Cont.....

9. Most wanted game to add to your collection?

I'd really love to own a ST TNG, as I remember filling them with gold coins and having a ball (pardon the pun). I must admit I am a bit of a 'Trekky' and yes 'Picard' is the best Captain, and anyway what is with that 'Enterprise' version, now that really isn't..... Oops, sorry - I digress. I would also like to get a Getaway HS2 as well, just love the theme music.

10. Best all time bargain game added to your collection?

The Tommy pin I picked up for $1500 after my wife pointed it out in the local newspaper - eBay was something in America, and most people in town had dial-up then. Should've kept that one (kicking self!!)

11. Worst ever miss – tell us about the one that got away!

Haven't really got a 'one that got away' story. Just hate looking at all those pins come and go whilst I'm saving up. My luck says as soon as I have enough cash to buy one, there will be a worldwide shortage of them!

12. Worst ever purchase – tell us about the game you wished you never bought

Now that first pin I bought from the family friend, that's when I learned just how much a pin can really cost to own. I didn't have a great deal of money to throw around in those days - especially after putting aside money for rent, petrol, Friday and Saturday night drinks, and oh yeah food. Anyhoo, I fancied myself as a bit of a fixer-upper in those days and after a while the old pin wasn't playing too well so I had a crack at 'tuning' her up. Glass out, playfield up, pin unplugged and screwdriver in hand I set about to do some 'fixin'. Well it didn't take long for the inevitable to happen and I believe that said screwdriver and a large capacitor became friends - the resulting 'jolt' made me squeal like a little girl and drop the screw driver, as I saw a puff of smoke escape from behind the back glass.

After regaining my composure, and explaining to my now giggling flatmates why my hair was standing on its end, I summonsed up the courage to peek behind back glass. It didn't take long to discover that the escaping smoke had left behind that unmistakable smell of 'money' - money that I was now going to have to spend to get one of the boards fixed. I took the board to a local repairer (I believe that still operates here in Canberra) and recounted the whole sorry story. A week later we did a trade - a couple of hundred dollars for my board back.

I eagerly took the board back home and plugged the board back in - as I wasn't silly, I had marked all the connectors! Then, without a care in the world, I flicked the underneath power switch and ...... watched all the smoke escape from the board again
Seems I didn't know as much as I thought I did. Not wanting to take the board back and have to explain how I managed to blow the board up within 45 minutes, I left the machine in its sad and sorry state until I sold it.