Carnival Games Encyclopedia

Also: Spot Drop, Spot to Spot, Fill the Circle

Fun Game and actually pretty easy to win if you know how.

Also: Ring a knife, Ring a coke, Ring toss and mirror joints

Toss rings onto pegs or bottle necks; some variants award the bottle itself.

Also: Original ring toss

Traditional ring toss on glass bottles.

Also: Track roller

Roll ball through miniature coaster track.

Also: Bullseye rings

Toss rings at target board with zones.

Also: Star outline

Shoot out star outline from paper completely.

Also: Ticket spin

Spin wheel to win arcade tickets.

Also: Bullseye kick

Kick soccer ball at target board.

Also: Soft dart throw

Throw foam sponge darts at velcro board.

Also: Competitive skee

Head-to-head Skee-Ball competition.

Also: Peg ringer

Toss rings onto standing pegs.

Also: Plush crane

Classic claw machine with stuffed animals.

Also: Grid throw

Throw footballs at numbered grid targets.

Also: Instant scratch

Scratch card reveals instant prizes.

Also: Maze roll

Roll ball through obstacle course to target.

Also: Mega fortune wheel

Wall-sized wheel with major prizes.

Also: Magnetic fish

Use magnetic rod to catch toy fish.

Also: Penny target

Toss pennies at numbered board squares.

Also: Key prize vend

Vending machine style keychain dispenser.

Also: Push for jackpot

Press button to spin internal wheel.

Also: Foam dart shoot

Shoot foam darts at pop-up targets.

Also: Coin tower

Stack quarters in tower formation.

Also: Hole in one

Putt golf ball into hole from distance.

Also: Shoes pitch

Toss horseshoes at stake targets.

Also: Jumping frogs

Press frogs to make them jump onto pads.

Also: Premium spin

Decorated prize wheel with LED lights.

Also: Pin bash

Knock down bowling pins with thrown balls.

Also: Speed gun baseball

Throw baseball at radar speed detector.

Also: Bouncing coin cup

Bounce coin off surface into cups.

Also: Digital dartboard

Electronic dartboard with LED scoring.

Also: Endurance hoops

Make consecutive baskets without missing.

Also: Clown face balloons

Balloons arranged as clown face to pop.

Also: Waterfall rings

Ring toss with cascading bottle levels.

Also: Deluxe duck pond

Premium duck pond with larger prizes.

Also: Tomahawk toss

Throw foam axes at wooden target.

Also: Speed pop challenge

Pop set number of balloons before timer.

Also: Sweet crane

Claw machine filled with candy boxes.

Also: Pitcher's challenge

Throw through outlined strike zone.

Also: Fast pitch radar

Pitch softball at speed measuring target.

Also: Color matcher

Spin wheel to match ticket color.

Also: Desktop hoops

Miniature basketball on tabletop.

Also: Steady wire

Move wand along wire without buzzing.

Also: Hammer bell

Sledgehammer strike to ring bell.

Also: Soft knockdown

Knock targets with soft sponge balls.

Also: Tennis throw

Throw tennis balls at target circles.

Also: Spike challenge

Spike volleyball into target zones.

Also: Balloon splat

Throw water balloons at wall targets.

Also: Scratch treasure

Scratch off map to reveal prize locations.

Also: Range booth

Traditional shooting booth with multiple targets.

Also: Bowl pitch

Pitch coins into glass bowls.

Also: Carnival slots

Pull handle for spinning slot symbols.

Also: Velocity target

Throw ball at target to measure speed.

Also: Spin tickets

Spin wheel to win ticket amounts.

Also: Magnetic duck

Magnetic fishing rod to catch ducks.

Also: Balloon duel

Pop opponent's balloons with foam sword.

Also: Number fortune

Bet on numbers, wheel determines winner.

Also: Countdown hoops

Race against countdown timer making baskets.

Also: Mini key claw

Small claw machine with keychain prizes.

Also: Super wheel

Enormous wheel visible from distance.

Also: Perfect pitch

Throw baseball through strike zone frame.

Also: Bucket frog

Toss rubber frogs into tiered buckets.

Also: Mega ring

Oversized rings onto large pegs.

Also: Barrel dip

Reach into barrel to grab prize ball.

Also: Tightrope walk

Walk wire or beam without falling.

Also: Crush cans

Knock aluminum cans off wall display.

Also: Mystery grab

Reach into bag to grab wrapped prize.

Also: Table plinko

Tabletop plinko with smaller discs.

Also: Walking bottles

Ring toss with bottles on moving platform.

