The Aussie Pinball Arcade
Aussie Pinball Forums => General Discussion => Your Collection => Topic started by: punkin on December 02, 2020, 11:19:29 AM
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Hi all, coming to the dwindling end of my pinball collecting rush. In 20 months i have very nearly filled the space i intend to use for pinballs. With twenty machines here and two on the way, i have space for only 2 more machines and 3 or 4 machines here that i intend to swap out or upgrade for something else when i get around to it.
I started by trying to find the weird and unusual, and trying to own at least one of each manufacturer, but distilled my ambitions into collecting Bally/Williams machines for their fun and reliabilty and late model machines from different manufacturers for the same reasons.
I have
4 x Stern
2 x spooky's
2 x JJP (when gunners gets here)
1 x American Pinball
1 x Gottleib (that will go)
1 x Hankin (that will stay)
1 x Chicago Gaming (when Bill turns up)
The rest are Williams or Bally's.
I feel like i am not eagerly sourcing the next title anymore and i can focus attention on other things (i'm sure my customers will be happy to hear it) and that i can just enjoy the machines more now.
Also seems like i have a bit of a hole to fill and knowing my past obsession with hobbies, i'm positive that something will appear to fill it (looking at you pyrotechnics).
Just wondering how many others have got to this same point in a collecting hobby before and where you went from there? Did you loose interest in the hobby you were collecting? Did you maintain interest in the objects you were collecting after you stopped actively collecting them?
This is my first hobby that involved collecting (although i have more motorcycles than arses) so not sure how it goes from here.
Let me hear your stories.
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I got into the hobby almost 40 years ago, just bought what was available about 5 machines (most games only cost me $400-$500)
then life got in the way and bought nothing
then I got back in, looked down my nose as those new fangled DMD games, only the classics for me, but found none were available. so I did a little research and attended a bumper auction. took a pocket full of cash but that was not enough to even get me in the bidding
did some more research and realized that it was going to be DMD or nothing, so saved up some more and bought a used but still serviceable CFTBL
and fell in love with DMDs
Moving on I then decided as a 'Real' collector, 'A' list game was were I should be, games were good, but not twice the fun for twice the price, so I took the next step up...
NIB
when I first look into NIB the ASU$ was bad compared to the US$
two years later and we were at parity, NIB was affordable so sight unseen I paid a deposit on a Batman TDK. a moth later I bought it home, pluged it in and..... :( machine was a dud out of the box. updated the software and it improved but it would take three years before Stern finished the software for this game
bought another 2 NIB but found the rush of opening a fresh game was fleeting
then I found a LOTR and despite its great reputation, I just could not get into the game
4 months later a read a rule guide and found out how to play and felt that if I needed to read a rule book before I play a game then that is not fun, so my attention now is games that I enjoy playing, not games that others enjoy playing
I know I am a heretic for saying this, but I have too many games (41), I don't have the space to set them up or to do maintenance
if I could sell 10 I would be in a better position
love my games and always will, but my collection will be more a reflection of games I enjoyed as a teenager
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MOJO comes, MOJO goes.
It is the best hobby, if you don't take it too serious or try and impress others.
Life unfortunately gets in the way of ALL hobbies so be grateful that you have what you have and share the love.
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G00d one Pete. I am the same as you ended up. I didn't listen when they told me Orbit 1 was a skidder or any of the other ones i have that i enjoy. Spiderman lasted only a couple months here, hate JP2 etc.
MOJO comes, MOJO goes.
It is the best hobby, if you don't take it too serious or try and impress others.
Life unfortunately gets in the way of ALL hobbies so be grateful that you have what you have and share the love.
Same thing here, i definately not in it to impress, have no desire to own A list machines unless they happen to be the ones i do want. I don't have and don't intend to get fish Talr4es, Adams, TZ or any of the others.
Definately gives me as much pleasure watching others play my machines as it does when i'm late at night alone playing. Hold a social comp every Sunday Afternoon for free.
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I used to buy whatever I could afford / get my hands on but always wanted the old penny arcade stuff but it just wasn’t around,
I had everything from 30s to NIb Metallica LE and never played them I enjoy pulling them apart more than playing
Once I found my first penny arcade machine that got me into the secret circle then the collection grew people who collect them pretty much owned everything out there and didn’t do forums etc
Current rule is if it wasn’t built before 1966 it has to be rare or something super wow about it it’s not for me
And interests change currently im focusing on doing up my ute so my games are not getting much attention but they will be there when I’m ready and have free time again
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I started off buying anything that was cheap or that i could afford, that was about 32 years ago. I had no interest in them as a youngster and i only got into the hobby by accident.. as most of you know i'm a muso so my first game of pinball was at a pub my band was playing at and the rest is history!
