Is Pinball on the comeback?

3

3CATSAILOR

Well-Known Member
Is pinball making a comeback?

At one point pinball was associated with gambling. Despite facing severe obstacles, such as being outlawed in cities such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles until 1977, pinball and the arcade gaming culture are experiencing a comeback and resurgence in popularity. Pinball is experiencing a huge resurgence not only in North America but globally.Jul 6, 2022. In addition, an article in the Washington Post. More recent articles state that the lockdowns with Covid has put a substantial hurt on pinballs. Enough that it may spell the demise for them. However, a local guy has had a pinball league going in the basement of his house for some time now. Hopefully it continues.
 
eric14

eric14

Member
Back in North Texas there were several places where you could experience pinball - one at Collin Creek Mall and this regional chain known as "Free Play" in Fort Worth, Arlington, and Rowlett had pinball machines. They were mainly the new ones though, which had so much talking and movie clips.

I prefer the old old old pinball tables that were from the 1950s to the late 70s. Couple good examples being Knock Out by Gottlieb and Gorgar from Williams. The 80s had some good ones like Haunted House and Mousin' Around, but I always liked my pinball machines sounding like percussion ensembles with all the clacks and glockenspiel-like solos instead of bloops and bleeps or talking.

I'd build a pinball machine library but there's no room for that. Got some old pinball pc games from the 90s like Slam Tilt and Microsoft Pinball Arcade to hold me over on that instead.
 
glhs837

glhs837

Power with Control
Loved me some pinball back when. The arcade shack on the campground beach had about 5-6 of them. Me and one kid in particular were both damn good. He was just that tiny bit better, damn him :) Still think of him when "Pinball Wizard" plays. We each had one machine we had mastered. To where we would rack up a lot of games and then sell them. Funded a lot of my snacks two summers. Did the same with pre-ruined Asteroids. I would have ships lined up across the screen, and sell them four ships four a quarter. :)
 
Grumpy

Grumpy

Well-Known Member
Had 2 Gottliebs that I sold about 10 yrs ago..Quick Draw and Rack-a-ball. Think I got about 900 for both
 
eric14

eric14

Member
glhs837 said:
Loved me some pinball back when. The arcade shack on the campground beach had about 5-6 of them. Me and one kid in particular were both damn good. He was just that tiny bit better, damn him :) Still think of him when "Pinball Wizard" plays. We each had one machine we had mastered. To where we would rack up a lot of games and then sell them. Funded a lot of my snacks two summers. Did the same with pre-ruined Asteroids. I would have ships lined up across the screen, and sell them four ships four a quarter. :)
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The 90s pinball machines went up to being "try-hard" in mechanics and everything. Pinball hasn't been the same since. I'd gladly play a nearly 50 year old Aladdin's Castle pinball machine over Funhouse or Tee'd Off but having mechanics like multiball and/or lower playfields are first class.
 
glhs837

glhs837

Power with Control
eric14 said:
The 90s pinball machines went up to being "try-hard" in mechanics and everything. Pinball hasn't been the same since. I'd gladly play a nearly 50 year old Aladdin's Castle pinball machine over Funhouse or Tee'd Off but having mechanics like multiball and/or lower playfields are first class.
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Yeah the machines I played on I assume we're late 60s early '70s models. I was playing them 78 79 to 81.
 
3

3CATSAILOR

Well-Known Member
3CATSAILOR said:
Is pinball making a comeback?

At one point pinball was associated with gambling. Despite facing severe obstacles, such as being outlawed in cities such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles until 1977, pinball and the arcade gaming culture are experiencing a comeback and resurgence in popularity. Pinball is experiencing a huge resurgence not only in North America but globally.Jul 6, 2022. In addition, an article in the Washington Post. More recent articles state that the lockdowns with Covid has put a substantial hurt on pinballs. Enough that it may spell the demise for them. However, a local guy has had a pinball league going in the basement of his house for some time now. Hopefully it continues.
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I believe there are some pinball machines left in Southern Maryland. But, not many.
 
ski357

ski357

Member
Who around here is running a league? Not aware of any pinball on location in Charles and Calvert has one in Chesapeake Beach, IIRCC. St. Mary's has several on location. Some places even have multiple machines on location. Ledos in Charlotte Hall has Madolorian and Godzilla (modern 2020s games). Hole in the Wall has a 2000s Stern Indiana Jones. Taphouse has a couple of modern Sterns. ABC and the Green Door each have a machine. The largest concentration though, is the new movie theater with five machines. It's mostly modern Sterns, but they do have a 1986 Gottlieb Gold Wings-aka "Top Gun". They also just started a Wednesday night pinball league. 6pm registration, 630 start.
 
GregV814

GregV814

Well-Known Member
Pinball machine memories:

Pimple face adolescents hanging out in bowling alleys, pockets full of quarters, balancing lit cigarettes on the glass top machines, hoping not to "tilt".... Me, in a snapshot.
 
spr1975wshs

spr1975wshs

Mostly settled in...
Ad Free Experience
Patron
Space Race, my favorite Bally machine, which was in the snack bar of the college I went to from 75 - 79.
1676658357798.png
 
3

3CATSAILOR

Well-Known Member
ski357 said:
Who around here is running a league? Not aware of any pinball on location in Charles and Calvert has one in Chesapeake Beach, IIRCC. St. Mary's has several on location. Some places even have multiple machines on location. Ledos in Charlotte Hall has Madolorian and Godzilla (modern 2020s games). Hole in the Wall has a 2000s Stern Indiana Jones. Taphouse has a couple of modern Sterns. ABC and the Green Door each have a machine. The largest concentration though, is the new movie theater with five machines. It's mostly modern Sterns, but they do have a 1986 Gottlieb Gold Wings-aka "Top Gun". They also just started a Wednesday night pinball league. 6pm registration, 630 start.
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There used to be a sign at the Green Door to the left of the pinball machine about a guy who was opening a league in the southern part of the County to pinball enthusiasts. He has quite a few pinball machines in his basement. He invited like minded pinball enthusiasts to join the league. He used to hang out there, particularly on weekends as well.
 
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