Your not alone, I recently brought another members Flash Gordon with the view to do a total restore on it and I can't stop playing it. Absolutely love it and funny enough my 10 year old son has been playing it heaps as well though he's never shown more than a short passing interest with my DMD machines.
 I'm currently collecting parts for it and having a rotisserie made before I get started but it plays just fine for now and I know I'll really miss it while I have it apart for the restoration.

+1 mine plays just fine but will be down after tomorrow to freshen up the pcbs, same with the embryon, then maybe a few games before starting the resto. I think the shorter game times help to add to the enjoyment. I have played some long games, 30+ minutes and smetime you think it would be nice to lose the ball. With the SS you finish a game and you think, one more game, it'll take only a couple of minutes and then its bed time. Next thing you know, you have played another 20 games and you've lost another hour or so.