Also: Balance bottle game

Toss balls to land balanced on bottle tops.

Also: Tire toss football

Throw football through suspended tire.

Also: Bulls only

Hit bullseye only to win prizes.

Also: Color spinner

Spin determines custom art colors made on spot.

Also: Puck shot

Shoot puck into goal targets.

Also: Stack rings game

Stack rubber rings on pegs from distance.

Also: Splatter shoot

Shoot paintballs at canvas for art.

Also: Table hockey

Tabletop hockey shooting game.

Also: Spray target

Spray water gun at targets to score.

Also: Marble target

Toss marbles into small target holes.

Also: Stack coins game

Stack coins on edge of narrow platform.

Also: Grid toss

Toss tokens onto numbered grid board.

Also: Underhand pitch

Underhand toss softballs into elevated buckets.

Also: Tarzan swing

Swing on rope to reach target platform.

Also: Frog flinger

Launch rubber frogs at lily pad targets.

Also: Compact skee

Shortened Skee-Ball variant.

Also: Pole ring

Toss rings onto vertical poles for prizes.

Also: Double or nothing

Flip coin to multiply winnings or lose.

Also: Swing striker

Swing hammer at target pad.

Also: Small goal kick

Kick mini soccer ball into small goal.

Also: Rolling hoops

Roll hoops down lane to hit targets.

Also: Maze ball

Navigate marble through tilting maze.

Also: Punch prize

Punch through paper wall to reveal prize.

Also: Feed the clown

Throw balls through clown's open mouth.

Also: Sweet wheel

Wheel spin determines candy prize type.

Also: Mirror ball prize

Spin disco ball to land on prize section.

Also: Star blaster

Shoot out star shapes from paper.

Also: Rapid fire hoops

Shoot as many baskets as possible in time limit.

Also: Cap flipper

Flip bottle caps onto target grid.

Also: Coin slider

Slide nickels into scoring slots.

Also: Color duck

Different colored ducks for prize tiers.

Also: Bounce quarter

Bounce quarter into cup or glass.

Also: Flip fortune

Coin flip determines prize doubling.

Also: Precision pass

Throw football at specific target markers.

Also: Pinball roll

Roll balls through bumper field to targets.

Also: Pyramid toss

Toss coins onto stacked glass pyramid.

Also: Rainbow pop

Pop balloons arranged in rainbow pattern.

Also: Upward hoop

Shoot basketball up into overhead hoop.

Also: Disc golf toss

Throw frisbees through target hoops or at poles.

Also: Wet sponge targets

Throw wet sponges at bullseye targets.

Also: Ball lottery

Drop numbered balls into slots.

Also: Balancing coins

Stack coins on narrow glass edge.

Also: Token fall

Drop tokens through pegs into prize slots.

Also: Money wheel

Large money wheel with cash prize segments.

Also: Splat target

Shoot paintballs at paper targets.

Also: Carnival bowling

Roll balls to knock down mini bowling pins.

Also: Guess and spin

Guess where wheel will stop for multiplier.

Also: Ping pong bounce

Bounce ping pong balls into cups.

Also: Balloon catapult

Launch water balloons at distant targets.

Also: Pendulum ring

Swing ring on rope to land on peg.

Also: Key crane

Claw machine with keychain prizes.

Also: Color dart challenge

Pop balloons in rainbow color order.

Also: Light up tic tac toe

Electronic tic-tac-toe with LED grid.

Also: Buzz wire pro

Navigate wire loop through complex path.

Also: Goalkeeper challenge

Kick soccer ball past goalkeeper cutout.

Also: Sandbox treasure

Dig in sandbox to find prize tokens.

Also: Puck slide

Slide hockey pucks into target zones.

Also: Coin basket

Toss pennies into small basketball hoops.

Also: Band shooter

Shoot rubber bands at target cans.

Also: Mega spinner

Giant floor spinner with prize wedges.

Also: Mystery prize

Choose from wrapped mystery boxes.

Also: Ring hoop

Throw rings through hanging hoops.

Also: Bucket ball

Throw softballs into tiered buckets.

Also: Hoop circuit

Make baskets from different positions around hoop.

Also: Super can stack

Extra-large can pyramid to knock down.

Also: Kick challenge

Kick football through uprights.

Also: Bounce bottle

Bounce ball into bottle opening.

Also: Strike zone

Throw baseballs through strike zone target.

Also: Tower striker

Strike base to send signal up tower to ring bell.

Also: Standard balloon darts

Traditional balloon dart board with color prizes.