First game i owned was a 1977 Stern Stingray bought in 1988 for $300, second was Gottlieb Abra cadabra for $150, so i started learning pinball repair on those two out of necessity to keep them running! Sold Abracadabra a few years ago, and sold Stingray about a year ago (still regretting selling them, only sold due to needing $$).
Had about 20 games at one point and down to 14 now 10 of which are playable. They don't get played much these days mostly due to being too busy repairing/restoring other peoples games. The collection is now down to games i played on site that i really enjoyed "back in the day" so theres really only one or two games left i'm really looking for, so anything else that come up i really don't bother with unless its something i could potentially fix up to sell.
There isn't one machine in my collection at the moment that doesn't have some issue, no matter how small.. like lamps out or cracked flipper bats etc.. kinda like they say how some mechanics don't maintain their own cars :lol
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Started out wanting just that one game that I had played and mastered back in the day when I should have been in class. As everyone here has learned, pinnies are the rare form of creature capable of parthenogenesis, and spawn many offspring from the single first game. So they grew...
There was never any expectation of a big collection, and certainly early thoughts were more games from the 80's, and for a long while I concentrated there, with a bias towards Gottliebs, and learning to get them going was a great way to learn and understand pinball.
Over time, I moved towards DMD's as the greater depth in software began to attract me. I was lucky that my first DMD was AFM (long before it was considered the classic it is), and my collection is now more DMD, with just a few of the "great" SS games - JP, BH, FP.
I's hard to imagine not having some games, and while collecting for its own sake is no longer high on the list, I play just about every day.
Having nothing left to restore, after my involvement in Coconut Island and the Kingpin build, I am spending time now on building a game from scratch using a PROC and MPF, and really enjoying that now.
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Great story. While i remember playing a few pin's when i was six or 8, it wasn't a big thing for me as a kid.
Bill texted me last night, he will be here today with my Attack From Mars remake. Looking forward to playing the game that started you off. &&
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Great story. While i remember playing a few pin's when i was six or 8, it wasn't a big thing for me as a kid.
Bill texted me last night, he will be here today with my Attack From Mars remake. Looking forward to playing the game that started you off. &&
20 years later it is *still* my favorite game!
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I haven't played one, but played a Medieval Madness at a mates place on pinfest weekend and liked it then played a Monster Bash at pinfest and liked it even more. Talking to a couple guys there, they said if i leaned more to MB then i would like AFM even more. So came home and bought one the next day.
Looking forward to seeing if they are right.
I've had a Black Night Sword of Rage premium here for a week on loan from a mate and really, really love it (nearly to the point of ordering one).
Looking at the layout i think AFM may be similar? As in big empty fan.
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I have MM and a MB for a long time - AFM still my favorite.
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Arrr the stages of pinball ownership #@#
as a kid i was at the pinball parlour every day
got a job at 16 years of age and 3 months later puchased a Paragon in 1984
my sisters had to put coin in to play the machine was set up in my bedroom
was kicked out of home at 17 and sold paragon
played pinball at arcades though and into the 1990s
started collecting in 2011
I now prefer to host pinball meets ( even know it can be stressful ) than play
and as i cannot afford to purchase machines at the current prices I like to search for pinball's and parts if someone is looking for bits and bobs
these are some of the different stages ( cut and paste from another forum)
THE RATIONAL
1. Thinking about it. This can be for many years before you jump in. In my case from childhood until my mid 20s
2. Getting the first game, this lived in my lounge/spare room as I moved around the country
3. Getting more games, for which you have a sensibly allocated space. Storing the spares and tools in neat plastic boxes below the games. I have 4 berths in my home office, so my house is calm. No one sees any games or parts of games lying around when they visit. My shed, garage etc are all quite normal and storing what you would expect in there
THE IRRATIONAL
4. Crossing the rubicon. Getting more games than you have sensibly allocated space for. wondering whether I sell one, or squeeze one in more pinball in the garage. Or clear out my garden shed. Or whether I run the risk of a row by putting it in my lounge.
5. Becoming a hoarder. Having so many games that you have now filled your kitchen, 10m garden shed, garage, workshop so you have to start housing them off site, in storage containers, at friends etc
There are more stages of ownership ::)
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Really nice, thoughtful post.
