About 100 yen games

It started with a claw machine at the mall

In the summer of 2026, my six-year-old daughter fell in love with claw machines.

“One more go!”
“Can we go back to the mall?”

I heard those requests almost every day. But as many parents know, a claw machine can work through your spare change surprisingly quickly.

So I thought: why not make a little claw-machine game she could play on her iPad at home?

I put one together and let her try it. It was a much bigger hit than I expected.

No ads, and Dad gets his phone back

My daughter was already a little gamer, borrowing my phone to play puzzles, Reversi and Sudoku.

The ads were the tricky part. A few wouldn’t bother me, but some weren’t things I wanted my child to see. There is a theory that Dad’s browsing habits were partly to blame.

Occasionally, I’d also discover an unfamiliar app had been downloaded. I wanted her to be able to enjoy a game without those distractions.

Then there was the familiar holiday request: “Dad, can I borrow your phone?”

Dad needs his phone too—for work, looking things up and, admittedly, his own games and comics.

Her own iPad seemed like the answer. But it was Wi-Fi only, so a game that needed a constant internet connection wouldn’t do.

No ads, her own device, and something she could load before a trip and play offline. That was the kind of game our family needed.

Dinosaurs for her little brother

Of course, when her three-year-old brother saw her having fun, he wanted a turn too.

He loves dinosaurs. Really loves dinosaurs.

So I made a dinosaur claw-machine game, and he happily got to work collecting dinosaurs every day.

Seeing my children enjoy something I’d made was a lovely feeling as a dad.

It made me want to make a little more.

Meet our game planner

I asked my daughter:

“Are there any other games you’d like me to make?”

“Lots!”

She brought over some paper and started drawing, talking me through one idea after another.

“I want to play something like this.”
“And this bit should work like that.”

Apparently, I now had a game planner.

Our daughter and son imagine what they’d like to play, and Dad tries to turn those ideas into games.

A few things that help the parents, too

Even when a game is fun, we don’t want playtime to go on forever. So I added a daily play limit.

But some days—a long journey, for example—you might be happy to allow a few more turns. Parents can adjust the limit for those days.

Because the children share an iPad, I also gave them separate records under their own nicknames. Each can have a collection without needing to register an account.

I don’t believe children should experience games where paying money gets them the prizes they want or gives them an advantage. I want them to try for themselves, find a different approach when things don’t work, and try again. I want children to value that process.

That’s why there’s no way to buy prizes or an advantage on this site. I want children to enjoy playing, and parents to have time to watch them play without worrying about in-game spending.

The games are free. Adults can choose to support the site, but support never changes the prizes, chances of a successful grab or number of plays.

A little pocket-money treat

These games began as something for my own children. I shared them as 100 yen games in the hope that other families might enjoy them too.

In Japan, there are inexpensive little sweets called dagashi. They’re simple treats, often bought with pocket money.

That’s the spirit behind this site.

We’re not setting out to make something especially wholesome or educational. Just something easy to enjoy for a little while—the sort of thing a parent might look at and say, “Sure, a little of that is fine.”

That’s what the name “100 yen” means to us. It doesn’t mean you pay ¥100 for each play.

We hope these games bring a little extra fun to your family’s day.

Our team

Game ideas: our daughter and son
They’re never short of suggestions for what they’d like to play.

Game development: Dad
I take their ideas and turn them into something they can try.

Auditor: Mom
Every family project needs one.

Respecting creative work

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We’ll review the information and consider any changes needed, including updating or removing the content.

Who runs the site

100 yen games is operated by Yamaguzzi LLC.

If you have a question or something you’d like to share, you’re welcome to get in touch through our contact form.