I have very specific taste when it comes to pinball. I like my games simple, fast, and elegant. I want my playing abilities challenged more than I want my ability to know a deep rule set put to the test. This tends to gravitate my focus to games from the 1980’s. I am a fan of Williams “System 11s” (1986-1989) and “Early Solid State” games from Bally/Stern/Williams/Gottlieb (1980-1985.)
I currently have 26 games in my Collection, (with 19 games playable at home). I am still hunting for 1 very-hard-to-find pin from my Collection Wish List. If one pops up locally, and is in the right condition, I’ll be back on on cloud nine.
Here are a few views of Replay Arcade from 2014:
Here’s my collection history and initial thoughts on each machine:
Nov, 2012. I picked up my first machine, Diner, from a local collector in SF. The machine has a very flat playfield, it plays VERY fast, both the flippers and slings have a lot of power. I find the music and callouts simply endearing. I have put a lot of work into improving the ramp shots. It turns out that both ramps were moderately injured when I got the machine and I was too much of a novice to know the truth. I’ll never make the same mistake twice, and I’ll always verify the condition of the ramps (especially UNDER the tin flaps or hidden under a toy) before purchasing a machine in the future. That’s the issue — both problems were not visible to the naked eye. Live and learn. But make sure you LEARN!
Dec, 2012. I picked up a Whirlwind from a pinball restoration expert in the South Bay. The blue LEDs are mesmerizing in the dark. This was my nostalgia-buy since I put the most quarters in this game while in college. The playfield is superb, the ramps are solid, and the body has a few dings I’ll clean up some day when I invest in paints. He backed up his promise to support is product for 90 days, and when small things came up, he offered to drive up and repair the machine. Instead, I asked for instructions on how to make the fixes myself, and I started my journey of learning self-repair.
Feb, 2013. I found a very injured Grand Lizard project on Craigslist for cheap, and nursed it back to life after 40+ hours of work. I learned so much in the process. I am hooked by the amazing flow in this game. Plays great ! It now has new LED displays, a protected backglass (from flaking), adjusted switches that were not working previously, I was able to find the Lizard head from a routing company in Ohio. Getting this pin to work 100% was a really long and slow journey and worth every step. I was able to upgrade from this version to a super nice example. A collector brought it down from WA — he couldn’t have been more kind.
Feb, 2013. I picked up a super clean Taxi from a well known collector in the East Bay via Want Ad in Craigslist. I got a discount on it, since I was responsible for reassembling the ENTIRE playfield from scratch (upper side only, not much wiring to re-solder) with only a few pictures as my guide. Fun project. This machine is in VERY nice condition.
Apr, 2013. I picked up a Black Knight from a collector in the East Bay via Pinside. The game is in “good” condition overall. Whoever lifted the mylar removed a few bits of paint. This will be my playfield to learn the art of touch up. I’ll practice on the Grand Lizard upper playfield first, then move to this machine. Looks like I’ll need to learn to match a “faded black” as well as a few other primary colors. This will be my game to put a lot of love into to tune it up perfectly. It has incandescent bulbs in the GI, and LEDs under the faded inserts. The game looks spectacular in the dark. I have since upgraded to a super nice example of the game.
Apr, 2013. I picked up a Space Station from a (friend of a friend) — who is an actual NASA engineer. This game was kept at NASA AMES research center, and it’s in amazing condition — what a backstory! Can’t wait to install green LEDs for GREEN MODE! (just did last night — looks great!) Almost flawless body.
May, 2013. I picked up a Cyclone from a Pinside collector. This was a long hunt to find a good Cyclone at a fair price. Ramps are very good with a few tiny cracks. Playfield Mylar has some weird marks in it. Decent body. Flipper return lanes were so worn. Mystery Wheel and Ferris wheel motors work well and that was important to me. The Cliffy flipper return guides, and lowering the 2x,3x,4x inserts in the middle of the lower playfield made this game play as it should — a real sweet machine.
May, 2013. I picked up a Space Shuttle from a nice collector in Dixon, CA. I picked it up at Pin-a-Go-Go. Looks to be in amazing condition. Pops locked immediately when I got it home. With some help from a friend who had a similar issue, I was able to determine the cause — a blown 7402 chip. A socket and a $2 chip later, I was back on my feet. Space Shuttle truly might be one of the best games ever designed. It is so fun, and any beginner can walk up to the machine and understand the rules. It has full LEDs in the playfield (not the backglass — gross!) and looks sharp! I since moved onto a Space Shuttle with a CPR playfield installed, and so I got a custom cabinet painted for it — you have to see it in person.
