* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *My Pinball History
* I have been playing pinball since the Sixties. Seen a lot of change, thanks to transistors, motherboards and computer chips (or aliens). Every pinball machine I saw drew me towards it like a moth to a flame. My allowance disappeared into coin slots, literally, around the world.
* I cheated and lied to play. I told my mom I was headed to a friends house when in fact we were headed to a snack bar to play pinball. I learned how to pick up and drop a machine to play games without paying (Drop A Card, I apologize). I told the cashier a machine ate my quarter to get one to play the game.
* Karma (see earlier post "The Karma of Pinball") paid me back. I can't count the times I put money into a table, only to find a weak flipper, or even worse, one that didn't work at all. Bumpers that didn't bump. Lights and display not working. Ball launcher in poor shape.
* But, things began to improve. As I got older, I began to put winning stretches together, playing for longer periods of time. *My meager allowance began to stretch, I began to spend more time at arcades, playing different tables, and dabbling into video games. "Missile Command" and driving games come to mind.
* For years, the BigBox stores, usually the ones that would bookend the malls, Sears or J.C. Penny's come to mind, would print what children in the civilized world waited for all year-The Christmas Catalog. Inside, along with dolls, army men, die cast cars and art sets, was a creature that almost defied description: a home pinball machine. Manufacturers and retailers put their heads together on this, resulting in what they hoped would tap into the arcade market. It was smaller than the tables at the bowling alley, but it played and scored in a similar fashion. Parents loved it, the lower cost was attractive to them, and they knew where their children were. But unlike the proverbial duck, while it had flippers and bumpers and a silver ball, it just wasn't a "real" pinball machine. After seeing one in a store, I knew it wasn't for me.
* After I got married, my wife's brother lived near us and we would go visit. My nephews had an Atari 2600, and although I had a "Pong" (my dad broke down, and I still have it), this was different. All the different cartridges were amazing. A plethora of entertainment. And there was more, as I was able to purchase a Mattel IntelliVision. The difference between the Atari and the IntelliVision was literally night and day! But, with pinball still calling me, I found the cartridges for each that allowed me to play the silver ball.
* The Commodore 64 was my first foray into the land of computers. While I told my wife it would with the family budget, my main reason for getting a 64 was in fact to play pinball, and this really cool dungeon game, but mostly pinball. At first, I had a cassette data storage system. Then I moved up to a 5 1/2 inch floppy disc drive! And it did help with the budget. Following the Commodore was a succession of Compaq desktop/tower PC's, and Acer & HP laptops, mostly due to Kryder's Law at work. And yes, there was a pinball game loaded on each.
* All the while, I never strayed from the true pinball machine. I always kept change in my pocket, just in case I saw a table. In fact, I regularly got gas at a convenience store with prices just a bit higher, so I could play Bally's "Eight Ball" (see earlier post...). A girl I dated (not NotTheWife...) briefly liked sub sandwiches, and while our sandwiches were being made at Sub Station II, we played Bally's "Playboy". After I got married (years later and different girl...), The Wife found out she liked the video game "Death Race 2000", so I would play the dwindling number of pinball machines nearby, as she was busy running people over.
* I'm in my 50's now. The Wife doesn't understand the attraction that pinball has for me. To be honest, I can't explain it either. I just like to play. The backglass plays a small part in my decision to play or not. The "attraction mode" the newer games have doesn't play much of a part. But, when I look at the table, I can see the flow of the ball. And after I put my money in, the sounds and the action play a tremendous part in my playing again. Of course, it doesn't hurt if I win a game. Until I go to that Bonus Multiplier in the Sky, I'll always drop some change into a table. The last of the intro plays, and I draw back the launcher. The Joker in the movie *"The Black Knight Returns" said it best...
* "And...here...we...go."
