This idea in general would of course take a huge amount of time and resources to design, but I like to dream big. Frequently. So let's have fun with this - mini games have a lot of potential to be very entertaining and a great quick pass time. Wait what, mini games? I've seen significant desire for mini games. This idea will tie in a lot of things and be a great way to have 'em. I think!

The way the prize wheel works now, it discourages the use of pickups - people would much rather hoard 3333 pickups (since the wheel can give a pickup if you don't, and won't if you do) and get a few cr than use these cool items in the field, even though it's not actually that much money... it's still a powerful bias. I'd like to see more barriers busted, more vials vandalising our foes. The devs worked hard on these mechanics, let's see them used. Let's make something really cool to replace the prize wheel. This could possibly tie in to the Arcade redux.

Replace the Prize Wheel with a Dispenser animation. This "dispenser" will poof a new token, called a "Clockworks Coin," into your inventory as long as you get onto the elevator alive. The dispenser could look like churning gears, a statue with a mouth, doesn't really matter. You can get more tokens per elevator trip depending on certain conditions, or just one (longer version of this idea has details if people are interested). The Clockworks Coin could look something like this. It's round like the Krogmo token. Of course, the animation of receiving these coins would be very impressive, and replace the whirling prize wheel visuals we currently have.

These Clockworks Coins could be used to play a round of one of the new mini games accessed in the Arcade district of Haven. Probably that very empty corner. Put in a nice counter with flashing panels that, when interacted with, brings up a menu of available mini games. Reminiscent of Chuck E. Cheese's and other "arcade" venues irl, players use their Clockwork Coins to play these games and earn random prizes. But you get prizes right away, instead of chains of tickets :P. As long as we keep the idea that the Arcade isn't just these games, and involves those Gates as well, I think they could fit in. Each game has more and more difficult versions (either reaction time or diluted odds of winning). Streaking wins makes better prizes even more likely. A loss resets the streak - a streak in one game type has no bearing on your streaks in others.

Prizes include crowns, materials, and lockboxes, just like the Prize Wheel. Other prizes like rarities, UV tickets, and Surprise Boxes could be in the pool. I'd certainly like to see these!

It is safe to assume that when you stick a coin into the slots of these machines, they return to the elevator system to be found and used again. This area could possibly accept krogmo coins as well, joining pvp and pve rewards in an area of fun. Hence the round design of the Clockworks Coin, instead of a hexagon like other tokens.

The entire elevator prize system could be tied in to lore. The architects of the Clockworks (possibly The Sleeper and/or a complex AI algorithm) designed the system to reward adventurers with something to be appreciated, to do with mostly as they wish, so long as it's returned and balance is understood (knights decided to make games) - encouraging brave wanderers to explore this world, and hopefully learn to love and appreciate it, eventually protecting it. Only the luckiest, smartest, bravest knights are worthy! I've always wondered about the true roots of the prize wheel anyway. Like why...? Anyway, some mini game ideas:

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-Classic Slot Machines. Random version, or timer version - press attack to try and line those pictures up or let it complete on its own. More difficult versions have more columns to line up and spin faster. This could be the only mini game for a while for all I care, it's basically the prize wheel, just on your own time, without hearts and pickups.

-Gear Spin - pick a game icon (fire stratum icon, construct icon, etc). If the indicator lands on that icon after the gear stops spinning, you win a prize. More difficult versions have more icons to choose from, and more ??? slots so you can't tell which icon is the most likely and therefore best to choose.

-Watch the Wilds! A wolver will bark at you, then shuffle back into a line of waiting wolvers, who will all warp around quickly and then stop and watch you. Which one barked at you? They all look the same! More difficult levels have more wolvers that warp around more quickly, eventually so quickly (true warping) that your guesses will be largely random. This is like that cup game.

-Feed the Sprite: this uses whatever sprite you have equipped. Move arrow keys to make it line up with its favorite mineral munchy. Don't feed it something it doesn't prefer or miss any food it likes! It will make an upset face. Nooooo! More difficult versions have the food falling very quickly. If you don't have a sprite equipped, it will just use a random sprite pet, random tier appearance. You should still know which food a given sprite likes! Yes, even star levels of the sprite food make a difference here. Catch 5 of the ones it likes to win. Catching ones it doesn't like, or missing ones it does like, negates any you have caught already, once this count hits -1, you lose.

-Trivia: Match up cards of enemies and stratum theme icons. The game will ask "what is this monster weak to?" etc. and show a large picture card of, say, a Spookat, and you'd click the smaller elemental symbol card. Make sure you understand what's being asked for! It might ask what monster family it is and so on, or what non-normal dmg type it deals. Harder versions have more cards to choose from, and you have less time to complete the task (but always enough time to bloody read the question - it will show you the question, while hiding the possible answers and monster pic, then reveal them shortly, then the timer starts). Click the right one to win, click the wrong one to lose.
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And lots of potential for many other games - I'd like to see what you guys come up with. I'd like to keep them SK related and fun for all ages.

For this thread, I'd like to keep it organized - so +/-1 these options:

1) Just fix the prize wheel pool. Take hearts and pickups out of it. Mini games don't really have a place in spiral knights, we are supposed to make ourselves better via combat in the field and against each other, and remember what we've learned from said combat.

2) Replace the prize wheel with a dispenser that gives a token we can use later in a slot machine that spins like the prize wheel, but is more amusing and possibly controlled by reaction time to line up the columns.

3) totally add as many mini games as possible in relation to the new token (entire idea).

4) whatever, mini games please. I don't care about the token/prize wheel issue.