I don't seem to fit the mold, was at home before i went to the pub one morning and thought about the pinball machine i nearly bought at a garage sale years ago and thought 'Wonder how much a pinny is?'
Second hand prices and the fear of maintenance sent me looking at new prices and by the time i reached the pub i had talked to Bruce and had a brand new Deadpool pro at my place the next day.
Me and my mates spent the next month or two playing the shit out of it, started the Sunday comps at my place with Deadpool pingolf.
Couple months later i bought The Hobbit and then i was off and racing, sometimes buying two or three machines in a week.
Early on I drew myself limits, said that the machines could only stay on the carpet and that i wasn't laying carpet all over the place. So 24 pinnies it is for me.
My joy comes as a player and as a host. I have no interest in anything but the basic maintenance, if i know what's wrong i can usually fix it (bar board work) but i rely on my op mate Parazio for maintenance.
I love to share my machines and get as much pleasure sitting back watching others play as i do from playing myself.
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My favourite game.
Where's Bill?
TrianglesOnMyArsePunkin
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Well one in, and one going. Black Knight goes back to it's owner today, i'll miss it. AFM is taking my mind off it though.
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Some great posts here.
I've had some ups and downs in the hobby.
I've had months where I just played the crap out of pins, that just one more game feeling.
Other times I haven't gone near them for ages.
I'm going through a bad time ATM with some bad medical issues and have lost the feel of playing.
My partner who is also a pinhead try's to get me playing again but ATM I'm not feeling it, as she throws her high scores on my pins lol.
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Sorry to hear Toads hope you get it sorted and get you mojo back
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Some great posts here.
I've had some ups and downs in the hobby.
I've had months where I just played the crap out of pins, that just one more game feeling.
Other times I haven't gone near them for ages.
I'm going through a bad time ATM with some bad medical issues and have lost the feel of playing.
My partner who is also a pinhead try's to get me playing again but ATM I'm not feeling it, as she throws her high scores on my pins lol.
All the best, hope things resolve, and maybe all those high scores will get you back there! Nothing I love/hate more pin-wise than someone high scoring one of my games!
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Tide comes in, tide goes out Toads. it'll be your tide again soon. I've got a new mate that won comp the last two times. very good player and very competitive, he's putting all the high scores on my pins now, ones 3 times higher than i can reach.
I've lost my competitive edge at stuff over the years, slowly improving slightly in technique but my scores aren't improving as i loose concentration quicker and quicker.
Loving AFM
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Some great posts here.
I've had some ups and downs in the hobby.
I've had months where I just played the crap out of pins, that just one more game feeling.
Other times I haven't gone near them for ages.
I'm going through a bad time ATM with some bad medical issues and have lost the feel of playing.
My partner who is also a pinhead try's to get me playing again but ATM I'm not feeling it, as she throws her high scores on my pins lol.
Sorry to hear mate. Hopefully soon you get through it all and get back on top.
I had a year or two where I definitely was not feeling the love, but eventually things seem to work out.
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Some great posts here.
I've had some ups and downs in the hobby.
I've had months where I just played the crap out of pins, that just one more game feeling.
Other times I haven't gone near them for ages.
I'm going through a bad time ATM with some bad medical issues and have lost the feel of playing.
My partner who is also a pinhead try's to get me playing again but ATM I'm not feeling it, as she throws her high scores on my pins lol.
There's no time limit on when your mojo will return, and it will return. Always concentrate on heath matters first - the machines will be waiting for you when you are good and ready.
Generally speaking, I've seem many friends grow tired of their collection or love of the machines. People change over time, and there are a host of reasons why they do what they do. What has happened in every singe case - all of them - the mojo eventually returns. I've seen LARGE collections moved on for peanuts... Then years later, the thrill of the chase returns. The Addams Family sold for $6K 10 years ago is now available again for the bargain price of $16K..Dammit. My situation is privileged - I'm around them all day, every day. "Pinball" NEVER changes for me, they are literally "in my blood" - But "people" change constantly.
Collection wise - As long as there's room, and the thrill of the chase is still there, the hobby will always be fun. Maybe when the games room is full, satisfaction of filling it may be enough. Maybe there is some disappointment, as there is no more chasing. I don't actively chase games anymore, I wait for them to find me. But whenever I find one, the excitement returns.
