At the dawn of a New Year, Key Master departs Gem Spa; finger-pointing and fortune-telling ensue

On Wednesday afternoon, we happily watched workers cart away that crappy Key Master — a so-called "prize merchandising game" — from outside Gem Spa on Second Avenue at St. Mark's Place…





Since arriving 15 months ago, Key Master has stolen taken business away from NYC favorite Zoltar … sparking an ugly turf war in the process.

So few people were upset, in the opinion of this blogger, when Key Master got wrapped up in Home Depot-branded plastic in recent weeks.

As of our press time, there wasn't any word from Gem Spa officials on what might be next here … or if a Zoltar associate purposefully broke Key Master.

Anyway, a BIG story to watch here in 2015…



Previously on EV Grieve:
Gem Spa stunner: Zoltar now has Key Master competition; doomsday predicted

Cause for rethinking last-minute gift ideas as Key Master remains wrapped outside Gem Spa

Cause for rethinking last-minute gift ideas as Key Master remains wrapped outside Gem Spa

On Monday, Derek Berg noted that the 15-month-old Key Master, a so-called "prize merchandising game" outside Gem Spa, was out of commission. Basically dead, wrapped in (Home Depot) plastic.

Two days later, not much has changed here on Second Avenue at St. Mark's Place.



So anyone looking to compete for, and win, prizes such as Macy's Gift Cards, iPods (????) and iPod Minis (????) will have to look elsewhere.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Gem Spa stunner: Zoltar now has Key Master competition; doomsday predicted

Zoltar feels the cold shoulder of the Key Master

See?

Outside Gem Spa on Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

Photo by Hugh Burckhardt, who does an excellent job of documenting the neighborhood from his blog More Than Usual.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Gem Spa stunner: Zoltar now has Key Master competition; doomsday predicted

Gem Spa stunner: Zoltar now has Key Master competition; doomsday predicted

In a sad and shocking power play that has reverberated throughout the neighborhood, Zoltar now has a game-of-chance companion in the form of Key Blaster outside Gem Spa.



Stunned passersby were naturally stunned to see that Zoltar was no longer the only game in town, or at least here on Second Avenue at St. Mark's Place.

"This is like really fucked up and stuff," said EVG reader Jim, who asked that his first name not be used in association with this post mostly because he was swearing. "First, they put the Lottery thing [Play Center] next to Zoltar. Then there is the display of like those Kardashian mags Us Weekly and OK! Are they purposefully trying to take away business from Zoltar?"

As for Key Master, a so-called "prize merchandising game," contestants compete to win such prizes as Macy's Gift Cards, iPhones, iPods [Ed note: Do they still make these?] and iPod Minis [Ed note: Do they still make these?].



You may also win presumably real $100 bills [Ed note: Do they still make these?] ... which might be a bad idea to have on display considering what some roughnecks with skateboards have done here in the past...



In case you've never been on a cruise ship, here's how Key Master works: You use a joystick for horizontal movement and a large button for the vertical alignment. Then! You manipulate a "key" so that it lines up perfectly with a "lock" holding a prize. If you successfully guide the key into the lock, then you win the prize. (OK, I just totally lifted that from this fellow's blog.)

A tutorial. (God, whatever you do — turn down the volume!)



Takeaway: Key Master is dumb! Long live Zoltar!