Meta:CR Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer: Princess Suzune and the Tower of Slumber Machine Overview
Marchine Overview for Pachinko CR Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer: Princess Suzune and the Tower of Slumber
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Power
Tower of Slumber machines are powered on by a rocker switch located in the top left corner of the machine; the top right if viewed from the back. When played at home, players are likely to reach over the top of the machine to turn it on; however, in parlors or if the user at home has a cabinet, the machine would likely be opened up to access the power.
For at-home use, the machines require a transformer. These are usually connected to the stabilization plate or the machine's frame.
A power supply obtained from "Modern Pachinko" in the United States, using a plug to connect to the machine.
A power supply obtained along with the machine from a Japanese player at auction, where wires are connected via wire caps, heat shrink tubing, and possibly soldering.
Keys
When a key is inserted into the key slot located on the right side of the machine, the player can turn it left to open the door and access the playfield, or turn it right to open the top section of the machine and pull it out of the frame. Outside of maintenance, the only need to turn the key right would be to turn the machine on if inserted into a cabinet. If the door is opened while the machine is powered on, an obnoxious Japanese voice will chant to alert attendants, ignoring the current volume setting of the machine. The LEDs will also flash in an effort to draw attention to the machine.
Door keys.
Key in Door.
Volumne
Machine volume is controlled via a knob on the back of the machine. It ranges from 0, which is off, followed by 1 - 10 or in other words; "There's off, loud, and really loud.[1] The max volume of 10 is tantamount to audio assault, while 1 is the most tolerable for at-home play, it's still exceptionally loud. Players in Japan modify the audio on their machines to offer a finer control over the audio.
| Unmodified volume knob. | Modded machine volume knobs. |
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| Unmodified audio wiring. | Modified audio wiring. |
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The previously shown volume knobs were housed in the ball hopper, however, another popular place (as seen on 2 different machines) is a metal box on the left side of the machine when viewed from the back. The aforementioned machine was modified to be cyclical, meaning it recycles the same 25~ balls and doesn't pay out jackpots. Players may choose this alternate location if they desire to play the machine normally.
An alternate location for volume knobs.
Dongles
In Japanese parlors, machines are hooked up to the Parlor's system. At home, players have to use custom dongles to emulate the parlor experience. Japanese players tend to use a "dongle" as it's called to bypass the parlor check. While many Western players also use or receive these when importing machines from Japan or Taiwan, some players also opt to purchase 'Pinball Dave's' "Card Reader Emulator" which functions in a way that allows players to add points to the machine, and dump balls from the hopper. Additionally, an extension can be purchased along with custom cards to retain points for a more authentic parlor experience.[2]
Many players in Japan appear to use their machines for live streaming purposes, in which case they're often modified to be cyclical, and if possible, an auto-play controller is hooked up anyway. As such, their dongles tend to do the bare minimum, as they could also go to an actual parlor for the authentic experience.
| Japanese dongle. | Western dongle. |
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Pinball Dave's "Card Reader Emulator".
Bootup
Bootup of an unmodified machine with a "Card Reader Emulator" allows the player to self-award points to redeem for 25 pachinko balls, which are then fired using the ball shooter located on the right side of the machine. A machine with an auto-play controller will queue up with slot spins in accordance with the speed set by the player.
Pachinko Balls
The standard-issue ball hopper can hold 3 - 500 pachinko balls which is hardly enough for standard gameplay. Players often devise methods to increase their ball hopper size, and use both Japanese ball lifters as well as homemade ball lifters to recycle pachinko balls from the ball dump chute.
Ball hopper expansion using a frame.
Ball hopper expansion using a tub, 3D printed guide with a ball lifter hose.
The ball hopper can be emptied by switching a white plastic lever on the back of the machine.
Losing balls fall through the ball dump chute into a tray, or into a ball lifter, where they're recycled by the machine.
The machine features two ball feed slots. One is presumably for prize balls, and the other for the front ball tray, when players request more balls.
Ball Management
Prize balls are dumped into the main hopper, where they can be fired. Cyclical machines will recycle balls and return them to the main hopper. The main hopper tends to get clogged and needs to be emptied into the secondary hopper. From there, they can be emptied into a tray. In parlors, trays would be set aside to cash out later, while at home, players either use them for their "parlors", or simply empty them back into the machine.
Japanese players seem to prefer to mod their machines to be cyclical or hook up auto-play controllers, while international players have created various aftermarket ball lifters, or imported Japanese ball lifters at great expense.
One aftermarket producer of ball lifters is Doctor Pachi, who produces 3D printed ball lifters in two models.[3][4] The Doctor Pachi Ascender catches the balls from the ball dump on a tray and feeds them into a PEX A Tubing, a flexible pipe that's bent using a 3D printed part to return the balls to the top hopper.
A Halloween-themed Doctor Pachi Ascender catches the balls.
The Pex A pipe fills with pachinko balls, and deposits them back into the hopper as new balls are pushed through.
Side view of a Tower of Slumber machine with a Doctor Pachi ascender.
Full view of a Doctor Pachi ascender setup.
Controls
| Ball shooter. | Controls. |
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The next section will go into more detail about gameplay.
The button on the left side of the controller allows the player to fire a single pachinko ball at a time.
During gameplay, players may be instructed to hit the "Push" button. Such as during the "Weapon Select" event while fighting a boss.
During gameplay, the player may need to press the directional pad when chasing a Thiefwalrus.
| Auto-play controller. | Controls. |
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Cyclical machines recycle the same 25~ balls and don't payout during jackpots. In the case of machines with auto-play controllers, even those 25 balls aren't necessary, and the player can set the speed at which the machine generates slot spins. Some controllers use a wireless remote instead of buttons on the box.
Auto-play controllers replace the plugs of the original machine to emulate payouts.
One wire is removed from its plug, and replaced with one from the controller. The wire is then inserted into a plug for the controller.
Normal ball Shooter wiring.
The bottom of an auto-play controller featuring a sticker that says "Shiren the Wanderer" in Japanese.
Playfield
| FPF - 1/399 odds ver. | FPW - 1/00 odds ver. |
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The playfield is a large circular shape with different themes for each of the 4 machines. Players fire pachinko balls using the ball shooter, intending to pass the top left flap and clink down the playfield to the center pocket. When a ball makes it into the center pocket, they're awarded 3 prize balls and are given a pseudo-slot spin.
Tower of Slumber left playfield.
Pachinko balls may fall into the hidden left pocket.
Balls that fall into the hidden left pocket will fall into the center attraction.
Pachinko balls may fall into the left pay pockets and award a large number of prize balls.
The goal is for pachinko balls to fall into the center pay pocket, which awards prize balls.
Losing balls fall through a hole in the front center of the machine and fall out the ball dump chute.
During certain gameplay events, the player is instructed to fire pachinko balls to the right side of the playfield. The Wanderer Rush pay pocket, the Shiren the Wanderer pay pocket, and the center pay pocket open up to allow more balls to win, leading to easier slot spins during key moments of gameplay.
Pay pockets on the right side of the machine.
The Shiren the Wanderer pay pocket.
The Shiren the Wanderer pay pocket open.
The Wanderer Rush Pay Pocket.
The center pocket open.
See Also
| Pachinko CR Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer: Princess Suzune and the Tower of Slumber - Meta
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| Editions • Machine Overview |