Pinball in TV?
 

Is pinball available anywhere in TV? Considering how popular it was for our generation, I’m surprised it’s not...or at least I’m not aware of any.

(And I know in the pandemic, things you have to touch to play are not a good idea. But my question stands just for fun, discussion, and future reference. :) )

Pinball
 

The only machines I have seen are in people's homes.

I asked about this a while back and I was surprised at how many people have one (or more) in their house / garage. It would be really awesome to have them all together at a place where we could all enjoy them! Maybe a pinball club???

I've got 6 in my house if you want to play. Got Quarters?????? ;)

In leesburg there is a bowling alley arcade in the old sears mall. They have about 5 of the newest Stern games.

p.s. I do repairs if anyone needs...especially on old EM games

IMHO the older the machine, the better!

I wonder if Warren Buffet has any pinball machines sitting around somewhere. How 17-Year-Old Warren Buffett Created A "Pinball Empire" From $25?

pinball
 

a club sounds good, there should be a room somewhere in the villages dedicated for pinball machines.
the PINBALL WIZARD comes back to life.....Im in:pray:

I will ask the Wizard.

Probably a dumb question, but is there any actual skill involved with these machines?
I remember blokes playing them for hours, like they had some form of addiction.
I never really took to them, or even saw the point of them.

“our generation“? Makes me chuckle when I see this on TOTV. I’m sure there is more than one generation using this site.

I think there is a room for pinball machines in the newest rec center...the one for first responders. I don't know the name of the rec center, but I remember reading about it in the Daily Sun. Not sure if it is open yet, and I don't think it is only for first responders. check in the district website

Big Ben was my favorite - played it at uni in the 70's and missed several lectures because I couldn't bear leaving with replays on it

I have an Elton John pinball machine, but it is in VA. Love the older machines.

I'd love to see a Galaga machine in one of the bowling alleys!

First Responders Rec Center
 

As another poster commented, the new Rec Center going up in the north, which is called The First Responders Rec. Center, has a space set out for arcade games. I don't think they have settled on what this mean exactly, pinball or video arcades. Give your thoughts to John Rohan who heads up the Recreation Department. I too would like something like this, and I too am of "your generation" and played quite a bit in grad school.

Another poster suggested setting up a pinball club, and that is a good idea too. You could use the club to give support to John about the need for pinball in the new rec center.

I think there is some skill--reflexes and avoid tilt--they were fun. Spent a lot of nickels.

The name of this rec center is the First Responders rec center. It has not been constructed yet. Drawings are being prepared, and construction should start in a few months. It is at the far north end of the Villages, near the Baptist church on hwy 42.

IMPORTANT: The rec center is named to honor first responders, but it is for the use of Villagers. First responders do not get admission unless they are a Villager (or guest of a Villager.)

There is skill involved
 

The way to win a free play or set a high score is to keep each ball in play as long as possible, and to figure out what combination of targets give you bonus points or extra balls. So it takes skill to shoot the ball just where you want it to go, which often also risks you losing the ball. Bumping the game just enough at the correct time helps you keep the ball in play, but you risk a tilt which stops the machine and you lose the ball.

Do a Google search on Arcade near me, you'll be surprised that they still exist.

I remember the 'tilt' and the 'effing and blinding' when it happened.
Saw a chair smashed through a machine once, but never knew if it was an unhappy punter, or someone fed up with waiting to have a turn.
It was a good night all round!!:boxing2:

Yes, there is considerable skill required to be a world-class player. You need great eye hand coordination and with the newer electronic machines, you also need an understanding of the rule set. It's not simply a matter of hitting the balls around the playfield. You also have to know the sequence of accomplishments needed to score the big points and/or get to the end game. There are newer games out there that are so complicated that only the quite experienced players know the rule set.

Always remember, pinball players have balls of steel.......

Sounds like fun
 

I’m in

of Oz?

Pre COVID-19 we went to a place in Dublin, Oh called PINS. They have duck pin bowling and lots of pinball. What a great place and great time. They don’t have food just a dedicated spot out back for food trucks. Great bourbon/whiskey selection along with a large rotating draft beer selection. I can’t imagine a place like this wouldn’t kill it in TV!!!