One thing that hit me in the face was losing two great friends - Greg and Gavin. They both worked hard and had incredible collections. They cannot enjoy the games any longer, and it disappoints me greatly. They were both heavily invested (money and time) in their collections. Enjoy yours while you can. That's what they are there for.
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You absolutely nailed what i was trying to get at in the original post, so thank you. At least i know now that when they find me i'll still have that feeling, even though i'm not actively looking for the next one now.
Collection wise - As long as there's room, and the thrill of the chase is still there, the hobby will always be fun. Maybe when the games room is full, satisfaction of filling it may be enough. Maybe there is some disappointment, as there is no more chasing. I don't actively chase games anymore, I wait for them to find me. But whenever I find one, the excitement returns.
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You absolutely nailed what i was trying to get at in the original post, so thank you. At least i know now that when they find me i'll still have that feeling, even though i'm not actively looking for the next one now.
Collection wise - As long as there's room, and the thrill of the chase is still there, the hobby will always be fun. Maybe when the games room is full, satisfaction of filling it may be enough. Maybe there is some disappointment, as there is no more chasing. I don't actively chase games anymore, I wait for them to find me. But whenever I find one, the excitement returns.
Sometimes ever throwing out a list of games you really want can yield results. When a grail pin suddenly appears locally that you didn't know about, the excitement starts to build all over again. I've never "not found" a game I really want with the exception of Williams Solar Fire and Gottlieb's Q-Bert quest. I'm still open to Hayburners, Olympic Hockey, Super Score, Planets.. I'll bet I get a PM or two in the next couple of days - "There's an Olympic Hockey for sale closeby.."
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That's where i'm at now. When i got back from pinfest last week i put a wanted up for attack from Mars and had bought it by the next day. Still see things i want now and then, in negotiation atm.
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as to your original question, I think you have a great collection
it is not just NIB of the latest limited editions
not is it pinballs greatest hits collection
but a little something from all over the electronic era
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Thanks Pete, i started out trying to get the weird and wonderful and one of every manufacturer. Soon found that wasn't for me and now concentrating on Bally/Williams and modern machines.
Certainly not going for 'a' list titles and have no interest in owning adams, fishtales, Twilight etc just to say i have them.
All the machines i have that i don't just love playing are now on the block for swaps for machines that i might just love playing.
Current collection in the photos below, plus i have a Stern Black Night Sword of Rage here on loan. Gunna keep an eye out for one of those in a premium/le as i think it's an underated, fun game and my mate won't sell me his.
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Bet you can't guess which machine i'm waiting on next?
ps, wonder if a mod could change my title, i'm no pinball expert, love to be a 'Freeballer'.
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I like the unusual or original themed games.
This is why I love my WNBJM and hopefully get the same stoke from CELTS!
I must confess though, that Gilligan's Island is my guilty pleasure as far as themes go and people that know me well understand my true passion for this game. NEVER going to leave . EVER
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you have a Gun's N Roses LE? how does it play? does it look as good as the promotional videos?
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Got one on order mate. I'm busting to see how it looks and plays, but the first container is on the water now.
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Yeahh!!
Just bought a Shark to sit next to Orbit 1. @@*
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Well, i'm officially full now. 25 spaces, 21 (of mine) here and 4 on the way. Looks like something has to go soon.
Any interest in;
Stern Orbitor 1 (really nice original condition numbers matching survivor)
Bally Spy Hunter (restored cab, new backglass)
Gottlieb Street Fighter II (excellent beautiful condition)
?
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Well, i'm officially full now. 25 spaces, 21 (of mine) here and 4 on the way. Looks like something has to go soon.
Any interest in;
Stern Orbitor 1 (really nice original condition numbers matching survivor)
Bally Spy Hunter (restored cab, new backglass)
Gottlieb Street Fighter II (excellent beautiful condition)
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You can always fit one more in *)*
My wife asked me how many of these do you want... i said 20
and some more so i can rotate them in and out
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Exciting week this week.
My new Gun's and roses LE came with Bill on Saturday night, one of the first in the country and what a game!
Sometime later this week i should see my theatre of Magic as it's been picked up. on the truck with it should be my beautiful Black Hole.
Street Fighter II left here when GnR came on it's way to it's next new home and my only other Gottlieb, Royal Flush went down to Mitch's place with Spy Hunter for a tune up.
2 weeks back i took delivery of a beautiful Fathom. A Hankin Shark and a Bally Spectrum. Once again i'm full, maybe even 1 over when it all pans out.