Also: Original skee ball

Traditional nine-ball Skee-Ball alley.

Also: Splash pond

Duck pond with splash zone.

Also: Fast pop darts

Timed balloon popping competition.

Also: Bouncing frog

Squeeze rubber frog to make it jump onto targets.

Also: Art spinner

Spin wheel to win custom spin art creation.

Also: Marble derby

Race marbles down parallel tracks.

Also: Oversized dice

Roll large foam dice for betting outcomes.

Also: Squirt race

Spray water at targets in race format.

Also: Perfect spiral

Throw football through targets with spiral.

Also: Advanced rope climb

Longer rope ladder with multiple checkpoints.

Also: Five cent toss

Pitch nickels onto colored squares.

Also: Number spin

Wheel with numbers, match your ticket to win.

Also: Arcade shooter

Electronic shooting gallery with sensors.

Also: Pull string game

Pull string to reveal prize number.

Also: Carnival putting

Miniature golf hole-in-one challenge.

Also: Punch card

Punch holes in board to reveal prizes.

Also: Glass quarter toss

Toss quarters onto angled glass plates.

Also: Coin pusher slide

Slide coins down ramp to push prizes.

Also: Shaving cream balloon

Pop balloons filled with shaving cream.

Also: BB range

Shoot paper targets with BB guns.

Also: Table wheel

Small tabletop fortune wheel.

Also: Racing ducks

Bet on rubber duck race down stream.

Also: Small hoops

Smaller basketballs and hoops for close-range shooting.

Also: Electronic darts

Electronic dartboard with automatic scoring.

Also: Candy claw

Claw machine filled with wrapped candies.

Also: Bottle tower

Vertical stack of bottles to knock down.

Also: Speed ball

Throw softball to measure velocity.

Also: Bean bag tic tac toe

Toss bean bags to make tic-tac-toe patterns.

Also: Seven game

Bet whether dice total will be over, under, or equal to seven.

Also: Can bash

Knock tin cans off shelves with thrown balls.

Also: Peg ring

Toss rings onto vertical pegs on board.

Also: Pool ball roll

Roll pool balls around bumpers into holes.

Also: Bullseye toss

Throw balls at target board with point zones.

Also: Rotating balloon darts

Dartboard that rotates with balloons.

Also: Cap pitch

Toss bottle caps onto marked targets.

Also: Spin to win

Tabletop prize wheel with segments.

Also: Coin drop

Drop pennies into slots for prizes.

Also: Big spin wheel

Large floor-standing wheel with prize sections.

Also: Duck derby

Race rubber ducks down water channel.

Also: Coin dive

Reach into water to grab coins or tokens.

Also: Duck lucky pick

Pick numbered ducks from pond for instant prizes.

Also: Wet sponge throw

Throw wet sponges at targets.

Also: Elimination hoops

Competitive basketball shooting elimination game.

Also: Balloon burst

Throw darts or objects to pop water balloons.

Also: Plastic ball throw

Throw whiffle balls at targets.

Also: British hoopla

Ring toss over prize displays on blocks.

Also: Mega plinko

Wall-sized plinko board with large pucks.

Also: Ring pyramid

Stack rings on bottles in pyramid formation.

Also: Toss and tumble

Knock cans off platform with throws.

Also: Star shootout

Shoot out a paper star outline.

Also: Bank shot challenge

Bounce basketball off board into hoop.

Also: Mystery box

Choose from locked boxes to reveal prizes.

Also: Race ball

Multi-player ball rolling race game.

Also: Quarter roll

Roll coins down ramp into scoring zones.

Also: Radar pitch

Throw baseball to measure speed on radar gun.

Also: Big wheel

Large vertical wheel with prize segments.

Also: Frog jump

Toss rubber frogs onto floating lily pads.

Also: Team darts

Team-based balloon popping competition.

Also: Jug ring

Toss rings onto milk jug handles.

Also: Coin dozer

Drop coins onto moving platform to push coins over edge.

Also: Bottle neck ring

Ring toss specifically for glass bottles.

Also: Giant tic tac toe

Oversized tic-tac-toe grid with larger balls.

Also: Standard dartboard

Traditional pub-style dartboard with numbered sections.

Also: Penalty kick game

Kick soccer ball through goal targets.

Also: Sponge throw

Throw wet sponges at target to trigger dunk.

Also: Pop race

Race to pop all balloons by stomping.

Also: Target quarterback

Throw footballs through multiple sized targets for points.

Also: QB precision

Throw footballs at moving or distant targets.

