RAM clear is necessary to lift the gameplay restriction.

Figure 137 shows specific examples of how the game plays when a severe malfunction occurs during normal or stopped-play states. In this example, the "specific value" is set to 100,000, and restriction pattern 3 is selected as the "restriction pattern." That is, when restriction pattern 3 is set, the game enters a stopped-play state with "game stop" and "shooting stop" when the payout reaches the specific value (100,000 balls).

First, we will explain what happens when a severe abnormality occurs during normal operation. As shown in Figure 137(A), the performance display device 1600 executes a variation performance (a performance based on a variation pattern) corresponding to the variation display of the special symbols, and displays the variation of the decorative symbols in the central area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the variation display of the second decorative symbol is displayed in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, in the lower left area of the performance display device 1600, a hold indicator is displayed for the number of special symbol variations that are waiting to be displayed when a game ball enters the first start slot 2003 or the second start slot 2004.

As shown in Figure 137(B), if a severe anomaly, such as magnetic field detection, is detected during normal operation, an error state occurs where the display of the decorative symbols stops and gameplay becomes impossible. The display device 1600 displays the message "Magnetic Anomaly" as error display B, indicating that magnetic field has been detected, along with the messages "Please call an attendant" and "Powering the device back on will restore functionality and reset restrictions." Furthermore, when magnetic field is detected, the display device 1600 displays the stopped symbols of the decorative symbols, the stopped symbols of the second decorative symbols, and the hold indicator. However, after detecting magnetic field and displaying the "Magnetic Anomaly" message, this game-related information is hidden (made invisible), and a message is displayed on the darkened screen. This allows the user to understand that an error state has occurred due to magnetic field detection. It also allows the user to understand that the error state will not be resolved without powering the device back on, and that game restrictions will be lifted upon powering the device back on.

Furthermore, in the upper area of the display device 1600, the message "Remaining +42,000 balls until gameplay is restricted" is displayed as the current status display A, indicating the remaining amount of balls until gameplay is restricted (the remaining amount of balls until the total amount of balls reaches a specific value). These error displays B and current status displays A are displayed on a higher layer than game-related information displays such as decorative symbols. Also, current status displays A are displayed in a position that does not overlap with error displays B (messages). This ensures that, when a severe abnormality is detected, the remaining amount of balls until gameplay is restricted can be reliably determined.

In this example, for the predetermined clear conditions to terminate the error state related to severe abnormalities to be met, it is necessary to restart the power after a power outage. Here, we will explain the cases where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the game state at the time of power outage and clear the payout amount and the stop-play state, and where power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which maintain the game state at the time of power outage, clear the payout amount, but maintain the stop-play state.

First, after an error occurs, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected when the power is turned back on after a power outage, the game state at the time of the power outage, the payout amount, and the stop-play state are cleared, making it possible to start the game. In addition, information regarding the remaining spin display and the hold information at the time of interruption when the error occurs is retained after the error occurs or when the power is turned off. However, when the power is turned back on after a power outage, this information regarding the remaining spin display and the hold information at the time of interruption is cleared, so that the game starts in a low probability state with no hold. For this reason, as shown in Figure 137 (C-1), the performance display device 1600 displays an initial image with no hold display and the decorative symbols stopped at the initial symbols. Also, in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, a clear notification 2 displays the message "Limit cleared" indicating that the payout amount and stop-play state have been cleared. This clear notification 2 is displayed on a higher layer than the game information display such as decorative symbols, and is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the game information display. However, in this example, since the game is not in a stop-play state when the error occurs, it is not necessary to display a clear notification 2 indicating that the stop-play state has been cleared. Alternatively, clear notification 2 could display a message indicating that the payout amount has been cleared, or the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Similarly, if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected after an error occurs and the power is turned back on after a power outage, the game state at the time of the power outage is maintained, the payout amount is cleared, and the game can be started. However, information regarding the remaining spin display and the hold information at the time of interruption when the error occurred is retained after the error occurred or when the power was turned off. Even when the power is turned back on after a power outage, this information regarding the remaining spin display and the hold information at the time of interruption is maintained, so that there are holds and the game resumes from the middle of the previous spin. For this reason, as shown in Figure 137 (C-2), the performance display device 1600 resumes the spin display of the decorative symbols and the spin display of the second decorative symbols. Also, in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, a message "Payout amount cleared" is displayed as a clear notification 1, indicating that the payout amount has been cleared. This clear notification 1 is displayed on a higher layer than the game-related information display such as decorative symbols, and is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the game-related information display. This ensures that the payout amount has been cleared upon power-on. In this example, the display of the decorative symbols and the second decorative symbols is resumed before the clear notification 1 ends; however, it may be possible to resume the display of the decorative symbols and the second decorative symbols after the clear notification 1 ends.

Next, we will explain what happens if a severe abnormality occurs during the stop-play state. As shown in Figure 137 (A'), when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the system transitions to a stop-play state and restricts gameplay. The display device 1600 then displays an image corresponding to the stop-play state. The image corresponding to the stop-play state displays the message "Gameplay Restricted," along with the messages: "Gameplay is restricted because the daily ball limit of 100,000 has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch 180 used to execute the settlement process. Furthermore, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the stop symbols of the decorative symbols, the stop symbols of the second decorative symbols, the hold indicator, and the pre-notification indicator. However, such game-related information is hidden (made invisible) once the "Gameplay Restriction" message is displayed after the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, and the message is displayed on a darkened screen.

As shown in Figure 137(B'), if a severe abnormality such as magnetism is detected while the game is in a stopped state, the display device 1600 displays the message "Magnetic Anomaly" as error display B, indicating that magnetism has been detected. Along with this, it displays the messages "Please call an attendant," and "The game will be restored and the restrictions reset upon power-on/off." Furthermore, when magnetism is detected, the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the stopped state. However, after the "Magnetic Anomaly" message is displayed following the detection of magnetism, such images are hidden (made invisible), and the message is displayed on a darkened screen. This allows the user to understand that an error state has occurred due to magnetism detection. It also allows the user to understand that the error state will not be resolved without power-on/off, and that the game restrictions will be lifted upon power-on/off.

Furthermore, in the upper area of the display device 1600, a message indicating "Gameplay has been restricted" is displayed in a specific display area as the current status display B, indicating that the game has already entered a stop-play state and gameplay is restricted (that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value). This specific display area is set as part of the display area of the display device 1600 and is also used for the aforementioned pre-notification display and current status display A. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the gameplay state to prevent hall managers from overlooking it. These error displays B and current status displays B are configured to be displayed on a higher (front) layer than the layer displaying other performance images, such as the image display corresponding to the stop-play state. In this example, error displays B and current status displays B are displayed on the highest layer. Also, current status displays B are displayed in a position that does not overlap with error displays B (messages). This ensures that when a severe abnormality occurs, it is possible to reliably understand that gameplay is restricted.

In this example, for the predetermined clear conditions to terminate the error state related to severe abnormalities to be met, it is necessary to restart the power after a power outage. Here, we will explain the cases where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the game state at the time of power outage and clear the payout amount and the stop-play state, and where power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which maintain the game state at the time of power outage, clear the payout amount, but maintain the stop-play state.

First, if an error occurs while the game is in a stopped state, and then the power is turned back on after a power outage, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the game state at the time of the power outage and clear the payout amount and stopped state, the error state and the stopped state are cleared, thus releasing the restrictions on gameplay in the stopped state and making it possible to start playing. In addition, information regarding the remaining spin display and the held symbols at the time of interruption when transitioning to the stopped state is retained after transitioning to the stopped state or when the power is turned off. However, when the power is turned back on after a power outage, this information regarding the remaining spin display and the held symbols at the time of interruption is cleared, so that the game starts in a low probability state with no held symbols. For this reason, as shown in Figure 137 (C'-1), the performance display device 1600 displays an initial image with no held symbols and the decorative symbols stopped at the initial symbols. Also, in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, a message "Restrictions cleared" is displayed as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and stopped state have been cleared. This Clear Notification 2 is displayed on a higher layer than the display of game-related information such as decorative patterns, and is positioned so as not to overlap with the game-related information display. This ensures that, upon restarting the power, the system can reliably confirm that the payout amount and the game-stop status have been cleared.

On the other hand, if an error occurs while the game is in a stopped state, and the power is turned back on after a power outage, selecting power-on patterns 1 and 4, which maintain the game state at the time of the power outage and clear the payout amount but maintain the stopped state, will clear the error state, but the restriction on gameplay due to the stopped state will not be lifted. Therefore, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount cleared" as a clear notification 1, indicating that the payout amount has been cleared, and then displays the image shown in Figure 137 (C'-2) again. Furthermore, in the upper area of the display device 1600, a message indicating how to clear the stopped state is displayed for the hall manager: "A RAM clear will return the game to normal state." This clear method display is displayed on a higher layer than the image display corresponding to the stopped state and is positioned so as not to overlap with the image display (message) corresponding to the stopped state. This ensures that, at the time of power-on, it is reliably understood that a power-on with a RAM clear is necessary to lift the game restriction.

Figure 138 shows specific examples of how the game will play when a minor or major abnormality occurs during the preparation state for stopping play. In this example, the game transitions to the preparation state for stopping play when the number of balls enters the large prize slot during a jackpot game, reaching a specific value. After the jackpot game ends, the game transitions to the stopped state. This example assumes that the "specific value" is set to 100,000 and that restriction pattern 3 is selected as the "restriction pattern." That is, if restriction pattern 3 is set, the game will enter a stopped state accompanied by "game stop" and "shooting stop" when the number of balls reaches the specific value (100,000 balls). Furthermore, in this example, if the result of the special symbol lottery is a jackpot, a 10-round jackpot game is awarded, which involves opening and closing the large prize slot 2005 and the special prize slot 2006.

As shown in Figure 138(A), the performance display device 1600 executes a variation performance (performance based on variation patterns) corresponding to the variation display of the special symbols, and displays the variation of the decorative symbols in the central area of the performance display device 1600. Here, in the "continuous win mode" in which a high probability state continues depending on the lottery result of the special symbols, or the acceptance of game balls B into the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008, etc., when the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "777" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the decorative symbols in the central area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the variation display of the second decorative symbol is performed in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600, and when the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "〇" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the second decorative symbol. Furthermore, the lower left area of the display device 1600 shows a hold indicator for the number of special symbols that have entered the first or second start slot 2003 or 2004 and are waiting for their variation display to be completed. The lower right area of the display device 1600 displays a "Consecutive Win Mode" message indicating that the game is in "Consecutive Win Mode," and also displays a "Right Shot" arrow instructing the player to aim for the large prize slot 2005 located in the game area 5a to the right of the display device 1600 during a jackpot game.

Furthermore, as the number of balls dispensed approaches a specific value, for example, when the number of remaining balls until the dispensed amount reaches that specific value becomes "+1400 balls," the upper area of the display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message indicating "+1400 balls remaining until the game limit is reached," as part of the pre-notification operation. Note that this pre-notification message is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the information display regarding the ongoing jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 138(B), at the start of a jackpot game, the central area of the display device 1600 displays the message "Special Bonus! Aim for V!", instructing the player to open and close the large prize slot 2005 and the prize slot 2006 during the jackpot game, and to aim for the game balls to enter the first V prize slot 2007 and the second V prize slot 2008 during the jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 138(C), when the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the entry of game balls into the large prize pocket 2005 during a jackpot game (when transitioning to the stop-play preparation state), the upper area of the display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) indicating the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value: "Remaining +0 balls until play limit is reached." Here, "8R" is displayed as the current round number, and "19900 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls. Then, after a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has elapsed since the "Remaining +0 balls until play limit is reached" pre-notification message was displayed, the standby display shown in Figure 138(D) is displayed.

In this example, the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement displayed on the display device 1600 are reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display, respectively, only when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005, which causes the total number of balls to reach a specific value. However, the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display are continuously displayed for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) after the amount of prize balls has been reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display, rather than at the moment the game balls enter the large prize opening 2005 where the total number of balls has reached a specific value. This prevents players from missing information regarding whether the total number of balls has reached a specific value, and ensures that players understand the reason why the payout limit is subsequently reached.

In the above explanation, the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display are continuously shown until the amount of prize balls is reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display, rather than stopping when the amount of prize balls reaches a specific value. However, it may be possible to stop the display and show a standby indicator when the amount of prize balls reaches a specific value. This would allow the system to transition to a stop-play preparation state when the amount of prize balls reaches a specific value, and simultaneously display the standby indicator, allowing for immediate understanding that the system has transitioned to a stop-play preparation state.

Furthermore, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a certain value, the game transitions to a stop-play preparation state. However, since the ongoing jackpot game continues, the "right-hand shot" arrow, which encourages players to continue firing balls, remains displayed.

As shown in Figure 138(D), after transitioning to the stop-play preparation state, a standby display is shown in the upper area of the display device 1600. Specifically, the standby display shows the message "The jackpot is over, and today's game is finished," indicating that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value. This allows the player to understand that in the stop-play preparation state, the game will transition to the stop-play state and be restricted when the jackpot game ends. The standby display is positioned so as not to overlap with the information display regarding the ongoing jackpot game. This allows the player to understand both the transition to the stop-play preparation state and the information regarding the ongoing jackpot game. Here, "9R" is displayed as the current round number, and "19915 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of balls dispensed.

As shown in Figure 138(E), if a minor anomaly is detected during the stop-play preparation state, such as the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the jackpot game continues. However, in the central area of the display device 1600, an error display A is shown, indicating that the main frame 4 is open: "Door open error. Please call an attendant." Furthermore, in the upper area of the display device 1600, a current status display C continues the standby display content and shows the message "Jackpot ended, today's game is over," indicating that the payout has already reached a specific value. Both error display A and current status display C are displayed on a higher layer than the jackpot game information display. Also, current status display C is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the jackpot game information display or error display A (message). This ensures that, at the time a minor anomaly occurs, it is reliably understood that the payout has already reached a specific value and the machine is in the stop-play preparation state.

As shown in Figure 138(F), when a predetermined error termination condition is met, such as the closing of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, the display device 1600 clears error display A, but continues to display the current status display C as a standby display. Here, "10R" is displayed as the current round number, and "20020 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls.

As shown in Figure 138(G), at the end of a jackpot game, an ending display is executed, and the message "Hit ended! Congratulations! Download your special bonus!" is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600. Furthermore, a camera-readable code is displayed in the lower right area of the display area 1600, allowing players to download a special bonus by reading this code. This special bonus is only available when the amount of balls won during a jackpot game reaches a specific value, thereby reducing player dissatisfaction with the restriction of gameplay due to the transition to a stop-play state. Note that a standby display is not shown at the end of a jackpot game, but it may be displayed if desired.

As shown in Figure 138(H), after a jackpot game ends, the game transitions to a "stopped play" state, and gameplay is restricted. The display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the stopped play state. This image displays the message "Gameplay Restricted," along with the messages: "Gameplay is restricted because the daily payout limit of 100,000 balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch 180 used to perform the settlement process. Furthermore, when the display device 1600 displays the "Gameplay Restricted" message, it hides the ending display associated with the jackpot game (making it invisible) and displays the message on a darkened screen. This allows players to understand that the payout amount has reached a specific value and gameplay is restricted, and that the restriction cannot be lifted without the hall manager's intervention. It also allows players to understand that they can settle their remaining ball count by operating the counting button switch 180.

However, the display device 1600 continues to display the code that was shown during the ending sequence following a jackpot, even after the image corresponding to the stop-play state has been displayed. Furthermore, the code displayed during the ending sequence following a jackpot is positioned so as not to overlap with the image (message) corresponding to the stop-play state. This allows players to read the code without rushing, even after the game has transitioned to the stop-play state, ensuring they don't miss out on downloading special bonuses.

Next, we will explain what happens if a severe abnormality occurs during the stop-play preparation state. As shown in Figure 138 (E'), if a severe abnormality such as magnetism is detected during the stop-play preparation state, the ongoing jackpot game will stop, and an error state will occur in which the game cannot proceed. In this case, the display device 1600 will display the message "Magnetic Abnormality" as error display B, indicating that magnetism has been detected, and will also display the messages "Please call an attendant" and "The game will be restored and the restrictions will be reset by restarting the power." Furthermore, when magnetism is detected, the display device 1600 displays information related to the jackpot game, but such information related to the jackpot game is hidden (made invisible) once the "Magnetic Abnormality" message is displayed after magnetism is detected, and the message is displayed on a darkened screen. This allows the user to understand that an error state has occurred due to magnetism detection. It also allows the user to understand that the error state will not be resolved unless the power is restarted, and that the game restrictions will be lifted when the power is restarted.

Furthermore, in the upper area of the display device 1600, the current status display C continues the content of the standby display and shows the message "The jackpot is over, and it's finished for today," indicating that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. These error displays B and current status displays C are displayed on a higher layer than the information displays related to the jackpot game. Also, current status display C is displayed in a position that does not overlap with error display B (the message). This ensures that, when a severe malfunction occurs, it is reliably understood that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value and the game is in a state of preparation for stopping play.

In this example, for the predetermined clear conditions to terminate the error state related to severe abnormalities to be met, it is necessary to restart the power after a power outage. Here, we will explain the cases where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the game state at the time of power outage and clear the payout amount and the stop-play state, and where power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which maintain the game state at the time of power outage, clear the payout amount, but maintain the stop-play state.

First, if an error occurs during the stop-play preparation state, and then the power is turned back on after a power outage, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the game state at the time of the power outage, the payout amount, and the stop-play state, the error state is cleared, making it possible to start the game. However, the stop-play preparation state is also cleared, so the restrictions on gameplay that were planned as a stop-play state after the end of the stop-play preparation state are not executed. In addition, information regarding the remaining jackpot game and the reserved balls at the time of interruption due to the error is retained after the error occurs or when the power is turned off. However, when the power is turned back on after a power outage, this information regarding the remaining jackpot game and the reserved balls at the time of interruption is cleared, so that the game starts in a low probability state with no reserved balls. For this reason, as shown in Figure 138 (F'-1), the display device 1600 displays an initial image with no reserved ball display and the decorative symbols stopped at the initial symbols. Furthermore, in the upper area of the display device 1600, a message "Limit cleared" is displayed as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and the stop-play preparation state have been cleared. This clear notification 2 is displayed on a higher layer than the display of game-related information such as decorative symbols, and is positioned so as not to overlap with the game-related information display. This ensures that, upon restarting the power, the system can reliably confirm that the payout amount and stop-play preparation state have been cleared.

On the other hand, if an error occurs during the stop-play preparation state, and power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected when the power is turned on again after a power outage, the game state at the time of the power outage is maintained and the payout amount is cleared, but the stop-play state is maintained. In this case, the error state is cleared, making it possible to start the game, but the stop-play preparation state is not cleared. In addition, information regarding the remaining jackpot game and the held balls at the time of interruption when the error occurred is retained after the error occurred or when the power was turned off. However, when the power is turned on again after a power outage, this information regarding the remaining jackpot game and the held balls at the time of interruption is retained, making it possible to resume the interrupted jackpot game. For this reason, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount cleared" as a clear notification 1, indicating that the payout amount has been cleared, and then displays the image shown in Figure 138 (F'-2) again. Furthermore, the upper area of the display device 1600 not only displays a standby message indicating that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value, stating "The jackpot is over, and today's game is finished," but also displays a clearing method message for hall managers, indicating how to clear the game-stop preparation state: "A RAM clear will return the game to normal." This clearing method display is shown on a higher layer than the jackpot game information display and is positioned so as not to overlap with the jackpot game information display. This ensures that when the power is turned back on, it is reliably understood that a power cycle accompanied by a RAM clear is necessary to clear the game-stop preparation state.

(Another example of a counter for stopping operations 1)
In the above example, the "stop counter" is configured to be set to a non-zero predetermined value (for example, 100,000) as its initial value when the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state begins or after the stop state begins" is cleared (initialized) when the power is turned on. It is then subtracted by the launch of game ball B and added by the payout of prize balls. When only the number of launches increases from the point where the stop counter is 0, it counts in the negative direction from 0. In contrast, in alternative example 1, the "stop counter" is configured to be set to a non-zero predetermined value (for example, 100,000) as its initial value when the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state begins or after the stop state begins" is cleared (initialized) when the power is turned on. In this case, the stop counter starts from the initial value of 100,000 when the power is turned on, and is subtracted by the launch of game ball B and added by the payout of prize balls.

Specifically, the payout amount A is calculated as the difference between the value at which the payout counter reaches its highest point within the period until the predetermined clear conditions are met, and the value at which the payout counter reaches its lowest point within the same period, starting from the initial value of 100,000.

Furthermore, the payout amount B is calculated as the difference between the initial value of 100,000 (the stop counter) and the value at the point where the stop counter reaches its highest value within the period until the predetermined clear conditions are met. Note that in alternative example 1, the maximum difference between payout amounts A and B is stored, and the stored payout amounts A and B are updated when a new maximum difference is calculated, which is the same as when the initial value is 0.

In alternative example 1, when the amount of balls dispensed (amounts A and B) reaches a specific value, the game is stopped and play is restricted. For example, if 100,000 balls are selected as the specific value, the stop counter starts from its initial value of 100,000, and when the stop counter reaches 200,000 (100,000 for the specific value), it is determined that the amount of balls dispensed (B) has reached the specific value.

Furthermore, in another example (Example 1), the "stop counter" is configured not only to start from an initial value of 100,000, but also to have 0 as its minimum value. In other words, even if the number of shots increases after the stop counter reaches 0, it is configured to maintain a state of 0 without counting in the negative direction from 0. As a result, regarding the payout amount B, even if the number of shots increases after the stop counter reaches 0, the system determines that the payout amount B has reached a specific value when the stop counter reaches 200,000 from that point. This means that the payout amount B reaches the specific value faster than if it were counting in the negative direction from 0. In short, by enabling the early occurrence of a stop state that restricts gameplay, it is possible to prevent large payouts from being awarded to fraudulent players due to cheating, or large payouts from being awarded to legitimate players due to biases in the probability of winning or losing.

(Another example of a counter for stopping operations, part 2)
In the second example, the "stop counter" is configured to be set to 0 as its initial value when the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state begins and after the stop state begins" is cleared (initialized) when the power is turned on, with 0 being the minimum value. In this case, the stop counter starts from the initial value of 0 when the power is turned on, and is subtracted by the launch of game ball B and added by the payout of prize balls. However, even if the number of launches increases further after the stop counter reaches 0, it is configured not to count in the negative direction from 0, but to maintain the state of 0.

In another example (Example 2), the payout amount C is calculated from the stop-loss counter. The payout amount C is calculated as the difference between the initial value of 0 (the stop-loss counter's initial value) and the value at the point where the stop-loss counter reaches its highest value within the period until the predetermined clear conditions are met. In Example 2, the maximum difference is stored as the payout amount C, and the stored payout amount C is updated when a new maximum difference is calculated, which is the same as when there is no minimum value of 0. When the payout amount C reaches a specific value, the game is stopped, and the gameplay is restricted.

In another example (Example 2), when the payout amount C reaches a specific value, the game is stopped and play is restricted. For example, if 100,000 balls are selected as the specific value, the stop counter starts from its initial value of 0, and when the stop counter reaches 100,000 (the value of the specific value), it is determined that the payout amount C has reached the specific value.

Furthermore, in Example 2, the "stop counter" is configured not only to start at an initial value of 0, but also to have 0 as its minimum value. However, regarding the payout amount C, even if only the number of shots increases after the stop counter reaches 0, the system determines that the payout amount C has reached a specific value when the stop counter reaches 100,000 from that point. Therefore, the payout amount C reaches the specific value faster than if it were counting from 0 in the negative direction. In other words, by enabling the early occurrence of a stop state that restricts gameplay, it is possible to prevent large payouts from being awarded to cheaters due to fraudulent activity, and to prevent large payouts from being awarded to legitimate players due to biases in the probability of winning or losing.

Regarding the "stop counter," it is deducted when game balls B are launched and added when prize balls are paid out. However, the initial value may be set to a value greater than the specific value at which the game is restricted and the game is stopped. The counter may be configured to be added when game balls B are launched and deducted when prize balls are paid out. In such a case, for example, if 100,000 balls are selected as the specific value, the stop counter starts at its initial value of 100,000, and the specific value of +100,000 is subtracted. When the stop counter reaches 0, it is determined that the amount of balls dispensed has reached the specific value. Furthermore, when applied to Example 2, for example, the stop counter starts at its initial value of 100,000 when the power is turned on, and is added when game balls B are launched and deducted when prize balls are paid out. However, even if the number of launches increases further after the stop counter reaches 100,000, it should not be counted in the positive direction from 100,000, but rather maintained at 100,000.

(Regarding the trend in displaying advance notices)
In this example, the "stop counter" is configured to be set to 0 as its initial value when the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state begins and after the stop state begins" is cleared (initialized) when the power is turned on. It is then subtracted when game balls B are launched and added when prize balls are paid out. A specific value of 100,000 balls is selected, and when the stop counter reaches 100,000, it is determined that the amount of balls dispensed has reached the specific value, and the game is stopped to restrict play. Furthermore, before the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, after a predetermined value is reached (in this example, when the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value is 5,000, i.e., when the amount of balls dispensed has reached 95,000), a pre-notification display (in this example, "Remaining until game restriction is reached +XX balls") is displayed on the performance display device 1600 as a pre-notification operation until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value. In addition, when the pre-notification display is made, the LED on lamp B blinks for a predetermined period (for example, 2 seconds) as a pre-notification illumination.

Specifically, before the main control board 1310 implements a game restriction when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the main control board 1310 monitors the number of remaining balls until the number of balls dispensed reaches that specific value. When a game ball enters a prize pocket such as the large prize pocket 2005 and the remaining number of balls reaches "+5000 balls", a pre-flag is turned ON, and this ON information of the pre-flag is transmitted from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510. When the peripheral control board 1510 receives the ON information of the pre-flag, it starts displaying a pre-notification on the display device 1600 (in this example, "Remaining until game restriction is +XX balls"), and continues to do so until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value. The calculation of the number of balls dispensed is performed on the main control board 1310 based on a stop counter, which is the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls dispensed. In other words, regarding the number of balls remaining until the total payout reaches a specific value, the more balls fired, the lower the payout and the higher the number of remaining balls; conversely, the more balls dispensed, the higher the payout and the lower the number of remaining balls.

Furthermore, when the number of balls remaining until the payout reaches a specific value reaches "+5000 balls", the display device 1600 starts displaying a pre-notification. However, if the payout then decreases and the number of remaining balls increases, causing the number of remaining balls to exceed "+5000 balls" and the pre-notification display to end, or if the payout then increases again and the number of remaining balls decreases, causing the number of remaining balls to reach "+5000 balls" and the pre-notification display to start again, the pre-notification flag is frequently switched on the main control board 1310, and the ON information of the pre-notification flag is sent to the peripheral control board 1510 many times. In addition, if the pre-notification display is sometimes shown and sometimes not, it becomes difficult to understand the state of the game. In this example, once the pre-announcement display device 1600 starts displaying the pre-announcement, even if the amount of balls dispensed decreases and the number of remaining balls increases afterward, the pre-announcement display will not end until the number of remaining balls exceeds a predetermined value of "+5000 balls" (in this example, the state where the number of remaining balls until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value is 5100 balls, i.e., the state where the amount of balls dispensed reaches 94900 balls). This prevents frequent switching of the pre-announcement flag on the main control board 1310 side, suppressing the repeated transmission of the pre-announcement flag ON information to the peripheral control board 1510 side, thereby avoiding control burden and control complexity. Furthermore, by displaying the pre-announcement display as continuously as possible, it is possible to prevent difficulty in understanding the game state. The progression of the pre-announcement display after it starts in this example is explained below.

Figure 139 is a time chart showing the progression of pre-announcement displays after they have been initiated. This example illustrates a situation where the number of balls dispensed fluctuates around 95,000 (with 5,000 balls remaining).

In (A), as the number of balls dispensed increases, when the number of balls dispensed reaches 95,000 (5,000 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification start command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 starts displaying "5,000 balls remaining until the game limit" as a pre-notification display. At this time, the LED in lamp B blinks for a predetermined period (for example, 2 seconds) as a pre-notification illumination.

Then, after the pre-notification display starts, as the amount of balls dispensed increases, the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification update command to the peripheral control board 1510 for every 100 balls dispensed, and the performance display device 1600 updates the display content of the pre-notification display. For example, when the amount of balls dispensed increases by 100 balls, the performance display device 1600 updates the pre-notification display to "Remaining until game limit +4900 balls", and when the amount of balls dispensed increases by another 100 balls, the performance display device 1600 updates the pre-notification display to "Remaining until game limit +4800 balls". Here, the display content of the pre-notification display is updated when the amount of balls dispensed increases by 100 balls, but not when the amount of balls dispensed increases by only 1 to 99 balls. This prevents the pre-notification display content from being updated in real time when the payout amount increases, thus avoiding the repeated transmission of pre-notification update commands to the peripheral control board 1510 and thus avoiding increased control burden and complexity. Furthermore, lamp B is designed to flash as a pre-notification only when the number of remaining balls until the payout amount reaches a specific value of 5000, i.e., when the payout amount reaches 95000 balls. When the payout amount increases by 100 balls and the pre-notification display content is updated, lamp B does not emit any light corresponding to that update.

In (B), after the pre-notification display begins, if the number of balls dispensed decreases and falls below 95,000 (the number of remaining balls exceeds 5,000), the main control board 1310 does not send a pre-notification termination command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 continues to display "Remaining +5,000 balls until the game limit" as a pre-notification display. Then, as the payout increases again, exceeding 95,000 balls (5,000 balls remaining), and subsequently decreasing, falling below 95,000 balls (more than 5,000 balls remaining), at the point where the payout reaches 95,000 balls (5,000 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 does not send pre-notification start or end commands to the peripheral control board 1510. Instead, the display device 1600 continues to display "+5,000 balls remaining until game limit" as a pre-notification. This prevents the peripheral control board 1510 from repeatedly sending pre-notification start and end commands after the pre-notification display has started, thus avoiding increased control burden and complexity. Furthermore, while lamp B illuminates in response to the pre-notification start command, it does not illuminate in response to the pre-notification end command, preventing external parties from mistakenly believing that there is a malfunction in the gaming machine.

In (C), after the pre-announcement display is started, as the amount of balls dispensed decreases, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (5,100 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-announcement termination command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 terminates the pre-announcement display. Here, after the pre-announcement display is started, the pre-announcement display is terminated when the amount of balls dispensed decreases by 100, but it is not terminated if the amount of balls dispensed decreases by only 1 to 99. In other words, after the pre-announcement display is started, there is a termination suppression period until the amount of balls dispensed decreases by 99, during which the pre-announcement display is not terminated even if the amount of balls dispensed falls below 95,000. This prevents the game state from becoming difficult to grasp by allowing a slight decrease in the amount of balls dispensed after the pre-announcement display is started and continuing to display the pre-announcement display as much as possible. In this example, the "termination suppression period" during which the pre-announcement display is permitted is defined as "until the number of balls dispensed decreases by 1 to 99," but this is not the only option. The decrease in the number of balls dispensed can be appropriately set according to the performance of the gaming machine, such as "until the number of balls dispensed decreases by 1 to 199" or "until the number of balls dispensed decreases by 1 to 49."

In this example, the pre-notification start operation involves both a pre-notification display using the display device 1600 and pre-notification illumination using lamp B. However, the pre-notification start operation may be limited to only the pre-notification display using the display device 1600, without pre-notification illumination. This prevents lamp B from illuminating repeatedly and causing external parties to mistakenly believe that a malfunction has occurred in the gaming machine when the payout amount increases or decreases beyond the aforementioned termination suppression period and the pre-notification start command is sent several times.

In (D), as the payout increases again, when the payout reaches 95,000 balls (with 5,000 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification start command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 starts displaying "5,000 balls remaining until the play limit" as a pre-notification display.

In (E), after the pre-notification display starts, as the number of balls dispensed decreases, if the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (5,100 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification termination command to the peripheral control board 1510. However, it is conceivable that an irregularity may occur where the peripheral control board 1510 cannot properly receive the pre-notification termination command (the peripheral control board 1510 misses the pre-notification termination command) for some reason, such as a temporary power outage or a connection failure between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510. If such an irregularity occurs, normally, it would be conceivable to resend the pre-notification termination command triggered by the number of balls dispensed reaching 94,900 (5,100 balls remaining). However, in this example, the display device 1600 deliberately refrains from terminating the pre-notification display by not resending the command at this trigger. In other words, when such an irregularity occurs, even if the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (with 5,100 balls remaining) and the pre-notification display should end, the pre-notification display continues to show "5,000 balls remaining until the play limit is reached." This prevents the pre-notification end command from being resent at unexpected times during gameplay (for example, when no balls have been launched or when no balls have entered the payout slot), thus preventing the player from feeling confused.

In (F), if the aforementioned irregularity occurs where the pre-notification display does not end, and the number of balls dispensed continues to decrease, and the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,800 (5,200 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification termination command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 terminates the pre-notification display. In this example, anticipating that the pre-notification display may not end at the expected time, the pre-notification termination command is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510 not only when the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (5,100 balls remaining), but also when the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,800 (5,200 balls remaining) and 94,700 (5,300 balls remaining) as a precaution. This ensures that even if the peripheral control board 1510 temporarily fails to receive the pre-notification termination command, resulting in an irregularity where the pre-notification display does not end, the display can be terminated at a different, more natural time, and it reliably prevents the pre-notification display from continuing to be shown without termination.

In this example, the trigger for sending the pre-notification termination command is set in increments of 100 balls, from the moment the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (5,100 balls remaining) to the moment the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,500 (5,500 balls remaining). However, the pre-notification display may be terminated by other triggers. For example, the pre-notification termination command could be forcibly sent when the hall manager performs a termination operation (e.g., operating the RAM clear switch 741 or setting key switch while the power is on, or opening the main unit frame 4 or door frame 3), thereby forcibly terminating the pre-notification display at the time it should have ended.

Furthermore, in this example, if an irregularity occurs where the peripheral control board 1510 fails to properly receive the pre-notification completion command (misses the pre-notification completion command) due to a temporary power outage or a connection failure between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510 (as described above), the system performs a preliminary transmission of the pre-notification completion command at another trigger. However, if an irregularity occurs where the peripheral control board 1510 fails to properly receive the pre-notification update command (misses the pre-notification update command), the system does not perform a preliminary transmission of the pre-notification update command at another trigger. For example, if, after the pre-notification display starts, the number of balls dispensed increases by 100 to reach 95,100 balls (4,900 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification update command to the peripheral control board 1510. However, if an irregularity occurs where the peripheral control board 1510 cannot receive this pre-notification update command, the display device 1600 continues to display "5,000 balls remaining until the play limit" as the pre-notification display. Then, if the number of balls dispensed increases by another 100 to reach 95,200 balls (4,800 balls remaining), the display device 1600 sends a pre-notification update command corresponding to the number of balls dispensed reaching 95,200 (4,800 balls remaining) to the peripheral control board 1510, updating the pre-notification display to "4,800 balls remaining until the play limit". This makes it seem to the player that the number of balls dispensed has increased all at once, and irregularities can be used to enhance the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, while Lamp B illuminates in response to the pre-notification start command, it does not illuminate in response to the pre-notification update command, thus preventing external parties from mistakenly believing that there is a malfunction in the gaming machine.

Furthermore, because there is a possibility that the update of the pre-notification display may not proceed on the peripheral control board 1510 until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to some abnormality, in such cases, the pre-notification update command may be forcibly sent when an update operation is performed by the hall manager (for example, an operation such as operating the RAM clear switch 741 or setting key switch while the power is on, or opening the main unit frame 4 or door frame 3; preferably a trigger different from the termination operation described above), thereby forcibly updating the pre-notification display.

In (G), as the payout increases again, when the payout reaches 95,000 balls (with 5,000 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification start command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 starts displaying "5,000 balls remaining until the play limit" as a pre-notification.

In (H), after the pre-notification display begins, if the number of balls dispensed increases by 100 to 95,100 balls (4,900 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification update command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 updates the pre-notification display to "+4,900 balls remaining until the game limit is reached."

In (I), after updating the pre-notification display to "+4900 balls remaining until the game limit is reached," if the number of balls dispensed falls below 95100 (the number of remaining balls exceeds 4900) as the number of balls dispensed decreases, the main control board 1310 does not send a pre-notification downgrade command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 continues to display "+4900 balls remaining until the game limit is reached" as the pre-notification display. This prevents the peripheral control board 1510 from repeatedly sending pre-notification update commands and pre-notification downgrade commands after updating the pre-notification display to "+4900 balls remaining until the game limit is reached," thereby avoiding increased control burden and complexity. In this example, the pre-notification update command used when the payout increases (remaining ball count decreases) and the pre-notification downgrade command used when the payout decreases (remaining ball count increases) are treated as separate commands. However, they could be unified as commands that indicate the content of the pre-notification display.

In (J), after updating the pre-notification display to "4900 balls remaining until the play limit," if the number of balls dispensed falls below 95000 (the number of remaining balls exceeds 5000) while the number of balls dispensed is decreasing, the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification downgrade command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 updates the pre-notification display to "5000 balls remaining until the play limit." Here, after updating the pre-notification display to "4900 balls remaining until the play limit" when the number of balls dispensed is 95100 (the number of remaining balls is 4900), the display content of the pre-notification display is updated when the number of balls dispensed decreases by 100 balls, but the display content of the pre-notification display is not updated if the number of balls dispensed decreases by only 1 to 99 balls. In other words, after updating the pre-notification display to "4900 balls remaining until the play limit is reached," a downgrade suppression period is observed where the pre-notification display is not updated until the number of balls dispensed decreases by 99. This allows for continued display of the "4900 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" pre-notification display, preventing difficulties in understanding the game's status.

In this example, in sections (G) through (H), as the payout increases, the display device 1600 shows "5,000 balls remaining until the play limit" as a pre-notification message when the payout transitions from 95,000 balls (5,000 balls remaining) to 95,100 balls (4,900 balls remaining). However, in sections (I) through (J), as the payout decreases, the display device 1600 shows "4,900 balls remaining until the play limit" as a pre-notification message when the payout transitions from 95,100 balls (4,900 balls remaining) to 95,000 balls (5,000 balls remaining). Thus, even if the payout interval is the same, by differentiating the pre-notification message depending on whether the payout is increasing or decreasing, the displayed pre-notification message can be kept on display for as long as possible.

In (K), after updating the pre-notification display to "5000 balls remaining until the game limit is reached," and the number of balls dispensed decreases, if the number of balls dispensed reaches 94900 (5100 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification termination command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 terminates the pre-notification display.

In this example, in sections (G) through (H), as the payout increases, the display device 1600 shows "5,000 balls remaining until the play limit" as a pre-notification message when the payout transitions from 95,000 balls (5,000 balls remaining) to 95,100 balls (4,900 balls remaining). However, in sections (J) through (K), as the payout decreases, the display device 1600 shows "5,000 balls remaining until the play limit" as a pre-notification message when the payout transitions from 95,000 balls (5,000 balls remaining) to 94,900 balls (5,100 balls remaining). Thus, even though the payout intervals differ, by using the same pre-notification message regardless of whether the payout is increasing or decreasing, the pre-notification message can be displayed for as long as possible.

In this example, as mentioned above, if a severe anomaly is detected while the pre-notification display is running, the display device 1600 uses the same data as the pre-notification display to show the current status display A. However, if a severe anomaly is detected while the termination or downgrade of the pre-notification display is being suppressed, it is desirable to control the display of current status display A to show the exact amount of balls dispensed to the hall manager, even while using the same data as the pre-notification display. This way, even if an irregular situation occurs, the hall manager can accurately recognize the amount of balls dispensed through current status display A.

Furthermore, in each of the above examples, the pre-notification message is displayed in a specific display area on the top layer of the performance display device 1600 during the progress of the game, so that the visibility of the pre-notification is not obstructed by other performance images. However, if a predetermined area for displaying adjustment images that reflect adjustment operations by the player regarding the performance (for example, images corresponding to volume or brightness, or images related to other adjustments) is located in a position that overlaps with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction, then the visibility of the adjustment images may be obstructed by the pre-notification, at least while the pre-notification is displayed, potentially reducing the enjoyment of the game. To resolve this, for example, in each of the above examples, the predetermined area for displaying the adjustment images may be located in a position that does not overlap with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction at all. This ensures the visibility of the adjustment images even while the pre-notification is displayed, thus avoiding a reduction in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, if a portion of the designated area for displaying the adjustment image overlaps with a specific display area in the front-to-back direction, it is possible to offset the adjustment image from the pre-announcement display to at least a degree that allows the player to confirm the results of their adjustment operation (for example, if the adjustment image is a level gauge type, it should be displayed so that it does not overlap enough that the change in the level gauge can be grasped; if the adjustment image is a numerical type, it should be displayed so that it does not overlap enough that the numerical value can be grasped). In this case as well, it is possible to avoid a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in each of the examples described above, the pre-notification message is displayed in a specific display area on the top layer of the performance display device 1600 during the game's progression, ensuring that the visibility of the pre-notification is not obstructed by other performance images. However, it is desirable that the pre-notification continue to be displayed even after the game transitions to a standby state where no game is in progress. This would prevent new players from starting the game without being aware of information regarding the amount of balls dispensed, etc., before the game begins. Also, since the pre-notification is displayed on the top layer of the performance display device 1600, there is a concern that it may obstruct the visibility of demonstration images (e.g., images explaining the performance or promotional images) displayed in the standby state, thus failing to satisfy the needs of players who want to view the demonstration images. To address this issue, for example, in each of the above examples, the pre-announcement display in a specific display area could be hidden for the entire duration or part of the demonstration image, and the display of the pre-announcement display in that specific display area could be reactivated when a new player performs a predetermined operation (e.g., touching the handle 160 before operation, making adjustments, or operating other buttons). This would satisfy the needs of players who wish to view the demonstration image while preventing new players from starting the game without being aware of information regarding the amount of balls dispensed beforehand.

(Example of a modified version of Restriction Clear Pattern Table 4)
As detailed above, in the restriction clear pattern table 4, regardless of which of the power-on patterns 1 to 4 is selected when the power is turned on, the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is cleared (initialized). Specifically, in the restriction clear pattern table 4, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" is cleared (initialized), and along with clearing the amount of balls dispensed, the stop-play preparation state is also cleared (initialized). On the other hand, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power-off is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" is maintained, but along with clearing the amount of balls dispensed, the stop-play preparation state is also maintained. In other words, regarding the stop-play preparation state, just like the stop-play state, it is possible to choose whether to maintain or clear it when the power is turned on again after a power-off. For example, if the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value and a stop-play preparation state is triggered, and you want to clear this stop-play preparation state, you should perform a power-on operation after the power is cut off to clear the amount of balls that meets the start condition for the stop-play preparation state. However, in the limit clear pattern table 4, such a power-on operation will clear the jackpot game that was in progress. On the other hand, if you want to maintain the stop-play preparation state, you should perform a power-on operation after the power is cut off to maintain the amount of balls that meets the start condition for the stop-play preparation state. However, such a power-on operation will restart the jackpot game that was in progress.

As described above, in the restriction clearing pattern table 4, in order to resume a jackpot game that was in progress when the power is turned on, it is necessary to maintain the stop-and-go preparation state. Therefore, it was not possible to clear only the stop-and-go preparation state while resuming the jackpot game that was in progress when the power is turned on. In such a configuration, for example, in a test firing during the development stage of a gaming machine, if the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value and the stop-and-go preparation state is generated, even if it is desired to continue the test firing without initiating the stop-and-go state, it was not possible to clear only the stop-and-go preparation state, and there was a risk that the subsequent occurrence of the stop-and-go state would hinder the continued execution of the test firing. Also, even if an attempt was made to clear the stop-and-go preparation state, the jackpot game would be cleared along with the stop-and-go preparation state, and in this case as well, there was a risk that the continued execution of the test firing would be hindered. Considering these circumstances, this example describes a configuration that, upon power-on operation, resumes the jackpot game that was in progress before the power was cut off, while simultaneously clearing only the stop-play preparation state. This configuration is explained below as a modification of the restriction clearing pattern table 4.

Figure 140 shows a modified example of the limit clear pattern table 4 when the power is turned on. In this example, two limit clear pattern tables, 4(a) and 4(b), are provided as the limit clear pattern table 4 used when the limit clear pattern selection switch is in the position of "4". The system controls whether to use limit clear pattern table 4(a) or limit clear pattern table 4(b) depending on whether a special external signal is output during the stop-out preparation state. If a special external signal is output during the stop-out preparation state and this is determined at the time of power-on, the system allows the jackpot game that was in progress before the power was cut off to be resumed, while only the stop-out preparation state is cleared. Here, the "special external signal" is a signal output through a specific circuit implemented on the main control board 1310, and can be any signal that is output from the main control board 1310 to an external device such as an external test device by satisfying predetermined output requirements. In this example, an empty test circuit is designated as a specific circuit formed on the main control board 1310. The system "satisfies a specific output requirement" by detecting the presence of test electronic components mounted on this empty test circuit. When test electronic components are mounted on the empty test circuit, a special external signal is continuously output to the external test device. Furthermore, the special external signal may be output externally from the main control board 1310 via an external terminal board, or it may be output directly externally from the main control board 1310 without using an external terminal board.

Figure 140(A) shows a modified example of the limit clear pattern table 4, specifically limit clear pattern table 4(a), which is selected when the power is cut off while a special external signal is output during the shutdown preparation state, and then the power is restored. In this example, prior to various clearing processes during power-on, the presence or absence of a special external signal output from the main control board 1310 is determined. Based on this determination, limit clear pattern table 4(a) and limit clear pattern table 4(b) are selected.

In the power-on pattern 1 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), when the power is turned on, the game state at the time of power cut-off is maintained, but the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is cleared (initialized). Also, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" is maintained, but the stop-play preparation state is cleared (initialized). Furthermore, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 light up green (if the stop-play state is maintained; red if the stop-play preparation state is cleared), and the speaker outputs the message "Amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained (stop-play preparation state has been cleared)." and the display device 1600 displays a message image that says "Amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained (stop-play preparation state has been cleared)." (This corresponds to clear notification 1 and game-stop failure notification). More specifically, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the machine is in the "stopped" state. If the power is cut off while the machine is in the "preparation for stopping" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the preparation for stopping has been cleared. In all other cases, only a notification indicating that the payout amount has been cleared will be issued. Furthermore, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, in addition to these notifications, a notification indicating how to clear the machine may be added.

In the power-on pattern 2 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), when the power is turned on, the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized), but the amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins is also cleared (initialized). In addition, the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state and the stop-play preparation state are also cleared (initialized). Specifically, if gameplay is restricted in the restriction pattern 1 described above, the game is "stopped," but the game stop is released when the stop-play state is cleared. If gameplay is restricted in the restriction pattern 2, the ball is "stopped firing," but the ball stop is released when the stop-play state is cleared. If gameplay is restricted in the restriction pattern 3, both gameplay and firing are stopped, but the game stop and firing are released when the stop-play state is cleared. In all cases, it is possible to resume gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 will light up red, and the speaker will output an audio message saying, "The payout amount and the stop-out state (stop-out preparation state) have been cleared." The display device 1600 will display a message image saying, "The payout amount and the stop-out state (stop-out preparation state) have been cleared" (corresponding to Clear Notification 2). More specifically, if the power is cut off while the stop-out state is active, the system will notify that the stop-out state has been cleared when the power is turned on. If the power is cut off while the stop-out preparation state is active, the system will notify that the stop-out preparation state has been cleared when the power is turned on. In all other cases, only the payout amount has been cleared.

In the power-on pattern 3 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), when the power is turned on, the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized), but the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is also cleared (initialized). Furthermore, the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" and the stop-play preparation state are also cleared (initialized). In addition, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to light up red, and the speaker outputs the voice message "Amount of balls dispensed and stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) have been cleared." and the display device 1600 displays a message image that says "Amount of balls dispensed and stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) have been cleared." (This corresponds to clear notification 2). More specifically, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, the machine will notify the user that the "stopped" state has been cleared when the power is restored. If the power is cut off while the machine is in the "preparing to stop" state, the machine will notify the user that the "preparing to stop" state has been cleared when the power is restored. In all other cases, the machine will only notify the user that the payout amount has been cleared.

In the power-on pattern 4 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), the game state at the time of power-on is maintained, but the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is cleared (initialized). Also, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" is maintained, but the stop-play preparation state is cleared (initialized). Furthermore, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time of power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to light up green (if the stop-play state is maintained; red if the stop-play preparation state is cleared), and the speaker outputs the message "Amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained (stop-play preparation state has been cleared)." and the display device 1600 displays a message image that says "Amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained (stop-play preparation state has been cleared)." (corresponding to clear notification 1, game inability notification). More specifically, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the machine is in the "stopped" state. If the power is cut off while the machine is in the "preparation for stopping" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the preparation for stopping has been cleared. In all other cases, only a notification indicating that the payout amount has been cleared will be issued. Furthermore, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, in addition to these notifications, a notification indicating how to clear the machine may be added.

The power-on pattern 5 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(a) maintains the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins." It also maintains the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" and the stop-play preparation state. As a notification method to inform the outside, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to light up in blue, the speaker outputs the message "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) are maintained," and the display device 1600 displays the message image "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) are maintained." More specifically, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, the system will notify the user that the "stopped" state was maintained upon power-on. If the power is cut off while the machine is in the "preparation for stopping" state, the system will notify the user that the "preparation for stopping" state has been cleared upon power-on. In all other cases, the system will only notify the user that the payout amount has been cleared.

Thus, in the restriction clear pattern table 4(a) used when a special external signal is output, regardless of whether power-on patterns 1 and 4 maintain the game state at the time of power-off, or power-on patterns 2 and 3 clear (initialize) the game state at the time of power-off, the "amount of balls dispensed before the start of the stop-out state and after the start of the stop-out state" is cleared (initialized). This allows for clearing only the stop-out preparation state when power is turned on during test firing in the development phase of the gaming machine, thus avoiding the disruption of the test firing due to the subsequent occurrence of the stop-out state. Note that if power-on pattern 5 is selected at power-on, only the ball removal process described above is executed, and the game does not start; therefore, the "amount of balls dispensed before the start of the stop-out state and after the start of the stop-out state" is not cleared (initialized) but maintained.

Furthermore, in the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), which is used when a special external signal is being output, the "restriction on gameplay during the stopped state" is cleared (initialized) only when the game state at the time of power-on is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3. On the other hand, when the game state at the time of power-off is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "restriction on gameplay during the stopped state" is maintained. In other words, regarding the "restriction on gameplay during the stopped state," it is possible for the developer to choose whether to maintain or clear it when the power is turned on again after a power-off under conditions such as test firing during the development stage of the game machine. For example, if the stopped state has already occurred and the developer wants to release the game restriction, they should perform a power-on operation to clear the "restriction on gameplay during the stopped state" after the power is turned off. If the developer wants to maintain the game restriction, they should perform a power-on operation to maintain the "restriction on gameplay during the stopped state" after the power is turned off. Furthermore, if power-on pattern 5 is selected when the power is turned on, only the ball removal process described above is executed, and gameplay does not begin. Therefore, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" is not cleared (initialized) and remains in place.

Furthermore, in the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), which is used when a special external signal is being output, when the game state at the time of power-on is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3, the "amount of balls dispensed before the start of the stop-play state and after the start of the stop-play state" is cleared (initialized), as well as the stop-play preparation state. On the other hand, when the game state at the time of power-on is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "amount of balls dispensed before the start of the stop-play state and after the start of the stop-play state" is cleared (initialized), as well as the stop-play preparation state. This makes it possible to choose whether or not to clear the game state when clearing the stop-play preparation state during trial firing tests in the development stage of the gaming machine, making it possible to make it suitable for normal operation (such as operation in a gaming hall) rather than trial firing tests.

Figure 140(B) shows a modified example of the limit clear pattern table 4, specifically limit clear pattern table 4(b), which is selected when the power is cut off while the system is in the shutdown preparation state and no special external signal is output, and then the power is restored. Note that power-on patterns 2, 3, and 5 here are the same as those in limit clear pattern table 4(a) described above, and therefore their explanation is omitted.

In the power-on pattern 1 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(b), when the power is turned on, the game state at the time of power cut-off is maintained, but the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is cleared (initialized). In addition, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" and the stop-play preparation state are maintained. Furthermore, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to light up green, and the speaker outputs the voice message "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) is maintained." and the display device 1600 displays a message image that says "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) is maintained." (This corresponds to clear notification 1 and the inability to proceed notification). More specifically, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the machine is in the "stopped" state. If the power is cut off while the machine is in the "preparation for stopping" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the "preparation for stopping" state is maintained. In all other cases, only a notification indicating that the payout amount has been cleared will be issued. Furthermore, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, in addition to these notifications, a notification indicating how to clear the machine may be added for the hall manager.

In the power-on pattern 4 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(b), the game state at the time of power-on is maintained, but the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is cleared (initialized). In addition, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" and the stop-play preparation state are maintained. Furthermore, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time of power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to light up green, and the speaker outputs the voice message "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) is maintained." and the display device 1600 displays a message image that says "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) is maintained." (corresponding to clear notification 1, game inability notification). More specifically, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the machine is in the "stopped" state. If the power is cut off while the machine is in the "preparation for stopping" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the "preparation for stopping" state is maintained. In all other cases, only a notification indicating that the payout amount has been cleared will be issued. Furthermore, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, in addition to these notifications, a notification indicating how to clear the machine may be added for the hall manager.

Thus, in the restriction clear pattern table 4(b) used when no special external signals are output, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3, not only is the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" cleared (initialized), but the stop-play preparation state is also cleared (initialized). On the other hand, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power cut-off is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, although the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is cleared (initialized), the stop-play preparation state is maintained regardless of whether the amount of balls dispensed is cleared. For example, during normal operation (such as operation in a gaming hall) not a test firing, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and a state of preparing to stop play occurs, and a severe malfunction (such as detection of magnetism, vibration, or radio waves) occurs due to fraudulent activity by the player, and it is desired to resolve this severe malfunction, the power should be turned off and then power-on operation should be performed to resolve the severe malfunction. However, even if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected as such power-on operation, the state of preparing to stop play will be maintained. In other words, although the jackpot game that was in progress will be resumed, if the state of preparing to stop play is maintained, the game will transition to the state of stopping play at the end of the resumed jackpot game. Thus, while the machine is in the "stop-play preparation" state, there is a possibility of a new type of fraud where an unscrupulous individual intentionally causes a severe malfunction to force the hall manager to restart the power and clear (initialize) the stop-play preparation state. However, if the power is restored to resolve the severe malfunction, the unscrupulous clearing of the stop-play preparation state can be avoided, and the game can be terminated when the resumed jackpot game ends, thereby preventing such new fraud. In this way, the restriction clear pattern table 4(b), used when no special external signal is output, can be configured to be suitable for normal operation (such as operation in a gaming hall) rather than test firing, unlike when using the restriction clear pattern table 4(a).

In the example described above, the system was configured to continuously output a special external signal while test electronic components were mounted on an empty test circuit. However, if the output time of the special external signal becomes unnecessarily long, another problem arises: the control load on the main control board 1310 increases. Considering this, instead of continuously outputting the special external signal while test electronic components are mounted on an empty test circuit, a configuration that outputs the special external signal only when predetermined output start conditions are met may also be used. This point will be explained below using Figures 140(C) and 140(D).

Figure 141 is a time chart showing the start of outputting special external signals before the shutdown preparation state and the shutdown state begin. Figure 141(A) is a time chart for when the power is shut off before the shutdown preparation state and the shutdown state begin, and then powered on using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the aforementioned limit clear pattern table 4(a). Figure 141(B) is a time chart for when the power is shut off after the shutdown preparation state begins, and then powered on using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the aforementioned limit clear pattern table 4(a).

First, let's explain Figure 141(A). In Figure 141(A), although a test electronic component is mounted on an empty test circuit, it does not output a special external signal at all times. Instead, it starts outputting a special external signal at a specific timing (t1) before the start of the stop-out preparation state and the stop-out state. The specific timing (t1) in this example is set to be the same timing as the execution condition for the pre-notification display described above. That is, as described above, when the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls won due to winning during the game reaches a specific value becomes "+1500 balls", the upper area of the performance display device 1600 displays a pre-notification display that says "Remaining until game limit +1500 balls" as the operation at the time of pre-notification. The special external signal is output when the number of balls remaining until the specific value reaches "+1500 balls", at the same timing as when this pre-notification display is displayed. Here, it is conceivable that a predetermined external signal might be output via an external terminal board at the timing of displaying the pre-notification indicator. Therefore, to avoid confusion between such predetermined external signals and special external signals, in this example, it is preferable to output the special external signal directly from the main control board 1310 to the outside without going through the external terminal board.

When the output of a special external signal begins at a specific timing (t1), under conditions such as test firing during the development phase of a gaming machine, the operation of test equipment receiving the special external signal makes it possible to determine that the machine is approaching the end-of-play preparation state and the end-of-play state. Therefore, by shutting off the power (t2) when the output of the special external signal is detected, and then turning the power back on (t3) using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the aforementioned restriction clear pattern table 4(a), it becomes possible to avoid the occurrence of the end-of-play preparation state and the end-of-play state without clearing (initializing) the game state.

Furthermore, in power-on patterns 1 and 4 of the limit clear pattern table 4(a), the output of the special external signal is terminated after a predetermined time has elapsed following power-on (t3). In this example, since the presence or absence of output of the special external signal from the main control board 1310 is determined prior to the various clearing processes in the power-on process, the timing of the termination of the output of the special external signal can be anytime after this determination has been made. However, if the output of the special external signal continues for an unnecessarily long time after power-on (t3) in power-on patterns 1 and 4 of the limit clear pattern table 4(a), there is a possibility of incorrectly determining the occurrence of the stop-out preparation state and the stop-out state. Therefore, it is desirable to terminate the output of the special external signal at a relatively early stage (for example, within 5 seconds) after power-on. Note that if the power is shut off (t2) when the output of the special external signal is detected, but the power is turned on due to an incorrect power-on pattern and the amount of balls dispensed is maintained, it is preferable to continue outputting the special external signal. This allows the system to detect that the payout balance has not been reset (initialized) due to the output of a special external signal for an extended period after an incorrect power-on, and then prompts the user to perform another power-off procedure.

In this way, by configuring the system to output a special external signal at a specific timing (t1), such as before the start of the stop-out preparation state or the stop-out state, the constant output of the special external signal can be avoided, thereby reducing the control load on the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the approaching start of the stop-out preparation state or the stop-out state can be detected early from the outside via the special external signal, along with the pre-notification display, enabling smooth operation during test firing and other testing phases of the gaming machine development. Also, because the main control board 1310 outputs the special external signal externally, even if the pre-notification display is not yet complete during the gaming machine development phase, as long as the specific timing is set, the approaching start of the stop-out preparation state or the stop-out state can be detected early from the outside via the special external signal, further facilitating smooth operation during test firing and other testing phases of the gaming machine development.

Next, Figure 141(B) will be explained. In Figure 141(B), with test electronic components mounted in an empty test circuit, a special external signal is started to output at a specific timing (t1) before the start of the shutdown preparation state, and the power is shut off after the start of the shutdown preparation state.

Specifically, while a test electronic component is mounted on an empty test circuit, the system does not continuously output a special external signal. Instead, it starts outputting the special external signal at a specific timing (t1) before the start of the stop-and-go preparation state. Furthermore, it continues outputting the special external signal even after the payout reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and the stop-and-go preparation state occurs (t2). Here, since it is conceivable to output a predetermined external signal via an external terminal board during the stop-and-go preparation state, to avoid confusion between such predetermined external signals and the special external signal, in this example, it is preferable to output the special external signal directly from the main control board 1310 without going through the external terminal board. In addition, during the stop-and-go preparation state, as described above, the display device 1600 displays not only the display related to the ongoing jackpot game (normal display), but also a standby display indicating "The jackpot is over, and today's game is finished" to show that the payout has already reached a specific value.

After the payout reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and a stop-play preparation state is triggered (t2), the game transitions to the stop-play state when the jackpot game ends. However, by continuing to output a special external signal during this stop-play preparation state, it becomes possible to detect the approaching stop-play state through the operation of test equipment receiving the special external signal, such as during test firings in the development phase of the gaming machine. Therefore, by shutting off the power (t3) when the output of the special external signal is detected during the stop-play preparation state, and then turning the power back on (t4) using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the aforementioned restriction clear pattern table 4(a), it becomes possible to clear the stop-play preparation state without clearing (initializing) the game state, thus avoiding the occurrence of the stop-play state.

Then, when the output of a special external signal is detected during the stop-loss preparation state, the power is shut off (t3). When the power is turned on (t4) using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the aforementioned restriction clear pattern table 4(a), the stop-loss preparation state is cleared. This does not clear the jackpot game that was running before the power was shut off. Instead, after various clearing processes during power-on, the jackpot game that was running before the power was shut off is resumed. This ensures that even if the payout reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and the stop-loss preparation state occurs during trial firing tests in the development phase of the gaming machine, only the stop-loss preparation state is cleared, preventing any disruption to the continuous execution of trial firing tests.

Furthermore, in the power-on patterns 1 and 4 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), after power-on (t4), the output of the special external signal is terminated after a predetermined time has elapsed, as described above. However, since the presence or absence of output of the special external signal from the main control board 1310 is determined prior to the various clearing processes during power-on, the timing of the termination of the special external signal output can be anytime after this determination has been made.

By configuring the system to continue outputting a special external signal not only before the start of the stop-loss preparation state but also after it begins, the approaching start of the stop-loss state can be detected early from the outside via the special external signal along with the standby indicator. This enables smooth operation during test firing and other procedures during the development phase of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, the specific timing (t1) does not necessarily have to be the same timing as the execution conditions for the prior notification display described above. It may be any timing before the start of the stop-out preparation state or the stop-out state, and may be either before or after the execution conditions for the prior notification display.

Furthermore, the configuration is not limited to the embodiments shown in Figures 141(A) and (B) above. For example, regardless of whether or not test electronic components are mounted on an empty test circuit, the output/non-output of the special external signal may be switched in accordance with the ON/OFF operation of the output start switch mounted on the main control board 1310. Specifically, when the output start switch is turned ON during the shutdown preparation state, the specific output requirements are met and the special external signal is output. However, when the output start switch is turned ON when not in the shutdown preparation state, the specific output requirements are met and the special external signal is output after a specific timing (t1) before the start of the shutdown preparation state has arrived. In such cases as well, the constant output of the special external signal can be avoided, and the control load on the main control board 1310 can be reduced.

(Regarding adjustments to the amount of balls dispensed)
As explained in detail above, when the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game (winning game) reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop-play preparation state. The game does not immediately enter the stop-play state until the jackpot game ends, at which point it transitions to the stop-play state. For example, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during an intermediate round of a jackpot game, the game does not immediately enter the stop-play preparation state, but rather transitions to the stop-play preparation state. The game then transitions to the stop-play state when the final round of the jackpot game ends. In other words, when the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value, it is possible to obtain more balls than that specific value.

By the way, in situations such as "multiple reserved balls that are judged to be jackpots are stored, and after the jackpot game resulting from the consumption of the earlier reserved balls is completed, the execution of the jackpot game resulting from the consumption of the later reserved balls is also confirmed (the occurrence of multiple jackpots can be recognized by the player by the display of multiple reserved ball displays with a high expectation level)," or "it is confirmed that the jackpot will be a probability-increasing jackpot, and that the game will transition to a high-probability state (such as a continuous win mode) after the jackpot game is completed," or "a game ball enters the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008 during the jackpot game, and it is confirmed that the game will transition to a high-probability state after the jackpot game is completed," then it is confirmed that the next jackpot can be obtained even while the jackpot game is in progress. However, even when a jackpot is guaranteed during a winning game, if the payout reaches a specific value and the game enters a state of preparing to stop, the game cannot continue once the jackpot ends. This prevents players from receiving the benefit of the next jackpot, leading to significant player dissatisfaction. This example describes a configuration where, when the payout reaches a specific value and the game enters a state of preparing to stop, the hall manager can perform a specific operation to reduce the payout (the value of the stop counter), returning the payout to its state before reaching the specific value (normal state). This resolves the stop-stop preparation state, allowing players to receive the next jackpot after the jackpot ends.

First, on the back of the pachinko machine 1, there is a payout amount subtraction switch for subtracting and adjusting the payout amount (the value of the stop counter). This payout amount subtraction switch is located on the main control board 1310 as a work-only operation unit (such as a button that allows switching between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that allows switching between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) that cannot be touched by the player. When the payout amount subtraction switch is operated (for example, by turning it ON for more than 3 seconds and then switching it OFF), the operation signal is input to the main control board 1310, making it possible to subtract a predetermined payout amount (for example, 1500 balls) from the current payout amount. In other words, it is possible to subtract a predetermined payout amount (for example, 1500 balls) from the value of the stop counter at its highest point.

In this example, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and the game transitions to a stop-play preparation state, the ball dispenser reduction switch is enabled during this state. When the hall manager operates the ball dispenser reduction switch, a predetermined amount of balls (for example, 1500 balls) is subtracted from the current number of balls dispensed, causing the number of balls dispensed to fall below the specific value. At this time, the stop-play flag, which was turned on when the game transitioned to the stop-play preparation state, is turned off, ending the stop-play preparation state and returning to the normal state. For example, if the "specific value" is set to 100,000, and the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (100,000 balls) during a jackpot game, the game transitions to a stop-play preparation state. However, when the hall manager operates the ball dispenser reduction switch, 1500 balls are subtracted as a predetermined amount, resulting in a number of balls dispensed of 98,500, which falls below the specific value (100,000 balls). Here, when the payout amount is reduced to a certain value, the "stop-play" preparation state is resolved, but the information for the ongoing jackpot game and for obtaining the next jackpot is not cleared. Furthermore, after reducing the payout amount to a certain value, the payout count is restarted from the reduced amount.

Thus, even if the payout reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and the game enters a state of preparation for stopping play, the hall manager can operate the payout reduction switch to resolve the state of preparation for stopping play. As long as the payout does not reach the specific value again, the game can continue even after the jackpot game ends. This means that even if the next jackpot is confirmed during a jackpot game, as described above, the game can continue after the jackpot game ends, allowing the player to reap the benefits related to the next jackpot and alleviating player dissatisfaction. While the game continues after the jackpot game ends, if the payout reaches the specific value again during the next jackpot game, for example, the game will enter the state of preparation for stopping play. Conversely, if the payout reaches the specific value again when the game is not in a jackpot state, the game will enter the state of stopping play.

On the other hand, when the machine is not in a state of preparation for stopping play, the operation of the payout amount reduction switch is disabled. Even if the hall manager operates the payout amount reduction switch, the predetermined payout amount (e.g., 1500 balls) will not be reduced from the current payout amount. Therefore, even if the payout amount reduction switch is operated while the machine is in a state of stopping play, the predetermined payout amount (e.g., 1500 balls) will not be reduced from the current payout amount, and the payout amount will not fall below a specific value. In other words, since the machine does not return to the normal state and maintains the state of stopping play, it is not possible to resume playing. In such cases, it is necessary to cut off the power while the machine is in a state of stopping play, and when the power is turned back on, the payout amount and the state of stopping play must be cleared.

Furthermore, when the payout amount reduction switch is operated during the stop-loss preparation state, a predetermined amount of payouts (for example, 1500 balls) is subtracted from the current payout amount. The amount of payouts subtracted is equivalent to the amount of payouts that can be obtained in one jackpot game. In this example, the amount of payouts that can be obtained in one jackpot game is set to be around 1500 balls, and the amount of payouts subtracted when the payout amount reduction switch is operated is set to 1500 balls. As a result, if the payout amount reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and the game transitions to the stop-loss preparation state, operating the payout amount reduction switch during the stop-loss preparation state will cancel the stop-loss preparation state, and the payout amount will not reach the specific value again during that jackpot game, thus preventing the game from transitioning to the stop-loss preparation state. In other words, even if the next jackpot is confirmed during a jackpot game as described above, it is possible to continue playing after the jackpot game ends and obtain the benefit related to the next jackpot. Furthermore, since the amount of balls deducted when the payout amount reduction switch is operated is equivalent to the amount of balls that can be obtained in one jackpot game, there is a high probability that the payout amount will reach a specific value again in the next jackpot game and transition to the stop-play preparation state. At the end of that next jackpot game, the game will transition to the stop-play state and end.

Furthermore, when the number of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value, the system transitions to a stop-play preparation state. However, after transitioning to the stop-play preparation state, the system is configured not to count the number of balls dispensed during the jackpot game (the value of the stop-play counter). In other words, the system is configured not to count the number of balls dispensed beyond a specific value. Therefore, when the ball dispensed amount subtraction switch is operated during the stop-play preparation state, a predetermined amount of balls dispensed (for example, 1500 balls) is subtracted from the current number of balls dispensed, which is the specific value, so that the number of balls dispensed falls below the specific value. However, the system may also be configured to continue counting the number of balls dispensed during the jackpot game (the value of the stop-play counter) even after transitioning to the stop-play preparation state. In other words, the system may be configured to count the number of balls dispensed beyond the specific value. In such a configuration, when the ball dispensed amount subtraction switch is operated during the stop-play preparation state, a predetermined amount of balls dispensed (for example, 1500 balls) is subtracted from the current number of balls dispensed, which exceeds the specific value, so that the number of balls dispensed falls below the specific value.

Furthermore, when the payout reduction switch is operated while the machine is in the "stop-play preparation" state, a predetermined amount of payouts (e.g., 1500 balls) is subtracted from the current payout. Alternatively, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stop-play preparation" state, and then the payout reduction switch is operated upon power restoration, the machine may be configured to subtract a predetermined amount of payouts (e.g., 1500 balls) from the current payout. In such a configuration, even if the "stop-play preparation" state is maintained upon power restoration, operating the payout reduction switch at that time will subtract a predetermined amount of payouts (e.g., 1500 balls) from the current payout, causing the payout to fall below a specific value. In other words, when the payout reduction switch is operated upon power restoration, the "stop-play preparation" state is resolved, allowing the jackpot game that was in progress when the power was cut off to resume. Thus, by requiring power on/off switching to be effective, the resolution of the "stop-play preparation" state can be strictly controlled by the hall manager.

Furthermore, if the payout reduction switch is operated during the "preparation for stopping play" state, making it possible to win the next jackpot, and then the next jackpot game is played, it is conceivable that a similar game situation may occur again (a situation where, despite the acquisition of the next jackpot game being confirmed, the payout reaches a specific value during the jackpot game and transitions to the "preparation for stopping play" state). Considering such cases, it is preferable not to limit the number of times the payout reduction switch can be operated (the number of reductions) during the "preparation for stopping play" state, allowing operation to be accepted for each "preparation for stopping play" state. This allows the hall manager to appropriately manage the situation so as not to dissatisfaction with players, even if a similar game situation occurs after operating the payout reduction switch. However, to prevent excessive payout reduction by accepting multiple operations of the payout reduction switch during a single "preparation for stopping play" state, it is desirable to limit the number of operations of the payout reduction switch (the number of reductions) to one per "preparation for stopping play" state.

Furthermore, operating the payout reduction switch while the machine is in the "preparation for stopping play" state requires work by the hall manager, which temporarily stops the player's gameplay. However, since the jackpot game continues to progress during this operation, there is a risk of the player losing payouts during the operation. To avoid this, for example, when operating the payout reduction switch while the machine is in the "preparation for stopping play" state, control may be implemented to stop the progress of the game, including the jackpot game. For example, if the payout reduction is performed by turning the payout reduction switch ON for three seconds or more and then OFF, it is possible to implement a system that stops the progress of the game, including the jackpot game, at least while the payout reduction switch is ON. Also, to ensure that players understand that this does not cancel the jackpot game, it is preferable to provide a unique notification indicating that the game, including the jackpot game, is temporarily stopped while the payout reduction switch is ON, and to make this information known externally.

Furthermore, the amount of balls deducted when operating the ball deduction switch during the preparation state for stopping play is not limited to the "amount of balls that can be obtained in one jackpot game" as described above, but may be set appropriately according to the game specifications, etc. For example, in a game where four jackpot games are guaranteed after one jackpot game (for example, a set of five jackpot games), operating the ball deduction switch once may deduct a value exceeding the amount of balls that can be obtained in the next jackpot game (500 balls) (for example, "2000 balls," which is the amount of balls that can be obtained in four jackpot games). This can alleviate player dissatisfaction.

(Regarding the transition to a state similar to "finished" after clearing the "finished" state)
As detailed above, in the restriction clear pattern table 4, regardless of which of the power-on patterns 1 to 4 is selected when the power is turned on, the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is cleared (initialized). Also, in the restriction clear pattern table 4, when the power is turned on, the "restrictions on playing during the stop-play state" are cleared (initialized) only if the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3. On the other hand, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power-off is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "restrictions on playing during the stop-play state" are maintained. In other words, regarding the "restrictions on playing during the stop-play state," it is possible to choose whether to maintain or clear them when the power is turned on again after a power-off. For example, if the stop-play state has already occurred and you want to remove the restrictions on playing, you should perform the power-on operation to clear the "restrictions on playing during the stop-play state" after the power is turned off. If you want to maintain the restrictions on playing, you should perform the power-on operation to maintain the "restrictions on playing during the stop-play state" after the power is turned off.

However, if the hall manager, unaware that a game-stopping state had already occurred, mistakenly performed the power-on operation to clear the "restriction on gameplay during a game-stopping state" after a power-off, there was a possibility that the game-stopping state would be resolved and gameplay could be resumed, even though the manager wanted the game-stopping state to continue. In this example, when a game-stopping state has already occurred, the power-on operation to clear the "restriction on gameplay during a game-stopping state" clears the game-stopping state at that point, but instead of immediately returning to the normal state, it transitions to a state similar to a game-stopping state, where gameplay is restricted in a similar manner. This similar state continues until the hall manager performs a specific operation. This configuration is described below.

First, a stop-like state termination switch is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 to terminate the stop-like state. This stop-like state termination switch is provided on the main control board 1310 as an operational part (such as a button that can switch between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) that cannot be touched by the player. When the stop-like state termination switch is operated during the stop-like state, the operation signal is input to the main control board 1310, and although the game is restricted in the stop-like state, the stop-like state is resolved, returning to the normal state and allowing the game to resume. Note that the stop-like state termination switch is enabled during the stop-like state, but it is disabled during the stop state, and even if the stop-like state termination switch is operated during the stop state, the stop state will not be resolved. Furthermore, the stop-like state termination switch may also be used in conjunction with the payout amount reduction switch mentioned above.

Figure 142 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a state similar to a stop-out state occurs after the stop-out state is cleared upon power-up.

First, at timing t1, the system determines that the amount of balls dispensed based on balls entering the prize slots reaches a specific value. When the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering the prize slot, it turns on the stop-play flag, and the system transitions to a "stopped-play state" where restriction pattern 3 is applied, performing both "stop play" and "stop firing." The behavior of the stopped-play state is as described above.

Specifically, in the "stopped" state, the launch of game balls is disabled, and the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 cannot proceed. In other words, in the "stopped" state, the special symbol variation display and jackpot game are not executed, and even if a starting payout occurs, the special symbol variation display will not be initiated anew.

Next, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the power is shut off at timing t2, and then restarted at timing t3. In this example, when the power is restarted, the restriction clear pattern table 4 is used as the restriction clear pattern table, and power restart patterns 2 and 3, which clear the payout amount and the stop-play state, are selected as the power restart patterns. Therefore, when the power is restarted, the game state at the time of the power shutoff is cleared (initialized), but the "payout amount before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are also cleared (initialized).

In this example, when the power is restored, the "restriction on gameplay during stoppage state" is cleared (initialized), but instead of immediately returning to the normal state, it transitions to a stoppage-like state that restricts gameplay in the same way as a stoppage state. In this stoppage-like state, just like in a stoppage state, the launch of game balls is disabled, and it becomes impossible to proceed with gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310. In other words, in the stoppage-like state, the special symbol variation display and jackpot game are not executed, and even if a starting prize is won, the special symbol variation display will not start anew. Thus, even if the hall manager mistakenly performs the power-on operation to clear the "restriction on gameplay during stoppage state" after a power outage without realizing that a stoppage state had already occurred, the system transitions to a stoppage-like state, and gameplay is restricted in the same way as in a stoppage state until the hall manager operates the stoppage-like state termination switch, allowing the hall manager to strictly control the resumption of gameplay.

In a state similar to a "stopped play" state, the notification to external parties is given in a manner different from that of a "stopped play" state. Specifically, in a state similar to a "stopped play" state, for example, the display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker notify that gameplay is temporarily restricted until the "stopped play" state termination switch is operated. In this way, by notifying in a manner different from that of a "stopped play" state in a "stopped play" state, it is possible to reliably recognize whether the game is in a "stopped play" state or whether the power has been cut off during a "stopped play" state. Furthermore, when the power is restored, the "amount of balls dispensed before the start of the "stopped play" state and after the start of the "stopped play" state, as well as the "restriction of gameplay during the "stopped play" state, are cleared (initialized), and therefore, the notification that the amount of balls dispensed and the "stopped play" state have been cleared is also given.

Furthermore, the behavior of the "similar to a stop-down state" is substantially the same as that of a normal stop-down state, except for the manner in which external notifications are sent. Specifically, in the "similar to a stop-down state," movable parts are rendered inoperable. Also, in the "similar to a stop-down state," the external terminal board is forced to output a security signal, even though no abnormality has been detected, and no setting value has been changed or a setting value confirmation display is being performed. This ensures that in the "similar to a stop-down state," a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand that the system has transitioned to the "similar to a stop-down state."

Furthermore, in a state similar to a "stop-play" state, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slot (prize entry slot, out entry slot) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are dispensed as prize balls (number of balls dispensed) are not counted. In other words, calculations regarding the ratio of dispensed balls to entered balls are disabled, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, in a state similar to a "stopped play" state, even if a ball is detected entering the prize slot, no predetermined number of game balls will be dispensed as prize balls, nor will they be added to the player's ball count. However, in a state similar to a "stopped play" state, the system may be configured not to detect balls entering the prize slot, and even if balls enter the prize slot, no predetermined number of game balls will be dispensed as prize balls, nor will they be added to the player's ball count. Also, in a state similar to a "stopped play" state, the player's ball count can be settled by operating the counting button switch 180.

Furthermore, in a state similar to a "stop-down" state, no abnormality determination is performed to determine whether or not an abnormality such as magnetic fields or vibrations has been detected. In other words, even if an abnormality is detected in a state similar to a "stop-down" state, since no abnormality determination is performed, no abnormality notification is executed to inform external parties that an abnormality has occurred. Thus, in a state similar to a "stop-down" state, notification regarding the state takes precedence over abnormality notifications, ensuring that players and hall managers are reliably aware that they have entered a state similar to a "stop-down" state. However, the system may be configured not to detect abnormalities such as magnetic fields or vibrations in a state similar to a "stop-down" state. Similarly, if no abnormalities are detected at all, even if an abnormality occurs, no abnormality notification will be executed to inform external parties that an abnormality has occurred.

Next, after transitioning to a state similar to a stop-loss state, the stop-loss-like-state termination switch is operated at timing t4. In this example, operating the stop-loss-like-state termination switch during the stop-loss-like state resolves the stop-loss-like state, returning to the normal state and releasing the restrictions on gameplay in the stop-loss-like state. The behavior of the normal state is as described above.

Specifically, in the normal state, the game balls can be launched, and the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310. In other words, in the normal state, unlike the near-stop state or the actual stop state, when a starting win occurs, the special symbol variation display can begin, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing for normal gameplay.

Furthermore, when the power is restarted, the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are cleared (initialized). Therefore, a notification is sent indicating that the amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state have been cleared. However, such a notification could also be sent when the stop-play-like state termination switch is operated during the stop-play-like state, returning the system to the normal state. This prevents the user from feeling confused when, upon restarting the power, the amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are cleared, but the system transitions to a stop-play-like state and restricts gameplay in the same way as the stop-play state.

(Regarding the visibility of advance notices and signs indicating that the road is impassable)
In the examples described above, the pre-notification message is displayed in a specific display area on the top layer of the performance display device 1600 during the game's progression, ensuring that the visibility of the pre-notification is not obstructed by other performance images. However, if a predetermined area for displaying adjustment images that reflect the player's adjustment operations related to the performance (for example, images corresponding to volume or brightness, or other adjustment images) is located in a position that overlaps with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction, the visibility of the adjustment images may be obstructed by the pre-notification, at least while the pre-notification is displayed, potentially reducing the enjoyment of the game. As an example, one solution described above is to hide the pre-notification in the specific display area so that it cannot be seen. However, in the example described below, a configuration is described in which, while the pre-notification message is displayed in the specific display area, game information such as adjustment images is displayed outside the specific display area.

Figure 143 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a pre-announcement or an "impossible to proceed" message is displayed during the standby state.

First, once the remaining number of balls to be dispensed reaches a predetermined value (for example, 5000 balls), a pre-notification display is shown. This pre-notification display continues to be shown not only during the special symbol's variation display, but also during the standby state when the special symbol is not varying, until the number of balls to be dispensed reaches the predetermined value. Furthermore, as detailed above, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Remaining until the game limit is reached: +XX balls" in a specific display area as a pre-notification display. This specific display area is set as part of the display area of the performance display device 1600 and is used to display information when the number of balls to be dispensed approaches the predetermined value. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the game state to prevent hall managers from overlooking it.

Furthermore, advance notices and indications of impossibility of proceeding are displayed on the upper layers of the display device 1600. In this example, the display device 1600 can display multiple layers, including at least an upper layer, a middle layer, and a lower layer. The display elements on higher layers are displayed closer to the front, following the relationship "upper layer > middle layer > lower layer," ensuring priority visibility. This prevents the visibility of advance notices and impossibility of proceeding displayed on the upper layers from being obstructed by displays on the middle and lower layers.

Furthermore, during the non-variable display of the special symbol, the stopped symbol of the decorative symbol is displayed as standby display 1 (standby effect 1) for a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) elapsed after the special symbol has stopped in a fixed position. This stopped symbol of the decorative symbol is displayed on a lower layer of the effect display device 1600. The decorative symbol is displayed on a lower layer of the effect display device 1600 regardless of whether the special symbol is in a variable display or a non-variable display state. In addition, the predetermined area of standby display 1 in which the stopped symbol of the decorative symbol is displayed is located outside the specific display area where the pre-notification display is displayed, and is positioned so as not to overlap with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction. This ensures that the visibility of the stopped symbol of the decorative symbol is maintained even while the pre-notification display is displayed, and allows the user to understand that the special symbol is in a non-variable display state. Furthermore, the designated area within the standby display 1 where the stop symbol of the decorative pattern is displayed may be positioned so that a portion of it overlaps with a specific display area in the front-to-back direction. For example, the stop symbol of the decorative pattern may be displayed offset from the pre-notification display to the extent that the stop symbol of the decorative pattern can be clearly identified.

Furthermore, while the special symbols are displayed in a non-variable state, the volume and brightness can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204, just as when the special symbols are displayed in a variable state. During volume and brightness adjustment, an adjustment image corresponding to the volume or brightness being adjusted is displayed. The adjustment image is displayed starting when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated and disappears after a certain period of time (for example, 3 seconds) has elapsed since the start of display. Here, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated at timing t1 while the special symbols are displayed in a non-variable state, the adjustment image is displayed, and this adjustment image is displayed on the middle layer of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the predetermined area where the adjustment image is displayed is outside the specific display area where the pre-notification display is displayed, and is located in a position that does not overlap with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction. This ensures that the visibility of the adjustment image is maintained even while the pre-notification display is displayed, and prevents a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, the designated area where the adjustment image is displayed may be positioned so that it partially overlaps with a specific display area in the front-to-back direction. For example, if the adjustment image is a level gauge type, it may be displayed so that it does not overlap to the extent that the change in the level gauge can be grasped; if the adjustment image is a numerical type, it may be displayed so that it does not overlap to the extent that the numerical value can be grasped. In short, it may be displayed offset from the pre-notification display to the extent that the results of the adjustment operation by the player can be confirmed.

Furthermore, pre-announcement displays and game-breaking indicators are excluded from the image conversion processing (mosaic processing, grayscale processing, enlargement/reduction processing, etc.) performed by the peripheral control board 1510. In other words, while other performance images are subject to image conversion processing by the peripheral control board 1510, allowing for changes in their appearance as the performance progresses, pre-announcement displays and game-breaking indicators are excluded from this processing. Therefore, even as the performance progresses, changes in their appearance are not permitted. This ensures that while pre-announcement displays and game-breaking indicators are displayed, their visibility remains unchanged, preventing players from overlooking information such as the amount of balls dispensed.

Next, at timing t3, after the special symbol variation display has finished, and after a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the special symbol stopped, a demonstration period begins, displaying demonstration images (e.g., images explaining the game's mechanics or promotional images). This demonstration period ends when the special symbol variation display begins. Furthermore, the pre-announcement display continues to be shown even after the transition to the demonstration period. This prevents new players from starting the game without being aware of information regarding payout amounts, etc., before they begin playing.

Furthermore, during the demonstration period, a demonstration image with the following content is displayed as standby display 2 (standby effect 2). Specifically, first, the effect display device 1600 is used to display an explanatory and promotional image (movie) of the effects of the pachinko machine 1, and at the end of this, the logo of the pachinko machine 1's title is displayed. After the display of the title logo is finished, the effect display device 1600 displays the logo of the manufacturer of the pachinko machine 1, and then displays a warning message regarding "preventing addiction" to prevent excessive gambling (for example, the text "Pachinko should be enjoyed in moderation. Be careful not to become addicted"). By displaying such a warning message, it is possible to prevent players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game during subsequent play.

In this example, the standby display 2 described above is displayed on a lower layer of the performance display device 1600. For example, the predetermined area where the warning message is displayed is located outside the specific display area where the pre-notification display is displayed, and is positioned so as not to overlap with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction. This ensures that the visibility of the warning message is maintained even while the pre-notification display is displayed, and reliably prevents players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game. The predetermined area where the warning message is displayed may be positioned so that a part of the predetermined area overlaps with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction. For example, even if the predetermined area and the specific display area overlap, the warning message may be shifted vertically or horizontally from the pre-notification display to the extent that the content of the warning message can be confirmed. Also, for example, the predetermined area where the warning message is displayed may be located outside the display area where the adjustment image described later will be displayed. This ensures the visibility of warning messages even when adjustment images are displayed, effectively preventing players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game.

As an alternative, the standby display 2 described above may be displayed on a higher layer of the performance display device 1600. In this case, the predetermined area where the warning message is displayed and the specific display area where the pre-notification display is displayed will be displayed on the same layer. However, it is desirable to offset the predetermined area and the specific display area vertically or horizontally so that they do not overlap at all. This ensures that the visibility of the warning message is maintained even while the pre-notification display is displayed, and reliably prevents players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game. It should be noted that a portion of the predetermined area where the warning message is displayed may overlap with the specific display area. For example, even if the warning message overlaps with the predetermined area and the specific display area, it may be displayed offset vertically or horizontally from the pre-notification display to the extent that the content of the warning message can be confirmed.

Furthermore, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated at timing t4 during the demonstration period, an adjustment image is displayed. As described above, this adjustment image is displayed on the middle layer of the display device 1600. The predetermined area where the adjustment image is displayed is located outside the specific display area where the pre-notification display is shown, and is positioned so as not to overlap with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction. This ensures the visibility of the adjustment image even while the pre-notification display is shown, thus avoiding a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. Note that if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated during the demonstration period, the demonstration period may be terminated while continuing in standby mode. However, even in the standby state after the end of the demonstration period, the pre-notification display will continue to be displayed.

Furthermore, during the demonstration period, the movable body provided on the game board 5 may be moved from its initial position to its appearance position, so that it appears in front of the screen of the display device 1600. However, even if the movable body appears in front of the screen of the display device 1600, it is preferable that it does not position itself in front of the specific display area where the pre-announcement display is shown. This ensures the visibility of the pre-announcement display even when the movable body is in operation during the demonstration period.

Next, at timing t6, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game is restricted, the standby state ends and the game transitions to a stop-play state where further gameplay is impossible. As described above, when the number of balls dispensed, calculated based on the prize balls awarded for winning in each prize slot, reaches a specific value, the game is restricted and the game enters a stop-play state. However, in this example, this game restriction is controlled not only during the display of special symbols or during winning gameplay, but also during the standby state. This makes it possible to prevent the game from entering a stop-play state during the display of special symbols or during winning gameplay, for example, if a game ball launched in the standby state enters a general prize slot 2001, and the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value as a result of that entry.

When the game transitions directly from standby to the stop-play state, the display device 1600 displays a "cannot proceed" indicator as the image corresponding to the stop-play state. This "cannot proceed" indicator displays the message "Game Restriction," along with the messages "Gameplay is restricted because the daily payout limit of XXX balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The payout button is active." Furthermore, as mentioned above, the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed on a higher layer of the display device 1600. This ensures that the visibility of the "cannot proceed" indicator is not obstructed, allowing players to understand that gameplay has been restricted because the payout amount has reached a specific value.

Furthermore, in this example, the "cannot proceed" display is shown on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, displaying a message on a screen consisting of an opaque blacked-out display (for example, a black background image). This blacked-out display covers almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600. As a result, screens displayed on lower layers than the upper layer are invisible due to the blacked-out display on the upper layer. Specifically, even after transitioning to the stop-play state at timing t6, the demonstration image as standby display 2 continues to be displayed on the lower layer of the performance display device 1600. However, because the "cannot proceed" display is shown on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600 using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600, the demonstration image is invisible. As a result, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the player does not realize that it is a demonstration period while the "cannot proceed" display is shown, and can reliably understand that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and that the game is being restricted. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, regardless of whether a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed in the standby state where the special symbols are not being displayed, the lower layer of the display device 1600 may be forcibly terminated to prevent the demonstration image from being continuously displayed.

Furthermore, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated at timing t7 while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, the operation of the setting adjustment button 204 itself is accepted, and the adjustment image is displayed on the middle layer of the performance display device 1600. However, because the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600, the adjustment image is not visible. Note that while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, the adjustment image is simply not displayed, but the volume and light intensity adjustments can be internally accepted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. However, while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, control based on the stop state takes priority as a control related to sound and light emission, and the volume and light intensity adjustments received from operating the setting adjustment button 204 are not reflected. Alternatively, the volume and light intensity adjustments received from operating the setting adjustment button 204 while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed may be reflected. For example, volume and light intensity adjustments may be reflected except for those related to the notification mode described later.

Furthermore, in this example, even after transitioning to the stop state at timing t6, the demonstration image as standby display 2 continues to be displayed on the lower layer of the performance display device 1600. However, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated while the display of the "cannot proceed" indicator is shown, the demonstration image continuing on the lower layer may be terminated. This reduces the control load on the peripheral control board 1510. Note that the condition for terminating the demonstration image continuing on the lower layer is not limited to the operation of the setting adjustment button 204, but may also be the operation of the first performance button 251, the second performance button 252, or the handle 160. Also, if the setting adjustment button 204, the first performance button 251, the second performance button 252, or the handle 160 is operated while the display of the "cannot proceed" indicator is shown (i.e., a predetermined operation that is a condition for terminating the demonstration image continuing on the lower layer is performed), it is desirable that no special sound, light, display, or other notification is provided accordingly. In other words, if dedicated voice, light, or display notifications are provided for each operation, there is a risk that players may misunderstand and think they can continue playing. However, by not providing any dedicated voice, light, or display notifications for each operation, such misunderstandings can be prevented. Furthermore, in the case of the aforementioned sealed-type gaming machines and managed gaming machines, dedicated voice, light, or display notifications are not provided for the operation of the setting adjustment button 204, the first and second performance buttons 252, or the handle 160. However, for the operation of the counting button switch 180, dedicated voice, light, or display notifications may be provided to clearly indicate the normal end of the game.

Next, the notification methods regarding light and sound during the execution of the stop-play state will be explained using Figure 143. In this example, when the machine transitions to the stop-play state, not only the performance display device 1600 but also other notification components are used to actively inform the outside that the machine has transitioned to the stop-play state in an emphasized manner. However, if this emphasized notification continues until the stop-play state is resolved, it may interfere with the game for surrounding players. Here, to address this concern, a configuration that controls the notification regarding light and sound during the execution of the stop-play state to change in a specific manner will be described below.

First, at timing t6, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game is restricted, the game transitions to a stop-play state where further play is impossible. The display device 1600 then displays a message indicating that further play is impossible, using almost the entire surface of the display device 1600 as an image corresponding to the stop-play state. At this time, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamps B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and speakers are forcibly activated as notification mode A, consisting of a predetermined specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) and a predetermined specific volume (e.g., maximum volume), regardless of the settings made by operating the setting adjustment button 204, in conjunction with the execution of the operation when further play is impossible. More specifically, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) emit white monochromatic light, and the LEDs blink or light up at a specific brightness level (e.g., maximum brightness). The speaker outputs a voice message at a specific volume (e.g., maximum volume) stating, "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted." This clearly informs the hall manager that the game has entered a stop-play state. It is preferable that the notification related to the stop-play state be presented in a different manner than the notifications given in the event of other errors such as malfunctions.

Then, after the notification in the emphasized mode as notification mode A has started, at timing t8, when a predetermined period (for example, 15 seconds) has elapsed, the performance display device 1600 maintains the display of "cannot proceed" using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600, but the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member), lamps B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and the speaker switch to notification mode B, a suppressed mode in which the light intensity and volume are suppressed. Specifically, for lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member) and lamps B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), the LEDs continue to emit white monochromatic light, but they are prevented from flashing or lighting at a specific light intensity (for example, maximum light intensity) (they are prevented from flashing or lighting at a light intensity lower than a specific light intensity), and furthermore, the speaker does not output the voice message "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted," resulting in a silent state (inaudible state) where no sound can be heard. This allows the notification in the emphasized mode to end even when the machine is in a stopped state, preventing it from interfering with the game for surrounding players. It also prevents excessive power consumption by the gaming machine when it is no longer being played.

Regarding the suppression method, it is sufficient to suppress the light intensity and volume compared to the emphasis method. For example, for lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), the pattern of emitted colors may be changed from the emphasis method so that the LEDs flash or light up with multiple colors, or the speaker may output a voice message such as "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted" or a predetermined background music at a volume lower than a certain level. In this way, even if a game machine has reached its payout limit and is no longer being played, the decorative effect can be maintained, and it can play a role in enlivening the entire game hall. Furthermore, decorative effects are unnecessary for gaming machines that have reached a stopping point and are no longer being played. If even greater energy savings are desired, the suppression mode may completely suppress light intensity and volume. For example, the display device 1600 may maintain a "cannot proceed" indication using almost its entire surface, while lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5) may be turned off. Additionally, the system may be rendered completely silent (inaudible) from the speakers. A predetermined suppression mode selection switch may also be provided, allowing the administrator to change (select) the suppression mode settings by operating the switch.

Furthermore, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated at timing t9 after the start of notification in suppression mode as notification mode B, the performance display device 1600 maintains the display of inability to proceed, while the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), lamps B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and the speaker switch to notification mode A, in an enhanced mode that emphasizes the light intensity and volume. Similarly, if the handle 160 is touched and the handle touch sensor 162 detects the player's contact, the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), lamps B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and the speaker switch to notification mode A, in an enhanced mode that emphasizes the light intensity and volume. As a result, even if a new player tries to start playing without realizing that the game is in a stopped state, the notification will switch to the enhanced mode, making them aware that the game is in a stopped state. Furthermore, even if the handle 160 is rotated while in contact with it, if the game is restricted by the aforementioned restriction pattern 3, the game will not be launched toward the game area 5a because "game stop" and "launch stop" occur during the stop-shooting state.

Furthermore, after restarting notification in the enhanced mode as notification mode A, at timing t10, when a predetermined period (for example, 15 seconds) has elapsed, the display device 1600 maintains the display indicating that the game cannot proceed, but the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament member), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and the speaker switch to notification mode B, which is a suppressed mode with reduced light intensity and volume. This prevents the enhanced notification from being interrupted by accidental operation of the setting adjustment button 204 or contact with the handle 160, even if the setting adjustment button 204 is accidentally operated or the handle 160 is touched. In this example, the time from timing t6 to timing t8 and timing t9 to timing t10 to transition from notification mode A (enhanced mode) to notification mode B (suppressed mode) is the same predetermined time (15 seconds), but the time from timing t6 to timing t8 and timing t9 to timing t10 may be different. For example, the time between timing t6 and timing t8 should ideally be set to a relatively long period (15 seconds) for the purpose of informing those around, while the time between timing t9 and timing t10 should be set to a shorter period (e.g., 5 seconds) than timing t6 to t8, with the aim of ensuring that new players have reached their limit and extending the energy-saving period.

Furthermore, the predetermined conditions for transitioning from notification mode A (emphasis mode) to notification mode B (suppression mode) are not limited to the elapsed time described above; they may also be triggered by an operation by an administrator. For example, a predetermined suppression mode setting switch may be provided, allowing the system to forcibly change to notification mode B (suppression mode) by an administrator operating the suppression mode setting switch while notification mode A (emphasis mode) is active.

As described above, during the execution of the stop-play state, when predetermined conditions are met, such as the passage of a predetermined period of time, the notification patterns of lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and the speaker are changed. In contrast, lamp C, as a function display unit 1400, is equipped with a status indicator, a normal symbol indicator, a normal hold indicator, a first special symbol indicator, a first special hold count indicator, a second special symbol indicator, a second special hold count indicator, a round indicator, etc. However, all of these LEDs are kept lit during the stop-play state, so that the notification pattern does not change even if predetermined conditions are met. As a result, even if the notification pattern of a component changes, it is possible to understand that the stop-play state has not been resolved by the notification using lamp C.

Furthermore, at timing t6, whether notification mode A is executed immediately after transitioning to the stop-operation state, or at timing t10, whether notification mode A is executed due to operation of the setting adjustment button 204 or contact with the handle 160, the same notification is executed in the emphasized mode. This allows for the standardization of the control program.

As an alternative example, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated or the handle 160 is touched at timing t10, the lamps A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and the speaker may switch to notification mode C, which is a different notification mode from notification mode A and notification mode B. Even with such a configuration, if a new player attempts to start playing without realizing that the game is in a stopped state, the notification will switch to a different notification mode from notification mode A and notification mode B, making the player aware that the game is in a stopped state.

Next, we will explain whether the handle contact animation can be executed while the special symbols are not changing (in standby mode) using Figure 143. In this example, if there is a new contact with the handle 160 while the special symbols are not changing, the handle contact animation can be executed to enhance the excitement of starting the game.

First, during the non-variable display of special symbols when the machine is not in a stopped state (standby state), regardless of whether it is during the demonstration period or not, a period is set during which the handle contact animation can be executed if a new contact occurs with the handle 160. For example, if a new contact occurs with the handle 160 at timing t1 while the pre-notification display is being shown, the handle contact animation is started and executed for a predetermined period (e.g., 5 seconds). In this handle contact animation, the animation display device 1600 is used to display a contact-specific image corresponding to contact with the handle 160 (e.g., a video display of a specific character that emphasizes the start of the game). Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and the speaker are also capable of executing specific animation processes corresponding to contact with the handle 160 (e.g., sound or light emission that emphasizes the start of the game). Note that the contact-specific image corresponding to contact with the handle 160 is outside the specific display area where the pre-notification display is shown and is displayed on the lower layer mentioned above.

On the other hand, during the period when the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed in the stopped-play state, if there is a new contact with the handle 160, the handle contact animation is set to be unexecutable. In other words, even if there is a new contact with the handle 160 while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, the animation display device 1600 does not display the contact-specific image corresponding to the contact with the handle 160, thereby restricting the execution of the handle contact animation. As a result, even if a new player tries to start playing without realizing that the game is stopped, the normal handle contact animation will not be executed. That is, the absence of the normal handle contact animation can alert the player to the stopped-play state. As mentioned above, since the contact-specific image is displayed on a lower layer, in order to avoid the complexity of control caused by the presence or absence of the contact-specific image, the contact-specific image may be displayed on a lower layer if there is a new contact with the handle 160 while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed. Even if a contact-specific image is displayed on a lower layer, if a "cannot proceed" indication is displayed on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600 using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600, the player will not be able to see the contact-specific image, and will realize that the game is stopped because the normal handle contact animation does not occur. Furthermore, even if the player rotates the handle 160 while making contact, if the game is restricted by the aforementioned restriction pattern 3, the game will not be launched toward the game area 5a because "game stop" and "launch stop" occur during the stopped state.

Furthermore, as detailed above, if the handle 160 is touched again while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and the speaker can be changed from notification mode B to notification mode A (or notification mode C as an alternative), transitioning to the emphatic notification mode. This ensures that even if a new player attempts to start playing without realizing the game is in a stopped state, the emphatic notification mode will be activated, alerting them to the stopped state.

Furthermore, if a new contact occurs with the handle 160 at timing t5 while the pre-notification display is shown, the handle contact animation is initiated. However, if the payout reaches a specific value and the game enters a stop-play state at timing t6, before the handle contact animation finishes, the animation is terminated midway through, preventing it from completing. In other words, after entering the stop-play state, the contact-specific image corresponding to contact with the handle 160 is made difficult to see. This ensures that even if a player is paying attention to the handle contact animation, they will realize that the game has entered a stop-play state and they cannot continue playing.

In this example, while the game is in a stopped state, data transfer from the game machine to the game ball dispensing device 8 is accepted, but the addition of a new player's normal number of balls and data transfer from the game ball dispensing device 8 to the game machine are not accepted, preventing a new player from starting a game. If a new player attempts to add to their normal number of balls (a ball dispensing operation), a notification is issued in a predetermined manner. For example, similar to when the game is stopped, if the handle 160 is touched again while the game is being played, the lamps A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame ornament), B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5), and the speaker are changed from notification manner B to notification manner A (or notification manner C as an alternative), transitioning to an enhanced notification. As a result, even if a new player attempts to start playing without realizing that the game is in a "stopped out" state, the normal number of balls held will not be added during the ball dispensing operation, preventing the player from starting the game. Furthermore, by issuing an emphatic notification, the player will be made aware that the game is in a "stopped out" state. In cases where the game is in a "stopped out" state, and the system is unable to accept the addition of a new player's normal number of balls or data transfer from the game ball dispensing device 8, it is preferable to control the display mode of the ball count display unit 140 to a non-receiving mode corresponding to the "stopped out" state, such as "EEEE," to inform the player of this in advance.

As an alternative, even when the game is in a stopped state, it may be possible to accept the addition of a new player's normal number of balls and data transfer from the game ball dispensing device 8 to the game machine. In such cases, if a new player attempts to add to their normal number of balls (ball dispensing operation), a notification is issued in a predetermined manner. For example, similar to when the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, if the handle 160 is touched again, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and the speaker are changed from notification manner B to notification manner A (or notification manner C as an alternative), and the notification is switched to an emphasized manner. This ensures that when a new player attempts to start playing without realizing that the game is stopped, although the normal number of balls will be added during the ball dispensing operation, the emphasized notification will alert them to the stopped state.

As an alternative example, during the non-variable display of special symbols (standby state), a movable body provided on the game board 5 may be moved from its initial position to its appearance position at a predetermined time within the demonstration period, and made to wait in front of the screen of the performance display device 1600 for a predetermined operating period (after the operating period has elapsed, the movable body is returned from the appearance position to its initial position) to perform a so-called "customer-attracting operation." However, such customer-attracting operations may also be partially restricted, similar to the handle contact performance described above. For example, if it is pre-set to move a movable body provided on the game board 5 from its initial position to its appearance position (customer-attracting operation) at timing t5 while the pre-notification display is being shown, the customer-attracting operation will be performed from timing t5 for a predetermined operating period. However, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to a stop-play state at timing t6, before the operating period has elapsed, the operation will end midway through the operating period, and the movable body will be forcibly returned from the appearance position to its initial position to shorten the customer-attracting operation. In other words, the customer-attracting operation is not performed after the game transitions to a stop-play state. This allows players to realize that even if they are performing actions to attract customers, the game will enter a state where it cannot be stopped and they will not be able to continue playing.

Next, we will explain the acceptance of performance change operations using Figure 143. In this example, when the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held, whether during the special symbol variation display, the special symbol non-variation display, or during a winning game (jackpot game), it is possible to change to "Auto Button Mode," which enables the auto-button function that considers the operation of the first performance button 251 or second performance button 252 as having been performed even if they are not actually operated when operation is requested in subsequent performances, or to "3D Display Mode," which enables 3D image display on the performance display device 1600, thereby providing a game environment that meets the player's needs. Note that if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held again after changing to Auto Button Mode or 3D Display Mode, the change is canceled and the system returns to normal mode.

First, as an example, let's explain what happens when the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held while the special symbols are not displayed in a non-changing state when the machine is not in a stop-play state. When the special symbols are not displayed in a non-changing state when the machine is not in a stop-play state, regardless of whether it is during the demonstration period or not, the machine is enabled to accept presses of the setting adjustment button 204, allowing changes to auto button mode or 3D display mode. For example, if a press and hold operation of the setting adjustment button 204 is initiated at timing t1 while the pre-notification display is being shown, the performance display device 1600 executes an acceptance performance consisting of images and sounds corresponding to the acceptance of the press and hold operation (for example, a display or sound such as "Press and hold for 5 seconds to change to auto button mode or 3D display mode"). Then, at timing t2, when the period of long-press operation of the setting adjustment button 204 reaches a predetermined period (for example, 5 seconds), the system switches to auto button mode or 3D display mode. The performance display device 1600 then executes a reception confirmation performance (for example, a display or sound such as "Auto button mode and 3D display mode have been switched") consisting of images and sounds corresponding to the reception of the long-press operation. Note that the images for the reception and reception confirmation performances are displayed outside the specific display area where the pre-notification display is shown, and are displayed on the middle layer of the performance display device 1600.

Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held while the special symbol is being displayed in a state other than the stop-play state, or during a winning game (jackpot game), the system will accept the press and hold operation of the setting adjustment button 204 in the same manner as when the special symbol is not being displayed. This allows switching to auto-button mode or 3D display mode, and controls the system to execute the acceptance and acceptance animations. In addition, if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held while the special symbol is being displayed, the system will allow the press and hold operation to continue not only during the display of that special symbol, but also after the display of that special symbol has ended and the display of the next special symbol has started, preventing the press and hold operation from being forcibly canceled midway through when the display of the special symbol ends.

Furthermore, during the display of special symbols in a variable state, during the display of special symbols in a non-variable state, or during a winning game (during a jackpot game), after changing to auto button mode or 3D display mode, subsequent effects are modified to correspond to auto button mode or 3D display mode, and a setting effect (setting image) indicating that auto button mode or 3D display mode is set is executed. However, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game enters a stop-play state, the change to auto button mode or 3D display mode is forcibly canceled, and the execution of subsequent setting effects (setting images) is restricted. In other words, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game enters a stop-play state, the set auto button mode or 3D display mode is forcibly canceled without any operation on the setting adjustment button 204, and the above-mentioned game-ending display, etc., is executed in a normal manner that does not correspond to either mode. Furthermore, the setting-in animation (setting-in image), like the reception-in animation and reception-completed animation images, is outside the specific display area where the game-stopping indicator is displayed, and is displayed on the middle layer of the animation display device 1600. This avoids the game-stopping indicator being displayed in 3D or other ways, and also prevents the game-stopping indicator from becoming difficult to see due to the setting-in animation (setting-in image), allowing for appropriate notification of the game-stopping state without causing discomfort or aversion to the player.

Next, we will explain what happens when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the setting adjustment button 204 is being pressed and held in order to change to auto button mode or 3D display mode, during the display of special symbols in a variable state, a non-variable display state, or during a winning game (jackpot game). Using Figure 143 as an example, when the special symbols are not in a stopped state, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to a stopped state at timing t6 (for example, after pressing and holding the setting adjustment button 204 for 3 seconds), the acceptance of continued pressing of the setting adjustment button 204 is blocked at timing t6, and further operation acceptance is forcibly made impossible. In addition, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to a stopped state while an acceptance-in-progress or acceptance-completed animation is being executed, the animation is forcibly terminated at the time the game transitions to a stopped state. In other words, even if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held for more than 5 seconds after that point, the system is restricted from switching to auto-button mode or 3D display mode. This means that even if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held before the game enters the stop state, if the game enters the stop state during that press and hold, none of the reception, reception, or setting animations will be executed after the game enters the stop state. This ensures that the game enters the stop state is properly notified to the player without causing discomfort or aversion.

On the other hand, while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed in the "stopped play" state, the system disables the acceptance of long presses of the setting adjustment button 204, restricting changes to auto-button mode and 3D display mode. In other words, even if the setting adjustment button 204 is long-pressed while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, the display device 1600 restricts the execution of the "receiving" animation, "received" animation, and "setting" animation. This prevents new players from mistakenly believing they can continue playing, even if they long-press the setting adjustment button 204 without realizing they are in a "stopped play" state, by notifying them of changes to auto-button mode or 3D display mode.

Furthermore, during the display of special symbols (both changing and non-changing), or during a winning game (jackpot game), if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the setting adjustment button 204 is being pressed and held to cancel the already set auto button mode or 3D display mode, the system will be controlled as follows: Specifically, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the system transitions to a stop state at timing t6 (for example, after pressing and holding the setting adjustment button 204 for 3 seconds) while the setting adjustment button 204 is being pressed and held to cancel the auto button mode or 3D display mode, the system will block the acceptance of continued pressing of the setting adjustment button 204 at timing t6, and will forcibly prevent further operation acceptance in the same manner as described above. Also, if a currently accepting or accepted performance is in the middle of its execution and the amount of balls dispenses to a stop state, the performance will be forcibly terminated at the time the system transitions to a stop state in the same manner as described above. However, if the payout reaches a specific value while the setting adjustment button 204 is being pressed and held to cancel an already set auto-button mode or 3D display mode, even if the acceptance of continued pressing of the setting adjustment button 204 is interrupted, the system will still control the cancellation of the auto-button mode or 3D display mode based on the payout reaching the specific value. In other words, if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held (for cancellation) before transitioning to the stop-play state, the system will transition to the stop-play state during that press and hold. As a result, none of the acceptance, acceptance, or setting animations will be executed after transitioning to the stop-play state, but the cancellation of the auto-button mode or 3D display mode will be forcibly performed. This prevents the stop-play state notification from becoming distorted due to reflecting a special mode, thus avoiding causing discomfort or aversion to the player.

Furthermore, as detailed above, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated (long-pressed) while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and the speaker can be changed from notification mode B to notification mode A (or notification mode C as an alternative), transitioning to the emphasized notification mode. This ensures that even if a new player long-presses the setting adjustment button 204 without realizing they are in a "stopped play" state, the emphasized notification mode will be activated, alerting them to the "stopped play" state.

Furthermore, if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held at timing t5 while the pre-notification display is being shown, the performance display device 1600 displays an image of the performance currently being accepted. However, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the system transitions to a stop-play state at timing t6, before the duration of the long press operation of the setting adjustment button 204 reaches a predetermined period (for example, 5 seconds), the display of the image of the performance currently being accepted is terminated midway, and the display of the image of the performance currently being accepted is not completed. In other words, after transitioning to a stop-play state, the display of the image of the performance currently being accepted is made invisible. Also, after transitioning to a stop-play state, acceptance of the long press operation of the setting adjustment button 204 is disabled. Therefore, even if the long press operation was continued before transitioning to a stop-play state, at timing t7, when the duration of the long press operation reaches a predetermined period (for example, 5 seconds), the system does not change to auto button mode or 3D display mode, and the performance display device 1600 does not display an image of a accepted performance. This allows the player to realize that even if they continue to hold down the setting adjustment button 204, the game will enter a stop-play state and they will not be able to continue playing.

Furthermore, when the payout reaches a specific value during a jackpot and the game transitions to a stop-play preparation state, unlike when the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed in the stop-play state, the system enables acceptance of long-press operations on the setting adjustment button 204, allowing for changes to auto-button mode or 3D display mode. Therefore, if the long-press operation of the setting adjustment button 204 is started during the pre-notification display, and the game transitions to the stop-play preparation state before the long-press period reaches a predetermined time (e.g., 5 seconds), the game will not terminate mid-playthrough of the acceptance animation. Instead, once the long-press period reaches the predetermined time (e.g., 5 seconds) after transitioning to the stop-play preparation state, the system will switch to auto-button mode or 3D display mode, and the animation display device 1600 will display the image of the accepted animation. This allows the system to determine whether the game transitioned to the stop-play state or the stop-play preparation state when the payout reaches a specific value during the long-press operation of the setting adjustment button 204. After transitioning to the stop-play preparation state, the system can perform corresponding animations to provide gameplay tailored to the player's needs.

Furthermore, while the above example illustrates changing to other modes such as auto button mode and 3D display mode by long-pressing the setting adjustment button 204, the other modes that can be changed by long-pressing the setting adjustment button 204 are not limited to these modes. For example, other modes could include "different presentation modes in which the予告演出 (preview effects) andリーチ演出 (reach effects) are executed in a different manner." Also, while the example illustrates changing to other modes by long-pressing the setting adjustment button 204, the player action that triggers the change to another mode is not limited to long-pressing the setting adjustment button 204; it could also be "a short press of the setting adjustment button 204 or another button."

Furthermore, the timing for reflecting changes to other modes, such as auto-button mode or 3D display mode, is not limited to the examples above. For example, the change could be held in abeyance until the next special symbol variation begins, and the change to the other mode could be reflected at that point. In such a case, if the payout reaches a specific value and the game stops between the time the change to the other mode is held in abeyance and the start of the next special symbol variation, the start of the next special symbol variation itself will not occur, thus preventing the reflection of the change to the other mode and achieving the same effect as described above. In addition, if the information regarding the holding of the change to the other mode is also erased when the payout reaches a specific value and the game stops, the control load on the peripheral control board 1510 can be reduced.

(Regarding the movement of the movable parts after transitioning to the stopped state)
As detailed above, when a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 or similar while the special symbols are being displayed, and the payout of prize balls reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop-play state, and gameplay is restricted. When the game transitions to the stop-play state, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Gameplay Restriction" as an image corresponding to the stop-play state, informing the player that the payout has reached a specific value and gameplay is being restricted. However, while the special symbols are being displayed, as part of the variation performance, it is possible to move movable parts such as the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 from their standby position to a performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, according to a performance pattern determined at the start of the special symbols' variation display. Therefore, if the display of the special symbols is stopped when the game transitions to a stop state while the special symbols are fluctuating, but the movable body is made to operate according to a predetermined performance pattern after the transition to the stop state, the display content (the image corresponding to the stop state) shown on the performance display device 1600 will be obscured by the movable body and will not be visible, making it difficult to understand that the game is being restricted. Also, if the display of the special symbols is stopped and the movable body is forcibly stopped when the game transitions to a stop state while the special symbols are fluctuating, if the movable body stops while in the performance position, the display content (the image corresponding to the stop state) shown on the performance display device 1600 will be obscured by the movable body and will not be visible, making it difficult to understand that the game is being restricted. Therefore, in this example, a configuration is described below in which the movable body does not stop while in the performance position after the transition to the stop state, and the movable body does not move to a new performance position.

In this example, the game board 5 is equipped with a front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 and a rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410, which are movable bodies capable of appearing in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Normally, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 are in standby position above the display screen of the performance display device 1600. However, at predetermined timings during the display of special symbols, each movable body can perform performance actions by moving between its standby position and a performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

First, we will explain the operation of the movable parts when the machine does not transition to the stop state during the special symbol variation display. Figure 144 is a time chart showing the operation of the movable parts when the machine does not transition to the stop state during the special symbol variation display.

The main control board 1310 detects balls entering various starting holes, and when it starts displaying the special symbols based on the balls entering these holes, it determines one variation pattern from multiple variation patterns based on the lottery result, and the first or second special symbol display in the function display unit 1400 executes the variation display of the special symbols based on that variation pattern. When a variation pattern is determined, it is transmitted from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510 as a variation pattern command, and the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern corresponding to the variation pattern. The performance pattern is set to contain the content of the variation performance to be executed during the variation display of the special symbols, and the variation performance includes displaying decorative symbols using the performance display device 1600, performances such as reach performances, illumination using lamps, and sound output from speakers. Furthermore, as part of the variation effects, the operation of movable parts such as the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 can also be executed, and instructions are given to execute the operation schedule in which the timing and content of the operation of the movable parts are set. According to this operation schedule, when the timing for the operation of a movable part arrives, the peripheral control board 1510 executes a movement process to operate the movable part and starts the predetermined operation. The operation schedule has two sets: operation schedule X, which sets the timing and content of the operation of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable part X), and operation schedule Y, which sets the timing and content of the operation of the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable part Y). In addition, the variation pattern, effect pattern, and operation schedule are determined when the variation display of the special symbols begins, and after the variation display of the special symbols begins, they are executed according to that variation pattern, effect pattern, and operation schedule. Furthermore, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are designed to operate when the variation pattern (performance pattern) selected when the special symbol lottery result is a win, and when the variation pattern (performance pattern) selected in some cases when the special symbol lottery result is a loss, is determined. This operation is intended to give the player a sense of anticipation regarding a win.

As shown in Figure 144, when variation pattern 1 is determined at the start of the special symbol variation display, the special symbol variation display is executed based on that variation pattern 1. Also, at the start of the special symbol variation display, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 1 corresponding to variation pattern 1, and during the special symbol variation display, the variation performance is executed based on that performance pattern 1. Furthermore, when performance pattern 1 is determined, the system instructs the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) to execute operation schedule X1 and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to execute operation schedule Y1. However, these operation schedules do not include settings for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to operate. Therefore, during the special symbol variation display, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) remain in standby mode.

Then, at timing t1, the display of the special symbol variation ends, and at the start of the next display of the special symbol variation, if variation pattern 2 is determined, the display of the special symbol variation is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 2 corresponding to variation pattern 2, and during the display of the special symbol variation, it executes the variation performance based on that performance pattern 2. Also, at timing t1, if performance pattern 2 is determined, the back front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is instructed to execute operation schedule X2, and the back rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is instructed to execute operation schedule Y2. Of these operation schedules, operation schedule X2 is set so that the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) performs a performance at timing tx, a predetermined period (e.g., 20 seconds) after the start of the variable display. Operation schedule Y2 is set so that the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) performs a performance at timing ty, a predetermined period (e.g., 25 seconds) after the start of the variable display. Note that timing ty is later than timing tx, occurring after the performance of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed. If the game does not transition to a stop state during the variable display of the special symbols, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) performs a performance at timing tx, and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) performs a performance at timing ty.

Next, we will explain the case where the machine transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and the movable part does not move thereafter. Figure 145 is a time chart showing the case where the machine transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and the movable part does not move thereafter.

As shown in Figure 145, at timing t1, if variation pattern 2 is determined at the start of the special symbol variation display, the special symbol variation display is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 2 corresponding to variation pattern 2, and during the special symbol variation display, the variation performance is executed based on that performance pattern 2. Furthermore, if performance pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is instructed to execute operation schedule X2, and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is instructed to execute operation schedule Y2.

Then, at timing t2, prior to the arrival of timing tx, if a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 while the special symbol is being displayed in a variation state, and the system transitions to a stop state, the stop state flag is turned ON, and the variation display of the special symbol that is currently running is forcibly stopped based on variation pattern 2. Also at timing t2, the peripheral control board 1510 forcibly stops the variation performance that is currently running based on performance pattern 2. At this time, the performance display device 1600 forcibly changes the image corresponding to the variation performance to the image corresponding to the stop state. Furthermore, the operation schedule X2 currently running for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 currently running for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are also forcibly stopped, and the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are put into a state where operation is prohibited. Therefore, even if timing tx arrives after transitioning to the stop state at timing t2, the predetermined performance action will not be executed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), and even if timing ty arrives, the predetermined performance action will not be executed on the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y).

Thus, while determining the timing tx for executing the performance actions of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the timing ty for executing the performance actions of the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) at the start of the special symbol variation display, if the machine transitions to a stop state at timing t2 before timing tx arrives, the predetermined performance actions will not be executed for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) when timing tx arrives, nor will the predetermined performance actions be executed for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) when timing ty arrives. As a result, when the game enters a stop-play state, the display device 1600 displays the message "Game Restriction" as an image corresponding to the stop-play state. However, the display content (the image corresponding to the stop-play state) on the display device 1600 is not obscured by the performance movements of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), thus preventing the player from losing awareness that a game restriction has been imposed.

In the above-described embodiment, at the timing t2 when transitioning to the stop state, the execution schedule X2 for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the execution schedule Y2 for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. However, as an alternative, the operation of movable bodies X and Y may be stopped by a control independent of the operation schedules, while the operation of the movable bodies X and Y may be stopped while the operation schedules themselves continue without being forcibly stopped. For example, at the timing t2 when transitioning to the stop state, an operation prohibition flag may be turned on to forcibly put the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) into an operation prohibition state, and whether or not to operate the movable bodies X and Y may be determined according to the state of this operation prohibition flag. In such cases, even if timing tx arrives in the operation schedule that continues even after the transition to the stop state, the predetermined performance action can be prohibited for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) based on the operation prohibition flag being on. Similarly, even if timing ty arrives, the predetermined performance action can be prohibited for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) based on the operation prohibition flag being on. This eliminates the need to change the operation schedule upon transitioning to the stop state, thus avoiding complexity in the game design.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the image corresponding to the variation effect is forcibly changed to the image corresponding to the stop effect at timing t2 when the system transitions to the stop effect state. However, it is also possible to continue displaying the image corresponding to the variation effect without forcibly stopping it, while displaying the image corresponding to the stop effect state on a higher layer of the effect display device 1600 (a layer higher than the layer displaying the image corresponding to the variation effect), so that only the image corresponding to the stop effect state is visible on the effect display device 1600.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, in order to avoid the inability to perceive that restrictions on gameplay are being implemented, all of the ongoing variation effects based on the performance pattern 2 are forcibly stopped at timing t2 when the game transitions to the stop-play state. However, as an alternative example, instead of forcibly stopping all of the ongoing variation effects based on the performance pattern 2, some of the ongoing variation effects may be continued. In other words, only some of the performance elements that constitute the variation effect, which consists of "sound, light, image, and movable body," may be controlled in the normal manner. For example, if only "sound, light, and image" of the "sound, light, image, and movable body" performance elements that constitute the variation effect are forcibly stopped, at timing t2 when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the performances of the movable body X and Y in the variation effect based on the performance pattern will continue, but the image corresponding to that variation effect will be forcibly changed to an image corresponding to the stop-play state, so that only the image corresponding to the stop-play state will be visible on the performance display device 1600. In this case, as mentioned above, the fact that the game is being restricted may become unclear due to the visual effects of the movable parts X and Y. However, in this alternative example, the fact that the game is being restricted is preemptively indicated by visual elements such as "sound" or "light," which are not interfered with by the visual effects of the movable parts X and Y. Specifically, at timing t2, when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the control can be changed to output a warning sound different from the sound corresponding to the variation effect, thereby providing a "sound" warning, or the control can be changed to emit a warning light different from the light corresponding to the variation effect, thereby providing a "light" warning. This prevents the situation where the player is unable to understand that the game is being restricted, even if not all of the ongoing variation effects are forcibly stopped.

Furthermore, the above-described embodiment explains the case where the game transitions to a stopped state before the timing of the movable body's operation during the display of the special symbols, and the movable body does not operate thereafter. However, if an operable first performance button 251 is provided as a movable body separate from the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y), the following configuration may be adopted. In other words, if a vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) installed inside or outside the first performance button 251 enables vibration operation (vibration) of the first performance button 251, the peripheral control board 1510, when it has determined the variation pattern (performance pattern) to be selected when the special symbol lottery result is a win and the variation pattern to be selected in some cases when the special symbol lottery result is a loss, executes an operation schedule corresponding to the first performance button 251 (movable body) according to the performance pattern set in accordance with the variation pattern, and in some cases when it is a win and when it is a loss, it can be said that the first performance button 251 (movable body) vibrates at a predetermined vibration timing during the variation display of the special symbol to give the player a sense of expectation regarding a win. With such a configuration, if the game transitions to a stop state before the vibration timing of the first performance button 251 during the variation display of the special symbol, the first performance button 251 is prevented from vibrating, regardless of whether the performance pattern or operation schedule is continued to be executed thereafter. This prevents the vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) from activating while the display device 1600 is showing an image corresponding to the stop-play state after the game has entered the stop-play state, thus preventing the player from feeling uncomfortable.

Furthermore, while the above-described embodiment explains a case where the game transitions to a stopped state before the timing of the movable body's operation during the special symbol display, and the movable body does not operate thereafter, it is also possible to prevent the movable body from operating even if the game transitions to a stopped state before the timing of the movable body's operation during a jackpot game. Specifically, the movable body's operation schedule is executed according to the performance pattern during a jackpot game, and the movable body is operated at a predetermined timing during the jackpot game. In this configuration, if the game transitions to a stopped state before the timing of the movable body's operation during a jackpot game, the movable body is prevented from operating regardless of whether the performance pattern or operation schedule continues to be executed thereafter. This prevents the movable body from operating while the image corresponding to the stopped state is displayed on the performance display device 1600 after the game transitions to a stopped state, thus preventing the player from feeling uncomfortable.

Next, we will explain the case where, while the machine is in a stop-loss state, the power is cut off at timing t3 and then restored at timing t4. Here, we will explain the case where, upon restoration of power after the power cut-off, the limit clear pattern table 4 is used, and power restoration patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which clear the payout amount but maintain the stop-loss state.

At timing t4, if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected when the power is restarted, the payout amount is cleared, but the stop-play state is maintained. Furthermore, while the stop-play state is maintained, the display of special symbols based on the variation pattern is forcibly stopped. Also, on the peripheral control board 1510, while the stop-play state is maintained, the variation effects based on the effect pattern are forcibly stopped, and the operation schedules for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are also forcibly stopped. However, at timing t4, when the power is restarted, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are instructed to execute operation schedule Z, which does not involve the variation of special symbols, so that these movable bodies perform their initial operation at least at timing t4 when the power is restarted.

Furthermore, the initial operation of the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) involves checking whether each movable unit moves normally from its standby position to the performance position and whether it returns normally to its standby position. Specifically, the operation schedule Z is set so that the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) performs its initial operation after a predetermined period (e.g., 5 seconds) has elapsed since the power was turned on, while the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) performs its initial operation after a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds) has elapsed since the power was turned on. Note that the initial operation of the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is performed after the initial operation of the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) is completed.

Thus, even when the stop-down state is maintained upon power-on, and the forced stop of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is maintained, the initial operation of these movable units is permitted. This ensures that even if a malfunction occurs before or after the stop-down state prior to power-on, where the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) are not in their standby position, these movable units will return to their standby position through their initial operation. This prevents the display content (the image corresponding to the stop-down state) shown on the display device 1600 from remaining hidden due to the malfunction of these movable units not being in their standby position, thus preventing the user from losing awareness that game restrictions are being enforced.

On the other hand, at timing t4, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected when the power is restarted, the payout amount and stop-play state are cleared. Even in such cases, when the power is restarted, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are instructed to execute operation schedule Z, causing these movable units to perform their initial movements. After the initial movements of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are completed, the forced stop for the special symbol display based on the variation pattern is released, and the system is put into a standby state. Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 releases the forced stop for the variation display based on the performance pattern, and also releases the forced stop for the operation schedules of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), putting them into a standby state.

In the above-described embodiment, when the power is turned back on, the system maintains the stopped state and forces the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to remain stopped. In this case, the initial operation of these movable bodies is performed. However, if the movable bodies are in the standby position, the system may restrict the execution of the initial operation of the movable bodies to prioritize the control load. Furthermore, even if the movable bodies are not in the standby position, the system may restrict the execution of the initial operation of the movable bodies for the following reasons. That is, if the initial operation of the movable bodies is not performed despite them not being in the standby position, and a malfunction occurs before the power is turned back on where the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are not in the standby position, the system can maintain the state where these movable bodies are not in the standby position after the power is turned back on, and the hall manager can be informed that a malfunction has occurred with these movable bodies. However, in this case, there is a concern that the display content (the image corresponding to the stop state) shown on the performance display device 1600 may remain hidden due to a malfunction where the movable body is not in the standby position. Therefore, it is desirable to display the image corresponding to the stop state in a display area of the performance display device 1600 that is not obstructed by the movable body, or to use a separate device other than the performance display device 1600 to provide notification corresponding to the stop state.

Next, we will explain the case where the movable part transitions to a stop state during the display of the special symbols and does not move thereafter. Figure 146 is a time chart showing the case where the movable part transitions to a stop state during the display of the special symbols and does not move thereafter.

As shown in Figure 146, at timing t1, if variation pattern 2 is determined at the start of the variation display of the special symbol, the variation display of the special symbol is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 2 corresponding to variation pattern 2, and during the variation display of the special symbol, the variation performance is executed based on that performance pattern 2. Furthermore, if performance pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, the system instructs the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) to execute operation schedule X2, and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to execute operation schedule Y2.

Furthermore, when timing tx arrives during the special symbol variation display, a predetermined performance action is executed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) based on the operation schedule X2 currently being executed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). Then, while the performance action is being executed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), at timing t2, if a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 during the special symbol variation display and the game transitions to a stop state, the stop state flag is turned ON, and the variation display of the special symbol that is currently being executed based on variation pattern 2 is forcibly stopped. Also at timing t2, the peripheral control board 1510 forcibly stops the variation performance that is currently being executed based on performance pattern 2. At this time, the performance display device 1600 forcibly changes the image corresponding to the variation performance to the image corresponding to the stop state. Furthermore, the operation schedule X2 currently running for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 currently running for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are also forcibly stopped. However, the performance operation currently running for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) does not terminate midway through the predetermined performance operation at timing t2, but continues to run until the predetermined performance operation is completed. Then, after the predetermined performance operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed and the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is returned to its standby position, the operation is disabled.

On the other hand, at timing t2, when transitioning to the stop state, the predetermined performance operation has not yet been initiated for the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y). The rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) is in a disabled state, and even if timing ty arrives afterward, the predetermined performance operation for the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) will not be executed, as shown in Figure 145.

Thus, after initiating a predetermined performance action for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) at timing tx, if the system transitions to a stop state at timing t2 while the performance action is in progress, the predetermined performance action will not terminate midway, but will continue until it is completed. As a result, when the system transitions to a stop state, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Game Restriction" as an image corresponding to the stop state. However, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is not forcibly stopped in a position other than the standby position, and the display content (image corresponding to the stop state) shown on the performance display device 1600 is not continuously hidden, thus preventing the player from losing awareness that a game restriction is in effect. Furthermore, while the timing ty for executing the performance action of the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) is determined at the start of the special symbol variation display, if timing ty has not yet arrived at the timing t2 for transitioning to the stop-play state, the predetermined performance action will not be executed on the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) when timing ty arrives. This prevents the display content (the image corresponding to the stop-play state) shown on the performance display device 1600 from being obscured by the performance action of the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y), thus preventing the player from losing awareness that game restrictions are being enforced.

Furthermore, the behavior when the power is shut off at timing t3 and then restored at timing t4 while the system is in a state of being shut off is as described above.

In the above-described embodiment, at the timing t2 when transitioning to the stop state, the performance operation currently being performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is not terminated midway, but continues until the predetermined performance operation is completed, thereby returning the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) to the standby position. However, the method of returning to the standby position is not limited to this. For example, as an alternative, at the timing t2 when transitioning to the stop state, the performance operation currently being performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) may be forcibly terminated midway through the operation, and in the situation where the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is not in the standby position due to the forcible termination, a separate dedicated operation schedule for returning to the standby position may be executed, thereby returning the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) to the standby position.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, at the timing t2 when transitioning to the stop state, the operation schedule X2 currently running for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 currently running for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. However, as an alternative example, the operation schedules themselves may be allowed to continue without being forcibly stopped, while the operation of movable bodies X and Y may be stopped by control independent of the operation schedules. For example, at the timing t2 when transitioning to the stop state, an operation prohibition flag may be turned on to forcibly put the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) into an operation prohibition state, and except for the performance operation currently running for movable body X, the decision of whether or not to operate movable bodies X and Y may be made according to the state of this operation prohibition flag. In such cases, even if timing ty arrives in the operation schedule that continues after the transition to the stop-down state, the predetermined performance action can be prohibited for the rear-facing lifting decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) based on the operation prohibition flag being on. This eliminates the need to change the operation schedule upon transitioning to the stop-down state, thus avoiding complexity in the game design.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the image corresponding to the variation effect is forcibly changed to the image corresponding to the stop effect at timing t2 when the system transitions to the stop effect state. However, it is also possible to continue displaying the image corresponding to the variation effect without forcibly stopping it, while displaying the image corresponding to the stop effect state on a higher layer of the effect display device 1600 (a layer higher than the layer displaying the image corresponding to the variation effect), so that only the image corresponding to the stop effect state is visible on the effect display device 1600.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, in order to address concerns that it may become impossible to ascertain that the game is being restricted, at timing t2, when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the variable animation currently being performed on the movable body X is forcibly stopped based on the animation pattern 2, except for the animation operation currently being performed. In other words, only the "sound, light, and image" elements of the animation elements that constitute the variable animation ("sound, light, image, and movable body") are forcibly stopped. Therefore, at timing t2, when the game transitions to the stop-play state, while continuing the animation currently being performed on the movable body X based on the animation pattern, the image corresponding to that variable animation is forcibly changed to an image corresponding to the stop-play state, so that only the image corresponding to the stop-play state is visible on the animation display device 1600. In this case, as mentioned above, there is a possibility that it may become impossible to ascertain that the game is being restricted due to the animation operation being performed on the movable body X. However, in this example, the fact that the game is being restricted is preemptively notified by animation elements such as "sound" or "light," which are not hindered by the animation operation being performed on the movable body X. Specifically, at the timing t2 when the game transitions to a stop-play state, the control system can be modified to output a warning sound different from the sound corresponding to the variation animation, thereby providing a "sound" warning. Alternatively, the control system can be modified to execute a warning light different from the light corresponding to the variation animation, thereby providing a "light" warning. This prevents the player from losing awareness that game restrictions are in place, even if the animation being performed on the movable body X continues until completion.

Furthermore, the above-described embodiment explains a case where the movable body transitions to a stopped state during the movement of the movable body while the special symbol is being displayed, and the movement of the movable body continues until the movement is completed, and the movable body is not moved thereafter. However, if a movable body other than the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is provided, the following configuration may be adopted. In other words, if a vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) installed inside or outside the first performance button 251 enables vibration operation (vibration) of the first performance button 251, the peripheral control board 1510, when it has determined the variation pattern (performance pattern) to be selected when the special symbol lottery result is a win and the variation pattern to be selected in some cases when the special symbol lottery result is a loss, executes an operation schedule corresponding to the first performance button 251 (movable body) according to the performance pattern set in accordance with the variation pattern, and in some cases when it is a win and when it is a loss, it can be exemplified that the first performance button 251 (movable body) vibrates at a predetermined vibration timing during the variation display of the special symbol to give the player a sense of expectation regarding a win. With such a configuration, if the game transitions to a stop state while the first performance button 251 is vibrating during the variation display of the special symbol, regardless of whether the performance pattern or operation schedule is being executed continuously thereafter, the first performance button 251 continues to execute until the operation is completed, and the first performance button 251 does not vibrate again. This prevents the vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) from continuing to operate while the display device 1600 shows an image corresponding to the stop-play state after the game has entered the stop-play state, thus preventing the player from feeling uncomfortable.

Furthermore, while the above-described embodiment explains a case where the movable body transitions to a stop state during the display of special symbols, and the movable body continues to operate until its operation is complete, and no further movement of the movable body occurs thereafter, it is also possible to have the movable body continue to operate until its operation is complete, and no further movement of the movable body occurs, even if the transition to a stop state occurs during the operation of a movable body during a jackpot game. Specifically, the operation schedule of the movable body is executed according to the performance pattern during the jackpot game, and the movable body is operated at predetermined timings during the jackpot game. In this configuration, if the transition to a stop state occurs during the operation of a movable body during a jackpot game, regardless of whether the performance pattern or operation schedule continues to be executed thereafter, the movable body continues to operate until its operation is complete, and no further movement of the movable body occurs. This prevents the movable body from continuing to operate while the image corresponding to the stop state is displayed on the performance display device 1600 after the transition to a stop state, which could cause discomfort to the player.

Next, we will explain the case where the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and then the movable part is activated afterward. In the above explanation, if the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, the variation display based on the display pattern is forcibly stopped, and even if the timing for the movable part's movement arrives, the predetermined display action is not executed on the movable part. However, in such cases, the ongoing variation display ends prematurely, resulting in significant disappointment for players who were eagerly awaiting the movable part's display. Figure 147 is a time chart showing the case where the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and then the movable part is activated afterward.

As shown in Figure 147, at timing t1, if variation pattern 2 is determined at the start of the variation display of the special symbol, the variation display of the special symbol is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 2 corresponding to variation pattern 2, and during the variation display of the special symbol, the variation performance is executed based on that performance pattern 2. Furthermore, if performance pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is instructed to execute operation schedule X2, and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is instructed to execute operation schedule Y2.

Then, at timing t2, prior to the arrival of timing tx, if a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 while the special symbol is being displayed in a variable state, and the system transitions to a stop state, the stop state flag is turned ON, and the variable display of the special symbol, which is currently running based on the variable pattern 2, is forcibly stopped. However, at timing t2, the peripheral control board 1510 does not forcibly stop the variable performance that is currently running based on the performance pattern 2, but continues to run until the variable performance is completed. In other words, the performance display device 1600 does not change to an image corresponding to the stop state, but continues to display the image corresponding to the variable performance. Furthermore, the operation schedule X2 running for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 running for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are also not forcibly stopped, and continue to run until those operation schedules are completed. Therefore, at timing t2, after transitioning to the stop state, when timing tx arrives, a predetermined performance action is executed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), and when timing ty arrives, a predetermined performance action is executed on the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y).

Then, at timing t2, after transitioning to the stop state, when the currently running variation effect based on the effect pattern 2 is completed, a forced stop is initiated, and no new variation effects are executed. At this time, the effect display device 1600 begins displaying the image corresponding to the stop state. Furthermore, when the currently running operation schedule X2 for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the currently running operation schedule Y2 for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are completed, a forced stop is initiated, and these movable bodies are placed in an operation-prohibited state to prevent them from moving.

Thus, when the timing tx for executing the performance actions of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the timing ty for executing the performance actions of the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) are determined at the start of the special symbol variation display, even if the game transitions to a stop state at timing t2 before timing tx arrives, the predetermined performance actions are executed for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) when timing tx arrives, and for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) when timing ty arrives. This ensures that, for players who have been eagerly awaiting the performance actions of the movable units after the variation display has started, even if the game transitions to a stop state during the variation display, they can at least enjoy the performance actions of the movable units to the end, thus mitigating player disappointment.

Furthermore, the behavior when the power is shut off at timing t3 and then restored at timing t4 while the system is in a state of being shut off is as described above.

In the above-described embodiment, after transitioning to the stopped state at timing t2, when the execution schedule X2 for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, it is forcibly stopped and the movable body is put into an operation-prohibited state so that it does not move. However, before the execution schedule X2 for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, when the execution of a predetermined performance operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, the operation schedule X2 may be forcibly stopped and the movable body may be put into an operation-prohibited state so that it does not move. Similarly, at timing t2, after transitioning to the stop state, when the execution schedule Y2 for the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is completed, it is forcibly stopped and the movable body is put into an operation-prohibited state to prevent it from moving. However, even before the execution schedule Y2 for the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is completed, when the predetermined performance operation for the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is completed, the operation schedule Y2 may be forcibly stopped and the movable body may be put into an operation-prohibited state to prevent it from moving.

Furthermore, the above-described embodiment explains the case where the system transitions to a stopped state before the timing of the movable body's operation during the display of the special symbols, and the movable body is operated thereafter. However, if an operable first performance button 251 is provided as a movable body separate from the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y), the following configuration may be adopted. In other words, if a vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) installed inside or outside the first performance button 251 enables vibration operation (vibration) of the first performance button 251, the peripheral control board 1510, when it has determined the variation pattern (performance pattern) to be selected when the special symbol lottery result is a win and the variation pattern to be selected in some cases when the special symbol lottery result is a loss, executes an operation schedule corresponding to the first performance button 251 (movable body) according to the performance pattern set in accordance with the variation pattern, and in some cases when it is a win and when it is a loss, it can be said that the first performance button 251 (movable body) vibrates at a predetermined vibration timing during the variation display of the special symbol to give the player a sense of expectation regarding a win. With this configuration, if the game transitions to a stop state before the vibration timing of the first performance button 251 during the variation display of the special symbol, the performance pattern and operation schedule are continued thereafter, and the first performance button 251 is vibrated at a predetermined vibration timing. This allows players to enjoy the operation of the vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) until the very end, even after the game has entered the stop-play state, while the display device 1600 shows an image corresponding to the stop-play state, thus preventing disappointment for the player.

Furthermore, while the above-described embodiment explains the case where the system transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable body's operation during the special symbol display, and then operates the movable body thereafter, it is also possible to configure the system to operate the movable body even if the system transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable body's operation during a jackpot game. Specifically, the system executes the operation schedule of the movable body according to the performance pattern during a jackpot game, and operates the movable body at a predetermined timing during the jackpot game. In this configuration, if the system transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable body's operation during a jackpot game, the performance pattern and operation schedule are continued thereafter, and the movable body is operated at a predetermined timing. This allows the player to enjoy the operation of the movable body until the end, even while the image corresponding to the stop state is displayed on the performance display device 1600 after the transition to the stop state, thereby suppressing the player's disappointment.

Next, regarding the case where the movable part transitions to a stop state during the display of the special symbols and does not operate thereafter, as explained above, here we will explain the relationship between the display screen of the performance display device 1600 and the operation of the movable part in such a case. Figure 148 shows a specific example of the performance when the movable part transitions to a stop state during the display of the special symbols and does not operate thereafter.

As shown in Figure 148(A), when the special symbol variation display is executed, the variation display is executed based on the performance pattern, and the decorative symbol variation display is shown in the central area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the second decorative symbol variation display is shown in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, in the lower left area of the performance display device 1600, a hold display is shown for the number of special symbol variation displays that are waiting for a game ball to enter the first start opening 2003 or the second start opening 2004, but the appearance of the hold display can be changed for those with a high probability of winning. Here, depending on the result of the special symbol lottery, or the acceptance of game ball B into the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008, the high-probability state continues in "Consecutive Win Mode." The lower right area of the display device 1600 displays a "Consecutive Win Mode" message indicating that "Consecutive Win Mode" is in progress, and also displays a "Right-Handed Shot" arrow instructing the player to aim for the second start slot 2004, located in the game area 5a to the right of the display device 1600, during "Consecutive Win Mode." While the decorative symbols are being displayed, the volume and brightness can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. During volume and brightness adjustment, the left area of the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the adjusted volume or brightness. This image is displayed when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated and disappears after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Furthermore, during the display of the changing decorative symbols in "Continuous Win Mode," a pre-notification message "10 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" is displayed. The display device 1600 displays the changing decorative symbols in the central area, the changing second decorative symbols in the upper right area, the "Continuous Win Mode" message and a "Right Shot" arrow in the lower right area, and the hold indicator in the lower left area. However, the pre-notification message "10 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" is displayed overlapping the background image, but it is displayed so as not to overlap with other important information displays related to the ongoing changing game. Specifically, in this example, the "changing decorative symbols," "changing second decorative symbols," "the 'Continuous Win Mode' message," the "Right Shot" arrow, the hold indicator, and the "images corresponding to volume and brightness" are important information displays that should be made known to the player, so the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with these information displays. Furthermore, regarding these information displays, it is permissible to have at least a portion of the information display overlapped with a pre-announcement display, provided that the content of the information display is not so obscured that it becomes impossible for the player to see. This ensures that players do not miss information related to the ongoing variable gameplay, allowing for smooth gameplay during variable gameplay.

As shown in Figure 148(B), when a predetermined performance action is performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) during the display of the special symbol's variation, the movable body moves from its standby position to the performance position, positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, the performance display device 1600 displays an effect in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), effectively indicating that the movable body is performing a performance action. In addition, the pre-announcement display of "10 balls remaining until the play limit" and the display of the second decorative symbol's variation are displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), making it easy to understand whether the amount of balls dispensed will reach a specific value and transition to the stop-play state while the performance action is being performed on the movable body. Furthermore, regarding the pre-announcement display, it is acceptable for at least a portion of the pre-announcement display to overlap with the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), provided that the display is not so completely obscured that it becomes invisible to the player, and the content of the pre-announcement display can still be recognized.

As shown in Figure 148(C), during the execution of a performance operation for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), when the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the entry of game balls into the general prize pocket 2001 becomes "+0 balls", the machine transitions to a stop state, and as a pre-notification operation, the upper area of the performance display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message "Remaining +0 balls until the game limit is reached" for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) indicating the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. Here, just before the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+0 balls", the display of the decorative symbols and the display of the second decorative symbols are shown, but when the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+0 balls", the display of the decorative symbols is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stop symbol ("767" in this example), and the display of the second decorative symbols is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stop symbol ("×" in this example). However, the display of changing decorative symbols and the display of changing secondary decorative symbols may not be forcibly stopped.

Furthermore, after the game has entered the "stopped" state, it is preferable to make the "right-hand shot" arrow, which promotes the release of game balls, invisible to the player to prevent them from accidentally firing game balls. In this example, it is removed. Then, after a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has elapsed since the pre-notification message "Remaining +0 balls until game limit" was displayed, the image corresponding to the stopped state shown in Figure 148(D) is displayed.

As shown in Figure 148(D), when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the performance actions currently being performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) do not terminate midway through the predetermined performance actions, but continue to be performed until the predetermined performance actions are completed. However, when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the light-emitting element provided on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is controlled to terminate midway through the illumination corresponding to the variation effect and either turn off or illuminate to indicate the stop-play state. As a result, when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, so only a portion of the image corresponding to the stop-play state can be seen. However, the change in illumination of the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) prevents the player from noticing that the game is being restricted. In this example, when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the light-emitting element on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable element X) stops emitting light in the middle of the variation effect. However, it is also possible to continue emitting light in the variation effect until the predetermined effect operation is completed. In such a case, it becomes unnecessary to change the light emission pattern when transitioning to the stop-play state, thus avoiding complexity in the game design.

As shown in Figure 148(E), when the predetermined performance actions are completed, the movable body returns to its standby position and is no longer positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, allowing all images corresponding to the stop-play state to be visible. Here, the image corresponding to the stop-play state displays the message "Game Restriction," along with the messages "You have reached the daily payout limit of 80,000 balls, so gameplay is restricted," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch 180 for executing the settlement process. Furthermore, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the performance display device 1600 displays the stop symbols of the decorative symbols, the stop symbols of the second decorative symbols, the hold indicator, and the pre-notification indicator. However, such game-related information is not displayed (made invisible) when the "Game Restriction" message is displayed after the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and the message is displayed on the darkened screen. This allows us to understand that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and that a restriction on gameplay has been imposed, and that the restriction cannot be lifted without intervention from the hall manager. Furthermore, it allows us to understand that the number of balls a player has can be settled by operating the counting button switch 180.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, during the execution of the performance actions on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), the message "Game Restriction" is displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), so that the player can at least recognize that the game has transitioned to the stop-play state while the performance actions on the movable body are being executed. However, regarding the "Game Restriction" message, it is acceptable for at least a portion of the message to overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) as long as the player can recognize that the game has transitioned to the stop-play state, without the entire message being obscured.

Furthermore, in the above description, when an effect operation was performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) before transitioning to the stop state, the effect was displayed in the area of the effect display device 1600 that did not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). However, when an effect operation was performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) after transitioning to the stop state, the effect was not displayed in the area of the effect display device 1600 that did not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). This allows the system to determine whether the effect operation is performed before or after transitioning to the stop state, even if the image corresponding to the stop state is not visible when an effect operation is performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X).

Furthermore, while the decorative symbols were being displayed in a variable manner, the volume and brightness could be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. However, even after transitioning to the stop state during the special symbol's variable display, the volume and brightness can still be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204, and the performance display device 1600 can display an image corresponding to the volume or brightness being adjusted. However, after transitioning to the stop state, it is also possible to allow volume and brightness adjustment by operating the setting adjustment button 204, but to disable the display of the image corresponding to the volume or brightness being adjusted. This prevents the image corresponding to the stop state from becoming difficult to see after transitioning to the stop state. Alternatively, after transitioning to the stop state, it is also possible to disable volume and brightness adjustment by operating the setting adjustment button 204 and disable the display of the image corresponding to the volume or brightness. This prevents the volume and brightness from changing after transitioning to the stop state, thus preventing the image corresponding to the stop state from becoming difficult to see and the sound corresponding to the stop state from becoming difficult to recognize.

Furthermore, even if it was decided to perform a performance action on the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) before transitioning to the stop-out state, if the performance action is not started on the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) at the time of transitioning to the stop-out state, the predetermined performance action will not be performed on the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) after transitioning to the stop-out state. This prevents the display content (the image corresponding to the stop-out state) shown on the performance display device 1600 from being obscured by the performance action of the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y), thus preventing the player from becoming unaware that the game is being restricted.

Next, regarding the case where the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol variation display, and the movable part operates thereafter, as explained above, this section will explain the relationship between the display screen of the performance display device 1600 and the operation of the movable part in such a case. Figure 149 shows a specific example of a performance when the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol variation display, and the movable part operates thereafter.

As shown in Figure 149(A), when the special symbol variation display is executed, the variation display is executed based on the performance pattern, and the decorative symbol variation display is shown in the central area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the second decorative symbol variation display is shown in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, in the lower left area of the performance display device 1600, a hold display is shown for the number of special symbol variation displays that are waiting for a game ball to enter the first start opening 2003 or the second start opening 2004, but the appearance of the hold display can be changed for those with a high probability of winning. Here, depending on the result of the special symbol lottery, or the acceptance of game ball B into the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008, the high-probability state continues in "Consecutive Win Mode." The lower right area of the display device 1600 displays a "Consecutive Win Mode" message indicating that "Consecutive Win Mode" is in progress, and also displays a "Right-Handed Shot" arrow instructing the player to aim for the second start slot 2004, located in the game area 5a to the right of the display device 1600, during "Consecutive Win Mode." While the decorative symbols are being displayed, the volume and brightness can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. During volume and brightness adjustment, the left area of the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the adjusted volume or brightness. This image is displayed when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated and disappears after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Furthermore, during the display of the changing decorative symbols in "Continuous Win Mode," a pre-notification message "10 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" is displayed. The display device 1600 displays the changing decorative symbols in the central area, the changing second decorative symbols in the upper right area, the "Continuous Win Mode" message and a "Right Shot" arrow in the lower right area, and the held balls in the lower left area. However, the pre-notification message "10 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" is displayed overlapping the background image, but it is displayed so as not to overlap with other important information displays related to the ongoing changing game. Specifically, in this example, the "changing decorative symbols," "changing second decorative symbols," "the 'Continuous Win Mode' message," the "Right Shot" arrow, the held balls display, and the "images corresponding to volume and brightness" are important information displays that should be made known to the player, so the pre-notification message is displayed in a position that does not overlap with these information displays. Furthermore, regarding these information displays, it is permissible to have at least a portion of the information display overlapped with a pre-announcement display, provided that the content of the information display is not so obscured that it becomes impossible for the player to see. This ensures that players do not miss information related to the ongoing variable gameplay, allowing for smooth gameplay during variable gameplay.

As shown in Figure 149(B), during the special symbol variation display, when the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on the entry of game balls into the general prize pocket 2001, the game transitions to a stop state, and in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, as a pre-notification operation, a pre-notification display of "Remaining +0 balls until game limit" is displayed, indicating the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value. Here, just before the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0", the decorative symbol variation display and the second decorative symbol variation display are performed, but when the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0", the variation display of the second decorative symbol is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stop symbol (in this example, "×"). On the other hand, when the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0", the variation performance based on the performance pattern is continued, and the variation display of the decorative symbol is not forcibly stopped but continues. However, the display of the second decorative symbol may also continue without being forcibly stopped. In such cases, the display of the second decorative symbol will stop at the same time as the display of the first decorative symbol stops.

Furthermore, after the game has entered the stop-shooting state, it is preferable to make the "right-hand shot" arrow, which promotes the release of game balls, invisible to the player to prevent them from accidentally launching the balls. In this example, it is removed.

As shown in Figure 149(C), after transitioning to the stop-play state, when a predetermined performance action is performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), the movable body moves from its standby position to the performance position, positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, the performance display device 1600 displays an effect in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), effectively indicating that the movable body is performing a performance action. Additionally, the pre-notification display "Remaining +0 balls until game limit" and the display of the second decorative symbol's variation are displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), allowing the player to understand that the stop-play state has already been reached. Regarding the pre-notification display, it is acceptable for at least a portion of the pre-notification display to overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), as long as the content of the pre-notification display is recognizable and not completely obscured by the overlap.

As shown in Figure 149(D), when a predetermined performance action is performed on the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) following the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X), the movable unit moves from its standby position to the performance position, positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, the performance display device 1600 displays an effect in an area that does not overlap with the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), effectively indicating that the movable unit is performing a performance action. In addition, the pre-notification display of "0 balls remaining until the play limit" and the display of the second decorative symbol variation are displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), allowing the player to understand that the game has already entered the stop-play state. Furthermore, regarding the pre-announcement display, it is acceptable for at least a portion of the display to overlap with the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y), provided that the display is not so completely obscured that the player cannot see it, and the content of the pre-announcement display can still be recognized.

As shown in Figure 149(E), once the execution of the variation animation based on the animation pattern is complete, the variation display of the decorative symbols is set to stop at a predetermined stop symbol (in this example, "767"). Then, after a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has elapsed since the variation display of the decorative symbols stopped, the image corresponding to the stop-play state shown in Figure 149(F) is displayed. The image corresponding to the stop-play state is as described above. In this example, the variation animation based on the animation pattern continues when the game transitions to the stop-play state, and the image corresponding to the stop-play state is not displayed immediately. However, during such a period, a pre-notification message such as "Remaining until game limit +0" and the variation display of the second decorative symbol that was forcibly stopped are displayed, allowing the player to understand that the game has already transitioned to the stop-play state.

As described above, in this example, when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the variable animation based on the animation pattern continues. The animation display device 1600 does not display an image corresponding to the stop-play state. Instead, it notifies the player that the game is being restricted by displaying a pre-announcement message such as "Remaining +0 balls until game limit" or by displaying the variable animation of the forcibly stopped second decorative symbol. In this case, there is a possibility that the player may not be able to perceive the game restriction due to the animation actions of the movable bodies X and Y. Therefore, it may be possible to provide preliminary notification of the game restriction using animation elements such as "sound" or "light" that are not interfered with by the animation actions of the movable bodies X and Y. Specifically, examples include changing the control to output a warning sound different from the sound corresponding to the variable animation when the game transitions to the stop-play state, or changing the control to perform a warning flash different from the light corresponding to the variable animation, thereby providing a warning by "light." This avoids the situation where the player cannot perceive the game restriction even when predetermined animation actions are performed on the movable bodies X and Y after the game transitions to the stop-play state.

Next, in the above example, when the game transitions to the stop state, the variation animation based on the animation pattern is continued, and when the execution of the variation animation based on the animation pattern is completed, the image corresponding to the stop state is displayed. Alternatively, when the game transitions to the stop state, the variation animation based on the animation pattern may be continued, but the image corresponding to the stop state may be displayed on a higher layer than the image corresponding to that variation animation. Figure 150 shows another specific example of animation when the game transitions to the stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the variation display of the special symbols, and the movable part operates thereafter.

As shown in Figure 150(A), when the special symbol variation display is executed, the variation display is executed based on the performance pattern, and the decorative symbol variation display is shown in the central area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the second decorative symbol variation display is shown in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, in the lower left area of the performance display device 1600, a hold display is shown for the number of special symbol variation displays that are waiting for a game ball to enter the first start opening 2003 or the second start opening 2004, but the appearance of the hold display can be changed for those with a high probability of winning. Here, depending on the result of the special symbol lottery, or the acceptance of game ball B into the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008, the high-probability state continues in "Consecutive Win Mode." The lower right area of the display device 1600 displays a "Consecutive Win Mode" message indicating that "Consecutive Win Mode" is in progress, and also displays a "Right-Handed Shot" arrow instructing the player to aim for the second start slot 2004, located in the game area 5a to the right of the display device 1600, during "Consecutive Win Mode." While the decorative symbols are being displayed, the volume and brightness can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. During volume and brightness adjustment, the left area of the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the adjusted volume or brightness. This image is displayed when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated and disappears after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Furthermore, during the display of the changing decorative symbols in "Continuous Win Mode," a pre-notification message "10 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" is displayed. The display device 1600 displays the changing decorative symbols in the central area, the changing second decorative symbols in the upper right area, the "Continuous Win Mode" message and a "Right Shot" arrow in the lower right area, and the hold indicator in the lower left area. However, the pre-notification message "10 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" is displayed overlapping the background image, but it is displayed so as not to overlap with other important information displays related to the ongoing changing game. Specifically, in this example, the "changing decorative symbols," "changing second decorative symbols," "the 'Continuous Win Mode' message," the "Right Shot" arrow, the hold indicator, and the "images corresponding to volume and brightness" are important information displays that should be made known to the player, so the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with these information displays. Furthermore, regarding these information displays, it is permissible to have at least a portion of the information display overlapped with a pre-announcement display, provided that the content of the information display is not so obscured that it becomes impossible for the player to see. This ensures that players do not miss information related to the ongoing variable gameplay, allowing for smooth gameplay during variable gameplay.

