How much pinball do you play? (or have you played)

[invitro]

I was gonna ask @vikingerik this, and I realized I'm curious about it for you guys.

I play almost no real pinball now, due to lack of machines within 100 miles + other problems . At least it's not none at all! Anyway, when I was at my most fanatic & privileged with nearby machines, I'd estimate that I played pinball about 15-20 hours a week. This is around 1993 to 1996, when I played at least an hour six days a week, and up to five hours in a day.

When I was a big pinball fan, but not quite as fanatic (or had a job or other obligation that wanted my presence), I played about four hours a week. This is around 1987 and 1988, 1997 to 2002, and maybe 2007, 2010, some other times.

So, how about you? In hours/week, hours/month, whatever.

 

[ZREXMike]

13 yrs old & onward, until arcades began disappearing. I've picked it up again thanks to TPA, & Farsight!

I have some Zen tables as well, but TPA gets played mostly, just a more realistic game.

 

[vikingerik]

Not much. I play maybe four days a year. I've got places (NYC with Modern Pinball and a few others) that are nearby but just far enough out of the way that I don't go often.

I played most, several hours a week, when I had my home machine, a Terminator 2. Then my parents moved to Virginia and the machine went with them because my apartment is small. It hasn't worked in a while (hopefully something simple like a fuse) but I never want to spend family vacation time trying to work on it.

The only other time I played regularly was when I commuted through the NYC bus terminal that had a Monopoly. I played that at least every week or two for most of 2002.

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

From 1992 when I started Uni, until around 1998, a year or so into my first job in London, there was pinball everywhere. In particular a TotAN in the pub across the street where I'd put my GBP1.00 in and walk away an hour and a half later with a bunch of credits still in it....

Then pinball started disappearing, so I played when I could.

Nowadays I grab a quick game or two on Metallica when I go to the movies - always quick because a couple of games once a month ain't a way to learn a table - and go to events in Allentown and York for a day.

 

[Crawley]

In the 80's didn't play much even though pinball was so prevalent in arcades and I spent a lot of time in the arcades on weekends. I didn't get the allure of pinball back then. Figured it was just batting the ball around the table and that was only fun for a go once or twice. Plus I could make a quarter last a hell of a lot longer on an arcade game compared to a pinball machine. And when you're a kid without much money you're going to try and make it last.

Didn't really play much real pinball till the late 90's early 2000. But did play plenty of pinball on the computer. Loved Pinball Dreams and Pinball Fantasies. Epic Pinball was fantastic too.

When I got to college I played a bit more pinball as they had a few machines there. Plus by then the pinball tables were much more forgiving with ball saves and extra balls.

But didn't really get in to trying to play real pinball machines till TPA clued me in to them and started to go to the Expo's and last existing arcades around my area. Do feel like I've missed out on playing them during the 80's and 90's as that's when the machines were in new condition. It's hard to find machines from that age in perfect condition out in the wild.

 

[Fungi]

Played off and on since the early 70's. Hard to get a lot of pinball money when you're 7. As a teenager in the 80's, played more vids than pinball, but then again, played more pinball in its' wake. Pretty much stopped playing pinball in the wild when a credit went up to a $1. Now I only play at CAX. It just occurs to me, I never ever got a real good run at a table to follow through to its' wizard mode IRL. Without FarSight's 300 page rules, I barely knew what I was doing except maybe starting a multiball.

 

[Jay]

I'm fortunate to have my own machine, so I get to play a game every day. The nearest arcade with decent pinball machines is a 2 hour drive from me, and I usually make it there once or twice a year. But now with the New England Pinball Expo taking off, that should give me a nearby fix at least once a year.

As far as digital pinball simulations go, I have a LOT of them and play them every day to unwind after work. I used to suck at pinball. After playing every day for years, I still suck. But I keep coming back to it.

 

[gordonabrown]

I usually get a couple hours a week. Luckily I live in a city with quite good access to pinball. A pub nearby recently installed a Demolition Man which I've been having a lot of fun on. Put up a pretty decent Grand Champ score even though I completely botched my Demolition Time multiball.

 

[DanBradford]

I'm lucky to have my own machines so I play about 5-6 days a week, anything from ten minutes to three hours a day. Probably about 4h a week

 

[Kolchak357]

This past year only at the York and Allentown pin shows. No pins currently in my town (that I'm aware of). I keep hearing about the rebirth of pinball, but all I keep seeing are stupid claw machines. Who is dumping money in these goofy claw machines?

 

[Tripredacus]

On average I play about 3 hours a week. There are 2 locations in my county with multiple tables, or if I am lucky I can play at someone's house.

I still don't think it is enough to be good. I am good at pinball maybe 15% of the time. Lofty standard me = good = can hit replay score.

 

[Xanija]

I only play real pinball once every few months in a pinball museum. They open every first Saturday of the month from 3 PM to 9 PM and I try to be there for the whole time. It's interesting how fast 6 hours can pass....

I used to play more pinball when I was 25-30 years younger. I spent quite some time (and some money....) in the Arcades in those days. Then I got more interested in Video games and when I had my first computer I stopped going to Arcades at all.

Actually the only reason I started going to the Pinball museum was TPA.

 

[switch3flip]

I play quite a lot. Pinclub 10 minutes bike ride from me, 22 pins and good rotation of pins. Only non-dmd now is whirlwind. Every friday is beer night, never miss it, then we have monthly tourneys. I go there couple days a week on average.
Then the local pool joint/arcade is also as close, they have couple fun pins (spiderman, lotr, MM and one rotating, currently 24) it's pretty cheap and low replay scores and well kept (service guy is from our pin club so I can tell him as soon as sometings wrong). I go there pretty often as well.
Probably play more during the winter than during summer cause I love skateboarding when it's nice and warm outside. But then I usually pass the local arcade sooner or later anyway, so...

 

[Fungi]

I really must visit my local pinball museum more often.

 

[ZREXMike]

As far as real pinball, none. I live out in the sticks, have not seen a table anywhere in years.

 

[gordonabrown]

Lofty standard me = good = can hit replay score.

I'm in the same boat as you. If I can put in $10 (6 games) and get 2 or 3 replays I'm happy. I've managed to get high scores on a number of tables and Grand Champion on 2: Demolition Man, and Mustang (though my Mustang score was beaten) but it's not very often.

 

[DanBradford]

you get 6 games for ten bucks? I suppose that's the same as here in UK where they're nearly all £1 a go. Sometimes you find one at 50p and often £2 for 3 credits.

Same for you guys?

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

My local movie theater is set to give 3 credits for $2 (or 1 credit for $1).

Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk

 

[Kolchak357]

The bowling alley in Earlington PA has 8 pins (mostly modern Sterns). $.50 a play if I recall correctly.

 

[DanBradford]

The bowling alley in Earlington PA has 8 pins (mostly modern Sterns). $.50 a play if I recall correctly.

That's more like it. Presumably the operators reckon they'll make more money that way by keeping the tables busy more often, well done them.

I yearn for the days where pins were everywhere in every bar and club and cinema and garage, malls and high streets and supermarkets. I still remember the glut of the early 90s though I'm about too young to remember the glut of the mid 70s as I was still in junior school.