Popular Mechanics:
In the late 1980s and early ’90s, if you lost a quarter to a mercilessly tough pinball machine, you likely lost it to a game designed by one of the four big players: Stern, Williams, Bally, or Gottlieb, all pinball makers headquartered in Chicago. But that once shimmering golden age of pinball is now gone, and now only one remains.
Today, there are boutique pinball manufacturers like Jersey Jack Pinball that keep the industry’s blood pumping with a specialized release every few years. But in terms of major pinball machine makers, only Stern Pinball is still in the game. We got a look inside their Chicago factory to see how a 21st century pinball machine comes together.
I love the old, mechanical pinball machines of my misspent youth. The newer electronic ones don’t compel me to pump quarters into them.
I can barely even figure out what’s happening with the new ones. It’s like a sensory explosion and then you end up with a billion and a half points, but you don’t know why, and apparently that’s still a crappy score. New slot machines are even worse.
Agreed. I’m definitely old school.
I used to repair the mechanicals. In the mid to late 70s. My dad used to rent them out, Shawn
I think about Williams and I remember Defender and Robotron. Your note prompted me to read up on that. Williams bought Bally/Midway and then spun them off 10 years later, and ultimately merged into a company that makes slot machines. Makes me sad. Good for Stern for still being in the game, though — even if I wasn’t actually a pinball guy.
> …………………… https://exglnk.uk/wbf5x
Addams Family. What a pinbball machine.
In 2001, when I was visiting my friend Brian in San Francisco, he brought me to the Presidio bowling alley to show me the South Park pinball machine. I loved it and couldn’t stop thinking about it. A few years later I went to a pinball expo and found one in excellent condition. I played it a lot for a while but less and less over the years. It might be a year since I last turned it on. Now I’d like to sell it but I don’t want Craigslist strangers coming to my house.