As shown in Figure 150(B), during the display of the special symbols, when the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value becomes "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on the entry of game balls into the general prize pocket 2001, the game transitions to a stop state, and in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, as a pre-notification operation, a pre-notification display of "Remaining +0 balls until the game limit is reached" is displayed, indicating the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value. Here, just before the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value becomes "+0", the display of the decorative symbols and the display of the second decorative symbols are shown, but when the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value becomes "+0", the display of the second decorative symbols is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stop symbol (in this example, "×"). On the other hand, when the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value becomes "+0", the performance based on the performance pattern is continued, and the display of the decorative symbols is not forcibly stopped but continues. However, the display of the second decorative symbol may also continue without being forcibly stopped. In such cases, the display of the second decorative symbol will stop at the same time as the display of the first decorative symbol stops.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, it is preferable to make the "right-hand shot" arrow, which promotes the release of game balls, invisible to the player to prevent them from accidentally firing game balls. In this example, it is removed. Then, after a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has elapsed since the pre-notification message "Remaining +0 balls until game limit" was displayed, the image corresponding to the stop-play state, shown in Figure 150(C), is displayed on a higher layer than the image corresponding to the variation animation. The image corresponding to the stop-play state is as described above.

As shown in Figure 150(D), after transitioning to the stop-play state, when a predetermined performance action is performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), the movable body moves from its standby position to the performance position, positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, during the performance action on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), the message "Game Restriction" is displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), allowing the player to recognize that the game has transitioned to the stop-play state during the performance action on the movable body. However, regarding the "Game Restriction" message, it is acceptable for at least a portion of the message to overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) as long as it does not completely obscure the player's view and allows them to recognize that the game has transitioned to the stop-play state.

As shown in Figure 150(E), when a predetermined performance action is performed on the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) following the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X), the movable unit moves from its standby position to the performance position, positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, during the performance action on the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), the message "Game Restriction" is displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), allowing the player to recognize that the game has entered a stop-play state during the performance action on that movable unit. However, regarding the "Game Restriction" message, it is acceptable for at least a portion of the message to overlap with the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), as long as the player can recognize that the game has entered a stop-play state, without the entire message being obscured.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the light-emitting elements provided on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are controlled to either terminate and turn off midway through the illumination corresponding to the variation effect, or to illuminate in a way that corresponds to the stop-play state. As a result, after transitioning to the stop-play state, when the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are positioned in front of the display screen of the effect display device 1600, only a portion of the image corresponding to the stop-play state can be seen. However, the change in illumination of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) prevents the user from noticing that the game is being restricted. In this example, after transitioning to the stop-out state, the light-emitting elements on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) terminate their illumination in the middle of the variation effect. However, the illumination corresponding to the variation effect may be made to continue until the predetermined effect operation is completed. In such a case, it becomes unnecessary to change the illumination pattern when transitioning to the stop-out state, thus avoiding complexity in the game design.

Furthermore, in this example, even when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the variable animation based on the animation pattern continues. However, the animation display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the stop-play state on a higher layer than the image corresponding to the variable animation, informing the player that the game is being restricted. In this case, there is a possibility that the player may not be able to perceive that the game is being restricted due to the animation actions of the movable bodies X and Y. Therefore, it may be possible to provide preliminary notification of the game being restricted using an animation element such as "sound" or "light" that is not interfered with by the animation actions of the movable bodies X and Y. Specifically, examples include changing the control to output a warning sound different from the sound corresponding to the variable animation when the game transitions to the stop-play state, or changing the control to perform a warning light different from the light corresponding to the variable animation, in order to provide a warning using "light." This prevents the player from noticing that the game is being restricted, even when predetermined animation actions are performed on the movable bodies X and Y after the game transitions to the stop-play state.

As shown in Figure 150(F), when the execution of the variation animation based on the animation pattern is completed, the variation display of the decorative symbols is set to stop at a predetermined stop symbol (in this example, "767"). However, because an image corresponding to the stop state is displayed on a higher layer than the image corresponding to the variation animation, the player does not recognize that the variation display of the decorative symbols has stopped.

Furthermore, when performing a performance action on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) before transitioning to the stop state, the performance display device 1600 displays an effect in an area that does not overlap with the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). However, when performing a performance action on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) after transitioning to the stop state, the performance display device 1600 does not display an effect in an area that does not overlap with the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). This allows us to determine whether an animation is performed before or after the transition to the stop state, even if the image corresponding to the stop state is not visible when an animation is being performed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y).

(Regarding celebratory actions using movable parts after transitioning to the stopped state)
The above describes a configuration in which, when the game transitions to a stop-out state, the execution schedule X2 for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the execution schedule Y2 for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped, and after the game transitions to a stop-out state, the performance actions of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are not performed. In such a configuration, the display content (image corresponding to the stop-out state) shown on the performance display device 1600 becomes easier to see because the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) do not perform performance actions. On the other hand, even though the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value, no special performance actions are performed, so there is no motivation to aim for the amount of balls dispensed to reach a specific value in future games. Therefore, in this example, after transitioning to the stop-play state, a predetermined celebratory action is performed as a special notification to the player who has reached the stop-play state, and the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are configured to operate with a different performance pattern than when the special symbols are being displayed.

In this example, regardless of whether the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are performing any performance actions immediately before transitioning to the stop-play state, the performance actions of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped at the moment the game transitions to the stop-play state. After transitioning to the stop-play state, both the movable front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are used to perform a celebratory action to commemorate the transition to the stop-play state. The movable bodies used in the celebratory action may be some of the movable bodies (movable decorative bodies mainly used for decoration) provided on the game board 5, or all of the movable bodies (movable decorative bodies mainly used for decoration) may be used. If all movable parts on the game board 5 were to be applied, even if the player was unaware of the operation of a movable part before the game ended, it would be possible to make the player aware of that operation. This would prevent the game from ending with an unexperienced movable effect, thus suppressing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

First, we will explain the case where the movable body transitions to the stop state while the special symbol is inactive (in its initial position) during the special symbol's variation display, and then performs the celebratory action of the movable body. Figure 151 is a time chart showing the case where the movable body transitions to the stop state while the special symbol is inactive during the special symbol's variation display, and then performs the celebratory action of the movable body. Note that this example explains the case where the movable body is inactive during the special symbol's variation display, but it is sufficient for the movable body to be inactive at the time of transition to the stop state (immediately before). Even if the movable body is inactive during the special symbol's non-variable display, it will be controlled to exhibit the same behavior after transitioning to the stop state.

As shown in Figure 151, at timing t1, if variation pattern 2 is determined at the start of the variation display of the special symbol, the variation display of the special symbol is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 2 corresponding to variation pattern 2, and during the variation display of the special symbol, the variation performance is executed based on that performance pattern 2. Furthermore, if performance pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, the system instructs the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) to execute operation schedule X2, and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to execute operation schedule Y2.

Then, at timing t2, when the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are not in operation, if a game ball enters the general prize pocket 2001 during the special symbol fluctuation display and a prize ball is awarded, resulting in a transition to the stop state, the stop state flag is turned ON, and the fluctuation display of the special symbol that is currently running is forcibly stopped based on fluctuation pattern 2. Also at timing t2, the peripheral control board 1510, upon realizing that the stop state flag has been turned ON, turns ON a predetermined performance prohibition flag, and forcibly stops the fluctuation performance that is currently running based on performance pattern 2. Specifically, triggered by the performance prohibition flag being turned ON, the performance display device 1600 forcibly changes the image corresponding to the fluctuation performance to the image corresponding to the stop state. Furthermore, when the performance prohibition flag is turned ON at timing t2, the operation schedule X2 currently running for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 currently running for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. After transitioning to the stopped state, the performance actions based on operation schedule X2 and operation schedule Y2 are not executed.

Furthermore, at timing t2, when the game transitions to the stop-out state, the execution schedule X2 for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the execution schedule Y2 for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. Then, using both the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), the execution of a celebratory action, which is a special notification to the player who has reached the stop-out state, is started. In other words, when the game transitions to the stop-out state at timing t2 by prohibiting the performance actions of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), a special operation schedule X3 is executed for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), and a special operation schedule Y3 is executed for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). These special operation schedules X3 and Y3 are not set at the start of the special symbol variation display before transitioning to the stop-play state, nor are they executed during the special symbol variation display.

Specifically, when the operation schedule X3 is executed for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in its initial position (standby position). If the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in its initial position, at timing tA, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) performs the first celebratory action (the first half of the celebratory action) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Similarly, when the operation schedule Y3 is executed for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is in its initial position (standby position). If the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is in its initial position, at timing tB after the completion of the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit unit 3310 (movable unit X), the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) performs a second celebratory operation (the latter half of the celebratory operation) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

In this way, after transitioning to the stop-payout state, performing celebratory actions on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) allows players to feel satisfied that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value, and can motivate them to aim for the amount of balls dispensed to reach that specific value in future games. Furthermore, by performing a second celebratory action on the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) immediately after the first celebratory action on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, players can enjoy a longer period of operation. In addition, even if there were movable parts whose operation patterns the player was not aware of before transitioning to the stop-payout state, it becomes possible to make the player aware of those operation patterns, thus avoiding the situation where the stop-payout state is reached while there are still unexperienced movable effects, and thus suppressing a decline in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the system executes actions corresponding to the stop-play state, except for celebratory actions on the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). For example, the display device 1600 displays the message "Game Restriction" as an image corresponding to the stop-play state. Therefore, even if celebratory actions are performed on the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), it is possible to prevent the player from losing awareness that game restrictions are in place.

Furthermore, in this example, the operation time for the first celebratory action on the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation time for the second celebratory action on the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are both set to "5 seconds" (the shortest time excluding the initial position confirmation time), ensuring a minimum of 10 seconds for the series of celebratory actions by the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). This ensures a predetermined period (10 seconds in this example) during which the player focuses on the game board 5 after the transition to the stop-play state, avoiding giving the player time to become bored during the settlement processing period associated with the settlement operation of the remaining balls immediately after the stop-play state, and allowing the player to stay in place effectively. In this example, we have described a type of gaming machine that recycles and reuses game balls without dispensing actual prize balls outside the gaming machine (so-called sealed gaming machine, managed gaming machine). However, the "technology for generating a stop-play state based on the amount of balls dispensed (amounts A and B)" described above is not limited to this type of gaming machine, but can also be applied to conventional gaming machines (gaming machines that dispense actual prize balls outside the gaming machine). In other words, conventional gaming machines have a payout control board instead of a frame control board 740, and this payout control board can generally control a payout device that dispenses game balls stored in a ball tank on the back of the gaming machine as prize balls outside the gaming machine. The prize balls dispensed into the ball tray on the front of the gaming machine are then given to the player as actual balls. However, in this configuration, there is a larger time lag between the time a game ball enters one of the various prize slots and the time the prize ball is dispensed compared to a gaming machine that recycles and reuses game balls. In particular, it is conceivable that during a jackpot game, multiple game balls may enter the large prize slot 2005, resulting in a large number of prize balls being recorded as unpaid. In such cases, many prize balls may be unpaid at the start of the aforementioned stop-play state, and many of these unpaid prize balls may be paid out after the start of the stop-play state. In this example, a predetermined period (10 seconds in this example) is ensured during which the player focuses on the game board 5 after the transition to the stop-play state. This avoids giving the player time to become bored during the period immediately following the stop-play state when unpaid prize balls are paid out, thus effectively keeping the player engaged.

Regarding the initial position check, it is performed before the first celebratory action for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). After the initial position check of the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, the initial position check of the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is performed. Alternatively, the initial position check of the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) may be performed a second time, after the first celebratory action for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, but before the second celebratory action for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). Furthermore, the initial position check of the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) may not be performed before the first celebratory action for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), but only after the first celebratory action for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed.

Furthermore, the initial position check verifies whether each movable body is in its initial position (standby position). If a movable body is not in its initial position, a recovery process (multiple retry operations) is executed to return it to its initial position. This recovery process (multiple retry operations) is executed multiple times until the movable body returns to its initial position, and once the movable body returns to its initial position, a celebratory operation is then performed on the movable body. On the other hand, if the movable body does not return to its initial position despite multiple recovery processes (multiple retry operations), the celebratory operation is not performed on the movable body afterward. For example, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) does not return to its initial position, not only the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) but also the second celebratory operation for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is not executed. This prevents the celebratory operation from being executed incompletely after transitioning to the stopped state.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, a celebratory action is performed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). However, the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) perform an action corresponding to the stop-play state, rather than an action corresponding to the celebratory action. For example, the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) may be made to light up in coordination with other LEDs provided on the game board 5, or to turn off, as an action corresponding to the stop-play state. On the other hand, during the movement of the movable parts while the special symbols are being displayed, the LEDs mounted on the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable part X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable part Y) illuminate in coordination with the performance actions of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable part X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable part Y), thereby informing the outside that the movable parts are performing performance actions. Thus, after transitioning to the stop-play state, although celebratory actions are performed on the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable part X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable part Y), the LEDs do not illuminate in coordination with the celebratory actions of these movable parts. Therefore, it is difficult for people from a distance to perceive that celebratory actions are in progress, allowing only the player to enjoy the celebratory actions.

Furthermore, the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are designed to perform actions corresponding to the stop state (coordinated illumination or extinguishing with other LEDs on the game board 5) even during the initial position confirmation operation. Also, if the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) do not return to their initial positions, the first and second celebratory actions will not be performed as described above. However, the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) will continue to perform actions corresponding to the stop state. This makes it difficult for external parties to perceive that the celebratory actions were not performed, even if a malfunction prevents the actions from being executed, thus avoiding causing displeasure to the player.

Furthermore, regarding the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), while the LED brightness can be changed by operating the setting adjustment button 204 when they are illuminating in coordination with the performance operation of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) during the display of special symbols, the setting adjustment button 204 will no longer accept input after the machine has entered the stop-play state, making it impossible to change the brightness of the LEDs during the operation corresponding to the stop-play state. This prevents malicious acts such as striking the pachinko machine 1 under the guise of operating the setting adjustment button 204 while the machine is in the stop-play state.

As another example, if a special movable body (for example, a movable body for instant notification that protrudes only during a winning spin) is provided in the door frame 3, which is the area outside the game board 5 (game area 5a), when the result of the special symbol lottery is a win, then after transitioning to the stop state, the celebratory action is not performed on the special movable body provided in the door frame 3 (the special movable body is excluded from the celebratory action). In other words, after transitioning to the stop state, the celebratory action is performed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), but not on the special movable body provided in the door frame 3. On the other hand, when the movable body is operating during the special symbol's spinning display, the performance action can be performed not only on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), but also on the special movable body provided in the door frame 3. Thus, after transitioning to the stop-loss state, a celebratory action is performed on the movable parts located on the game board 5, but not on the special movable parts located on the door frame 3, which is the area outside the game board 5 (game area 5a). This makes it difficult for viewers from a distance to perceive that a celebratory action is in progress, allowing only the player to enjoy the action, and avoiding the special movable parts that announce wins activating and causing distrust among the player. Furthermore, if the special movable parts on the door frame 3 are accessible from the outside, excluding them from the celebratory action, as described above, avoids the risk of the special movable parts activating despite the stop-loss state and the player accidentally touching them.

Furthermore, if a first performance button 251, which can be operated by the player, is provided as a movable body in the door frame 3, separate from the special movable body described above, the following configuration may be adopted. That is, if a vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) provided inside or outside the first performance button 251 enables vibration operation (vibration) of the first performance button 251, the peripheral control board 1510, when it has determined the variation pattern (performance pattern) to be selected when the special symbol lottery result is a win and the variation pattern to be selected in some cases when the special symbol lottery result is a loss, executes an operation schedule corresponding to the first performance button 251 (movable body) according to the performance pattern set in accordance with the variation pattern, and in some cases when it is a win and when it is a loss, it is possible to vibrate the first performance button 251 (movable body) at a predetermined vibration timing during the variation display of the special symbol to give the player a sense of anticipation regarding a win. In this configuration, if the game transitions to a stop state while the first performance button 251 is inactive during the special symbol variation display, the performance pattern and operation schedule are forcibly stopped, and the first performance button 251 is prevented from vibrating thereafter. Furthermore, if the game transitions to a stop state while the first performance button 251 is vibrating during the special symbol variation display, the ongoing vibration operation is forcibly stopped, and the first performance button 251 is prevented from vibrating thereafter. In this way, after transitioning to a stop state, by preventing the first performance button 251 (movable body) from vibrating as a celebratory action, attention can be drawn solely to the celebratory action of the movable body on the game board 5.

Furthermore, in this example, even after transitioning to the stopped state, and after the execution of the operation schedule X3 and operation schedule Y3 has ended and the celebratory operation has been completed for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), the aforementioned operation prohibition flag remains ON, and the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) continue to be in an operation prohibition state. This prevents, for example, situations where the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) or rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) are demonstrated as part of a demonstration effect during a standby state in the game's progression process, even when the game is in a stopped state. This prevents the peripheral control board 1510 from mistakenly performing standby control while the game is in a stopped state, causing the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) or rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) to be demonstrated.

Furthermore, similar to the initial position confirmation operation described above, if the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) becomes misaligned due to some factor during the display of the special symbols (either in a changing or non-changing state) and fails to return to its initial position, a recovery process (multiple retries) is performed to return the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to its initial position, based on the fulfillment of the normal recovery conditions (such as winning a prize in the starting slot or the passage of a predetermined time since the special symbols stopped changing). However, in this example, the recovery process (multiple retries) is not performed while the machine is in a stopped state. In other words, if, during the stop-play state after the celebratory action has been completed normally, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) becomes misaligned due to some factor and does not return to its initial position, even if an event that satisfies the above-mentioned return conditions occurs afterward (such as a ball entering the starting slot or the passage of a predetermined amount of time after the special symbols stop moving), the return process (multiple retry operations) to return the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to its initial position is not performed, and the state in which these movable bodies are not in their initial position is maintained. This makes it possible to avoid a situation in which the movable bodies continue to move (restore) during the stop-play state, causing the player to hesitate to leave their seat. However, after the celebratory movement of the movable body is completed, if a predetermined time (e.g., several minutes) has elapsed during the stopped state, an initial position check may be performed to reconfirm whether the movable body is in its initial position (standby position). If the movable body has not returned to its initial position during any period other than immediately after the celebratory movement, the above-mentioned recovery process (multiple retries) may be performed to return the movable body to its initial position at a time during the stopped state when it is presumed the player has already left their seat. This avoids a situation where the movable body continues to operate (restore) during the stopped state, potentially causing the player to hesitate to leave their seat, and also allows for smoother control of various functions when gameplay resumes after the stopped state is resolved.

Next, we will explain the case where, while the machine is in a stop-loss state, the power is cut off at timing t3 and then restored at timing t4. Here, we will explain the case where, upon restoration of power after the power cut-off, the limit clear pattern table 4 is used, and power restoration patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which clear the payout amount but maintain the stop-loss state.

At timing t4, if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected when the power is restarted, the payout amount is cleared, but the stop-play state is maintained. Furthermore, while the stop-play state is maintained, the display of special symbols based on the variation pattern is forcibly stopped. Also, on the peripheral control board 1510, while the stop-play state is maintained, the variation effects based on the effect pattern are forcibly stopped, and the operation schedules for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are also forcibly stopped. However, at timing t4, when the power is restarted, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are instructed to execute operation schedule Z, which does not involve the variation of special symbols, so that these movable bodies perform their initial operation at least at timing t4 when the power is restarted.

Furthermore, before the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) perform their initial operations, the aforementioned initial position check is performed to confirm whether or not these movable bodies are in their initial positions (standby positions). If the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are in their initial positions, the initial operations are performed to confirm whether or not each movable body moves normally from the standby position to the performance position, or whether or not it returns normally to the standby position. Specifically, the operation schedule Z is set so that the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) performs its initial operation when a predetermined period (for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed since the power was turned on, while the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) performs its initial operation when a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed since the power was turned on. Furthermore, the initial operation of the rear-facing lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is performed after the initial operation of the front-facing lifting decorative unit unit 3310 (movable unit X) is completed.

Thus, even when the stop-down state is maintained upon power-on, and the forced stop of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is maintained, the initial position confirmation and initial operation of these movable units are permitted. This allows for the execution of operation checks even if a malfunction occurs before or after the stop-down state prior to power-on, where the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) are not in their standby position. This prevents the display content (image corresponding to the stop-down state) shown on the display device 1600 from being obscured due to the malfunction of these movable units not being in their standby position, thus preventing the user from losing awareness that game restrictions are in place.

On the other hand, at timing t4, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected when the power is restarted, the payout amount and stop-play state are cleared. Even in such cases, when the power is restarted, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are instructed to execute operation schedule Z, causing these movable units to perform their initial movements. After the initial movements of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are completed, the forced stop for the special symbol display based on the variation pattern is released, and the system is put into a standby state. Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 releases the forced stop for the variation display based on the performance pattern, and also releases the forced stop for the operation schedules of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), putting them into a standby state.

In the above-described embodiment, when the power is turned back on, the system maintains the stopped state and forces the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to remain stopped. In this case, the initial operation of these movable bodies is performed. However, if the movable bodies are in the standby position, the system may restrict the execution of the initial operation of the movable bodies to prioritize the control load. Furthermore, even if the movable bodies are not in the standby position, the system may restrict the execution of the initial operation of the movable bodies for the following reasons. That is, if the initial operation of the movable bodies is not performed despite them not being in the standby position, and a malfunction occurs before the power is turned back on where the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are not in the standby position, the system can maintain the state where these movable bodies are not in the standby position after the power is turned back on, and the hall manager can be informed that a malfunction has occurred with these movable bodies. However, in this case, there is a concern that the display content (the image corresponding to the stop state) shown on the performance display device 1600 may remain hidden due to a malfunction where the movable body is not in the standby position. Therefore, it is desirable to display the image corresponding to the stop state in a display area of the performance display device 1600 that is not obstructed by the movable body, or to use a separate device other than the performance display device 1600 to provide notification corresponding to the stop state.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, after transitioning to the stop-down state, celebratory actions are performed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). However, for these celebratory actions, the same operation processing (operation schedule) as the operation processing (operation schedule) for the initial operation of the movable body may be performed. By standardizing the operation processing (operation schedule) for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), it is possible to avoid an increase in the memory capacity required for the performance operations of the movable body. However, regarding the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), when the movable body performs celebratory actions after transitioning to the stop-down state, an action corresponding to the stop-down state (coordinated illumination or extinguishing with other LEDs provided on the game board 5) is performed, whereas when the movable body performs initial operation upon power-on, an action corresponding to the initial operation (for example, illumination in coordination with the initial operation) is performed. This prevents the inability to determine whether the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is in a celebratory movement after transitioning to a stopped state, or in its initial movement after power is restored.

Next, we will explain the case where the movable part transitions to a stop state while the special symbol is being displayed in a variable state, and then the celebratory action of the movable part is performed. Figure 152 is a time chart showing the case where the movable part transitions to a stop state while the special symbol is being displayed in a variable state, and then the celebratory action of the movable part is performed. Note that this example explains the case where the movable part is operating while the special symbol is being displayed in a variable state, but it is sufficient for the movable part to be operating at the time of transition to the stop state (immediately before). Even if the movable part is operating while the special symbol is not being displayed in a variable state, for example, if the movable part is performing a demonstration action during the execution of a demonstration sequence, the system will be controlled to exhibit the same behavior after transitioning to the stop state.

As shown in Figure 152, at timing t1, when the special symbol variation display begins, if variation pattern 2 is determined, the special symbol variation display is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 2 corresponding to variation pattern 2, and during the special symbol variation display, the variation performance is executed based on that performance pattern 2. Furthermore, if performance pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, the system instructs the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) to execute operation schedule X2 and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to execute operation schedule Y2. Then, during the special symbol variation display, when timing tx arrives, the system executes a predetermined performance operation on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) based on the operation schedule X2 currently being executed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X).

Then, at timing t2, when the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in operation, if a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 during the special symbol fluctuation display and a prize ball is awarded, resulting in a transition to the stop state, the stop state flag is turned ON, and the fluctuation display of the special symbol that is currently running is forcibly stopped based on fluctuation pattern 2. Also at timing t2, the peripheral control board 1510, upon realizing that the stop state flag has been turned ON, turns ON the aforementioned performance prohibition flag, and forcibly stops the fluctuation performance that is currently running based on performance pattern 2. Specifically, triggered by the performance prohibition flag being turned ON, the performance display device 1600 forcibly changes the image corresponding to the fluctuation performance to the image corresponding to the stop state. Furthermore, when the performance prohibition flag is turned ON at timing t2, the operation schedule X2 currently running for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 currently running for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. After transitioning to the stopped state, the performance actions based on operation schedules X2 and Y2 are not executed. At this time, since the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is forcibly stopped during operation, it stops at a position other than the initial position (performance position).

Then, at timing t2, when transitioning to the stopped state, the execution schedule X2 currently running for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the execution schedule Y2 currently running for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. After that, the execution of the celebratory action is started using both the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). In other words, when transitioning to the stopped state by prohibiting the performance action for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) at timing t2, a special execution schedule X3 is instructed to be executed for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), and a special execution schedule Y3 is instructed to be executed for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). These special operation schedules X3 and Y3 are not set at the start of the special symbol variation display before transitioning to the stop-play state, nor are they executed during the special symbol variation display.

Specifically, when the operation schedule X3 is executed for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in its initial position (standby position) prior to the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). However, at timing t2, when the system transitions to the stopped state, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is forcibly stopped during operation, the system determines that the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in a position other than its initial position (performance position), and a recovery process (multiple retry operations) is performed to return the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) to its initial position. Then, when the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) returns to its initial position, at timing tA, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) performs the first celebratory action (the first half of the celebratory action) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. On the other hand, when the operation schedule Y3 is executed for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is in its initial position (standby position). If the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is in its initial position, at timing tB after the first celebratory action for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) performs the second celebratory action (the second half of the celebratory action) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

By the way, in the explanation in Figure 146, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) transitions to the stop state at timing t2 while it is in operation, it does not terminate in the middle of a predetermined performance action, but continues to execute until the predetermined performance action is completed. When performing a celebratory action with this configuration, it is also possible to execute a special operation schedule X3 for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) after the predetermined performance action is completed, so that the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) performs the first celebratory action between its initial position (standby position) and a performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. However, with this configuration, the celebratory action after transitioning to the stop state will be delayed until the predetermined performance action is completed for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), and it will not be possible to enjoy the celebratory action immediately after transitioning to the stop state. In this example, at the timing t2 when the device transitions to the stopped state, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is forcibly stopped while in operation. Therefore, the celebratory action can be enjoyed immediately after the device transitions to the stopped state.

Furthermore, as in the example above, if the door frame 3 is equipped with the aforementioned special movable body (for example, a movable body for instant notification that protrudes only during a winning spin), the celebratory action is not performed on the special movable body installed on the door frame 3 after transitioning to the stop-play state (the special movable body is excluded from the celebratory action). However, even if the special movable body installed on the door frame 3 is in operation when transitioning to the stop-play state, the special movable body installed on the door frame 3 is forcibly stopped. If the special movable body installed on the door frame 3 is forcibly stopped while in operation, and the special movable body remains in a position other than its initial position (the performance position), there is a risk of the player coming into contact with the special movable body. Therefore, it is desirable to perform a recovery process to return the special movable body to its initial position after transitioning to the stop-play state.

Furthermore, if a first performance button 251, which can be operated by the player, is provided as a movable body in the door frame 3, separate from the special movable body described above, the following configuration may be adopted. That is, if a vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) provided inside or outside the first performance button 251 enables vibration operation (vibration) of the first performance button 251, the peripheral control board 1510, when it has determined the variation pattern (performance pattern) to be selected when the special symbol lottery result is a win and the variation pattern to be selected in some cases when the special symbol lottery result is a loss, executes an operation schedule corresponding to the first performance button 251 (movable body) according to the performance pattern set in accordance with the variation pattern, and in some cases when it is a win and when it is a loss, it is possible to vibrate the first performance button 251 (movable body) at a predetermined vibration timing during the variation display of the special symbol to give the player a sense of anticipation regarding a win. In this configuration, if the game transitions to a stop state while the first performance button 251 is vibrating during the special symbol display, the vibration operation is forcibly stopped, preventing the first performance button 251 from vibrating again. In this way, after transitioning to a stop state, the first performance button 251 (movable body) does not vibrate as a celebratory action, allowing attention to be focused solely on the celebratory action of the movable body on the game board 5.

Furthermore, even after transitioning to the stop-down state, and after the execution of the ongoing operation schedules X3 and Y3 has ended and the celebratory operation has been completed for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), the aforementioned operation prohibition flag remains ON, and the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) continue to be in the operation prohibition state. The behavior when the power is cut off at timing t3 and then restored at timing t4 while the stop-down state is occurring is as described above.

Next, we will explain the case where the movable body abnormally stops at a position other than its initial position before transitioning to the stop-start state, and the machine transitions to the stop-start state while the movable body is abnormally stopped, and the celebratory action of the movable body is performed depending on whether or not the movable body returns to its initial position. Figure 153 is a time chart showing the case where the machine transitions to the stop-start state while the movable body is abnormally stopped, and the celebratory action of the movable body is performed when the movable body returns to its initial position. Figure 154 is a time chart showing the case where the machine transitions to the stop-start state while the movable body is abnormally stopped, and the movable body does not return to its initial position. In this example, we explain the case where the movable body is abnormally stopped while the special symbols are changing, but it is sufficient for the movable body to be abnormally stopped at the time (immediately before) transitioning to the stop-start state. Even if the movable body is abnormally stopped while the special symbols are not changing, the control will be such that it exhibits the same behavior after transitioning to the stop-start state.

First, we will explain the basic operation of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) when the machine is not in a stopped state. The front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) operate between their initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600 during the initial operation of the movable body and during the performance operation of the movable body. However, at the end of this operation, they may not return to the initial position and may stop abnormally at a position other than the initial position. In addition, during the display of special symbols, whether variable or non-variable, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) may become misaligned due to some factor, and may stop abnormally without returning to the initial position. In these cases, the aforementioned performance prohibition flag is turned ON, prohibiting the performance actions. However, based on the normal recovery conditions (such as winning a prize in the starting slot or the passage of a predetermined amount of time after the special symbols stop moving), a recovery process (multiple retries) is performed to return the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to their initial positions. When it is detected that the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) have returned to their initial positions, the performance prohibition flag is turned OFF. However, even after such recovery processing (multiple retry operations), the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) may still not return to their initial positions. In such cases, the recovery processing (multiple retry operations) is terminated, and the system remains in an abnormal stop state (the performance prohibition flag is ON). Even if the recovery conditions are met again, the recovery processing (multiple retry operations) will not be performed again. The following describes the case where one or both of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are abnormally stopped at the point (immediately before) transitioning to the stop state.

First, let's explain the case where only the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is abnormally stopped at the point (immediately before) transitioning to the stop-down state. As shown in Figure 153, at timing t1, if the variation pattern 2 is determined at the start of the variation display of the special symbol, the variation display of the special symbol is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 2 corresponding to the variation pattern 2, and during the variation display of the special symbol, the variation performance is executed based on that performance pattern 2. Furthermore, if the performance pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, the operation schedule X2 is executed for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), and the operation schedule Y2 is executed for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). However, since the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is abnormally stopped, the aforementioned performance prohibition flag is ON, and the performance operations based on operation schedule X2 and operation schedule Y2 are not executed.

Then, at the timing t2 when the system transitions to the stop-motion state, the execution schedule X2 for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the execution schedule Y2 for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. After this, a special execution schedule X3 is instructed to be executed for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), and a special execution schedule Y3 is instructed to be executed for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). These special execution schedules X3 and Y3 are not set at the start of the special symbol before the transition to the stop-motion state, nor are they executed during the display of the special symbol's variation.

Specifically, when the operation schedule X3 is executed for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in its initial position (standby position) prior to the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). However, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) has abnormally stopped at timing t2 when it transitions to the stop state, it is determined that the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in a position other than the initial position (performance position), and regardless of whether the normal recovery conditions are met, a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations) is executed based on timing t2 (start of stop state). Then, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) returns to its initial position due to a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations), at timing tA, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) performs the first celebratory operation (the first half of the celebratory operation) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. On the other hand, when the operation schedule Y3 is executed for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is in its initial position (standby position). If the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is in its initial position, at timing tB after the completion of the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit unit 3310 (movable unit X), the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) performs a second celebratory operation (the latter half of the celebratory operation) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 154, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) fails to return to its initial position despite a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations) being performed on it, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is prevented from performing the first celebratory operation. Furthermore, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) fails to return to its initial position, not only is the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) prevented, but the second celebratory operation for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is also prevented from being performed. In other words, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) fails to return to its initial position, the second celebratory operation for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) becomes impossible to perform, regardless of whether the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is functioning correctly or not. This prevents the celebratory actions from being performed incompletely after the game has entered a stop state.

Next, we will explain the case where only the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is abnormally stopped at the point (immediately before) transitioning to the stop-down state. Since it is similar to the embodiment using Figure 153, the illustration is omitted, but specifically, when the operation schedule Y3 is executed for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is in its initial position (standby position) prior to the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). However, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is abnormally stopped at the time of transitioning to the stop-down state, it is determined that the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is in a position other than the initial position (performance position), and regardless of whether the normal recovery conditions are met, a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations) is executed, conditional on the start of the stop-down state. Then, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) returns to its initial position due to a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations), the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), which was in a normal standby state, performs the first celebratory operation (the first half of the celebratory operation) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. After the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) performs the second celebratory operation (the second half of the celebratory operation) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

On the other hand, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) fails to return to its initial position despite a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations) being performed on it, not only is the second celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) prevented, but the preceding first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is also prevented. In other words, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) fails to return to its initial position, regardless of whether the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is functioning correctly, even the first celebratory operation for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) becomes impossible to execute. This prevents the celebratory operation from being executed incompletely after transitioning to the stopped state.

Next, we will explain the case where both the rear-mounted lifting decorative body 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-mounted lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) are abnormally stopped at the point (immediately before) when transitioning to the stop-down state. Although the illustration is omitted as it is similar to the embodiment using Figure 153, specifically, when the operation schedule X3 for the back-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y3 for the back-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are executed, an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the back-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and then the back-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are in their initial positions (standby positions) prior to the first celebratory operation for the back-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). However, if both movable bodies have abnormally stopped at the timing of transitioning to the stop state, it is determined that the back-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in a position other than the initial position (performance position), and regardless of whether the normal recovery conditions are met, a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations) based on the start of the stop state is executed for the back-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). Then, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) returns to its initial position due to a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations), it is determined that the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is in a position other than the initial position (performance position), and the special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations) is executed for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y). Once both movable units have returned to their initial positions, a first celebratory operation is performed for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X). After this is completed, the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) performs a second celebratory operation between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

On the other hand, if, despite performing a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations) on both the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), neither movable unit returns to its initial position, the system prevents the execution of the celebratory operations, including not only the celebratory operations of the movable unit that failed to return but also those of the movable unit that did return. In other words, if either the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) or the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) fails to return to its initial position, or if both fail to return to their initial positions, the series of celebratory operations becomes unexecutable regardless of whether some of the movable units are functioning correctly or not. This prevents the celebratory operations from being executed incompletely after transitioning to the stopped state.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-down state, regardless of whether the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) returns to its initial position due to a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations), the aforementioned operation prohibition flag remains ON when the currently executing operation schedule X3 or Y3 ends, causing the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to continue in the operation prohibition state. The behavior when the power is cut off at timing t3 and then restored at timing t4 while the stop-down state is occurring is as described above.

Furthermore, in this example, if the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is abnormally stopped at the point (immediately before) transitioning to the stop-down state, the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are allowed to emit normal light (lighting that coordinates with the performance operation of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) during the display of the special symbol fluctuations) rather than abnormal light emission. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-down state, the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are capable of performing actions corresponding to the stop-down state (coordinated illumination or extinguishing with other LEDs on the game board 5), regardless of whether the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) have malfunctioned or not. This makes it difficult for external parties to discern that the celebratory action was not performed, even if it fails to execute due to a malfunction, thus avoiding causing displeasure to the player.

Furthermore, regarding the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), as mentioned above, the brightness of the LEDs can be changed by operating the setting adjustment button 204 when they are illuminating in coordination with the performance operation of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) during the display of special symbols. However, even when the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) has abnormally stopped, the brightness of the LEDs can still be changed by operating the setting adjustment button 204. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) perform an operation corresponding to the stop-play state (coordinated illumination or extinguishing with other LEDs on the game board 5), regardless of whether the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) has abnormally stopped or not. However, as described above, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the setting adjustment button 204 is disabled, and the brightness of the LEDs performing the operation corresponding to the stop-play state cannot be changed. This prevents malicious acts such as striking the pachinko machine 1 under the guise of operating the setting adjustment button 204 while the machine is in the stop-play state.

(Regarding the attachment and detachment of the game board before and after the game reaches its limit)
Next, we will explain the case in which game board A, which has not entered a stop-play state, and game board B, which has entered a stop-play state, are attached to and replaced with game board A, which has entered a stop-play state, from the main frame 4. In the other embodiments described above, the amount of balls dispensed is calculated by the main control board 1310, but in this example, a stop-play counter is provided on the frame control board 740, and commands related to the number of shots and payouts are sent from the main control board 1310 to the frame control board 740 at predetermined timings. The frame control board 740 manages the stop-play counter and calculates the amount of balls dispensed from the increase or decrease of the stop-play counter.

In this example, the payout amount calculated from the stop counter is managed (calculated and stored) not by the main control board 1310, but by the frame control board 740. Specifically, the frame control board 740 calculates the difference between the number of shots and the number of payouts within the period until a predetermined clear condition is met, and stores this calculation result in the "stop counter" as a value for calculating the payout amount (payout amount A, B). The value of the stop counter is stored in a specific area of the built-in RAM. The formula for calculating the difference between the number of shots and the number of payouts is "value of stop counter = number of payouts - number of shots". For example, if the value of the stop counter becomes too high, it can be determined that a large amount of payouts have been granted from the pachinko machine 1, regardless of whether the player has changed.

Furthermore, in this example, the frame control board 740 manages (calculates and stores) the amount of balls dispensed calculated from the stop counter. At predetermined timings, the frame control board 740 sends a command regarding the amount of balls dispensed to the main control board 1310. The main control board 1310 then transitions to a stop state and restricts gameplay when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. The main control board 1310 is also capable of storing the ON information of the stop state flag when the stop state occurs. The ON/OFF status of the stop state flag is stored in a specific area of the built-in RAM. For this reason, when the game board A is not in a stop state, it stores the OFF information of the stop state flag when the power is cut off. Even if game board A is removed from the main frame 4 and then attached to another main frame 4, when the power is turned on without clearing (initializing) the "restriction of gameplay during stop state," it maintains a state that is not in a stop state (normal state). On the other hand, when the game board B is in a state of playout, it is configured to retain the information that the playout state flag is ON when the power is cut off. Even if game board B is removed from the main frame 4 and then installed in another main frame 4, the playout state will be maintained when the power is turned on without clearing (initializing) the "restriction on playing while in playout state."

Incidentally, when the payout amount is managed by the frame control board 740, even if the game board 5 is replaced with the main frame 4, the frame control board 740 located on the main frame 4 is not replaced. Therefore, even though the game board 5 is replaced, there is a possibility that information regarding the payout amount of the game board 5 before replacement will be reflected in the replacement game board 5, leading to a problem of reduced reliability and convenience during game board 5 replacement. For example, if the payout amount of the game board 5 before replacement, managed by the frame control board 740, is transmitted to the replacement game board 5, the reliability of the information regarding the payout amount of the replacement game board 5 will be compromised. In this example, a method to avoid the reduction in reliability and convenience during game board 5 replacement when the payout amount is managed by the frame control board 740 is described below.

Figure 155 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when the game board 5 is replaced during a power outage. In this example, a specific value of 10,000 is set, and when the number of balls dispensed reaches 10,000, the machine enters a stop-play state to restrict gameplay. It is assumed that the game board 5 before and after replacement are the same game board 5 (a game board from the same series with the same specifications and the same effects).

Furthermore, this example describes the case where, upon power-on restart after a power outage, the restriction clear pattern table 4 is used as the restriction clear pattern table, and power-on pattern 1 is selected as the power-on pattern. As detailed above, in power-on pattern 1, the game state at the time of power-on is maintained, but the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" is cleared (initialized), while the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are maintained. However, regardless of whether power-on patterns 1 through 4 are selected, the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" is always cleared upon power-on restart after a power outage.

Furthermore, in this example, the main control board 1310 has a unique CPU number (unique information) pre-stored for each CPU (main control MPU). This CPU number is unique to each main control board 1310, even for identical game boards 5, and cannot be overwritten even with external devices. The frame control board 740 receives the CPU number from the main control board 1310 and stores it in the RAM built into the frame control board 740. The CPU number stored in the frame control board 740 is retained without being cleared (initialized) even if the power is turned on or off, or if the RAM clear switch 741 is operated when the power is turned on. When the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740, it determines that the game board 5 has not been replaced with the main frame 4. On the other hand, if the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740, it determines that the game board 5 has not been replaced with the main frame 4.

First, we will explain the case where, when the power is cut off, the game board A1, which is not in a stopped-out state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board A2, which is also not in a stopped-out state, referring to Figure 155(A). First, between timing t1 and timing t2 when the power is cut off, game board A1, which is not in a stopped-out state, is attached to the main frame 4. Because the power is on, both game board A1 and the main frame 4 are energized. Furthermore, the amount of balls managed by the frame control board 740 is less than 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board A1 has not detected a stopped-out state, allowing the game to continue.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, and game board A1, which is not in a stopped-play state, is removed. Game board A2, which is different from game board A1 and is also not in a stopped-play state, is installed. At timing t3, the power is turned on, so both game board A2 and the main frame 4 are powered. Also, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the state before game board A2 was replaced (before installation), which is a state where no stopped-play state has occurred (normal state), allowing the game to continue. Furthermore, at timing t3, the payout amount managed by the frame control board 740 is cleared (initialized), and the payout amount for the replaced game board A2 starts from 0. In other words, when the power is turned on, the payout amount managed by the frame control board 740 is cleared, and information regarding the payout amount of the game board A1 before replacement is not carried over.

Next, we will explain the case where, when the power is cut off, game board A, which is not in a stopped-out state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board B, which is in a stopped-out state, referring to Figure 155(B). First, between timing t1 and timing t2 when the power is cut off, game board A, which is not in a stopped-out state, is attached to the main frame 4. However, because the power is on, both game board A and the main frame 4 are energized. Also, the amount of balls managed by the frame control board 740 is less than 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board A has not detected a stopped-out state, allowing the game to continue.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, and game board A, which is not in a stopped-play state, is removed. Game board B, which is different from game board A and is in a stopped-play state, is installed. However, at timing t3, the power is turned on, so that both game board B and the main frame 4 are powered. Also, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the state in which game board A2 is in a stopped-play state, as it was before the replacement (before installation), and the progress of the game is restricted. Also, at timing t3, the amount of balls dispensed managed by the frame control board 740 is cleared (initialized), and the amount of balls dispensed for the replaced game board B starts from 0. In other words, when the power is turned on, the amount of balls dispensed managed by the frame control board 740 is cleared, but the information regarding the stopped-play state managed by the main control board 1310 is not cleared, thus preventing the stopped-play state from being cleared during replacement.

Next, we will explain the case where, when the power is cut off, the game board B, which is in a stopped-out state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board A, which is not in a stopped-out state, referring to Figure 155(C). First, between timing t1 and timing t2 when the power is cut off, game board B, which is in a stopped-out state, is attached to the main frame 4. However, because the power is on, both game board B and the main frame 4 are energized. Also, the amount of balls managed by the frame control board 740 has reached 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board B has entered a stopped-out state, restricting the progress of the game.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, and game board B, which is experiencing a stop-loss state, is removed. Game board A, which is different from game board B and is not experiencing a stop-loss state, is then installed. At timing t3, the power is turned on, supplying power to both game board A and the main frame 4. Furthermore, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the state of game board A2 before replacement (before installation), indicating that no stop-loss state has occurred (normal state), allowing gameplay to continue. Also at timing t3, the payout amount managed by the frame control board 740 is cleared (initialized), and the payout amount for the replaced game board A starts from 0. In other words, by clearing the payout amount managed by the frame control board 740 when the power is turned on, information regarding the payout amount of the previous game board B is not carried over, preventing a stop-loss state from occurring during replacement.

Next, we will explain the case where, when the power is cut off, the game board B1, which is in a stopped-out state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board B2, which is also in a stopped-out state, referring to Figure 155(D). First, between timing t1 and timing t2, when the power is cut off, game board B1, which is in a stopped-out state, is attached to the main frame 4. However, because the power is on, both game board B1 and the main frame 4 are energized. Also, the amount of balls managed by the frame control board 740 has reached 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board B1 has entered a stopped-out state, limiting the progress of the game.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, and game board B1, which is in a stopped-play state, is removed. Game board B2, which is different from game board A and is also in a stopped-play state, is installed. However, at timing t3, the power is turned on, so both game board B2 and the main frame 4 are powered. Also, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the stopped-play state as the game state before game board A2 was replaced (before installation), and the progress of the game is restricted. Furthermore, at timing t3, the payout amount managed by the frame control board 740 is cleared (initialized), and the payout amount for the replaced game board B2 starts from 0. In other words, when the power is turned on, the payout amount managed by the frame control board 740 is cleared, but the information regarding the stopped-play state managed by the main control board 1310 is not cleared, thus preventing the stopped-play state from being cleared during replacement.

Figure 156 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when the game board 5 is replaced before the power is cut off. In this example, a specific value of 100,000 is set, and when the number of balls dispensed reaches 100,000, the machine enters a stop-play state to restrict gameplay.

First, before the power is shut off, the case where game board A1, which is not in a stopped-out state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board A2, which is also not in a stopped-out state, will be explained with reference to Figure 156(A). At timing t1, game board A1, which is not in a stopped-out state, is attached to the main frame 4. Because the power is on, both game board A1 and the main frame 4 are energized. Furthermore, the amount of balls managed by the frame control board 740 is less than 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board A1 has not detected a stopped-out state, allowing the game to continue.

Then, before the timing t2 for cutting off the power, the game board A1, which is not in a stopped-out state, is removed from the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, only the main frame 4 is energized, and the information regarding the amount of balls dispensed, which is managed by the frame control board 740, is maintained. After that, the game board A2, which is not in a stopped-out state, is attached to the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, both the game board A2 and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, the game state before the replacement (before installation) of game board A2 is a state in which no stopped-out state has occurred (normal state). However, by attaching game board A2 while the power is still on, the main control board 1310 generates a special stopped-out state, and the progress of the game is restricted. Note that the special stopped-out state is the same as the stopped-out state in that the progress of the game is restricted, but it differs from the stopped-out state in that the special stopped-out state is resolved by turning the power on and off (power-on pattern 1). In other words, when replacing game board A2, the payout amount managed by the frame control board 740 is not cleared, and the information regarding the payout amount from the previous game board A1 is carried over. However, by generating a special stop-play state, it is possible to prevent the game from continuing with this incorrect information.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, and with the game board A2, which is not in a stopped-out state, still installed, the power is turned on at timing t3, so that both the game board A2 and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, if the power is not turned on and off when the game board A2 is replaced, a special stopped-out state occurs, but if the power is turned on and off, a special stopped-out state does not occur. Also, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the state in which the game board A2 was in a stopped-out state (normal state) before replacement (before installation), allowing the game to continue. Also, at timing t3, the amount of balls dispensed managed by the frame control board 740 is cleared (initialized), and the amount of balls dispensed for the replaced game board A2 starts from 0. In other words, when the power is turned on, the payout amount managed by the frame control board 740 is cleared, and the information regarding the payout amount of the game board A1 before replacement is not carried over.

Next, we will explain the case where, before the power is cut off, game board A, which is not in a stopped-out state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board B, which is in a stopped-out state, referring to Figure 156(B). First, at timing t1, game board A, which is not in a stopped-out state, is attached to the main frame 4, but because the power is on, both game board A and the main frame 4 are energized. Also, the amount of balls managed by the frame control board 740 is less than 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board A has not detected a stopped-out state, allowing the game to proceed.

Then, before the timing t2 for cutting off the power, the game board A, which is not in a stopped-play state, is removed from the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, only the main frame 4 is energized, and the information regarding the amount of balls dispensed, which is managed by the frame control board 740, is maintained. After that, the game board B, which is in a stopped-play state, is installed on the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, both the game board B and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, the game state before the replacement (before installation) of game board B is a stopped-play state. However, by installing game board B with the power still on, the main control board 1310 generates a special stopped-play state, and the progress of the game is restricted. Note that the special stopped-play state is the same as the stopped-play state in that the progress of the game is restricted, but it differs from the stopped-play state in that the special stopped-play state is resolved by turning the power on and off (power-on pattern 1). In other words, when replacing game board B, the payout amount managed by the frame control board 740 is not cleared, and the information regarding the payout amount of game board A before replacement is carried over. However, by generating a special stop-play state, it is possible to prevent the game from continuing with this incorrect information.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, and with the game board B, which is in a stopped-play state, still installed, the power is turned on at timing t3, so that both the game board B and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, if the power is not turned on and off when the game board B is replaced, the special stopped-play state occurs, but if the power is turned on and off, the special stopped-play state does not occur. Also, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the state in which the stopped-play state occurs as the game state before the replacement (before installation) of game board B, and the progress of the game is restricted. Also, at timing t3, the amount of balls that is managed by the frame control board 740 is cleared (initialized), and the amount of balls that is generated for the replaced game board B starts from 0. In other words, when the power is turned on, the payout amount managed by the frame control board 740 is cleared, but the information regarding the stop-play state managed by the main control board 1310 is not cleared, thus preventing the stop-play state from being cleared during replacement.

Next, we will explain the case where, before the power is cut off, the game board B, which is in a stopped-out state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board A, which is not in a stopped-out state, referring to Figure 156(C). First, at timing t1, game board B, which is in a stopped-out state, is attached to the main frame 4, but because the power is on, both game board B and the main frame 4 are energized. Also, the amount of balls managed by the frame control board 740 has reached 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board B has entered a stopped-out state, restricting the progress of the game.

Then, before the timing t2 for cutting off the power, the game board B, which is in a stopped-play state, is removed from the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, only the main frame 4 is energized, and the information regarding the amount of balls dispensed, which is managed by the frame control board 740, is maintained. After that, the game board A, which is not in a stopped-play state, is attached to the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, both the game board B and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, the game state before the replacement (before installation) of game board A is a state in which no stopped-play state has occurred (normal state). However, by attaching game board A while the power is still on, the main control board 1310 generates a special stopped-play state, and the progress of the game is restricted. Note that the special stopped-play state is the same as the stopped-play state in that the progress of the game is restricted, but it differs from the stopped-play state in that the special stopped-play state is resolved by turning the power on and off (power-on pattern 1). In other words, when game board A is replaced, the payout amount managed by the frame control board 740 is not cleared, and the information regarding the payout amount of game board B before replacement is carried over. However, by generating a special stop-play state, it is possible to prevent the game from continuing with this incorrect information.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, and with the game board A, which is not in a stopped-play state, still installed, the power is turned on at timing t3, so that both the game board A and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, if the power is not turned on and off when the game board A is replaced, a special stopped-play state occurs, but if the power is turned on and off, a special stopped-play state does not occur. Also, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the state before the replacement (before installation) of game board A, where the stopped-play state has not occurred (normal state), and the game can proceed. Also, at timing t3, the amount of balls that is managed by the frame control board 740 is cleared (initialized), and the amount of balls that is generated for the replaced game board A starts from 0. In other words, when the power is turned on, the payout amount managed by the frame control board 740 is cleared, and the information regarding the payout amount of the game board B before replacement is not carried over, thus preventing the machine from reaching its payout limit during replacement.

Next, we will explain the case where, before the power is cut off, the game board B1, which is in a stopped-out state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board B2, which is also in a stopped-out state, referring to Figure 156(D). First, at timing t1, game board B1, which is in a stopped-out state, is attached to the main frame 4, but because the power is on, both game board B1 and the main frame 4 are energized. Also, the amount of balls managed by the frame control board 740 has reached 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board B1 has entered a stopped-out state, restricting the progress of the game.

Then, before the timing t2 for cutting off the power, the game board B1, which is in a stopped-play state, is removed from the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, only the main frame 4 is energized, and the information regarding the amount of balls dispensed, which is managed by the frame control board 740, is maintained. After that, the game board B2, which is in a stopped-play state, is installed on the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, both the game board B2 and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, the game state before the replacement (before installation) of game board B2 is a stopped-play state, but by installing game board B2 with the power still on, the main control board 1310 generates a special stopped-play state, and the progress of the game is restricted. The special stop state is the same as the stop state in that the game's progress is restricted, various adjustment operations (such as volume and light intensity adjustments) are disabled, and information is output externally to the hall computer via the external terminal board. However, it differs from the stop state in that the special stop state is resolved by turning the power on and off (power-on pattern 1). In other words, when replacing game board B2, the payout amount managed by the frame control board 740 is not cleared, and the information regarding the payout amount of the previous game board B2 is carried over. However, by generating the special stop state, it is possible to prevent the game from progressing while carrying over this incorrect information.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, and with the game board B2, which is in a stopped-play state, still installed, the power is turned on at timing t3, so that both the game board B2 and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, if the power is not turned on and off when the game board B2 is replaced, the special stopped-play state occurs, but if the power is turned on and off, the special stopped-play state does not occur. Also, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the state in which the stopped-play state occurs as the game state before the replacement (before installation) of the game board B2, and the progress of the game is restricted. Also, at timing t3, the amount of balls that is managed by the frame control board 740 is cleared (initialized), and the amount of balls that is generated for the replaced game board B2 starts from 0. In other words, when the power is turned on, the payout amount managed by the frame control board 740 is cleared, but the information regarding the stop-play state managed by the main control board 1310 is not cleared, thus preventing the stop-play state from being cleared during replacement.

As described above, in the above-described embodiment, even if the game board 5 is replaced with the main frame 4 when the payout amount is managed by the frame control board 740, it is possible to avoid the information regarding the payout amount of the game board 5 before replacement being reflected in the game board 5 after replacement, thereby avoiding a decrease in reliability and convenience when replacing the game board 5.

Furthermore, as explained above, a special stop-out state occurs when various game boards are attached to or detached from the main frame 4 before the power is shut off. However, during the special stop-out state, control may be implemented using the following example. For example, during the stop-out state that occurs when the number of balls dispensed reaches 100,000, as described above in Figure 128(K), the display device 1600 displays images corresponding to the stop-out state (messages such as "Game Restriction," "Gameplay is restricted because the daily ball limit of XX balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active"). However, in the special stop-out state, it is possible that the number of balls dispensed has not reached 100,000. Therefore, to prevent misinterpretation, at least some of these displays may be suppressed from being executed. In particular, the "Game Restriction" and "Gameplay is restricted because the daily payout limit of XX balls has been reached" messages in the aforementioned images should not be displayed. Instead, alternative messages such as "Temporary Game Restriction" and "This is not a payout limit, but gameplay is restricted as a precaution" should be displayed. Furthermore, since a special stop-loss state can occur during gameplay due to various factors, the messages "Please call an attendant" and "The payout button is active" should be made available for both the stop-loss state caused by reaching 100,000 balls and the special stop-loss state.

Furthermore, while the game's progress is restricted in both the stop-play state caused by reaching 10,000 balls and the special stop-play state, the content of this restriction may be as follows. Specifically, in both the stop-play state caused by reaching 100,000 balls and the special stop-play state, even if there is a special symbol variation display running at the start of the state, the timing of the variation is stopped (interrupted) to prevent the special symbol variation display from progressing, thereby forcibly stopping the game and initiating the restriction on gameplay. Here, at least in the case of the special stop-play state, if various game information related to the special symbol variation display (such as the remaining variation time that was interrupted) is stored even after the restriction on gameplay has started, and the special symbol variation display is restarted when the special stop-play state is resolved by turning the power on and off (power-on pattern 1), the decrease in reliability and convenience when replacing the game board 5 can be avoided even more effectively. Furthermore, the stop-loss state and special stop-loss state that occur when the number of balls dispensed reaches 10,000 can occur not only during the display of special symbols, but also during the display of normal symbols and during the progress of a jackpot game. In such cases, regardless of whether the stop-loss state or the special stop-loss state occurs, the timing of the display of normal symbols and the progress of the jackpot game (current round number and opening time of the big prize slot 2005) is stopped (interrupted), forcibly stopping the game and initiating a restriction on gameplay. In this regard, at least for the special stop-loss state, if various game information related to the display of normal symbols (remaining interrupted display time, etc.) and various game information related to the jackpot game (remaining interrupted opening time, etc.) is stored even after the restriction on gameplay has begun, and if the display of normal symbols and the jackpot game can be resumed when the special stop-loss state is resolved by turning the power on and off (power-on pattern 1), the decrease in reliability and convenience when replacing the game board 5 can be more effectively avoided.

Furthermore, during the special stop-play state described above, it is preferable to restrict game progress and also suspend the management of the payout amount by the frame control board 740. In other words, by preventing the payout amount from fluctuating during the special stop-play state, it is possible to avoid situations where the payout amount reaches 100,000 during the special stop-play state, triggering another stop-play state, or where the payout amount falls below 95,000 during the special stop-play state, causing the prior notification (such as a prior announcement display) to be cancelled.

Furthermore, the display mode of the function display unit 1400 may be controlled to differ from that during normal gameplay, both during the stop-play state that occurs when the number of balls dispensed reaches 10,000 and during the special stop-play state. Specifically, if all LEDs of the function display unit 1400, such as the first special symbol indicator, second special symbol indicator, status indicator, normal symbol indicator, normal hold indicator, first special hold number indicator, second special hold number indicator, and round indicator, are lit during the stop-play state that occurs when the number of balls dispensed reaches 10,000, then all LEDs of the function display unit 1400, such as the first special symbol indicator, second special symbol indicator, status indicator, normal symbol indicator, normal hold indicator, first special hold number indicator, second special hold number indicator, and round indicator, may be turned off during the special stop-play state. Furthermore, if the function display unit 1400 is equipped with an LED specifically for indicating the end of play, during the end-of-play state caused by reaching 10,000 balls, the LED for this indication should be lit while all other LEDs are turned off. However, during a special end-of-play state, all LEDs, including the LED for this indication, should be turned off. This allows for distinction between the end-of-play state caused by reaching 10,000 balls and the special end-of-play state by checking the function display unit 1400, further reducing the reliability and convenience when replacing the game board 5.

(Regarding the energy-saving mode after transitioning to the shutdown state)
In this example, when a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since a special symbol was confirmed to stop without the display of a new special symbol variation starting, a predetermined demonstration sequence (e.g., display of an explanation of the sequence or promotional images) is initiated. After a certain amount of time has elapsed since the start of the demonstration sequence (e.g., after the demonstration sequence has been repeated twice), it is possible to switch to an energy-saving mode to reduce standby power consumption. In this energy-saving mode, not only is the demonstration sequence not performed, but audio output is also stopped and some lamps are turned off, and the performance display device 1600 notifies that the energy-saving mode is in operation. However, if the energy-saving mode is made executable in the same manner not only in the normal standby state (a standby state that is not the stop-play state), but also after the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and the machine has entered the stop-play state, it becomes difficult to determine whether the state in energy-saving mode is the stop-play state, making it difficult to grasp that restrictions on gameplay are being imposed. Therefore, in this example, we will describe a configuration that allows the system to switch to energy-saving mode during normal standby and shutdown states, while differentiating the behavior of the energy-saving mode depending on whether the system is in normal standby or shutdown state.

First, let's explain the energy-saving mode. In this example, whether or not to activate energy-saving mode when the special symbols are not changing (when no game is being played) can be arbitrarily set by the administrator according to the operating style of the gaming hall. Specifically, when the energy-saving mode setting switch on the peripheral control board 1510 is turned ON, energy-saving mode can be started when the special symbols are not changing. When the energy-saving mode setting switch is turned OFF, energy-saving mode cannot be started when the special symbols are not changing. In this example, as will be described later, the system transitions to energy-saving mode after a demonstration is performed with the energy-saving mode setting switch turned ON. However, this is not the only option, and as an alternative, the system may always transition to energy-saving mode after a demonstration is performed without providing an energy-saving mode setting switch.

Next, the relationship between the demonstration sequence and the energy-saving mode in this example will be explained. In this example, when the energy-saving mode setting switch is ON and the special symbols are displayed in a non-variable state, the system enters the energy-saving mode after a normal standby state. Here, the "normal standby state" in this example refers to a standby state that is not in a stopped state, encompassing the period during which the display device 1600 displays the stopped symbols of the decorative symbols, and the period during which the display device 1600 and other devices perform operations corresponding to the predetermined demonstration sequence (e.g., displaying or illuminating images for explanation or promotional purposes). Details of the demonstration sequence will be described later. In this example, when the energy-saving mode setting switch is ON, the system transitions to energy-saving mode based on the completion of a predetermined number of demonstration sequences. In energy-saving mode, the demonstration sequence is not performed, and the display device 1600 and other devices are controlled in an operation corresponding to the energy-saving mode.

Furthermore, as the game progresses, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop-play state where further gameplay is impossible. In this stop-play state, actions corresponding to the stop-play state are executed with priority over actions corresponding to demonstration effects, ensuring reliable notification that the stop-play state is in effect. Also, when the energy-saving mode setting switch is ON, energy-saving mode can be started even during the stop-play state; however, the energy-saving mode is started at a different timing than when it is started when the game is not in a stop-play state. Specifically, when starting energy-saving mode during the stop-play state, the system transitions to energy-saving mode after a predetermined time (e.g., 5 minutes) has elapsed since the stop-play state notification pattern (described later) transitioned to notification pattern B. When the system transitions to energy-saving mode during the stop-play state, the system executes actions corresponding to energy-saving mode on the performance display device 1600 and other devices in a manner different from when the system transitions to energy-saving mode via a normal standby state.

Figure 157 is a table comparing the notification patterns for light emission and sound in the normal standby state, energy-saving mode, and power-out state. In this example, it is possible to switch to energy-saving mode during the power-out state. Before switching to energy-saving mode, energy-saving mode does not occur during the power-out state, but after switching to energy-saving mode, energy-saving mode occurs during the power-out state.

First, the normal standby state consists of two states: when the demonstration performance is not being executed (when standby performance 1 is being executed) and when the demonstration performance is being executed (when standby performance 2 is being executed). Specifically, in the normal standby state, standby performance 1 is executed, in which the stopped decorative symbols remain displayed without executing the demonstration performance until a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed since the special symbols have stopped in a confirmed position. When the predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed since the special symbols have stopped in a confirmed position, the stopped decorative symbols are erased and the first demonstration performance (standby performance 2) begins. After the first demonstration performance has finished, standby performance 1 is executed again, in which the stopped decorative symbols remain displayed without executing the demonstration performance until another predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed. When the predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed, the second demonstration performance (standby performance 2) begins. When the energy-saving mode setting switch is ON, the system will switch to energy-saving mode after the second demonstration sequence has finished. When the energy-saving mode setting switch is OFF, after the second demonstration sequence has finished, the system will go through standby sequence 1 again before performing the third demonstration sequence. Thereafter, standby sequence 1 and the demonstration sequences will repeat.

As mentioned above, when the demonstration is not being executed, the stopped symbols of the decorative patterns are displayed as standby display 1 (standby performance 1). However, standby display 1 is displayed on a lower layer of the performance display device 1600. In this example, the performance display device 1600 can display multiple layers, including at least an upper layer, a middle layer, and a lower layer. The display elements of higher layers are displayed closer to the front in a "upper layer > middle layer > lower layer" relationship, ensuring priority for visibility.

On the other hand, during the execution of the demonstration sequence, a demonstration image with the following content is displayed as standby display 2 (standby sequence 2). Specifically, first, the sequence display device 1600 is used to display explanatory and promotional images (movie) of the pachinko machine 1's sequences, and at the end of this sequence, the logo of the pachinko machine 1's title is displayed. After the display of the title logo, the sequence display device 1600 displays the logo of the manufacturer of the pachinko machine 1, and then displays a warning message regarding "preventing excessive gambling" (for example, "Pachinko should be enjoyed in moderation. Be careful not to become addicted"). By displaying such a warning message, it is possible to prevent players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game during subsequent play. Note that standby display 2 is displayed on a lower layer of the sequence display device 1600.

Furthermore, during the normal standby state, while Standby Display 1 (Standby Animation 1) is displayed, a predetermined sound is output from the speaker. However, after Standby Display 1 (Standby Animation 1) ends, the speaker stops outputting sound, effectively muting it. In other words, while Standby Display 1 (Standby Animation 1) is displayed, sound such as background music corresponding to Standby Display 1 (Standby Animation 1) is output, but during the period from when Standby Display 1 (Standby Animation 1) ends to when Standby Display 2 (Standby Animation 2) is displayed, there is no sound.

Furthermore, in the normal standby state, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) are configured to light up or blink in the normal notification mode. Specifically, when a demonstration performance is not being executed, the LEDs blink or light up in the normal notification mode corresponding to standby performance 1, whereas when a demonstration performance is being executed, the LEDs blink or light up in the normal notification mode corresponding to the demonstration performance (standby performance 2). In addition, lamp C is configured to light up in a reference brightness confirmation mode, which allows the user to confirm the reference brightness by emitting light at a predetermined specific brightness in comparison with the brightness of lamps A and B. In other words, while the brightness of lamps A and B changes depending on the setting status obtained by operating the setting adjustment button 204, the brightness of lamp C does not change regardless of the setting status obtained by operating the setting adjustment button 204, making it easier to determine whether the brightness of lamps A and B has changed. Furthermore, while lamp C may be configured to emit light in the reference brightness confirmation mode even when the demonstration is not being performed, considering the load caused by constant illumination, it may be possible to enable illumination in the reference brightness confirmation mode only when a specific illumination start operation is performed. For example, illumination in the reference brightness confirmation mode may be started when a specific illumination start condition is met (e.g., when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated or other operations are received), and the illumination in the reference brightness confirmation mode may be terminated and the lamp turned off after a predetermined time has elapsed. Additionally, multiple LEDs may be provided to constitute lamp C, so that even if some of the LEDs constituting lamp C fail, the other LEDs constituting lamp C can still be used to determine whether the brightness of lamps A and B has changed.

Next, in energy-saving mode, an energy-saving indicator is displayed as an image corresponding to the energy-saving mode. This energy-saving indicator is displayed on a higher layer of the display device 1600. At this time, the speaker outputs no sound, and the sound is muted. Furthermore, the LEDs of lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) are turned off. However, lamp C remains lit in the same manner as in the normal standby state, for the purpose of checking the standard brightness.

Next, if the power-saving mode is not activated while the game is in a stopped state, a "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed as the image corresponding to the stopped state. This "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed on a higher layer of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, when the game transitions to a stopped state, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and the speaker perform notification in an enhanced mode consisting of a predetermined specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) and a predetermined specific volume (e.g., maximum volume) as notification mode A. However, after a predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds) has elapsed, the notification switches to notification mode B, which is a suppressed mode with reduced light intensity and volume. Specifically, after a predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds) has elapsed, the speaker mutes the sound output. Regarding lamp C, it is possible to enable the LED to emit light in the same manner as in the normal standby state for checking the reference brightness. However, considering that the setting adjustment button 204 will not be operated due to the nature of the "stopped" state, lamp C may remain off regardless of whether the specific light emission start conditions are met.

Next, if the power-saving mode is activated during the stop-play state, in addition to displaying a "cannot proceed" indicator as the image corresponding to the stop-play state, a power-saving indicator is also displayed as the image corresponding to the power-saving mode. Both the "cannot proceed" indicator and the power-saving indicator are displayed on a higher layer of the display device 1600, making both displays visible. At this time, the speaker outputs no sound, effectively muting it. Furthermore, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) are turned off. Regarding lamp C, it is possible to enable LED illumination in the same manner as in the normal standby state for checking the reference brightness. However, considering that the setting adjustment button 204 is not operated in the stop-play state, lamp C may remain off regardless of whether specific illumination start conditions are met.

Figure 158 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it switches to energy-saving mode while in a stop-play state. The following explanation assumes that the energy-saving mode setting switch is turned ON.

First, once the remaining number of balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value (for example, 5000 balls), a pre-notification display is shown. This pre-notification display continues to be shown not only during the special symbol's variable display but also during its non-variable display, until the total number of balls reaches the specific value. Furthermore, it continues to be displayed not only during the normal standby state but also during the energy-saving mode while the special symbol is not varying. As detailed above, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Remaining until game limit: +XX balls" as a pre-notification display in a specific display area 1. This specific display area 1 is set as part of the display area of the performance display device 1600 and is used to display when the total number of balls approaches a specific value. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the game state to prevent hall managers from overlooking it.

Furthermore, advance notices and indications of impossibility of proceeding are displayed on the upper layers of the display device 1600. In this example, the display device 1600 can display multiple layers, including at least an upper layer, a middle layer, and a lower layer. The display elements on higher layers are displayed closer to the front, following the relationship "upper layer > middle layer > lower layer," ensuring priority visibility. This prevents the visibility of advance notices and indications of impossibility of proceeding displayed on the upper layers from being obstructed by displays on the middle and lower layers.

Furthermore, pre-notification displays and game-breaking indicators are excluded from the image conversion processing (mosaic processing, grayscale processing, enlargement/reduction processing, etc.) performed by the peripheral control board 1510. In other words, while other performance images are subject to image conversion processing by the peripheral control board 1510, allowing for changes in their appearance as the performance progresses, pre-notification displays and game-breaking indicators are excluded from this processing. Therefore, even as the performance progresses, changes in their appearance are not permitted. This ensures that while pre-notification displays and game-breaking indicators are displayed, their visibility remains unchanged, preventing players from overlooking information such as the amount of balls dispensed.

Next, after the special symbol has stopped in a confirmed state, the machine is in a normal standby state. However, at timing t1, if a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed since the special symbol stopped in a confirmed state without any further special symbol variation being displayed, a demonstration period (a period during which the demonstration effect is executed) is started, displaying a demonstration image (for example, an image explaining the effect or an advertisement) as standby display 2 (standby effect 2). During this demonstration period, when the special symbol variation display starts (when a prize is awarded to the first start opening 2003, the second start opening 2004, or the big prize opening 2005), the demonstration period ends and the variation effect or the effect during a win begins. On the other hand, the demonstration period can also end and the machine transitions to standby display 1 (standby effect 1) if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, effect control unit 250, etc.). Furthermore, the pre-announcement display continues to be displayed even after the transition to the demonstration period. This prevents new players from starting a game without being aware of information regarding payout amounts and other details beforehand.

In this example, the standby display 2 is displayed on a lower layer of the performance display device 1600. For example, the predetermined area where the warning message is displayed is located outside of the specific display area 1 where the pre-notification display is shown, and is positioned so as not to overlap with the specific display area 1 in the front-to-back direction. This ensures the visibility of the warning message even while the pre-notification display is shown, and reliably prevents players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game. Note that a portion of the predetermined area where the warning message is displayed may overlap with the specific display area 1 in the front-to-back direction. For example, even if the predetermined area and the specific display area 1 overlap, the warning message may be displayed offset vertically or horizontally from the pre-notification display to the extent that the content of the warning message can be confirmed.

Furthermore, during the demonstration period, no sound is output from the speakers, resulting in silence. Also, during the demonstration period, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) are set to light up or flash in the normal notification mode corresponding to standby display 2 (standby effect 2). Additionally, during the demonstration period, lamp C is set to emit light at a specific brightness level as a standard brightness confirmation mode, regardless of standby display 2 (standby effect 2).

Next, at timing t2, when the demonstration period (the second demonstration sequence) ends, the system switches to an energy-saving mode that enhances power saving for sound and lights. The performance display device 1600 displays an energy-saving indicator as an image corresponding to the energy-saving mode. The energy-saving indicator displays the message "Energy-saving mode in progress." This energy-saving mode ends and the variation sequence begins when the special symbol variation display starts. Alternatively, the system can also end the energy-saving mode and return to the normal standby state by operating the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). Furthermore, if a ball enters a general prize slot 2001, etc., where the special symbol variation display does not occur during energy-saving mode, the prize balls will be awarded, but the system will not return to the normal standby state. In addition, the pre-notification display continues to be shown even after switching to energy-saving mode. This prevents new players from starting the game without being aware of information regarding the amount of balls dispensed beforehand.

In this example, the energy-saving display is shown on a higher layer of the display device 1600, similar to the pre-notification display. However, the specific area 2 where the energy-saving display is shown is located outside of the specific display area 1 where the pre-notification display is shown, and is positioned differently from the specific display area 1. This ensures that the energy-saving display is visible even while the pre-notification display is shown on a higher layer of the display device 1600, and reliably informs the user that energy-saving mode is in operation.

Furthermore, in this example, the standby display 2, which was running during the demonstration period, is terminated when the system switches to energy-saving mode. Since standby display 2 is displayed on a lower layer of the display device 1600, even if it were to continue displaying after switching to energy-saving mode, the energy-saving display shown on the higher layer would not become obscured. However, by terminating it when the system switches to energy-saving mode, the control burden on the peripheral control board 1510 can be reduced.

Furthermore, in energy-saving mode, the speaker outputs no sound, effectively muting it. In other words, the speaker is silent (inaudible). Additionally, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) are turned off. This prevents excessive power consumption by game machines that have not been played for a predetermined period of time. Lamp C, however, remains lit in the same way as in normal standby mode, allowing for confirmation of the standard brightness. This ensures that lamp C is not turned off like lamps A and B, indicating that the game machine is operating normally.

Furthermore, in this example, if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.) before the energy-saving mode is activated (during the period from timing t1 to t2), it is possible to restrict the execution of the energy-saving mode. Specifically, the conditions for starting the energy-saving mode are met when the second demonstration ends, and the system transitions to energy-saving mode. However, if the player operates the control unit during the demonstration period before the energy-saving mode is activated, the demonstration period is forcibly terminated, preventing the conditions for starting the energy-saving mode from being met, and thus preventing the system from transitioning to energy-saving mode. Therefore, in the normal standby state, if the player does not want to transition to energy-saving mode, they can simply operate the control unit before the energy-saving mode is activated, preventing the energy-saving mode from being executed unintentionally.

Next, at timing t3 during energy-saving mode, if a ball enters the first start gate 2003 or the second start gate 2004 and the special symbol variation display begins, the energy-saving mode ends and a variation animation (an animation based on the variation pattern) corresponding to the variation display of the special symbol is executed. This variation animation displays the variation of decorative symbols, which are displayed on a lower layer of the animation display device 1600. Furthermore, the pre-notification display continues to be shown even after the variation animation has started. This allows players to understand that gameplay will be restricted in the near future.

Furthermore, during the display of special symbols, the speaker outputs sound corresponding to the variation effect as predetermined background music. Also, during the display of special symbols, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) are configured to light up or flash in a notification mode corresponding to the variation effect as a normal notification mode. Additionally, during the display of special symbols, lamp C can be configured to emit light at a specific brightness level as a standard brightness confirmation mode, regardless of the variation effect.

Next, at timing t4 during the special symbol variation display, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to balls entering the winning slots such as the first starting slot 2003 and the second starting slot 2004, and the game is restricted, the special symbol variation display and effect will end, and the game will enter a stop-play state where further gameplay is impossible. As described above, when the amount of balls dispensed, calculated based on the prize balls dispensed by balls entering each winning slot, reaches a specific value, the game enters a stop-play state and is restricted. In this example, however, this game restriction is controlled during the special symbol variation display.

Then, at timing t4, if the game enters a stop-play state, the display device 1600 displays a "cannot proceed" indicator as the image corresponding to the stop-play state. The "cannot proceed" indicator displays the message "Game Restriction," along with the messages "Gameplay is restricted because the daily payout limit of XXX balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The payout button is active." Furthermore, as mentioned above, the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed on a higher layer of the display device 1600. This ensures that the visibility of the "cannot proceed" indicator is not obstructed, and allows the player to understand that gameplay has been restricted because the payout amount has reached a specific value.

Furthermore, regarding the "cannot proceed" display in this example, the upper layer of the performance display device 1600 displays a message on a screen consisting of an opaque, darkened display (for example, a black background image). This darkened display covers almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600. As a result, screens displayed on lower layers than the upper layer are invisible due to the darkened display on the upper layer. Specifically, even after transitioning to the stop-play state at timing t4, the lower layer of the performance display device 1600 can display a demonstration image as standby display 2. However, because the "cannot proceed" display uses almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600 on the upper layer, the demonstration image is invisible. As a result, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the player does not realize that it is a demonstration period while the "cannot proceed" display is shown, and can reliably understand that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and that the game is being restricted. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, regardless of whether a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed in the normal standby state where the special symbols are not displayed, the lower layer of the display device 1600 may be restricted from displaying the demonstration image altogether.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the performance display device 1600 displays a "cannot proceed" indicator using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600 as an image corresponding to the stop-play state. At this time, the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament members), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and the speaker are forcibly activated as notification mode A, consisting of a predetermined specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) and a predetermined specific volume (e.g., maximum volume), regardless of the settings made by operating the setting adjustment button 204, in conjunction with the execution of the operation when the game cannot proceed. Specifically, the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament members) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) emit white monochromatic light, and the LEDs blink or light up at a predetermined light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity), while the speaker outputs a voice message at a predetermined volume (e.g., maximum volume) stating, "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted." This allows for clear notification to the hall manager that the machine has entered a "stopped" state. It is preferable that the notification regarding the stopped state, with its emphasis, be different from the notification used for other errors such as malfunctions.

Then, after the notification in the emphasized mode as notification mode A has started, at timing t5, when a predetermined period (for example, 15 seconds) has elapsed, the performance display device 1600 maintains the display of "cannot proceed" using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600, but the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5) switch to notification mode B, a suppressed mode with reduced light intensity. Specifically, the LEDs for lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5) continue to emit white monochromatic light, but do not flash or light up at a specific light intensity (for example, maximum light intensity) (they flash or light up at a light intensity lower than a specific light intensity). In addition, the speaker does not output the voice message "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted," resulting in a silent state (inaudible state) where no sound can be heard. This allows the notification in the emphasized mode to be terminated even when the game is in a stopped state, preventing it from interfering with the game for surrounding players.

Furthermore, the suppression method in this example only needs to suppress the light intensity compared to the emphasis method. For example, for lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), the pattern of emitted light colors may be changed from the emphasis method so that the LEDs flash or light up with multiple colors. This allows the decorative effect to be maintained even for game machines that have stopped being played and can contribute to the overall liveliness of the gaming hall.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-down state, lamp C is configured to emit LED light at a specific brightness level, regardless of whether lamps A and B are in the enhanced mode (notification mode A) or the suppressed mode (notification mode B), as a mode for confirming the reference brightness. This makes it easier to determine whether lamps A and B are in the enhanced mode (notification mode A) or the suppressed mode (notification mode B) compared to lamp C, which is at a specific brightness level.

Next, at timing t6, when a predetermined time (e.g., 5 minutes) has elapsed since lamps A and B transitioned to the suppression mode as notification mode B, an energy-saving mode that enhances power saving of sound and lamps is activated concurrently during the stop-play state. The performance display device 1600 displays an energy-saving indicator as an image corresponding to the energy-saving mode. The energy-saving indicator displays the message "Energy-saving mode in progress." After activating the energy-saving mode during the stop-play state, the special symbol variation display cannot be started because the machine is in a stop-play state. Even if a starting prize is won, the energy-saving mode cannot be terminated. Furthermore, the player cannot terminate the energy-saving mode by operating the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). However, by continuing to display the "cannot proceed" indicator even after transitioning to energy-saving mode, it is possible to prevent new players from starting the game without realizing that the machine is in a stop-play state, even if energy-saving mode is active.

In this example, the energy-saving indicator is displayed on a higher layer of the display device 1600, similar to the "cannot proceed" indicator. However, the specific area 2 where the energy-saving indicator is displayed is located outside of the specific display area 1 where the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, and is positioned differently from the specific display area 1. This ensures the visibility of the energy-saving indicator even while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed on the higher layer of the display device 1600, and reliably informs the user that energy-saving mode is in operation.

In this example, the energy-saving display is shown on the upper layer of the display device 1600, similar to the "cannot proceed" display. However, it may also be displayed on the middle layer within the "upper layer > middle layer > lower layer" hierarchy. In such a case, since the "cannot proceed" display in this example is shown on the upper layer of the display device 1600 on a screen consisting of an opaque, darkened display (e.g., a black background image), the energy-saving display shown on the middle layer becomes invisible due to the darkened display on the upper layer.

Furthermore, while the energy-saving display in this example is displayed on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, just like the game-stopping display, the energy-saving display is displayed on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, whereas the game-stopping display may be displayed on the middle layer within the relationship "upper layer > middle layer > lower layer". This ensures the visibility of the energy-saving display even while the game-stopping display is displayed on the middle layer of the performance display device 1600, and reliably informs the player that energy-saving mode is in operation. It is preferable that the specific display area 1 where the game-stopping display is shown on the middle layer of the performance display device 1600 is located outside of the specific display area 2 where the energy-saving display is shown on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, and does not overlap with the specific display area 2 in the front-to-back direction. This ensures the visibility of the game-stopping display even while the energy-saving display is shown on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, and reliably informs the player that gameplay is restricted. Furthermore, regarding the specific display area 1 on the intermediate layer of the display device 1600 where the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, a portion of this specific display area 1 may be positioned so as to overlap with the specific display area 2 in the front-to-back direction. For example, even if the specific display area 1 and the specific display area 2 overlap, the "cannot proceed" indicator may be displayed shifted vertically or horizontally from the energy-saving display to a degree that allows the content of the "cannot proceed" indicator to be confirmed.

Furthermore, in this example, the standby display 2, which was running during the demonstration period, is terminated when the system switches to energy-saving mode. Since standby display 2 is displayed on a lower layer of the display device 1600, even if it were to continue displaying after switching to energy-saving mode, the energy-saving display shown on the higher layer would not become obscured. However, terminating it when the system switches to energy-saving mode reduces the control burden on the peripheral control board 1510.

Furthermore, in this example, the "cannot proceed" display is shown on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, displaying a message on a screen consisting of an opaque blacked-out display (for example, a black background image). This blacked-out display covers almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600. As a result, screens displayed on lower layers than the upper layer are invisible due to the blacked-out display on the upper layer. Specifically, even after transitioning to the stop-play state at timing t4, the demonstration image as standby display 2 continues to be displayed on the lower layer of the performance display device 1600. However, because the "cannot proceed" display is shown on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600 using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600, the demonstration image is invisible. As a result, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the player does not realize that it is a demonstration period while the "cannot proceed" display is shown, and can reliably understand that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and that the game is being restricted. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, regardless of whether a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed in the normal standby state where the special symbols are not being displayed, the lower layer of the display device 1600 may be forcibly terminated to prevent the demonstration image from being continuously displayed.

Furthermore, in energy-saving mode, the speaker outputs no sound, effectively muting it. In other words, the speaker is silent (inaudible). Additionally, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) are turned off. This prevents excessive power consumption by preventing the game machine from being in a stopped state where it cannot be played. Lamp C, however, remains lit in the same way as in normal standby mode, allowing the user to understand that lamp C is not turned off like lamps A and B, and that the game machine is operating normally.

Thus, when the system switches to energy-saving mode while in a stopped-play state, the speaker outputs no sound, and the LEDs on lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) are turned off, saving power. On the other hand, when the system switches to energy-saving mode while in a normal standby state, an energy-saving indicator is displayed on the display device 1600. However, when the system switches to energy-saving mode while in a stopped-play state, not only is the energy-saving indicator displayed on the display device 1600, but a "cannot proceed" indicator is also displayed in a different area (a specific display area 1) from the energy-saving indicator. This allows the system to determine whether gameplay is possible in a normal standby state or restricted in a stopped-play state while in energy-saving mode, preventing new players from starting a game without realizing they are in a stopped-play state.

Furthermore, in this example, during the stop-play state, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) transition from notification mode A (emphasis mode) to notification mode B (suppression mode), and after activating the energy-saving mode during the stop-play state, the LEDs turn off. Also, during the stop-play state, the speaker switches from notification mode A (emphasis mode) to silence, and after activating the energy-saving mode during the stop-play state, the silence continues. In this way, by gradually reducing the power consumption of various display components during the stop-play state, it is possible to prevent misunderstandings that the stop-play state has ended when power saving is activated, while also avoiding excessive power consumption by the game machine that is in a stop-play state and cannot be played.

Furthermore, in this example, after activating the energy-saving mode while the machine is in a stopped-play state, the special symbol display cannot begin because the machine is still in a stopped-play state. Even if a winning combination occurs, the energy-saving mode cannot be terminated. The player cannot terminate the energy-saving mode by operating the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). In other words, after activating the energy-saving mode (power-saving state) while the machine is in a stopped-play state and reducing power consumption, it is impossible to return to the non-power-saving state that existed before the energy-saving mode was activated. This prevents the player from mistakenly believing that the stopped-play state has ended by returning to the non-power-saving state, thus preventing confusion for the player regarding whether the machine is in a stopped-play state.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.) before the energy-saving mode is started during the stopped-play state (during the period from timing t4 to t6), it is not possible to restrict the execution of the energy-saving mode. Specifically, the conditions for starting the energy-saving mode are met during the stopped-play state when a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) has elapsed since lamps A and B transition to the suppression mode as notification mode B, and the system transitions to the energy-saving mode during the stopped-play state. However, even if the player operates the control unit before the energy-saving mode is started during the stopped-play state, it does not affect the meeting of the conditions for starting the energy-saving mode during the stopped-play state, and the system transitions to the energy-saving mode during the stopped-play state. As described in detail above, in the normal standby state, it is possible to restrict the execution of the energy-saving mode if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.) before the energy-saving mode is started (during the period from timing t1 to t2). In this way, by ensuring that the energy-saving mode is always activated during the "stopped play" state, it is possible to avoid excessive power consumption by gaming machines that are unable to be played due to the stopped play state.

Furthermore, in the example described above, after activating the energy-saving mode while the game is in a stopped-play state, the special symbol display cannot be started because the game is in a stopped-play state, and even if a starting win occurs, the energy-saving mode cannot be terminated. The player cannot terminate the energy-saving mode by operating the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). In other words, after activating the energy-saving mode (power-saving state) while the game is in a stopped-play state and power is reduced, it is impossible to return to the non-power-saving state before the energy-saving mode was activated. However, instead, the return to the non-power-saving state before the energy-saving mode was activated may be suppressed as follows: That is, after activating the energy-saving mode while the game is in a stopped-play state, the special symbol display cannot be started because the game is in a stopped-play state, and even if a starting win occurs, the energy-saving mode cannot be terminated. However, the energy-saving mode may be terminated only when the player operates the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). Here, if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, effect control unit 250, etc.) and the energy-saving mode that was running concurrently during the stop-play state is terminated, the notification method A for the stop-play state may be executed again. This ensures that new players are reliably aware that the game is in a stop-play state. Furthermore, since the "cannot proceed" indicator continues to be displayed even after the energy-saving mode that was running concurrently during the stop-play state is terminated, it is possible to prevent new players from starting the game without realizing that the game is in a stop-play state, even after the energy-saving mode has ended.

In the example described above, the system switches to energy-saving mode while the device is in a shutdown state, thereby enhancing standby power savings. However, as an alternative, even with the energy-saving mode switch ON, the system may not switch to energy-saving mode during the shutdown state. Instead, power savings for the audio and lamps may be enhanced through other control methods, thereby reducing standby power consumption. Such alternative examples are described below.

Figure 159 is a table comparing the notification patterns related to light emission and sound when transitioning to notification pattern C during the shutdown state. In another example, although the energy-saving mode does not occur concurrently during the shutdown state, the notification pattern changes to a pattern similar to the energy-saving mode during the shutdown state. Note that the explanation for the normal standby state and energy-saving mode is omitted as they are the same as when transitioning to energy-saving mode during the shutdown state.

In the case of the "stopped play" state in another example, an "impossible to proceed" indicator is displayed as an image corresponding to the stopped play state. This "impossible to proceed" indicator is displayed on a higher layer of the display device 1600. Furthermore, when the game transitions to the stopped play state, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamps B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and the speaker perform notification in an enhanced mode consisting of a predetermined specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) and a predetermined specific volume (e.g., maximum volume) as notification mode A. However, after a predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds), the notification switches to notification mode B, a suppressed mode with reduced light intensity and volume. Specifically, after the predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds), the speaker mutes the sound output.

Furthermore, for lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), after a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) has elapsed since switching to notification mode B, the system switches to notification mode C, which further reduces the light intensity compared to notification mode B, and the LEDs turn off. At this time, the speaker outputs no sound, and the system remains silent. Regarding lamp C, it is possible to enable LED illumination in the standard brightness confirmation mode, as in the normal standby state. However, considering that the setting adjustment button 204 will not be operated due to the nature of the stopped state, lamp C may remain off regardless of whether specific illumination start conditions are met.

Figure 160 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when transitioning to notification mode C during the stop-play state. The following explanation assumes that the energy-saving mode setting switch is ON. Note that the behavior at timing t4, from when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game restriction is implemented, is the same as when transitioning to energy-saving mode during the stop-play state, and therefore the explanation is omitted.

First, at timing t4, after transitioning to the stop-play state, regardless of whether a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed in the normal standby state where the special symbols are not displayed, the lower layer of the performance display device 1600 is restricted from displaying the demonstration image. Since the demonstration image (standby display 1) is displayed on the lower layer of the performance display device 1600, even if it were made displayable after transitioning to the stop-play state, the "cannot proceed" display on the upper layer would not become invisible. However, restricting it at the point of transitioning to the stop-play state reduces the control burden on the peripheral control board 1510.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the performance display device 1600 displays a "cannot proceed" indication using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600 as an image corresponding to the stop-play state. At this time, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decorative member), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker are forcibly executed as notification mode A, consisting of a predetermined specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) and a predetermined specific volume (e.g., maximum volume), regardless of the setting status by operating the setting adjustment button 204, in conjunction with the execution of the operation when the game cannot proceed. Specifically, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decorative member) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) emit white monochromatic light, and the LEDs blink or light up at a predetermined light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity), and the speaker outputs a voice message "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted" at a predetermined volume (e.g., maximum volume). This allows for clear notification to the hall manager that the machine has entered a "stopped" state. It is preferable that the notification regarding the stopped state, with its emphasis, be different from the notification used for other errors such as malfunctions.

Then, after the notification in the emphasized mode as notification mode A has started, at timing t5, when a predetermined period (for example, 15 seconds) has elapsed, the performance display device 1600 maintains the "cannot proceed" display using almost its entire surface, but the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5) switch to a suppressed mode as notification mode B, with reduced light intensity. Specifically, the LEDs for lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5) continue to emit white monochromatic light, but do not flash or light up at a specific light intensity (for example, maximum light intensity) (they flash or light up at a light intensity lower than a specific light intensity). In addition, the speaker does not output the voice message "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted," resulting in a silent state (inaudible state) where no sound can be heard. This allows the notification in the emphasized mode to be terminated even when the game is in a stopped state, preventing it from interfering with the game for surrounding players.

Furthermore, the suppression method in this example only needs to suppress the light intensity compared to the emphasis method. For example, for lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), the pattern of emitted light colors may be changed from the emphasis method so that the LEDs flash or light up with multiple colors. This allows the decorative effect to be maintained even for game machines that have stopped being played and can contribute to the overall liveliness of the gaming hall.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-down state, lamp C is configured to emit LED light at a specific brightness level, regardless of whether lamps A and B are in the enhanced mode (notification mode A) or the suppressed mode (notification mode B), as a mode for confirming the reference brightness. This makes it easier to determine whether lamps A and B are in the enhanced mode (notification mode A) or the suppressed mode (notification mode B) compared to lamp C, which is at a specific brightness level.

Next, at timing t6, when a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) has elapsed since lamps A and B transitioned to the suppression mode as notification mode B, the performance display device 1600 maintains the display of "cannot proceed" using almost its entire surface, but lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament member) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5) are set to notification mode C, further suppressing the light intensity compared to notification mode B, causing the LEDs to turn off. This prevents the game machine, which is in a stopped state and cannot be played, from consuming excessive power. In addition, the speaker does not output the voice message "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted," maintaining a silent state (inaudible state) where no sound can be heard. Lamp C, however, is set to emit light at a specific brightness as a reference brightness confirmation mode, just like in the normal standby state. This allows the player to understand that lamp C is not turned off like lamps A and B, and that the game machine is operating normally.

Thus, when the system transitions to notification mode C while in a stopped state, the speaker is muted by not outputting sound, and lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) are turned off to conserve power, just as when the system transitions to energy-saving mode during normal standby. On the other hand, when the system transitions to energy-saving mode during normal standby, an energy-saving indicator is displayed on the performance display device 1600. However, when the system transitions to notification mode C while in a stopped state, an "impossible to proceed" indicator is displayed on the performance display device 1600. This allows the system to determine whether gameplay is possible in normal standby mode or restricted in a stopped state during the period when sound output is stopped and lamps are turned off, thus preventing new players from starting a game without realizing that the system is stopped.

Furthermore, in this example, during the stop-play state, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) transition from notification mode A (emphasis mode) to notification mode B (suppression mode), and then to notification mode C (off). Also, during the stop-play state, the speaker switches from notification mode A (emphasis mode) to silence. In this way, by gradually reducing the power consumption of various display components during the stop-play state, it is possible to prevent misunderstandings that the stop-play state has ended when power saving is activated, while also avoiding excessive power consumption by the game machine, which is unable to be played during the stop-play state.

Furthermore, in this example, after transitioning to notification mode C while in the stop-play state, the special symbol variation display cannot be started because the machine is still in the stop-play state. Even if a starting win occurs, notification mode C cannot be terminated. The player cannot terminate notification mode C by operating the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). In other words, after transitioning to notification mode C (power-saving state) and power saving is activated while in the stop-play state, it is impossible to return to the non-power-saving state (notification mode A or notification mode B) that existed before transitioning to notification mode C. This prevents the player from mistakenly believing that the stop-play state has ended by returning to the non-power-saving state, thus preventing confusion for the player regarding whether or not they are in the stop-play state.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.) before the transition to notification mode C occurs during the stop-out state (during the period from timing t4 to t6), it is not possible to restrict the transition to notification mode C. Specifically, the conditions for starting notification mode C are met during the stop-out state when a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) has elapsed since lamps A and B transition to the suppression mode as notification mode B, and the system transitions to notification mode C during the stop-out state. However, even if the player operates the control unit before the transition to notification mode C occurs during the stop-out state, this does not affect the meeting of the conditions for starting notification mode C during the stop-out state, and the system transitions to notification mode C during the stop-out state. As detailed above, in the normal standby state, it is possible to restrict the execution of the energy-saving mode if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.) before the energy-saving mode is started (during the period from timing t1 to t2). In this way, by ensuring that the transition to notification mode C is always performed without restriction during the stop-loss state, it is possible to avoid excessive power consumption by gaming machines that are in a stop-loss state and cannot be played.

Furthermore, in the example described above, after transitioning to notification mode C while in the stop-loss state, the display of special symbols cannot be started because the machine is in the stop-loss state, and even if a starting prize is won, notification mode C cannot be terminated. The player cannot terminate notification mode C by operating the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). In other words, after power saving is activated by simultaneously activating notification mode C (power-saving state) while in the stop-loss state, it is not possible to return to the non-power-saving state (notification mode A or notification mode B) that existed before transitioning to notification mode C. However, instead, it is also possible to suppress the return to the non-power-saving state that existed before transitioning to notification mode C, as follows: That is, after transitioning to notification mode C while in the stop-loss state, the display of special symbols cannot be started because the machine is in the stop-loss state, and even if a starting prize is won, notification mode C cannot be terminated. However, it is also possible to terminate only notification mode C in response to the player operating the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). Here, if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, effect control unit 250, etc.) and terminates notification mode C during the stop-play state, notification mode A during the stop-play state may be executed again. This ensures that new players are reliably aware that the game is in a stop-play state. Furthermore, since the "cannot proceed" indicator continues to be displayed even after notification mode C is terminated during the stop-play state, it is possible to prevent new players from starting the game without realizing that the game is in a stop-play state, even after notification mode C has terminated.

(Regarding the forced transition to a halt state)
As mentioned above, when the amount of balls dispensed, calculated based on the prize balls that enter each prize slot, reaches a certain value, the game enters a stop-play state and play is restricted. However, for gaming machines that are just about to reach a certain value in terms of the amount of balls dispensed (for example, when the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed is less than the amount of balls dispensed in one winning game (e.g., 1500 balls)), there is a possibility that the game will quickly enter a stop-play state when a new player starts playing. For this reason, it is conceivable that the administrator could intentionally switch gaming machines that are just about to reach a certain value into a stop-play state to prevent new players from entering a stop-play state too soon after starting to play. However, for the administrator to intentionally transition to a stop-play state, it is necessary to have a game ball enter a prize slot and cause the amount of balls dispensed to reach a specific value. However, if a ball enters each prize slot, it will trigger special symbol changes and winning games, resulting in various effects (such as changes in the symbols and effects associated with ball entry during winning games), which may attract attention and cause distrust among other players. Furthermore, such work would place a heavy burden on the administrator. Therefore, in this example, a configuration that makes it possible to easily induce a stop-play state when the amount of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, while suppressing the possibility of causing distrust among other players and reducing the burden on the administrator, will be described below.

In this example, as described above, two types of administrator tasks are provided to easily induce a stop-play state: a first administrator task involving operating the prize ball addition switch on the game board 5, and a second administrator task involving inserting game balls into the prize ball addition slot on the game board 5. Both tasks can be performed at any time as long as the game machine is powered on. The following describes each task.

First, let's explain the first administrator task. In this example, a pressable prize ball addition switch (not shown) is mounted on the main control board 1310 of the game board 5, and it becomes operable when the main frame 4 is opened. When the main frame 4 is open and this prize ball addition switch is pressed and held for a predetermined time (3 seconds in this example), the main control board 1310 controls the system to forcibly add a predetermined number of prize balls without going through the control of the frame control board 740 (or payout control board), and this is reflected in the calculation of the amount of balls dispensed. The number of prize balls is set to 100. In other words, when a game ball is received in the first start port 2003 or the second start port 2004, the number of prize balls is 1, and when a game ball is received in the big prize port 2005 during a winning game, the number of prize balls is 10 or 13. However, when the prize ball addition switch is operated, the number of prize balls is 100, which is more than the number of prize balls set for the first start port 2003, the second start port 2004, and the big prize port 2005. As a result, when the number of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, the administrator can increase the number of balls dispensed all at once by operating the prize ball addition switch once, and by operating it the necessary number of times corresponding to the difference until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, the number of balls dispensed can be quickly increased and the game can be stopped. Furthermore, the prize ball addition switch is not limited to being implemented on the main control board 1310 of the game board 5; it may also be implemented on the frame control board 740 (or payout control board). In that case, operation information and information regarding the awarding of a predetermined number of prize balls should be transmitted from the frame control board 740 (or payout control board) to the main control board 1310, and this information should be reflected in the calculation of the amount of balls dispensed.

Next, the second administrator task will be explained. The game board 5 described above is equipped with various prize slots (first start slot 2003, second start slot 2004, large prize slot 2005, etc.) that can award prize balls when game balls are played into the game area 5a. In this example, in addition to these prize slots, a prize ball addition slot (not shown) is provided to facilitate the occurrence of a ball-playing stop condition. This prize ball addition slot is provided within the game area 5a, similar to the other prize slots, and is not variable like the large prize slot 2005, etc., but is always open, and is configured to allow balls to enter from the upper entrance (a so-called pocket type). However, the prize ball addition slot is configured such that its entrance is closed by a predetermined member (for example, an obstacle nail or resin wall is placed to prevent ball entry), so that game balls played into the game area 5a during normal gameplay involving the player's launch operation cannot be accepted or are difficult to accept into the prize ball addition slot. In other words, the prize ball refill slot has a lower probability of balls entering compared to other prize entry slots. During normal gameplay involving player launching, the probability of a game ball entering the prize ball refill slot is extremely low, thus preventing game balls from entering the slot during normal gameplay. Furthermore, as mentioned above, although the entrance to the prize ball refill slot is closed by a predetermined component (such as an obstructing nail or resin wall), this component is positioned above the entrance to the prize ball refill slot, leaving a space for 1.5 game balls to be positioned. This configuration obstructs ball entry in the downward direction but does not obstruct ball entry from the front of the prize ball refill slot. As a result, it is possible for a manager to manually refill the prize ball refill slot with the door frame 3 open.

As a second administrator task, when the administrator inserts one game ball into the prize ball addition slot with the door frame 3 open, a predetermined number of prize balls (100) are awarded, similar to the first administrator task. When a ball is inserted into the prize ball addition slot, information regarding the awarding of a predetermined number of prize balls is transmitted from the frame control board 740 (or payout control board) to the main control board 1310, just as with normal prize ball processing, and this is reflected in the calculation of the amount of balls dispensed. Furthermore, as described above in the first administrator operation, when a game ball is received in the first start port 2003 or the second start port 2004, the number of prize balls is 1. When a game ball is received in the large prize port 2005 during a winning game, the number of prize balls is 10 or 13. However, when a game ball is received in the additional prize port, the number of prize balls is 100, which is more than the number of prize balls received in the first start port 2003, the second start port 2004, and the large prize port 2005. This allows the administrator to increase the number of game balls by inserting one game ball into the additional prize port when the number of balls is about to reach a specific value. By inserting the necessary number of balls corresponding to the difference until the number of balls reaches the specific value, the number of balls can be reached and the game can quickly transition to the stop-play state.

In this example, the special prize balls awarded in response to the first administrator operation (operation of the prize ball addition switch) and the second administrator operation (input of balls into the prize ball addition slot) are controlled as much as possible within the normal prize ball processing to avoid complex control such as program changes. In other words, in this example, since these special prize balls are controlled within the normal prize ball processing, they are directly reflected in the calculations related to the base value using the main control board 1310 and the frame control board 740 mentioned above. For this reason, the number of special prize balls awarded in response to the first administrator operation (operation of the prize ball addition switch) and the second administrator operation (input of balls into the prize ball addition slot) (a predetermined number) is not limited to the aforementioned 100 balls, but may be 1,000 balls or 10,000 balls, etc. However, considering the effect of the base value becoming an abnormal value due to awarding more prize balls than the number required for the amount of balls dispensed to reach a specific value, in this example it is set to "100 balls" as mentioned above, in order to suppress the effect of the base value becoming an abnormal value as much as possible. Furthermore, to mitigate the impact of the base value becoming an abnormal value, the number of special prize balls may be reduced to less than 100. However, considering the work efficiency (number of operations) involved in awarding the special prize balls, it is preferable to keep the number of special prize balls at least greater than the number of prize balls awarded when game balls are received into the first start port 2003 or the second start port 2004.

Furthermore, the transition to the stop-play state using the first administrator operation (operation of the prize ball addition switch) and the second administrator operation (inserting balls into the prize ball addition slot) is controlled not only during special symbol fluctuations or winning games, but also during non-game standby states (normal standby state or energy-saving mode) when special symbol fluctuations are not being displayed. This allows the administrator to increase the payout amount to reach a specific value by operating the prize ball addition switch or inserting game balls into the prize ball addition slot during normal standby state or energy-saving mode when the payout amount is about to reach a specific value. In such cases, it becomes possible to directly transition to the stop-play state from normal standby state or energy-saving mode without generating special symbol fluctuations or winning games, thereby restricting gameplay. Thus, by performing a first administrator operation (operating the prize ball addition switch) or a second administrator operation (inserting balls into the prize ball addition slot) during normal standby or energy-saving mode, it is possible to increase the payout amount with special prize balls and transition to the stop-play state. This eliminates the need for special symbol changes or winning games when transitioning to the stop-play state, reducing the burden on the administrator. Furthermore, for gaming machines that are close to reaching a specific payout value, transitioning to the stop-play state through such administrator operations can prevent situations where a new player starts playing and the machine immediately enters the stop-play state.

Furthermore, when a ball enters the prize ball addition slot, the system does not notify the player of the win. For example, when a ball enters the first start slot 2003, the second start slot 2004, or the large prize slot 2005, the speaker emits a sound indicating the ball has entered, noting the win. However, when a ball enters the prize ball addition slot, the speaker does not emit a sound indicating the ball has entered, thus not notifying the player of the win. In addition, when a ball enters the prize ball addition slot, no special effects are performed other than the awarding of prize balls. For example, when a ball enters the first start slot 2003 or the second start slot 2004, the display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc., are used to perform a variation display related to the variation of decorative symbols, and when a ball enters the large prize slot 2005, the display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc., are used to perform a win animation. However, when a ball enters the prize ball addition slot, no variation animations or win animations are performed, and no special effects are performed at all. This allows the administrator to perform tasks related to triggering a payout limit without attracting attention, even if they insert additional balls into the prize ball refill slot when the payout amount is about to reach a specific value.

Furthermore, in this example, when the aforementioned standby animation 2 (demonstration period) or energy-saving mode is running, if a ball enters the first start port 2003, the second start port 2004, or the large prize port 2005, standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode will terminate, and the variable animation or winning animation will begin. However, if a ball enters the prize ball addition port while standby animation 2 (demonstration period) or energy-saving mode is running, standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode will not terminate, and the controls will continue without issuing any notification regarding the ball entry into the prize ball addition port, as described above. This means that even if the administrator enters a game ball into the prize ball addition port while standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode is running, if the amount of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value, standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode will not terminate, and the operation of standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode will continue. In this respect, the administrator can perform tasks related to the occurrence of a stop-play state without attracting attention.

As mentioned above, both operations can be performed at any time as long as the gaming machine is powered on. However, in case of unauthorized execution of the first or second administrator operation, it may be possible to generate a predetermined state (operation disabled state) that disables both the first and second administrator operations. The operation disabled state can be generated when the power is turned on in a predetermined manner as part of the power-on operation. In this example, the main control board 1310 of the gaming board 5 has an operation disabled switch that can be pressed separately from the prize ball addition switch. The operation disabled state can be generated when the power is turned on with the operation disabled switch pressed as part of the predetermined power-on manner. After the operation disabled state is generated, unless a predetermined release operation (in this example, pressing the operation disabled switch again) or a power-on restart is performed while the power is on, it is possible to disable the first or second administrator operation without enabling it. By creating this invalidation state, it is possible to prevent the addition of prize balls even if the first or second administrator action is performed fraudulently, thereby deterring fraudulent activities that illegally increase the number of prize balls.

Furthermore, if fraudulent entry into the prize ball addition slot is suspected, an error notification is issued. Specifically, in this example, as mentioned above, no special effects are displayed when a ball enters the prize ball addition slot. However, under certain circumstances that clearly suggest fraud (for example, when the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a certain value is 1500 or more), if a large number of game balls (15 in this example within one minute) are detected entering the prize ball addition slot in a short period of time, the system considers the addition of prize balls equivalent to the payout amount of a single winning game as abnormal, and issues an error notification using the display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc., to indicate the fraudulent increase in prize balls. As mentioned above, the prize ball addition slot is designed to be unable or difficult to accept game balls that have been played into the game area 5a, so under normal gameplay, a large number of game balls should not enter the prize ball addition slot in a short period of time. In this regard, when the number of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, simply inserting 5 to 10 game balls into the prize ball addition slot by the administrator will not trigger an error notification indicating an unauthorized increase in prize balls. However, in normal gameplay, if a large number of game balls are inserted into the prize ball addition slot in a short period of time, an error notification indicating an unauthorized increase in prize balls can be issued, thereby preventing acts of gaining profit through fraudulent entries. Furthermore, if fraudulent operation of the prize ball addition switch is suspected, an error notification indicating an unauthorized increase in prize balls may also be issued in the same manner as described above.

Furthermore, in this example, the transition to the stop-play state is controlled not only when the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are closed, but also when the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are open. For example, in normal gameplay, while the main frame 4 is closed, game balls can be entered into the first start opening 2003, the second start opening 2004, and the big prize opening 2005, causing the amount of balls dispensed to reach a specific value. In contrast, in the first administrator operation in this example, if the amount of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, the main frame 4 can be opened, and the administrator can operate the prize ball addition switch, causing the amount of balls dispensed to reach a specific value through the addition of prize balls resulting from this operation. Furthermore, in normal gameplay, while the door frame 3 is closed, game balls can be entered into the first start opening 2003, the second start opening 2004, and the large prize opening 2005, causing the amount of balls dispensed to reach a specific value. However, in the second administrator operation of this example, if the amount of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, the door frame 3 can be opened, and the administrator can enter game balls into the prize ball addition opening, causing the amount of balls dispensed to reach the specific value through the addition of prize balls resulting from this entry. In such cases, it becomes possible to transition to a stop-play state and restrict gameplay without closing the main frame 4 or the door frame 3. By transitioning to a stop-play state even while the main frame 4 or the door frame 3 is open, it becomes easier for administrators performing the first or second administrator operation to be aware of the transition to the stop-play state, thereby reducing the burden on the administrator's work.

Here, during normal gameplay, when the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is in an open state (specific state), a notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 (specific notification in the normal notification manner) is made using sound, light, and video, and communicated to the outside. However, considering that the administrator can perform work related to the occurrence of a stop-play state (first administrator work and second administrator work) without attracting attention from those around them, as mentioned above, in this example, if the first administrator work or second administrator work is performed at least while the aforementioned standby performance 2 (demonstration period) or energy-saving mode is running, a special process is implemented to make the notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 more suppressed than during normal gameplay. Specifically, even if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is in an open state while standby performance 2 (demonstration period) or energy-saving mode is running, standby performance 2 and energy-saving mode are not terminated, and all controls continue without making any notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 (all using sound, light, and video; specific notification in the normal notification manner) that are performed during normal gameplay. As a result, even if the administrator performs the first or second administrator task while the standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode is running, if the amount of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value, the standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode will continue to operate without terminating, allowing the administrator to perform tasks related to the occurrence of a payout limit without attracting attention. Furthermore, even if the administrator performs the first or second administrator task while the standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode is running, no notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 will be issued, allowing the administrator to perform tasks related to the occurrence of a payout limit without attracting attention.

Furthermore, if the game transitions to a stop-play state during normal gameplay, even if the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are in an open state (specific state) after the transition to the stop-play state, a special process is implemented to suppress notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 compared to normal gameplay. Specifically, if the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are in an open state and the game transitions to a stop-play state during normal gameplay, the normal gameplay-related fluctuation effects will end and notification regarding the stop-play state will be given. However, after the transition to the stop-play state, no notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 (all using sound, light, and video; specific notifications in the normal notification mode) will be given at all. As a result, even if the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are in an open state during normal gameplay and the administrator performs the first or second administrator tasks, no notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 will be given after the transition to the stop-play state, allowing the administrator to perform tasks related to the occurrence of the stop-play state without attracting attention.

Similarly, when transitioning from standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode to the stop-play state, even if the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are in an open state (specific state) after the transition to the stop-play state, a special process is continued during the stop-play state to suppress notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 more than during normal gameplay. Specifically, when standby animation 2 (demonstration period) or energy-saving mode is being executed and the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are in an open state, and the machine transitions to the stop-play state, standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode ends and a notification regarding the stop-play state is given. However, during the period before and after the transition to the stop-play state, no notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 (all those using sound, light, and video; specific notifications in the normal notification mode) are given. As a result, even if the administrator performs the first or second administrator task during the transition from standby mode 2 or energy-saving mode to the stop-start state, no notification regarding the opening of the main unit frame 4 or door frame 3 will be issued. This allows the administrator to perform tasks related to the occurrence of the stop-start state without attracting attention.

Furthermore, when the game transitions to a stop-play state while the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is closed, notifications regarding the stop-play state (post-suppression notification) are issued using sound, light, and video. However, if the game transitions to a stop-play state while the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open, or if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is opened while the game is in a stop-play state, no notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 (all using sound, light, and video; specific notifications in the normal notification mode) are issued. However, notifications regarding the stop-play state (post-suppression notification) are still issued, just as when the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is closed. In this way, when the game is in a stop-play state but the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open, only notifications regarding the stop-play state are issued. This makes it easier for administrators performing the first or second administrator tasks while the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open to be aware of the transition to a stop-play state, thereby reducing the burden on administrators.

Furthermore, while the above example illustrates a system where no notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 are made during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, or the stop-play state, it is also possible to make notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 in a manner that is inconspicuous to the surroundings. For example, in another example, when an administrator performs the first or second administrator task, they may perform actions related to the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 (notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3) even while the standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, or stop-play state is in progress. In addition, during normal gameplay, after transitioning to the stop-play state, actions related to the stop-play state are performed using sound, light, and video. However, if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open while the machine is in the stop-play state, some of the above-mentioned animation elements may be used in parallel with the actions related to the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3. For example, if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open while the machine is in a stopped state, the performance display device 1600 (video), which is one of the performance elements that is less conspicuous from the outside, may display an image corresponding to the stopped state (indication of impossibility of progress) while simultaneously displaying an image corresponding to the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 (opening notification display) in a different area from the area where the impossibility of progress display is shown. Then, when the open main frame 4 or door frame 3 is closed, the opening notification display on the performance display device 1600 should be terminated, and only the actions related to the stopped state (indication of impossibility of progress) should be performed. In this case, the performance display device 1600 can execute image control corresponding to the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 in parallel with the operation schedule related to the stopped state, and when the door frame 3 is closed, only the actions related to the stopped state will be executed. This allows the administrator to perform tasks related to the occurrence of the stopped state without attracting attention, even if a notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is issued.

Furthermore, while the above example illustrates a system where no notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 are made during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, or the stop-play state, from the perspective of preventing fraud such as using magnets or vibrations to get game balls into various prize slots, and from the perspective of preventing malfunctions such as causing damage to certain components by hitting the game machine, notifications regarding the detection of fraudulent magnetism or vibrations are made conspicuously during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, and the stop-play state, just like during normal gameplay. In this example, the notification priority is set to "Notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 > Notification regarding a specific state." Therefore, if the notification priority is followed, the system is configured so that if notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are not issued, the notification regarding the specific state described above will also not be issued. However, during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, and the stop-play state, the system is controlled in a way that disregards the notification priority. This means that while notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are not issued, the notification regarding the specific state described above is issued, just as during normal gameplay. By doing so, even during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, and the stop-play state, fraud and malfunctions can be notified externally, thereby deterring acts that cause fraud or malfunctions.

Furthermore, while the above example illustrates a system that completely suppresses notifications regarding the opening of the main unit frame 4 and door frame 3 during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, and the stop-play state, notifications that may arise in connection with the first or second administrator tasks, not limited to notifications regarding opening, may also be suppressed during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, and the stop-play state, similar to notifications regarding opening, in order to avoid attracting attention. For example, in the case of error notifications related to the payout of game balls during normal gameplay (such as a full tray error), error notifications related to the payout of game balls (such as a full tray error) arising from the addition of prize balls due to the first or second administrator tasks may be suppressed or not executed during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, and the stop-play state, similar to notifications regarding opening.

Figure 161 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the first or second administrator operation is performed during energy-saving mode, leading to a transition to the stop-play state. The following explanation assumes that the energy-saving mode setting switch is ON. Note that, except for the fact that at timings t2 to t3, the machine transitions to the stop-play state due to the operation of the prize ball addition switch or entry into the prize ball addition slot during energy-saving mode, the behavior is the same as when a ball enters each slot during the special symbol variation display shown in Figure 158, leading to a transition to the stop-play state; therefore, the explanation is omitted.

First, even if the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize ball is entered into the prize ball addition slot at timing t3 during energy-saving mode, if the amount of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value, the energy-saving mode operation continues without any special effects. In this way, by ensuring that no special effects other than the awarding of prize balls occur when the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize ball is entered into the prize ball addition slot, the amount of balls dispensed can be increased without attracting attention.

Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, the same applies even if the energy-saving mode is not activated at timing t3 and the system is in a normal standby state. In other words, even if the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize ball is entered into the prize ball addition slot while in a normal standby state, if the amount of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value, the system continues its normal standby operations without any special effects. In this way, by ensuring that no special effects other than the awarding of prize balls occur when the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize ball is entered into the prize ball addition slot, the amount of balls dispensed can be increased without attracting attention.

As detailed above, during energy-saving mode, the display device 1600 displays an energy-saving indicator in a specific area 2 of the upper layer, and displays a pre-notification indicator in a specific area 1 of the upper layer when the remaining amount of balls to be dispensed has reached a predetermined value (for example, 5000 balls). Furthermore, during energy-saving mode, the speaker outputs no sound; in other words, it is in a silent state (inaudible state) where no sound can be heard from the speaker. Also, the LEDs of lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) are turned off. However, lamp C is allowed to emit light in the same way as in the normal standby state, in a manner for checking the standard brightness. This allows the user to understand that lamp C is not turned off like lamps A and B, and that the game machine is operating normally.

Next, at timing t4 during energy-saving mode, if the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize ball is entered into the prize ball addition slot, and the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game will be restricted. In this case, the operation related to energy-saving mode will be terminated, and the game will transition to a stop state where further gameplay is impossible. As described above, when the amount of balls dispensed, calculated based on the prize balls dispensed into each slot, reaches a specific value, the game will be restricted and the game will be stopped. In this example, however, such restrictions on gameplay are controlled not only during the display of special symbols or during winning games, but also during energy-saving mode. This allows, for example, when the amount of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, the prize ball addition switch may be operated or a prize ball may be entered into the prize ball addition slot, which are not conditions for terminating energy-saving mode, and the amount of balls dispensed may reach the specific value due to these prize ball additions. In such cases, it becomes possible to directly restrict gameplay from energy-saving mode without generating a display of special symbols. By directly transitioning from energy-saving mode to the stop-play state in this way, it is possible to prevent situations where a player prematurely triggers the stop-play state when the number of balls dispensed is just about to reach a specific value.

Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, the same applies even if the energy-saving mode is not activated at timing t4 and the game is in a normal standby state. In other words, even if the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize ball is entered into the prize ball addition slot while in a normal standby state, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game will be restricted. In this case, the operation related to the normal standby state will be terminated, and the game will transition to a stop state where further gameplay is impossible. As described above, when the amount of balls dispensed, calculated based on the prize balls dispensed into each slot, reaches a specific value, the game will be restricted and the game will be stopped. In this example, however, this game restriction is controlled not only during the display of special symbols or during winning games, but also during the normal standby state. This allows, for example, when the payout is about to reach a specific value, the machine to activate the prize ball addition switch or enter the prize ball addition slot, which are not normally considered conditions for ending the standby state. This additional prize balls can then cause the payout to reach the specific value. In such cases, it becomes possible to directly restrict gameplay from the normal standby state without triggering various effects such as special symbol changes. By directly transitioning from the normal standby state to the stop-play state in this way, it is possible to prevent situations where a player prematurely enters the stop-play state while playing a machine that is about to reach a specific payout value.

Furthermore, the explanation for what happens after the machine enters the stop-play state is the same as when a ball enters one of the prize slots during the special symbol variation display shown in Figure 158, so the explanation is omitted. Alternatively, after entering the stop-play state, as in the case where a ball enters one of the prize slots during the special symbol variation display shown in Figure 160, the machine may not switch to energy-saving mode during the stop-play state, but instead use other control methods to enhance power saving for sound and lights. Also, after entering the stop-play state, even if the prize ball addition switch is operated or a ball enters the prize ball addition slot, no prize balls will be awarded.

Furthermore, the door frame 3 may remain closed to the main frame 4, allowing the administrator to insert game balls into the prize ball addition slot. Specifically, the door frame 3 is provided with an opening that allows access to the prize ball addition slot. Under normal circumstances, the opening is closed by a predetermined closing member (in this example, a transparent, flat plate member) in a state visible from the outside. During the second administrator operation, the closing member is opened, allowing the administrator to insert game balls into the prize ball addition slot through the opening. Additionally, opening the opening by opening the closing member requires a key owned by the administrator. By inserting the key into the keyhole and turning it, the closing member can be detached from the opening. This eliminates the need to open the door frame 3 during the second administrator operation, allowing the administrator to perform the work without attracting attention.

Furthermore, considering that the prize ball refill slot is subject to administrator work, it is preferable to place it in a location that can be seen from the outside of the game board 5. However, from the perspective of preventing fraud, it is preferable to place it in a location that is difficult to see from the outside. Therefore, for example, it is preferable to integrate the prize ball refill slot with the component where other ball entry slots are provided, and to mark the front side of the other ball entry slots with a predetermined symbol or marking (for example, letters such as "IN" indicating that balls can be entered), while leaving no special markings on the front side of the prize ball refill slot. This makes it possible to place the prize ball refill slot in a location that can be seen from the outside but is difficult to see, thus effectively serving both administrator work and fraud prevention purposes. Also, when placing the prize ball refill slot in a location that is difficult to see from the outside (especially from players), it is preferable to provide the component on which the prize ball refill slot is located as a non-illuminating decorative component that does not have light-emitting parts such as LEDs and does not receive illuminated decoration.

Furthermore, while the above example illustrates a configuration with one prize ball refill slot on the game board 5, considering the need to perform the administrator's task of inserting game balls more quickly (smoothly), a configuration with multiple prize ball refill slots on the game board 5 is also possible. In the case of a configuration with multiple prize ball refill slots on the game board 5, the special notation described above should not be written on any of the multiple prize ball refill slots. Additionally, when a configuration with multiple prize ball refill slots on the game board 5 is used, arranging the multiple prize ball refill slots together in a single component to form a unit, and positioning them relatively close to each other, can further enhance the convenience of the administrator's work.

[Regarding situations where the amount of balls/coins dispensed during various winning games reaches a specific value]
The above states that if the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value, the game may not immediately transition to a stop-play state, but rather to a stop-play state after the jackpot game has ended. In other words, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during any of the rounds of a jackpot game, it is possible to continue the jackpot game until the final round is completed, and even after the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game can continue, allowing the player to receive the prize balls awarded in that jackpot game. Incidentally, the pachinko machine 1 can be equipped with various types of jackpot games that award prize balls, and the timing of the stop-play state occurring when the amount of balls dispensed during that jackpot game reaches a specific value can be made different depending on the type of jackpot game. In this example, the timing of when the stop-play state occurs when the amount of balls dispensed during various jackpot games is explained below.

In this example, the following game specifications are used in the game board 5 described above. First, when a game ball is received into the first starting port 2003, a lottery for the first special symbol is performed. In the lottery for the first special symbol, the first special random number obtained when the ball enters the first starting port 2003 is matched with a predetermined minor win judgment value with a probability of 1/150. If the predetermined win/loss judgment process determines that the first special random number and the predetermined minor win judgment value match, a "minor win" (corresponding to the "prize win" described above) is awarded. Furthermore, in the lottery for the first special symbol, the first special random number obtained when the ball enters the first starting port 2003 is matched with a predetermined major win judgment value with a probability of 1/300. If the predetermined win/loss judgment process determines that the first special random number and the predetermined major win judgment value match, a "major win B" is awarded.

Specifically, when a "minor win" is achieved, the prize entry opening 2006 is opened and closed in a predetermined minor win opening and closing pattern (for example, an opening and closing pattern that repeats opening for 0.3 seconds and closing for 1 second five times each) to control the minor win game in a way that makes it possible (easy) for the game ball to enter the prize entry opening 2006. If the game ball that enters the prize entry opening 2006 then enters the first V-entry opening 2007 or the second V-entry opening 2008, a "big win A" is awarded. On the other hand, in a minor win game, if the game ball does not enter the first V-entry opening 2007 or the second V-entry opening 2008 and the aforementioned minor win opening and closing pattern ends, a "big win A" is not awarded, and the big win game does not start. Then, if a ball enters the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008 and "Big Win A" is awarded, the game is controlled to be a 10-round big win game in which it is possible (easy) for a game ball to enter the big entry slot 2005 by repeating the big win opening and closing pattern 10 times, after which the big entry slot 2005 is kept open for a long period of time (for example, 29 seconds) or closed when 10 game balls enter the big entry slot 2005. After the big win game ends, the game is controlled to be in a time-saving state (low probability time-saving state) in which the duration of the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) variation display is shortened compared to normal until the variation display is executed 50 times. Furthermore, when one game ball enters the large prize slot 2005, 15 game balls are awarded (paid out). Therefore, in a single "minor win" or "large win A" game, approximately 1500 game balls are expected to be awarded (paid out) through entries into the large prize slot 2005 and other prize slots.

Furthermore, if "Big Win B" is won, the game is controlled to a 20-round special big win game in which it is possible (easy) for game balls to enter the big prize slot 2005. This is done by repeating a big win opening and closing pattern 20 times, where the big prize slot 2005 is kept open for a long period of time (for example, 29 seconds) or closed when 10 game balls enter the big prize slot 2005. After the special big win game state ends, the game is controlled to a time-saving state (low probability time-saving state) in which the duration of the special symbol (first special symbol, second special symbol) fluctuation display is shortened compared to normal until it is displayed 50 times. However, for the 20-round special big win game, after the first 10 rounds are executed, a predetermined break period has elapsed in which the big prize slot 2005 is closed for a longer period of time than between other rounds (10 seconds in this example), after which the second 10 rounds are executed. Furthermore, if one game ball enters the large prize slot 2005, 15 game balls will be awarded (paid out). In the special jackpot state of "Jackpot B," it is expected that approximately 3000 game balls will be awarded (paid out), consisting of approximately 1500 balls in the first 10 rounds from balls entering the large prize slot 2005 and other prize slots, and approximately 1500 balls in the second 10 rounds.

On the other hand, when a game ball is received into the second starting gate 2004, a lottery for the second special symbol is conducted. In the lottery for the second special symbol, the second special random number obtained when the ball enters the second starting gate 2004 matches a predetermined jackpot determination value with a probability of 1/300. If the predetermined win/loss determination process determines that the second special random number and the predetermined jackpot determination value match, then a "jackpot C" is awarded.

Specifically, when "Big Win C" is won, the game is controlled to be a 10-round big win game in which it is easy for game balls to enter the large prize slot 2005. This is done by repeating an opening and closing pattern 10 times, either by keeping the large prize slot 2005 open for a long period of time (for example, 29 seconds) or by closing it when 10 game balls enter the large prize slot 2005. After the big win game ends, the game is controlled to be in a time-saving state (low probability time-saving state) in which the duration of the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) variation display is shortened compared to normal until it is displayed 100 times. Furthermore, if one game ball enters the large prize slot 2005, 15 game balls are awarded (paid out), and in the "Big Win C" big win game state, it is expected that 1500 game balls will be awarded from balls entering the large prize slot 2005 and other prize slots.

(Regarding cases where the amount of balls dispensed during a minor win game reaches a specific value)
First, let's explain what happens when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a minor win. Figure 162 is a time chart showing what happens when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a minor win. In this example, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value (100,000 in this example) during a minor win, regardless of when the specific value was reached during the minor win, the minor win opening and closing pattern continues until the minor win is completed, and the game continues to determine whether the balls that entered the prize entry point 2006 enter the first V-entry point 2007 or the second V-entry point 2008. If the balls that entered the prize entry point 2006 enter the first V-entry point 2007 or the second V-entry point 2008 during the execution of the aforementioned minor win opening and closing pattern, it is possible to continue the game to a major win.

Figure 162(A) is a time chart showing the case where, after the amount of balls dispensed during a minor win game reaches a specific value, the game balls that enter the prize entry point 2006 enter the first V-entry point 2007 or the second V-entry point 2008, thereby controlling the game to a major win. As shown in Figure 162(A), at timing t1, if it has been determined that a "minor win" has been achieved at the start of the special symbol variation display, the special symbol variation display is executed based on the variation pattern for "minor wins". Furthermore, during the special symbol variation display, a variation effect is executed based on the effect pattern for "minor wins," and this effect indicates whether the result of the lottery is a major win or a minor win. Note that during the special symbol variation display, the amount of balls dispensed is less than 100,000, and at this stage, the stop flag on the main control board 1310 is not ON. Therefore, a stop condition has not occurred, and the game can proceed as normal.

Furthermore, after the special symbol variation display shows a stop symbol indicating a "minor win," the game is controlled to a minor win game where the game ball can (easily) enter the prize entry opening 2006. If the game ball that enters the prize entry opening 2006 then enters the first V-entry opening 2007 or the second V-entry opening 2008, a "Big Win A" is awarded. In addition, during the minor win game, a minor win animation is performed that is different from the animation performed during normal gameplay. In the minor win animation, voice and visual instructions are given to aim for the prize entry opening 2006, and if the game ball that enters the prize entry opening 2006 then enters the first V-entry opening 2007 or the second V-entry opening 2008, an animation (voice and visual) is performed indicating that a "Big Win A" will be awarded. Furthermore, during a minor win, it is possible to increase the amount of balls dispensed by entering the prize entry point 2006 or other prize entry points. When the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 by entering the prize entry point 2006 or other prize entry points, the main control board 1310 performs a control to turn on the stop flag. However, in this example, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 during a minor win and the stop flag is turned on, the timing of the stop state is delayed so that the stop state does not occur immediately. This allows the ongoing minor win game to continue without being terminated midway. Thus, in this example, by delaying the timing of the stop-play state when the amount of balls dispensed during a minor win reaches a specific value, it is possible to continue the minor win game. This prevents any disadvantage in acquiring prize balls, including the outcome of the minor win game (whether or not the ball enters the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008 and awards "Big Win A"), and thus makes it less likely to cause dissatisfaction to the player.

Furthermore, at timing tL1 during a minor win, if a game ball that has entered the prize entry point 2006 enters either the first V-entry point 2007 or the second V-entry point 2008, thereby awarding "Big Win A," the system controls the game to continue with a 10-round big win game in which the game ball can (easily) enter the large prize entry point 2005. In addition, during a big win game, a different big win animation is performed compared to the animations during normal gameplay and minor wins. In the big win animation, voice and visual instructions are given to aim for the ball to enter the large prize entry point 2005, and special animations (voice and visuals) are performed, such as displaying special images that are only shown during a big win game. In this example, if a game ball enters the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008 during a minor win, the game will not enter a stop state at the end of the minor win, and the timing of the stop state will be further delayed so as not to cause a stop state during the subsequent big win, allowing the big win game to continue immediately after the minor win. Thus, when the number of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 during a minor win, if a ball enters the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008 during that minor win, the occurrence of the stop-play state is further delayed, allowing the big win game to proceed. This ensures that the player does not suffer any disadvantage in acquiring prize balls, including the results of the entire game from the minor win to the big win, thus minimizing player dissatisfaction.

Then, at timing tN, after the jackpot game is completed, a predetermined ending period is triggered, and the jackpot ending sequence is executed. In the jackpot ending sequence, the end of the jackpot game is indicated, and the display device 1600 displays an image showing the amount of balls awarded during the jackpot game by balls entering the jackpot opening 2005 (an image of the amount of balls awarded in this jackpot game), along with a warning message described later. In this example, as described above, in the jackpot game of "jackpot A", it is possible to award approximately 1500 game balls. If balls enter the jackpot opening 2005 until the upper limit is reached during the jackpot game, the amount of balls awarded during the jackpot game will be shown as approximately 1500. Furthermore, although the payout amount has already reached 100,000 during a minor win, and the stop-play flag has been turned ON on the main control board 1310, as described above, the timing of the stop-play state is delayed to prevent it from occurring at the end of the minor win or during the major win. However, in this example, even when the major win animation ends at timing tN, coinciding with the opening of the grand prize opening 2005 in the final round (10th round) of the major win animation, the stop-play state is not immediately triggered. Instead, it is triggered at timing tL2, after the subsequent ending period has elapsed. By delaying the timing of the stop-play state until after the ending period has ended, and controlling the system to allow the major win ending animation to be executed before the stop-play state occurs, the player can remain in the game even after the grand prize opening 2005 has finished, allowing the player to experience the major win ending animation.

Furthermore, during the jackpot ending sequence that takes place during the ending period, the display device 1600 displays a warning message regarding "addiction prevention" (for example, "Pachinko should be enjoyed in moderation. Be careful not to get addicted") as "Addiction Prevention Display A" after the display (payout amount image) showing the amount of balls dispensed in the winning game has finished. In this example, although the jackpot game of "Jackpot A" dispenses approximately 1500 game balls, the game transitions to a stop-play state after the jackpot game. Therefore, there is a risk that the player may move to another pachinko machine and become excessively addicted. However, by displaying "Addiction Prevention Display A" before transitioning to the stop-play state, it is possible to warn the player not to become excessively addicted to other pachinko machines after transitioning to the stop-play state. In this way, by controlling the execution of the jackpot ending sequence, including the period during which the warning message is displayed, to occur before the game reaches its limit, it is possible to ensure that players have an opportunity to check the "Addiction Prevention Display A," thereby effectively preventing them from becoming excessively engrossed in the game.

Furthermore, at timing tL2, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the peripheral control board 1510 turns on a predetermined animation prohibition flag, forcibly stopping the currently running animation (such as the jackpot ending animation). For example, when the animation prohibition flag is turned on, the animation display device 1600 forcibly changes from the addiction prevention display A to various images corresponding to the stop-play state described above.

Figure 162(B) is a time chart showing a case where, after the amount of balls dispensed during a minor win game reaches a specific value, the minor win opening and closing pattern ends and the minor win game is completed without the game balls entering the first V-entry slot 2007 and the second V-entry slot 2008, regardless of whether the balls enter the prize entry slot 2006 or not, and there is no subsequent control to a major win game. As shown in Figure 162(B), at timing t1, if it is determined that a "minor win" has been won at the start of the special symbol variation display, the special symbol variation display is executed based on the variation pattern for "minor wins". In addition, during the special symbol variation display, a variation performance is executed based on the performance pattern for "minor wins", and the variation performance performs an effect that indicates whether the result of the lottery will be a major win or a minor win. Furthermore, during the special symbol display, the payout is less than 100,000. At this stage, the stop-play flag is not ON on the main control board 1310. Therefore, a stop-play state has not occurred, and normal gameplay is possible.

Furthermore, after the special symbol variation display shows a stop symbol indicating a "minor win," the game is controlled to a minor win game where the game ball can (easily) enter the prize entry opening 2006. If the game ball that enters the prize entry opening 2006 then enters the first V-entry opening 2007 or the second V-entry opening 2008, a "Big Win A" is awarded. In addition, during the minor win game, a minor win animation is performed that is different from the animation performed during normal gameplay. In the minor win animation, voice and visual instructions are given to aim for the prize entry opening 2006, and if the game ball that enters the prize entry opening 2006 then enters the first V-entry opening 2007 or the second V-entry opening 2008, an animation (voice and visual) is performed indicating that a "Big Win A" will be awarded. Furthermore, during a minor win, it is possible to increase the amount of balls dispensed by entering the prize entry point 2006 or other prize entry points. When the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 by entering the prize entry point 2006 or other prize entry points, the main control board 1310 performs a control to turn on the stop flag. However, in this example, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 during a minor win and the stop flag is turned on, the timing of the stop state is delayed so that the stop state does not occur immediately. This allows the ongoing minor win game to continue without being terminated midway. Thus, in this example, by delaying the timing of the stop-play state when the amount of balls dispensed during a minor win reaches a specific value, it is possible to continue the minor win game. This prevents any disadvantage in acquiring prize balls, including the outcome of the minor win game (whether or not the ball enters the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008 and transitions to "Big Win A"), and thus makes it less likely to cause dissatisfaction to the player.

Then, at timing tN, if the game ball does not enter the prize entry point 2006, regardless of whether it enters the prize entry point 2006 or not, and the minor win opening/closing pattern ends without the game ball entering the first V prize entry point 2007 or the second V prize entry point 2008, then "Big Win A" is not awarded, and the big win game does not start. After the minor win game is completed, a predetermined ending period is generated, and a minor win ending sequence is executed. In the minor win ending sequence, an animation is performed indicating the end of the minor win game and that the game ball did not enter the first V prize entry point 2007 or the second V prize entry point 2008. Note that during the minor win game, the payout amount has already reached 100,000, and the stop flag has been turned ON on the main control board 1310. However, the stop state is not generated during the minor win game, and the stop state is generated at timing tL3 after the subsequent ending period has elapsed. In this way, by delaying the timing of the stop-loss state until the end of the ending period, and controlling the execution of the minor win ending sequence before the stop-loss state occurs, it is possible to keep the player in the machine even after the prize entry point 2006 has finished opening, allowing the player to become aware of the minor win ending sequence.

Furthermore, during the jackpot ending sequence, the display device 1600 displays an image showing the amount of balls dispensed in the winning game and a "gambling addiction prevention display A." However, in this example, during the minor jackpot ending sequence, no such display of the amount of balls dispensed (image showing the amount of balls dispensed) or a warning message regarding "gambling addiction prevention" is displayed. Instead, an ending image ("Too bad..." image) indicating the end of the minor jackpot game is displayed. In this example, if a game ball enters the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008 during the minor jackpot game, the "jackpot A" game is executed, and approximately 1500 game balls are awarded. However, if a game ball does not enter the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008 during the minor jackpot game, the "jackpot A" game is not executed, and approximately 1500 game balls are not awarded. Thus, if the game ball does not enter the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008 during a minor win, the payout is also small. Therefore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, players are less likely to continue playing on other pachinko machines, and no warning is issued. Furthermore, in this example, the execution time of the minor win ending sequence (e.g., 5 seconds) is set shorter than the execution time of the big win ending sequence (e.g., 10 seconds), allowing for an earlier transition to the stop-play state after a minor win compared to after a big win.

Furthermore, at timing tL3, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the peripheral control board 1510 turns on a predetermined animation prohibition flag, forcibly stopping the currently running animation (such as the minor win ending animation). For example, when the animation prohibition flag is turned on, the animation display device 1600 forcibly changes from the ending image to various images corresponding to the stop-play state described above.

Furthermore, in this example, at timing tN, if, regardless of whether the game ball enters the prize entry point 2006 or not, the game ball does not enter the first V-entry point 2007 and the second V-entry point 2008, and the minor win opening/closing pattern ends without awarding "Big Win A," a predetermined ending period is generated after the minor win game is completed, and the minor win ending sequence is executed. However, as an alternative, the system may be controlled so that the predetermined ending period is not generated after the minor win game is completed, thus preventing the minor win ending sequence from being executed altogether, and immediately generating a stop-play state after the minor win game ends. Such an embodiment can also achieve the same effect as described above.

Furthermore, in this example, during the jackpot ending sequence after a jackpot game is completed, the display device 1600 displays a warning message regarding "preventing excessive gambling." However, the warning message displayed on the display device 1600 is positioned so as not to overlap with related displays before the transition to the stop-play state. Specifically, before the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, a message such as "Remaining +XX balls until the game limit is reached" is displayed, similar to the pre-notification display described above, indicating the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. Also, when the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value but the ongoing small jackpot game or jackpot game is continuing, a message such as "The jackpot is over, and today is finished" is displayed, similar to the standby notification in the stop-play preparation state described above, to indicate that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. When the display device 1600 displays the warning message regarding "preventing excessive gambling," it is positioned so as not to overlap with the pre-notification display shown as a related display before the transition to the stop-play state, or with the standby notification in the stop-play preparation state. This ensures that players don't miss related displays before the transition to the stop-play state when the warning message about "preventing excessive gambling" is displayed. It also ensures that players are reliably aware of the pre-notification displays and standby notifications shown during the stop-play preparation state.

Furthermore, in this example, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game enters a stop-play state, gameplay is restricted. However, gameplay may also be restricted by factors other than the stop-play state. For example, as detailed above, if the game board 5 is replaced while the main frame 5 is powered on, the game enters a special stop-play state and gameplay is restricted. If gameplay is restricted during a minor win due to a factor other than the stop-play state, the power needs to be turned on and off. Turning the power on and off (power pattern 1) removes the game restriction, allowing the ongoing minor win game to resume. Also, if the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value and the stop-play flag has been turned ON during a minor win game, and then gameplay is restricted due to a factor other than the stop-play state, the gameplay will resume with the stop-play flag still ON after turning the power on and off (power pattern 1). Therefore, after a resumed minor win game ends, or if a ball enters the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008 during a resumed minor win game, the game can transition to a stop-play state after the jackpot game that follows the minor win game ends. This ensures that even if gameplay is restricted during a minor win game due to factors other than the stop-play state, players will not suffer any disadvantage in winning prize balls after the power is turned on and off (power pattern 1), thus minimizing player dissatisfaction.

Similarly, as will be explained in more detail later, for example, the frame control board 740 stops the game when it detects a RAM error, such as when the RAM contains abnormal values, or when it detects an error other than a RAM error, such as "no launchable balls," "no balls in the lifting entrance," "lifting ball jamming error," "insufficient game balls," or "excess game balls." In this case, if the game is restricted during a minor win game due to an error other than a RAM error, such as "no launchable balls," "no balls in the lifting entrance," "lifting ball jamming error," "insufficient game balls," or "excess game balls," as a factor other than the game being stopped, it is necessary to turn the power on and off after resolving the cause of the error. However, if the power is turned on and off (power pattern 1) after resolving the cause of the error, the restriction on the game can be lifted and the ongoing minor win game can be resumed. Furthermore, if, during a minor win game, the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value and the stop-play flag has been turned ON, and the game is restricted due to an error other than a RAM error detected by the frame control board 740, such as "out of launchable balls," "out of balls at the lifting entrance," "lifting ball jamming error," "insufficient number of game balls," or "insufficient number of game balls," the game will be restricted by resolving the cause of the error and turning the power on and off (power pattern 1), while the stop-play flag remains ON, and the ongoing minor win game is resumed. For this reason, after the resumed minor win game ends, or after the jackpot game that follows the minor win game ends when a ball enters the first V-entry slot 2007 or the second V-entry slot 2008 during the resumed minor win game, it is possible to transition to the stop-play state. This means that even if, during a minor win, the frame control board 740 detects errors other than RAM errors, such as "no launchable balls," "no balls at the lifting entrance," "lifting ball jamming error," "insufficient number of game balls," or "excessive number of game balls," and restricts gameplay due to factors other than the game's end state, after resolving the cause of the error and turning the power on and off (power pattern 1), there will be no disadvantage in winning prize balls, making it less likely to cause dissatisfaction to the player.

Furthermore, during the jackpot ending sequence after a jackpot game is completed, the display device 1600 displays a warning message regarding "preventing addiction." However, if another jackpot is triggered within a predetermined period after the jackpot game ends (for example, within 30 consecutive spins), the display device 1600 will display a visual representation (payout image) showing the amount of balls dispensed in the current jackpot game during the jackpot ending sequence after the second jackpot game is completed, but it will not display the warning message regarding "preventing addiction." For example, if the warning message regarding "preventing addiction" is repeatedly displayed within a short predetermined period after the jackpot game ends, players may become accustomed to the warning, and the effect of preventing addiction in future games may be lost. However, by not displaying the warning message regarding "preventing addiction" during subsequent jackpot games within a predetermined period after the jackpot game ends, this effect can be maintained. Furthermore, in this example, a predetermined ending period is triggered and the jackpot ending sequence is executed after the jackpot game is completed. However, in an alternative example, if another jackpot is triggered within a predetermined period after the jackpot game ends (for example, within 30 consecutive spins), the system may be controlled to prevent the predetermined ending period from triggering after the jackpot game is completed, thus preventing the jackpot ending sequence from being executed and the warning message regarding "preventing addiction" from being displayed. Such an embodiment can also achieve the same effect as described above.

(Regarding the case where the amount of balls dispensed during a special jackpot game reaches a specific value)
Next, we will explain what happens when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the special jackpot game of "Jackpot B". Figure 163 is a time chart showing the case where the amount of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value during the special jackpot game, and Figure 164 is a time chart showing the case where the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the special jackpot game. In this example, for the 20-round special jackpot game, after the first 10 rounds are executed, a predetermined break period (a period during which the large prize entry point 2005 is closed for a longer time than between other rounds (10 seconds in this example)) is elapsed before the second 10 rounds are executed. If the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the first 10 rounds of the 20-round special jackpot game, the game will transition to a stop state after the first 10 rounds are completed and the second 10 rounds will not be executed. However, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the second 10 rounds, it is possible to transition to a stop state after the second 10 rounds are completed.

Figure 163 is a time chart showing a situation where the amount of balls dispensed during a special jackpot game does not reach a specific value. As shown in Figure 163, at timing t1, if it is determined that a "jackpot B" has been won at the start of the special symbol variation display, the special symbol variation display is executed based on the variation pattern for "jackpot B". Furthermore, during the special symbol variation display, a variation animation is executed based on the animation pattern for "jackpot B," and this animation indicates whether the result of the lottery is a jackpot or a minor win.

Then, as a result of the special symbol variation display, after the stopping symbol indicating "Big Win B" is displayed, the system controls the game to a 20-round special big win game in which the game ball can (easily) enter the big prize slot 2005. First, the first 10 rounds of the 20-round special big win game (the first half of the special big win game) are executed. During the first half of the special big win game, a special big win animation is executed that differs from the animations during normal gameplay. In the special big win animation, voice and visual instructions are given to aim for the ball to enter the big prize slot 2005, and special animations (voice and visuals) are executed, such as displaying special images on the animation display device 1600 that are only displayed during the first half of the special big win game.

Then, at timing tL1, after the first 10 rounds have finished and the first half of the special jackpot game is complete, a predetermined break period is generated and a rest animation is executed. During the rest animation, an animation is performed that indicates the end of the first half of the special jackpot game and that the player is in a waiting state until the second half of the special jackpot game begins (for example, an animation that displays a message image on the animation display device 1600 saying "First half finished! Second half will resume in 10 seconds!"). In this example, a break period is generated between the first 10 rounds and the second 10 rounds. However, if 20 rounds were to be executed continuously, the player might become fatigued from continuously aiming for the ball to enter the big prize pocket 2005, so such a break period is generated. Furthermore, even if a break period occurs in the middle of a special jackpot game, it may be configured as follows to clearly indicate that it is a single jackpot game. For example, during a special jackpot animation, a special background music (BGM) for the special jackpot animation could be output. This BGM could be continuously output throughout the first half of the special jackpot game, the break period, and the second half of the special jackpot game. This avoids diminishing the impression that a long special jackpot game is a continuous sequence, even if it is interspersed with a break period.

After a predetermined break period has elapsed, the latter 10 rounds of the 20-round special jackpot game (the latter half of the special jackpot game) are executed. During the latter half of the special jackpot game, special jackpot effects different from those during normal gameplay are executed. In the special jackpot effects, voice and visual instructions are given to aim for the ball to enter the jackpot opening 2005, and special effects (voice and visual effects) are executed, such as displaying special images on the display device 1600 that are only shown during the latter half of the special jackpot game. In this example, the images displayed in the first half of the special jackpot game and the images displayed in the second half of the special jackpot game are related to each other in order to clearly indicate that it is the same jackpot game, and the images displayed in the second half of the special jackpot game are a continuation of the images displayed in the first half of the special jackpot game. Specifically, the system displays an introductory video featuring the same character in both the first and second halves of the special jackpot game, and also continuously displays images of the amount of winnings during the same halves.

Then, after the second half of the 10 rounds is completed and the second half of the special jackpot game is finished, a predetermined ending period is triggered, and the special jackpot ending sequence is executed. During the special jackpot ending sequence, the display device 1600 shows the end of the special jackpot game and displays the amount of balls won during the special jackpot game (an image of the amount of balls won in this jackpot game) and a warning message, as described below. In this example, as mentioned above, in the "Jackpot B" special jackpot game, it is possible to award a total of approximately 3000 game balls, consisting of approximately 1500 balls in the first 10 rounds and approximately 1500 balls in the second half of the 10 rounds. If balls are entered into the jackpot 2005 until the limit is reached during the special jackpot game, the display device 1600 will show the "3000 GET!!" message.

Furthermore, after the display of acquired balls during the special jackpot ending sequence ends, the performance display device 1600 displays a warning message as "Addiction Prevention Display B" to prevent excessive addiction to the game (for example, the text "Pachinko should be enjoyed in moderation. Don't get addicted!"). In this example, in the special jackpot game of "Jackpot B," it is possible to award approximately 3,000 game balls. If balls enter the jackpot opening 2005 until the upper limit is reached during the special jackpot game, the player may become excessively addicted to the game. However, by displaying "Addiction Prevention Display B" during the special jackpot ending sequence, it is possible to prevent the player from becoming excessively addicted to the game. Furthermore, when the game is controlled to trigger a "Big Win A" jackpot, "Addiction Prevention Display A" is displayed during the jackpot ending sequence. However, "Addiction Prevention Display B" during the special jackpot ending sequence is implemented in a different manner than "Addiction Prevention Display A." In other words, when the game is controlled to trigger a "Big Win B" special jackpot, the amount of payout is greater than when the game is controlled to trigger a "Big Win A" jackpot, increasing the likelihood that the player is excessively engrossed in the game. Therefore, it is preferable that "Addiction Prevention Display B" be a stronger warning than "Addiction Prevention Display A." In this example, the message content is displayed in a different, more commanding tone than "Addiction Prevention Display A," the message is displayed in a more prominent location (the center of the display device 1400) than "Addiction Prevention Display A" (for example, the bottom of the display device 1400), and the message is displayed for a longer period than "Addiction Prevention Display A." This effectively prevents players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game. Note that the manner in which "Addiction Prevention Display A" and "Addiction Prevention Display B" are differentiated is not limited to the above; the message content, display location, or display time may be differentiated in only a part.

Furthermore, when the ending period expires at timing tL2, the special jackpot ending sequence ends, and the image switches to one corresponding to the time-saving state, allowing for the display of special symbol variations.

Figure 164(A) is a time chart showing the case where the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the special jackpot game in the first half. As shown in Figure 164(A), at timing t1, if it is determined that a "jackpot B" has been won at the start of the special symbol variation display, the special symbol variation display is executed based on the variation pattern for "jackpot B". Furthermore, during the special symbol variation display, the variation animation is executed based on the animation pattern for "jackpot B", and the animation indicates whether the result of the lottery is a jackpot or a minor win. Note that during the special symbol variation display, the amount of balls dispensed is less than 100,000, and at this stage, the stop flag on the main control board 1310 is not ON, so a stop condition has not occurred, and normal gameplay is possible.

Then, as a result of the special symbol variation display, after the stopping symbol indicating "Big Win B" is displayed, the game is controlled to a 20-round special big win game in which the game ball can (easily) enter the big prize opening 2005. First, the first 10 rounds of the 20-round special big win game (the first half of the special big win game) are executed. During the special big win performances performed during the first half of the special big win game, voice and visual instructions are given to aim for the ball to enter the big prize opening 2005, and special effects (voice and visual images) are executed, such as displaying special images on the performance display device 1600 that are only displayed during the first half of the special big win game. Furthermore, during the first half of the special jackpot game, it is possible to increase the amount of balls dispensed by entering the large prize slot 2005 or other prize slots. When the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 by entering the large prize slot 2005 or other prize slots, the main control board 1310 activates the stop-play flag. However, in this example, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 and the stop-play flag is activated during the first half of the special jackpot game, the timing of the stop-play state is delayed to prevent immediate stop-play. This allows the game to continue at least until the end of the first half of the special jackpot game. Thus, in this example, by delaying the timing of the stop-play state when the amount of balls dispensed during the first half of the special jackpot game reaches a specific value, the game can be made to avoid disadvantages in acquiring prize balls, thus minimizing player dissatisfaction.

Furthermore, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at timing t2 during the first half of the special jackpot game, the timing of the stop-play state is delayed until timing tL1, which is the end of the first half of the special jackpot game. During this delay, the game can continue, but afterwards, no break period occurs, and the second half of the special jackpot game does not start. Also, even if the amount of balls dispensed has already reached 100,000 during the first half of the special jackpot game and the stop-play flag has been turned ON on the main control board 1310, the stop-play state is activated at timing tL1, which is the end of the first half of the special jackpot game. This is a forced control that is not affected by the amount of balls dispensed between timing t2 and timing tL1. In this way, if the amount of balls dispensed during the first half of the special jackpot game reaches a specific value, the game will automatically switch to a stop-play state at a predetermined timing, regardless of the subsequent amount of balls dispensed, and the second half of the special jackpot game will not be played. This prevents the amount of balls dispensed from deviating significantly from the specific value.

Furthermore, before the end of the first half of the special jackpot game, the display device 1600 is forced to display a warning message regarding "addiction prevention" as "Addiction Prevention Display A" to prevent excessive addiction to the game (for example, the text "Pachinko should be enjoyed in moderation. Be careful not to get addicted"). As mentioned above, if the amount of balls dispensed during the first half of the special jackpot game does not reach a specific value, the second half of the special jackpot game starts after a break period following the end of the first half of the special jackpot game, so "Addiction Prevention Display A" is not displayed on the display device 1600. However, if the amount of balls dispensed during the first half of the special jackpot game reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop-play state without a break period following the end of the first half of the special jackpot game, so "Addiction Prevention Display A" is displayed on the display device 1600 before transitioning to the stop-play state. In this example, while the special jackpot game in the first half of "Jackpot B" awards approximately 1500 game balls, similar to the jackpot game in "Jackpot A," the game transitions to a stop-play state after the first half of the special jackpot game. This could lead to players moving to another pachinko machine and becoming excessively engrossed in the game. However, by displaying "Addiction Prevention Display A" before the game transitions to the stop-play state, it is possible to warn players against becoming excessively engrossed in other pachinko machines after the game transitions to the stop-play state. Thus, by controlling the warning message to be executed before the stop-play state occurs, opportunities to see "Addiction Prevention Display A" can be ensured, effectively preventing players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game.

Furthermore, at timing tL1, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the peripheral control board 1510 turns on a predetermined effect prohibition flag, forcibly stopping the currently running effects (special jackpot effects and "addiction prevention display A" executed during the special jackpot game in the first half). For example, when the effect prohibition flag is turned on, the effect display device 1600 forcibly changes from addiction prevention display A to various images corresponding to the stop-play state described above.

Figure 164(B) is a time chart showing the case where the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the break period after the end of the first half of the special jackpot game. As shown in Figure 164(B), if the amount of balls dispensed has not reached the specific value between the end of the first 10 rounds and the completion of the first half of the special jackpot game, the large prize slot 2005 is closed after the end of the first half of the special jackpot game, creating a break period during which no balls enter the large prize slot 2005. However, in this example, if the amount of balls dispensed is close to the specific value during the break period (for example, exceeding 99900), there is a possibility that the amount of balls dispensed will reach the specific value by increasing as balls enter prize slots other than the large prize slot 2005 during the break period.

Furthermore, at timing t2, during the break period following the end of the first half of the special jackpot game, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, a stop-play state is triggered at that point, and the second half of the special jackpot game is not started. Specifically, during the break period, it is possible to increase the amount of balls dispensed by entering entry points other than the large entry point 2005. When the amount of balls dispensed by entering entry points other than the large entry point 2005 reaches 100,000, the main control board 1310 turns on the stop-play flag. In this case, even if it is in the middle of the break period, the stop-play state is triggered as soon as the amount of balls reaches 100,000. In this way, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the break period, the system transitions to a stop-play state at that point and does not execute the second half of the special jackpot game, thereby preventing the amount of balls from deviating significantly from the specific value.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, if the amount of balls dispensed during the special jackpot game in the first half reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 is forcibly populated with "Addiction Prevention Display A" before transitioning to the stop-play state. However, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the break period after the special jackpot game in the first half has ended, the display device 1600 does not populate with "Addiction Prevention Display A" before transitioning to the stop-play state. In this example, while the first half of the special jackpot game in "Jackpot B" awards approximately 1500 game balls, similar to the jackpot game in "Jackpot A," the second half of the special jackpot game is not executed, and the game transitions to a stop-play state. This could lead to the player moving to another pachinko machine and becoming excessively engrossed in the game. However, by creating a break period after the end of the first half of the special jackpot game where no balls enter the large prize slot 2005, it is possible to prevent the player from becoming excessively engrossed in another pachinko machine after transitioning to the stop-play state. Thus, even if the amount of balls dispensed during the break period reaches a specific value, and the "Addiction Prevention Display A" is not displayed on the display device 1600 before transitioning to the stop-play state, it is possible to prevent the player from becoming excessively engrossed in the game.

In this example, if the amount of balls dispensed during the first half of the special jackpot game does not reach a specific value, the "Addiction Prevention Indicator A" is not displayed before the end of the first half of the special jackpot game. However, if the amount of balls dispensed is close to the specific value (for example, exceeding 99,900) at the time when deciding whether to display the "Addiction Prevention Indicator A," the "Addiction Prevention Indicator A" may be displayed before the end of the first half of the special jackpot game, even if the amount of balls dispensed has not reached the specific value. For example, if the amount of balls dispensed is close to the specific value (for example, exceeding 99,900) at the time when deciding whether to display the "Addiction Prevention Indicator A," there is a possibility that the amount of balls dispensed will reach the specific value during the period when the "Addiction Prevention Indicator A" is displayed before the end of the first half of the special jackpot game, and a stop-loss state may occur after the end of the first half of the special jackpot game. However, even in such cases, displaying "Addiction Prevention Display A" before the end of the special jackpot game in the first half can prevent players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game.

