1. Earliest pinball memory?
For me it is only roughly a year and a half ago, I thought it would be good to have 'a' pinball to go with my arcade machines. I was never introduced to pinball when i was younger and only played my first pin on 10/09/2011. I only know the date because i filmed it. It was a Twilight Zone at Bumper Action.
2. All time favorite pin? Why?
Tron, for me the theme is great. The sounds, dots and lightshow are very well done and fit the theme perfectly. I love the spinning disc and the challenge of hitting Gem. It has the perfect difficulty level where you just keep wanting 'one' more game. It is probably not the best layout for a pin but the whole package does it for me.
3. Favorite pinball manufacture?
All of them! I can't even go by my machines as i have a Bally, a Williams and a Stern. I do believe that i will end up with more Bally's in my collection (when funds allow) than any other though so Bally it is i guess. I am really looking forward to playing JJP's games though as the look and quality look to be second to none!
4. Favorite game in your collection? Why?
Well i own Tron so i have to say that i guess. But Shadow was my first pin and i think it is the best bang for buck DMD out there. The design and flow are great. The magnet ball lock, diverters and the best upper playfield in pinball make it a stand out. If Tron was not around The Shadow would definitely be my favorite.
5. How long have you been collecting?
Since the 20/12/2011! Sorry for the dates again, i just know as i still have the message on my phone from buying my Shadow machine.
6. First game and how did you find it?
Sorry i keep answering these questions in advance! The Shadow was my first pin and i found it on eBay. Out of sheer luck he lived in the same suburb as me and only 5 minutes from my house. I went and saw the machine and it looked good to me. But i got help from TSPP (thanks Jarrod!) by sending photos i took of it to have someone a bit more experienced look over it. I made an offer outside of eBay and he took it. Sorry to all who hate people that take down auctions early!
7. Do you still have it?
Yes! I honestly doubt i will ever sell it. Unless i was getting a better one!
8. What are you currently working on?
Pinball wise nothing, they are running well at the moment. But i recently picked up a Sega Virtua Racing twin driver that i am planning to gut and MAME.
9. Most wanted game to add to your collection?
Twilight Zone! I have wanted one since the first game i had on it. Funds are holding me back at the moment but i will get one. I actually would have one if Tron did not get rerun by Stern. Getting my favorite pin NIB was an oportunity i did not want to miss.
10. Best all time bargain game added to your collection?
Honestly i think i have paid standard prices for my pins and i have only had 5 in total. If i was going to pick one i guess it would be my Roadshow. But none were bargins.
11. Worst ever miss – tell us about the one that got away!
Oscars number 5 Tron LE that he had. In all honesty i did not have the money at the time for it, but it by far is my biggest regret that i did not try harder to get it at the time. In saying that i only just got into pinball and $8000 was and still is alot of money, especially for a first pin! But considering what they go for now.....I doubt i will ever own one. More than happy with my Pro though.
12. Worst ever purchase – tell us about the game you wished you never bought
This is probably unfair to it but Terminator 3, the only reason i say it is i found it WAY too easy. But i also only had one other pin at the time, so i think in a larger collection it would be much better. I was getting to the end of the game way too often and in a 2 pin lineup it got old fast! I got to the wizard mode and beat it on my second day! By comparison i have got to the wizard mode on Shadow 3 times in 1 and a half years and have still not beat it! Roadshow i have never completed the map of the US and Tron i have also never seen the wizard mode. Fun game but found it a little easy.
13. Describe your collection
Currently i have a Shadow, Roadshow and a Tron. I plan to get a Twilight Zone, Simpsons Pinball Party and a Revenge from Mars. I also want to look at and play a Circus Voltaire, Black Hole, Spirit, Capersville, Fireball, Zaccaria Time Machine and Devil Riders. I do not intend to own all these machines but after much web and youtube research these are the pins that interest me to the point i would like to own them at some point. Funds permitting of course. Oh i best add my partners dream machine of Cactus Canyon and after yesterday Wizard of Oz!
14. Describe your gamesroom
Unfortunately right now it my garage/workshop. I am making plans to bring them inside hopefully in the next 2 months or so. I then will start to make it more of a games room as opposed to a garage. Thinking all black walls, ceiling and curtains at this point. Just to make the games and any art/signs i put up stand out.
15. Do you have other games other than pinball?
Yes, I have a Sega Virtua Racing cab that i mentioned earlier, plan to put LCD screens in and MAME it. I just want Sega Model 2 and 3 games and the Ridge Racer games on it. I also have a dedicated House of the Dead Shooter cab, a Namco Time Crisis cab that i have now stripped and want to find a CRT cab to put it in. And finally i have 5 Taito Egret 1 cabs, that will be for fighting games and maybe one 60 in 1 board. PCB games that i have currently are Soul Calibur 2, Soul Calibur, Tekken 5, Tekken Tag Tournament, Virtua Fighter 2, Fighting Vipers, Dead or Alive, Star Gladiator, Street Fighter EX2, Killer Instinct 2 and Point Blank 2. As you can tell i am into fighting games as that was what started my arcade addiction! In saying that pinball has taken over and i play them more than my arcade machines now.
16. Where can you see the hobby in 10 years?
By the sound of things a couple of years ago people would have answered this question very differently, But going by current trends with Stern, JJP, Skit-B, Spooky and Heighway making machines i think the hobby will still be strong. I don't think it will get huge but pinball is getting more exposure now which i think is great. And hopefully in 10 years i can sit back and enjoy my completed Pinball/Arcade collection. Allowing for funds and the missus permission of course.
Thanks for reading and i hope it did not put anyone to sleep. I do want to say i love this hobby, and i have met quite a few awesome people and hope to meet more! And if anyone wants to come over and have a game or two just let me know.