* * * * * * * * * * * ** * *Updated High Score List
* * * * * * * * * * * * High Roller Casino 709,675,960
* * * * * * * * * * <<{Hall Of Fame points: 9853}>>
* I have been playing pinball since the Sixties. Seen a lot of change, thanks to transistors, motherboards and computer chips (or aliens). Every pinball machine I saw drew me towards it like a moth to a flame. My allowance disappeared into coin slots, literally, around the world.
* I cheated and lied to play. I told my mom I was headed to a friends house when in fact we were headed to a snack bar to play pinball. I learned how to pick up and drop a machine to play games without paying (Drop A Card, I apologize). I told the cashier a machine ate my quarter to get one to play the game.
* Karma (see earlier post "The Karma of Pinball") paid me back. I can't count the times I put money into a table, only to find a weak flipper, or even worse, one that didn't work at all. Bumpers that didn't bump. Lights and display not working. Ball launcher in poor shape.
* But, things began to improve. As I got older, I began to put winning stretches together, playing for longer periods of time. *My meager allowance began to stretch, I began to spend more time at arcades, playing different tables, and dabbling into video games. "Missile Command" and driving games come to mind.
* For years, the BigBox stores, usually the ones that would bookend the malls, Sears or J.C. Penny's come to mind, would print what children in the civilized world waited for all year-The Christmas Catalog. Inside, along with dolls, army men, die cast cars and art sets, was a creature that almost defied description: a home pinball machine. Manufacturers and retailers put their heads together on this, resulting in what they hoped would tap into the arcade market. It was smaller than the tables at the bowling alley, but it played and scored in a similar fashion. Parents loved it, the lower cost was attractive to them, and they knew where their children were. But unlike the proverbial duck, while it had flippers and bumpers and a silver ball, it just wasn't a "real" pinball machine. After seeing one in a store, I knew it wasn't for me.
* After I got married, my wife's brother lived near us and we would go visit. My nephews had an Atari 2600, and although I had a "Pong" (my dad broke down, and I still have it), this was different. All the different cartridges were amazing. A plethora of entertainment. And there was more, as I was able to purchase a Mattel IntelliVision. The difference between the Atari and the IntelliVision was literally night and day! But, with pinball still calling me, I found the cartridges for each that allowed me to play the silver ball.
* The Commodore 64 was my first foray into the land of computers. While I told my wife it would with the family budget, my main reason for getting a 64 was in fact to play pinball, and this really cool dungeon game, but mostly pinball. At first, I had a cassette data storage system. Then I moved up to a 5 1/2 inch floppy disc drive! And it did help with the budget. Following the Commodore was a succession of Compaq desktop/tower PC's, and Acer & HP laptops, mostly due to Kryder's Law at work. And yes, there was a pinball game loaded on each.
* All the while, I never strayed from the true pinball machine. I always kept change in my pocket, just in case I saw a table. In fact, I regularly got gas at a convenience store with prices just a bit higher, so I could play Bally's "Eight Ball" (see earlier post...). A girl I dated (not NotTheWife...) briefly liked sub sandwiches, and while our sandwiches were being made at Sub Station II, we played Bally's "Playboy". After I got married (years later and different girl...), The Wife found out she liked the video game "Death Race 2000", so I would play the dwindling number of pinball machines nearby, as she was busy running people over.
* I'm in my 50's now. The Wife doesn't understand the attraction that pinball has for me. To be honest, I can't explain it either. I just like to play. The backglass plays a small part in my decision to play or not. The "attraction mode" the newer games have doesn't play much of a part. But, when I look at the table, I can see the flow of the ball. And after I put my money in, the sounds and the action play a tremendous part in my playing again. Of course, it doesn't hurt if I win a game. Until I go to that Bonus Multiplier in the Sky, I'll always drop some change into a table. The last of the intro plays, and I draw back the launcher. The Joker in the movie *"The Black Knight Returns" said it best...
* "And...here...we...go."
* * * * * * * * * * * ** * *Updated High Score List
* * * * * * * * * * * * High Roller Casino 709,675,960
* * * * * * * * * * <<{Hall Of Fame points: 9853}>>