Furthermore, in this example, if the amount of balls dispensed during the break period is close to a specific value (for example, if it exceeds 99,900), there is a possibility that the amount of balls dispensed will reach the specific value by increasing the amount of balls dispensed by balls entering prize slots other than the large prize slot 2005 during the break period. In such cases, the manner of the launch instructions may be changed to discourage players from launching game balls into prize slots other than the large prize slot 2005 during the break period (for example, by not executing the video or audio of the launch instructions that were executed during the first half of the special jackpot game during the break period). This prevents the amount of balls dispensed from reaching the specific value during the break period, even if it is close to a specific value (for example, if it exceeds 99,900), and prevents disadvantages in acquiring prize balls by starting the second half of the special jackpot game after the break period has passed, thus making it less likely to cause dissatisfaction among players. Furthermore, when the special jackpot game in the second half begins, it is preferable to change the launch instruction again (for example, by re-outputting the video and audio of the launch instruction that was performed during the special jackpot game in the first half) in order to encourage the player to launch the game balls.

Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, if, after the special jackpot game in the first half ends, the large prize slot 2005 is closed, creating a break period during which no balls can enter the large prize slot 2005, but the large prize slot 2005 is illegally opened and game balls are illegally entered into the large prize slot 2005 during the break period, the system may be configured as follows: For example, if an illegal entry of game balls into the large prize slot 2005 is detected during the break period, the entry may be invalidated, no prize balls will be awarded, and a "break period error" will be generated to provide special error notification and stop the game's progress (the progress of the break period), thereby deterring illegal entry of balls into the large prize slot 2005 during the break period. Additionally, the "break period error" can be resolved by turning the power on and off (power pattern 1), thus avoiding the resetting of the payout amount when the power is turned on and off.

Furthermore, at timing t2, after transitioning to the stop state, the peripheral control board 1510 turns on a predetermined animation prohibition flag, forcibly stopping the currently running animation (rest animation). For example, when the animation prohibition flag is turned on, the animation display device 1600 forcibly changes from the rest animation to various images corresponding to the stop state described above.

Figure 164(C) is a time chart showing the case where the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the second half of the special jackpot game. As shown in Figure 164(C), if the amount of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value between the end of the first 10 rounds and the completion of the first half of the special jackpot game, or during the break period, the second 10 rounds (second half of the special jackpot game) are executed after the break period has elapsed. During the special jackpot game, the special jackpot performance is performed, with voice and visual instructions to aim for balls entering the jackpot opening 2005, and special performances (voice and visual images) are executed, such as displaying special images on the performance display device 1600 that are only displayed during the second half of the special jackpot game. Furthermore, during the second half of the special jackpot game, it is possible to increase the amount of balls dispensed by entering the large prize slot 2005 or other prize slots. When the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 by entering the large prize slot 2005 or other prize slots, the main control board 1310 activates the stop flag. However, in this example, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 and the stop flag is activated during the second half of the special jackpot game, the timing of the stop state is delayed to prevent immediate game over. This allows the game to continue at least until the end of the second half of the special jackpot game. In this way, by delaying the timing of the stop state when the amount of balls dispensed during the second half of the special jackpot game reaches a specific value, and allowing the game to continue, disadvantages in ball acquisition are suppressed, making it less likely to cause dissatisfaction among players.

Furthermore, if the payout reaches a specific value at timing t2 during the second half of the special jackpot game, the timing of the stop-play state is delayed until timing tL2, which is the end of the second half of the special jackpot game. While the game can continue during this delay, the ending period is not triggered, and the special jackpot ending sequence is not executed. Also, even if the payout has already reached 100,000 during the second half of the special jackpot game and the stop-play flag is turned ON on the main control board 1310, the stop-play state is still triggered at timing tL2, which is the end of the second half of the special jackpot game. This control is enforced regardless of the amount of payout between timing t2 and timing tL1. Thus, if the payout reaches a specific value during the second half of the special jackpot game, the system transitions to the stop-play state at a predetermined timing, regardless of the subsequent payout, and the special jackpot ending sequence is not executed.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, if the amount of balls dispensed during the second half of the special jackpot game does not reach a specific value, an ending period is triggered after the second half of the special jackpot game is completed, and the "Addiction Prevention Display B" is displayed after the execution of the special jackpot ending sequence during that ending period. However, if the amount of balls dispensed during the second half of the special jackpot game reaches a specific value, the ending period itself is not triggered after the second half of the special jackpot game is completed, and the special jackpot ending sequence is not executed. Therefore, the "Addiction Prevention Display B" is not displayed on the performance display device 1600. In this example, it is possible to dispense approximately 1500 game balls during the "jackpot A" jackpot game, but compared to the amount of balls dispensed during the first and second halves of the special jackpot game in "jackpot B," the player may not feel satisfied. Furthermore, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the first half of the special jackpot game in "jackpot B" and the second half of the special jackpot game is not performed, it is still possible to dispense approximately 1,500 game balls during the first half of the special jackpot game. However, compared to the amount of balls dispensed during both the first and second half of the special jackpot game, the player will not be satisfied. Thus, when the game transitions to a stop-play state after the end of the jackpot game in "jackpot A" or after the end of the first half of the special jackpot game in "jackpot B," the player will not be satisfied with the amount of balls dispensed during the jackpot game. This may lead to the player moving to another pachinko machine after the game transitions to a stop-play state and becoming excessively engrossed in the game. Therefore, the display device 1600 is configured to display "Addiction Prevention Display A" before the game transitions to a stop-play state. On the other hand, if the amount of balls dispensed during the first half of the special jackpot game in "jackpot B" does not reach a specific value, but the amount of balls dispensed during the second half of the special jackpot game does reach that value, it is possible to dispense approximately 3,000 game balls during both the first and second halves of the special jackpot game. Therefore, even if the game transitions to a stop-play state after the end of the second half of the special jackpot game, the player can still feel satisfied. In this way, when the game transitions to a stop-play state after the end of the second half of the special jackpot game, even if the "anti-addiction display B" is not displayed on the display device 1600 before the transition to the stop-play state, the player will not become excessively engrossed in the game and can accept the stop-play state with a sense of satisfaction.

Furthermore, at timing tL2, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the peripheral control board 1510 turns on a predetermined animation prohibition flag, forcibly stopping the currently running animation (the special jackpot animation performed during the latter half of the special jackpot game). For example, when the animation prohibition flag is turned on, the animation display device 1600 forcibly changes from the special jackpot animation performed during the latter half of the special jackpot game to various images corresponding to the stop-play state described above.

As an alternative, if the amount of balls dispensed during the special jackpot game in the latter half of the game reaches a specific value, the aforementioned ending period may be triggered even after the completion of the special jackpot game. During this ending period, only the special jackpot ending sequence may be executed, and the execution period for "Addiction Prevention Display B" may be removed, thus preventing "Addiction Prevention Display B" from being displayed. This configuration can achieve the same effect as described above.

Furthermore, in the example described above, if the payout amount reached a specific value at timing t2 during the break period, the game would stop once the payout reached 100,000, even if it was in the middle of the break period. However, if the payout amount reached the specific value immediately after the break period began (for example, when the player was unaware of the break period's start), suddenly switching to the stop-play state could mislead the player into thinking that the game had stopped midway through the first half of the special jackpot game. Considering this possibility, as an alternative, if the payout amount reached a specific value during the break period, the game might be switched to the stop-play state after a predetermined waiting time (e.g., 3 seconds) has elapsed, ensuring that the player is aware of the start of the break period (the end of the first half of the special jackpot game). It is preferable that the predetermined waiting time be shorter than the maximum duration of the break period (10 seconds in the above example) to avoid unnecessarily prolonging the break period.

Furthermore, while the above example shows the break period ending after a predetermined period (10 seconds), another example is to allow the player to arbitrarily determine when the break period ends. For example, the break period could be continued until a predetermined action for ending the break period is performed (for example, detection of the player releasing their hand from the handle 160 for launching the game balls during the break period and then touching the launch handle 160 again, or the action of entering the game balls into a separate entry point for restarting the win, provided separately from the grand prize entry point 2005). The break period could then be terminated based on the detection that the predetermined action for ending the break period has been performed. In this case, a sufficient rest period tailored to each player can be ensured, and the progress of a long-term special jackpot game can be appropriately executed.

Furthermore, in the example above, during the break period, the amount of balls may reach a specific value by increasing the amount of balls dispensed by balls entering prize slots other than the main prize slot 2005. However, as an alternative example, in game board 5, a special prize slot may be provided as a prize slot other than the main prize slot 2005, which awards more prize balls when balls enter it than the various starting slots, allowing the amount of balls to reach a specific value without progressing the game during the break period. For example, unlike the various starting slots, the special prize slot does not trigger the display of special or normal symbols when balls enter it, but awards 100 game balls as prize balls when balls enter it. This allows players to aim to reach a specific value by having balls enter the special prize slot during the break period when the amount of balls is close to a specific value (for example, when it exceeds 99900), and can be adapted to the player's needs, such as when they want to end the special jackpot game early by transitioning to a stop state for some reason. Furthermore, it is preferable to configure the special prize slot to be equipped with a special opening/closing mechanism that allows game balls to enter only during the break period after they have flowed down the game board 5. However, considering that the control becomes more complex with the addition of special opening/closing mechanisms, it is also acceptable to leave the special prize slot open at all times, even outside of the break period, without providing a special opening/closing mechanism. In this case, it is preferable to configure the system so that the frequency of game balls entering the special prize slot is lower than the frequency of game balls entering the various starting slots. Also, if there is concern about game balls entering the special prize slot even outside of the break period after they have flowed down the game board 5, it is possible to place numerous game pins or the like at the entrance of the special prize slot to make it extremely difficult for game balls to enter the special prize slot, and leave the entrance of the special prize slot open at all times so that game balls entering the special prize slot can be controlled by the hall manager at the request of the player.

Furthermore, in the example described above, after each jackpot game ends, the game is controlled to enter a time-saving state for a predetermined number of rounds. Generally, it is known that a status notification (for example, a display of "Time-saving rounds GET!") is shown to inform the player of the state after the jackpot game has ended. However, as mentioned above, if the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a certain value, the game will transition to a stop-play state, and the game will end with that jackpot game. If the status notification is shown, there is a risk that the player will be disappointed. Considering this issue, if the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a certain value, the game is designed so that the player cannot perceive the status notification during that jackpot game. Specifically, if the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a certain value, the game is controlled to not execute the status notification itself during the jackpot game and to change to a display that does not inform the player of the state after the jackpot game has ended. Furthermore, considering that this change in presentation may complicate control, as an alternative, a state notification presentation may be executed during a jackpot game, but the presentation display device 1600 may hide all or part of the display of the state notification presentation with a predetermined display object, making it invisible or difficult to see for the player. As described in detail above, when the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value but the jackpot game being played continues (preparation state for stopping), a standby notification is executed to inform the outside that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. For example, in addition to displaying information about the jackpot game being played (normal display), the presentation display device 1600 displays a message such as "The jackpot is over, and it's finished for today" as a standby display to indicate that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. The display of the state notification presentation may also be hidden by such a standby display. Specifically, the standby display is displayed on a higher layer than the display of the state notification presentation, and the standby display is displayed in a position that overlaps with the display of the state notification presentation, making it possible to hide the display of the state notification presentation. In this way, when the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value, the execution of the status notification animation during the jackpot game is suppressed, and the state after the jackpot game ends is not clearly communicated to the player, thereby preventing the player from feeling disappointed.

[Other variations of the side unit]
Next, other forms of the side unit 2800H, which are different from those described above, will be explained mainly with reference to Figures 165 to 167. Figure 165 is a schematic perspective view showing the back side of another different form of the side unit 2800H. Figure 166 is an enlarged side view showing the vicinity of the magnetic sensor 1030H shown in Figure 165. Figure 167 is an enlarged top view showing the vicinity of the spherical sensor 2815H shown in Figure 165. Here, components that are the same as those in the side unit 2800 and side units 2800B to 2800G described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and their explanation is omitted.

The side unit 2800H extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starter unit 2100 within the game area 5a where the game ball B is launched when the player operates the handle 160. The side unit 2800H also includes multiple (three in this embodiment) general prize entry openings 2001 that are open to continuously receive the game ball B.

The side unit 2800H of this embodiment further comprises a unit body 2810A attached from the front to a flat panel plate 1110 on which obstacle nails are planted in the game panel 1100; a unit cover 2820 attached to the rear side of the unit body 2810A; an LED substrate provided between the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820; a magnetic sensor 1030H for detecting abnormal magnetism (magnetic field lines) near the general prize entry opening 2001; and a ball sensor 2815H for detecting game balls B received into the general prize entry opening 2001 and discharged from the passage exit 2812b.

Between the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820, in addition to the LED substrate, a magnetic sensor 1030H and a spherical sensor 2815H are provided (omitted in Figure 165). The unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 are made of transparent synthetic resin, allowing, for example, the LED substrate, magnetic sensor 1030H, and spherical sensor 2815H to be visually inspected from outside the unit.

The LED board of the side unit 2800H has multiple LEDs on the front mounting surface facing the player, and a socket for a connection connector on the back mounting surface opposite to the front mounting surface. A pin of the connection connector, located at one end of the sub-wiring 2805a, is inserted into the socket of the connection connector, and the other end of the sub-wiring 2805a is connected to the peripheral control board 1510. In other words, the LED board of the side unit 2800H is connected to the peripheral control board 1510 via the sub-wiring 2805a.

The sub-wiring 2805a is, for example, an electric wire covered with an insulator and protective sheath. In this embodiment, the LED board and the peripheral control board 1510 are connected via three sub-wirings 2805a. Specifically, the three sub-wirings 2805a extending from the LED board extend to the outside of the side unit 2800H through an opening (not shown) formed in the rear of the unit cover 2820 and connect to the peripheral control board 1510. Furthermore, the three sub-wirings 2805a extending to the outside of the side unit 2800H are routed behind the side unit 2800H, bypassing the ball sensor 2815H and the magnetic sensor 1030H, and then routed towards the center of the game machine 1 (leftward in the diagram) towards the start-up unit 2100.

As shown in Figure 77(f) above, the magnetic sensor 1030H comprises a sensor body 1031 for detecting magnetism, a sensor substrate 1032 with a white surface on which the sensor body 1031 is mounted, and a sensor case 1033 covering the sensor substrate 1032 and the sensor body 1031. In addition to the sensor body 1031, the sensor substrate 1032 has an IC, transistor, resistor, diode, and a socket for a connection connector 1032H mounted on it. The pins of the connection connector 1032H, provided at one end of the main wiring 2805b, are inserted into the socket of the connection connector 1032H, and the other end of the main wiring 2805b is connected to the main control board 1310. In other words, the sensor substrate 1032 is connected to the main control board 1310 via the main wiring 2805b.

The main wiring 2805b is, for example, an electric wire covered with an insulator and protective sheath. In this embodiment, the magnetic sensor 1030H and the main control board 1310 are connected via two main wirings 2805b. More specifically, the pins of a connecting connector 1032H, provided at one end of the two main wirings 2805b extending from the main control board 1310, are inserted into the sockets of the connecting connector 1032H mounted on the sensor board 1032 through an opening (not shown) formed in the rear of the unit cover 2820. Furthermore, the two main wirings 2805b extending rearward from the magnetic sensor 1030H are folded back to bypass the magnetic sensor 1030H, extend forward along the side of the magnetic sensor 1030H, and are routed toward the center of the game machine 1 (leftward in the diagram) toward the start unit 2100. Furthermore, some of the pins of the connector 1032H, when inserted into its socket, protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the unit cover 2820 through an opening in the unit cover 2820.

The ball sensor 2815H may employ any of the following sensors: a photosensor having a light-emitting and light-receiving section, a dielectric sensor that detects changes in induced current, a contact sensor that detects contact with a game ball, a magnetic sensor that detects changes in magnetism, and a capacitive sensor that detects changes in electrostatic capacitance. The ball sensor 2815H also has a sensor board, on which a socket for the connection connector 2815Ha is mounted. A pin of the connection connector 2815Ha, located at one end of the main wiring 2805c, is inserted into the socket of the connection connector 2815Ha, and the other end of the main wiring 2805c is connected to the main control board 1310. In other words, the ball sensor 2815H is connected to the main control board 1310 via the main wiring 2805c.

The main wiring 2805c is, for example, an electric wire covered with an insulator and protective sheath. In this embodiment, the ball sensor 2815H and the main control board 1310 are connected via two main wirings 2805c. More specifically, the pins of the connecting connector 2815Ha provided at one end of the two main wirings 2805b are inserted into the sockets of the connecting connector 2815Ha provided on the ball sensor 2815. The two main wirings 2805c are then routed through an opening formed on the side of the unit cover 2820 to the side of the ball sensor 2815H (to the right in the figure), then folded back towards the starter unit 2100, bypassing the rear of the ball sensor 2815H and the magnetic sensor 1030H, and routed towards the center of the game machine 1 (to the left in the figure). Furthermore, unlike the pins of the aforementioned connector 1032H, the pins of connector 2815Ha, when inserted into its socket, are located within the unit cover 2820 and do not protrude outward through the opening in the unit cover 2820.

In this embodiment, the side unit 2800H, when a game ball B is received in the general prize opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving section 2811b, which forms the general prize opening 2001, to the ball passage 2812a located behind the front surface of the panel plate 1110. The ball then flows down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 within its thickness via the ball passage 2812a, and is discharged from the passage outlet 2812b, which opens towards the rear, before being detected by the ball sensor 2815H. Furthermore, in this embodiment, if a magnet is brought close to the side unit 2800H for purposes such as fraud against the general prize opening 2001, the magnet is detected by the magnetic sensor 1030H.

Furthermore, the main wiring 2805b, 2805c, and sub-wiring 2805a described above may be bundled together by a binding member 2820g, such as a cable tie, after merging along their respective paths, and then fixed to the unit cover 2820 through an opening 2820f formed in the unit cover 2820. For example, this prevents the pins of the connector from coming out of the socket due to external forces acting directly on each wiring. Additionally, by bundling each wiring together by the binding member 2820g after it extends along a plane along the back or side surface of the unit cover 2820, the prevention of the pins of the connector coming out of the socket due to external forces acting directly on each wiring can be further suppressed.

Here, electronic components such as the magnetic sensor 1030H and ball sensor 2815H mentioned above may be replaced with working components if they malfunction, for example, due to damage. During such work, the pins of the connector on the wiring may be repeatedly inserted into and removed from the socket of the connector on the electronic component. In such cases, the fit between the connector on the electronic component and the pins of the connector on the wiring may weaken, and external forces such as vibrations applied to the gaming machine may cause the pins of the wiring connector to detach from the socket of the electronic component's connector. Furthermore, if the pins of the wiring connector detach from the socket of the electronic component's connector, malfunctions may occur in the game's presentation or gameplay, potentially reducing the player's enjoyment of the game.

[A configuration in which wiring contacts the pins of a connecting connector]
As mainly shown in Figure 166, in the side unit 2800H, the two main wires 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H are arranged to contact the pins of the connector 1032H that is inserted into the socket of the connector 1032H for connecting the magnetic sensor 1030H. More specifically, at least a portion of the pins of the connector 1032H protrudes outside the unit cover 2820 that houses the magnetic sensor 1030H when it is inserted into the socket of the connector 1032H. On the other hand, the two main wires 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H and arranged outside the unit cover 2820 are provided to contact the outer tops of the pins of the connector 1032H, sandwiching the two main wires 2805b extending from the magnetic sensor 1030H.

In the side unit 2800H of this embodiment, the main wiring 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H is arranged to contact the pins of the connecting connector 1032H inserted into the magnetic sensor 1030H. Therefore, even if an external force is applied to the pins of the connecting connector 1032H that would cause them to dislodge from the socket, the two main wirings 2805c contacting the pins of the connecting connector 1032H can prevent the pins from dislodging from the socket. This, in turn, suppresses malfunctions in the performance or gameplay, and prevents a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

In this embodiment, the side unit 2800H has two main wires 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H, which is the same number as the number of main wires 2805b on which the pins of the connecting connector 1032 inserted into the magnetic sensor 1030H are located. However, it is preferable that the number of main wires 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H is greater than the number of main wires 2805b on which the pins of the connecting connector 1032 inserted into the magnetic sensor 1030H are located. This arrangement allows multiple main wires 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H to contact the pins of the connecting connector 1032H inserted into the magnetic sensor 1030H, thereby further suppressing the dislodgement of the pins of the connecting connector 1032H from its socket.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the two main wires 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H are arranged to sandwich the two main wires 2805b extending from the magnetic sensor 1030H. However, the two main wires 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H may also be arranged to contact the pins of the connection connector 1032H on either side of the two main wires 2805b extending from the magnetic sensor 1030H, thereby preventing the pins of the connection connector 1032H from coming out of its socket.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the side unit 2800H is shown in which the socket for the connecting connector 1032 is provided on the magnetic sensor 1030H and the pins for the connecting connector 1032 are provided on the main wiring 2805b. However, it is also possible for the pins for the connecting connector 1032 to be provided on the magnetic sensor 1030H and the socket for the connecting connector 1032 to be provided on the main wiring 2805b. In this embodiment, the two main wirings 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H are arranged to abut against the socket of the connecting connector 1032H, thereby preventing the pins of the connecting connector 1032H from coming out of the socket.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the main wiring 2805c connecting the ball sensor 2815H and the main control board 1310 have a different surface color from the main wiring 2805b connecting the magnetic sensor 1030H and the main control board 1310. In this embodiment, the main wiring 2805c connected to the ball sensor 2815H has a light surface color such as white, yellow, pink, or light blue, while the main wiring 2805b connected to the magnetic sensor 1030H has a dark surface color such as black, brown, or navy blue. By having different surface colors for the main wiring 2805b and the main wiring 2805c, it is possible to easily visually identify whether any given main wiring is the main wiring 2805b connected to the magnetic sensor 1030H or the main wiring 2805c connected to the ball sensor 2815H, especially in positions where the main wiring 2805b and the main wiring 2805c are installed side by side. For example, this makes it easier to replace the magnetic sensor 1030H and the ball sensor 2815H. Furthermore, the main wiring 2805c connected to the ball sensor 2815H may have a dark surface color, while the main wiring 2805b connected to the magnetic sensor 1030H may have a light surface color.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the wiring that contacts the pins of the connector 1032H inserted into the socket of the magnetic sensor 1030H in the side unit 2800H is shown as the main wiring 2805c connecting the sphere sensor 2815H and the main control board 1310. However, the wiring that contacts the pins of the connector 1032H inserted into the socket of the magnetic sensor 1030H may also be, for example, three sub-wires 2805a extending from the LED board of the side unit 2800H. By arranging the three sub-wires 2805a to contact the pins of the connector 1032H, it is possible to prevent the pins of the connector 1032H from coming out of the socket.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the main wiring 2805c of the sphere sensor 2815H is shown to be in contact with the pins of the connector 1032H that is inserted into the socket of the connector 1032H for the magnetic sensor 1030H connected to the main control board 1310 in the side unit 2800H. However, instead of the magnetic sensor 1030H connected to the main control board 1310, it may also be the LED board of the side unit 2800 that is connected to the peripheral control board 1510 via the sub-wiring 2805a. In this embodiment, the main wiring 2805c is in contact with the pins of the connector that is inserted into the socket of the connector provided on the LED board, thereby preventing the pins of the connector from coming out of the socket of the connector provided on the LED board. Furthermore, other sub-wirings connecting other electronic components to the peripheral control board 1510 may be in contact with the pins of the connector inserted into the socket of the connector provided on the LED board. This contact between the other sub-wirings and the pins of the connector inserted into the socket of the connector provided on the LED board prevents the pins of the connector from coming loose from the socket of the connector provided on the LED board.

[A configuration in which one wire comes into contact with another wire extending from a pin of a connecting connector.]
As mainly shown in Figure 167, in the side unit 2800H, the three sub-wires 2805a extending from the LED board of the side unit 2800H are arranged to contact the two main wires 2805c extending from the pins of the connector 2815Ha that are inserted into the socket of the connector 2815Ha for the sphere sensor 2815H, thereby preventing the pins of the connector 2815Ha from coming out of the socket of the connector 2815Ha for the sphere sensor 2815H.

More specifically, when the pins of the connection connector 2815Ha are inserted into the socket of the connection connector 2815Ha, they are located within the unit cover 2820 housing the ball sensor 2815H. Two main wires 2805c extending from the pins of the connection connector 2815Ha extend from the opening in the unit cover 2820 to the outside of the side unit 2800H. These two main wires 2805c extend from the pins of the connection connector 2815Ha to the outside of the unit cover 2820 along the direction of insertion and removal of the pins, and then bend along the surface of the unit cover 2820 to extend in the direction of connection to the main control board 1310.

On the other hand, the three sub-wirings 2805a are provided so as to contact the two main wirings 2805c, which bend along the surface of the unit cover 2820 outside the unit cover 2820, from the outside of the bending arc. These three sub-wirings 2805a and two main wirings 2805c may be bundled together using a binding member 2820g, such as a cable tie, after the three sub-wirings 2805a contact the two main wirings 2805c, and then fixed to the unit cover 2820 through an opening 2820f formed in the unit cover 2820. For example, this prevents the pins of the connecting connector from coming out of the socket of the connecting connector due to external forces acting directly on each wiring.

In the side unit 2800H of this embodiment, three sub-wirings 2805a extending from the LED board are arranged to contact two main wirings 2805c extending from the pins of the connecting connector 2815Ha inserted into the ball sensor 2815H. Therefore, even if an external force is applied to the pins of the connecting connector 2815Ha that would cause them to dislodge from the socket, the three sub-wirings 2805a contacting the two main wirings 2805c extending from the pins of the connecting connector 2815Ha can prevent the pins from dislodging from the socket. This, in turn, suppresses malfunctions in the performance or gameplay, and prevents a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

In this embodiment, the side unit 2800H has three sub-wirings 2805a extending from the LED board of the side unit 2800H, which is more than the number of main wirings 2805c on which the pins of the connecting connector 2815Ha inserted into the bulb sensor 2815H are located. However, the number of sub-wirings 2805a extending from the LED board of the side unit 2800H may be equal to or less than the number of main wirings 2805c on which the pins of the connecting connector 2815Ha inserted into the bulb sensor 2815H are located, thereby preventing the pins of the connecting connector 2805Ha from coming loose from its socket.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the side unit 2800H is shown with a socket for the connecting connector 2805Ha provided on the ball sensor 2815H and pins for the connecting connector 2805Ha provided on the main wiring 2805c. However, it is also possible to have the pins for the connecting connector 2805Ha provided on the ball sensor 2815H and the socket for the connecting connector 2805Ha provided on the main wiring 2805c, thereby preventing the pins of the connecting connector 2805Ha from coming out of the socket.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the main wiring 2805c connecting the sphere sensor 2815H and the main control board 1310 have a different surface color from the sub-wiring 2805a connecting the LED board of the side unit 2800 and the peripheral control board 1510. In this embodiment, the main wiring 2805c has a light surface color such as white, yellow, pink, or light blue, while the sub-wiring 2805a has a dark surface color such as black, brown, or navy blue. By having different surface colors for the main wiring 2805c and the sub-wiring 2805a, it is possible to easily visually identify whether any given main wiring is the main wiring 2805c or the sub-wiring 2805a, especially in positions where the main wiring 2805b and the sub-wiring 2805a are installed side by side. For example, this facilitates the replacement of the LED boards of the sphere sensor 2815H and the side unit 2800. Furthermore, the main wiring 2805c may have a dark surface color, and the sub-wiring 2805a may have a light surface color. Also, from the viewpoint of easily distinguishing whether any given main wiring is the main wiring 2805c or the sub-wiring 2805a, the main wiring 2805c and the sub-wiring 2805a may have different diameters. From the viewpoint of the importance of each wiring, it is desirable that the diameter of the main wiring 2805c be larger than the diameter of the sub-wiring 2805a.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sub-wiring 2805a extending from the LED board of the side unit 2800H is shown to be in contact with the two main wirings 2805c extending from the sphere sensor 2815H. However, the wiring in contact with the two main wirings 2805c extending from the sphere sensor 2815H may be, for example, the two main wirings 2805b connecting the magnetic sensor 1030H and the main control board 1310. By arranging the two main wirings 2805b to be in contact with the two main wirings 2805c, it is possible to prevent the pins of the connecting connector 2805Ha from coming out of the socket of the connecting connector 2805Ha.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sub-wiring 2805a extending from the LED board of the side unit 2800H is shown to be in contact with the two main wires 2805c connecting the sphere sensor 2815H and the main control board 1310. However, instead of the sphere sensor 2815H, another LED board of the side unit 2800 connected to the peripheral control board 1510 via the sub-wiring may be used. In this configuration, the sub-wiring 2805a extending from the LED board contacts the sub-wiring extending from the other LED board, thereby preventing the pins of the connector from coming out of the socket of the connector provided on the other LED board. Alternatively, the two main wires extending from the magnetic sensor 1030H or the sphere sensor 2815H may be in contact with the sub-wiring extending from the other LED board, thereby preventing the pins of the connector from coming out of the socket of the connector provided on the other LED board.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the configuration of the side unit 2800H was shown as a manner in which wiring contacts the pins of a connecting connector, and a manner in which other wiring contacts wiring extending from the pins of the connecting connector. However, these configurations can also be implemented in other units having multiple electronic components connected by wiring, such as the start port unit 2100 which has a ball sensor and a magnetic sensor. Note that even in units having only one electronic component connected by wiring, or in units with multiple electronic components where routing each wire is difficult, the configurations of contacting the pins of the connecting connector and contacting the wiring extending from the pins of the connecting connector can be implemented, for example, by using wiring extending from another unit.

In the configurations described above where wiring contacts the pins of the connector, and where other wiring contacts wiring extending from the pins of the connector, it is desirable that the type of signal transmitted via the wiring extending from the pins of the connector and the type of signal transmitted via the wiring that prevents the pins of the connector from coming loose are of different types.

In detail, this embodiment shows a configuration in which two main wires 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H are arranged to contact the pins of the connector 1032H that is inserted into the socket of the connector 1032H for the magnetic sensor 1030H. However, while the signal when the ball sensor 2815H detects a game ball B changes instantaneously in accordance with the passage of the game ball B, the signal when the magnetic sensor 1030H detects a magnetism maintains its changed state as long as the magnetism is being detected. Thus, when using wiring that transmits different types of signals, and when the wiring is arranged in parallel and transmits high-current signals, it is necessary to consider the noise that may affect each other. However, conventionally, from the perspective of preventing tampering, the magnetic sensor 1030H is positioned close to the ball sensor 2815H, and the wiring extending from the magnetic sensor 1030H and the wiring extending from the ball sensor 2815H transmit relatively small-current signals. Therefore, in the configuration in which the wiring contacts the pins of the aforementioned connector, it is possible to suppress the loosening of the pins of the connector 1032H when it is inserted into its socket, without using special wiring that takes noise into consideration, or without providing a new component to suppress the loosening of the pins of the connector 1032H, and also to suppress a decrease in productivity.

Furthermore, even in cases where other wiring comes into contact with the wiring extending from the pins of the connector, it is possible to suppress the disconnection of the pins of the connector 1032H inserted into its socket, without, for example, using special wiring that takes noise into consideration, or without, for example, providing a new component to suppress the disconnection of the pins of the connector 1032H, and also to suppress a decrease in productivity.

Furthermore, while examples of the configurations in which wiring contacts the pins of the connection connector and other wiring contacts the wiring extending from the pins of the connection connector were given, such as the pins connected to the magnetic sensor 1030H, the wiring extending from the ball sensor 2815H, and the wiring extending from the LED board, in the configurations in which wiring contacts the pins of the connection connector and other wiring contacts the wiring extending from the pins of the connection connector, other wiring can also be used, such as pins and wiring connected to a mechanical sensor (contact type) that detects the operation of the performance buttons of the performance operation unit 250, pins and wiring connected to a distance measuring sensor (infrared sensor) that detects the player's movement non-contactually, or pins and wiring connected to a photosensor that detects the origin position of the movable decorative object, as long as they do not transmit high-current signals like pins and wiring connected to a drive motor that moves the movable decorative object.

[Modified versions of the starting port unit]
Next, a different configuration of the starter unit 2100A will be described, mainly with reference to Figures 168 to 170. Figure 168 is a schematic perspective view showing the back side of the different configuration of the starter unit 2100A. Figure 169 is an enlarged rear view showing the vicinity of the second starter sensor 2401A shown in Figure 168. Figure 170 is a schematic rear view showing another configuration of the main wiring. Here, components that are the same as those in the starter unit 2100 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and their explanation is omitted.

The starting port unit 2100A is installed in the lower center of the game area 5a, and to the right of the side unit 2800H, within the game area 5a where the game ball B is launched when the player operates the handle 160. The starting port unit 2100A includes a single starting port 2003A that is always open upwards with a width sufficient to accept only one game ball B, a branching section 2111 that sequentially branches the game ball B received in the starting port 2003A to the left and right, and a unit body 2115 that houses the branching section 2111 and forms a passage for the game ball B received in the starting port 2003A.

The unit body 2115 houses the branching section 2111, as well as the first start port sensor 2112, the second start port sensor 2113, and the magnetic sensor 2114, which will be described later. The unit body 2115 is made of transparent synthetic resin, and the first start port sensor 2112, the second start port sensor 2113, and the magnetic sensor 2114, etc., are visible from the outside of the unit body 2115. Furthermore, within the unit body 2115, there are passages for guiding the game ball B received in the start port 2003A to the branching section 2111; a left-side passage (right-side in the illustration) that guides the game ball B, which has been branched off to the left (right-side in the illustration) by the branching section 2111, to the first start port sensor 2112 and then discharges it to the outside of the unit body 2115; and a right-side passage (left-side in the illustration) that guides the game ball B, which has been branched off to the right (left-side in the illustration) by the branching section 2111, to the second start port sensor 2113 and then discharges it to the outside of the unit body 2115.

The starting port unit 2100A further includes a first starting port sensor 2112 that detects the game ball B branched to the right by the branching section 2111, a second starting port sensor 2113 that detects the game ball B branched to the left by the branching section 2111, and a magnetic sensor 2114 capable of detecting magnetism near the starting port 2003A.

When the first start port sensor 2112 detects a game ball B, a predetermined number of game balls B are added to the player's current game ball count, and a lottery for the first special symbol is performed, enabling a favorable game state for the player, provided that predetermined conditions are met (for example, the number of reserved first special symbols is less than 4). Similarly, when the second start port sensor 2113 detects a game ball B, a predetermined number of game balls B are added to the player's current game ball count, and a lottery for the second special symbol is performed, enabling a favorable game state for the player, provided that predetermined conditions are met (for example, the number of reserved second special symbols is less than 4). Furthermore, the magnetic sensor 2114 detects abnormal magnetism (magnetic field lines) near the start port 2003A.

The starter unit 2100A has connecting means 2116 for connecting each of the first starter sensor 2112, the second starter sensor 2113, and the magnetic sensor 2114 to the main control board 1310. The detection signals from the first starter sensor 2112 and the second starter sensor 2113 are directly input to the main control board 1310 without passing through other boards such as relay boards, and are input to the input terminals of predetermined input ports of the main control MPU via the main control input circuit.

The connection means 2116 includes two main wires 2116a arranged between the first start port sensor 2112 and the main control board 1310, pins of a connection connector 2116b attached to the ends of the main wires 2116a, and a socket for the connection connector 2116b attached to the first start port sensor 2112. Furthermore, the connection means 2116 includes two main wires 2116c arranged between the second start port sensor 2113 and the main control board 1310, pins of a connection connector attached to the ends of the main wires 2116c, a socket for the connection connector attached to the second start port sensor 2112, two main wires 2116d arranged between the magnetic sensor 2114 and the main control board 1310, pins of a connection connector 2116e attached to the ends of the main wires 2116d, and a socket for the connection connector 2116e attached to the magnetic sensor 2114.

Each main wire 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d is, for example, an electric wire covered with an insulator and protective sheath, and is routed along a roughly groove-shaped wiring path 2115a formed on the back surface of the unit body 2115. After the main wires 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d merge in the wiring path 2115a, they are bundled together using, for example, a binding member such as a cable tie, and fixed to the unit body 2115. This prevents the pins of the connecting connector from coming out of the socket of the connecting connector due to external forces acting directly on each main wire 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d.

The wiring path 2115a of the unit body 2115 is formed on the back surface of the unit body 2115 so as to bypass the first start port sensor 2112, the second start port sensor 2113, the magnetic sensor 2114, the passage for guiding the game ball B to the branching section 2111, the passage for guiding the game ball B to the first start port sensor 2112, and the passage for guiding the game ball B to the second start port sensor 2113. The wiring path 2115a is formed in a roughly groove-like shape on the back surface of the unit body 2115, and each main wiring 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d are routed along the wiring path 2115a, inside the back surface of the unit body 2115. The unit body 2115 further has a wall-shaped contact member 2115b that forms part of the side wall of the roughly groove-shaped wiring path 2115a near the first start port sensor 2112.

[Contact member that acts on the bent portion of wiring]
As shown in Figure 169, the main wiring 2116a extends from the pins of the connector 2116e, which is inserted into the socket of the connector 2116e for the first start port sensor 2112, towards the main control board 1310 via the wiring path 2115a of the unit body 2115. More specifically, the main wiring 2116a has a bent portion 2116a1 that bends in a direction different from the insertion/removal direction of the connector 2116e near the first start port sensor 2112, and the bent portion 2116a1 is formed from the pins of the connector 2116e provided at the end of the main wiring 2116a toward the wiring path 2115a.

The contact member 2115b formed on the unit body 2115 acts on the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a, preventing the pins of the connecting connector 2116e provided on the main wiring 2116a from coming out of the socket of the connecting connector 2116e provided on the first start port sensor 2112. This, in turn, can suppress malfunctions that occur in the performance or gameplay, and prevent a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. Specifically, the contact member 2115b formed on the unit body 2115 abuts against the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a, which extends along the wiring path 2116a, from the radially outer side of the bent portion 22116a1. Even if an external force is applied to the pins of the connector 2116e that would cause them to dislodge from the socket, the contact member 2115b abuts against the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a. Therefore, the external force applied to the pins of the connector 2116e is absorbed by the bending of the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a, preventing the pins from dislodging from the socket.

Furthermore, it is more preferable that the bent portion 21126a1 is pressed against the contact member 2115b. The deformation of the bent portion 2116a1 increases the contact area with the contact member 2115b, allowing the external force applied to the pins of the connecting connector 2116e to be absorbed even more effectively by the bending of the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a. This prevents the pins of the connecting connector 2116e from coming out of the socket.

In this embodiment, the contact member 2115b formed on the unit body 2115 is shown to contact the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a extending along the wiring path 2116a from the radially outer side of the bent portion 2116a1. However, the contact member 2115b formed on the unit body 2115 may also be positioned to be close to the radially outer side of the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a extending along the wiring path 2116a, and the pins of the connecting connector 2116e are in the socket of the connecting connector 2116e or Even if an external force strong enough to pull the pins of the connector 2116e is applied, the contact member 2115b is in close proximity to the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a. Therefore, the external force applied to the pins of the connector 2116e causes the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a and the contact member 2115b to come into contact. The external force applied to the pins of the connector 2116e is absorbed by the bending of the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a, thus preventing the pins of the connector 2116e from coming out of the socket.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the contact member 2115b formed on the unit body 2115 is not located in the direction of insertion and removal of the pins of the connector 2116e for connecting the main wiring 2116a. Therefore, when inserting or removing the pins of the connector 2116e for connecting the main wiring 2116a into the socket of the connector 2116e for connecting the first start port sensor 2112, contact between the pins of the connector 2116e and the contact member 2115b can be suppressed, allowing for easy insertion and removal of the pins of the connector 2116e for connecting the main wiring 2116a from the socket of the connector 2116e for connecting the first start port sensor 2112.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, after the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d merge in the wiring path 2115a, each main wiring 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d is bundled together using a binding member such as a cable tie and fixed to the unit body 2115. However, if multiple main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d are provided, at least a portion of each main wiring 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d may be bundled together using a binding member such as a cable tie and fixed to the unit body 2115 after they merge. Alternatively, each main wiring 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d may be bundled together using a binding member such as a cable tie and fixed to the unit body 2115.

Furthermore, although this embodiment shows the contact member 2115b being formed on the unit body 2115, the contact member 2115b may also be provided on the game board 5 so as to act on the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a when the start port unit 2100A is attached to the game board 5 (more specifically, the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 on the game board 5).

Specifically, the configuration may include a configuration in which a contact portion corresponding to a contact member 2115b acting on the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a is formed at the right end of the side unit 2800H adjacent to the left of the start port unit 2100A, or a configuration in which a contact portion corresponding to a contact member 2215b acting on the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a is provided on the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, or a configuration in which a contact portion corresponding to a contact member 2215b acting on the bent portion 2116a is provided on the back unit 3000 attached to the rear surface of the game panel 1100, thereby preventing the pins of the connecting connector 2116e provided on the main wiring 2116a from coming out of the socket of the connecting connector 2116e provided on the first start port sensor 2112, and consequently suppressing malfunctions that occur in the performance or gameplay, and suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, the configuration in which the contact member 2115b is formed on the unit body 2115 offers a wider range for forming the contact member 2115b and superior design ease when forming the contact member 2115b, compared to the configuration in which the contact member 2115b is formed on the outside of the start port unit 2100A. On the other hand, the configuration in which the contact member 2115b is formed on the outside of the start port unit 2100A offers superior ease of formation when forming the contact member 2115b, compared to the configuration in which the contact member 2115b is formed on the unit body 2115, as there is no need to newly form the contact member 2115b.

Furthermore, while this embodiment shows the contact member 211 acting on the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a of the start port unit 2100A, this embodiment may also be used in other units, such as the side unit 2800H having an LED substrate, a magnetic sensor 1030H, and a ball sensor 2815H, where the contact member acts on the bent portion of the main or sub-wiring. This prevents the pins of the connecting connectors on the main or sub-wiring from coming out of the sockets of the connecting connectors on the electronic components, thereby suppressing malfunctions that occur in the performance or gameplay, and preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

[Contact member acting on the bypass portion of the wiring]
As shown in Figure 170, the main wiring 2116a of this embodiment has a bypass section 2116a2 that, near the pins of the connecting connector 2116e inserted into the socket of the connecting connector 2116e provided on the first start port sensor 2112, bypasses in a direction different from the direction toward the main control board 1310 (in this embodiment, the opposite direction) before being redirected toward the direction toward connection to the main control board 1310.

The contact member 2115c formed on the unit body 2115 acts on the bypass portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a, preventing the pins of the connecting connector 2116e provided on the main wiring 2116a from coming out of the socket of the connecting connector 2116e provided on the first start port sensor 2112. This, in turn, can suppress malfunctions that occur in the performance or gameplay, and prevent a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. Specifically, the contact member 2115c formed on the unit body 2115 abuts against the bypass portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a from the radially outer side of the bypass portion 2116a2. Even if an external force is applied to the pins of the connector 2116e that would cause them to dislodge from the socket, the contact member 2115c abuts against the bypass portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a. Therefore, the external force applied to the pins of the connector 2116e is absorbed by the bending of the bypass portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a, preventing the pins from dislodging from the socket.

Furthermore, it is more preferable that the bypass portion 21126a2 is pressed against the contact member 2115c. The deformation of the bypass portion 2116a2 increases the contact area with the contact member 2115c, allowing the external force applied to the pins of the connecting connector 2116e to be absorbed even more effectively by the bending of the bypass portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a. This prevents the pins of the connecting connector 2116e from coming out of the socket.

In this embodiment, the contact member 2115c formed on the unit body 2115 is shown to contact the bypass portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a extending along the wiring path 2116a from the radially outer side of the bypass portion 2116a2. However, the contact member 2115c formed on the unit body 2115 may also be positioned close to the radially outer side of the bypass portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a, and an external force that causes the pins of the connecting connector 2116e to come out of the socket of the connecting connector 2116e will not be applied. Even when force is applied to the pins of the connector 2116e, the contact member 2115c is in close proximity to the bypass portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a. Therefore, the external force applied to the pins of the connector 2116e causes the bypass portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a and the contact member 2115c to come into contact. The external force applied to the pins of the connector 2116e is absorbed by the bending of the bypass portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a, thus preventing the pins of the connector 2116e from coming out of the socket.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the contact member 2115c formed on the unit body 2115 is not located in the direction of insertion and removal of the pins of the connector 2116e for connecting the main wiring 2116a. Therefore, when inserting or removing the pins of the connector 2116e for connecting the main wiring 2116a into the socket of the connector 2116e for connecting the first start port sensor 2112, contact between the pins of the connector 2116e and the contact member 2115c can be suppressed, allowing for easy insertion and removal of the pins of the connector 2116e for connecting the main wiring 2116a from the socket of the connector 2116e for connecting the first start port sensor 2112.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, after the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d merge in the wiring path 2115a, each main wiring 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d is bundled together using a binding member such as a cable tie and fixed to the unit body 2115. However, if multiple main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d are provided, at least a portion of each main wiring 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d may be bundled together using a binding member such as a cable tie and fixed to the unit body 2115 after they merge. Alternatively, each main wiring 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d may be bundled together using a binding member such as a cable tie and fixed to the unit body 2115.

Furthermore, although this embodiment shows the contact member 2115c being formed on the unit body 2115, the contact member 2115c may also be provided on the game board 5 so as to act on the bypass portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a when the start port unit 2100A is attached to the game board 5 (more specifically, the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 on the game board 5).

Specifically, a contact portion corresponding to the contact member 2215c acting on the bypass portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a may be formed at the right end of the side unit 2800H adjacent to the left of the start port unit 2100A, or a contact portion corresponding to the contact member 2115c acting on the bypass portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a may be provided on the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, or a contact portion corresponding to the contact member 2115c acting on the bypass portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a may be provided on the back unit 3000 attached to the rear surface of the game panel 1100, thereby preventing the pins of the connection connector 2116e provided on the main wiring 2116a from coming out of the socket of the connection connector 2116e provided on the first start port sensor 2112, and consequently preventing malfunctions that occur in the performance or gameplay, and preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, the configuration in which the contact member 2115c is formed on the unit body 2115 offers a wider range for forming the contact member 2115c and superior design ease when forming the contact member 2115c, compared to the configuration in which the contact member 2115c is formed on the outside of the start port unit 2100A. On the other hand, the configuration in which the contact member 2115c is formed on the outside of the start port unit 2100A offers superior ease of formation when forming the contact member 2115c, compared to the configuration in which the contact member 2115c is formed on the unit body 2115, as it eliminates the need to newly form the contact member 2115c.

Furthermore, in the configuration described above, where wiring extending from a connecting member inserted into the connected member of one electronic component acts on a connecting member inserted into the connected member of the other electronic component, or wiring extending from such a connecting member, it is difficult to prevent the connecting member inserted into the connected member of an electronic component located at the end of the wiring path in a unit such as the start port unit 2100A. However, in the configuration of the contact member acting on the bent or bypassed portion of the wiring described above, even in a unit such as the start port unit 2100A, the disconnection of the connecting member can be effectively prevented.

[Regarding the handling of base values in base monitors]
Next, the base monitor of the fifth embodiment of the pachinko machine 1 will be described. In the other embodiments described above, the base monitor (four 7-segment LEDs) was described as being located on the main control board 1310, but in the fifth embodiment, the base monitor is located on the frame control board 740. The basic configuration of the base monitor, such as having four 7-segment LEDs, is the same as in the other embodiments.

In this example, the frame control board 740, rather than the main control board 1310, manages (calculates and maintains) the base value displayed on the base monitor. First, the frame control board 740 counts the number of game balls B that enter the entry points (prize entry points and out entry points) provided in the game area 5a partitioned off the game board 5. Specifically, it counts the total number of game balls B: the number of game balls B that enter the prize entry points (which dispense prize balls) detected by the safe ball sensor 606, and the number of game balls B that enter the out entry points (which collect game balls that did not enter the prize entry points) detected by the out entry ball sensor 605. These safe ball sensor 606 and out entry ball sensor 605 are connected to the frame control board 740.

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 transmits a predetermined number of game balls B as a prize ball command to the frame control board 740 when detected by a detection sensor corresponding to a prize entry point, which is the target of prize ball payout (awarding) when a game ball B enters. For example, it is predetermined that when a game ball B enters the general prize entry point 2001, 1 game ball B will be paid out; when a game ball B enters the normal prize entry point 2002, 1 game ball B will be paid out; when a game ball B enters the first start entry point 2003 or the second start entry point 2004, 3 game balls B will be paid out; and when a game ball B enters the large prize entry point 2005 or the special prize entry point 2006, 10 game balls B will be paid out. The frame control board 740, upon receiving a prize ball command, counts the number of game balls B (hereinafter referred to as "dispensed balls") that are dispensed (given) as prize balls upon entry into the prize slot. In this example of pachinko machine 1, since no actual balls are dispensed, the frame control board 740, upon receiving the prize ball command, adds the number of game balls B dispensed (given) as prize balls to the player's ball count.

The frame control board 740 calculates the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered, stores the result as a base value in a specific area of its built-in RAM, and displays it on the base monitor located on the frame control board 740. The formula for calculating the ratio of payouts to balls entered is: Base Value = (Payouts ÷ Balls Entered) × 100. For example, if the ratio of payouts to balls entered is too high, it may indicate that balls are entering only the prize-winning slots (where prize balls are paid out). By monitoring the information displayed on the base monitor, it is possible to determine if balls are being entered into the prize-winning slots through fraudulent means.

Furthermore, regarding the base value, every time the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out entry slots) reaches 60,000 balls, a new ratio of payouts to balls entered is calculated. The calculation results of the ratio of payouts to balls entered, which have become outdated, are saved as history up to a predetermined number of calculations. Specifically, in addition to the current base value BL up to the point where the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out entry slots) reaches 60,000 balls, three intervals of the history are saved: the previous base value B1, the base value B2 from two entries prior, and the base value B3 from three entries prior. Regarding the base value, every time the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slot (winning slot, out slot) reaches 60,000 balls, the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, and the base value B2 from two previous times are changed to the previous base value B1, the base value B2 from two previous times, and the base value B3 from three previous times, and the original base value B3 is discarded. The base monitor also switches between displaying the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value B2 from two previous times, and the base value B3 from three previous times at regular intervals (for example, every 3 seconds). Furthermore, the base monitor uses two of its four 7-segment LEDs to indicate which interval the base value is for, and the other two 7-segment LEDs display the base value corresponding to the currently displayed interval (the result of calculating the ratio of payouts to balls entered). Furthermore, the base monitor is a 7-segment LED with a decimal point (so-called dot), and a dot is lit between the 7-segment LED that indicates the interval of the base value and the 7-segment LED that indicates the base value corresponding to the currently displayed interval. For example, when displaying the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value two generations prior B2, and the base value three generations prior B3, the four 7-segment LEDs are used to switch and display information such as "BL.21", "B1.19", "B2.17", and "B3.20" at regular intervals (for example, 3 seconds). In this embodiment, by providing the control for managing the base value on the main frame 4 side (frame control board 740) rather than on the game board 5 side (main control board 1310), it is possible to reduce the processing burden on the main control board 1310 in the game board 5. Furthermore, by placing the base monitor (four 7-segment LEDs) on the main frame 4 side (frame control board 740) rather than the game board 5 side (main control board 1310), the base monitor on the main frame 4 side can be reused when replacing the game board 5 with the main frame 4, thereby reducing the cost of the game board 5.

Incidentally, in conventional systems, if a base monitor is provided on the main control board 1310 located on the game board 5, and the base value displayed on the base monitor is managed by the main control board 1310, then when the game board 5 is replaced with the main frame 4, the base value is then managed anew from the initial state on the main control board 1310 of the replaced game board 5. However, in this embodiment, if a base monitor is provided on the frame control board 740 located on the main frame 4, and the base value displayed on the base monitor is managed by the frame control board 740, then even if the game board 5 is replaced with the main frame 4, the frame control board 740 located on the main frame 4 is not replaced. As a result, even though the game board 5 has been replaced, there is a possibility that some of the base value information from the game board 5 before replacement may be reflected in the replaced game board 5, which reduces the reliability and convenience when replacing the game board 5. For example, if the base values B1 to B3, which are managed by the frame control board 740, are transmitted from the game board 5 before replacement to the game board 5 after replacement, the reliability of the base values in the game board 5 after replacement will be compromised. In this example, when the base values displayed on the base monitor are managed by the frame control board 740, a method to avoid a decrease in reliability and convenience during the replacement of the game board 5 is described below.

In this example, the main control board 1310 has a unique CPU number (unique information) pre-stored for each CPU (main control MPU). Even within the same series of game boards 5, each main control board 1310 has a unique CPU number that cannot be overwritten even with external devices. The frame control board 740 receives the CPU number from the main control board 1310 and stores it in the RAM built into the frame control board 740. The CPU number stored in the frame control board 740 is retained without being cleared (initialized) even when the power is turned on or off, or when the RAM clear switch 741 is operated during power-up. Similarly, the base value stored in the frame control board 740 is also retained without being cleared (initialized) even when the power is turned on or off, or when the RAM clear switch 741 is operated during power-up. Furthermore, when the frame control board 740 receives a CPU number from the main control board 1310, it determines whether that CPU number matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. Based on this determination, it decides whether or not to clear (initialize) the base value stored in the frame control board 740.

Specifically, in the frame control board 740, if it determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740, it determines that the game board 5 has not been replaced with the main frame 4, and maintains the base value stored in the frame control board 740 without clearing it. More specifically, it maintains the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value two bases prior to that B2, and the base value three bases prior to that B3, all of which are stored as base values. This ensures that, in situations where the same game board 5 is installed when the power is turned on, or when game board A, which is installed in the main frame 4 as game board 5, is removed while the power is off, and then game board A is reinstalled and the power is turned on, and the game board has not been replaced with another game board between the previous power-on and the current power-on, the base value is maintained and continues to be counted, preventing the base value from being unintentionally cleared and ensuring continuous transmission of the base value.

On the other hand, if the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 does not match the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740, it determines that the game board 5 has been replaced with the main frame 4, and clears the base value stored in the frame control board 740 (returns it to its initial state). For example, if game board A, which is mounted on the main frame 4 as game board 5, is removed, and then game board B, which has a different CPU number, is installed, the base value stored in the frame control board 740 is cleared. More specifically, the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value two bases prior to that B2, and the base value three bases prior to that B3, all of which are stored as base values, are cleared. As a result, after the replacement of the game board 5, the base value of the game board 5 before the replacement is not transmitted, and the base value is counted anew from an initialized state, so that the base value of the replaced game board 5 can be correctly transmitted. In other words, even after replacing the game board 5, there is no possibility that some of the base value information from the original game board 5 will be reflected in the new game board 5, thus avoiding a decrease in reliability and convenience when replacing game board 5.

Furthermore, when replacing the game board 5, whether it is with a game board 5 corresponding to the same model series or a game board 5 corresponding to a different model series, the main control board 1310 installed in the game board 5 is changed. Therefore, the frame control board 740 will determine that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 does not match the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740.

Furthermore, if the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 does not match the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740, it clears the base value stored in the frame control board 740 and also stores the received CPU number in the RAM built into the frame control board 740. In this example, the number of CPU numbers that can be stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740 is set to "1". If it determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 does not match the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740, it clears the base value stored in the frame control board 740 and also stores the received CPU number in the RAM built into the frame control board 740 by overwriting the previous value. This eliminates the need to clear the CPU number and simplifies the control. As an alternative to this example, the number of CPU numbers that can be stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740 may be set to "multiple (for example, two)." In such a case, even if the game board 5, which has been removed for maintenance, is mistakenly installed in another main frame 4, it is possible to ensure that the base value is not reset, thereby improving convenience. However, if the number of CPU numbers that can be stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740 is set to "multiple (for example, two)," it is desirable to separately provide a process to optionally clear some or all of the stored CPU numbers when a RAM clear is performed.

Furthermore, in this example, the following control is performed when the game board 5, which is mounted on the main frame 4, is removed while the power is on. Specifically, when the game board 5 is removed from the main frame 4 while the power is on, the frame control board 740 does not receive the CPU number. Therefore, at this time, it does not perform a check to see if it matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. The CPU number and base value stored in the frame control board 740 are not cleared but maintained. For example, even if game board A, mounted on the main frame 4 as game board 5, is removed from the main frame 4 for some reason while the power is on (for example, when the power to game board 5 is cut off while the main frame 4 is still powered), the frame control board 740 does not receive the CPU number, and the CPU number and base value stored in the frame control board 740 are not cleared but maintained. This allows the base value to continue counting even if the game board 5 is removed unintentionally, from a state where the base value is maintained.

In addition, if game board A, which is mounted on the main frame 4 as game board 5, becomes detached from the main frame 4 for some reason while the power is on, and then game board A is reattached to the main frame 4 (for example, when power to game board 5 is resumed while power to the main frame 4 is still supplied), the CPU number will be transmitted again from the main control board 1310. However, when the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number transmitted again from the main control board 1310 (from the frame control board 740's perspective, when it receives the CPU number for the second time after power is turned on), the frame control board 740 does not re-execute the determination of whether the CPU number it received matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. As a result, if game board 5 is unintentionally detached and then the same game board 5 is reattached, the CPU number and base value stored in the frame control board 740 will not be cleared and will be maintained, and the base value can be counted continuously from a state where the base value is maintained. As an alternative, when the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number transmitted again from the main control board 1310 (i.e., when the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number for the second time after power-on), the frame control board 740 may re-execute a check to determine whether the received CPU number matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. Even when re-executing the check in this way, if the re-executed check result is "match," the CPU number and base value stored in the frame control board 740 are not cleared but maintained, allowing the base value to be counted continuously from a state where the base value is maintained.

Furthermore, in this example, the number of CPU numbers that can be stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740 is set to "1". Therefore, for example, if game board A, which is mounted on the main frame 4 as game board 5, is removed while the power is on, then game board B is installed and removed, and then game board A is installed again, the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 at the time game board B was installed will be determined to be different from the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740, and the base value stored in the frame control board 740 will be cleared. In other words, if the frame control board 740 receives multiple different CPU numbers while the power is on, a clear abnormality or fraud can be foreseen. Therefore, even if game board A is removed and then installed again, if game board A was not installed immediately before, the base value from when game board A was first installed is not maintained.

(When exchanging from game board A1 to game board A2)
Figure 171 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when game board A1 is replaced with game board A2 when the power is cut off. Here, we explain the case where game board A1 is mounted on the main frame 4 before the power is cut off at timing t1, game board A1 is replaced with game board A2 after the power is cut off at timing t1, and when the power is turned on at timing t2, the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 does not match the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. In this example, we explain the case where game board 5 is replaced with game board A2 which corresponds to the same model series as game board A1, but the same behavior is observed even when game board A1 is replaced with game board B which corresponds to a different model series, because the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 does not match the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740.

As shown in Figure 171, before the power is shut off at timing t1, the game board A1 is mounted on the main frame 4, allowing the game (main game) to proceed on the main control board 1310. In other words, while the game board A1 is mounted on the main frame 4, when a starting win occurs, the special symbol variation display can begin, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing for normal gameplay.

Furthermore, the detection sensors corresponding to the various prize winning slots are enabled, allowing for the payout (granting) of prize balls upon ball entry. Additionally, when collecting game balls B that have entered the various prize winning slots, they are detected by the safe ball sensor 606. When collecting game balls B that have entered the out slots without entering the prize winning slots, they are detected by the out ball sensor 605. Both the safe ball sensor 606 and the out ball sensor 605 are enabled. As detailed above, the information detected by these sensors is used to calculate the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, the performance display device 1600, under normal operation, performs a standby performance (e.g., a demo performance) when the special symbol variation display is not being executed, waiting for the special symbol variation display to begin. When the special symbol variation display is being executed, the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command, and based on this, the performance display device 1600 performs an operation corresponding to the variation performance (a performance based on the variation pattern). For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command, the performance display device 1600 executes a performance display including the variation display of decorative symbols (e.g., a reach performance).

Furthermore, the external terminal board (game ball dispensing device connection terminal board 765) can output predetermined signals to the hall computer. By receiving these signals, the hall can also understand the behavior of the pachinko machine 1. For example, signals are output when a starting win occurs, when the special symbol display stops on a winning symbol and a jackpot game is being played, or when an abnormality is detected.

Furthermore, prior to timing t1, it is possible to launch a game ball into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 195.

Furthermore, prior to timing t1, the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number from the main control board 1310 of the game board A1 and stores it in the RAM built into the frame control board 740. This CPU number stored in the frame control board 740 is retained without being cleared by a predetermined backup power supply (not shown) even after the power is cut off at timing t1, and is retained without being cleared even when the game board A1 is replaced with game board A2 and the power is turned on at timing t2, which will be described later.

Furthermore, prior to timing t1, the frame control board 740 calculates the ratio of the number of balls dispensed to the number of balls entered, stores the calculation result as a base value in a specific area of the built-in RAM, and displays it on the base monitor provided on the frame control board 740. In other words, before the power is shut off at timing t1, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B dispensed as prize balls (number of balls dispensed) are counted, enabling the calculation of the ratio of the number of balls dispensed to the number of balls entered and reflecting this in the base value displayed on the base monitor. This base value is retained without being cleared even after the power is shut off at timing t1, and is also retained without being cleared when the game board A1 is replaced with game board A2 and the power is turned on at timing t2, which will be described later.

Furthermore, prior to timing t1, the frame control board 740 enables the dispensing of a predetermined number of game balls as prize balls upon detecting a ball entering the prize slot, and adds the number of game balls dispensed as prize balls to the player's remaining ball count or ball count X. This remaining ball count or ball count X is retained without being cleared by a predetermined backup power supply (not shown) even after the power is cut off at timing t1, and is retained without being cleared even when the game board A1 is replaced with game board A2 and the power is turned on at timing t2, described later. After the power is turned on at timing t2, the frame control board 740 enables the player to settle their remaining ball count by operating the counting button switch 180.

Next, after the power is shut off at timing t1, game board A1 is replaced with game board A2. Then, with game board A2 installed in the main frame 4, the power is turned on at timing t2.

First, at timing t2, when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 transmits the CPU number to the frame control board 740. The frame control board 740 then determines whether the received CPU number matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. Here, since the game board A1 is replaced with game board A2 before the power is turned on at timing t2, the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 does not match the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. Based on this determination, the frame control board 740 clears the base value stored in the frame control board 740.

Here, the timing for transmitting the CPU number from the main control board 1310 to the frame control board 740 is set to a predetermined specific timing t2 immediately after power-on. That is, when the specific timing t2 immediately after power-on arrives, the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number and determines whether that CPU number matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. Furthermore, the specific timing t2 is the same regardless of the power-on pattern described later. For example, if a RAM clear is performed by operating the RAM clear switch 741 during power-on accompanied by a RAM clear, the timing t2 should be before the start of the RAM clear; if the ball count is cleared by operating the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 during power-on, the timing t2 should be before the start of the ball count clearing; if the ball removal mode is started by operating the ball removal switch 742 during power-on, the timing t2 should be before the start of the ball removal mode; and if the state where setting changes are possible (change permission state) is started by operating the RAM clear switch 741 and the setting key switch during power-on, the timing t2 should be before the start of the change permission state. This prevents the control from becoming overly complex.

As an alternative example, regarding the timing of transmitting the CPU number from the main control board 1310 to the frame control board 740, in addition to a predetermined specific timing t2 immediately after power-on, the CPU number may also be transmitted again from the main control board 1310 to the frame control board 740 after the specific timing t2 in order for the frame control board 740 to confirm the CPU number. When the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number transmitted again from the main control board 1310 (from the frame control board 740's perspective, when it receives the CPU number for the second time after power-on), the frame control board 740 may re-execute a determination to see whether the CPU number it received matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. Even when the determination is re-executed in this way, if the result of the re-execution is "match," the CPU number and base value stored in the frame control board 740 are not cleared but maintained. On the other hand, if the re-execution result is deemed "inconsistent," a clear abnormality or malfunction can be foreseen, so the CPU number and base value stored in the frame control board 740 are cleared.

Furthermore, after the power is turned on at timing t2, the game board A2 is mounted on the main frame 4, and the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 during this period. In other words, with the game board A2 mounted on the main frame 4, when a starting win occurs, the special symbol variation display can begin, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing for normal gameplay.

Furthermore, the detection sensors corresponding to the various prize winning slots are enabled, allowing for the payout (granting) of prize balls upon ball entry. Additionally, when collecting game balls B that have entered the various prize winning slots, they are detected by the safe ball sensor 606. When collecting game balls B that have entered the out slots without entering the prize winning slots, they are detected by the out ball sensor 605. Both the safe ball sensor 606 and the out ball sensor 605 are enabled. As detailed above, the information detected by these sensors is used to calculate the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, the display device 1600 is configured to execute a display corresponding to the clearing of the base value stored in the frame control board 740 at timing t2. This display is executed for a predetermined period, and after the predetermined period has elapsed, as part of normal operation, for example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command, it executes a display including the variation of decorative symbols (e.g., a reach animation). However, during the period before the predetermined period has elapsed, the display corresponding to the clearing of the base value stored in the frame control board 740 and normal operations such as the display including the variation of decorative symbols (e.g., a reach animation) may be executed simultaneously.

Furthermore, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at timing t2, corresponding to the clearing of the base value stored in the frame control board 740. This security signal is output when an abnormality is detected, when a setting value is changed, or when a setting value is being displayed for confirmation. The same security signal is also output when the base value is cleared. In other words, when the base value is cleared, a forced output state is put in place, where the security signal is forcibly output even though no abnormality has been detected, a setting value has not been changed, or a setting value is not being displayed for confirmation. As a result, when the base value is cleared, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand that the base value has been cleared. Furthermore, regarding the security signal, the output is stopped when the number of game balls B that have entered the entry slot (prize slot, out slot) reaches 300 at timing t3, as described later. However, as an alternative, the output may be stopped at a predetermined time before or after timing t3, regardless of whether the number of game balls B that have entered the entry slot (prize slot, out slot) reaches 300 or not. If the security signal is stopped before the number of game balls B that have entered the entry slot (prize slot, out slot) reaches 300, the security signal may be output again based on the fulfillment of other conditions (such as the detection of an anomaly) that should prompt the output of the security signal after the stop. Doing so can improve the accuracy of monitoring new fraudulent activities (for example, fraudulent activities such as fraudulent entry of game balls B before the number of game balls B that have entered the entry slot (prize slot, out slot) reaches 300).

In this example, the external terminal board outputs various signals to the hall computer, including security signals, game status, ball entry into prize slots, and prize ball payouts. However, it is possible to output these signals not only after the security signal output is stopped at timing t3, but also during the period between timings t2 and t3.

Furthermore, after the power is turned on at timing t2, it is possible to launch game balls into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 195.

Furthermore, at timing t2, the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number from the main control board 1310 of the replaced game board A2. If the received CPU number of game board A2 does not match the CPU number of game board A1 stored in the frame control board 740, it then stores the received CPU number of game board A2 in the RAM built into the frame control board 740.

Furthermore, at timing t2, the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number from the main control board 1310 of the replaced game board A2. If the received CPU number of game board A2 does not match the CPU number of game board A1 stored in the frame control board 740, it clears the base value stored in the frame control board 740. More specifically, it clears the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value two bases prior to that (B2), and the base value three bases prior to that (B3). This ensures that after the replacement of game board A2, the base value from the previous game board A1 is not transmitted. Instead, the base value is reset, and a new base value is counted, allowing the correct base value for the replaced game board A2 to be transmitted.

Furthermore, at timing t2, the frame control board 740 clears the base value stored in the frame control board 740. However, after timing t2, the frame control board 740 counts the number of game balls B that have entered at least the entry slots (prize slots, out slots), and monitors whether the number of game balls B that have entered the entry slots (prize slots, out slots) reaches 300 balls. Then, from the moment the power is turned on at timing t2 until the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) reaches 300 at timing t3, the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) and the number of game balls B that have been paid out as prize balls (payout number) are counted. However, these counts are not included in the calculation of the ratio of payouts to balls entered, and are not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor. Details of this will be explained later.

Then, at timing t3, after the number of game balls B that have entered the entry slots (prize slots, out slots) reaches 300, the system counts the number of game balls B that have entered the entry slots (prize slots, out slots) and the number of game balls B that have been paid out as prize balls. It then makes it possible to calculate the ratio of the number of balls paid out to the number of balls entered, and reflect this in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, while the game board A1 is replaced with game board A2 during the period between timings t1 and t2, the number of balls held and the number of balls held X are retained without being cleared at timing t2. After the power is turned on at timing t2, the frame control board 740 enables the dispenser of a predetermined number of game balls as prize balls when it detects a ball entering the prize slot, and adds the number of prize balls dispensed to the player's number of balls held and the number of balls held X. Also, after the power is turned on at timing t2, the frame control board 740 enables the player to settle their number of balls by operating the counting button switch 180.

(When attaching or detaching game board A1)
Figure 172 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the game board A1 is attached or detached when the power is cut off. This describes a scenario where the game board A1 is attached to the main frame 4 before the power is cut off at timing t1, the game board A1 is temporarily removed for inspection after the power is cut off at timing t1, and then the game board A1 is reattached, and when the power is turned on at timing t2, the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. In this example, the behavior before the power is cut off at timing t1 is the same as in Figure 171, so the explanation is omitted.

As shown in Figure 172, after the power is shut off at timing t1, the game board A1 is temporarily removed for inspection, and then reinstalled. Then, with the game board A1 mounted on the main frame 4, the power is turned on at timing t2.

First, at timing t2, when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 transmits the CPU number to the frame control board 740. The frame control board 740 then determines whether the received CPU number matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. Since the game board A1 is reinstalled before the power is turned on at timing t2, the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. Based on this determination, the frame control board 740 maintains the base value stored in it.

Furthermore, after the power is turned on at timing t2, the game board A1 is mounted on the main frame 4, and the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 during this period. In other words, with the game board A1 mounted on the main frame 4, when a starting win occurs, the special symbol variation display can begin, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing for normal gameplay.

Furthermore, the detection sensors corresponding to the various prize winning slots are enabled, allowing for the payout (granting) of prize balls upon ball entry. Additionally, when collecting game balls B that have entered the various prize winning slots, they are detected by the safe ball sensor 606. When collecting game balls B that have entered the out slots without entering the prize winning slots, they are detected by the out ball sensor 605. Both the safe ball sensor 606 and the out ball sensor 605 are enabled. As detailed above, the information detected by these sensors is used to calculate the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, the display device 1600 is configured to execute a display corresponding to the maintenance of the base value stored in the frame control board 740 at timing t2. This display is executed for a predetermined period, and after the predetermined period has elapsed, as part of normal operation, for example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command, it executes a display including the variation of decorative symbols (e.g., a reach animation). However, during the period before the predetermined period has elapsed, the display corresponding to the maintenance of the base value stored in the frame control board 740 and normal operations such as the display including the variation of decorative symbols (e.g., a reach animation) may be executed simultaneously.

Furthermore, the external terminal board does not output a security signal at timing t2 because the base value stored in the frame control board 740 has not been cleared. After power is turned on at timing t2, it becomes possible to output various signals indicating the game state, ball entry into the prize slots, and prize ball payouts.

As an alternative, the external terminal board may output a security signal at timing t2 in response to the maintenance of the base value stored in the frame control board 740. This security signal is output when an anomaly is detected, when a setting value is changed, or when a setting value is being displayed for confirmation. The same security signal is output when the base value is maintained. In other words, when the base value is maintained, a forced output state is established, where the security signal is forcibly output even though no anomaly has been detected, a setting value has not been changed, or a setting value is not being displayed for confirmation. This ensures that when the base value is maintained, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand that the base value has been maintained. Furthermore, the security signal may be stopped when the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slot (prize entry slot, out slot) reaches 300 at timing t3 (described later), or it may be stopped before timing t3.

Furthermore, after the power is turned on at timing t2, it is possible to launch game balls into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 195.

Furthermore, at timing t2, the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number from the main control board 1310 of the reattached game board A1. By determining that the received CPU number of game board A1 matches the CPU number of game board A1 stored in the frame control board 740, the frame control board 740 maintains the CPU number of game board A1 stored in it.

Furthermore, at timing t2, the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number from the main control board 1310 of the reattached game board A1. By determining that the received CPU number of game board A1 matches the CPU number of game board A1 stored in the frame control board 740, the frame control board 740 maintains the base value stored in it. More specifically, it maintains the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value two generations prior B2, and the base value three generations prior B3, all of which are stored as base values. As a result, the reattached game board A1 continues to count the base value from a state where the base value has been maintained, and the base value can be transmitted correctly.

Furthermore, at timing t2, the frame control board 740 maintains the base value stored in the frame control board 740. However, after timing t2, the frame control board 740 counts the number of game balls B that have entered at least the entry slots (prize slots, out slots), and monitors whether the number of game balls B that have entered the entry slots (prize slots, out slots) reaches 300 balls. Then, from the moment the power is turned on at timing t2 until the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out entry slots) reaches 300 at timing t3, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out entry slots) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (payout number) are counted. However, these counts are not included in the calculation of the ratio of payouts to balls entered, and are not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Then, at timing t3, after the number of game balls B that have entered the entry slots (prize slots, out slots) reaches 300, the system counts the number of game balls B that have entered the entry slots (prize slots, out slots) and the number of game balls B that have been paid out as prize balls. This allows for the calculation of the ratio of paid-out game balls to the number of balls entered, and this ratio is reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, during the period between timings t1 and t2, the game board A1 is temporarily removed for inspection, and then reinstalled. However, at timing t2, the number of balls held and the number of balls held X are retained without being cleared. After the power is turned on at timing t2, the frame control board 740 detects balls entering the prize slot and enables the dispensing of a predetermined number of game balls as prize balls. The number of game balls dispensed as prize balls is then added to the player's number of balls held and the number of balls held X. Also, after the power is turned on at timing t2, the frame control board 740 enables the player to settle their ball count by operating the counting button switch 180.

[Regarding the permitted timing for replenishing sealed balls]
In this example, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (winning slots, out slots) is not included in the calculation of the ratio of payouts to balls entered, from the time the power is turned on at timing t2 until the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (winning slots, out slots) reaches 300 at timing t3, and is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor. The reason for this is explained below.

As detailed above, in this example, within the circulation path R of the main frame 4, a large number of game balls B (for example, 40 to 60) are stored in a line and circulated internally. The three seals of the gauge section 620 and the sealed ball quantity detection process allow for confirmation of whether the amount (number) of sealed game balls B is appropriate. Specifically, in the ball storage passage 604 of the circulating ball path unit 600, if the last of the line of game balls B is located between the circulating ball under-sensor 621 and the circulating ball over-sensor 622, the circulating ball under-sensor 621 turns ON and the circulating ball over-sensor 622 turns OFF, indicating that the amount of game balls B is appropriate. Furthermore, if the last remaining game ball B in a line in the ball storage passage 604 is located downstream of the circulating ball shortage sensor 621, the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and the circulating ball excess sensor 622 will be OFF, and it will be determined that the amount of game ball B is insufficient. Conversely, if the last remaining game ball B in a line in the ball storage passage 604 is located beyond both the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and the circulating ball excess sensor 622, and upstream of the circulating ball excess sensor 622, the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and the circulating ball excess sensor 622 will be ON, and it will be determined that the amount of game ball B is excessive.

Furthermore, if there are no game balls B or the amount of game balls B is insufficient within the circulation path R of the main frame 4, replenishment of game balls B is necessary. In this example, game balls B can be replenished via the out-out opening 1008 and the prize-winning openings (general prize-winning opening 2001, first start-up opening 2003, second start-up opening 2004, and large prize-winning opening 2005). Note that if the game board 5 is removed from the main frame 4, the out-ball receiving opening 600a and the safe-ball receiving opening 600b are exposed, and game balls B can be replenished via these openings.

On the other hand, if there is an excessive amount of game balls B in the circulation path R of the main frame 4, and it is desired to discharge game balls B to the outside, the ball release shutter 615 can be pulled forward to open the ball release opening 613p, and the power can be turned on with the ball release switch 742 on the frame control board 740 turned ON, allowing the game balls B to be released into the ball receiving tray 720.

By the way, the frame control board 740 counts the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out entry slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are dispensed as prize balls (number of balls dispensed). However, if the base value is to be used to calculate the ratio of dispensed balls to entered balls when the hall manager replenishes game balls B via the out entry slots 1008 or prize entry slots, the base value will end up including ball entry information that is not related to the game itself.

In this example, from the time the power is turned on at timing t2 in Figures 171 and 172 until the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out entry slots) reaches 300 at timing t3, the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out entry slots) is not included in the calculation of the ratio of payouts to balls entered, and is not reflected in the base value. In other words, until the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out entry slots) reaches 300 at timing t3, even if game balls B are replenished through the out entry slot 1008 or the prize entry slot, they are not included in the calculation of the ratio of payouts to balls entered, and are not reflected in the base value. This prevents the calculation of the base value from including ball entry information unrelated to gameplay, even when game balls B are replenished via the out-out port 1008 or prize-winning ports, thus maintaining an appropriate base value that does not include ball entry information unrelated to gameplay. The aforementioned "300 balls" are managed by the frame control board 740. Game balls B replenished from the out-out port 1008 are detected (counted) by the out-ball sensor 605 located on the main frame 4 side. Game balls B replenished from prize-winning ports such as the general prize-winning port 2001, normal prize-winning port 2002, first start-up port 2003, second start-up port 2004, large prize-winning port 2005, and special prize-winning port 2006 are detected (counted) by the safe-ball sensor 606 located on the main frame 4 side.

In the above, the period not reflected in the base value is defined as the time from when the power is turned on at timing t2 until the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out entry slots) reaches 300 at timing t3. However, this number of game balls B (number of balls entered) is set to be greater than the number of balls that can be stored in the circulation path R in the main frame 4 (40 to 60 balls), i.e., the number of game balls B that can be replenished via the out entry slot 1008 or prize entry slot. This ensures that even if game balls B are replenished via the out entry slot 1008 or prize entry slot from a state where there are no game balls B in the circulation path R in the main frame 4, the base value does not include ball entry information that is not related to those games.

In this example, of the out-port 1008 and the prize-winning port, the out-port 1008 has a larger opening, making it easier to insert the game balls B. Furthermore, from the time the power is turned on at timing t2 until the number of game balls B that have entered the entry ports (prize-winning port and out-port) reaches 300 at timing t3, the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310. If game balls B enter the prize-winning port, the special symbol display will begin, and prize balls will be dispensed (given). Therefore, when the hall manager replenishes the game balls B, it is preferable to replenish them via the out-port 1008 rather than the prize-winning port.

Furthermore, in this example, the period not reflected in the base value is defined as the time from when the power is turned on at timing t2 until the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out entry slots) reaches 300 at timing t3. The hall manager replenishes game balls B via the out entry slot 1008 and prize entry slots immediately after turning on the power. However, as an alternative, a replenishment permission switch may be provided on the back of the pachinko machine 1 as a work-use control unit that cannot be touched by the player (such as a button that allows switching between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that allows switching between ON and OFF states by inserting a key). When the replenishment permission switch is operated after power-on, even if game balls B are replenished via the out-out port 1008 or the prize-winning port until the number of game balls B entered into the entry port (prize-winning port, out-out port) reaches 300 balls, these replenishment attempts will not be included in the calculation of the ratio of payouts to entrys, and will not be reflected in the base value. This allows the hall manager to replenish game balls B via the out-out port 1008 or the prize-winning port as needed, even when the power is not on.

Furthermore, in this example, from the time the power is turned on at timing t2 until the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out entry slots) reaches 300 at timing t3, the base monitor does not display the base value. Instead, a special display is shown corresponding to the clearing of the base value stored in the frame control board 740. At this time, as described in detail above, during the period from timing t2 to t3, for example, when a game ball B is detected by the out ball sensor 605 or the safe ball sensor 606, "8." may be displayed on one of the four 7-segment LEDs on the base monitor for a predetermined time (e.g., 0.5 seconds). This allows the hall manager to monitor from the back of the pachinko machine 1 whether or not game balls B are being illegally entered into the out entry slots 1008 or prize entry slots during the period from timing t2 to t3, based on the display on the base monitor.

Furthermore, in this example, game balls B collected in the out-out opening 1008 are detected (counted) by the out-ball sensor 605 provided on the main frame 4 side, and game balls B that enter prize openings such as the general prize opening 2001, normal prize opening 2002, first start-up opening 2003, second start-up opening 2004, large prize opening 2005, and special prize opening 2006 are detected (counted) by the safe-ball sensor 606 provided on the main frame 4 side. However, these sensors may also be provided on the game board 5 side. Alternatively, a passage may be formed so that game balls B collected in the out-out opening 1008 and game balls B that enter the various prize openings merge, and one sensor may be provided on this passage to count the number of game balls B that enter the prize openings (prize openings, out-out openings) based on the detection of this single sensor.

Furthermore, in this example, the base value is not displayed on the base monitor from the time the power is turned on at timing t2 until the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slot (winning slot, out slot) reaches 300 at timing t3. In addition to the above, it was stated in detail that "whenever the number of game balls B that have entered the entry slot (prize slot, out slot) reaches 60,000 balls, the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered may be recalculated, and for example, the display of the new ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered may be restricted from the time the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered is newly calculated until at least the number of game balls B that have entered the entry slot (prize slot, out slot) reaches 1,000 balls." However, during such a period, the base value is not displayed on the base monitor, but the number of game balls B that have entered the entry slot (prize slot, out slot) is included in the calculation of the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered. For this reason, if game balls B are replenished via the out slot 1008 or the prize slot during such a period, the entry information that is not related to the game will be included in the base value, making it an unsuitable period for replenishing game balls B. Therefore, from the time the ratio of balls dispensed to balls entered is newly calculated until at least 1000 game balls (number of balls entered) of game ball B enter the ball entry slot (prize entry slot, out entry slot) are reached, a notification may be issued to the administrator informing them that this is an unsuitable period for replenishing game ball B. For example, the base monitor may not display the base value, but instead display a special indication corresponding to the unsuitable period for replenishing game ball B.

In the above, when the power is turned on, if the base value stored in the frame control board 740 is cleared, the calculation of a new base value for every 60,000 balls is started. However, from the time the power is turned on until the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out entry slots) reaches 300 balls, the ratio of payouts to balls entered is not included in the calculation. Only after exceeding 300 balls is the ratio of payouts to balls entered included in the calculation. Specifically, from the time the power is turned on until the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out entry slots) reaches 300 balls, the state is such that "the ratio of payouts to balls entered is not included in the calculation, and the base value is not displayed on the base monitor." From exceeding 300 balls until reaching 1,000 balls, the state is such that "the ratio of payouts to balls entered is included in the calculation, and the base value is not displayed on the base monitor." By varying the display format on the base monitor according to these states, the hall manager can determine which state is being observed.

Furthermore, in this example, a pachinko machine 1 is used in which game balls B circulate within the circulation path R of the main frame 4. However, in the case of a pachinko machine in which game balls B are supplied from an external source such as a game island, the number of game balls B that enter the entry points (winning entry points, out-exit points) from the time the power is turned on at timing t2 until the number of game balls B that enter the entry points (winning entry points, out-exit points) reaches 300 at timing t3 may be included in the calculation of the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered, and this may be reflected in the base value.

[Regarding the operation of the ball count memory/display clear switch]
Next, we will explain how the number of balls held is handled by operating the ball count memory/display clear switch 743. First, the door frame 3 is equipped with a counting button switch 180 that can be operated by the player. As described in detail above, when there are balls held (number of balls > 0), pressing the counting button switch 180 sends information about the number of balls held to the game ball dispensing device 8 for settlement. This number of balls held is stored in the RAM built into the frame control board 740.

By the way, as part of the operation check of the pachinko machine 1, for example, when the hall manager inserts game balls B into the prize slot and confirms whether the game proceeds normally, the number of game balls B is added to the number of balls held by the player upon payout (granting). However, since this number of balls held is not granted to the player, it is desirable to allow the hall manager to clear the number of balls held by a method other than settling the number of balls held by operating the counting button switch 180. In this regard, in this example, the frame control board 740 is provided with a ball count memory/display clear switch 743 that can be operated by the hall manager. By operating this ball count memory/display clear switch 743 when the power is turned on, the number of balls held stored in the frame control board 740 can be cleared. In other words, the number of balls held stored in the frame control board 740 can be selected to be maintained or cleared depending on whether the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is operated when the power is turned on after a power outage, thereby improving convenience.

Figure 173 is an enlarged view of the frame control board.

As shown in Figure 173, the frame control board 740 is equipped with, from left to right, a RAM clear switch 741 for erasing (RAM clearing) the information stored in the RAM, a ball count memory/display clear switch 743 for clearing the number of balls the player has stored in the RAM, etc., and for clearing the display on the ball count display unit 140 of the door frame 3, and a ball release switch 742 used to remove the enclosed game balls B from the ball release port 613p of the ball circulation path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). These switches are located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 and can be operated by the hall manager.

Furthermore, the RAM clear switch 741, the ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and the ball removal switch 742 are positioned close together, allowing for easy operation of multiple switches with one hand. The power switch 751 is located on the power supply board 750, and is also positioned close to the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 located on the frame control board 740. Therefore, when the power is turned on, it is easy to operate the desired switch from among the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742.

Figure 174 is a table showing the conditions for clearing the ball count. In this example, the combination of switches turned ON from the RAM clear switch 741, the ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and the ball removal switch 742 can be varied during power-on operation, resulting in the following eight power-on patterns. Of these, the ball count is cleared when the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned ON during power-on.

Here, the frame control board 740 stores the number of balls in RAM, and maintains (backs up) that number of balls when the power is cut off. Furthermore, when the frame control board 740 detects a RAM error, such as the presence of abnormal values in RAM, it stores this as error information A in RAM. When it detects errors other than RAM errors (errors that the frame control board 740 can detect), such as "no launch balls," "no balls in the lifting entrance," "lifting ball jamming error," "insufficient game balls," or "excess game balls," it stores this as error information B in RAM. Of these, error information A is maintained (backed up) when the power is cut off, but error information B is not. Also, when the frame control board 740 detects various errors, it stores error signals related to error information A and error information B in RAM. Of these, the error signals related to error information A are maintained (backed up) when the power is cut off, but the error signals related to error information B are not. Therefore, errors related to error information B are resolved when the power is restarted, as the error information B stored in the RAM is erased. However, if the same error is detected again after the power is restarted, it will reappear. The error signal stored in the frame control board 740 is output to the game ball dispensing device 8 via the game ball dispensing device connection terminal board 765, and further output to external devices such as the hall computer of the gaming hall via the game ball dispensing device 8.

Power-on pattern A is the case where, when the power is turned on (when the power switch 751 is operated), the RAM clear switch 741, the ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and the ball removal switch 742 are not all turned ON, and the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740 is maintained. Furthermore, while error information A and the error signals related to error information A are maintained, error information B and the error signals related to error information B are cleared. In other words, if a RAM error is detected, error information A is maintained even after the power is turned on after the power has been cut off, so that it is understood that the RAM error is continuing, and the error signal related to error information A is output to an external device. In addition, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time the power is turned on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to light up in blue, the speaker outputs the voice message "The number of balls has been maintained," and the display device 1600 also displays the message image "The number of balls has been maintained." Thus, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit blue light, corresponding to the normal power-on state where none of the switches are turned ON.

Power-on pattern B is the case when the RAM clear switch 741 is turned ON among the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 when the power is turned on, and the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740 is maintained. In addition, error information A and the error signals related to error information A are cleared, and error information B and the error signals related to error information B are also cleared. In other words, even if a RAM error is detected, the RAM error is resolved and error information A and the error signals related to error information A are cleared by turning ON the RAM clear switch 741 after the power is turned on after the power has been cut off. In addition, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time the power is turned on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to light up yellow, the speaker outputs the message "The number of balls has been maintained," and the display device 1600 also displays the message image "The number of balls has been maintained." Thus, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit yellow light, corresponding to the ON operation of the RAM clear switch 741.

Power-on pattern C occurs when the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned ON among the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 at the time of power-on, clearing the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740. In addition, error information A and the error signal related to error information A are maintained, while error information B and the error signal related to error information B are cleared. In other words, if a RAM error is detected, error information A is maintained even after power-on following a power-off, so that it is understood that the RAM error is continuing, and the error signal related to error information A is output to an external device. Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time of power-on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to light up red, the speaker outputs the voice message "Ball count has been cleared," and the display device 1600 also displays the message image "Ball count has been cleared." As described above, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit red light, corresponding to the ON operation of the ball count memory/display clear switch 743. Furthermore, if the power is cut off when the number of balls held is not stored in the frame control board 740, and the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned ON upon the next power-on, the same processing as when the number of balls held is stored will be performed, thus avoiding increased control complexity.

Power-on pattern D is the case when the RAM clear switch 741 and the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON at the time of power-on, clearing the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740. Error information A and the error signals related to error information A are also cleared, as are error information B and the error signals related to error information B. In other words, even if a RAM error is detected, the RAM error is resolved and error information A and the error signals related to error information A are cleared by turning ON the RAM clear switch 741 after power-on following a power-off. Furthermore, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time of power-on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to flash alternately in red and yellow, the speaker outputs the message "Ball count has been cleared," and the display device 1600 also displays the message image "Ball count has been cleared." In this way, by having the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 flash alternately in red and yellow, it is possible to indicate that the RAM clear switch 741 and the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 have been turned ON.

Power-on pattern E is the case when the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON among the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 at the time of power-on, and the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740 is maintained. Furthermore, error information A and the error signals related to error information A are maintained, while error information B and the error signals related to error information B are cleared. In other words, if a RAM error is detected, error information A is maintained even after power-on after power-off, so that it is understood that the RAM error is continuing, and the error signal related to error information A is output to an external device. In addition, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time of power-on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to light up green, the speaker outputs the voice message "The number of balls has been maintained," and the display device 1600 also displays the message image "The number of balls has been maintained." As described above, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit green light as the color corresponding to the ON operation of the ball removal switch 742. When the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON, the ball removal process described above is executed, and the enclosed game balls B can be removed from the ball removal opening 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). Note that the ball removal process performed by turning ON the ball removal switch 742 is not executed when the number of balls held is stored in the frame control board 740, and is only executed when the number of balls held is not stored in the frame control board 740 (number of balls held is 0). For this reason, the notification "The number of balls held is maintained" effectively indicates that the number of balls held is 0 when the ball removal process is executed, and effectively indicates that the number of balls held is 1 or more when the ball removal process is not executed. Furthermore, in such cases, as a notification method to inform external parties, the speaker may output an audio message saying "Ball removal has been disabled," and the display device 1600 may also display a message image saying "Ball removal has been disabled."

Power-on pattern F is the case when the power is turned on and the ball removal switch 742 and the RAM clear switch 741 are turned ON, among the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742, and the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740 is maintained. In addition, error information A and the error signals related to error information A are cleared, and error information B and the error signals related to error information B are also cleared. In other words, even if a RAM error is detected, the RAM error is resolved and error information A and the error signals related to error information A are cleared by turning on the RAM clear switch 741 after the power is turned on after a power cut-off. In addition, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time the power is turned on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 flash alternately in green and yellow, the speaker outputs the message "The number of balls has been maintained," and the display device 1600 also displays the message image "The number of balls has been maintained." In this way, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 flash alternately in green and yellow, which indicates that the ball removal switch 742 and the RAM clear switch 741 have been turned ON. When the ball removal switch 742 and the RAM clear switch 741 are turned ON, a RAM clear is performed, and then the ball removal process described above is executed, allowing the enclosed game balls B to be removed from the ball removal opening 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). The ball removal process may be performed at the same time as the RAM clear. As mentioned above, the ball removal process performed by turning ON the ball removal switch 742 is not executed when the number of balls held is stored in the frame control board 740, but only when the number of balls held is not stored in the frame control board 740 (number of balls held is 0). Therefore, in the case of power-on pattern F, and when the number of balls is stored in the frame control board 740, the ball removal process is not executed (the ON operation of the ball removal switch 742 is disabled), and only a RAM clear is performed by turning on the RAM clear switch 741. In such cases, as a notification method to inform the outside, an audio message "Ball removal has been disabled." may be output from the speaker, and a message image of "Ball removal has been disabled." may also be displayed on the performance display device 1600.

Power-on pattern G occurs when, at power-on, the ball-removal switch 742 and the ball-count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON, clearing the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740. Error information A and the error signals related to error information A are maintained, while error information B and the error signals related to error information B are cleared. In other words, if a RAM error is detected, error information A is maintained even after power-on following a power-off, allowing the system to understand that the RAM error is continuing, and an error signal related to error information A is output to an external device. Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from power-on, LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are illuminated in red, an audio message "Ball count cleared." is output from the speaker, and a message image "Ball count cleared." is displayed on the performance display device 1600. As described above, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit red light when the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned ON. When both the ball removal switch 742 and the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON, regardless of whether there are any balls remaining, the system prioritizes clearing the ball count, and the aforementioned ball removal process is not executed. In other words, when the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned ON, the ON operation of the ball removal switch 742 is disabled, and the LEDs do not emit green light, which corresponds to the ON operation of the ball removal switch 742. In such cases, as a notification to the outside, the speaker may output an audio message saying "Ball removal has been disabled," and the display device 1600 may also display a message image saying "Ball removal has been disabled."

Power-on pattern H is the case when the RAM clear switch 741, the ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and the ball removal switch 742 are all turned ON when the power is turned on, and the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740 is cleared. In addition, error information A and the error signals related to error information A are cleared, and error information B and the error signals related to error information B are also cleared. In other words, even if a RAM error is detected, the RAM error is resolved and error information A and the error signals related to error information A are cleared by turning ON the RAM clear switch 741 after the power is turned on after the power has been cut off. Furthermore, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time the power is turned on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to flash alternately in red and yellow, the speaker outputs the voice message "Number of balls has been cleared," and the display device 1600 also displays the message image "Number of balls has been cleared." In this way, by flashing the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 alternately in red and yellow, it is possible to notify that the RAM clear switch 741 and the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 have been turned ON. When the ball removal switch 742 and the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON, regardless of whether there are any balls remaining, the clearing of the ball count takes priority, and the ball removal process described above is not executed. In other words, when the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned ON, the ON operation of the ball removal switch 742 is disabled, and the corresponding green light color for turning the ball removal switch 742 ON is not emitted. In such cases, as a notification method to inform the outside, the speaker may output an audio message saying "Ball removal has been disabled," and the display device 1600 may also display a message image saying "Ball removal has been disabled."

In the power-on patterns G and H described above, the ball removal switch 742 and the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON. However, regardless of whether there are any balls remaining, the clearing of the ball count takes priority, and the ball removal process described above is not executed. This is because, when the ball removal process is executed and the enclosed game balls B are removed from the ball removal port 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720), even if there are balls remaining, it becomes impossible to launch game balls B and play the game. Therefore, clearing the ball count takes priority.

In the above example, when the ball removal switch 742 and the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON, regardless of whether there are any balls remaining, the ball removal process is prioritized and the ball removal process described above is not executed. However, it is also possible to execute the ball removal process. Such alternative examples are described below as power-on patterns G' and H'.

Power-on pattern G' is the case when the power is turned on and the ball removal switch 742 and the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON, clearing the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740. In addition, error information A and the error signals related to error information A are maintained, while error information B and the error signals related to error information B are cleared. In other words, if a RAM error is detected, error information A is maintained even after the power is turned on after the power is cut off, so that it is understood that the RAM error is continuing, and the error signal related to error information A is output to an external device. In addition, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time the power is turned on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 flash alternately in green and red, the speaker outputs the voice message "Number of balls has been cleared," and the display device 1600 also displays the message image "Number of balls has been cleared." In this way, by alternately flashing green and red LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3, it is possible to indicate that the ball removal switch 742 and the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 have been turned ON. When the ball removal switch 742 and the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON, regardless of whether there are any balls remaining, the ball count is cleared, and then the ball removal process described above is executed, allowing the enclosed game balls B to be removed from the ball removal opening 613p of the ball circulation path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720).

Power-on pattern H' is the case where, when the power is turned on, the RAM clear switch 741, the ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and the ball removal switch 742 are all turned ON, clearing the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740. In addition, error information A and the error signals related to error information A are cleared, and error information B and the error signals related to error information B are also cleared. In other words, even if a RAM error is detected, the RAM error is resolved and error information A and the error signals related to error information A are cleared by turning on the RAM clear switch 741 after the power is turned on after a power cut-off. Furthermore, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time the power is turned on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 flash alternately in red, green, and yellow, and the speaker outputs the message "Number of balls has been cleared." The display device 1600 also displays a message image saying "Number of balls has been cleared." In this way, by flashing the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 alternately in red and yellow, it is possible to indicate that the RAM clear switch 741, the ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and the ball removal switch 742 have all been turned ON. When the ball removal switch 742 and the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON, regardless of whether there are any balls remaining, the ball count is cleared, and then the aforementioned ball removal process is executed, allowing the enclosed game balls B to be removed from the ball removal opening 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720).

In the power-on patterns G' and H' described above, when the ball removal switch 742 and the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON, regardless of whether there are any balls remaining, the ball count is cleared before the ball removal process described above is executed. This ensures that when the ball removal process is performed and the enclosed game balls B are removed from the ball removal port 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720), there are no balls remaining, making it impossible to forcibly launch game balls B.

[Regarding the display of information related to game cessation on the base monitor]
As detailed above, the base monitor of the fifth embodiment is located on the frame control board 740 and is capable of displaying the base value. As a base value, in addition to the current base value BL until the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slot (prize entry slot, out entry slot) reaches 60,000 balls, three intervals of the history are saved: the previous base value B1, the base value two entries prior to that B2, and the base value three entries prior to that B3. Then, each time the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry slot (prize entry slot, out entry slot) reaches 60,000 balls, the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, and the base value two entries prior to that B2 are changed to the previous base value B1, the base value two entries prior to that B2, and the base value three entries prior to that B3, and the original base value B3 is discarded. Furthermore, the base monitor displays the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value two years prior B2, and the base value three years prior B3, switching between them at regular intervals (for example, every 3 seconds). In addition, the base monitor uses two of its four 7-segment LEDs to indicate which interval the base value is for, and the other two 7-segment LEDs to display the base value corresponding to the currently displayed interval (the result of calculating the ratio of payouts to balls entered). The base monitor is a 7-segment LED with a decimal point (so-called dot), and a dot is lit between the 7-segment LED that indicates the interval of the base value and the 7-segment LED that indicates the base value corresponding to the currently displayed interval. For example, when displaying the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value two years prior B2, and the base value three years prior B3, the four 7-segment LEDs switch between displaying information such as "BL.21", "B1.19", "B2.17", and "B3.20" at regular intervals (for example, every 3 seconds).

By the way, the base monitor of the fifth embodiment can display information related to game stoppage in addition to the base value. For example, the frame control board 740 stops the game when it detects a RAM error such as the RAM containing abnormal values, or when it detects an error other than a RAM error such as "no launch balls," "no balls in the lifting entrance," "lifting ball jamming error," "insufficient game balls," or "excess game balls." In the fifth embodiment, when a situation arises in which the game should be stopped, the display of the base value on the base monitor is restricted, and the display of "Error Information A and B" indicating that the game should be stopped is displayed on the base monitor. In other words, when a situation arises in which the game should be stopped, the display of the base value on the base monitor ends and is forcibly changed to a display of Error Information A and B. Specifically, the error information A and B displayed on the base monitor will show the following: "E1" for RAM errors, "E2" for "out of launch balls" errors, "E3" for "out of balls at the hoisting entrance" errors, "E4" for "ball jamming error" errors, "E5" for "insufficient game balls" errors, and "E6" for "excess game balls" errors. When any of these errors occur, the base value display will be restored and gameplay will resume after the cause of the error is removed and the power is turned on and off. This allows players to understand and confirm the cause of the game halt by checking the base monitor when gameplay is stopped, improving convenience.

Furthermore, while the display of the base value on the base monitor is restricted, it is desirable to refrain from counting and updating the base value even if the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry points (prize entry points, out entry points) increases. "Refraining from counting and updating the base value" means, for example, not detecting ball entry into the ball entry points (prize entry points, out entry points), or detecting ball entry into the ball entry points (prize entry points, out entry points) but not performing the various counting and updating processes associated with that detection. By doing so, when the base value is restored, it is possible to avoid the reflection of the ball entry status into the ball entry points (prize entry points, out entry points) while the base monitor indicated that the game was stopped, thereby preventing a decrease in the reliability of the game machine regarding the base value.

Furthermore, as detailed above, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop-play state, restricting (stopping) gameplay. It should be noted that the number of balls dispensed may be managed by the frame control board 740 instead of the main control board 1310, as mentioned above. This stop-play state, like when a RAM error is detected (such as when abnormal values are found in the RAM), or when other errors are detected (such as "out of launching balls," "out of balls at the lifting entrance," "lifting ball jamming error," "insufficient number of game balls," or "excessive number of game balls"), stops gameplay. However, since the stop-play state is different from a so-called error and can occur during normal gameplay, it is not displayed as error information on the base monitor when it occurs. This allows the base monitor to determine whether the game stopping is due to a stop-play state or some other error. Furthermore, by preventing the detection of errors such as "RAM error," "out of launchable balls," "out of balls at the hoisting input," "ball jamming error," "insufficient number of game balls," and "excessive number of game balls" while the game is in a stopped state, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of other factors causing the game to stop while the game is in a stopped state, and to prevent the display on the base monitor from changing while the game is stopped due to the stopped state.

Furthermore, in the above, when a RAM error is detected, such as when abnormal values are found in the RAM, or when an error other than a RAM error is detected, such as "no launch balls," "no balls in the lifting input," "ball jamming error," "insufficient game balls," or "excess game balls," the display of the base value on the base monitor is forcibly changed to display information about error A and B. However, it is also possible to forcibly display information about error A and B on the base monitor only when the game is stopped due to a specific factor. For example, in the case of errors that are difficult or important to resolve (e.g., RAM errors, ball jamming errors, etc., which cannot be resolved simply by replenishing balls and require detailed investigation), information about error A and B may be displayed on the base monitor, while in the case of other errors that are not difficult or important to resolve (e.g., "no launch balls," "no balls in the lifting input," "insufficient game balls," "excess game balls," etc., which can be resolved simply by replenishing balls), information about error A and B may not be displayed on the base monitor when the game is stopped. This allows administrators to understand the importance of situations that warrant stopping gameplay by combining the information displayed on the base monitor, thereby improving convenience. Furthermore, as described above, it is preferable to refrain from counting and updating the base value, regardless of whether the issue is difficult or important to resolve (e.g., RAM errors, ball jamming errors, etc., which cannot be resolved simply by replenishing balls and require detailed investigation) or not (e.g., issues that can be resolved simply by replenishing balls, such as "running out of launching balls," "running out of balls at the hoisting entrance," "insufficient game balls," "excess game balls," etc.).

Furthermore, if multiple situations that would cause the game to stop occur simultaneously, the system may forcibly display only the highest-priority error information A and B on the base monitor, according to a predetermined priority setting. In this case, it is preferable that, once the cause of the highest-priority error information is resolved, the display for that error information is cleared, and the display for the next highest-priority error information is updated on the base monitor. Alternatively, all error information displays may be sequentially displayed on the base monitor at regular intervals, according to a predetermined priority setting.

Furthermore, while the above described restricting the display of the base value on the base monitor to a state where the game is stopped, and forcibly displaying error information A and B indicating that the game is stopped, it is also possible to restrict the display of the base value on the base monitor to a state where the game is stopped, and to optionally (selectively) display error information A and B indicating that the game is stopped, only when a predetermined display switching operation is performed by the administrator while the game is stopped. For example, the base monitor may normally display the base value, but when the game is stopped, when the RAM clear switch 741 is pressed as part of the display switching operation, the display of error information A and B may be changed to replace the base value only while the RAM clear switch 741 is pressed, and when the RAM clear switch 741 is released, the display of error information A and B may be changed back to the base value (returning to the base value). In this configuration, even when the game is stopped, unless the RAM clear switch 741 is pressed, the error information A and B will not be displayed, and the base value will continue to be shown. This allows the base value to be checked even when the game is stopped, and the hall manager can check the cause of the error by pressing the RAM clear switch 741 as needed.

As another example, when the RAM clear switch 741 is pressed as part of the display switching operation, the system may display error information A and B instead of the base value for a predetermined switching time (e.g., 3 seconds) after the RAM clear switch 741 is pressed. After the predetermined switching time has elapsed, the system may revert to displaying the base value instead of the error information A and B. In such a configuration, it becomes unnecessary to continuously press the RAM clear switch 741 to check the display of error information A and B, making it easier to identify the cause of the error by pressing the RAM clear switch 741.

Furthermore, the display switching operation is not limited to pressing the RAM clear switch 741; it may also be performed by opening the door frame 3, opening the main body frame 4, or pressing other switches. However, since it is undesirable for the player to easily check the display of error information A and B, it is preferable that the display switching operation be performed on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (by pressing a switch located on the back side of the game board 5 or the back side of the main body frame 4).

In the above configuration, when the game is stopped, the display is changed to show error information A and B instead of the base value when the RAM clear switch 741 is pressed or other display switching operation is performed. However, as a further alternative, the following configuration may be used. That is, the base monitor normally switches and displays the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value two generations prior B2, and the base value three generations prior B3 at regular intervals (for example, 3 seconds). However, when the game is stopped, in addition to switching these base values at regular intervals (for example, 3 seconds), the display of error information A and B may be switched and displayed for a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds). For example, when the game is stopped, the display can be changed and shown at regular intervals (for example, 3 seconds) to show the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value two generations prior B2, the base value three generations prior B3, and error information A and B. This allows the hall manager to check not only the base value but also the cause of the error, even when the game is stopped. Furthermore, when adding display information regarding error information A and B during base value switching, it is preferable to add the display information regarding error information A and B either before or after the current base value BL. This allows users to recognize the display information regarding error information A and B simultaneously with the most frequently checked current base value BL, within a short period, thereby improving convenience.

Furthermore, when adding displays related to error information A and B during base value switching, if multiple situations that "stop the game" occur simultaneously, the base monitor may be configured to display the error information with the highest priority first, according to a predetermined priority setting. For example, if multiple situations that "stop the game" occur simultaneously, the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value B2 from two instances prior, the base value B3 from three instances prior, display 1 (high priority) related to error information A and B, and display 2 (low priority) related to error information A and B can be configured to switch between these at regular intervals (e.g., every 3 seconds). In this case, when the causes of the highest priority error information A and B are resolved, it is preferable to clear the displays related to error information A and B and update the base monitor so that the display related to the next highest priority error information moves up.

Furthermore, even when adding display information A and B for error information when switching the base value, the aforementioned stop-game state will still stop the game, just like when a RAM error is detected (such as when abnormal values are found in the RAM) or when other errors are detected, such as "out of launching balls," "out of balls at the hoisting entrance," "ball jamming error at the hoisting entrance," "insufficient game balls," or "insufficient game balls." However, since the stop-game state is different from a so-called error and can occur during normal gameplay, when the stop-game state occurs, the display information A and B for error information is not added when switching the base value. This allows the base monitor to determine whether the game stopped due to the stop-game state or another error. Additionally, by not detecting errors such as "RAM error," "out of launching balls," "out of balls at the hoisting entrance," "ball jamming error at the hoisting entrance," "insufficient game balls," or "insufficient game balls" while the game is stopped, it is possible to prevent other factors from causing game stoppages from overlapping with the stop-game state and to prevent the base monitor display from changing while the game is stopped due to the stop-game state.

[Regarding the operation of the counting button switch]
Next, we will explain how to settle the number of balls held by the player by operating the counting button switch 180. First, the door frame 3 is equipped with a counting button switch 180 that can be operated by the player. When the player has balls (number of balls held > 0), pressing the counting button switch 180 sends information about the number of balls held to the game ball dispensing device 8, allowing for settlement. This number of balls held is stored in the RAM built into the frame control board 740.

In this example of pachinko machine 1, a handle touch sensor 162 detects when a player touches the handle 160. When the handle touch sensor 162 detects the player's contact, the player rotates the handle 160, which triggers a detection by the handle rotation sensor 163. The drive of the launch solenoid 553 is then controlled with a strength corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160, allowing the player to launch a game ball B. When a game ball B is launched from the ball launching platform 552b, a launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that a game ball B has been launched from the ball launching platform 552b and subtracts one ball from the player's remaining ball count. However, if the counting button switch 180 is operated and all remaining balls are settled between the time the launch solenoid 553 is controlled and the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that a game ball B has been launched from the ball launcher 552b, the remaining ball count becomes zero. At the time the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects this, it cannot subtract one ball, resulting in a malfunction.

Furthermore, game balls B that are launched from the ball launching unit 550 (ball launching stand 552b) but do not land in the game area 5a of the game board 5 are collected as foul balls by the foul unit 570 and then detected by the foul ball sensor 607, causing the player's ball count to increase by one. However, if the counting button switch 180 is operated and all ball counts are settled between the time game ball B is launched from the ball launching stand 552b and the time the foul ball sensor 607 detects it as a foul ball, the player's ball count will become 1 after the settlement, making the settlement process for the player complicated. In this example, the system is controlled to a counting-prohibited state, which prohibits the settlement of the number of balls held, not only while the handle touch sensor 162 detects contact with the handle 160, but also for a predetermined time (e.g., 1200 ms) after contact with the handle 160 is no longer detected, and for a predetermined time (e.g., 1200 ms) after the launch-subtraction sensor 554 detects that a game ball B has been launched from the ball launcher 552b. After the counting-prohibited state is released, the system is controlled to a counting-allowed state, which allows the settlement of the number of balls held. As a result, from the time the launch solenoid 553 is driven until the launch-subtraction sensor 554 detects that a game ball B has been launched from the ball launcher 552b, the system is controlled to a counting-prohibited state. Therefore, even if the counting button switch 180 is operated, the number of balls held will not be settled, thus preventing malfunctions in the counting of the number of balls held. Furthermore, in this example, the predetermined time (1200 ms) is set to be longer than the "maximum time from when the game ball B is launched from the ball launcher 552b until a foul ball is detected by the foul ball sensor 607." Therefore, even if a foul ball occurs after the game ball B is launched from the ball launcher 552b, the counting is disabled at that time. Even if the counting button switch 180 is operated, the number of balls will not be settled, preventing an increase of one ball after the ball count has been settled. This improves the reliability of the ball count settlement.

Figure 175 is a time chart showing the conditions for the counting permission state to be established, where the number of balls held can be settled. First, we will explain, with reference to Figure 175(A), the case where the conditions for the counting permission state are established after the launch/subtraction sensor 554 detects that a game ball B has been launched from the ball launcher 552b, followed by the non-detection of contact between the handle 160 and the handle touch sensor 162, and then a predetermined time (for example, 1200 ms) has elapsed.

First, the handle touch sensor 162 turns ON when it detects the player's contact (touch) with the handle 160. Then, when the player rotates the handle 160 while the handle touch sensor 162 has detected the player's contact, the handle rotation sensor 163 receives the detection, and the launch solenoid 553 turns ON at timing t1 so that the game ball B is launched with a force corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160. When the launch solenoid 553 turns ON at timing t1, the game ball B on the ball launching platform 552b is launched. When the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that the game ball B has been launched from the ball launching platform 552b, the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t2. At timing t2, when the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF, the player's number of balls is subtracted by one. Then, when the launch countdown sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t2, game balls B are supplied to the ball launcher 552b, and the launch countdown sensor 554 turns ON again.

Here, the frame control board 740 controls the system to a counting-prohibited state, prohibiting the settlement of the number of balls held, while the handle touch sensor 162 is ON, and for 1200ms after the handle touch sensor 162 has turned OFF and remained OFF. On the other hand, after 1200ms after the handle touch sensor 162 has turned OFF and remained OFF, the system controls the system to a counting-allowed state, allowing the settlement of the number of balls held. In other words, if the handle touch sensor 162 turns ON less than 1200ms after being OFF, the counting-prohibited state continues. However, in order to start the counting-allowed state, the launch-subtraction sensor 554 must not turn OFF from ON until 1200ms have elapsed after the handle touch sensor 162 has turned OFF (i.e., the launch-subtraction sensor 554 does not detect that a game ball B has been launched from the ball launcher 552b).

Furthermore, the frame control board 740 controls the system to a counting-prohibited state, prohibiting the settlement of the number of balls held, for 1200ms after the launch-subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF. Conversely, after 1200ms has elapsed since the launch-subtraction sensor 554 turned OFF, it controls the system to a counting-allowed state, allowing the settlement of the number of balls held. In other words, if the launch-subtraction sensor 554 turns ON again before 1200ms has elapsed since it turned OFF, the counting-prohibited state continues. However, for the counting-allowed state to begin, the handle touch sensor 162 must not turn ON (i.e., no contact with the handle 160 must be detected) during the period between the launch-subtraction sensor 554 turning OFF and 1200ms having elapsed.

Furthermore, if the handle 160 continues to rotate while the handle touch sensor 162 detects contact by the player, game balls B will be launched at intervals of 600 ms. In contrast, in this example, the system is controlled to a counting-prohibited state during the period from when the handle touch sensor 162 is OFF until 1200 ms have elapsed while it remains OFF, and during the period from when the launch-subtraction sensor 554 is OFF until 1200 ms have elapsed. This 1200 ms period is set to be longer than the 600 ms interval for launching game balls B. In other words, during the period from when the handle touch sensor 162 is OFF until 1200 ms have elapsed while it remains OFF, and during the period from when the launch-subtraction sensor 554 is OFF until 1200 ms have elapsed, the system monitors whether the launching of game balls B has completely stopped. Only after it is determined that the launching of game balls B has completely stopped does the system transition to a counting-permitted state.

Then, when the launch solenoid 553 is turned ON at timing t3, the game ball B on the ball launcher 552b is launched. When the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that the game ball B has been launched from the ball launcher 552b, the launch subtraction sensor 554 is turned OFF at timing t4. At timing t4, when the launch subtraction sensor 554 is turned OFF, the number of balls the player has is subtracted by one. Then, when the launch subtraction sensor 554 is turned OFF at timing t4, game ball B is supplied to the ball launcher 552b, and the launch subtraction sensor 554 is turned ON again. After the launch subtraction sensor 554 is turned OFF at timing t4, contact with the handle 160 is stopped, and the handle touch sensor 162 is turned OFF at timing t5. Then, if the handle touch sensor 162 remains OFF for 1200ms after timing t5, the counting permission flag is turned ON at timing t6, controlling the system to a counting permission state where the number of balls held can be settled. However, after the handle touch sensor 162 turns OFF at timing t5, the launch/subtraction sensor 554 has not changed from ON to OFF (the launch/subtraction sensor 554 has not detected that game ball B has been launched from the ball launcher 552b).

Furthermore, when the counting is permitted, if contact with the handle 160 is detected and the handle touch sensor 162 turns ON, the counting permission flag is turned OFF, and the system is controlled back to the counting prohibited state.

In the above scenario, from the time the launch solenoid 553 is driven until the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that a game ball B has been launched from the ball launcher 552b, the system is controlled to a counting-prohibited state. Therefore, even if the counting button switch 180 is operated, the number of balls held will not be settled, preventing malfunctions in the ball count. Furthermore, in this example, the predetermined time of 1200 ms is set to be longer than the "maximum time from when a game ball B is launched from the ball launcher 552b until a foul ball occurs and is detected by the foul ball sensor 607." Therefore, even if a foul ball occurs after a game ball B is launched from the ball launcher 552b, the system is controlled to a counting-prohibited state at the time of the foul ball's occurrence. Even if the counting button switch 180 is operated, the number of balls held will not be settled, preventing an increase of one ball after the ball count has been settled.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the handle 160 is equipped with a firing stop switch 161 that stops the firing solenoid 553 when pressed by the player. In this example, even if the firing stop switch 161 is operated while the handle touch sensor 162 is detecting the player's contact, the detection of the handle touch sensor 162 being ON continues, and this period is processed as the time when the handle touch sensor 162 is ON. This makes it possible to control the system to the counting prohibition state described above, including the period during which the firing stop switch 161 is operated during a series of firing operations, and achieves the same effect as described above. Also, if only the firing stop switch 161 is operated when the handle touch sensor 162 is not detecting the player's contact, it is assumed that the player did not intend to fire (they unintentionally touched the firing stop switch 161), and this period is processed as the time when the handle touch sensor 162 is OFF. This makes it possible to control the system to the counting permission state described above, including the period when there is no series of firing operations and only the firing stop switch 161 is operated, and achieves the same effect as described above. As an alternative, if the launch stop switch 161 is operated while the handle touch sensor 162 detects contact by the player, the handle touch sensor 162 may be switched from ON to OFF, and the period during which the handle touch sensor 162 is OFF may be processed. This allows the system to transition to the aforementioned counting permission state even when the player wishes to temporarily settle their ball count while continuing to operate the handle 160 (without changing the amount of rotation of the handle 160), thereby improving convenience to meet the player's needs.

In this example, the system is controlled to a counting-prohibited state, where the settlement of the number of balls is prohibited, while the handle touch sensor 162 is ON and while it remains OFF for 1200 ms. However, instead of the handle touch sensor 162, the system could also be controlled to a counting-prohibited state while the handle rotation sensor 163, which detects the rotation of the handle 160, is ON and while it remains OFF for 1200 ms. The same effect can be achieved in this case as well.

Next, we will explain, with reference to Figure 175(B), the case where the conditions for the counting permission state are met when the handle touch sensor 162 does not detect contact with the handle 160 before the launch counting sensor 554 detects that the game ball B has been launched from the ball launching platform 552b, and a predetermined time (for example, 1200 ms) has elapsed after the launch counting sensor 554 detects the launch.

First, the handle touch sensor 162 turns ON when it detects the player's contact (touch) with the handle 160. Then, when the player rotates the handle 160 while the handle touch sensor 162 has detected the player's contact, the handle rotation sensor 163 receives the detection, and the launch solenoid 553 turns ON at timing t1 so that the game ball B is launched with a force corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160. When the launch solenoid 553 turns ON at timing t1, the game ball B is launched from the ball launcher 552b. When the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that the game ball B has been launched from the ball launcher 552b, the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t3. At timing t3, when the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF, the player's number of balls is subtracted by one.

Then, between the time the launch solenoid 553 turns ON at timing t1 and the time the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t3, contact with the handle 160 is stopped, causing the handle touch sensor 162 to turn OFF at timing t2. Then, after the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t3, if 1200 ms elapses without the launch subtraction sensor 554 turning ON again, the counting permission flag is turned ON at timing t4, controlling the system to a counting permission state where the number of balls can be settled. However, after the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t3, the handle touch sensor 162 is not ON (no contact with the handle 160 is detected).

Furthermore, after the launch countdown sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t3, the handle touch sensor 162 is not ON. However, if the handle touch sensor 162 turns ON before 1200 ms has elapsed at timing t4, the counting for those 1200 ms is terminated. In this case, the system does not control to the counting permission state at timing t4. However, if the contact with the handle 160 is less than 4 ms and the ON state of the handle touch sensor 162 is less than 4 ms, the counting for 1200 ms is continued, and the system controls to the counting permission state at timing t4. Also, even if the handle touch sensor 162 turns ON after detecting contact with the handle 160 in the counting permission state, if the ON state of the handle touch sensor 162 is less than 4 ms, the counting permission flag remains ON, and the counting permission state is continued. Thus, regarding short-term contact with the handle 160, it is possible that the player unintentionally touched the handle 160, and such short-term contact is excluded.

In this example, the system is controlled to a counting-prohibited state, where the settlement of the number of balls held is prohibited, for 1200 ms after the launch-subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF. However, it is also possible to control the system to a counting-prohibited state for 1200 ms after the launch-subtraction sensor 554 turns ON again, after supplying game balls B to the ball launching station 552b. A similar effect can be achieved in this case as well.

Next, regarding the number of balls held, when counting is permitted and there are balls held (number of balls > 0), pressing the counting button switch 180 sends information about the number of balls held to the game ball dispensing device 8, allowing for settlement. At this time, the number of balls settled differs depending on whether the counting button switch 180 is pressed briefly or for a long time. Specifically, if the counting button switch 180 is pressed for less than 500ms, it is determined to be a brief press, and one ball is settled. On the other hand, if the counting button switch 180 is pressed for 500ms or more, it is determined to be a long press, and 250 balls are settled. However, if the number of balls held is less than 250 and the press duration is 500ms or more, all balls are settled. This allows for settlement of the number of balls to be completed as quickly as possible, improving convenience.

Figure 176 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the counting button switch is operated. First, the case where the counting button switch 180 is briefly pressed will be explained with reference to Figure 176(A).

First, when the counting button switch 180 is operated while the counting is enabled, the counting button switch 180 turns ON. If the press time of the counting button switch 180 is less than 500ms, it is determined to be a short press, and after the press of the counting button switch 180 is released, the system controls the system to settle one of the player's remaining balls. Furthermore, from the start of pressing the counting button switch 180 until the settlement of one ball is complete, the launch of game balls B via the handle 160 is disabled. In this way, by disabling the launch of game balls B during the settlement of the remaining balls, the launch deduction sensor 554 does not detect that game balls B have been launched from the ball launcher 552b and deduct from the remaining balls, thus preventing malfunctions in the ball count.

Furthermore, if the counting button switch 180 is pressed twice in a row (short press duration of less than 500ms), the system is controlled to settle two of the player's remaining balls after the first press is stopped. In this case, the second press occurs before the settlement of the first ball is completed, and the settlement of the second ball proceeds immediately after the settlement of the first ball. Additionally, during the period from the start of the first press of the counting button switch 180 until the settlement of the two remaining balls is completed, the operation of the handle 160 to launch game balls B is disabled.

Next, we will explain the case where the counting button switch 180 is pressed and held, referring to Figure 176(B).

First, when the counting button switch 180 is operated while the counting is enabled, the counting button switch 180 turns ON. If the counting button switch 180 is pressed for 500ms or more, the system determines that it is a long press at 500ms and controls the system to settle 250 of the player's ball count at that point. Furthermore, from the time the counting button switch 180 is pressed until the settlement of 250 balls is complete, the launch of game balls B via the handle 160 is disabled. In this way, by disabling the launch of game balls B during the settlement of the player's ball count, the launch deduction sensor 554 does not detect when game balls B have been launched from the ball launcher 552b and deduct from the ball count, thus preventing malfunctions in the ball count.

Furthermore, if the counting button switch 180 is pressed for 500ms or more, it is determined that a long press occurred at 500ms, and the system controls the system to settle 250 balls from the player's remaining ball count at that point. Subsequently, each subsequent press of 300ms is determined to be a long press, and the system continues to settle 250 balls sequentially, starting from the initial settlement of 250 balls. In this way, by setting the judgment time for subsequent long presses to a shorter 300ms than the first long press judgment, the ball count can be reduced to near zero in a short time. Also, from the time the counting button switch 180 is pressed until the settlement of 250 balls for each long press is completed, the launch of game balls B by operating the handle 160 is disabled.

In this example, the launch of game balls B via the handle 160 is disabled from the time the counting button switch 180 is pressed until the settlement of the number of balls corresponding to the pressing time is completed. However, it is also acceptable to disable the launch of game balls B via the handle 160 only during the period from the start to the completion of the settlement of the number of balls corresponding to the pressing time of the counting button switch 180. The same effect can be achieved in this case as well.

Furthermore, if the counting button switch 180 is pressed for less than 500ms, it is determined to be a short press, and after the press is released, a "beep" sound is output from the speaker. If the counting button switch 180 is pressed for 500ms or more, it is determined to be a long press at 500ms, and the speaker outputs the message "Ball counting in progress." If the press is continued after the 500ms mark, the speaker repeats the message "Ball counting in progress" until the counting of balls is complete. In this way, by differentiating the sound output from the speaker depending on whether the counting button switch 180 is pressed for a short or long time, it is possible to clearly understand whether 1 ball or 250 balls will be counted.

Furthermore, as will be explained in more detail later, in this example, even when the game board 5 is removed from the main frame 4, it is possible to settle the number of balls held by operating the counting button switch 180. On the other hand, the audio output when the counting button switch 180 is short-pressed or long-pressed is controlled by the peripheral control board 1510 based on the transmission of operation information from the frame control board 740 to the peripheral control board 1510. Therefore, when the game board 5 is removed from the main frame 4, the peripheral control board 1510 does not operate, and thus audio output when the counting button switch 180 is short-pressed or long-pressed becomes impossible. Therefore, in this example, when the counting button switch 180 is short-pressed or long-pressed, a notification is also given on the frame control board 740 side, separate from the notification on the peripheral control board 1510 side.

In other words, the counting button switch 180 in this example has a built-in LED, and the frame control board 740 controls the illumination of the LED of the counting button switch 180. The color of the illumination of the counting button switch 180 indicates whether the number of balls can be settled and the settlement status. Specifically, the counting button switch 180 illuminates blue when the number of balls is zero, illuminates red when the counting button switch 180 is turned ON while there are balls (number of balls > 0), and illuminates green when the counting button switch 180 is not turned ON while there are balls (number of balls > 0). This allows for an intuitive understanding of whether there are balls that can be settled and whether the number of balls is currently being settled. Furthermore, when the player has balls remaining (number of balls > 0) and the counting button switch 180 is not turned ON, a short press of the counting button switch 180 will cause it to flash green once (for example, flashing on and off for 1 second), while a long press will cause it to flash green multiple times (for example, flashing on and off repeatedly for 1 second). Therefore, even when the game board 5 is removed from the main frame 4, it is possible to clearly determine whether 1 ball or 250 balls will be counted using the counting button switch 180 itself. As detailed above, even if the counting button switch 180 is turned ON while counting is prohibited, the number of balls will not be counted. In such cases, however, the system recognizes that the counting button switch 180 has been turned ON and flashes red.

The light emitted from the counting button switch 180 described above is configured so that the light color is reflected by surrounding materials. Specifically, the vertical wall behind the counting button switch 180 is made of white material so that the light color is reflected. This allows the hall manager to confirm the light color of the counting button switch 180 even from a distance, and monitor whether or not any fraudulent activity is occurring regarding the settlement of the number of balls held. In this example, the counting button switch 180 has a built-in LED, but it is also possible to install an LED near the counting button switch 180 and indicate whether or not the settlement of the number of balls held is permitted by the color of the LED's light emission.

Furthermore, the door frame 3 is equipped with a ball count display unit 140 that displays the number of balls held. When the ball count is settled by pressing the counting button switch 180, the number of balls displayed on the ball count display unit 140 is subtracted and displayed. This ball count display unit 140 is composed of a 6-digit 7-segment LED. In other words, the ball count display unit 140 can display up to a 6-digit number as the number of balls held.

Furthermore, when the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on, the ball removal process described above is executed, allowing the enclosed game balls B to be removed from the ball removal port 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). However, during this ball removal process, the number of balls held is not displayed on the ball count display unit 140, but a special display of "-" is shown. During the ball removal process, although the launch of game balls B is not stopped, the game is stopped. For example, even if a starting prize is won, no game balls are dispensed, and no special symbol lotteries or variation displays are performed, making it impossible to play the game normally. Also, the ball removal process is initiated only when the number of balls held is zero at the time the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON and the power is turned on. Therefore, during the ball removal process, the number of balls held is zero, and no problems arise from the ball count display unit 140 not displaying the number of balls held.

Furthermore, the ball count display unit 140 continues to display the ball count when an error occurs, but does not display the error. This allows the player to check their ball count even while an error is occurring. However, if an error occurs that would stop the game, the ball count display unit 140 may be configured to not display the ball count and instead display the error. In such cases, not only is the game stopped, but the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is disabled, making it impossible to settle the ball count. In other words, when an error occurs that would stop the game, the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is disabled, eliminating the need to check the ball count and preventing any problems caused by the ball count display unit 140 not displaying the ball count.

Specifically, if fraudulent activity is detected by a magnetic sensor, radio wave sensor, vibration sensor, etc., or if a RAM error is detected, such as when abnormal values are found in the RAM, it is determined that an error has occurred that should stop the game. The ball count display unit 140 displays an error message, and the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is disabled. However, if fraudulent activity is detected, the ball count display unit 140 does not display an error message, and the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is enabled. Conversely, if a RAM error is detected, the ball count display unit 140 may display an error message, and the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 may be disabled. This allows the system to understand that a RAM error has been detected when the ball count display unit 140 displays an error message. Furthermore, if a RAM error is detected, the ball count display unit 140 will not display an error, and the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 will be enabled. Conversely, if fraudulent activity is detected, the ball count display unit 140 will display an error, and the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 may be disabled. This prevents the settlement of ball counts that may have been awarded through fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, the frame control board 740 sends information regarding the number of balls held to the game ball dispensing device 8 for settlement when the counting button switch 180 is turned ON. However, if the connection to the game ball dispensing device 8 is not established, the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is disabled. When such a disconnection error with the game ball dispensing device 8 occurs, the frame control board 740 sends error information to the main control board 1310 and stops the game. Also, the frame control board 740 disables the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 when the connection to the main control board 1310 is not established. When such a disconnection error with the main control board 1310 occurs, the game is stopped and an error is displayed on the base monitor. The base monitor is composed of four 7-segment LEDs, and when a disconnection error with the main control board 1310 occurs, the displayed base value is switched to an error display. Furthermore, the number of 7-segment LEDs in the base monitor may be increased so that, in the event of a disconnection error with the main control board 1310, the displayed base value and error message can be displayed simultaneously. For example, when increasing the number of 7-segment LEDs in the base monitor, it is possible to use the same number of 6-digit 7-segment LEDs as the ball count display unit 140. This would allow the frame control board 740 to display the same information (e.g., ball count, error message, or ball removal message) on both the base monitor and the ball count display unit 140. This would allow the same display to be viewed from both the front and rear of the pachinko machine 1, and could be used as a backup in case of a malfunction in either unit.

[Regarding the operation of the ball removal switch]
Next, we will explain the discharge of game balls B to the outside by operating the ball release switch 742. First, the ball release switch 742 is provided on the frame control board 740. When the ball release switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on, the ball release process described above is executed. The ball release process is started on the condition that the number of balls held is zero at the time the ball release switch 742 is turned ON and the power is turned on. During this ball release process, the game balls B sealed in the circulation path R of the main frame 4 can be removed to the outside (ball receiving tray 720) from the ball release port 613p of the circulation ball path unit 600. Also, during the ball release process, although the launch of game balls B is not stopped, the game is stopped, and even if there is a starting prize, for example, no game balls are dispensed, and there are no lotteries or fluctuation displays related to special symbols, so it is not possible to play the game normally.

Specifically, during the ball removal process, the system is controlled to a special mode that allows the launch of game balls B even though the number of balls held is zero. In this special mode, game balls B can be launched from the ball launcher 552b. Since the door frame 3 is open, the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position, and the game balls B launched from the ball launcher 552b are sent to the ball circulation unit 600 as foul balls without being launched to the outside by the foul unit 570. This makes it possible to have a state where there are no game balls B on the ball launcher 552b, even though the number of balls held is zero. Furthermore, although it is possible to launch game balls B during the ball removal process, the game is stopped, so it does not interfere with the ball removal work of the hall manager during the ball removal process, thereby improving convenience.

Figure 177 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it transitions to the ball-removal state upon power-on. This chart describes the case where, after the power is shut off at timing t1, the ball-removal switch 742 is turned ON at timing t2 without turning ON the RAM clear switch 743, thus transitioning to the ball-removal state.

Furthermore, the frame control board 740 is capable of detecting both circulating system errors and non-circulating errors. Circulating system errors include circulating system error A, which includes lifting-related errors such as "lifting ball jamming error" and door opening errors; and circulating system error B, which includes errors related to the number of balls enclosed, such as "lifting inlet ball failure," "launching ball failure," "insufficient game balls," and "excess game balls." Non-circulating errors include non-circulating error C, which includes communication errors with the main control board 1310.

As shown in Figure 177, there is a period before the power is shut off at timing t1 during which the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310. In other words, under normal conditions, when a starting win occurs, the special symbol variation display can begin, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing for normal gameplay.

Furthermore, the detection sensors corresponding to the various prize slots are enabled, allowing for the activation of special symbol display variations and the distribution (awarding) of prize balls upon ball entry.

Furthermore, prior to timing t1, the frame control board 740 is capable of determining whether or not it has detected cyclic errors A and B, or non-cyclic error C. If it is determined that cyclic errors A and B, or non-cyclic error C, have been detected, the system uses the display device 1600, lamps A and B, and speaker to issue an abnormality notification. If it is determined that cyclic error A has been detected, the information regarding cyclic error A is cleared at the time the power is shut off at timing t1, or at the time the power is turned on at timing t2 (described later). On the other hand, if it is determined that cyclic error B or non-cyclic error C has been detected, the determination result is stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740 and is retained without being cleared even after the power is shut off at timing t1. However, at the time the power is turned on at timing t2 (described later), the decision of whether to retain or clear the information is made based on whether or not the RAM clear switch 743 was operated.

Furthermore, the performance display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), lamp C (LED mounted on the light-emitting substrate of the function display unit 1400), speaker, and movable body are configured to perform their normal operations before timing t1. Note that lamp C is controlled by the main control board 1310, while the other components are controlled by the peripheral control board 1510. Here, for lamp C, multiple LEDs on the function display unit 1400 light up or blink as the game progresses. On the other hand, for components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, when the special symbol variation display is not being executed, they perform an operation corresponding to a standby performance (e.g., a demo performance) while waiting for the special symbol variation display to begin. When the special symbol variation display is being executed, the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command and performs an operation corresponding to a variation performance (a performance based on a variation pattern). For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variable pattern command, the performance display device 1600 executes a performance display including a variable display of decorative patterns (e.g., a reach performance), the LEDs of lamps A and B light up or blink in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600, the speaker outputs sound in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600, and the movable parts perform predetermined actions in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600.

Furthermore, the external terminal board can output predetermined signals to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 by receiving these signals. For example, it outputs signals corresponding to situations such as when a starting win occurs, when the special symbol display stops on a winning symbol and a jackpot game is being played, or when an abnormality is detected.

Furthermore, prior to timing t1, it is possible to launch a game ball into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 195.

Furthermore, the base monitor counts the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of balls paid out). It then calculates the ratio of the number of balls paid out to the number of balls entered and displays the result as a base value. This calculation can be performed before timing t1. This base value is retained even after the power is cut off at timing t1, and is also retained when the power is turned on at timing t2, as described later.

Furthermore, prior to timing t1, the frame control board 740 enables the dispensing of a predetermined number of game balls as prize balls upon detecting a ball entering the prize slot, and adds the number of game balls dispensed as prize balls to the player's remaining ball count or ball count X. This remaining ball count or ball count X is retained without being cleared even after the power is cut off at timing t1, and is also retained without being cleared when the power is turned on at timing t2, which will be described later. Also prior to timing t1, the frame control board 740 enables the player to settle their remaining ball count by operating the counting button switch 180.

Next, after the power is cut off at timing t1, the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON at timing t2 when the power is turned on, thereby turning on the ball removal flag and transitioning to the ball removal state. Here, at timing t2, when the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON and the power is turned on, it is determined whether the number of balls held is zero or not, and only if the number of balls held is zero does the system transition to the ball removal state. In the ball removal state, the ball removal process described above is executed, making it possible to remove the game balls B sealed in the circulation path R of the main frame 4 from the ball removal opening 613p of the circulation ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). Also, at timing t2, the RAM clear switch 743 is not turned ON, and the RAM clear flag is OFF.

First, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, a game restriction period is in place where, while game ball B can still be launched, the main control board 1310 cannot proceed with the game (main game). In other words, after the power is cut off at timing t1, no special symbol variation display or jackpot game is executed, and even if a starting prize is won, the special symbol variation display will not be initiated anew.

Furthermore, the detection sensors corresponding to the various prize winning slots are disabled, preventing the initiation of special symbol display changes or the payout (granting) of prize balls upon ball entry. This ensures that in the ball-removal state, gameplay is stopped, and even if a starting prize is won, no game balls are dispensed, no special symbol draws or display changes occur, preventing normal gameplay and thus preventing any increase or decrease in the number of balls held.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, the frame control board 740 is enabled to determine whether or not it has detected error A of the circulation system, among errors A and B of the circulation system and error C other than circulation. On the other hand, it is disabled to determine whether or not it has detected error B of the circulation system or error C other than circulation. Here, regarding lifting-related errors such as "lifting ball jamming error" among the circulation system errors A, the lifting motor 664 operates when the ball-removal state occurs. However, if the lifting motor 664 operates while an abnormality related to the operation of the lifting motor 664 remains, there is a possibility that the lifting motor 664, etc. may be damaged. Enabling such a determination can prevent damage to the lifting motor 664, etc. Also, regarding door-opening errors among the circulation system errors A, there is a possibility that the door frame 3 may be opened when the ball-removal occurs, allowing for fraudulent activity against the game board 5, etc. Enabling such a determination can prevent such fraudulent activity. Furthermore, regarding errors B in the circulation system, such as "empty balls at the lifting inlet," "empty balls at launch," "insufficient number of game balls," and "excessive number of game balls," when game balls B are removed to the outside (ball receiving tray 720) when a ball removal condition occurs, the number of game balls B inside decreases. By making such a determination impossible, game balls B can be removed smoothly. Regarding errors C other than circulation, such as communication errors with the main control board 1310, by making such a determination impossible, a ball removal condition can occur even if the connection between the game board 5 and the main control board 1310 is not established.

Furthermore, if it is determined that error A has been detected in the circulating system, an abnormality notification is triggered using the display device 1600, lamps A and B, and speakers. Here, if error A has been detected in the circulating system, the information regarding error A is cleared when the power is shut off at timing t3 (described later) or when the power is turned on at timing t4 (described later).

Furthermore, if a circulating system error A is detected before timing t1, the information regarding circulating system error A is cleared when the power is shut off at timing t1 or when the power is turned on at timing t2. However, if circulating system error A has not been resolved at timing t2, the system will again be determined to have detected circulating system error A, and an abnormality notification will be issued. Also, if a circulating system error B or a non-circulating error C is detected before timing t1, the determination result is stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740. If the RAM clear switch 743 is not operated when the power is turned on at timing t2, the information regarding circulating system error B and non-circulating error C is retained without being cleared. However, in the ball-removed state, an abnormality notification is not issued based on the storage of such determination results.

Furthermore, the performance display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), lamp C (LED mounted on the light-emitting circuit board of the function display unit 1400), speaker, and movable parts are configured to perform actions for the ball removal state at timing t2. Specifically, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Ball removal state is in progress" as an indicator of the ball removal state. Lamps A and B are configured to emit green light for the ball removal state (see power-on pattern F in Figure 173). Lamp C, including the LEDs in the function display unit 1400 that indicate the variation of special symbols and the result of the variation, and the status LEDs that indicate the game state, are all illuminated. The speaker also outputs the sound "Ball removal state is in progress" as an indicator of the ball removal state.

In the above, the sound display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker are set to a constant maximum output for volume and brightness when operating in the ball-removal state, so that the volume and brightness do not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. By setting the volume and brightness to maximum output in this way, it becomes easier to notice when the ball-removal state occurs, and acts that attempt to illegally cause the ball-removal state can be prevented. Furthermore, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and brightness can be adjusted internally, but this is not reflected in the volume and brightness during operation. When the operation returns to normal, the volume and brightness that have been adjusted internally will be reflected in the volume and brightness during operation based on the internally adjusted volume and brightness. Note that when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated in the ball-removal state, the operation itself may be not accepted. Furthermore, the display device 1600 may be configured so that the light intensity changes when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, the movable body is prevented from moving. Normally, when the power is turned on, the movable body performs initial movements to check whether it is functioning correctly and to adjust to its initial position. However, in this example, since the movable body does not move during the ball-removal state, no initial movements are performed during the transition to the ball-removal state. In other words, if the movable body is not in its initial position during the transition to the ball-removal state, it remains stopped in that position throughout the ball-removal state.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, the external terminal board is forced to output a security signal. This ensures that a security signal is output to the hall computer during the ball-removal state, allowing the hall to recognize that the ball-removal state has occurred.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, the system allows the launch of game balls B when the hall manager operates the handle 195. While the launch of game balls B is possible in the ball-removal state, the door frame 3 is open, causing the foul shutter 571 to be in the closed position. Therefore, when game balls B are launched from the ball launcher 552b, they are sent to the ball circulation unit 600 as foul balls without being launched to the outside by the foul unit 570. This ensures that there are no game balls B on the ball launcher 552b. In this example, in the ball-removal state, the hall manager needs to operate the handle 195 to launch game balls B to ensure there are no game balls B on the ball launcher 552b; however, the system could be configured to automatically launch game balls B without the need for operation of the handle 195.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are dispensed as prize balls (number of balls dispensed) are not counted. In other words, calculations regarding the ratio of dispensed balls to entered balls are disabled and not reflected in the base value. However, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, the base value from before timing t1 is retained without being cleared. Also, while the ball-removal state is active, the base value is not displayed on the base monitor, and a special "-" display is shown to indicate that the ball-removal state is active.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, since ball entry into the prize slot is not detected, no predetermined number of game balls are dispensed as prize balls, and they are not added to the player's ball count or ball count X. However, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, the ball count and ball count X from before timing t1 are retained without being cleared. Also, while the ball-removal state is active, the ball count display unit 140 does not display the ball count, and instead displays a special "-" corresponding to the ball-removal state. In addition, while the ball-removal state is active, the frame control board 740 prevents the ball count from being settled by operating the counting button switch 180. Therefore, while the ball-removal state is active, there is no increase or decrease in the ball count, and no problems arise from not displaying the ball count on the ball count display unit 140.

Next, after the power is cut off at timing t3, at timing t4, the bulb removal switch 742 is not turned ON when the power is turned on, the bulb removal flag is turned OFF, and the RAM clear switch 743 is not turned ON, the RAM clear flag is turned OFF. As a result, after the power is turned on at timing t4, the system returns to the normal state, just as it was before the power was cut off at timing t1.

Furthermore, in the ball removal state, game balls B are removed from the circulation path R to the ball receiving tray 720. If there are no or few game balls B in the circulation path R, it is necessary to replenish the game balls B via the out ball receiving port 600a and the safe ball receiving port 600b after the power is turned on at timing t4.

Furthermore, if a cyclic error A is detected before timing t3, the information regarding cyclic error A is cleared when the power is shut off at timing t3 or when the power is turned on at timing t4. However, if cyclic error A has not been resolved at timing t4, the system will again be determined to have detected cyclic error A, and an abnormality notification will be issued. Also, if a cyclic error B or a non-cyclic error C is detected before timing t1, the determination result is stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740. If the RAM clear switch 743 is not operated when the power is turned on at timing t2, the information regarding cyclic error B and non-cyclic error C is retained without being cleared. This information regarding cyclic error B and non-cyclic error C is retained without being cleared if the RAM clear switch 743 is not operated when the power is turned on at timing t4 after the power is shut off at timing t3. Then, after the power is turned on at timing t4, an abnormality notification is issued based on the stored determination results.

Furthermore, after power is turned on at timing t4, the movable parts undergo initial operations to check whether they are functioning correctly and to adjust them to their initial positions.

Figure 178 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it transitions to the ball-removal state upon power-on. This chart describes the case where, after the power is shut off at timing t1, the RAM clear switch 743 is turned ON and the ball-removal switch 742 is turned ON at timing t2, thereby transitioning to the ball-removal state. Note that the behavior before the power is shut off at timing t1 is the same as in Figure 177, and therefore the explanation is omitted.

As shown in Figure 178, after the power is cut off at timing t1, the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON at timing t2 when the power is turned on, thereby turning on the ball removal flag and transitioning to the ball removal state. In this ball removal state, the ball removal process described above is executed, making it possible to remove the game balls B sealed in the circulation path R of the main frame 4 from the ball removal opening 613p of the circulation ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). Also, at timing t2, the RAM clear flag is turned ON by turning on the RAM clear switch 743.

First, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, a game restriction period is in place where, while game ball B can still be launched, the main control board 1310 cannot proceed with the game (main game). In other words, after the power is cut off at timing t1, no special symbol variation display or jackpot game is executed, and even if a starting prize is won, the special symbol variation display will not be initiated anew.

Furthermore, the detection sensors corresponding to the various prize winning slots are disabled, preventing the initiation of special symbol display changes or the payout (granting) of prize balls upon ball entry. This ensures that in the ball-removal state, gameplay is stopped, and even if a starting prize is won, no game balls are dispensed, no special symbol draws or display changes occur, preventing normal gameplay and thus preventing any increase or decrease in the number of balls held.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, the frame control board 740 is enabled to determine whether or not it has detected error A of the circulation system, among errors A and B of the circulation system and error C other than circulation. On the other hand, it is disabled to determine whether or not it has detected error B of the circulation system or error C other than circulation. Here, regarding lifting-related errors such as "lifting ball jamming error" among the circulation system errors A, the lifting motor 664 operates when the ball-removal state occurs. However, if the lifting motor 664 operates while an abnormality related to the operation of the lifting motor 664 remains, there is a possibility that the lifting motor 664, etc. may be damaged. Enabling such a determination can prevent damage to the lifting motor 664, etc. Also, regarding door-opening errors among the circulation system errors A, there is a possibility that the door frame 3 may be opened when the ball-removal occurs, allowing for fraudulent activity against the game board 5, etc. Enabling such a determination can prevent such fraudulent activity. Furthermore, regarding errors B in the circulation system, such as "empty balls at the lifting inlet," "empty balls at launch," "insufficient number of game balls," and "excessive number of game balls," when game balls B are removed to the outside (ball receiving tray 720) when a ball removal condition occurs, the number of game balls B inside decreases. By making such a determination impossible, game balls B can be removed smoothly. Regarding errors C other than circulation, such as communication errors with the main control board 1310, by making such a determination impossible, a ball removal condition can occur even if the connection between the game board 5 and the main control board 1310 is not established.

Furthermore, if it is determined that error A has been detected in the circulating system, an abnormality notification is triggered using the display device 1600, lamps A and B, and speakers. Here, if error A has been detected in the circulating system, the information regarding error A is cleared when the power is shut off at timing t3 (described later) or when the power is turned on at timing t4 (described later).

Furthermore, if a circulating system error A is detected before timing t1, the information regarding circulating system error A is cleared when the power is shut off at timing t1 or when the power is turned on at timing t2. However, if circulating system error A has not been resolved at timing t2, a determination that circulating system error A has been detected will be made again, and an abnormality notification will be executed. Also, if a circulating system error B or a non-circulating error C is detected before timing t1, the determination result is stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740. However, if the RAM clear switch 743 is operated when the power is turned on at timing t2, the information regarding circulating system error B and non-circulating error C is cleared.

Furthermore, the performance display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), lamp C (LED mounted on the light-emitting circuit board of the function display unit 1400), speaker, and movable parts are configured to perform both the ball removal operation and the RAM clear operation at timing t2. Specifically, the performance display device 1600 displays the messages "Ball removal is in progress" and "RAM cleared" as ball removal and RAM clear indicators, respectively. Lamps A and B flash alternately in green and yellow to indicate ball removal and RAM clear states (see power-on pattern G in Figure 173). Lamp C, including the symbol LEDs that show the variation of special symbols and the variation results, and the status LEDs that show the game state, are all illuminated. Furthermore, the speaker outputs audio messages indicating the ball removal state and the RAM clear state, respectively: "Ball removal state is in progress" and "RAM cleared."

In the above, the sound display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker are set to a constant maximum output for volume and brightness during ball removal and RAM clearing operations, so that the volume and brightness do not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. By setting the volume and brightness to maximum output in this way, it becomes easier to notice when the ball removal or RAM clearing occurs, and acts that attempt to illegally cause the ball removal or RAM clearing can be prevented. Furthermore, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and brightness can be adjusted internally, but this is not reflected in the volume and brightness during operation. When the operation returns to normal, the volume and brightness that have been adjusted internally will be reflected in the volume and brightness during operation based on the internally adjusted volume and brightness. Note that when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated during ball removal operation, the operation itself may be not accepted. Furthermore, the display device 1600 may be configured so that the light intensity changes when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, the movable body is prevented from moving. Normally, when the power is turned on, the movable body performs initial movements to check whether it is functioning correctly and to adjust to its initial position. However, in this example, since the movable body does not move during the ball-removal state, no initial movements are performed during the transition to the ball-removal state. In other words, if the movable body is not in its initial position during the transition to the ball-removal state, it remains stopped in that position throughout the ball-removal state.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, the external terminal board is forced to output a security signal. This ensures that a security signal is output to the hall computer during the ball-removal state, allowing the hall to recognize that the ball-removal state has occurred.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, the system allows the launch of game balls B when the hall manager operates the handle 195. While the launch of game balls B is possible in the ball-removal state, the door frame 3 is open, causing the foul shutter 571 to be in the closed position. Therefore, when game balls B are launched from the ball launcher 552b, they are sent to the ball circulation unit 600 as foul balls without being launched to the outside by the foul unit 570. This ensures that there are no game balls B on the ball launcher 552b. In this example, in the ball-removal state, the hall manager needs to operate the handle 195 to launch game balls B to ensure there are no game balls B on the ball launcher 552b; however, the system could be configured to automatically launch game balls B without the need for operation of the handle 195.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are dispensed as prize balls (number of balls dispensed) are not counted. In other words, calculations regarding the ratio of dispensed balls to entered balls are disabled and not reflected in the base value. However, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, the base value from before timing t1 is retained without being cleared. Also, while the ball-removal state is active, the base value is not displayed on the base monitor, and a special "-" display is shown to indicate that the ball-removal state is active.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, since ball entry into the prize slot is not detected, no predetermined number of game balls are dispensed as prize balls, and they are not added to the player's ball count or ball count X. However, after transitioning to the ball-removal state at timing t2, the ball count and ball count X from before timing t1 are retained without being cleared. Also, while the ball-removal state is active, the ball count display unit 140 does not display the ball count, and instead displays a special "-" corresponding to the ball-removal state. In addition, while the ball-removal state is active, the frame control board 740 prevents the ball count from being settled by operating the counting button switch 180. Therefore, while the ball-removal state is active, there is no increase or decrease in the ball count, and no problems arise from not displaying the ball count on the ball count display unit 140.

Next, after the power is cut off at timing t3, at timing t4, the bulb removal switch 742 is not turned ON when the power is turned on, the bulb removal flag is OFF, and the RAM clear switch 743 is not turned ON, the RAM clear flag is OFF. As a result, after the power is turned on at timing 4, the system returns to the normal state, just as it was before the power was cut off at timing t1.

Furthermore, in the ball removal state, game balls B are removed from the circulation path R to the ball receiving tray 720. If there are no or few game balls B in the circulation path R, it is necessary to replenish the game balls B via the out ball receiving port 600a and the safe ball receiving port 600b after the power is turned on at timing t4.

Furthermore, if a cyclic error A is detected before timing t3, the information regarding cyclic error A is cleared when the power is shut off at timing t3 or when the power is turned on at timing t4. However, if cyclic error A has not been resolved at timing t4, the system will again be determined to have detected cyclic error A, and an abnormality notification will be issued. Also, if a cyclic error B or a non-cyclic error C is detected before timing t1, the result is stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740. However, if the RAM clear switch 743 is operated when the power is turned on at timing t2, the information regarding cyclic error B and non-cyclic error C is cleared. Therefore, after the power is turned on at timing t4, the system no longer retains information regarding cyclic error B or non-cyclic error C from before timing t1.

Furthermore, after power is turned on at timing t4, the movable parts undergo initial operations to check whether they are functioning correctly and to adjust them to their initial positions.

In this example, the system transitions to the ball-removal state only when the ball-removal switch 742 is turned ON and the power is supplied, provided that the number of balls held is zero at that time. While the ball-removal state is active, it is impossible to settle the number of balls held by operating the counting button switch 180. However, since the number of balls held is set to zero before transitioning to the ball-removal state, problems arising from the inability to settle the number of balls held during the ball-removal state are prevented.

Furthermore, in this example, the above-described ball removal process is executed from the time the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on until the power is turned off, and the lifting motor 664 remains in operation in order to remove the game balls B from the circulation path R to the ball receiving tray 720. In this regard, the operation of the lifting motor 664 may be set so that, after the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on, the operation stops and the ball removal state ends when, for example, 300 game balls B (a specific number) have circulated or when 10 minutes (a specific time) has elapsed. This specific number and specific time are set so that all of the game balls B (40 to 60 balls) stored in the circulation path R can be removed from the circulation path R to the ball receiving tray 720. This prevents the lifting motor 664 from remaining in operation after the start of the ball removal state, thus preventing malfunctions caused by prolonged operation. Furthermore, even after the lifting motor 664 stops operating, the game cannot be started, similar to the ball-removal state. To start the game, it is necessary to cut off the power supply and then turn it back on. This allows the system to detect if a ball-removal state has occurred, even after the lifting motor 664 has stopped operating. However, after the lifting motor 664 stops operating, the game may be able to be started without cutting off and then turning the power back on.

Furthermore, in this example, the ball removal state is initiated by turning on the ball removal switch 742 when the power is turned on. However, if the ball removal switch 742 is turned on during normal operation, the number of balls remaining is displayed on the base monitor. This allows the number of balls remaining to be confirmed from the back of the pachinko machine 1 by checking the number of balls displayed on the base monitor, without having to check the number of balls displayed on the ball count display unit 140. Note that the base monitor in this example is composed of four 7-segment LEDs, but it is preferable to use a 6-digit 7-segment LED, similar to the ball count display unit 140, so that the number of balls remaining can be displayed with the same number of digits (6 digits) in both cases.

In this example, in addition to displaying the base value on the base monitor, the number of balls held is displayed on the base monitor when the ball release switch 742 is turned ON during normal operation. Furthermore, while a ball release state is occurring, the base value is not displayed on the base monitor, and a special display of "-" is shown to indicate the ball release state. Also, in the frame control board 740's abnormality detection, if a circulating system error A or B, or a non-circulating error C is detected, the base value is not displayed on the base monitor, and an error code indicating the type of abnormality is displayed. The priority order for such displays is: display during ball release state > display of number of balls held > display of error code > base value. Therefore, in this example, for example, while a ball release state is occurring, it is possible to determine whether or not a circulating system error A has been detected. However, even if such an abnormality occurs, the error code is not displayed on the base monitor, and the display during the ball release state is shown instead. As an alternative example, if a circulating system error A occurs while a ball release state is occurring, the error code may be displayed on the base monitor to notify that a circulating system error A has occurred while a ball release state is occurring. In this case, for example, the display could alternately show the ball removal status and the error code. Furthermore, even if the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON while the ball removal status is active, the base monitor would not display the number of balls remaining, but would instead display the ball removal status. This ensures that the system reliably indicates that the ball removal status is occurring.

[Regarding the magnetic sensor covering the area around the foul ball sensor]
In the above embodiment, the use of stainless steel balls as the game balls B used in the pachinko machine 1 is not limited to stainless steel balls, but rather, as in the past, iron balls SB may be used as game balls B. In this case, if iron balls SB are used as game balls B, fraudulent activity using magnets M (so-called magnetic cheating) becomes possible, so the game board 5 side requires fraud detection using conventional magnetic sensors (magnetic sensor 1030) / radio wave sensors. Furthermore, since fraudulent activity may occur in the circulation path of game balls B on the main frame 4 side, magnetic sensors (magnetic sensor 1030) are required to cover the area around the circulation path and especially the area around sensors related to the addition/subtraction of the player's number of balls (launch/subtraction sensor 554, foul ball sensor 607, launch pre-sensor 704, etc.).

This example describes a case where multiple magnetic sensors 1030 are provided on the pachinko machine 1, specifically a case where magnetic sensor 1030a is provided on the game board 5 side and magnetic sensor 1030b is provided on the main frame 4 side. Here, magnetic sensors 1030a and 1030b have the same configuration as the magnetic sensor 1030 described above. For example, magnetic sensors 1030a and 1030b are rectangular in plan view, formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape with a height lower than the length of the shorter side of the rectangle, and have a gourd-shaped detection area DA formed by combining two spheres with a diameter of approximately 10 cm, thus having the same configuration as the magnetic sensor 1030 described above.

First, the magnetic sensor 1030a, located on the game board 5, is positioned to cover various prize entry points. For example, by being located near the first start opening 2003, it enables the detection of unauthorized magnetic fields directed at the first start opening 2003. This magnetic sensor 1030a is connected to the main control board 1310 on the game board 5, and the main control board 1310 determines whether or not magnetic fields have been detected by the magnetic sensor 1030a.

Figure 179 shows a diagram in which a magnetic sensor is provided around the foul ball sensor. As shown in Figure 179, the magnetic sensor 1030b provided on the main frame 4 side is positioned to cover at least the area around the foul ball sensor 607, enabling the detection of unauthorized magnetism to the foul ball sensor 607. This magnetic sensor 1030b is connected to the frame control board 740 on the main frame 4 side, and the frame control board 740 performs a determination of whether or not magnetism has been detected by the magnetic sensor 1030b.

By the way, in the case of a pachinko machine 1 that has a circulation path R in the main frame 4 (game machine frame), the area that is particularly susceptible to fraud is the area around the foul ball sensor 607 in the circulation ball path unit 600. First, when the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that a game ball B has been launched from the ball launcher 552b, it subtracts one ball from the player's ball count. On the other hand, when the foul ball sensor 607 detects that a ball has been sent to the circulation ball path unit 600 as a foul ball without being launched to the outside from the foul unit 570, it adds one ball to the player's ball count. For this reason, it is conceivable that a player could commit fraud by, for example, using a magnet M to attract a game ball B launched from the ball launcher 552b, guiding it to the foul ball sensor 607, and having it detected multiple times to add multiple balls to their count. Furthermore, if a game ball B dropped (supplied) from the ball-feeding unit 700 is attracted by a magnet M before it is detected by the launch/subtraction sensor 554, and then fed into the foul ball sensor 607, it is possible to commit fraud by adding to the number of balls held without subtracting any. In this example, however, by positioning the magnetic sensor 1030b to cover the area around the foul ball sensor 607, fraudulent magnetic fields directed at the foul ball sensor 607 can be detected, preventing attempts to fraudulently add to the number of balls held. This improves the reliability of the ball count.

