Arcade of Sonic Title Card
Even more arcade fun on page 2!
Even though they weren't ever that common, there were plenty of arcade machines for Sonic. Both pages are a mix of new and old. However, if there's something about these consoles, they seem rather hardy. Don't always rule out the older ones as being 'long gone'. For some reason, arcades/gaming areas can keep them around for quite some time. The area or country where each item is found is listed in it's description.
Sonic Arcade Page 1 * Arcade Sonic 3 * Arcade 4 * Arcade 5 * Arcade 6 * Arcade Locator * Sonic Gear Main
Sonic Spinner Arcade Game Wheel This is a Sonic Spinner Arcade Game.
It's Sonic Adventure 1 themed, and features all SA1 type art, including images of Sonic and Eggman on the console surface, and other characters on the sides of the primarily checkered machine. The objective is to stop the spinner on numbers to win points (and likely tickets) The big button in the center of the console triggers the machine, and the display will tell you your points. It makes Sonic sound effects as you play.

These machines are NOT exclusive to Australia. There is another one in an arcade at the Disney Contemporary Hotel (access via monorail thru bldg) in the USA on the grounds of that theme park. All the machines should be identical, and play in the same manner. This particular one is in Glenelg, an area in South Australia. Photo by: KrEid and sent by Skippy.

Sonic & Tails Spinner The first spinner was apparently so successful they gave it a sequel! This is the "Sonic & Tails Spinner", and naturally it is more elaborate than the first. However, it works exactly the same as the Sonic Spinner, only there is a second "Tails wheel" to stop.
You put a coin in (most machines only need 1 quarter to run) and both Sonic and Tails start spinning, in opposite directions. You press the Sonic button first to make him stop spinning, and the number on the outside ring that he is pointing to is the first multiplier. Then, the Tails button activates. Tails points to the numbers on the inside ring. Your ticket amount is Sonics' number multiplied by Tails' number. This game is usually a very easy way to win a lot of tickets fast.

"Attract Mode"- when nobody is playing. Plays "Twinkle Park" music. Some machines may not do this, depending on how the owner programmed it.
Insert coin- "checkpoint" sound from Sonic Adventure.

