The Secrets of Amusement Park Games... Revealed! [Paperback]

Brian Richardson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0966965914 | ISBN-13: 978-0966965919 | Publication Date: May 1, 2002 | Edition: 2nd

Impress Your Girlfriend or Wife!! Dazzle Your Children/ Grandchildren! Be 'THE MAN' to Your Peers!!!

Tired of seeing some OTHER guy win the big stuffed animal? Fed up with winning little trinkets while Joe Blow needs a wheelbarrow to lug home his prizes? Brian Richardson, an Expert on amusement park, fair, and carnival games and self professed 'Amusement Park and Carnival Addict' has put together this book to make YOU into the master of the midway!

Included are these provocative chapters on:

Milkcan Softball Toss

Golfball Roll Race Game

BB Gun Red Star Shootout

Curly Bar Ring Guide (Wacky Wire)

Games I Personally Avoid!

...AND MUCH MORE!!

This year alone, there will be an estimated 240 million people attending amusement parks, state fairs, and local carnivals throughout the United States! You will probably see these same games for the the next thirteen years! Discover the secrets and win!

Editorial Reviews

Review

...delightful mini-book -- NEWSWEEK Magazine, July 8, 2002

From the Publisher

In its Second Edition, 'The Secrets of Amusement Park Games ...Revealed!" continues to break ground in giving the 240 million amusement park going population numerous tips, tricks, and methods to help finally win that big stuffed animal! Below are just a handful of the many things that you will learn after reading this book!

-The 'Magic Move' in the wacky wire game that gives the player that extra split second necessary to get the ring to the bottom.

-A simple test for left eye - right eye dominance that means a world of difference in winning in one particular game seen at carnivals, state fairs, and amusement parks.

-Most people approach the Milkcan Softball toss with no idea how to win but to 'toss and hope.' Learn Brian's one MAJOR tip to help increase your chances of winning.

-There's nothing to the Golf Ball Roll Race Game, right? Just roll your ball up and hope it lands in the red colored hole for 'three hops' right? WRONG! Learn a whole new way to approach this game and win -fair and square.

-There are some games that the author avoids. Through research, the author has found out that there are even some state organizations that have written documentation that prevents these games from appearing in their state fairs and carnivals.

Although this book is small (85 pages), it is CHOCK FULL of good, solid, common sense information that will help you approach these games with a fresh frame of reference! On top of that, the author writes in a refreshingly funny manner that will keep one entertained as well as informed. As a special added bonus Brian Richardson, a member of the American Coaster Enthusiasts, has included a countdown of his 'Top 10 Wooden and Steel Roller coasters in America' list. (Guess who the author believes has the #1 roller coaster?) All in all, this book is a fascinating, enjoyable, and eye-opening read!

(Note: If the availability section for this book reads, 'Availability: Usually ships within 8 to 14 days', it means that we've gone back to press -speedily and expeditiously publishing thousands of books to meet demand. Yes, you can still order knowing that you will receive a copy! Thank you for your patience!)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 85 pages
• Publisher: Silver Star Pub; 2nd edition (May 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966965914
• ISBN-13: 978-0966965919
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,715,504 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How to show off for your date, July 22, 2002

By 

Joseph Haschka (Glendale, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Secrets of Amusement Park Games... Revealed! (Paperback)

I'm not sure why I purchased THE SECRETS OF AMUSEMENT PARK GAMES ... REVEALED. Perhaps it's my obsessive craving for profound knowledge. Perhaps it's because on those very rare occasions when I visit the annual Los Angeles County Fair, I steer clear of the games and beeline for the junk food. (Once a long time ago, I tried to show off to my then fiancée at an amusement park shooting booth and failed miserably. We eventually married, but she refuses to call me "Bwana". Perhaps this book will give me an edge for a major comeback in spousal respect.)

SECRETS will likely appeal to a very narrow niche market. I'm probably not a legitimate occupier of that cranny, but am giving the volume the benefit of the doubt with 4 stars anyway. (At my level of carny involvement, 5 seems cheeky.) Author Brian Richardson seems to know what he's talking about as he advises the reader on how to increase the odds of winning at the Milk Can Softball Toss, the Peach Basket Softball Toss, the BB Gun Star Shootout, the Ring Toss, the Sign Ball Bounce Off, the Curly Bar Ring Guide, the Basketball Shoot, and several others. In the Ring Toss, for instance, is it better to go with a throw of high or low arc, and is it done overhand or underhand? Brian instructs. A nice touch on the first page is an impressive photo of (apparently) all the stuffed animals the author has won using his tried and true techniques. Richardson also includes two chapters on the games he personally avoids, and the Top Ten steel and wooden roller coasters in America.

Brian has obviously had a lot of fun gathering the material for this little paperback - 85 pages in a 4 x 6.5 inch format. Would that we could all be so clever with our free-time diversions.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Paid for itself on the first stuffed animal, July 21, 2002

By 

Kevin H. Nalty (Doylestown, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secrets of Amusement Park Games... Revealed! (Paperback)

Talk about timing. The book I ordered weeks ago arrived today, as we coincidentally decided to go our first carnival of the summer. Using the trick I learned an hour earlier, I tossed the ball into the milk jug and... swoosh... it went in. So did the next three, and my 3-year-old daughter beamed as she picked out a teddy bear from the top shelf. The bear will be in the garage sale next summer, but the experience is a keeper.

You could fit the learnings from this book on an index card, but it makes for a fun experience and easily covered the small cover and shipping price.

-Kevin

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Guy Who Never Won Anything...Until Now!, June 16, 2003

By 

M. Baughman (Akron, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Secrets of Amusement Park Games... Revealed! (Paperback)

I'm one of those guys who always stood in the back watching all those other guys win AWESOME prizes for their girlfriends...until now!

I just recently aquired the book "The Secrets of Amement Park Games...Revealed!" (I figured, "Heck a chance at winning for $4 I might as well give it a shot.") Shortly after reading the book I took my girlfriend up to an Indoor Amusement Park in Ohio. As I was walking around the park I came acrose that BB gan game, and me having read that great Secrets of Amusement Park book I thought, "Well let's see if this book really knows what it's talking about." I'm one who doesn't believe in sucess books so imagine my doubt...

It was my first time playing this game, because I have NEVER seen anyone win this, but the prizes were BIG! $2 a try for one big prize and $5 a try would win you a Playstation. I told the guy I have never tried it (bla blah blah) and he just told me to shoot out the star. Well, since I knew what the book said to do, and I did EXACTLY what it said...A couple minutes later the star fell out!! I was in shock and looked at my girlfried and she looked at me, and then I asked the guy, "Did I win?"

He said, "You tell me?"

I looked at the paper and said, "It looks good!" He called the boss over and showed it to him. He held it up with another paper behind it and sure enough I WON!!!! They hung my paper up with my name and gave me the Playstation...all for ONLY $5!! I couldn't believe it, my first time playing, and I WON!!! We won 4 other HUGE stuffed animals that night doing what the book told us!

The rest of the summers now I spend going to amusement parks with my girlfriend (who is now my WIFE) winning GREAT prizes and making all the other guys looking bad!! And all because of very well written book for $4.

The author, Brian, rights the book just like he is talking to you and is very easy to understand. A MUST for anyone going to an amusement park and wants to walk away a HERO!!

PS- I'm going to go play my playstation now!!