Figure 180 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a magnetic sensor detects magnetism. First, the case where magnetism is detected by the magnetic sensor 1030a installed on the game board 5 side will be explained with reference to Figure 180(A).

As shown in Figure 180(A), when the magnetic sensor 1030a installed on the game board 5 side detects magnetism at timing t1, the main control board 1310 enables game execution while simultaneously executing a magnetic anomaly notification A indicating that the magnetic sensor 1030a has detected magnetism. Furthermore, the frame control board 740 is also enabled to add to the number of balls held and to settle the number of balls held.

Specifically, when the magnetic sensor 1030a detects magnetism at timing t1, the main control board 1310 allows the game (main game) to proceed for a specified period. In other words, even if a magnetic anomaly occurs at the prize entry point, the special symbol display can begin when a prize is entered, and the jackpot game can begin when the special symbol display stops on a winning symbol, allowing for normal gameplay. Furthermore, detection sensors corresponding to various prize entry points are enabled, enabling the start of the special symbol display and the payout (granting) of prize balls upon ball entry.

Furthermore, when the magnetic sensor 1030a detects magnetism at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 executes a magnetic anomaly notification A using the display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc., to inform the system that the magnetic sensor 1030a has detected magnetism. This allows the system to understand that the magnetic sensor 1030a has detected magnetism and to confirm whether or not fraudulent activity is taking place.

Furthermore, when the magnetic sensor 1030a detects magnetism at timing t1, a security signal is output from the external terminal board. This means that when the magnetic sensor 1030a detects magnetism, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand that the magnetic sensor 1030a has detected magnetism.

Furthermore, when the magnetic sensor 1030a detects magnetism at timing t1, the frame control board 740 enables the player to launch a game ball into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 195. The frame control board 740 also enables the player to dispense a predetermined number of game balls as prize balls when it detects a ball entering the prize slot, and adds the number of prize balls dispensed to the player's remaining ball count or ball count X. Additionally, the frame control board 740 enables the player to settle their remaining ball count by operating the counting button switch 180.

In this example, the magnetic anomaly notification A terminates after a predetermined time (for example, 3 minutes) has elapsed since the magnetic sensor 1030a detected magnetism at timing t1. However, as an alternative, the magnetic anomaly notification A may be terminated by restarting the power supply after a power outage. This ensures reliable confirmation that the magnetic sensor 1030a has detected magnetism.

Furthermore, in this example, when the magnetic sensor 1030a detects magnetism at timing t1, the main control board 1310 allows the game (main game) to proceed. However, it may also allow the game (main game) to proceed during this period. In this case, the detection sensors corresponding to the various prize winning slots are disabled, preventing the initiation of special symbol display changes or the payout (granting) of prize balls upon ball entry. This prevents fraudulent gameplay from occurring after the magnetic sensor 1030a detects magnetism until it is confirmed whether fraudulent activity is taking place.

Next, the case where magnetism is detected by the magnetic sensor 1030b provided on the main frame 4 will be explained with reference to Figure 180(B).

As shown in Figure 180(B), when the magnetic sensor 1030b located on the main frame 4 side detects magnetism at timing t1, the main control board 1310 enables game execution while simultaneously executing a magnetic anomaly notification B indicating that the magnetic sensor 1030b has detected magnetism. Meanwhile, the frame control board 740 allows the launch of game balls B and the addition of balls to the player's ball count, but it does not allow the settlement of the ball count.

Specifically, when the magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism at timing t1, the main control board 1310 allows the game (main game) to proceed for a specified period. In other words, even if a magnetic anomaly occurs to the foul ball sensor 607, the special symbol display can be started when a starting prize is awarded, and the jackpot game can be started when the special symbol display stops on a winning symbol, allowing for normal gameplay. Furthermore, detection sensors corresponding to various prize entry points are enabled, enabling the start of the special symbol display and the payout (awarding) of prize balls upon ball entry.

Furthermore, when the magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 executes a magnetic anomaly notification B using the display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc., to inform the system that the magnetic sensor 1030a has detected magnetism. This allows the system to understand that the magnetic sensor 1030b has detected magnetism and to confirm whether fraudulent activity is occurring. Additionally, by using different magnetic anomaly notifications depending on whether the magnetic sensor 1030a or 1030b detected magnetism, the system can determine which area the magnetism was detected in.

Furthermore, when the magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism at timing t1, a security signal is output from the external terminal board. This means that when the magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand that the magnetic sensor 1030b has detected magnetism.

Furthermore, when the magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism at timing t1, the frame control board 740 enables the launch of game balls into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 195. The frame control board 740 also enables the dispensing of a predetermined number of game balls as prize balls when it detects a ball entering the prize slot, and adds the number of prize balls dispensed to the player's remaining ball count or ball count X.

Furthermore, when the magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism at timing t1, the frame control board 740 prevents the adjustment of the ball count by operating the counting button switch 180. Thus, while it is possible to increase or decrease the ball count when magnetism is detected on the foul ball sensor 607, the adjustment of the ball count is impossible. Therefore, until it is confirmed whether the ball count has been added fraudulently, attempts to fraudulently adjust the ball count can be prevented.

In this example, magnetic anomaly notification B is terminated when a predetermined time (for example, 3 minutes) has elapsed since the magnetic sensor 1030b detected magnetism at timing t1. However, as an alternative, magnetic anomaly notification B may be terminated by restarting the power supply after a power outage. This ensures reliable confirmation that the magnetic sensor 1030b has detected magnetism. Furthermore, the components used for notification A and magnetic anomaly notification B may differ, and the termination conditions for notification may also differ.

Furthermore, in this example, when the magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism at timing t1, the main control board 1310 allows the game (main game) to proceed for a period of time. However, it may also be set to a period during which the game (main game) cannot proceed. In this case, the detection sensors corresponding to the various prize winning slots are disabled, preventing the start of the special symbol display variation or the payout (granting) of prize balls upon ball entry. This prevents fraudulent gameplay from occurring after the magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism until it is confirmed whether fraudulent activity is taking place.

As described above, when the magnetic sensor 1030a on the game board 5 side detects magnetism, magnetic anomaly notification A is executed. During the execution of magnetic anomaly notification A, it is possible to implement restrictions corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030a on the game board 5 side, such as creating a period during which the game (main game) cannot be played, as shown in the other example. On the other hand, when the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 side detects magnetism, magnetic anomaly notification B is executed. During the execution of magnetic anomaly notification B, it is possible to implement restrictions corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 side, such as making it impossible to settle the number of balls held. Furthermore, if the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 side detects magnetism while magnetic anomaly notification A is being executed, in addition to the restrictions corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030a on the game board 5 side, restrictions corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 side are also implemented. On the other hand, while magnetic anomaly notification B is being executed, if the magnetic sensor 1030a on the game board 5 side detects magnetism, in addition to the restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 side, the restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030a on the game board 5 side is also executed. In this way, even if one magnetic sensor detects magnetism and then the other magnetic sensor detects magnetism, the already executed restriction is not relaxed, thus providing a deterrent against fraud.

Furthermore, the restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 side may be configured to take precedence over the restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030a on the game board 5 side. That is, if the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 side detects magnetism while magnetic anomaly notification A is being executed, the restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030a on the game board 5 side is terminated, and the system switches to the restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 side. On the other hand, if the magnetic sensor 1030a on the game board 5 side detects magnetism while magnetic anomaly notification B is being executed, the restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 side continues to be executed, and no new restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030a on the game board 5 side is executed. In this way, even if one magnetic sensor detects magnetism before the other magnetic sensor detects it, the restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 side takes precedence, thus reliably preventing fraudulent activities such as using a magnet M around the foul ball sensor 607.

[Regarding the behavior of various switches when the game board is not installed]
Next, we will explain the case where the RAM clear switch 741, the ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and the ball removal switch 742, which are provided on the frame control board 740 of the main frame 4, are operated when the game board 5 is not mounted on the main frame 4. As described in detail above, the frame control board 740 is provided with a RAM clear switch 741 for erasing (RAM clearing) the information stored in the RAM, a ball count memory/display clear switch 743 for clearing the number of balls the player has stored in the RAM, etc., and clearing the display on the ball count display unit 140 of the door frame 3, and a ball removal switch 742 used to remove the enclosed game balls B from the ball removal opening 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). These switches are provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 and can be operated by the hall manager.

Incidentally, the RAM clear switch 741, the ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and the ball removal switch 742 must be turned ON when the power is turned on, and it is assumed that the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4 at the time of power-on. However, when the game board 5 is mounted, it may be difficult to perform maintenance on the main frame 4, and if the ON operation of these switches is disabled when the game board 5 is not mounted, it may be impossible to adequately maintain the main frame 4, potentially reducing the reliability and convenience of the pachinko machine 1. For example, if the ON operation of the ball removal switch 742 is disabled when the game board 5 is not mounted, the game balls B sealed in the circulation path R cannot be removed to the outside (ball receiving tray 720), which may make it difficult to inspect the circulation path R. Furthermore, if the power to the game board 5 is interrupted while the main frame 4 remains powered for some reason, it becomes the same as if the game board 5 were not installed. If the ON operation of these switches is disabled under such circumstances, it becomes impossible to adequately maintain the main frame 4, potentially reducing the reliability and convenience of the pachinko machine 1. In this example, by enabling the ON operation of the RAM clear switch 741, the ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and the ball removal switch 742 in situations where the game board 5 is not installed or where the power to the game board 5 is interrupted while the main frame 4 remains powered, sufficient maintenance of the main frame 4 can be performed, improving reliability and convenience. For example, if the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on while the game board 5 is not installed, the game balls B sealed in the circulation path R can be removed to the outside (ball receiving tray 720), making it easy to inspect the circulation path R.

Figure 181 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when various switches are operated upon power-on, with no game board installed.

Figure 181(A) shows the case where the RAM clear switch 741 is turned ON at timing t1 when the power is turned on, with the game board 5 not yet installed. When the RAM clear switch 741 is turned ON at timing t1 when the power is turned on, the ON operation of the RAM clear switch 741 is activated, and the information stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740 is cleared. In other words, the RAM clear switch 741 is activated regardless of whether the game board 5 is installed or not when the power is turned on. This allows the information stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740 to be cleared even when the game board 5 is not installed or when power is not supplied to the game board 5, preventing fraudulent gameplay based on pre-installation information after the game board 5 has been installed.

Furthermore, among the information stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740, the number of balls held is retained without being cleared even if the RAM clear switch 741 is turned ON when the power is turned on at timing t1. This number of balls can be displayed on the ball count display unit 140 regardless of whether the game board 5 is installed or not when the power is turned on. Note that the number of balls can be cleared by turning ON the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 simultaneously with the RAM clear switch 741 when the power is turned on at timing t1.

Figure 181(B) shows the case where the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned ON at timing t1 when the power is turned on, with the game board 5 not installed. When the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned ON at timing t1 when the power is turned on, the ON operation of the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is activated, and the number of balls stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740 is cleared. In other words, the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is activated regardless of whether the game board 5 is installed or not when the power is turned on. This allows the administrator to clear the number of balls even when the game board 5 is not installed or when the power is turned on, preventing the ball count from being fraudulently settled when the game board 5 is not installed or when the power is turned on, and allowing the administrator to clear balls whose owner is unknown (for example, a ball with only one remaining).

Figure 181(C) shows the case where the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON at timing t1 when the power is turned on, with the game board 5 not installed. When the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON at timing t1 when the power is turned on, the ON operation of the ball removal switch 742 is activated, transitioning to the ball removal state, and enabling the game balls B sealed in the circulation path R to be removed to the outside (ball receiving tray 720) through the ball removal opening 613p of the circulation ball path unit 600. In other words, the ball removal switch 742 is activated regardless of whether the game board 5 is installed or not when the power is turned on. This allows the system to transition to the ball removal state and remove the game balls B sealed in the circulation path R to the outside (ball receiving tray 720) even when the game board 5 is not installed or when the power is not supplied to the game board 5, making inspection of the circulation path R easier.

Furthermore, while the game board 5 is installed during the ball removal state, allowing for the launch of game balls B, it is also possible to launch game balls B even when the game board 5 is not installed or when the game board 5 is not powered on. Specifically, during the ball removal state, the door frame 3 is open, causing the foul shutter 571 to be in the closed position. When game balls B are launched from the ball launcher 552b, they are sent to the ball circulation unit 600 as foul balls without being launched to the outside by the foul unit 570. This allows for a state where there are no game balls B on the ball launcher 552b even when the game board 5 is not installed.

In this example, the configuration for the handle 160 includes a launch control unit that detects the handle touch sensor 162 and the handle rotation sensor 163 and controls the drive of the launch solenoid 553. This launch control unit is connected to the frame control board 740. When the handle touch sensor 162 detects the player's contact (touch) with the handle 160, the launch control unit outputs a detection signal to the main control board 1310 and the frame control board 740. The main control board 1310 outputs a launch permission signal to the launch control unit when it receives a detection signal, and similarly, the frame control board 740 outputs a launch permission signal to the launch control unit when it receives a detection signal. The launch control unit controls the drive of the launch solenoid 553 to launch a game ball B when the handle rotation sensor 163 detects the rotation of the handle 160 during the period when both the launch permission signal from the main control board 1310 and the launch permission signal from the frame control board 740 are received. Furthermore, if an error occurs in the main control board 1310, such as stopping the game, it will not output a launch permission signal to the launch control unit, thus not permitting the launch of game ball B. Similarly, if an error occurs in the frame control board 740, it will not output a launch permission signal to the launch control unit, thus not permitting the launch of game ball B.

In the above configuration, when the game board 5 is not installed or when the game board 5 is not powered on, the main control board 1310 is not connected and cannot output a launch permission signal. However, since the frame control board 740 can output a launch permission signal, in this example, when the game board 5 is not installed and the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON at timing t1 when the power is turned on, the launch of game balls B is permitted only by the output of the launch permission signal from the frame control board 740. This makes it possible to launch game balls B even when the game board 5 is not installed or when the game board 5 is not powered on, and to keep game balls B off the ball launching platform 552b. As an alternative, when the game board 5 is not installed, the frame control board 740 may output a launch permission signal for the ball removal state instead of the launch permission signal from the main control board 1310. In this alternative example, the launch control unit may control the drive of the launch solenoid 553 to launch a game ball B when the handle rotation sensor 163 detects the rotation of the handle 160 during the period when both the launch permission signal from the frame control board 740 and the launch permission signal for the ball removal state from the frame control board 740 are input. This allows for the launch of game ball B even when the game board 5 is not installed or when the game board 5 is not powered on at power-up, thus preventing a state where there are no game balls B on the ball launching platform 552b.

Furthermore, Figure 181(D) shows the case where the counting button switch 180 is operated ON at timing t1, when the game board 5 is not installed or when the game board 5 is not powered after power-up. When the counting button switch 180 is operated ON at timing t1, the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is enabled, and the system is controlled to a counting-permitted state where the number of balls held can be settled. In other words, the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is enabled even when the game board 5 is not installed or when the game board 5 is not powered after power-up. This allows for the settlement of the number of balls held even when the game board 5 is not installed or when the game board 5 is not powered after power-up, preventing any disadvantage to the player.

Furthermore, the counting button switch 180 may be configured as follows, depending on the circumstances when performing maintenance on the main unit frame 4.

Specifically, Figure 181 (D') shows the case where the game board 5 is not installed, and the counting button switch 180 is turned ON after the power is turned on at timing t1. When the counting button switch 180 is turned ON after the power is turned on at timing t1, the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is disabled, and the system is controlled to a counting-prohibited state, preventing the settlement of the number of balls held. In other words, if the game board 5 is installed when the power is turned on, the subsequent ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is enabled; however, if the game board 5 is not installed when the power is turned on, the subsequent ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is disabled. This prevents the fraudulent settlement of the number of balls held while the hall manager is conducting an inspection when the game board 5 is not installed.

Furthermore, Figure 181(E) shows the case where, with the game board 5 installed, the power is turned on at timing t1, the game board 5 is removed from the main frame 4, and the counting button switch 180 is turned ON at timing t2 while the game board 5 is not installed. When the counting button switch 180 is turned ON at timing t2, the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is made effective, and the system is controlled to a counting-permitted state where the number of balls held can be settled. In other words, if the game board 5 is not installed when the power is turned on, the subsequent ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is disabled, whereas if the game board 5 is installed when the power is turned on but is subsequently removed, the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is made effective while the game board 5 is not installed. This allows the hall manager to adjust the number of balls held by the player even if the game board 5 is removed for inspection while the player is playing, thus preventing any disadvantage to the player.

Furthermore, when the game board 5 is installed, if the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, or ball removal switch 742 are turned ON when the power is turned on, or if the counting button switch 180 is turned ON after the power is turned on, the peripheral control board 1510 on the game board 5 will use the components it instructs to operate to notify that the RAM has been cleared, that the ball count has been cleared, that a ball removal state has occurred, or that the ball count has been settled, respectively. The components that the peripheral control board 1510 instructs to operate include the performance display device 1600, LEDs and speakers mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3. However, when the game board 5 is not installed, even if the various switches are turned ON, the peripheral control board 1510 cannot execute notifications using the components it instructs to operate, resulting in the problem that it becomes impossible to know which state has occurred.

In this example, when the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 are turned ON when the power is turned on, or when the counting button switch 180 is turned ON after the power is turned on, the frame control board 740 on the main frame 4 uses components that are instructed to operate, in addition to components that are instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 on the game board 5 side, to perform notifications indicating that the RAM has been cleared, the number of balls held has been cleared, a ball removal state has occurred, and the number of balls held has been settled, respectively. Here, components that are instructed to operate by the frame control board 740 include the base monitor, the number of balls held display unit 140, and the LEDs built into the counting button switch 180. For example, when the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 are turned ON when the power is turned on, the number of balls held display unit 140 performs the corresponding display. Furthermore, when the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON during power-up, the base monitor also displays an indication that a ball removal state is in progress. The LED on the counting button switch 180 indicates whether the number of balls can be settled and the settlement status based on the operation of the counting button switch 180. Therefore, even when the game board 5 is not installed, when various switches are turned ON, notifications can be made using components instructed by the frame control board 740, clearly indicating which state has occurred and preventing confusion for the hall manager.

[Regarding the prize ball cut-off system]
In this example, the number of balls held is managed by the frame control board 740, and if there are balls held, it is possible to play using those balls. Also, when the counting button switch 180 is operated, the number of balls held is settled, and when the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned ON when the power is turned on, the number of balls held can be cleared. Furthermore, when conducting a trial play test to check the trend of the amount of balls dispensed over a long period of several days, unlike when a player is playing, it is not always necessary to settle or clear the number of balls held, and the number of balls held may be left as is. However, there is an upper limit to the number of balls held, and if an error such as game stoppage occurs when the number of balls held reaches the upper limit, the trial play test is interrupted, which reduces the efficiency of the trial play test, and there was room for improvement in terms of convenience. In this example, even if the number of balls held reaches the upper limit, it is possible to continue playing in a manner that prevents errors such as game stoppage, as described later. The following describes gameplay after the number of balls held reaches the upper limit.

First, let's explain how the number of balls held increases or decreases. When the main control board 1310 detects a predetermined number of game balls B as a prize ball command when a detection sensor corresponding to a prize entry point (which is the target of payout/awarding prize balls) is detected, it transmits that number to the frame control board 740. For example, it is predetermined that when a game ball B enters the general prize entry point 2001, 10 game balls B will be paid out; when a game ball B enters the normal prize entry point 2002, 1 game ball B will be paid out; when a game ball B enters the first start entry point 2003 or the second start entry point 2004, 3 game balls B will be paid out; and when a game ball B enters the large prize entry point 2005 or the special prize entry point 2006, 10 game balls B will be paid out. The frame control board 740, upon receiving a prize ball command, counts the number of game balls B (hereinafter referred to as "dispensed balls") that are dispensed (given) as prize balls upon entry into the prize slot. In this example of pachinko machine 1, since there is no actual ball payout, the frame control board 740 adds the number of game balls B dispensed (given) as prize balls to the player's ball count based on the prize ball command received.

Furthermore, in this example of pachinko machine 1, the handle touch sensor 162 detects the player's contact (touch) with the handle 160. When the handle touch sensor 162 detects the player's contact and the handle 160 is rotated, the handle rotation sensor 163 receives the detection, and the drive of the launch solenoid 553 is controlled with a strength corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160, allowing the game ball B to be launched. When a game ball B is launched from the ball launching platform 552b, the launch deduction sensor 554 detects that a game ball B has been launched from the ball launching platform 552b and deducts one ball from the player's remaining ball count.

Furthermore, the door frame 3 is equipped with a counting button switch 180 that can be operated by the player. As detailed above, when the player has balls (number of balls > 0), pressing the counting button switch 180 sends information about the number of balls to the ball dispensing device 8, allowing for settlement.

Furthermore, the frame control board 740 is equipped with a ball count memory/display clear switch 743 that can be operated by the hall manager. As detailed above, by operating the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 when the power is turned on, the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740 can be cleared. In other words, the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740 can be either maintained or cleared depending on whether or not the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is operated when the power is turned on after a power outage.

In this example, the maximum number of balls held is set at 990,000. If the number of balls held has not reached the maximum limit, the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls when balls enter the prize slots is added to the number of balls held. However, if the number of balls held has reached the maximum limit, the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls when balls enter the prize slots is not added to the number of balls held, and the prize ball cut is performed to maintain the state where the number of balls held has reached the maximum limit. Here, "prize ball cut" corresponds to the frame control board 740, which receives a prize ball command related to a prize, discarding some or all of the number of game balls B (prize balls) corresponding to the prize ball command related to the prize without storing (adding) them to the number of balls held. For example, if the number of balls held has reached the maximum limit of 990,000, even if a game ball B enters the large prize slot 2005, the frame control board 740 does not cut 10 game balls B as prize balls and add them to the number of balls held, maintaining the state where the number of balls held has reached the maximum limit of 990,000. Furthermore, even when the number of balls held has reached the maximum limit, the main control board 1310 and the frame control board 740 are prevented from generating errors such as game stoppage, allowing gameplay on the main control board 1310 to continue in a manner where prize balls are cut on the frame control board 740 side. This allows for the continuation of the test play during long-term trial testing spanning several days, without the need to settle or clear the number of balls even if the maximum limit is reached, thus improving the efficiency of the trial play test.

Furthermore, if the number of balls held has not reached the maximum limit, the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls upon entry into the prize slot is added to the number of balls held. When the number of balls held exceeds the maximum limit, the prize balls exceeding the limit are not added to the number of balls held, resulting in a state where the number of balls held reaches the maximum limit. For example, if the number of balls held is close to the maximum limit at 989,999, and a game ball B enters the large prize slot 2005, the frame control board 740 adds one game ball B out of the 10 prize balls to the number of balls held. However, the prize balls for the remaining 9 game balls B are not added, resulting in a state where the number of balls held reaches the maximum limit of 990,000. This minimizes the disadvantage to the player due to prize ball cuts, even if a test play has not been conducted and the player is playing while the number of balls is approaching the maximum limit.

Furthermore, when the number of balls held reaches the maximum limit, and game ball B is used by launching game ball B, the number of balls held is reduced on the frame control board 740 side so that the number of balls held falls below the maximum limit. Therefore, after the number of balls held falls below the maximum limit, the frame control board 740 is made capable of adding back the number of balls held by the number of game ball B balls dispensed (given) as prize balls when balls enter the prize slots.

Furthermore, the door frame 3 is equipped with a ball count display unit 140 capable of displaying the number of balls held. The ball count display unit 140 consists of six 7-segment displays, with a display upper limit of 990,000. In other words, since the upper limit of 990,000 for the number of balls held is set to the same value as the display upper limit of 990,000 on the ball count display unit 140, even if the number of balls reaches the upper limit, the ball count display unit 140 will not fail to display the number of balls, allowing for accurate tracking of the number of balls held.

Furthermore, a game ball dispensing device 8 is provided adjacent to the pachinko machine 1. With the game ball dispensing device 8, when cash or other funds are inserted into the slot and the ball dispensing button switch 8a is pressed, a predetermined number of game balls B are dispensed within the range of the inserted amount. The number of game balls B dispensed from the game ball dispensing device 8 is then added to the player's total number of balls. However, if the player's total number of balls is 100,000 or more, even if the ball dispensing button switch 8a is pressed, the frame control board 740 will reject the dispensing of game balls B, even if a signal for dispensing is received. Therefore, no game balls B are dispensed, and the frame control board 740 does not add them to the player's total number of balls. This is because 100,000 or more balls is considered a sufficient number to continue playing, and this device prevents the dispensing of more game balls B than necessary. Furthermore, since the number of balls held will not reach the upper limit of 990,000 due to the lending of game ball B, the game will not be played in a manner that cuts the prize balls due to the lending of game ball B, and the player will not be disadvantaged. When the number of balls held is 100,000 or more and the ball lending button switch 8a is pressed, an error notification is issued to inform the player that game ball B will not be lent. For example, when the number of balls held is 100,000 or more and the ball lending button switch 8a is pressed, the frame control board 740 displays an error message on the ball count display unit 140 for a short period of time (for example, 1 to 2 seconds), so that the player understands that game ball B will not be lent. As an alternative example, when the number of balls held exceeds 100,000, pressing the ball dispensing button switch 8a may transmit specific error information from the frame control board 740 to the peripheral control board 1510. This allows the peripheral control board 1510 to perform control related to light, sound, and display (such as control of lamps, speakers, and the display device 1600) to notify the user that ball dispensing is impossible due to the number of balls held exceeding 100,000.

Next, we will explain how data related to prize balls is handled. The frame control board 740 adds the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls upon entry into the prize slots to the number of balls held, and adds the number of game balls B dispensed (given) as prize balls upon entry into the prize slots to the data related to prize balls other than the number of balls held. Conversely, when the number of balls held has reached its limit, the number of game balls B dispensed (given) as prize balls upon entry into the prize slots is not added to the number of balls held, but the number of game balls B dispensed (given) as prize balls upon entry into the prize slots is added to the data related to prize balls other than the number of balls held. In other words, when the number of balls held has reached its limit, the prize ball cut-off amount by the frame control board 740 is also added to the data related to prize balls other than the number of balls held.

As detailed above, the main control board 1310 calculates the amount of balls dispensed by using a "stop counter" to calculate the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls dispensed, and tracks the trend of the amount of balls dispensed as data related to prize balls (the number of shots can be any number of balls used in the game, or the number of balls that enter the prize pockets). When the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value (for example, 100,000), the system switches to a stop state and restricts gameplay. Here, if the number of balls held has reached the upper limit, the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls when balls enter the prize pockets is not added to the number of balls held, but the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls when balls enter the prize pockets is added to the number of balls dispensed to calculate the amount of balls dispensed. In other words, the main control board 1310 and the frame control board 740 share the responsibility of calculating the payout amount and the number of balls held. The frame control board 740 also reflects the amount of balls cut when the number of balls held reaches its limit in the payout amount calculated by the main control board 1310. This allows for accurate gameplay data collection during long-term test play tests spanning several days, eliminating the need to reset or adjust the ball count even when the limit is reached, thus improving the efficiency of the test play.

Furthermore, as detailed above, when the base value is calculated on the main control board 1310 or the frame control board 740, the ratio of the number of balls dispensed to the number of balls entered is calculated, and the trend of the payout rate is grasped as data related to prize balls (note that the number of balls entered can be the number of balls used in the game, or it can be the number of balls fired). Here, if the number of balls held has reached the upper limit, the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls when balls enter the prize pockets is not added to the number of balls held, but the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls when balls enter the prize pockets is added to the number of balls dispensed for the purpose of calculating the base value. In other words, the prize ball cut when the number of balls held has reached the upper limit on the frame control board 740 side is also reflected in the base value calculated on the main control board 1310 or the frame control board 740. This allows for the collection of accurate gameplay data during long-term test runs spanning several days, eliminating the need to reset or adjust the ball count even if the maximum number of balls is reached, thus improving the efficiency of the test runs.

Furthermore, the external terminal board can output predetermined signals to the hall computer, and by receiving these signals, the hall also understands the behavior of the pachinko machine 1. For example, it outputs corresponding signals when a ball enters a prize slot, when the special symbol display stops on a winning symbol and a jackpot game is being played, or when an abnormality is detected. Here, if the number of balls held has reached the upper limit, the number of game balls B that are paid out (given) as prize balls upon entry into the prize slots is not added to the total number of balls held. However, the external terminal board outputs a signal (entry signal) corresponding to balls entering the prize slots even for balls that have had their prize balls cut. In other words, if the number of balls held has reached the upper limit, the hall computer also understands the balls that have been cut from the prize ball count. This allows for accurate game data collection during long-term trial testing over several days, even if the number of balls reaches the upper limit, without the need to settle or clear the ball count, thus improving the efficiency of the trial testing.

Figure 257 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the number of balls reaches its limit. This chart explains the case where the maximum number of balls is 990,000, and the machine enters a stop-play state when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value of 100,000.

First, let's explain the prize-winning gameplay before the maximum number of balls is reached. In prize-winning gameplay, the game state on the main control board 1310 is controlled to a normal state (not a stop-play state), allowing the main game (primary gameplay) to proceed. In other words, in the normal state (not a stop-play state), when a starting prize is won, the special symbol display can begin, and when the special symbol display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing for normal gameplay.

Furthermore, in games with prize balls, the frame control board 740 counts the number of balls held, but the number of balls has not reached the upper limit and remains below 990,000. In games with prize balls, when a ball enters the prize slot, a predetermined number of game balls B are dispensed (given) as prize balls, and the number of game balls B dispensed (given) as prize balls is added to the number of balls held.

Furthermore, in games with prize balls, the main control board 1310 calculates the payout amount by the difference between the number of balls launched and the number of balls dispensed. However, the payout amount does not reach a specific value, remaining below 100,000. In games with prize balls, when a ball enters the prize slot, it is possible to add the number of game balls B dispensed (given) as prize balls to the number of balls dispensed for calculating the payout amount.

Furthermore, in games with prize balls, the peripheral control board 1510 uses the performance display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc., to execute normal operations in accordance with the progress of the game on the main control board 1310. Specifically, when the special symbol variation display is executed, it executes performances including the decorative symbol variation display (for example, a reach performance), and when a jackpot game is executed, it executes performances during the jackpot game. In addition, as a performance during the jackpot game, at least the performance display device 1600 is used to execute an increase performance to inform the player in real time of the increase in prize balls that will be paid out (given) when a ball enters the large prize pocket 2005. Furthermore, in games with prize balls, when a ball enters the large prize pocket 2005, it is possible to display the number of game balls B that will be paid out (given) as prize balls as an increase performance. For example, in games with prize balls, each time a ball enters the large prize pocket 2005, it is possible to display "+10", which is the increase in prize balls, as an increase performance.

Furthermore, in games with prize balls, it is possible to output a predetermined signal to the hall computer from the external terminal board. In games with prize balls, when a ball enters the prize slot, it is possible to output a signal corresponding to the number of game balls B that will be paid out (given) as prize balls (award signal). In addition, in games with prize balls, it is possible to detect abnormal prize entries, such as continuous ball entries into the prize slot, as well as magnetic errors and vibration errors. For example, if five or more game balls B enter the same prize slot in a short period of time, such as one second, it is possible that the player is being tricked into entering the prize slot fraudulently in an attempt to gain an unfair advantage. In this case, it is determined that an abnormal prize has occurred, and error notifications corresponding to the abnormal prize are issued for a predetermined period while allowing the game to continue. When it is determined that an abnormal prize has occurred, it is possible to output a security signal from the external terminal board. The security signal is output when an anomaly is detected, when a setting value is being changed, or when a setting value is being displayed for confirmation. The same security signal is also output when the system enters the shutdown state, as described later.

Furthermore, in games with prize balls, when the player operates the handle 160, it is possible to launch game ball B into the game area 5a. Also, in games with prize balls, when game ball B is used by launching it, the number of remaining balls can be reduced on the frame control board 740.

Furthermore, in games with prize balls, the main control board 1310 or the frame control board 740 calculates the ratio of the number of balls dispensed to the number of balls entered as a base value, and displays this base value on the base monitor. In games with prize balls, when a ball is detected entering the prize slot, the number of game balls B dispensed (given) as prize balls can be added to the number of balls dispensed for calculating the base value.

Furthermore, in games with prize balls, the ball count display unit 140 shows a ball count of less than 990,000. Also, in games with prize balls, when the ball count is less than 100,000, pressing the ball dispensing button switch 8a allows the number of game balls B dispensed from the game ball dispensing device 8 to be added to the ball count on the frame control board 740. On the other hand, in games with prize balls, even if the ball dispensing button switch 8a is pressed when the ball count is 100,000 or more, no game balls B will be dispensed from the game ball dispensing device 8, and the number of balls will not be added to the ball count on the frame control board 740. Also, in games with prize balls, when there are balls remaining (ball count > 0), pressing the counting button switch 180 allows information regarding the number of balls to be sent to the game ball dispensing device 8 for settlement.

Next, we will explain the case where the power is cut off at timing t1 during a game with prize balls, and then restored at timing t2. Here, when the power is restored at timing t2, the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is not operated, and the number of balls held at the time of the power cut is maintained. Furthermore, this example uses the limit clear pattern table 4. As detailed above, the limit clear pattern table 4 clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins," regardless of which of the power-on patterns 1 to 4 is selected when the power is restored. Therefore, when the power is restored at timing t2, regardless of which of the power-on patterns 1 to 4 is selected, the amount of balls dispensed at the time of the power cut is cleared, and the amount of balls dispensed starts counting from 0 (initial value).

As detailed above, the maximum number of balls held is 990,000, and the specific value at which the payout reaches its limit is set to 100,000. However, both the number of balls held on the frame control board 740 and the payout amount on the main control board 1310 increase by the number of game balls B that are paid out (given) as prize balls each time a prize ball is awarded. Therefore, if both the number of balls held and the payout amount are counted from 0 (initial value), the payout amount will reach the specific value and the game will reach its limit before the number of balls held reaches its maximum. On the other hand, as in this example, if the power is cut off at timing t1 before the payout amount reaches the specific value, and then the power is turned back on at timing t2, the number of balls held at the time of the power cut off is maintained, but the payout amount at the time of the power cut off is cleared, and the payout amount is counted from 0 (initial value). As a result, it is possible for the number of balls held to reach its maximum before the payout amount reaches the specific value.

Furthermore, when the power is restored at timing t2, if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, the game will resume with prize balls while maintaining the game state at the time of the power outage. On the other hand, when the power is restored at timing t2, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, the game will start with prize balls after clearing the game state at the time of the power outage.

Next, we will explain the prize-cut gameplay that occurs after the number of balls reaches the maximum limit at timing tX during a prize-paying game. In prize-cut gameplay, the game state on the main control board 1310 is controlled to a normal state (not a stop-play state), allowing the main game to proceed on the main control board 1310. In other words, in prize-cut gameplay, the special symbol display can begin when a starting prize is won, and the jackpot game can begin when the special symbol display stops on a winning symbol, similar to prize-paying gameplay. However, it differs from prize-paying gameplay in that prize balls are not paid out (not awarded) even if balls enter the prize slot.

Furthermore, in the prize ball cut game mode, the frame control board 740 counts the number of balls held, but the number of balls has reached its upper limit, which is 990,000. In the prize ball cut game mode, when a ball enters the prize slot, the predetermined number of game balls B that would normally be dispensed (given) as prize balls is disabled. The number of game balls B that would normally be dispensed (given) as prize balls (the prize ball cut portion) is not added to the number of balls held, thus maintaining the state where the number of balls has reached its upper limit.

Furthermore, in the prize ball cut game mode, the main control board 1310 calculates the payout amount by subtracting the number of balls fired from the number of balls dispensed. However, the payout amount does not reach a specific value, remaining below 100,000. Also, in the prize ball cut game mode, when a ball enters the prize slot, the number of game balls B dispensed (given) as prize balls is not added to the number of balls held. However, it is possible to add the number of game balls B dispensed (given) as prize balls (the amount of prize ball cut on the frame control board 740) to the number of balls dispensed for calculating the payout amount.

Furthermore, in prize ball cut games, the peripheral control board 1510 uses the performance display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc., to execute normal operations in accordance with the progress of the game on the main control board 1310. Specifically, when the special symbol variation display is executed, performances including the decorative symbol variation display (for example, a reach performance) are executed, and when a jackpot game is executed, performances during the jackpot game are executed. In addition, as a performance during the jackpot game, at least the performance display device 1600 is used to execute an increase performance in real time to inform the player of the increase in the amount of prize balls that will be paid out (given) when a ball enters the large prize pocket 2005. Furthermore, in the prize ball cut game, when a ball enters the large prize opening 2005, the number of game balls B that are paid out (given) as prize balls is not added to the number of balls held, but an increase animation is performed, and the increase animation can display the number of game balls B that are paid out (given) as prize balls (the amount of prize ball cut on the frame control board 740 side). As a result, when conducting trial play tests over a long period of several days, even if the number of balls held reaches the limit, there is no need to settle or clear the number of balls held, and it is possible to check whether the increase animation is executed correctly, thereby improving the efficiency of trial play tests. Also, for example, in the prize ball cut game, each time a ball enters the large prize opening 2005, it is possible to display "+10", which is the original amount of prize ball increase, as an increase animation. Thus, while there is a difference between games with and without prize balls in whether the number of game balls B paid out (given) as prize balls is added to the number of balls held when a ball enters the large prize slot 2005, the display content executed during the increase animation is the same. Therefore, it is difficult to notice that a game with no prize balls is in operation, and the player's sense of loss due to the prize ball cut on the frame control board 740 can be suppressed.

As described above, in the increase animation, each time a ball enters the large prize slot 2005, the animation display device 1600 displays "+10," which represents the increase in prize balls. However, the "+10" increase display is erased after a predetermined time (e.g., 3 seconds) from the start of display. Furthermore, it is possible to display additional "+10" increases each time a ball enters the large prize slot 2005. It is also possible to simultaneously display up to 12 "+10" increases, which is more than the maximum number of balls that can enter the large prize slot 2005 in one round (10 balls). Here, the "2 balls" exceeding the maximum number of balls that can enter the large prize slot 2005 in one round represent so-called over-wins. This allows players to confirm the presence or absence of over-wins by the number of "+10" increases displayed, even during prize ball cut-off gameplay.

Furthermore, in the increased payout animation, each time a ball enters the large prize slot 2005, the animation display device 1600 not only displays "+10," which represents the increase in the number of prize balls, but also performs increased illumination in the large prize slot 2005 or the light-emitting section provided around it. The increased illumination is white and ends after a predetermined time (e.g., 1 second) from the start of illumination. Additionally, the increased illumination can be extended to an additional duration even while illumination is in progress, each time a ball enters the large prize slot 2005. Moreover, the increased illumination can flash up to 12 times, exceeding the maximum number of prize balls that can enter the large prize slot 2005 in one round (10 balls). Here, the "2 flashes" exceeding the maximum number of prize balls that can enter the large prize slot 2005 in one round represent so-called over-winnings. This allows for confirmation of over-winnings based on the number of increased illumination flashes, even during prize ball cut-off gameplay.

Furthermore, during the increase animation, each time a ball enters the large prize slot 2005, the animation display device 1600 not only displays "+10," which is the increase in prize balls, but also outputs an increase sound, "beep beep beep," from the speaker. The increase sound ends after a predetermined time (for example, 1 second) from the start of output. In addition, the increase sound can be output for an additional duration even while it is still being output, each time a ball enters the large prize slot 2005. Furthermore, the increase sound can be output up to 12 times, which is more than the maximum number of balls that can enter the large prize slot 2005 in one round, which is 10. Here, the increase sound outputs the "beep beep beep" sound up to "10 times," but for the "2 times" beyond that, the sound "Over-prize acquired!" is output. This allows players to check whether an over-prize has occurred based on the number of increase sounds, even during prize ball cut-off gameplay, and the presence or absence of an over-prize can be recognized not only by the player playing the pachinko machine 1 but also by players in the surrounding area.

In this example, the presence or absence of a prize-reducing game is not indicated by an increasing animation on the peripheral control board 1510. However, this can be indicated by suppressing some of the animation elements (sound, light, video) that constitute the increasing animation. For example, in a game with prize balls, an increasing flashing animation is performed when the number of prize balls increases. In a game with prize balls reduced, this flashing animation is not performed when the number of prize balls increases, allowing the player to understand that a prize-reducing game is in progress. Similarly, in a game with prize balls, an increasing sound is output when the number of prize balls increases. In a game with prize balls reduced, this sound is not output, allowing the player to understand that a prize-reducing game is in progress. Furthermore, the presence or absence of a prize-reducing game can be indicated by a method other than the increasing animation on the peripheral control board 1510, such as using the animation display device 1600, lamps, or speakers.

Furthermore, during the execution of the prize ball cut game, some of the performance elements (sound, light, video) that constitute the increase effect may be suppressed in response to suppression operations by the player (such as the operation of a predetermined suppression button not shown). In this case, one suppression operation may suppress one performance element, or it may suppress multiple performance elements. For example, by performing the first suppression operation, the volume of the winning sound (sound related to winning) may be reduced to 0, and a specific display may be shown so as to overlap with the "+10" increase display, thereby suppressing some of the performance elements that constitute the increase effect during the prize ball cut game. Alternatively, by performing the second suppression operation, the brightness of the winning light (light related to winning) may be reduced to 0, and a specific display may be shown so as to overlap with the "+10" increase display, thereby suppressing some of the performance elements that constitute the increase effect during the prize ball cut game.

Furthermore, in prize ball cut games, it is possible to output a predetermined signal to the hall computer from the external terminal board. In prize ball cut games, when a ball enters the prize slot, the number of game balls B that are paid out (given) as prize balls is not added to the number of balls held. However, it is possible to output a signal (winning signal) corresponding to the number of game balls B that are paid out (given) as prize balls (the amount of prize ball cut). In addition, in prize ball cut games, it is possible to detect abnormal winnings, such as when balls enter the prize slot continuously, as an error related to ball entry, in addition to magnetic errors and vibration errors. For example, if five or more game balls B enter the same prize slot in a short period of time, such as one second, although it is not possible to gain an unfair profit due to the prize ball cut, there is a possibility that the player is being guided to enter the prize slot illegally without knowing it. In this case, it is determined that an abnormal winning has occurred, and while allowing the game to continue, an error notification corresponding to the abnormal winning is executed for a predetermined period of time. Furthermore, if an abnormal winning condition is detected, a security signal can be output from the external terminal board. This security signal is output when an abnormality is detected, when setting values are being changed, or when setting values are being displayed for confirmation. The same security signal is also output when the game enters the stop-play state, as described later.

Furthermore, in the prize-cut game mode, when the player operates the handle 160, it is possible to launch a game ball into the game area 5a. In the prize-cut game mode, when game ball B is used by launching it, the frame control board 740 can reduce the number of remaining balls. If, after reducing the number of remaining balls, the number of remaining balls falls below the upper limit, the game will switch to a prize-paying game mode.

Furthermore, in prize ball cut games, the main control board 1310 or the frame control board 740 calculates the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered as a base value, and displays this base value on the base monitor. In prize ball cut games, when a ball enters the prize slot, the number of game balls B that are paid out (given) as prize balls is not added to the number of balls held. However, it is possible to add the number of game balls B that are paid out (given) as prize balls (the amount of prize ball cut by the frame control board 740) to the number of payouts used to calculate the base value.

Furthermore, in the prize-cut game mode, the ball count display unit 140 shows 990,000 as the number of balls held. Also, in the prize-cut game mode, since the number of balls held has reached the upper limit of 100,000 or more, pressing the ball dispensing button switch 8a will not result in any game balls B being dispensed from the game ball dispensing device 8, and the number of balls will not be added to the number of balls held on the frame control board 740. In addition, in the prize-cut game mode, when the number of balls held is at the upper limit of 990,000, pressing the counting button switch 180 allows information regarding the number of balls held to be sent to the game ball dispensing device 8 for settlement. If, after settlement, the number of balls held is no longer at the upper limit, the game will switch to prize-enabled game mode.

Next, we will explain the case where the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at timing t3 during a payout cut game and the game transitions to a stop-play state. Here, at timing t3, it is determined that the amount of balls dispensed based on balls entering the prize slot reaches a specific value. However, when the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering that slot, it turns on the stop-play flag, and transitions to a "stop-play state" where restriction pattern 3, which performs both "game stop" and "ball launch stop," is applied. In this stop-play state, the launch of game balls B is disabled, and the main control board 1310 cannot proceed with the game (main game). In other words, in the stop-play state, there is no special symbol variation display or jackpot gameplay. Even if a starting prize is awarded, the special symbol variation display will not begin anew.

Furthermore, in the stopped-play state, the frame control board 740 counts the number of balls held, but the number of balls has already reached its upper limit of 990,000 even before transitioning to the stopped-play state. Also, in the stopped-play state, the launch of game balls B is disabled, and even if a ball enters the prize pocket, the predetermined number of game balls B cannot be dispensed (given) as prize balls. Therefore, unless the number of balls is settled or cleared, the number of balls held will not increase or decrease.

Furthermore, in the stopped-play state, the main control board 1310 calculates the difference between the number of balls fired and the number of balls dispensed as the payout amount. Since the payout amount has reached a specific value, it is set to 100,000. Also, in the stopped-play state, the firing of game balls B is disabled, and even if a ball enters the prize pocket, the predetermined number of game balls B cannot be dispensed (given) as prize balls. Therefore, the payout amount does not increase or decrease.

Furthermore, when the game is in a state of being unable to proceed, the peripheral control board 1510 uses the display device 1600, lamps, and speaker to execute actions for when the game cannot proceed. Specifically, the display device 1600 displays the message "Gameplay Restricted" as an indication that the game cannot proceed, the lamp lights up or flashes a single color LED as an indication that the game cannot proceed, and the speaker outputs an audio message saying, "The daily payout limit has been reached, so gameplay is restricted."

Furthermore, in the stop-out state, the external terminal board is forced to output a security signal. This security signal is output when an anomaly is detected, when setting values are being changed, or when setting values are being displayed for confirmation. The same security signal is output when the machine transitions to the stop-out state. As a result, when the machine transitions to the stop-out state, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand that the machine has transitioned to the stop-out state.

In this example, at timing t3, the system transitions to a stop state and outputs a security signal. However, if, for example, a security signal based on an anomaly detection is already being output at timing t3, the system does not terminate the existing security signal and output a new one; instead, it continues to output the existing security signal. This prevents the hall operator from mistakenly believing that anomaly detection has ended.

Furthermore, in this example, the external terminal board outputs various signals to the hall computer, including security signals, game status, ball entry into prize slots, and prize ball payouts. At timing t3, if any of these signals are currently being output, they are terminated before the security signal is output. This allows the hall to reliably determine that the game has entered a "stopped playing" state.

Furthermore, in this example, after transitioning to the stop-play state, no abnormality check is performed to determine whether or not an abnormality such as a magnetic error, vibration error, or ball entry error (e.g., abnormal entry) has been detected. In other words, even if an abnormality is detected after transitioning to the stop-play state, no abnormality check is performed, and therefore, no error notification is executed to inform the outside that an abnormality has occurred. In this way, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the system prioritizes executing the action required when the game cannot proceed, over error notifications, thereby ensuring that players and hall managers are reliably aware that the game has transitioned to the stop-play state. However, at timing t3, the system may be configured not to detect abnormalities such as ball entry errors (e.g., abnormal entry) after transitioning to the stop-play state. Similarly, if no abnormalities are detected at all, even if an abnormality occurs, no error notification to inform the outside will be executed.

Furthermore, in the stop-play state, the player is prevented from launching game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160. However, in this example, when restriction pattern 3 is selected, which performs both "stop play" and "stop launching" when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and when restriction pattern 1 is selected, which performs only "stop play" and does not "stop launching" when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, it becomes possible for the player to launch game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160 after transitioning to the stop-play state.

Furthermore, in the stopped state, the base value calculated by the main control board 1310 or the frame control board 740 does not include the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of balls paid out). In other words, it is disabled to perform calculations regarding the ratio of paid-out balls to entered balls, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor. However, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) may be included in the count, and the calculation regarding the ratio of paid-out balls to entered balls may be reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, in the stopped-play state, the frame control board 740 counts the number of balls held. However, since the number of balls has already reached its upper limit before transitioning to the stopped-play state, the ball count display unit 140 displays 990,000 as the number of balls held. Also, since it is impossible to launch new game balls B in the stopped-play state, regardless of whether the number of balls held has reached the upper limit of 100,000, pressing the ball dispensing button switch 8a will not result in any game balls B being dispensed from the game ball dispensing device 8, and these will not be added to the number of balls held on the frame control board 740. In the stopped-play state, when the number of balls held is at the upper limit of 990,000, pressing the counting button switch 180 allows information regarding the number of balls held to be sent to the game ball dispensing device 8 for settlement. After transitioning to the stopped-play state, even if the number of balls held falls below the upper limit after settlement, the game will not transition to a game with prize balls, and the stopped-play state will be maintained.

(Example of a game with prize ball cut-off effects)
As detailed above, regarding the number of balls held, when the counting button switch 180 is operated, the number of balls held is settled, and when the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned ON when the power is turned on, the number of balls held can be cleared. Furthermore, when conducting test play to check for bugs in the effects over a long period of several days, unlike when a player is playing, it is not always necessary to settle or clear the number of balls held, so the number of balls held may be left as is. However, there is an upper limit to the number of balls held, and if an error such as game stoppage occurs when the number of balls held reaches the upper limit, the test play will be interrupted, which reduces the efficiency of the test play, and there was room for improvement in terms of convenience. In this example, even if the number of balls held reaches the upper limit, errors such as game stoppage will not occur, and it is possible to continue playing in a manner that cuts the prize balls. In addition, for effects related to prize balls, such as the increase effect, even if a game with prize balls is played, it will be executed in the same way as when a game with prize balls is played, and the cut in prize balls will not be notified, making it easier to check for bugs in the effects during the test play. The following explains the special effects that occur during jackpot games in games with and without prize balls.

Figure 258 shows a specific example of a prize ball-related animation performed during a jackpot game. In this example, the maximum number of balls held is set to 990,000, and when the number of balls reaches this limit, the prize ball cut-off game is performed. Furthermore, as will be explained in more detail later, in the total number of balls won animation performed during a jackpot game, the animation display device 1600 displays the total number of prize balls won during the jackpot game, with a maximum of 99,999 set for the total number of balls displayed. Even if the total number of balls displayed reaches the maximum limit, if the number of balls held has not reached the limit, the prize ball cut-off game will not be performed, and the game will continue with prize balls.

Figure 258(A) shows a specific example of a display when the number of balls held has not reached the upper limit and the total number of acquired balls displayed has not reached the upper limit during a jackpot game. As shown in Figure 258(A1), the display device 1600 executes a variation display (a display based on a variation pattern) corresponding to the variation display of the special symbols, and the variation display of the decorative symbols is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600. Here, depending on the lottery result of the special symbols, if the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "777" is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600 as the stop symbol of the decorative symbols (jackpot symbol). In addition, the variation display of the second decorative symbol is being performed in the upper right area of the display device 1600, and if the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "〇" is displayed as the stop symbol of the second decorative symbol. In addition, the ball count display unit 140, which is separate from the display device 1600, displays 100 as the number of balls held. Then, after the winning symbols are displayed, the jackpot game begins.

As shown in Figure 258 (A2), during a jackpot game, the upper left area of the display device 1600 displays "8R" to indicate the current round number. Furthermore, at the start of each round during a jackpot game, the central area of the display device 1600 displays the message "8R Start" to indicate the start of the round. The upper right area of the display device 1600 also displays a "Right Shoot" arrow to instruct the player to aim for the large prize slot 2005. Additionally, during a jackpot game, the lower right area of the display device 1600 executes a total number of acquired balls display to indicate the total number of prize balls won during the jackpot game. In the total number of acquired balls display, until the jackpot game ends, the number of game balls B dispensed (given) as prize balls is added to the total number of acquired balls display each time a ball is detected entering the large prize slot 2005. Here, the total number of acquired balls is displayed as "800" as the total number of prize balls won. The number of remaining balls is displayed as "900" in the ball count display unit 140. Furthermore, if multiple jackpots occur in a "consecutive win" sequence, the total number of acquired balls will continue to be displayed until the "consecutive wins" end.

As shown in Figure 258 (A3), during a jackpot game, the central area of the performance display device 1600 executes an increase animation to inform the player in real time of the increase in prize balls dispensed (given) when a ball enters the large prize slot 2005. In the increase animation, each time a ball is detected entering the large prize slot 2005, the increase in prize balls is displayed as the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls. Here, since there are three balls entering the large prize slot 2005, three "+10"s are displayed as the increase in prize balls. In addition, during a jackpot game, the lower right area of the performance display device 1600 displays the total number of acquired balls as a total acquisition animation. For the total number of acquired balls, each time a ball is detected entering the large prize slot 2005, the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls is added to the total number of acquired balls. In other words, the increase in the total number of acquired prize balls matches the sum of the increase in prize balls displayed in the increase animation. Here, for the total number of balls won, 30 balls are added to the total number of prize balls won because there were three balls that entered the large prize slot 2005, and "830" is displayed. Similarly, for the number of balls remaining display unit 140, 30 balls are added to the number of balls remaining because there were three balls that entered the large prize slot 2005, and "930" is displayed.

Furthermore, in the increase animation, in addition to displaying the increase in prize balls dispensed (awarded) upon ball entry into the large prize slot 2005, below the total number of acquired balls display, multiple images resembling game balls B are displayed as the total number of acquired prize balls increases. These images are then displayed as if moving towards the ball count display unit 140 (downward to the right of the animation display device 1600), which is located to the lower right of the display unit. This ensures that even if the player is focused on the display content of the animation display device 1600, their gaze is guided to the ball count display unit 140 each time a ball is detected entering the large prize slot 2005, allowing them to feel that their ball count is increasing.

As described above, in the increase animation, below the display of the total number of acquired balls, multiple images resembling game balls B are displayed as the total number of prize balls acquired in the display of the total number of acquired balls increases. A specific light-emitting section is provided between the images resembling multiple game balls B in the animation display device 1600 and the ball count display section 140 located to the lower right of them. The specific light-emitting section performs increased illumination as the total number of prize balls acquired in the display of the total number of acquired balls increases. In this example, the specific light-emitting section corresponds to the large prize opening 2005 or a light-emitting section provided around the large prize opening 2005. However, if the ball count display section 140 is located to the lower left of the images resembling multiple game balls B in the animation display device 1600, the specific light-emitting section does not have to be the large prize opening 2005 or a light-emitting section provided around the large prize opening 2005. This allows the player's gaze to be smoothly guided to the ball count display unit 140 each time a ball is detected entering the large prize slot 2005, even if their attention is focused on the display content of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, the increased flashing can be performed even when the total number of acquired balls has reached its upper limit and the total number of acquired prize balls does not increase, or when the number of balls held has reached its upper limit and the number of balls held does not increase. The increased flashing is white and ends after a predetermined time (e.g., 1 second) from the start of flashing. Additionally, the increased flashing can be extended to an additional duration even while flashing, each time a ball is detected entering the large prize slot 2005. Moreover, the increased flashing can flash up to 12 times, exceeding the maximum number of balls that can enter the large prize slot 2005 in one round (10 balls). The "2 flashes" exceeding the maximum number of balls that can enter the large prize slot 2005 in one round represent so-called over-winnings. This allows the presence or absence of over-winnings to be confirmed by the number of increased flashes, even during prize ball cut-off gameplay.

Figure 258(B) shows a specific example of a display when the number of balls held has reached the upper limit during a jackpot game, but the total number of acquired balls displayed has not reached the upper limit. As shown in Figure 258(B1), the display device 1600 executes a variation display (a display based on a variation pattern) corresponding to the variation display of the special symbols, and the variation display of the decorative symbols is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600. Here, depending on the lottery result of the special symbols, if the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "777" is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600 as the stop symbol of the decorative symbols (jackpot symbol). In addition, the variation display of the second decorative symbol is being performed in the upper right area of the display device 1600, and if the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "〇" is displayed as the stop symbol of the second decorative symbol. In addition, the ball count display unit 140, which is separate from the display device 1600, displays "989200" as the number of balls held. Then, after the winning symbols are displayed, the jackpot game begins.

As shown in Figure 258 (B2), during a jackpot game, the upper left area of the display device 1600 displays "8R" to indicate the current round number. Furthermore, at the start of each round during a jackpot game, the central area of the display device 1600 displays the message "8R Start" to indicate the start of the round. The upper right area of the display device 1600 displays a "Right Shoot" arrow to instruct the player to aim for the large prize slot 2005. During a jackpot game, the lower right area of the display device 1600 executes a total number of acquired balls display to indicate the total number of prize balls won during the jackpot game. In the total number of acquired balls display, until the jackpot game ends, the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls is added to the total number of acquired balls display each time a ball is detected entering the large prize slot 2005. Here, the total number of acquired balls is displayed as "800" as the total number of prize balls acquired. The ball count display unit 140 displays "990,000," which is the maximum number of balls held. In other words, at the start of the round, the number of balls held has reached the maximum limit. As long as the number of balls held has reached the maximum limit, the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls upon entry into the large prize slot 2005 will not be added to the number of balls held, and a prize ball cut will be applied.

As shown in Figure 258 (B3), even if the number of balls held reaches the maximum limit during a jackpot game, the central area of the performance display device 1600 executes an increase animation to inform the player in real time of the increase in prize balls paid out (awarded) by balls entering the large prize slot 2005, just as in the case where the number of balls held has not reached the maximum limit. In the increase animation, each time a ball is detected entering the large prize slot 2005, the amount of prize balls that have been cut is also displayed as part of the increase in prize balls. Here, since there are three balls entering the large prize slot 2005, three "+10"s, which represent the original increase in prize balls, are displayed. Also, even if the number of balls held reaches the maximum limit during a jackpot game, the lower right area of the performance display device 1600 displays the total number of acquired balls as a total acquisition animation, just as in the case where the number of balls held has not reached the maximum limit, and the amount of prize balls that have been cut is added to the total number of acquired balls each time a ball is detected entering the large prize slot 2005. In other words, the increase in the total number of prize balls won matches the sum of the increases in prize balls displayed during the win animation. Here, for the total number of prize balls displayed, 30 balls are added to the total number of prize balls won because there were three balls entering the large prize slot 2005, resulting in the display of "830". Furthermore, for the ball count display unit 140, even if there are three balls entering the large prize slot 2005 while the ball count has reached its limit, 30 balls are not added to the ball count, maintaining the upper limit of "990000".

Furthermore, even if the number of balls held reaches the maximum limit during a jackpot game, the increase animation works the same way as when the number of balls held has not reached the limit. Below the total number of acquired balls display, as the total number of acquired balls increases, multiple images resembling game balls B are displayed. These images appear to move towards the ball count display unit 140 (to the lower right of the animation display device 1600), which is located to the lower right of the display unit 1600. This ensures that even if the player is focused on the display on the animation display device 1600, their gaze is drawn to the ball count display unit 140 each time a ball is detected entering the jackpot opening 2005, thus alerting them that the number of balls has reached the limit and is no longer increasing.

In the above, if the number of balls held reaches the maximum limit during a jackpot game, the number of game balls B that are paid out (granted) as prize balls upon entry into the large prize slot 2005 is not added to the number of balls held, and prize ball cuts are performed. However, just as when the number of balls held has not reached the maximum limit, prize ball-related effects such as increase effects and total acquisition effects are performed. In other words, if the number of balls held reaches the maximum limit during a jackpot game, even if an increase in prize balls is shown through an increase effect, the number of balls held remains at the maximum limit. Similarly, if the number of balls held reaches the maximum limit during a jackpot game, even if an increase in the total number of prize balls acquired is shown through a total acquisition effect, the number of balls held remains at the maximum limit. However, in reality, in a prize ball cut game when the number of balls held has reached the maximum limit, even if a ball enters the large prize slot 2005, the number of prize balls does not increase, so prize ball-related effects such as increase effects and total acquisition effects are not performed. However, in this example, even if a payout-cut game is played, the payout-related animations, such as the increase animation and the total number of balls won animation, are not disabled. Instead, they are executed as if a game with payouts were played, and the payout cut is not announced. This makes it easier to identify animation bugs during long-term test play over several days, even when the number of balls reaches the maximum limit.

Figure 258(C) shows a specific example of a gameplay sequence when the number of balls held has not reached the upper limit during a jackpot game, but the total number of balls won has reached the upper limit. As shown in Figure 258(C1), the gameplay display device 1600 executes a variation effect (an effect based on a variation pattern) corresponding to the variation display of the special symbols, and the variation of the decorative symbols is displayed in the central area of the gameplay display device 1600. Here, depending on the result of the special symbol lottery, if the result of the special symbol lottery is a win, "777" is displayed in the central area of the gameplay display device 1600 as the stop symbol (jackpot symbol) for the decorative symbols. Also, in the upper right area of the gameplay display device 1600, the variation of the second decorative symbol is displayed, and if the result of the special symbol lottery is a win, "〇" is displayed as the stop symbol for the second decorative symbol. In addition, the ball count display unit 140, which is separate from the gameplay display device 1600, displays "100" as the number of balls held. Then, after the winning symbols are displayed, the jackpot game begins.

As shown in Figure 258 (C2), during a jackpot game, the upper left area of the display device 1600 displays "8R" to indicate the current round number. Furthermore, at the start of each round during a jackpot game, the central area of the display device 1600 displays the message "8R Start" to indicate the start of the round. The upper right area of the display device 1600 also displays a "Right Shoot" arrow to instruct the player to aim for the large prize slot 2005. Additionally, during a jackpot game, the lower right area of the display device 1600 executes a total number of acquired balls display to indicate the total number of prize balls won during the jackpot game. In the total number of acquired balls display, until the jackpot game ends, the number of game balls B dispensed (given) as prize balls is added to the total number of acquired balls display each time a ball is detected entering the large prize slot 2005. Here, the total number of prize balls won is displayed as "99999," which is the upper limit for the total number of prize balls won. The number of remaining balls displayed in the ball count display section 140 is "900."

In the total number of acquired balls display, the upper limit for the total number of acquired balls displayed is set to 99,999. This upper limit for the total number of acquired balls displayed is smaller than the upper limit for the number of balls held, which is 990,000. If the total number of acquired balls displayed has not reached the upper limit, the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls when balls enter the large prize slot 2005 will be added to the total number of acquired balls displayed. However, if the total number of acquired balls displayed has reached the upper limit, the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls when balls enter the large prize slot 2005 will not be added to the total number of acquired balls displayed, and the total number of acquired balls displayed will remain at the upper limit of 99,999. For example, if the total number of acquired balls displayed has reached the upper limit of 99,999, even if game balls B enter the large prize slot 2005, 10 game balls B will not be added to the total number of acquired balls displayed, and the total number of acquired balls displayed will remain at the upper limit of 99,999. Furthermore, even if the total number of balls won reaches its limit, the system prevents errors such as game stoppage, allowing gameplay to continue. Also, when the total number of balls won reaches its limit, the number of game balls B awarded as prize balls upon entry into the large prize slot 2005 is not added to the total number of balls won. However, if the number of balls held has not reached its limit, the system allows for the awarding of a predetermined number of game balls B as prize balls, resulting in a game with prize balls without prize ball cuts. On the other hand, when the total number of balls won reaches its limit, the system prevents the awarding of a predetermined number of game balls B as prize balls, resulting in prize ball cuts. While it is possible to reduce the number of balls held to resolve the limit issue, the total number of balls won is not reduced by ball count adjustments, and the limit issue remains unresolved.

Furthermore, if the total number of acquired balls displayed has not reached its upper limit, the number of game balls B awarded as prize balls upon entry into the large prize slot 2005 will be added to the total number of acquired balls. However, if the total number of acquired balls exceeds the upper limit, the excess number of game balls B will not be added to the total number of acquired balls, and the total number of acquired balls will change to a state where it has reached its upper limit. For example, if the total number of acquired balls is close to the upper limit of 99998, and a game ball B enters the large prize slot 2005, one game ball B out of the 10 prize balls B will be added to the total number of acquired balls. However, the remaining 9 game balls B will not be added, and the total number of acquired balls will change to a state where it has reached its upper limit of 990000.

As shown in Figure 258 (C3), even if the total number of acquired balls displayed reaches its upper limit during a jackpot game, the central area of the performance display device 1600 executes an increase animation in real time to inform the user of the increase in prize balls dispensed (given) by balls entering the large prize slot 2005, just as it would be if the total number of acquired balls display had not reached its upper limit. In the increase animation, each time a ball is detected entering the large prize slot 2005, the increase in prize balls is displayed by the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls. Here, since there are three balls entering the large prize slot 2005, three "+10"s are displayed as the increase in prize balls. Furthermore, if the total number of acquired balls displayed reaches its upper limit during a jackpot game, the total number of acquired balls displayed in the lower right area of the performance display device 1600 does not add the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls, even if a ball is detected entering the large prize slot 2005, and the total number of acquired balls display remains at its upper limit. In other words, the increase in the total number of prize balls in the total number of acquired balls display is 0, and does not match the total increase in prize balls displayed in the increase animation. Here, regarding the total number of acquired balls display, even if there are three balls entering the large prize slot 2005 when the total number of acquired balls display has reached its upper limit, 30 balls are not added to the total number of acquired balls display, maintaining the upper limit of "99999". Furthermore, for the ball count display unit 140, 30 balls are added to the ball count due to three balls entering the large prize slot 2005, displaying "930".

Furthermore, even if the total number of acquired balls displayed reaches its limit during a jackpot game, the increase animation works the same way as when the total number of acquired balls display has not reached its limit. Although the total number of acquired balls displayed in the total number of acquired balls display does not increase, multiple images resembling game balls B are displayed below the total number of acquired balls display. These images appear to move towards the ball count display unit 140 (to the lower right of the animation display device 1600), which is located to the lower right of the display. This ensures that even if the player is focused on the display content of the animation display device 1600, their gaze is guided to the ball count display unit 140 each time a ball is detected entering the large prize pocket 2005. This eliminates the effect of the total number of acquired balls display being at its limit, allowing the player to notice that their ball count is increasing.

In the above, if the total number of acquired balls displayed reaches its limit during a jackpot game, the number of game balls B that are paid out (granted) as prize balls upon entry into the large prize slot 2005 is not added to the total number of acquired balls displayed. However, the prize ball-related effects, such as the increase effect, are executed in the same way as when the total number of acquired balls displayed has not reached its limit. In other words, if the total number of acquired balls displayed reaches its limit during a jackpot game, even if the increase in prize balls is shown by the increase effect, the maximum total number of acquired balls displayed will be maintained. Similarly, if the number of balls held reaches its limit during a jackpot game, even if the total number of acquired balls is shown to increase the total number of prize balls, the maximum number of balls held will be maintained. In this way, prize ball-related effects, such as the increase effect, are executed in the same way as when the total number of acquired balls displayed has not reached its limit, even when the total number of acquired balls displayed has reached its limit. This makes it easier to check for bugs in the effects during long-term test play over several days, even when the total number of acquired balls displayed has reached its limit.

Figure 258(D) shows a specific example of a display when the number of balls held has reached its limit during a jackpot game, and the total number of acquired balls displayed has also reached its limit. As shown in Figure 258(D1), the display device 1600 executes a variation display (a display based on a variation pattern) corresponding to the variation display of the special symbols, and the variation display of the decorative symbols is shown in the central area of the display device 1600. Here, depending on the lottery result of the special symbols, if the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "777" is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600 as the stop symbol of the decorative symbols (jackpot symbol). In addition, the variation display of the second decorative symbol is shown in the upper right area of the display device 1600, and if the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "〇" is displayed as the stop symbol of the second decorative symbol. In addition, the ball count display unit 140, which is separate from the display device 1600, displays "989200" as the number of balls held. Then, after the winning symbols are displayed, the jackpot game begins.

As shown in Figure 258 (D2), during a jackpot game, the upper left area of the display device 1600 displays "8R" to indicate the current round number. Furthermore, at the start of each round during a jackpot game, the central area of the display device 1600 displays the message "8R Start" to indicate the start of the round. The upper right area of the display device 1600 also displays a "Right Shoot" arrow to instruct the player to aim for the large prize slot 2005. Additionally, during a jackpot game, the lower right area of the display device 1600 executes a total number of acquired balls display to indicate the total number of prize balls won during the jackpot game. In the total number of acquired balls display, until the jackpot game ends, the number of game balls B paid out (given) as prize balls is added to the total number of acquired balls display each time a ball is detected entering the large prize slot 2005. Here, the total number of acquired balls display shows "99999," which is the upper limit for the total number of prize balls acquired. Similarly, the ball count display unit 140 displays "990000," which is the upper limit for the number of balls held. In other words, at the start of a round, the number of balls held has reached the upper limit. As long as the number of balls held remains at the upper limit, the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls upon entry into the large prize slot 2005 will not be added to the number of balls held, and a prize ball cut will be applied.

As shown in Figure 258 (D3), even if the number of balls held or the total number of acquired balls displayed reach the upper limit during a jackpot game, the central area of the performance display device 1600 executes an increase animation in real time to inform the player of the increase in prize balls dispensed (given) by balls entering the large prize slot 2005, just as when the number of balls held or the total number of acquired balls displayed have not reached the upper limit. In the increase animation, each time a ball is detected entering the large prize slot 2005, the amount of prize balls increased is displayed, including the amount of prize ball cut. Here, because there are three balls entering the large prize slot 2005, three "+10"s, which represent the original increase in prize balls, are displayed. Furthermore, if the total number of acquired balls displayed has reached the upper limit during a jackpot game, the total number of acquired balls displayed in the lower right area of the performance display device 1600 does not add the number of game balls B dispensed (given) as prize balls, even if a ball is detected entering the large prize slot 2005, and the total number of acquired balls displayed has reached the upper limit. In other words, the increase in the total number of prize balls in the total number of acquired balls display is 0, and does not match the sum of the increase in prize balls displayed in the increase animation. Here, regarding the total number of acquired balls display, even if there are three balls entering the large prize slot 2005 while the total number of acquired balls display has reached its upper limit, 30 balls are not added to the total number of acquired balls display, maintaining the upper limit of "99999". Similarly, regarding the number of balls held display unit 140, even if there are three balls entering the large prize slot 2005 while the number of balls held has reached its upper limit, 30 balls are not added to the number of balls held, maintaining the upper limit of "990000".

Furthermore, even if the number of balls held or the total number of balls won reaches its upper limit during a jackpot game, the increase animation will display multiple images resembling game balls B below the total number of balls won display, even though the total number of prize balls won in the total number of balls won display does not increase. These images are then displayed as if they are moving towards the ball count display unit 140 (to the lower right of the animation display device 1600), which is located to the lower right of the display unit 1600. This ensures that even if the player is focused on the display content of the animation display device 1600, their gaze is guided to the ball count display unit 140 each time a ball is detected entering the jackpot opening 2005. This allows the player to realize that not only has the total number of balls won reached its upper limit and stopped increasing, but also that the number of balls held has reached its upper limit and stopped increasing.

In the above, if the number of balls held or the total number of balls won reaches its maximum during a jackpot game, the number of game balls B that are paid out (granted) as prize balls upon entry into the large prize slot 2005 is not added to the number of balls held or the total number of balls won. However, the prize ball-related effects, such as the increase effect, are executed in the same way as when the number of balls held or the total number of balls won has not reached its maximum. In other words, if the number of balls held reaches its maximum during a jackpot game, even if the increase in prize balls is indicated by the increase effect, the number of balls held will remain at its maximum. Similarly, if the total number of balls won reaches its maximum during a jackpot game, even if the increase in prize balls is indicated by the increase effect, the total number of balls won will remain at its maximum. By executing prize ball-related effects, such as the increase effect, in the same way as when the number of balls held or the total number of balls won has not reached its maximum, it becomes easier to identify bugs in the effects during long-term test play over several days, even if the number of balls held or the total number of balls won reaches its maximum.

(Regarding the behavior when settling accounts based on the number of balls held)
Next, we will explain the behavior when settling the number of balls held. First, when the number of balls held exceeds a certain number, it is possible to execute a "specific notification directed to the player" to inform them that the number of balls has become too high. However, when conducting test play to check for bugs in the game's effects over a long period of several days, the number of balls held may increase. If the number of balls exceeds a certain value and the specific notification is executed, it interferes with checking for bugs in the effects during the test play, which reduces the efficiency of the test play and leaves room for improvement in terms of convenience. In this example, it is possible to reduce the number of balls held by settling them before the number of balls reaches a certain value, thereby preventing the execution of the specific notification and making it easier to check for bugs in the effects during the test play. In addition, before the number of balls reaches a certain value, it is possible to launch game ball B even while settling the balls, eliminating the need to interrupt the test play. The behavior when settling before the number of balls reaches a certain value will be explained below.

First, when the number of balls held reaches a certain value of 50,000, a specific notification is issued using the display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc., to indicate that the number of balls held has become too high. This certain value for the number of balls held is smaller than the upper limit of 990,000. Therefore, even if the number of balls held exceeds this value, until the number of balls reaches the upper limit, the number of game balls B awarded as prize balls for balls entering the prize slots will be added to the number of balls held. For example, the specific notification might be an audio message from the speaker stating, "Your number of balls has exceeded a certain value." This allows the player to know that they have too many balls and prompts them to cash out at least a portion of their balls. Furthermore, when this specific notification is issued, some of the visual elements (sound, light, video) that make up the ongoing performance may be suppressed. For example, by muting the audio related to the ongoing performance when this specific notification is issued, the audio related to the specific notification can be clearly perceived.

Furthermore, when the number of balls increases from 49,999 to 50,000, a specific notification is issued because an increase in the number of balls is expected. However, when the number of balls decreases from 50,001 to 50,000, a specific notification is not issued because a decrease in the number of balls is expected. Also, if the number of balls decreases from 50,000 to 49,999 and then increases again from 49,999 to 50,000, a specific notification will be issued again.

Furthermore, the period until the number of balls reaches a certain value of 50,000 is broadly divided into a non-specific period where the number of balls is less than 48,000, and a specific period where the number of balls is between 48,000 and less than 50,000. In other words, the non-specific period is the period when the number of balls is not approaching the certain value of 50,000, and the specific period is the period when the number of balls is approaching the certain value of 50,000. Therefore, if the number of balls increases as the game progresses, it is possible to transition from the non-specific period to the specific period. Conversely, if the number of balls decreases as the game progresses, it is possible to transition from the specific period to the non-specific period. Also, if the number of balls increases as the game progresses, it is possible to transition from the specific period to the period when the number of balls exceeds a certain value. Conversely, if the number of balls decreases as the game progresses, it is possible to transition from the period when the number of balls exceeds a certain value to the specific period.

Figure 259 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine before the number of balls held exceeds a certain value. Here, a specific notification is executed when the number of balls reaches the certain value of 50,000. The case where a specific period occurs between 48,000 and less than 50,000 balls is described. Furthermore, a predetermined time is required to send information regarding the number of balls held to the game ball dispensing device 8 during the ball settlement process.

First, during non-specific periods when the number of balls held is less than 48,000, if there are balls held (number of balls > 0), pressing the counting button switch 180 sends information about the number of balls held to the game ball dispensing device 8, allowing for settlement. Furthermore, during non-specific periods, even while settling the number of balls held, the player can launch game balls B into the game area 5a by operating the handle 160, allowing them to enter the prize pockets. During non-specific periods, when game balls B are used by launching them, the number of balls held can be reduced. Also during non-specific periods, even while settling the number of balls held, when a ball enters a prize pocket, a predetermined number of game balls B can be dispensed (given) as prize balls, and the number of game balls dispensed (given) as prize balls can be added to the number of balls held.

As in this example, during non-specific periods before the number of balls reaches a certain value, reducing the number of balls through settlement makes it less likely for the number of balls to exceed a certain value, thus preventing specific notifications from being executed and making it easier to identify bugs in the game's presentation during trial play. Furthermore, during non-specific periods, allowing the launch of game ball B even while the number of balls is being settled eliminates the need to interrupt the trial play, thus improving the efficiency of the trial play.

Next, during a specific period when the number of balls held is between 48,000 and less than 50,000, if there are balls held (number of balls > 0), pressing the counting button switch 180 sends information about the number of balls held to the game ball dispensing device 8, making it possible to settle the balance. Also, during this specific period, unless the player is settling their ball balance, they can launch game balls B into the game area 5a when they operate the handle 160. However, while the player is settling their ball balance, they cannot launch game balls B into the game area 5a, even if they operate the handle 160. Therefore, while the player is settling their ball balance, it is not possible to launch game balls B into the prize winning slots. Furthermore, during certain periods, if the player is not currently settling their ball balance, a predetermined number of game balls B can be dispensed (awarded) as prize balls when a ball enters the prize slot. However, while the player is settling their ball balance, even if a ball enters the prize slot, it is not possible to dispense (award) a predetermined number of game balls B as prize balls. Therefore, during the ball balance settlement period, it is not possible to increase the number of balls held by a player through the payout of prize balls.

As in this example, during a specific period before the number of balls reaches a certain value, reducing the number of balls through settlement makes it less likely for the number of balls to exceed a certain value, thus preventing certain notifications from being executed and making it easier to identify bugs in the game's presentation during trial play. Furthermore, during a specific period, disabling the launch of game ball B during the settlement of balls prevents game ball B from entering the prize pocket, thus preventing the number of balls from increasing through prize payouts, making it less likely for the number of balls to exceed a certain value. Similarly, during a specific period, disabling the payout of prize balls during the settlement of balls prevents the number of balls from increasing through prize payouts, making it less likely for the number of balls to exceed a certain value.

In this example, during the specified period, even if a ball enters the prize slot, it is disabled from dispensing (granting) a predetermined number of game balls B as prize balls while the ball balance is being settled. However, as an alternative, it may be possible to enable the dispensing (granting) of a predetermined number of game balls B as prize balls when a ball enters the prize slot, even during the ball balance settlement period, and to add the number of game balls B dispensed (granted) as prize balls to the number of balls held. Here, in this example, during the specified period, since game balls B cannot be launched during the ball balance settlement period, game balls B cannot enter the prize slot through launch. Therefore, even if the dispensing of prize balls is enabled during the ball balance settlement period, as in the alternative example, game balls B cannot enter the prize slot through launch in the first place, and the number of balls held will not increase through the dispensing of prize balls, making it difficult for the number of balls held to exceed a certain value.

Next, during the period when the number of balls held exceeds a certain value, which is between 50,000 and 990,000 (upper limit), if there are balls held (number of balls > 0), pressing the counting button switch 180 sends information about the number of balls held to the game ball dispensing device 8, making it possible to settle the balance. Also, during the period when the number of balls held exceeds a certain value, even while settling the balance, when the player operates the handle 160, it is possible to launch game ball B into the game area 5a, and by launching game ball B, it is possible to enter the prize pocket. Furthermore, during the period when the number of balls held exceeds a certain value, when game ball B is used by launching game ball B, it is possible to subtract from the number of balls held. Furthermore, during periods when the number of balls held exceeds a certain value, even while the balls are being settled, when a ball enters a prize slot, a predetermined number of game balls B can be dispensed (granted) as prize balls. The number of game balls B dispensed (granted) as prize balls can then be added to the number of balls held.

As in this example, during periods when the number of balls held exceeds a certain value, enabling the launch of game balls B even while the ball count is being settled eliminates the need to interrupt the test play, thus improving the efficiency of the test play. However, after the number of balls exceeds the certain value of 5000, if the number of balls decreases to below the certain value of 50000, and then increases again to reach the certain value of 50000, a specific notification will be issued again. In this example, during periods when the number of balls held exceeds a certain value, even while the ball count is being settled, it is possible to launch game balls B into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 160. Furthermore, even while the ball count is being settled, when a ball enters the prize pocket, a predetermined number of game balls B are dispensed (granted) as prize balls. Therefore, during periods when the number of balls held exceeds a certain value, even while the ball count is being settled, the number of balls can be increased by the payout of prize balls, making it less likely for the number of balls to fall below the certain value after exceeding it.

[Examples of modifications to the center feature]
In the embodiments described above, a method was described in which the center mechanism 2500 is attached to the panel board 1110 as a single component. However, conventionally, when creating a new game board 5, it was necessary to also create a new center mechanism 2500 corresponding to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel board 1110, which complicated the design of the game machine. Furthermore, if the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel board 1110 is made the same as the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the previous panel board 1110, it would be possible to reuse the previous center mechanism 2500 in the new game board 5. However, since the game area 5a through which the game balls flow would not change, there was a risk of a decrease in the players' enjoyment of the game. Below, an embodiment in which the center mechanism 2500 has been modified to resolve these problems will be described.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment is the same as the pachinko machine 1 of the above embodiment in terms of its configuration other than the center mechanism 2550. Therefore, the configuration of the center mechanism 2500 will be explained in detail below, and the explanation of the other configurations of the pachinko machine 1 will be omitted.

Figure 182 is a front view showing the center component 2500. As shown in Figure 182, the center component 2500 of this embodiment comprises, in a front view, a first center component 2500a which constitutes the upper part of the center component 2500, a second center component 2500b which constitutes the right part of the center component 2500, a third center component 2500c which constitutes the left part of the center component 2500, and a fourth center component 2500d which constitutes the lower part of the center component 2500. In other words, the center component 2500 of this embodiment is formed from four divided parts, from the first center component 2500a to the fourth center component 2500d. The center piece 2500 consists of a first center piece 2500a, a second center piece 2500b, a third center piece 2500c, and a fourth center piece 2500d, which are positioned along the edges of the opening 1112 formed in the panel board 1110. By attaching the first center piece 2500a, the second center piece 2500b, the third center piece 2500c, and the fourth center piece 2500d to the panel board 1110, they are arranged in a frame-like shape to correspond to the shape of the opening 1112 in the panel board 1110.

Figure 183 is a perspective view showing a portion of the first center mechanism 2500a and the third center mechanism 2500c. As shown in Figure 182 or Figure 183, the first center mechanism 2500a is formed in a substantially arc shape such that, in a front view, its right end is positioned higher than its left end, and is attached along the upper edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, thus forming the upper part of the center mechanism 2500. The first center mechanism 2500a branches the route through which the game balls played into the game area 5a flow down into a route passing to the left of the center mechanism 2500 and a route passing to the right of the center mechanism 2500.

The first center fitting 2500a has a first circumferential wall portion 2501a that extends vertically along the upper edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, a first flange portion 2502a that protrudes from the outer circumference of the first circumferential wall portion 2501a and extends flat along the front surface of the panel plate 1110, and a first support portion 2503a that protrudes from the inner circumference of the first circumferential wall portion 2501a. Furthermore, the first center component 2500a may have a decorative wall portion that extends vertically along the upper edge of the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 from the rear end of the first peripheral wall portion 2501a or the rear surface of the first flange portion 2502a. This decorative wall portion makes it difficult for players to visually inspect the inside of the back unit 3000 from between the first center component 2500a and the display device 1600, thereby suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

The first peripheral wall portion 2501a constitutes a part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500. Specifically, the first peripheral wall portion 2501a extends along the upper edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 and is formed as a vertical wall with a width that protrudes forward from the front surface of the panel plate 1110, thus constituting a part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500. By colliding with the game balls flowing down the game area 5a, the first peripheral wall portion 2501a can restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center mechanism 2500a, and consequently, restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110.

The first circumferential wall portion 2500a has first adjustment wall portions 2504a that extend vertically at each end of the first circumferential wall portion 2501a. The first adjustment wall portions 2504a extend from each end of the first circumferential wall portion 2501a toward the second center fitting 2500b or the third center fitting 2500c. The width of the first adjustment wall portion 2504a in the front-rear direction is formed to be approximately the same as the width of the first circumferential wall portion 2501a in the front-rear direction. Note that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a only needs to extend from the end of the first circumferential wall portion 2501a toward the second center fitting 2500b or the third center fitting 2500c. Specifically, in a front view, the left side of the first adjustment wall portion 2504a may extend, for example, from below toward the second center fitting 2500b in a clockwise direction to the left. Furthermore, in a front view, the first adjustment wall 2504a on the right side may, for example, extend clockwise downwards from the right towards the third center component 2500c.

The first flange portion 2502a has a positioning pin formed thereon that protrudes from its back surface toward the panel plate 1110. The first center fitting 2500a is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so as to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 by fitting the positioning pin of the first flange portion 2502a into the mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. The first flange portion 2502a may have a mounting hole instead of a positioning pin, or it may have both a positioning pin and a mounting hole. In either case, the first center fitting 2500a is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so as to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 by the positioning pin or mounting hole of the first flange portion 2502a and the positioning pin or mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, the positioning pins and mounting holes may be formed on the back surface of the first center component 2500a, for example, on the back surface of the first peripheral wall portion 2501a.

The first flange portion 2502a is fixed to the panel plate 1110 by fixing members such as screws after the first center component 2500a is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110. As a result, the first center component 2500a is attached to the game board 5. Alternatively, the first flange portion 2502a may be fixed to a predetermined member by fixing members such as screws, sandwiching the panel plate 1110 between the flange portion 2502a and a predetermined member that abuts the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, thus attaching the first center component 2500a to the game board 5.

The first flange portion 2502a has a plate-like portion parallel to the panel plate 1110 and an obstacle mechanism formed to protrude forward from the plate-like portion. Such an obstacle mechanism can change the direction of a game ball when it collides with it while flowing down the game area 5a, thereby suppressing a decrease in the player's enjoyment of the game.

The plate-like portion of the first flange portion 2502a and the first support portion 2503a are preferably formed with a thickness thinner than the panel plate 1110, for example, from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the first center fitting 2500a. Specifically, the plate-like portion of the first flange portion 2502a and the first support portion 2503a are preferably 1/4 to 1/5 the thickness of the panel plate 1110, which allows for sufficient increase in the strength of the first center fitting 2500a while preventing it from becoming excessively heavy.

The first support portion 2503a is partially provided on the inner circumference of the first circumferential wall portion 2501a, thereby increasing the strength of the first circumferential wall portion 2501a. Furthermore, in a front view, the shape of the first support portion 2503a protruding from the first circumferential wall portion 2501a is formed to resemble the front shape of the first circumferential wall portion 2501a, or to be linear. This configuration makes the first support portion 2503a less conspicuous to the player, thus preventing a decrease in the player's enjoyment of the game upon seeing the first support portion 2503a. Furthermore, it is desirable that the amount of protrusion of the first support portion 2503a from the first peripheral wall portion 2501a is within the range of the thickness of the first support portion 2503a to the thickness of the panel plate 1110, specifically within the range of 1.0 mm to 10.0 mm. This configuration ensures that the first support portion 2503a is not easily noticeable to the player while still effectively increasing the strength of the first peripheral wall portion 2501a.

The first center component 2500a of this embodiment further includes a first linear member 2505a that can be connected to the back side of the first center component 2500a. One end of the first linear member 2505a is detachably connected to the back side of the first center component 2500a, and the other end is detachably connected to the game board 5. The first linear member 2505a is, for example, a metal wire, with the other end detachably connected to a connecting part provided at a predetermined position on the game board 5 that is difficult for the player to see, and one end detachably connected to a connecting part provided at a predetermined position on the first center component 2500a that is difficult for the player to see. Specifically, the first center component 2500a has a first connecting part (not shown) provided at the rear of the first flange part 2502a, and one end of the first linear member 2505a is detachably connected to the first connecting part. Furthermore, the game board 5 has, for example, a second connecting section (not shown) provided on the back unit 3000, and the other end of the first linear member 2505a is connected to the second connecting section, avoiding the display device 1600. Therefore, the first linear member 2505a is positioned in a location that is difficult for the player to see after the first center feature 2500a is attached to the game board 5. Note that if the first center feature 2500a is transparent, the first linear member 2505a can also be positioned so that it is visible from the front of the pachinko machine 1 via the first center feature 2500a.

The first connecting portion of the first center component 2500a and the second connecting portion of the game board 5 may have a locking mechanism that locks one or the other end of the first linear member 2505a. The locking mechanism prevents the first linear member 2505a from easily detaching from the first connecting portion of the first center component 2500a and the second connecting portion of the game board 5. Furthermore, it can be easily removed from the first linear member 2505a by, for example, a worker assembling the game board 5 or a manager of a game hall managing the pachinko machine 1. From the viewpoint of ease of operation when separating the game board 5, it is preferable that the first linear member 2505a be removed from the first connecting portion of the first center component 2500a before the second connecting portion of the game board 5.

The first linear member 2505a is connected to the first connecting portion of the first center component 2500a and the second connecting portion of the game board 5 before the first center component 2500a is positioned relative to the panel board 1110. As a result, for example, when positioning the first center component 2500a relative to the panel board 1110, even if the first center component 2500a falls from the worker's hand, the first center component 2500a and the game board 5 are connected by the first linear member 2505a, preventing the first center component 2500a from colliding with the floor or other surface.

The first linear member 2505a is formed to be shorter than, for example, the length from the lower end of the pachinko machine 1 to the position where the first center component 2500a is positioned relative to the panel board 1110, in order to prevent the first center component 2500a from colliding with the floor or the like. Furthermore, the first center component 2500a may be provided with a first linear member 2505a having a larger wire diameter, or with multiple first linear members 2505a bundled together, in order to increase its strength against the impact of the first linear member 2505a falling. Furthermore, the first center component 2500a does not have any components that are susceptible to damage from impact when dropped, compared to the second center components 2500b to the fourth center components 2500d. Therefore, since protection from impact is less critical, the first center component 2500a may be configured without the first linear member 2505a, for example, to improve workability when positioning the first center component 2500a relative to the panel board 1110 and attaching it to the game board 5.

The second center mechanism 2500b comprises a second starting opening 2005 and a second large prize opening 2007 that opens and closes to accept game balls according to the result of the lottery for the second special symbol, which is determined by the acceptance of game balls B into the second starting opening 2005. The second center mechanism 2500b is formed in a substantially arc shape such that, in a front view, its lower end is located to the left of its upper end, and is mounted along the right edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, thus forming the right part of the center mechanism 2500. The second center mechanism 2500b forms a route for game balls that are driven into the game area 5a and flow down the right side of the center mechanism 2500.

The second center component 2500b includes a second peripheral wall portion 2501b that extends vertically along the right edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, a flat second flange portion 2502b that protrudes from the outer circumference of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b and abuts against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, a second support portion 2503b that protrudes from the inner circumference of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b, and a second linear member 2505b that can be connected to the back side of the second center component 2500b. Furthermore, the second center component 2500b may have a decorative wall portion extending vertically from the rear end of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b or the rear surface of the second flange portion 2502b into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, along the right edge of the opening 1112. This decorative wall portion makes it difficult, for example, for players to visually inspect the inside of the back unit 3000 from between the second center component 2500b and the display device 1600, thereby suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

The second peripheral wall portion 2501b constitutes a part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500. Specifically, the second peripheral wall portion 2501b extends along the right edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 and is formed as a vertical wall with a width that protrudes forward from the front surface of the panel plate 1110, thus constituting a part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500. By colliding with the game balls flowing down the game area 5a, the second peripheral wall portion 2501b can restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the second center mechanism 2500b, and consequently, restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110.

The second flange portion 2502b has a positioning pin formed thereon that protrudes from its back surface toward the panel plate 1110. The second center fitting 2500b is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so as to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 by fitting the positioning pin of the second flange portion 2502b into the mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. The second flange portion 2502b may have a mounting hole instead of a positioning pin, or it may have both a positioning pin and a mounting hole. In any of these configurations, the second center fitting 2500b is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so as to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 by the positioning pin or mounting hole of the second flange portion 2502b and the positioning pin or mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, the positioning pins and mounting holes may be formed on the back surface of the second center component 2500b, for example, on the back surface of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b.

The second flange portion 2502b is fixed to the panel plate 1110 by fixing members such as screws after the second center component 2500b is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110. As a result, the second center component 2500b is attached to the game board 5. Alternatively, the second flange portion 2502b may be fixed to a predetermined member by fixing members such as screws, sandwiching the panel plate 1110 between the flange portion 2502b and a predetermined member that abuts the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, thus attaching the second center component 2500b to the game board 5.

The second flange portion 2502b has a plate-like portion extending parallel to the panel plate 1110, and a receiving portion between the plate-like portion and the receiving portion for accommodating a plurality of obstacle nails provided on the panel plate 1110. The plurality of obstacle nails can change the direction of travel of a game ball when it collides with it as it flows down the right-hand route of the center mechanism 2500, thereby suppressing a decrease in the player's enjoyment of the game.

The plate-like portion of the second flange portion 2502b and the second support portion 2503b are preferably formed with a thickness thinner than the panel plate 1110, for example, from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the second center fitting 2500b. Specifically, the plate-like portion of the second flange portion 2502b and the second support portion 2503b are preferably 1/4 to 1/5 the thickness of the panel plate 1110, which allows for sufficient increase in the strength of the second center fitting 2500b while preventing it from becoming excessively heavy.

The second support portion 2503b is partially provided on the inner circumference of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b, thereby increasing the strength of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b. Furthermore, in a front view, the shape of the second support portion 2503b protruding from the second peripheral wall portion 2501b is formed to resemble the front shape of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b, or to be linear. This configuration makes the second support portion 2503b less conspicuous to the player, thus preventing a decrease in the player's enjoyment of the game upon seeing the second support portion 2503b. Furthermore, it is desirable that the amount of protrusion of the second support portion 2503b from the second peripheral wall portion 2501b is within the range of the thickness of the second support portion 2503b to the thickness of the panel plate 1110, specifically within the range of 1.0 mm to 10.0 mm. This configuration ensures that the second support portion 2503b is not easily noticeable to the player while fully enhancing the strength of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b.

The second linear member 2505b is detachably connected at one end to the back side of the second center component 2500b and at the other end to the game board 5. The second linear member 2505b is, for example, a metal wire, with one end detachably connected to a connecting portion provided at a predetermined position on the game board 5 that is difficult for the player to see, and the other end detachably connected to a connecting portion provided at a predetermined position on the second center component 2500b that is difficult for the player to see. Specifically, the second center component 2500b has a first connecting portion (not shown) provided at the rear of the second flange portion 2502b, and one end of the second linear member 2505b is detachably connected to the first connecting portion. Furthermore, the game board 5 has, for example, a second connecting section (not shown) provided on the back unit 3000, and the other end of the second linear member 2505b is connected to the second connecting section, avoiding the display device 1600. Therefore, the first linear member 2505a is positioned in a location that is difficult for the player to see after the first center feature 2500a is attached to the game board 5. Note that if the second center feature 2500b is transparent, the second linear member 2505b can also be positioned so that it is visible from the front of the pachinko machine 1 via the second center feature 2500b.

The first connecting portion of the second center component 2500b and the second connecting portion of the game board 5 may have a locking mechanism that locks one or the other end of the second linear member 2505b. The locking mechanism prevents the second linear member 2505b from easily detaching from the first connecting portion of the second center component 2500b and the second connecting portion of the game board 5. Furthermore, it allows for easy removal of the second linear member 2505b from the first connecting portion of the second center component 2500b and the second connecting portion of the game board 5 by, for example, a worker assembling the game board 5 or a manager of a game hall managing the pachinko machine 1. However, from the viewpoint of ease of work when separating the game board 5, it is preferable that the second linear member 2505b be removed from the first connecting portion of the second center component 2500b before the second connecting portion of the game board 5.

The second linear member 2505b is connected to the first connecting portion of the second center component 2500b and the second connecting portion of the game board 5 before the second center component 2500b is positioned relative to the panel board 1110. As a result, for example, even if the second center component 2500b falls from the operator's hand while being positioned relative to the panel board 1110, the connection between the game board 5 and the second linear member 2505b prevents the second center component 2500b from colliding with the floor or other surface.

The second linear member 2505b is formed to be shorter than, for example, the length from the lower end of the pachinko machine 1 to the position where the second central component 2500b is positioned relative to the panel board 1110, in order to prevent the second center component 2500b from colliding with the floor or the like. Furthermore, the second center component 2500b may be provided with a second linear member 2505b having a larger wire diameter, or with multiple second linear members 2505b bundled together, in order to increase its resistance to the impact of the second linear member 2505b falling.

Furthermore, if the second linear member 2505b is not removed from the game board 5 and the second center mechanism 2500b after the pachinko machine 1 has been assembled, for example, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on, it may be possible to determine whether or not the second linear member 2505b is connected to the game board 5 and the second center mechanism 2500b, and if it is determined that the second linear member 2505b is not connected to the game board 5 and the second center mechanism 2500b, an error notification indicating that the second linear member 2505b is not connected may be issued to the outside of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, since the first center component 2500a does not have any components that are more susceptible to damage from impact than the second center component 2500b, as described above, if the first linear member 2505a is not removed from the game board 5 and the first center component 2500a after the pachinko machine 1 is assembled, it is desirable that, for example, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on, the system determines whether the first linear member 2505a is connected to the game board 5 and the first center component 2500a, and even if it is determined that the first linear member 2505a is not connected to the game board 5 and the first center component 2500a, the system does not issue an error notification indicating that the first linear member 2505a is not connected to the outside of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, from a similar perspective, it is desirable that the second center component 2500b be more protected from impact than the first center component 2500a. For example, it is desirable that the second linear member 2505b has a larger wire diameter than the first linear member 2505a, and that the number of bundled second linear members 2505b is greater than the number of bundled first linear members 2505a.

The following explains how, when creating a new game board 5, even if there are modifications to the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, the first center feature 2500a and the second center feature 2500b, which have the same shape, can be reused. Figures 184(a) to (c) are schematic front views showing the first center feature 2500a and the second center feature 2500b. Figures 184(a) to (c) show how the first center feature 2500a and the second center feature 2500b are attached to their respective panel boards having different openings. Specifically, Figure 184(a) shows the first center feature 2500a and the second center feature 2500b attached to a panel board 1110 having the same shape opening 1112 as the panel board 1110 in the manner of Figure 182 described above. Furthermore, Figure 184(b) shows the first center fitting 2500a and the second center fitting 2500b attached to a panel board with a different shape from the panel board 1110 in Figure 182 (for example, a shape with a shorter width in the left-right direction of the opening). Furthermore, Figure 184(c) shows the first center fitting 2500a and the second center fitting 2500b attached to a panel board with a different shape from the panel board 1110 in Figure 182 (for example, a shape with a longer width in the left-right direction of the opening).

As shown in Figure 184(a), in the center piece 2500 of this embodiment, when the first center piece 2500a and the second center piece 2500b are positioned adjacent to each other on the panel board 1110, the first center piece 2500a and the second center piece 2500b are attached to the panel board 1110 such that the tip of the first adjustment wall portion 2504a on the right side of the first center piece 2500a and the upper end of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b of the second center piece 2500b are in contact without any gaps. As a result, in the configuration of the first center mechanism 2500a and the second center mechanism 2500b shown in Figure 184(a), it is possible to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center mechanism 2500a and the second center mechanism 2500b, and consequently, to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 184(b), in the center fitting 2500 of this embodiment, even when the first center fitting 2500a and the second center fitting 2500b are positioned on a panel board of a different shape from the panel board 1110 described above (for example, a shape with a shorter width in the left-right direction of the opening), and the first center fitting 2500a and the second center fitting 2500b overlap in the left-right direction, the first adjustment wall portion 2504a does not have a portion that protrudes toward the outer circumference like the first flange portion 2502a. Therefore, the first center fitting 2500a and the second center fitting 2500b can be attached to the panel board such that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a and the upper end of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b overlap in the left-right direction. Even in the configuration of the first center mechanism 2500a and the second center mechanism 2500b shown in Figure 184(b), it is possible to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center mechanism 2500a and the second center mechanism 2500b, and consequently, to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening of the panel plate.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 184(c), in the center fitting 2500 of this embodiment, even if the first center fitting 2500a and the second center fitting 2500b are positioned relative to a panel board of a different shape from the panel board 1110 described above (for example, a shape with a longer width in the left-right direction of the opening), causing the first center fitting 2500a and the second center fitting 2500b to be separated, the first center fitting 2500a and the second center fitting 2500b can be attached to the panel board such that the upper ends of the first adjustment wall portion 2504a and the second peripheral wall portion 2501b are separated within a predetermined distance. In the configuration of the first center mechanism 2500a and the second center mechanism 2500b shown in Figure 184(c), the maximum value of the predetermined distance between the first adjustment wall portion 2504a and the upper end of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b only needs to be smaller than the diameter of the game ball, which is 11.0 mm. This restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center mechanism 2500a and the second center mechanism 2500b, and consequently, prevents game balls flowing down the game area 5a from flowing into the opening of the panel plate.

In the center piece 2500 of this embodiment, depending on the shape of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, the first center piece 2500a and the second center piece 2500b are positioned on the panel board 1110 such that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a of the first center piece 2500a and the second center piece 2500b overlap, or that the first adjustment portion 2504a of the first center piece 2500a and the second center piece 2500b are spaced apart within a predetermined range. Therefore, when creating a new game board 5, the opening 111 of the panel board 1110 Even if the shape of the opening in 2 changes, the center mechanism 2500 can be reused. Therefore, there is no need to create a new center mechanism corresponding to the shape of the opening formed in the new panel, which simplifies the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improves convenience. Furthermore, because the first center mechanism 2500a and the second center mechanism 2500b are positioned to correspond to a new panel with a different opening shape, the game area 5a through which the game balls flow changes, thus suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. Even if a new first center mechanism is created instead of reusing the first center mechanism 2500a, the second center mechanism 2500b can be reused if at least the first adjustment wall portion of the new first center mechanism is made to have a common configuration corresponding to the upper end of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b of the second center mechanism 2500b. Furthermore, even when creating a new second center component instead of reusing the second center component 2500b, the first center component 2500a can be reused if at least the upper end of the second peripheral wall portion of the new second center component is made to a common configuration corresponding to the first adjustment wall portion 2504a of the first center component 2500a. Even in these configurations, the design of the pachinko machine 1 can be simplified and convenience improved. Moreover, because the game area 5a through which the game balls flow changes depending on whether the first center component 2500a or the second center component 2500b is different, a decrease in the enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

The third center mechanism 2500c includes a variable prize entry opening 2003 that opens and closes to accept game balls B according to the result of a lottery for a normal symbol drawn by the passage of game balls B through gate 2002, and a first large prize entry opening 2006 that opens and closes to accept game balls B according to the result of a lottery for a first special symbol drawn by the acceptance of game balls B into the first start opening 2004. In a front view, the third center mechanism 2500c is formed in a substantially arc shape extending vertically, and is mounted along the left edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, thus constituting the left part of the center mechanism 2500. The third center mechanism 2500c forms a route for game balls that are driven into the game area 5a and flow down the left side of the center mechanism 2500.

The third center fitting 2500c has a third circumferential wall portion 2501c that extends vertically along the left edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, a third flange portion 2502c that protrudes from the outer circumference of the third circumferential wall portion 2501c and extends flat along the front surface of the panel plate 1110, and a third linear member 2505c that can be connected to the back side of the third center fitting 2500c. Furthermore, the third center component 2500c may have a decorative wall portion extending vertically from the rear end of the third peripheral wall portion 2501c or the rear surface of the third flange portion 2502c into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, along the left edge of the opening 1112. This decorative wall portion makes it difficult for players to visually inspect the inside of the back unit 3000 from between the third center component 2500c and the display device 1600, thereby suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

The third peripheral wall portion 2501c constitutes a part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500. Specifically, the third peripheral wall portion 2501c extends along the left edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 and is formed as a vertical wall with a width that protrudes forward from the front surface of the panel plate 1110, thus constituting a part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500. By colliding with the game balls flowing down the game area 5a, the third peripheral wall portion 2501c can restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the third center mechanism 2500c, and consequently, restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110.

The third circumferential wall portion 2500c has third adjustment wall portions 2504c that extend vertically at each end of the third circumferential wall portion 2501c. The third adjustment wall portions 2504c extend from each end of the third circumferential wall portion 2501c toward the first center fitting 2500a or the fourth center fitting 2500d. The width of the third adjustment wall portion 2504c in the front-rear direction is formed to be approximately the same as the width of the third circumferential wall portion 2501c in the front-rear direction. Note that the third adjustment wall portion 2504c only needs to extend from the end of the third circumferential wall portion 2501c toward the first center fitting 2500a or the fourth center fitting 2500d, and specifically, in a front view, the upper third adjustment wall portion 2504c may extend, for example, from above toward the first center fitting 2500a in a clockwise direction to the right. Furthermore, in a front view, the lower third adjustment wall portion 2504c may, for example, extend clockwise downwards from the right towards the fourth center component 2500d.

The third flange portion 2502c has a positioning pin formed thereon that protrudes from its back surface toward the panel plate 1110. The third center fitting 2500c is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so as to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 by fitting the positioning pin of the third flange portion 2502c into the mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. The third flange portion 2502c may have a mounting hole instead of a positioning pin, or it may have both a positioning pin and a mounting hole. In any of these configurations, the third center fitting 2500c is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so as to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 by the positioning pin or mounting hole of the third flange portion 2502c and the positioning pin or mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, the positioning pins and mounting holes may be formed on the back surface of the third center component 2500c, for example, on the back surface of the third peripheral wall portion 2501c.

The third flange portion 2502c is fixed to the panel plate 1110 by fixing members such as screws after the third center component 2500c is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110. As a result, the third center component 2500c is attached to the game board 5. Alternatively, the third flange portion 2502c may be fixed to a predetermined member by fixing members such as screws, sandwiching the panel plate 1110 between the third center component 2500c and a predetermined member that abuts the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, thus attaching the third center component 2500c to the game board 5.

The third flange portion 2502c is preferably formed with a thickness thinner than the panel plate 1110, for example, from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the third center fitting 2500c. Specifically, the third flange portion 2502c is preferably 1/4 to 1/5 the thickness of the panel plate 1110, which allows for sufficient increase in the strength of the third center fitting 2500c while preventing it from becoming excessively heavy.

The third linear member 2505c is detachably connected at one end to the third center component 2500c and at the other end to the game board 5. The third linear member 2505c is, for example, a metal wire, with one end detachably connected to a connecting portion provided at a predetermined position on the third center component 2500c, which is difficult for the player to see, and the other end detachably connected to a connecting portion provided at a predetermined position on the game board 5, which is difficult for the player to see. Specifically, the third center component 2500c has a first connecting portion (not shown) provided at the rear of the third flange portion 2502c, and one end of the third linear member 2505c is detachably connected to the first connecting portion. Furthermore, the game board 5 has, for example, a second connecting section (not shown) provided on the back unit 3000, and the other end of the third linear member 2505c is connected to the second connecting section, avoiding the display device 1600. Therefore, the third linear member 2505c is positioned in a location that is difficult for the player to see after the third center component 2500c is attached to the game board 5. Note that if the third center component 2500c is transparent, the third linear member 2505c can also be positioned so that it is visible from the front of the pachinko machine 1 via the third center component 2500c.

The first connecting portion of the third center component 2500c and the second connecting portion of the game board 5 may have a locking mechanism that locks one or the other end of the third linear member 2505c. This locking mechanism prevents the third linear member 2505c from easily detaching from the first connecting portion of the third center component 2500c and the second connecting portion of the game board 5. Furthermore, it allows for easy removal of the third linear member 2505c from the first connecting portion of the third center component 2500c and the second connecting portion of the game board 5 by, for example, a worker assembling the game board 5 or a manager of a game hall managing the pachinko machine 1. From the viewpoint of ease of work when separating the game board 5, it is preferable that the third linear member 2505c be removed from the first connecting portion of the third center component 2500c before the second connecting portion of the game board 5.

The third linear member 2505c is connected to the first connecting portion of the third center component 2500c and the second connecting portion of the game board 5 before the third center component 2500c is positioned relative to the panel board 1110. As a result, for example, even if the third center component 2500c falls from the operator's hand while being positioned relative to the panel board 1110, the third linear member 2505c prevents the third center component 2500c from colliding with the floor or other surface because it is connected to the game board 5.

The third linear member 2505c is formed to be shorter than, for example, the length from the lower end of the pachinko machine 1 to the position where the third central component 2500c is attached to the panel board 1110, in order to prevent the third center component 2500c from colliding with the floor or the like. Furthermore, the third center component 2500c may be configured with a third linear member 2505c having a larger wire diameter, or with multiple third linear members 2505c bundled together, in order to increase its resistance to the impact of the third linear member 2505c falling.

Furthermore, if the third linear member 2505c is not removed from the game board 5 and the third center component 2500c after the pachinko machine 1 has been assembled, for example, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on, it may be possible to determine whether or not the third linear member 2505c is connected to the game board 5 and the third center component 2500c, and if it is determined that the third linear member 2505c is not connected to the game board 5 and the third center component 2500c, an error notification indicating that the third linear member 2505c is not connected may be made to the outside of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the third center fitting 2500c has components that are more susceptible to damage from impact during a fall compared to the first center fitting 2500a. Therefore, it is desirable that the third center fitting 2500c be more protected from impact during a fall than the first center fitting 2500a. For example, it is desirable that the third linear member 2505c has a larger wire diameter than the first linear member 2505a, and that the number of bundled third linear members 2505c is greater than the number of bundled first linear members 2505a.

The following explains how, when creating a new game board 5, even if there are modifications to the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, the first center feature 2500a and the third center feature 2500c, which have the same shape, can be reused. Figures 185(a) to (c) are schematic front views showing the first center feature 2500a and the third center feature 2500c. Figures 185(a) to (c) show how the first center feature 2500a and the third center feature 2500c are attached to their respective panel boards having different openings. Specifically, Figure 185(a) shows the first center feature 2500a and the third center feature 2500c attached to a panel board 1110 having the same shape opening 1112 as the panel board 1110 in the manner of Figure 182 described above. Furthermore, Figure 185(b) shows the first center fitting 2500a and the third center fitting 2500c attached to a panel board with a different shape from the panel board 1110 in Figure 182 (for example, a shape with a shorter vertical width of the opening). Also, Figure 185(c) shows the first center fitting 2500a and the third center fitting 2500c attached to a panel board with a different shape from the panel board 1110 in Figure 182 (for example, a shape with a longer vertical width of the opening).

As shown in Figure 185(a), in the center mechanism 2500 of this embodiment, when the first center mechanism 2500a and the third center mechanism 2500c are positioned adjacent to each other on the panel board 1110, the first center mechanism 2500a and the third center mechanism 2500c can be attached to the panel board 1110 such that the tip of the first adjustment wall portion 2504a of the first center mechanism 2500a and the tip of the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center mechanism 2500c are in contact without any gap. As a result, it is possible to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center mechanism 2500a and the third center mechanism 2500c, and consequently, to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 185(b), in the center piece 2500 of this embodiment, even when the first center piece 2500a and the third center piece 2500c are positioned relative to a panel board with a different shape from the panel board 1110 described above (for example, a shape with a shorter vertical width of the opening), and the first center piece 2500a and the third center piece 2500c overlap in the left-right direction, the first adjustment wall portion 2504a does not have a portion that protrudes toward the outer circumference, and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c does not have a portion that protrudes toward the inner circumference. Therefore, the first center piece 2500a and the third center piece 2500c can be attached to the panel board 1110 so that they overlap in the left-right direction. Even in the configuration of the first center mechanism 2500a and the third center mechanism 2500c shown in Figure 185(b), it is possible to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center mechanism 2500a and the third center mechanism 2500c, and consequently, to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, even if the first adjustment wall portion 2504a extends to the left from the first center fitting portion 2500a and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c extends to the right from the third center fitting portion 2500c, and the first center fitting portion 2500a and the third center fitting portion 2500c are positioned relative to a panel plate of a different shape from the panel plate 1110 described above (for example, a shape with a shorter width in the left-right direction of the opening), and the first center fitting portion 2500a and the third center fitting portion 2500c overlap vertically, the first center fitting portion 2500a and the second center fitting portion 2500b can be attached to the panel plate so that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c overlap vertically, provided that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a does not have a portion that protrudes toward the inner circumference and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c does not have a portion that protrudes toward the outer circumference.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 185(c), in the center piece 2500 of this embodiment, even if the first center piece 2500a and the third center piece 2500c are positioned relative to a panel board with a different shape from the panel board 1110 described above (for example, a shape with a longer vertical width of the opening), causing the first center piece 2500a and the third center piece 2500c to be separated, the first center piece 2500a and the third center piece 2500c can be attached to the panel board 1110 such that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c are separated within a predetermined interval. In the configuration of the first center mechanism 2500a and the third center mechanism 2500c shown in Figure 185(c), the maximum value of the predetermined distance between the first adjustment wall portion 2504a and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c only needs to be smaller than the diameter of the game ball, which is 11.0 mm. This restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center mechanism 2500a and the third center mechanism 2500c, and consequently restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110.

In the center piece 2500 of this embodiment, the first center piece 2500a and the third center piece 2500c are positioned on the panel board 1110 such that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a of the first center piece 2500a and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center piece 2500c overlap, or that the first adjustment portion 2504a of the first center piece 2500a and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center piece 2500c are spaced apart within a predetermined range, depending on the shape of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110. Even if the shape of the opening 1112 in the panel 1110 changes, the center component 2500 can be reused. Therefore, there is no need to create a new center component to correspond to the shape of the opening formed in the new panel, which simplifies the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improves convenience. Furthermore, because the first center component 2500a and the third center component 2500c are positioned to correspond to a new panel with a different opening shape, the game area 5a through which the game balls flow changes, thus suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. In addition, even if a new first center component is created instead of reusing the first center component 2500a, the third center component 2500c can be reused if at least the first adjustment wall portion of the new first center component is made to have a common configuration corresponding to the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center component 2500c. Furthermore, even when creating a new third center component instead of reusing the third center component 2500c, the first center component 2500a can be reused if the third adjustment wall portion of the new third center component is made in a common configuration corresponding to the first adjustment wall portion 2504a of the first center component 2500a. Even in these configurations, the design of the pachinko machine 1 can be simplified and convenience improved. Additionally, because the game area 5a through which the game balls flow changes depending on whether the first center component 2500a or the third center component 2500c is different, a decrease in the enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

The fourth center mechanism 2500d is formed in a substantially arc shape such that, in a front view, its left end is positioned higher than its right end, and is attached along the lower edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, thus forming the lower part of the center mechanism 2500. The fourth center mechanism 2500d has a warp entrance that opens to allow game balls that are driven into the game area 5a and flow down a route passing to the left of the center mechanism 2500 to enter, a warp exit from which game balls B that have entered the warp entrance can be released, a stage from which game balls released from the warp exit can be rolled in the left-right direction and then released into the game area 5a, and a stage cover provided to cover the top of the stage. The stage of the fourth center mechanism 2500d is curved with a recessed central section in the left-right direction. It is positioned directly above the first start port 2004 of the start port unit 2100. That is, when the fourth center mechanism 2500d is positioned on the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, the approximate center in the left-right direction is slightly higher than both sides, creating a wave-like (W-shaped) form. Furthermore, the stage is sloped so that the slightly higher section and the lowest sections on either side of the center are lower towards the front, allowing game balls to be released into the game area 5a from these sections. Therefore, when game balls are released from the center of the stage, they are received by the first start port 2004 with a very high probability.

The fourth center component 2500d has a fourth periphery wall portion 2501d that extends vertically along the lower edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, a fourth flange portion 2502d that protrudes from the outer circumference of the fourth periphery wall portion 2501d and extends flat along the front surface of the panel plate 1110, and a fourth support portion 2503d that protrudes from the inner circumference of the fourth periphery wall portion 2501d. Furthermore, the fourth center feature 2500d may have a decorative wall portion extending vertically from the rear end of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d or the rear surface of the fourth flange portion 2502d into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, along the lower edge of the opening 1112. This decorative wall portion makes it difficult for players to visually inspect the inside of the back unit 3000 from between the fourth center feature 2500ad and the display device 1600, thereby suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

The fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d constitutes a part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500. Specifically, the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d extends along the lower edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 and is formed as a vertical wall with a width that protrudes forward from the front surface of the panel plate 1110, thus constituting a part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500. By colliding with the game balls flowing down the game area 5a, the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d can restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the fourth center mechanism 2500d, and consequently, restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110.

The fourth perimeter wall 2500a has a fourth adjustment wall 2504d that extends vertically at each end of the fourth perimeter wall 2501d. The fourth adjustment wall 2504d extends from each end of the fourth perimeter wall 2501d toward the second center fitting 2500b or the third center fitting 2500c. The width of the fourth adjustment wall 2504d in the front-rear direction is formed to be approximately the same as the width of the fourth perimeter wall 2501d in the front-rear direction. Note that the fourth adjustment wall 2504d only needs to extend from the end of the fourth perimeter wall 2501a toward the second center fitting 2500b or the third center fitting 2500c. Specifically, in a front view, the left fourth adjustment wall 2504d may extend, for example, from above toward the third center fitting 2500c in a clockwise direction to the right. Furthermore, in a front view, the fourth adjustment wall 2504d on the right side may, for example, extend from above toward the second center mechanism 2500c in a clockwise direction to the right. Here, the stage cover of the fourth center mechanism 2500d constitutes a part of the fourth peripheral wall 2501d, and can deflect game balls that bounce on the stage of the fourth center mechanism 2500d toward the stage, thereby restricting the flow of game balls from outside the frame of the fourth center mechanism 2500d into the frame.

The fourth flange portion 2502d has a positioning pin formed thereon that protrudes from its back surface toward the panel plate 1110. The fourth center fitting 2500d is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so as to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 by fitting the positioning pin of the fourth flange portion 2502d into the mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. The fourth flange portion 2502d may have a mounting hole instead of a positioning pin, or it may have both a positioning pin and a mounting hole. In any of these configurations, the fourth center fitting 2500d is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so as to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 by the positioning pin or mounting hole of the fourth flange portion 2502d and the positioning pin or mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, the positioning pins and mounting holes may be formed on the back surface of the fourth center component 2500d, for example, on the back surface of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d.

The fourth flange portion 2502d is fixed to the panel plate 1110 by fixing members such as screws after the fourth center component 2500d is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110. As a result, the fourth center component 2500d is attached to the game board 5. Alternatively, the fourth flange portion 2502d may be fixed to a predetermined member by fixing members such as screws, sandwiching the panel plate 1110 between the fourth center component 2500d and a predetermined member that abuts the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, thus attaching the fourth center component 2500d to the game board 5.

The fourth flange portion 2502d and the fourth support portion 2503d are preferably formed with a thickness thinner than the panel plate 1110, for example, from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the fourth center fitting 2500d. Specifically, the fourth flange portion 2502d and the fourth support portion 2503d are preferably 1/4 to 1/5 the thickness of the panel plate 1110, which allows for sufficient increase in the strength of the fourth center fitting 2500d while preventing it from becoming excessively heavy.

The fourth support portion 2503d is partially provided on the inner circumference of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d, thereby increasing the strength of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d. Furthermore, in a front view, the shape of the fourth support portion 2503d protruding from the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d is formed to resemble the front shape of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d, or to be linear, so that the fourth support portion 2503d is less noticeable to the player, thereby preventing a decrease in the player's enjoyment of the game upon seeing the fourth support portion 2503d. Furthermore, it is desirable that the amount of protrusion of the fourth support portion 2503d from the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d is within the range of the thickness of the fourth support portion 2503a to the thickness of the panel plate 1110, specifically within the range of 1.0 mm to 10.0 mm. This configuration ensures that the fourth support portion 2503d is not easily noticeable to the player while still effectively increasing the strength of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d.

The fourth linear member 2505d is detachably connected at one end to the fourth center component 2500d and at the other end to the game board 5. The fourth linear member 2505d is, for example, a metal wire, with one end detachably connected to a connecting portion provided at a predetermined position on the fourth center component 2500d, which is difficult for the player to see, and the other end detachably connected to a connecting portion provided at a predetermined position on the game board 5, which is difficult for the player to see. Specifically, the fourth center component 2500d has a first connecting portion (not shown) provided at the rear of the fourth flange portion 2502d, and one end of the fourth linear member 2505d is detachably connected to the first connecting portion. Furthermore, the game board 5 has, for example, a second connecting section (not shown) provided on the back unit 3000, and the other end of the fourth linear member 2505d is connected to the second connecting section, avoiding the performance display device 1600. Therefore, the fourth linear member 2505d is positioned in a location that is difficult for the player to see after the fourth center component 2500d is attached to the game board 5. Note that if the fourth center component 2500d is transparent, the fourth linear member 2505d can also be positioned so that it is visible from the front of the pachinko machine 1 via the fourth center component 2500d.

The first connecting portion of the fourth center component 2500d and the second connecting portion of the game board 5 may have a locking mechanism that locks one or the other end of the fourth linear member 2505d. This locking mechanism prevents the fourth linear member 2505d from easily detaching from the first connecting portion of the fourth center component 2500d and the second connecting portion of the game board 5. Furthermore, it allows for easy removal of the fourth linear member 2505d from the first connecting portion of the fourth center component 2500d and the second connecting portion of the game board 5 by, for example, a worker assembling the game board 5 or a manager of a game hall managing the pachinko machine 1. From the viewpoint of ease of work when separating the game board 5, it is preferable that the fourth linear member 2505d be removed from the first connecting portion of the fourth center component 2500d before the second connecting portion of the game board 5.

The fourth linear member 2505d is connected to the first connecting portion of the fourth center component 2500d and the second connecting portion of the game board 5 before the fourth center component 2500d is positioned relative to the panel board 1110. As a result, for example, when positioning the fourth center component 2500d relative to the panel board 1110, even if the fourth center component 2500d falls from the operator's hand, the fourth linear member 2505d connects the fourth center component 2500d to the game board 5, preventing it from colliding with the floor or other surfaces.

The fourth linear member 2505d is formed to be shorter than, for example, the length from the lower end of the pachinko machine 1 to the position where the fourth central component 2500d is attached to the panel board 1110, in order to prevent the fourth central component 2500d from colliding with the floor or the like. Furthermore, the fourth central component 2500d may be provided with a fourth linear member 2505d having a larger wire diameter, or with multiple fourth linear members 2505d bundled together, in order to increase its strength against the impact of the fourth linear member 2505d falling.

Furthermore, if the fourth linear member 2505d is not removed from the game board 5 and the fourth center component 2500d after the pachinko machine 1 has been assembled, for example, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on, it may be possible to determine whether or not the fourth linear member 2505d is connected to the game board 5 and the fourth center component 2500d, and if it is determined that the fourth linear member 2505d is not connected to the game board 5 and the fourth center component 2500d, an error notification indicating that the fourth linear member 2505d is not connected may be made to the outside of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the fourth center fitting 2500d has components that are more susceptible to damage from impact during a fall compared to the first center fitting 2500a. Therefore, it is desirable that the fourth center fitting 2500d be more protected from impact during a fall than the first center fitting 2500a. For example, it is desirable that the fourth linear member 2505d has a larger wire diameter than the first linear member 2505a, and that the number of bundled fourth linear members 2505d is greater than the number of bundled first linear members 2505a.

The following explains how, when creating a new game board 5, even if the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 is modified, the second center component 2500b, the third center component 2500c, and the fourth center component 2500d, all of the same shape, can be reused.

In this embodiment of the center mechanism 2500, when the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth center mechanism 2500d are positioned adjacent to each other on a panel plate 1110 having an opening 1112 identical in shape to the panel plate 1110 in the configuration of Figure 182 described above, the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth center mechanism 2500d can be attached to the panel plate 1110 such that the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504c of the fourth center mechanism 2500d face each other. As a result, it is possible to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth center mechanism 2500d, and consequently, to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, in the center piece 2500 of this embodiment, even when the third center piece 2500c and the fourth center piece 2500d are positioned relative to a panel plate 1110 having a different shape from the panel plate 1110 described above (for example, a shape with a shorter width in the left-right direction of the opening), and the third center piece 2500c and the fourth center piece 2500d overlap in the vertical direction, the third adjustment wall portion 2504c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d do not have portions that protrude toward the outer circumference. Therefore, the third center piece 2500c and the fourth center piece 2500d can be attached to the panel plate 1110 so that they overlap in the vertical direction. Even with this configuration of the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth center mechanism 2500d, it is possible to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth center mechanism 2500d, and consequently, to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, even if the third adjustment wall portion 2504a extends downward from the third center component 2500c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d extends upward from the fourth center component 2500d, and the third center component 2500c and the fourth center component 2500d are positioned relative to a panel plate of a different shape from the panel plate 1110 described above (for example, a shape with a shorter width in the left-right direction of the opening), and the third center component 2500c and the fourth center component 2500d overlap in the left-right direction, as long as the third adjustment wall portion 2504c does not have a portion that protrudes inward and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d does not have a portion that protrudes outward, the third center component 2500c and the fourth center component 2500d can be attached to the panel plate so that they overlap in the left-right direction.

Furthermore, in the center piece 2500 of this embodiment, even if the third center piece 2500c and the fourth center piece 2500d are positioned relative to a panel plate 1110 of a different shape from the panel plate 1110 described above (for example, a shape with a longer width in the left-right direction of the opening), causing the third center piece 2500c and the fourth center piece 2500d to be separated, the third center piece 2500c and the fourth center piece 2500d can be attached to the panel plate 1110 such that the third adjustment wall portion 2504c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d are separated within a predetermined interval. In this configuration of the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth center mechanism 2500d, the maximum value of the predetermined distance between the third adjustment wall portion 2504c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d only needs to be smaller than the diameter of the game ball, which is 11.0 mm. This restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth center mechanism 2500d, and consequently restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110.

In the center mechanism 2500 of this embodiment, the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth center mechanism 2500d are positioned on the panel board 1110 such that the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d of the fourth center mechanism 2500d overlap, or that the third adjustment portion 2504c of the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d of the fourth center mechanism 2500d are spaced apart within a predetermined range, depending on the shape of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110. Even if the shape of the opening 1112 in the panel 1110 changes, the center mechanism 2500 can be reused. Therefore, there is no need to create a new center mechanism corresponding to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel 1110, which simplifies the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improves convenience. Furthermore, because the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth center mechanism 2500d are positioned to correspond to the new panel 1110, the game area 5a through which the game balls flow changes, thus suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. Even if a new third center mechanism is created instead of reusing the third center mechanism 2500c, the fourth center mechanism 2500d can be reused if at least the third adjustment wall portion of the new third center mechanism is made to have a common configuration corresponding to the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d of the fourth center mechanism 2500c. Furthermore, even when creating a new fourth center component instead of reusing the fourth center component 2500d, the third center component 2500c can be reused if the fourth adjustment wall portion of the new fourth center component is made in a common configuration corresponding to the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center component 2500c. Even in these configurations, the design of the pachinko machine 1 can be simplified, improving convenience. Moreover, because the game area 5a through which the game balls flow changes depending on whether the third center component 2500c or the fourth center component 2500d is different, a decrease in the enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

Furthermore, in the center piece 2500 of this embodiment, when the second center piece 2500b and the fourth center piece 2500c are positioned on a panel plate 1110 having an opening 1112 identical in shape to the panel plate 1110 in the configuration of Figure 182 described above, the second center piece 2500b and the fourth center piece 2500d can be attached to the panel plate 1110 such that the second peripheral wall portion 2501b of the second center piece 2500b and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d of the fourth center piece 2500d face each other. In this configuration of the second center mechanism 2500b and the fourth center mechanism 2500d, it is possible to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the second center mechanism 2500b and the fourth center mechanism 2500d, and consequently, to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, in the center piece 2500 of this embodiment, even when the second center piece 2500b and the fourth center piece 2500d are positioned relative to a panel plate 1110 having a different shape from the panel plate 1110 described above (for example, a shape with a shorter vertical width of the opening), the second center piece 2500a and the fourth center piece 2500d overlap, because the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d does not have a portion that protrudes toward the outer circumference, the second center piece 2500b and the fourth center piece 2500d can be attached to the panel plate 1110 such that the second peripheral wall portion 2501b and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d overlap in the left-right direction. Even with this configuration of the second center mechanism 2500b and the fourth center mechanism 2500d, it is possible to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the second center mechanism 2500b and the fourth center mechanism 2500d, and consequently, to restrict the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, in the center piece 2500 of this embodiment, even if the second center piece 2500b and the fourth center piece 2500d are positioned relative to a panel plate 1110 of a different shape from the panel plate 1110 described above (for example, a shape with a longer vertical width of the opening), causing the second center piece 2500b and the fourth center piece 2500d to be separated, the second center piece 2500b and the fourth center piece 2500d can be attached to the panel plate 1110 such that the second peripheral wall portion 2501b and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d are separated within a predetermined interval. In this configuration of the second center feature 2500b and the fourth center feature 2500d, the maximum value of the predetermined distance between the second peripheral wall portion 2501b and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d only needs to be smaller than the diameter of the game ball, which is 11.0 mm. This restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the second center feature 2500b and the fourth center feature 2500d, and consequently, prevents the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110.

In the center piece 2500 of this embodiment, the second center piece 2500b and the fourth center piece 2500d are positioned on the panel board 1110 such that the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d of the second center piece 2500b and the fourth center piece 2500c overlap, or the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d of the second center piece 2500b and the fourth center piece 2500d are spaced apart within a predetermined range, depending on the shape of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110. Even if the shape of the opening 2 changes, the center mechanism 2500 can be reused. Therefore, there is no need to create a new center mechanism corresponding to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel board 1110, which simplifies the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improves convenience. Furthermore, because the second center mechanism 2500b and the fourth center mechanism 2500d are positioned to correspond to the new panel board 1110, the game area 5a through which the game balls flow changes, thus suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. Even if a new second center mechanism is created instead of reusing the second center mechanism 2500b, the fourth center mechanism 2500d can be reused if at least the lower end of the second peripheral wall portion of the new second center mechanism is made to have a common configuration corresponding to the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d of the fourth center mechanism 2500c. Furthermore, even when creating a new fourth center component instead of reusing the fourth center component 2500d, the second center component 2500b can be reused if the fourth adjustment wall portion of the new fourth center component is made in a common configuration corresponding to the lower end of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b of the second center component 2500b. Even in these configurations, the design of the pachinko machine 1 can be simplified and convenience improved. Moreover, because the game area 5a through which the game balls flow changes depending on whether the second center component 2500b or the fourth center component 2500d is different, a decrease in the enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

In summary, while we have explained how the first, second, third, and fourth center components 2500a, 2500b, 2500c, and 2500d, all of the same shape, can be reused even if the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 is modified when creating a new game board 5, the center components 2500 can still be reused even if there are design changes to parts other than the first adjustment wall 2504a in the first center component 2500a, to parts other than the second adjustment wall 2504b in the second center component 2500b, or to parts other than the fourth adjustment wall 2504d in the fourth center component 2500d. Therefore, the center components 2500 can still be reused, eliminating the need to create new center components corresponding to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel board 1110, thus simplifying the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improving convenience.

Figure 186 is a front view showing another embodiment of the center component 2500. In this embodiment, the configuration of the center component 2500 divided into four parts—the first center component 2500a, the second center component 2500b, the third center component 2500c, and the fourth center component 2500d—has been described. However, the center component 2500 may also be divided into two, three, or five or more parts, as shown in Figure 186. Similar to the configuration of the four-part center component 2500 in this embodiment, the center component 2500 can be reused when creating a new game board 5. Therefore, there is no need to create a new center component corresponding to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel board 1110. This simplifies the design of the pachinko machine 1 and enhances convenience. Furthermore, because each center component 2500a to 2500d is positioned to correspond to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel board 1110, the game area 5a through which the game balls flow changes, thus suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, although this embodiment describes a configuration of the center mechanism 2500 having a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 along the edge of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, the center mechanism 2500 may also be configured to include a fifth center mechanism that connects the inlet and outlet, forming a route for game balls entering from the inlet and exiting from the outlet, with an adjustment wall portion formed at the end of the peripheral wall portion of the fifth center mechanism, so that the adjustment wall portion of the fifth center mechanism and the other center mechanisms overlap depending on the shape of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110. As such, the fifth center component and the other center components 2500 are positioned on the panel board 1110 such that the adjustment section of the fifth center component and the other center components are separated within a predetermined range. Therefore, when creating a new game board 5, even if the shape of the opening 1112 in the panel board 1110 changes, the center components 2500 can be reused. Thus, there is no need to create a new center component corresponding to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel board 1110, simplifying the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improving convenience. Furthermore, because the fifth center component and the other center components are positioned to correspond to the new panel board 1110, the game area 5a through which the game balls flow changes, thus suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the ends of the first center component 2500a, the second center component 2500b, the third center component 2500c, and the fourth center component 2500d, including their respective adjustment walls, overlap in the left-right and up-down directions. However, the ends of the first center component 2500a, the second center component 2500b, the third center component 2500c, and the fourth center component 2500d, including their respective adjustment walls, have a reduced width in the front-back direction. As a result, the ends of the first center piece 2500a, second center piece 2500b, third center piece 2500c, and fourth center piece 2500d may overlap in the front-rear direction, depending on the shape of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, or the ends of the first center piece 2500a, second center piece 2500b, third center piece 2500c, and fourth center piece 2500d may overlap in the front-rear direction. Since the first center component 2500a, the second center component 2500b, the third center component 2500c, and the fourth center component 2500d are positioned on the panel board 1110 so as to be spaced apart in the front-rear direction within the range, the center components 2500 can be reused even if the shape of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 changes when a new game board 5 is created. Therefore, there is no need to create new center components corresponding to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel board 1110, which simplifies the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improves convenience. Furthermore, because the first center component 2500a, the second center component 2500b, the third center component 2500c, and the fourth center component 2500d are positioned to correspond to the new panel board 1110, the game area 5a through which the game balls flow changes, thus suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, although this embodiment describes a configuration in which the center mechanism 2500, which has a peripheral wall portion 2501 as an inflow restriction portion, is divided into multiple parts, for example, the above-mentioned adjustment wall portion may be provided at the ends of peripheral wall portions such as the outer rail 1001, inner rail 1002, out-guiding portion 1003, a part of the lower right rail 1004, and the right rail 1005, which constitute an outflow restriction portion that restricts game balls from flowing out to the outside of the game area 5a on the outer periphery of the game area 5a. Depending on the design change of the panel board 1110, the outer rail 1001, inner rail 1002, out guide section 1003, part of the lower right rail 1004, and the right rail 1005, etc. may overlap, or the outer rail 1001, inner rail 1002, out guide section 1003, part of the lower right rail 1004, and the right rail 1005, etc. may be spaced apart within a predetermined range. Since some parts, including the right rail 1005, are positioned on the panel board 1110, when creating a new game board 5, even if the design of the panel board 1110 is changed, the outer rail 1001, inner rail 1002, out-guiding section 1003, part of the lower right rail 1004, and the right rail 1005 can be reused. Therefore, there is no need to create new outer rails 1001, inner rails 1002, out-guiding section 1003, part of the lower right rail 1004, and the right rail 1005 to correspond to the new panel board 1110. This simplifies the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improves convenience. Furthermore, because the outer rail 1001, inner rail 1002, out-guiding section 1003, part of the lower right rail 1004, and the right rail 1005 are positioned to correspond to the new panel board 1110, the game area 5a through which the game balls flow changes, thus suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

[Installation process for the center component]
The center components 2500 are positioned one by one from the first center component 2500a, second center component 2500b, third center component 2500c, and fourth center component 2500d relative to the edge of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the game board 5. Then, the first center component 2500a, second center component 2500b, third center component 2500c, and fourth center component 2500d are attached to the panel board 1110 in any order. In addition, the first center component 2500a, second center component 2500b, third center component 2500c, and fourth center component 2500d are all attached to the panel board 1110 from the front. Furthermore, if at least one set of the first center piece 2500a, second center piece 2500b, third center piece 2500c, and fourth center piece 2500d overlaps in the front-to-back direction, they are attached to the panel board 1110 in order from the center piece located further back.

The following describes the process of attaching the first center component 2500a, the second center component 2500b, the third center component 2500c, and the fourth center component 2500d to the panel board 1110 in this order. First, one end of the first linear member 2505a is connected to the connecting portion of the game board 5, and the other end of this first linear member 2505a is connected to the connecting portion of the first center component 2500a. As a result, even if the first center component 2500a falls from the worker's hand between the positioning of the first center component 2500a relative to the game board 1110 and its attachment to the game board 1110, it is prevented from falling to the floor or other surface.

Subsequently, the positioning pin formed on the back surface of the first flange portion 2502a is fitted into the mounting hole formed on the front surface of the panel plate 1110, thereby positioning the first center component 2500a to correspond to the upper edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110. Then, the first flange portion 2502a of the first center component 2500a is fixed to the panel plate 1110 via a fixing member such as a screw, thereby attaching the first center component 2500a to the panel plate 1110. Note that the first linear member 2505a may be released from its connection to the connecting portion of the first center component 2500a after the first center component 2500a has been attached to the panel plate 1110, and after this release, it may also be released from its connection to the connecting portion of the game board 5 and removed from the game board 5. Furthermore, in an embodiment where the first center component 2500a does not have the first linear member 2505a, when positioning the first center component 2500a relative to the panel board 1110, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of problems such as the worker's hand coming into contact with the first linear member 2505a, causing the first center component 2500a to become misaligned relative to the panel board 1110. This improves the work efficiency when installing the first center component 2500 and enhances the convenience of the pachinko machine 1 when replacing the game board 5 with a new game board.

Next, one end of the second linear member 2505b is connected to the connecting portion of the game board 5, and the other end of this second linear member 2505b is connected to the connecting portion of the second center component 2500b. As a result, even if the second center component 2500b falls from the worker's hand while it is being positioned relative to the game board 1110 and attached to the game board 1110, it is prevented from falling onto the floor or other surface.

Subsequently, the positioning pin formed on the back surface of the second flange portion 2502a is fitted into the mounting hole formed on the front surface of the panel plate 1110, thereby positioning the second center component 2500b to correspond to the upper edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110. Then, the second flange portion 2502b of the second center component 2500b is fixed to the panel plate 1110 via a fixing member such as a screw, thereby attaching the second center component 2500b to the panel plate 1110. Note that the second linear member 2505b may be disconnected from the connecting portion of the second center component 2500b after it has been attached to the panel plate 1110. After this disconnection, the connection to the connecting portion of the game board 5 may also be disconnected, and the linear member 2505b may be removed from the game board 5.

In this embodiment of the center mechanism 2500, when the first center mechanism 2500a and the second center mechanism 2500b are positioned adjacent to each other relative to the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, the first center mechanism 2500a and the second center mechanism 2500b can be attached to the panel board 1110 in such a manner that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a of the first center mechanism 2500a and the second peripheral wall portion 2501b of the second center mechanism 2500b are separated by a predetermined distance from overlapping. This restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center mechanism 2500a and the second center mechanism 2500b, and consequently restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

Next, one end of the third linear member 2505c is connected to the connecting portion of the game board 5, and the other end of this third linear member 2505c is connected to the connecting portion of the third center component 2500c. As a result, even if the third center component 2500c falls from the worker's hand while it is being positioned relative to the game board 1110 and attached to the game board 1110, it is prevented from falling onto the floor or other surface.

Subsequently, the positioning pin formed on the back surface of the third flange portion 2502c is fitted into the mounting hole formed on the front surface of the panel plate 1110, thereby positioning the third center component 2500c to correspond to the upper edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110. Then, the third flange portion 2502c of the third center component 2500c is fixed to the panel plate 1110 via a fixing member such as a screw, thereby attaching the third center component 2500c to the panel plate 1110. Note that the third linear member 2505c may be released from its connection to the connecting portion of the third center component 2500c after the third center component 2500c has been attached to the panel plate 1110. After this release, the connection to the connecting portion of the game board 5 may also be released, and the linear member 2505c may be removed from the game board 5.

In this embodiment of the center mechanism 2500, when the first center mechanism 2500a and the third center mechanism 2500c are positioned adjacent to each other with respect to the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, the first center mechanism 2500a and the third center mechanism 2500c can be attached to the panel board 1110 in such a manner that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a of the first center mechanism 2500a and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center mechanism 2500c are separated by a predetermined distance from overlapping. This restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center mechanism 2500a and the third center mechanism 2500c, and consequently restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

Next, one end of the fourth linear member 2505d is connected to the connecting portion of the game board 5, and the other end of this fourth linear member 2505d is connected to the connecting portion of the fourth center component 2500d. As a result, even if the fourth center component 2500d falls from the worker's hand while it is being positioned relative to the game board 1110 and attached to the game board 1110, it is prevented from falling onto the floor or other surface.

Subsequently, the positioning pin formed on the back surface of the fourth flange portion 2502a is fitted into the mounting hole formed on the front surface of the panel plate 1110, thereby positioning the fourth center component 2500d to correspond to the upper edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110. Then, the fourth flange portion 2502d of the fourth center component 2500d is fixed to the panel plate 1110 via a fixing member such as a screw, thereby attaching the fourth center component 2500d to the panel plate 1110. Note that the fourth linear member 2505d may be disconnected from the connecting portion of the fourth center component 2500d after it has been attached to the panel plate 1110. After this disconnection, the connection to the connecting portion of the game board 5 may also be disconnected, and the linear member 2505d may be removed from the game board 5.

In this embodiment of the center mechanism 2500, when the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth center mechanism 2500d are positioned adjacent to each other with respect to the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth center mechanism 2500d can be attached to the panel board 1110 in such a manner that the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504c of the fourth center mechanism 2500d are spaced apart within a predetermined range from overlapping. This restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the third center mechanism 2500c and the fourth center mechanism 2500d, and consequently restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, in the center mechanism 2500 of this embodiment, when the second center mechanism 2500b and the fourth center mechanism 2500c are positioned adjacent to each other with respect to the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, the second center mechanism 2500b and the fourth center mechanism 2500d can be attached to the panel board 1110 in such a manner that the second peripheral wall portion 2501b of the second center mechanism 2500b and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d of the fourth center mechanism 2500d are spaced apart within a predetermined range from overlapping. This restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the second center mechanism 2500b and the fourth center mechanism 2500d, and consequently restricts the flow of game balls flowing down the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first center piece 2500a, the second center piece 2500b, the third center piece 2500c, and the fourth center piece 2500d were described as being attached to the panel board 1110 from the front side. However, each of the first center piece 2500a, the second center piece 2500b, the third center piece 2500c, and the fourth center piece 2500d may also have a post-fixing member that sandwiches the panel board 1110 between the first flange portion 2502a, the second flange portion 2502b, the third flange portion 2502c, or the fourth flange portion 2502d to fix the first center piece 2500a, the second center piece 2500b, the third center piece 2500c, and the fourth center piece 2500d to the panel board 1110.

In this embodiment, as an example of a modification of the center mechanism 2500, a configuration in which the center mechanism 2500 is divided into multiple parts, and the multiple center mechanisms cooperate with each other to restrict the flow of game balls into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, has been described. However, the configuration of the divided center mechanism 2500 can be implemented in combination with each of the configurations of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment described above, and in that case, the pachinko machine 1 can also achieve the functions and effects of the divided center mechanism 2500 described above.

[Example of game board modification 1]
In the above-described embodiment, the basic configuration of the game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 was explained. Conventionally, the edges of the game board 5 are formed in a sharp, angular shape, and when transporting the game board 5, the hands of the worker gripping the game board 5 may come into contact with the edges of the game board 5, causing discomfort to the worker (such as pain in the hands due to contact with the sharp, angular edges, or the risk of injury to the hands due to contact with the sharp, angular edges). Furthermore, when a worker who does not know the gripping position of the game board 5 transports the game board 5, the worker's hands may come into contact with obstacle nails N or the center mechanism 2500, etc., within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle nails N (such as bending to the point of interfering with gameplay), rust on the obstacle nails N (such as sebum adhering to the obstacle nails N making them more susceptible to rust), or damage to the center mechanism 2500, etc. Below, a modified game board 1, which modifies the game board 5 to resolve these problems, will be described.

The configuration of the pachinko machine 1 in this embodiment is the same as that of the pachinko machine 1 described above, except for the game board 5. Therefore, the configuration of the game board 5 will be explained in detail below, and the explanation of the other components of the pachinko machine 1 will be omitted.

The game board 5, as shown in Figures 137 to 147, for example, comprises a game area 5a through which game balls can flow, a front component member 1000 with a roughly rectangular shape in front view that demarcates the outer periphery of the game area 5a, a plate-shaped game panel 1100 that demarcates the rear end of the game area 5a, a front unit 2000 attached to the front of the game panel 1100, and a back unit 3000 attached to the rear of the game panel 1100.

Within the game area 5a, there are multiple obstacle nails N planted on the front of the game panel 1100, the general prize entry opening 2001, the first start opening 2004, the gate 2002, the second start opening 2005, and the first large prize entry opening 2006 of the front unit 2000, and the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500 which restricts the flow of game balls flowing down within the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100.

Figure 187 is a schematic perspective view of the game board 5 seen from the front right, and Figure 188 is a schematic perspective view of the game board 5 seen from the rear right. Note that in Figure 187, the depiction of the back unit 3000 within the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 is omitted for the sake of easier understanding of the game board 5. As shown in Figure 187 or Figure 188, when the game area 5a is formed and assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the game board 5 has a front surface 5x facing the player, a rear surface 5z facing the opposite side from the player, a side surface 5y extending between the front surface 5x and the rear surface 5z, an edge portion 5b extending from the front surface 5x through the side surface 5y to the rear surface 5z, and a specific portion 5c formed on at least a part of the edge portion 5b.

The edge 5b of the game board 5 includes, for example, an outer edge 5b1 formed at the outer end of the game board 5 and an inner edge 5b2 formed at the inner end of the game board 5. The outer edge 5b1 is formed by the front component 1000, the game panel 1100, and the back unit 3000 (specifically, the front surface of the front component 1000, the side surface of the front component 1000, the side surface of the game panel 1100, the side surface of the back unit 3000, and the back surface of the back unit 3000), arranged in order from front to back. The inner edge 5b2 is formed by the front unit 2000 (for example, the center component 2500, etc.) and the game panel 1100 (specifically, the front surface of the front unit 2000, the side surface of the front unit 2000, the back surface of the front unit 2000, the side surface of the game panel 1100, and the back surface of the game panel 1100).

[Specific section configuration 1]
The specific part 5c is formed on the edge 5b of the game board 5, and when an operator transports the game board 5, it can guide the operator's hand to make contact with the specific part 5c when the operator is about to grasp the game board 5. Specifically, the specific part 5c has a visual guidance effect that suggests the gripping position of the game board 5 to the operator by making the edge 5b of the game board 5b resemble a human handprint when the edge 5b of the game board 5 is visually inspected, and a tactile guidance effect that suggests the gripping position of the game board 5 to the operator by the difference in tactile sensation of causing or not causing discomfort to the operator's hand when grasping the game board 5, thereby contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5.

Specifically, the designated portion 5c has a surface softened portion 5c1, a surface recessed portion 5c2, a back recessed portion 5c3, and an outer sharpened portion 5c4 formed at predetermined positions on the outer edge portion 5b1, and an inner sharpened portion 5c5 and a back softened portion 5c6 formed at predetermined positions on the inner edge portion 5b2. The visual or tactile guidance effect provided by these components contributes to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

Figure 189(a) is an end view showing the A-A' end face of Figure 187, and Figure 189(b) is an end view showing another aspect of the game board 5 shown in Figure 189(a). As shown in Figures 187 to 189(a), the smooth surface portion 5c1 is formed on the outer edge portion 5b1 of the game board 5 in an inclined surface shape such that the depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increases from the inside to the outside, and linearly connects the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y. In this way, the smooth surface portion 5c1 that smoothly connects the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y in a chamfered manner can remove the sharp corner formed where the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y intersect from a part of the outer edge portion 5b1. In other words, by forming a surface softening portion 5c1 between the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y, two obtuse angles are formed where the front surface 5x and the surface softening portion 5c1 intersect, and where the side surface 5y and the surface softening portion 5c1 intersect, instead of the sharp corner formed where the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y intersect.

Here, a worker attempting to grasp the game board 5 tends to avoid contact between their hand and the sharp corners formed by the intersection of the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y, for example, to avoid feeling pain or other discomfort in the hand grasping the game board 5. The softened surface portion 5c1 can be visually guided by the worker attempting to grasp the game board 5 so that their hand comes into contact with the two obtuse corners rather than the one sharp corner. Furthermore, by contacting the worker's hand attempting to grasp the game board 5, the softened surface portion 5c1 can also tactilely guide the worker so that their hand comes into contact with the two obtuse corners rather than the one sharp corner. Therefore, in the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused to the operator by contact with the outer edge 5b1 can be suppressed, and the gripping position of the game board 5 can be indicated to an operator who is unaware of it. This also suppresses the risk of the operator's hands coming into contact with obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, etc., thus enabling safe transport of the game board 5.

In this embodiment, the surface relief portion 5c1 is formed in pairs on the left and right outer edges 5b1 of the game board 5, and faces each other at the top of the game board 5. Such surface relief portions 5c1 allow the worker to guide both hands to the surface relief portions 5c1 on the left and right outer edges 5b1 when gripping the game board 5, enabling safer transportation of the game board 5. Note that the left surface relief portion 5c1 formed on the left side of the game panel 1100 has a greater vertical length than the right surface relief portion 5c1 formed on the right side of the game panel 1100. Furthermore, the surface relief portion 5c1 is not limited to being formed on the left and right outer edges 5b1. For example, it may be formed on either the left or right outer edge 5b1, either the upper or lower outer edge 5b1, or both the upper and lower outer edges 5b1. Even if multiple surface relief portions 5c1 are formed, they do not necessarily have to be facing each other (for example, formed on adjacent edges).

The surface smoothing portion 5c1 may be formed only on the front component 1000 to smoothly connect the front and side surfaces of the front component 1000, or it may be formed to be continuous with the front component 1000 and the game panel 1100 to smoothly connect the front surface of the front component 1000 and the side surfaces of the game panel 1100. Furthermore, the surface smoothing portion 5c1 may be formed on the front component 1000 to smoothly connect the front surface of the front component 1000 and the front end of the outer edge of the game panel 1100 when the front component 1000 is assembled to the game panel 1100.

The surface softening portion 5c1 is located behind the door frame base unit 100 in the door frame 3 when the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed. Therefore, it is difficult for players to see it through the door window 101a, thus preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game due to the visibility of the surface softening portion 5c1, which is unrelated to the game. Alternatively, when the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed, a portion of the surface softening portion 5c1 may protrude from behind the door frame base unit 100 in the door frame 3, making it visible to players through the door window 101a. Even if only a portion of the surface softening portion 5c1 is visible, players cannot recognize that it suggests a handprint, in other words, that it is unrelated to the game and related to the transportation of the game board 5, thus preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

From the viewpoint of allowing workers' hands to contact the softened surface portion 5c1 without coming into contact with sharp corners at the outer edge portion 5b1, and from the viewpoint of preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game due to the softened surface portion 5c1 protruding from the door frame 3 and being visible to players after the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, it is desirable that the width in the left-right direction be, for example, 1.0 cm or more and the width in the up-down direction be, for example, 3.0 cm or more. Furthermore, it is desirable that the depth of the softened surface portion 5c1 in the front-rear direction be, for example, 0.5 cm or more at its widest point, so that the sharp corners formed where the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y intersect can be effectively removed from a part of the outer edge portion 5b1. Furthermore, the vertical width of the surface relief portion 5c1 may, for example, be the entire area of the outer edge portion 5b1 on which the surface relief portion 5c1 is formed, i.e., the entire vertical width of the outer edge portion 5b1.

In this embodiment, the surface relief portion 5c1, formed as a straight plane smoothly connecting the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y, has been described. However, as shown in Figure 189(b), the surface relief portion 5c1 may also be formed as an arc-shaped curved surface smoothly connecting the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y. The surface relief portion 5c1 formed as an arc-shaped curved surface smoothly connecting the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y provides the same effects as the surface relief portion 5c1 formed as a straight plane smoothly connecting the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y described above. Furthermore, because the curved surface relief portion 5c1 does not have corners, it can enhance the effect of suppressing discomfort to workers whose hands come into contact with the outer edge portion 5b1, thereby enabling safer transportation of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the surface of the softened surface portion 5c1 may have a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern, or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) formed on it by a surface treatment such as texturing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the softened surface portion 5c1 acts as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort or pain to the worker's hands when transporting the game board 5, thus making the transport of the game board 5 even safer.

The surface recess 5c2 is formed in a concave shape on the pre-constituent member 1000 that forms the outer edge 5b1 on the front 5x side of the game board 5. The surface recess 5c2 schematically suggests a person's thumb, so when the game board 5 is being transported, the worker's thumb is guided to the surface recess 5c2 by a visual guiding effect. Therefore, when the game board 5 is being transported by a worker, the gripping position of the game board 5 can be indicated to a worker who is unaware of it. This reduces the risk of the worker's hand coming into contact with obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, thus enabling safe transport of the game board 5.

In this embodiment, the surface recess 5c2 is formed adjacent to the surface soft surface 5c1. This surface recess 5c2, together with the surface soft surface 5c1, forms a schematic handprint on the front surface 5x of the game board 5, including the thumb and part of the palm. When the game board 5 is transported, the edge 5b of the game board 5 is visible, suggesting a gripping position reminiscent of a human handprint on the outer edge 5b1 of the game board 5, thus providing a visual guidance effect. This guides the worker's palm to the surface soft surface 5c1 and their thumb to the surface recess 5c2. Therefore, in the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused by contact between the outer edge 5b1 and the operator's hand can be suppressed. Furthermore, the gripping position of the game board 5 can be more clearly indicated to an operator who is unfamiliar with it. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hand contacting obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, thus enabling safe transport of the game board 5.

The surface recess 5c2 is formed by recessing the front component 1000 so that, in a front view, it takes on a polygonal shape such as a triangle or rectangle, an ellipse, or a vertically elongated shape resembling a human thumb. Such a surface recess 5c2, together with the vertically continuous surface relief portion 5c1, can, for example, show the operator a handprint on the front surface 5x of the game board 5, indicating the gripping position when holding the game board 5. This allows the operator, who may not know the gripping position of the game board 5, to be informed of the correct gripping position.

In this embodiment, the surface recesses 5c2 are formed in pairs on the left and right outer edges 5b1 of the game board 5, and face each other at the top of the game board 5. Such surface recesses 5c2 allow the worker to guide both hands to the surface recesses 5c2 on the left and right outer edges 5b1 when gripping the game board 5, enabling safer transportation of the game board 5. Note that the surface recesses 5c2 are not limited to being formed on the left and right outer edges 5b1; for example, they may be formed on either the left or right outer edge 5b1, either the upper or lower outer edge 5b1, or both the upper and lower outer edges 5b1. Furthermore, even if multiple surface recesses 5c2 are formed, they do not necessarily have to face each other (for example, they may be formed on adjacent edges).

The surface recess 5c2 is located behind the door frame base unit 100 in the door frame 3 when the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed. Therefore, it is difficult for players to see it through the door window 101a, thus preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game due to the visibility of the surface recess 5c2, which is unrelated to the game. Alternatively, the surface recess 5c2 may be configured so that a portion of it protrudes from behind the door frame base unit 100 in the door frame 3 when the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed, allowing it to be seen by players through the door window 101a. Even if only a portion of the surface recess 5c2 is visible, players cannot recognize that the surface recess 5c2 suggests a handprint, in other words, that it is unrelated to the game and related to the transportation of the game board 5, thus preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

From the viewpoint of providing a visual guidance effect so that the worker's hand can be placed on the surface recess 5c2, and from the viewpoint of preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game by preventing the surface recess 5c2 from protruding from the door frame 3 and being visible to the player after the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, it is desirable that the width in the left-right direction be, for example, 1.0 cm or more and 5.0 cm or less, and the width in the up-down direction be, for example, 2.0 cm or more and 10.0 cm or less. Furthermore, it is desirable that the depth of the surface recess 5c2 in the front-back direction be, for example, 1.0 cm or less, so that the decrease in the enjoyment of the game by preventing the surface soft surface 5c1 from being visible to the player after the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, the surface recess 5c2 may have its edges chamfered with a straight, flat surface or an arc-shaped curved surface, thereby suppressing discomfort caused by the worker's hand coming into contact with the corners formed on the edges of the surface recess 5c2.

Furthermore, the surface of the opening in the surface recess 5c2 may be treated with a surface treatment such as texturing to create a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern, or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities). The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the surface recess 5c2 acts as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort or pain to the worker when it comes into contact with their hands during transport, thus making the transport of the game board 5 even safer.

The back recess 5c3 is formed on the flange portion extending outward from the front end of the box-shaped back unit 3000, which has a front opening. The back recess 5c3 is formed on the flange portion of the back unit 3000, for example, as a circular concave shape when viewed from the front. In this embodiment, four back recesses 5c3 are formed on the flange portion of the back unit 3000, arranged in a vertical direction. Such back recesses 5c3 form recesses on the outer edge 5b1 of the game board 5 that show a schematic hand shape including the four fingers from the index finger to the little finger of a person's hand, so that when the game board 5 is transported, the worker's index finger to the little finger rests on the corresponding back recess 5c3. Therefore, in the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused by contact between the outer edge 5b1 and the operator's hand can be suppressed. Furthermore, the gripping position of the game board 5 can be more clearly indicated to an operator who is unfamiliar with it. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hand coming into contact with obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, thus enabling safe transport of the game board 5.