To all pinball fans...... the Pinball Hall of Fame in Las Vegas is a great museum of sorts, off a few blocks from the southern end of the strip is a great ( and economical) way to spend An afternoon. There are literally a thousand or more machines from our era and earlier. Most all are working to play, and whatever it originally was is what it costs to play, a nickel, dime, or quarter. It is run by a dedicated group of restorers and owner Mr. Arnold who just wantS to keep the memory alive. We had a ball challenging each other Next time you go, give it a try. Plans are in the way to build an even bigger venue with more machines.

There was a degree of skill involved especially
 

with a machine that you were familiar with , the feel of flippers and yes some hip and banging at right time . There were also machines that you gambled on , a lot had no flippers, all the pinball games in Boston were owned by the local mafia boss . If you tried to put an independent machine into your store or bar , it wouldn’t last long, they moved into poker machines later and some are still operating in many bars along with the legal Keno games called by one politician the crack cocaine of gambling and he’d be right , 5 or 6 numbers on a tv screen new game every 5 minutes

I LOVE pinball! I had a pinball game on my computer and I had to delete it because I played so much. I used to play on pinball machines and would love to see this in TV.

As a collector, player and restorer of Pinball, Pachinko and Slot Machines, I encourage you to get the Recreation Department to set aside one room in a Rec. Center for these great games. After all, they built TWO huge buildings for woodworkers, You just need to tell them that it will sell more new houses!

Skip

I would like to see pin ball in the rec centers. Not a huge expense and doesn't need a lot of room.

WOW! Finally a post to respond to that will only bring cheer. Been waiting a while to create my first post. With 17 pinball machines, I’ve been contemplating moving to The Villages for 7 years getting older with each one. Latest excuse is Covet. Prior excuse was being single. Here’s my fantasy:
1) I’m just moving into my new house in The Villages
2) My moving truck arrives with all (?) my pinball machines
3) Neighbors are outside to see the new arrival in town
4) My pinball machines are being unloaded from the truck and into my new home.
5) Then my cars (how many can I take with me) are unloaded from the vehicle transport truck
6) I can hear the neighborhood guys saying to their other half, “Honey, I’ll be back in about 6 hours. I’m gonna hang with the new guy on the block”.
7) There! I’ve made new friends.
BTW: When I suggested that I bring my pinball machines with me, my realtor said that no one would want to play such childish games. I guess we’ve’ arrived!!

Now that sounds terrific. Would Looooove that. A room in a rec. center with pinball machines! When I was little we would go up to our bungalow in the catskills every summer and they had a room at the main house with pinball machines. I would spend hours in there. Best part was no coins required! That would be nice here in the villages.

Cool! My new best friend might be moving to The Villages!! 🤣

Great way to make friends!

Krakow (Poland) Pinball Museum
 

Last year when we were in Poland, we went to the Krakow Pinball Museum. We paid $10 entrance fee and played all the pinball games we wanted (there was over 50 working machines dating back to the 1940s to current time). It was one of my highlights of visiting Poland.

I have an older (dime machine) pinball machine from the 60's. It's called Playmates. Thinking about bringing it to my home in The Villages but not sure where I would put it. My wife doesn't want it in the living room!

Bedroom?

Been restoring and collecting pinball and old arcade machines for over 30 years. Been a part time Villager for 6 years but still have my collection in New York. Currently my collection is around 60 games spanning from 1940’s through today. Mostly 60s Gottlieb single player wedgeheads. Still trying to figure where they will go when I finally come down full time. Count me in for starting a club. Coming down in two weeks so maybe we can have a meet up.

We have been requesting "retro" arcade games at the new First Responders rec center up in Mulberry and pinball machines have been suggested. Don't know what they are actually going to put there. I would love to see some of the older pin ball machines that we all grew up with.

Pins so not take up that much space. Why make people in south drive all the way to route 42 to play? Put a couple in as many rec centers as possible. It would be great to play again and a pin club would be great!! I’m in! Would love to see some old and some new. Maybe a couple each in the rec center? Hey Mr Rohan you getting all these people and our interest. Maybe you should survey us and see what we the paying player would like in our rec center???

wow that is some collection