While wheels are spinning- loops part of "Twinkle Circuit" from Sonic Adventure.
Win more than 10 tickets, and one of these character voice clips plays.
Tails- "Yeah!" OR "You did it!"
Sonic- "Cool!" OR "You got it!"
Knuckles- "Yeah!"
Win less than 10 tickets- No voice, and a "gloomy" music clip plays. Probably from Sonic Adventure, but unconfirmed.
Win more than 100 tickets- Sonic Adventure "Level complete" music, and a character voice clip.
These machines are harder to find than the Sonic Spinner because Sega stopped making them in 2003. One of them is located at Playland Arcade on the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Disneyworlds' Contemperary Resort has been reported to have one as well., but it IS confirmed to have a Sonic Spinner.
Cabinet Art Close Up In the photos above, you could tell there was art on the cabinet. Here's a photo to show you exactly what's on it. The whole flat 'counter' part of the machines have the traditional Sonic Adventure 1 art on them, of each of the characters. Big, Eggman, Knuckles, E-102 Gamma, Amy Rose and even a Neutral Chao appear. Sonic and Tails are near the front, and also on the spinner buttons. On the buttons, the same graphic is used as is on the ReSaurus "stickers" that came with their action figures. Between the speakers is your score readout, and the little line under each button is the instructions. (Basically push Sonic first, push Tails second)
Chuck E Cheese Version Sonic Spinner Think this is the same Sonic spinner as seen above?
Time to take a closer look. The difference is actually right on the top. While the first spinner top is small and cut-out, this one is thick and rather square. It looks sturdier than the other version, and is likely to light up. It is common for the top of either machine to break off. It's also missing the arrow on the side, and may be a bit darker in color on the exterior of the 'wheel' part.
Chuck E Cheese Version Left *** International Version Right
With these two photos you can comapre the spinners. They should behave the same way and do identical effects. But what is a Chuck E. Cheese? It's an indoor arcade for little kids with classic (Like whack-a-mole etc) and new games as well as play slides and a pizza restauraunt. Chuck himself is a large mascot suit gray rat. In his pizza entertainment places there used to be animatronic animal bands who would put on a musical show, but now it is mostly games.
There is also a spinner in Hemsby England in 2009.
Regular International Sonic Spinner
Segasonic classic UFO catcher Two-Sided Sonic UFO machine Mini UFO Catcher UFO catchers are super popular in Japan. After all, a whole lot of those plushes over on the Japan Plush pages have to have a way for people to win them! Sega makes UFO catchers for both the USA and Japan. They don't always dispense Sonic things, but these sure do!
Eah of these UFO catchers is surprisingly pink! (but why) These are early-years machines, and as you can see they're full of little classic dolls. You can easily spot Eggman in the first and last machine. The middle seems to be double sided, with many small Sonic trinkets in the left side. You can see Sonic on every grab-door! With the speaker in the front, it looks like these are also likely musical or sound-related in some way.
On the white machine, the side posts are decorated with Sonic stock-arts and also the little animals that you free from inside Eggman's robots.
Sonic Super Rings Here is "Sonic Super Rings"
It's likely something like Sonic CanBall on the first page. A classic carnival game but with a Sonic theme. This could be at Joypolis. This is actually a scene from a show "Kekkon Dekinai Otoko" (The Man Who Can't Get Married / He Who Can't Marry) in episode 9, "So what if I have a girlfriend?!" You obviously throw rings (or something) to play it, as this girl is doing in the photo. A game with rings makes sense for Sonic themes! Screenshot & info obtained by: Juuni.
Sonic Pachinko Machine This is a Sonic Pachinko machine.
Pachinko machines originated in Japan as a form of semi-gambling. It's more like an arcade type or carnival type though instead of tickets you get little steel balls. You buy balls, load them into the machine, and then use a lever or button to fire the balls into the top part. Depending how it lands, you can win more balls which can then be exchanged for prizes.
The upper part of a pachinko is much like a pinball table. It's loaded with lights, sounds, animated things and bumpers for your little ball. You lose all control of the ball once you fire it (usually in an arc from the edge of the circle, where it then falls in a creative way) This machine is complex, with chaos emeralds to light up on your way to prizes. The 'push' button is probably what launches
(that or the silver widget on the side) and the green bin should be where the balls go. There are little ring graphics and a Sonic head on the play surface, but in the center is a video screen. This screen shows video-game-like animations and numbers depending on how you're doing. The machine even has a little plot, just like a mini-game! The case itself is surprisingly orange, but over-all is rather slick looking, a bit like a 'flame' theme.
You can see an animated opener, attempt to read a story (its in Japanese) and not translate the manufacturer's site (the words are nearly all pictures, defying online translation) if you click this link: http://www.sammy.co.jp/product/pachinko/sonic/index.html
Halloween UFO Catcher Joypolis This UFO catcher / Crane Game would be somewhat ordinary...
But it is decorated for Halloween! There's a wind-pumpkin on top (usually seen in front yards) and they've even changed the Sonic graphic at the top to have him running with an orange sky and black bats. The prizes below don't seem to be Sonic, so they're not shown. However, if you look carefully in the background, you can see SA1 style Sonic on a banner. This machine /decoration appeared in Japan's Joypolis arcade.
Photo discovered by knuxtaben
Sonic Arcade Machine Mystery Coin Machine Decks Top of Sega Machine LED Display Arcade Numbers Machine Front
All photos in this area discovered by Rae_Logan
Arcade Sonic Face Stars Coin
What is this mysterious machine called? It's clearly an arcade machine of some kind, and has to do with getting the numbers right on the deck. Each row is assigned a number of rings and has a picture in the middle of a badnik or an item. On each side are red lights. The directions are too small to read. The side has some Stock art as well as a picture of the coin that fits into it (seen at right) The top features the logo to Sonic 1, backlit, and a scrolling LED screen.
Info provided by ToadTitan
LED detail close up coin machine You played by inserting your token into the coin slot. The coin rolls down the playfeild untill it stops at the back end.
When it stops the lights will stop on whatever Badnick/Robotnik light it's currently on. Each spot has a specific number on it (They're all diffrent numbers, if memory recalls.) and the machine will give out however many tickets the light is on. (For example, if it's on a Crabmeat with a 7 on it, you get 7 tickets.) I also remember the Robotnik spots being the smallest amount, with Robotnik himself (The other Robotnik spots were positions below his Checker ball Mech) being the highest amount. This machine was playable at Chuck E Cheese in the USA.

The LED screen on this machine scrolls words like "Sonic" and "Sega" but it also featured a simple animated Sonic who would run past the logo, then up close to the 'screen' & look left and right. In the photo at left, you can see a close up of the eyes. This machine can still be seen in a Youngstown Ohio roller rink in 2011. Info & LED photo provided by Torgetsu Kon

Sonic theme UFO Claw machine in Joypolis
These pink UFO machines are in Joypolis arcade area in Japan. Some have Sonic themes on the exterior only and different toys inside (at left) others are full of Sonic plushes too. The sticker says "1 play 100 yen, 6 play 500 yen" on the one to the right. The plushes in the right-side machine all look pretty nice and good quality! Really an incentive to try and win one if you go. Photos by the honeymooners. Sonic plushes in a UFO Catcher
Sonic Change Machine with Cream This may not be a playable machine, but it is a staple in many arcades. This machine turns bills into coins for you so you can play the games. The machine is interesting though, because it features only Sonic, Cream and Cheese. (when usually a character like Tails, Knuckles or Shadow would be used instead) This makes for an interesting presentation on the yellow background. This machine is in Club Sega arcade in Akihabara Japan,. Photo discovered by Sonikku.