In this embodiment, the recessed portion 5c3 on the back is formed on the flange portion of the back unit 3000 so as to correspond to the surface softened portion 5c1 or the surface recessed portion 5c2, and so as to correspond to the four fingers from the index finger to the little finger of a worker gripping the game board 5. Together with the surface softened portion 5c1 and the surface recessed portion 5c2, the recessed portion 5c3 on the back forms a depression on the outer edge portion 5b1 of the game board 5 that shows a schematic hand shape including a part of the palm and the five fingers from the thumb to the little finger. When the game board 5 is transported, the palm of the worker is guided to the surface softened portion 5c1, the thumb of the worker is guided to the surface recessed portion 5c2, and for example, the index finger to the little finger of the worker is placed on the corresponding recessed portion 5c3 on the back. Therefore, in the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused by contact between the outer edge 5b1 and the operator's hand can be suppressed. Furthermore, the gripping position of the game board 5 can be more clearly indicated to an operator who is unfamiliar with it. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hand coming into contact with obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, thus enabling safe transport of the game board 5.

In this embodiment, the specific part 5c has four back-surface recesses 5c3 arranged vertically in parallel on the flange portion of the back unit 3000, and a configuration has been described in which the worker's index finger to little finger is guided to the back-surface recesses 5c3. However, the specific part 5c may also have at least one back-surface recess 5c3, allowing at least one of the worker's index finger to little finger to grip the game board 5 on the flange portion side of the back unit 3000.

The shape of the recessed portion 5c3 on the back surface, as viewed from the front, is not limited to a circular shape. Any shape that can guide the worker's fingers into the recessed portion 5c3 is acceptable, and it may be triangular, rectangular, or polygonal, achieving the same effect as a circular shape. Furthermore, the recessed portion 5c3 may be provided in a long, vertical direction so that two, three, or four of the worker's fingers can rest on a single recessed portion 5c3. Alternatively, the recessed portion 5c3 may be formed by recessing the back surface of the panel plate 1110 while leaving the outer edge (periphery) of the panel plate 1110 intact (for example, recessing all or part of the inner surface while leaving approximately 1 cm of the peripheral edge of the panel plate 1110), allowing the worker's fingers to grip the outer edge of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, the edges of the recessed portion 5c3 on the back surface may be chamfered with a straight, flat surface or an arc-shaped curved surface. This reduces the discomfort caused by the worker's fingers contacting the corners formed on the edges of the recessed portion 5c3.

In this embodiment, the back recesses 5c3 are formed in pairs on the left and right outer edges 5b1 of the game board 5, and face each other at the top of the game board 5. Such back recesses 5c3 allow the worker to guide both hands to the back recesses 5c3 on the left and right outer edges 5b1 when gripping the game board 5, enabling safer transportation of the game board 5. Note that the back recesses 5c3 are not limited to being formed on the left and right outer edges 5b1; for example, they may be formed on either the left or right outer edge 5b1, either the top or bottom outer edge 5b1, or both the top and bottom outer edges 5b1. Furthermore, even if multiple back recesses 5c3 are formed, they do not necessarily face each other (for example, they may be formed on adjacent edges).

The outer diameter of the recessed portion 5c3 on the back is preferably 2.0 cm or less, allowing the recessed portion 5c3 to be formed on the flange portion of the back unit 3000 without excessively increasing the width of the flange portion of the back unit 3000 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the recessed portion 5c3 is not used in the assembly of the pachinko machine 1, and has an outer diameter larger than the thickness of screws, etc., used in the assembly of the pachinko machine 1. The depth of the recessed portion 5c3 in the front-rear direction is preferably 1.0 mm or more, as shown in Figure 189(a), allowing the worker's index finger to little finger to be guided into the recessed portion 5c3. The recessed portion 5c3 may also have a depth that penetrates the flange portion of the back unit 3000 and reaches the game panel 1100, as shown in Figure 189(b), allowing the worker to lock their index finger to little finger into the recessed portion 5c3 and grip the game board 5 more securely.

Furthermore, the surface of the opening in the recessed portion 5c3 on the back may be treated with a surface treatment such as texturing to create a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern, or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities). The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the recessed portion 5c3 on the back acts as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort or pain to the worker when it comes into contact with their hands during transport, thus making the transport of the game board 5 even safer.

The outer sharp portion 5c4 is formed on the inner edge of the front component 1000, which forms the outer circumference of the game area 5a through which the game balls can flow. More specifically, the outer sharp portion 5c4 is formed, for example, at the inner and front end of the main body supporting the arc-shaped metal rails in the outer rail 1001, and is formed in a sharp, angular shape where the angle between the surface and side of the outer rail 1001 is, for example, 90 degrees or less. While such an outer sharp portion 5c4 can be formed on all or part of the inner end of the front component 1000, in this embodiment, the outer sharp portion 5c4 is formed on part of the inner end of the front component 1000, specifically, in a front view of the game board 5, it is formed in a position adjacent to the inside of the smooth surface portion 5c1.

The outer sharp portion 5c4 makes contact with the worker's hand before the worker's hand comes into contact with obstacle nails N or center mechanism 2500, etc., within the game area 5a when the worker is transporting the game board 5 and attempts to grasp the game board 5 from the outside, that is, when the worker attempts to grasp the outer edge portion 5b1 of the game board 5. This notifies the worker that their hand is in contact with a sharp part of the game board 5, preventing the worker from advancing their hand beyond the outer sharp portion 5c4 into the game area 5a. Furthermore, since the outer sharp portion 5c4 in this embodiment is formed in a position adjacent to the inside of the surface softened portion 5c1, it is also possible to prevent the worker's hand, guided by the surface softened portion 5c1, from advancing beyond the outer sharp portion 5c4 into the game area 5a. Therefore, in the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused by contact between the operator's hands and obstacle pins N, center mechanism 2500, etc., within the game area 5a can be suppressed. Furthermore, the gripping position of the game board 5 can be more clearly indicated to an operator who is unfamiliar with it. This also suppresses the risk of the obstacle pins N being deformed, rust forming on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, etc., due to contact between the operator's hands and the obstacle pins N or center mechanism 2500, etc., within the game area 5a, thus enabling safe transport of the game board 5.

As shown in Figure 189(a), the angle of the outer sharp portion 5c4 formed by the front surface 5x (front surface of the front component 1000) of the game board 5 and the side surface of the front component 1000 that supports the rails only needs to be a right angle. This ensures that the worker's hand makes contact with the sharp portion of the game board 5 before it comes into contact with obstacle pins N or the center component 2500 within the game area 5a. This alerts the worker that their hand is in contact with the sharp portion of the game board 5, reducing the discomfort caused to the worker by contact with obstacle pins N or the center component 2500 within the game area 5a. Furthermore, it more clearly indicates the gripping position of the game board 5 to workers who are unfamiliar with it. This also reduces the risk of the obstacle pins N being deformed, rusting, or the center component 2500 being damaged by contact with the obstacle pins N or the center component 2500 within the game area 5a, thus enabling safe transportation of the game board 5.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 189(b), a recess is formed on the front surface 5x of the game board 5 (the front surface of the front component 1000), and the angle of the outer sharp portion 5c4 formed by the front surface 5x of the game board 5 (the front surface of the front component 1000) and the side surface of the front component 1000 that supports the rail may be a sharp corner, so that the worker's hand comes into contact with the sharp portion of the game board 5 before the worker's hand comes into contact with the obstacle nails N or the center component 2500 in the game area 5a, and the worker is notified that their hand is in contact with the sharp portion of the game board 5. This allows for better understanding and suppression of discomfort caused to workers by contact between their hands and obstacle pins N or center components 2500 within the game area 5a. Furthermore, it provides clearer indication of the gripping position of the game board 5 to workers unfamiliar with it, thereby reducing the risk of deformation of obstacle pins N, rust formation on obstacle pins N, or damage to center components 2500, etc., resulting from contact between the worker's hands and the obstacle pins N or center components 2500 within the game area 5a. This enables safer transportation of the game board 5.

The inner sharpened portion 5c5 is part of the edge of the opening 1112 of the game panel 1110 within the game area 5a through which the game balls can flow, and is formed on a part of the inner edge 5b2 on the front 5x side of the game board 5. More specifically, the inner sharpened portion 5c5 is formed on a part of the front end side of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500, which is provided along the edge of the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100, and is formed in a sharp, angular shape where the angle between the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2501 and the side surface connected to the front end surface is 90 degrees or less. Such an inner pointed portion 5c5 may be formed on all or part of the front end of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center component 2500. However, in this embodiment, the inner pointed portion 5c5 is formed on a part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center component 2500, and specifically, in a front view of the game board 5, it is formed in a position that is continuous with the inside of the smooth surface portion 5c1.

The inner sharp portion 5c5 makes contact with the worker's hand before the worker's hand comes into contact with the obstacle nails N or the center mechanism 2500, etc., within the game area 5a when the worker is transporting the game board 5 and tries to grasp the game board 5 by putting their hand into the opening 1112 of the game panel 1110, that is, when the worker tries to grasp the inner edge portion 5b2 of the game board 5. This notifies the worker that their hand is in contact with a sharp part of the game board 5, preventing the worker from advancing their hand beyond the inner sharp portion 5c5 into the game area 5a. Therefore, in the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by a worker, the discomfort caused by contact between the worker's hand and obstacle pins N, etc., within the game area 5a can be suppressed. Furthermore, the gripping position of the game board 5 can be more clearly indicated to a worker who is unfamiliar with it. This also suppresses the risk of the obstacle pins N, etc., being deformed or rusting due to contact between the worker's hand and the obstacle pins N within the game area 5a, thus enabling safe transport of the game board 5.

As shown in Figure 189(a), the front end of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center component 2500, which is the inner sharp portion 5c5, only needs to be a right-angle corner. This allows the worker's hand to come into contact with the sharp portion of the game board 5 before it comes into contact with the obstacle pins N in the game area 5a, alerting the worker that their hand is in contact with the sharp portion of the game board 5. This reduces the discomfort caused to the worker by contact between their hand and the obstacle pins N in the game area 5a. Furthermore, it more clearly indicates the gripping position of the game board 5 to workers who are unfamiliar with it. This also reduces the risk of the obstacle pins N deforming or rusting due to contact between the worker's hand and the obstacle pins N in the game area 5a, thus enabling safe transportation of the game board 5.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 189(b), the front end of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center component 2500, which is the inner sharp portion 5c5, may be sharply angled. This allows the worker's hand to come into contact with the sharp portion of the game board 5 before it comes into contact with the obstacle pins N, etc., within the game area 5a, thus informing the worker that their hand is in contact with the sharp portion of the game board 5. This reduces the discomfort caused to the worker by contact between the hand and the obstacle pins N, etc., within the game area 5a. It also more clearly indicates the gripping position of the game board 5 to workers who are unaware of it, thereby reducing the risk of the obstacle pins N deforming or rusting due to contact between the worker's hand and the obstacle pins N within the game area 5a, and enabling safe transportation of the game board 5.

As shown in Figure 189(a), the back surface softening portion 5c6 is formed in an inclined shape that smoothly connects the side and back surfaces of the stage cover 2515 of the center mechanism 2500, which is positioned on the inner edge portion 5b2 on the rear surface 5z side of the game board 5 to cover the right-angle corner where the side and back surfaces of the game panel 1110 meet. In this way, the back surface softening portion 5c6 that smoothly connects the side and back surfaces of the center mechanism 2500 can remove the sharp corner formed where the side and back surfaces of the center mechanism 2500 meet from a part of the inner edge portion 5b2. That is, by forming the back surface softening portion 5c6 between the side and back surfaces of the center mechanism 2500, two obtuse-angled corners are formed where the side and back surface softening portion 5c6 of the center mechanism 2500 meet and the back surface softening portion 5c6 of the center mechanism 2500 meet, instead of the sharp corner formed where the side and back surfaces of the center mechanism 2500 meet.

As described above, a worker attempting to grasp the game board 5 tends to avoid contact between their hand and the sharp corners formed by the intersection of the side and back surfaces of the center component 2500, for example, to prevent pain in the hand gripping the game board 5. The soft back surface portion 5c6, at its inner edge portion 5b2, can be visually guided by the worker attempting to grasp the game board 5 so that their hand makes contact with the two obtuse corners rather than the one sharp corner. Furthermore, by contacting the worker's hand attempting to grasp the game board 5, the soft back surface portion 5c6 can also tactilely guide the worker so that their hand makes contact with the two obtuse corners rather than the one sharp corner. Therefore, in the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused by contact between the inner edge 5b2 and the operator's hand can be suppressed. Furthermore, the gripping position of the game board 5 can be indicated to an operator who is unaware of it. This also suppresses the risk of the operator's hand coming into contact with obstacle pins N within the game area 5a, causing deformation of the obstacle pins N or rust formation on the obstacle pins N, thus enabling safe transport of the game board 5.

The rear surface softening portion 5c6 may be formed on all or part of the rear end of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500. However, in this embodiment, the rear surface softening portion 5c6 is formed at opposing positions on the rear end of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500. Specifically, in a front view of the game board 5, it is formed in pairs at positions adjacent to the inside of the front surface softening portion 5c1.

The back surface portion 5c6 should, from the viewpoint of allowing the worker's hand to contact the back surface portion 5c6 without coming into contact with a sharp corner at the inner edge portion 5b2, and from the viewpoint of preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game due to the back surface portion 5c6 being visible to the player after the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, preferably has a width in the left-right direction of 0.5 cm to 2.0 cm in a front view, and preferably has a width of 3.0 cm or more formed along the peripheral wall portion 2501. The width of the back surface portion 5c6 formed along the peripheral wall portion 2501 may, for example, be the entire area of the peripheral wall portion 2501, or it may be formed at multiple locations along the peripheral wall portion 2501.

In this embodiment, the back surface portion 5c6, which is formed as a straight plane smoothly connecting the side and back surfaces of the center component 2500, has been described. However, as shown in Figure 189(b), the back surface portion 5c6 may also be formed as an arc-shaped curved surface smoothly connecting the side and back surfaces of the center component 2500. The back surface portion 5c6 formed as an arc-shaped curved surface smoothly connecting the side and back surfaces of the center component 2500 provides the same effects as the back surface portion 5c6 formed as a straight plane smoothly connecting the side and back surfaces of the center component 2500 described above. Furthermore, because the back surface portion 5c6 formed as a curved surface does not have corners, it can enhance the effect of suppressing discomfort to workers whose hands come into contact with the inner edge portion 5b2, thereby enabling safer transportation of the game board 5.

In this embodiment, the configuration in which the inner sharpened portion 5c5 and the back-relaxed portion 5c6 are formed on the center mechanism 2500 has been described. However, the inner sharpened portion 5c5 and the back-relaxed portion 5c6 may also be formed on the cover body, which is detachable from the center mechanism 2500 that covers at least a part of the inner edge portion 5b2 of the game board 5. The inner sharpened portion 5c5 and the back-relaxed portion 5c6 can be formed on the cover body in the same configuration as described above. The cover body can be detachably attached to the back surface of the game panel 1100 from the rear with screws or the like, and may be removed when the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, or may remain attached if it does not interfere with the game. Since the cover body is attached to the back surface of the game panel 1100 from the rear with screws or the like, even if the screws or the like become loose, it will not affect the game balls flowing down within the game area 5a, and a decrease in the enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

Furthermore, although this embodiment describes an embodiment in which the surface softening portion 5c1 and the surface recess portion 5c2 are formed on the surface of the preceding component 1000, if the game board 5 does not have the preceding component 1000, the surface softening portion 5c1 and the surface recess portion 5c2 may be formed on the surface of the panel holder 1120 of the game panel 1100. Moreover, if the game panel 1100 does not have the panel holder 1120, the surface softening portion 5c1 and the surface recess portion 5c2 may be formed on the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and the same functions and effects as those described above for the surface softening portion 5c1 and the surface recess portion 5c2 can be achieved.

Furthermore, although this embodiment describes a configuration in which the specific portion 5c has a surface softened portion 5c1, a surface recessed portion 5c2, a back recessed portion 5c3, an outer sharpened portion 5c4, an inner sharpened portion 5c5, and a back softened portion 5c6, the specific portion 5c only needs to have at least one of the following configurations: the surface softened portion 5c1, the surface recessed portion 5c2, the back recessed portion 5c3, the outer sharpened portion 5c4, the inner sharpened portion 5c5, and the back softened portion 5c6. The above-described functions and effects corresponding to each configuration of the specific portion 5c can be achieved.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the specific portion 5c has a surface softened portion 5c1, a surface recessed portion 5c2, a back recessed portion 5c3, an outer sharpened portion 5c4, an inner sharpened portion 5c5, and a back softened portion 5c6. While the description states that these portions are formed linearly and closely spaced between the inside and outside of the game board 5, mimicking the shape of a human handprint, the portions may also be formed at predetermined positions on the game board 5 with a certain distance between them. In this configuration, although the visual guidance effect may be reduced during transport, the tactile guidance effect allows for safe transport of the game board 5.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the specific portion 5c may have a surface opening in addition to, or instead of, the surface recess 5c2. The surface opening is an opening formed in the front component 1000 that forms the outer edge 5b1 on the front 5x side of the game board 5. The surface opening schematically suggests a person's thumb, so that when the game board 5 is transported, the worker's thumb is locked into the surface opening by a visual guidance effect. Therefore, when the game board 5 is transported by a worker, the gripping position of the game board 5 can be indicated to the worker who does not know the gripping position of the game board 5, and the risk of the worker's hand coming into contact with obstacle nails N or center mechanism 2500, etc. in the game area 5a, causing deformation of the obstacle nails N, rust on the obstacle nails N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, etc., can be suppressed, and the game board 5 can be transported safely. Furthermore, the surface opening may penetrate the preceding component 1000 and the game panel 1100, and similarly, the game board 5 can be safely transported.

The above-mentioned surface opening is formed adjacent to the surface softening portion 5c1. Such a surface opening, together with the surface softening portion 5c1, forms a schematic handprint on the front surface 5x of the game board 5, including the thumb and part of the palm of a human hand. When the game board 5 is transported, the edge 5b of the game board 5 is visible, suggesting a gripping position reminiscent of a human handprint on the outer edge 5b1 of the game board 5, thus providing a visual guidance effect. This guides the worker's palm to the surface softening portion 5c1 and allows the worker's thumb to be locked into the surface opening. Therefore, in the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused by contact between the outer edge 5b1 and the operator's hand can be suppressed. Furthermore, the gripping position of the game board 5 can be more clearly indicated to an operator who is unfamiliar with it. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hand contacting obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, thus enabling safe transport of the game board 5.

The surface opening described above, when viewed from the front, has, for example, a polygonal shape such as a triangle or rectangle, an ellipse, or an elongated shape in the vertical direction resembling a human thumb. Such a surface opening, together with the vertically continuous surface softened portion 5c1, can, for example, show the operator a handprint on the front surface 5x of the game board 5, indicating the gripping position when holding the game board 5, thus suggesting the gripping position to an operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game board 5.

The surface openings described above are formed in pairs on the left and right outer edges 5b1 of the game board 5, and face each other at the top of the game board 5. Such surface openings allow a worker to guide both hands to the surface openings on the left and right outer edges 5b1 when gripping the game board 5, enabling safer transportation of the game board 5. Note that the surface openings are not limited to being formed on the left and right outer edges 5b1; for example, they may be formed on either the left or right outer edge 5b1, either the top or bottom outer edge 5b1, or both the top and bottom outer edges 5b1. Furthermore, even if multiple surface openings are formed, they do not necessarily have to face each other (for example, they may be formed on adjacent edges).

The above-mentioned surface opening is located behind the door frame base unit 100 in the door frame 3 when the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed. Therefore, it is difficult for players to see it through the door window 101a, thus preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game due to the visibility of a surface opening unrelated to the game. Alternatively, the surface opening may be configured so that, when the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed, a portion of it protrudes from behind the door frame base unit 100 in the door frame 3, making it visible to players through the door window 101a. Even if only a portion of the surface opening is visible, players cannot recognize that the surface opening suggests a handprint, in other words, that it is unrelated to the game and related to the transportation of the game board 5, thus preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

The above-mentioned surface opening should, for example, exhibit a visual guiding effect to ensure that the worker's hand is placed over the opening, and, after the game board 5 is assembled into the pachinko machine 1, prevent the opening from protruding from the door frame 3 and being visible to the player, thus reducing the enjoyment of the game. Therefore, in a front view, it is desirable that the width in the left-right direction be, for example, 1.0 cm to 5.0 cm, and the width in the vertical direction be, for example, 2.0 cm to 10.0 cm. Furthermore, the edge of the surface opening may be chamfered with a straight plane or an arc-shaped curved surface, thereby suppressing discomfort caused by the worker's hand touching the corner formed at the edge of the surface opening.

Furthermore, the surface of the above-mentioned surface opening may have a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern, or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) formed on it by a surface treatment such as texturing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the surface opening acts as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort or pain to the worker's hands when transporting the game board 5, thus making the transport of the game board 5 even safer.

[Example of modification of the game board 1]
In the above-described embodiment, the basic configuration of the game panel 1100 of the pachinko machine 1 was explained. However, conventionally, the edges of the game panel 1100 are formed in a sharp, angular shape. When transporting the game panel 1100, the hands of the worker gripping the game panel 1100 may come into contact with the edges of the game panel 1100, causing discomfort to the worker (such as pain in the hands due to contact with the sharp, angular edges, or anxiety that the hands may be injured). Furthermore, when a worker who does not know the gripping position of the game panel 1100 transports the game panel 1100, the worker's hands may come into contact with obstacle nails N or center components 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle nails N, rust on the obstacle nails N, or damage to the center components 2500. Below, a modified game panel 1 is described, which modifies the game panel 1100 with the aim of resolving these problems.

The configuration of the pachinko machine 1 in this embodiment is the same as that of the pachinko machine 1 described above, except for the game panel 1100. Therefore, the configuration of the game panel 1100 will be explained in detail below, and the explanation of the other configurations of the pachinko machine 1 will be omitted.

The game panel 1100, as shown in Figures 137 to 147, for example, comprises a game area 5a through which game balls can flow, a plurality of obstacle nails N planted on the front surface, and a center mechanism 2500 provided along the edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110.

Figure 190 is a schematic perspective view of the game panel 1100 viewed from the front right, and Figure 191 is a schematic perspective view of the game panel 1100 viewed from the rear right. As shown in Figure 190 or Figure 191, the game panel 1100 of this embodiment further comprises a cover body 2516 that covers at least a portion of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500. More specifically, the game panel 1100 includes a cover body 2516 provided to cover the stage cover 2515 of the center mechanism 2500 from above and from the rear. The cover body 2516 can be attached to and detached from the stage cover 2515 from the rear using screws, etc., and may be removed when the game panel 1100 is assembled to the game board 5. However, if there is no interference with the game, for example, even if the screws, etc., become loose, it does not affect the game balls flowing down within the game area 5a, and therefore does not need to be removed from the stage cover 2515.

The game panel 1100 has a front surface 1100x on the side where the game area 5a is formed, a rear surface 1100z on the opposite side from where the game area 5a is formed, a side surface 1100y extending between the front surface 1100x and the rear surface 1100z, an edge portion 1100b extending from the front surface 1100x through the side surface 1100y to the rear surface 1100z, and a specific portion 1100c formed on at least a part of the edge portion 1100b.

The edge portion 1100b of the game panel 1100 includes, for example, an outer edge portion 1100b1 on the outside of the game panel 1100 and an inner edge portion 1100b2 on the inside of the game panel 1100. The outer edge portion 1100b1 is formed from the outer end of the front surface 1100x, via the side surface 1100y, to the outer edge of the rear surface 1100z. The inner edge portion 1100b2 is formed from the inner end of the front surface 1100x, via the side surface 1100y, to the inner end of the rear surface 1100z.

The center mechanism 2500 has a peripheral wall portion 2501 that protrudes forward from the front surface 1100x of the game panel 1100 to restrict game balls flowing down within the game area 5a from entering the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100, a first attacker portion 2520 that can receive game balls according to the result of the lottery for ordinary symbols, and a second attacker portion 2560 that can receive game balls according to the result of the lottery for the first special symbol or the second special symbol. The first attacker portion 2520 and the second attacker portion 2560 have a plurality of rear projections 2510 that protrude rearward from the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100, such as a cover body that encloses a circuit board on which light-emitting elements are arranged, wiring, etc., and sockets to which wiring used for power supply and information transmission is connected. Furthermore, the rear projection 2510 is housed within a front-opening, box-shaped rear unit 3000, which is attached to the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100 when the game panel 1100 is assembled to the game board 5.

[Specific section configuration 2]
The specific part 1100c is formed on the edge 1100b of the game panel 1100, and can guide a worker to grasp the game panel 1100 so that their hand comes into contact with the specific part 1100c when the worker is transporting the game panel 1100. Specifically, the specific part 1100c has a visual guidance effect that suggests the gripping position of the game panel 1100 to the worker by making the edge 1100b of the game panel 1100b resemble a human handprint when it is visually observed, and a tactile guidance effect that suggests the gripping position of the game panel 1100 to the worker by the difference in tactile sensation of whether or not it causes discomfort to the worker's hand when they grasp the game panel 1100, thereby contributing to the safe transport of the game panel 1100.

Specifically, the specific portion 1100c includes a surface relief portion 1100c1, a back relief portion 1100c2, and a back recess portion 1100c3 formed at predetermined positions on the outer edge portion 1100b1, and an inner relief portion 1100c4 and an outer relief portion 1100c5 formed at predetermined positions on the inner edge portion 1100b2.

Figure 192 is a cross-sectional view showing the section A-A' in Figure 190. As shown in Figures 190 to 192, the surface softening portion 1100c1 is formed on the front surface 1100x of the game panel 1100, more specifically, on the surface of the panel holder 1120 of the game panel 1100. The surface softening portion 1100c1 is formed on the front surface 1100x side of the outer edge portion 1100b1 of the game panel 1100, in an inclined surface shape such that the depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increases from the inside in the vertical direction to the outside, and linearly connects the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y. In this way, the surface softening portion 1100c1 that smoothly connects the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y in a chamfered manner can remove the sharp corner formed where the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y intersect from a part of the outer edge portion 1100b1. In other words, by forming a surface softening portion 1100c1 between the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y, two obtuse angles are formed where the front surface 1100x and the surface softening portion 1100c1 intersect, and where the side surface 1100y and the surface softening portion 1100c1 intersect.

Here, a worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 tends to avoid contact between their hand and the sharp corners formed by the intersection of the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y, for example, to avoid feeling pain or other discomfort in the hand grasping the game panel 1100. The softened surface portion 1100c1 can be visually guided by the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 to ensure that their hand makes contact with the two obtuse corners rather than the one sharp corner. Furthermore, by contacting the worker's hand attempting to grasp the game panel 1100, the softened surface portion 1100c1 can also tactilely guide the worker to make contact with the two obtuse corners rather than the one sharp corner. Therefore, in the game panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the game panel 1100 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused to the operator by contact between the outer edge 1100b1 and the operator's hand can be suppressed. Furthermore, the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be indicated to an operator who is unaware of it. This also suppresses the risk of the operator's hand contacting obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, thus enabling safe transport of the game panel 1100.

In this embodiment, the surface relief portion 1100c1 is formed in pairs on the upper and lower outer edges 1100b1 of the game panel 1100, and faces each other in the central part of the game panel 1100. Such surface relief portions 1100c1 allow the worker to guide both hands to the surface relief portions 1100c1 on the upper and lower outer edges 1100b1 when gripping the game panel 1100, enabling safer transport of the game panel 1100. The upper surface relief portion 1100c1 is formed along the entire left-right direction of the uppermost edge of the game panel 1100, while the lower surface relief portion 1100c1 is formed along a portion of the left-right direction of the lowest edge. Furthermore, the surface relief portion 1100c1 is not limited to being formed on the upper and lower outer edges 1100b1. For example, it may be formed on either the upper or lower outer edge 1100b1, either the left or right outer edge 1100b1, or both the left and right outer edges 1100b1. Even if multiple surface relief portions 1100c1 are formed, they do not necessarily have to be facing each other (for example, formed on adjacent edges).

The softened surface portion 1100c1 is located behind the front component 1000 and the door frame base unit 100 in the door frame 3 when the game panel 1100 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed. Therefore, it is difficult for players to see it through the door window 101a, and it is possible to suppress the decrease in the enjoyment of the game caused by the visibility of the softened surface portion 5c1, which is unrelated to the game. Furthermore, the surface softening portion 1100c1 may be configured such that, when the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed, a portion of it protrudes from the rear of the door frame base unit 100 in the door frame 3, making it visible to the player through the door window 101a. Even if only a portion of the surface softening portion 1100c1 is visible, the player will not recognize that the surface softening portion 1100c1 suggests a handprint, or in other words, that it is unrelated to the game and related to the transport of the game panel 1100, thus preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

From the viewpoint of allowing workers' hands to contact the surface softening portion 1100c1 without coming into contact with sharp corners at the outer edge portion 1100b1, and from the viewpoint of preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game when the front component 1000 is transparent and the surface softening portion 1100c1 protrudes from the door frame 3 and is visible to players after the game panel 1100 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, it is desirable that the width in the vertical direction be, for example, 0.5 cm or more and the width in the horizontal direction be, for example, 3.0 cm or more. Furthermore, it is desirable that the depth of the surface softening portion 1100c1 in the front-to-back direction be, for example, 0.5 cm or more at its largest point, so that the sharp corners formed where the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y intersect can be effectively removed from a part of the outer edge portion 1100b1. Furthermore, the width of the surface relief portion 1100c1 in the left-right direction may be, for example, the entire area of the outer edge portion 5b1 on which the surface relief portion 1100c1 is formed, that is, the entire width of the outer edge portion 5b1 in the left-right direction.

In this embodiment, the surface relief portion 1100c1, which is formed by a straight plane smoothly connecting the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y, has been described. However, the surface relief portion 1100c1 may also be formed by an arc-shaped curved surface smoothly connecting the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y. The surface relief portion 1100c1 formed by an arc-shaped curved surface smoothly connecting the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y provides the same effects as the surface relief portion 1100c1 formed by a straight plane smoothly connecting the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y described above. Furthermore, because the surface relief portion 1100c1 formed by a curved surface does not have corners, it can enhance the effect of suppressing discomfort to workers whose hands come into contact with the outer edge portion 1100b1, thereby enabling safer transportation of the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, the surface of the softened surface portion 1100c1 may have a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern, or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) formed on it by a surface treatment such as texturing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the softened surface portion 1100c1 acts as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort or pain to the worker's hands when they come into contact with the game panel 1100 during transport, thus enabling safer transport of the game panel 1100.

The back surface softening portion 1100c2 is formed on the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100, more specifically, on the back surface of the panel holder 1120 of the game panel 1100. The back surface softening portion 1100c2 is formed on the outer edge portion 1100b1 on the rear surface 1100z side of the game panel 1100, in an inclined surface shape such that the depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increases from the inside in the vertical direction to the outside, and linearly connects the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y. In this way, the back surface softening portion 1100c2, which smoothly connects the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y in a chamfered manner, can remove a sharp corner formed where the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y intersect from a part of the outer edge portion 1100b1. In other words, by forming a back surface softening portion 1100c2 between the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y, two obtuse angles are formed where the rear surface 1100z and the back surface softening portion 1100c2 intersect, and where the side surface 1100y and the back surface softening portion 1100c2 intersect, instead of the sharp corner formed where the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y intersect.

Therefore, the softened back surface portion 1100c2, at its outer edge portion 1100b1, can be visually guided by the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 so that the worker's hand makes contact with the two obtuse angles rather than the one sharp angle. Furthermore, by contacting the worker's hand as they attempt to grasp the game panel 1100, the softened back surface portion 1100c2 can also tactilely guide the worker so that their hand makes contact with the two obtuse angles rather than the one sharp angle. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the game panel 1100 can suppress discomfort caused to workers when their hands come into contact with the outer edge 1100b1 during transport. It also allows workers unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game panel 1100 to be indicated, thereby reducing the risk of the worker's hands coming into contact with obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500. This ensures safe transport of the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, the back surface portion 1100c2 is formed in conjunction with the front surface portion 1100c1 at the outer edge portion 1100b1. This allows for greater visual guidance to the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100, and also provides greater tactile guidance by contacting the worker's hand. This reduces discomfort to the worker when the outer edge portion 1100b1 comes into contact with their hand during transport, and also indicates the gripping position to workers unfamiliar with it. This reduces the risk of the worker's hand contacting obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, thus enabling safer transport of the game panel 1100.

In this embodiment, the back surface portion 1100c2 is formed in pairs on the upper and lower outer edges 1100b1 of the game panel 1100, and faces each other in the central part of the game panel 1100. Such back surface portions 1100c2 allow the worker to guide both hands to the back surface portions 1100c2 on the upper and lower outer edges 1100b1 when gripping the game panel 1100, enabling safer transport of the game panel 1100. Furthermore, the back surface relief portion 1100c2 is not limited to being formed on the upper and lower outer edges 1100b1. For example, it may be formed on either the upper or lower outer edge 1100b1, either the left or right outer edge 1100b1, or both the left and right outer edges 1100b1. Even if multiple back surface relief portions 1100c2 are formed, they do not necessarily have to be facing each other (for example, they may be formed on adjacent edges).

The back surface portion 1100c2 is preferably, in a front view, 0.5 cm to 2.0 cm in the vertical direction and 3.0 cm or more in the horizontal direction, from the viewpoint that, for example, the worker's hand can contact the back surface portion 1100c2 without coming into contact with a sharp corner on the outer edge portion 1100b1, and from the viewpoint that, after the game panel 1100 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, if the front component 1000 is transparent, the back surface portion 1100c2 may be visible to the player, thereby reducing the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, the depth of the back surface portion 1100c2 in the front-to-back direction is preferably, for example, 0.5 cm or more at its widest point, so that the sharp corner formed where the back surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y intersect can be effectively removed from a part of the outer edge portion 1100b1. Furthermore, the width of the back surface relief portion 1100c2 in the left-right direction may be, for example, the entire area of the outer edge portion 5b1 on which the back surface relief portion 1100c2 is formed, that is, the entire width of the outer edge portion 5b1 in the left-right direction.

In this embodiment, the back surface relief portion 1100c2 was described as being formed by a straight plane smoothly connecting the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y. However, the back surface relief portion 1100c2 may also be formed by an arc-shaped curved surface smoothly connecting the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y. The back surface relief portion 1100c2 formed by an arc-shaped curved surface smoothly connecting the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y provides the same effects as the back surface relief portion 1100c2 formed by a straight plane smoothly connecting the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y described above. Furthermore, because the back surface relief portion 1100c2 formed by a curved surface does not have corners, it can enhance the effect of suppressing discomfort to workers whose hands come into contact with the outer edge portion 1100b1, thereby enabling safer transportation of the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, the surface of the soft back portion 1100c2 may have a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern, or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) formed by a surface treatment such as texturing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the soft back portion 1100c2 acts as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort or pain to the worker when it comes into contact with their hands during transport of the game panel 1100, thus enabling safer transport of the game panel 1100.

The back recess 1100c3 is formed on the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100, more specifically, on the back surface of the panel holder 1120 of the game panel 1100. The back recess 1100c3 is formed on the outer edge 1100b1 of the game panel 1100, and is formed, for example, as a circular concave shape in a front view. In this embodiment, four back recesses 1100c3 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction so as to correspond to the front loose surface 1100c1 or the back loose surface 1100c2, and so as to correspond to the four fingers from the index finger to the little finger of an operator gripping the game panel 1100. Such a recessed portion 1100c3 on the back surface, together with the softened surface portion 1100c1 and the softened surface portion 1100c2, forms a recess on the outer edge portion 1100b1 of the game panel 1100 that shows a schematic hand shape including part of a person's palm and the four fingers from the index finger to the little finger. When the game panel 1100 is transported, the palm of the worker is guided to the softened surface portion 1100c1 and the softened surface portion 1100c2, and the worker's index finger to the little finger is placed on the corresponding recessed portion 1100c3 on the back surface. Therefore, in the game panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the game panel 1100 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused to the operator by contact between the outer edge 1100b1 and the operator's hand can be suppressed. Furthermore, the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be more clearly indicated to an operator who is unfamiliar with it. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hand coming into contact with obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, thus enabling safe transport of the game panel 1100.

In this embodiment, the configuration of the back surface recesses 1100c3, which are arranged in a left-right direction on the outer edge 1100b1 of the game panel 1100 to correspond to the four fingers of the operator (index, middle, and little fingers), has been described. However, the back surface recesses 1100c3 may also be formed as at least one on the outer edge 1100b1 of the game panel 1100, allowing the operator to guide any of their index, middle, or little fingers to the outer edge 1100b1 of the game panel 1100 when gripping it.

The shape of the recessed portion 1100c3 on the back surface, as viewed from the front, is not limited to a circular shape. It can be any shape that allows the worker's fingers to be guided into the recessed portion 1100c3, and may be triangular, rectangular, or polygonal, and can achieve the same effect as the circular shape. The recessed portion 1100c3 on the back surface may be provided in an elongated manner in the vertical direction so that two, three, or four of the worker's fingers can rest on a single recessed portion 1100c3. Furthermore, the recessed portion 5c3 on the back surface may be recessed on the back surface of the panel board 1110, leaving the outer edge of the panel board 1110 exposed, so that the worker's fingers can be locked onto the outer edge of the panel board 1110. Furthermore, the edges of the recessed portion 1100c3 on the back surface may be chamfered with a straight, flat surface or an arc-shaped curved surface, thereby suppressing discomfort caused by the worker's fingers contacting the corners formed on the edges of the recessed portion 1100c3.

In this embodiment, the back recess 1100c3 is formed on the lower outer edge 1100b1 of the game panel 1100. However, the back recess 1100c3 is not limited to being formed on the lower outer edge 1100b1. For example, it may be formed on either the left or right outer edge 1100b1, both the left and right outer edges 1100b1, either the upper or lower outer edge 1100b1, or both the upper and lower outer edges 1100b1. Furthermore, if multiple back recesses 1100c3 are formed, they may be arranged facing each other. Such back recesses 1100c3 allow the worker to guide both hands to the pair of back recesses 1100c3 on the outer edge 1100b1 when gripping the game panel 1100, enabling safer transportation of the game panel 1100.

The outer diameter of the recessed portion 1100c3 on the back surface is preferably 2.0 cm or less, allowing it to be formed on the outer edge 1100b1 of the game panel 1100 without excessively increasing the vertical width of the recessed portion 1100c3. Furthermore, the recessed portion 5c3 on the back surface is not used in the assembly of the pachinko machine 1, and has an outer diameter larger than the screws used in the assembly of the pachinko machine 1. The depth of the recessed portion 1100c3 in the front-to-back direction is preferably 1.0 mm or more, allowing the worker's index finger to little finger to be guided into the recessed portion 1100c3. The recessed portion 1100c3 may, for example, penetrate the game panel 1100, allowing the worker to lock their index finger to little finger into the recessed portion 1100c3, enabling the worker to grip the game panel 1100 more securely.

Furthermore, the surface of the opening in the recessed portion 1100c3 on the back surface may be treated with a surface treatment such as texturing to create a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern, or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities). The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the recessed portion 1100c3 on the back surface acts as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort or pain to the worker when it comes into contact with their hands during transport of the game panel 1100, thus enabling safer transport of the game panel 1100.

In this embodiment, the configuration in which the surface relief portion 1100c1, the back relief portion 1100c2, and the back recess portion 1100c3 are formed on the panel holder 1120 of the game panel 1100 has been described. However, if the game panel 1100 does not have a panel holder 1120, the surface relief portion 1100c1, the back relief portion 1100c2, and the back recess portion 1100c3 may be formed on the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and the same functions and effects as those described above for the surface relief portion 1100c1, the back relief portion 1100c2, and the back recess portion 1100c3 can be achieved.

The inner softened surface portion 1100c4 is formed on the inner edge portion 1100b2 of the game panel 1100, more specifically, on the rear end of the cover body 2516. The inner softened surface portion 1100c4 is formed on the inner edge portion 1100b2 on the rear surface 1100z side of the game panel 1100, and is an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100. In this way, the inner softened surface portion 1100c4 that smoothly connects the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100 can remove a sharp corner formed where the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100 intersect from a part of the inner edge portion 1100b2. In other words, by forming an inner softened surface portion 1100c4 between the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100, the sharp corner formed where the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100 intersect is eliminated.

A worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 may, for example, place their hand on the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100. In such cases, to avoid pain in the hand grasping the game panel 1100, the worker tends to avoid contact with the sharp corner formed where the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100 intersect. The inner soft surface portion 1100c4, at its inner edge portion 1100b2, can visually guide the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 so that their hand contacts the arc-shaped curved surface rather than the sharp corner. Furthermore, by contacting the worker's hand attempting to grasp the game panel 1100, the soft surface portion 1100c4 can also tactilely guide the worker so that their hand contacts the arc-shaped curved surface rather than one of the sharp corners. Therefore, in the game panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the game panel 1100 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused to the operator by contact between the inner edge 1100b2 and the operator's hand can be suppressed. Furthermore, the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be indicated to an operator who is unaware of it. This also suppresses the risk of the operator's hand contacting obstacle pins N within the game area 5a, causing deformation of the obstacle pins N or rust formation on the obstacle pins N, thus enabling safe transport of the game panel 1100.

The inner softened surface portion 1100c4 is preferably formed on multiple cover bodies 2516, for example, along the periphery 2501, with a width of, for example, 0.5 cm or more in the vertical direction when viewed from the front, and preferably formed on a width of, for example, 3.0 cm or more along the periphery 2501, from the viewpoint that the worker's hand can contact the inner softened surface portion 1100c4 without contacting a sharp corner on the inner edge portion 1100b2. The inner softened surface portion 1100c4 may be formed on, for example, the entire area of the cover body 2516 formed along the entire area of the periphery 2501, or the cover body 2516 may be provided at multiple locations along the periphery 2501, with the inner softened surface portion 1100c4 formed on multiple cover bodies 2516.

In this embodiment, the inner softened surface portion 1100c4, which is formed by an arc-shaped curved surface smoothly connecting the side and back surfaces of the center component 2500, has been described. However, the inner softened surface portion 1100c4 may also be formed by a straight plane smoothly connecting the side and back surfaces of the cover body 2516. In the case where the inner softened surface portion 1100c4 is formed by a straight plane smoothly connecting the side and back surfaces of the cover body 2516, it forms two obtuse angles instead of one sharp corner. This reduces discomfort to workers whose hands come into contact with the inner edge portion 5b2, and allows for safer transportation of the game panel 1100.

In this embodiment, the configuration in which the inner softened surface portion 1100c4 is formed on the cover body 2516 has been described. However, the inner softened surface portion 1100c4 may also be formed on the stage cover 2515 of the center component 2500, and the same functions and effects as those of the inner softened surface portion 1100c4 described above can be achieved.

The outer smoothing surface portion 1100c5 is formed at the rear end of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500. The outer smoothing surface portion 1100c5 is formed in an inclined surface shape that smoothly connects the inner side surface and the back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500. In this way, the outer smoothing surface portion 1100c5, which smoothly connects the inner side surface and the back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500, can eliminate the sharp corners that are formed when the inner side surface and the back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500 meet. In other words, by forming an outer rounded surface portion 1100c5 between the inner side surface and the back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500, instead of a sharp corner formed where the inner side surface and the back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500 intersect, two obtuse corners are formed where the inner side surface and the outer rounded surface portion 1100c5 intersect, and where the back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500 intersects with the outer rounded surface portion 1100c6.

As described above, when an operator attempts to grasp the game panel 1100, they may, for example, place their hand on the side 1100y and rear 1100z of the game panel 1100. In such cases, to avoid pain in the hand grasping the game panel 1100, the operator tends to avoid contact between their hand and the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the inner side and back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500. The outer soft surface portion 1100c5 can be visually guided by the operator attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 so that their hand makes contact with the two obtuse corners rather than the one sharp corner. Furthermore, by making contact with the operator's hand, the soft surface portion 1100c5 can also tactilely guide the operator so that their hand makes contact with the two obtuse corners rather than the one sharp corner. Therefore, in the game panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the game panel 1100 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused to the operator by contact between their hand and the rear projection 2510 of the center mechanism 2500 can be suppressed. Furthermore, the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be indicated to an operator who is unaware of it. This also suppresses the risk of the operator's hand contacting obstacle pins N within the game area 5a, causing deformation or rusting of the obstacle pins N, thus enabling safe transport of the game panel 1100.

The outer rounded surface portion 1100c5 is preferably, in a front view, has a vertical width of, for example, 2.0 cm or more, and a horizontal width of, for example, 0.5 cm to 3.0 cm, from the viewpoint that, for example, the worker's hand can come into contact with the outer rounded surface portion 1100c5 without coming into contact with any sharp corners. The vertical width of the outer rounded surface portion 1100c5 may be, for example, the entire inner surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center fitting 2500, or it may be formed at multiple locations on the inner surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center fitting 2500.

In this embodiment, the outer relaxed surface portion 1100c5, which is formed as a straight plane smoothly connecting the inner side surface and the back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500, has been described. However, the outer relaxed surface portion 1100c5 may also be formed as an arc-shaped curved surface smoothly connecting the inner side surface and the back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500. The outer relief surface portion 1100c5, formed by an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the inner side and back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500, provides the same effect as the outer relief surface portion 1100c5 formed by a straight plane that smoothly connects the inner side and back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500 described above. In addition, because the outer relief surface portion 1100c5, formed by a curved surface, has no corners, it can enhance the effect of suppressing discomfort to workers whose hands come into contact with the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500, thereby enabling safer transportation of the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, while this embodiment describes the configuration of the outer loose surface portion 1100c5 connecting the inner side surface and the back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500, the outer loose surface portion 1100c5 may also be configured to connect the outer side surface and the back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500, and can achieve the same effects as the outer loose surface portion 1100c5 configured to connect the inner side surface and the back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500 described above. Also, the outer loose surface portion 1100c5 may be formed on both the inner side surface and the back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500, and on both the outer side surface and the back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500.

Furthermore, while this embodiment describes the configuration of the outer loose surface portion 1100c5 connecting the inner side surface and the back surface of the rear projection 2510 of the center component 2500, the outer loose surface portion 1100c5 may also be formed on the rear projection 2510 of the first attacker portion 2520, on the rear projection 2510 of the second attacker portion 2560, on both the rear projections 2510 of the first and second attacker portions 2520 and 2560, or on the rear projection 2510 of other configurations of the center component 2500 excluding the first and second attacker portions 2520 and 2560.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the specific portion 1100c has been described as having a surface relief portion 1100c1, a back relief portion 1100c2, and a back recess portion 1100c3 formed at predetermined positions on the outer edge portion 1100b1, and an inner relief portion 1100c4 and an outer relief portion 1100c5 formed at predetermined positions on the inner edge portion 1100b2. However, the specific portion 1100c may also have at least one of the configurations of the surface relief portion 1100c1, the back relief portion 1100c2, the back recess portion 1100c3, the inner relief portion 1100c4, and the outer relief portion 1100c5, and the above-described functions and effects of each configuration of the specific portion 1100c can be achieved.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the specific portion 1100c has a surface relief portion 1100c1, a back relief portion 1100c2, and a back recess portion 1100c3 formed at predetermined positions on the outer edge portion 1100b1, and an inner relief portion 1100c4 and an outer relief portion 1100c5 formed at predetermined positions on the inner edge portion 1100b2, and these surface relief portion 1100c1, back relief portion 1100c2, and back recess portion 1100c3, as well as the inner relief portion 1100c4 and outer relief portion 1100c5, are shaped to resemble a human handprint. While the description above describes an arrangement where the softened surface portion 1100c1, the softened surface portion 1100c2, and the recessed portion 1100c3 on the back surface, as well as the softened surface portion 1100c4 and the softened surface portion 1100c5 on the back surface, may be formed at predetermined positions on the game panel 1100 with a certain distance between them. In this arrangement, although the visual guidance effect may be reduced during transport, the tactile guidance effect allows for safe transport of the game panel 1100.

In the above examples, a specific portion 5c is formed on a part of the edge 5b of the game board 5, and a specific portion 1100c is formed on at least a part of the edge 1100b of the game panel 1100. However, at least the surface relief portion 5c1 of the specific portion 5c may be formed on the entire edge 5b of the game board 5, or at least the surface relief portion 1100c1 of the specific portion 1100c may be formed on the entire edge 1100b of the game panel 1100. Furthermore, if a surface relief portion 5c1 is formed on a part of the edge 5b of the game board 5, a part or all of the edge 5b where the surface relief portion 5c1 is not formed may also have an inclined surface shape such that the depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increases from the inside to the outside, with a steeper inclination angle (closer to 90°) than the surface relief portion 5c1, or the edge 5b where the surface relief portion 5c1 is not formed may be configured not to have an inclined surface shape. Similarly, if a surface relief portion 1100c1 is formed on a part of the edge 1100b of the game panel 1100, the edge 1100b where the surface relief portion 1100c1 is not formed may also have a sloping surface shape such that the depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increases from the inside to the outside, with a steeper inclination angle (closer to 90°) than the surface relief portion 1100c1. Alternatively, the edge 1100b where the surface relief portion 1100c1 is not formed may be configured without a sloping shape. In this case, although the player's hand may feel discomfort if it accidentally touches the edge 5b or 1100b where the specific portion 5c or 1100c is not formed, injury can be suppressed, and the player's hand can be safely guided to the specific portion 5c or 1100c.

[Example of game board modification 2]
In the embodiments described above, the basic configuration of the game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 and a modification example 1 of the game board were explained. Conventionally, the edges of the game board 5 are formed in a sharp, angular shape, and when transporting the game board 5, the hands of the worker holding the game board 5 may come into contact with the edges of the game board 5, potentially causing discomfort to the worker (such as pain in the hands due to contact with the sharp, angular edges, or the risk of injury to the hands due to contact with the sharp, angular edges). Furthermore, when an operator who is unaware of the gripping position of the game board 5 transports the game board 5, the operator's hands may come into contact with obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing the obstacle pins N to deform (such as bending to the point of interfering with gameplay), rust to form on the obstacle pins N (such as skin oils adhering to the obstacle pins N making them more susceptible to rust), or damage to the center mechanism 2500, etc. Below, we will describe a modified game board example 2, which involves modifying the game board 5 with the aim of further resolving these problems.

The configuration of the pachinko machine 1 in this embodiment is the same as that of the pachinko machine 1 described above, except for the game board 5. Therefore, the configuration of the game board 5 will be explained in detail below, and the explanation of the other configurations of the pachinko machine 1 will be omitted. Furthermore, the explanation of the configuration of the game board 5, which is the same as that of the modified game board example 1 described above, will also be omitted.

The game board 5, as shown in Figures 137 to 147, for example, comprises a game area 5a through which game balls can flow, a front component member 1000 with a roughly rectangular shape in front view that demarcates the outer periphery of the game area 5a, a plate-shaped game panel 1100 that demarcates the rear end of the game area 5a, a front unit 2000 having a center component 2500 attached to the front side of the game panel 1100, and a front-opening box-shaped back unit 3000 attached to the rear side of the game panel 1100.

Within the game area 5a, there are multiple obstacle nails N planted on the front of the game panel 1100, the general prize entry opening 2001, the first start opening 2004, the gate 2002, the second start opening 2005, and the first large prize entry opening 2006 of the front unit 2000, and the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500 which restricts the flow of game balls flowing down within the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100.

Figure 193 is a schematic perspective view of the game board 5 from the front right, Figure 194 is a schematic perspective view of the game board 5 from the rear right, and Figure 195 is a schematic end view showing the A-A' section of Figure 193. Note that in Figure 193, the depiction of the back unit 3000 within the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 is omitted for the sake of easier understanding of the game board 5. As shown in Figures 193 to 195, when the game area 5a is formed and assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the game board 5 has a front surface 5x facing the player, a side surface 5y extending rearward from the front surface 5x, a rear surface 5z extending parallel to the front surface 5x from the side surface 5y, an edge portion 5b connecting from the front surface 5x through the side surface 5y to the rear surface 5z, and a specific portion 5c formed on at least a part of the edge portion 5b.

The edge 5b of the game board 5 includes, for example, an outer edge 5b1 formed at the outer end of the game board 5 and an inner edge 5b2 formed at the inner end of the game board 5. The outer edge 5b1 is formed by the front components 1000, the game panel 1100, and the back unit 3000, arranged in order from front to rear, while the inner edge 5b2 is formed by the center component 2500 and the game panel 1100.

[Specific section configuration 3]
The specific part 5c is formed on the edge 5b of the game board 5 and can guide the worker's hand when they are trying to grasp the game board 5 while transporting it. Specifically, the specific part 5c has a visual guidance effect that suggests the gripping position of the game board 5 to the worker, such as making the edge 5b of the game board 5 resemble a human handprint when the edge 5b of the game board 5 is visually inspected, and a tactile guidance effect that suggests the gripping position of the game board 5 to the worker by the difference in touch, such as causing discomfort or not causing discomfort to the worker's hand when grasping the game board 5, thereby contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5.

Specifically, the specific part 5c includes a surface softened portion 5c1, a surface recessed portion 5c2, a back recessed portion 5c3, and an outer sharpened portion 5c4 formed at predetermined positions on the outer edge portion 5b1, an inner sharpened portion 5c5 and a back softened portion 5c6 formed at predetermined positions on the inner edge portion 5b2, a surface 5p1 formed on the surface of the front component 1000 with multiple continuous bumps and grooves, a front stepped portion 5p2 formed on the front surface of the front component 1100, and a game panel 1100 where the front component 1000 is not placed and the game is played. The game board 5 has a front exposed portion 5p3 that is exposed on the front surface 5x, a side metal plate 5p4 provided along the side surface of the game panel 1100, and a back stepped portion 5p5 formed in a stepped manner on the side surface of the box-shaped back unit 3000 from the front to the back and from the outside to the inside. The visual or tactile guidance effect produced by these components can suppress contact between the hands of workers transporting the game board 5 and the obstacle nails N and the center mechanism 2500, thereby contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. Furthermore, the configurations of the surface softened portion 5c1, surface recessed portion 5c2, back recessed portion 5c3, outer sharpened portion 5c4, inner sharpened portion 5c5, and back softened portion 5c6 of the specific portion 5c are the same as those of the modified game board example 1 described above. Therefore, the other configurations of the specific portion 5c will be explained in detail below, and the explanations of the configurations of the surface softened portion 5c1, surface recessed portion 5c2, back recessed portion 5c3, outer sharpened portion 5c4, inner sharpened portion 5c5, and back softened portion 5c6 will be omitted.

The uneven surface 5p1 is formed on the surface of the smooth surface portion 5c1. The uneven surface 5p1 is a surface formed by a surface treatment such as texturing, resulting in a wrinkled pattern with multiple fine irregularities capable of disrupting light. The wrinkled pattern is formed by multiple short, linear protrusions extending in random directions, such as a rough, pear-skin-like pattern or a fine geometric pattern. Such an uneven surface 5p1 acts as an anti-slip surface, preventing the worker's hand from slipping off the smooth surface portion 5c1 without causing pain or discomfort. This prevents the game board 5 from slipping from the worker's hand, thus preventing damage from falling. Furthermore, it prevents the worker's hand from contacting the guide pins N or the center component 2500, or from the game board falling onto the worker's foot, thus allowing for safe transportation of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the uneven surface 5p1, with its wrinkled pattern, visually guides the hands of workers transporting the game board 5 to the smooth surface portion 5c1, thereby suppressing contact between the workers' hands and the obstacle nails N and the center mechanism 2500. In addition, compared to a flat surface without the uneven surface 5p1, dirt, scratches, and other stains left after contact by the workers' hands are less noticeable, thus preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game due to the players seeing the stains. Moreover, because the light irradiated from multiple points on the game board 5 is diffusely reflected by the smooth surface portion 5c1 of the uneven surface 5p1, resulting in a matte finish, the light reflected by the smooth surface portion 5c1 is not excessively noticeable, preventing the players' attention from being diverted from the main effects to the smooth surface portion 5c1, further suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, the uneven surface 5p1 only needs to be formed by multiple continuous fine irregularities (not necessarily all of which are connected, but may be formed with only some connected, or divided into predetermined units (even one)). The shape of the irregularities (size (surface area), degree of unevenness (protrusion), surface shape, etc.) may all be the same, or multiple different shapes may be mixed.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 has a front surface 1000x facing the player and a side surface 1000y extending rearward perpendicular to the front surface 1000x, and the surface relief portion 5c1 is formed to connect the front surface 1000x and the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000, or in a configuration where the surface relief portion 5c1 is formed and the side surface 1000y is not formed on the front component 1000, the surface relief portion 5c1 is formed to connect the front surface 1000x and the back surface of the front component 1000, and the front component Even when the component 1000 is formed to connect the front surface 1000x of the component 1000 and the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100, and is continuous with the component 1000 and the game panel 1100, it is preferable that the uneven surface 5p1 be formed on the smooth surface portion 5c1. This prevents damage to the game board 5 from falling during transport, and also prevents the game board 5 from slipping from the worker's hand and coming into contact with the guide pins N or the center component 2500, or falling onto the worker's foot, thus enabling safe transport of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the uneven surface 5p1 may be formed over the entire surface of the softened surface portion 5c1, on only a part of the softened surface portion 5c1, or partially on multiple locations on the softened surface portion 5c1. This configuration prevents damage from the game board 5 falling during transport and reduces the risk of the game board 5 slipping from the worker's hands and coming into contact with the guide pins N or the center component 2500, or falling onto the worker's feet, thus enabling safe transport of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the uneven surface 5p1 may be formed not only on the smooth surface portion 5c1, but also on the front surface 1000x (a flat portion without inclination) of the front component 1000 that is continuous with the smooth surface portion 5c1. The uneven surface 5p1 formed on the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000 acts as a non-slip surface, similar to the smooth surface portion 5c1, preventing the worker's hand from slipping off the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000. This reduces the risk of the worker accidentally coming into contact with the guide nails N or the center component 2500, thus making the transportation of the game board 5 even safer.

Furthermore, if the uneven surface 5p1 is formed on the side surface 5y of the game board 5 (the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000 and the side surface of the game panel 1100), the uneven surface 5p1 acts as a non-slip surface between the worker's hand gripping the game board 5 and the side surface 5y of the game board 5. For example, when a worker gripping the game board 5 releases their hand from the outer edge of the game board 5, their hand may catch on the side surface 5y of the game board 5, causing a force that detaches the front component 1000 from the game panel 1100 forward, potentially damaging the outer edge of the front component 1000. From this perspective, it is desirable that the side surface 5y of the game board 5 (the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000 and the side surface of the game panel 1100) be flat and free from fine irregularities like the uneven surface 5p1. Here, the side surface 5y of the game board 5 is composed of the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000 and the side surface 1000y of the game panel 1100, in the case where the surface relief portion 5c1 is formed to connect the front surface 1000x and the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000. In cases where the surface relief portion 5c1 is formed and the side surface 1000y is not formed on the front component 1000 (i.e., when the surface relief portion 5c1 is formed to connect the front surface 1000x and the back surface of the front component 1000, and when it is formed to connect the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000 and the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100, thus being continuous with the front component 1000 and the game panel 1100), it is composed of the side surface of the game panel 1100.

The front component 1000 of this embodiment is preferably formed in an opaque dark color such as black, navy blue, or gray. The front component 1000 may be formed from a dark-colored resin, or a dark-colored sticker, sheet, or film may be attached to its surface, or it may be colored using a dark-colored paint. Since a dark-colored front component 1000 has a lower reflectivity than a light-colored one such as white or yellow, it can suppress the reflection of light irradiated from multiple locations on the game board 5 from the surface of the front component 1000, thereby suppressing a decrease in the player's enjoyment of the game, and it can also improve the visibility of the uneven surface 5p1 formed on the smooth surface portion 5c1 to workers transporting the game board 5. Therefore, when transporting the game board 5, the likelihood of guiding the worker's hand to the smooth surface portion 5c1 of the front component 1000, where the uneven surface 5p1 is formed, is increased, further reducing the chance of the worker accidentally coming into contact with the guide nails N or the center component 2500, thus enabling safer transport of the game board 5. Note that the front component 1000 is not limited to having an uneven surface 5p1 formed on its surface; it may also be a sticker, sheet, film, etc., with multiple fine irregularities formed on its surface similar to the uneven surface 5p1. In this case, the dark color of the front component 1000 may be visible through the sticker, sheet, film, etc., or the sticker, sheet, film, etc. may be formed in a dark color.

The front surface 1000x of the front component 1000 further includes a sticker attachment section 1012 where a sticker is attached, a function display forming section 1013 where an opening is formed to expose the light-emitting part of the function display unit 1400 and a status label indicating the illumination state of the light-emitting part of the function display unit 1400 is attached, and a label attachment section 1014 where a display label showing the model information of the pachinko machine 1, such as the jackpot probability and the probability of winning a bonus round, is attached. The display label is formed by printing the model information of the pachinko machine 1, such as the jackpot probability and the probability of winning a bonus round, onto a sticker, sheet, film, etc.

The sticker attachment area 1012 is formed on the lower left of the front component 1000. More specifically, on the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000, its outer circumference is demarcated by a stepped portion 1012a, and it is formed in a concave shape that is greater than the degree of unevenness of the uneven surface 5p1. Furthermore, the angular shape of the stepped portion 1012a of the sticker attachment area 1012 allows the worker transporting the game board 5 to be notified that the sticker attachment area 1012 is a place that should not be touched, thereby preventing damage to the sticker. Furthermore, the surface of the sticker attachment area 1012 is formed as a flat surface without surface treatment such as the uneven surface 5p1. Even if a worker does not notice the stepped portion 1012a of the sticker attachment area 1012, the difference in tactile feel between the surface-treated front surface 1000x of the pre-constituent member 1000 and the flat surface of the sticker attachment area 1012 will alert the worker transporting the game board 5 that the sticker attachment area 1012 is a place that should not be touched, thereby preventing damage to the sticker. Additionally, the flat surface of the sticker attachment area 1012 makes it easy to attach the sticker and also prevents the attached sticker from peeling off easily.

Furthermore, the sticker attachment portion 1012 may be formed on the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000, with its outer circumference demarcated by a stepped portion 1012a, and may be formed in a protruding shape greater than the degree of unevenness of the uneven surface 5p1. When the protruding sticker attachment portion 1012 comes into contact with the hand of a worker transporting the game board 5, the worker can be notified that the sticker attachment portion 1012 is a place that should not be touched, thereby suppressing damage to the sticker. In addition, if the surface of the sticker attachment portion 1012 is formed in a flat shape, it may be formed in a manner that has no degree of unevenness, that is, flush with the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000. When the flat sticker attachment portion 1012 comes into contact with the hand of a worker transporting the game board 5, the worker can be notified that the sticker attachment portion 1012 is a place that should not be touched, thereby suppressing damage to the sticker. Furthermore, the sticker attachment area 1012 may be formed in a different color from the front surface 1000x of the preceding component 1000 (for example, a light color such as white, yellow, or pink if the preceding component 1000 is dark in color) (including configurations where only the stepped portion 1012a is colored, where it is covered with a translucent light-colored sticker or sheet that allows the sticker to be seen, and where the sticker is formed in a light color). This allows workers to visually confirm that the sticker attachment area 1012 should not be touched when transporting the game board 5, thereby preventing damage to the sticker.

The function display forming section 1013 is formed in the upper left of the front component 1000. Similar to the sticker attachment section 1012, its outer periphery is demarcated by a stepped section 1013a on the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000, and is formed in a concave shape that is greater than the degree of unevenness of the uneven surface 5p1. Furthermore, the angular shape of the stepped section 1013a of the function display forming section 1013 allows the worker transporting the game board 5 to be notified that the function display forming section 1013 is a place that should not be touched, thereby suppressing damage to the status label and the light-emitting part of the function display unit 1400. Furthermore, the surface of the function display forming section 1013 is formed as a flat surface without surface treatment such as the uneven surface 5p1. Even if an operator does not notice the stepped portion 1013a of the function display forming section 1013, the difference in tactile feel between the surface-treated front surface 1000x of the pre-constituent member 1000 and the flat surface of the function display forming section 1013 can inform the operator that the function display forming section 1013 is a part that should not be touched when transporting the game board 5, thereby suppressing damage to the status label and the light-emitting part of the function display unit 1400. In addition, the function display forming section 1013 allows for easy attachment of the status label and also has the effect of preventing the attached status label from peeling off easily. The status label is attached so as to cover the opening where the light-emitting part of the function display unit 1400 is exposed, and at least the portion corresponding to the light-emitting part of the function display unit 1400 is formed transparent.

Furthermore, the function display forming section 1013 may be formed on the front surface 1000x of the previous component 1000, with its outer circumference demarcated by a stepped portion 1013a, and in a form that is larger than the degree of unevenness of the uneven surface 5p1. When the protruding function display forming section 1013 comes into contact with the hand of a worker transporting the game board 5, the worker can be notified that the function display forming section 1013 is a place that should not be touched, thereby suppressing damage to the status label and the light-emitting part of the function display unit 1400. In addition, when the surface of the function display forming section 1013 is formed in a flat shape, it may be formed in a form that has no degree of unevenness, that is, flush with the front surface 1000x of the previous component 1000. When the flat function display forming section 1013 comes into contact with the hand of a worker transporting the game board 5, the worker can be notified that the function display forming section 1013 is a place that should not be touched, thereby suppressing damage to the status label and the light-emitting part of the function display unit 1400. Furthermore, the function display forming section 1013 may be formed in a different color from the front surface 1000x of the preceding component 1000 (for example, a light color such as white, yellow, or pink if the preceding component 1000 is dark in color) (including configurations where only the stepped portion 1013a is colored, where it is covered with a translucent light-colored sticker or sheet that allows the status label and light-emitting part to be visible, and where the status label is formed in a light color). This allows workers to visually confirm that the function display forming section 1013 is a part that should not be touched when transporting the game board 5, thereby suppressing damage to the status label and the light-emitting part of the function display unit 1400.

The label attachment section 1014 is formed in the upper right of the front component 1000. Similar to the certificate attachment section 1012 and the function display forming section 1013, its outer periphery is demarcated by a stepped section 1014a on the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000, and is formed in a concave shape that is greater than the degree of unevenness of the uneven surface 5p1. Furthermore, the stepped section 1014a of the label attachment section 1014 can inform the worker that the label attachment section 1014 is a place that should not be touched when it comes into contact with the hands of a worker transporting the game board 5, thereby suppressing damage to the display label. Furthermore, the surface of the label attachment area 1014 is formed as a flat surface without surface treatment like the uneven surface 5p1. Even if the worker does not notice the stepped portion 1014a of the label attachment area 1014, the difference in tactile feel between the surface-treated front surface 1000x of the pre-constituent member 1000 and the flat surface of the label attachment area 1014 will alert the worker that the label attachment area 1014 should not be touched when transporting the game board 5, thereby preventing damage to the display label. Additionally, the label attachment area 1014 facilitates the application of the display label and also has the effect of making the applied display label less likely to peel off.

Furthermore, the label attachment portion 1014 may be formed on the front surface 1000x of the preceding component 1000, with its outer circumference demarcated by a stepped portion 1014a, and may be formed in a protruding shape greater than the degree of unevenness of the uneven surface 5p1. When the protruding label attachment portion 1014 comes into contact with the hand of a worker transporting the game board 5, the worker can be notified that the label attachment portion 1014 is a place that should not be touched, thereby suppressing damage to the display label. In addition, if the surface of the label attachment portion 1014 is formed in a flat shape, it may be formed in a manner that has no degree of unevenness, that is, flush with the front surface 1000x of the preceding component 1000. When the flat label attachment portion 1014 comes into contact with the hand of a worker transporting the game board 5, the worker can be notified that the label attachment portion 1014 is a place that should not be touched, thereby suppressing damage to the display label. Furthermore, the label attachment portion 1014 may be formed in a different color from the front surface 1000x of the preceding component 1000 (for example, a light color such as white, yellow, or pink if the preceding component 1000 is dark in color) (including configurations where only the stepped portion 1014a is colored, where it is covered with a translucent light-colored sticker or sheet that allows the display label to be seen, and where the display label is formed in a light color). This allows workers to visually confirm that the label attachment portion 1014 is a place that should not be touched when transporting the game board 5, thereby preventing damage to the display label.

The front component 1000 has a projection 1015 that protrudes forward from the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000x, in an area outside the game area 5a and close to the game area 5a. The projection 1015 is designed to come into contact with the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000 when a worker moves their hand along it during transport of the game board 5. This projection 1015 indicates that there is a game area 5a inside the projection that should not be touched, thereby preventing the worker's hand from coming into contact with obstacle nails N, center components 2500, etc. The projection 1015 of the front component 1000 may be formed in an area outside the game area 5a and close to the game area 5a. For example, it may be formed as a long wall-like structure along the outer periphery of the game area 5a, or as multiple projections partially formed along the outer periphery of the game area 5a.

The front stepped portion 5p2 is a step formed on the front surface 1000x (a flat portion without inclination) of the front component 1000, and in this embodiment, it is composed of a certificate attachment portion 1012, a function display forming portion 1013, a label attachment portion 1014, and a protrusion 1015 that is close to the game area 5a. In the front stepped portion 5p2, the certificate attachment portion 1012, the function display forming portion 1013, and the label attachment portion 1014 have a small amount of protrusion (degree of unevenness) from the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000 located on their outside, and a large amount of protrusion (degree of unevenness) located on their inside, and because the amount of protrusion (degree of unevenness) on the front surface 1000x (a flat portion without inclination) of the front component 1000 increases from the outside to the inside of the game board 5, When transporting the game board 5, if a worker moves their hand along the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000, the uneven surface 5p1, the sticker attachment area 1012, the function display forming area 1013, the label attachment area 1014, and the protrusion 1015 will come into contact in that order, further restricting movement. This informs the worker that there are areas inside the game board 5 that should not be touched, thus preventing the worker's hand from coming into contact with the guide pins N and the center component 2500, and allowing for safe transport of the game board 5. It is desirable that the protrusion 1015 be formed on the inside of the surface softening area 5c1 so as to correspond to the surface softening area 5c1.

The exposed front portion 5p3 is the area on the front surface 5x of the game board 5 where the front component 1000 is not positioned and the game panel 1100 is exposed to the front surface 5x. In this embodiment, it is formed on the lower right outer edge of the game board 5. The formation of the exposed front portion 5p3 reduces the thickness of the outer edge of the game board 5 in the front-to-back direction by the thickness of the front component 1000, making it easier for workers to grip the game board 5 when transporting it. This reduces the risk of workers accidentally coming into contact with the guide pins N or the center component 2500, making the transport of the game board 5 even safer. Furthermore, in this example, the front exposed portion 5p3 is provided on the edge 5b of a side of the game board 5 that is different from the side on which the specific portion 5c is formed (in Figure 194, it is formed on the bottom side adjacent to the side on which the specific portion 5c is formed, but the front exposed portion 5p3 may also be formed on the side opposite to the side on which the specific portion 5c is formed), making it possible to grasp the specific portion 5c with one hand and the front exposed portion 5p3 with the other hand. This makes it possible to firmly hold the game board 5, prevents it from sliding off, and allows for safe transport. Note that the front exposed portion 5p3 is not limited to being formed on the lower right outer edge of the game board 5, but may be formed on at least a part of the game board 5 (for example, at least one outer edge on the top, bottom, left, or right of the game board 5), making it easier for workers to grasp the game board 5 when transporting it. Furthermore, it is preferable that the front exposed portions 5p3 be formed in pairs at opposing positions on the top, bottom, left, and right of the game board 5. This makes it easier for workers to grasp the game board 5 with both hands when transporting it, thus making the transport of the game board 5 even safer. The aforementioned protrusions 1015 may also be formed on the inside of the front exposed portions 5p3, corresponding to the front exposed portions 5p3. This prevents the worker's hands from coming into contact with the guide nails N or the center component 2500 when grasping the front exposed portions 5p3, thus ensuring safer transport of the game board 5.

The side metal plate 5p4 is formed in a long, plate-like shape and is provided along the side of the game panel 1100. In this embodiment, the side metal plate 5p4 is provided on the left-right side of the game panel 1100 so that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the vertical direction of the game panel 1100. Such a side metal plate 5p4 can increase the strength of the left-right outer edge of the game board 5, preventing damage to the left-right outer edge of the game board 5 from the weight of the game board 5 or the force with which the worker grips the game board 5 when the game board 5 is being transported by being gripped by a worker, thereby making the transport of the game board 5 even safer. Furthermore, the side metal plate P4 may be provided on the vertical side of the game panel 1100 such that its longitudinal direction aligns with the left-right direction of the game panel 1100. This increases the strength of the vertical outer edge of the game board 5, prevents damage to the vertical outer edge of the game board 5, and allows for safer transportation of the game board 5. Additionally, the side metal plate 5p4 may also serve the function of discharging static electricity from the game board 5 (including electronic components, etc.) by connecting an earth wire.

The side metal plate 5p4 is not limited to a long, plate-like shape as long as it can increase the strength of the outer edge of the game panel 1100. For example, multiple metal plates may be arranged side by side on the side of the game panel 1100 at predetermined intervals. When multiple side metal plates 5p4 are provided in a partial manner, it is desirable that the side metal plates 5p4 are not provided outside the surface softened portion 5c1 and the front exposed portion 5p3, and that predetermined interval portions formed by the multiple side metal plates 5p4 are located outside the surface softened portion 5c1 and the front exposed portion 5p3. This configuration suppresses contact between the worker's hand, which is guided to the surface softened portion 5c1 and the front exposed portion 5p3, and the side metal plate 5p4, thereby preventing injury to the worker's hand that comes into contact with the edge of the side metal plate 5p4, and also suppresses the accumulation of sebum, etc., on the side metal plate 5p4, which can cause rust, etc. Furthermore, the side metal plate 5p4 may be attached to the side of the game panel 1100 with adhesive, fixed to the side of the game panel 1100 with fasteners such as screws, or embedded within the side of the game panel 1100. However, from the viewpoint of reducing the number of parts when assembling the game board 5, it is preferable that the side metal plate 5p4 be embedded within the side of the game panel 1100.

The back step portion 5p5 is formed in a stepped shape on the side of the box-shaped back unit 3000, extending from the front to the rear and from the outside to the inside. This back step portion 5p5 allows workers transporting the game board 5 to hook their fingers onto the back step portion 5p5 when gripping the outer edge of the game board 5, preventing accidental contact between the worker's hand and the guide pins N or the center mechanism 2500, thus making the transport of the game board 5 safer. Furthermore, the formation of the back step portion 5p5 reduces the thickness of the outer edge of the game board 5 in the front-to-back direction by the thickness from the back step portion 5p5 to the rearmost surface of the back unit 3000, making it easier for workers to grip the game board 5 when transporting it. This further reduces accidental contact between the worker's hand and the guide pins N or the center mechanism 2500, making the transport of the game board 5 even safer. Furthermore, the stepped portion 5p5 on the back is preferably formed in pairs on the top, bottom, left, and right sides of the back unit 3000, from the viewpoint of making it easier for workers to grasp the game board 5 with both hands when transporting it. However, it may also be formed on at least one of the top, bottom, left, or right sides. Also, the sides of the back unit 3000 are preferably inclined so that their outer diameter decreases towards the rear, from the viewpoint of making it easier for workers to hook their fingers onto the stepped portion 5p5. Additionally, the stepped portion 5p5 may be formed in multiple portions partially on the sides of the back unit 3000. In this case, it is preferable that at least one of the stepped portions 5p5 is formed to correspond to the front exposed portion 5p3 in the front-to-back direction. Such stepped portions 5p5, together with the front exposed portion 5p3, further reduce the thickness of the outer edge of the game board 5 in the front-to-back direction, making it even easier for workers to grasp the game board 5 when transporting it.

Figure 196 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the game board 5 seen from the front right, and Figure 197 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the game board 5 seen from the rear right. More specifically, Figure 196 shows a portion of the game board 5 with the front component 1000 and the back unit 3000 removed, and Figure 197 shows a portion of the game board 5 with the front component 1000, the center component 2500, and the back unit 3000 removed. As shown in Figures 195 to 197, the specific part 5c has, in addition to the uneven surface 5p1, the front stepped portion 5p2, the front exposed portion 5p3, the side metal plate 5p4, and the back stepped portion 5p5, an outer edge wall portion 5p6 that protrudes rearward from the outer end 1100b1 of the game panel 1100, a rear slope portion 5p7 formed to be continuous with the top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6, and a back stepped portion 5p8 formed inward from the rear slope portion 5p7 so as to protrude from the back surface 1100z of the game panel 1100. The visual or tactile guidance effect produced by these components further reduces contact between the hands of the worker transporting the game board 5 and the obstacle nails N and the center mechanism 2500, thereby contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. Furthermore, since the thickness of the game board 5 in the front-to-back direction is reduced when the back unit 3000 is removed, its strength against external forces acting on it during transport tends to decrease. For example, if the opposing outer edges of the game panel 1100 are grasped by a worker during transport and a twisting force is applied to the game panel 1100, the game panel 1100 may bend, potentially damaging the obstacle nails N, the center mechanism 2500, etc.

The outer edge wall portion 5p6 is formed in a wall-like shape along the outer edge end 1100b1 of the game panel 1100, projecting rearward from the outer edge end 1100b1. The outer edge wall portion 5p6 makes it easier for workers to hook their fingers around the rear side of the game board 5 when transporting it, contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. Furthermore, when transporting the game board 5 with the back unit 3000 removed, workers can hook their fingers onto the outer edge wall portion 5p6, allowing them to firmly hold the game board 5 and further contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the outer edge wall portion 5p6 is not limited to being formed in a wall-like manner along the entire circumference of the outer edge end portion 1100b1 of the game panel 1100, but may also be formed on a part of the outer edge end portion 1100b1 of the game panel 1100, and can contribute to the safe transport of the game board 5 in the same way as when it is formed in a wall-like manner along the entire circumference of the outer edge end portion 1100b1. In addition, by providing the outer edge wall portion 5p6, the thickness of the outer edge end portion 1100b1 is increased, which strengthens the game panel 1100. When the game board 5 is transported, even if a force is applied to the game panel 1100 in a direction that twists the game panel 1100, the deflection of the game panel 1100 is suppressed, and obstacle nails N and center components 2500 etc. are prevented from falling off the game panel 1110 or being damaged by force applied to them. Furthermore, although this embodiment describes a configuration in which the game panel 1100 is formed by assembling a panel plate 1110 and a panel holder 1120, the game panel 1100 may also be configured in a way in which the panel plate 1110 and the panel holder 1120 are integrally formed (a configuration in which the game panel 1100 is composed solely of the panel plate 1110), and similar functions and effects can be achieved.

From the viewpoint of making it easier for the operator to hook their fingers around the rear side of the game board 5, the width of the rearmost top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 (width from the outside to the inside of the game panel 1100) should preferably be 3.0 mm or more. From the viewpoint of preventing the shape of the game board 5 from becoming excessively large, it is preferable that the width be 10.0 mm or less. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of making it easier for the operator to grip their fingers around the rear side of the game board 5, and from the viewpoint of preventing the shape of the game board 5 from becoming excessively large, the protrusion amount (distance from the back surface of the game panel 1100 to the rearmost top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6) should preferably be between 5.0 mm and 20.0 mm.

Furthermore, when the outer edge wall portion 5p6 is partially formed on the outer edge end portion 1100b1 of the game panel 1100, it is desirable that it be formed at a position corresponding to the surface relief portion 5c1 in the front-to-back direction. This allows the worker to firmly hold both the surface relief portion 5c1 and the outer edge wall portion 5p6, preventing the worker's hand from coming into contact with the guide nails N or the center component 2500, thus enabling safe transportation of the game board 5. The top of the rear end of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 may be formed as a flat surface parallel to the front surface 5x of the game board 5, a sloping surface inclined relative to the front surface 5x of the game board 5, or a curved surface with an arc extending inward and outward from the game board 5. However, from the viewpoint of reducing discomfort such as pain when a worker catches their finger on the outer edge wall portion 5p6, it is desirable that it be formed as a flat or curved surface without sharp edges.

The rear slope portion 5p7 is formed to be continuous with the top of the rear end of the outer edge wall portion 5p6, and in this embodiment, the rear slope portion 5p7 is formed to be connected to the inside of the outer edge wall portion 5p6. When transporting the game board 5 with the back unit 3000 removed, the rear slope portion 5p7 can be used to support the fingers of the worker that are hooked onto the outer edge wall portion 5p6, reducing discomfort such as pain to the worker's fingers that are hooked onto the outer edge wall portion 5p6. This allows the worker to hold the game board 5 more securely and further contributes to the safe transport of the game board 5. Furthermore, the rear sloping section 5p7 can increase the strength of the game panel 1100. Even if a twisting force is applied to the game panel 1100 during the transport of the game board 5, it can suppress the deflection of the game panel 1100, thereby preventing damage to obstacle nails N, center components 2500, etc.

Furthermore, the rear slope portion 5p7 is inclined from the rear to the front, extending inward from the outside of the game panel 1100. Therefore, when a worker places their fingers on the rear slope portion 5p7, the worker's fingers will not collide with it, making it easier for the worker's fingers, when wrapped around the rear side of the game board 5, to rest on it. The rear slope portion 5p7 may also be formed in such a manner that, for example, if the width of the top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 is sufficiently large, it connects to the rear side of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 (projecting rearward from the top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6), further contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. The rear slope portion 5p7 may also be formed along the entire circumference of the outer edge wall portion 5p6, or it may be formed on a part of the outer edge wall portion 5p6.

From the viewpoint of facilitating the placement of a worker's fingers on the rear side of the game board 5, and from the viewpoint of securing space for forming the rear slope 5p7, it is desirable that the width along the outer edge wall 5p6 be between 30.0 mm and 100.0 mm. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of facilitating the placement of a worker's fingers on the rear side of the game board 5, it is desirable that the rear slope 5p7 be formed with an incline such that the height decreases in the front-to-back direction from the outside to the inside of the game board 5.

The rear slope portion 5p7 may be formed as a straight plane connecting the inner end of the top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 and the back surface of the game panel 1100, or it may be formed as an arc-shaped curved surface connecting the inner end of the top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 and the back surface of the game panel 1100. Since the rear slope portion 5p7 formed as a curved surface does not have corners, it can enhance the effect of suppressing discomfort caused to workers whose hands come into contact with the rear slope portion 5p7, and the transport of the game board 5 can be made even safer. Furthermore, the rear slope portion 5p7 may be formed as a single surface, or it may be formed as multiple surfaces, for example, a first rear slope extending from the inner end of the top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 toward the back surface of the game panel 1100, and a second rear slope connecting the back surface of the game panel 1100 to the first rear slope. When the rear sloping portion 5p7 is formed by multiple surfaces, if the surface extending from the inner end of the top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 is inclined toward the back surface of the game panel 1100, then the surface extending from the back surface of the game panel 1100 may extend along a direction perpendicular to the back surface of the game panel 1100 (the front-to-back direction).

The stepped portion 5p8 on the back surface of the game panel 1100 is formed to protrude from the back surface 1100z of the game panel 1100, at a position inside the rear slope portion 5p7 and outside the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100. When transporting the game board 5 with the back unit 3000 removed, if the back stepped portion 5p8 comes into contact with the hand of a worker attempting to lock it against the outer edge wall portion 5p6, it can inform the worker that there are areas that should not be touched, such as obstacle nails N and the center mechanism 2500, through the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100, inside the back stepped portion 5p8. This further reduces contact between the worker's hand and the obstacle nails N and the center mechanism 2500, allowing for safer transport of the game board 5. Furthermore, the stepped portion 5p8 on the back surface can increase the strength of the game panel 1100. Even if a twisting force is applied to the game panel 1100 during the transport of the game board 5, this suppresses the bending of the game panel 1100, thereby preventing damage to the obstacle nails N, the center mechanism 2500, and other components.

From the viewpoint of enhancing the tactile guidance effect, it is preferable that the back-side stepped portion 5p8 be formed continuously along the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100. However, from a design viewpoint that takes into account the back unit 3000 attached to the rear of the game panel 1100, it may also be formed partially along the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100. Furthermore, it is preferable that at least a portion of the back-side stepped portion 5p8 be formed along the outer periphery of the game area 5a. In this embodiment, the back-side stepped portion 5p8 is formed in part along the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100, inside at least one rear sloping portion 5p7 where the worker's hand is likely to be guided, thereby enhancing the tactile guidance effect of the back-side stepped portion 5p8 and improving the ease of design of the game panel 1100. The height of the back-side stepped portion 5p8 from the back surface of the game panel 1100 is preferably 1.0 mm to 15.0 mm from the viewpoint of tactile guidance effect and ease of design.

Furthermore, the stepped portion 5p8 on the back surface may come into contact with the worker's hand when transporting the game board 5, and it is sufficient that it informs the worker that there are areas that should not be touched, such as obstacle nails N and center components 2500, located inside the stepped portion 5p8 through the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100. It may also be formed in a concave shape on the back surface 1100z of the game panel 1100, located inside the rear slope portion 5p7 and outside the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100. In addition, the stepped portion 5p8 on the back surface may be colored in a different color from the game panel 1100. In this case, the worker can also be visually informed that there are areas that should not be touched, such as obstacle nails N and center components 2500, located inside the stepped portion 5p8 through the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100. Furthermore, when the stepped portion 5p8 on the back surface is formed partially as described above, it is desirable that it be formed on the outer edge wall at a position corresponding to 5p6 on the inside and outside of the game board 5. This allows the worker to be notified that, when their hand attempts to engage with the outer edge wall 5p6, there are areas that should not be touched, such as obstacle nails N and the center mechanism 2500, located inside the stepped portion 5p8 of the game panel 1100 through the opening 1112.

Furthermore, the configuration of the specific portion 5c formed on the edge 5b of the game board 5 described above is also applicable to the specific portion 1100c formed on the edge 1100b of the game panel 1100. That is, the uneven surface 5p1 may be formed on the smooth surface portion 1100c1 of the game panel 1100 and on the front surface of the game panel 1100, or the front step portion 5p2 may be formed on the front surface of the game panel 1100.

[Example of game board modification 3]
In the embodiments described above, the basic configuration of the game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1, as well as modification example 1 and modification example 2 of the game board, were explained. However, conventionally, when an operator who does not know the gripping position of the game board 5 transports the game board 5, the operator's hands may come into contact with obstacle nails N or the center mechanism 2500, etc., within the game area 5a, potentially causing the obstacle nails N to deform (such as bending to the point of interfering with gameplay), rust to occur on the obstacle nails N (such as sebum adhering to the obstacle nails N making them more susceptible to rust), or damage to the center mechanism 2500, etc. Below, modification example 3 of the game board, which modifies the game board 5 to further resolve these problems, will be described.

The configuration of the pachinko machine 1 in this embodiment is the same as that of the pachinko machine 1 described above, except for the game board 5. Therefore, the configuration of the game board 5 will be explained in detail below, and the explanation of the other configurations of the pachinko machine 1 will be omitted. Furthermore, the explanation of the configuration of the game board 5, which is the same as that of the modified game board examples 1 and 2 described above, will be omitted.

The game board 5, as shown in Figures 137 to 147, for example, comprises a game area 5a through which game balls can flow, a front component member 1000 with a roughly rectangular shape in front view that demarcates the outer periphery of the game area 5a, a plate-shaped game panel 1100 that demarcates the rear end of the game area 5a, a front unit 2000 having a center component 2500 attached to the front side of the game panel 1100, and a front-opening box-shaped back unit 3000 attached to the rear side of the game panel 1100.

Within the game area 5a, there are multiple obstacle nails N planted on the front of the game panel 1100, the general prize entry opening 2001, the first start opening 2004, the gate 2002, the second start opening 2005, and the first large prize entry opening 2006 of the front unit 2000, and the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500 which restricts the flow of game balls flowing down within the game area 5a into the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100.

Figure 198 is a schematic perspective view of the game board 5 as seen from the front right, and Figure 199 is a schematic end view showing the A-A' section of Figure 198. Note that in Figure 198, the depiction of the back unit 3000 within the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 is omitted for the sake of easier understanding of the game board 5. As shown in Figures 198 and 199, the game board 5, when assembled to the pachinko machine 1 with the game area 5a formed, has a front surface 5x facing the player, a side surface 5y extending rearward from the front surface 5x, a rear surface 5z extending parallel to the front surface 5x from the side surface 5y, an edge portion 5b connecting from the front surface 5x through the side surface 5y to the rear surface 5z, and a specific portion 5c formed on at least a part of the edge portion 5b.

The edge 5b of the game board 5 includes, for example, an outer edge 5b1 formed at the outer end of the game board 5 and an inner edge 5b2 formed at the inner end of the game board 5. The outer edge 5b1 is formed by the front components 1000, the game panel 1100, and the back unit 3000, arranged in order from front to rear, while the inner edge 5b2 is formed by the center component 2500 and the game panel 1100.

[Specific section configuration 4]
The specific part 5c is formed on the edge 5b of the game board 5 and can guide the worker's hand when they are trying to grasp the game board 5 while transporting it. Specifically, the specific part 5c has a visual guidance effect that suggests the gripping position of the game board 5 to the worker, such as making the edge 5b of the game board 5 resemble a human handprint when the edge 5b of the game board 5 is visually inspected, and a tactile guidance effect that suggests the gripping position of the game board 5 to the worker by the difference in touch, such as causing discomfort or not causing discomfort to the worker's hand when grasping the game board 5, thereby contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5.

Specifically, the specific part 5c has a surface smooth surface portion 5c1, a surface recess portion 5c2, a back recess portion 5c3, and an outer sharp portion 5c4, as well as an inner sharp portion 5c5 formed at a predetermined position on the inner edge portion 5b2, a back smooth surface portion 5c6, an uneven surface 5p1, a front step portion 5p2, a front exposed portion 5p3, a side metal plate 5p4, and a back step portion 5p5, an outer edge wall portion 5p6, a rear slope portion 5p7, and a back step portion 5p8. The visual or tactile guidance effect produced by these components can suppress contact between the hands of the worker transporting the game board 5 and the obstacle nails N and the center mechanism 2500, thereby contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. Furthermore, since the configuration other than the front stepped portion 5p2 is the same as that of the game board modification example 1 and game board modification example 2 described above, the configuration of the front stepped portion 5p2 of the specific portion 5c will be explained in detail below, and the explanation of the other configurations other than the front stepped portion 5p2 will be omitted.

Furthermore, in this example, the functional display forming section 1013 has a convex projection 1013b that protrudes from the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000. The projection 1013b of the front component 1000 is designed to come into contact with the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000 when a worker moves their hand along the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000 while transporting the game board 5. This serves to inform the worker that there is a functional display forming section 1013 inside the projection 1013b that should not be touched, thereby preventing the worker's hand from coming into contact with the functional display forming section 1013. Note that the sticker attachment section 1012 and the label attachment section 1014 may also have convex projections that protrude from the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000. Furthermore, similar to the modification example 2 of the game board, even if no protrusions are formed around the sticker attachment area 1012, the function display forming area 1013, and the label attachment area 1014, the presence of the sticker attachment area 1012, the function display forming area 1013, and the label attachment area 1014 may be indicated.

The front stepped portion 5p2 is a step formed on the front surface 1000x (the flat portion without inclination) of the front component 1000. In this embodiment, it consists of the stepped portion 1012a of the sticker attachment portion 1012, the stepped portion 1013a of the function display forming portion 1013, and the stepped portion 1014a of the label attachment portion 1014, as well as a protrusion 1015 that is located inside the game board 5 from the function display forming portion 1013 and outside the game board 5 from the game area 5a.

The projection 1015 is formed as a long projection that extends along the outer circumference of the game area 5a between the function display forming part 1013 and the game area 5a. The projection 1015 is designed so that when an operator moves their hand along the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000 while transporting the game board 5, the operator's hand will come into contact with the projection 1015, restricting movement. This informs the operator that there are areas (game area 5a) inside the game board 5 that should not be touched, thereby preventing the operator's hand from coming into contact with the guide nails N or the center component 2500, and thus enabling safe transport of the game board 5. The projection 1015 may also be formed along the outer end of the game area 5a (the inner end of the front component 1000) (formed integrally with the outer sharp part 5c4), in which case the operator can be informed that there are areas (game area 5a) inside the projection 1015 that should not be touched. Furthermore, it is preferable that the protrusion 1015 be formed on the inside of the game board 5 relative to the surface softening portion 5c1. When transporting the game board 5, the protrusion 1015 can come into contact with the worker's hand, which is guided by the surface softening portion 5c1 and moves along the front surface 5x of the game board 5. This informs the worker that there are areas on the inside of the game board 5 that should not be touched, thus preventing the worker's hand from coming into contact with the guide pins N or the center mechanism 2500, and allowing for safe transport of the game board 5.

In the front component 1000 of this embodiment, the amount of protrusion (degree of unevenness) of the projection 1015 from the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000 is greater than the amount of protrusion (degree of unevenness) of the uneven surface 5p1, and at least a portion of the uneven surface 5p1 is formed on the outside of the projection 1015. That is, at a predetermined location on the front surface 5x of the game board 5 (for example, the area extending from the front surface 5x where the specific part 5c is formed to the game area 5), the amount of protrusion (degree of unevenness) increases from the outside to the inside of the game board 5. This allows workers transporting the game board 5 to be notified that there are areas on the inside of the game board 5 that should not be touched, thereby preventing the worker's hands from coming into contact with the guide pins N or the center component 2500, and enabling safe transport of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the configuration of the specific portion 5c formed on the edge 5b of the game board 5 described above is also applicable to the specific portion 1100c formed on the edge 1100b of the game panel 1100. That is, the uneven surface 5p1 may be formed on the smooth surface portion 1100c1 of the game panel 1100 and on the front surface of the game panel 1100, or the front step portion 5p2 may be formed on the front surface of the game panel 1100.

[Summary A]
A1: The gaming machine comprises an outer frame, a main frame that is openable and closable on the outer frame, and a game board that is detachably attached to the main frame. The game board has a plate-shaped game board on the front side which forms a game area into which game balls can flow down, a box-shaped rear component attached to the rear surface of the game board, and a game board outer edge wall portion that protrudes rearward from the outer edge of the game board. The rear component is attached to the inside of the game board outer edge wall portion.

Specifically, the pachinko machine 1, which is a gaming machine, comprises an outer frame 2 formed in the shape of a rectangular frame, a main frame 4 that is openable and closable and attached to the outer frame 2, and a game board 5 that is detachably attached to the main frame 4. The game board 5 comprises a game panel 1100, which is a plate-shaped game board with a game area 5a formed on its front side through which game balls can flow; a rear unit 3000, which is a box-shaped rear component attached to the rear of the game panel 1100; and an outer edge wall portion 5p6, which is the outer edge wall portion of the game board that protrudes rearward from the outer edge of the game panel 1100. Since the outer edge wall portion 5p6 is located outside the rear unit 3000 attached to the game panel 1100, it is easy for workers to hook their fingers onto the outer edge wall portion 5p6 when transporting the game board 5, ensuring safe transport. Furthermore, even if the rear unit 3000 is removed, workers can still hook their fingers onto the outer edge wall portion 5p6 when transporting the game board 5, allowing them to firmly hold the game board 5 and further contributing to safe transport.

A2: The game board further has a sloping portion that is continuous with the rear top of the outer edge wall of the game board. Specifically, the game board 5 further has a rear sloping portion 5p7, which is a sloping portion that is continuous with the rear top of the outer edge wall 5p6. Therefore, when transporting the game board 5 with the back unit 3000 removed, the worker's fingers that are hooked onto the outer edge wall 5p6 can be rested on the rear sloping portion 5p7, reducing discomfort such as pain to the worker's fingers that are hooked onto the outer edge wall 5p6. This allows the worker to hold the game board 5 more securely and further contributes to the safe transport of the game board 5. Furthermore, the rear sloping section 5p7 can increase the strength of the game panel 1100. Even if a twisting force is applied to the game panel 1100 during the transport of the game board 5, it can suppress the deflection of the game panel 1100, thereby preventing damage to obstacle nails N, center components 2500, etc.

A3: The inclined surface has a slope that slopes from the rear to the front, extending from the outside to the inside of the game board. Specifically, because the rear inclined surface 5p7 slopes from the rear to the front, extending from the outside to the inside of the game board, it becomes easier for the worker's fingers to rest on the rear side of the game board 5 without colliding with the surface when the worker's fingers are placed on it.

A4: The game board further has a protrusion that extends from the back surface of the game board on the inside of the inclined section. Specifically, the game board 5 further has a back-side step portion 5p8, which is a protrusion that extends from the back surface of the game panel 1100 on the inside of the rear inclined section. Therefore, when transporting the game board 5 with the back unit 3000 removed, if a worker's hand attempts to secure it to the outer edge wall portion 5p6 and comes into contact with the back-side step portion 5p8, the worker can be notified that there are areas that should not be touched, such as obstacle pins N and the center mechanism 2500, through the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100, beyond the back-side step portion 5p8. This further reduces contact between the worker's hand and the obstacle pins N and the center mechanism 2500, allowing for safer transport of the game board 5.

A5: The game board has an exposed portion that is not covered by the front component and where a part of the game board is exposed on the front of the game board. Specifically, the game board 5 has an exposed front portion 5p3 that is not covered by the front component 1000 and where a part of the game panel 1100 is exposed on the front surface 5x of the game board 5. Therefore, the thickness of the outer edge of the game board 5 in the front-to-back direction is reduced by the thickness of the front component 1000, making it easier for workers to grip the game board 5 when transporting it. This reduces the risk of workers accidentally coming into contact with the guide pins N or the center component 2500, making the transport of the game board 5 even safer.

A6: The exposed portions are formed in pairs on either the top, bottom, left, or right opposing edges of the game board. Specifically, the front exposed portion 5p3 is formed in pairs, for example, on the top and bottom opposing outer edges of the game board 5, making it easier for the worker to grasp the game board 5 with both hands when transporting it. This reduces the risk of the worker's hands accidentally coming into contact with the guide pins N or the center mechanism 2500, making the transport of the game board 5 even safer.

A7: The game board further includes a metal member provided along the side of the game board. Specifically, the game board 5 further includes a side metal plate 5p4, which is a metal member provided along the side of the game panel 1100. This increases the strength of the outer edge of the game board 5 in the left-right direction, preventing damage to the outer edge of the game board 5 in the left-right direction when the game board 5 is carried by a worker who grips it, thus making the transport of the game board 5 safer.

A8: The game board further has a smooth surface that smoothly connects the front and side surfaces of the game board. Specifically, the game board 5 further has a smooth surface portion 1100c1 which is a smooth surface that smoothly connects the surface and side surfaces of the game panel 1100. Therefore, when transporting the game board 5 from which the previous component 1000 has been removed, the worker can be visually guided so that their hand comes into contact with the two obtuse corners rather than the one sharp corner, and when the worker's hand tries to grasp the game panel 1100, it is designed so that the hand comes into contact with the two obtuse corners rather than the one sharp corner. This allows for tactile guidance of workers, reduces discomfort caused to workers whose hands come into contact with the outer edge of the game panel 1100, and indicates the gripping position to workers who are unaware of it after the previous component 1000 has been removed from the game board 5. This also reduces the risk of the worker's hands coming into contact with obstacle pins N or the center component 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center component 2500, thus enabling safe transportation of the game board 5.

A9: The game board is formed on the side of the rear component and further has a stepped portion that extends from the outside to the inside as it moves from the front to the rear of the game board. Specifically, the game board 5 is formed on the side of the back unit 3000 and further has a stepped rear portion 5p5 that extends from the outside to the inside as it moves from the front to the rear of the game board 5. As a result, when a worker transporting the game board 5 grasps the outer edge of the game board 5, they can hook their fingers into the stepped rear portion 5p5, preventing the worker's hand from accidentally coming into contact with the guide nails N or the center component 2500, and thus making the transport of the game board 5 even safer. Furthermore, the formation of the back step portion 5p5 reduces the thickness of the outer edge of the game board 5 in the front-to-back direction by the thickness from the back step portion 5p5 to the rearmost surface of the back unit 3000. This makes it easier for workers to grip the game board 5 when transporting it, and reduces the risk of workers accidentally coming into contact with the guide pins N or the center mechanism 2500, thus making the transport of the game board 5 even safer.

[Summary B]
B1: The gaming machine comprises an outer frame, a main frame that is openable and closable on the outer frame, and a game board that is detachably attached to the main frame. The game board has a plate-shaped game board on its front side that forms a game area through which game balls can flow down, a front component attached to the front of the game board that demarcates the outer periphery of the game area, and a plurality of protrusions and indentations formed on the front surface of the front component. The plurality of protrusions and indentations include specific protrusions and indentations formed with a predetermined degree of unevenness, and special protrusions located on the front surface of the front component that are inward from the specific protrusions and indentations and are formed with a greater degree of unevenness than the specific protrusions and indentations.

Specifically, the pachinko machine 1, which is a gaming machine, comprises an outer frame 2 formed in the shape of a rectangular frame, a main frame 4 that is openable and closable and provided on the outer frame 2, and a game board 5 that is detachably provided on the main frame 4. The game board 5 has a game panel 1100, which is a plate-shaped game board on which a game area 5a into which game balls can flow down is formed on the front side, a front component member 1000 that is attached to the front of the game panel 1100 and demarcates the outer periphery of the game area 5a, and a plurality of protrusions and indentations formed on the front surface 1000x of the front component member 1000. The multiple uneven surfaces include an uneven surface 5p1, which is a specific uneven surface formed with a predetermined degree of unevenness, and a front stepped surface 5p2, which is located on the front surface of the front component, inside the uneven surface 5p1, and formed with a greater degree of unevenness than the uneven surface 5p1. Therefore, when transporting the game board 5, the worker can be notified that there are areas on the inside of the game board 5 that should not be touched, thereby preventing the worker's hands from coming into contact with the guide pins N and the center component 2500, and enabling safe transport of the game board 5.

B2: The game board further has a smooth surface that smoothly connects the front and side surfaces of the game board, and specific uneven surfaces are also formed on the smooth surface. Specifically, the game board 5 further has a smooth surface portion 5c1 that smoothly connects the front surface 5x and side surface 5y of the game board 5, and the uneven surface 5p1 is also formed on the smooth surface portion 5c1. Therefore, when the worker's hand, guided by the smooth surface portion 5c1, comes into contact with the uneven surface 5p1, it does not cause the worker any discomfort such as pain, and it also acts as an anti-slip surface to prevent the worker's hand from slipping off the smooth surface portion 5c1, thus preventing the game board 5 from slipping from the worker's hand and preventing damage caused by the game board 5 falling. Furthermore, it prevents the worker's hand from coming into contact with the guide pins N or the center mechanism 2500, or from the game board falling on the worker's foot, thus allowing for safe transportation of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the softened surface is formed on one of the edges (top, bottom, left, or right) of the game board. Specifically, by forming the softened surface portion 5c1 on one of the outer edges 5b1 of the game board 5, the space required for forming the softened surface portion 5c1 can be reduced, thereby improving the ease of designing the game board 5.

B3: The front component is opaque and dark in color. Specifically, the front component 1000 may be formed from, for example, a dark-colored resin, or a dark-colored sticker, sheet, or film may be attached to its surface, or it may be colored using dark-colored paint. Since the dark-colored front component 1000 has a lower reflectivity compared to light-colored components such as white or yellow, it can suppress the reflection of light from multiple points on the game board 5 onto the surface of the front component 1000, thereby preventing a decrease in the player's enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, it can improve the visibility of the uneven surface 5p1 to workers transporting the game board 5. This increases the likelihood that workers' hands can be guided to the smooth surface 5c1 of the front component 1000 where the uneven surface 5p1 is formed, further reducing the chance of workers accidentally touching the guide pins N or the center component 2500, thus enabling safer transport of the game board 5.

B4: The game board further has recesses on the surface of the front component that have a surface area larger than the predetermined irregularities of the specific irregularities, and the recesses have at least one label attached to the front surface of the recesses. The game board also further has a light-emitting part that emits light through an opening formed in the recesses. Specifically, the game board 5 further has a function display forming part 1013 on the front surface 1000x of the front component member 1000, which is a recess with a surface area larger than the predetermined irregularities of the irregularities of the irregularities 5p1, and the function display forming part 1013 has a status label which is at least one label attached to the front surface of the function display forming part 1013. The game board 5 also further has a light-emitting part that emits light through an opening formed in the function display forming part 1013. Therefore, the angular shape of the stepped portion 1013a of the function display forming section 1013 allows the worker transporting the game board 5 to be notified that the function display forming section 1013 is a part that should not be touched, thereby suppressing damage to the status label and the light-emitting part of the function display unit 1400.

B5: The side surface of the game board is formed as a flat surface without any specific protrusions or indentations. Specifically, the side surface of the game board 5 is formed as a flat surface without any protrusions or indentations 5p1. Unlike when protrusions or indentations 5p1 are formed on the side surface 5y of the game board 5 (the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000 and the side surface of the game panel 1100), the protrusions or indentations 5p1 act as a non-slip surface between the worker's hand gripping the game board 5 and the side surface 5y of the game board 5. For example, when a worker gripping the game board 5 releases their hand from the outer edge of the game board 5, the worker's hand may catch on the side surface 5y of the game board 5, causing a force that detaches the front component 1000 from the game panel 1100, thus eliminating the risk of damage to the outer edge of the front component 1000.

[Example of modification of the previous component 1]
In the above-described embodiment, the basic configuration of the front component 1000 of the pachinko machine 1 was explained. The front component 1000 is a component that is assembled to the game panel 1100 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as being "attached"). Multiple positioning pins for positioning relative to the game panel are formed on the rear surface of the front component 1000. Conventionally, during the assembly work of the front component 1000 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "attachment work"), there was a risk that the worker's hand holding the front component 1000 might come into contact with the positioning pins, causing discomfort to the worker. In addition, the front component 1000 before being assembled to the game panel 1100 may be placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, and there was a risk that the rear surface of the front component 1000 might come into contact with the workbench or floor and be damaged. Below, an embodiment of the front component 1000 modified to resolve these problems will be described.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the pachinko machine 1 described above, except for the front component 1000 and the game panel 1100. Therefore, the configurations of the front component 1000 and the game panel 1100 will be explained in detail below, and the explanation of the other configurations of the pachinko machine 1 will be omitted. Figure 200 is a front perspective view showing a part of the game board 5, and more specifically, a front perspective view showing the game panel 1100 and a part of the front component 1000 before it is assembled to the game panel 1100. Figure 201 is a rear perspective view showing a part of the game board 5, and more specifically, a rear perspective view showing the game panel 1100 and a part of the front component 1000 before it is assembled to the game panel 1100.

As shown in Figures 200 and 201, the game board 5 comprises a plate-shaped game panel 1100 with a game area 5a formed on its front side and defining the rear end of the game area 5a, and a plate-shaped front component 1000 assembled to the front of the game panel 1100 and defining the outer periphery of the game area 5a. The front component 1000 and the game panel 1100 each have an outer shape that is approximately rectangular when viewed from the front.

As described above, the front component 1000 has, in a front view, an outer rail 1001 that extends in an arc shape along the circumferential direction clockwise from the lower left end, passing through the upper center end and extending to the upper right; a lower right rail 1004 that slopes linearly from the right end of the out guide section 1003 to the vicinity of the right side of the front component 1000 such that the right end is slightly higher; and a right rail 1005 that extends from the right end of the lower right rail 1004 along the right side of the front component 1000 to the lower side of the upper end of the outer rail 1001, with its upper part curving inward from the front component 1000. Furthermore, it has a plate-shaped panel decorative section 1020 provided on the outside of the outer rail 1001, the right rail 1005, and the lower right rail 1004. The panel ornament 1020 is composed of a lower left panel ornament 1021 located in the lower left of the front view, an upper left panel ornament 1022 located in the upper left of the front view, an upper right panel ornament 1023 located in the upper right of the front view, and a lower right panel ornament 1024 located in the lower right of the front view.

The lower left panel ornament 1021 is formed in a roughly triangular shape when viewed from the front by the lower and left edges of the front component 1000 and the arc of the outer rail 1001. The lower left panel ornament 1021 has a flat surface, including a sticker attachment section 1012 for easy sticker application, and a protrusion 1015 that, when transporting the game board 5, will come into contact with the front component 1000 as the worker moves their hand, indicating that there is a game area 5a inside that should not be touched.

The upper left panel ornament 1022 is formed in a roughly triangular shape when viewed from the front by the left and top edges of the front component 1000 and the arc of the outer rail 1001. The upper left panel ornament 1022 includes a function display unit mounting section 1011 to which the function display unit 1400 is attached, and a function display forming section 1013 to which a status label indicating the illumination state of the light-emitting part of the function display unit 1400 is attached.

The upper right panel ornament 1023 is formed in a roughly triangular shape when viewed from the front by the upper and right edges of the front component 1000 and the arcs of the outer rail 1001 and the right rail 1005. The upper right panel ornament 1023 has a label attachment section 1014, etc., to which a display label showing the model information of the pachinko machine 1, such as the jackpot probability and the probability of entering a bonus round, is attached. The display label is formed by printing the model information of the pachinko machine 1, such as the jackpot probability and the probability of entering a bonus round, onto a sticker, sheet, film, etc.

The lower right panel ornament 1024 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front by the right edge of the front component 1000, the lower edge of the front component 1000, the straight line of the lower right rail 1004, and the straight line connecting the straight line of the lower right rail 1004 to the lower edge of the front component 1000. The lower right panel ornament 1024 has, for example, an inspection label attachment section 1014a where an inspection label indicating that the pachinko machine 1 has been inspected is attached.

The panel ornament portion 1020 of the front component 1000 has a plurality of positioning pins 1017 and 1018 that protrude from the back surface toward the game panel 1100. The front component 1000 is positioned relative to the game panel 1100 to a preset position by fitting the plurality of positioning pins 1017 and 1018 of the panel ornament portion 1020 into a plurality of mounting holes 1127 and 1128 of the game panel 1100. Alternatively, the panel ornament portion 1020 may have mounting holes instead of some of the positioning pins 1017 and 1018, and the front component 1000 may be positioned relative to the game panel 1100 to a preset position by the positioning pins or mounting holes of the panel ornament portion 1020 and the positioning pins or mounting holes of the game panel 1100.

Figure 202 is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of the front component 1000 shown in Figure 201. Figure 203 is a side view showing a portion of the front component placed on a plane. As shown in Figures 202 and 203, the plurality of positioning pins 1017 and 1018 formed on the rear surface of the panel ornament 1020 are composed of a plurality of first positioning pins 1017 and at least one second positioning pin 1018 that is shorter than the first positioning pins 1017.

Even if the decorative panel section 1020 is placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor before being assembled to the game panel 1100, the multiple first positioning pins 1017 extending rearward from the rear surface of the decorative panel section 1020 will contact the flat surface, thereby preventing contact between the rear of the front component 1000 and the flat surface. In other words, the front component 1000 can be placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor using the first positioning pins 1017 as pivot points, preventing damage to the rear surface of the front component 1000 from contacting the flat surface, and improving the ease of assembly of the front component 1000.

In this embodiment, the first positioning pin 1017 is formed on the rear surface of each of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, upper left panel decorative portion 1022, upper right panel decorative portion 1023, and lower right panel decorative portion 1024, and is formed so that the length from the rear surface to the tip of the front component 1000 is equal. With this first positioning pin 1017, when the front component 1000 is placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, the first positioning pin 1017 can support the front component 1000 in a balanced manner, further suppressing damage to the rear surface of the front component 1000 from contact with the flat surface, and improving the assembly workability of the front component 1000.

The position of the first positioning pins 1017 formed on the panel ornament portion 1020 is such that when the front component 1000 is placed on a flat surface, the first positioning pins 1017 should support the front component 1000 in a balanced manner. Preferably, the first positioning pins 1017 are formed on at least two of the panel ornament portions: the lower left panel ornament portion 1021, the upper left panel ornament portion 1022, the upper right panel ornament portion 1023, and the lower right panel ornament portion 1024. More preferably, they are formed at each end of the panel ornament portion 1020, which has a roughly rectangular shape in front view. Furthermore, the number of first positioning pins 1017 formed on the panel ornament portion 1020 is such that when the front component 1000 is placed on a flat surface, the first positioning pins 1017 should support the front component 1000 in a balanced manner. At least two first positioning pins 1017 are formed.

Figure 204(a) is a perspective view showing the first positioning pin 1017. As shown in Figure 204(a), the first positioning pin 1017 has a cylindrical axial portion extending rearward from the rear surface of the panel ornament portion 1020, a tip end on the front side of the axial portion, and plate-shaped ribs extending radially outward from the axial portion. In this embodiment, the first positioning pin 1017 has four ribs such that the cross-section of the base of the first positioning pin 1017 is approximately cross-shaped. Such ribs can increase the strength of the axial portion, and even if an external force in the bending direction is applied to the first positioning pin 1017 when the pre-constituent member 1000 is placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, damage to the first positioning pin 1017 can be suppressed.

The tip of the first positioning pin 1017 is formed in a planar shape parallel to the rear surface of the panel ornament 1020. When the front component 1000 is placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, such a first positioning pin 1017 increases the contact area of the first positioning pin 1017 with respect to the flat surface such as a workbench or floor, allowing the front component 1000 to be supported in a balanced manner, and further suppressing damage to the rear surface of the front component 1000 from contact with the flat surface. In addition, when the front component 1000 is grasped by a worker, the first positioning pin 1017 reduces the discomfort caused to the worker even if the worker's hand comes into contact with the first positioning pin 1017, compared to a sharp positioning pin, and further improves the workability of assembling the front component 1000. Furthermore, the tip of the first positioning pin 1017 may be formed in a rounded hemispherical shape, which can further reduce the discomfort experienced by the worker when their hand comes into contact with the first positioning pin 1017.

Figure 204(b) is a perspective view showing a modified example of the first positioning pin 1017a. As shown in Figure 204(b), the tip of the first positioning pin 1017a, a modified example of the first positioning pin 1017, is formed in a substantially cross shape by a cylindrical axial portion and ribs extending from the axial portion. Such a first positioning pin 1017a can further increase the contact area of the first positioning pin 1017a with respect to a flat surface such as a workbench or floor when the previous component 1000 is placed on such a surface, thereby enabling well-balanced support of the previous component 1000. In this embodiment, the first positioning pin 1017 has four ribs, and at least its base cross-section is substantially cross-shaped. However, the first positioning pin 1017 may have at least one rib. For example, if there is one rib, the ease of forming the first positioning pin 1017 is improved, while if there are six ribs, the installation area of the first positioning pin 1017 on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor can be further increased.

Furthermore, the first positioning pin 1017 may be formed in a so-called boss shape. Such a first positioning pin 1017 can pass through the mounting hole of the game panel 1100 when the front component 1000 is positioned on the game panel 1100, and can be used as a mounting hole for a component attached to the back surface of the game panel 1100. Specifically, the component attached to the back surface of the game panel 1100 is fixed to the first positioning pin 1017 by a fixing member such as a screw, so that the game panel 1100 is sandwiched between the front component 1000 and the component attached to the back surface of the game panel 1100 from the front and rear directions.

The length of the first positioning pin 1017 is formed to be longer than the length of the second positioning pin 1018, which will be described later. This prevents the second positioning pin 1018 from coming into contact with the surface when the front component 1000 is placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, and prevents damage to the second positioning pin 1018 from contacting the surface. Furthermore, it reduces the amount of resin material used to form the second positioning pin 1018 and improves the ease of forming the second positioning pin 1018. Specifically, the length of the first positioning pin 1017 is preferably about 10.0 mm, within a range that does not exceed the thickness of the game panel 1100 (10.0 mm). It is sufficient that the worker can easily grasp the front component 1000 when it is placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor; in other words, it is sufficient that the worker's fingertips can easily enter between the front component 1000 and the surface when it is placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor. The pin is formed to be the same length as the thickness of the game panel 1100.

The diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017 is formed to be larger than the diameter of the base of the second positioning pin 1018, which will be described later. This prevents damage to the first positioning pin 1017 even if an external force in the bending direction is applied to it when the pre-constituent member 1000 is placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the amount of resin material used to form the second positioning pin 1018 and to improve the ease of forming the second positioning pin 1018. Specifically, the diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017 is preferably about 6.0 mm. This ensures the stability of the pre-constituent member 1000 when placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, and prevents damage to the first positioning pin 1017 even if an external force in the bending direction is applied to it. The first positioning pin 1017 may be formed, for example, with a tapered shape where the diameter of the tip is smaller than the diameter of the base, or it may be formed in a columnar shape where the diameters of the base and tip are approximately the same.

Furthermore, when the front component 1000 is assembled to the game panel 1100 and then transported as the game board 5, the upper side of the front component 1000 tends to be easily grasped by the worker. Therefore, it is preferable that the diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017 formed on the upper left panel ornament 1022 and the upper right panel ornament 1023 be larger than the diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017 formed on the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the lower right panel ornament 1024. This increases the strength of the first positioning pin 1017 formed on the upper left panel ornament 1022 and the upper right panel ornament 1023, thereby suppressing damage to the front component 1000 during transport of the game board 5.

In this embodiment, one second positioning pin 1018 is formed on the lower left panel ornament 1021, and two are formed on the lower right panel ornament 1024, and are formed so that the length from the rear surface to the tip of the panel ornament 1020 is equal. With such second positioning pins 1018, when the front component 1000 is positioned on the game panel 1100, it is possible to suppress the displacement of the position of the panel ornament 1020 relative to the game panel 1100 due to deflection caused by the weight of the front component 1000, for example. Furthermore, the position of the second positioning pin 1018 formed on the panel ornament portion 1020 should be such that it prevents the position of the front component 1000 from shifting relative to the game panel 1100 when the front component 1000 is positioned on the game panel 1100. It is preferable that the second positioning pin 1018 be formed on at least one of the panel ornament portions: the lower left panel ornament portion 1021, the upper left panel ornament portion 1022, the upper right panel ornament portion 1023, and the lower right panel ornament portion 1024. It is even more preferable that it be formed on each end of the panel ornament portion 1020, which has a roughly rectangular shape in front view.

Furthermore, the second positioning pin 1018 may be formed near the first positioning pin 1017, thereby improving the positioning accuracy of the first positioning pin 1017. Also, the second positioning pin 1018 may be formed at approximately equal intervals between the two first positioning pins 1017 formed on the panel decorative portion 1020, thereby effectively suppressing any misalignment of the front component 1000 relative to the game panel 1100 when the front component 1000 is positioned on the game panel 1100. Moreover, multiple second positioning pins 1018 may be formed at approximately equal intervals between the two first positioning pins 1017 formed on the panel decorative portion 1020, further effectively suppressing any misalignment of the front component 1000 relative to the game panel 1100 when the front component 1000 is positioned on the game panel 1100.

The second positioning pin 1018 has a cylindrical axial portion extending rearward from the rear surface of the panel ornament portion 1020, and a tip portion on the tip side of the axial portion. Since the second positioning pin 1018 does not have ribs like the first positioning pin 1017, it can be easily fitted into the mounting holes of the game panel 1100 when the front component 1000 is positioned on the game panel 1100, thereby improving the ease of assembly of the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100.

The tip of the second positioning pin 1018 is formed in a rounded, hemispherical shape, which reduces discomfort to the worker when their hand comes into contact with the second positioning pin 1018. Alternatively, the tip of the second positioning pin 1018 may be formed in a sharp or flat shape, allowing the front component 1000 to be easily fitted into the mounting hole of the game panel 1100 when it is positioned on the game panel 1100, further improving the ease of assembly of the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100.

The length of the second positioning pin 1018 is shorter than the length of the first positioning pin 1017. This prevents the second positioning pin 1018 from coming into contact with a flat surface such as a workbench or floor when the component 1000 is placed on such a surface, thus preventing damage to the second positioning pin 1018 from contacting the surface. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the amount of resin material used to form the second positioning pin 1018 and to improve the ease of forming the second positioning pin 1018. Specifically, it is preferable that the length of the second positioning pin 1018 be 1/2 or less of the length of the first positioning pin 1017, and more preferably that the length of the second positioning pin 1018 be 1/3 or less of the length of the first positioning pin 1017. Such a second positioning pin 1018 can further suppress contact between the second positioning pin 1018 and a flat surface such as a workbench or floor when the previous component 1000 is placed on such a surface, and can also further reduce the amount of resin material used to form the second positioning pin 1018. More specifically, the length of the second positioning pin 1017 is preferably about 5.0 mm.

The diameter of the base of the second positioning pin 1018 is smaller than the diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017. This reduces the amount of resin material used to form the second positioning pin 1018 and also improves the ease of forming the second positioning pin 1018. Specifically, the diameter of the base of the second positioning pin 1018 is preferably 1/2 or less of the diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017, and more preferably 1/3 or less of the diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017. Such a second positioning pin 1018 can be easily fitted into the mounting hole of the game panel 1100 when positioning the component 1000 relative to the game panel 1100, and also reduces the amount of resin material used to form the second positioning pin 1018. More specifically, the diameter of the base of the second positioning pin 1017 is preferably about 2.0 mm.

Furthermore, the game panel 1100 has multiple mounting holes corresponding to the first positioning pin 1017 and the second positioning pin 1018 of the previous component 1000. The mounting hole corresponding to the first positioning pin 1017 may be, for example, a cylindrical hole corresponding to the diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017, or a hole with a cross-section corresponding to the shape of the rib. Specifically, if the rib of the first positioning pin 1017 has a roughly cross-shaped cross-section, the mounting hole corresponding to the first positioning pin 1017 may also have a roughly cross-shaped cross-section to match it. This strengthens the fit with the first positioning pin 1017 and improves the positioning accuracy of the previous component 1000 relative to the game panel 1100.

As described above, the game panel 1100 has a panel plate 1110 and a panel holder 1120 assembled around the panel plate 1110. However, the game panel 1100 may also be a plate-shaped member in which the panel plate 1110 and the panel holder 1120 are integrally formed. In the case where the game panel 1100 is a plate-shaped member, the strength of the game panel 1100 can be increased, whereas in the case where the game panel 1100 is constructed by assembling the panel holder 1120 to the panel plate 1110, the amount of resin material used to form the game panel 1100 can be reduced.

[Example of modification of the previous component 2]
In the embodiment described above, a configuration of the pre-constituent member 1000 having a panel ornament 1020 in which a lower left panel ornament 1021, an upper left panel ornament 1022, an upper right panel ornament 1023, and a lower right panel ornament 1024 are integrally formed was described. However, the pre-constituent member 1000 may also have a configuration in which the panel ornament 1020 is formed by dividing it into multiple parts and assembling them to the game panel 1100 to form an integrated panel ornament. Hereinafter, such a configuration of the pre-constituent member 1000 will be described in detail.

While the panel ornament 1020 of the above-described embodiment has a left lower panel ornament 1021, a left upper panel ornament 1022, a right upper panel ornament 1023, and a right lower panel ornament 1024 which are integrally formed in a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front, the panel ornament 1020 of this embodiment has an ornament that is divided into at least two parts at an arbitrary position, and each ornament is assembled to the game panel 1100 and then integrated into a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front. In this embodiment, the panel ornament 1020 is divided between the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the upper left panel ornament 1022, and between the upper right panel ornament 1023 and the lower right panel ornament 1024, resulting in a configuration of three parts: the lower left panel ornament 1021, the lower right panel ornament 1024, and the upper left panel ornament 1022 and the upper right panel ornament 1023 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the upper panel ornament). The configuration of this three-part panel ornament 1020 will be described in detail.

Each of the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the lower right panel ornament 1024 has at least one first positioning pin 1017 formed thereon. When only one first positioning pin 1017 is formed, it is preferable that the first positioning pin 1017 be formed near the center of gravity of the lower left panel ornament 1021 or the lower right panel ornament 1024. This allows the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the lower right panel ornament 1024 to be placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, using the first positioning pin 1017 as a fulcrum. This prevents the rear surfaces of the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the lower right panel ornament 1024 from coming into contact with the flat surface and damaging them.

Furthermore, when two first positioning pins 1017 are formed, it is desirable that the first positioning pins 1017 be formed on a straight line passing through the center of gravity of the lower left panel ornament 1021 or the lower right panel ornament 1024, with the center of gravity in between. This allows the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the lower right panel ornament 1024 to be stably placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, using the two first positioning pins 1017 as fulcrums. This further suppresses damage to the rear surfaces of the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the lower right panel ornament 1024 from contact with the flat surface. Furthermore, when three or more first positioning pins 1017 are formed, it is desirable that the first positioning pins 1017 be formed at approximately equal intervals around the center of gravity of the lower left panel ornament 1021 or the lower right panel ornament 1024. This allows the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the lower right panel ornament 1024 to be placed more stably on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, using the three or more first positioning pins 1017 as fulcrums. This prevents the rear surfaces of the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the lower right panel ornament 1024 from coming into contact with the flat surface and damaging them.

Each of the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the lower right panel ornament 1024 has at least one second positioning pin 1018 formed thereon. It is preferable that at least one second positioning pin 1018 be formed near the first positioning pin 1017, thereby improving the positioning accuracy of the first positioning pin 1027 when the lower left panel ornament 1021 or the lower right panel ornament 1024 is positioned on the game panel 1100.

At least one first positioning pin 1017 is formed on the upper panel ornament portion 1020. When only one first positioning pin 1017 is formed, it is desirable that it be located near the center of gravity of the upper panel ornament portion. This allows the upper panel ornament portion to be placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, using the first positioning pin 1017 as a pivot point, thereby preventing damage to the rear surface of the upper panel ornament portion from contact with the flat surface.

Furthermore, when two first positioning pins 1017 are formed, it is desirable that the first positioning pins 1017 be formed on a straight line passing through the center of gravity of the upper panel ornament, with the center of gravity in between. This allows the upper panel ornament to be stably placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, using the two first positioning pins 1017 as fulcrums, further suppressing damage to the rear surface of the upper panel ornament due to contact with the flat surface. Also, when three or more first positioning pins 1017 are formed, it is desirable that the first positioning pins 1017 be formed at approximately equal intervals around the center of gravity of the upper panel ornament. This allows the upper panel ornament to be placed even more stably on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, using the three or more first positioning pins 1017 as fulcrums, further suppressing damage to the rear surface of the upper panel ornament due to contact with the flat surface.

The upper panel ornament portion of the panel ornament portion 1020 has at least one second positioning pin 1018 formed thereon. It is preferable that at least one second positioning pin 1018 be formed near the first positioning pin 1017, thereby improving the positioning accuracy of the first positioning pin 1017 when the upper panel ornament portion is positioned on the game panel 1100. The second positioning pin 1018 may be formed between two first positioning pins 1017, or two may be formed so as to sandwich the first positioning pins 1017, allowing for a balanced improvement in positioning accuracy when the upper panel ornament portion is positioned on the game panel 1100.

In the embodiments described above, the configuration of the first positioning pin 1017 and the second positioning pin 1018 formed on the panel decorative portion 1020 was explained for the front component 1000 having a panel decorative portion 1020 integrally formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and for the front component 1000 having a panel decorative portion 1020 divided into multiple parts. Below, the configuration of the front portion of the front component 1000 having the panel decorative portion 1020 on which the first positioning pin 1017 is formed will be described in detail.

Conventionally, in the assembly process of a pachinko machine 1, multiple panel decorative parts 1020, prior to being assembled to the game panel 1100, may be placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, stacked vertically. When one panel decorative part 1020 is placed on top of another, the front surface of one panel decorative part 1020 and the rear surface of the other panel decorative part 1020 may come into contact, potentially damaging both parts. In particular, when multiple positioning pins 1017 and 1018 formed on the other panel decorative part 1020 slide against the front surface of the first panel decorative part 1020, there was a risk of damage to the first panel decorative part 1020.

In this embodiment, the front surface of the front component 1000 (panel ornament 1020) has a fitting recess 1019 formed on its front surface, in addition to the surface relief portion 5c1 and surface recess 5c2 described above, into which the first positioning pin 1017 can be fitted. The fitting recess 1019 is formed on the front surface of the panel ornament 1020 at a position opposite the first positioning pin 1017 (a position where the axis of the first positioning pin 1017 coincides with the center of the fitting recess 1019). It may be a cylindrical recess corresponding to the diameter of the tip of the first positioning pin 1017, or a recess having a cross-section corresponding to the shape of the rib of the first positioning pin 1017.

The fitting recess 1019 of the panel ornament 1020 allows multiple panel ornaments 1020 to be placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor before being assembled to the game panel 1100. This enables the other panel ornament 1020 to be placed on top of one panel ornament 1020, which is supported on the flat surface by the first positioning pin 1017, such that the first positioning pin 1017 of the other panel ornament 1020 fits into the fitting recess 1019 of the other panel ornament 1020. Therefore, sliding of the first positioning pin 1017 of the other panel ornament 1020 on the front surface of the first panel ornament 1020 is suppressed, preventing damage to the front surface of the first panel ornament 1020, and allowing the other panel ornament 1020 to be stably placed on top of the first panel ornament 1020.

The diameter of the fitting recess 1019 of the panel ornament 1020 is preferably larger than the diameter of the tip of the first positioning pin 1027, from the viewpoint of ease of fitting the first positioning pin 1017 and suppressing sliding of the fitted first positioning pin 1017. Furthermore, the depth of the fitting recess 1019 of the panel ornament 1020 is preferably formed to be shallower than the length of the first positioning pin 1017, from the viewpoint of suppressing contact between the front and rear surfaces of the stacked front component 1000.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the fitting recess 1019 of the panel ornament 1020 be formed to correspond to all of the first positioning pins 1017 formed on the panel ornament 1020, regardless of whether the panel ornament 1020 is divided or not. This helps to prevent damage to the front surface of the panel ornament 1020 when multiple panel ornaments 1020 are stacked and placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor.

[Example of modification of the previous component 3]
In the above-described embodiment, an embodiment of the front component 1000 having a panel decorative portion 1020 on which a plurality of positioning pins 1017, 1018 are formed was described. However, in the installation work of attaching the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100, the front component 1000 is a member that is lifted by a worker from a storage place such as a workbench or storage box, positioned relative to the game panel 1100, or gripped by a worker. Conventionally, from the viewpoint of suppressing damage to the front component 1000, it has been difficult for a worker to easily grip the front component 1000, and there has been a risk that the workability of installation work such as lifting the front component 1000 from a storage place such as a workbench or storage box, or positioning the front component 1000 relative to the game panel 1100, will be reduced. Below, an embodiment of the front component 1000 modified to solve this problem will be described.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the pachinko machine 1 described above, except for the front component 1000 and the game panel 1100. Therefore, the configurations of the front component 1000 and the game panel 1100 will be explained in detail below, and the explanation of the other configurations of the pachinko machine 1 will be omitted. Figure 205 is a perspective view showing a part of the game panel 1100 to which the front component 1000 is attached.

The game board 5 comprises a plate-shaped game panel 1100 with a game area 5a formed on its front side and defining the rear end of the game area 5a, and a plate-shaped front component 1000 attached to the front of the game panel 1100 and defining the outer periphery of the game area 5a. The front component 1000 and the game panel 1100 each have an outer shape that is approximately rectangular when viewed from the front.

As shown in Figure 205, the front component 1000 has an outer wall portion that forms a space between it and the front surface of the game panel 1100, with a portion of it open to the outside. The outer wall portion has at least a plate-like portion parallel to the front surface of the game panel 1100. The following describes in detail the lower right panel ornament portion 1024 of the front component 1000.

The lower right panel ornament 1024 of the front component 1000 has an outer wall portion 1024a that forms a space 1024b between it and the front surface of the game panel 1100, with a portion open to the outside. The outer wall portion 1024a has at least a plate-like portion 1024c that is parallel to the front surface of the game panel 1100. In this embodiment, the outer wall portion 1024a has a front-view arc-shaped portion formed to stand upright from the front surface of the game panel 1100, and a plate-like portion 1024c that extends parallel to the front surface of the game panel 1100 from the front end of the arc-shaped portion.

According to the lower right panel ornament portion 1024 of the front component 1000 in this embodiment, during the installation work of attaching the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100, for example, when a worker lifts the front component 1000 from a storage location such as a workbench or storage box, the worker can hook their fingers onto the plate-like portion 1024c through the space 1024b, allowing the worker to easily lift the front component 1000. Furthermore, during the installation work of attaching the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100, for example, when positioning the front component 1000 on the game panel 1100, the worker can hook their fingers onto the plate-like portion 1024c through the space 1024b, allowing the front component 1000 to be easily attached to and detached from the game panel 1100. Therefore, the work efficiency of the installation work of attaching the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100 can be improved.

On the game panel 1100 to which the lower right panel ornament 1024 is attached, a space 1024b is formed by the outer wall portion 1024a having an arc portion and a plate-shaped portion 1024c and the front surface of the game panel 1100, with the side of the corner from the lower right panel ornament 1024 to the right edge being open. This space 1024b allows the worker to hook their fingers onto the plate-shaped portion 1024c from below or to the right when gripping the front component 1000, making it easier for the worker to lift the front component 1000. Furthermore, the space 1024b may be, for example, a space where the outer wall portion 1024a has a plate-like portion 1024c and a U-shaped portion in a front view that is formed to stand upright from the front surface of the game panel 1100, with the right side of the lower right panel ornament portion 1024 open, or the lower side of the lower right panel ornament portion 1024 open. This increases the strength of the outer wall portion 1024a, and allows a worker to hook their fingers onto the plate-like portion 1024c from below or to the right through the space 1024b, enabling the worker to easily lift the front component 1000.

In this embodiment, the space 1024b is formed at the lower right corner of the lower right panel ornament 1024. However, in a front view, it may also be formed at the center of the lower end of the lower right panel ornament 1024 or at the center of the right end of the lower right panel ornament 1024. Through each space 1024b, the worker can hook their fingers onto the plate-like portion 1024c from below or to the right, allowing the worker to easily lift the front component 1000.

The lower right panel ornament portion 1024 of the front component 1000 further has a mounting hole 1024d formed near the plate-like portion 1024c. The mounting hole 1024d is a hole into which a fixing member, such as a screw, is attached to secure the positioned front component 1000 to the game panel 1100. It has a cylindrical portion into which the fixing member is inserted, and a bottom portion formed at the rear end of the cylindrical portion, into which the head of the fixing member engages. A hole is formed in the center of the bottom portion through which the shaft portion of the fixing member is inserted. In this embodiment, the front component 1000, positioned relative to the game panel 1100, is fixed to the front surface of the game panel 1100 by a fixing member, such as a screw, inserted into the mounting hole 1024d.

The front component 1000 is attached to the game panel 1100 by being positioned on the game panel 1100 and then fixed with a fixing member or the like. However, when the front component 1000 is attached to the game panel 1100, if an external force is applied to the front at a position away from the fixing member, for example, a large deflection may occur in the front component 1000, and there is a risk that the front component 1000 may be misaligned relative to the game panel 1100. Furthermore, since the lower right panel ornament portion 1024 of the front component 1000 has a plate-like portion 1024c, for example, when opening and closing the main frame 4, there is a risk that a worker's finger or the like may get caught on the plate-like portion 1024c, and an external force is applied to the front component 1000 via the plate-like portion 1024c. In this embodiment, the mounting hole 1024d of the lower right panel ornament 1024 is formed near the plate-like portion 1024c. Therefore, even when an external force acts forward on the front component 1000 via the plate-like portion 1024c, deflection of the front component 1000 due to the external force can be suppressed, and displacement of the front component 1000 relative to the game panel 1100 can be prevented.

The plate-like portion 1024c of the lower right panel ornament 1024 may be formed in a box shape with an open rear. The plate-like portion 1024c, formed in a box shape with an open rear, allows the worker to firmly grip the plate-like portion 1024c through the space 1024b and the space within the plate-like portion 1024c when lifting the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100. This makes it easier for the worker to lift the front component 1000, improving the work efficiency of the installation process.

Furthermore, the plate-like portion 1024c, which is formed in a box shape with an open rear, may have at least one rib connecting opposing surfaces. Such a plate-like portion 1024c has improved strength due to the rib, so that even if, for example, a worker's finger firmly catches on the plate-like portion 1024c through the space within it, damage to the plate-like portion 1024c can be suppressed.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 may have a textured surface formed on at least the front surface of the plate-like portion 1024c of the lower right panel ornament portion 1024, where multiple fine irregularities are continuously present. The textured surface is, for example, a surface treatment such as texturing that forms a wrinkled pattern shape with multiple fine irregularities that can disrupt light. The wrinkled pattern shape is formed by multiple short, linear protrusions extending in random directions, and can be, for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern or a fine geometric pattern. Such a textured surface acts as an anti-slip surface, preventing the worker's hand from slipping off the front surface of the plate-like portion 1024c without causing discomfort such as pain to the worker when it comes into contact with the worker's hand, thereby preventing the front component 1000 from slipping off the worker's hand and improving the workability of the installation work when attaching the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100. Furthermore, the continuous series of fine irregularities formed on the front surface of the front component 1000 can, for example, make the dirt on the front surface of the front component 1000 less noticeable even if oil or other contaminants adhere to it when an operator touches the front surface with their bare hands. This helps to prevent a decrease in the player's enjoyment of the game, even if the dirt is visible to the player.

Furthermore, while the previous description described an embodiment in which the lower right panel ornament 1024 of the component member 1000 has an outer wall portion 1024a, a space 1024b, a plate-like portion 1024c, and a mounting hole 1024d, for example, the upper right panel ornament 1023 may have an outer wall portion 1023a, a space 1023b, a plate-like portion 1023c, and a mounting hole 1023d similar to the outer wall portion 1024a, space 1024b, plate-like portion 1024c, and mounting hole 1024d, or the lower left panel ornament 1021 and upper left panel ornament 1022 may have an outer wall portion 1024a, a space 1024b, a plate-like portion 1024c, and a mounting hole 1024d similar to the outer wall portion 1024a, space 1024b, plate-like portion 1024c, and mounting hole 1024d.

Furthermore, in the front component 1000 of this embodiment, the plate-like portion 1023c of the upper right panel ornament portion 1023 is formed to cover the upper right end of the game panel 1100, making the upper right end of the game panel 1100 invisible from the front, whereas the plate-like portion 1024c of the lower right panel ornament portion 1024 is formed so that the lower right end of the game panel 1100 is exposed, making the lower right end of the game panel 1100 visible from the front. The plate-like portion formed to cover the game panel 1100 makes the game panel 1100 invisible from the front, making it possible to make the gripping position unclear when removing the front component 1000 for someone who is trying to cheat the pachinko machine 1, thereby enhancing the security of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, the plate-like portion formed to expose the game panel 1100 allows the game panel 1100 to be visually observed from the front. For example, it can inform a worker removing the front component 1000 from the game panel 1100 of the gripping position when removing the front component 1000. Additionally, if the aforementioned sticker attachment portion 1012 is formed, the sticker attachment portion 1012 becomes visible to the worker, thus preventing the sticker attached to the sticker attachment portion 1012 from being soiled by the worker.

[Example of modification of the previous component 4]
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration of the front component 1000 and the game panel 1100 of the pachinko machine 1 was explained. The front component 1000 is a component that is assembled to the game panel 1100 (hereinafter, it may be described as being attached). Conventionally, when a worker transports the game board 5, which is constructed by attaching the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100, the worker's hand may slip on the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000 and come into contact with obstacle nails, mechanisms, etc. in the game area 5a, which could cause the obstacle nails to deform, rust to form on the obstacle nails, or damage to the mechanisms, etc. Furthermore, during the transportation of the game board 5, when a worker holding the game board 5 releases their hand from the game board 5, the worker's hand may catch on the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000, causing a force to act on the front component 1000 that detaches it forward from the game panel 1100, potentially causing damage such as cracks to the front component 1000. Below, we will describe an embodiment in which the front component 1000 has been further modified with the aim of resolving these problems.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the pachinko machine 1 described above, except for the front component 1000 and the game panel 1100. Therefore, the configurations of the front component 1000 and the game panel 1100 will be explained in detail below, and the explanation of the other configurations of the pachinko machine 1 will be omitted. Figure 206 is a front perspective view showing the game board 5, and more specifically, a front perspective view showing the game panel 1100 and the front component 1000 attached to the game panel 1100. Figure 207 is an exploded perspective view from the front showing the game board 5, and more specifically, an exploded perspective view from the front showing the game panel 1100 and the front component 1000 before it is attached to the game panel 1100.

As shown in Figures 206 and 207, the game board 5 has a game panel 1100 in which a game area 5a into which game balls can flow is formed, and a front component member 1000 provided on the front side of the game panel 1100. As described above, the game panel 1100 has a panel plate 1110 and a panel holder 1120 assembled around the panel plate 1110, and its outer shape is formed as a plate with a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front. In this configuration, where the game panel 1100 is constructed by assembling the panel holder 1120 to the panel plate 1110, the amount of resin material used to form the game panel 1100 can be reduced. Furthermore, the game panel 1100 may also be a plate-shaped member in which the panel plate 1110 and the panel holder 1120 are integrally formed, thereby increasing the strength of the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, the game panel 1100 may have a surface softening portion 1100c1, a back surface softening portion 1100c2, a back surface recess 1100c3, and an inner softening portion 1100c4, as shown in Figures 190 to 192 above. The configuration of the game panel 1100 having a surface softening portion 1100c1, a back surface softening portion 1100c2, a back surface recess 1100c3, and an inner softening portion 1100c4 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 190 to 192.

The surface softening portion 1100c1 only needs to be formed on the outer edge of the game panel 1100. For example, on the front surface 1100x of the game panel 1100, it is formed as an inclined surface such that the depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increases from the inside to the outside, and connects the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y. A worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 tends to avoid contact between their hand and the sharp corners formed by the intersection of the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y, for example, to avoid feeling pain or other discomfort in the hand grasping the game panel 1100. The softened surface portion 1100c1 can be visually guided by the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 to ensure that their hand makes contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner. Furthermore, by contacting the worker's hand attempting to grasp the game panel 1100, the softened surface portion 1100c1 can also tactilely guide the worker to make contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner. Therefore, when the game panel 1100 is transported by the worker, discomfort to the worker can be suppressed, and the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be indicated to the worker who is unaware of it. This also suppresses the risk of the worker's hands coming into contact with obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, thus enabling safe transport of the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, the surface of the softened surface portion 1100c1 may have a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) formed on it by a surface treatment such as texturing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the softened surface portion 1100c1 acts as an anti-slip surface without causing discomfort such as pain to the worker when it comes into contact with the worker's hands during transport of the game panel 1100, thus enabling safe transport of the game panel 1100. Furthermore, if a wrinkled pattern is formed on the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100, the wrinkled pattern acts as a non-slip surface between the worker's hand gripping the game board 5 and the side surface 5y of the game board 5. For example, when a worker gripping the game board 5 releases their hand from the outer edge of the game board 5, their hand may catch on the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100, causing a force that detaches the front component 1000 forward from the game panel 1100, potentially damaging the outer edge of the front component 1000. From this perspective, it is desirable that the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100 be flat without forming a wrinkled pattern. Furthermore, on the other hand, a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) is formed on the surface of the softened surface portion 1100c1 by surface treatment such as texture processing, while the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100 is flat without forming a wrinkled pattern. As a result, the feel felt in the palm of the hand and the feel felt in the fingertips are different when the worker grasps it, allowing them to readjust their grip to a position and grip that feels comfortable, and thus enabling them to safely transport the game board 5. Furthermore, regarding the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000, although it depends on its positional relationship with the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100, if the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000 is close to or flush with the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100, the feel felt in the palm of the hand and the feel felt in the fingertips when the worker grasps it will be different, so it is desirable that the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000y be flat without forming wrinkles.As mentioned above, in the case where the game panel 1100 is constructed by assembling a panel holder 1120 to a panel board 1110, it is desirable that the side surface of the panel holder 1120 (the part that covers the side surface of the panel board 1110) be flat without forming wrinkles.

The back surface portion 1100c2 only needs to be formed on the outer edge of the game panel 1100. For example, on the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100, it is formed as an inclined surface such that the depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increases from the inside to the outside, connecting the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y. The back surface portion 1100c2 can visually guide the hand of an operator attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 by being visible to the operator, and can also tactilely guide the operator so that their hand makes contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner by contacting the operator's hand attempting to grasp the game panel 1100. Furthermore, in the game panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the game panel 1100 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused by contact between the outer edge 1100b1 and the operator's hand can be suppressed. Additionally, the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be indicated to an operator who is unfamiliar with it. This reduces the risk of the operator's hand contacting obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, thus enabling safe transport of the game panel 1100. It is desirable that the back surface portion 1100c2 be formed in conjunction with the front surface portion 1100c1 in the front-to-back direction, increasing the guiding effect for the operator and further enhancing the safety of transporting the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, the surface of the soft back portion 1100c2 may have a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern, or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) formed by a surface treatment such as texturing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the soft back portion 1100c2 acts as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort or pain to the worker when it comes into contact with their hands during transport of the game panel 1100, thus enabling safe transport of the game panel 1100.

The back recess 1100c3 only needs to be formed on the outer edge of the game panel 1100, for example, it is formed in a circular concave shape on the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100. The back recess 1100c3 is formed to correspond in the front-rear direction to the front surface loose surface 1100c1 and the back surface loose surface 1100c2, and corresponds to the four fingers of a worker, from the index finger to the little finger, when gripping the front surface loose surface 1100c1 and the back surface loose surface 1100c2. Such a back recess 1100c3, together with the front surface loose surface 1100c1 and the back surface loose surface 1100c2, can contribute to the safe transport of the game panel 1100. Furthermore, the surface of the opening in the recessed portion 1100c3 on the back may be treated with a surface treatment such as texturing to create a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern, or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities). The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the recessed portion 1100c3 on the back acts as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort or pain to the worker when it comes into contact with their hands during transport of the game panel 1100, thus contributing to safer transport of the game panel 1100.

The inner smooth surface portion 1100c4 may be formed on the inner side of the game panel 1100. For example, on the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100, it is formed as an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z. A worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 may, for example, place their hand on the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100. To avoid pain in the hand grasping the game panel 1100, the worker tends to avoid contact with the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z. The inner soft surface portion 1100c4 can be visually guided by the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 to ensure that their hand makes contact with the curved surface rather than the sharp corner. Furthermore, by contacting the worker's hand as they attempt to grasp the game panel 1100, the soft surface portion 1100c4 can also tactilely guide the worker to ensure that their hand makes contact with the curved surface rather than one of the sharp corners. Therefore, in the game panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the game panel 1100 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused to the operator by contact between the inner edge 1100b2 and the operator's hand can be suppressed. Furthermore, the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be indicated to an operator who is unaware of it. This also suppresses the risk of the operator's hand contacting obstacle pins N within the game area 5a, causing deformation of the obstacle pins N or rust formation on the obstacle pins N, thus enabling safe transport of the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 196 and 197 above, the game panel 1100 may also have an outer edge wall portion 5p6, a rear slope portion 5p7, and a rear stepped portion 5p8. This further reduces contact between the hands of the worker transporting the game board 5 and the obstacle nails N and the center mechanism 2500, contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. The game panel 1100 with the outer edge wall portion 5p6, rear slope portion 5p7, and rear stepped portion 5p8 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 196 and 197.

The outer edge wall portion 5p6 may be formed on the outer edge of the game panel 1100. For example, it may be formed as a wall that protrudes rearward from the rear end of the game panel 1100 and extends along the outer edge. The outer edge wall portion 5p6 makes it easier for workers to hook their fingers around the rear side of the game board 5 when transporting it, contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. Furthermore, when transporting the game board 5 with the back unit 3000 removed, workers can hook their fingers into the outer edge wall portion 5p6, allowing them to firmly hold the game board 5 and further contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. The outer edge wall portion 5p6 may be formed as a wall that extends along the entire circumference of the outer edge of the game panel 1100, or it may be formed on a part of the outer edge of the game panel 1100. Furthermore, it is desirable that the outer edge wall portion 5p6 be formed in a position corresponding to the surface softening portion 5c1, etc., in the front-to-back direction, which can further contribute to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

The rear slope portion 5p7 should be formed to be continuous with the top of the rear end of the outer edge wall portion 5p6, for example, by being connected to the inside of the outer edge wall portion 5p6. The rear slope portion 5p7 allows the worker's fingers, which are hooked onto the outer edge wall portion 5p6, to rest against the game board 5 after the back unit 3000 has been removed. This reduces discomfort such as pain to the worker's fingers, allowing the worker to hold the game board 5 more securely and further contributing to the safer transport of the game board 5.

The stepped portion 5p8 on the back surface of the game panel 1100 is formed to protrude from the back surface 1100z of the game panel 1100, at a position inside the rear slope portion 5p7 and outside the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100. When transporting the game board 5 with the back unit 3000 removed, if the worker's hand comes into contact with the stepped portion 5p8 while attempting to secure it to the outer edge wall portion 5p6, the stepped portion 5p8 can inform the worker that there are areas they do not want to touch, such as obstacle pins N and the center mechanism 2500, through the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100, further reducing contact between the worker's hand and the obstacle pins N and the center mechanism 2500, thus enabling safer transport of the game board 5. From the viewpoint of enhancing the tactile guidance effect, it is desirable that the stepped portion 5p8 be formed continuously along the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100.

The front component 1000 is positioned outside the outer periphery of the game area 5a, as shown in Figure 206 or Figure 207, and demarcates the outer periphery of the game area 5a. As described above, the front component 1000 has a panel decorative section 1020, which is divided into multiple sections on the outer periphery of the game area 5a. In this embodiment, the panel decorative section 1020 consists of a lower left panel decorative section 1021 located in the lower left, an upper panel decorative section 1022 located above, and a lower right panel decorative section 1023 located in the lower right, as viewed from the front of the game board 5. Note that the panel decorative section 1020 is not limited to being divided into three sections: the lower left panel decorative section 1021, the upper panel decorative section 1022, and the lower right panel decorative section 1023; it may also be divided into two or four or more sections.

The lower left panel ornament 1021 is formed in a roughly triangular shape when viewed from the front by the lower and left edges of the front component 1000 and the game area 5a. The lower left panel ornament 1021 has features such as a sticker attachment section 1012 with a flat surface for easy sticker application, and a projection 1015 that, when an operator moves their hand along the front component 1000 during transport of the game board 5, will come into contact with the area, indicating that there is a game area 5a that should not be touched. Furthermore, a joint is formed at the upper end of the lower left panel ornament 1021 that abuts against the lower left end of the upper panel ornament 1022, allowing the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the upper panel ornament 1022 to be easily attached to the game panel 1100.

The upper panel ornament 1022 is formed in a roughly U-shape when viewed from the front by the left, right, and top edges of the previous component 1000 and the game area 5a. The upper panel ornament 1022 has, for example, a function display unit mounting section 1011 to which the above-mentioned function display unit 1400 is attached, a function display forming section 1013 to which a status label indicating the illumination state of the light-emitting part of the function display unit 1400 is attached, and a label attachment section 1014 to which a display label showing the model information of the pachinko machine 1, such as the probability of a jackpot and the probability of a bonus round, is attached. The display label is formed by printing the model information of the pachinko machine 1, such as the probability of a jackpot and the probability of a bonus round, on a sticker, sheet, film, etc. Furthermore, a joint is formed at the lower left end of the upper panel ornament 1022 that abuts against the upper end of the lower left panel ornament 1021, so that the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the upper panel ornament 1022 can be easily attached to the game panel 1100. Furthermore, an engaging portion is formed at the lower right end of the upper panel ornament 1022, which engages with the upper end of the lower right panel ornament 1023, allowing the upper panel ornament 1022 and the lower right panel ornament 1023 to be easily attached to the game panel 1100.

The lower right panel ornament 1023 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front by the right and lower edges of the front component 1000 and the game area 5a. The lower right panel ornament 1023 has, for example, an inspection label attachment section 1014a to which an inspection label indicating that the pachinko machine 1 has been inspected is attached. Furthermore, an engagement portion is formed at the upper end of the lower right panel ornament 1023, which engages with the lower right end of the upper panel ornament 1022, allowing the lower right panel ornament 1023 and the upper panel ornament 1022 to be easily attached to the game panel 1100.

The lower left panel ornament 1021, the upper panel ornament 1022, and the lower right panel ornament 1023 are positioned relative to the game panel 1100 by positioning pins or the like formed on each of them, and then fixed to the game panel 1100 by fixing members 1020a such as screws or bolts, and are attached to the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, at least one of the lower left panel decorative section 1021, the upper panel decorative section 1022, and the lower right panel decorative section 102 (in this embodiment, the lower left panel decorative section 1021 and the lower right panel decorative section 1023) has a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) formed on its front surfaces 1021x and 1023x by surface treatment such as textured processing. However, the side surface 1021y of the lower left panel decorative section 1021 and the side surface 1023y of the lower right panel decorative section 1023 do not have a wrinkled pattern.

In this embodiment, since wrinkle patterns are formed on the front surface 1021x of the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the front surface 1023x of the lower right panel ornament 1023, the worker's hands can be visually guided to the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the lower right panel ornament 1023 when attempting to grasp the game board 5. Furthermore, when the worker's hands come into contact with the game board 5 during transport, these patterns act as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort such as pain to the worker. This also reduces the risk of the worker's hands coming into contact with obstacle pins or center components within the game area 5a, which could cause deformation of the obstacle pins, rust on the obstacle pins, or damage to the center components, thus enabling safe transport of the game board 5. Furthermore, because no wrinkles are formed on the side surface 1021y of the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the side surface 1023y of the lower right panel ornament 1023, when an operator gripping the game board 5 releases their hand from the outer edge of the game board 5, it is prevented from the operator's hand getting caught on the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000 (the side surface 1021y of the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the side surface 1023y of the lower right panel ornament 1023), thereby preventing damage such as cracks from occurring in the front component 1000 (the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the lower right panel ornament 1023).

Furthermore, in this embodiment, even if cracks or other damage occur to the panel ornament portion 1020 (lower left panel ornament portion 1021 and lower right panel ornament portion 1023) of the front component 1000, which is held by the worker during transport of the game board 5, it is not necessary to replace the entire panel ornament portion 1020 of the front component 1000. Instead, only the damaged portion of the lower left panel ornament portion 1021 and lower right panel ornament portion 1023 needs to be replaced. This facilitates the repair of the game board 5 and contributes to the safe transport of the game board 5.

In this embodiment, wrinkle patterns are formed on the front surface 1021x of the lower left panel decorative section 1021 and the front surface 1023x of the lower right panel decorative section 1023 of the panel decorative section 1020 of the previous component 1000. However, wrinkle patterns may also be formed on the front surface 1022x of the upper panel decorative section 1022, or wrinkle patterns may be formed only on the front surface 1022x of the upper panel decorative section 1022 instead of the front surface 1021x of the lower left panel decorative section 1021 and the front surface 1023x of the lower right panel decorative section 1023. By being visible to the worker attempting to grasp the game board 5, the upper panel decorative portion 1022 can be visually guided to the worker's hand. Furthermore, when the worker's hand comes into contact with the game board 5 during transport, it acts as a non-slip surface without causing the worker any discomfort such as pain. This also reduces the risk of the worker's hand coming into contact with obstacle nails or center components within the game area 5a, which could cause deformation of the obstacle nails, rust on the obstacle nails, or damage to the center components, thus enabling safe transport of the game board 5. In this configuration, it is desirable not to form wrinkles on the side surface 1022y of the upper panel decorative portion 1022. This prevents the worker's hand from getting caught on the side surface 1000y (side surface 1022y of the upper panel decorative portion 1022) when the worker grasping the game board 5 releases their hand from the outer edge of the game board 5, thereby preventing damage such as cracks from occurring on the front component 1000 (upper panel decorative portion 1022). Furthermore, even if cracks or other damage occur to the panel ornament portion 1020 (upper panel ornament portion 1022) of the front component 1000, which is held by the worker during transport of the game board 5, only the upper panel ornament portion 1022 needs to be replaced, without having to replace the entire panel ornament portion 1020 of the front component 1000. This makes it easy to repair the game board 5 and contributes to the safe transport of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the upper panel ornament 1022 has a function display unit mounting portion 1011 formed on the opening/closing axis side when the game board 5 is opened and closed in the pachinko machine 1, so as to penetrate the main body of the upper panel ornament 1022 in the front-to-back direction. The main body 1401 of the function display unit 1400 is fitted into the function display unit mounting portion 1011 from the rear of the upper panel ornament 1022 before the upper panel ornament 1022 is attached to the game panel 1100. For example, fastening members such as screws or bolts may be used to attach the function display unit 1400 to the upper panel ornament 1022. In such an upper panel ornament 1022, wiring 1402 extends to the rear from the function display unit 1400, and when transporting the upper panel ornament 1022 or the game panel 1100 to which the upper panel ornament 1022 is attached, there is a risk that the worker's hands may come into contact with the front of the function display unit 1400 or the wiring 1402, potentially damaging the function display unit 1400 or the wiring 1402. However, in this embodiment, as described above, a wrinkled pattern is formed on the front of the upper panel ornament 1022, so the worker This design prevents the user's hand from slipping on the front surface of the upper panel ornament 1022 and coming into contact with the front surface of the function display unit 1400. Furthermore, even if the function display unit 1400 is damaged, because the front component 1000 is composed of multiple component pieces, it is possible to replace only the upper panel ornament 1022 or remove only the upper panel ornament 1022 and replace the function display unit 1400 without removing the entire front component 1000 from the game panel 1100. This contributes to the safe transport of the game board 5.