Also: Balloon catch

Partner game catching water balloons at increasing distances.

Also: Stack the rings

Stack rings on vertical pegs.

Also: Prize wheel

Spin wheel to win prizes or tickets.

Also: Slap shot

Shoot hockey pucks at target goals.

Also: Premium duck hook

Duck pond with special edition ducks and prizes.

Also: Moving duck targets

Shoot moving mechanical duck targets.

Also: Leap frog game

Flip rubber frogs onto lily pad platforms.

Also: Kids crane

Smaller claw machine with easier grip.

Also: Tin can pyramid

Knock down pyramid of tin cans completely.

Also: Splat the clown

Throw wet sponges at clown face targets.

Also: Flip the bottle

Flip plastic bottle to land upright.

Also: Pro hoops

Multiple hoops at varying heights.

Also: Speed fishbowl

Timed ping pong ball throwing competition.

Also: Target darts

Traditional dartboard bullseye challenge.

Also: Speed balloon pop

Timed balloon popping competition between players.

Also: QB challenge

Throw footballs through multiple sized openings.

Also: Pro ladder

Extended ladder climb with multiple bells.

Also: Giant skee ball

Oversized Skee-Ball for group play.

Also: Triple threat hoops

Three hoops at different heights and distances.

Also: Crystal pitch

Coin toss onto premium glassware displays.

Also: Golden duck

Duck pond with special golden duck prizes.

Also: Super soaker race

High-powered water gun racing.

Also: Heads or tails

Bet on coin flip outcomes.

Also: Mini skee ball

Smaller version of Skee-Ball for younger players.

Also: Electronic striker

Digital strength measurement with LED display.

Also: Premium ring toss

Ring toss with graduated bottle sizes for different prizes.

Also: Digital high striker

Electronic strength tester with digital display.

Also: Triple stack bottles

Three-tier bottle pyramid knockdown.

Also: Balloon madness

Large wall of balloons with prize tiers.

Also: Premium ring game

Ring toss with illuminated bottles.

Also: Premium dunk

Heated dunk tank with professional seating.

Also: Spinning balloon board

Balloons mounted on spinning wheel.

Also: Pop the balloons

Standard balloon dart game with unlimited color choices.

Also: Stand the bottle

Stand glass bottle upright using ring on string.

Also: Strongman game, Hammer striker

Strike pad with mallet to ring bell at top.

Also: Hoops Challenge

Standard basketball hoop with regulation height and distance.

Also: wacky wire

Guide a loop along a bent wire without touching it; touching triggers a buzzer/penalty.

Also: Plate pitch

Toss coins onto plates; coin must stay on plate.

Also: Test your might

Hit platform to measure strength level.

Also: Water blast race

Multiplayer water gun race with balloon inflation targets.

Also: Can dunk

Shoot mini basketballs into large milk cans.

Also: Cornhole

Toss bean bags through holes in angled board.

Also: midway game

A named game in some regions; may refer to a spot/number layout or a specific build-up board.

Also: Ball in bowl

Toss ping pong balls into glass bowls.

Also: Break a bottle

Throw a ball to break or knock down a glass bottle target (historically messy).

Also: Push em up, Stand-A-Bottle, Stand-a-Bottle

Stand a bottle upright using a tool (often a fork or ring) under strict constraints.

Also: pull of tickets, poker

Pull-tab ticket games where hidden symbols determine winnings.

Also: Coke roll

Roll bottles or balls to stop in a scoring zone without tipping/over-rolling.

Also: 22 caliber long range shooting range

Longer-distance target shooting with more powerful air rifles or small-caliber ranges (where legal).

Also: Tic tac toe with softballs

Throw balls into a 3x3 grid; make tic-tac-toe patterns for prizes.

Also: Bee hive

Roll or drop balls into a honeycomb-style 'beehive' target board with many small holes.

Also: Lily Pad Toss

Toss balls into moving or stationary lily-pad targets.

Also: Derby, Horse racing games number bet

Roll balls to advance a horse on a track; first to finish wins or payouts are based on odds.

Also: Goldfish game, Ping-Pong Ball into Bowl

Toss ping-pong balls into bowls; sometimes historically offered live fish as prizes.

Swing a ball on a tether into a target cup or ring.

Also: Tin can alley, Can Smash

Knock down stacked tin cans with balls.

Also: Football toss in the tire or toilet seat

Throw footballs through a tight ring or seat-shaped opening.

A phrase used for certain pitch/spot joints; also appears as a named novelty game in some midway lists.

