Mine will be lame compared to others, as i've only bought my 1st pin 1 month ago, and haven't really had the longevity of collecting as many others here.....
1. Earliest pinball memory?
I was maybe 10 years old, and on family holidays in Mildura.
We stayed in a lovely Motel which backed onto a golf course.
In the main bar/restaurant area was a dart board and 1 pinball machine, i wouldn't have a clue what it was,
but my dad asked me to try it out.
I played it almost everynight after tea while we were there for those few nights.
After that i really never played pinballs, they were never around unless you went to the city arcades, and i never went to
the city as a teen etc.
In later years, hitting a lot more city pubs and poolhalls, my mates & i were often in arcades killing time before seeing a movie or something.
It was in the 90's when i played pinball the most, and started "wanting" to own one, but never did.
I remember playing Black Rose, Party Zone, Bram Stokers Dracula (loved the magnetic/moving ball accross the playfiled) and a few others i can't recall.
Back then i even started looking around at pinball places, looking for cheap parts so i could build my own one, although
that never eventuated, but the idea stuck in my head all these years.
2. All time favourite pin? Why?
Being new to collecting, i don't have a fave yet.
There's so many things about pins that appeal to me, some i love for their artwork, they're a masterpiece in themselves.
Light & Colour wins everytime!
Others i love for their gameplay and features.
If the machine is more adventurous and challenging, then i'm sure to like it.
Newer machines off a lot of changes in gameplay, where things move about and change the aim of the game which is a nice change.
The older machines are quite plain and boring (ahem) for me, but on the other hand i appreciated their artwork and design,
especially the iconic ones such as Kiss, Evil Knevel, Playboy and old space ones etc.
Some are so corny, that's what probably makes them so great.
3. Favourite pinball manufacture?
I'm beginning to learn some have better parts & design than others.
I'm in the process of building my own machine made up with Williams, Bally, Gottleib parts, so i have to say i have no fave
at this time.
4. Favourite game in your collection? Why?
I only have a Stellar Wars as a working pin, it's an old wide format pin, as wide as the backbox (75cm).
I like it because it has a load of targets and challenges and doesn't get boring.
I'm in the process of adding extra ligths and features to brighten it up and make it a bit more exciting to play.
5. How long have you been collecting?
1 month?
6. First game and how did you find it?
Stellar Wars - Ebay - $780 with minor faults which are basically all sorted out now.
7. Do you still have it?
Yep.
8. What are you currently working on?
Stellar Wars still being refined, and pulled apart old Buck Rogers, Cleopatra & Close Encounters for projects.
9. Most wanted game to add to your collection?
Probably some iconic games like 70's playboy, kiss etc.
I have a wantlist which seems to be growing outta control, not sure how i'll afford all these, and where i will put them.
I might need to put all my pins on wheels, so i can wheel them out for a game when needed.
10. Best all time bargain game added to your collection?
Stellar Wars - Ebay - $780.
11. Worst ever miss – tell us about the one that got away!
Many that i didn't bid high enough on.
12. Worst ever purchase – tell us about the game you wished you never bought
Haven't had a bad purchase ..... yet !
13. Describe your collection
Small, does 1 working pin, and 3 pins in buckets count as a collection?
14. Describe your gamesroom
I don't have a gamesroom as such, just pins and parts weherever they fit around the house for now.
15. Do you have other games other than pinball?
I have a homebrew MAME standup cabinet, and i'm getting around to building a "sit-in" MAME console too.
Why stand up to play games all night?, when i can lay back in a nice plush chair with pizza tray on 1 side,
and stubby holder on the other side? Next will be to add a microwave and a pantry cupboard.
If i get tired i can sleep in there too hehehehe.
Also working on recreating some old wooden (wall mount) redemption-style games.
There was one i played as a teenager in a milkbar, it was a golf game, where you slip 2cents into the side, and use metal flippers to navigate your coin along the paths without letting it fall into the holes
if you got to the end, your 2cents would come back out, and you could try again.
It was more of a skill game, nothing to do with scoring or winning prizes, besides getting your 2cents back.
16. Where can you see the hobby in 10 years?
The hobby of collecting/restoring will no doubt be around for a lot longer than 10 more years.
However, where pinball manufacturing and future releases will be? is very hard to predict.
From my perspective, the 80's and well into the 90's saw VIDEO games kick pinball in the ass bigtime!
I spent a fair bit of time in arcades in the 90's (in between pubcrawls) and found it harder to find pinnies in the city arcades.
Although my mates and i soon found some exciting Video games that we always played anyway.
- Enjoy
Marty Machine.