Figure 208 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the lower right panel ornament 1023. As shown in Figure 208, the function display unit 1400 may be mounted on the lower right panel ornament 1023. In this embodiment, the lower right panel ornament 1023 has a function display unit mounting portion 1011 formed on the pivot side opposite to the opening/closing axis side when the game board 5 is opened and closed in the pachinko machine 1. For example, the function display unit mounting portion 1011 is formed in place of the inspected label attachment portion 1014a described above. Furthermore, the main body 1401 of the function display unit 1400 is provided with an LED board on which a connector is mounted to which wiring 1402 that electrically connects to the LED and the panel relay board can be connected. By removing this connector, it can be easily electrically disconnected. Therefore, the lower right panel ornament 1023 together with the function display unit 1400 can be easily removed from the game board while it is still screwed in place. In this configuration of the lower right panel ornament 1023, the wrinkled pattern formed on the front surface of the lower right panel ornament 1023 prevents the worker's hand from slipping on the front surface of the lower right panel ornament 1023 and coming into contact with the front surface of the function display unit 1400. Furthermore, even if the function display unit 1400 is damaged, since the front component 1000 is composed of multiple component pieces, it is possible to replace only the lower right panel ornament 1023 or only the upper panel ornament 1022 without removing the entire front component 1000 from the game panel 1100, thereby contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. The function display unit 1400 may also be provided on the lower left panel ornament 1021, similar to the configurations of the upper panel ornament 1023 and the lower right panel ornament 1023 described above.

Furthermore, since the previous component 1000 is divided, each panel ornament can be easily removed. Therefore, an information area for inscribing manufacturer information (e.g., lot number) may be provided at the position where the two overlap when attached to the game panel 1100. When such an information area is provided, it is desirable that at least the panel ornament covering the area where the information area is provided be made of black resin, so that the manufacturer information inscribed in the information area is not visible to the player. When a player wants to see the manufacturer information inscribed in an information area that they cannot see, they can easily remove the corresponding panel ornament and view it. For example, in the event of a malfunction, it is possible to trace the problem using the lot number as exemplified. Also, when the panel ornament is made of transparent resin, a wrinkled pattern may be formed on the panel ornament by surface treatment such as texture processing. In addition to the anti-slip effect of the wrinkled pattern, the wrinkled pattern can make it difficult to see the manufacturer information inscribed in the information area. Furthermore, the decorative panel portion may be formed from a dark-colored, translucent resin such as black. In such cases, from the viewpoint of making the information written in the information area difficult to see, it is desirable that the color of the information written in the information area be a dark color such as black or gray. It is even more effective to create a wrinkled pattern on the front surface of the decorative panel portion by surface treatment such as textured processing.

Furthermore, the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, the upper panel decorative portion 1022, or the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 constituting the aforementioned component 1000 may have a surface softened portion 5c1, a surface recessed portion 5c2, or an outer sharpened portion 5c4 as shown in Figures 187 to 189. The visual or tactile guidance effects of these components contribute to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

The surface relief portion 5c1 is formed on the outer edge of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, the upper panel decorative portion 1022, or the lower right panel decorative portion 1023, in an inclined surface shape such that the depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increases from the inside to the outside, and linearly connects the front and side surfaces. The surface relief portion 5c1 is visible to the worker attempting to grasp the game board 5, allowing the worker's hand to be guided to the surface relief portion 5c1 visually and tactilely. This reduces discomfort to the worker when transporting the game board 5 and indicates the gripping position. It also reduces the risk of the worker's hand coming into contact with obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, thus contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the surface of the softened surface portion 5c1 may have a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern, or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) formed on it by surface treatment such as texturing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the softened surface portion 5c1 acts as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort or pain to the worker's hands when transporting the game board 5, thus making the transport of the game board 5 even safer.

The surface recess 5c2 is formed in a concave or perforated shape on the front surface of the lower left panel ornament 1021, the upper panel ornament 1022, or the lower right panel ornament 1023. The surface recess 5c2 schematically suggests a person's thumb, so when the game board 5 is being transported, the visual guidance effect causes the worker's thumb to rest on the surface recess 5c2. Therefore, when the game board 5 is being transported by a worker, the gripping position of the game board 5 can be indicated to a worker who is unaware of it. This reduces the risk of the worker's hand coming into contact with obstacle nails N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle nails N, rust on the obstacle nails N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, thus contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. It is preferable that the surface recess 5c2 is formed adjacent to the surface softened surface 5c1.

Furthermore, the surface of the opening in the surface recess 5c2 may be treated with a surface treatment such as texturing to create a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern, or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities). The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the surface recess 5c2 acts as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort or pain to the worker when it comes into contact with their hands during transport, thus making the transport of the game board 5 even safer.

The outer pointed portion 5c4 is formed on the inner edge of the lower left panel ornament 1021, the upper panel ornament 1022, or the lower right panel ornament 1023. More specifically, the outer pointed portion 5c4 is formed, for example, at the inner and front end of the main body that supports the metal rail arranged in an arc shape in the outer rail 1001, and is formed in a sharp corner shape where the angle between the surface and side of the outer rail 1001 is, for example, 90 degrees or less. Such an outer pointed portion 5c4 can be formed on the entire inner end of the front component 1000 or on a part of the inner end of the front component 1000. When transporting the game board 5, the worker's hand will come into contact with the outer pointed portion 5c4 before it comes into contact with obstacle pins N or the center component 2500 within the game area 5a, preventing the worker from moving their hand beyond the outer pointed portion 5c4 into the game area 5a. This reduces the risk of the obstacle pins N being deformed, rust forming on the obstacle pins N, or the center component 2500 being damaged by contact with the obstacle pins N or the center component 2500 within the game area 5a, thus contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5.

Figure 209 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the lower right panel ornament 1023. As shown in Figure 209, the lower right panel ornament 1023 may have an outer wall portion 1023a that forms a space 1023b between itself and the front surface of the game panel 1100, with a portion of it open to the outside. The outer wall portion 1023a has at least a plate-like portion 1023c that is parallel to the front surface of the game panel 1100. With such a lower right panel ornament 1023, in the installation work of attaching the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100, for example, when a worker lifts the front component 1000 which is placed on a workbench or storage box, the worker can hook their fingers into the plate-like portion 1023c through the space 1023b, and the worker can easily lift the front component 1000. Furthermore, in the installation work of attaching the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100, for example, when positioning the front component 1000 on the game panel 1100, the worker can hook their fingers onto the plate-shaped portion 1023c through the space 1023b, making it easy to attach and detach the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100. Thus, the workability of the installation work of attaching the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100 can be improved. The plate-shaped portion 1023c is also an important component in the work of attaching and detaching the game board 5 to the main frame 4, and in particular, when removing the game board 5 from the main frame 4, a return edge (forming an L-shape on the edge from the rear surface of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 toward the front side of the game panel 1100) may be provided on the edge so that the hooked fingers do not easily slip off the plate-shaped portion 1023c, making it easier to apply force with the fingertips and allowing the game board 5 to be safely removed from the main frame 4. Furthermore, the lower right panel ornament 1023, which contacts the game panel 1100 instead of the plate-like portion 1023c, may have a notch (not shown) formed in at least a part of the end of the side wall that forms the bottom edge when viewed from the front, large enough for a fingertip to fit inside. This notch is formed in a shape similar to that of a barb, making it easier to apply force with the fingertip, and allowing the game board 5 to be safely removed from the main frame 4. Since stress is applied to the plate-like portion 1023c and the notch during attachment and detachment, at least the lower right panel ornament 1023 is fixed to the game panel 1100 with mounting screws near the plate-like portion 1023c and the notch. In the event that excessive stress is applied and damage occurs, even if an electrical component such as the function display unit 1400 is attached to the aforementioned component 1000, the function display unit 1400 can be easily removed from the game panel 1100 and replaced with a new one.

Furthermore, the front surface of the plate-like portion 1023c of the lower right panel ornament portion 1023 may have a textured surface formed on it, where multiple fine irregularities are continuous. The textured surface is, for example, a surface that has been treated with a surface treatment such as texturing to form a wrinkled pattern shape with multiple fine irregularities that can disrupt light. The wrinkled pattern shape is formed by multiple short, linear protrusions extending in random directions, and can be, for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern or a fine geometric pattern. Such a textured surface acts as an anti-slip surface, preventing the worker's hand from slipping off the front surface of the plate-like portion 1024c without causing discomfort such as pain to the worker's hand when it comes into contact with it, thereby preventing the front component 1000 from slipping off the worker's hand and improving the workability of the installation work when attaching the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100. Furthermore, the continuous series of fine irregularities formed on the front surface of the front component 1000 makes, for example, if an operator touches the front surface of the front component 1000 with their bare hands and dirt such as oil adheres to it, the dirt on the front surface of the front component 1000 becomes less noticeable, and even if it is visually observed by a player, it helps to suppress a decrease in the player's enjoyment of the game. A similar effect is achieved during the attachment and detachment of the game board 5 to the main frame 4.

[Example 5 of modification of the previous component]
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration of the front component 1000 and the game panel 1100 of the pachinko machine 1 was explained. The front component 1000 is a component that is assembled to (hereinafter referred to as attached to) the game panel 1100. Conventionally, when a worker transports the game board 5 with the front component 1000 attached to the game panel 1100, the worker's hand may slip on the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000 and come into contact with obstacle nails, mechanisms, etc. in the game area 5a, potentially causing the obstacle nails to deform, rust to form on the obstacle nails, or damage to the mechanisms, etc. Furthermore, during the transportation of the game board 5, when a worker gripping the game board 5 releases their hand from the outer edge of the game board 5, the worker's hand may catch on the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000, causing a force to act on the front component 1000 that detaches it forward from the game panel 1100, potentially causing damage such as cracks to the front component 1000. Below, we will describe an embodiment in which the front component 1000 has been further modified with the aim of resolving these problems.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the pachinko machine 1 described above, except for the front component 1000 and the game panel 1100. Therefore, the configurations of the front component 1000 and the game panel 1100 will be explained in detail below, and the explanation of the other configurations of the pachinko machine 1 will be omitted. Figure 210 is a front perspective view showing the opening/closing axis side of the game board 5. More specifically, it is a front perspective view showing the opening/closing axis side of the game panel 1100 and the opening/closing axis side of the front component 1000 attached to the game panel 1100.

As shown in Figure 210, the game board 5 has a game panel 1100 in which a game area 5a into which game balls can flow is formed, and a front component member 1000 provided on the front side of the game panel 1100. As described above, the game panel 1100 has a panel plate 1110 and a panel holder 1120 assembled around the panel plate 1110, and its outer shape is formed as a plate with a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front. In this configuration, where the game panel 1100 is constructed by assembling the panel holder 1120 to the panel plate 1110, the amount of resin material used to form the game panel 1100 can be reduced. Furthermore, the game panel 1100 may also be a plate-shaped member in which the panel plate 1110 and the panel holder 1120 are integrally formed, thereby increasing the strength of the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, the game panel 1100 may have a surface softening portion 1100c1, a back surface softening portion 1100c2, a back surface recess 1100c3, and an inner softening portion 1100c4, as shown in Figures 190 to 192 above. The configuration of the game panel 1100 having a surface softening portion 1100c1, a back surface softening portion 1100c2, a back surface recess 1100c3, and an inner softening portion 1100c4 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 190 to 192.

The surface softening portion 1100c1 only needs to be formed on the outer edge of the game panel 1100. For example, on the front surface 1100x of the game panel 1100, it is formed as an inclined surface such that the depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increases from the inside to the outside, and connects the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y. A worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 tends to avoid contact between their hand and the sharp corners formed by the intersection of the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y, for example, to avoid feeling pain or other discomfort in the hand grasping the game panel 1100. The softened surface portion 1100c1 can be visually guided by the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 to ensure that their hand makes contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner. Furthermore, by contacting the worker's hand attempting to grasp the game panel 1100, the softened surface portion 1100c1 can also tactilely guide the worker to make contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner. Therefore, when the game panel 1100 is transported by the worker, discomfort to the worker can be suppressed, and the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be indicated to the worker who is unaware of it. This also suppresses the risk of the worker's hands coming into contact with obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, thus enabling safe transport of the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, the surface of the softened surface portion 1100c1 may have a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) formed on it by a surface treatment such as texturing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the softened surface portion 1100c1 acts as an anti-slip surface without causing discomfort such as pain to the worker when it comes into contact with the worker's hands during transport of the game panel 1100, thus enabling safe transport of the game panel 1100. Furthermore, if a wrinkled pattern is formed on the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100, the wrinkled pattern acts as a non-slip surface between the worker's hand gripping the game board 5 and the side surface 5y of the game board 5. For example, when a worker gripping the game board 5 releases their hand from the outer edge of the game board 5, their hand may catch on the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100, causing a force that detaches the front component 1000 forward from the game panel 1100, potentially damaging the outer edge of the front component 1000. From this perspective, it is desirable that the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100 be flat without forming a wrinkled pattern. Furthermore, on the other hand, a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) is formed on the surface of the softened surface portion 1100c1 by surface treatment such as texture processing, while the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100 is flat without forming a wrinkled pattern. As a result, the feel felt in the palm of the hand and the feel felt in the fingertips are different when the worker grasps it, allowing them to readjust their grip to a position and grip that feels comfortable, and thus enabling them to safely transport the game board 5. Furthermore, regarding the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000, although it depends on its positional relationship with the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100, if the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000 is close to or flush with the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100, the feel felt in the palm of the hand and the feel felt in the fingertips when the worker grasps it will be different, so it is desirable that the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000y be flat without forming wrinkles.As mentioned above, in the case where the game panel 1100 is constructed by assembling a panel holder 1120 to a panel board 1110, it is desirable that the side surface of the panel holder 1120 (the part that covers the side surface of the panel board 1110) be flat without forming wrinkles.

The back surface portion 1100c2 only needs to be formed on the outer edge of the game panel 1100. For example, on the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100, it is formed as an inclined surface such that the depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increases from the inside to the outside, connecting the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y. The back surface portion 1100c2 can visually guide the hand of an operator attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 by being visible to the operator, and can also tactilely guide the operator so that their hand makes contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner by contacting the operator's hand attempting to grasp the game panel 1100. Furthermore, in the game panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the game panel 1100 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused by contact between the outer edge 1100b1 and the operator's hand can be suppressed. Additionally, the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be indicated to an operator who is unfamiliar with it. This reduces the risk of the operator's hand contacting obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, thus enabling safe transport of the game panel 1100. It is desirable that the back surface portion 1100c2 be formed in conjunction with the front surface portion 1100c1 in the front-to-back direction, increasing the guiding effect for the operator and further enhancing the safety of transporting the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, the surface of the soft back portion 1100c2 may have a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern, or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) formed by a surface treatment such as texturing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the soft back portion 1100c2 acts as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort or pain to the worker when it comes into contact with their hands during transport of the game panel 1100, thus enabling safe transport of the game panel 1100.

The back recess 1100c3 only needs to be formed on the outer edge of the game panel 1100, for example, it is formed in a circular concave shape on the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100. The back recess 1100c3 is formed to correspond in the front-rear direction to the front surface loose surface 1100c1 and the back surface loose surface 1100c2, and corresponds to the four fingers of a worker, from the index finger to the little finger, when gripping the front surface loose surface 1100c1 and the back surface loose surface 1100c2. Such a back recess 1100c3, together with the front surface loose surface 1100c1 and the back surface loose surface 1100c2, can contribute to the safe transport of the game panel 1100. Furthermore, the surface of the opening in the recessed portion 1100c3 on the back may be treated with a surface treatment such as texturing to create a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern, or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities). The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the recessed portion 1100c3 on the back acts as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort or pain to the worker when it comes into contact with their hands during transport of the game panel 1100, thus contributing to safer transport of the game panel 1100.

The inner smooth surface portion 1100c4 may be formed on the inner side of the game panel 1100. For example, on the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100, it is formed as an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z. A worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 may, for example, place their hand on the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100. To avoid pain in the hand grasping the game panel 1100, the worker tends to avoid contact with the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z. The inner soft surface portion 1100c4 can be visually guided by the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 to ensure that their hand makes contact with the curved surface rather than the sharp corner. Furthermore, by contacting the worker's hand as they attempt to grasp the game panel 1100, the soft surface portion 1100c4 can also tactilely guide the worker to ensure that their hand makes contact with the curved surface rather than one of the sharp corners. Therefore, in the game panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the game panel 1100 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused to the operator by contact between the inner edge 1100b2 and the operator's hand can be suppressed. Furthermore, the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be indicated to an operator who is unaware of it. This also suppresses the risk of the operator's hand contacting obstacle pins N within the game area 5a, causing deformation of the obstacle pins N or rust formation on the obstacle pins N, thus enabling safe transport of the game panel 1100.

As shown in Figures 196 and 197 above, the game panel 1100 may further have an outer edge wall portion 5p6, a rear slope portion 5p7, and a rear stepped portion 5p8. This further reduces contact between the hands of the worker transporting the game board 5 and the obstacle nails N and the center mechanism 2500, contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. The configuration of the game panel 1100 with the outer edge wall portion 5p6, rear slope portion 5p7, and rear stepped portion 5p8 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 196 and 197.

The outer edge wall portion 5p6 may be formed on the outer edge of the game panel 1100. For example, it may be formed as a wall that protrudes rearward from the rear end of the game panel 1100 and extends along the outer edge. The outer edge wall portion 5p6 makes it easier for workers to hook their fingers around the rear side of the game board 5 when transporting it, contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. Furthermore, when transporting the game board 5 with the back unit 3000 removed, workers can hook their fingers into the outer edge wall portion 5p6, allowing them to firmly hold the game board 5 and further contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. The outer edge wall portion 5p6 may be formed as a wall that extends along the entire circumference of the outer edge of the game panel 1100, or it may be formed on a part of the outer edge of the game panel 1100. Furthermore, it is desirable that the outer edge wall portion 5p6 be formed in a position corresponding to the surface softening portion 5c1, etc., in the front-to-back direction, which can further contribute to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

The rear slope portion 5p7 should be formed to be continuous with the top of the rear end of the outer edge wall portion 5p6, for example, to be connected to the inside of the outer edge wall portion 5p6. The rear slope portion 5p7 allows the worker's fingers, which are hooked onto the outer edge wall portion 5p6, to rest against the game board 5 after the back unit 3000 has been removed. This reduces discomfort such as pain to the worker's fingers, allowing the worker to hold the game board 5 more securely and further contributing to the safer transport of the game board 5.

The stepped portion 5p8 on the back surface of the game panel 1100 is formed to protrude from the back surface 1100z of the game panel 1100, at a position inside the rear slope portion 5p7 and outside the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100. When transporting the game board 5 with the back unit 3000 removed, if the worker's hand comes into contact with the stepped portion 5p8 while attempting to secure it to the outer edge wall portion 5p6, the stepped portion 5p8 can inform the worker that there are areas they do not want to touch, such as obstacle pins N and the center mechanism 2500, through the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100, further reducing contact between the worker's hand and the obstacle pins N and the center mechanism 2500, thus enabling safer transport of the game board 5. From the viewpoint of enhancing the tactile guidance effect, it is desirable that the stepped portion 5p8 be formed continuously along the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100.

As shown in Figure 210, the front component 1000 is positioned on the outer periphery of the game area 5a, and demarcates the outer periphery of the game area 5a. The front component 1000 has a surface relief portion 5c1 formed on its outer edge, which is shaped like an inclined surface where the depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increases from the inside to the outside. The surface relief portion 5c1 can be visually and tactilely guided to the surface relief portion 5c1 by the worker attempting to grasp the game board 5. This reduces discomfort to the worker when transporting the game board 5 and indicates the gripping position. It also reduces the risk of the worker's hand coming into contact with obstacle pins N or the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, potentially causing deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center mechanism 2500, thus contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the surface of the softened surface portion 5c1 may have a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern, or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) formed on it by surface treatment such as texturing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the softened surface portion 5c1 acts as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort or pain to the worker's hands when transporting the game board 5, thus further contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5.

Furthermore, if a wrinkled pattern is formed on the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000, the wrinkled pattern acts as an anti-slip surface between the worker's hand gripping the game board 5 and the side surface 5y of the game board 5. For example, when a worker gripping the game board 5 releases their hand from the outer edge of the game board 5, their hand may catch on the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000, causing a force that detaches the front component 1000 forward from the game panel 1100, potentially damaging the outer edge of the front component 1000. From this perspective, it is desirable that the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000 be flat without forming a wrinkled pattern.

Furthermore, a stepped portion 5c7 is formed on the side surface 5y of the game board 5 (the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000 and the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100), connecting the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000 and the front surface 1100x of the game panel 1100. Such a stepped portion 5c7 can prevent the worker's hand from making strong contact with the front component 1000 even if the worker's hand catches on the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000 when releasing their hand from the outer edge of the game board 5 during transportation. This prevents a force that would cause the game panel 1100 to be pulled forward from the front component 1000, thus preventing damage such as cracks from occurring in the front component 1000, and contributing to the safe transportation of the game board 5. Furthermore, the stepped portion 5c7 may be formed on at least a portion of the side surface 5y of the game board 5 (the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000 and the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100). For example, it may be formed in a range corresponding to the surface softening portion 5c1 in the front-rear direction, which contributes to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the stepped portion 5c7 may be formed on at least one of the following sides: the side on which the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4 opens and closes together with the main frame 4, or the side on which it rotates opposite to the opening and closing axis. In particular, when formed on the opening and closing axis side, it allows the worker to easily remove their hand from the small gap between the main frame 4 and the game board 5 without getting caught on the side 5y of the game board 5, thus contributing to the safe installation of the game board 5.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the aforementioned wrinkle pattern is not formed on the side surface 5y of the game board 5 (the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000 and the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100), and that the wrinkle pattern is not formed on the front surface 1100x of the game panel 1100 that constitutes the stepped portion 5c7. This prevents a worker's hand from getting caught on the side surface 5 of the game board 5 during transport, thereby suppressing the force that would cause the front component 1000 to detach from the game panel 1100, and further contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 206 to 208 above, the aforementioned component 1000 has a panel decorative section 1020, and the panel decorative section 1020 may be divided into multiple sections on the outer periphery of the game area 5a. In this embodiment, the panel decorative section 1020 may consist of a lower left panel decorative section 1021 located in the lower left, an upper panel decorative section 1022 located above, and a lower right panel decorative section 1023 located in the lower right, when viewed from the front of the game board 5. In this configuration, even if cracks or other damage occur to the panel ornament portion 1020 of the front component 1000, which is held by the worker during transport of the game board 5, it is not necessary to replace the entire panel ornament portion 1020 of the front component 1000. Instead, only the damaged portion among the lower left panel ornament portion 1021, upper panel ornament portion 1022, and lower right panel ornament portion 1023 needs to be replaced. This facilitates the repair of the game board 5 and contributes to the safe transport of the game board 5. Note that the panel ornament portion 1020 is not limited to being divided into three parts: the lower left panel ornament portion 1021, upper panel ornament portion 1022, and lower right panel ornament portion 1023. It may also be divided into two or four or more parts.

At least one of the lower left panel ornament 1021, the upper panel ornament 1022, and the lower right panel ornament 102 has a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern or a geometric pattern consisting of fine indentations) formed on its front surface by surface treatment such as texture processing. This allows the worker to visually guide their hand to the lower left panel ornament 1021 and the lower right panel ornament 1023 when attempting to grasp the game board 5. Furthermore, when the worker's hand comes into contact with the game board 5 during transport, it acts as a non-slip surface without causing discomfort such as pain to the worker. This also reduces the risk of the worker's hand coming into contact with obstacle pins or center components in the game area 5a, which could cause deformation of the obstacle pins, rust on the obstacle pins, or damage to the center components, thus contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. Furthermore, the sides of the lower left panel ornament 1021, the upper panel ornament 1022, and the lower right panel ornament 102 are free of wrinkles. This prevents the worker's hand from catching on the side surface 1000y of the front component 1000 when releasing their hand from the outer edge of the game board 5, thereby preventing damage such as cracks from occurring in the front component 1000, and contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the upper panel ornament 1022 has a function display unit mounting portion 1011 formed on the opening/closing axis side when the game board 5 is opened and closed in the pachinko machine 1, so as to penetrate the main body of the upper panel ornament 1022 in the front-to-back direction. The main body 1401 of the function display unit 1400 is fitted into the function display unit mounting portion 1011 from the rear of the upper panel ornament 1022 before the upper panel ornament 1022 is attached to the game panel 1100. For example, fastening members such as screws or bolts may be used to attach the function display unit 1400 to the upper panel ornament 1022. In such an upper panel ornament 1022, wiring 1402 extends to the rear from the function display unit 1400, and when transporting the upper panel ornament 1022 or the game panel 1100 to which the upper panel ornament 1022 is attached, there is a risk that the worker's hands may come into contact with the front of the function display unit 1400 or the wiring 1402, potentially damaging the function display unit 1400 or the wiring 1402. However, in this embodiment, as described above, a wrinkled pattern is formed on the front of the upper panel ornament 1022, so the worker This design prevents the user's hand from slipping on the front surface of the upper panel ornament 1022 and coming into contact with the front surface of the function display unit 1400. Furthermore, even if the function display unit 1400 is damaged, because the front component 1000 is composed of multiple component pieces, it is possible to replace only the upper panel ornament 1022 or remove only the upper panel ornament 1022 and replace the function display unit 1400 without removing the entire front component 1000 from the game panel 1100. This contributes to the safe transport of the game board 5.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 208 above, the function display unit 1400 may be mounted on the lower right panel ornament 1023. In this configuration, the lower right panel ornament 1023 has a function display unit mounting portion 1011 formed on the pivot side opposite to the opening/closing axis side when the game board 5 is opened and closed in the pachinko machine 1. For example, the function display unit mounting portion 1011 is formed in place of the inspected label attachment portion 1014a described above. In addition, the main body 1401 of the function display unit 1400 is provided with an LED board on which a connector is mounted to which wiring 1402 that electrically connects to the LED and the panel relay board can be connected. By removing this connector, it is possible to easily disconnect it electrically. Therefore, the lower right panel ornament 1023 together with the function display unit 1400 can be easily removed from the game panel 1100 while it is still screwed in place. In this configuration of the lower right panel ornament 1023, the wrinkled pattern formed on the front surface of the lower right panel ornament 1023 prevents the worker's hand from slipping on the front surface of the lower right panel ornament 1023 and coming into contact with the front surface of the function display unit 1400. Furthermore, even if the function display unit 1400 is damaged, since the front component 1000 is composed of multiple component pieces, it is possible to replace only the lower right panel ornament 1023 or only the upper panel ornament 1022 without removing the entire front component 1000 from the game panel 1100, thereby contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. The function display unit 1400 may also be provided on the lower left panel ornament 1021, similar to the configurations of the upper panel ornament 1023 and the lower right panel ornament 1023 described above.

Furthermore, since the previous component 1000 is divided, each panel ornament can be easily removed. Therefore, an information area for inscribing manufacturer information (e.g., lot number) may be provided at the position where the two overlap when attached to the game panel 1100. When such an information area is provided, it is desirable that at least the panel ornament covering the area where the information area is provided be made of black resin, so that the manufacturer information inscribed in the information area is not visible to the player. When a player wants to see the manufacturer information inscribed in an information area that they cannot see, they can easily remove the corresponding panel ornament and view it. For example, in the event of a malfunction, it is possible to trace the problem using the lot number as exemplified. Also, when the panel ornament is made of transparent resin, a wrinkled pattern may be formed on the panel ornament by surface treatment such as texture processing. In addition to the anti-slip effect of the wrinkled pattern, the wrinkled pattern can make it difficult to see the manufacturer information inscribed in the information area. Furthermore, the decorative panel portion may be formed from a dark-colored, translucent resin such as black. In such cases, from the viewpoint of making the information written in the information area difficult to see, it is desirable that the color of the information written in the information area be a dark color such as black or gray. It is even more effective to create a wrinkled pattern on the front surface of the decorative panel portion by surface treatment such as textured processing.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 209 above, the lower right panel ornament 1023 may have an outer wall portion 1023a that forms a space 1023b between itself and the front surface of the game panel 1100, with a portion of it open to the outside. The outer wall portion 1023a has at least a plate-like portion 1023c that is parallel to the front surface of the game panel 1100. With such a lower right panel ornament 1023, in the installation work of attaching the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100, for example, when a worker lifts the front component 1000 which is placed on a workbench or storage box, the worker can hook their fingers into the plate-like portion 1023c through the space 1023b, and the worker can easily lift the front component 1000. Furthermore, in the installation work of attaching the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100, for example, when positioning the front component 1000 on the game panel 1100, the worker can hook their fingers onto the plate-shaped portion 1023c through the space 1023b, making it easy to attach and detach the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100. Thus, the workability of the installation work of attaching the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100 can be improved. The plate-shaped portion 1023c is also an important component in the work of attaching and detaching the game board 5 to the main frame 4, and in particular, when removing the game board 5 from the main frame 4, a return edge (forming an L-shape on the edge from the rear surface of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 toward the front side of the game panel 1100) may be provided on the edge so that the hooked fingers do not easily slip off the plate-shaped portion 1023c, making it easier to apply force with the fingertips and allowing the game board 5 to be safely removed from the main frame 4. Furthermore, the lower right panel ornament 1023, which contacts the game panel 1100 instead of the plate-like portion 1023c, may have a notch (not shown) formed in at least a part of the end of the side wall that forms the bottom edge when viewed from the front, large enough for a fingertip to fit inside. This notch is formed in a shape similar to that of a barb, making it easier to apply force with the fingertip, and allowing the game board 5 to be safely removed from the main frame 4. Since stress is applied to the plate-like portion 1023c and the notch during attachment and detachment, at least the lower right panel ornament 1023 is fixed to the game panel 1100 with mounting screws near the plate-like portion 1023c and the notch. In the event that excessive stress is applied and damage occurs, even if an electrical component such as the function display unit 1400 is attached to the aforementioned component 1000, the function display unit 1400 can be easily removed from the game panel 1100 and replaced with a new one.

Furthermore, the front surface of the plate-like portion 1023c of the lower right panel ornament portion 1023 may have a textured surface formed on it, where multiple fine irregularities are continuous. The textured surface is, for example, a surface that has been treated with a surface treatment such as texturing to form a wrinkled pattern shape with multiple fine irregularities that can disrupt light. The wrinkled pattern shape is formed by multiple short, linear protrusions extending in random directions, and can be, for example, a rough, pear-skin-like pattern or a fine geometric pattern. Such a textured surface acts as an anti-slip surface, preventing the worker's hand from slipping off the front surface of the plate-like portion 1024c without causing discomfort such as pain to the worker's hand when it comes into contact with it, thereby preventing the front component 1000 from slipping off the worker's hand and improving the workability of the installation work when attaching the front component 1000 to the game panel 1100. Furthermore, the continuous series of fine irregularities formed on the front surface of the front component 1000 makes, for example, if an operator touches the front surface of the front component 1000 with their bare hands and dirt such as oil adheres to it, the dirt on the front surface of the front component 1000 becomes less noticeable, and even if it is visually observed by a player, it helps to suppress a decrease in the player's enjoyment of the game. A similar effect is also achieved during the attachment and detachment of the game board 5 to the main frame 4.

[Examples of various notations]
Next, we will describe a configuration that facilitates the assembly of various components to the game board, as a further different form from the above. In the following, we will describe a side unit 2200A, which is a modified version of the side unit 2200 described in Figures 78 to 80 and Figure 84, with reference to Figure 211(a), etc. For components other than the side unit 2200A, the same reference numerals will be used for components that are the same as those in the above embodiment having the side unit 2200 described above.

Figure 211(a) is a front view showing the front of the side unit 2200A, Figure 211(b) is a rear view showing the rear of the side unit 2200A, and Figure 212 is an exploded view showing the side unit 2200A with the film member 2203A, which will be described later, detached from it. As shown in Figure 211(a) or Figure 211(b), the side unit 2200A includes a side unit body 2202A that extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the start port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, three general prize entry openings 2001A formed in the side unit body 2202A that are open to receive game balls B at all times, and one sub-out opening 2021A formed in the side unit body 2202A that are open to receive game balls B at all times. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 212, a predetermined film member 2203A is attached to the front surface of the side unit body 2202A. The side unit 2200A can guide the game balls B received in the general prize entry opening 2001A and the sub-out opening 2021A downwards towards the rear side of the game panel 1100, and hand them over to the back ball guidance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000.

The side unit body 2202A is formed from a transparent or translucent synthetic resin. In a front view, the side unit body 2202A has, from left to right, a sub-outlet 2021A, three general prize slots 2001A, and a shelf section 2201A. In front of the sub-outlet 2021A, the three general prize slots 2001A, and the shelf section 2201A, a flat front section 2204A is formed to which a seal-like film member 2203A can be attached.

The film member 2203A is composed of a sheet material made of a light-transmitting synthetic resin. On the front surface of the film member 2203A, as shown in Figure 212, for example, a background pattern 2207A (in this example, a cherry blossom pattern in red and pink) that decorates substantially the entire front surface of the side unit 2200A, a prize slot marking 2205A (in this example, the alphabetical string "IN" in black) formed at a position corresponding to the general prize slot 2001A (near the general prize slot 2001A, preferably at least a part of which overlaps with the general prize slot 2001A in the front-to-back direction) to indicate that it is the general prize slot 2001A, and an outlet slot marking 2206A (in this example, the alphabetical string "OUT" in black) formed at a position corresponding to the sub-out slot 2021A (near the sub-out slot 2021A, preferably at least a part of which overlaps with the sub-out slot 2021A in the front-to-back direction) to indicate that it is the sub-out slot 2021A. Furthermore, the prize entry slot markings 2205A and the output slot markings 2206A may be positioned so as to not overlap with the general prize entry slot 2001A and the sub-output slot 2021A in the front-to-back direction, provided that they are clearly indicated to the player as corresponding to the general prize entry slot 2001A and the sub-output slot 2021A.

Figure 213 shows the structural details of the film member 2203A in this example, and is an exploded view in which the film member 2203A is separated into multiple film layers. As shown in Figure 213, the film member 2203A in this example has at least three layers, consisting of a first film layer 2203Aa on the frontmost side, a second film layer 2203Ab located below the first film layer 2203Aa, and a third film layer 2203Ac located below the second film layer 2203Ab. Each film layer is stacked and integrated to form a single seal-like member. Of these, the first film layer 2203Aa is a sheet material made of translucent synthetic resin with the prize entry opening markings 2205A and the exit opening markings 2206A printed on it. Furthermore, the second film layer 2203Ab is a sheet material made of translucent synthetic resin on which the aforementioned background pattern 2207A (in this example, a cherry blossom pattern in red and pink) is printed. The third film layer 2203Ac is a sheet material made of translucent synthetic resin on which a white background is printed all over to make the aforementioned background pattern 2207A more vivid, and an adhesive is applied to the back side so that it can be attached to the front part 2204A of the side unit body 2202A. In other words, the film component 2203A in this example is configured such that the background pattern 2207A of the second film layer 2203Ab, and the prize slot markings 2205A and out slot markings 2206A of the first film layer 2203Aa overlap the white background of the third film layer 2203Ac. Since all of these are translucent film layers, it is possible to illuminate and decorate the side unit 2200A by providing a decorative substrate with light-emitting elements such as LEDs behind it. Note that the film component 2203A is not limited to the three film layers described above; it may consist of three or more film layers, or even just two or one film layer. In the case of two or one film layer, the prize slot markings 2205A and out slot markings 2206A may be printed on the film layer on which the background pattern 2207A is printed.

Figure 214 shows modified versions of the notation patterns for the prize entry slot notation 2205A and the out entry slot notation 2206A shown in Figures 211 and 212. In the examples shown in Figures 211 and 212, the prize entry slot notation 2205A is formed with the alphabetical string "IN" in black, and the out entry slot notation 2206A is formed with the alphabetical string "OUT" in black. Each modified version shown in Figure 214 is similar to the examples shown in Figures 211 and 212 in that it uses alphabetical notation, but in particular, the examples shown in Figures 214(a) to 214(f) differ in that they have an internal notation section 2206Aa and an external notation section 2206Ab. Specifically, in the examples shown in Figures 214(a) and 214(b), the prize entry slot markings 2205A and the exit slot markings 2206A consist of a black inner marking section 2206Aa that mimics the corresponding alphabetical lettering ("IN" or "OUT") and a white outer marking section 2206Ab that also mimics the corresponding alphabetical lettering ("IN" or "OUT"). The outer marking section 2206Ab is formed to surround the entire outer edge of the inner marking section 2206Aa.

Here, with reference to Figures 214(a) and 214(b), the details of the prize entry slot marking 2205A, the payout slot marking 2206A, and the background pattern 2207A will be explained. The prize entry slot marking 2205A and the payout slot marking 2206A are located on the front side of the background pattern 2207A (in this example, a red and pink cherry blossom pattern), specifically on the upper side of the film layer on which the background pattern 2207A is provided. Therefore, depending on the color of each marking, there is a risk that the markings may blend into the background pattern 2207A, impairing their visibility from the outside. In this example, the inner marking section 2206Aa and the outer marking section 2206Ab are formed in different colors, and at least the outer marking section 2206Ab is formed in a color different from the color used for the background pattern 2207A (white in this example). This allows the outer marking section 2206Ab (white in this example), which surrounds the entire perimeter of the inner marking section 2206Aa (black in this example), to create a buffer area where the background image 2207A and the inner marking section 2206Aa are not continuous. This clearly defines the boundary between the background image 2207A and the inner marking section 2206Aa, ensuring sufficient visibility of the prize entry marking 2205A and the out entry marking 2206A, which are located on the front side of the background image 2207A.

Furthermore, the colors of the background pattern 2207A, the inner marking section 2206Aa, and the outer marking section 2206Ab are not limited to the color combinations described above. Other color combinations are also acceptable as long as the visibility of the prize entry marking 2205A and the out entry marking 2206A, located on the front side of the background pattern 2207A, can be ensured. Specifically, if the background pattern 2207A is a red or pink cherry blossom pattern, the outer marking section 2206Ab may be black and the inner marking section 2206Aa may be white, as shown in Figure 214(c). Alternatively, the outer marking section 2206Ab may be black and the inner marking section 2206Aa may be the same color as the background, as shown in Figure 214(d). Furthermore, the prize entry slot markings 2205A and the payout slot markings 2206A may be composed of multiple marking sections in addition to the inner marking section 2206Aa and the outer marking section 2206Ab, provided that the visibility of the prize entry slot markings 2205A and the payout slot markings 2206A is ensured. For example, at least one intermediate marking section 2206Ac may be further included between the inner marking section 2206Aa and the outer marking section 2206Ab. Specifically, when the background pattern 2207A is a red or pink cherry blossom pattern, as shown in Figure 214(e), the outer marking section 2206Ab may be black, the inner marking section 2206Aa may be blue, and the intermediate marking section 2206Ac may be white; or, as shown in Figure 214(f), the outer marking section 2206Ab may be white, the inner marking section 2206Aa may be blue, and the intermediate marking section 2206Ac may be black.

Furthermore, the prize entry slot markings 2205A and the out slot markings 2206A may be configured without the internal marking section 2206Aa and the external marking section 2206Ab, as shown in Figures 214(g) and (h), provided that the visibility of the prize entry slot markings 2205A and the out slot markings 2206A can be ensured. They may also be italicized "OUT" as shown in Figure 214(g), or diagonally arranged strings of "OUT" as shown in Figure 214(h). Although not shown in the illustrations, the prize entry slot markings 2205A only need to indicate to the player that the ball entry slot is the general prize entry slot 2001A. They may be written in katakana as "イン", in hiragana as "いん", in kanji as "得", or as a symbol such as "〇". Furthermore, the out-out gate designation 2206A only needs to indicate to the player that the out-out gate is the sub-out-out gate 2021A. It can be written in katakana as "out," in hiragana as "out," in kanji as "loss," or as a symbol such as "×."

In a pachinko machine 1 in which the above-described side unit 2200A is assembled to the game board 5, players can easily understand the location of the general prize entry point 2001A and the sub-out entry point 2021A within the game area 5a by visually checking the prize entry point markings 2205A and the out entry point markings 2206A. However, in conventional games, the prize entry point markings 2205A and the out entry point markings 2206A were only visible when the side unit 2200A was viewed from the front. Therefore, for example, during the development and manufacturing processes of a gaming machine, when inspecting and confirming whether there are any abnormalities in the structure of the ball passages on the back of the side unit 2200A (inside the general prize entry opening 2001A and the sub-out opening 2021A) before assembly to the game board 5, it is time-consuming to identify which passage leads to the general prize entry opening 2001A and the sub-out opening 2021A from the back of the side unit 2200A (for example, it is time-consuming to turn it over and check the markings each time). This reduces the work efficiency of the development and manufacturing processes of the gaming machine and is insufficient in terms of convenience. The following describes a modified version of the side unit 2200A aimed at resolving these problems.

Conventionally, when the aforementioned film member 2203A has a third film layer 2203Ac, etc., a base is provided over its entire surface. The background pattern 2207A of the second film layer 2203Ab and the prize entry markings 2205A and out entry markings 2206A of the first film layer 2203Aa are configured to overlap the front side of the base. Therefore, when the third film layer 2203Ac is viewed from the back side, even if the third film layer 2203Ac is translucent, the visibility of the prize entry markings 2205A and out entry markings 2206A from the back side is obstructed by the color of the base, making them invisible or difficult to see. In contrast, in the side unit 2200A of this example, in order to improve the efficiency of inspection and verification work from the back side of the side unit 2200A to which the above-mentioned film member 2203A is attached, and to enhance convenience, "back prize entry opening marking 2205Aa" and "back outlet opening marking 2206Aa" are provided on the back side of the third film layer 2203Ac of the above-mentioned film member 2203A. Specifically, the back prize entry slot markings 2205Aa and the back exit slot markings 2206Aa are printed on the lower side (for example, the back side of the white base) of the third film layer 2203Ac, and are visible from the back side of the film member 2203A (the back side of the third film layer 2203Ac) without their visibility being obstructed by the white base. Even when the film member 2203A is attached to the side unit 2200A, the back prize entry slot markings 2205Aa and the back exit slot markings 2206Aa are visible from the back side of the side unit 2200A through the transparent side unit 2200A. The back prize slot marking 2205Aa is positioned to correspond to the general prize slot 2001A (near the general prize slot 2001A, preferably at least a portion overlapping with the general prize slot 2001A in the front-to-back direction), making it possible to indicate from the back side of the film member 2203A that the general prize slot 2001A is located there and that the prize slot marking 2205A is located on the front side. Similarly, the back outlet slot marking 2206Aa is positioned to correspond to the sub-outlet slot 2021A (near the sub-outlet slot 2021A, preferably at least a portion overlapping with the sub-outlet slot 2021A in the front-to-back direction), making it possible to indicate from the back side of the film member 2203A that the sub-outlet slot 2021A is located there and that the outlet slot marking 22056A is located on the front side.

Furthermore, the back prize slot markings 2205Aa and 2206Aa in this example are formed using the strings "IN" and "OUT" in black alphabetical characters, as shown in Figure 211. The "IN" and "OUT" characters constituting the back prize slot markings 2205Aa and 2206Aa are formed as strings that can be normally recognized when the film member 2203A (or side unit 2200A) is viewed from the back side. When viewed from the front side of the film member 2203A (or side unit 2200A), the characters are inverted using the same font and color as those constituting the prize slot markings 2205A and 2206A. This makes it easy to communicate to the operator that the prize slot markings 2205A and 2205Aa, and the outlet markings 2206A and 2206Aa, correspond to each other.

As an alternative example, the prize entry marking 2205A and the out entry marking 2206A may be modified to any of the variations shown in Figures 214(a) to (f). In such cases, the reverse prize entry marking 2205Aa and the reverse out entry marking 2206Aa may be modified as follows. For example, when modifying the prize entry marking 2205A and the out entry marking 2206A to any of the variations shown in Figures 214(a) to (f), the reverse prize entry marking 2205Aa and the reverse out entry marking 2206Aa may be configured such that they do not have the same relationship between the inner marking section 2206Aa and the outer marking section 2206Ab that constitute the prize entry marking 2205A and the out entry marking 2206Aa, and may be configured in a single color (for example, only black) rather than multiple colors. Specifically, the back prize slot markings 2205Aa and back outlet slot markings 2206Aa, as shown in the example above, are surrounded only by the background. Therefore, it is acceptable to omit the outer marking section 2206Ab and instead use only a color different from the background color. By doing so, it is possible to avoid the complexity of the printing compared to the case where the back prize slot markings 2205Aa and back outlet slot markings 2206Aa are equipped with an inner marking section 2206Aa and an outer marking section 2206Ab. Furthermore, by differentiating the visibility of the back prize entry slot markings 2205Aa and 2206Aa (visibility using only one color) from that of the prize entry slot markings 2205A and 2206A (visibility using two colors), it is possible to clearly distinguish the front and back of the film component 2203A, and to facilitate checking the front and back when attaching the film component 2203A to the side unit 2200A. This provides a unique effect specific to this example.

In this example, the back prize slot markings 2205Aa and back outlet slot markings 2206Aa are printed below the white background of the third film layer 2203Ac. However, the configuration in which the back prize slot markings 2205Aa and back outlet slot markings 2206Aa are provided is not limited to this, and may be implemented in the following configurations. For example, the back prize slot markings 2205Aa and 2206a may be printed above the white base layer of the third film layer 2203Ac, leaving the white base layer transparent only where the back prize slot markings 2205Aa and 2206a are located. Alternatively, the back prize slot markings 2205Aa and 2206a may be printed on the rear surface of the first film layer 2203Aa, which already has the prize slot markings 2205A and 2206 printed on it, leaving the white base layer transparent only where the back prize slot markings 2205Aa and 2206Aa are located. The base color is not limited to white; other colors are also acceptable.

Furthermore, while the above example illustrates the use of the same notation method (alphabetical notation) as the prize entry opening notation 2205A and the outlet opening notation 2206AA for the back prize entry opening notation 2205A and the outlet opening notation 2206AA, it is not limited to this, and a different notation method from that of the prize entry opening notation 2205A and the outlet opening notation 2206A may be used. For example, while the prize entry opening notation 2205A and the outlet opening notation 2206A may be alphabetical notation, the back prize entry opening notation 2205Aa and the back outlet opening notation 2206Aa may be written in katakana ("in", "out", etc.), hiragana ("in", "out", etc.), kanji ("gain", "loss", etc.), or graphics ("circle", "cross", etc.). Doing so will clearly distinguish the front and back of the film member 2203A, and will also make it easier to check the front and back when attaching the film member 2203A to the side unit 2200A. Furthermore, when using graphic representations, it is preferable to ensure that the representations of the prize entry point 2205A and the reverse prize entry point 2205Aa correspond to each other, and that the representations of the exit point 2206A and the reverse exit point 2206Aa correspond to each other. For example, the reverse prize entry point 2205Aa could be represented by "☆" and the reverse exit point 2206Aa by "★".

Furthermore, the notation style for the reverse prize entry slot notation 2205Aa and the reverse out entry slot notation 2206Aa is not limited to those described above. Even if the notation style is similar to that of the prize entry slot notation 2205A and the out entry slot notation 2206A, a different font may be used. For example, even if the same string of characters as "OUT" is used, the size, shape, and boldness of the string may be different from those of the prize entry slot notation 2205A and the out entry slot notation 2206A, thus distinguishing it from the reverse prize entry slot notation 2205Aa and the reverse out entry slot notation 2206Aa.

Furthermore, since the markings for the back prize entry point 2205Aa and the back payout point 2206Aa are intended for developers, manufacturers, or administrators, rather than players, it is preferable to make them as difficult to see as possible from the player's perspective, considering the aesthetics of the side unit 2200A. Therefore, in this example, the side unit 2200A, with the film member 2203A attached, is designed so that the markings for the back prize entry point 2205Aa and the back payout point 2206Aa are invisible or difficult to see when viewed from a player's perspective (for example, from above). This point will be explained below.

Specifically, in this example, the side unit 2200A has a plate-shaped protruding wall 2208A extending in the left-right direction on the back side of the side unit 2200A so as to protrude to the rear, and this protruding wall 2208A is configured to be located above the back prize entry opening indicator 2205Aa and the back out opening indicator 2206Aa. It is preferable that the protruding wall 2208A is provided in such a way that game balls that enter the general prize entry opening 2001A or the sub-out opening 2021A cannot come into contact with it, but if it is provided in such a way that contact is possible, it is desirable that the amount of protrusion be such that it does not obstruct the flow of game balls, and that an inclined portion be formed so that game balls that come into contact with it do not remain. By providing a protruding wall 2208A on the back side of the side unit 2200A in this way, even if a player looks into the general prize entry opening 2001A or the sub-out opening 2021A from the entrance, the protruding wall 2208A obstructs the visibility of the interior, making the back prize entry opening markings 2205Aa and the back out opening markings 2206Aa invisible or difficult to see. This prevents the back prize entry opening markings 2205Aa and the back out opening markings 2206Aa from detracting from the aesthetic appeal of the side unit 2200A and the overall decorative quality of the gaming machine.

Alternatively, instead of positioning the protruding wall 2208A above the back prize entry markings 2205Aa and 2206Aa, the protruding wall 2208A may be positioned so as to overlap with the back prize entry markings 2205Aa and 2206Aa in the front-to-back direction. Even in this case, the protruding wall 2208A may obstruct the visibility of the inside, making the back prize entry markings 2205Aa and 2206Aa invisible or difficult to see, thus preventing a decrease in the aesthetic appeal of the side unit 2200A and the overall decorative quality of the gaming machine due to the back prize entry markings 2205Aa and 2206Aa. However, if the protruding wall 2208A is to overlap the rear prize entry marking 2205Aa and the rear outlet marking 2206Aa in the front-to-back direction, it is desirable to ensure that the protruding wall 2208A does not overlap at least a portion of the rear prize entry marking 2205Aa and the rear outlet marking 2206Aa in the front-to-back direction, in order to avoid obscuring the visibility of these markings from the back side of the side unit 2200A.

Furthermore, in this example, the side unit 2200A employs the following configuration to avoid a decrease in the aesthetic appeal of the side unit 2200A and the overall decorative appeal of the gaming machine due to the rear prize entry opening markings 2205Aa and rear out opening markings 2206Aa. Specifically, a side unit decorative board (not shown) with multiple LEDs mounted on it is provided at the rear of the side unit 2200A. The multiple LEDs mounted on this side unit decorative board allow light to be shone from behind onto the background pattern 2207A and prize entry opening markings 2205A printed on the film member 2203A attached to the front of the side unit body 2202A, while preventing light from being shone from behind onto the out opening markings 2206A printed on the film member 2203. This makes the background image 2207A and the prize entry point 2205A more prominent in relation to the out-out point 2206A within the game area 5a, thereby preventing players from focusing on the undesirable sub-out-out point 2021A. As a result, a decline in the enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

As an alternative example, multiple LEDs mounted on the side unit decorative substrate may be configured to illuminate the entire film member 2203A attached to the front of the side unit body 2202A from the rear. In this case, the rear outlet marking 2206Aa may be used to suppress the illumination of the outlet marking 2206A. For example, at least the rear outlet marking 2206Aa may be printed with a non-transparent paint (e.g., a non-transparent plating), and the rear outlet marking 2206Aa and the outlet marking 2206A may be positioned so that they overlap in the front-to-back direction. With this configuration, even if the entire film member 2203A is illuminated from the rear by multiple LEDs mounted on the side unit decorative substrate, the non-transparent rear outlet marking 2206Aa itself can block light from penetrating forward, thus preventing the outlet marking 2206A from emitting light.

As described above, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the prize entry opening markings 2205A and the output opening markings 2206A can be seen from the front side of the side unit 2200A, and the back prize entry opening markings 2205Aa and the back output opening markings 2206Aa can be seen from the rear side of the side unit 2200A. Therefore, during the development and manufacturing process of the game machine, when inspecting and confirming whether there are any abnormalities in the structure of the ball flow paths on the back side of the side unit 2200A (inside the general prize entry opening 2001A and inside the sub-output opening 2021A) before assembly to the game board 5, it is easy to identify from the back side of the side unit 2200A which flow path leads to the general prize entry opening 2001A and the sub-output opening 2021A, thereby improving work efficiency and convenience during the development and manufacturing process of the game machine.

In the above embodiment, the side unit 2200A is provided with a general prize entry opening 2001A and a sub-out opening 2021A, and the back prize entry opening indicator 2205Aa and the back out opening indicator 2206Aa are provided. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and the side unit 2200A may be provided with a general prize entry opening 2001A and a sub-out opening 2021A, but only the back prize entry opening indicator 2205Aa may be provided without the back out opening indicator 2206Aa, or only the back out opening indicator 2206Aa may be provided without the back prize entry opening indicator 2205Aa. Furthermore, when multiple general prize entry points 2001A or multiple sub-out entry points 2021A are provided, it is not necessary to provide the back prize entry point markings 2205Aa and back out entry point markings 2206Aa on all of them. Instead, the back prize entry point markings 2205Aa and back out entry point markings 2206Aa may be provided only on some of the ball entry points. In other words, by providing the back prize entry point markings 2205Aa and back out entry point markings 2206Aa only on the particularly important flow path sections among the areas where inspection and confirmation are performed to check for abnormalities in the ball flow path structure on the back of the side unit 2200A before assembly to the game board 5, it is possible to improve the work efficiency of the game machine development and manufacturing processes while suppressing the complexity of the film member 2203A's structure.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment exemplified the side unit 2200A as the object to which the general prize entry opening 2001A and sub-out opening 2021A are provided, the invention is not limited to this. Prize entry and out openings may be provided on other components, and a film component having markings corresponding to the back prize entry opening markings 2205Aa and back out opening markings 2206Aa can be attached to the component, while ensuring that the markings corresponding to the back prize entry opening markings 2205Aa and back out opening markings 2206Aa are visible from the back side of the component. Moreover, such a component may have both a prize entry opening and a sub-out opening, or only one of them. Such a configuration can also achieve the same effects as described above.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the back prize entry markings 2205Aa and back out entry markings 2206Aa may detract from the aesthetic appearance of the game machine if they are visible to the player, potentially reducing the player's enjoyment of the game. Therefore, it is desirable that they be invisible from the front side of the side unit 2200A. In this embodiment, by using a non-transparent paint (for example, a non-transparent plating) on the back surfaces of the back prize entry markings 2205Aa and back out entry markings 2206Aa, the back surface of the base material corresponding to the back prize entry markings 2205Aa and back out entry markings 2206Aa, the back surface of the background pattern 2207A, and the back surfaces of the prize entry markings 2205A or out entry markings 2206A, the back prize entry markings 2205Aa and back out entry markings 2206Aa are configured to be invisible from the front side of the side unit 2200A. Furthermore, at least a portion of the prize entry slot markings 2205A and the outlet slot markings 2206A may be visible from the rear side of the side unit 2200A. For example, by printing the background, background image 2207A, the reverse prize entry slot markings 2205Aa and the reverse outlet slot markings 2206Aa, located behind the prize entry slot markings 2205A and the outlet slot markings 2206A, with a translucent paint, at least a portion of the prize entry slot markings 2205A and the outlet slot markings 2206A can be visible from the rear side of the side unit 2200A. This allows the operator to see the location of the general prize entry slot 2001A and the sub-outlet slot 2021A, along with the reverse prize entry slot markings 2205Aa and the reverse outlet slot markings 2206Aa.

[Examples of various notations being modified 2]
The above example describes an embodiment that can improve the workability of inspecting and confirming whether there are any abnormalities in the structure of the ball passage on the back side of the side unit 2200A before assembly to the game board 5. On the other hand, in the development and manufacturing processes of amusement machines, it is sometimes necessary to actually operate the amusement machine on a trial basis in order to inspect and confirm whether there are any defects in the amusement machine to be introduced to the amusement hall. In such cases, considering costs and other factors, the amusement machine may be operated without attaching the film member 2203A to the side unit 2200A. In such cases, even if the side unit 2200A is equipped with a general prize entry port 2001A and a sub-out port 2021A, it is not possible to determine the location of the general prize entry port 2001A and the sub-out port 2021A by using the prize entry port markings 2205A and the out port markings 2206A as a guide. Therefore, when operating the gaming machine experimentally, it may be difficult to confirm whether the actions associated with ball entry into the general prize entry port 2001A and the sub-out port 2021A are appropriate (for example, whether or not the ball entry will result in a payout). Therefore, the following describes a side unit 2200A that has been further modified to improve convenience in order to solve these problems. The side unit 2200B described below is a modified version of the side unit 2200A described above, and the same configuration as the side unit 2200A will not be explained below.

Figure 215(a) is a front view showing the front of the side unit 2200B in this example, and Figure 215(b) is a rear view showing the rear of the side unit 2200B in another embodiment. More specifically, Figures 215(a) and 215(b) show the side unit 2200B before the film member 2203B is attached to the front of the side unit body 2202B (the side unit 2200B before the film member 2203B is attached). The film member 2203B, before being attached to the front of the side unit body 2202B, is shown below the side unit body 2202B.

As shown in Figures 215(a) and 215(b), the side unit 2200B, like the side unit 2200A described above, is capable of having a film member 2203B attached to it, which has a prize entry slot marking 2205B, an out slot marking 2206B, a back prize entry slot marking 2205Bb, and a back out slot marking 2206Bb. However, in the side unit 2200B, these markings are not formed using alphabetical characters, but rather using the shapes "●" or "★". Specifically, the prize entry slot marking 2205B is formed using the shape "●" which has a black inner marking part and a white outer marking part as described above, and the back prize entry slot marking 2205Bb is formed using the shape "●" which is made up of only one color, black. Furthermore, the outlet marking 2205B is formed by a "★" shape with a black inner marking and a white outer marking, as described above, while the back outlet marking 2205Bb is formed by a "★" shape consisting of only black.

Here, the side unit 2200B of this example will be described. The side unit 2200B of this example has a film member 2203B that can be attached to the front portion 2204B, and also has a rear prize entry slot identification portion 2205Bb and a rear outlet slot identification portion 2206Bb. The rear prize entry slot identification portion 2205Bb and the rear outlet slot identification portion 2206Bb are formed to be visible from the front and rear sides of the side unit 2200B when the film member 2203B is not attached. The rear prize entry slot identification portion 2205Bb and the rear outlet slot identification portion 2206Bb of this embodiment are formed to extend outwards from the rear side of the side unit body 2202B, and their shape corresponds to the prize entry slot markings 2205B and 2206B, and the rear prize entry slot markings 2205Bb and 2206Bb. Specifically, the back prize entry slot identification section 2205Bb is a protruding part with a cross-section shaped like a "●", corresponding to the prize entry slot marking 2205B and the back prize entry slot marking 2205Bb. The back outlet slot identification section 2206Bb is a protruding part with a cross-section shaped like a "★", corresponding to the outlet slot marking 2206B and the back outlet slot marking 2206Bb. These back prize entry slot identification sections 2205Bb and back outlet slot identification sections 2206Bb are formed as extensions on the back side of the side unit body 2202B and are easily visible from the back side of the side unit 2200B. However, since the entire side unit 2200B, including the side unit body 2202B, is made of transparent resin, even when the side unit 2200B is viewed from the front side, the parts with the "●" or "★" shape can be identified through the transparent side unit body 2202B. In other words, the back prize entry port identification section 2205Bb and the back outlet port identification section 2206Bb are visible from both the back and front sides of the side unit 2200B before the film member 2203B is attached to the front surface of the side unit body 2202B, and can function as substitutes for the prize entry port markings 2205B, outlet port markings 2206B, back prize entry port markings 2205Bb, and back outlet port markings 2206Bb on the film member 2203B. It is preferable that the back prize entry port identification section 2205Bb and the back outlet port identification section 2206Bb are positioned so that game balls entering the general prize entry port 2001B and sub-out port 2021B cannot come into contact with them. However, even if contact does occur, it is desirable that the protrusion amount be such that it does not obstruct the flow of the game balls, and that an inclined portion be formed so that the contacted game balls do not remain.

As described above, the side unit 2200B in this example is equipped with a back prize entry identification section 2205Bb and a back outlet identification section 2206Bb, which correspond to the prize entry entry entry section 2205Bb, the outlet entry

In this embodiment, the back prize entry slot identification section 2205Bb is formed on the side unit body 2202B after the film member 2203B is attached to the front portion 2204B of the side unit body 2202B, so as to overlap with the background pattern 2207B or the prize entry slot marking 2205A in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the aesthetic appearance of the pachinko game machine 1 due to the formation of the back prize entry slot identification section 2205Bb, and it is also possible to suppress the decrease in the player's enjoyment of the game due to the back prize entry slot identification section 2205Bb being visible to the player. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the back out slot identification section 2206Bb is formed on the side unit body 2202B after the film member 2203B is attached to the front portion 2204B of the side unit body 2202B, so as to overlap with the background pattern 2207B or the prize entry slot marking 2205A in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, the formation of the rear outlet identification section 2206Bb can prevent the aesthetic appearance of the pachinko machine 1 from being compromised, and it can also prevent the player from seeing the rear outlet identification section 2206Bb and thus reducing the player's enjoyment of the game.

In the example described above, the prize entry slot marking section 2205B and the rear prize entry slot marking section 2205Ba are represented by a circle ("〇"), and the rear prize entry slot identification section 2205Bb, in the example described above, has a cross-section of a circle ("〇") and protrudes rearward from the side unit body 2202B. Although they are the same form, they may have different shapes while maintaining a corresponding relationship. Specifically, the prize entry slot marking section 2205B and the rear prize entry slot marking section 2205Ba may be represented by English letters such as "IN", katakana characters such as "イン", hiragana characters such as "いん", kanji characters such as "得", or by symbols other than a circle ("〇") such as "☆" or "△". Furthermore, the rear prize entry slot identification section 2205Bb may be formed to have a cross-section other than a circle ("☆" or "△") and protrude rearward from the side unit body 2202B. Furthermore, while the outlet opening marking section 2206B and the rear outlet opening marking section 2206Ba are represented by a "☆" in the above example, and the rear outlet opening identification section 2206Bb has a "☆" cross-section and protrudes rearward from the side unit body 2202B in the above example, they are identical in form, but their shapes may differ while maintaining a corresponding relationship. Specifically, the outlet opening marking section 2206B and the rear outlet opening marking section 2206Ba may be represented by English letters such as "IN," katakana characters such as "イン," hiragana characters such as "いん," kanji characters such as "得," or other symbols such as "〇" or "△" besides "☆." Also, the rear outlet opening identification section 2206Bb may be formed to protrude rearward from the side unit body 2202B with a cross-section other than "☆," such as "〇" or "△."

In this embodiment, the rear prize slot identification portion 2205Bb is formed to protrude rearward from the side unit body 2202B. However, the rear prize slot identification portion 2205B is formed to be visible from the front and rear sides of the side unit 2200B before the film member 2203B is attached, at a position corresponding to the general prize slot 2001B of the side unit 2200B (near the general prize slot 2001B, preferably at least a part of which overlaps with the general prize slot 2001B in the front-rear direction), and it is sufficient that the rear prize slot identification portion 2205Bb indicates the general prize slot 2001B when it is visible. For example, it may be formed as a hole penetrating the side unit body 2202B, or as a recessed shape formed by indenting the rear portion of the side unit body 2202, or as a recessed shape formed by indenting the front portion 2204B of the side unit body 2202. Furthermore, although the rear outlet identification portion 2206Bb of this embodiment is formed to protrude rearward from the side unit body 2202B, the rear outlet identification portion 2206B is formed to be visible from the front and rear sides of the side unit 2200B before the film member 2203B is attached, at a position corresponding to the sub-outlet 2021B of the side unit 2200B (near the sub-outlet 2021B, preferably at a position where at least a part of it overlaps with the sub-outlet 2021B in the front-rear direction), and it is sufficient that the rear outlet identification portion 2206Bb indicates the sub-outlet 2021B when it is visible. For example, it may be formed as a hole that penetrates the side unit body 2202B, or as a recessed shape created by recessing the rear surface of the side unit body 2202, or as a recessed shape created by recessing the front surface 2204B of the side unit body 2202. Furthermore, even if the rear prize entry slot identification unit 2205Bb and the rear outlet slot identification unit 2206Bb are in different forms, it is preferable to keep their shapes distinct to avoid confusion between them.

Furthermore, in any of the alternative configurations for the rear prize entry slot identification section 2205Bb and the rear outlet slot identification section 2206Bb, such as a hole penetrating the side unit body 2202B, a recessed shape formed by indenting the rear surface of the side unit body 2202, or a recessed shape formed by indenting the front surface 2204B of the side unit body 2202, it is preferable that, when the film member 2203B is attached to the front surface 2204B of the side unit body 2202B, the rear prize entry slot identification section 2205Bb and the rear outlet slot identification section 2206Bb of each configuration overlap the background image 2207B or the prize entry slot marking 2205A in the front-to-back direction. In this way, regardless of which alternative configuration is adopted, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the aesthetic appearance of the pachinko machine 1 due to the formation of the back prize entry identification section 2205Bb, and also to suppress the decrease in the player's enjoyment of the game due to the back prize entry identification section 2205Bb being visible to the player.

Furthermore, if an alternative configuration is adopted for the rear prize entry slot identification section 2205Bb and the rear outlet slot identification section 2206Bb, which are holes that penetrate the side unit body 2202B, it is preferable to do so as follows. Specifically, as an example of the alternative configuration in which the holes penetrate the side unit body 2202B, a through-hole of a predetermined shape (such as the shape of "●" or "★") that penetrates from front to back can be provided in the front portion 2204B of the side unit body 2202. However, since the front portion 2204B serves as a base to which the film member 2203B is attached, it is desirable to form the opening area of the through-hole of the predetermined shape to be smaller than the attachment area of the film member 2203B, so as not to significantly reduce the adhesion strength of the film member 2203B to the front portion 2204B. In addition, it is desirable that the through-holes formed in the front portion 2204B be shaped in a way that prevents game balls that have entered the general prize-winning opening 2001B or the sub-out opening 2021B from entering (for example, an irregular shape such as a circle, square, or star shape smaller than the game ball) and have an opening area (for example, an opening area smaller than the diameter of the game ball, 11 mm), thereby preventing the game balls from adhering to the film member 2203B through the through-holes.

Furthermore, the back prize entry slot identification section 2205Bb and the back payout slot identification section 2206Bb, like the back prize entry slot markings 2205Ba and 2206Ba mentioned above, are intended for use by developers, manufacturers, or administrators, not players. Therefore, considering the aesthetics of the side unit 2200B, it is preferable to make them as difficult as possible for players to see. Accordingly, in this example, when the film member 2203B is attached to the side unit 2200B, the back prize entry slot markings 2205Ba, 2206Ba, back prize entry slot identification section 2205Bb, and back payout slot identification section 2206Bb are made invisible or difficult to see from the player's perspective. This point will be explained below.

Specifically, in this example, the side unit 2200B has a plate-shaped protruding wall 2208B that extends left to right on the back side of the side unit 2200B and protrudes to the rear. The protruding wall 2208B is positioned above at least a portion of the back prize entry opening marking 2205Ba, the back out opening marking 2206Ba, the back prize entry opening identification section 2205Bb, and the back out opening identification section 2206Bb. It is preferable that the protruding wall 2208B is provided in such a way that game balls that enter the general prize entry opening 2001B or the sub-out opening 2021B cannot come into contact with it. However, if it is provided in such a way that contact is possible, it is desirable that the amount of protrusion be such that it does not obstruct the flow of game balls, and that an inclined portion be formed so that game balls that come into contact with it do not remain. By providing a protruding wall 2208B on the back side of the side unit 2200B in this way, even if a player looks into the inside of the general prize entry opening 2001B or the sub-out opening 2021B from the entrance, the protruding wall 2208B obstructs the visibility of the inside, making the back prize entry opening markings 2205Ba, back out opening markings 2206Ba, back prize entry opening identification section 2205Bb, and back out opening identification section 2206Bb invisible or difficult to see. This prevents a decrease in the aesthetic appeal of the side unit 2200A and the overall decorative quality of the gaming machine due to the back prize entry opening markings 2205Ba, back out opening markings 2206Ba, back prize entry opening identification section 2205Bb, and back out opening identification section 2206Bb.

Furthermore, in this example, the side unit 2200B employs the following configuration to avoid a decrease in the aesthetic appeal of the side unit 2200B and the overall decorative appeal of the gaming machine due to the rear prize entry opening markings 2205Ba, rear out opening markings 2206Ba, rear prize entry opening identification section 2205Bb, and rear out opening identification section 2206Bb. Specifically, a side unit decorative board (not shown) with multiple LEDs mounted on it is provided at the rear of the side unit 2200B. The multiple LEDs mounted on this side unit decorative board allow light to be shone from behind onto the background pattern 2207B and prize entry opening markings 2205B printed on the film member 2203B attached to the front of the side unit body 2202B, while preventing light from being shone from behind onto the out opening markings 2206B printed on the film member 2203. This makes the background image 2207B and the prize entry point 2205A more prominent in relation to the out-out point 2206B within the game area 5a, thereby preventing players from focusing on the undesirable sub-out-out point 2021B. As a result, a decline in the enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

As an alternative example, multiple LEDs mounted on the side unit decorative substrate may be configured to illuminate the entire film member 2203B attached to the front of the side unit body 2202B from the rear. In this case, however, the rear outlet marking 2206Ba may be used to suppress the illumination of the outlet marking 2206B. For example, at least the rear outlet marking 2206Ba may be printed with a non-transparent paint (e.g., a non-transparent plating), and the rear outlet marking 2206Ba and the outlet marking 2206B may be positioned so that they overlap in the front-to-back direction. With this configuration, even if the entire film member 2203B is illuminated from the rear by multiple LEDs mounted on the side unit decorative substrate, the non-transparent rear outlet marking 2206Ba itself can block light from penetrating forward, thus preventing the outlet marking 2206B from emitting light.

As described above, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the back prize entry identification section 2205Bb and the back out entry identification section 2206Bb, which are in a corresponding relationship to the prize entry entry markings 2205Bb and 2206Bb, respectively, are provided on the side unit 2200B. This allows the position of the general prize entry entry 2001B and the sub-out entry entry 2021B to be determined by the back prize entry identification section 2205Bb and the back out entry identification section 2206Bb, even when the game machine is operated experimentally without the film member 2203B attached to the side unit 2200B. This makes it easy to confirm whether the various ball entry operations that occur during the experimental operation of the game machine are appropriate, thereby improving the work efficiency of the game machine testing process. Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the entry point markings 2205B and the out-out point markings 2206B can be seen from the front side of the side unit 2200B, and the back entry point markings 2205Ba and the back out-out point markings 2206Ba can be seen from the rear side of the side unit 2200B. Therefore, during the development and manufacturing process of the game machine, when inspecting and confirming whether there are any abnormalities in the structure of the ball flow paths on the back side of the side unit 2200B (inside the general entry point 2001B and inside the sub-out-out point 2021B) before assembly to the game board 5, it is easy to identify from the back side of the side unit 2200B which flow path leads to the general entry point 2001B and the sub-out-out-out point 2021B, thereby improving work efficiency and convenience during the development and manufacturing process of the game machine.

In the above embodiment, the side unit 2200B is provided with a general prize entry opening 2001B and a sub-out opening 2021B, and a prize entry opening indicator 2205B, an out opening indicator 2206B, a back prize entry opening indicator 2205Ba, a back out opening indicator 2206Ba, a back prize entry opening identification unit 2205Bb, and a back out opening identification unit 2206Bb. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and the side unit 2200B may be provided with a general prize entry opening 2001B and a sub-out opening 2021B. Even with an out-out opening 2021B provided, the configuration may be such that only the back prize-winning opening indication 2205Ba and back prize-winning opening indication 2205Bb are provided, without the back out-out Furthermore, when multiple general prize slots 2001B or multiple sub-out slots 2021B are provided, it is not necessary to provide prize slot markings 2205B, reverse prize slot markings 2205Ba, reverse prize slot identification units 2205Bb, reverse out slot markings 2206Ba, and reverse out slot identification units 2206Bb for all of them. Instead, prize slot markings 2205B, reverse prize slot markings 2205Ba, reverse prize slot identification units 2205Bb, and reverse out slot markings 2206Ba and reverse out slot identification units 2206Bb may be provided only for some of the ball entry slots. In other words, by providing the back prize entry point markings 2205Ba and back exit point markings 2206Ba only in the particularly important flow path sections when inspecting and confirming whether there are any abnormalities in the structure of the ball flow path on the back of the side unit 2200B before assembly to the game board 5, it is possible to improve the work efficiency of the game machine development and manufacturing processes while suppressing the complexity of the structure of the film member 2203B. Furthermore, when the game machine is operated experimentally without the film member 2203B attached to the side unit 2200B, providing the back prize entry point identification section 2205Bb and back exit point identification section 2206Bb only in the particularly important flow path sections further improves the work efficiency of the game machine testing process and enhances convenience.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the side unit 2200B was given as an example of an object to which the general prize entry opening 2001B and the sub-out opening 2021B are provided. However, the invention is not limited to this, and prize entry openings and out openings may be provided on other members, and a film member having markings corresponding to the back prize entry opening markings 2205Ba and the back out opening markings 2206Ba may be attached to the target member, while the markings corresponding to the back prize entry opening markings 2205Ba and the back out opening markings 2206Ba may be visible from the back side of the target member. In addition, a back prize entry opening identification section 2205Bb and a back out opening identification section 2206Bb may be formed on the target member, and the back prize entry opening identification section 2205Bb and the back out opening identification section 2206Bb may be visible from the front and rear sides of the target member before the film member is attached. Furthermore, such a component may have both an entry opening and a sub-out opening, or it may have only one of them. Even with such a configuration, the same effects as described above can be achieved.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the back prize entry opening markings 2205Ba and 2206Ba, the back prize entry opening identification section 2205Bb and 2206Bb may detract from the aesthetic appearance of the game machine if they are visible to the player, potentially reducing the player's enjoyment of the game. Therefore, it is desirable that they be invisible from the front side of the side unit 2200B. In this embodiment, by using a non-transparent paint (for example, a non-transparent plating) on the back surfaces of the back prize entry markings 2205Ba and 2206Ba, the back surfaces of the base material at the positions corresponding to the back prize entry markings 2205Ba and 2206Ba, the back prize entry identification section 2205Bb and 2206Bb, the back surface of the background pattern 2207B, and the back surfaces of the prize entry markings 2205B or 2206B, the back prize entry markings 2205Ba and 2206Ba, the back prize entry identification section 2205Bb and 2206Bb are configured to be invisible from the front side of the side unit 2200B. However, at least a portion of the prize entry markings 2205B and 2206B may be visible from the rear side of the side unit 2200B. For example, by printing the background, background image 2207B, reverse prize slot marking 2205Ba, and reverse outlet slot marking 2206Ba located behind the prize slot marking 2205B and outlet slot marking 2206B with a translucent paint, at least a portion of the prize slot marking 2205B and outlet slot marking 2206B becomes visible from the rear side of the side unit 2200B. This allows the operator to see the location of the general prize slot 2001B and sub-out slot 2021B, along with the reverse prize slot marking 2205Ba, the reverse outlet slot marking 2206Ba, the reverse prize slot identification section 2205Bb, and the reverse outlet slot identification section 2206Bb.

In the above-described embodiment, the side units 2200A and 2200B, which have general prize slots 2001A and 2001B and sub-out slots 2021A and 2021B, were explained in detail. However, the front unit 2000 of this embodiment has an attacker unit 2400, which has a large prize slot 2005 and one sub-out slot 2021. The attacker unit 2400, like the side units 2200A and 2200B, is provided with an outlet marking, a back outlet marking, and a back outlet identification section (all not shown) for the sub-out slot 2021. Note that general prize slots and sub-out slots may be formed on other components constituting the front unit 2000, and these other components may be provided with prize slot markings, back prize slot markings, back prize slot identification sections, outlet markings, back outlet markings, and back outlet identification sections for the general prize slots and sub-out slots.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the positions for providing the prize entry opening markings, back prize entry opening markings and back prize entry opening identification section, and out opening markings, back out opening markings and back out opening identification section were described as being near the general prize entry opening 2001 or sub-out opening 2021, and preferably at least a portion of which overlaps with the general prize entry opening 2001 or sub-out opening 2021 in the front-to-back direction. However, the positions for providing the prize entry opening markings, back prize entry opening markings and back prize entry opening identification section, and out opening markings, back out opening markings and back out opening identification section may be any position corresponding to the general prize entry opening 2001 or sub-out opening 2021. For example, in the game area 5a, a guide path is formed using multiple guide pins N, a part of the front component 1000, and a part of the front unit 2000 to reliably guide the game ball B to the general prize entry opening 2001 or the sub-out opening 2021. Prize entry opening markings, back prize entry opening markings, back prize entry opening identification sections, out opening markings, back out opening markings, and back out opening identification sections may be provided near the guide path (particularly near the starting end of the guide path, preferably at least a portion of which overlaps with the starting end of the guide path in the front-to-back direction).

The prize entry or exit entry markings formed near the above-mentioned guide path can inform the player whether a game ball B passing through the start end of the guide path (for example, between a pair of guide pins N) will be beneficial or not beneficial to the player. Furthermore, the hidden prize entry or exit entry markings formed near the guide path can indicate to the worker the position of the component corresponding to the guide path (start end of the guide path) when assembling the component with the hidden prize entry or exit entry markings onto the game board 5, thereby improving the efficiency of the assembly work. Furthermore, the identification sections for the back prize entry point and back exit point, formed near the guideway, allow for the determination of the guideway's position (the starting point of the guideway) even when the gaming machine is being operated experimentally without a film material attached to the component on which the identification sections are formed. This makes it easier to verify whether the various ball entry-related actions that occur during the experimental operation of the gaming machine are appropriate.

[Examples of various notations being modified 3]
Next, as a further different form from the above, we will describe a configuration that suppresses the harm to the uniformity and aesthetics unique to the pachinko machine 1 caused by multiple prize entry and exit entry markings. In the following, we will describe a display unit 2000C having multiple exit entry markings, which are modified versions of the exit entry markings 2206A and 2206B described in Figures 211 to 214, etc., with reference to Figure 215, etc. Note that components other than the display unit 2000C will be described using the same reference numerals as in the above embodiment having the display unit 2000 described above.

Figure 216 is a front view showing a game board 5 having a front unit 2000C. As shown in Figure 216, it has a side unit 2200C with three general prize slots 2001C and one sub-out slot 2021C, and an attacker unit 2400C with a large prize slot 2005C and one sub-out slot 2021C.

The side unit 2200C has a film member 2203C attached to the front surface of the side unit body 2202C. The film member 2203C is formed in a sheet shape using a translucent synthetic resin. The film member 2203C has a background pattern 2207C that decorates substantially the entire front surface of the side unit 2200C, and an outlet marking 2206C printed on it, indicating that it is the sub-outlet 2021C, formed at a position corresponding to the sub-outlet 2021C (near the sub-outlet 2021C, preferably at least a portion overlapping with the sub-outlet 2021C in the front-to-back direction). Furthermore, the film member 2203C may also have an award-winning-entry

The film member 2203C, like the film member 2203A described above, has at least three layers, for example, a first film layer on the front side, a second film layer located below the first film layer, and a third film layer located below the second film layer. Each film layer is stacked and integrated to form a seal-like member. The first film layer has a translucent synthetic resin sheet material on which the prize entry slot markings and exit slot markings 2206C are printed. The second film layer has a translucent synthetic resin sheet material on which the aforementioned background pattern 2207C (in this example, a red and pink cherry blossom pattern) is printed. The third film layer has a translucent synthetic resin sheet material on which a white background is printed across the entire surface to make the aforementioned background pattern 2207C clearer. An adhesive that can be attached to the front of the side unit body 2202C is applied to the back side of the third film layer. In other words, the film component 2203C in this example is configured such that the background pattern 2207C of the second film layer and the outlet marking 2206C of the first film layer overlap the white background of the third film layer. Since all of these are translucent film layers, it is possible to illuminate and decorate the side unit 2200C by providing a decorative substrate with light-emitting elements such as LEDs behind it. Note that the film component 2203C is not limited to the three film layers described above; it may consist of three or more film layers, or even just two or one film layer. In the case of two or one film layer, the outlet marking 2206C may be printed on the film layer on which the background pattern 2207C is printed.

The attacker unit 2400C has a film member 2403C attached to the front surface of the attacker unit body 2402C. The film member 2403C, like the film member 2203C described above, is formed in a sheet shape using a translucent synthetic resin. The film member 2403C has a background pattern 2407C that decorates substantially the entire front surface of the attacker unit 2400C, and an outlet marking 2406C formed at a position corresponding to the sub-outlet 2021C (near the sub-outlet 2021C, preferably at least a portion overlapping the sub-outlet 2021C in the front-to-back direction) to indicate that it is the sub-outlet 2021C.

The film member 2403C, like the film member 2203C described above, has at least three layers, for example, a first film layer on the front side, a second film layer located below the first film layer, and a third film layer located below the second film layer. Each film layer is stacked and integrated to form a seal-like member. The first film layer has a translucent synthetic resin sheet material on which the prize entry opening markings and the exit opening markings 2406C are printed. The second film layer has a translucent synthetic resin sheet material on which the aforementioned background pattern 2407C (in this example, a red and pink cherry blossom pattern) is printed. The third film layer has a translucent synthetic resin sheet material on which a white background is printed across the entire surface to make the aforementioned background pattern 2407C clearer. An adhesive that can be attached to the front of the attacker unit body 2402C is applied to the back side of the third film layer. In other words, the film component 2403C in this example is configured such that the background pattern 2407C of the second film layer and the output opening marking 2406C of the first film layer overlap the white background of the third film layer. Since all of these are translucent film layers, it is possible to illuminate and decorate the attacker unit 2400C by providing a decorative substrate with light-emitting elements such as LEDs behind it. Note that the film component 2403C is not limited to the three film layers described above; it may consist of three or more film layers, or even just two or one film layer. In the case of two or one film layer, the output opening marking 2406C may be printed on the film layer on which the background pattern 2407C is printed.

As described above, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the normal state of the pachinko machine 1, the player is instructed to shoot the game ball B towards the left side of the game area 5a (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "left-handed shooting") so that the game ball B is received into the first start opening 2003C. In contrast, in the advantageous game state that occurs as a result of the lottery of the first special symbol after the game ball B has been received into the first start opening 2003C and a "win" (for example, "small win," "medium win," "big win," "prize win," etc.) is drawn, the player is instructed to shoot the game ball B towards the right side of the game area 5a (so-called "right-handed shooting") so that the game ball B is received into the big prize opening 2005C, etc. In conventional gaming machines, players can easily determine the location of the sub-outlet 2021C within the gaming area 5a by visually inspecting the outlet markings 2206C and 2406C. However, if the visual appearance (shape of characters, color, size, arrangement of characters, etc.) of the outlet markings 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C and the outlet markings 2406C formed on the attacker unit 2400C is the same, even if various decorations are applied to each part of the gaming area, the outlet markings 2206C may detract from the aesthetic appearance of the pachinko machine 1 and reduce the enjoyment of playing. Furthermore, in the advantageous game state of pachinko machine 1, where decorative lamps and other visual effects are significant, if the player is concentrating their attention on getting the game balls into the attacker unit 2400C on the right side of the game area 5a by "shooting to the right," and the player is not fully aware of the existence of the sub-outlet 2021C, there is a risk that the reliability of pachinko machine 1 may be impaired due to balls entering the sub-outlet 2021C, which is not recognized by the player (for example, the difference between the predicted amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot and the actual amount dispensed may become excessive), potentially reducing the enjoyment of the game. The following describes an embodiment in which further modifications have been made to the front unit 2000C with the aim of resolving these problems.

As shown in an enlarged view in Figure 211, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the out-of-bounds markings 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C located on the left side of the game area 5a and the out-of-bounds markings 2406C formed on the attacker unit 2400C located on the right side of the game area 5a are designed to have different visibility characteristics. The out-of-bounds markings 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C are configured to have lower visibility, for example, by having a less conspicuous marking style than the out-of-bounds markings 2406C formed on the attacker unit 2400C. Specifically, the out-of-bounds markings 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C are formed with the word "OUT" written in hollow letters that are cut out from the background or background image 2207C, so as to blend in with the background or background image 2207C. In contrast, the outlet marking 2406C formed on the attacker unit 2400C is configured to be more conspicuous and visible than the outlet marking 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C. Specifically, the outlet marking 2406C formed on the attacker unit 2400C is written in bold letters of a different color from the background or background pattern 2407C, so as not to blend in with the background or background pattern 2407C.

Furthermore, the outlet markings 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C only need to be configured to be less conspicuous and less visible than the outlet markings 2406C formed on the attacker unit 2400C. For example, the "OUT" markings could be in bold letters of a color that is less conspicuous, such as a similar color to the background or background pattern 2207C or a dark color, or they could be in thin letters of a color that is more conspicuous, such as a different color from the background or background pattern 2207C or a light color. Furthermore, even if both the outlet markings 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C and the outlet markings 2406C formed on the attacker unit 2400C are designed to blend into the background pattern 2207C, the outlet markings 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C should be less conspicuous (e.g., using thin lettering) than the outlet markings 2406C formed on the attacker unit 2400C. Also, while the outlet markings 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C are currently labeled "OUT" in English, they could be made less conspicuous by using symbols such as "×" or "☆" instead of letters.

Furthermore, the outlet marking 2406C formed on the attacker unit 2400C should be configured to be more conspicuous and visible than the outlet marking 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C. For example, it may be written in bold letters of a different color from the base or background pattern 2207C, such as a light color or a metallic color that easily reflects light, or it may be written as hollow letters in a different color from the base or background pattern 2407C, or it may be written as bold letters with an outline in another color, and it is desirable that it be formed in a way that does not blend in with the base or background pattern 2207C of the film member 2203C. Furthermore, the outlet label 2406C formed on the attacker unit 2400C is labeled "OUT" in English letters. However, it could also be labeled in katakana as "アウト" or in hiragana as "あうと," as long as it is easily recognizable and intuitive.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the out-port markings 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C located on the left side of the game area 5a and the out-port markings 2406C formed on the attacker unit 2400C located on the right side of the game area 5a have different visual characteristics. Therefore, even if the out-port markings 2206C and 2406C are visible to the player, it is possible to create the illusion that the out-port markings 2206C and 2406C are not the same marking. Furthermore, by using markings appropriate to each unit and game area, it is possible to prevent the decoration within the game area from being harmed and to suppress a decline in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, in the normal state of the pachinko machine 1, the out-port indicator 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C located on the left side of the game area 5a where the player's attention is concentrated when the player performs "left-handed shooting" is different from the out-port indicator 2406C formed on the attacker unit 2400C located on the right side of the game area 5a where the player's attention is concentrated when the player performs "right-handed shooting" is different. Therefore, when the state of the pachinko machine 1 transitions from the normal state to the advantageous game state, or vice versa, it is possible to give the player the impression that the game board has changed, further suppressing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has an out-of-bounds indicator 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C located on the left side of the game area 5a and an out-of-bounds indicator 2406C formed on the attacker unit 2400C located on the right side of the game area 5a. The out-of-bounds indicator 2206C is formed to blend in with the base of the film member 2203C and the background pattern 2207C, making it less conspicuous than the out-of-bounds indicator 2406C. Therefore, in the normal state of the pachinko machine 1, where the effects of decorative lamps and other visual effects are small, even if the player performs "left-handed shooting" and their attention is focused on the left side of the game area 5a, the out-of-bounds indicator 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C is less likely to be noticed, thereby suppressing any harm to the uniformity and aesthetics of the pachinko machine 1 to the player, and preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of playing the game. Furthermore, in a favorable game state of the pachinko machine 1, where decorative lights and other visual effects are significant, even if the player performs a "right-handed shot" and their attention is focused on the right side of the game area 5a, the out-port indicator 2406C formed on the attacker unit 2400C is easily visible. This prevents game balls from entering the sub-out-port 2021C, which is not recognized by the player, thus suppressing damage to the player's trust in the pachinko machine 1 (for example, an excessive difference between the predicted payout amount and the actual payout amount during a jackpot), and thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

In the above embodiment, a configuration in which a film member 2203C with the out-out opening marking 2206C printed on it is attached to the front surface of the side unit 2200C is illustrated. However, the film member 2203C with the out-out opening marking 2206C printed on it may also be attached to the front surface of the game panel 1100, which is visible through at least a part of the transparent portion of the side unit 2200C, or the film member with the out-out opening marking 2206C printed on it may be attached to the rear end surface that forms the rear end of the game area 5a. With these configurations, the out-port marking 2206C on the side unit 2200C is located behind the out-port marking 2406C on the attacker unit 2400C. Therefore, in the normal state of the pachinko machine 1, where decorative lamps and other visual effects are minimal, even if the player performs a "left-handed shot" and their attention is focused on the left side of the game area 5a, the out-port marking 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C is less likely to be noticed. This reduces the perception of uniformity and aesthetics of the pachinko machine 1 from the player's perspective, thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, the output port marking 2206C of the side unit 2200C only needs to be less conspicuous than the output port marking 2406C of the attacker unit 2400C. For example, the font size of the output port marking 2406C of the attacker unit 2400C may be larger than that of the side unit 2200C, or the font used for the output port marking 2406C of the attacker unit 2400C may be a more conspicuous font than that used for the side unit 2200C, or the text for the output port marking 2406C of the attacker unit 2400C may be written vertically or diagonally.

Furthermore, the out-port markings 2206C on the side unit 2200C and the out-port markings 2406C on the attacker unit 2400C may not be limited to using different fonts. The arrangement of each marking may also be modified so that the out-port markings 2206C on the side unit 2200C are less conspicuous than those on the attacker unit 2400C. For example, the out-port markings 2206C on the side unit 2200C may be placed within a predetermined recess formed in the side unit 2200C, and positioned further back in the front-to-back direction than the out-port markings 2406C on the attacker unit 2400C, thereby making them less conspicuous by moving them away from the player.

Furthermore, the side unit 2200C and attacker unit 2400C of this embodiment may be further provided with a back outlet indication or back outlet identification section (both not shown) for the sub-out outlet 2021, similar to the side units 2200A and 2200B described above, allowing the position of the sub-out outlet 2021C to be indicated to the assembly worker of the front unit 2000C or the test worker of the pachinko machine 1. Also, the side unit 2200C and attacker unit 2400C of this embodiment may be further provided with an entry opening indication, back entry opening indication or back entry opening identification section (both not shown) for the general entry opening 2001, allowing the position of the general entry opening 2001C to be indicated to the assembly worker of the front unit 2000C or the test worker of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the side unit 2200C was exemplified as the object to which the sub-outlet 2021C located on the left side of the game area 5a is provided, and the attacker unit 2400C was exemplified as the object to which the sub-outlet 2021C located on the right side of the game area 5a is provided. However, the invention is not limited to these examples. By providing the sub-outlet 2021C on another component of the front unit 2000C, and by configuring the target component so that a film member having an outlet indication corresponding to the left or right position of the game area 5a can be attached, the same effect as described above can be achieved if one of the multiple outlet indications is configured to have lower or higher visibility than the other.

[Examples of door frame modifications]
Next, as a further different form from the above, we will describe a configuration that suppresses the impediment to the uniformity and aesthetics unique to the pachinko machine 1 by having multiple prize entry and exit entry markings. In the following, we will describe a front unit 2000D having multiple exit entry markings, similar to the exit entry markings 2206A, 2206B, and 2206C described in Figures 211 to 216, etc., and a door frame 3D that is openable and closable and supported on the main body frame 4 to which the game board 5, to which the front unit 2000D is assembled, is attached, with reference to Figure 217, etc. Note that components other than the door frame 3D and the front unit 2000D will be described using the same reference numerals as in the above embodiment having the door frame 3 and the front unit 2000 described above.

Figure 217 is a front view showing a pachinko machine 1 equipped with a game board 5 to which the front unit 2000D is assembled. As shown in Figure 217, the front unit 2000D has an upper right attacker unit 2600D, which is located above the right end of the attacker unit 2400D, similar to the attacker unit 2400 described above. The upper right attacker unit 2600D has one sub-outlet 2021D and a film member 2603D on which an outlet marking 2606D indicating that it is the sub-outlet 2021D is printed.

More specifically, the upper right attacker unit 2600D has a film member 2603D attached to the front portion 2604D of the upper right attacker unit body 2602D. The film member 2603D is formed in a sheet shape using a translucent synthetic resin. The film member 2603D has a background pattern 2607D that decorates almost the entire front surface of the upper right attacker unit 2600D, and an outlet marking 2606D formed at a position corresponding to the sub-outlet 2021D (near the sub-outlet 2021D, preferably at least a portion of which overlaps with the sub-outlet 2021D in the front-to-back direction) to indicate that it is the sub-outlet 2021D.

The film member 2603D, like the film member 2203A described above, has at least three layers, for example, a first film layer on the front side, a second film layer located below the first film layer, and a third film layer located below the second film layer. Each film layer is stacked and integrated to form a seal-like member. The first film layer has the outlet marking 2606D printed on a translucent synthetic resin sheet material, the second film layer has the aforementioned background pattern 2607D (in this example, a red and pink cherry blossom pattern) printed on a translucent synthetic resin sheet material, and the third film layer has a white background printed all over the translucent synthetic resin sheet material to make the aforementioned background pattern 2607D clearer. Adhesive is applied to the back side of the third film layer so that it can be attached to the front of the attacker upper right unit body 2602D. In other words, the film component 2603D in this example is configured such that the background pattern 2607D of the second film layer and the output opening marking 2606D of the first film layer overlap the white background of the third film layer. Since all of these are translucent film layers, it is possible to illuminate and decorate the upper right attacker unit 2600D by providing a decorative substrate with a light-emitting element such as an LED behind it. Note that the film component 2603D is not limited to the three film layers described above; it may consist of three or more film layers, or even just two or one film layer. In the case of two or one film layer, the output opening marking 2606D may be printed on the film layer on which the background pattern 2607D is printed.

The outlet marking 2606D formed on the upper right attacker unit 2600D is marked "OUT" in bold letters of a different color from the background pattern 2607D, and is formed so as not to blend in with the background pattern 2607D. The outlet marking 2606D formed on the upper right attacker unit 2600D may, for example, be marked "OUT" in bold letters of a different color from the background pattern 2607D, such as a light color or a metallic color that easily reflects light; it may be marked "OUT" as hollow letters in a different color from the background pattern 2607D; or it may be marked "OUT" as bold letters outlined in another color, and is formed so as not to blend in with the background pattern 2607D of the film member 2603D. Furthermore, the outlet marking 2606D formed on the upper right attacker unit 2600D is labeled "OUT" in English letters, but it could also be written as "アウト" in katakana, "あうと" in hiragana, or as a symbol such as "×" or "★".

The door frame 3D of this embodiment comprises the aforementioned door frame body 100, a door frame top unit 300 provided above the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame body 100, a door frame left side unit 320 provided to the left of the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame body 100, a door frame right side unit 340D provided to the right of the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame body 100, a door frame panel 190 extending from the lower end of the front surface of the door frame body 100 at a constant height across its entire width in the left-right direction, a shelf unit 200 protruding forward in the area between the game window 101 and the door frame panel 190 on the front surface of the door frame body 100, and a performance operation unit 250 provided in the left-right center of the shelf unit 200 and operable by the player.

As described above, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, a plurality of sub-out ports 2021D are provided in the game area 5a, and an out port marking 2606D indicating that it is a sub-out port 2021 is printed on a film member 2603D attached to the front part 2604D of the upper right attacker unit 2600D. Therefore, a player playing the pachinko machine 1 can see the out port marking 2606D and understand that the ball entry port near the out port marking 2606D is a sub-out port 2021 that does not award prize balls. However, in conventional gaming machines, the out-port markings 2606D formed on the front of the game board are visible to players viewing the front of the game board from a distance, such as players viewing images of the game board in booklets or magazines, or players viewing the game boards from an aisle to select a machine from among several different models. Therefore, the letters and symbols of the out-port markings 2606D may detract from the player's sense of uniformity and aesthetics regarding the pachinko machine 1, potentially reducing the player's enjoyment of the game before they even begin playing. The following describes an embodiment in which the door frame 3D has been further modified to resolve these problems.

In this embodiment, the door frame 3D is configured to allow the right side unit 340D to be attached to and detached while the pachinko machine 1 is mounted on the gaming island in the hall. It is possible to install a predetermined gaming board 5 and the right side unit 340D as a set for each machine model. Specifically, the right side unit 340D can be fitted from the front into a predetermined installation space (right-side area) formed on the front side of the door frame 3D. With the right side unit 340D fitted into the installation space, it is fixed to the installation space from the back side of the door frame 3D by tightening a plurality of thumbscrews provided on the back side of the door frame 3D (not shown). In other words, when changing to a new model of game board, with the pachinko machine 1 still installed on the gaming island in the hall, the game board and right-side door frame unit 340D corresponding to the previous model are removed using a tool-less method (loosening the thumbscrews), and then the game board and right-side door frame unit 340D corresponding to the new model are installed. This configuration allows for cost reduction when changing models, enabling an efficient renewal of both gameplay and the machine's appearance.

The door frame 3D of this embodiment has an extended portion 344D of the door frame right side unit 340D, which is provided so as to overlap in the front-to-back direction with at least a part of the outlet marking 2606D of the attacker upper right unit 2600D. As described above, the door frame right side unit 340D is detachable from the door frame 3D. When the door frame right side unit 340D is attached to the door frame 3D, the outlet marking 2606D of the attacker upper right unit 2600D is difficult to see from the front of the pachinko machine 1 due to the extended portion 344D described later, and when the door frame right side unit 340D is removed from the door frame 3D, it is easily visible from the front of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, for players viewing images of pachinko machine 1 in booklets or magazines, or players viewing pachinko machine 1 from an aisle to select one from several different models, the out-port markings 2606D formed on the front of the game board 5 can be made difficult to see. This prevents the letters and symbols of the out-port markings 2606D from impairing the uniformity and aesthetic appeal of pachinko machine 1 for players viewing the front of the game board 5 from a distance, thus suppressing a decline in the player's interest in the game before they begin playing.

The extension portion 344D of the right side unit 340D of the door frame is, in detail, an arc-shaped extension of the lower part of the translucent, semi-tubular right side decorative body 341D of the door frame, extending inward from the front of the pachinko machine 1. It is provided so as to overlap in the front-to-back direction with at least a part (in this embodiment, all) of the out-out Therefore, the out-out opening markings 2606D formed on the front of the game board 5 can be made difficult to see for players who view the front of the game board 5 from a distance, such as players who view images of the pachinko machine 1 published in booklets or magazines, or players who view the pachinko machine 1 from an island aisle to select a pachinko machine 1 to play from among several different models. This prevents the letters and symbols of the out-out opening markings 2606D from impairing the uniformity and aesthetics of the pachinko machine 1 for players who view the front of the game board 5 from a distance, and suppresses a decline in the player's interest in playing before they start playing. In addition, the back surface of the extended portion 344D is formed so as not to come into contact with the game window 101, but to provide a predetermined gap (space) between it and the game window 101. Therefore, a player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1 can see the out-port marking 2606D of the upper right attacker unit 2600D through the gap (space) between the back of the extension 344D and the game window 101. This prevents game balls from entering the sub-out-port 2021D, which is not recognized by the player, thus preventing damage to the player's confidence in the pachinko machine 1 (for example, an excessive difference between the predicted payout amount and the actual payout amount during a jackpot), and thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

In this embodiment, the upper right attacker unit 2600D has a sub-outlet 2021D and an outlet marking 2606D indicating that it is the sub-outlet 2021. However, the upper right attacker unit 2600D may also have a general prize-winning opening (not shown) and a prize-winning opening marking (not shown) indicating that it is the general prize-winning opening, in addition to or instead of the sub-outlet 2021D. The door frame 3D may also have an extended portion 344D of the right side door frame unit 340D, which is provided so as to overlap in the front-to-back direction with at least a part of the prize-winning opening marking of the upper right attacker unit 2600D. In a pachinko machine 1 of this configuration, the prize entry markings formed on the front of the game board 5 can be made difficult to see for players viewing images of the pachinko machine 1 in booklets or magazines, or for players viewing the pachinko machine 1 from an aisle to select one from among several different models. This prevents the characters and symbols of the prize entry markings from detracting from the uniformity and aesthetic appeal of the pachinko machine 1 for players viewing the front of the game board 5 from a distance, thus suppressing a decline in the player's interest in the game before they begin playing.

Furthermore, the out-out opening marking 2606D is difficult to see due to the extension of the door frame right side unit 340D. However, in order to make the out-out opening marking 2606D difficult to see due to the extension of the door frame right side unit 340D, the notation style of the out-out opening marking 2606D may be made different from that of other out-out opening markings to match the shape of the extension of the door frame right side unit 340D. For example, if it is desirable to keep the amount of extension of the door frame right side unit 340D toward the game area relatively small, the notation style of the out-out opening marking 2606D may be changed from horizontal to vertical or diagonal writing, thereby making the amount of extension of the door frame right side unit 340D toward the game area relatively small. Furthermore, the font size of the outlet marking 2606D at the rear of the right side unit 340D of the door frame may be made smaller than that of the other outlet markings, so that it is reliably difficult to see due to the extension of the right side unit 340D of the door frame.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper right attacker unit 2600D was given as an example of an object to which the sub-out opening 2021D and out opening indicator 206D located on the right side of the game area 5a are provided. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and the above-mentioned general prize opening 2001D and sub-out opening 2021D, as well as the prize opening indicator and out opening indicator, may be provided on other members of the front unit 2000D, and the above-mentioned extension may be provided on other members of the door frame 3D. For example, when the general prize opening 2001D and sub-out opening 2021D, as well as the prize opening indicator and out opening indicator, are provided on the upper part of the upper right attacker unit 2600D, an arc-shaped extension may be provided on the door frame top unit 300 that extends downward from the front of the pachinko machine 1, or an extension may be provided on the upper part of the door frame right side unit 340D that extends inward from the front of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, if a general prize entry opening 2001D and a sub-out opening 2021D, along with prize entry opening and out opening markings, are provided on the upper left side unit, an arc-shaped extension extending downward from the front of the pachinko machine 1 may be provided on the top door frame unit 300, or an extension extending inward from the front of the pachinko machine 1 may be provided on the upper part of the left side door frame unit 320. Also, if a general prize entry opening 2001D and a sub-out opening 2021D, along with prize entry opening and out opening markings, are provided on the side unit, an extension extending inward from the front of the pachinko machine 1 may be provided on the lower part of the left side door frame unit 320, or prize entry opening and out opening markings may be provided so that at least a portion of them overlaps with the performance operation unit 250D in the front-to-back direction. Furthermore, even when the prize entry and exit opening markings are provided so that at least a portion overlaps with the left side unit 320 of the door frame and the performance control unit 250D in the front-to-back direction, it is preferable to configure the left side unit 320 of the door frame and the performance control unit 250D to be detachable, similar to the configuration of the right side unit 340D of the door frame described above.

Here, we will explain an example of how the prize entry and exit entry markings are provided so that they overlap at least a portion of the performance control unit 250D in the front-to-back direction. Specifically, the upper part of the detachably provided performance control unit 250D (including the first performance button 251D and the second performance button 252D) is provided so as to overlap at least a portion of the lower part of the game board 5 in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 1, and is located on the front side of the exit entry markings on the side unit of the front unit 2000D. In other words, the upper part of the performance control unit 250D overlaps with at least a portion of the out-out markings in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 1. This makes it difficult for players to see the out-out markings formed on the front of the game board 5 from a distance, such as players viewing images of the pachinko machine 1 in booklets or magazines, or players viewing the pachinko machine 1 from an aisle to select which pachinko machine 1 to play from among several different models. This prevents the characters and symbols of the out-out markings from impairing the uniformity and aesthetics of the pachinko machine 1 for players viewing the front of the game board 5 from a distance, and suppresses a decline in the player's interest in playing before they start playing. Furthermore, a predetermined gap (space) is provided in the front-to-back direction between the upper rear surface of the performance control unit 250D and the game window 101. This allows a player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1 to see the output port markings on the side unit through the gap (space) between the performance control unit 250D and the game window 101. This prevents game balls from entering the sub-output port 2021D, which is not recognized by the player, thus preventing damage to the player's confidence in the pachinko machine 1 and mitigating a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, the upper part of the performance control unit 250D may be configured such that, when the second operation button 252D is activated and protrudes, the protruding second operation button 252D overlaps with at least a portion of the out-of-bounds markings in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 1. This prevents the out-of-bounds markings from entering the player's field of vision during specific performances of the pachinko machine 1, thereby preventing the uniformity and aesthetic appeal unique to the pachinko machine 1 due to its decorations and performances, and thus preventing a decrease in the player's enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, other components of the attacker upper right unit 2600D and the front unit 2000D in this embodiment may be further provided with a back outlet indication or back outlet identification section (both not shown) for the sub-outlet 2021D, similar to the side units 2200A and 2200B described above, allowing the position of the sub-outlet 2021D to be indicated to the assembly worker of the front unit 2000D or the test worker of the pachinko machine 1. Also, other components of the attacker upper right unit 2600D and the front unit 2000D in this embodiment may be further provided with a back prize entry indication or back prize entry identification section (both not shown) for the general prize entry 2001, allowing the position of the general prize entry 2001D to be indicated to the assembly worker of the front unit 2000D or the test worker of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the aforementioned door frame right side unit 340D and performance control unit 250D are detachable, management problems such as forgetting to install them or misalignment due to operational errors can occur. Therefore, a sensor unit capable of detecting whether the door frame right side unit 340D and performance control unit 250D are properly installed may be provided. The system may be configured to detect forgetting to install or misalignment of the door frame right side unit 340D and performance control unit 250D, and if forgetting to install or misalignment is detected, a special notification may be issued externally using sound or light. However, if misalignment occurs due to an unintentional impact during gameplay (e.g., operation of the performance control unit 250D), issuing a special notification may cause concern to the player. Therefore, the timing for detecting forgetting to install or misalignment may be set to within a certain period (e.g., 5 minutes) from power-on, and after this period, even if forgetting to install or misalignment is detected, no special notification may be issued.

[Spot the difference]
In this example, a "spot the difference" game is performed as one of the game effects using the game board 5 and the display device 1600 installed on the game board 5. The display device 1600 displays variations in decorative symbols and performs variations in those symbols, so the player's attention is drawn to the display device 1600. However, for example, when a variation is performed, the game is completed solely on the display device 1600, except for movable parts and other components that operate in conjunction with the variation, making it difficult for the player to pay attention to the area of the game board 5 outside the display device 1600. In this example, when the "spot the difference" game is performed, the display device 1600 displays a board image A that is a copy of the game board 5. This board image A is almost identical to the game board 5, but with some differences, and a game effect is performed to help the player find the differences between the game board 5 and the display device 1600. This makes it possible to draw the player's attention not only to the display device 1600 but also to the area outside the display device 1600 when the "spot the difference" game is performed. In this example, as a spot-the-difference game, the display device 1600 displays an image A of the game board 5, and the game is played to help the player find the differences between the game board 5 and the image A. However, the spot-the-difference game may also be played on a subject other than the game board 5. For example, the display device 1600 may display an image of a part of the pachinko machine 1, and the game is played to help the player find the differences between that part of the pachinko machine 1 and the image A. In this case as well, when the spot-the-difference game is played, the player's attention can be drawn not only to the display device 1600 but also to areas outside the display device 1600.

First, the overview of the "spot the difference" gameplay will be explained with reference to Figure 218. Figure 218 is a specific example of the gameplay to illustrate the overview of the "spot the difference" gameplay. Note that the game board 5 in Figure 218 has the same configuration as the game board 5 in Figure 78, etc., explained earlier. Therefore, the notation of symbols and other details will be omitted for parts explained using Figure 78, etc.

As shown in Figure 218, during the "spot the difference" feature, the display device 1600 displays a board image A that replicates the game board 5. This board image A is almost identical to the game board 5, but with some differences. Generally, a "spot the difference" game involves comparing a model image with a similar image to find the differences. In this example, the "spot the difference" feature is used as one of the game's effects. During the "spot the difference" feature, the player compares the model "game board 5 (pachinko machine 1)" with the similar "board image A displayed on the display device 1600" to find the differences.

Specifically, the game board image A displayed on the display device 1600 is a real-life image of the game board 5, but it is sufficient if it is recognizable as the game board 5, and may be displayed in an illustrative style or using computer graphics. Furthermore, the game board image A matches the game board 5 in terms of "the appearance of the predetermined components (color, shape, luminescence, etc.)", "the location of the predetermined components (installation location)", and "the patterns attached to the game board 5", except for "parts that differ from the game board 5". The predetermined components can be any components provided on the game board 5, and examples include multiple obstacle nails planted in the game area 5a, windmills, movable decorative elements, luminous decorative elements, gates 2010, first start port 2003 (start port unit 2100), second start port 2004 (second start port unit 2720), big prize port 2005 (attacker unit 2730), general prize port 2001, out port 2020, and sub-out port 2021. Furthermore, while the game board image A is displayed as a still image in this example, it may also be displayed as a video that moves around the screen. When displaying game board image A as a video, it may be displayed so that a portion of the image goes off-screen during the movement, and it may also involve zooming in and out of the game board image A. In this way, by displaying game board image A as a video during the "spot the difference" game, attention can be drawn to every part of game board image A.

Furthermore, the "answer" to the spot-the-difference game, which is the "part that is different from the game board 5," can be anything that is present on the game board 5. Specifically, for the game board image A displayed on the display device 1600, the "part that is different from the game board 5" can be anything such as "a predetermined component has been added or removed," "a predetermined component has been replaced with another component," "the appearance of a predetermined component (color, shape, luminescence, etc.) has been changed," "the position (installation location) of a predetermined component has been changed," or "the pattern attached to the game board 5 has been changed." The specified components can be any components provided on the game board 5. Examples include multiple obstacle nails planted within the game area 5a, windmills, movable decorative elements, luminous decorative elements, gates 2010, the first start port 2003 (start port unit 2100), the second start port 2004 (second start port unit 2720), the main prize port 2005 (attacker unit 2730), the general prize port 2001, the out port 2020, and the sub-out port 2021.

Furthermore, the "spot the difference" feature can be executed as part of a designated demonstration (a customer attraction feature, such as displaying explanations or promotional images) while the special symbols are not changing. By executing the "spot the difference" feature during the non-changing display of the special symbols, the enjoyment of "spot the difference" can be provided during the time when the special symbols are not changing. Additionally, the "spot the difference" feature can be executed not only during the non-changing display of the special symbols, but also during the changing display. For example, executing the "spot the difference" feature during the changing display allows for effective use of the waiting time until the result of the changing display is determined.

Furthermore, while the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle, which is a "part that differs from the game board 5," can be anything located on the game board 5, it is desirable not to use components located in positions that the player cannot see as the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle. For example, the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, located at the rear of the game board 5, are components located in positions that the player cannot see from the front of the pachinko machine 1 (positions that cannot be seen unless the administrator opens the main frame 4). Therefore, if these were used as the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle, it would be difficult for the player to find the answer. For this reason, components located in positions that the player cannot see are not used as the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle.

Furthermore, although this example uses the game board 5 as an example, it is desirable not to set the area covered with translucent black on the game board 5 as the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle. For example, when the game board 5 is attached to the pachinko machine 1, the game area 5a is a part that is visible (easily visible) to the player, whereas the area outside the game area 5a is a clamped part held between the door frame 3 and the main body frame 4, and is a part that is difficult for the player to see. Therefore, if this area were to be the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle, it would be difficult for the player to find the "answer". For this reason, the location that will be the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle should be set within the game area 5a, which is a part that is visible (easily visible) to the player, and not in an area outside the game area 5a, such as the part covered with translucent black, which is difficult for the player to see. However, areas outside the game area 5a, such as the semi-transparent black area, are located in front of the game board 5, unlike the areas located at the rear of the game board 5. Therefore, it is not impossible for the player to see these areas through the gap between the door frame 3 and the main body frame 4. If the purpose is to increase the difficulty of the spot-the-difference puzzle, these areas may be set as the "answers" to the puzzle.

Furthermore, in this example, the area of the game board 5 covered with translucent black is shown as a diagonal line pattern in the game board image A. The area of the game board image A other than the diagonal lines corresponds to the game area 5a of the game board 5 and is a part that is visible (easily visible) when the player looks at the game board 5. In contrast, the area of the diagonal lines in the game board image A corresponds to the area outside the game area 5a of the game board 5 and is a clamped part held between the door frame 3 and the main body frame 4, making it a part that is difficult for the player to see when they look at the game board 5. Then, during the execution of the spot-the-difference game, the player can be informed that the area of the diagonal lines is not the "answer" to the spot-the-difference game by comparing the area of the diagonal lines with the area of the game board image A. Thus, if it is possible to inform the player that there is an area that is not the "answer" in the spot-the-difference game, then it is acceptable to display the area that is not the "answer". Furthermore, in a spot-the-difference puzzle, if you intend to display a part that is not the "answer," it is desirable to display a message stating that "the diagonal pattern is not the answer," in addition to displaying a diagonal line pattern on board image A as described above.

Next, the sequence of events for the "spot the difference" presentation will be explained with reference to Figures 219 to 224. Figures 219 to 224 are specific examples of presentations illustrating the sequence of events for the "spot the difference" presentation. In this example, the "spot the difference" presentation is triggered as a crowd-attracting event during the non-changing display of the special symbols. However, as mentioned above, it can be executed at any time, including during the changing or non-changing display of the special symbols. Furthermore, when a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the special symbols have stopped in a fixed position without the start of a new changing special symbol display, a predetermined demonstration presentation (a crowd-attracting presentation, such as an explanation of the presentation or the display of promotional images) is executed. In this example, the "spot the difference" presentation is executed as one of these demonstration presentations (crowd-attracting presentations).

As shown in Figure 219, before the start of the spot-the-difference game, the game display device 1600 displays a standby screen showing the special symbols in a non-moving state. Specifically, the game display device 1600 displays the decorative symbols in a stopped state near the center of the screen, the fourth symbol in a stopped state in the upper right corner of the screen, and the message "Press the button to display the menu screen" at the bottom of the screen to inform the player that the menu screen will be displayed by operating the game operation unit 250. Both the decorative symbols and the fourth symbol can be displayed in a moving state in sync with the moving display of the special symbols, and are displayed in a stopped state when the special symbols are displayed in a stopped state. Furthermore, the standby screen may display necessary information as appropriate, for example, a level gauge to indicate the setting level of volume and brightness, a character related to the decorative symbols, or a stage or mode to indicate the current game state may be displayed. In addition, while the standby screen is displayed, the speaker does not output any sound such as voices corresponding to messages or background music. However, even while the standby screen is displayed, if it is immediately after the end of the display of changing decorative symbols (special symbol changes), it is possible to continue outputting the background music from the display until the end of the change. Furthermore, if the player performs an action, it is possible to output sound effects (such as volume adjustment sounds or light intensity adjustment sounds) corresponding to that action, just as during normal gameplay.

As shown in Figure 220, at the start of the spot-the-difference game, the display device 1600 displays a start screen to announce the start of the game. Specifically, the display device 1600 displays the message "The spot-the-difference game is about to begin! Pay attention to the screen!" to inform the player that the spot-the-difference game is about to start. By announcing the start of the spot-the-difference game and executing an animation that encourages the player to pay attention to the screen, the player can prepare for the game that will be played afterward. Furthermore, while the start screen for the spot-the-difference game is displayed, the speaker outputs the message, "The spot-the-difference game is about to begin! Pay attention to the screen!" as an audio response. In addition to this, the speaker also outputs background music (BGM) corresponding to the spot-the-difference game and sound effects to attract the player's attention.

In this example, the start of the "spot the difference" game is announced, and the display device 1600 does not display the game board image A immediately after the start of the game. However, it is also possible to start the "spot the difference" game without announcing its start, and then suddenly display the game board image A on the display device 1600. This dramatically increases the difficulty of the "spot the difference" game, as the game starts suddenly before the player is prepared. Furthermore, multiple patterns may be provided, such as announcing the start of the "spot the difference" game and suddenly starting the game without announcing its start. This allows the player to always be on standby for the "spot the difference" game, as they cannot know whether the game will be announced or start suddenly.

Furthermore, after the start of the "spot the difference" animation, the display device 1600 hides the decorative symbols that were displayed near the center of the screen, while continuing to display the fourth symbol that was displayed in the upper right corner of the screen. Since the fourth symbol remains displayed in a stationary position, players can understand that the "spot the difference" animation is being performed as a way to attract players. In this example, the "spot the difference" animation is performed as a way to attract players during the non-moving display of the special symbols, so the fourth symbol is displayed in a stationary position. However, if the "spot the difference" animation is performed during the moving display of the special symbols, the fourth symbol is displayed in a moving position so that players can understand that the special symbols are moving. Alternatively, in a configuration without a fourth symbol, the decorative symbols may not be hidden, but their position may be changed from near the center of the screen to a predetermined position (e.g., the upper right corner of the screen) so as not to obstruct the visibility of messages and other elements near the center of the screen.

In this example, the first special symbol and the second special symbol do not change simultaneously (for example, the first special symbol is not displayed while the second special symbol is changing), but it may be possible to make it possible for the first and second special symbols to change simultaneously. In such a case, for example, if the first special symbol is not changing, it may be possible to perform a crowd-attracting effect even while the second special symbol is changing, and such a crowd-attracting effect may be a spot-the-difference effect. In other words, when a spot-the-difference effect is performed as a crowd-attracting effect, it is sufficient for the decorative symbol corresponding to the first special symbol to be displayed in a stationary state on the effect display device 1600, and the decorative symbol corresponding to the second special symbol may be displayed in a changing state. Also, in this example, it is possible to perform a normal symbol change simultaneously while a special symbol is changing, but for example, if the special symbol is not changing, it may be possible to perform a crowd-attracting effect even while the normal symbol is changing, and such a crowd-attracting effect may be a spot-the-difference effect. In other words, when a "spot the difference" game is played as a way to attract customers, the display device 1600 only needs to show the decorative symbols corresponding to the special symbols in a stopped state, while the symbols corresponding to the regular symbols (regular corresponding symbols) may be displayed in a fluctuating state.

As shown in Figure 221, after the start of the spot-the-difference game is announced, the display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game. The problem screen displays image A of the game board, which is almost identical to the game board 5, but with some differences. The display device 1600 also displays a message at the top of the screen indicating that the spot-the-difference game is in progress: "Something has changed on the game board! Can you find it?" While the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game is displayed, the speaker outputs the corresponding audio message: "Something has changed on the game board! Can you find it?" In addition to this, the speaker also outputs background music (BGM) corresponding to the spot-the-difference game and sound effects to attract the player's attention.

In this example, as a "partially different display," the game board image A does not display all of the multiple obstacle pins on the game board 5. When the player finds that "the game board 5 has multiple obstacle pins, but game board image A does not have multiple obstacle pins," they can understand that this is the answer to the spot-the-difference puzzle. As mentioned above, any part or component on the game board 5 can be displayed to appear different. However, if the "partially different display" is a part or component located in a place that is difficult for the player to see, the intended effect of the "spot the difference" puzzle will not be achieved. Therefore, it is desirable to target parts or components located in places that are easy for the player to see. Specifically, the following can be given as examples of "parts or components located in places that are difficult for the player to see." First, components located at the rear of the game board 5, such as the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, cannot be seen when the game board 5 is installed in the pachinko machine 1. Similarly, components located at the front of the game board 5 but outside the game area 5a, such as the clamping components (clamping members) and sealing components between the door frame 3 and the main body frame 4, cannot be seen when the game board 5 is installed in the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, movable components on the game board 5 that can change between a visible and invisible state are not visible under normal conditions. These components are excluded from the "parts and components that appear to be partially different" designation because they are "parts and components located in areas where they are difficult for the player to see."

In this example, the "spot the difference" game features one of several missing obstacle pins as the "difference" (the part that appears different), but it could also feature multiple differences. In such cases, the game may or may not inform the player in advance that there are multiple differences. For example, if the player is informed in advance, they can know the number of differences beforehand, which can be used as a "hint" in the "spot the difference" game. On the other hand, if the player is not informed in advance, they won't know how many differences there are in the "spot the difference" game. Even if they find one difference, they might think there are other differences, leading them to pay more attention to the screen in search of new ones.

Furthermore, in this example, the display device 1600 shows the game board image A. In addition to the game board image A, the display also shows a message at the top of the screen indicating that a "spot the difference" game is in progress: "Something has changed on the game board! Can you find it?" A meter showing the remaining time for the "spot the difference" game is displayed at the bottom of the screen, and the "stopping symbol for the fourth symbol" is displayed in the upper right corner. These displays, other than the game board image A, are displayed on a higher layer than the game board image A, covering a portion of it. The covering area behind the game board image A also serves to indicate that the "answer" (the incorrect part) in the "spot the difference" game is not present in that area. In other words, the displays other than the game board image A allow the player to understand that the covering area behind the game board is not present, and can be used as a "hint" in the "spot the difference" game.

Furthermore, in this example, while the game board image A does not display all of the obstacle pins on the game board 5, the game board image A only needs to display some parts differently from the game board 5. For example, the game board image A may be configured to "not display some of the components on the game board 5" or "display components that are not present on the game board 5," or it may be configured to "display some of the components on the game board 5, but the state in which they are present on the game board 5 differs from the state in which they are displayed in the game board image A," such as by displaying the positions of the obstacle pins planted in the game area 5a differently.

As shown in Figure 222, after the display of the puzzle screen for the "spot the difference" game ends, the display device 1600 displays a notification that the answer to the "spot the difference" game will be revealed. Specifically, when the remaining time for the "spot the difference" game reaches zero, the display device 1600 hides the image A on the game board and displays the message "Spot the difference game finished! The answer will now be revealed" to announce the answer to the "spot the difference" game. In this example, the notification of the answer announcement is displayed before the answer to the "spot the difference" game is revealed, but it is also possible to skip the notification and display only the answer. Furthermore, as will be discussed later, instead of revealing the answer to the "spot the difference" game, it is also possible to display something that allows access to a website where the answer can be entered (for example, a URL or a QR code).

In this example, when the remaining time for the spot-the-difference game reaches zero, the game board image A is hidden and a preview of the answer is displayed. However, the preview of the answer may not be displayed immediately. Specifically, when the remaining time for the spot-the-difference game reaches zero, a message such as "Finished!" may be displayed prominently on the screen, followed by the preview of the answer. Alternatively, when the remaining time for the spot-the-difference game reaches zero, the preview of the answer may not be displayed at all, but rather after a predetermined time (e.g., 0.5 seconds) has elapsed. For example, while the game board image A is displayed (while the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game is displayed), players may become so focused on finding the differences that they neglect to check the remaining time and may not notice that the remaining time has reached zero. If the preview of the answer is displayed before the player realizes that the remaining time has reached zero, the enjoyment may decrease. In this example, by not immediately displaying the preview of the answer when the remaining time for the spot-the-difference game reaches zero, the player can become aware that the remaining time has reached zero before the preview of the answer is displayed, thereby suppressing the decrease in enjoyment. Furthermore, in the above configuration, the remaining time meter may remain at zero from the time the remaining time for the "spot the difference" segment reaches zero until the announcement of the answer is displayed, or it may be cleared. Additionally, the display of image A can be kept open from the time the remaining time for the "spot the difference" segment reaches zero until the announcement of the answer is displayed, and then hidden at the start of the announcement of the answer.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, while the board image A was displayed (while the problem screen for the spot-the-difference puzzle was displayed), the speaker output background music (BGM) corresponding to the spot-the-difference puzzle. However, while the preview of the answer announcement was displayed after the remaining time reached zero, the speaker stopped outputting the BGM that had been outputting. At this time, while the preview of the answer announcement was being displayed, a different BGM from the one corresponding to the spot-the-difference puzzle may be output, or the BGM may be made inaudible. For example, if the BGM is made inaudible, it is possible to create a sense of tension for the player before the answer announcement is displayed. Even when the BGM is made inaudible, if the player makes an action, it is possible to output sound effects caused by the player's action (e.g., volume adjustment sound, light intensity adjustment sound, etc.) as in normal operation. In addition, when the BGM is made inaudible, it is possible to output sound effects not caused by the player's action (e.g., a buzzer sound to notify the end of the spot-the-difference puzzle, or a heartbeat sound to create a sense of tension for the player, etc.).

Furthermore, in this example, the display device 1600 hides the game board image A when the remaining time for the "spot the difference" game reaches zero, and displays a preview of the answer announcement for the "spot the difference" game. However, the preview of the answer announcement for the "spot the difference" game may be displayed on a higher layer than game board image A, covering a portion of game board image A. For example, if game board image A is hidden, it becomes impossible for the player to find the difference after the remaining time for the "spot the difference" game reaches zero. On the other hand, if game board image A is kept displayed, the display can smoothly switch to the preview of the answer announcement for the "spot the difference" game after the display of the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game has finished.

In the above scenario, when displaying a preview of the answer to the "spot the difference" game while the game board image A remains displayed, it is desirable that the part containing the answer to the "spot the difference" game is covered by the preview. For example, if the part containing the answer to the "spot the difference" game is not covered by the preview, the player will still be able to find the difference even after the remaining time for the "spot the difference" game reaches zero. However, if it is covered by the preview, it becomes impossible for the player to find the difference after the remaining time for the "spot the difference" game reaches zero. Furthermore, if the part containing the answer to the "spot the difference" game is covered by the preview, there is no need to inform the player of this fact. By not informing the player that the part containing the answer to the "spot the difference" game is covered by the preview, it is possible to create a sense of anticipation that "although the remaining time for the "spot the difference" game has reached zero, the display of game board image A is still active, so it may still be possible to continue the "spot the difference" game."

As shown in Figure 223, after displaying a preview of the answer to the spot-the-difference game, the game display device 1600 displays an answer announcement screen for the spot-the-difference game. Specifically, on the right side of the screen, the game board image A, which was displayed on the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game, is displayed, and the game board image B, which is a copy of the game board 5, is displayed, and the game board image B is displayed, which has multiple obstacle pins. In other words, game board image B is the same as game board image A in that it is a copy of the game board 5, but while game board image A is displayed in a way that makes it partially different from the game board 5, game board image B is not displayed in a way that makes it partially different from the game board 5, and the part that was incorrect in game board image A does not exist. In this way, by displaying game board image A, which has the incorrect part, and game board image B, which does not have the incorrect part, side by side on the game display device 1600, the player can compare at a glance which part was the "answer" to the spot-the-difference game. Regarding board image B, it is sufficient if the incorrect parts of board image A can be identified. As will be explained in more detail later, other parts can be partially simplified, similar to board image A.

Furthermore, the display device 1600 displays the message "The answer was 'The nail is missing'" at the top of the screen and the message "Did you get it? Try again!" at the bottom of the screen. In this way, the display device 1600 notifies the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle via message, allowing the player to know the answer without having to compare the game board image A, which is partially different from the game board 5, with the game board image B, which is identical to the game board 5. During the display of the answer announcement for the spot-the-difference puzzle, the speaker outputs the corresponding audio messages: "The answer was 'The nail is missing'" and "Did you get it? Try again!" In addition to these, the speaker also outputs background music (BGM) corresponding to the answer announcement and sound effects to attract the player's attention.

In this example, the display device 1600 displays both the game board image A (which is displayed in a way that it differs from the game board 5) that was shown on the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game, and the game board image B (which is displayed to be the same as the game board 5). However, it is sufficient to display the part that is the answer to the spot-the-difference game. For example, the display positions of game board image A and game board image B may be set to be the same, and each game board image may be displayed alternately. Furthermore, the part that is the answer to the spot-the-difference game may be displayed in a flashing manner. This allows for a wider display area for the game board image and makes it easier for the player to confirm the part that is the answer to the spot-the-difference game. Alternatively, only game board image A that was shown on the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game may be displayed (or only game board image B that is displayed to be the same as the game board 5), and the part that is the answer to the spot-the-difference game may be announced by text (message) or sound. Thus, when only one of the two game board images, A or B, is displayed, the player can understand the answer to the spot-the-difference puzzle through text (messages) or audio. However, because it becomes difficult for the player to compare the two images visually, it encourages them to re-examine the image the next time the spot-the-difference puzzle occurs, thus keeping them engaged in the next puzzle.

In this example, the display device 1600 shows a board image B that is identical to the game board 5. This board image B is necessary for the answer announcement display to show which part is the answer by comparing it with board image A, which is displayed with some differences from the game board 5. However, if board image B is depicted too precisely, it could be used as a blueprint for the game board 5, and there is a risk that board image B could be misused. For example, inside the predetermined components of the game board 5, components related to payout and performance control, such as circuit boards, electronic components, harnesses, and cables, are located in positions visible to the player. If these components are depicted in board image B, the player will be looking at board image B during the answer announcement display, making it easier for the player to confirm the position of circuit boards, electronic components, etc., and potentially using it as a model for illegal modifications or operations. In this example, in areas that do not provide the answer to the "spot the difference" puzzle, the circuit boards and electronic components are partially omitted or simplified so that they are not visible to the player, or so that they are difficult to see.

Specifically, the part that is the answer to the spot-the-difference puzzle is the "multiple obstacle pins" provided on the game board 5. However, in the answer announcement display, it is sufficient to clearly state that the answer to the spot-the-difference puzzle is the "multiple obstacle pins," and other components (parts that are not the answer to the spot-the-difference puzzle) do not need to be depicted in detail. For example, components such as the luminous decorative body that can light up in conjunction with a predetermined effect, the gate 2010, the first start opening 2003 (start opening unit 2100), the second start opening 2004 (second start opening unit 2720), the big prize opening 2005 (attacker unit 2730), the general prize opening 2001, the out opening 2020, and the sub-out opening 2021 have circuit boards and electronic components inside, but these circuit boards and electronic components are located in positions where the game balls do not come into contact with them, so players do not pay attention to them during normal gameplay. Furthermore, when displaying the answer reveal image B, circuit boards and electronic components located inside parts that do not contribute to the answer in the "spot the difference" game are omitted from the display. This prevents players from identifying the location of circuit boards and electronic components even when focusing on image B, thus preventing unauthorized modifications or manipulations.

Furthermore, in this example, when displaying the answer reveal image B, components such as circuit boards and electronic parts located inside parts that do not contribute to the answer in the spot-the-difference game are omitted from the display. However, they may be displayed in a simplified manner. For example, while circuit boards and electronic parts have product numbers, when displaying the image B, the shape of the circuit boards and electronic parts may be depicted, but the product numbers may be omitted. This allows the player to confirm the location of the circuit boards and electronic parts when they focus on the image B during the answer reveal, but they cannot confirm the product numbers, thus preventing unauthorized modifications or manipulations.

Furthermore, in this example, when displaying the answer reveal image B, circuit boards and electronic components located inside parts that are not part of the answer to the spot-the-difference puzzle are omitted from the display. However, it is sufficient to make them undetectable. For example, parts containing circuit boards and electronic components can be erased and not displayed, or parts containing circuit boards and electronic components can be blurred or pixelated. Alternatively, parts containing circuit boards and electronic components that are not originally present can be displayed. Furthermore, other displays, such as message displays, can be shown on the screen, covering and concealing parts containing circuit boards and electronic components. These methods also ensure that the player cannot confirm the location of circuit boards and electronic components.

Furthermore, in the above explanation, when displaying the answer, circuit boards and electronic components located inside parts that are not the answer to the "spot the difference" game are omitted from the display of image B. However, it is also possible to omit or simplify the display of such circuit boards and electronic components in image A as well as image B. This ensures that, while players will also be looking at image A to compare and determine which part is the "answer" to the "spot the difference" game, they cannot confirm the location of the circuit boards and electronic components even when looking at image A, thus preventing unauthorized modifications or manipulations. Additionally, as mentioned above, if only image B is displayed in the answer announcement, and the answer to the "spot the difference" game is announced via text (message) or audio, image A, which depicts the circuit boards and electronic components, is not displayed. Therefore, players cannot confirm the location of the circuit boards and electronic components, thus preventing unauthorized modifications or manipulations.

Furthermore, if a circuit board or electronic components are located inside the component that serves as the answer to the "spot the difference" puzzle, the display board image A may be set to indicate that "there are no circuit boards or electronic components located inside the component," so that the circuit board or electronic components themselves represent the answer to the puzzle. In such cases, as described above, it is preferable to display only display board image B in the answer announcement and notify the player of the answer to the "spot the difference" puzzle using text (message) or audio. This prevents the player from confirming the location of the circuit board or electronic components because display board image A, which depicts the circuit board or electronic components, is not shown, thus preventing unauthorized modification or manipulation.

As shown in Figure 224, after displaying the answer announcement for the "spot the difference" game, a standby screen showing the special symbols in a non-changing state is displayed. This standby screen is the same as the standby screen displayed before the start of the "spot the difference" game. After displaying the standby screen showing the non-changing special symbols, if a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed without a new special symbol changing display starting, it is possible to start the "spot the difference" game again as a demonstration (customer attraction). After displaying the answer announcement for the "spot the difference" game and once the game is completed, the system returns to the standby screen showing the non-changing special symbols. However, even during the "spot the difference" game, if a predetermined control unit (e.g., the game operation unit 250) is operated, or if a predetermined detection occurs (e.g., detection by a ball entry detection sensor, door opening sensor, magnetic sensor, etc.), the "spot the difference" game can be stopped and the system can return to the standby screen showing the non-changing special symbols.

In this example, since a "spot the difference" game is being played as a demonstration (customer attraction) while the special symbols are not being displayed, if a ball enters one of the starting slots and the special symbols begin to change display while the "spot the difference" game is in progress, the "spot the difference" game is immediately stopped, and the game begins to play a variation related to the special symbols.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, "the first special symbol and the second special symbol will not be displayed simultaneously (for example, the first special symbol will not be displayed while the second special symbol is being displayed), but it may be possible for the first and second special symbols to be displayed simultaneously. In such a case, for example, if the first special symbol is not being displayed, it may be possible to perform a customer attraction event even while the second special symbol is being displayed, and such a customer attraction event may be a spot-the-difference event." In such a configuration, if the first special symbol is not being displayed while the spot-the-difference event is being performed, the spot-the-difference event will continue even if a game ball enters the starting slot corresponding to the second special symbol and the second special symbol starts to be displayed. It is desirable that the display of the second special symbol's variation and hold status be displayed at a predetermined position on the performance display device 1600, or on a display device separate from the performance display device 1600, so that players can check them even while the spot-the-difference event is being performed. On the other hand, during the execution of the "spot the difference" feature, if the special symbols are not displayed in a variable state, the "spot the difference" feature will continue even if a game ball passes through the gate 2010 corresponding to the regular symbols and the variable display of the regular symbols begins. It is desirable that the variable display of the regular symbols and the status of the held symbols be displayed at a designated location on the performance display device 1600, or on a separate display device, so that the player can check them even during the execution of the "spot the difference" feature.

Furthermore, in this example, the special symbol display starts when a ball enters one of the various starting gates during the "spot the difference" animation. However, the system may be configured so that the special symbol display does not start even if a ball enters one of the starting gates. Alternatively, the system may be configured so that the display of the first special symbol does not start even if a game ball enters the starting gate corresponding to the first special symbol during the "spot the difference" animation, while the display of the second special symbol starts when a game ball enters the starting gate corresponding to the second special symbol, but the "spot the difference" animation continues. On the other hand, the system may be configured so that the display of the normal symbol starts when a game ball passes through the gate 2010 corresponding to a normal symbol during the "spot the difference" animation, but the "spot the difference" animation continues. In such a configuration, the "spot the difference" animation does not stop even if a ball enters one of the various starting gates (passes through gate 2010) during the "spot the difference" animation, allowing the player to enjoy the "spot the difference" animation while launching game balls.

Furthermore, if the game is configured so that the special symbol display does not start even when a ball enters one of the starting slots during the "spot the difference" game, there is a risk that the "spot the difference" game will continue even if the player enters a starting slot, potentially diminishing the enjoyment of players who do not wish for the "spot the difference" game to continue. Therefore, if the game is configured so that the special symbol display does not start even when a ball enters one of the starting slots during the "spot the difference" game, it is desirable to display or announce that the "spot the difference" game will end and the special symbol display will start after a certain period of time has elapsed. Alternatively, the game may be configured so that the "spot the difference" game can be forcibly ended by the player, and the special symbol display will start according to the accumulated reserved balls.

Furthermore, when a game ball enters a designated entry point or area (such as the out entry point 1008, the general prize entry point 2001, or the through gate) that is separate from the various starting points and is easy for game balls to enter, the "spot the difference" animation may be forcibly terminated, and the display of special symbols may be started according to the stored reserves. Also, when the "spot the difference" animation is forcibly terminated when a game ball enters a designated entry point or area, a standby screen showing the special symbols in a non-variable state may be displayed, or a separate termination display screen may be displayed. Here, as a separate termination display screen from the standby screen, for example, a screen may be displayed that notifies (warns) that the "spot the difference" animation has been forcibly terminated, or a screen may be displayed that notifies that the "spot the difference" animation has been successfully terminated ("Skip function activated!", etc.). When such a separate termination display screen from the standby screen is displayed, it is desirable to transition to the standby screen after displaying the termination display screen. Furthermore, it is desirable to configure the system so that the display of special symbols does not start while the termination display screen is displayed. In this configuration, the fact that the special symbol variation display will not begin during the end display screen may be indicated by a predetermined message on the screen, or by indicating that the fourth symbol displayed on the screen is in a stopped state. Furthermore, it is desirable that the "spot the difference" game ends faster when the game ball is entered into a predetermined entry point or area that is easier to enter than when it is entered into one of the various entry points. This is because if the various entry points are designed to allow the "spot the difference" game to end quickly, these entry points are located in areas that are more difficult to enter than the predetermined entry points or areas, requiring the player to enter the balls more time, thus failing to achieve the original objective of "ending the spot the difference" game quickly. However, this does not apply if a specific entry point (for example, a variable entry point such as the second entry point 2004) is located in an area that is easier to enter than the predetermined entry points or areas.

Furthermore, in this example, while the "spot the difference" feature is running, if a ball enters one of the various starting slots and the special symbols begin to change, the "spot the difference" feature is stopped. However, if a predetermined control unit (e.g., the feature operation unit 250) is operated, or if a predetermined detection occurs (e.g., detection by a ball entry detection sensor, door opening sensor, magnetic sensor, etc.), the "spot the difference" feature can be stopped, and the system can return to the standby screen where the special symbols are not changing. This allows players who do not require the "spot the difference" feature to simply operate a predetermined control unit (e.g., the feature operation unit 250), allowing them to enjoy a feature that suits their needs. Additionally, when the "spot the difference" feature is stopped due to an operation of a predetermined control unit or a predetermined detection, a predetermined display screen may be shown. Here, the predetermined display screen may, for example, display a screen corresponding to a predetermined operation or detection, or it may display a screen that discourages actions that would result in a predetermined operation or detection because the pachinko machine 1 is currently performing the "spot the difference" feature.

In this example, after the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen has finished, the display device 1600 announces the answer and then displays the answer, revealing the solution to the "spot the difference" puzzle. However, as a variation, the device may be configured not to reveal the answer to the "spot the difference" puzzle, but instead to display an access link to a website where the answer can be entered (for example, a URL or a QR code). Such a variation will be explained with reference to Figure 225. Figure 225 is a specific example illustrating a variation where the answer to the "spot the difference" puzzle is not revealed.

As shown in Figure 225, after the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen ends, the display device 1600 does not reveal the answer to the "spot the difference" puzzle. Instead, it displays a QR code that, when scanned, allows access to a designated website, along with the message, "Spot the difference puzzle finished! If you know the answer, access the following!" This QR code allows access to a promotional webpage for the pachinko machine 1 or a data site where game information can be saved. By scanning the QR code, the player is redirected to such an external site, where they can enter the answer to the "spot the difference" puzzle.

Furthermore, when a player enters the answer to the "spot the difference" game on the external website to which they are redirected, they can receive a predetermined reward. This reward could be, for example, points usable on the external website, or the ability to check the payout trends and settings (such as setting values) of the pachinko machine 1. In this way, the possibility of receiving a reward after completing the "spot the difference" game increases the player's motivation to find the answer during the game, thereby enhancing the enjoyment of the "spot the difference" game itself.

Furthermore, during the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen, multiple possible answers may be shown. The system may be configured so that the player selects what they believe to be the correct answer from the options by operating the control unit 250 or other means within the time limit for the puzzle. If the selected answer is correct, a QR code may be displayed. Alternatively, a QR code may be displayed regardless of the selected option, allowing the player to check whether their selection was correct on an external website. In this configuration, if the selected answer is correct, the player can earn a predetermined reward (such as points) on the external website; if incorrect, they can be notified of the error or receive hints about the answer. This allows players to not only enjoy the "spot the difference" puzzle as a pastime, but also to engage in activities for rewards such as earning points or understanding the settings of the pachinko machine 1, thereby enhancing the enjoyment of the puzzle.

In the above configuration, selecting from the options requires operation of a control device. However, it is also possible to configure the game so that the player selects the correct answer by inserting the game ball into the corresponding entry point (for example, option A = general entry point A, option B = general entry point B) within the time limit for the "spot the difference" game. In such a configuration, it is desirable to display messages or output audio such as "If you think it's option A, aim here; if you think it's option B, aim here!" while multiple options are displayed, in order to help the player smoothly select the correct game ball. This allows the player to shoot more game balls, and the hall manager can efficiently collect out balls (by making the player shoot more balls that would otherwise be wasted).

Furthermore, while the above configuration displays a QR code if the selected answer is correct, it may also be configured to display a special image instead of a QR code (for example, a character related to the pachinko machine 1, or a rare image that is not normally visible).

Furthermore, as described above, if the system is configured to display a QR code only when the selected option is correct, the system may either display the QR code within the time limit for the spot-the-difference game, or it may display it beyond the time limit. For example, in the case where the QR code is displayed within the time limit, the presentation time does not change regardless of which option the player selects, thus compressing the memory capacity of the peripheral control board 1510. On the other hand, in the case where the QR code is displayed beyond the time limit for the spot-the-difference game, the time the QR code or special image is displayed is extended, allowing the player ample time to view and photograph it, thereby enhancing the enjoyment of the game. In the case where the QR code is displayed beyond the time limit for the spot-the-difference game, it is desirable to set a separate display time for the QR code (for example, 10 seconds), so that the QR code is displayed from the moment the player selects an option until the set display time has elapsed. Also, while the QR code is displayed, it is desirable to hide the spot-the-difference problem screen (game board image A) and end the spot-the-difference presentation to make it easier for the player to read the QR code.

Furthermore, as a variation of the configuration in which the player selects an option, if option A is the part that is the answer to the spot-the-difference puzzle (the part that differs from the game board 5), and option B is the part that is not the answer to the spot-the-difference puzzle (the part that does not differ from the game board 5), if the player selects option B, which is not the answer, the display of the spot-the-difference puzzle screen (game board image A) will continue. On the other hand, if the player selects option A, which is the answer, the display of the spot-the-difference puzzle screen (game board image A) will end, and a predetermined reward (display of a QR code or a special image such as a high-rarity image) will be performed. In this case, if the player selects option B, which is not the answer, it is desirable to inform the player that their selection is incorrect with a display and sound effect such as "That's not it!" or "That's wrong!". This will dramatically increase the probability that the player will be able to select the correct option A, and thus increase the probability that the player will be able to obtain a reward. Even if the game is structured so that a predetermined reward is granted only when the player selects the correct option, it is desirable that the spot-the-difference game ends when the time limit reaches zero. However, in this configuration, the probability of the player reaching the correct answer is higher than in other spot-the-difference games, so the time limit may be shorter than in other games.

In this example, the "difference" in the spot-the-difference game is the absence of several obstacle pins on the game board 5 in image A. However, as mentioned above, the "difference" (the part that appears to be partially different) can be any part of the game board 5. Furthermore, as previously stated, the game board image A displayed on the display device 1600 can display "parts that differ from the game board 5," such as "a predetermined component added, a predetermined component removed," "a predetermined component replaced with another component," "a predetermined component with a different appearance (such as a different light emission pattern)," "a predetermined component in a different position," or "a pattern on the game board 5." Such modifications will be explained with reference to Figures 226 to 228.

Figure 226 shows a specific example of a modified version illustrating a different configuration of the luminous decorative element. As shown in Figure 226, a luminous decorative element 2510A, capable of illuminating in conjunction with a predetermined effect, is provided on the right side of the effect display device 1600 on the game board 5. When the effect display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" effect, the luminous decorative element 2510A on the game board 5 remains unlit, while the area depicting the luminous decorative element on the game board image A illuminates, indicating a "partially different display." This allows the player to understand that the answer to the "spot the difference" effect is found by comparing the game board 5 and the game board image A, where the luminous decorative element 2510A on the game board 5 is unlit, but the area depicting the luminous decorative element on the game board image A is illuminated.

In this modified example, the luminous decorative element 2510A on the game board 5 is not lit, while the area depicting the luminous decorative element on the game board image A is lit. However, it is also possible to have the luminous decorative element 2510A on the game board 5 be lit while the area depicting the luminous decorative element on the game board image A is not lit. Furthermore, both the luminous decorative element 2510A on the game board 5 and the area depicting the luminous decorative element on the game board image A may be lit, but with different colors. Also, as mentioned above, since the luminous decorative element 2510A on the game board 5 contains a circuit board and electronic components, in the spot-the-difference game, the game board image A may be set to show "the circuit board and electronic components inside the luminous decorative element are missing," so that the circuit board and electronic components themselves are the answer to the spot-the-difference game.

Figure 227 is a specific example of a modified version in which the pattern on the game board is different. As shown in Figure 227, a first start port 2003 (start port unit 2100) is provided below the display device 1600 on the game board 5, and the first start port 2003 is marked with the word "GO". When the display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game, the game board 5 has the "GO" mark on the first start port 2003, whereas the image A of the game board does not have the "GO" mark on the area where the first start port 2003 is depicted. This allows the player to understand that in a spot-the-difference game, by comparing game board 5 and image A, if the player finds that "game board 5 has a 'GO' mark on the first start gate 2003, but image A does not have a 'GO' mark on the area depicting the first start gate 2003," then that area is the answer to the spot-the-difference game.

In this modified example, while a mark (pattern) is applied to a predetermined component on the game board 5, the area depicting the predetermined component in the game board image A is not marked (pattern). Alternatively, the predetermined component on the game board 5 may not be marked (pattern), while the area depicting the predetermined component in the game board image A is marked (pattern). Furthermore, both the predetermined component on the game board 5 and the area depicting the predetermined component shown in the game board image A may be marked (patterned), but their colors may be different.

Figure 228 is a specific example illustrating a modified version in which the presence or absence of a predetermined component differs. As shown in Figure 228, a first start port 2003 (start port unit 2100) is provided below the display device 1600 on the game board 5. When the display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game, the game board 5 has the first start port 2003, while the game board image A lacks the first start port 2003. Therefore, in the "spot the difference" game, by comparing the game board 5 and the game board image A, if the player finds that "the game board 5 has the first start port 2003, but the game board image A lacks the first start port 2003," they can understand that this is the answer to the "spot the difference" game.

In this modified example, while the game board 5 has a first start opening 2003 at a predetermined position, the game board image A does not show the first start opening 2003 at its predetermined position. However, the game board image A may depict the first start opening 2003 at a position other than the predetermined one. Furthermore, the game board image A may depict a part that is partially deformed from the first start opening 2003 at the predetermined position, or depict a different component (for example, a second start opening 2004) from the first start opening 2003. Also, while the game board 5 has no components at the predetermined position, the game board image A may depict some component at the predetermined position.

In this example, a spot-the-difference game is performed as one of the predetermined demonstration effects (customer attraction effects, such as displaying explanations of the effects or promotional images) while the special symbols are displayed in a non-changing state. However, it is possible to perform the spot-the-difference game not only while the special symbols are displayed in a non-changing state, but also while they are displayed in a changing state. When the spot-the-difference game is performed while the special symbols are displayed in a non-changing state, if a ball enters one of the starting gates, the spot-the-difference game is immediately stopped and the special symbols begin to change. However, when the spot-the-difference game is performed while the special symbols are displayed in a changing state, even if a ball enters one of the starting gates, the game continues because the special symbols are already being displayed in a changing state. Furthermore, when the spot-the-difference game is performed while the special symbols are being displayed in a changing state, the fourth symbol is displayed in a changing state so that the player can understand that the special symbols are being displayed in a changing state. In addition, when the spot-the-difference game is performed while the special symbols are being displayed in a changing state, multiple choices that could be the answer to the spot-the-difference game may be displayed, and the game may be configured so that the player can operate the game operation unit 250 or other operating means to select what they believe to be the answer from among the choices within the time limit for finding the difference. Furthermore, if the result of the special symbol lottery is determined to be a jackpot, and the answer selected from the choices is correct, the system may notify the player that they have won the jackpot. This makes it appear as if the jackpot was won as a result of correctly selecting the answer from the choices, and encourages active participation in the spot-the-difference game that runs during the special symbol's display.

Furthermore, in this example, the "spot the difference" game is performed as one of the predetermined demonstration effects (customer attraction effects, such as displaying explanations of the effects or promotional images) while the special symbols are not displayed in a variable state. However, it is sufficient to perform the "spot the difference" game while the special symbols are not displayed in a variable state. For example, the "spot the difference" game can be performed during a jackpot game, a minor jackpot game, before the start of a jackpot game or a minor jackpot game, after the end of a jackpot game or a minor jackpot game, or during a favorable game state (such as a probability change or time reduction) after a jackpot game. In this way, by performing the "spot the difference" game when a benefit is granted, such as during a jackpot game, it can be granted to the player as a bonus at the time of benefit granting. Note that when the "spot the difference" game is being performed during a demonstration effect, if a ball enters one of the various starting gates, the "spot the difference" game is immediately stopped and the variable display of the special symbols begins. However, for example, if the "spot the difference" game is being performed during a jackpot game, even if a ball enters one of the various starting gates, the variable display of the special symbols cannot begin, so the "spot the difference" game continues. Furthermore, for example, if a "spot the difference" game is being played during a jackpot, the system may be configured to display multiple possible answers to the "spot the difference" game, and the player can select what they believe to be the correct answer from the options by operating a control unit such as the game control unit 250 within the time limit for the "spot the difference" game. If it is decided that the system will be controlled to a favorable game state after a jackpot, and the selected answer is correct, the system may be controlled to enter the favorable game state after the jackpot. This makes it appear as if the player has obtained the favorable game state after the jackpot as a result of correctly selecting the answer, and encourages active participation in the "spot the difference" game played during the jackpot.

Furthermore, if the power is cut off and then restored during the execution of a "spot the difference" game, the game will not resume. Also, if the "spot the difference" game is running during special symbol display or during a jackpot bonus, and the power is cut off and then restored, the special symbol display and jackpot bonus will resume, but the "spot the difference" game will not resume. For example, if the "spot the difference" game were to resume when the power is restored with a short remaining time, it would be difficult to find the answer, potentially reducing the enjoyment of the game. In this example, by not resuming the "spot the difference" game when the power is restored, it is possible to prevent the game from becoming difficult to find the answer against the player's will, thus mitigating a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, in this example, after displaying the answer to the spot-the-difference game, the system returns to the standby screen showing the non-changing special symbols once the game is complete. However, even while the spot-the-difference game is in progress, if a predetermined control unit (e.g., the game operation unit 250) is operated or a predetermined detection occurs (e.g., detection by a ball entry detection (game ball passage) sensor, door opening sensor, magnetic sensor, etc.), the game can be stopped and the system returns to the standby screen showing the non-changing special symbols. However, during the period when the start screen of the spot-the-difference game is displayed, before the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game is displayed (before the game board image A is displayed), the game will not be stopped even if a predetermined control unit is operated or a predetermined detection occurs. For example, if the game were to be stopped when a predetermined control unit is operated during the period when the start screen of the spot-the-difference game is displayed, players who have been operating (repeatedly pressing) the predetermined control unit before the start screen of the spot-the-difference game is displayed would not be able to play the game, potentially reducing their enjoyment. In this example, by not stopping the "spot the difference" animation when a designated control panel is operated during the period when the start screen of the "spot the difference" animation is displayed, the animation will not be stopped against the player's will, thereby preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, while the image A of the game board, which is a copy of the game board 5, depicts an area corresponding to the display device 1600, a predetermined image or video may be displayed in that area. However, if image A is displayed inside image A (the area corresponding to the display device 1600), another image A will be displayed inside that image A, and so on, creating a repeating visual effect like a series of mirrors, which may tire the player. Therefore, it is desirable not to display another image A in the area corresponding to the display device 1600 in image A. Also, as for what is displayed in the area corresponding to the display device 1600 in image A, it is desirable to display only a message informing the player that the area corresponding to the display device 1600 in image A is not the target of the "spot the difference" game, or the model name, logo, or characters of the pachinko machine 1. On the other hand, the area corresponding to the display device 1600 in image A may be left blank or blacked out.

(Regarding the hint function in spot-the-difference puzzles)
In the above example, when the spot-the-difference game is being played, the game board image A displayed on the display device 1600 is shown to be partially different from the game board 5, but it is almost identical to the game board 5. Therefore, simply looking at game board image A may make it difficult to find which part is different from the game board 5. In this example, a hint animation is enabled during the execution of the spot-the-difference game. Depending on the execution of the hint animation, the area to be found for the spot-the-difference game on game board image A may be narrowed, making it easier to find which part is different from the game board 5. Such a hint animation during the execution of the spot-the-difference game will be explained with reference to Figures 229 to 236. Figures 229 to 236 are specific examples of animations to illustrate the hint animation.

As shown in Figure 229, before the hint animation begins (at the start of the spot-the-difference animation), the animation display device 1600 first displays the game board image A so that the entire game board 5, which is the target of the spot-the-difference game, is depicted. At this stage, the "question text indicating that the spot-the-difference animation is in progress" and the "meter showing the remaining time for the spot-the-difference animation" are not displayed, and other text and effects are also not displayed. However, it is possible to display the minimum necessary information, such as the "stopping symbols of the decorative symbols." In this way, the entire game board image A can be confirmed at the beginning without obstruction to its view.

As shown in Figure 230(A), after displaying the game board image A on the display device 1600, the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game is displayed. Specifically, in addition to displaying the game board image A, a message indicating that the "spot the difference" game is in progress is displayed at the top of the screen: "Something has changed on the game board! Can you find it?", and a meter showing the remaining time for the "spot the difference" game is displayed at the bottom of the screen. These displays other than the game board image A are displayed on a higher layer than the game board image A, covering a portion of the game board image A. The covered area also serves to indicate that the "answer" (the incorrect part) in the "spot the difference" game is not present in the area behind the game board image A. As a result, the visible area of the game board image A is narrowed due to the partial coverage, making it easier to find the "answer" in the "spot the difference" game. In this way, among the hint displays A that can partially cover the game board image A, the problem statement display is executed as hint display A1, and the remaining time meter is executed as hint display A2, both of which can be used as "hints in the "spot the difference" game."

Furthermore, the hint effect A1 may be made available to the player via ON/OFF settings. For example, if hint effect A1 is turned OFF, the difficulty of the spot-the-difference puzzle can be increased by ensuring that the visible area of the game board image A is not narrowed on the puzzle screen. However, even when hint effect A1 is turned OFF, it is desirable to display at least the puzzle text on the puzzle screen, as it would be unclear whether the spot-the-difference puzzle is in progress without displaying the puzzle text. For example, as shown in Figure 230(B), when hint effect A1 is turned OFF, the puzzle text is displayed on a higher layer than the game board image A, but is made semi-transparent, allowing the background of the game board image A to be visible. This ensures that even when the puzzle text is displayed, the visible area of the game board image A is not narrowed, maintaining a higher difficulty level in the spot-the-difference puzzle.

Furthermore, regarding Hint Presentation A1, it may be possible to randomly execute two patterns: one where Hint Presentation A1 is ON and the other where Hint Presentation A1 is OFF, regardless of player input. In this case, even if the "answer" to the "spot the difference" puzzle is the same, the difficulty level of the puzzle can be made different depending on whether Hint Presentation A1 is ON or OFF, allowing for the creation of multiple difficulty levels of "spot the difference" puzzles from a single "answer."

Furthermore, when Hint Presentation A begins, a predetermined sound effect is output from the speaker, making it easier for the player to understand that "Hint Presentation A has started." However, it is also possible to restrict the output of the sound effect related to Hint Presentation A from the speaker when Hint Presentation A begins. In this way, if the sound effect related to Hint Presentation A is not output, the player will not know when Hint Presentation A will start unless they are intently watching the presentation display device 1600, thus allowing them to participate in the spot-the-difference game with a sense of tension.

Next, regarding the hint presentation, in addition to hint presentation A, there are several types of hint presentations B to D that make it easier to find the "answer" to the spot-the-difference challenge, such as by covering a part of the board image A. These hint presentations B to D will be explained in order.

First, let's explain Hint Presentation B with reference to Figure 231. Hint Presentation B is a presentation that displays a predetermined display object capable of pointing to a predetermined area of the game board image A that contains the "answer" to the spot-the-difference game when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the spot-the-difference game (in this example, when the remaining time meter is halfway down). As shown in Figure 231(A), when Hint Presentation B is executed, the presentation display device 1600 displays a right-pointing arrow in the center of the screen with the words "Pay attention to the right" written inside, in addition to the problem statement display and the meter showing the remaining time. This right-pointing arrow is displayed on a higher layer than the game board image A and is displayed opaquely so as to cover a part of the game board image A. Similar to Hint Presentation A, it indicates that the "answer" to the spot-the-difference game is not in the area behind it that is covered. Also, the direction of the arrow is to the right, indicating that the "answer" to the spot-the-difference game is on the right side of the game board image A.

