Pinbal Wizard

I'm a huge pinball fan, even though I can't remember the last time I played. When I went to Vegas last year, one of the places I really wanted to go was the Pinball Hall of Fame & Museum, which at the time was essentially a shack a mile or two off the strip that someone was using to store their collection of pinball machines old and... less old. Unfortunately, because of the distance from the strip and the fact that the Nevada desert is really freakin' hot, we never got over there. Apparently the Hall of Fame has recently moved to a much larger location a lot more convenient to the strip, and is now operated by the Las Vegas Pinball Collector's Club - probably a little more equipped than one guy, but I'm sure that one guy is still very much involved.

Anyway, I've always been a little sad that pinball machines have disappeared from convenience arcades and a lot of standalone arcades. For a long time, if you went into a bar, restaurant or anywhere else that had a small arcade section for customers, there had to be a pinball machine there. That's not really the case anymore - you're more likely to find a Big Buck Hunter or Golden Tee. Not that there's anything wrong with those games, but I miss being able to easily find pinball. I've always said that when (yes... when) I'm rich and famous and am building my dream house, one staple of my amazing game room will be multiple pinball machines. Apparently it's now getting harder and harder to find them in working condition, so if I'm going to have them in my fantastic abode, I'd better get to the rich and famous part.

Someone's posted a very interesting read on what exactly changed in the amusement industry that ultimately contributed to the decline of pinball. It's a good read, you should check it out. And then you should get a roll of quarters and go find a pinball machine. Just for old time's sake.