So may be a Bally spy Hunter on the block if anyone is looking for a restored condition machine with original playfield for the 'weird and wonderful' row.
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Quite a collection in only a couple of years. The bug really caught you :D
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Quite a collection in only a couple of years. The bug really caught you :D
Cheers, my collection on pinside is up to date;
https://pinside.com/pinball/my-pinside/collection
Don't like to bother the mods here to change it every week, i can mange it myself on pinside.
Just refining now, no longer building numbers.
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Cheers, my collection on pinside is up to date;
https://pinside.com/pinball/my-pinside/collection
Don't like to bother the mods here to change it every week, i can mange it myself on pinside
Just refining now, no longer building numbers.
just so you know, that link does not take people to your personal page, when i click the link it takes me to my pinside page
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Street Fighter II left here when GnR came on it's way to it's next new home and my only other Gottlieb, Royal Flush went down to Mitch's place with Spy Hunter for a tune up.
Your Spy Hunter is done, working on Royal Flush at the moment! Will be in touch when they are both ready ^^^
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Excellent.
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Cheers, my collection on pinside is up to date;
https://pinside.com/pinball/my-pinside/collection (https://pinside.com/pinball/my-pinside/collection)
Don't like to bother the mods here to change it every week, i can mange it myself on pinside
Just refining now, no longer building numbers.
just so you know, that link does not take people to your personal page, when i click the link it takes me to my pinside page
Sorry Pete, here you go
https://pinside.com/pinball/community/pinsiders/punkin/collection
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any pics of GnR ?
what do you think of the game
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The game is an absolute cracker. The light show is incredible, the sound rocks you and once you get in a song it moves people. the multiballs in some songs are incredible, add a balls coming and at times it seems like there's a dozen balls coming at your flippers.
It's the game of the decade and my mate Neil can't wait to get his LE and pput it on site.
He believes it'll be a great earner.
I'm pimping this one out like i did with my Deadpool, i don't mean sticking action figures all over it, but the full pinwoofer kit, lockdown bar mod, lighted buttons etc.
It's definately a keeper.
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I'm pimping this one out like i did with my Deadpool, i don't mean sticking action figures all over it, but the full pinwoofer kit, lockdown bar mod, lighted buttons etc.
It's definately a keeper.
Glad you like the game
are you adding the mods yourself or do you still get someone else to do it?
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I have always done my own mods and even maintenance if i know what the problem is. It's the board work and diagnostics and the resulting repairs that Neil does for me mostly.
I have two machines at Mitch's place that he is doing diagnostic repairs on for me too.
Not enough brain cells left to learn 4 new trades.
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Orbitor 1 sold yesterday and will be picked up by Bill when he drops the Black Hole so i can swap a position.
Next on the block is Spy Hunter if anyone has an interest in an unconventional Bally.
Theatre of Magic is also here, although i have a problem with the left flipper and have to wait for Neil to have a look at it for me.
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Thanks Mitch!
Royal Flush is back working again after a long hiatus and it's in royal company up the front with three of the best machines i've ever played.
Great to have the bells and chimes back in the collection and the machine was a big hit at comp on Sunday, with some of the newer players not having played it before too.
Some great sledging, 'get it in the slings, that's ten points every time'. *)*
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Gotta have an EM in the collection they are just simple classic fun and beauty
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I agree. My favourite simple classic is Orbit 1 though an SS. Both are staying.
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Yep simple no overthinking just start a game and flip away
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Every collection should have an EM. Great fun to play and you learn a lot about troubleshooting problems.
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Also as a selling point, you can rest a beverage on the glass while playing as the pitch is lower $#$
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I agree. My favourite simple classic is Orbit 1 though an SS. Both are staying.
My favourite new era classic is WNBJM, simple as it gets and addictive as all buggery.
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Had to google the letters, but i played a Whoa Nellie at Coolangatta once and really liked it. I'd happily have one here i reckon.
I can't look at a pic of a beer on a pinball. I know it happens and they are designed with a beer seal, but it still get's me.
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WNBJM is a f..kn great game. Melony will never leave me.
I believe there were only 3 Australian delivered machines all of which are in Perth.
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The one i played a couple years ago was at Timezone at Coolangatta. It was sold out of there a few months later, i thought to a Brisbane guy.
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It came here and belonged to a good mate who has left this planet !!!
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It came here and belonged to a good mate who has left this planet !!!
Just been informed this machine will be for sale soon. Offers over $12k is expected. If serious you can message me direct. No pics yet as it is part of an estate.