Furthermore, regarding Hint Effect B, like Hint Effect A, it may be possible to enable/disable it through player input. For example, by setting Hint Effect B to OFF, the right-pointing arrow can be hidden. Alternatively, the right-pointing arrow may be displayed randomly, either with Hint Effect B ON or with Hint Effect B OFF, regardless of player input.

Furthermore, in this example, in the spot-the-difference game, the right-pointing arrow (Hint Effect B) is displayed after the question text and remaining time meter (Hint Effect A) are shown. However, these displays could start simultaneously, or the question text and remaining time meter (Hint Effect A) could be displayed after the right-pointing arrow (Hint Effect B). In this way, if the right-pointing arrow (Hint Effect B) is displayed before the question text and remaining time meter (Hint Effect A), the player will already know that the "answer" to the spot-the-difference game is on the right side of image A by the time the question text is displayed and the player begins the game, allowing the player to efficiently find the difference.

Furthermore, in this example, while a right-pointing arrow is displayed in hint presentation B, the direction of the arrow only needs to point to a predetermined area of the game board image A that contains the "answer" to the spot-the-difference presentation. In this case, the arrow pointing to the predetermined area of game board image A is displayed in a position that does not cover the "answer" to the spot-the-difference presentation. However, in the spot-the-difference presentation, it is also possible to display only arrows of a predetermined direction, such as a right-pointing arrow, each time, and to ensure that the direction of the arrows is the same. Additionally, it is possible to display only arrows in the direction input by, for example, the operation of the setting adjustment button 204, which consists of four push buttons arranged in front, behind, left, and right.

Furthermore, in this example, the right-pointing arrow used as hint effect B is displayed without rotation. However, it may be displayed to rotate at a predetermined cycle, and the position of the image A covered by this cycle may change. For example, if the right-pointing arrow is configured to rotate clockwise once every four seconds over a period of one second, the predetermined position of image A will not be covered for four seconds, while it will be covered for one second during the cycle (clockwise rotation). This slightly increases the difficulty of the spot-the-difference puzzle compared to hint effect B without cycle movement, making it easier to adjust the difficulty of the puzzle. Also, as described above, if the arrow is configured to rotate clockwise, it will point to the right for four seconds, but will point in a direction other than right for one second during the cycle. During this one second of cycle movement, hint effect B will not point to the part that is the answer to the spot-the-difference puzzle, thus increasing the difficulty of the puzzle compared to hint effect B without cycle movement.

Furthermore, in this example, while a rightward-pointing arrow is displayed in hint presentation B, it does not have to be an arrow; any symbol that points to a predetermined area of board image A containing the "answer" to the spot-the-difference presentation is acceptable. For example, as shown in Figure 231(B), a pictogram (picture symbol) pointing in the desired direction may be displayed, or as shown in Figure 231(C), a triangle or home plate-shaped figure with its vertex pointing in the desired direction may be displayed.

Next, Hint演出 C will be explained with reference to Figure 232. Hint演出 C is a display that shows a predetermined object capable of covering a portion of the game board image A when the player operates the control means, such as the performance control unit 250, at any time of their choosing (in this example, when the meter showing the remaining time is halved). As shown in Figure 232(A), when Hint演出 C is executed, the performance display device 1600 displays a star-shaped figure in addition to the problem statement and the meter showing the remaining time. This star-shaped figure is displayed on a higher layer than the game board image A and is displayed opaquely so as to cover a portion of the game board image A. Similar to Hint演出 A, it indicates that there is no "answer (the incorrect part)" in the spot-the-difference game in the area that is covered.

By the way, hint sequences A and B are usually executed at predetermined times and cannot be activated at the player's discretion. Therefore, for example, a player might enjoy the "spot the difference" puzzle without using hint sequences A or B until just before the remaining time runs out, but still be unable to find the "answer." Even if they want to use hint sequences A or B midway through, they cannot start them, and may never find the "answer." In this example, however, hint sequence C can be activated at the player's discretion, allowing them to start it midway through if they wish to use it.

Furthermore, Hint演出C (Hint Presentation C) displays a star shape from the moment the player makes an action until the remaining time reaches zero. However, the display time of Hint Presentation C (star shape) may be changed. For example, the display time of Hint Presentation C may be set to a certain amount of time elapsed from the moment the player makes an action, rather than from the time the player makes an action until the spot-the-difference game ends. This allows the display time of Hint Presentation C to be longer or shorter than the time that the game board image A is displayed as part of the spot-the-difference game. This allows the player to choose whether to use Hint Presentation C to get an idea of the "answer" to the spot-the-difference game immediately after the game starts, or to enjoy the spot-the-difference game without using Hint Presentation C until the remaining time is running low, according to the player's preference.

Furthermore, while it is desirable that the display time of hint effect C be predetermined, the system may be configured to allow the player to change the display time of hint effect C. For example, even if the display time of hint effect C is set to 3 seconds, the system may be configured so that the player can extend it to 5 seconds by operating the control device. This allows the player to arbitrarily change the display time of hint effect C, making it possible to provide hint effects that match the player's skill level. The control device for extending the display time of hint effect C may be the same as the control device used to display hint effect C, or it may be a different control device. If the same control device is used as the one used to display hint effect C, the player will be able to intuitively decide whether or not to extend the display time of hint effect C. On the other hand, if the system is configured to extend the display time of hint effect C using a different control device than the one used to display hint effect C, the risk of the player accidentally operating the control device and extending the display time of hint effect C when they do not want to is eliminated. Furthermore, if it were possible to shorten the display time of hint animation C, it would be possible to display hint animation C for only a brief moment and then enjoy the spot-the-difference game as if hint animation C hadn't been used. Therefore, it is desirable that the display time of hint animation C be extendable, but not shortenable.

Furthermore, the star-shaped figure used as hint effect C may be made displayable even immediately before the start of the spot-the-difference game (before the display of the game board image A; for example, when the start screen for the spot-the-difference game is displayed). This allows players to display hint effect C in advance once they confirm the start of the spot-the-difference game, giving them an advantage from the start (making it easier to find the differences). It is desirable that the display time of hint effect C remain unchanged whether it is displayed after the start of the spot-the-difference game or immediately before. This is because displaying hint effect C before the start of the spot-the-difference game results in a shorter display time during the game compared to displaying it after the game starts, thus creating a disadvantage for players and expanding the range of choices regarding when to display hint effect C.

Furthermore, in this example, while a star shape is displayed in hint presentation C, it does not have to be a star shape. As explained in hint presentation B, arrows, pictograms, triangles, or home plate-shaped figures may also be displayed. However, if what is displayed in hint presentation C closely resembles a component installed in the pachinko machine 1, it is possible that the player may be misled into believing that what is displayed in hint presentation C is the "answer" to the spot-the-difference game. Therefore, it is desirable that the display clearly indicates that it is "what is displayed as hint presentation C."

Furthermore, regarding hint animation C, the position where the star-shaped figure is displayed on the screen is not fixed, and its position can be displayed randomly. While this star-shaped figure is displayed in a position that does not cover the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle or its vicinity, it may be displayed in a position that covers part of the game board image A, or in a position that does not cover part of the game board image A. Therefore, as shown in Figure 232(B), the star-shaped figure may appear in a position on the screen that the player did not intend. Specifically, when hint animation C is executed, the star-shaped figure is displayed in a distant position to the left of game board image A, and does not cover part of game board image A. In this way, even when hint animation C is executed, if the star-shaped figure does not cover part of game board image A, it cannot be used as a hint in the spot-the-difference puzzle, and the player's attention can be drawn to where the star-shaped figure is displayed.

Furthermore, while the star-shaped figure used as hint effect C is displayed in a position that covers a portion of the board image A but does not cover images related to other hint effects (hint effect A and hint effect B), a modified version of hint effect C' may be made to display the figure in a position that covers not only a portion of the board image A but also a portion of images related to other hint effects (hint effect A and hint effect B). Specifically, the star-shaped figure used as hint effect C' can be displayed on a higher layer than the problem statement display and the remaining time meter in hint effect A, and can be displayed in a position that covers the problem statement display and the remaining time meter. As shown in Figure 232(C), if the star-shaped figure at location (1) covers the problem statement display in hint effect A, it can be made difficult to read the specific content of the problem statement. On the other hand, if the star-shaped figure at location (2) covers the remaining time meter in hint effect A, it can be made difficult to grasp the exact remaining time. Thus, by displaying the star-shaped figure used as hint element C' in a position that covers part of the image related to other hint elements (hint elements A and B), the difficulty level of the spot-the-difference puzzle can be increased.

However, for players skilled in spot-the-difference puzzles, finding the "answer" to the puzzle becomes easy, diminishing the enjoyment. In this example, by making both hint C (which lowers the difficulty) and hint C' (which increases the difficulty) available, even skilled players can attempt the puzzle with increased difficulty, thus enhancing the enjoyment. Furthermore, since hints C and C' are executed by the player's operation, players who do not wish to increase the difficulty of the puzzle can enjoy it without increasing the difficulty by simply not operating the controls.

Furthermore, the player may be able to choose whether to execute Hint Presentation C or Hint Presentation C', that is, whether to cover part of the image related to other Hint Presentations (Hint Presentation A or Hint Presentation B), depending on the control unit they operate. For example, if the first control unit (for example, the up/down buttons among the four push buttons arranged front, back, left, and right of the setting adjustment button 204) is operated, Hint Presentation C may be executed to display a star shape without covering part of the image related to other Hint Presentations (Hint Presentation A or Hint Presentation B), thereby making the difficulty of the spot-the-difference game easier. On the other hand, if the second control unit (for example, the left/right buttons among the setting adjustment button 204) is operated, Hint Presentation C' may be executed to display a star shape that covers part of the image related to other Hint Presentations (Hint Presentation A or Hint Presentation B), thereby increasing the difficulty of the spot-the-difference game. This can enhance the enjoyment for both players who want to make the difficulty easier by executing Hint Presentation C and players who want to increase the difficulty by executing Hint Presentation C'.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the position where the star-shaped figure is displayed in Hint Presentation C and Hint Presentation C' be configurable by the administrator or player. For example, it is desirable that the settings for whether or not to allow the star-shaped figure to be displayed in Hint Presentation C in a position that does not cover part of the board image A, and whether or not to allow the star-shaped figure to be displayed in a position that covers part of the image related to other hint presentations (Hint Presentation A and Hint Presentation B) when Hint Presentation C' is executed be configurable as appropriate. Even if it is set to allow the star-shaped figure to be displayed in a position that does not cover part of the board image A, or to be displayed in a position that covers part of the image related to other hint presentations (Hint Presentation A and Hint Presentation B), this does not restrict the execution of Hint Presentation C; it remains possible for the star-shaped figure to be displayed in a position that does not cover part of the board image A, or to be displayed in a position that covers part of the image related to other hint presentations (Hint Presentation A and Hint Presentation B).

Furthermore, the star-shaped figures in Hint Presentation C and Hint Presentation C' are displayed on a higher layer than the images related to other Hint Presentations (Hint Presentation A and Hint Presentation B), thus indicating that the star-shaped figures displayed on the higher layer are those displayed by the player's actions. Even when displaying images related to other Hint Presentations (Hint Presentation A and Hint Presentation B) after displaying the star-shaped figures in Hint Presentation C and Hint Presentation C', it is desirable to display the star-shaped figures displayed by the player's actions on a higher layer. For example, if the Hint Presentations are displayed in a specific order, and images related to other Hint Presentations (Hint Presentation A and Hint Presentation B) are displayed on a higher layer, the star-shaped figure in Hint Presentation C', which is displayed to increase the difficulty, will be obscured by the images related to other Hint Presentations (Hint Presentation A and Hint Presentation B) displayed on a higher layer, preventing the difficulty from being sufficiently increased. In this example, regardless of the order in which the hint animations are displayed, the star-shaped figure displayed by the player's actions is shown on a higher layer. This allows hint animation C' to cover parts of the images related to other hint animations (hint animation A and hint animation B), thereby significantly increasing the difficulty.

Furthermore, while a predetermined sound effect is output from the speaker at the start of Hint Presentation A and Hint Presentation B, the same predetermined sound effect is output from the speaker at the start of Hint Presentation C and Hint Presentation C', making it easier for the player to understand that "Hint Presentation C (Hint Presentation C') has started" through their own operation. Also, while a predetermined sound effect is output from the speaker at the start of Hint Presentation C and Hint Presentation C', the output of a sound effect related to the end of Hint Presentation C and Hint Presentation C' is restricted from being output at the end of Hint Presentation C and Hint Presentation C'. However, a sound effect related to the end of Hint Presentation C and Hint Presentation C' may be output at the end of Hint Presentation C and Hint Presentation C', and in such a configuration, it is desirable to output a sound effect different from the sound effect output at the start of Hint Presentation C and Hint Presentation C'. This prevents the player from mistakenly believing that Hint Presentation C and Hint Presentation C' is starting when they end. Furthermore, as described above, if the system is configured so that the display time of hint animation C is extended by the player operating the control device, a sound effect related to the extension of the display time of hint animation C (such as "Extended!") is output from the speaker when the control device is operated, making it easier for the player to understand that the display time of hint animation C has been extended by their own operation.

Next, we will explain Hint Presentation D with reference to Figure 233. Hint Presentation D is a presentation that, as the spot-the-difference puzzle progresses, enlarges and displays the area near the "answer" to the puzzle on the game board image A.

As shown in Figure 233(A), before the start of hint animation D, the animation display device 1600 displays approximately the entire image A of the game board. Furthermore, a meter indicating the remaining time for hint animation A is displayed at the bottom of the screen, on a higher layer than the image A. In this example, other hint animations, such as the meter showing the remaining time, are displayed before the start of the enlarged display in hint animation D. However, other hint animations, such as the meter showing the remaining time, may be displayed after the enlarged display in hint animation D is completed. By executing the enlarged display in hint animation D first, the player can know from the beginning that the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle is in the enlarged area, allowing the player to efficiently perform the spot-the-difference puzzle.

As shown in Figure 233(B), when hint animation D is started, the area near the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle in the game board image A is magnified and displayed. This magnification gradually increases over time. Furthermore, by magnifying the area near the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle, other parts of the game board image A become outside the screen of the animation display device 1600 and are not displayed. At this point, the lower region of the game board image A, for example, the area corresponding to stage 2513 of the center mechanism 2500 on the game board 5, is not displayed on the screen. In this way, by executing the magnification in hint animation D, it is possible to know that the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle is in the magnified area, and that there is no "answer" in the area that is no longer displayed on the screen.

As shown in Figure 233(C), the enlarged display stops after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the hint presentation D. At this point, in addition to the lower area of the game board image A, the left area, for example, the area corresponding to the obstacle pins on the left side of the game board 5, is not displayed on the screen. In this way, with hint presentation D, the area of the game board image A displayed on the screen narrows as time passes, allowing the player to efficiently find the differences.

In this example, the enlargement in Hint Presentation D gradually enlarges the image A of the game board as time progresses. However, it may also be possible to display the enlarged image of the game board in stages after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed. Furthermore, in this example, the enlargement in Hint Presentation D is executed after the "spot the difference" game begins and the remaining time starts counting down. However, it may also be possible to start the "spot the difference" game and begin counting down the remaining time after the enlargement in Hint Presentation D is completed. By executing the enlargement in Hint Presentation D first, the player can know from the beginning that the "answer" to the "spot the difference" game is in the enlarged area, allowing the player to efficiently find the difference.

Furthermore, while Hint Presentation D can be executed simultaneously with other Hint Presentations, the case where it is executed simultaneously with other Hint Presentations will be explained with reference to Figure 234. Figure 234(A) shows the case where Hint Presentations A to C are executed before the enlargement display in Hint Presentation D begins, and Figure 234(B) shows the case where Hint Presentations A to C are executed after the enlargement display in Hint Presentation D has been completed.

As shown in Figure 234(A), before the enlarged display in Hint Presentation D begins, the presentation display device 1600 displays the problem statement and remaining time meter as Hint Presentation A, a right-pointing arrow as Hint Presentation B, and a star-shaped figure as Hint Presentation C in predetermined positions. At this time, the displays for Hint Presentations A to C cover a portion of the board image A.

As shown in Figure 234(B), when the enlarged display in Hint Presentation D is completed, the display device 1600 displays the problem statement and remaining time meter as Hint Presentation A, the right-pointing arrow as Hint Presentation B, and the star-shaped figure as Hint Presentation C in the same positions as before the enlarged display began. At this time, the displays of Hint Presentations A to C cover a portion of the board image A, but cover a different area than before the enlarged display began. In other words, the positions where the displays of Hint Presentations A to C are displayed are the same before and after the enlarged display in Hint Presentation D, but when the board image A on the back is enlarged, the area of the board image A covered by the displays of Hint Presentations A to C changes. Thus, although the enlarged display in Hint Presentation D enlarges the board image A on the back, it indicates that there is no "answer (the incorrect part)" in the spot-the-difference display not only at the time the enlarged display is completed, but also in the area of the board image A that was covered before the enlarged display was completed.

For example, as shown in Figure 234(A), before the magnification display in hint presentation D begins, the area corresponding to the launch rails (outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002) of the game board 5 in the game board image A is covered by the problem statement display as hint presentation A. However, as shown in Figure 234(B), when the magnification display in hint presentation D is completed, that area is not covered by the problem statement display as hint presentation A. Thus, although the area corresponding to the launch rails (outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002) of the game board 5 in the game board image A is not covered when the magnification display is completed, it was covered before the magnification display was completed, thus indicating that it is not the "answer" in the spot-the-difference presentation.

Furthermore, in the enlarged display of Hint Presentation D, the image of the game board A is gradually enlarged as time passes, so the area of the game board image A covered by the displayed items in Hint Presentations A to C gradually changes. This means that even the area of the game board image A covered during the enlarged display of Hint Presentation D does not contain the "answer (the incorrect part)" in the spot-the-difference game, thus keeping the player's attention from the beginning to the end of the enlarged display.

In the above example, hint sequences A through C are executed simultaneously with hint sequence D. However, the problem statement and remaining time meter (as hint sequence A), the right-pointing arrow (as hint sequence B), and the star-shaped figure (as hint sequence C (or hint sequence C')) are displayed in a way that they do not overlap with each other. This ensures that the original purpose of each display is not compromised. For example, the problem statement (as hint sequence A) is not covered, allowing the user to read the specific content of the problem statement. Similarly, the remaining time meter (as hint sequence A) is not covered, allowing the user to grasp the exact remaining time.

On the other hand, when hint sequences A through C are executed simultaneously, the display of the problem statement and the remaining time meter as hint sequence A, the right-pointing arrow as hint sequence B, and the star-shaped figure as hint sequence C (hint sequence C') may be displayed so that one display element covers the other. For example, as shown in Figure 234(C), if the right-pointing arrow as hint sequence B covers a portion of the problem statement display as hint sequence A, the area of the board image A covered by the problem statement display and the right-pointing arrow becomes smaller compared to the case where it is not covered, thus increasing the difficulty of the spot-the-difference sequence. Note that while the right-pointing arrow is displayed in a position that does not cover the text in the problem statement display, it may also be displayed in a position that covers the text in the problem statement display. Furthermore, when the right-pointing arrow as hint sequence B covers the remaining time meter as hint sequence A, the right-pointing arrow may be displayed in a position where the remaining time cannot be determined.

Furthermore, even when displaying the question text and remaining time meter as hint effect A, the right-pointing arrow as hint effect B, and the star-shaped figure as hint effect C (hint effect C') in a way that they overlap, it is desirable to display the star-shaped figure, which is displayed by the player's operation, on a higher layer. Also, even when displaying the question text and remaining time meter as hint effect A and the right-pointing arrow as hint effect B in a way that they do not overlap each other, the star-shaped figure as hint effect C (hint effect C') can overlap images related to other hint effects (hint effect A and hint effect B), and should be displayed on a higher layer than the images related to those other hint effects (hint effect A and hint effect B). This allows the player to understand that the star-shaped figure displayed on the higher layer is being displayed by the player's operation.

Next, regarding the aforementioned hint effects A to C, while the display positions of the elements in hint effects A to C are fixed, this example will explain the case where the display positions of the elements in hint effects A to C move, referring to Figure 235. In this example, the display position of the board image A is fixed.

As shown in Figure 235(A), when hint sequences A to C are executed, the display device 1600 displays the problem statement as hint sequence A, the rightward arrow as hint sequence B, and the star shape as hint sequence C, as display objects capable of covering a portion of the board image A. These display objects are initially positioned. Furthermore, the display objects for hint sequences A to C can be moved from their initial positions to predetermined positions. The movement path may be a straight line or a path that randomly changes direction.

As shown in Figure 235(B), the display objects for hint displays A to C have moved to a position to the right from their initial position. However, this movement stops before the remaining time for the spot-the-difference game reaches zero. At this time, the display objects for hint displays A to C cover a portion of the game board image A, but they cover a different portion than when they were in their initial position. In other words, the portion of the game board image A covered by the display objects for hint displays A to C changes before and after their movement. Thus, when the display objects for hint displays A to C move, it indicates that there is no "answer (the incorrect part)" in the spot-the-difference game, not only at the time the movement is completed, but also in the portion of the game board image A that was covered before the movement was completed.

Furthermore, since the display elements of Hint Effects A to C move along predetermined paths, the area of the game board image A covered by Hint Effects A to C gradually changes. For example, as shown in Figure 235(C), when Hint Effects A to C move linearly to the right, the area of the game board image A covered by Hint Effects A to C gradually changes to the right. This indicates that there are no "answers (incorrect parts)" in the area of the game board image A covered by Hint Effects A to C during their movement, thus keeping the player's attention from the beginning to the end of the moving display.

In this example, the display elements A to C all move in the same direction, to the right. However, their directions of movement and movement paths can be different. For example, among the display elements A to C, the problem statement display as hint element A can move downwards, the rightward arrow as hint element B can move to the right, and the star-shaped figure as hint element C can remain fixed in its initial position. Furthermore, if the directions of movement of the display elements A to C are different, even if the display elements A to C are displayed in a way that they do not cover each other when they are in their initial positions, it is possible for one display element to cover the other after they have moved. This allows the area indicating the absence of the "answer" (the incorrect part) in the spot-the-difference game to change depending on the direction and path of movement of the displayed elements in hint sequences A through C. Therefore, it is possible to keep the player's attention from the beginning to the end of the moving display.

Furthermore, in this example, the display objects for hint presentations A to C are displayed with their orientation fixed and unchanging from their initial position. However, they may also be displayed in a way that allows their orientation to change from their initial position. For example, the star-shaped figure used as hint presentation C is initially displayed with one vertex pointing upwards. However, it is possible to rotate the star-shaped figure so that one vertex points downwards, changing its orientation to a downward direction. This allows the star-shaped figure to form a circle around it, indicating that there are no "answers" (incorrect parts) in the spot-the-difference puzzle within the entire circle.

In the above, for example, when the star-shaped figure used as hint effect C is displayed facing upwards, it is possible to display it so as not to cover the area corresponding to the predetermined component in the board image A, and when it is displayed facing downwards, it is possible to display it so as to cover the area corresponding to the predetermined component in the board image A. Thus, hint effects A to C can change their state depending on the orientation of the displayed object, either covering or not covering the area corresponding to the predetermined component in the board image A. Furthermore, hint effects A to C can change their state depending on the orientation of one displayed object in the upper layer, either covering or not covering the other displayed object in the lower layer. Similarly, hint effects A to C can change their state depending on the orientation of one displayed object in the lower layer, either being covered or not covered by the other displayed object in the upper layer. This allows attention to be drawn to the orientation of the displayed objects when hint effects A to C are executed.

Furthermore, the display objects for hint effects A to C may be displayed in a way that their size changes through enlargement or reduction from their initial position. For example, when the right-pointing arrow, which is hint effect B, is enlarged, it can be displayed so as to cover the area corresponding to a predetermined component in the game board image A, and when it is reduced, it can be displayed so as not to cover the area corresponding to the predetermined component in the game board image A. In this way, hint effects A to C can change between covering and not covering the area corresponding to a predetermined component in the game board image A by enlarging or reducing the display objects. Similarly, for hint effects A to C, enlarging or reducing one display object displayed on the upper layer can change between covering and not covering the other display object displayed on the lower layer. Likewise, for hint effects A to C, enlarging or reducing one display object displayed on the lower layer can change between being covered and not covered by the other display object displayed on the upper layer. This allows attention to be drawn to the enlargement or reduction of the display objects when hint effects A to C are executed.

Next, the end display after the "spot the difference" animation will be explained with reference to Figure 236. In this example, when the remaining time for the "spot the difference" animation reaches 0 and the display of the game board image A ends, the animation display device 1600 displays an end display to indicate that the "spot the difference" animation has ended. However, regarding the hint animation that was running during the "spot the difference" animation, either the hint animation may be hidden during the end display, or the hint animation may be continued to be displayed during the end display.

First, let's explain how to hide the hint animation during the end display. As shown in Figure 236(A), when the remaining time for the spot-the-difference animation reaches 0 and the display of the game board image A ends, the animation display device 1600 hides the hint animation that was running during the spot-the-difference animation and displays only the end display to indicate that the spot-the-difference animation has ended. Specifically, the end display shows the message "Spot-the-difference complete! The answer will now be revealed" in the center of the screen. In this way, by hiding the hint animation that was running during the spot-the-difference animation at the same time as ending the display of the game board image A, it is possible to immediately understand that the spot-the-difference animation has ended.

Next, the case where hint effects continue to be displayed during the end display will be explained below. As shown in Figure 236(B), when the remaining time for the spot-the-difference effect reaches 0 and the display of the board image A ends, the effect display device 1600 continues to display the hint effects that were running during the spot-the-difference effect, and displays an end display at a higher layer than those hint effects to indicate that the spot-the-difference effect has ended. At this time, hint effects that were running during the spot-the-difference effect are continued to be displayed, but hint effects that were not running during the spot-the-difference effect are not displayed.

By the way, as mentioned earlier, if the hint animation is forcibly hidden during the end screen, there is no record of whether or not the hint animation was performed during the spot-the-difference animation. In today's gaming industry, players sometimes take photos of their winnings or rare animations, save them, and share them with other players. If a player wants to photograph and save the results of a spot-the-difference animation, and the system hides the hint animation during the end screen, even if they find the "answer" to the difficult spot-the-difference animation without performing the hint animation, they cannot save the status of the hint animation's execution. This means they cannot experience the sense of superiority that comes with players who did perform the hint animation. However, during the end screen, the hint animation that was being performed during the spot-the-difference animation is continuously displayed, making it possible to show the status of the hint animation's execution during the spot-the-difference animation. Therefore, players who did not perform the hint animation can photograph and save the image including the fact that they did not perform the hint animation, differentiating the display format from players who did perform the hint animation.

Furthermore, in this example, all hint animations that were executed during the spot-the-difference animation are displayed during the end display. However, there may be hint animations that are hidden at the same time as the end of the spot-the-difference animation, and hint animations that continue to be displayed even after the end of the spot-the-difference animation. In this case, it is desirable that hint animation C, which displays a star shape when operated by the player, continues to be displayed even after the end of the spot-the-difference animation. As mentioned above, if it is possible to execute hint animation C' that increases the difficulty in addition to hint animation C that makes the difficulty easier, whether or not hint animation C' has been executed can serve as a barometer of the difficulty of the spot-the-difference animation. For this reason, if hint animation C' is executed during the spot-the-difference animation, it is desirable that it continues to be displayed during the end display after the end of the spot-the-difference animation. Moreover, in that case, it is desirable to display it on a higher layer than other animations such as the end display so that it is noticeable that hint animation C' was executed during the spot-the-difference animation. Furthermore, regarding the hint sequences that continue to be displayed after the "spot the difference" sequence ends, as mentioned above, if the display positions of hint sequences A to C move significantly, they may largely cover the end display after the "spot the difference" sequence has finished, potentially preventing the player from being properly informed that the sequence has ended. Therefore, it is desirable that the display positions of hint sequences A to C do not move significantly (remain approximately in their initial positions). While it is desirable that the display positions of the hint sequences that continue to be displayed after the "spot the difference" sequence end do not move, the orientation of the hint sequences and their size (enlargement or reduction) can be changed, as long as they do not largely cover the end display.

Furthermore, in this example, when hint sequences A to C are executed during a spot-the-difference game, it is possible to cover a portion of the game board image A with the displays from hint sequences A to C. However, any portion of game board image A that does not contain the "answer" (the incorrect part) in the spot-the-difference game can be covered. The covered portion of game board image A can be set to cover a portion or all of the area that the player does not want to draw attention to. For example, the displays from hint sequences A to C may be displayed to cover the areas corresponding to the various starting points on game board image A. As mentioned earlier, when a spot-the-difference game is executed while a special symbol is not displayed, the game stops and the special symbol's display starts when a ball enters one of the starting points. In this regard, covering the areas corresponding to the various starting points on game board image A makes it difficult to focus on the covered area, thus preventing the player from accidentally entering a starting point during the spot-the-difference game, even if the player does not want the game to end.

Furthermore, the parts of the game board image A that are covered may be set so as not to cover areas that the player is intended to draw attention to. For example, in the game board 5, a first ball entry point (for example, a starting point corresponding to the first special symbol) is provided, which stops the spot-the-difference game when a ball enters it, and a second ball entry point (for example, a starting point corresponding to the second special symbol) continues the spot-the-difference game even if a ball enters it. The hint displays A to C shown during the spot-the-difference game may be displayed so as not to cover part or all of the area corresponding to the first ball entry point in the game board image A. This allows players who wish to end the spot-the-difference game to easily find the area corresponding to the first ball entry point by visually inspecting the game board image A, and to enter the game ball into the first ball entry point during the spot-the-difference game. On the other hand, the hint displays A to C shown during the spot-the-difference game may be displayed so as to cover part or all of the area corresponding to the second ball entry point in the game board image A. This means that players who wish to end the "spot the difference" game do not need to visually identify the area corresponding to the second ball entry point on image A of the game board. They can then understand that such a second ball entry point is one from which the "spot the difference" game cannot be ended.

(Time chart for the spot-the-difference game)
The above describes specific examples of spot-the-difference game sequences. Next, we will explain how such sequences progress over time, referring to the time chart shown in Figure 237. Note that the spot-the-difference sequence can be executed in any state, including during the display of special symbols (both moving and non-moving). First, we will explain the case where the spot-the-difference sequence is executed as a demonstration sequence (customer attraction sequence) during the non-moving display of special symbols. Then, we will explain the case where the spot-the-difference sequence is executed as one of the moving sequences during the moving display of special symbols.

Figure 237(A) is a time chart showing the execution of a "spot the difference" feature while a special symbol is displayed in a non-changing state. In this example, when a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the special symbol stopped in a fixed position without a new special symbol changing display beginning, a predetermined demonstration feature (a customer attraction feature, such as displaying an explanation of the feature or promotional images) is executed. However, while a special symbol is displayed in a non-changing state, the "spot the difference" feature is executed as one of these demonstration features (customer attraction features).

As shown in Figure 237(A), at timing t1, when the special symbols are displayed in a non-changing state, the "spot the difference" game has not yet started, and the display device 1600 displays a standby screen showing the non-changing special symbols. While the standby screen is displayed, the decorative symbols are displayed in a stopped state near the center of the screen, and the fourth symbol is displayed in a stopped state in the upper right corner of the screen. Furthermore, while the standby screen is displayed, the game board image A (the game board image with the incorrect part) used as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game, and the game board image B (the game board image without the incorrect part) used for comparison with game board image A in the answer announcement display, are hidden. Also, while the standby screen is displayed, no sound is output from the speaker. In this example, background music is not output while the standby screen is displayed, and unlike normal operation, sound effects (such as volume adjustment sounds or light intensity adjustment sounds) resulting from player operation are not output when the player operates the game.

At timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference game, the display device 1600 displays the start screen for the spot-the-difference game. While the start screen is displayed, the decorative symbols are hidden, but the fourth symbol is displayed in a stopped state in the upper right corner of the screen. While the start screen is displayed, the game board image A (game board image A containing the mistake) which serves as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game, and the game board image B (game board image B without the mistake) which is used for comparison with game board image A when the answer is revealed, are hidden. Furthermore, while the start screen is displayed, it is possible to output sound from the speaker. For example, while the start screen is displayed, the speaker can output the message, "The spot-the-difference game is about to begin! Pay attention to the screen!" as a sound corresponding to the message displayed on the screen, and it is also possible to output background music corresponding to the spot-the-difference game and sound effects to attract the player's attention. Furthermore, the decorative symbols are hidden during the execution period of the "spot the difference" animation at timings t2 to t6, making it easier to see the display related to the "spot the difference" animation (for example, the game board image A as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation). On the other hand, the fourth symbol is displayed in a stopped state in the upper right corner of the screen during the execution period of the "spot the difference" animation at timings t2 to t6, making it easier to understand that the ongoing "spot the difference" animation is an animation where the special symbol is not changing.

Regarding the fourth symbol, it is displayed in a stopped state in the upper right corner of the screen during the execution period of the "spot the difference" animation at timings t2 to t6. Alternatively, during the execution period of the "spot the difference" animation at timings t2 to t6, the fourth symbol may be hidden during the display period of the "start screen" of the "spot the difference" animation at timings t2 to t3, and during the display period of the "problem screen" of the "spot the difference" animation at timings t3 to t4. The fourth symbol may then be displayed for the remaining period. In this way, by hiding not only the decorative symbols but also the fourth symbol during the display period of the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake) as the problem screen of the "spot the difference" animation, and the period immediately preceding it, the display related to the "spot the difference" animation (for example, the game board image A as the problem screen of the "spot the difference" animation) can be made even easier to see.

Furthermore, in this example, at timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference game, the display device 1600 displays the start screen for the spot-the-difference game. The game board image A (the image containing the error) is hidden on this start screen. However, as an alternative, the start screen for the spot-the-difference game may not be displayed at the start of the game. That is, the display period of the start screen for the spot-the-difference game from timing t2 to t3 can be omitted. At the start of the spot-the-difference game, execution can begin at timing t3, and the game board image A (the image containing the error) is displayed without displaying the start screen. This dramatically increases the difficulty of the spot-the-difference game, as it begins suddenly when the player is not prepared for it.

At timing t3, during the execution of the "spot the difference" animation, the animation display device 1600 displays the puzzle screen for the "spot the difference" animation. While the puzzle screen is displayed, the decorative symbols are hidden, but the fourth symbol is displayed in a stopped state in the upper right corner of the screen. Furthermore, while the puzzle screen is displayed, the game board image A (the game board image A containing the difference) is shown as the puzzle screen for the "spot the difference" animation, allowing the player to compare it with the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) and find the difference. On the other hand, game board image B (the game board image B without the difference), which is used for comparison with game board image A in the answer announcement display, is hidden. Additionally, while the puzzle screen is displayed, it is possible to output sound from the speaker. For example, while the puzzle screen is displayed, the audio output corresponding to the message displayed on the screen is, "Something has changed on the game board! Can you find it?" Other audio outputs include background music corresponding to the "spot the difference" animation and sound effects to attract the player's attention.

At timing t4, while the "spot the difference" game is in progress, the game display device 1600 displays a preview of the answer announcement for the "spot the difference" game. During the preview of the answer announcement, the decorative symbols are hidden, but the fourth symbol is displayed in a stopped state in the upper right corner of the screen. During the preview of the answer announcement, the game board image A (game board image A containing the mistake) which serves as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game, and the game board image B (game board image B without the mistake) which is used for comparison with game board image A in the answer announcement display, are hidden. Game board image A is hidden when the remaining time for the "spot the difference" game reaches 0 and the preview of the answer announcement is displayed, so that it is not possible to find the mistake after the remaining time reaches 0. During the preview of the answer announcement, it is possible to output sound from the speaker. However, as described in detail above, during the preview of the answer announcement, the speaker does not output the background music corresponding to the "spot the difference" game that was output up to timing t4. At this time, the speaker may output background music (BGM) different from the BGM used for the spot-the-difference game, or it may be set to an inaudible state without any BGM output. For example, if the BGM is set to an inaudible state, it is possible to create a sense of tension for the player before the answer is revealed. Even when the BGM is set to an inaudible state, if the player makes a move, it is possible to output sound effects triggered by the player's actions (e.g., volume adjustment sounds, light intensity adjustment sounds, etc.) as in normal operation. Furthermore, even when the BGM is set to an inaudible state, it is possible to output sound effects not triggered by player actions (e.g., a buzzer sound to notify the end of the spot-the-difference game, or a heartbeat sound to create a sense of tension for the player, etc.).

At timing t5, while the "spot the difference" game is in progress, the game display device 1600 displays an answer announcement for the "spot the difference" game. During the answer announcement, the decorative symbols are hidden, but the fourth symbol is displayed in a stopped state in the upper right corner of the screen. During the answer announcement, the game board image A (the image containing the mistake) is displayed on the right side of the screen, while game board image B (the image without the mistake) is displayed on the left side for comparison with image A. By displaying game board image A (with the mistake) and game board image B (without the mistake) side-by-side during the answer announcement, the player can easily see which part is the "answer" to the "spot the difference" game. Furthermore, during the answer announcement, it is possible to output sound from the speaker. For example, during the display of the answer, the system can output audio corresponding to the on-screen message, such as "The answer was 'The nail is missing'" and "Did you get it? Try again!" In addition to these, it can also output background music corresponding to the spot-the-difference game and sound effects to attract the player's attention.

At timing t6, which marks the end of the spot-the-difference game, the display device 1600 shows a standby screen with the special symbols in a non-changing state. In other words, after the spot-the-difference game ends, the display returns to the state before the game began at timings t1-t2. Specifically, while the standby screen is displayed, the decorative symbols are shown in a stopped state near the center of the screen, and the fourth symbol is shown in a stopped state in the upper right corner of the screen. Furthermore, while the standby screen is displayed, the game board image A (the game board image with the incorrect part) used as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game, and the game board image B (the game board image without the incorrect part) used for comparison with game board image A in the answer announcement display, are hidden. Also, while the standby screen is displayed, no sound is output from the speaker. In this example, background music is not output while the standby screen is displayed, and unlike normal operation, sound effects (such as volume adjustment sounds or light intensity adjustment sounds) resulting from player actions are not output.

Figure 237(B) is a time chart showing the case where a "spot the difference" feature is executed during the display of special symbols. In this example, the "spot the difference" feature is executed as one of the variation features based on the display of special symbols during their variation.

As shown in Figure 237(B), at timing t1, when the special symbol is being displayed in a variation, the "spot the difference" game has not yet begun, and the display device 1600 is showing the variation game screen for the special symbol. While the variation game screen is displayed, the decorative symbols are displayed in a variation pattern near the center of the screen (display position A), while the fourth symbol is displayed in a variation pattern in the upper right corner of the screen, different from display positions A and B. Furthermore, while the variation game screen is displayed, the game board image A (the game board image with the mistake) used as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game, and the game board image B (the game board image without the mistake) used for comparison with game board image A in the answer announcement display, are hidden. Also, while the variation game screen is displayed, it is possible to output sound from the speaker. For example, while the variation game screen is displayed, it is possible to output background music corresponding to the variation game and sound effects to attract the player's attention.

At timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference game, the display device 1600 displays the start screen for the spot-the-difference game. While the start screen is displayed, the decorative symbols are displayed in a variable pattern in the upper left corner of the screen (display position B), and the fourth symbol is displayed in a variable pattern in the upper right corner of the screen, which is different from display positions A and B. While the start screen is displayed, the game board image A (game board image A containing the mistake) which serves as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game, and the game board image B (game board image B without the mistake) which is used for comparison with game board image A when the answer is revealed, are hidden. Furthermore, while the start screen is displayed, it is possible to output sound from the speaker. For example, while the start screen is displayed, the speaker can output the message, "The spot-the-difference game is about to begin! Pay attention to the screen!" as a sound corresponding to the message displayed on the screen, and it is also possible to output background music corresponding to the spot-the-difference game and sound effects to attract the player's attention. Furthermore, regarding the decorative symbols, during the execution period of the "spot the difference" animation at timings t2 to t6, they are displayed in a small, fluctuating manner, moving from display position A to display position B. This allows players to understand that the ongoing "spot the difference" animation is a fluctuating display of the special symbols, while also making the display related to the "spot the difference" animation (for example, the game board image A as the "spot the difference" animation problem screen) easily visible. On the other hand, regarding the fourth symbol, during the execution period of the "spot the difference" animation at timings t2 to t6, it is displayed in a fluctuating manner without changing its display position in the upper right corner of the screen. This makes it easier to understand that the ongoing "spot the difference" animation is a non-fluctuating display of the special symbols.

In this example, at timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference game, the display device 1600 displays the start screen for the spot-the-difference game. The game board image A (the image containing the error) is hidden on this start screen. However, as an alternative, the start screen for the spot-the-difference game may not be displayed at the start of the game. That is, the display period of the start screen for the spot-the-difference game from timing t2 to t3 can be omitted. At the start of the spot-the-difference game, execution can begin at timing t3, and the game board image A (the image containing the error) is displayed without displaying the start screen. This dramatically increases the difficulty of the spot-the-difference game, as it begins suddenly without the player being prepared for it.

At timing t3, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays the puzzle screen for the "spot the difference" animation. While the puzzle screen is displayed, the decorative symbols are displayed in a variable pattern in the upper left corner of the screen (display position B), while the fourth symbol is displayed in a variable pattern in the upper right corner of the screen (different from display positions A and B). Furthermore, while the puzzle screen is displayed, the game board image A (a game board image with a discrepancy) is shown as the puzzle screen for the "spot the difference" animation, allowing the player to compare it with the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) and find the difference. On the other hand, game board image B (a game board image without a discrepancy) used for comparison with game board image A in the answer announcement display is hidden. Additionally, while the puzzle screen is displayed, it is possible to output sound from the speaker. For example, while the problem screen is displayed, the system can output a voice message corresponding to the on-screen message, such as, "Something has changed on the game board! Can you find it?" Other sounds that can be output include background music for the spot-the-difference game and sound effects designed to capture the player's attention.

At timing t4, while the "spot the difference" game is in progress, the game display device 1600 displays a preview of the answer announcement for the "spot the difference" game. During the preview of the answer announcement, the decorative symbols are displayed in a variable pattern in the upper left corner of the screen, which is display position B, while the fourth symbol is displayed in a variable pattern in the upper right corner of the screen, which is different from display positions A and B. During the preview of the answer announcement, the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake) used as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game, and the game board image B (the game board image B without the mistake) used for comparison with game board image A in the answer announcement display, are hidden. Game board image A is hidden when the remaining time for the "spot the difference" game reaches 0 and the preview of the answer announcement is displayed, so that it is not possible to find the mistake after the remaining time reaches 0. Furthermore, during the preview of the answer announcement, it is possible to output sound from the speaker. However, as detailed above, during the preview of the answer announcement, the speaker stops outputting the background music (BGM) corresponding to the spot-the-difference game, which was output until timing t4. At this time, the speaker may output BGM other than the one corresponding to the spot-the-difference game, or it may be made inaudible. For example, making the BGM inaudible can create a sense of tension for the player before the answer announcement is displayed. Even when the BGM is inaudible, if the player makes an action, it is possible to output sound effects triggered by the player's actions (e.g., volume adjustment sounds, light intensity adjustment sounds, etc.), just as in normal operation. Furthermore, even when the BGM is inaudible, it is possible to output sound effects not triggered by player actions (e.g., a buzzer sound indicating the end of the spot-the-difference game, or a heartbeat sound to create tension for the player, etc.).

At timing t5, while the "spot the difference" game is in progress, the game display device 1600 displays an answer announcement for the "spot the difference" game. During the answer announcement, the decorative symbols are displayed in a variable pattern in the upper left corner of the screen (display position B), while the fourth symbol is displayed in a variable pattern in the upper right corner of the screen (different from display positions A and B). During the answer announcement, the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake) is displayed on the right side of the screen, and the game board image B (the game board image B without the mistake) is displayed on the left side of the screen for comparison with game board image A. By displaying game board image A (containing the mistake) and game board image B (without the mistake) side by side during the answer announcement, the player can easily see which part is the "answer" to the "spot the difference" game. During the answer announcement, it is also possible to output sound from the speaker. For example, during the display of the answer, the system can output audio corresponding to the on-screen message, such as "The answer was 'The nail is missing'" and "Did you get it? Try again!" In addition to these, it can also output background music corresponding to the spot-the-difference game and sound effects to attract the player's attention.

Then, at timing t6, which marks the end of the "spot the difference" animation, the animation display device 1600 displays the animation screen showing the special symbol's variation. In other words, after the "spot the difference" animation ends, the system returns to the state before the animation began at timings t1-t2. Specifically, while the animation screen is displayed, the decorative symbols are displayed in a variation pattern near the center of the screen (display position A), while the fourth symbol is displayed in a variation pattern in the upper right corner of the screen, different from display positions A and B. Furthermore, while the animation screen is displayed, the game board image A (the image containing the error) used as the "spot the difference" puzzle screen, and the game board image B (the image without the error) used for comparison with game board image A in the answer announcement display, are hidden. Additionally, while the animation screen is displayed, it is possible to output sound from the speaker. For example, while the animation screen is displayed, it is possible to output background music corresponding to the variation animation or sound effects to attract the player's attention.

(Regarding skipping the "spot the difference" animation)
Next, while the special symbols are displayed in a non-variable state, a "spot the difference" game is played as one of the demonstration (customer attraction) features. During the execution of such a "spot the difference" game, it is possible to forcibly terminate the game when certain conditions are met. As described in detail above, during the execution of the "spot the difference" game, it is possible to forcibly terminate the game when a predetermined operation unit (for example, the game operation unit 250) is operated or when a predetermined detection occurs (for example, detection by a ball entry detection (game ball passage) sensor, door opening sensor, magnetic sensor, etc.). Furthermore, it is possible to forcibly terminate the "spot the difference" game when a ball enters one of the various entry points, or when a game ball enters a predetermined entry point or entry area that is easier for game balls to enter (for example, the out entry point 1008, the general prize entry point 2001, the through gate, etc.). The case in which such a "spot the difference" game is forcibly terminated will be explained with reference to the time chart shown in Figure 238.

Figure 238(A) is a time chart showing the case where a predetermined condition is met during the execution of a "spot the difference" game, causing the game to be forcibly terminated. Except for the forced termination of the "spot the difference" game, this time chart is the same as that shown in Figure 237(A), and therefore, explanations of previously described parts have been omitted.

As shown in Figure 238(A), at timing t3, when the "spot the difference" animation is running, the animation display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. During the display period of the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation from timing t3 to t4, a predetermined condition can be met. If the predetermined condition is met at timing tx during the display period of the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation from timing tx to ty, the animation from timing tx to ty is skipped, and the game transitions from timing tx to timing ty. In other words, if the predetermined condition is met at timing tx, the animation content of the "spot the difference" animation is not executed thereafter. Not only is the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation erased, but the preview display of the answer announcement from timing t4 to t5 and the answer announcement display from timing t5 to t6 are also not displayed. This allows players who do not require the "spot the difference" animation to forcibly terminate it by meeting the predetermined condition, allowing them to enjoy an animation that suits their needs.

Then, after transitioning to timing t6, the display device 1600 displays a standby screen showing the non-variable special symbol display. In other words, after transitioning to timing t6, the system returns to the state before the start of the "spot the difference" game at timings t1-t2. However, if the "spot the difference" game is forcibly terminated at timing tx by a ball entering one of the various starting slots, the display device 1600 starts the variation display screen showing the special symbol variation after transitioning to timing t6.

Furthermore, before the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen, the predetermined conditions are not met during the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle start screen at timings t2 to t3. In other words, before the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen, the predetermined conditions are not met, and the "spot the difference" puzzle cannot be forcibly terminated. This prevents the "spot the difference" puzzle from being forcibly terminated against the player's will before the display of the puzzle screen, thus suppressing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, in this example, at timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference game, the display device 1600 displays the start screen for the spot-the-difference game. The game board image A (the image containing the error) is hidden on this start screen. However, as an alternative, the start screen for the spot-the-difference game may not be displayed at the start of the game. That is, the display period of the start screen for the spot-the-difference game from timing t2 to t3 can be omitted. At the start of the spot-the-difference game, execution can begin at timing t3, and the game board image A (the image containing the error) is displayed without displaying the start screen. This dramatically increases the difficulty of the spot-the-difference game, as it begins suddenly when the player is not prepared for it.

Figure 238(B) is a time chart showing a modified example of displaying the end screen after forcibly ending the "spot the difference" animation. In the above example, when the "spot the difference" animation is forcibly ended, a waiting screen showing the non-changing special symbols is displayed. However, a separate end screen may be displayed instead of the waiting screen. The following describes how to display such an end screen when the animation is skipped.

As shown in Figure 238(B), at timing t3, when the "spot the difference" animation is running, the animation display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. During the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, a predetermined condition can be met. If the predetermined condition is met at timing tx during the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, the animation from timing tx to ty is skipped, and the game transitions from timing tx to timing ty. In other words, if the predetermined condition is met at timing tx, the animation content of the "spot the difference" animation is not executed thereafter. Not only is the problem screen of the "spot the difference" animation erased, but the preview display of the answer announcement from timing t4 to t5 and the answer announcement display from timing t5 to ty are also not displayed. This allows players who do not require the "spot the difference" animation to forcibly terminate it by meeting the predetermined condition, enabling them to enjoy animations that suit their needs.

After transitioning to timing ty, the performance display device 1600 displays the end display screen for when the performance is skipped. This end display screen may include, for example, a screen informing (warning) that the spot-the-difference performance has been forcibly terminated, or a screen informing that the spot-the-difference performance has been successfully terminated (e.g., "Skip function activated!"). While the end display screen for when the performance is skipped is displayed, the decorative symbols are hidden, but the fourth symbol is displayed in a stopped state in the upper right corner of the screen. Furthermore, while the end display screen for when the performance is skipped is displayed, the game board image A (game board image A containing the incorrect part) used as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference performance, and the game board image B (game board image B without the incorrect part) used for comparison with game board image A in the answer announcement display, are hidden. Additionally, while the end display screen for when the performance is skipped is displayed, it is possible to output sound from the speaker. For example, while the end display screen for when the performance is skipped is displayed, it is possible to output sound corresponding to the message displayed on the screen, such as "Skip function activated!".

Then, after displaying the end screen for skipping the animation at timing ty, the system transitions to timing t6, where the animation display device 1600 displays a standby screen showing the special symbols in a non-variable state. In other words, after transitioning to timing t6, the system returns to the state before the start of the "spot the difference" animation at timings t1-t2. However, if the "spot the difference" animation is forcibly terminated at timing tx by entering one of the various starting slots, the system transitions to timing t6, and since the special symbols begin to vary, the animation display device 1600 starts the variation animation screen showing the special symbols in a variation state.

Figure 239 is a time chart showing a modified version where the player selects an option during the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen and skips the puzzle. As a modified version, during the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen, multiple options that could be the answer to the puzzle may be displayed. The player can then operate an operation device such as the puzzle operation unit 250 within the time limit to select what they believe to be the answer from the options. In this configuration, selecting an option during the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen allows the player to skip the puzzle until the answer is revealed at timing t5. The following describes the case where the player selects an option during the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen and skips the puzzle until the answer is revealed at timing t5.

As shown in Figure 239, at timing t3, when the "spot the difference" game is being played, the game display device 1600 displays the "spot the difference" game's question screen. During the display period of the "spot the difference" game's question screen at timings t3 to t4, multiple options are displayed, for example, a correct option A and an incorrect option B. If, during the display period of the "spot the difference" game's question screen at timings t3 to t4, the player operates the game operation unit 250 or other control means to select either option A or option B at timing tx, the game skips the gameplay from timings tx to t5, and proceeds directly from timing tx to timing t5. In other words, if either option A or option B is selected at timing tx, not only is the "spot the difference" game's question screen cleared, but the preview display of the answer announcement from timings t4 to t5 is also not displayed. This allows the player who selected either option A or option B to immediately know whether their selection was correct, without having to wait for the answer announcement to begin at timing t5.

Then, after transitioning to timing t5, the performance display device 1600 displays an answer announcement display for the "spot the difference" performance. Here, as an answer announcement display, for example, if the correct answer option A is selected at timing tx, a message indicating that it is correct, such as "○" or "Congratulations," is displayed, and if the incorrect answer option B is selected at timing tx, a message indicating that it is incorrect, such as "×" or "Try again," is displayed. In other words, the content of the answer announcement display differs depending on whether the answer selected from the options is correct or not. Furthermore, during the answer announcement display, the decorative symbols are displayed in a variable manner in the upper left of the screen, which is display position B, and the fourth symbol is displayed in a variable manner in the upper right of the screen, which is different from display positions A and B. Furthermore, during the answer announcement display, the game board image A (game board image A with the incorrect part) which serves as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" performance, is displayed on the right side of the screen, and the game board image B (game board image B without the incorrect part) for comparison with game board image A is displayed on the left side of the screen. During the answer reveal, the game board image A, which contains the incorrect part, and the game board image B, which does not contain the incorrect part, are displayed side-by-side, allowing players to easily compare which part is the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle. Furthermore, during the answer reveal, it is possible to output sound from the speaker. For example, during the answer reveal, sound corresponding to the message displayed on the screen can be output, and other sounds such as background music corresponding to the spot-the-difference puzzle or sound effects to attract the player's attention can also be output.

Then, after displaying the answer to the "spot the difference" game at timing t5, the system transitions to timing t6, where the display device 1600 shows a standby screen for the non-changing special symbols. In other words, after transitioning to timing t6, the system returns to the state before the "spot the difference" game began at timings t1-t2.

(Regarding the implementation of hint sequences)
Next, as described in detail above, hint sequences can be executed while the spot-the-difference sequence is running. Depending on the execution of the hint sequence, it is possible to narrow the area of the game board A that is the target of the spot-the-difference sequence, making it easier to find which part is different from the game board 5. Specifically, hint sequence A is a sequence that can cover a part of the game board A. The display of the problem statement is executed as hint sequence A1, and the meter showing the remaining time is executed as hint sequence A2. Hint sequence B is a sequence that displays a predetermined display that can point to a predetermined area of the game board A that contains the "answer" to the spot-the-difference sequence. Hint sequence C is a sequence that displays a predetermined display that can cover a part of the game board A when the player operates an operation means such as the sequence operation unit 250 at any timing. These hint sequences A to C can be executed while the game board A (the game board A containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference sequence at timings t3 to t4. The case where hint sequences A to C are executed while the problem screen for this type of spot-the-difference presentation is displayed will be explained with reference to the time chart shown in Figure 240.

Figure 240(A) is a time chart showing the case where hint sequences A through C are executed simultaneously while the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game is displayed. This section explains the case where hint sequences A through C are executed simultaneously from the start of the display of the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game.

As shown in Figure 240(A), at timing t3, when the spot-the-difference game is being played, the game display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game. During the display period of the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game from timing t3 to t4, the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game. Hint effects A (hint effects A1, hint effects A2) and hint effects B are executed at predetermined timings. In this example, at the start of the display of the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game at timing t3, hint effects A and B are displayed simultaneously on a higher layer than game board image A. Hint effect C can be executed at any time the player chooses. In this example, at the start of the display of the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game at timing t3, the player operates the game operation unit 250 or other operating means to simultaneously display hint effect C on a higher layer than game board image A. Thus, by executing all of the hint sequences A through C at the start of the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen at timing t3, the period during which the area to be found on the puzzle is narrowed relative to image A is extended. This allows players to enjoy the "spot the difference" puzzle from the very beginning, creating an advantageous situation (a situation where it is easier to find the differences).

As detailed above, hint sequences A through C each output a predetermined sound effect from the speaker at their start. Furthermore, the system is restricted from outputting a sound effect related to the end of hint sequence C. However, it is permissible to output a sound effect related to the end of hint sequence C at its end. In such a configuration, it is desirable to output a sound effect different from the one output at the start of hint sequence C. This prevents the user from mistakenly believing that hint sequence C is starting again at its end.

Then, when the program transitions to timing t4, the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen ends. At that point, not only is the game board image A (the image containing the "mistake") hidden, but hint sequences A through C are also hidden. In other words, in this example, hint sequences A through C are started simultaneously when the "spot the difference" puzzle screen begins to display, and simultaneously terminated when the "spot the difference" puzzle screen ends to display.

Figure 240(B) is a time chart showing the case where hint sequences A through C are executed sequentially while the problem screen for the "spot the difference" presentation is displayed. In the above example, hint sequences A through C are executed simultaneously at the start of the display of the "spot the difference" presentation's problem screen. However, this example describes the case where hint sequences A through C are executed sequentially after the start of the display of the "spot the difference" presentation's problem screen.

As shown in Figure 240(B), at timing t3, when the spot-the-difference game is being played, the game display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game. During the display period of the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game from timing t3 to t4, the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game. Hint effects A (hint effects A1, hint effects A2) and hint effects B are executed at predetermined timings. In this example, at the start of the display of the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game at timing t3, hint effect A is displayed on a higher layer than game board image A, and at the subsequent timing tx1, hint effect B is displayed on a higher layer than game board image A. Hint effect C can be executed at any time the player chooses, but in this example, at timing tx2, after timing tx1, the player operates the game operation unit 250 or other operating means to display hint effect C on a higher layer than game board image A. Thus, at the start of the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen at timing t3, only hint animation A is executed. However, by sequentially executing hint animations B and C thereafter, the area of the game board image A that is the target of the "spot the difference" puzzle can be gradually narrowed. While the situation is not favorable (it's not easy to find the difference) at the start of the puzzle, it transitions to a more favorable situation later on, supporting the player in their puzzle-finding.

Then, when the program transitions to timing t4, the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen ends. At that point, not only is the game board image A (the image containing the "mistake") hidden, but hint sequences A through C are also hidden. In other words, in this example, hint sequences A through C are executed sequentially after the start of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen display, but they are simultaneously terminated when the "spot the difference" puzzle screen display ends.

Figure 241 is a time chart showing a modified example where hint animation C is executed for a predetermined time while the problem screen of the "spot the difference" presentation is displayed. In the above example, hint animation C is displayed from the moment the player operates the control device while the problem screen of the "spot the difference" presentation is displayed until the problem screen of the "spot the difference" presentation ends. However, this example describes a case where hint animation C is displayed from the moment the player operates the control device while the problem screen of the "spot the difference" presentation is displayed until a predetermined time has elapsed. The display time of hint animation C is shorter than the display period of the problem screen of the "spot the difference" presentation at timings t3 to t4.

As shown in Figure 241, at timing t3, when the "spot the difference" game is being played, the game display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game. During the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, the game board image A (the game board image A containing the "mistake") is displayed. Furthermore, as hint effect C1, if the player operates the game operation unit 250 or other control means at the start of the display of the problem screen at timing t3, hint effect C is displayed at that point on a higher layer than game board image A. Then, after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t3, although this is before the end of the display of the problem screen at timing t4, hint effect C is hidden.

Furthermore, as a second hint effect C, if the player operates the control unit 250 or other control means at timing tx1, which is after timing t3, hint effect C is displayed at that point on a higher layer than the game board image A. Then, after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing tx1, hint effect C is hidden, although this is before the end of the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen at timing t4.

Furthermore, as a third hint effect C, if the player operates the control unit 250 or other control means at timing tx2, which is after timing t3, hint effect C is displayed at that time on a higher layer than the board image A. While hint effect C is displayed, the display of the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game ends at timing t4. However, hint effect C continues even after timing t4, and is hidden after a predetermined time has elapsed since timing tx2. This allows hint effect C to be started even when the remaining time for the spot-the-difference game is running low, thus supporting the player in finding the differences.

Furthermore, as Hint Presentation C No. 4, if the player operates the control unit 250 or other control means at the start of the display of the "Find the Difference" presentation screen at timing t3, Hint Presentation C is displayed at that time on a higher layer than the board image A. Then, while Hint Presentation C is running, if the player operates the control means at timing tx1, before a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t3, the display time of Hint Presentation C is extended until a predetermined time has elapsed from timing tx1. Then, again, while Hint Presentation C is running, if the player operates the control means at timing tx2, before a predetermined time has elapsed from timing tx1, the display time of Hint Presentation C is extended until a predetermined time has elapsed from timing tx2. Then, while Hint Presentation C is being displayed, it is the end of the display of the "Find the Difference" presentation screen at timing t4, but Hint Presentation C continues even after timing t4, and is hidden when a predetermined time has elapsed from timing tx2. This allows players to change the display time of hint animation C, even though the display time is predetermined, enabling the provision of hint animations tailored to the player's skill level.

Furthermore, as Hint Presentation C No. 5, if the player operates the control unit 250 or other control means at the start of the display of the "Find the Difference" problem screen at timing t3, Hint Presentation C is displayed at that time on a higher layer than the board image A. Then, after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t3, Hint Presentation C is hidden, although this is before the end of the display of the "Find the Difference" problem screen at timing t4. Then, even if the player operates the control means at timing tx2, after the predetermined time has elapsed from timing t3, Hint Presentation C will not be displayed again. In other words, after Hint Presentation C has finished, even if the player operates the control means, Hint Presentation C will not be displayed again. This requires the player to decide whether to operate the control means to extend the display period of Hint Presentation C while it is being displayed, thus allowing them to enjoy Hint Presentation C with a sense of tension. However, as a variation, if the player operates the control device after the end of hint presentation C, and as long as it is before the end of the display of the problem screen for the spot-the-difference presentation at timing t4, hint presentation C may be displayed again. This eliminates the need for the player to decide whether to extend the display period of hint presentation C by operating the control device while it is being displayed, allowing the player to enjoy hint presentation C with peace of mind even after its end.

(Regarding restrictions on the rainbow effect during the "spot the difference" game.)
Next, we will explain the relationship between the spot-the-difference effect and the rainbow effect. The rainbow effect is an impactful effect achieved by displaying rainbow colors using the effect display device 1600 and by emitting rainbow colors using multiple light-emitting parts provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5. However, if the rainbow effect is performed while the spot-the-difference effect is in progress, there is a risk that the player will focus on the rainbow effect and find it difficult to compare the game board image A (game board image A containing the incorrect part) with the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) and find the difference. Therefore, in this example, we will explain the case where the execution of the rainbow effect is restricted for a certain period while the spot-the-difference effect is in progress, referring to the time chart shown in Figure 242.

First, in the rainbow effect, the display area of the effect display device 1600 is divided into multiple display areas, and a rainbow display is executed where each of the multiple display areas is displayed with a different light color. In such a rainbow display, the light color displayed in each of the multiple display areas is changed in a predetermined order of "red → purple → blue → green → orange → yellow → white → red," and this regular change is repeated until a predetermined time has elapsed. The target of the rainbow display may be an effect image displayed across the entire display area of the effect display device 1600, such as a background image, or an effect image displayed in only a part of the display area of the effect display device 1600, such as an effect image of a character or item.

Furthermore, in the rainbow effect, it is possible to perform a rainbow illumination by using multiple light-emitting parts provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5, with each of the multiple light-emitting parts emitting a different color. In this rainbow illumination, the light-emitting color of each of the multiple light-emitting parts changes in a predetermined order: "red → purple → blue → green → orange → yellow → white → red," and this regular change is repeated until a predetermined time has elapsed.

Furthermore, in the rainbow display using the display device 1600, and in the rainbow illumination using multiple light-emitting parts provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5, seven colors are displayed simultaneously, and the illumination colors are switched regularly. However, the illumination colors displayed simultaneously do not necessarily have to be seven colors; it is sufficient if three or more predetermined colors appear simultaneously.

Furthermore, the rainbow effect can be executed both while the special symbols are changing and while they are not changing. When the rainbow effect is executed while the special symbols are changing, it is intended to be an expectation-enhancing effect that suggests a high probability of winning. This allows players to know that the rainbow effect during the special symbols' change indicates a high probability of winning, thereby increasing their motivation to play. Alternatively, when the rainbow effect is executed during the special symbols' change, it may also be used as a confirmation effect that guarantees a win.

On the other hand, during the non-variable display of special symbols, when a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the special symbols stopped in a fixed position without a new special symbol variation display beginning, a predetermined demonstration (a crowd-attracting effect, such as displaying an explanation of the effect or promotional images) is executed. During the execution of this demonstration, the rainbow effect is also executed. In other words, when the rainbow effect is executed during the non-variable display of special symbols, it differs from when it is executed during the variation display of special symbols in that it does not suggest the possibility (expectation) of a win. However, when the rainbow effect is executed during the non-variable display of special symbols, it is the same as when it is executed during the variation display of special symbols in that it is a rainbow effect, and while it does not suggest the possibility of a win, it can still increase the player's desire to play.

Figure 242(A) is a time chart showing whether the rainbow effect can be executed when the spot-the-difference effect is performed while the special symbols are not displayed in a variable state. Note that the point regarding the execution of the spot-the-difference effect while the special symbols are not displayed in a variable state is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 237(A), so explanations of previously explained parts have been omitted.

As shown in Figure 242(A), at timing t1, when the special symbol is displayed in a non-changing state, the display device 1600 displays a standby screen for the non-changing special symbol. During the display period of the standby screen from timing t1 to t2, the device is controlled to a rainbow execution-enabled state A, which allows the execution of the rainbow effect. Furthermore, in rainbow execution-enabled state A, it is possible to execute a rainbow effect during the non-changing special symbol display that does not suggest the possibility (expected probability) of winning. For example, in rainbow execution-enabled state A, during the non-changing special symbol display, excluding the spot-the-difference effect, a rainbow effect that does not suggest the possibility (expected probability) of winning is executed.

At timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference game, the display device 1600 shows the start screen for the spot-the-difference game. However, during the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, the system is controlled to a state where the rainbow effect cannot be executed. In other words, during the display period of the start screen, although the special symbols are displayed in a non-changing state, the execution of the rainbow effect is restricted because it is before the display of the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake), which serves as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game. As a result, during the display period of the start screen, the player does not focus on the rainbow effect and can prepare for the spot-the-difference game that must be played after the display of the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake), which serves as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game.

Furthermore, at timing t3, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays the puzzle screen for the "spot the difference" animation. However, during the display period of the puzzle screen from timing t3 to t4, the system is controlled to a state where the rainbow animation cannot be executed. In other words, during the display period of the puzzle screen, although the special symbols are not changing, the display of the game board image A (the game board image A containing the difference) as the puzzle screen for the "spot the difference" animation restricts the execution of the rainbow animation. For example, the puzzle screen displays the message, "Something has changed on the game board! Can you find it?" However, if such a message image were displayed in rainbow colors, the player might focus on the rainbow animation, making it difficult for them to compare game board image A (the game board image A containing the difference) with the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) and find the difference. By not executing the rainbow animation during the display period of the puzzle screen, the player is not distracted by the rainbow animation and can concentrate on finding the difference.

At timing t4, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays a notification indicating the announcement of the answer to the "spot the difference" animation. During the notification period for the answer announcement at timings t4 to t5, the device is controlled to a rainbow-executable state α, which allows the rainbow animation to be executed. In rainbow-executable state α, to indicate that the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, it is possible to execute the rainbow animation, which is only executed during the "spot the difference" animation. In rainbow-executable state α, the rainbow animation executed during the "spot the difference" animation does not indicate the probability (expected value) of winning, which is the same as in rainbow-executable state A. For example, as a notification for the answer announcement, the animation display device 1600 displays the message "Spot the difference animation finished! We will now announce the answer," and this message image is displayed in rainbow colors. This allows the game to inform players that the "spot the difference" game continues even after they have focused on the rainbow effect and hidden the game board image A (the image containing the incorrect part) which serves as the puzzle screen for the "spot the difference" game.

Furthermore, at timing t5, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays an answer announcement, revealing the answer to the "spot the difference" animation. However, during the answer announcement display period from timing t5 to t6, the system is controlled to a state where the rainbow animation cannot be executed. In other words, during the answer announcement display period, although the special symbols are not changing, the system displays a game board image A (a game board image A with a mistake) as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, and a game board image B (a game board image B without a mistake) for comparison with game board image A, thus restricting the execution of the rainbow animation. For example, the answer announcement display on the animation display device 1600 shows the messages, "The answer was 'the nail is missing'" and "Did you get it? Try again." However, if such message images were displayed in rainbow colors, there is a risk that players would focus on the rainbow animation, making it difficult for them to compare game board image A (a game board image A with a mistake) and game board image B (a game board image B without a mistake). In this regard, by not executing the rainbow effect during the answer reveal period, players will not be distracted by the rainbow effect and will be able to concentrate on comparing the parts to determine which part was the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle.

Then, at timing t6, which marks the end of the "spot the difference" animation, the animation display device 1600 displays a standby screen showing the special symbols in a non-changing state. In other words, after the "spot the difference" animation ends, the system returns to the state before the animation began at timings t1-t2, and is controlled to a state A where the rainbow animation can be executed.

Figure 242(B) is a time chart showing whether the rainbow effect can be executed when the spot-the-difference effect is performed while the special symbols are being displayed. Note that the point regarding the execution of the spot-the-difference effect while the special symbols are being displayed is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 237(B), so explanations of previously explained parts have been omitted.

In this example, as will be described later, during the display period of the variation animation screen at timings t1 to t2, which is before the start of the spot-the-difference animation, the system is controlled to a rainbow animation-enabled state B, which allows the rainbow animation to be executed. When the rainbow animation is executed during the display period of the variation animation screen at timings t1 to t2, it suggests that there is a high probability (expected value) of a win. However, in the subsequent spot-the-difference animation, for example, it may be announced before the end of the variation that a win is confirmed depending on whether the answer to the spot-the-difference is correct. Also, when the rainbow animation is executed as a confirmation animation that confirms a win, in the subsequent spot-the-difference animation, for example, it may be announced before the end of the variation that a probability-increasing win or a time-saving win is confirmed depending on whether the answer to the spot-the-difference is correct. Furthermore, in the spot-the-difference feature, a special image (for example, a character related to the pachinko machine 1, or a rare image not normally visible) may be displayed depending on whether the answer to the spot-the-difference puzzle is correct. The spot-the-difference feature could also be performed as a way to pass the time after a win has been confirmed by the execution of the rainbow feature. This ensures that even if the spot-the-difference feature is performed after the rainbow feature, it can still draw attention to the feature.

As shown in Figure 242(B), at timing t1, when the special symbol is being displayed, the display device 1600 shows the display screen for the special symbol's variation. During the display period of the variation screen from timing t1 to t2, the display is controlled to a rainbow-executable state B, which allows for the execution of the rainbow effect. Furthermore, in rainbow-executable state B, it is possible to execute a rainbow effect that suggests the probability (expected value) of a win during the special symbol's variation display. For example, in rainbow-executable state B, the display screen based on the special symbol's variation will execute a rainbow effect that suggests the probability (expected value) of a win.

At timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference animation, the animation display device 1600 displays the start screen for the spot-the-difference animation. However, during the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, the system is controlled to a state where the rainbow animation cannot be executed. In other words, during the display period of the start screen, although the special symbols are being displayed in a variable state, the execution of the rainbow animation is restricted because it is before the display of the game board image A (the game board image A containing the error) which serves as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference animation. As a result, during the display period of the start screen, the player does not focus on the rainbow animation and can prepare for the spot-the-difference animation, which must be performed after the display of the game board image A (the game board image A containing the error) which serves as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference animation.

Furthermore, at timing t3, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays the puzzle screen for the "spot the difference" animation. However, during the display period of the puzzle screen from timing t3 to t4, the system is controlled to a state where the rainbow animation cannot be executed. In other words, during the display period of the puzzle screen, although the special symbols are changing, the display of the game board image A (the game board image A containing the difference) as the puzzle screen for the "spot the difference" animation restricts the execution of the rainbow animation. For example, the puzzle screen displays the message, "Something has changed on the game board! Can you find it?" However, if such a message image were displayed in rainbow colors, the player might focus on the rainbow animation, making it difficult for them to compare game board image A (the game board image A containing the difference) with the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) and find the difference. By not executing the rainbow animation during the display period of the puzzle screen, the player is not distracted by the rainbow animation and can concentrate on finding the difference.

At timing t4, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays a notification indicating the announcement of the answer to the "spot the difference" animation. During the notification period for the answer announcement at timings t4 to t5, the device is controlled to a rainbow-executable state α, which allows the rainbow animation to be executed. In rainbow-executable state α, to indicate that the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, it is possible to execute the rainbow animation, which is only executed during the "spot the difference" animation. Note that rainbow-executable state α differs from rainbow-executable state B in that, as a rainbow animation during the execution of the "spot the difference" animation, it executes a rainbow animation that does not suggest the possibility (expected value) of winning. For example, as a notification for the answer announcement, the animation display device 1600 displays the message "Spot the difference animation finished! We will now announce the answer," and this message image is displayed in rainbow colors. This allows the game to inform players that the "spot the difference" game continues even after they have focused on the rainbow effect and hidden the game board image A (the image containing the incorrect part) which serves as the puzzle screen for the "spot the difference" game.

Furthermore, at timing t5, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays an answer announcement, revealing the answer to the "spot the difference" animation. However, during the answer announcement display period from timing t5 to t6, the system is controlled to a state where the rainbow animation cannot be executed. In other words, during the answer announcement display period, although the special symbols are being displayed in a variable state, the system displays a game board image A (a game board image A with a mistake) as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, and a game board image B (a game board image B without a mistake) for comparison with game board image A, thus restricting the execution of the rainbow animation. For example, the answer announcement display on the animation display device 1600 displays the messages, "The answer was 'the nail is missing'" and "Did you get it? Try again." However, if such message images were displayed in rainbow colors, there is a risk that players would focus on the rainbow animation, making it difficult for them to compare game board image A (a game board image A with a mistake) with game board image B (a game board image B without a mistake). In this regard, by not executing the rainbow effect during the answer reveal period, players will not be distracted by the rainbow effect and will be able to concentrate on comparing the parts to determine which part was the "answer" to the spot-the-difference puzzle.

Then, at timing t6, which marks the end of the "spot the difference" animation, the animation display device 1600 displays the animation screen showing the special symbol's variation. In other words, after the "spot the difference" animation ends, the system returns to the state before the animation began at timings t1-t2, and is controlled to the Rainbow Execution Enabled state B, which allows the Rainbow animation to be executed.

Figure 243 is a time chart showing whether the rainbow effect can be executed when the end screen is displayed after the spot-the-difference effect is forcibly terminated (a modified example). Note that the part about displaying the end screen after forcibly terminating the spot-the-difference effect is the same as the time chart shown in Figure 238(B), so the explanation of that part has already been explained is omitted.

As shown in Figure 243, at timing t1, when the special symbol is displayed in a non-changing state, the display device 1600 displays a standby screen for the non-changing special symbol display. During the display period of the standby screen from timing t1 to t2, the device is controlled to a rainbow execution-enabled state A, which allows the execution of the rainbow effect. Furthermore, in rainbow execution-enabled state A, it is possible to execute a rainbow effect during the non-changing special symbol display that does not suggest the possibility (expected probability) of winning. For example, in rainbow execution-enabled state A, during the non-changing special symbol display, excluding the spot-the-difference effect, a rainbow effect that does not suggest the possibility (expected probability) of winning is executed.

At timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference animation, the animation display device 1600 displays the start screen for the spot-the-difference animation. However, during the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, the system is controlled to a state where the rainbow animation cannot be executed. In other words, during the display period of the start screen, although the special symbols are displayed in a non-changing state, the execution of the rainbow animation is restricted because it is before the display of the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake), which serves as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference animation. As a result, during the display period of the start screen, the player does not focus on the rainbow animation and can prepare for the spot-the-difference animation, which must be performed after the display of the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake), which serves as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference animation.

Furthermore, at timing t3, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. However, during the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, the system is controlled to a state where the rainbow animation cannot be executed. In other words, during the display period of the problem screen, although the special symbols are not changing, the display screen shows the game board image A (the game board image A containing the difference), thus restricting the execution of the rainbow animation. For example, the problem screen displays the message, "Something has changed on the game board! Can you find it?" However, if such a message image were displayed in rainbow colors, the player might focus on the rainbow animation, making it difficult for them to compare game board image A (the game board image A containing the difference) with the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) and find the difference. By not executing the rainbow animation during the display period of the problem screen, the player is not distracted by the rainbow animation and can concentrate on finding the difference.

Furthermore, during the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen at timings t3 to t4, if a predetermined condition is met at timing tx, the puzzle from timing tx to ty is skipped, and the game transitions from timing tx to timing ty. In other words, if the predetermined condition is met at timing tx, the subsequent puzzle screen is not executed. Not only is the puzzle screen cleared, but the preview of the answer announcement from timings t4 to t5, and the answer announcement from timings t5 to ty are also not displayed. This allows players who do not require the "spot the difference" puzzle to forcibly end it by meeting the predetermined condition, enabling them to enjoy puzzles tailored to their needs.

Then, after transitioning to timing ty, the performance display device 1600 displays the end display screen for performance skipping. During the display period of the end display screen for performance skipping from timing ty to t6, the system is controlled to a rainbow execution-enabled state β, which allows the execution of the rainbow performance. Furthermore, in rainbow execution-enabled state β, to indicate that the performance skip has ended, it is possible to execute the rainbow performance, which is only executed after the performance skip has ended. Note that in rainbow execution-enabled state β, the rainbow performance executed after the performance skip ends is the same as rainbow execution-enabled state A in that it does not suggest the possibility (expectation) of a win. For example, as the end display screen for performance skipping, the performance display device 1600 displays a screen that notifies (warns) that the spot-the-difference performance has been forcibly terminated, or a screen that notifies that the spot-the-difference performance has been successfully forcibly terminated ("Skip function activated!", etc.). After the performance skip ends, the background screen is displayed in rainbow colors. This allows the player to focus on the rainbow effect during the display period of the ending screen when the animation is skipped, informing them that the animation skip was successful.

Then, after displaying the end screen for skipping the animation at timing ty, the system transitions to timing t6, where the animation display device 1600 displays a standby screen for the non-variable display of the special symbols. However, even after transitioning to timing t6, the system remains controlled to the rainbow execution-enabled state β, which allows the rainbow animation to continue. In other words, after transitioning to timing t6, the system returns to the state before the start of the spot-the-difference animation at timings t1-t2, but the rainbow execution-enabled state β continues without returning to the rainbow execution-enabled state A. For example, after the animation skip is completed, the background screen is displayed in rainbow colors, and this rainbow display continues even after transitioning to timing t6. Then, at timing t7, when the ball enters one of the various starting slots and the variation display of the special symbols begins, the rainbow execution-enabled state β ends when the variation animation screen for the variation display of the special symbols starts on the animation display device 1600. In other words, after the animation skip ends, the system maintains the Rainbow Execution State β until the next special symbol variation display begins. This allows players to confirm whether an animation skip was performed, even after the animation skip has ended, as long as the Rainbow Execution State β persists. Regarding the "spot the difference" animation, since it's intended to be enjoyed without skipping, if an animation skip occurs, the system may be controlled to the Rainbow Execution State β, execute the Rainbow animation as a penalty, and notify external parties that an animation skip has occurred.

In this example, the Rainbow Execution Available State β is assumed to persist from the end of the animation skip until the next special symbol variation display begins. Alternatively, it may persist for a certain period of time (e.g., 10 seconds) after the end of the animation skip. Furthermore, if no animation skip occurs, the system is controlled to Rainbow Execution Available State α during the preview display period for the answer announcement at timings t4-t5. However, if the system remains in Rainbow Execution Available State β for a certain period after the end of the animation skip, the execution time of the Rainbow animation in Rainbow Execution Available State β will be longer than the execution time of the Rainbow animation in Rainbow Execution Available State α. This ensures that, when an animation skip occurs, sufficient execution time for the Rainbow animation executed as a penalty is secured in Rainbow Execution Available State β, and that the fact that an animation skip has occurred can be communicated externally.

Furthermore, in this example, while the rainbow animation is enabled in rainbow-executable state α and rainbow-executable state β, and not necessarily executed, as an alternative example, the rainbow animation may be made to always be executed in rainbow-executable state β. This allows the rainbow animation to be executed as a penalty if the animation is skipped, and the fact that the animation was skipped can be communicated externally.

Furthermore, while the execution of the rainbow effect is restricted when the rainbow effect is unavailable, at least some of the multiple light-emitting parts on the door frame 3 and game board 5 also have their illumination restricted. On the other hand, when the rainbow effect is available again after the rainbow effect is unavailable, not only is the execution of the rainbow effect enabled, but all of the multiple light-emitting parts are also enabled to illuminate. This means that when the rainbow effect is unavailable, the player not only doesn't focus on the rainbow effect, but at least some of the multiple light-emitting parts are not illuminated, reducing the area the player needs to focus on. For example, when displaying game board image A (game board image A containing the incorrect part) as a problem screen for a spot-the-difference game, the player can concentrate on finding the difference.

Furthermore, as detailed above, the predetermined conditions are not met during the display period of the "Find the Difference" start screen at timings t2 to t3, prior to the display of the problem screen for the "Find the Difference" presentation. In other words, the predetermined conditions are not met before the problem screen for the "Find the Difference" presentation is displayed, making it impossible to forcibly terminate the "Find the Difference" presentation. This prevents the "Find the Difference" presentation from being forcibly terminated against the player's will before the problem screen is displayed, thus suppressing a decline in enjoyment.

(Regarding changes in the appearance of the light-emitting part during the execution of the spot-the-difference game)
Next, we will explain the relationship between the spot-the-difference game and the multiple light-emitting parts. The multiple light-emitting parts provided on the game board 5 can each light up and perform a light-emitting effect regardless of whether the special symbols are being displayed in a variable or non-variable state. However, if a light-emitting effect using multiple light-emitting parts is performed during the execution of the spot-the-difference game, the player may focus on the light-emitting effect using multiple light-emitting parts, making it difficult for the player to compare the game board image A (game board image A containing the difference) with the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) and find the difference. Therefore, in this example, we will explain the case where the execution of a light-emitting effect using multiple light-emitting parts is restricted for a certain period during the execution of the spot-the-difference game, referring to the time chart shown in Figure 244.

First, the game board 5 is equipped with multiple light-emitting units, at least of which are light-emitting units A to C. Each of these units A to C is capable of emitting light in a predetermined pattern during the display of special symbols (both during and without their variation). Furthermore, as will be described in more detail later, light-emitting unit A changes its emission pattern as the timing of the "spot the difference" game progresses. Light-emitting unit B remains constant during the "spot the difference" game to indicate that the game is in progress. Light-emitting unit C does not emit light during the "spot the difference" game if the game is not skipped, but if the game is skipped, it emits light in a predetermined pattern to indicate that the game has been skipped.

Figure 244(A) is a time chart showing the illumination patterns of multiple light-emitting parts when the "spot the difference" feature is executed while the special symbols are displayed in a non-changing state. Note that the part regarding the execution of the "spot the difference" feature while the special symbols are displayed in a non-changing state is the same as the time chart shown in Figure 237(A), so explanations of previously described parts have been omitted.

As shown in Figure 244(A), at timing t1, when the special symbol is displayed in a non-variable state, the display device 1600 shows a standby screen for the non-variable special symbol display. During the display period of the standby screen from timing t1 to t2, the light-emitting unit A emits light in A emission 1 mode. Also, at timing t1, the light-emitting unit B emits light in B emission 1 mode. However, at timing tz, a predetermined time before timing t2, which is the start of the "spot the difference" effect, the light-emitting unit B changes from B emission 1 to B emission 2 mode. In this way, before the start of the "spot the difference" effect, the change in the emission mode of the light-emitting unit B provides advance notice of the start of the effect.

At timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference game, the display device 1600 shows the start screen for the spot-the-difference game. During the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, light-emitting unit A emits light in A emission 2 mode, and light-emitting unit B continues to emit light in B emission 2 mode. In other words, during the display period of the start screen, although the game board image A (the game board image A containing the error) is not yet displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game, the game board image A is still running, so light-emitting unit B continues to emit light in B emission 2 mode.

Furthermore, at timing t3, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. During the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, light-emitting unit A emits light at A emission 3, and light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2. In other words, during the display period of the start screen, the game board image A (game board image A containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, and since the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2.

Furthermore, at timing t4, while the "spot the difference" game is in progress, the display device 1600 shows a preview indicating the upcoming announcement of the answer to the "spot the difference" game. During the preview period from timing t4 to t5, light-emitting unit A emits light at A emission 4, and light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2. In other words, during the preview period for the answer announcement, although the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) has been displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game, light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2 because the "spot the difference" game is still in progress.

Furthermore, at timing t5, while the "spot the difference" game is in progress, the display device 1600 shows an answer announcement. During the answer announcement display period from timing t5 to t6, light-emitting unit A emits light at A emission 5, and light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2. In other words, during the answer announcement display period, although the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) has been displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game, light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2 because the "spot the difference" game is still in progress.

Then, at timing t6, which marks the end of the "spot the difference" animation, the animation display device 1600 displays a standby screen showing the special symbols in a non-changing state. In other words, after the "spot the difference" animation ends, the system returns to the state before the animation began at timings t1-t2, with light-emitting unit A emitting at A emission 6 and light-emitting unit B emitting at B emission 1. While light-emitting unit B is set to B emission 1, which is the emission state before the "spot the difference" animation began, light-emitting unit A may also be set to A emission 1, which is the emission state before the "spot the difference" animation began.

As described above, for light-emitting unit A, during the execution of the "spot the difference" animation at timings t2 to t6, the illumination pattern changes in the order of A illumination 2, A illumination 3, A illumination 4, and A illumination 5 as the animation timing progresses. This allows players to know that the "spot the difference" animation timing is progressing, depending on the A illumination unit. Furthermore, for light-emitting unit B, during the execution of the "spot the difference" animation at timings t2 to t6, the illumination pattern does not change even as the animation timing progresses, indicating that the "spot the difference" animation is in progress. Therefore, the illumination pattern remains B illumination 2, which is not visible to players depending on the B illumination unit. Additionally, during the execution of the "spot the difference" animation, by ensuring that at least the illumination pattern of light-emitting unit B does not change, the area the player needs to focus on is reduced, allowing them to concentrate on finding the differences during the animation.

In this example, since the "spot the difference" animation is performed while the special symbols are displayed in a non-variable state, it is possible to skip the animation during its execution. However, if the animation is not skipped during the "spot the difference" animation, the light-emitting part C will not illuminate during timings t2 to t6, which are when the "spot the difference" animation is being performed. This reduces the area the player needs to focus on by ensuring that at least one of the multiple light-emitting parts, such as part C, does not illuminate during the "spot the difference" animation, allowing the player to concentrate on finding the differences.

Furthermore, at timing t3, when the spot-the-difference game is being played, the light-emitting units B and C are hidden from the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect parts) displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game on the display device 1600. The parts of game board image A that are displayed in a way that differs from the game board 5 are not subject to the hiding of light-emitting units B and C. For example, if light-emitting units B and C were displayed on game board image A, and their illumination patterns differed from those of light-emitting units B and C on the game board 5, it would become difficult to determine whether the spot-the-difference game is being played or whether an animation skip was performed during the game board game by visually inspecting the light-emitting units B and C displayed on game board image A. In this example, by hiding light-emitting units B and C on game board image A from the start, such difficulty in determining the correct behavior can be prevented. On the other hand, the light-emitting unit A is displayed on the display device 1600 at timing t3, when the "spot the difference" effect is in progress, on the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) which is displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" effect. This allows the player to know that the "spot the difference" effect is progressing by visually observing the light-emitting unit A displayed on the game board image A.

Furthermore, while the light-emitting unit B illuminates with B-light 2 during the execution of the "spot the difference" animation and returns to B-light 1 (the illumination before the start of the animation) at timing t6, which marks the end of the animation, as an alternative, it may continue to illuminate with B-light 2 even after transitioning to timing t6. In such cases, the light-emitting unit B will cease emitting with B-light 2 when a predetermined termination condition is met after transitioning to timing t6. For example, the predetermined termination condition may be when a predetermined time has elapsed after transitioning to timing t6, or when a ball enters one of the various starting slots, the special symbol variation display begins, and the variation animation screen during the special symbol variation display starts on the animation display device 1600. In other words, the light-emitting unit B continues to illuminate with B-light 2 until the predetermined termination condition is met after transitioning to timing t6. This allows confirmation of whether the "spot the difference" animation was executed, even after the end of the animation, as long as the light-emitting unit B continues to illuminate with B-light 2.

Figure 244(B) is a time chart showing the illumination patterns of multiple light-emitting parts when the "spot the difference" feature is executed while the special symbols are being displayed in a variation. Note that the execution of the "spot the difference" feature during the variation of the special symbols is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 237(B), so explanations of previously described parts have been omitted.

As shown in Figure 244(B), at timing t1, when the special symbol is being displayed in a variable state, the display device 1600 shows the variable state display screen. During the display period of the variable state display screen from timing t1 to t2, the light-emitting unit A emits light in A emission 1 mode. Also, at timing t1, the light-emitting unit B emits light in B emission 1 mode. However, at timing tz, a predetermined time before timing t2, which is the start of the "spot the difference" effect, the light-emitting unit B changes from B emission 1 to B emission 2 mode. In this way, the change in the emission mode of the light-emitting unit B before the start of the "spot the difference" effect can signal the start of the effect in advance.

At timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference game, the display device 1600 shows the start screen for the spot-the-difference game. During the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, light-emitting unit A emits light in A emission 2 mode, and light-emitting unit B continues to emit light in B emission 2 mode. In other words, during the display period of the start screen, although the game board image A (the game board image A containing the error) is not yet displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game, the game board image A is still running, so light-emitting unit B continues to emit light in B emission 2 mode.

Furthermore, at timing t3, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. During the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, light-emitting unit A emits light at A emission 3, and light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2. In other words, during the display period of the start screen, the game board image A (game board image A containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, and since the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2.

Furthermore, at timing t4, while the "spot the difference" game is in progress, the display device 1600 shows a preview indicating the upcoming announcement of the answer to the "spot the difference" game. During the preview period from timing t4 to t5, light-emitting unit A emits light at A emission 4, and light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2. In other words, during the preview period for the answer announcement, although the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) has been displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game, light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2 because the "spot the difference" game is still in progress.

Furthermore, at timing t5, while the "spot the difference" game is in progress, the display device 1600 shows an answer announcement for the "spot the difference" game. During the answer announcement display period from timing t5 to t6, light-emitting unit A emits light at A emission 5, and light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2. In other words, during the answer announcement display period, although the game board image A (the game board image A containing the "mistake") has been displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game, light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2 because the "spot the difference" game is still in progress.

Then, at timing t6, which marks the end of the "spot the difference" animation, the animation display device 1600 displays the animation screen showing the special symbol's variation. In other words, after the "spot the difference" animation ends, the system returns to the state before the animation began at timings t1-t2, with light-emitting unit A emitting at A emission 6 and light-emitting unit B emitting at B emission 1. While light-emitting unit B is returned to B emission 1, which was the emission state before the "spot the difference" animation began, light-emitting unit A may also be returned to A emission 1, which was the emission state before the "spot the difference" animation began.

As described above, for light-emitting unit A, during the execution of the "spot the difference" animation at timings t2 to t6, the illumination pattern changes in the order of A illumination 2, A illumination 3, A illumination 4, and A illumination 5 as the animation timing progresses. This allows players to know that the "spot the difference" animation timing is progressing, depending on the A illumination unit. Furthermore, for light-emitting unit B, during the execution of the "spot the difference" animation at timings t2 to t6, the illumination pattern does not change even as the animation timing progresses, indicating that the "spot the difference" animation is in progress. Therefore, the illumination pattern remains B illumination 2, which is not visible to players depending on the B illumination unit. Additionally, during the execution of the "spot the difference" animation, by ensuring that at least the illumination pattern of light-emitting unit B does not change, the area the player needs to focus on is reduced, allowing them to concentrate on finding the differences during the animation.

In this example, since the "spot the difference" animation is performed while the special symbols are being displayed, there is no animation skip during the "spot the difference" animation. Therefore, during timings t2 to t6, when the "spot the difference" animation is running, the light-emitting part C does not illuminate. This reduces the area the player needs to focus on during the "spot the difference" animation, allowing them to concentrate on finding the differences.

Furthermore, at timing t3, when the spot-the-difference game is being played, the light-emitting units B and C are hidden from the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect parts) displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game on the display device 1600. The parts of game board image A that are displayed in a way that differs from the game board 5 are not subject to the hiding of light-emitting units B and C. For example, if light-emitting units B and C were displayed on game board image A, and their illumination patterns differed from those of light-emitting units B and C on the game board 5, it would become difficult to determine whether the spot-the-difference game is being played or whether an animation skip was performed during the game board game by visually inspecting the light-emitting units B and C displayed on game board image A. In this example, by hiding light-emitting units B and C on game board image A from the start, such difficulty in determining the correct behavior can be prevented. On the other hand, the light-emitting unit A is displayed on the display device 1600 at timing t3, when the "spot the difference" effect is in progress, on the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) which is displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" effect. This allows the player to know that the "spot the difference" effect is progressing by visually observing the light-emitting unit A displayed on the game board image A.

Figure 245 is a time chart showing the illumination patterns of multiple light-emitting units in the case where the end display screen is shown after the "spot the difference" animation is forcibly terminated (modified example). Note that the part about forcibly terminating the "spot the difference" animation and then showing the end display screen is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 238(B), so explanations of parts already described are omitted.

As shown in Figure 245, at timing t1, when the special symbol is displayed in a non-changing state, the display device 1600 displays a standby screen for the non-changing special symbol. During the display period of the standby screen from timing t1 to t2, light-emitting unit A emits light in A emission 1 mode. Also, at timing t1, light-emitting unit B emits light in B emission 1 mode. However, at timing tz, a predetermined time before timing t2, which is the start of the "spot the difference" effect, light-emitting unit B transitions from B emission 1 to B emission 2 mode. In this way, the change in the emission mode of light-emitting unit B before the start of the "spot the difference" effect can signal the start of the effect in advance.

At timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference game, the display device 1600 shows the start screen for the spot-the-difference game. During the display period of the start screen at timings t3-t4, light-emitting unit A emits light at A emission 2, and light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2. In other words, during the display period of the start screen, although the game board image A (the game board image A containing the error) is not yet displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game, the game board game is in progress, so light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2.

Furthermore, at timing t3, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. During the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, light-emitting unit A emits light at A emission 3, and light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2. In other words, during the display period of the start screen, the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake) is displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, and since the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, light-emitting unit B continues to emit light at B emission 2.

Furthermore, during the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen at timings t3 to t4, if a predetermined condition is met at timing tx, the puzzle from timing tx to ty is skipped, and the game transitions from timing tx to timing ty. In other words, if the predetermined condition is met at timing tx, the subsequent puzzle screen is not executed. Not only is the puzzle screen cleared, but the preview of the answer announcement from timings t4 to t5, and the answer announcement from timings t5 to ty are also not displayed. This allows players who do not require the "spot the difference" puzzle to forcibly end it by meeting the predetermined condition, enabling them to enjoy puzzles tailored to their needs.

After transitioning to timing ty, the performance display device 1600 displays the end screen for the performance skip. During the display period of the end screen for the performance skip from timing ty to t6, light-emitting unit A emits light with A emission α, and light-emitting unit B continues to emit light with B emission 2. Here, light-emitting unit A emits light with A emission 3 before the performance skip occurs, but during the display period of the end screen for the performance skip, it emits light with A emission α, which is not executed before the performance skip occurs, in order to indicate that the performance skip has ended. Also, during the display period of the end screen for the performance skip, although the performance skip has occurred, the "spot the difference" performance is still running, so light-emitting unit B continues to emit light with B emission 2. Furthermore, light-emitting unit C does not emit light before the performance skip occurs, but during the display period of the end screen for the performance skip, it emits light with C emission 1 to indicate that the performance skip has ended.

As described above, light-emitting unit A is designed to emit light with A emission α, which does not occur before the performance skip takes place, after the end display screen for the performance skip is displayed at timing ty. This allows the player to know that the performance skip has ended, depending on the light-emitting unit A. Furthermore, light-emitting unit B is designed to continue emitting light with B emission 2, even if the performance skip takes place, after the end display screen for the performance skip is displayed at timing ty. This indicates that the "spot the difference" performance is in progress. Therefore, while the player cannot know that the performance skip has ended, they can know that the "spot the difference" performance is in progress, depending on the light-emitting unit B. Additionally, during the "spot the difference" performance, by ensuring that at least the emission pattern of light-emitting unit B remains unchanged, the area the player needs to focus on is reduced, allowing them to concentrate on the information displayed by areas other than light-emitting unit B while the "spot the difference" performance is running.

Furthermore, in this example, since the "spot the difference" animation is performed while the special symbols are displayed in a non-variable state, it is possible to skip the animation during its execution. However, before the animation skip is performed, the light-emitting part C does not illuminate, whereas after the animation skip is completed, the light-emitting part C illuminates with C illumination 1. This allows the player to know that the animation skip has ended, depending on the light-emitting part C. Additionally, by ensuring that at least the light-emitting part C does not illuminate before the animation skip is performed, the area the player needs to focus on is reduced, allowing them to concentrate on the information displayed in areas other than the light-emitting part C while the "spot the difference" animation is running.

Then, after displaying the end screen for skipping the animation at timing ty, the system transitions to timing t6, where the animation display device 1600 displays a standby screen for the non-variable special symbols. In other words, after the "spot the difference" animation ends, the system returns to the state before the "spot the difference" animation began at timings t1 to t2, with light-emitting unit A emitting 6 and light-emitting unit B emitting 1. Although light-emitting unit B is returned to its pre-animation state, B emitting 1, light-emitting unit A may also be returned to its pre-animation state, A emitting 1. Furthermore, light-emitting unit C continues to emit light at C emitting 1 even after transitioning to timing t6. In other words, after transitioning to timing t6, the system returns to the state before the "spot the difference" animation began at timings t1 to t2, but light-emitting unit C continues to emit light at C emitting 1 without returning to non-emitting. Finally, light-emitting unit C terminates its emission at C emitting 1 when a predetermined termination condition is met after transitioning to timing t6. For example, the predetermined termination condition may be the time elapsed after transitioning to timing t6, or it may be the time when a ball enters one of the various starting slots, the special symbol variation display begins, and the variation display screen during the special symbol variation display starts on the performance display device 1600. In other words, the light-emitting unit C continues to emit light at C emission 1 after the performance skip ends until the predetermined termination condition is met. This allows confirmation of whether a performance skip was performed, even after the performance skip has ended, as long as the light-emitting unit C continues to emit light at C emission 1. Regarding the "spot the difference" performance, since it is a performance that should be enjoyed without skipping, if a performance skip occurs, the light-emitting unit C may emit light at C emission 1 as a penalty to inform the outside that a performance skip has occurred.

Regarding the light-emitting unit B, it is designed to emit light in B-emitting 2 mode during the execution of the "spot the difference" animation, and to return to B-emitting 1 mode (the illumination before the start of the animation) at timing t6, which marks the end of the "spot the difference" animation. However, as an alternative, it is also possible to continue emitting light in B-emitting 2 mode even after transitioning to timing t6. In such cases, the light-emitting unit B will cease emitting light in B-emitting 2 mode when a predetermined termination condition is met after transitioning to timing t6. For example, the predetermined termination condition may be when a predetermined time has elapsed after transitioning to timing t6, or when a ball enters one of the various starting slots, the special symbol variation display begins, and the variation animation screen during the special symbol variation display starts on the animation display device 1600. In other words, the light-emitting unit B continues to emit light in B-emitting 2 mode from the time of transitioning to timing t6 until the predetermined termination condition is met. This allows for confirmation of whether the "spot the difference" animation was performed, even after the end of the animation, as long as the light-emitting unit B continues to emit light in B-emitting 2 mode.

(Regarding changes in the movement of movable parts during the execution of a spot-the-difference game)
Next, we will explain the relationship between the spot-the-difference game and the multiple movable parts. In this example, during the execution of the spot-the-difference game, the player is expected to find the difference by comparing the game board image A (game board image A containing the incorrect part) with the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) during the display period of the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game. However, if the area the player focuses on is limited, it becomes easy to find the "answer" to the spot-the-difference game, which reduces the enjoyment. Therefore, in this example, we will explain, with reference to the time chart shown in Figure 246, a case where, during a certain period of the execution of the spot-the-difference game, it is possible to execute an action using a predetermined movable part among the multiple movable parts, thereby increasing the difficulty of the spot-the-difference game.

First, the game board 5 is equipped with multiple movable parts, at least movable parts A to C. Each of movable parts A to C is capable of moving between its initial position and its operating position, and can operate in a predetermined manner during the display of special symbols (both during and after the special symbols are displayed). Furthermore, as will be described in more detail later, movable part A operates without changing its mode during the display of the game board image A (the game board image A containing the error) as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game, to indicate that the problem screen for the "spot the difference" game is currently being displayed. Similarly, movable part B operates without changing its mode during the execution of the "spot the difference" game, to indicate that the "spot the difference" game is currently being executed. Finally, movable part C does not operate during the execution of the "spot the difference" game if the game is not skipped, but operates in a predetermined mode if the game is skipped to indicate that the game has been skipped.

Figure 246(A) is a time chart showing the operation patterns of multiple movable parts when the "spot the difference" feature is executed while the special symbols are displayed in a non-changing state. Note that the part regarding the execution of the "spot the difference" feature while the special symbols are displayed in a non-changing state is the same as the time chart shown in Figure 237(A), so explanations of parts already described are omitted.

As shown in Figure 246(A), at timing t1, when the special symbol is displayed in a non-changing state, the display device 1600 displays a standby screen for the non-changing special symbol. However, during the display period of the standby screen from timing t1 to t2, movable body A is not operating. Also, at timing t1, movable body B is not operating, but at timing tz, a predetermined time before timing t2, which is the start of the "spot the difference" effect, movable body B begins operating in operation mode B1. Thus, before the start of the "spot the difference" effect, the start of the "spot the difference" effect can be announced in advance by having movable body B begin operating in operation mode B1. Furthermore, during the display period of the standby screen from timing t1 to t2, movable body C is operating in operation mode C1.

At timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference game, the display device 1600 shows the start screen for the spot-the-difference game. However, during the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, movable body A is not operating. Also, during the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. In other words, during the display period of the start screen, although the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake) is not yet displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game, the game board game is in progress, so movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. Furthermore, during the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, movable body C is switched to not operating.

Furthermore, at timing t3, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. During the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, movable body A operates in operation mode A. That is, during the display period of the start screen, not only is the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake) displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, but movable body A also operates in operation mode A. Also, during the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. That is, during the display period of the start screen, the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake) is being displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, and the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, so movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. Also, during the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, movable body C is not operating.

At timing t4, while the "spot the difference" animation is running, the animation display device 1600 displays a preview indicating the upcoming answer reveal. However, during the preview period from timing t4 to t5, movable body A is switched to a non-operating state. Furthermore, during the preview period from timing t4 to t5, movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. In other words, during the preview period, although the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) has been displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1 because the "spot the difference" animation is still running. Also, during the preview period from timing t4 to t5, movable body C is not operating.

Furthermore, at timing t5, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays an answer announcement for the "spot the difference" animation. However, during the answer announcement display period from timing t5 to t6, movable body A is not operating. Also, during the answer announcement display period from timing t5 to t6, movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. In other words, during the answer announcement display period, although the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) has been displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1 because the "spot the difference" animation is still in progress. Also, during the answer announcement display period from timing t5 to t6, movable body C is not operating.

Then, at timing t6, which marks the end of the "spot the difference" animation, the animation display device 1600 displays a standby screen showing the special symbols in a non-changing state. In other words, after the "spot the difference" animation ends, the system returns to the state before the animation began at timings t1-t2. Movable body A becomes inactive, movable body B switches to operation mode B2, and movable body C switches to operation mode C1. Note that while movable body C switches to operation mode B2, unlike before the "spot the difference" animation began, it may also remain inactive, as it was before the animation began.

As described above, movable body A is configured to remain inactive during the display period of the start screen of the spot-the-difference sequence (timings t2-t3), but to operate in operation mode A during the display period of the problem screen of the spot-the-difference sequence (timings t3-t4). This allows movable body A to determine whether the problem screen of the spot-the-difference sequence is being displayed. Furthermore, since movable body A operates in operation mode A during the display period of the problem screen, the area the player focuses on can be intentionally increased, thereby increasing the difficulty of the spot-the-difference puzzle while displaying the game board image A (the game board image A containing the error) as the problem screen. Regarding movable body B, during the execution of the spot-the-difference sequence (timings t2-t6), even as the sequence timing progresses, its operation mode does not change, and it continues to operate in operation mode B1 to indicate that the spot-the-difference sequence is in progress. This means that movable body B cannot determine whether the spot-the-difference sequence is in progress, but it can still determine whether the spot-the-difference sequence is being executed.

In this example, during the display period of the problem screen at timings t3 to t4, the movable body A begins operating in mode A at the time the game board image A (the game board image A containing the error) is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game. Alternatively, the movable body A may begin operating in mode A after a predetermined time (e.g., 2-3 seconds) has elapsed since the display of game board image A (the game board image A containing the error) as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game. This allows the player to intentionally increase the area they focus on, as the movable body A is initially inactive during the display period of the problem screen, but then begins operating in mode A. This increases the difficulty of the spot-the-difference game while game board image A (the game board image A containing the error) is displayed as the problem screen.

Furthermore, in this example, since the "spot the difference" animation is executed while the special symbols are displayed in a non-changing state, it is possible to skip the animation while the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen is displayed. However, if the animation is not skipped while the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen is displayed, the movable body C will not operate during timings t2 to t6, which are when the "spot the difference" animation is being executed. On the other hand, as will be explained in more detail later, if the animation is skipped while the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen is displayed, the movable body C will operate in operation mode Cα after the animation skip has finished. This allows the movable body C to retrospectively determine whether or not the animation was skipped while the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen was displayed.

Furthermore, regarding movable parts A to C, at timing t3, when the "spot the difference" animation is being executed, the animation display device 1600 hides them from the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect parts) that is displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. However, parts of game board image A that are displayed in a way that differs from the game board 5 are not subject to the hiding of movable parts A to C. For example, if movable parts A to C were displayed on game board image A, and their operation differed from that of movable parts A to C on the game board 5, it would become difficult to determine whether the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation is being displayed, whether the "spot the difference" animation is being executed, or whether an animation skip occurred during the display of the problem screen, simply by observing the movable parts A to C displayed on game board image A. In this example, by hiding movable parts A to C from the outset, such difficulty in determining the correct operation can be prevented.

On the other hand, with respect to movable bodies A to C, at timing t3 during the execution of the spot-the-difference animation, the animation display device 1600 may display them on the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect parts) which is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference animation, but may not depict their operation. Furthermore, the operation of movable bodies A to C may not be shown for parts of game board image A that are displayed in a manner that differs from that of the game board 5. For example, if movable bodies A to C are displayed on game board image A, and their operation differs from that of movable bodies A to C on the game board 5, it becomes difficult to determine whether the problem screen for the spot-the-difference animation is being displayed, whether the spot-the-difference animation is being executed, or whether an animation skip occurred during the display of the problem screen, simply by observing the movable bodies A to C displayed on game board image A. In this example, by not displaying movable bodies A to C on game board image A in the first place, such difficulty in determining the situation can be prevented.

Figure 246(B) is a time chart showing the operation patterns of multiple movable parts when the "spot the difference" feature is executed while the special symbols are being displayed in a variation. Note that the part regarding the execution of the "spot the difference" feature while the special symbols are being displayed is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 237(B), so explanations of previously described parts have been omitted.

As shown in Figure 246(B), at timing t1, when the special symbol is being displayed in a variation, the performance display device 1600 displays the variation performance screen for the special symbol variation. However, during the display period of the variation performance screen from timing t1 to t2, movable body A is not operating. Also, at timing t1, movable body B is not operating, but at timing tz, a predetermined time before timing t2, which is the start of the "spot the difference" performance, movable body B begins operating in operation mode B1. Thus, by having movable body B begin operating in operation mode B1 before the start of the "spot the difference" performance, the start of the "spot the difference" performance can be announced in advance. Furthermore, during the display period of the standby screen from timing t1 to t2, movable body C operates in operation mode C1.

At timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference game, the display device 1600 shows the start screen for the spot-the-difference game. However, during the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, movable body A is not operating. Also, during the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. In other words, during the display period of the start screen, although the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake) is not yet displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game, the game board game is in progress, so movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. Furthermore, during the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, movable body C is switched to not operating.

Furthermore, at timing t3, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. During the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, movable body A operates in operation mode A. That is, during the display period of the start screen, not only is the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake) displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, but movable body A also operates in operation mode A. Also, during the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. That is, during the display period of the start screen, the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake) is being displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, and the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, so movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. Also, during the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, movable body C is not operating.

At timing t4, while the "spot the difference" animation is running, the animation display device 1600 displays a preview indicating the upcoming answer reveal. However, during the preview period from timing t4 to t5, movable body A is switched to a non-operating state. Furthermore, during the preview period from timing t4 to t5, movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. In other words, during the preview period, although the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) has been displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1 because the "spot the difference" animation is still running. Also, during the preview period from timing t4 to t5, movable body C is not operating.

Furthermore, at timing t5, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays an answer announcement for the "spot the difference" animation. However, during the answer announcement display period from timing t5 to t6, movable body A is not operating. Also, during the answer announcement display period from timing t5 to t6, movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. In other words, during the answer announcement display period, although the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) has been displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1 because the "spot the difference" animation is still in progress. Also, during the answer announcement display period from timing t5 to t6, movable body C is not operating.

Then, at timing t6, which marks the end of the "spot the difference" animation, the animation display device 1600 displays the animation screen showing the special symbol's variation. In other words, after the "spot the difference" animation ends, the system returns to the state before the animation began at timings t1-t2. Movable body A becomes inactive, movable body B switches to operation mode B2, and movable body C switches to operation mode C1. Note that while movable body C switches to operation mode B2, unlike before the "spot the difference" animation began, it may also remain inactive, as it was before the animation began.

As described above, regarding movable body A, during the execution of the "spot the difference" animation, it does not operate during the display period of the start screen of the "spot the difference" animation at timings t2 to t3, but operates in operation mode A during the display period of the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen at timings t3 to t4. This allows movable body A to determine whether the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen is being displayed. Furthermore, since movable body A operates in operation mode A during the display period of the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen, the area the player focuses on can be intentionally increased, thereby increasing the difficulty of the "spot the difference" puzzle while displaying the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake). Regarding movable body B, during timings t2 to t6, when the "spot the difference" animation is being executed, its operation mode does not change even as the animation timing progresses. To indicate that the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, it continues to operate in operation mode B1. This means that movable body B cannot determine whether the "spot the difference" animation is being executed, but it can still determine whether the "spot the difference" animation is in progress.

In this example, during the display period of the problem screen at timings t3 to t4, the movable body A begins operating in operation mode A at the time when the game board image A (game board image A containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game. Alternatively, the movable body A may begin operating in operation mode A after a predetermined time (e.g., 2-3 seconds) has elapsed since the display of game board image A (game board image A containing the incorrect part) for the spot-the-difference game. This allows the player to intentionally increase the area they focus on, as the movable body A is initially inactive during the display period of the problem screen, but then begins operating in operation mode A. This increases the difficulty of the spot-the-difference game while game board image A (game board image A containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen.

Furthermore, in this example, if the "spot the difference" animation is running while the special symbols are not changing, it is possible to skip the animation during the display of the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen. However, if the "spot the difference" animation is running while the special symbols are changing, it is not possible to skip the animation during the display of the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen. Therefore, when the "spot the difference" animation is running while the special symbols are changing, the movable body C is not operated during timings t2 to t6, which are when the "spot the difference" animation is running.

Furthermore, regarding movable parts A to C, at timing t3, when the "spot the difference" animation is being executed, the animation display device 1600 hides them from the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect parts) that is displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. However, parts of game board image A that are displayed in a way that differs from the game board 5 are not subject to the hiding of movable parts A to C. For example, if movable parts A to C were displayed on game board image A, and their operation differed from that of movable parts A to C on the game board 5, it would become difficult to determine whether the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation is being displayed, whether the "spot the difference" animation is being executed, or whether an animation skip occurred during the display of the problem screen, simply by observing the movable parts A to C displayed on game board image A. In this example, by hiding movable parts A to C from the outset, such difficulty in determining the correct operation can be prevented.

On the other hand, with respect to movable bodies A to C, at timing t3 during the execution of the spot-the-difference animation, the animation display device 1600 may display them on the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect parts) which is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference animation, but may not depict their operation. Furthermore, the operation of movable bodies A to C may not be shown for parts of game board image A that are displayed in a manner that differs from that of the game board 5. For example, if movable bodies A to C are displayed on game board image A, and their operation differs from that of movable bodies A to C on the game board 5, it becomes difficult to determine whether the problem screen for the spot-the-difference animation is being displayed, whether the spot-the-difference animation is being executed, or whether an animation skip occurred during the display of the problem screen, simply by observing the movable bodies A to C displayed on game board image A. In this example, by not displaying movable bodies A to C on game board image A in the first place, such difficulty in determining the situation can be prevented.

Figure 247 is a time chart showing the operation patterns of multiple movable parts when the end display screen is displayed after the spot-the-difference game is forcibly terminated (modified example). Note that the part about displaying the end display screen after the spot-the-difference game is forcibly terminated is the same as the time chart shown in Figure 238(B), so explanations of this already explained part have been omitted.

As shown in Figure 247, at timing t1, when the special symbol is displayed in a non-changing state, the display device 1600 shows a standby screen for the non-changing special symbol. However, during the display period of the standby screen from timing t1 to t2, movable body A is not operating. Also, at timing t1, movable body B is not operating, but at timing tz, a predetermined time before timing t2 (the start of the spot-the-difference game), movable body B begins operating in operation mode B1. Thus, before the start of the spot-the-difference game, movable body B begins operating in operation mode B1, providing advance notice of the game's start. Furthermore, during the display period of the standby screen from timing t1 to t2, movable body C operates in operation mode C1.

At timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference game, the display device 1600 shows the start screen for the spot-the-difference game. However, during the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, movable body A is not operating. Also, during the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. In other words, during the display period of the start screen, although the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake) is not yet displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game, the game board game is in progress, so movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. Furthermore, during the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, movable body C is switched to not operating.

Furthermore, at timing t3, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. During the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, movable body A operates in operation mode A1. That is, during the display period of the start screen, not only is the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake) displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, but movable body A also operates in operation mode A1. Also, during the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. That is, during the display period of the start screen, the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake) is displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, and the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, so movable body B continues to operate in operation mode B1. Also, during the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, movable body C is not operating.

Furthermore, during the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen at timings t3 to t4, if a predetermined condition is met at timing tx, the puzzle from timing tx to ty is skipped, and the game transitions from timing tx to timing ty. In other words, if the predetermined condition is met at timing tx, the subsequent puzzle screen is not executed. Not only is the puzzle screen cleared, but the preview of the answer announcement from timings t4 to t5, and the answer announcement from timings t5 to ty are also not displayed. This allows players who do not require the "spot the difference" puzzle to forcibly end it by meeting the predetermined condition, enabling them to enjoy puzzles tailored to their needs.

After transitioning to timing ty, the performance display device 1600 displays the end-of-performance display screen for performance skipping. During the display period of the end-of-performance display screen from timing ty to t6, movable body A operates in operation mode A2, while movable body B is switched to inoperable mode. Here, movable body A operates in operation mode A1 before the performance skip occurs, but during the display period of the end-of-performance display screen, it switches to operation mode A2, which is not executed before the performance skip occurs, to indicate that the performance skip has ended. Similarly, movable body B operates in operation mode B1 before the performance skip occurs, but during the display period of the end-of-performance display screen, it switches to inoperable mode to indicate that the performance skip has ended. Furthermore, movable body C does not operate before the performance skip occurs, but during the display period of the end-of-performance display screen, it operates in operation mode Cα to indicate that the performance skip has ended.

As described above, for movable body A, if the animation skip is not performed while the puzzle screen of the "spot the difference" animation is displayed, it remains inactive after the display of the puzzle screen ends at timing t3. However, if the animation skip is performed while the puzzle screen of the "spot the difference" animation is displayed, it switches to operation mode A2, which does not occur before the animation skip, after the end display screen for the animation skip is shown at timing ty. This allows movable body A to know retrospectively whether the animation skip was performed while the puzzle screen of the "spot the difference" animation was displayed. Similarly, for movable body B, if the animation skip is not performed while the puzzle screen of the "spot the difference" animation is displayed, it continues to operate in operation mode B1 after the display of the puzzle screen ends at timing t3. However, if the animation skip is performed while the puzzle screen of the "spot the difference" animation is displayed, it switches to inactive after the end display screen for the animation skip is shown at timing ty. This allows movable body B to know whether the animation skip was successful and the "spot the difference" animation has ended.

In this example, movable body A switches from operation mode A1 to operation mode A2 when the end display screen for skipping the animation is shown at timing ty. However, a predetermined interval period (for example, 2-3 seconds) is provided when switching operation modes. That is, movable body A completes its operation in operation mode A1, waits for the predetermined interval period, and then begins its operation in operation mode A2. This makes it easier to determine whether the operation mode has been switched, as movable body A does not immediately begin operation in operation mode A2 after completing operation in operation mode A1. Furthermore, because the operation of movable body A is not continuous when switching operation modes, the possibility of irregularities occurring in the operation of movable body A is reduced.

Furthermore, in this example, during the display period of the problem screen at timings t3 to t4, the movable body A starts operating in operation mode A at the timing when the board image A (the board image A containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference presentation. However, as an alternative example, the movable body A may start operating in operation mode A after a predetermined time (for example, 2 to 3 seconds) has elapsed since the display of board image A (the board image A containing the incorrect part) as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference presentation. In such a case, it is possible for a predetermined condition to be met after the movable body A has started operating in operation mode A, and it is possible to skip the presentation once the predetermined condition is met. In other words, it is not possible to skip the presentation at the point when only board image A (the board image A containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference presentation; it is only possible to skip the presentation after waiting for the movable body A to start operating in operation mode A. This allows the user to perform a spot-the-difference puzzle while the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the puzzle screen for the spot-the-difference presentation, and also gives them time to consider whether or not to skip the presentation.

Furthermore, in this example, since the "spot the difference" animation is executed while the special symbols are displayed in a non-changing state, it is possible to skip the animation while the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen is displayed. However, if the animation is not skipped while the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen is displayed, the movable body C will not operate during timings t2 to t6, which are when the "spot the difference" animation is running. In other words, if the animation is not skipped while the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen is displayed, the movable body C will not operate after the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen is finished displaying at timing t3. On the other hand, if the animation is skipped while the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen is displayed, the movable body C will operate in operation mode Cα after the "end display screen" for the animation skip is displayed at timing ty. This allows the movable body C to retrospectively determine whether or not the animation was skipped while the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen was displayed.

Then, after displaying the end screen for skipping the animation at timing ty, the system transitions to timing t6, where the animation display device 1600 displays a standby screen for the non-variable special symbols. In other words, after the "spot the difference" animation ends, the system returns to the state before the "spot the difference" animation began at timings t1-t2, with movable body B switching to operation mode B2 and movable body C switching to operation mode C1. Note that the light-emitting unit C switches to operation mode B2, unlike before the "spot the difference" animation began, but it may also remain inactive as it was before the "spot the difference" animation began. Furthermore, movable body A continues to operate in operation mode A2 even after transitioning to timing t6. In other words, after transitioning to timing t6, the system returns to the state before the "spot the difference" animation began at timings t1-t2, but movable body A continues to operate in operation mode A2 without returning to non-operation. Finally, movable body A terminates its operation in operation mode A2 when a predetermined termination condition is met after transitioning to timing t6. For example, the predetermined termination condition may be the time elapsed after transitioning to timing t6, or it may be the time when a ball enters one of the various starting slots, the special symbol variation display begins, and the variation display screen during the special symbol variation display starts on the performance display device 1600. In other words, the movable body A continues to operate in operation mode A2 until the predetermined termination condition is met after the performance skip ends. This allows confirmation of whether a performance skip occurred, even after the performance skip has ended, as long as the movable body A continues to operate in operation mode A2. Regarding the "spot the difference" performance, since it is a performance that should be enjoyed without skipping, if a performance skip occurs, the movable body A may be configured to operate in operation mode A2 as a penalty, and an external notification may be sent indicating that a performance skip has occurred.

(Regarding abnormal notifications during the execution of the "spot the difference" game)
Next, we will explain the abnormality notification during the execution of the "spot the difference" game. In this example, it is possible to detect abnormalities such as magnetism and vibration while the power is on, and an abnormality determination is made as to whether or not an abnormality has been detected. Furthermore, depending on the type of abnormality, the game will stop when an abnormality is detected, and the game cannot be resumed until the power is turned back on.

Specifically, while the power is on, an abnormality check is performed to determine whether or not an abnormality has been detected. The type of abnormality detected is either minor or major. Minor abnormalities include the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the opening of the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4, and the removal of decorative frame members. It also includes situations where, for example, the upper tray of a conventional type of gaming machine (a type of gaming machine that dispenses prize balls as actual balls outside the gaming machine) is full and prize balls cannot be dispensed. When a minor abnormality is detected, the game is not stopped. When a minor abnormality is detected, a minor abnormality notification is executed to inform the outside that a minor abnormality has occurred, but the minor abnormality notification is terminated when an error termination condition is met, such as the elapsed of a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds). In other words, when a minor anomaly is detected, there is a possibility that the main frame 4 may have been opened relative to the outer frame 2 due to unauthorized activity. However, since it is easy to confirm whether or not the main frame 4 has been opened relative to the outer frame 2, the minor anomaly notification is terminated at a predetermined time.

On the other hand, detecting severe anomalies includes detecting magnetism, vibration, and radio waves on the pachinko machine 1. The pachinko machine 1 in this example is equipped with a magnetic sensor for detecting magnetism, a vibration sensor for detecting vibration, and a radio wave sensor for detecting unauthorized radio waves, each enabling the detection of magnetism, vibration, and radio waves. When a severe anomaly is detected, it is highly likely that the magnetism, vibration, or radio waves were applied through unauthorized actions rather than by the hall manager, and therefore the game is stopped. Furthermore, when a severe anomaly is detected, a severe anomaly notification is issued to inform the outside that a severe anomaly has occurred. However, even after a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds) has elapsed, the severe anomaly notification does not terminate. Therefore, when a severe anomaly occurs, the hall manager must shut off the power to terminate the severe anomaly notification, and then restart the power to resume the game.

Furthermore, minor and major anomaly notifications are implemented not only using components on the front of the pachinko machine 1, such as the display device 1600, but also using components on the back of the pachinko machine 1, such as the back of the main frame 4 and the back of the game board 5. This allows, for example, a hall manager to detect an anomaly even while performing work on the back of the pachinko machine 1.

Figure 248(A) is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a minor anomaly occurs during a "spot the difference" game. Note that the part where the "spot the difference" game is executed while the special symbols are not displayed is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 237(A), so the explanation of this part has already been explained and is therefore omitted.

As shown in Figure 248(A), at timing t1, when the special symbol is displayed in a non-variable state, the performance display device 1600 displays a standby screen for the non-variable special symbol display. However, if a minor anomaly is detected at timing tz during the standby screen display period between timings t1 and t2, the performance display device 1600, light-emitting unit, and speaker will issue a minor anomaly notification. On the other hand, aspects other than the execution of the minor anomaly notification, such as the progress of the game, remain unchanged from the state before timing tz when no minor anomaly was detected, maintaining the behavior before the minor anomaly was detected.

Specifically, when a minor anomaly is detected at timing tz, the performance display device 1600 displays a minor anomaly notification in addition to the standby screen currently being displayed, indicating the nature of the minor anomaly. For example, if the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 is detected as a minor anomaly, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Door Open Error" as a minor anomaly notification. Note that while the standby screen is displayed across the entire display area of the performance display device 1600, the minor anomaly notification is displayed on a higher layer than the standby screen, in a portion of the display area of the performance display device 1600 (for example, the upper left). Furthermore, when a minor anomaly is detected at timing tz, the light-emitting unit provided on the door frame 3 performs a minor anomaly illumination corresponding to the nature of the minor anomaly as a minor anomaly notification. For example, if the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 is detected as a minor anomaly, the LED in the light-emitting unit provided on the door frame 3 blinks yellow as a minor anomaly illumination. Furthermore, if a minor anomaly is detected at timing tz, a minor anomaly notification sound is output from the speaker to indicate the nature of the minor anomaly. For example, if a minor anomaly is detected, such as the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the speaker will output the message "Door opening error" as a minor anomaly notification sound.

Furthermore, minor anomaly notifications are designed to terminate after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed following the detection of a minor anomaly at timing tz. In other words, even if the timing of the "spot the difference" animation progresses while a minor anomaly notification is in progress, the notification will not terminate at that point. Instead, it will terminate after the predetermined period has elapsed.

The above explanation described the case where a minor anomaly is detected during the display period of the waiting screen at timings t1-t2. However, as shown in the diagram, even if the minor anomaly is detected during the display period of the problem screen at timings t3-t4 or the answer announcement display period at timings t5-t6, the minor anomaly notification is still executed for a predetermined period. Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, even if the minor anomaly is detected during the display period of the start screen at timings t2-t3 or the preview display period for the answer announcement at timings t4-t5, the minor anomaly notification is still executed for a predetermined period. In other words, regardless of which timing (t2-t6) during the execution of the "spot the difference" game, if a minor anomaly is detected, the minor anomaly notification is executed for a predetermined period.

Furthermore, the minor anomaly display, which serves as a minor anomaly notification, is displayed in a portion of the display area of the performance display device 1600 (for example, the upper left). Therefore, even if a minor anomaly is detected and the minor anomaly display is shown, the decorative symbols, the fourth symbol, and the screen corresponding to the timing of the spot-the-difference performance remain visible. In particular, when a minor anomaly notification is performed during the display period of the problem screen at timings t3 to t4, the performance display device 1600 displays a minor anomaly notification in addition to the game board image A (game board image A containing the incorrect part) displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference performance. However, this minor anomaly display is shown in a way that does not cover the part of game board image A that contains the answer to the spot-the-difference puzzle. As a result, even if a minor anomaly is detected and a minor anomaly notification is performed while game board image A (game board image A containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference performance, the part containing the answer to the spot-the-difference puzzle is not hidden, allowing the spot-the-difference puzzle to continue during the performance.

Furthermore, the components used for minor anomaly notification are the light-emitting parts provided on the door frame 3, but not the light-emitting parts provided on the game board 5. Specifically, if a minor anomaly is detected during the execution of the "spot the difference" game, the light-emitting parts on the door frame 3 will perform a minor anomaly notification, emitting a light corresponding to the nature of the minor anomaly. However, the light-emitting parts on the game board 5 will emit light in a manner corresponding to the timing of the "spot the difference" game (lighting in a manner corresponding to the timing of the game in light-emitting parts A to C mentioned above). In other words, only a portion of the light-emitting parts, not all of them, are used for minor anomaly notification. This ensures that even if a minor anomaly is detected and a minor anomaly notification is performed during the "spot the difference" game, the player will not be unable to determine whether the game is progressing, allowing them to continue the "spot the difference" game.

Furthermore, while the components used for minor anomaly notification include the light-emitting unit and speaker, in addition to the display device 1600, the movable parts provided on the game board 5 are excluded. Specifically, if a minor anomaly is detected during the execution of the "spot the difference" game, the movable parts on the game board 5 perform an operation corresponding to the timing of the "spot the difference" game (light emission in the operation mode corresponding to the timing of the "spot the difference" game for movable parts A to C mentioned above). In other words, the movable parts on the game board 5 are not included in the components used for minor anomaly notification. This ensures that even if a minor anomaly is detected and a minor anomaly notification is issued during the "spot the difference" game, the player will not be unable to determine whether the "spot the difference" game is progressing, allowing them to continue the "spot the difference" game.

Figure 248(B) is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a severe malfunction occurs during a "spot the difference" game. Note that the part where the "spot the difference" game is executed while the special symbols are not displayed is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 237(A), so the explanation of this part has already been explained and is therefore omitted.

As shown in Figure 248(B), at timing t1, when the special symbol is displayed in a non-variable state, the performance display device 1600 displays a standby screen for the non-variable special symbol display. However, if a severe abnormality is detected at timing tz during the display period of the standby screen between timings t1 and t2, the performance display device 1600, the light-emitting unit, and the speaker will issue a severe abnormality notification. Furthermore, upon detection of a severe abnormality, the game is put into a game-disabled state, stopping the game's progress. All other behaviors prior to the detection of the severe abnormality are also stopped.

Specifically, when a severe anomaly is detected at timing tz, the entire display area of the performance display device 1600 is used to display a severe anomaly notification, indicating the nature of the severe anomaly. For example, if the magnetic sensor detects magnetism as a severe anomaly, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Magnetic Error" as a severe anomaly notification. While the minor anomaly notification mentioned above is displayed in a part of the display area of the performance display device 1600 (for example, the upper left), the severe anomaly notification is displayed across the entire display area of the performance display device 1600 so that other information cannot be seen. Furthermore, when a severe anomaly is detected at timing tz, the light-emitting unit provided on the door frame 3 performs a severe anomaly notification, displaying a severe anomaly light corresponding to the nature of the severe anomaly. For example, if the magnetic sensor detects magnetism as a severe anomaly, the LED on the light-emitting unit provided on the game board 5 turns off, and the LED on the light-emitting unit provided on the door frame 3 blinks red as a severe anomaly light. Furthermore, if a severe anomaly is detected at timing tz, a severe anomaly sound is output from the speaker as a severe anomaly notification, indicating the nature of the anomaly. For example, if a severe anomaly occurs, such as the magnetic sensor detecting magnetism, the speaker will output a severe anomaly sound saying "Magnetic error."

Furthermore, regarding severe anomaly notifications, even if a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed after the detection of a severe anomaly (timing tz), the severe anomaly notification will not terminate. When a severe anomaly occurs, the hall manager must terminate the severe anomaly notification by shutting off the power, and then the game can resume by restoring the power.

The above explanation described the case where a severe anomaly is detected during the display period of the standby screen at timings t1-t2. However, regardless of whether the severe anomaly is detected during the execution of the "find the difference" game, specifically during the display period of the start screen at timings t2-t3, the display period of the problem screen at timings t3-t4, the preview display period for the answer announcement at timings t4-t5, or the answer announcement display period at timings t5-t6, the severe anomaly notification will be issued from that point onward.

Furthermore, the severe anomaly display, which serves as a severe anomaly notification, is displayed across the entire display area of the performance display device 1600. Therefore, when a severe anomaly is detected and the severe anomaly display is shown, the decorative symbols, the fourth symbol, and the screen corresponding to the timing of the spot-the-difference performance become invisible. Also, during the display period of the problem screen at timings t3 to t4, if a minor anomaly is detected, the performance display device 1600 displays a minor anomaly notification in a part of its display area, whereas if a severe anomaly is detected, the performance display device 1600 displays a severe anomaly notification across its entire display area. In other words, when a severe anomaly is detected, unlike when a minor anomaly is detected, the game board image A (game board image A containing the incorrect part) displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference performance becomes invisible on the performance display device 1600. This ensures that when a severe anomaly is detected and a severe anomaly notification is issued while the game board image A (the image containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the puzzle screen for the spot-the-difference game, the player is reliably informed that a severe anomaly has occurred and that they cannot continue the spot-the-difference game.

Furthermore, while the components used for minor anomaly notification focus on the light-emitting part on the door frame 3 and exclude the light-emitting part on the game board 5, the components used for severe anomaly notification include both the light-emitting part on the door frame 3 and the light-emitting part on the game board 5. Specifically, if a minor anomaly is detected during the execution of the "spot the difference" game, the light-emitting part on the door frame 3 will perform a minor anomaly notification by flashing a light. Conversely, if a severe anomaly is detected during the execution of the "spot the difference" game, both the light-emitting part on the door frame 3 and the light-emitting part on the game board 5 will perform a severe anomaly notification by flashing a light. In other words, the components used for severe anomaly notification include not just a part of the light-emitting part, but the entire part. This ensures that if a severe anomaly is detected and a severe anomaly notification is performed during the execution of the "spot the difference" game, the player will be able to reliably understand that a severe anomaly has occurred and that the "spot the difference" game cannot continue.

Furthermore, just as the components used for minor anomaly notification include the light-emitting unit and speaker in addition to the performance display device 1600, and exclude the movable parts provided on the game board 5, the components used for severe anomaly notification also include the light-emitting unit and speaker in addition to the performance display device 1600, and exclude the movable parts provided on the game board 5. Specifically, if a severe anomaly is detected during the execution of the "spot the difference" performance, the movable parts provided on the game board 5 will not perform the action corresponding to the severe anomaly notification, and if they were operating before the severe anomaly was detected, that operation will be stopped. In other words, if a severe anomaly is detected during the execution of the "spot the difference" performance, the movable parts provided on the game board 5 will stop. This ensures that when a severe anomaly is detected and a severe anomaly notification is issued while the "spot the difference" performance is running, the player can be reliably informed that a severe anomaly has occurred and that the "spot the difference" performance cannot continue.

(Regarding the case where the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the "spot the difference" animation is running.)
Next, we will explain what happens when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the "spot the difference" game is in progress. As explained above in detail, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop-play state and restricts gameplay. However, if the game transitions to a stop-play state and restricts gameplay when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the "spot the difference" game is in progress, the "spot the difference" game will end midway, leaving the player dissatisfied. Therefore, in this example, we will explain below a case where the game does not immediately transition to a stop-play state when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the "spot the difference" game is in progress, but rather the transition to a stop-play state is delayed.

Figure 249(A) is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value before the start of the "spot the difference" feature. Note that the "spot the difference" feature is executed while the special symbols are not displayed, which is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 237(A). Therefore, explanations of this already explained aspect have been omitted.

As shown in Figure 249(A), at timing t1, when the special symbol is displayed in a non-changing state, the display device 1600 displays a standby screen for the non-changing special symbol. However, at timing tz during the standby screen display period between timings t1 and t2, if the payout reaches a specific value, the stop flag is turned on, transitioning to a stop state where gameplay is impossible. In other words, if the payout reaches the specific value before timing t2, which is the start of the "spot the difference" animation, the game transitions to the stop state at that point without starting the "spot the difference" animation.

Furthermore, if the game transitions to a stop-play state at timing tz during the standby screen display period at timings t1 to t2, the display device 1600 displays a "cannot proceed" indicator as an image corresponding to the stop-play state. As detailed above, the "cannot proceed" indicator displays the message "Game Restriction," along with messages such as "Gameplay is restricted because the daily payout limit of XXX balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The payout button is active." Additionally, for the "cannot proceed" indicator, an opaque blackout display (e.g., a black background image) is displayed across the entire display area on the upper layer of the display device 1600. Therefore, the standby screen, decorative symbols, and fourth symbol that were displayed before the transition to the stop-play state are not visible. This ensures that the visibility of the "cannot proceed" indicator is not obstructed, and the player can reliably understand that the game has transitioned to a stop-play state.

Furthermore, if the game enters a "stopped play" state at timing tz during the standby screen display period between timings t1 and t2, the speaker outputs a voice message corresponding to the stopped play state, stating, "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted," at a specific volume (e.g., maximum volume).

Figure 249(B) is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the problem screen for the "spot the difference" presentation is being displayed. Note that the part where the "spot the difference" presentation is executed while the special symbols are not changing is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 237(A), so the explanation of this part has already been explained and is omitted here.

As shown in Figure 249(B), at timing t3, during the execution of the "spot the difference" animation, the animation display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. However, at timing tz during the display period of the problem screen (timings t3-t4), if the payout reaches a specific value, the stop-play preparation flag is turned on, and the game transitions to a stop-play preparation state, allowing gameplay to continue until the problem screen display ends. In other words, if the payout reaches a specific value during the display period of the problem screen (timings t3-t4), the game does not immediately transition to the stop-play state. Instead, it waits for the problem screen display to end before transitioning to the stop-play state. This ensures that even if the payout reaches a specific value while the game board image A (the game board image A containing the "difference") is displayed as the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation, the "spot the difference" animation does not end prematurely, minimizing player dissatisfaction.

Furthermore, if the game transitions to the stop-play preparation state at timing tz during the display period of the problem screen at timings t3 to t4, the display device 1600 will display a message, "The game is over for today with the end of the spot-the-difference game," as a standby display corresponding to the stop-play preparation state, in addition to the game board image A (game board image A containing the mistake) displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game. This message indicates that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. This allows the player to be notified that the game will transition to the stop-play state when the spot-the-difference game ends. The standby display is shown in a portion of the display area of the display device 1600 (for example, the upper left), and is displayed in a way that does not cover the part of the game board image A (game board image A containing the mistake) that contains the answer to the spot-the-difference game. This ensures that even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to the stop-play preparation state while game board image A (game board image A containing the mistake) is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game, the part containing the answer to the spot-the-difference game is not hidden, allowing the spot-the-difference game to continue.

Furthermore, if the game transitions to the stop-play preparation state at timing tz during the display period of the problem screen at timings t3 to t4, the speaker does not output the sound corresponding to the stop-play preparation state, but instead outputs the sound corresponding to the spot-the-difference presentation. In this example, the stop-play preparation state is notified only using the presentation display device 1600, and components other than the presentation display device 1600, such as the speaker and lamps, prioritize the execution of the actions corresponding to the spot-the-difference presentation. This ensures that even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to the stop-play preparation state while the game board image A (game board image A containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference presentation, the game does not become unable to determine whether the spot-the-difference presentation is progressing, allowing the spot-the-difference presentation to continue.

Furthermore, if the game transitions to the stop-down preparation state at timing tz during the display period of the problem screen between timings t3 and t4, the stop-down flag is turned on at timing t4, when the problem screen display ends, and the game transitions to a stop-down state, rendering further gameplay impossible. In other words, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the problem screen is displayed, the transition to the stop-down state is delayed, and the game transitions to the stop-down state at timing t4, when the problem screen display ends. After transitioning to the stop-down state, further gameplay is impossible, and the game exhibits the same behavior as the stop-down state described above.

In this example, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the problem screen is displayed, the transition to the stop-play state is delayed. However, the transition to the stop-play state occurs at timing t4 when the problem screen display ends, and subsequent animations that would have been performed as part of the spot-the-difference animation are not executed. In other words, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the problem screen is displayed, the animations during the preview display period for the answer announcement at timings t4-t5 and the answer announcement display period at timings t5-t6 are not executed, the spot-the-difference animation ends, and the transition to the stop-play state occurs. For example, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the problem screen is displayed, and the transition to the stop-play state is delayed until the animations during the preview display period for the answer announcement at timings t4-t5 and the answer announcement display period at timings t5-t6 have finished, the player can confirm which part was the "answer" to the spot-the-difference animation. However, the delay period between the number of balls dispensed reaching a specific value and the transition to the stop-play state becomes long, and there is a possibility that the number of balls dispensed will significantly exceed the specific value. In this example, by transitioning to the stop-play state without waiting for the preview display period for the answer announcement at timings t4-t5 and the answer announcement display period at timings t5-t6 to finish, it is possible to prevent the amount of balls dispensed from significantly exceeding a specific value. Furthermore, for players who want to complete the "spot the difference" game, by not entering the various prize slots when the amount of balls dispensed is close to the specific value, it is possible to prevent the game from transitioning to the stop-play state during the "spot the difference" game, thus preventing them from being unable to confirm which part was the "answer" to the "spot the difference" game.

Furthermore, in the above example, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the display period of the problem screen at timing t3-t4 and transitions to the stop-play preparation state, the transition to the stop-play state occurs at timing t4 when the display of the problem screen ends. Similarly, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the display period of the start screen at timing t2-t3 and transitions to the stop-play preparation state, the transition to the stop-play state occurs at timing t4 when the display of the problem screen ends. In other words, even if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the start screen is displayed and preparations for the find-the-difference game are underway, the transition to the stop-play state is delayed, and the transition to the stop-play state occurs at timing t4 when the display of the problem screen ends. This ensures that even if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the start screen is displayed and preparations for the find-the-difference game are underway, the find-the-difference game will not end without the find-the-difference game being played, thus minimizing player dissatisfaction.

Furthermore, in this example, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to the stop-play preparation state during the display period of the problem screen at timing t3 to t4, the game transitions to the stop-play state at timing t4 when the display of the problem screen ends. However, as an alternative example, the game may transition to the stop-play state at timing t6 when the answer announcement display ends and the spot-the-difference performance ends. Similarly, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to the stop-play preparation state during the display period of the start screen at timing t2 to t3, the game transitions to the stop-play state at timing t4 when the display of the problem screen ends. However, as an alternative example, the game may transition to the stop-play state at timing t6 when the answer announcement display ends and the spot-the-difference performance ends. In other words, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to the stop-play preparation state during the period of timing t2 to t4, such as during the display of the start screen or the display of the problem screen, the game may transition to the stop-play state at timing t6 when the answer announcement display ends and the spot-the-difference performance ends. As a result, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the start screen or problem screen is being displayed, the game will wait for the animation during the answer reveal period at timings t5-t6 to finish before transitioning to a stop-play state. This prevents the "spot the difference" animation from ending prematurely, allowing the player to confirm which part was the "answer" to the "spot the difference" animation, thus minimizing player dissatisfaction.

Figure 250 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the preview display of the answer to the "spot the difference" game. Note that the part where the "spot the difference" game is executed during the non-variable display of special symbols is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 237(A), so the explanation of this part has already been explained and is omitted here.

As shown in Figure 250, at timing t4, during the execution of the "spot the difference" game, the display device 1600 shows a preview indicating the announcement of the answer to the "spot the difference" game. However, at timing tz during the preview period for the answer announcement (timings t4-t5), if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the stop flag is turned on, and the game transitions to a stop state, rendering further gameplay impossible. In other words, during the preview period for the answer announcement (timings t4-t5), if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the preview is interrupted, and the game transitions to a stop state at that point. After transitioning to the stop state, further gameplay is impossible, and the game exhibits the same behavior as the stop state described above.

In this example, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the preview of the answer announcement, the game will transition to a stop-play state at that point, and any subsequent effects that would have been executed as part of the spot-the-difference game will not be performed. In other words, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the preview of the answer announcement, the game will end without executing the effects for the remaining period of the preview of the answer announcement at timings t4-t5 or the period of the answer announcement at timings t5-t6, and the game will transition to a stop-play state. For example, if the game were to wait for the effects for the remaining period of the preview of the answer announcement at timings t4-t5 or the period of the answer announcement at timings t5-t6 to finish before transitioning to a stop-play state, the player would be able to confirm which part was the "answer" to the spot-the-difference game. However, the delay period between the time the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value and the transition to the stop-play state would be long, potentially causing the amount of balls dispensed to significantly exceed the specific value. In this example, by transitioning to the stop-play state without waiting for the remaining period of the preview display for the answer announcement at timings t4-t5 or the end of the display during the answer announcement period at timings t5-t6, it is possible to prevent the amount of balls dispensed from significantly exceeding a specific value. Furthermore, for players who wish to complete the "spot the difference" game, by refraining from entering the various prize slots when the amount of balls dispensed is close to a specific value, it is possible to prevent the game from transitioning to the stop-play state during the "spot the difference" game, thus preventing them from being unable to confirm which part was the "answer" to the "spot the difference" game.

Furthermore, in the above, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the preview display period for the answer announcement at timing t4-t5, the game transitions to a stop-play state at that point. Similarly, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the display period for the answer announcement at timing t5-t6, the game transitions to a stop-play state at that point. In other words, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the answer announcement is being displayed, the game transitions to a stop-play state at that point. This means that during the display period for the answer announcement at timing t5-t6, while the game board image A (the game board image with the incorrect part) and the game board image B (the game board image without the incorrect part) are displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference presentation, the game transitions to a stop-play state when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, without waiting for the remaining presentation period of the answer announcement to end at timing t5-t6, thereby preventing the amount of balls dispensed from significantly exceeding the specific value.

Furthermore, in this example, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the preview display period for the answer announcement at timing t4 to t5, the game transitions to the stop-play state at that point. However, as an alternative, the game may transition to the stop-play preparation state when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and then transition to the stop-play state at timing t6 when the answer announcement display ends and the spot-the-difference performance ends. Similarly, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the display period for the answer announcement at timing t5 to t6, the game transitions to the stop-play state at that point. However, as an alternative, the game may transition to the stop-play preparation state when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and then transition to the stop-play state at timing t6 when the answer announcement display ends and the spot-the-difference performance ends. In other words, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the period from timing t4 to t6, such as during the preview display of the answer announcement or during the answer announcement display, the game may transition to the stop-play preparation state, and then transition to the stop-play state at timing t6 when the answer announcement display ends and the spot-the-difference performance ends. As a result, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the preview or display of the answer, the game will wait for the animation during the answer announcement period (timing t5-t6) to finish before transitioning to a stop-play state. This prevents the "spot the difference" animation from ending prematurely, allowing the player to confirm which part was the "answer" to the "spot the difference" animation, thus minimizing player dissatisfaction.

Figure 251(A) is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the "spot the difference" puzzle screen is being displayed, and the "end" screen is displayed simultaneously (a modified example). Note that the part about displaying the "end" screen after forcibly ending the "spot the difference" puzzle is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 238(B), so explanations of this already explained part have been omitted.

As detailed above, during the execution of the "spot the difference" gameplay sequence, it is possible to forcibly terminate the sequence if a game ball enters one of the various starting gates, or if a game ball enters a designated entry gate or area that is easier for game balls to enter (for example, the out gate 1008, the general prize entry gate 2001, or the through gate). In this case, if a game ball enters one of the entry gates that awards prize balls (payouts) upon entry (such as the various starting gates or the general prize entry gate 2001), the "spot the difference" sequence will be forcibly terminated, and at the same time, the amount of prize balls awarded (payouts) may reach a specific value. The following describes a modified example where the "spot the difference" sequence is forcibly terminated and the termination screen is displayed simultaneously with the display of the gameplay screen, when the amount of prize balls reaches a specific value.

As shown in Figure 251(A), at timing t3, when the "spot the difference" animation is running, the animation display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. During the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, a predetermined condition can be met. If the predetermined condition is met at timing tx during the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, the animation from timing tx to ty is skipped, and the game transitions from timing tx to timing ty. In other words, if the predetermined condition is met at timing tx, the animation content of the "spot the difference" animation is not executed thereafter. Not only is the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation erased, but the preview display of the answer announcement from timing t4 to t5 and the answer announcement display from timing t5 to ty are also not displayed. This allows players who do not require the "spot the difference" animation to forcibly terminate it by meeting the predetermined condition, enabling them to enjoy animations that suit their needs.

Furthermore, the fulfillment of the predetermined conditions is achieved when a ball enters an entry point (for example, various starting points or general prize entry point 2001) that awards (pays out) prize balls upon entry. During the display period of the problem screen for the spot-the-difference presentation at timings t3 to t4, if the amount of balls dispensed by awarding (paying out) prize balls reaches a specific value at timing tx when the predetermined conditions are met, the stop-stop preparation flag is turned on, and the game transitions to a stop-stop preparation state, which allows the game to continue until the end display screen for skipping the presentation, as described later, finishes. In other words, during the display period of the problem screen for the spot-the-difference presentation at timings t3 to t4, if the amount of balls dispensed by awarding (paying out) prize balls reaches a specific value at timing tx when the predetermined conditions are met, the game does not immediately transition to the stop-stop state, but waits for the end display screen for skipping the presentation to finish before transitioning to the stop-stop state. For example, if, during the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen at timing t3-t4, a predetermined condition is met and, at timing tx, prize balls are awarded (paid out) to reach a specific value, immediately transitioning to a stop-play state could cause confusion for the player. This is because, even though the predetermined condition is met during the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen, the game might not immediately transition to a stop-play state, instead displaying an unplayable message (an image corresponding to the stop-play state). In this example, however, if the predetermined condition is met during the display of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen, even if the payout reaches a specific value at that point, the game does not immediately transition to a stop-play state. Instead, the end-of-game message for skipping the puzzle is displayed. This prevents player confusion and ensures they understand that the predetermined condition has been met and the "spot the difference" puzzle has been forcibly terminated.

Then, after transitioning to timing ty, the performance display device 1600 displays the end display screen for when the performance is skipped. However, if the system transitions to the stop-play preparation state at timing tx, when a predetermined condition is met, the performance display device 1600 displays, in addition to the end display screen for when the performance is skipped, a standby display, which is an image corresponding to the stop-play preparation state, with the message "The 'spot the difference' performance is over for today" to indicate that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. This allows the system to inform the player that the system will transition to the stop-play state when the end display screen for when the performance is skipped ends. The end display screen for when the performance is skipped may, for example, display a screen that notifies (warns) that the 'spot the difference' performance has been forcibly terminated, or a screen that notifies that the 'spot the difference' performance has been successfully forcibly terminated (e.g., "Skip function activated!"). The standby display is displayed in a part of the display area of the performance display device 1600 (for example, the upper left), so as not to cover the message portion of the end display screen for when the performance is skipped. This ensures that even if the game's end screen is displayed when the payout reaches a certain value and the game is entering a state of preparation for stopping, the message portion of the end screen will not be hidden, allowing players to clearly understand that the "spot the difference" game has been forcibly ended.

Furthermore, during the display of the end screen when the animation is skipped, it is possible to output sound from the speaker. For example, during the display of the end screen when the animation is skipped, it is possible to output sound corresponding to the message displayed on the screen, such as "Skip function activated!". In this way, if the machine transitions to the stop-play preparation state at the timing tx when the predetermined conditions are met, the speaker does not output sound corresponding to the stop-play preparation state, but instead outputs sound corresponding to the spot-the-difference animation (end screen when the animation is skipped). In this example, the stop-play preparation state is notified using only the animation display device 1600, and components other than the animation display device 1600, such as the speaker and lamps, prioritize the execution of actions corresponding to the spot-the-difference animation. This prevents a situation where it is unclear whether the end screen when the animation is skipped is being displayed while the amount of balls has reached a specific value and the machine has transitioned to the stop-play preparation state, and ensures that the player is reliably aware that the spot-the-difference animation has been forcibly terminated.

Furthermore, during the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen at timings t3 to t4, if the game transitions to the stop-down preparation state at timing tx, when a predetermined condition is met, the stop-down flag is turned on at timing t7, when the end display screen for skipping the puzzle finishes, and the game transitions to a stop-down state, rendering further gameplay impossible. In other words, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the "spot the difference" puzzle screen is displayed, and the "end display screen for skipping the puzzle" is forcibly terminated to display the end display screen for skipping the puzzle, the transition to the stop-down state is delayed, and the game transitions to the stop-down state at timing t7, when the end display screen for skipping the puzzle finishes. After transitioning to the stop-down state, further gameplay is impossible, and the game exhibits the same behavior as the stop-down state described above.

Figure 251(B) is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the end display screen is being displayed during a skipped animation sequence. Note that the part where the end display screen is displayed after the "spot the difference" animation is forcibly terminated is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 238(B), so the explanation of this part has already been explained and is therefore omitted.

As shown in Figure 251(B), during the display period of the problem screen for the spot-the-difference presentation at timings t3 to t4, if a predetermined condition is met at timing tx, the presentation from timing tx to ty is omitted (skipped), and after transitioning to timing ty, the presentation display device 1600 displays the end display screen for the skipped presentation. However, at timing tz during the display period of the end display screen for the skipped presentation at timings ty to t7, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the stop-down preparation flag is turned on, and the game transitions to a stop-down preparation state, which allows the game to continue until the display of the end display screen for the skipped presentation ends. In other words, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the display period of the end display screen for the skipped presentation at timings ty to t7, the game does not immediately transition to the stop-down state, but waits for the display of the end display screen for the skipped presentation to end before transitioning to the stop-down state. As a result, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the end display screen for the skipped presentation is displayed, the end display screen for the skipped presentation will not end prematurely, and the player will be able to reliably understand that the spot-the-difference presentation has been forcibly terminated.

Furthermore, if the system transitions to the stop-play preparation state at timing tz during the display period of the end-of-performance display screen when the performance is skipped (timing ty to t7), the performance display device 1600 displays a message "The 'spot the difference' performance is over for today" as a standby display, which is an image corresponding to the stop-play preparation state, in addition to the end-of-performance display screen when the performance is skipped. This indicates that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. This allows the system to inform the player that the system will transition to the stop-play state when the end-of-performance display screen when the performance is skipped ends. The end-of-performance display screen when the performance is skipped may, for example, display a screen that notifies (warns) that the 'spot the difference' performance has been forcibly terminated, or a screen that notifies that the 'spot the difference' performance has been successfully forcibly terminated (e.g., "Skip function activated!"). The standby display is displayed in a part of the display area of the performance display device 1600 (for example, the upper left), so as not to cover the message portion of the end-of-performance display screen when the performance is skipped. This ensures that even if the payout reaches a specific value and the game transitions to a stop-play state while the end-of-performance screen is displayed after skipping the animation, the message portion of the end-of-performance screen is not hidden, allowing the player to clearly understand that the "spot the difference" animation has been forcibly terminated.

Furthermore, during the display of the end screen when the animation is skipped, it is possible to output sound from the speaker. For example, during the display of the end screen when the animation is skipped, it is possible to output sound corresponding to the message displayed on the screen, such as "Skip function activated!". In this way, if the system transitions to the stop-play preparation state at timing tz during the display period of the end screen when the animation is skipped (timing ty to t7), the speaker does not output sound corresponding to the stop-play preparation state, but instead outputs sound corresponding to the spot-the-difference animation (end screen when the animation is skipped). In this example, the stop-play preparation state is notified only using the animation display device 1600, and components other than the animation display device 1600, such as the speaker and lamps, prioritize the execution of actions corresponding to the spot-the-difference animation. As a result, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the system transitions to the stop-play preparation state while the end screen when the animation is skipped is displayed, there is no situation where it is unclear whether the end screen when the animation is skipped is being displayed, and it is possible to reliably understand that the spot-the-difference animation has been forcibly terminated.

Furthermore, if the game transitions to the stop-down preparation state at timing tz during the display period of the end-of-performance screen when skipping the animation between timings ty and t7, the stop-down flag is turned on at timing t7, when the end-of-performance screen finishes displaying, and the game transitions to a stop-down state where further gameplay is impossible. In other words, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the end-of-performance screen is being displayed, the transition to the stop-down state is delayed, and the game transitions to the stop-down state at timing t7, when the end-of-performance screen finishes displaying. After transitioning to the stop-down state, further gameplay is impossible, and the game exhibits the same behavior as the stop-down state described above.

(Regarding the case where the power is cut off and then restored while the "spot the difference" game is running)
Next, we will explain what happens when the power is cut off and then turned back on during the execution of a spot-the-difference game. In this example, during the execution of the spot-the-difference game, the player is required to compare the game board image A (game board image A containing the incorrect part) with the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) and find the difference during the period when the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game is displayed. However, if it is difficult to find the answer to the spot-the-difference game within the predetermined period when the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game is displayed, there was a possibility of cheating by cutting off the power during the period when the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game is displayed and trying to figure out the answer to the spot-the-difference game before turning the power back on. Therefore, in this example, we will explain below the case in which the restart of the spot-the-difference game is restricted even if the power is cut off during the execution of the spot-the-difference game. Note that in this example, when turning the power back on, the RAM clear switch is not operated (the RAM is not cleared) in this power-on pattern.

Figure 252(A) is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the power is cut off and then restored before the start of the "spot the difference" feature. Note that the part where the "spot the difference" feature is executed while the special symbols are not displayed is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 237(A), so the explanation of this part has already been explained and is omitted here.

As shown in Figure 252(A), at timing t1, when the special symbol is displayed in a non-variable state, the performance display device 1600 displays a standby screen for the non-variable special symbol display. However, if the power is cut off during the standby screen display period between timings t1 and t2, and then restored at timing tz, the main control board 1310 starts a playable state, enabling the game to proceed, and the peripheral control board 1510 performs a power-on operation. As part of the power-on operation, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Power has been restored" as a power-on indicator. It also outputs the message "Power has been restored" from the speaker. Furthermore, the performance display device 1600 also displays the standby screen, decorative symbols, and the initial symbols for the fourth symbol as initial screens.

Then, after the power is turned back on at timing tz, the power-on operation ends and the spot-the-difference game begins at timing t2. In other words, if the power is cut off before the start of the spot-the-difference game, the game will start at timing t2 after the power is turned back on, and all of the following sequences will be executed: the display period of the start screen at timings t2-t3, the display period of the problem screen at timings t3-t4, the preview display period of the answer announcement at timings t4-t5, and the display period of the answer announcement at timings t5-t6. This ensures that even if the power is cut off before the start of the spot-the-difference game, the restart of the game will not affect its start, thus minimizing dissatisfaction for players who were looking forward to the game.

Figure 252(B) is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the power is cut off and then restored while the start screen of the "spot the difference" feature is being displayed. Note that the part where the "spot the difference" feature is executed while the special symbols are not changing is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 237(A), so the explanation of this part has already been explained and is omitted here.

As shown in Figure 252(B), at timing t2, while the "spot the difference" animation is running, the animation display device 1600 displays the start screen of the "spot the difference" animation. However, if the power is cut off during the display period of the start screen (timings t2-t3) and then restored at timing tz, the main control board 1310 starts a playable state, enabling the game to proceed, and the peripheral control board 1510 performs a power-on operation. As part of the power-on operation, the animation display device 1600 displays the message "Power has been restored" as a power-on indicator. It also outputs the message "Power has been restored" from the speaker. Furthermore, the animation display device 1600 displays the standby screen, decorative symbols, and the initial symbols for the fourth symbol as initial screens.