July, 2013. I was delivered a Sorcerer from another nice Pinside collector. Looks to be in fair condition. It needed a full tear down and restore. I decided to try full LEDs for the playfield (about 100) — took about 36 hours to complete. The backglass is in very good shape, and the body is good, but faded, so fair condition, and the backbox (rear) needs work (fair). It’s a blast to play. I sent the PF off to John G. in Halifax, Nova Scotia CA to have it reprinted and cleared. I did my 2nd playfield swap on this game. It came out great.
Sept, 2013. I was delivered a Barracora from another nice Pinside collector, in good condition. It was already shopped out. The backglass is in fair shape, and the body is decent, but needs touch up, and the playfield is amazing with full mylar. It’s a blast to play. It has such a neat rule set. I finally found a second Barracora, and upgraded the cabinet body to one with a nice paint job on it.
Oct, 2013. The pinball gods have spoken again. I picked up a Centaur from a workmate of another nice Pinside collector in very good condition. The backglass is perfect. Body is very good. Playfield is excellent overall, with the exception of 2-3 wear spots. I’ve never seen a dry wood playfield sparkle this much BEFORE even laying wax down. Only has mylar in front of the slings and around the pops.
Jan, 2014. The pinball gods never rest. I am contacted via my Craigslist ad regarding a Black Hole located on the peninsula. Backglasses are nice. Body is nice. Boards look clean and un-hacked. Upper playfield is dry and planking. Lower playfield is really nice. Needs new mylar around all six pops, and some adjustments. Seems to work overall. As usual, will need to invest a few hundred to complete the restoration. Plays decent already. Look forward to it playing amazing in the future.
Mar, 2014. A friend sold me his Embryon. It needs a lot of TLC, but I hope to make it great in <50 hours… I was able to upgrade to a near-mint version of the game that came out of Southern Cal.
Apr, 2014. A collector in Marin sold me his High Speed. It has a neat history on the machine. It came from an arcade up there and was bought NIB in 1986.
May, 2014. A collector in Oakland sold me his Fathom. It came with a Halifax PF/BG/Plastics already on there. Plays very nice right out of the box.
Oct, 2014. A collector in Ohio sold me his Seawitch. The boards seem ok, but it needs new parts, a new PF, a new BG, and new connectors. Many hours of work await me on this title.
Jan, 2015. A collector in CA sold me a Gorgar and Firepower. The Firepower has a like-new CPR playfield in it. I’ll be putting the Gorgar into a friend’s house, so I’ll be working hard on it first.
Apr, 2015. A collector in CA sold me his Nine Ball. It needs a lot of work. I’ll be working on it in April.
Sep, 2015. A collector in Missouri sold me his Defender, and I shipped it out. I shopped the top side 100% and rebuilt the flippers. Plays great.
Sep, 2016. Cosmic Gunfight. A local collector had one for sale that he hauled out from Boston. I have it out with a friend to get a touchup and clear coat.
May, 2017. Devil’s Dare. Sadly, a friend and local collector passed away, and I have his Devil’s Dare.
Oct, 2017. Mars Trek — my first EM finally — went haflsies with a friend on it. I still haven’t put it in my garage just yet, haha.
June, 2017. Fireball II — I have a NOS PF out for touchup and clear, that will go in it someday.
Dec, 2017. Viking — I have two and I get to frankenstein the cabinets some day.
Jan, 2018. Blackout — single ball is great fun, I picked it up from a local collector, and it’s a great example.
Dec, 2018. Pinbot. I picked it up from a local collector, and it’s a great example.
June, 2019. Space Odyssey. My friend gave me two for free to create one with, and then I gave out the remaining parts. Good game!
March, 2020. Flight 2000. I have a CPR repro playfield that will go in it someday. I had to hunt the PF down for years, found one in Canada not far from where it was made.
July, 2022. Flash. I really lucked out, and found a near mint version of the game from a local collector. You have to play this flash to believe it. I can make the upper loop 3x in a row without too much fuss.