Players mark numbers/spots on a card or board; completing lines yields escalating prizes.

Drop coins through a pegged board; the coin bounces into slots for different payouts.

Also: Glass pitches, Glassware coin toss

Toss a coin onto glass shelves; it must land and stay without sliding off.

Also: Add a ball

A progressive game where players roll balls to light numbered positions; completing a pattern advances prizes or wins.

Also: Bank a ball

Bounce a ball off an angled surface into target cups or holes.

Also: Over and under seven

A dice-betting game where players wager whether the total will be under, over, or exactly seven.

Also: Lollipop joint, Candy game, Candy Pick

Pick a lollipop/stick; the hidden mark indicates prize tier.

Also: Birthday dice game

Players bet on months/colors/holidays; a die determines the result.

Also: Color game, Color wheel (gum/cigs), Color Block

Bet on colors/symbols; win gum, tickets, or prize credit.

Also: Softballs in the milk cans., Milk Can

Throw a softball into a narrow milk-can opening.

Also: 8 ball n quarter keep in the circle

A coin or token must land and remain inside a marked circular area (sometimes with an inner '8-ball' target).

Also: Mouse game, Rat game, Rat wheel, Rat Wheel (Race Wheel)

A small-animal race or wheel where outcomes determine winning bets or prize claims (format varies).

A betting game using a six-sided die marked with crowns/anchors; players wager on outcomes.

Also: African Dip

A now-condemned, racist carnival attraction that used a person as a target; later 'dip' variants became precursors to the dunk tank.

Also: Break a plate

Throw a ball to break a fragile plate or knock it from a stand.

Also: Punk Rack, Punk rack aka Down the Clown

Throw balls to knock clown-faced targets down and keep them down.

Also: crazy ball

Roll balls into scoring holes on a sloped, obstacle-filled board; the ball path can be unpredictable.

Also: Checker board dart, Checker board

Pop balloons in a checkerboard pattern-often requiring specific colors or full clear.

Also: Giant Plinko, Carnival Board

Drop a disc through a field of pegs; where it lands determines the prize.

Also: Bottle pull up, Bottle pull

Pull a bottle or tag via a mechanism (sometimes a ring on a string, sometimes a ticket pull) to reveal a win.

Roll balls along a spiral/curved track into scoring holes.

Also: Over the rail scissor bucket, Over the rail (Buckets)

Toss balls over a front rail into buckets or targets set behind it.

Also: Rope Ladder

Climb a free-swinging rope ladder to reach the top bell/flag without it tipping away.

Also: Cat rack with a G, 6 cat, Six cat, 9 cat, Original 9

Toss small balls to land in shallow cat-shaped holes; prizes scale by where the ball rests.

Also: Dime toss, Dime pitch, dime pitch bro, Nickel pitch, Quarter pitch

Toss a coin onto a board or glassware; success depends on landing within/over a mark or staying on a shelf.

Also: Pull the rope, String game

Choose a hanging string; one or few strings are tied to the prize, others to duds.

A buildup game using dice/blocks and a numbered layout; players chase a rare completion.

Also: Short Range, BB Gun Gallery

Shoot targets (often moving) with BB guns for points or knockdowns.

Also: Hit the dot, Cover the spot..

Place or toss a disc/coin to completely cover a small printed spot.

Also: Bottle up.

Using a ring on a string (often on a pole), stand a bottle upright or lift it into position without toppling.

Also: Bushel baskets

Toss balls into bushel baskets (often angled or moving) to win prizes.

Also: Whack a mold

Hit popping targets with a mallet to score points under a timer.

Also: Diggers, The cranes, crain game, Claw Machine

A mechanical claw attempts to grab and lift a prize from a pit.

Also: Balloon dart, Balloon pop

Pop balloons on a board using darts to win prizes.

Also: Ski ball

Roll balls up a ramp into scoring rings; meet score thresholds for prizes or tickets.

Also: Hook-a-duck

Players hook or pick floating ducks; a hidden number under the duck determines the prize.

Also: Milk Bottles, the way we ran them back in the day., Milk can game

Throw a ball to topple a pyramid of bottles/cans.

Also: Test Your Strength, Ring the Bell

Strike a lever pad with a mallet to send a puck up a tower and ring a bell.

Also: Clown dunk

Hit a target to trigger a seat release and dunk a person into a water tank.

Also: Free throw, Hoops

Shoot basketballs into a hoop for a prize, often requiring a set number of makes.

Also: Water race

Spray water into a target to inflate a balloon or push a marker; first to reach the end wins.