Then, after the power is restored at timing tz, the power restoration process ends and the spot-the-difference game resumes at timing t3. More specifically, when the power is cut off, the start screen of the spot-the-difference game is terminated midway, but at timing tz, when the power is restored, the start screen is not resumed from where it left off. Instead, at timing t3, the game resumes from the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game. In other words, if the power is cut off while the start screen of the spot-the-difference game is being displayed, after the power is restored, all of the following sequences will be executed: the problem screen display period at timings t3-t4, the answer announcement preview display period at timings t4-t5, and the answer announcement display period at timings t5-t6. This ensures that even if the power is cut off while the start screen of the spot-the-difference game is being displayed, after the power is restored, the game board image A (the game board image A containing the mistake) can be displayed as the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game, minimizing dissatisfaction for players who were looking forward to finding the differences in the game.

Figure 253 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the power is cut off and then restored while the problem screen for the "spot the difference" feature is being displayed. Note that the part where the "spot the difference" feature is executed while the special symbols are not changing is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 237(A), so the explanation of this part has already been explained and is omitted here.

As shown in Figure 253, at timing t3, while the "spot the difference" animation is running, the animation display device 1600 displays the puzzle screen for the "spot the difference" animation. However, if the power is cut off during the display period of the puzzle screen (timings t3-t4) and then restored at timing tz, the main control board 1310 starts a playable state, enabling the game to proceed, and the peripheral control board 1510 performs a power-on operation. As part of the power-on operation, the animation display device 1600 displays the message "Power has been restored" as a power-on indicator. It also outputs the message "Power has been restored" from the speaker. Furthermore, the animation display device 1600 displays the standby screen, decorative symbols, and the initial symbols for the fourth symbol as initial screens.

Then, after the power is turned back on at timing tz, the power-on operation is terminated when timing t4 arrives, but the spot-the-difference animation is not resumed. Instead, the animation display device 1600 returns to the standby screen where the special symbols are displayed in a non-changing state. More specifically, when the power is cut off, the problem screen of the spot-the-difference animation is terminated midway. However, when the power is turned back on at timing tz, the problem screen is not resumed from where it left off, and even if timing t4 arrives afterward, the remaining part of the spot-the-difference animation is not executed. In other words, if the power is cut off while the problem screen of the spot-the-difference animation is being displayed, after the power is turned back on, not only is the problem screen not resumed from where it left off, but neither the animation during the preview display period for the answer announcement at timings t4-t5 nor the animation during the answer announcement display period at timings t5-t6 is executed. For example, if the power is cut off while the problem screen of a spot-the-difference game is being displayed, and then the problem screen is resumed from where it left off after the power is turned back on, or if the game resumes from the preview or answer announcement screen, it may be difficult to find the answer within the predetermined display period of the problem screen. In such cases, there is a possibility of cheating by cutting off the power while the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game is being displayed in order to carefully consider the answer. In this example, if the power is cut off while the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game is being displayed, the problem screen will not be resumed from where it left off after the power is turned back on, and the remaining part of the spot-the-difference game will not be executed, thereby preventing such cheating. Furthermore, even if the player has changed before and after the power is turned back on, this prevents causing discomfort to a player who is not familiar with the problem screen that was displayed before the power was cut off.

In this example, the game board 5 is equipped with a light-emitting unit that can illuminate at least during the execution of the "spot the difference" animation. As detailed above, among the light-emitting units A to C provided on the game board 5, unit B is the one that can illuminate at least during the execution of the "spot the difference" animation. This unit B illuminates even during the display of the "spot the difference" animation's start screen. If the power is cut off while the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen is displayed, the problem screen will not resume from where it left off after the power is restored, and the remaining "spot the difference" animation will not be executed. However, after the power is restored, the illumination of unit B will resume, and the illumination of unit B will continue until the timing t6, when the "spot the difference" animation would have originally been executed, arrives. Therefore, if the power is cut off while the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen is displayed, even after the power is restored, it is possible to know that the power was cut off while the "spot the difference" animation's problem screen was displayed, and to verify whether there was an attempt to illegally terminate the "spot the difference" animation.

Furthermore, in this example, if the power is cut off while the problem screen of the "spot the difference" presentation is displayed, a power-on operation is performed after the power is restored to indicate that the power has been restored. However, it may also be possible to perform an alternative presentation, different from the display of the "spot the difference" presentation, until timing t4, the time when the display of the problem screen that was originally supposed to end, arrives. Such an alternative presentation will not be performed even if the power is cut off during periods other than the display period of the problem screen at timings t3-t4, such as the display period of the standby screen at timings t1-t2 or the preview display period of the answer announcement at timings t4-t5, after the power is restored. This allows the system to know that the power was cut off while the problem screen of the "spot the difference" presentation was being displayed, even after the power is restored, because the alternative presentation is performed, although the problem screen does not resume from where it left off. Therefore, it is possible to verify whether there was an attempt to unfairly terminate the "spot the difference" presentation.

Furthermore, in this example, if the power is cut off while the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game is being displayed (during the display period of the problem screen at timings t3 to t4), the display device 1600 will, after the power is turned back on, display the message "Power has been turned on" as a power-on indicator to inform the user that the power has been turned on, just as if the power were cut off while the standby screen for the non-changing special symbols was being displayed (during the display period of the standby screen at timings t1 to t2) was being displayed. However, as an alternative example, if the power is cut off while the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game is being displayed, a different screen display may be shown after the power is turned back on compared to the case where the power was cut off while the standby screen for the non-changing special symbols was being displayed. For example, if the power is cut off while the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game is being displayed, after the power is turned back on, in addition to the power-on indicator, a message such as "Power was cut off during the execution of the spot-the-difference game" may be displayed, or a special indicator different from the power-on indicator may be displayed, and a message such as "Power was cut off during the execution of the spot-the-difference game" may be displayed on that special indicator. In this configuration, if the power is cut off while the problem screen of the "spot the difference" presentation is displayed, a different screen will be displayed after the power is restored compared to when the power is cut off while the standby screen with the special symbols displayed in a non-changing state is shown. Therefore, it is possible to know afterward whether the power was cut off during the execution of the "spot the difference" presentation and to verify whether there was an attempt to terminate the presentation fraudulently. Furthermore, if the power is cut off while the start screen of the "spot the difference" presentation is displayed (during the display period of the problem screen at timings t2-t3), a different screen may be displayed after the power is restored compared to when the power is cut off during the display of the problem screen of the "spot the difference" presentation (during the display period of the problem screen at timings t3-t4). Similarly, in this configuration, it is possible to know afterward whether the power was cut off during the execution of the "spot the difference" presentation and to verify whether there was an attempt to terminate the presentation fraudulently.

Furthermore, during the display period of the problem screen at timings t3 to t4, the number of game balls that enter a predetermined entry point or entry area (e.g., the out entry point 1008, the general prize entry point 2001, the through gate, etc.) that is separate from the various starting points, or the number of prize balls awarded (paid out) by those entries, may be counted, and the counting result may be displayed on the performance display device 1600. However, if the power is cut off while the problem screen of the spot-the-difference performance is being displayed, after the power is turned back on, the counting result from before the power was cut off will not be displayed, and the counting result will be reset (i.e., to 0) and a new count will be displayed. Also, although the counting result is reset when the power is turned back on, this fact is not displayed externally. For example, if the fact that the counting result has been reset is displayed when the power is turned back on, it may cause confusion if the player has changed before and after the power is turned back on, as they will not know what has been reset, or they may mistakenly think that the number of prize balls they should have been able to win has been lost, which could lead to trouble. In this example, by not displaying a message indicating that the counting results have been reset when the power is turned back on, such problems can be prevented.

Furthermore, the door frame 3 and the game board 5 are equipped with multiple movable parts, each capable of moving between an initial position and an operating position. When the power is turned back on, these movable parts perform their initial movements. During these initial movements, the movable parts move to their initial positions and verify whether they can move normally between the initial and operating positions. Additionally, the game board 5 is equipped with movable parts that surround the display area of the performance display device 1600. These movable parts are positioned outside the display area in their initial position and in front of the display area in their operating position. These movable parts also perform their initial movements when the power is turned back on. However, since these initial movements are performed over a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) after the power is turned back on, there is a possibility that the initial movements of the movable parts are being performed while the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game is being displayed. This could result in a situation where part of the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game is not visible due to the initial movements of the movable parts. In this example, while the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the puzzle screen for the spot-the-difference game, even if the initial movement of the movable part is performed, it is designed so that the part of the game board image A that contains the answer to the spot-the-difference puzzle is not covered. This ensures that even if the initial movement of the movable part is performed while the puzzle screen for the spot-the-difference game is displayed, the answer to the puzzle is not hidden, allowing the player to continue the spot-the-difference game.

Furthermore, as detailed above, during the standby screen display period at timings t1 to t2, the system is controlled to Rainbow Execution Enabled State A, which allows the Rainbow effect to be executed. However, if the power is cut off while the Rainbow effect is being executed during the standby screen display period at timings t1 to t2, the Rainbow effect will not resume after the power is restored. Also, during the problem screen display period at timings t3 to t4, the system is controlled to Rainbow Execution Disabled State, which prevents the Rainbow effect from being executed. However, if the power is cut off during the problem screen display period at timings t3 to t4, the Rainbow effect will not be executed after the power is restored. As a result, if the power is cut off while the spot-the-difference effect is being executed, even if the power is restored, the Rainbow effect will not be executed immediately. This allows the player to notice the power restoration operation in progress without focusing on the Rainbow effect, and to reliably understand that the system is in the state immediately after the power has been restored. During the display period of the problem screen at timings t3 to t4, the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference presentation. While the light-emitting part used for the rainbow effect is depicted on game board image A, the rainbow effect itself is not depicted. For example, if the rainbow effect were depicted while game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) was displayed during the display period of the problem screen at timings t3 to t4, the player would be distracted by the rainbow effect on game board image A and unable to concentrate on finding the difference. In this example, however, the rainbow effect is not depicted while game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference presentation, allowing the player to concentrate on finding the difference.

Furthermore, in the above, if the power is cut off during the display period of the problem screen at timing t3 to t4, the problem screen will not resume from where it left off after the power is restored, and the remaining spot-the-difference sequence will not be executed. Similarly, if the power is cut off during the preview display period of the answer announcement at timing t4 to t5, the preview display of the answer announcement will not resume from where it left off after the power is restored, and the remaining spot-the-difference sequence will not be executed. Also, similarly, if the power is cut off during the display period of the answer announcement at timing t5 to t6, the display of the answer announcement will not resume from where it left off after the power is restored, and the remaining spot-the-difference sequence will not be executed. In this way, if the power is cut off after the display of the problem screen begins at timing t3, the spot-the-difference sequence will not resume from where it left off after the power is restored, and the remaining spot-the-difference sequence will not be executed. This prevents cheating by cutting off the power during the display of the spot-the-difference sequence in order to carefully consider the answer.

Figure 254 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the power is cut off and then restored while the end display screen is being displayed during a skipped animation sequence. Note that the part where the end display screen is displayed after the "spot the difference" animation is forcibly terminated is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 238(B), so the explanation of this part has already been explained and is therefore omitted.

As shown in Figure 254, during the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen at timings t3 to t4, if a predetermined condition is met at timing tx, the animation from timing tx to ty is skipped. After transitioning to timing ty, the animation display device 1600 displays the end screen for the skipped animation. However, during the display period of the end screen for the skipped animation at timings ty to t7, if the power is cut off and then restored at timing tz, the main control board 1310 starts a playable state that allows the game to proceed, and the peripheral control board 1510 performs a power-on operation. As part of the power-on operation, the animation display device 1600 displays the message "Power has been turned on" as a power-on indicator. The speaker also outputs the audio message "Power has been turned on." The animation display device 1600 also displays the standby screen, decorative symbols, and the initial symbols for the fourth symbol as initial screens.

Then, after the power is restored at timing tz, the power-up operation ends at timing t7, but the "spot the difference" animation is not resumed. Instead, the animation display device 1600 returns to the standby screen showing the non-variable special symbols. More specifically, when the power is cut off, the end display screen for the animation skip is terminated midway. However, at timing tz, when the power is restored, the end display screen for the animation skip is not resumed from where it left off, and the remaining "spot the difference" animation is not executed. For example, if the power is cut off while the end display screen for the animation skip is being displayed, and the end display screen for the animation skip is resumed from where it left off after the power is restored, there is a possibility that the player has changed before and after the power is restored. This could cause discomfort to players who did not select the animation skip before the power was cut off. In this example, if the power is cut off while the end display screen for the animation skip is being displayed, the end display screen for the animation skip is not resumed from where it left off after the power is restored, and the remaining "spot the difference" animation is not executed, thereby preventing such discomfort.

(Regarding the limit on the output of the winning sound during the "spot the difference" game.)
Next, we will explain the relationship between the spot-the-difference game and the winning sound output from the speaker when a game ball enters a designated winning slot. When a game ball enters a designated winning slot, not only are a predetermined number of prize balls awarded (distributed), but a predetermined winning sound is also output from the speaker. However, if the winning sound is output during the execution of the spot-the-difference game, the player may focus on the winning sound, making it difficult for the player to compare the game board image A (game board image A containing the incorrect part) with the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) and find the difference. Therefore, in this example, we will explain the case where the execution of the winning sound is restricted for a certain period during the execution of the spot-the-difference game, referring to the time chart shown in Figure 255.

In this example, the game board 5 is equipped with general prize slots A to C (general prize slot 2001) in addition to various start slots such as the first start slot 2003 and the second start slot 2004. When a game ball enters one of the start slots, a special random number (first special symbol, second special symbol) is obtained, a lottery is conducted based on this special random number, and the special symbol variation display is executed based on the result of the lottery. However, when a game ball enters a general prize slot A to C, the special symbol variation display is not executed. Furthermore, when a game ball enters one of the start slots while the special symbol variation display is in progress or during a jackpot game, or when the special symbol variation display cannot be started, information regarding the special random number is stored as a reserve up to a predetermined limit. When it becomes possible to start the special symbol variation display, the special symbol variation display is started based on this reserve.

First, when a game ball enters the general prize slot A while the special symbol display is in a state where it can begin to change, it awards (pays out) a predetermined number of prize balls and outputs prize sound A from the speaker. On the other hand, when a game ball enters the general prize slot A while the special symbol display is in a state where it cannot begin to change, such as during the special symbol display or during a jackpot game, it does not output prize sound A from the speaker and awards (pays out) a predetermined number of prize balls. This allows players to focus on the special symbol display or jackpot game effects rather than the prize sound A when the special symbol display cannot begin to change. Furthermore, as will be explained in more detail later, in the spot-the-difference game, if a game ball enters the general prize slot A during the display period of the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game, it does not output prize sound A from the speaker and awards (pays out) a predetermined number of prize balls. Furthermore, the number of prize balls awarded (paid out) when a game ball enters General Prize Entry Point A is set to "10".

Furthermore, in the general prize slot B, if a game ball enters while the special symbol variation display is ready to begin, the predetermined number of prize balls will not be awarded (paid out), and the prize sound B will not be output from the speaker. On the other hand, in the general prize slot B, if a game ball enters while the special symbol variation display is in progress or during a jackpot game, or when the special symbol variation display cannot begin, the predetermined number of prize balls will be awarded (paid out), and the prize sound B will be output from the speaker. This allows players to confirm whether the predetermined number of prize balls will be awarded (paid out) by whether or not the prize sound B is output. Also, as will be explained in more detail later, in the spot-the-difference game, if a game ball enters the general prize slot B during the display period of the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game, the predetermined number of prize balls will be awarded (paid out), and the prize sound B will be output from the speaker. The number of prize balls awarded (paid out) when a game ball enters the general prize slot B is set to "1". In other words, during the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen, even if a game ball enters the general prize slot B, there is no increase or decrease in the number of game balls. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the act of trying to unfairly obtain a large number of prize balls by entering the general prize slot B.

Furthermore, when a game ball enters the general prize slot C while the special symbol display is in a state where it can begin to change, the system will not output a prize sound from the speaker and will award (pay out) a predetermined number of prize balls. Similarly, when a game ball enters the general prize slot C while the special symbol display is in a state where it cannot begin to change, such as during the special symbol display or during a jackpot game, the system will not output a prize sound from the speaker and will award (pay out) a predetermined number of prize balls. In other words, whether the special symbol display is in a state where it can begin to change or a state where it cannot begin to change, the system will not output a prize sound from the speaker and will award (pay out) a predetermined number of prize balls. Similarly, as will be explained in more detail later, in the spot-the-difference game, if a game ball enters the general prize slot C during the display period of the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game, the system will not output a prize sound from the speaker and will award (pay out) a predetermined number of prize balls. Furthermore, the number of prize balls awarded (paid out) when a game ball enters the general prize slot C is set to "10".

In addition to the general prize slots A to C (general prize slot 2001), a general prize slot D may also be provided. If a general prize slot D is provided, the following applies: When a game ball enters general prize slot D while the special symbol variation display is ready to begin, a predetermined number of prize balls will be awarded (paid out), and a prize sound D1 will be output from the speaker. Similarly, when a game ball enters general prize slot A while the special symbol variation display is not ready to begin, such as during the special symbol variation display or during a jackpot game, a predetermined number of prize balls will be awarded (paid out), and a prize sound D1 will be output from the speaker. On the other hand, in the spot-the-difference game, if a game ball enters general prize slot D during the display period of the problem screen of the spot-the-difference game, a predetermined number of prize balls will be awarded (paid out), and a prize sound D2 will be output from the speaker. This allows us to determine whether a game ball entered the general prize slot D during the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen, by checking whether or not the winning sound D2 is output.

Furthermore, in this example, in addition to various start openings such as the first start opening 2003 and the second start opening 2004, general prize openings A to C are provided. However, general prize opening A among general prize openings A to C may be a start opening A that can start displaying the special symbols when a game ball enters it. Specifically, start opening A is configured to award (pay out) a predetermined number of prize balls and output prize sound A from the speaker when a game ball enters it while the special symbols are in a state where state, and instead allow the player to focus on the effects during the special symbols are in a state where the special symbols are in state or during a special symbol game. Even with this configuration, during the "spot the difference" gameplay sequence, if a game ball enters the starting slot A, the speaker will not output the winning sound A, and a predetermined number of prize balls will be awarded (distributed). Furthermore, if the starting slot A is used instead of the general winning slot A, it is desirable to set the game so that the special symbol display cannot begin, at least during the display period of the "spot the difference" gameplay sequence's problem screen. This prevents the special symbol display from beginning to end prematurely, even if a game ball enters the starting slot A during the problem screen display period, thus minimizing player dissatisfaction.

Figure 255(A) is a time chart showing whether or not the winning sound can be output when the "spot the difference" feature is performed while the special symbols are not displayed in a variable state. Note that the point regarding the "spot the difference" feature being performed while the special symbols are not displayed in a variable state is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 237(A), so explanations of previously explained parts have been omitted.

As shown in Figure 255(A), at timing t1, when the special symbol is displayed in a non-changing state, the performance display device 1600 displays a standby screen for the non-changing display of the special symbol. During the display period of the standby screen at timings t1 to t2, when a game ball enters the general prize slot A, prize balls are awarded (paid out) and prize sound A is output. When a game ball enters the general prize slot B, no prize balls are awarded (paid out) and prize sound B is not output. When a game ball enters the general prize slot C, prize balls are awarded (paid out) without outputting a prize sound. Similarly, at timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference game, the game display device 1600 displays the start screen for the spot-the-difference game. During the display period of the start screen at timings t2 to t3, when a game ball enters general prize slot A, prize balls are awarded (paid out) and prize sound A is output. When a game ball enters general prize slot B, no prize balls are awarded (paid out) and prize sound B is not output. When a game ball enters general prize slot C, prize balls are awarded (paid out) without outputting a prize sound. In this way, during the display period of the standby screen and the display period of the start screen, when a game ball enters general prize slot A, prize sound A is output, allowing the player to know that a game ball has entered general prize slot A without having to visually confirm whether a game ball has entered general prize slot A. On the other hand, during the display period of the standby screen and the display period of the start screen, when a game ball enters the general prize slot B, no prize balls are awarded (no payouts are made). Therefore, there is no need to know that a game ball has entered the general prize slot B, and thus the prize sound B is not output.

Furthermore, at timing t3, while the "spot the difference" animation is being executed, the animation display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. During the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, when a game ball enters general prize slot A, the prize ball is awarded (paid out) without outputting the prize sound A. When a game ball enters general prize slot B, the prize ball is awarded (paid out) and the prize sound B is output from the speaker. When a game ball enters general prize slot C, the prize ball is awarded (paid out) without outputting the prize sound. For example, during the display period of the problem screen, if a game ball enters the general prize slot A and a prize sound A is output while the game board image A (game board image A with the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game, the player may focus on the prize sound A, making it difficult for the player to compare game board image A (game board image A with the incorrect part) with the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) and find the difference. In this regard, during the display period of the problem screen, if the prize sound A is not output when a game ball enters the general prize slot A, the player will not focus on the prize sound A and will be able to concentrate on finding the difference. On the other hand, during the display period of the problem screen, prize balls are awarded (paid out) when a game ball enters the general prize slot B, so if a game ball enters the general prize slot B, the player will know that a game ball has entered the general prize slot B without having to visually confirm whether a game ball has entered the general prize slot B.

In this example, general prize slots A to C are all depicted on the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) which is displayed as the puzzle screen for the spot-the-difference game. This allows players to determine which position on the game board 5 to aim for by visually inspecting general prize slots A to C displayed on game board image A during the display period of the spot-the-difference game puzzle screen. Furthermore, during the display period of the spot-the-difference game puzzle screen, it is possible to cover part of game board image A with the hint displays A to D mentioned above. However, while general prize slot A displayed on game board image A can be partially covered, general prize slot B displayed on game board image A cannot be completely covered. This makes it possible to award (pay out) prize balls by entering general prize slot B during the display period of the spot-the-difference game puzzle screen. For players who wish to acquire these prize balls, their view of general prize slot B displayed on game board image A is not obstructed, making it easy to determine which position on the game board 5 to aim for. Furthermore, while a portion of the general prize slot B shown in the game board image A may be covered, in such cases, the area covered should be smaller than that of the general prize slot A shown in game board image A, so as not to obstruct the visibility of the general prize slot B shown in game board image A. Regarding the general prize slot C, it is depicted in relation to game board image A, but it may also be omitted from the depiction of game board image A.

Furthermore, in this example, when a game ball enters the general prize slot C, the prize sound is not output, regardless of whether the problem screen is being displayed or not. However, if a game ball enters the general prize slot C while the special symbol variation display is ready to begin, the prize sound C may be not output. Conversely, if a game ball enters the general prize slot C while the special symbol variation display is not ready to begin, such as during the special symbol variation display or during a jackpot, the prize sound C may be output. Additionally, in the spot-the-difference game, the prize sound C may be output if a game ball enters the general prize slot C during at least the display period of the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game. This allows for confirmation of whether a predetermined number of prize balls should be awarded (distributed) based on whether the prize sound C is output.

Furthermore, in this example, multiple types of winning sounds are provided for both winning sound A and winning sound B. However, more types of winning sound A are provided than for winning sound B. This means that when a game ball enters general winning slot A while the special symbol display is ready to begin, winning sound A is output. Having a variety of winning sound A encourages players to intentionally enter general winning slot A while the special symbol display is ready to begin. On the other hand, in the spot-the-difference game, at least during the display period of the problem screen, winning sound B is output when a game ball enters general winning slot B. Having a limited variety of winning sound B prevents the player from easily determining whether the output of winning sound B corresponds to a ball entering general winning slot B.

Furthermore, in this example, during the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen, the winning sound A is not output when a game ball enters general winning slot A. However, a special sound different from winning sound A may be output. For example, the special sound could be "During the spot the difference time, aim for general winning slot A" output from the speaker, informing the player that it is time to aim for general winning slot B rather than general winning slot A. This way, during the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen, a special sound different from winning sound A can be output, encouraging the player to aim for general winning slot B rather than general winning slot A.

Furthermore, at timing t4, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays a notification that the answer to the "spot the difference" animation will be announced. During the notification period for the answer announcement at timings t4 to t5, when a game ball enters general prize slot A, prize balls are awarded (paid out) and prize sound A is output. When a game ball enters general prize slot B, no prize balls are awarded (paid out) and prize sound B is not output. When a game ball enters general prize slot C, no prize sound is output, but prize balls are awarded (paid out). Similarly, at timing t5, while the "spot the difference" game is in progress, the game display device 1600 displays an answer announcement for the "spot the difference" game. During the answer announcement display period from timing t5 to t6, when a game ball enters general prize slot A, prize balls are awarded (paid out) and prize sound A is output. When a game ball enters general prize slot B, no prize balls are awarded (paid out) and prize sound B is not output. When a game ball enters general prize slot C, prize balls are awarded (paid out) without outputting a prize sound. In this way, during the preview display period for the answer announcement and the display period for the answer announcement, when a game ball enters general prize slot A, prize sound A is output, allowing the player to know that a game ball has entered general prize slot A without having to visually confirm whether a game ball has entered general prize slot A. On the other hand, during the period when the answer is announced and the period when the answer is displayed, if a game ball enters the general prize slot B, no prize balls are awarded (no payouts are made). Therefore, there is no need to know that a game ball has entered the general prize slot B, and thus the prize sound B is not output.

Then, at timing t6, which marks the end of the "spot the difference" animation, the animation display device 1600 displays a standby screen showing the special symbols in a non-changing state. In other words, after the "spot the difference" animation ends, the system returns to the state before the animation began at timings t1-t2. When a game ball enters general prize slot A, prize balls are awarded (paid out) and prize sound A is output. When a game ball enters general prize slot B, no prize balls are awarded (paid out) and prize sound B is not output. When a game ball enters general prize slot C, no prize sound is output, but prize balls are awarded (paid out).

Figure 255(B) is a time chart showing whether the winning sound can be output when the "spot the difference" feature is performed while the special symbols are changing. Note that the part regarding the "spot the difference" feature being performed while the special symbols are not changing is the same as in the time chart shown in Figure 237(B), so the explanation of that part has already been explained is omitted.

As shown in Figure 255(B), at timing t1, when the special symbol is being displayed in a variation, the performance display device 1600 displays the variation performance screen for the special symbol variation. During the display period of the variation performance screen at timings t1 to t2, when a game ball enters the general prize pocket A, the prize ball is awarded (paid out) without outputting the prize sound A. When a game ball enters the general prize pocket B, the prize ball is awarded (paid out) and the prize sound B is output from the speaker. When a game ball enters the general prize pocket C, the prize ball is awarded (paid out) without outputting the prize sound. Similarly, at timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference animation, the animation display device 1600 displays the start screen for the spot-the-difference animation. During the display period of the start screen from timing t2 to t3, when a game ball enters general prize slot A, the sound of the winning ball A is not output, and the winning ball is awarded (paid out). When a game ball enters general prize slot B, the winning ball is awarded (paid out), and the sound of the winning ball B is output from the speaker. When a game ball enters general prize slot C, the sound of the winning ball is not output, and the winning ball is awarded (paid out). In this way, during the display period of the variation animation screen and the display period of the start screen, the spot-the-difference animation is executed as a variation animation during the variation display of the special symbols. Therefore, by not outputting the sound of the winning ball A when a game ball enters general prize slot A, the player's attention is not drawn to the sound of the winning ball A, and their attention is drawn to the variation animation (spot-the-difference animation) that is currently being executed. On the other hand, during the display period of the variable animation screen and the display period of the start screen, since prize balls are awarded (paid out) when a game ball enters the general prize slot B, the entry sound B is output when a game ball enters the general prize slot B. This allows the player to know that a game ball has entered the general prize slot B without having to visually confirm it.

Furthermore, at timing t3, while the "spot the difference" animation is being executed, the animation display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. During the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, when a game ball enters general prize slot A, the prize ball is awarded (paid out) without outputting the prize sound A. When a game ball enters general prize slot B, the prize ball is awarded (paid out) and the prize sound B is output from the speaker. When a game ball enters general prize slot C, the prize ball is awarded (paid out) without outputting the prize sound. For example, during the display period of the problem screen, if a game ball enters the general prize slot A and a prize sound A is output while the game board image A (game board image A with the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game, the player may focus on the prize sound A, making it difficult for the player to compare game board image A (game board image A with the incorrect part) with the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) and find the difference. In this regard, during the display period of the problem screen, if the prize sound A is not output when a game ball enters the general prize slot A, the player will not focus on the prize sound A and will be able to concentrate on finding the difference. On the other hand, during the display period of the problem screen, prize balls are awarded (paid out) when a game ball enters the general prize slot B, so if a game ball enters the general prize slot B, the player will know that a game ball has entered the general prize slot B without having to visually confirm whether a game ball has entered the general prize slot B.

Furthermore, at timing t4, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays a notification that the answer to the "spot the difference" animation will be announced. During the notification period for the answer announcement at timings t4 to t5, when a game ball enters general prize slot A, the award sound A is not output, and the prize ball is awarded (paid out). When a game ball enters general prize slot B, the prize ball is awarded (paid out), and the award sound B is output from the speaker. When a game ball enters general prize slot C, the award sound is not output, and the prize ball is awarded (paid out). Similarly, at timing t5, while the "spot the difference" animation is in progress, the animation display device 1600 displays an answer announcement for the "spot the difference" animation. During the answer announcement display period from timing t5 to t6, when a game ball enters general prize slot A, the winning sound A is not output, and the prize ball is awarded (paid out). When a game ball enters general prize slot B, the prize ball is awarded (paid out), and the winning sound B is output from the speaker. When a game ball enters general prize slot C, the winning sound is not output, and the prize ball is awarded (paid out). In this way, during the preview display period for the answer announcement and the display period for the answer announcement, the "spot the difference" animation is performed as a variation animation during the variation display of the special symbols. Therefore, by not outputting the winning sound A when a game ball enters general prize slot A, the player's attention is not drawn to the winning sound A, and their attention is drawn to the variation animation (spot the difference) that is currently in progress. On the other hand, during the period when the answer is announced and the period when the answer is displayed, prize balls are awarded (paid out) when a ball enters the general prize slot B. Therefore, when a game ball enters the general prize slot B, a prize sound B is output, allowing the player to know that a game ball has entered the general prize slot B without having to visually confirm it.

Then, at timing t6, which marks the end of the "spot the difference" animation, the animation display device 1600 displays the animation screen showing the special symbol's variation. In other words, after the "spot the difference" animation ends, the system returns to the state before the animation began at timings t1-t2. When a game ball enters general prize slot A, the system awards (pays out) the prize ball without outputting the award sound A. When a game ball enters general prize slot B, the system awards (pays out) the prize ball and outputs the award sound B from the speaker. When a game ball enters general prize slot C, the system awards (pays out) the prize ball without outputting the award sound.

Figure 256 is a time chart showing whether the winning sound can be played when the end screen is displayed after the "spot the difference" animation is forcibly terminated (a modified example). Note that the part about displaying the end screen after forcibly terminating the "spot the difference" animation is the same as the time chart shown in Figure 243, so explanations of this already explained part have been omitted.

As shown in Figure 256, at timing t1, when the special symbol is being displayed in a non-changing state, the performance display device 1600 displays a standby screen for the non-changing display of the special symbol. During the display period of the standby screen at timings t1 to t2, when a game ball enters the general prize slot A, the prize sound A is not output, and a predetermined number of prize balls are awarded (paid out). When a game ball enters the general prize slot B, no prize balls are awarded (paid out), and the prize sound B is not output. When a game ball enters the general prize slot C, the prize sound is not output, and prize balls are awarded (paid out). Similarly, at timing t2, which marks the start of the spot-the-difference game, the game display device 1600 displays the start screen for the spot-the-difference game. During the display period of the start screen at timings t2 to t3, when a game ball enters general prize slot A, prize balls are awarded (paid out) and prize sound A is output. When a game ball enters general prize slot B, no prize balls are awarded (paid out) and prize sound B is not output. When a game ball enters general prize slot C, prize balls are awarded (paid out) without outputting a prize sound. In this way, during the display period of the standby screen and the display period of the start screen, when a game ball enters general prize slot A, prize sound A is output, allowing the player to know that a game ball has entered general prize slot A without having to visually confirm whether a game ball has entered general prize slot A. On the other hand, during the display period of the standby screen and the display period of the start screen, when a game ball enters the general prize slot B, no prize balls are awarded (no payouts are made). Therefore, there is no need to know that a game ball has entered the general prize slot B, and thus the prize sound B is not output.

Furthermore, at timing t3, while the "spot the difference" animation is being executed, the animation display device 1600 displays the problem screen for the "spot the difference" animation. During the display period of the problem screen from timing t3 to t4, when a game ball enters general prize slot A, the prize ball is awarded (paid out) without outputting the prize sound A. When a game ball enters general prize slot B, the prize ball is awarded (paid out) and the prize sound B is output from the speaker. When a game ball enters general prize slot C, the prize ball is awarded (paid out) without outputting the prize sound. For example, during the display period of the problem screen, if a game ball enters the general prize slot A and a prize sound A is output while the game board image A (game board image A with the incorrect part) is displayed as the problem screen for the spot-the-difference game, the player may focus on the prize sound A, making it difficult for the player to compare game board image A (game board image A with the incorrect part) with the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) and find the difference. In this regard, during the display period of the problem screen, if the prize sound A is not output when a game ball enters the general prize slot A, the player will not focus on the prize sound A and will be able to concentrate on finding the difference. On the other hand, during the display period of the problem screen, prize balls are awarded (paid out) when a game ball enters the general prize slot B, so if a game ball enters the general prize slot B, the player will know that a game ball has entered the general prize slot B without having to visually confirm whether a game ball has entered the general prize slot B.

Furthermore, during the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen at timings t3 to t4, if a predetermined condition is met at timing tx, the puzzle from timing tx to ty is skipped, and the game transitions from timing tx to timing ty. In other words, if the predetermined condition is met at timing tx, the subsequent puzzle screen is not executed. Not only is the puzzle screen cleared, but the preview of the answer announcement from timings t4 to t5, and the answer announcement from timings t5 to ty are also not displayed. This allows players who do not require the "spot the difference" puzzle to forcibly end it by meeting the predetermined condition, enabling them to enjoy puzzles tailored to their needs.

In this example, during the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen, if a game ball enters general prize slot A or C, the predetermined condition is not met, and the display period of the puzzle screen is not forcibly terminated. However, if a game ball enters general prize slot B, the predetermined condition may be met, and the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen may be forcibly terminated. This allows the system to choose whether or not to forcibly terminate the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen depending on whether or not a game ball is entered into general prize slot B. For players who do not require the "spot the difference" puzzle, this can encourage them to enter the game ball into general prize slot B.

Furthermore, in this example, during the display period of the "spot the difference" puzzle screen at timings t3 to t4, if a predetermined condition is met at timing tx, the display period of the puzzle screen is forcibly terminated, and the game board image A (the game board image A containing the incorrect part) displayed as the puzzle screen for the "spot the difference" puzzle is hidden. When the display period of the puzzle screen is forcibly terminated in this way, an termination sound is output from the speaker, allowing the player to know that the puzzle screen will be hidden and the puzzle will be skipped. This allows players who are not interested in the "spot the difference" puzzle and are not paying attention to the display content of the puzzle display device 1600 to know whether the puzzle will be skipped by whether or not an termination sound is output from the speaker.

Then, after transitioning to timing ty, the performance display device 1600 displays the end display screen for performance skipping. During the display period of the end display screen for performance skipping from timing ty to t6, when a game ball enters general prize slot A, the prize ball is awarded (paid out) without outputting the prize sound A. When a game ball enters general prize slot B, the prize ball is awarded (paid out) and the prize sound B is output from the speaker. When a game ball enters general prize slot C, the prize ball is awarded (paid out) without outputting the prize sound. For example, during the display period of the end-of-event screen when an event is skipped, if the event display device 1600 displays a screen indicating that the "spot the difference" event has been forcibly terminated (a warning) or a screen indicating that the "spot the difference" event has been successfully terminated (e.g., "Skip function activated!"), and a game ball enters the general prize slot A and the prize sound A is output, the player may focus on the prize sound A and have difficulty realizing that the event skip was successfully performed. To address this, during the display period of the end-of-event screen when an event is skipped, if the prize sound A is not output when a game ball enters the general prize slot A, the player will not focus on the prize sound A and will be able to realize that the event skip was successfully performed.

Furthermore, during the display period of the end screen when the animation is skipped, if a game ball enters the general prize slot B, prize balls will be awarded (paid out). In other words, if the predetermined conditions are met at timing tx, the display period of the problem screen, which is a predetermined period, will be shortened. Therefore, the expected value of a game ball entering the general prize slot B and awarding (paying out) prize balls during the problem screen display period will decrease. However, by extending the period during which prize balls are awarded (paid out), prize balls will be awarded (paid out) even during the display period of the end screen when the animation is skipped, thus reducing the likelihood of player dissatisfaction. Additionally, during the display period of the end screen when the animation is skipped, if a game ball enters the general prize slot B, the winning sound B will be output. This allows players to know whether a game ball has entered the general prize slot B and that prize balls will be awarded (paid out) as a result, without having to visually confirm whether a game ball has entered the general prize slot B.

[RPG Mini-Game]
In this example, an RPG mini-game can be played as an effect during both the changing and non-changing display of symbols. In recent gaming machines, a wide variety of effects are available for the effects played during the changing display of symbols, whereas the number of effects played during the non-changing display of symbols is limited, although there are demonstration effects and so on. As a result, when the symbols are not changing, players try to play in order to start the changing display, but if the game balls do not start to enter the winning position and the changing display does not start, the enjoyment of the game decreases, and players often stop playing. In this example, by making the RPG mini-game playable not only during the changing display of symbols but also during the non-changing display of symbols, the decline in enjoyment of the game during the non-changing display period can be suppressed, and players can continue playing.

First, the overview of the RPG minigame will be explained below. The RPG minigame is a minigame in the style of a role-playing game (RPG), and players can play this RPG minigame. The RPG minigame can be played both while the symbols are changing and while they are not, and even while the symbols are changing, it can be played separately from the changing animations that indicate the result, such as a jackpot or a loss. When the RPG minigame is running, the game content is displayed in a predetermined area of the display area of the animation display device 1600. However, if the game situation becomes special, the RPG minigame may be temporarily hidden or displayed at a smaller size than usual. For example, special game situations include when a jackpot is hit, when a special reach animation (a reach animation with a high expectation of winning) is performed, and when an error is detected. Furthermore, even if the game situation becomes unusual, the RPG mini-game may be played as usual, or it may be predetermined whether or not the RPG mini-game is played as usual depending on the type of jackpot or error.

Figure 260 is a game flow chart illustrating the basic flow of the RPG minigame. The basic flow of the RPG minigame is such that the following steps S1 to S4 can be executed in order.
Step S1: Enemy character appearance animation. The enemy character appears.
Step S2: Defeat animation. Fight the enemy character that appeared in Step S1. If you defeat the enemy character, you will receive a treasure chest corresponding to that enemy character (if you fail to defeat the enemy character, you will not receive a treasure chest).
Step S3: Treasure Chest Animation. Open the treasure chest obtained in Step S2 to get a rare item (you may not get an item, or even if you do get an item, it may not be a rare item).
Step S4: Equipment animation. If you obtained a rare item in Step S3, equip that rare item to the main character (you can also equip items other than rare items). Once the main character is equipped with the rare item, when the enemy character reappears in Step S1, you will be able to fight the enemy character with that equipment.

The objective of the RPG mini-game is to obtain rare items from treasure chests and equip them to the main character to increase their stats. Data regarding obtained items, the main character's stats, and defeated enemies is stored on the peripheral control board 1510. This data may also be stored and transferred externally from the pachinko machine 1; for example, the RPG mini-game could be continued via access to an external website. However, enabling the RPG mini-game to be played on an external website eliminates the need to play on pachinko machine 1, potentially diminishing the enjoyment of the game. Therefore, it is preferable to limit the RPG mini-game to being playable only on pachinko machine 1, and to only allow data viewing on external websites.

(Enemy character appearance animation)
The enemy character appearance animation is an animation in which an enemy character appears. Furthermore, the enemy character appearance animation can only be performed while the symbols are changing, and cannot be performed when the symbols are not changing. In addition, when the enemy character appearance animation is performed while the symbols are changing, it is performed separately from the symbol change animation.

The enemy character appearance conditions in the enemy character appearance animation are set to one of the following two types. First, the enemy character appears according to the symbol change time. For example, the enemy character appears after a predetermined amount of time has passed since the symbol change. Furthermore, the longer the symbol change time, the more enemy characters appear. This means that even if the symbol change time is long and the result is a loss, many enemy characters will appear, thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Figure 261 is a time chart to explain the appearance of enemy characters according to the pattern change time. Each pattern change pattern has a set pattern change time and pattern change animation, and the display of the pattern change is executed based on one of several types of pattern changes. Enemy characters can appear at timing t2, which is a predetermined time after the start of the pattern change at timing t1, and at timing t3, which is after a further time has passed since timing t2. Specifically, in pattern change 1, the pattern change time is set to be longer than the time from timing t1 to timing t2, and one enemy character appears at timing t2. Similarly, in pattern change 2, the pattern change time is set to be longer than the time from timing t1 to timing t3, and one enemy character appears at timing t2 and another at timing t3. In other words, in pattern change 2, two enemy characters will appear before the pattern change time ends. Furthermore, in variation pattern 3, the variation time for the symbols is set to be shorter than the variation time from timing t1 to timing t2, and no enemy characters appear during the period until the symbols have finished varying.

Next, the second appearance condition is that enemy characters appear according to the rarity of the animations performed as part of the variable animation. For example, a variable animation consists of multiple animations, and each animation is classified into rank S, rank A, and rank B animations in descending order of rarity, with the rarity of the animation being quantified. Specifically, rank S animations have a rarity of +3, rank A animations have a rarity of +2, and rank B animations have a rarity of +1. During the execution of the variable animation, the rarity of the animations is added as the animation progresses, and when the sum of the animation rarities reaches a predetermined value, a rarity rank is assigned, and enemy characters appear. Among the animations performed as part of the variable animation, those with a low appearance rate and a high expectation of a big win have a higher rarity. Furthermore, during the execution of the variable animation, the higher the rarity rank, the more enemy characters will appear. According to this, even if a high-rarity animation (an animation with a high probability of a big win) is performed during a variation animation, and the result is a loss, the appearance of many enemy characters helps to mitigate the decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Figure 262 is a time chart to explain the appearance of enemy characters according to the rarity of the animation. Each variation pattern has a set time for the symbol variation and a variation animation, and the display of the symbol variation is executed based on one of several types of variation patterns. Then, when the rarity rank reaches 1 after the start of the symbol variation, and again when the rarity rank reaches 2, enemy characters become available to appear. Specifically, variation pattern 1 is set to execute two rank A animations and one rank B animation as variation animations, and when the rarity rank reaches 1, one enemy character appears. Similarly, variation pattern 2 is set to execute two rank S animations and one rank A animation as variation animations, and when the rarity rank reaches 1, one enemy character appears, and when the rarity rank reaches 2, one enemy character appears. In other words, in variation pattern 2, two enemy characters appear between the end of the symbol variation time and the end of the variation animation. Furthermore, while variation pattern 3 is set to execute three Rank B animations as part of the variation effect, it never reaches Rarity Rank 1, and no enemy characters appear between the end of the symbol variation time and the end of the variation effect.

Furthermore, the conditions for enemy character appearance may be a combination of the first and second appearance conditions. In other words, there may be two possibilities: enemy characters appearing based on the reel spin time, and enemy characters appearing based on the rarity of the animation performed as part of the spin animation. For example, if only the first appearance condition is used, even if a high-rarity animation is performed, enemy characters will not appear if the reel spin time is short. However, by combining the first and second appearance conditions, enemy characters can appear, thus preventing a decline in gameplay enjoyment. Similarly, if only the second appearance condition is used, even if the reel spin time is long, enemy characters will not appear if a low-rarity animation is performed. However, by combining the first and second appearance conditions, enemy characters can appear, thus preventing a decline in gameplay enjoyment.

Furthermore, while the determination of whether the enemy character's appearance conditions are met is currently based on one symbol change display, it may be possible to carry over the conditions to the next symbol change display. For example, if the condition for the first enemy character's appearance is that the symbol change time in one display display has elapsed to 30 seconds, and the first symbol change time is 15 seconds and the second symbol change time is 20 seconds, then the enemy character will not appear in either symbol change display. However, if the symbol change time can be carried over to the next symbol change display, the sum of the first and second symbol change times is 35 seconds, allowing the enemy character to appear. It should be noted that since the enjoyment of the game may decrease if enemy characters appear only rarely, it is desirable for them to appear every time the symbol change display is made.

After the enemy character appears in the enemy character appearance animation, the defeat animation is executed. However, the start condition for the defeat animation is one of two types. First, the defeat animation begins as soon as the enemy character appears. In other words, the defeat animation begins while the symbols displaying the enemy character are changing. This means that even if a losing result is expected during the display of the symbols displaying the enemy character, the defeat animation will be executed, preventing boredom during the period before the result is revealed. However, during the display of the symbols displaying the enemy character, it may become unclear whether to watch the ongoing animation or the defeat animation, potentially reducing the enjoyment of the game.

Next, the second starting condition is that the defeat animation does not begin when an enemy character appears, but rather starts with the next symbol change display. This eliminates the concern mentioned in the first starting condition—that players might not know whether to watch the ongoing symbol change animation or the defeat animation—because the defeat animation is not executed during the display of the symbol in which the enemy character appeared. Furthermore, if the defeat animation does not begin when an enemy character appears, it is desirable to store (stock) the appeared enemy character in a display location that makes its appearance easily noticeable. This makes it easier for players to understand whether an enemy character has appeared and how many have appeared.

Furthermore, if the defeat animation does not begin when an enemy character appears, it is desirable that the defeat animation with the stored enemy characters be executed during the next symbol change display. For example, if the defeat animation with stored enemy characters could be carried over to the symbol change display of the next or subsequent times, there is a possibility that more enemy characters than intended will be stored, and in some cases, the number of stored enemy characters may overflow, causing an error. This could also lead to fraudulent activity attempting to cause an error by exploiting the overflow. In this example, by ensuring that the defeat animation with stored enemy characters is always executed during the next symbol change display, the possibility of more enemy characters than intended being stored is eliminated, and fraudulent activity attempting to cause an error by exploiting the overflow can be prevented. However, if an upper limit is set on the number of stored enemy characters, it may be acceptable to allow the defeat animation with stored enemy characters to be carried over to the symbol change display of the next or subsequent times.

Multiple types of enemy characters are available for the enemy character appearance animation. Specifically, there are five categories of enemy characters available:
(1) Weak Enemy Character: An enemy character with weak stats and a high frequency of appearance (2) Strong Enemy Character: An enemy character with strong stats and a low frequency of appearance (3) Average Enemy Character: An enemy character with average stats and a low frequency of appearance (4) Rare Enemy Character: An enemy character with weak stats but a lower frequency of appearance than Strong Enemy Characters (5) Boss Enemy Character: An enemy character stronger than Strong Enemy Characters According to this, players will not have to "fight the same enemy character multiple times" in the defeat animation, which helps to suppress the decline in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, by providing multiple types of enemy characters within the same category, the decline in the enjoyment of the game can be suppressed even further. For example, by providing multiple types of enemy characters that appear as "weak enemy characters," even if the frequency of appearance of the "weak enemy character" category is high, the frequency of appearance of each individual enemy character within the "weak enemy character" category can be lowered, which greatly reduces the possibility of "fighting the same enemy character multiple times."

Furthermore, depending on the enemy character that appears in the enemy character appearance animation, it is possible to allow time for the main character to prepare their equipment by performing an equipment animation before fighting the enemy character in the defeat animation. For example, if a "boss enemy character" appears, and the next symbol change display starts before the main character's equipment is ready, then when the battle with the "boss enemy character" begins in the defeat animation, the probability of losing the battle due to the main character's unprepared equipment will increase, reducing the enjoyment of the game. Therefore, for example, when a "boss enemy character" appears, it is desirable to forcibly set a period during which the main character's equipment preparation animation can be performed, regardless of whether the conditions for starting the next symbol change display have been met (regardless of whether there are any balls held in the starting slot during the symbol change display in which the "boss enemy character" appeared).

Figure 263 shows a specific example of an enemy character appearance animation. The display of messages and other information may differ depending on whether a "boss enemy character" (as shown in Figure 263(A)) or a non-boss enemy character (as shown in Figure 263(B)) appears during the enemy character appearance animation. This makes it easier for players to distinguish between a "boss enemy character" and a non-boss enemy character.

It is preferable not to output sound effects during enemy character appearance animations. For example, if the system is designed to output sound effects during enemy character appearance animations, it may overlap with the sound effects of the ongoing spin animation. This could lead to players mistakenly believing the sound is part of the spin animation, creating a false sense of anticipation even for spin animations that don't promise a win. As a result, if a win doesn't occur, the enjoyment of the game is significantly diminished. By not outputting sound effects during enemy character appearance animations, this decline in enjoyment can be mitigated. However, to avoid confusion with spin animation sounds, short sound effects such as a "beep" may be output during enemy character appearance animations. Furthermore, players may be given the option to choose whether or not to output sound effects during enemy character appearance animations. Similarly, it is preferable to disable the light effects during enemy character appearance animations.

Figure 264 shows a specific example of a display where an enemy character appears in accordance with the timing of the symbol change. First, before a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the symbol change, the display device 1600 displays a change animation, such as a change of decorative symbols (in this example, a reach symbol) near the center (Figure 264(A)). Then, when a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the symbol change, the display device 1600 displays an enemy character in the lower right corner as an enemy character appearance animation, separate from the change animation (Figure 264(B)). In other words, before the enemy character appears, only the change animation is executed, but when it is time for the enemy character to appear, the change animation and the enemy character appearance animation are executed simultaneously. Here, the position of the enemy character on the display device 1600 is such that it does not overlap with the change of decorative symbols, so that the change of decorative symbols does not become difficult to see. Furthermore, after the enemy character appears during the enemy character appearance animation, a certain amount of time (for example, 2-3 seconds) elapses before the animation ends and the enemy character is hidden (Figure 264(C)).

Figure 265 shows a specific example of an enemy character appearing depending on the rarity of the animation. First, after the reel movement begins, and before the sum of the animation rarities reaches a predetermined value, the animation display device 1600 displays a variation animation, such as a variation of decorative symbols (in this example, a reach symbol), near the center (Figure 265(A)). Then, when the animation display device 1600 starts a variation animation with "This variation is a chance!" displayed at the top, the conditions for the enemy character to appear are met when the sum of the animation rarities reaches a predetermined value. However, the enemy character does not appear immediately (Figure 265(B)). After a predetermined time (for example, 1 second) has elapsed since the conditions for the enemy character to appear were met, one enemy character appears in the lower right corner as an enemy character appearance animation separate from the variation animation (Figure 265(C)). For example, if an enemy character appears at the start of an animation sequence where the sum of the animation's rarity reaches a predetermined value, players might mistakenly believe that the "enemy character appearance animation" is part of a high-rarity animation (an animation with a high probability of winning), leading to false expectations. In this example, even if a high-rarity animation begins, the enemy character does not appear until a predetermined time (e.g., 1 second) has elapsed. This suggests that while the enemy character appears as part of a high-rarity animation, it does not necessarily increase expectations. Furthermore, after the enemy character appears in the enemy character appearance animation, the animation ends and the enemy character is hidden after a certain period of time (e.g., 2-3 seconds) has elapsed (Figure 265 (D)).

(Suppression production)
The subjugation animation is an animation in which you fight the enemy character that appeared in the enemy character appearance animation. Furthermore, the subjugation animation can only be performed while the symbols are changing and cannot be performed when the symbols are not changing. In addition, when the subjugation animation is performed while the symbols are changing, it is performed separately from the symbol change animation. Although the subjugation animation is performed while the symbols are changing, the result of the subjugation animation is not related to whether the result of the symbol change animation indicates a jackpot. For example, if the result of the subjugation animation were related to the result of the symbol change animation, it could raise concerns such as "it is difficult to defeat the enemy character,""even if the enemy character is defeated, it does not result in a jackpot," or "regardless of the remaining time in the symbol change animation, it is possible to predict that there is a high possibility of a jackpot when the enemy character is defeated." However, since the result of the subjugation animation is not related to the result of the symbol change animation, such concerns do not arise.

First, the flow of the monster subjugation animation will be explained below. Figure 266 is a flowchart showing the execution process of the monster subjugation animation.

In the execution process of the subjugation animation, first, an enemy character appears in the enemy character appearance animation, and it is determined whether or not the enemy character is stocked (step S11). If the enemy character is stocked, a battle animation is executed in which the enemy character and the protagonist character fight. As a result of the battle animation, it is determined whether or not the enemy character was "defeated" or "not defeated" (step S12). As will be explained in more detail later, the result of the battle animation is determined by referring to the status of the enemy character and the status of the protagonist character to determine whether or not the enemy character can be defeated. If the result is that the enemy character was "defeated" (step S13), the protagonist character wins as a result of the battle animation (step S14), and receives a reward (step S15). On the other hand, if the result is that the enemy character "cannot be defeated" (step S13), the protagonist character loses as a result of the battle animation (step S16), and does not receive any rewards. If the protagonist character loses, some kind of penalty may be imposed, such as the protagonist character losing some of their equipment or their status returning to its initial value. If the main character wins, they receive a reward and the battle animation ends. If the main character loses, the battle animation ends without receiving a reward (Step S17). However, if multiple enemy characters appear during the enemy character appearance animation and the remaining enemy characters are stockpiled, the battle animation does not end, and the game returns to Step S11 to execute the battle animation again.

The enemy and protagonist characters have three stats: "Health," "Attack Power," and "Defense." "Health" (HP) represents the "durability to withstand attacks" of the enemy or protagonist character. "Attack Power" represents the "amount of damage the enemy or protagonist character can inflict on the opponent." "Defense" represents the "amount of damage the enemy or protagonist character can block from the opponent's attacks." The damage calculation formula is "Attacker's Attack Power - Defender's Defense Power = Damage," and the HP of the attacked character is calculated as "HP before attack - Damage = HP after attack." For example, if the enemy character's health is "5," their defense is "2," and the protagonist character's attack power is "3," the damage dealt to the enemy character will be "1," and the enemy character's HP will be "4."

Next, the flow of the battle sequence in the subjugation sequence will be explained below. Figure 267 is a flowchart of the battle sequence execution process (step S12).

In the execution process of the battle sequence, first, the first and second attackers are determined by lottery (Step S21). The lottery to determine the first and second attackers (Step S21) may be conducted with predetermined probabilities (for example, the first and second attackers may each be drawn with a 50% probability), or it may be conducted based on the strength of the appearing enemy character and the strength of the protagonist character (for example, if the protagonist character's HP or attack power is higher than the enemy character's, the enemy character will always attack first). Then, the amount of damage dealt by the attacking side is determined using the "damage calculation formula for attacks" mentioned above (Step S22). As will be explained in more detail later, a lottery is conducted to determine whether to add or subtract a variation to the damage dealt, and the result of this lottery is reflected in the amount of damage dealt by the attacking side (Step S23). Then, in the battle sequence, an animation is executed in which the defending side is damaged by the amount of "damage dealt by the attacking side" calculated in Step S23 (Step S24). Then, it is determined whether the HP of the attacked side falls to 0 or below (Step S25). If it is determined that the HP of the attacked side falls to 0 or below, the battle sequence ends with the attacker winning (Step S26). For example, if the attacker is the main character, the battle sequence will result in the enemy character being "defeated." If the attacker is the enemy character, the battle sequence will result in the enemy character being "not defeated." On the other hand, if it is determined that the HP of the attacked side does not fall to 0 or below, the attacker and defender are swapped (Step S27), and the process returns to Step S22, continuing the battle sequence until it is determined that the HP of the attacked side falls to 0 or below.

As mentioned above, it is possible to introduce variations in the amount of damage dealt during an attack, either through addition or subtraction. Specifically, one of the following is determined by random chance.
(1) No change in the amount of damage dealt when attacking (50%)
(2) Reduce the amount of damage dealt by "1" when attacking (25%)
(3) Add "1" to the amount of damage dealt when attacking (25%)
According to this, if (2) or (3) is determined by lottery, there will be variation in the amount of damage dealt during an attack. For example, if there is no variation in the amount of damage dealt during an attack, the amount of damage dealt during an attack will be constant, which could allow players to predict whether the main character will win or lose before the battle scene is concluded, potentially reducing the enjoyment of the game. In this example, by introducing variation in the amount of damage dealt during an attack, it becomes difficult for players to predict the outcome of the battle scene, allowing them to enjoy the battle scene to the very end.

Furthermore, when introducing variations in the amount of damage dealt during an attack, it is desirable to visually indicate that a variation has occurred. For example, if the damage amount in (2) is subtracted, displaying "miss" during the attack, and if the damage amount in (3) is added, displaying "critical!" during the attack, makes it easier for the player to understand that a variation has occurred from the original damage amount.

Figure 268 shows a specific example of a battle animation. First, at the start of the battle animation, the animation display device 1600 displays the main character and enemy characters and the message "Defeat the enemy!" (Figure 268(A)). The enemy characters that appear are those that have appeared and been stored (stockpiled) in the enemy character appearance animation. Then, the battle animation in which the main character and enemy characters fight begins. In the battle animation, attacks are carried out in the order of first and second attack, which is determined by lottery, and the battle between the main character and enemy characters is repeated until either the main character or the enemy character's HP drops to 0 or below, with the attacking side being switched. When the enemy character's HP drops to 0 or below, the animation display device 1600 displays the message "Victory!" indicating that the main character has won (Figure 268(B)). Then, the treasure chest obtained as a reward for the main character's victory is displayed, and the message "You got a treasure chest! Open it later" is added and displayed (Figure 268(C)). On the other hand, if the main character's HP drops to 0 or below, the display device 1600 shows the main character as having lost, displaying the message "Defeat... Let's try again" (Figure 268 (D)).

If the main character wins, they can receive a "treasure chest" as a reward. The treasure chest is not opened upon receipt and is stored (stockpiled) up to a predetermined number. To open a treasure chest, the player must operate a designated control unit (e.g., the animation control unit 250) to trigger the treasure chest animation. Conversely, if the player does not wish to open a treasure chest, they must not operate the designated control unit (e.g., the animation control unit 250) to trigger the treasure chest animation. While a predetermined number of treasure chests can be stored, the number of stored treasure chests is not displayed. Specifically, even if the main character wins the battle and receives a reward, only the treasure chest display and the message "You obtained a treasure chest!" appear; the number of stored treasure chests is not displayed. Therefore, to know the number of stored treasure chests, the player must remember the number of treasure chests received as rewards.

Furthermore, both the enemy character appearance and defeat animations can occur while the symbols are changing. However, if both animations proceed simultaneously, players may become confused about which animation to focus on. Therefore, it is desirable that the enemy character appearance and defeat animations do not proceed simultaneously. The defeat animation should be executed immediately after the symbols begin to change, while the enemy character appearance animation should be executed as the symbols continue to change. For example, in a reel pattern where the symbol change time is one minute, and the enemy character appears when 45 seconds have passed since the symbols began to change, the enemy character appearance animation should be skipped between 1 and 45 seconds, and only the defeat animation should be executed. Then, after 45 seconds have passed, the enemy character appearance animation should be skipped, and only the enemy character appearance animation should be executed. This allows players to focus on the enemy character appearance and defeat animations sequentially, enabling them to enjoy both animations seamlessly.

It is preferable not to output sound effects during the monster hunting animation. For example, if the game is designed to output sound effects during the monster hunting animation, it may overlap with the sound effects of the ongoing spinning animation. This could lead to players mistakenly believing the sound is from the spinning animation, creating a false sense of anticipation even if the spinning animation doesn't promise a win. As a result, if a win doesn't occur, the enjoyment of the game is significantly diminished. By not outputting sound effects during the monster hunting animation, this decline in enjoyment can be mitigated. However, to avoid confusion with the spinning animation sound effects, short sound effects such as a "beep" may be output during the monster hunting animation. Furthermore, players may be given the option to choose whether or not to output sound effects during the monster hunting animation. Similarly, it is preferable to disable the light effects during the monster hunting animation.

(Treasure chest animation)
The treasure chest animation is an animation in which the player opens a treasure chest obtained during the monster defeat animation to acquire a rare item. Starting the treasure chest animation requires operation of a designated control unit (for example, the animation control unit 250). While the enemy character appearance animation and the monster defeat animation can only be performed while the symbols are changing, the treasure chest animation can be performed not only while the symbols are changing but also while they are not changing (stopped), provided the player operates the control unit. Depending on the progress of the game, there may be periods during which the treasure chest animation cannot be performed. Even in such cases, it is desirable that the treasure chest animation be able to be performed at least during periods other than when the symbols are changing.

It is desirable that the display method for the treasure chest animation be the same whether it is displayed during a symbol change or when the symbols are not changing. For example, if the display method differs depending on whether the symbols are changing or not, players may mistakenly believe that a different animation was performed instead of the treasure chest animation, leading to confusion. Using the same display method eliminates such misunderstandings. However, if the display method does not cause players to mistake it for a different animation, then the display method may differ depending on whether the symbols are changing or not.

On the other hand, the sound and light effects in the treasure chest animation may be the same or different depending on whether they are displayed during the reel movement or when the reel is not moving. Specifically, one different approach is to not perform the sound and light effects in the treasure chest animation while the reel is moving, while performing them when the reel is not moving. For example, if the sound and light effects in the treasure chest animation are performed while the reel is moving, they will overlap with the sound and light effects of the ongoing reel movement animation. This could lead to the player mistakenly believing that the sound and light effects are part of the reel movement animation, creating a sense of anticipation even if the reel movement animation does not lead to a jackpot. As a result, if a jackpot is not achieved, the enjoyment of the game will be significantly reduced. However, by not performing the sound and light effects in the treasure chest animation, such a reduction in enjoyment can be suppressed. Conversely, by performing the sound and light effects in the treasure chest animation while the reel is not moving, a reduction in enjoyment of the game can be suppressed even during periods when the reel movement animation is not being performed. Furthermore, sound effects and light effects can be executed at the start of the treasure chest animation or when selecting a treasure chest, and only need to be triggered in response to the player's operation of the control panel. For example, sound effects include simply outputting sound effects or predetermined sounds in response to the player's operation of the control panel.

In the treasure chest animation, players open a treasure chest, but the number of treasure chests stored within that chest is not displayed. Specifically, while players can acquire treasure chests during the monster subjugation animation, the number of stored treasure chests is internally increased upon acquisition, but the player's perspective is not shown how many treasure chests are stored. This requires players to remember the number of treasure chests acquired during the monster subjugation animation, thus increasing the attention given to the RPG mini-game itself. Furthermore, if the number of stored treasure chests were clearly displayed, many players would target the pachinko machine 1 with a large number of stored treasure chests when players change machines, potentially reducing the utilization rate of the pachinko machine 1 with a small number of stored treasure chests. Additionally, the display of treasure chests is unnecessary unless the treasure chest animation is executed, which reduces the display space on the animation display device 1600.

Regarding treasure chests, the system's design makes it impossible to determine the exact number of treasure chests stored, meaning there's a possibility that the internal storage count is zero. Even if the internal storage count is zero, it's still possible to trigger the treasure chest animation by performing the necessary actions. As will be explained in more detail later, while it's possible to trigger the treasure chest animation when the internal storage count is zero, opening the treasure chest will not yield any items.

First, the flow of the treasure chest animation will be explained below. Figure 269 is a flowchart showing the execution process of the treasure chest animation.

In the execution process of the treasure chest animation, first, when the operation to execute the treasure chest animation is performed, the treasure chest animation is started (step S31). Then, the treasure chest animation will display two treasure chests, but it is determined whether the number of treasure chests stored is 1 or more (step S32). If the number of treasure chests stored is 1 or more, the number of treasure chests stored is reduced by 1, and two treasure chests are prepared, one of which is a winning chest and the other a losing chest (step S33). On the other hand, if the number of treasure chests stored is 0, two treasure chests are prepared, but no winning chest is prepared, and both are losing chests (step S34). Then, the treasure chest animation displays the message "Choose a treasure chest!" and displays the two treasure chests, and the treasure chest selection animation is executed as an animation in which the player chooses one of the two treasure chests (step S35). In the treasure chest selection animation, two treasure chests are displayed. If the player has obtained a treasure chest in the subjugation animation (i.e., the number of treasure chests stored is 1 or more), one treasure chest will be a winning chest and the other will be a losing chest (empty), regardless of the number of treasure chests stored. On the other hand, if the player has not obtained a treasure chest in the subjugation animation (i.e., the number of treasure chests stored is 0), both treasure chests will be losing chests. If a treasure chest is selected in the treasure chest selection animation, an opening animation is performed to show the opening of that treasure chest (step S36). Then, it is determined whether the opened treasure chest is a winning chest or not (step S37). If the opened treasure chest is a winning chest, an acquisition animation is performed to show the acquisition of an item from the winning chest (step S38). On the other hand, if the opened treasure chest is a losing chest, an opening failure animation is performed to show that the player failed to acquire an item from the treasure chest (step S39). Then, after either the acquisition animation or the opening failure animation has been performed, the treasure chest animation will end.

The operation of the treasure chest animation is described below. As mentioned above, the start of the treasure chest animation requires the player to operate a designated control unit (for example, the animation operation unit 250). On the other hand, it is desirable that the display of the treasure chest animation is not displayed at all when the designated control unit is not operated. However, a brief explanation of the treasure chest animation may be displayed during a specific period (for example, while the demo movie is playing while waiting for a customer). Furthermore, a brief explanation of the treasure chest animation may also be displayed in situations where it does not interfere with other animations (for example, during spins that do not result in a reach, or in situations where the expectation of a big win is low, such as normal reach animations). In such cases, it is desirable to hide the display when it is about to become a situation that could interfere with other animations (for example, when it develops into a super reach animation). Also, even if the activation conditions are met and a symbol change is performed during a specific period (for example, while the demo movie is playing while waiting for a customer), if that symbol change is performed in a way that does not interfere with the other animations mentioned above, it is not necessary to hide the display when the activation conditions are met. In other words, a brief explanation of the treasure chest animation that occurred during a specific period may continue to be displayed even after the trigger conditions are met.

Furthermore, depending on the progress of the game, a period may be set during which it is impossible to accept commands to execute the treasure chest animation. For example, if the control unit used to start the treasure chest animation and the control unit used for the variation animation are the same animation button, then operating the animation button while the variation animation is running will trigger both the treasure chest animation and the variation animation. However, by setting a period during which it is impossible to accept commands to execute the treasure chest animation, the variation animation will take priority, preventing confusion for the player. The control unit used to start the treasure chest animation may be an animation button used for other purposes (e.g., the animation control unit 250), or it may be a dedicated control unit.

As mentioned above, the treasure chest animation can be executed both while the symbols are changing and while they are not changing (stopped). However, it is desirable to continue the treasure chest animation even when it is executed while the symbols are changing and then transitions to a non-changing state, or when it is executed while the symbols are not changing and then transitions to a changing state. This ensures that the treasure chest animation is not interrupted by transitions to a non-changing or changing state after it has started. Therefore, even when the treasure chest animation is running, there is no need to continue playing in a way that prevents changes in the game state, allowing for a seamless enjoyment of both the game and the treasure chest animation.

The following explains the start of the treasure chest animation. As mentioned above, the treasure chest animation can be performed regardless of whether or not a treasure chest is stored. Therefore, players cannot determine whether or not a treasure chest is stored simply by watching the animation. However, if a treasure chest was obtained during the monster subjugation animation, remembering this fact will allow players to determine whether or not a treasure chest is stored.

Furthermore, the treasure chest animation involves "selecting and opening one of two treasure chests." Of the two treasure chests, at least one is a losing chest. Specifically, if no treasure chests are stored (the number of stored treasure chests is 0), both treasure chests are losing chests. On the other hand, if treasure chests are stored (the number of stored treasure chests is 1 or more), one treasure chest is a winning chest and the other is a losing chest. Even if two or more treasure chests are stored, it is impossible for both treasure chests to be winning chests. If the treasure chest animation were designed to only be executed when treasure chests are stored, it could potentially reduce the enjoyment of the game, as the animation could be executed even when the symbols are not changing, but would not be executed once the treasure chests are depleted. In this example, the treasure chest animation can be triggered even if no treasure chests are stored. Even if both treasure chests are duds, the player cannot perceive this, allowing them to enjoy the treasure chest animation while maintaining the expectation that "one of them must be a winning chest."

Furthermore, if no treasure chests are stored (the number of stored treasure chests is 0), both treasure chests will be duds. However, if the treasure chest animation only shows duds, it will not result in a 50/50 chance of getting a winning chest, as it does when treasure chests are stored (the number of stored treasure chests is 1 or more), and will result in a series of duds, leading to distrust of the treasure chest animation. In this example, by enabling the display of changing symbols even while the treasure chest animation is running, it is possible to perform the subjugation animation while the symbols are changing and obtain a treasure chest. Also, as explained in detail above, even if the treasure chest animation is performed while the symbols are changing and then transitions to a non-changing symbol display state while the treasure chest animation is running, or if the treasure chest animation is performed while the symbols are non-changing and then transitions to a changing symbol display state while the treasure chest animation is running, the treasure chest animation continues to run. Therefore, the running of the treasure chest animation does not affect whether the symbols are changing (or whether the subjugation animation is performed). In other words, while the "treasure chest animation that only shows losing chests" is running, the changing symbols are displayed, making it possible to obtain a treasure chest during the battle animation. This increases the opportunities to obtain treasure chests during the battle animation, thus preventing a continuous string of losing chests during the treasure chest animation.

The treasure chest selection and opening animations are explained below. In the treasure chest selection animation, the player chooses one of two treasure chests, and in the opening animation, the selected treasure chest is opened. The following methods are used to select the treasure chest:
(1) The same control unit used to execute the treasure chest animation will be used. For example, if the treasure chest animation is executed by pressing an animation button on the animation control unit 250, the system will be designed so that the treasure chest can be selected by pressing the animation button again.
(2) Use an operation unit other than the one used to execute the treasure chest animation. For example, if the treasure chest animation is executed by pressing an animation button on the animation operation unit 250, the system will be designed so that the treasure chest can be selected by pressing an operation unit other than the animation button (for example, a directional pad).

Furthermore, one of the following methods is used to decide whether or not to open a treasure chest after selecting it.
(1) There is a time limit when selecting a treasure chest, and the selected treasure chest is opened once that time limit has elapsed.
(2) In addition to the operation unit for selecting a treasure chest, there is an operation unit for deciding to open the treasure chest, and the treasure chest is opened when that operation unit is operated.

However, if the specification is set to (2) "the treasure chest is opened when the control unit is operated," the opening of the treasure chest is not automatically determined by the passage of time, but the player must decide whether to open it. In some cases, the treasure chest may be left unopened, potentially causing the animation to overflow and trigger an error. Furthermore, there is a possibility that fraudulent activity may occur by exploiting this animation overflow to cause an error. For this reason, it is preferable to use the specification of (1) "automatically determined by the passage of time" rather than (2).

Furthermore, if the specification (1) "automatically determined by the passage of time" is used, there is a possibility that the treasure chest will be automatically determined by the passage of time if the player is undecided about which treasure chest to choose, potentially resulting in an undesirable outcome. Therefore, the time for automatic determination may be extended by the player. For example, if the control panel used to select the treasure chest is set to determine the selection after a predetermined time has elapsed since the last operation, the selection will not be determined by the passage of time while the player is undecided (while the control panel is being operated). The selection will only be determined by the passage of time from the moment the player decides which treasure chest to choose (when the control panel is no longer being operated). This prevents the player from rushing into a decision or having the selection automatically determined.

The contents of the treasure chests differ depending on whether it's a winning chest or a losing chest. Winning chests guarantee a specific item. It's preferable that the item is chosen randomly from multiple options, rather than always being the same. Furthermore, the contents of the treasure chests could change depending on the type of enemy defeated in the battle animation. For example, defeating a "weak enemy" would result in a common item (not rare), while defeating a "strong" or "rare enemy" would offer a chance to obtain a rare item. However, it's preferable that the appearance of the treasure chests doesn't change depending on the type of enemy defeated. For example, if the appearance of a winning chest changes, players could distinguish between winning and losing chests even before selecting one. Furthermore, if the appearance of the losing boxes is also altered, it becomes impossible to distinguish between winning and losing boxes. However, if a player opens a treasure chest with altered appearance only to find it's a losing box, the enjoyment of the game may decrease. In this example, by keeping the appearance of neither the winning nor losing boxes altered, this disadvantage can be eliminated.

On the other hand, if a box is a losing box, no item is obtained. When a losing box is opened, an animation is displayed indicating that it was a losing box, such as "Empty!", "Too bad...", or "Loser!". This makes it easier for the player to understand that they have opened a losing box. Furthermore, by executing animations for both winning and losing boxes, the animation duration can be made the same for both, making it easier for the peripheral control board 1510 to manage the animation time. Note that when a losing box is opened, only "Too bad..." or "Loser" may be displayed, or a special display (for example, a history of the most recent treasure chests opened) may be shown.

It is desirable that the unboxing animation not end until the predetermined animation time has elapsed. In other words, the unboxing animation cannot be terminated midway. For example, if the animation could be terminated midway, such as by skipping the animation that notifies the player that it is a losing box, there would be several disadvantages: "It would become impossible to adequately inform the player whether the box is a winning or losing box," "The animation time would vary for each unboxing animation, making animation time management difficult," and "The treasure chest animation would be completed more quickly, making it easier for the number of treasure chests to reach zero, resulting in a higher percentage of losing boxes appearing (the percentage of cases where both boxes are losing boxes)." In this example, by preventing the unboxing animation from being terminated midway, these disadvantages can be eliminated.

Then, upon completion of the opening animation, the treasure chest animation also ends. Specifically, once the opening animation finishes, the system returns to the state before the treasure chest animation was executed, where the "treasure chest animation is not displayed." Furthermore, even if many treasure chests are internally stored, the system prevents consecutive treasure chest selection and opening animations within a single treasure chest animation, ensuring that treasure chests are not opened consecutively. For example, if treasure chests were opened consecutively, the animation would finish quickly, making it easier for the number of stored treasure chests to reach zero, resulting in a higher percentage of unsuccessful chests appearing (the percentage of times both chests are unsuccessful). In this example, by preventing consecutive treasure chest openings, such disadvantages are eliminated. Note that once the display of the treasure chest animation has completely finished, it is possible to display a new treasure chest animation.

Figure 270 shows a specific example of the treasure chest animation. First, at the start of the treasure chest animation, the animation display device 1600 displays the message "Choose a treasure chest!" along with two treasure chests (Figure 270(A)). Then, in the treasure chest selection animation, the player chooses one of the two treasure chests. If a treasure chest is selected in the treasure chest selection animation, only the selected treasure chest is displayed, along with the message "What's inside the treasure chest...!?" (Figure 270(B)). Next, in the opening animation, the treasure chest is opened. If the opened treasure chest is a winning chest, the message "Winner!" is displayed at the moment the winning chest is opened (Figure 270(C)). Finally, in the acquisition animation, which is the result of the opening animation, the player acquires an item from the winning chest. In this example, a sword appears from the winning chest, and the message "Winner! You got a sword!" is displayed (Figure 270(D)). After the opening animation finishes, the display of the treasure chest and items disappears (Figure 270 (E)). On the other hand, if the treasure chest opened during the opening animation is a dud, the message "Dud..." is displayed at the moment the dud chest is opened (Figure 270 (F)). In other words, the opening animation, as a result of the opening animation, indicates that the player failed to obtain an item from the treasure chest. After the opening animation finishes, the display of the treasure chest and items disappears again (Figure 270 (G)).

(Equipment animation)
The equipment animation is a sequence in which items obtained through treasure chest animations are equipped. Regarding the equipment of the main character, items are not automatically equipped upon acquisition; operation of a designated control unit (for example, the animation control unit 250) is required.

Equipment animations can only be performed while the symbols are not changing (while they are stopped). For example, if equipment animations were allowed to be performed while the symbols were changing, there would be disadvantages such as: "It would be necessary to immediately reflect the items obtained in the treasure chest animation within the same changing symbol display as the treasure chest animation, which would place a load on the animation control on the peripheral control board 1510," and "If the 'equipment animation' could be performed in addition to the 'enemy character appearance animation,' 'defeat animation,' and 'treasure chest animation' while the symbols were changing, it would become difficult to focus on the changing animations (animations unrelated to the RPG minigame)." In this example, by allowing the equipment animation to be executed only while the symbols are not changing, the following disadvantages can be eliminated: "The items acquired in the treasure chest animation only need to be reflected after the symbol change display in which the treasure chest animation was executed has ended, thus reducing the load on the animation control on the peripheral control board 1510," and "In order to execute the equipment animation, the player must stop playing and return to a state where the symbols are not changing, which significantly increases the time spent on the pachinko machine 1."

To initiate the equipment animation, similar to the treasure chest animation, operation of a designated control unit (e.g., animation control unit 250) is required. While the control unit used to initiate the equipment animation may be the same as that used for the treasure chest animation, this could confuse the player, as both animations would be displayed simultaneously. Therefore, it is preferable to use a separate control unit for the equipment animation. However, the same control unit may be used if the specifications allow for avoiding player confusion. For example, the treasure chest animation could be executed with an operation of less than 0.5 seconds, while the equipment animation requires an operation of 0.5 seconds or more; thus, the operation methods could differ even if the control unit is the same. Furthermore, the display areas for the treasure chest and equipment animations could be different, ensuring they do not overlap, even if the control unit is the same.

There are two types of equipment animations: "equipment animations for regular battles" and "equipment animations for boss enemy characters."

First, let's explain the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation." The "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" is an equipment animation used for preparing before fighting enemies that are likely to appear in the enemy character appearance animation, such as "Weak Enemy" or "Strong Enemy." It takes place before the battle animation. While it's possible to fight enemies without executing the equipment animation, doing so increases the chances of the battle animation failing (failure to defeat the enemy) because items obtained from treasure chest animations won't be equipped. Conversely, equipping your character with the equipment animation before fighting enemies increases the protagonist's stats, thus increasing the probability of the battle animation succeeding (defeating the enemy). Note that you can also fight enemies without equipping your character with the equipment animation; however, if the protagonist wins in this case, the contents and number of treasure chests awarded as rewards may be improved.

Furthermore, the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" can be executed during the non-changing state (while the symbols are displayed in a non-changing state), specifically in the changing standby state (a state where the conditions for initiating the changing symbols have not been met). Therefore, the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" can be executed regardless of whether or not an enemy character appeared during the enemy character appearance animation, as long as the game remains in the changing standby state.

The period during which the "Normal Hunting Equipment Animation" can be performed is set to continue at least until a new activation condition is met, while the display remains unchanged (while the symbols are displayed without change). In this example, since it is possible to obtain a treasure chest with each change display in the hunting animation, the number of items obtainable from the treasure chest animation will gradually increase. Therefore, if there were a time limit on the period during which the "Normal Hunting Equipment Animation" can be performed (for example, only 30 seconds after entering the change waiting state), the period would end while the player is equipping or unequipping items, preventing them from equipping satisfactory gear and diminishing their enjoyment of the game. In this example, by setting the period during which the "Normal Hunting Equipment Animation" can be performed to at least the entire period until a new activation condition is met, players can try out various equipment until they are satisfied, allowing them to perform the hunting animation in optimal condition.

Furthermore, some players engage in acts of harassment against the amusement hall by leaving their seats while the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" is running, making it appear as if "someone is playing" the machine even though it is empty, thereby deliberately causing trouble for other players and the hall's management. Therefore, as a countermeasure against such behavior, the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" may be forcibly terminated after a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) has elapsed from the moment the animation begins (or the moment the animation is last played while the animation is running). In this case, the "Waiting for Customers Animation" may be triggered approximately simultaneously with the forcibly terminated "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation," or the "Waiting for Customers Animation" may be triggered after another predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) has elapsed from the moment the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" is forcibly terminated. Furthermore, if the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" is forcibly terminated after a predetermined time, the items (equipment) that were set before the forced termination may be reset to their initial state (no equipment equipped), or they may be internally retained so that they can be restored when the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" is executed again. Even if they are internally retained, the player may be given the option to "whether or not to reset the items (equipment) to their initial state." Specifically, after the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" is forcibly terminated, when it is executed again, a message will be displayed asking "whether or not to carry over the previous items (items before the forced termination)," allowing the player to choose whether or not to restore the items from before the forced termination. This prevents a decrease in the enjoyment of the game when a different player sits down at Pachinko Machine 1 and the data from before their play remains.

Furthermore, in a fluctuating state (while the symbols are fluctuating), if multiple activation conditions are met (for example, multiple activation holds are stored), the "normal battle equipment animation" can be executed during the period between the stopped symbol display and the start of the next symbol fluctuation display, because the state is considered non-fluctuating (while the symbols are not fluctuating). However, since the period between the stopped symbol display and the start of the next symbol fluctuation display is extremely short (for example, 0.3 seconds), it is almost impossible to execute the "normal battle equipment animation" and prepare equipment in that short time. Therefore, it is desirable to prevent the "normal battle equipment animation" from being executed when the symbols change from a fluctuating state to a stopped state, if the next activation hold is stored.

Furthermore, even if no subsequent symbols are stored when the symbols stop, the activation conditions may be met immediately, and the symbol variation display may begin. Therefore, even if no subsequent symbols are stored, the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" may be disabled until a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed.

Furthermore, in the case of gaming machines with multiple types of symbols (for example, pachinko machines with special symbols and regular symbols), the period during which the "Normal Extermination Equipment Performance" can be executed may be defined as the period during which one of the symbols (the designated symbol) is in a non-changing state. For example, even if the "Normal Extermination Equipment Performance" is being executed while the special symbol is displayed stopped, and the regular symbol begins to change, the "Normal Extermination Equipment Performance" may not be forcibly terminated and may continue to be executed.

Next, the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" will be explained below. The "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is an equipment animation used to prepare before fighting the boss enemy character in the battle animation (battle animation) when a "boss enemy character" (an enemy character stronger than other enemy characters) appears in the enemy character appearance animation (when it is decided that the boss enemy character battle animation will be performed in the next display). While the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" can be performed in the waiting state regardless of whether an enemy character appeared in the enemy character appearance animation, as mentioned above, the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can only be performed if a boss enemy character appears in the enemy character appearance animation.

Regarding the specific progression of the animation, first, after the enemy character appears in the enemy character appearance animation, the defeat animation does not occur immediately. Instead, the defeat animation with the enemy character is executed in the next display variation. Furthermore, if a boss enemy character does not appear (i.e., a non-boss enemy character appears), the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" cannot be executed. On the other hand, if a boss enemy character does appear, the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be executed. However, to allow the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" to be executed, a non-variable state is created before the next display variation that will trigger the boss enemy defeat animation. However, during the period when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be executed, just like the "Normal Defeat Equipment Animation," the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" will not be executed unless the equipment animation is performed.

Regarding the period during which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be performed, regardless of whether the activation conditions are met (i.e., activation pending is stored) or whether the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is being performed, the period will end after a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed from the start of that period.

"Boss enemy characters" are special enemies, unlike regular enemy characters (such as weak or strong enemies). Therefore, it's necessary to equip specific gear for battling boss enemies, rather than using the same equipment as for regular enemies. However, if, like with regular enemies, the equipment animation can only be performed during a waiting state (when the activation conditions haven't been met), and the activation conditions are met (an activation hold is stored) at the end of the animation display where the boss enemy appears, the next animation display, which triggers the boss battle animation, will begin without entering a waiting state. This means players won't be able to equip the boss enemy with the necessary gear. This would force players to fight the boss enemy with equipment not intended for boss battles, diminishing the enjoyment of the game.

In this example, regardless of whether the activation conditions are met (or whether activation is pending) at the end of the display showing the appearance of the boss enemy character, a period during which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" can be executed occurs after the display showing the appearance of the boss enemy character ends. Specifically, if the activation conditions are not met (or no activation is pending) at the end of the display showing the appearance of the boss enemy character, the system will transition to a waiting state after the period during which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" can be executed has ended. On the other hand, if the activation conditions are met (or an activation is pending) at the end of the display showing the appearance of the boss enemy character, the next display will begin (the boss battle animation will be executed) after the period during which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" can be executed has ended. Furthermore, even if the activation conditions are not met (no activation pending is stored) at the end of the display showing the appearance of the boss enemy character, if new activation conditions are met during the period in which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be executed, the next display will begin (the boss enemy character defeat animation will be executed) after the period in which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be executed has ended.

Furthermore, in the case of gaming machines with multiple types of symbols (for example, pachinko machines with special symbols and regular symbols), the period during which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be executed may be defined as the period during which one of the symbols (the designated symbol) is in a non-changing state. For example, even if the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is being executed while the special symbol is displayed stopped, and the regular symbol begins to change, the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" may not be forcibly terminated and may continue to be executed.

Furthermore, in this example, regardless of whether the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is executed during the period in which it is available, the period ends after a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed from the start of that period. Specifically, if the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is executed during the period in which it is available, the period will end at the predetermined end time, regardless of when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" was executed during that period (for example, whether it was executed at the start or end of the period). The equipment of the main character will then be determined by the equipment selected at the end of the period in which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" was available. On the other hand, if the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is not executed before the end of the period in which it is available, the period will end at the predetermined end time, but the main character's equipment will remain the equipment they are already wearing. Thus, in this example, the period during which the "equipment animation for normal battles" can be performed does not end due to the passage of time, but the period during which the "equipment animation for boss enemy characters" can be performed does end due to the passage of time.

Next, the flow of the equipment animation will be explained below. First, as mentioned above, the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" can be executed when the game is in a non-changing state (while the symbols are displayed without changing) and when the activation conditions have not been met (in a waiting state for change). In this state, the player can initiate the equipment animation by performing the execution operation, which starts the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation." In the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation," the player selects and equips the desired equipment (items) for the main character. Finally, the player can confirm the main character's equipment and end the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" by performing the end operation.

On the other hand, the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation," as described above, is performed during the period in which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be executed after the display of the changing symbols in which the boss enemy character appeared has finished, creating a non-changing state (while the symbols are not changing). The "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be executed regardless of whether the start conditions are met (whether a start hold is stored). The "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" starts when the player performs the equipment animation execution operation during the period in which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be executed. In the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation," the player selects and equips the main character with the equipment (items) they desire. The "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" ends when the player performs the operation to end the equipment animation, confirming the main character's equipment. On the other hand, even if the player does not perform the operation to end the equipment animation, the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" will end when a predetermined end timing (a set time from the start of the period) arrives, confirming the main character's equipment.

Figure 271 shows a specific example of equipment animation. First, in the equipment animation, the animation display device 1600 displays "sword," "armor," and "shield" as items equipped by the main character. The items equipped by the main character can be changed to items of the player's choice from items already obtained in the treasure chest animation. In addition, the main character's stats ("health," "attack power," and "defense power") can be changed by the combination of equipped items. Furthermore, in the "equipment animation for normal battles," the animation display device 1600 displays the message "Choose your favorite equipment" (Figure 271(A)). On the other hand, in the "equipment animation for boss enemies," the animation display device 1600 displays the message "Prepare for the boss enemy!" (Figure 271(B)). Thus, although the "equipment animation for normal battles" and the "equipment animation for boss enemies" are both equipment animations, it is desirable that the displayed content be different. If the "equipment animation for normal battles" and the "equipment animation for boss enemy characters" were displayed with the same content, players might mistakenly believe that the "equipment animation for boss enemy characters" is being performed when the "equipment animation for normal battles" is actually running, leading to false expectations. However, by displaying different content, such misunderstandings can be eliminated.

Furthermore, the items (equipment) that can be changed in the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" and the items (equipment) that can be changed in the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" may be different. For example, by providing items that cannot be changed (equipped) in the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" but can be changed in the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" (i.e., items that can only be equipped when fighting a boss enemy character), players can gain an advantage in battles against boss enemies, thereby increasing the enjoyment of the game. Also, if players can obtain items that can only be equipped in the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" before the boss enemy character appears, the desire to "use this item to fight the boss enemy character" can increase their motivation to continue playing.

(Regarding the timing of the appearance of each effect in the RPG minigame)
As mentioned above, the RPG minigame consists of four types of animations: "enemy character appearance animation,""defeatanimation,""treasure chest animation," and "equipment animation." Furthermore, the RPG minigame is not the same as the variable animation itself, but rather a separate animation that can be enjoyed simultaneously with the variable animation. Moreover, the lottery and results of the RPG minigame are not related to the results of the variable animation, which indicate big wins or losses. For example, if the lottery and results of the RPG minigame were related to the results of the variable animation, the probability of getting a losing symbol would be higher than the probability of getting a winning symbol, so the results of the RPG minigame would often be disappointing. However, by not relating it to the results of the variable animation, it is possible to prevent such disappointing results from occurring all the time.

Furthermore, the RPG mini-games are not designed to run simultaneously; their appearance timing is determined by the gameplay status of the pachinko machine 1 and the player's actions. Specifically, the "enemy character appearance animation" runs during the reel spinning display, regardless of the player's actions. The "defeat animation" also runs during the reel spinning display, regardless of the player's actions. The "treasure chest animation" is triggered by player actions, regardless of whether the reel spinning or not. The "equipment animation" is triggered by player actions during the non-spinning reel display. Therefore, during reel spinning, the "enemy character appearance animation," "defeat animation," and "treasure chest animation" can run simultaneously. During non-spinning reel display, the "treasure chest animation" and "equipment animation" can run simultaneously. However, the "enemy character appearance animation," "defeat animation," and "equipment animation" cannot run simultaneously.

The "enemy character appearance animation" is an animation that is executed during the reel spinning display, regardless of the player's actions. Furthermore, because the enemy character appears depending on the reel spinning time and the rarity of the animation performed during the spinning, it does not occur simultaneously with the start of the reel spinning, but rather during the spinning process. The enemy character that appears during the enemy character appearance animation during the reel spinning display will be used in the defeat animation performed during the next reel spinning display.

Figure 272 shows a specific example of an enemy character appearance animation when the animation is performed while the symbols are changing. First, when the symbols are not changing, the animation display device 1600 displays a changing display of decorative symbols (787 in this example) in the central area as a waiting screen for the symbols to change (Figure 272(A)). Then, when the starting condition is met and the changing display of the symbols begins, the animation display device 1600 starts displaying the changing display of decorative symbols as a changing animation (Figure 272(B)). In the changing display of decorative symbols, for example, a reach symbol is displayed after a predetermined time has elapsed. Then, when the conditions for the appearance of an enemy character are met, the animation display device 1600 displays one enemy character in the lower right corner as an enemy character appearance animation separate from the changing animation (Figure 272(C)). Note that the enemy character appearance animation is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the changing display of decorative symbols. Furthermore, enemy characters that appear during the enemy character appearance animation are hidden after a certain period of time (for example, 2-3 seconds), but they are always hidden before the symbol variation display ends (Figure 272(D)). After the decorative symbol variation display stops, the animation display device 1600 displays a variation standby screen (Figure 272(E)).

The "Extermination Animation" is an animation that is executed during the reel spinning display, regardless of the player's actions. Furthermore, the "Extermination Animation" is executed at the start of the reel spinning of the symbol that appeared in the enemy character appearance animation, in the subsequent reel spinning display. In this example, the Extermination Animation starts simultaneously with the start of the reel spinning, but it may also start after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the reel spinning. However, it is desirable for the Extermination Animation to be executed before the Special Reach Animation (a reach animation with a high expectation of winning) during the reel spinning display. For example, if the Extermination Animation is executed after the Special Reach Animation has started, both animations will proceed simultaneously, making it difficult to know which animation to focus on. However, by executing the Extermination Animation before the Special Reach Animation, players can concentrate on each animation.

Figure 273 shows a specific example of the animation when a subjugation animation is performed while the symbols are changing. First, when the symbols are not changing, the animation display device 1600 displays a changing display of decorative symbols (787 in this example) in the central area as a waiting screen for the symbols to change (Figure 273(A)). Then, when the starting condition is met and the changing display of the symbols begins, the animation display device 1600 starts displaying the changing display of decorative symbols as a changing animation (Figure 273(B)). In addition, at the timing when the symbols start changing, a subjugation animation starts in the lower left, separate from the changing animation. When the subjugation animation starts, the main character and enemy characters appear, and the message "Defeat the enemy!" is displayed. The subjugation animation is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the changing display of decorative symbols. In the subjugation sequence, a battle sequence begins in which the main character and the enemy character fight. In the battle sequence, attacks are carried out in the order of first and second attacks, determined by a lottery, and the battle between the main character and the enemy character is repeated until either the main character or the enemy character's HP drops to zero or below. When the enemy character's HP drops to zero or below, the display device 1600 shows the main character winning and the message "Victory!" (Figure 273 (C)). The treasure chest obtained as a reward for the main character's victory is then displayed, along with the additional message "You've obtained a treasure chest! Let's open it later" (Figure 273 (D)). On the other hand, when the main character's HP drops to zero or below, the display device 1600 shows the main character losing and the message "Defeat... Let's try again." The subjugation sequence is designed to always end before the display of changing symbols finishes (Figure 273 (E)). After the decorative pattern's variation display stops, the performance display device 1600 displays a variation standby screen (Figure 273 (F)).

The "Treasure Chest Effect" is triggered by player input, regardless of whether the symbols are changing or not. In other words, the "Treasure Chest Effect" can be executed both while the symbols are changing and while they are not (stopped). However, even if the Treasure Chest Effect is executed while the symbols are changing and then transitions to a non-changing state during the effect, or vice versa, the effect will continue to run even if the Treasure Chest Effect is executed while the symbols are not changing and then transitions to a changing state during the effect.

Figure 274 shows a specific example of the treasure chest animation when it is executed while the symbols are not changing. First, while the symbols are not changing, the animation display device 1600 displays a changing display of decorative symbols (787 in this example) in the central area as a waiting screen for the symbols to change (Figure 274(A)). When the operation to execute the treasure chest animation is performed while the symbols are not changing, the animation display device 1600 starts the treasure chest animation in the lower right corner. When the treasure chest animation starts, it displays the message "Choose a treasure chest!" and shows two treasure chests (Figure 274(B)). The treasure chest animation is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the stopped display of decorative symbols. When a treasure chest is selected in the treasure chest selection animation, only the selected treasure chest is displayed, and the message "What's inside the treasure chest...!?" is displayed (Figure 274(C)). Then, as part of the opening animation, the treasure chest is opened. If the opened treasure chest is a winning chest, the message "Winner!" is displayed at the moment the winning chest is opened. In this example, a sword appears from the winning chest, and the message "Winner! You got a sword!" is displayed. On the other hand, if the opened treasure chest is a losing chest, the message "Loser..." is displayed at the moment the losing chest is opened. In this example, the treasure chest animation ends while the symbols remain unchanged (Figure 274 (D)).

Figure 275 shows a specific example of the treasure chest animation when it is executed while the symbols are changing. First, while the symbols are changing, the animation display device 1600 starts displaying the decorative symbols as a variation animation (Figure 275(A)). Then, when the operation to execute the treasure chest animation is performed while the symbols are changing, the animation display device 1600 starts the treasure chest animation in the lower right corner. Upon starting the treasure chest animation, the message "Choose a treasure chest!" is displayed, along with two treasure chests (Figure 275(B)). The treasure chest animation is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the display of the stopped decorative symbols. If a treasure chest is selected during the treasure chest selection animation, only the selected treasure chest is displayed, along with the message "What's inside the treasure chest...!?" (Figure 275(C)). Then, as described above, after opening either the winning or losing box, in this example, the treasure chest animation ends while the symbols are still changing (Figure 275(D)).

Figure 276 shows a specific example of a sequence where a treasure chest sequence is executed while the symbols are changing, and then the display transitions to a non-changing symbol state while the treasure chest sequence is running. First, while the symbols are changing, the display device 1600 starts displaying the decorative symbols as a changing sequence (Figure 276(A)). Then, when the operation to execute the treasure chest sequence is performed while the symbols are changing, the display device 1600 starts the treasure chest sequence in the lower right corner. When the treasure chest sequence starts, it displays the message "Choose a treasure chest!" and shows two treasure chests (Figure 276(B)). Note that the treasure chest sequence is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the display of the decorative symbols. Then, while the display of the decorative symbols (787 in this example) stops during the execution of the treasure chest sequence, the display transitions to a non-changing symbol state. Even after transitioning to a non-changing symbol state, the execution of the treasure chest sequence continues. Then, when a treasure chest is selected during the treasure chest selection animation, only the selected treasure chest is displayed, along with the message, "What's inside the treasure chest...!?" (Figure 276(C)). As described above, after opening either the winning or losing chest, in this example, the treasure chest animation ends while the symbols remain in a static display state (Figure 276(D)). Note that it is also possible to transition back to the static symbol display state during the execution of the treasure chest animation by fulfilling the activation conditions and starting the display of the decorative symbols before the animation ends.

Figure 277 shows a specific example of a sequence where a treasure chest sequence is executed while the symbols are not changing, and then the system transitions to a changing symbol display state while the treasure chest sequence is running. First, while the symbols are not changing, the sequence display device 1600 displays a changing symbol sequence (787 in this example) in the center as a waiting screen (Figure 277(A)). When the treasure chest sequence is executed while the symbols are not changing, the sequence display device 1600 starts the treasure chest sequence in the lower right corner. When the treasure chest sequence starts, it displays the message "Choose a treasure chest!" and shows two treasure chests (Figure 277(B)). The treasure chest sequence is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the stopped display of the decorative symbols. While the treasure chest sequence is running, the starting conditions are met and the changing symbol sequence begins, transitioning the system to a changing symbol display state. Even after transitioning to a changing symbol display state, the execution of the treasure chest sequence continues. Then, when a treasure chest is selected during the treasure chest selection animation, only the selected treasure chest is displayed, along with the message, "What's inside the treasure chest...!?" (Figure 277(C)). As described above, after opening either the winning or losing chest, in this example, the treasure chest animation ends while the changing symbols are still being displayed (Figure 277(D)). Note that it is also possible to return to a non-changing symbol display state during the treasure chest animation by stopping the changing symbol display before the animation ends.

The "equipment animation" is executed when the player performs an action while the symbols are not changing. There are two types of equipment animations: "equipment animations for normal battles" and "equipment animations for boss enemy characters." The "equipment animation for normal battles" can be executed when the symbols are not changing (while they are not changing) and the activation conditions are not met (while in a waiting state for changes). On the other hand, as mentioned above, the "equipment animation for boss enemy characters" is executed after the changing display of the symbols in which the boss enemy character appeared has finished, creating a non-changing state (while the symbols are not changing), and during the period when the "equipment animation for boss enemy characters" is executable in that non-changing state. Furthermore, the "equipment animation for boss enemy characters" can be executed regardless of whether the activation conditions are met (whether activation reserves are stored) or not.

Figure 278 shows a specific example of the animation when the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" is executed while the symbols are not changing. First, while the symbols are not changing, the animation display device 1600 displays a changing decorative symbol (787 in this example) in a stationary position near the center as a waiting screen for the symbols to change (Figure 278(A)). Then, when the player performs the equipment animation while the symbols are not changing, the animation display device 1600 starts the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" near the center, and when the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" starts, it displays the message "Choose your favorite equipment" (Figure 278(B)). At this time, the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" allows the player to select and equip the main character with their desired equipment (items). Note that the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" is displayed in a position that partially overlaps with the stationary decorative symbol. Furthermore, by performing the end-of-equipment operation during the equipment animation, the protagonist character's equipment is finalized, and the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" is terminated (Figure 278(C)). Conversely, if the activation condition is met and the display of changing decorative patterns begins during the equipment animation, the protagonist character's equipment is finalized, and the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" is terminated (Figure 277(D)).

The above states that if the starting condition is met and the display of changing symbols begins while the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" is running, the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" will end. However, regarding the main character's items (equipment), it may be decided as appropriate whether or not the equipment selected at the time the starting condition is met is finalized. For example, if the item (equipment) selected up to that point is finalized when the starting condition is met and the display of changing symbols begins while the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" is running, the player will be saved the trouble of finalizing the item (equipment) each time, making it easier to run the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" while playing. On the other hand, if the activation condition is met and the symbol change display begins during the execution of the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation," the previously selected item (equipment) is discarded and reset to the item (equipment) before the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" was executed (i.e., the item (equipment) was finalized in the previous "Normal Battle Equipment Animation"). This would prevent the activation condition from being met while the player is trying out different equipment, either by removing an item (equipment) or trying out equipment they don't intend to equip, thus preventing the battle animation against an enemy character using unintended equipment from being executed.

Figure 279 shows a specific example of the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" when it is executed while the symbols are not changing. First, when the conditions for the appearance of an enemy character are met while the symbols are changing, the animation display device 1600 displays one enemy character in the lower right corner as an enemy character appearance animation, separate from the changing animation (Figure 279(A)). At this time, the enemy character that appears is a boss enemy character. The enemy character appearance animation is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the changing display of the decorative symbols. The enemy character that appeared in the enemy character appearance animation is hidden after a certain period of time (for example, 2 to 3 seconds), but it is always hidden before the changing display of the symbols ends (Figure 279(B)). After the changing display of the symbols in which the boss enemy character appeared has ended, a non-changing state (while the symbols are not changing) is created, and during this non-changing state, a period of 30 seconds is created in which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be executed (Figure 279(C)). At this time, the display device 1600 displays the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" at the top, the message "Press to open equipment screen" near the center, the remaining time until the period during which the "Boss enemy character equipment animation" can be performed ends at the bottom right, and the stop symbol for the decorative pattern (787 in this example) at the bottom left. Note that the period during which the "Boss enemy character equipment animation" can be performed occurs regardless of whether the activation conditions are met (i.e., whether activation is pending).

Furthermore, when the player performs the equipment animation during the period in which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is available, the animation display device 1600 will show the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" starting near the center, and when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" starts, it will display the message "Prepare for the boss enemy!" (Figure 279 (D)). At this time, the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" allows the player to select and equip the main character with their desired equipment (items). The "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the stop symbols of the decorative symbols. By performing the equipment animation termination operation during its execution, the main character's equipment is confirmed and the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" ends. On the other hand, if the remaining time until the period in which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is available ends becomes 0, the main character's equipment is confirmed and the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" ends. Furthermore, after the period during which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be performed ends, the next symbol change display will initiate the boss enemy character defeat animation (Figure 279 (E)). For example, if the activation conditions are met (an activation hold is stored) before the period during which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be performed ends, the next symbol change display will begin immediately after the end of that period, initiating the boss enemy character defeat animation. On the other hand, if the activation conditions are not met (an activation hold is not stored) before the period during which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be performed ends, the next symbol change display will begin when the activation conditions are met after the end of that period, initiating the boss enemy character defeat animation.

As mentioned above, the "Treasure Chest Effect" is triggered by player input, regardless of whether the symbols are changing or not. Therefore, the "Treasure Chest Effect" can be triggered simultaneously with the "Enemy Character Appearance Effect" and the "Enemy Defeat Effect" while the symbols are changing. This example will explain the case where the "Enemy Character Appearance Effect," "Enemy Defeat Effect," and "Treasure Chest Effect" are triggered simultaneously.

Figure 280 shows specific examples of animations when the "enemy character appearance animation," "defeat animation," and "treasure chest animation" are executed simultaneously. In Figure 280(A), the animation display device 1600 displays the "enemy character appearance animation" in the lower right, the "defeat animation" in the lower left, and the "treasure chest animation" in the lower center. The "enemy character appearance animation," "defeat animation," and "treasure chest animation" are displayed in positions that do not overlap with the changing display of decorative patterns. In Figure 280(B), the animation display device 1600 displays the "enemy character appearance animation" in the lower right, the "defeat animation" in the lower left, and the "treasure chest animation" in the right center. The "enemy character appearance animation" and "defeat animation" are displayed in positions that do not overlap with the changing display of decorative patterns, while the "treasure chest animation" is displayed in a position (front side) that partially overlaps with the changing display of decorative patterns. In either case, it is desirable that the "enemy character appearance animation," "defeat animation," and "treasure chest animation" are displayed in positions that do not overlap with each other. According to this, even if three effects are displayed within a single display area, they can be made easily viewable from the player's perspective.

Although not illustrated, the "treasure chest animation" may be displayed in a position that overlaps with the "enemy character appearance animation" and the "defeat animation" (on the front side). Since the "treasure chest animation" is executed through player action, it may be displayed in a position that is more visible than other animations, reflecting the player's intention to display it. However, it is desirable that the "treasure chest animation" does not completely obscure other animations, but rather overlaps only a portion of them.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 280(B), the "treasure chest effect" may be displayed in a position (front side) that partially overlaps with the display of the changing decorative symbols. Since the "treasure chest effect" is executed through player input, it may be displayed in a position that is more visible than the display of the changing decorative symbols, reflecting the player's intention to display it.

Furthermore, when a highly anticipated variation animation (for example, a super reach animation with a high probability of success) is being performed, the variation animation becomes more important to the player than the "treasure chest animation." Therefore, if the "treasure chest animation" is displayed in a position that overlaps with the variation display of the decorative symbols (on the front side), it could lead to significant player dissatisfaction. For this reason, when a highly anticipated variation animation is being performed, it is desirable that the "treasure chest animation" be displayed in a position that does not overlap with the variation display of the decorative symbols.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the "Treasure Chest Animation" is executed by player input regardless of whether the symbols are changing or not. On the other hand, as mentioned above, the "Equipment Animation" is executed by player input while the symbols are not changing. Therefore, the "Treasure Chest Animation" can be executed simultaneously with the "Equipment Animation" while the symbols are not changing. And, if the operation to execute the "Treasure Chest Animation" and the operation to execute the "Equipment Animation" are performed at the same time, it is possible to start both the "Treasure Chest Animation" and the "Equipment Animation" at the same time. This means that even if you do not have enough different types of items when executing the "Equipment Animation," you can execute the "Treasure Chest Animation" to acquire new items and equip them, increasing the chances of defeating boss characters and other enemy characters. On the other hand, when the "Treasure Chest Animation" and the "Equipment Animation" are running simultaneously, it is possible to end both the "Treasure Chest Animation" and the "Equipment Animation" at the same time. For example, even if the "Treasure Chest Animation" continues after the "Equipment Animation" has finished, the player cannot immediately equip the new items obtained through the "Treasure Chest Animation" while the "Equipment Animation" is not running. This would be inconvenient for the player, so the "Treasure Chest Animation" and "Equipment Animation" can be terminated simultaneously.

(Regarding notifications about the appearance of boss enemy characters)
In the "enemy character appearance animation," there are cases where a "boss enemy character" appears and cases where a regular enemy character appears. However, when a "boss enemy character" appears, it is more difficult to defeat than other enemy characters (weak enemy character, strong enemy character, etc.). Therefore, if the player does not notice the appearance of a boss enemy character and the boss battle animation begins without equipping the main character properly, there is a high possibility that the boss enemy character will not be defeated. In this example, a period in which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" can be performed is forcibly created before the boss battle animation is performed, allowing the player to prepare the main character's equipment. Furthermore, when a boss enemy character appears in the enemy character appearance animation, or before the start of the boss battle animation (during the period in which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" can be performed), a designated sound device or a designated light device is used to notify the player that "a boss enemy character has appeared."

In this example, the appearance of a boss enemy character is indicated by sound from a boss enemy character sound device and light from a boss enemy character light device. The boss enemy character sound device and light device operate only when a boss enemy character-related effect is being performed; they do not operate when other effects (for example, effects related to non-boss enemy characters or variable effect effects) are being performed. Furthermore, the boss enemy character light device is also located on the game board 5 so that it can be seen even when the player is focusing on the effect display device 1600 located on the game board 5.

Figure 281 shows a specific example of the animation sequence from the appearance of the boss enemy character to the execution of the boss battle animation. First, during the symbol variation display, before the boss enemy character appears in the enemy character appearance animation, the boss enemy character light-up device is set to "off," and the boss enemy character sound-up device is set to "muted (no sound output)" (Figure 281(A)). Then, when the conditions for the enemy character's appearance are met during the symbol variation display, and the boss enemy character appears in the enemy character appearance animation on the animation display device 1600, the boss enemy character light-up device lights up in "first illumination" mode, and the boss enemy character sound-up device outputs "first sound" simultaneously with the appearance of the boss enemy character (Figure 281(B)). As described above, the boss battle animation is not executed during the symbol variation display when the boss enemy character appears. The boss battle animation will be executed during the next symbol variation display after the period during which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" can be executed has elapsed.

Furthermore, the boss enemy character is removed before the display of the changing symbols ends. However, at the stage when the display of the changing symbols ends, the "first flash" of the boss enemy character's light-emitting device and the "first sound" output of the boss enemy character's sound-emitting device are temporarily terminated at the same time as the display of the changing symbols ends. In other words, the boss enemy character's light-emitting device is set to the "off" state, and the boss enemy character's sound-emitting device is set to the "muted (no sound output)" state (Figure 281(C)). Note that the "first flash" of the boss enemy character's light-emitting device and the "first sound" output of the boss enemy character's sound-emitting device may be allowed to continue even after the display of the changing symbols ends. However, if the boss character's "first flash" illumination and "first sound" output from the boss character's sound device were to continue even after the pattern display had finished, the player might be confused when the "boss character equipment effect" described later suddenly switches to the "second flash" illumination and "second sound" output from the boss character's sound device during the period when the boss character's equipment effect can be executed. Therefore, in this example, it is desirable to temporarily stop the "first flash" illumination and "first sound" output from the boss character's sound device at the same time that the pattern display showing the boss character's appearance has finished.

After the display showing the appearance of the boss enemy character has finished, there is a period during which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" can be executed before the next display of symbols begins. During this period, the boss enemy character light-up device is set to "second illumination," and the boss enemy character sound-output device is set to "second sound" (Figure 281 (D)). In other words, the boss enemy character light-up device switches from "off" mode to "second illumination," and the boss enemy character sound-output device switches from "muted (no sound output)" mode to "second sound" output. As mentioned above, the period during which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" can be executed is a period that is forcibly created before the next display of symbols begins, during which the boss battle animation will be executed, regardless of whether the activation conditions have been met (if activation is pending). Furthermore, during the period when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is available, player actions can trigger the animation, allowing the main character to equip themselves (Figure 281(E)). During this period, regardless of whether the animation is actually performed, it is desirable to continue the "second flash" illumination from the boss enemy character's light-up device and the "second sound" output from the boss enemy character's sound-producing device until the period ends. If the "second flash" illumination from the boss enemy character's light-up device and the "second sound" output from the boss enemy character's sound-producing device were to end before the period ends, the player might mistakenly believe that the period has ended and give up on performing the boss enemy character equipment animation even though the period has not yet ended. In this example, by continuing the "second flash" illumination from the boss enemy character's light-up device and the "second sound" output from the boss enemy character's sound-producing device until the period ends, such a misunderstanding can be eliminated.

Then, after the period during which the "equipment animation for boss enemy characters" can be executed has ended, the next change in the symbols can be displayed, and the boss battle animation with the boss enemy character will be executed with the next change in the symbols. However, at the stage when the next change in the symbols is displayed, the boss enemy character's light-up device is set to "off" mode, and the boss enemy character's sound-up device is set to "muted (no sound output)" mode (Figure 281 (F)). In other words, during the stage when the boss battle animation with the boss enemy character is being executed, the boss enemy character's light-up device is set to "off" mode, and the boss enemy character's sound-up device is set to "muted (no sound output)" mode. Note that during the stage when the boss battle animation with the boss enemy character is being executed, the boss enemy character's light-up device may light up in "second light" mode or a "new light pattern," and the boss enemy character's sound-up device may output sound in "second sound" mode or a "new sound pattern." However, during the boss battle animation, unlike the period when the "boss character equipment animation" is available, the player cannot take any action during the battle animation. Therefore, there is no need to display any lights or sound to indicate that the boss battle animation is in progress. Furthermore, it would interfere with the display of the changing symbols (during the animation) during the boss battle animation. For this reason, in this example, it is desirable not to activate the boss character's light-up and sound-producing devices while the boss battle animation is in progress.

Based on the above, the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be executed during the period when the boss enemy character's light-up device is set to "second light" mode and the boss enemy character's sound-output device is set to "second sound" mode, but cannot be executed during the period when the boss enemy character's light-up device is set to "off" mode and the boss enemy character's sound-output device is set to "muted (no sound output)" mode. On the other hand, the treasure chest animation can be executed by player input both during the display of changing symbols and the display of non-changing symbols, and can be executed simultaneously with the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" during the display of non-changing symbols. Therefore, the treasure chest animation can be executed during both the period when the boss enemy character's light-up device is set to "second light" mode and the boss enemy character's sound-output device is set to "second sound" mode, and during the period when the boss enemy character's light-up device is set to "off" mode and the boss enemy character's sound-output device is set to "muted (no sound output)" mode. Furthermore, during periods when the boss enemy character's light-up device is set to "second light-up" mode and the boss enemy character's sound-output device is set to "second sound-output" mode, this only occurs during periods when the symbols are not changing. However, during periods when the boss enemy character's light-up device is set to "off" mode and the boss enemy character's sound-output device is set to "muted (no sound output)" mode, this can occur during both periods when the symbols are changing and when they are not changing.

In this example, the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Effect" is made executable at the same time as the period in which the boss enemy character's light-emitting device is set to "second light" and the boss enemy character's sound-emitting device is set to "second sound" begins. However, it may also be possible to make the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Effect" executable after a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds) has elapsed since the period in which the boss enemy character's light-emitting device is set to "second light" and the boss enemy character's sound-emitting device is set to "second sound" began. Furthermore, the period in which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Effect" can be executed ends at the same time as the period in which the boss enemy character's light-emitting device is set to "second light" and the boss enemy character's sound-emitting device is set to "second sound" ends. However, it may also be possible to end the period in which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Effect" can be executed before the period in which the boss enemy character's light-emitting device is set to "second light" and the boss enemy character's sound-emitting device is set to "second sound" ends (for example, 3 seconds before). In other words, the period during which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Effect" can be executed may be shorter than the period during which the boss enemy character's light-up device is emitting "second light" and the boss enemy character's sound-output device is outputting "second sound." However, it is desirable to avoid making the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Effect" executable for a longer period than the period during which the boss enemy character's light-up device is emitting "second light" and the boss enemy character's sound-output device is outputting "second sound" (i.e., executable before (or after) the "second light" of the boss enemy character's light-up device or the "second sound" of the boss enemy character's sound-output device begins). This would render the boss enemy character's light-up device and sound-output device useless.

Next, regarding equipment animations, as mentioned above, in addition to the "equipment animation for boss enemies," a "equipment animation for regular enemy encounters" is also available. Note that after the display showing the appearance of a boss enemy character ends, a period for the "equipment animation for boss enemies" is forcibly created. However, after the display showing the appearance of a non-boss enemy character ends, a period for the "equipment animation for regular enemy encounters" is not forcibly created. In other words, regardless of whether the display showing a non-boss enemy character has ended or not, the "equipment animation for regular enemy encounters" can be executed by the player's actions during the non-changing display (the waiting state), allowing the main character to equip their gear.

Figure 282 shows a specific example of the animation during the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" phase. During this phase, the boss enemy character's light-up device is set to "off," and the boss enemy character's sound device is set to "muted (no sound output)." If the boss enemy character's light-up device and sound device were to operate even during the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" phase, players might mistakenly believe that the boss battle animation will occur with the next symbol change, even though the boss enemy character hasn't appeared. This could lead to disappointment when the boss battle animation doesn't actually occur. Therefore, in this example, it is desirable to enable the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" only when the boss enemy character's light-up device and sound device are not operating.

(Regarding the display of special indicators after the boss enemy character appears)
In the "enemy character appearance animation," there are cases where a "boss enemy character" appears and cases where a regular enemy character appears. However, when a "boss enemy character" appears, it is more difficult to defeat than other enemy characters (weak enemy character, strong enemy character, etc.). Therefore, if the player does not notice the appearance of a boss enemy character and the boss battle animation begins without preparing the main character's equipment, there is a high possibility that the boss enemy character will not be defeated. In this example, a period in which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" can be performed is forcibly created between the appearance of the boss enemy character and the start of the boss battle animation, allowing the main character to prepare their equipment. Furthermore, between the appearance of the boss enemy character and the start of the boss battle animation, warning marks and special displays such as "Boss enemy character approaching!" can be displayed, making it easier for the player to notice that preparation for the boss battle animation is necessary.

Figure 283 shows a specific example of the animation sequence from the appearance of the boss enemy character to the execution of the boss enemy character defeat animation. First, when the conditions for the appearance of the boss enemy character are met during the display of the changing symbols, the boss enemy character appears in the lower right corner of the animation display device 1600 in an enemy character appearance animation (Figure 283(A)). At this time, when the boss enemy character appears, a warning mark is displayed in the lower center of the animation display device 1600 in a position that does not overlap with the display of the changing decorative symbols. Then, when the display of the changing symbols in which the boss enemy character appeared ends, the symbols stop (Figure 283(B)). Furthermore, after the display of the changing symbols in which the boss enemy character appeared ends and the symbols stop (for example, after 1 second), the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" is displayed at the top of the animation display device 1600 in a position that does not overlap with the stopped decorative symbols or the warning mark that has already been displayed (Figure 283(C)). If only a warning mark were displayed, it would attract the player's attention, but the content of the warning would not be clear, potentially causing confusion. Therefore, the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" is added to the display. Furthermore, if the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" were displayed before the reel display showing the boss enemy character ended and the symbols stopped, players might mistakenly believe that the boss battle animation would take place within the reel display showing the boss enemy character, potentially causing confusion. Therefore, the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" is displayed after the reel display showing the boss enemy character ended and the symbols stopped. The boss enemy character is removed before the reel display ends, but the warning mark continues to be displayed even after the boss enemy character has been removed. As will be explained later, the warning mark continues to be displayed not only during the reel display showing the boss enemy character, but also after the reel display has transitioned to a non-revolving state. Thus, the warning mark remains displayed regardless of whether the boss enemy character is removed or whether the transition occurs during a non-changing display of the image, thus keeping the player focused on the progress towards the boss battle.

After the variable display showing the appearance of the boss enemy character ends, the system transitions to a non-variable display of the symbols, and regardless of whether the activation conditions are met (i.e., activation reserves are stored), a period in which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" can be executed is forcibly created. However, during the period from the time of transition to the non-variable display of the symbols until a predetermined period (for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed, the "boss enemy character equipment animation" will not be executed even if the player takes action. After the predetermined period has elapsed, the system will accept player actions, and the "boss enemy character equipment animation" will be executed. At this time, at the time of transition to the non-variable display of the symbols, the stop symbol of the decorative symbols displayed on the animation display device 1600 is moved from the center to the lower left and displayed in a smaller size (Figure 283 (D)). The warning mark and the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" are displayed in the same position as before the transition to the non-variable display of the symbols, and are displayed in a position that does not overlap with the moved stop symbol of the decorative symbols. If the boss character equipment animation were enabled during the initial stage when the warning mark and the message "Boss character approaching!" are displayed, the animation might obscure the warning mark and message, potentially failing to adequately inform the player that the boss battle animation is about to begin. Therefore, in this example, the boss character equipment animation is not enabled during the initial stage when the warning mark and message are displayed.

Then, after a predetermined period (for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed since the transition during the non-changing display of the symbols, the period during which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" can be executed begins. At this time, the animation display device 1600 displays an image of a button related to executing the boss enemy character equipment animation near the center (Figure 283(E)). The button image is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the stop symbol of the decorative symbols, or with any already displayed warning marks or the message "Boss enemy character approaching!". Furthermore, the period during which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" can be executed has a time limit (for example, 30 seconds), and a seconds counter indicating the remaining time is displayed in the lower right corner. The warning marks are removed when the period during which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" can be executed ends. On the other hand, as will be described later, the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" continues to be displayed even after the period during which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" can be executed has ended.

Furthermore, during the period when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is available, player actions can trigger the animation, allowing the main character to equip themselves (Figure 283 (F)). The display area for the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation," which appears when the player takes action, is positioned so as not to overlap with the decorative symbols or the already displayed "Boss Enemy Approaching!" message. While the warning marker is displayed in a position where it partially overlaps, it could also be displayed in a position where it does not overlap. For example, the display area for the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" could be positioned so as not to overlap with the already displayed warning marker, or the warning marker could be moved to a position that does not overlap with the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" display area at the time the animation is displayed. Additionally, if the player does not take action and the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is not executed during the period when it is available, the boss battle animation will be performed using the already equipped items.

Furthermore, if the activation conditions are met (an activation hold is stored) before the period during which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be executed ends, the next symbol variation display will begin immediately after the end of that period, and the boss enemy character defeat animation will begin. On the other hand, if the activation conditions are not met (an activation hold is not stored) before the period during which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be executed ends, the next symbol variation display will begin when the activation conditions are met after the end of that period, and the boss enemy character defeat animation will begin. After the period during which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be executed ends, the stopped decorative symbol will be displayed again in large letters near the center of the animation display device 1600.

Then, during the next symbol change display, the boss battle scene will be executed. At the start of the boss battle scene, the message "Boss character approaching!" will continue to be displayed (Figure 283 (G)). Furthermore, during the boss battle scene, regardless of whether the main character wins or loses, the message "Boss character approaching!" will continue to be displayed (Figure 283 (H)). Thus, the message "Boss character approaching!" is continuously displayed regardless of whether the symbol change display is in progress or whether the boss battle scene has started, allowing players to focus on the progress towards the boss battle scene. The display area for the boss battle scene is positioned so as not to overlap with the decorative symbol change display or the already displayed "Boss character approaching!" message.

Furthermore, if the conditions for the boss enemy character's appearance are not met during the display of the symbols during the boss battle animation, the animation display device 1600 will display the symbols as stopped after the boss battle animation ends, without a new boss enemy character appearing (Figure 283(I)). The message "Boss enemy character approaching!" is displayed for several seconds (for example, 1 second) after the display of the symbols during the boss battle animation ends, but it disappears after the symbols stop and several seconds have passed (Figure 283(J)). Thus, the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" is displayed continuously, regardless of whether the boss battle animation has ended, at least until the display of the symbols during the boss battle animation ends. Therefore, as long as the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" is displayed, the expectation that a new boss enemy character will appear and the boss battle animation will be performed can be maintained.

On the other hand, the defeat animation and the enemy character appearance animation can be executed simultaneously while the symbols are changing. If the conditions for the boss enemy character's appearance are met while the defeat animation with the boss enemy character is being executed and the symbols are changing, the boss enemy character will appear in the lower right corner of the animation display device 1600 with the enemy character appearance animation (Figure 283 (H')). The display area for the enemy character appearance animation is positioned so as not to overlap with the display area of the decorative symbols, the already displayed message "Boss enemy character approaching!", or the display area of the "Boss enemy character equipment animation". In addition, when the boss enemy character appears on the animation display device 1600, a warning mark is displayed in the lower center, positioned so as not to overlap with other displays such as the decorative symbols changing. The defeat animation with the boss enemy character and the newly appeared boss enemy character are erased before the display of the symbols changes, but the warning mark continues to be displayed even after the newly appeared boss enemy character has been erased (Figure 283 (I')). Furthermore, the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" continues to be displayed even after the boss battle animation has finished, at least until the reel spinning display for the boss battle animation has finished. The reel then stops displaying once the reel spinning display for the boss battle animation has finished (Figure 283 (J')).

Furthermore, in the display device 1600, the warning mark and the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" are displayed continuously even after the boss enemy character defeat animation and the change animation indicating the appearance of a new boss enemy character have finished. As described above, if the change animation of the symbols in which the boss enemy character appeared has finished and the symbols have stopped displaying (for example, the situation shown in Figure 283(B)), only the warning mark is displayed, and the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" is not displayed immediately, but after the symbols have stopped displaying (for example, after 1 second). Also, if the boss enemy character defeat animation has finished and the symbols have stopped displaying (for example, the situation shown in Figure 283(I)), the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" is displayed continuously for a few seconds (for example, 1 second) after the change animation of the symbols has finished, and then it is removed after a few seconds have elapsed. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 283 (H'), if the conditions for the appearance of a boss enemy character are met while the symbols are changing during the boss battle animation, when the symbols stop displaying, the control to erase the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" and the control to display the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" will be executed simultaneously. In that case, depending on the order and priority settings of the controls, the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" may not be displayed even though it should be, or conversely, the control to erase the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" may not be executed, resulting in duplicate display. For this reason, when the conditions for the appearance of a boss enemy character are met while the symbols are changing during the boss battle animation, the control to erase the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" and the control to display it anew are not executed. In other words, the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" displayed in Figure 283(C) is not hidden even when the intended hiding time (Figure 283(I')) arrives, but continues to be displayed after Figure 283(I') (Figure 283(J')). Thus, the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" may continue to be displayed even after the variable display showing the boss battle animation has finished. As long as the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" is displayed, it maintains the expectation that a new boss enemy character will appear and the boss battle animation will be performed.

Next, we will explain the case where the "Treasure Chest Animation" is performed after the boss enemy character appears. For example, even if the boss enemy character appears during the enemy character appearance animation, the player may not possess enough types of items to equip them if they haven't performed the Treasure Chest Animation. In such cases, even if the period for performing the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" arrives, it may not be possible to equip the boss enemy character. In this example, as mentioned above, the "Treasure Chest Animation" can be performed by the player's actions regardless of whether the symbols are changing or not. Therefore, it is possible to perform the Treasure Chest Animation and acquire new items even during the period when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is available (when the symbols are not changing) after the boss enemy character appears. This means that even if the player does not possess enough types of items when the period for performing the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" arrives, they can open the treasure chest, acquire new items, and equip them, increasing the chances of defeating the boss enemy character.

Figure 284 shows a specific example of the "treasure chest animation" when it is executed after a boss enemy character appears. Figure 284(A) is a period from the time the display transitions to a non-changing display of symbols until a predetermined period (for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed, during which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" will not be executed even if the player takes action. In this period, the animation display device 1600 displays a warning mark in the lower center and the message "Boss enemy character approaching!" at the top. Even during this period when the "boss enemy character equipment animation" is not executed, the treasure chest animation can be executed, and when the player takes action, the "treasure chest animation" is executed and displayed in the lower right. Regarding the display area of the "treasure chest animation," it is acceptable for it to be displayed in a position that partially overlaps with the warning mark or the message "Boss enemy character approaching!", as long as the "treasure chest animation" is on the front side, but it is also acceptable for it to be displayed in a position that does not overlap. If we were to disable the treasure chest animation during periods when the "boss enemy equipment animation" is not running, there would be a time limit for when the "boss enemy equipment animation" is running. This could potentially prevent the treasure chest animation from running satisfactorily within that time limit. Therefore, in this example, the treasure chest animation is enabled even during periods when the "boss enemy equipment animation" is not running.

Figure 284(B) shows the period after a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed since the transition during the non-changing display of the symbols, during which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be executed. The animation display device 1600 displays an image of the button related to executing the Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation near the center, and the message "Boss Enemy Character Approaching!" is displayed at the top. Even during this period when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be executed, the treasure chest animation can also be executed, and when the player takes action, the "Treasure Chest Animation" is executed and displayed in the lower right. Regarding the display area of the "Treasure Chest Animation," at least the "Treasure Chest Animation" is on the front side, so it may be displayed in a position that partially overlaps with the image of the button related to executing the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation," but it may also be displayed in a position that does not overlap. Also, although the "Treasure Chest Animation" hides the seconds counter that shows the remaining time, the display area of the "Treasure Chest Animation" may be displayed in a position that does not overlap with the seconds counter. For example, the display area for the "treasure chest animation" can be positioned so as not to overlap with the already displayed seconds counter, or the seconds counter can be moved to a position that does not overlap with the "treasure chest animation" display area at the same time the "treasure chest animation" is displayed.

Figure 284(C) shows the case where the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is executed due to player input during the period when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is available. In this case, the animation display device 1600 displays the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" near the center and the message "Boss Enemy Character Approaching!" at the top. Even during the period when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is being executed, the treasure chest animation is also available, and when the player inputs the animation, the "Treasure Chest Animation" is executed and displayed in the lower right. Note that part of the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is hidden by the "Treasure Chest Animation," but the display area of the "Treasure Chest Animation" may be displayed in a position that does not overlap with the display area of the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation." For example, the display area of the "Treasure Chest Animation" may be displayed in a position that does not overlap with the display area of the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" that is already displayed, or the display area of the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" may be moved to a position that does not overlap with the display area of the "Treasure Chest Animation" at the time the "Treasure Chest Animation" is displayed. However, if the boss character equipment animations and treasure chest animations are displayed in positions and sizes that do not overlap, their visibility will be poor, preventing the player from fully experiencing the progression of each animation. Therefore, in this example, some overlap between the boss character equipment animations and treasure chest animations is permitted. In such cases, it is desirable to appropriately change the display priority based on the player's actions, such as making the boss character equipment animation appear in the foreground when the boss character equipment animation is being manipulated, and the treasure chest animation appearing in the foreground when the treasure chest animation is being manipulated.

(Regarding the display of equipment effects and decorative patterns)
There are two types of equipment animations: "equipment animations for normal battles" and "equipment animations for boss enemy characters." As explained above in detail, "equipment animations for normal battles" can be performed when the symbols are in a non-changing state (while the symbols are displayed in a non-changing state) and the activation conditions have not been met (while in a waiting state for changes). On the other hand, "equipment animations for boss enemy characters" can be performed after the changing display of the symbols in which the boss enemy character appeared has finished, by forcibly creating a non-changing state (while the symbols are displayed in a non-changing state), and during the period in which the "equipment animation for boss enemy characters" can be performed in that non-changing state. Note that "equipment animations for boss enemy characters" can be performed regardless of whether the activation conditions have been met (whether activation reserves have been stored). Also, in the non-changing state (while the symbols are displayed in a non-changing state) that is forcibly created after the changing display of the symbols in which the boss enemy character appeared has finished, "equipment animations for normal battles" cannot be performed. Thus, both the "equipment animation for normal battles" and the "equipment animation for boss enemy characters" can be executed in a non-changing state where the decorative patterns are displayed in a static manner. However, whether or not each can be executed depends on whether the non-changing state was forcibly brought into being, and the visibility of the static display of the decorative patterns when each is executable differs. In this example, the visibility of the static display of the decorative patterns when the "equipment animation for normal battles" and the "equipment animation for boss enemy characters" are executable will be explained below.

Figure 285 shows a specific example of the animation when the "Normal Hunting Equipment Animation" is executed while the symbols are not changing. As shown in Figure 285(A), when the "Normal Hunting Equipment Animation" is not being executed while the symbols are not changing, the animation display device 1600 displays a changing symbol (787 in this example) in a static display near the center as a change-waiting screen. The "Normal Hunting Equipment Animation" is then executed by performing the execution operation during this non-changing symbol display.

As shown in Figure 285(B), during the non-changing display of the symbols, when the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" is being executed, the animation display device 1600 displays the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" near the center. At this time, the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" is displayed in front of the decorative symbol's stop symbol, so as to cover it. Furthermore, at least a portion of the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" is displayed so as to overlap with the decorative symbol's stop symbol. If the decorative symbol's stop symbol were displayed in front of the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation," the visibility of the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" would be reduced, making it difficult to equip the main character. Also, since the "Normal Extermination Equipment Animation" is executed by player input, it is designed to be more visible than the decorative symbol's stop symbol, reflecting the player's intention to display it.

Figure 286 shows a specific example of the animation when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is executed while the symbols are not changing. As shown in Figure 286(A), after the changing symbols displaying the boss enemy character have finished, a non-changing state (while the symbols are not changing) is forcibly created. During the period in this non-changing state when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is executable, if the animation is not being executed, the animation display device 1600 displays the message "Boss Enemy Character Approaching!" at the top, the message "PUSH to open the equipment screen" near the center, the remaining time until the period in which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is executable ends at the bottom right, and the stopped decorative symbol (787 in this example) is displayed at the bottom left. The animation is executed when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" execution operation is performed during the period in which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is executable.

As shown in Figure 286(B), during the period when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is available and currently running, the animation display device 1600 hides the message "Press to open equipment screen" which was displayed near the center, and displays the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" near that center. At this time, the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is displayed in a position that does not cover the stop symbols of the decorative patterns. If the stop symbols of the decorative patterns were displayed in front of the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation," the visibility of the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" would be poor, making it difficult to equip the main character. Furthermore, regarding the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation," while it is permissible to display the decorative symbol's stop symbol on the background, similar to the "Normal Defeat Equipment Animation," the period during which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is playable is a period during which a non-changing state (while the symbols are displayed without changing) is forcibly created. Therefore, to prevent players from mistakenly believing that the symbols are changing, the decorative symbol's stop symbol is always visible. Additionally, the decorative symbol's stop symbol is not moved during the execution of the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation," and remains displayed in the same position at the bottom left, regardless of whether the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is currently running or not, as long as it is playable. This allows players to focus not on the decorative symbol's stop symbol when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is executed, but on the newly displayed "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation."

Next, the visibility of the stopped display of decorative symbols when the "Treasure Chest Animation" is available will be explained below. As mentioned above, the "Treasure Chest Animation" is executed by player input, regardless of whether the symbols are changing or not. Therefore, the "Treasure Chest Animation" can be executed simultaneously with the "Equipment Animation" (for normal battles) and the "Equipment Animation for Boss Enemy Characters") as an "Equipment Animation" when the symbols are not changing.

First, the "treasure chest animation" is displayed on the right side of the animation display device 1600. During the display of changing patterns, the "treasure chest animation" can be displayed in a position (front side) that partially overlaps with the display of changing decorative patterns (see Figure 280(B)). Furthermore, during the non-changing display of patterns, when the "normal hunting equipment animation" is not being executed, the "treasure chest animation" can be displayed in a position (front side) that partially overlaps with the stationary decorative patterns. Similarly, during the non-changing display of patterns, when the "normal hunting equipment animation" is being executed, the "treasure chest animation" can be displayed in a position (front side) that partially overlaps with the stationary decorative patterns. If the display of changing or stationary decorative patterns were to appear in front of the "treasure chest animation," the visibility of the "treasure chest animation" would be reduced, making it difficult to obtain items. Furthermore, since the "treasure chest effect" is triggered by player actions, it is designed to be more visible than the changing decorative symbols or the stopping symbols, reflecting the player's intention to display it.

On the other hand, during the period when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is not being executed after the variable display of the boss enemy character's symbols has finished, it is possible to display the "Treasure Chest Animation" in a position where it does not partially overlap with the stopped symbols of the decorative symbols (see Figures 284(A) and (B)). Similarly, during the period when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" is being executed, it is possible to display the "Treasure Chest Animation" in a position where it does not overlap with the stopped symbols of the decorative symbols (see Figure 284(C)). If the stopped symbols of the decorative symbols were to be displayed in front of the "Treasure Chest Animation," the visibility of the "Treasure Chest Animation" would be reduced, making it difficult to obtain items. Furthermore, regarding the "treasure chest animation," while it is permissible to display the stopped decorative pattern on the back, the period during which the "boss enemy character equipment animation" can be performed is a period during which a non-changing state (while the pattern is displayed without changing) is forcibly created. Therefore, to prevent any misunderstanding that the pattern is changing, the stopped decorative pattern is always visible.

Furthermore, when the "Normal Hunting Equipment Animation" and the "Treasure Chest Animation" are running simultaneously, the "Treasure Chest Animation" may partially obscure the "Normal Hunting Equipment Animation." However, the display area of the "Treasure Chest Animation" may be displayed in a position that does not overlap with the display area of the "Normal Hunting Equipment Animation." For example, the display area of the "Treasure Chest Animation" may be displayed in a position that does not overlap with the already displayed display area of the "Normal Hunting Equipment Animation," or the display area of the "Normal Hunting Equipment Animation" may be moved to a position that does not overlap with the display area of the "Treasure Chest Animation" at the time the "Treasure Chest Animation" is displayed. However, if the Normal Hunting Equipment Animation and the Treasure Chest Animation are displayed in positions and sizes that do not overlap, their visibility will be reduced, and players will not be able to fully execute the progression of each animation. For this reason, in this example, partial overlap between the Normal Hunting Equipment Animation and the Treasure Chest Animation is permitted. In such cases, it is desirable to appropriately change the display priority based on player actions, such as making the normal monster hunting equipment animation appear in the foreground when the normal monster hunting equipment animation is being manipulated, and making the treasure chest animation appear in the foreground when the treasure chest animation is being manipulated.

Furthermore, when the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" and the "Treasure Chest Animation" are running simultaneously, the "Treasure Chest Animation" may partially obscure the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation." However, the display area of the "Treasure Chest Animation" may be displayed in a position that does not overlap with the display area of the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation." For example, the display area of the "Treasure Chest Animation" may be displayed in a position that does not overlap with the display area of the already displayed "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation," or the display area of the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" may be moved to a position that does not overlap with the display area of the "Treasure Chest Animation" at the time the "Treasure Chest Animation" is displayed. However, if the Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation and the Treasure Chest Animation are displayed in positions and sizes that do not overlap, their visibility will be reduced, and players will not be able to fully execute the progression of each animation. For this reason, in this example, partial overlap between the Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation and the Treasure Chest Animation is permitted. In such cases, it is desirable to appropriately change the display priority based on player actions, such as making the boss character equipment animation appear in the foreground when the boss character's equipment animation is being manipulated, and making the treasure chest animation appear in the foreground when the treasure chest animation is being manipulated.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" and "Treasure Chest Animation" can be displayed in a position (front side) that overlaps at least partially with the changing and stopping decorative symbols. Incidentally, for example, depending on the game state, one game mode may be executed from among several types of game modes, and each game mode can have a unique display pattern for the changing and stopping decorative symbols. Thus, regardless of the display pattern for the changing and stopping decorative symbols, the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" and "Treasure Chest Animation" can be displayed in a position (front side) that overlaps at least partially with the stopping decorative symbols. If the stopping decorative symbols were displayed in front of the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation," the visibility of the "Normal Battle Equipment Animation" would be reduced, making it difficult to equip the main character. Similarly, if the changing and stopping decorative symbols were displayed in front of the "Treasure Chest Animation," the visibility of the "Treasure Chest Animation" would be reduced, making it difficult to obtain items. Furthermore, since the "Normal Monster Hunt Equipment Animation" and "Treasure Chest Animation" are triggered by player actions, they are designed to be more visible than the changing decorative symbols or stopping symbols, reflecting the player's intention to display them.

(Regarding the relationship with vibration effects)
In this example, a vibrator (vibration device) is installed inside the first performance button 251, and a vibration effect can be executed at a predetermined timing, causing the first performance button 251 to vibrate. For example, if the first performance button 251 is operated while a variation effect is being executed during the display of changing symbols, the vibration effect can be executed, and whether or not the vibration effect is executed indicates the possibility of a win. Furthermore, depending on the vibration effect, it is possible to indicate the possibility of a win even to players who are not paying attention to the display on the performance display device 1600. The use of such a vibration effect in the enemy character appearance effect of an RPG minigame will be explained below.

As mentioned above, the "enemy character appearance animation" can feature either a "boss enemy character" or a non-boss enemy character. The animation is configured so that a vibration animation may occur depending on the enemy character's strength (rank). Figure 287 shows a specific example of the vibration animation when it occurs during the enemy character appearance animation. As shown in Figure 287(A), when a non-boss enemy character (weak enemy character, strong enemy character, etc.) appears, the vibration animation is not performed on the first animation button 251. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 287(B), when a "boss enemy character" appears, the vibration animation is performed on the first animation button 251. For example, when a non-boss enemy character appears, it is not expected that the character will be strong and will be defeated, so there is no need to draw the player's attention to the appearance of that character, and therefore the vibration animation is not performed. On the other hand, when a "boss enemy character" appears, there is room for player intervention, such as needing to prepare equipment for the boss battle scene. Therefore, it is necessary to draw the player's attention to the appearance of the boss enemy character, and a vibration effect is implemented. Even if the player does not see the display on the display device 1600 and does not confirm the appearance of the boss enemy character, the vibration effect allows them to sense that the boss enemy character has appeared.

As mentioned above, the "Treasure Chest Animation" is executed by player input, regardless of whether the symbols are changing or not. Therefore, the "Treasure Chest Animation" can be executed simultaneously with the "Enemy Character Appearance Animation" while the symbols are changing. Furthermore, player input is required to select one of the two treasure chests during the execution of the Treasure Chest Animation (Treasure Chest Selection Animation). Additionally, if a boss enemy character appears during the Enemy Character Appearance Animation and a vibration animation is running, the Treasure Chest Animation can be executed by performing the necessary input. Moreover, during the execution of the Treasure Chest Animation, it is possible for the boss enemy character to appear during the Enemy Character Appearance Animation and for the vibration animation to run. In short, the Treasure Chest Animation can be executed during the period when the vibration animation is running. If the Treasure Chest Animation were disabled during the vibration animation, players would be unable to obtain new items, potentially resulting in a disadvantage for the player; therefore, the Treasure Chest Animation can be executed during the vibration animation.

Furthermore, the vibration animation will not be triggered by the execution of the treasure chest animation. If the vibration animation were triggered by the execution of the treasure chest animation, it would become indistinguishable from the vibration animation triggered by the appearance of a boss enemy character in the enemy character appearance animation. Therefore, the vibration animation is not triggered by the execution of the treasure chest animation. Also, the manner in which the vibration animation is performed (the way the vibration occurs) does not change regardless of whether the treasure chest animation is being performed during the vibration animation. If the manner of the vibration animation were to change due to the execution of the treasure chest animation, there is a possibility of misinterpreting it as a superiority or inferiority between the boss enemy characters that appear in the enemy character appearance animation. Therefore, the manner of the vibration animation is not changed by the execution of the treasure chest animation.

Furthermore, if a treasure chest animation begins while a vibration animation is in progress, the treasure chest animation will not end during the vibration animation, but will end after the vibration animation finishes. Note that there is a time limit when selecting a treasure chest, and the selected treasure chest will be opened once that time limit has elapsed. If the treasure chest animation were to end upon the end of the vibration animation, it would become impossible to distinguish whether the vibration was caused by the appearance of a boss enemy character in an enemy character appearance animation or by the treasure chest animation; therefore, the treasure chest animation is to end after the vibration animation finishes. Also, if a vibration animation begins while a treasure chest animation is in progress, the treasure chest animation may end during the vibration animation, or it may not end during the vibration animation, but will end after the vibration animation finishes. If the treasure chest animation were to end upon the end of the vibration animation, it would become impossible to distinguish whether the vibration was caused by the appearance of a boss enemy character in an enemy character appearance animation or by the treasure chest animation; therefore, even if a vibration animation begins while a treasure chest animation is in progress, the treasure chest animation will not end upon the end of the vibration animation.

Furthermore, regarding the treasure chest animation, there is a time limit when selecting a treasure chest. However, as mentioned above, this time limit can be extended by the player, for example, by allowing a predetermined amount of time to elapse from the last time the control panel was operated. Even if the treasure chest animation is running while the vibration animation is in progress, the time limit can still be extended. Therefore, while the player is hesitating about which treasure chest to choose (while the control panel is being operated), the selection is not determined by time elapsed. The selection is determined only after the player has decided on a treasure chest (when the control panel is no longer being operated), preventing the player from rushing into a decision or having the selection made prematurely. On the other hand, the duration of the vibration animation cannot be extended by the player. If the duration of the vibration animation were extended, there is a possibility that players might mistakenly believe there is a difference in strength or weakness among the boss enemies that appear in the enemy character appearance animation. Therefore, the duration of the vibration animation is not extended.

Regarding the equipment animations for boss enemies, there is a time limit for equipping items, but this time limit cannot be extended by the player. If the duration of the boss enemy character equipment animation were extended, the period of static display of the symbols that are forcibly generated after the boss enemy character appears would also be extended, potentially preventing the game from starting. Therefore, the duration of the boss enemy character equipment animation is not extended. On the other hand, regarding the equipment animations for normal battles, while there is a time limit for equipping items, this time limit can be extended by the player, for example, by determining the equipment after a predetermined time has elapsed since the last time the control panel was operated. Therefore, while the player is hesitating about equipping items (while the control panel is being operated), the time limit will not be determined by the elapsed time. The time limit will only be determined after the player has decided which items to equip (when the control panel is no longer being operated), preventing players from hastily deciding on items or having items equipped automatically.

In the "Battle Animation" sequence, as mentioned above, while the symbols are changing, you will fight the enemy character that appeared in the enemy character appearance animation. However, regardless of the enemy character's strength (whether it's a boss character or not), the vibration animation will not be performed during the battle animation. If the vibration animation were to be performed during the battle animation, it would interfere with the player's ability to focus on the battle animation. Furthermore, it would become impossible to distinguish whether the vibration animation was caused by the appearance of a boss character in the enemy character appearance animation or by the outcome of the battle animation. Therefore, the vibration animation is not performed during the battle animation.

As mentioned above, the "equipment animation" is executed when the player performs an action while the symbols are not changing. However, regardless of whether the "equipment animation" is a "normal battle equipment animation" or a "boss enemy character equipment animation," the vibration animation is not performed during the execution of the equipment animation. Furthermore, even if the equipment animation is not being performed during the period when the equipment animation is possible, the vibration animation is not performed. If the vibration animation were to be performed during the period when the equipment animation is possible, there is a possibility that the equipment animation may start while the vibration animation is being performed, resulting in the vibration animation being performed while the equipment animation is in progress. Also, if the vibration animation is performed during the execution of the equipment animation, the vibration may prevent the player from correctly equipping the desired item, potentially resulting in the player equipping an item other than the one they originally intended. Therefore, the vibration animation is not performed during the execution of the equipment animation. In addition, the vibration animation is not triggered by the execution of the equipment animation. If the vibration animation were triggered by the execution of the equipment animation, there is a possibility that the player may mistakenly believe that a boss enemy character is about to appear even though it is not the timing for the enemy character appearance animation to be performed. Furthermore, because the vibration from the vibration effect could potentially prevent the player from correctly equipping the desired item, resulting in the equip of a different item than intended, the vibration effect is disabled once the equipment animation is initiated.

(Regarding the display of the defeat history)
In this example, it is possible to display the defeat history of enemy characters defeated during the defeat animation in an RPG minigame. This defeat history display is explained below.

The defeat history display may be shown using the same display device 1600 as in the RPG minigame, or a new display device may be provided solely for displaying the defeat history. Alternatively, it may be provided for administrators rather than players, on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, on the main control board 1310 or peripheral control board 1510). If provided for players, referring to the defeat history display allows players to understand what enemy characters they or previous players (those who played before them) were able to defeat. This can be used as a reference for equipping the main character or to bask in the sense of superiority gained from defeating powerful enemies. If provided for administrators, referring to the defeat history display allows them to monitor whether any fraudulent defeats are occurring, such as defeating enemy characters with illegal equipment or methods.

Furthermore, the monster defeat history display can be viewed regardless of the game state. If it is displayed using the same display device 1600 as the RPG mini-game, it is executed by operating a designated control panel. If a new display device is provided solely for displaying the monster defeat history, it can be executed without requiring operation of a designated control panel. Similarly, if it is provided for administrators, it can be executed without requiring operation of a designated control panel.

The game allows for the display of two types of defeat history: "Defeat Record History" and "Equipment History during Defeat Animations." The "Defeat Record History" displays whether an enemy character was defeated during a defeat animation, in the order of the most recent defeat animations. In this example, the game can store up to 300 past defeat animation results, and older results exceeding 300 are automatically discarded. Players or administrators can also access the defeat animation results at any time. The "Defeat Record History" includes information such as the time the defeat animation occurred, the enemy character that appeared during the animation, and the outcome of the defeat animation.

On the other hand, the "Equipment History during Monster Hunting" displays the equipment (items) used in monster hunting animations, in the order in which the most recent monster hunting animation was performed. In this example, the system is designed to save equipment used in up to 300 past monster hunting animations, and equipment from older monster hunting animations (over 300) is discarded in order. Players or administrators can refer to the equipment used in monster hunting animations at any time. The "Equipment History during Monster Hunting" displays information such as "the equipment used during the monster hunting animation" and "the stats that increased (decreased) due to that equipment."

Furthermore, the "Battle Record History" and the "Equipment History during Battle Animations" are not displayed simultaneously; only one of them is shown at a time. If both were displayed simultaneously, it would require transmitting and displaying a large amount of data at once, potentially straining the available data processing capacity or causing the pachinko machine to freeze or crash. Additionally, displaying a large amount of information at once could confuse players (or administrators), making it difficult to determine where to look. Therefore, only one of the "Battle Record History" or "Equipment History during Battle Animations" is displayed; the other information becomes accessible only after certain conditions are met (e.g., time elapses or operation of the control panel).

Furthermore, during the period when the "Equipment Animation for Boss Enemy Characters" is available, it is impossible to view the "Equipment History during Defeat Animations." If it were possible to view the "Equipment History during Defeat Animations" during the period when the "Equipment Animation for Boss Enemy Characters" is available, some players could potentially cheat by checking past defeat histories to determine which equipment (items) are most effective in defeat animations against boss enemies. Even if a defeat history display is provided for administrators, some administrators could use their position to free up inventory slot 4 and engage in "cheating." Therefore, the "Equipment History during Defeat Animations" is disabled during the period when the "Equipment Animation for Boss Enemy Characters" is available.

Specifically, if the "Battle Record History" is displayed before the start of the period during which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be performed, the display will not switch from the "Battle Record History" to the "Equipment History during Battle Animation" during the period during which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be performed. For example, if the "Battle Record History" and "Equipment History during Battle Animation" are switched via controls, the controls will not be active during the period during which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be performed. Furthermore, if the "Battle Record History" and "Equipment History during Battle Animation" are switched over time, the time-based switching will be disabled during the period during which the "Boss Enemy Character Equipment Animation" can be performed.

On the other hand, if the "Equipment History during the Defeat Animation" is displayed, even if a period of non-changing display of the boss character occurs after the boss character appears, this period is not considered a time when the "Boss Character Equipment Animation" can be performed, and the "Boss Character Equipment Animation" is made unusable. If it were possible to perform the "Boss Character Equipment Animation" while viewing the "Equipment History during the Defeat Animation," it would allow for the aforementioned "cheating," and therefore, as a penalty for attempting such cheating, the "Boss Character Equipment Animation" is disabled.

Furthermore, it may be possible to disable viewing of the "Equipment History during Defeat Animation" from the moment the boss enemy character appears, rather than at the start of the period during which the "Equipment Animation for Boss Enemy Characters" can be performed. This is because, once the boss enemy character appears, it is confirmed that a period during which the "Equipment Animation for Boss Enemy Characters" can be performed will occur, and even before the start of this period, the aforementioned "cheating" can be carried out. In such cases, if the "Defeat Record History" was displayed before the boss enemy character appeared, it will not switch from the "Defeat Record History" to the "Equipment History during Defeat Animation" after the boss enemy character appears. For example, if the "Defeat Record History" and "Equipment History during Defeat Animation" are switched via controls, the controls will not be effective after the boss enemy character appears. Also, if the "Defeat Record History" and "Equipment History during Defeat Animation" are switched over time, the time-based switching will be disabled after the boss enemy character appears.

The data related to the "RPG mini-game" is stored in the pachinko machine 1, but it can be erased (initialized) by the administrator. Since some data should be erased and others should not, individually erasing (initializing) them would be time-consuming. Therefore, in this example, data related to the "RPG mini-game" is assigned a rank, and an initialization process corresponding to that rank is performed, erasing (initializing) data up to that rank. Specifically, there are three initialization processes: Rank A initialization, Rank B initialization, and Rank C initialization. Furthermore, Rank B initialization erases (initializes) more data than Rank C initialization, and Rank A initialization erases (initializes) more data than Rank B initialization.

The Rank C initialization process allows for the deletion (initialization) of data related to equipment obtained through treasure chest animations and equipment (items) determined through equipment animations. Note that, before deletion, players can save this data to external websites. If the Rank C initialization process were to delete (initialize) the data of enemy character appearances during enemy character appearance animations, it would be possible to trigger the Rank C initialization process when an undesirable enemy character (e.g., a weak enemy character) appears, making it easier to trigger a chain reaction of enemy appearances and ultimately leading to the appearance of the desired enemy character (e.g., a boss character). Therefore, the Rank C initialization process does not delete (initialize) the data of enemy character appearances.

In the Rank B initialization process, it is possible to erase (initialize) not only the data related to equipment obtained in the treasure chest animation and the equipment (items) determined in the equipment animation, but also the data related to the appearance of enemy characters (boss enemy characters, etc.) in the enemy character appearance animation. In other words, the data related to the appearance of enemy characters cannot be erased (initialized) by the Rank C initialization process, but it can be erased (initialized) by the Rank B initialization process. Furthermore, since the Rank B initialization process encompasses the contents of the Rank C initialization process, for example, it is not possible to erase (initialize) the data related to the appearance of enemy characters while not erasing (initializing) the data related to equipment obtained in the treasure chest animation and the equipment (items) determined in the equipment animation. In addition, regarding the data related to the defeat history display ("defeat battle record history" and "equipment history during defeat animation"), if this data is erased (initialized), it will not be possible to know the equipment (items) used in the defeat animation and whether the enemy character was defeated in the defeat animation with that equipment, which may cause new players to lose motivation to play the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, the Rank B initialization process does not erase (initialize) data related to the display of the defeat history.

The Rank A initialization process allows for the deletion (initialization) of data related to the defeat history display ("Defeated Battle Record History" and "Equipment History during Defeat Animation"). In other words, while data related to the defeated history display ("Defeated Battle Record History" and "Equipment History during Defeat Animation") cannot be deleted (initialized) by the Rank B or Rank C initialization processes, it can be deleted (initialized) by the Rank A initialization process. Furthermore, because the Rank A initialization process encompasses the contents of the Rank B and Rank C initialization processes, it is impossible, for example, to delete (initialize) only the data related to the defeated history display ("Defeated Battle Record History" and "Equipment History during Defeat Animation") while not deleting (initializing) the data regarding the appearance of enemy characters.

Furthermore, if the Rank A initialization process is performed, the battle history display ("Battle Record History" and "Equipment History during Battle Animations"), and indeed all information related to the RPG minigame stored in the pachinko machine 1, will be erased (initialized). However, data regarding equipment obtained through treasure chest animations and equipment (items) determined during equipment animations can be saved by the player to an external website before the data is erased. After the data is erased, it is possible to retrieve the data from before the erasure by, for example, entering a password into the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the initialization process according to rank may be configured such that it is initiated by the administrator selecting whether or not to initialize, or by turning the power on and off. For example, if the initialization is initiated by the administrator selecting whether or not to initialize, the Rank C initialization process may be performed simply by selecting initialization, and Rank A or Rank B initialization may be performed only if additional operations are performed when selecting initialization. Similarly, if the initialization is initiated by turning the power on and off, the Rank C initialization process may be performed simply by turning the power on and off, and Rank A or Rank B initialization may be performed only if additional operations are performed when turning the power on and off.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Various improvements and design modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention, as described below.

In other words, while the above embodiment shows the application to pachinko machines 1 and slot machines as gaming machines, it is not limited to these. It can also be applied to pachislo machines or gaming machines that combine pachinko and pachislo machines, and in this case, the same effects and advantages as described above can be achieved. Furthermore, it can also be applied to so-called sealed gaming machines or managed gaming machines, where the player does not touch the game balls B.

Furthermore, while this embodiment shows the performance display device 1600 mounted in the center of the set plate 1650, it is not limited to this configuration. The performance display device 1600 may also be mounted at an eccentric position relative to the center of the set plate 1650. Similarly, while this embodiment shows one performance display device 1600 mounted on the set plate 1650, it is not limited to this configuration. Multiple performance display devices may be mounted on the set plate 1650.

1 Pachinko machine 2 Outer frame 3 Door frame 4 Main body frame 5 Game board 5a Game area 5c 7 Stepped section 1000 Front component 1020 Panel decoration section 1021 Lower left panel decoration section 1022 Upper panel decoration section 1023 Lower right panel decoration section 1100 Game panel 1110 Panel board 1112 Opening 1120 Panel holder 1400 Function display unit 2000 Front unit 3000 Back unit N Obstacle nails

Claims (1)

In a gaming machine that can change predetermined symbols and award rewards according to the results of the changes in said predetermined symbols,
A control panel that can be operated by the player,
A selection display means capable of displaying a selection indicator that allows the user to select at least one of a predetermined number of selection targets in response to an operation being received by the aforementioned operation unit,
Equipped with,
The pattern variation period is the period during which the variation of the predetermined pattern is performed ,
It has a pattern non-change period, which is a period during which the aforementioned pattern changes are not performed .
The selectable displays that can be displayed during the period when the symbols do not change include at least a specific selectable display that can also be displayed during the period when the symbols change, and a special selectable display that is not displayed during the period when the symbols change.
The aforementioned predetermined design, the aforementioned specific selection display, and the aforementioned special selection display are not displayed on separate display means, but are displayed on a single display means.
The aforementioned specific selection display may be displayed so as to cover at least a portion of the predetermined design,
The aforementioned special selection display is not displayed in a way that covers the aforementioned predetermined design.
The aforementioned specific selection display and the aforementioned special selection display can be displayed simultaneously.
In situations where the specified selection indicator and the special selection indicator are displayed simultaneously, the specified selection indicator will not be displayed in a way that covers the predetermined design.
A gaming machine characterized by the following features.