• pinball wizard

    Is Realistic PC Pinball Worth $300?

    Now I've stated in the past that I am one of the world's biggest fans of video game pinball, from both a height and width and level of devotion standpoint, but I'm just not sure if I am ready for Nanotech Entertainment's Pinball Wizard Controller. Sure it features real flipper buttons, a real plunger, and the ability to detect motion for realistic table nudging action, but there is no way in hell I could ever justify spending $299 on a controller just to play pinball. An actual pinball table, perhaps, but not a controller, no matter how appealing the thought of having a real plunger may be.

    For those of you without my financial limitation, the device does ship with a variety of 3D pinball programs, including a few Gottlieb recreations, and the software is designed to work with all once and future pinball programs, regardless of whether or not they support analog input. Me? I'm just going to bookmark the page at www.nanotechent.com for random bouts of drooling. More »

    10:40 AM on Wed Nov 12 2008
    By Mike Fahey
    3,859 views, 28 comments

    Most discussed WildKnightblazer: It's a Pinball Wizard? There has to be a twist. more »

  • video

    The Best Damn Video Game Infomercial You'll Ever Not Walk Away From

    Many years ago I had the pleasure of interviewing Todd Tuckey, owner of TNT Amusement, for a story I was working on about arcade machine ownership and restoration. The man is a font of information and a genuine arcade aficionado. He also makes a living restoring, storing and selling arcade and pinball machines.

    Every time we talked over the years he would mention his infomercial. An hour long commercial for his place that was so packed with info, silly jokes and eyes on retro machines, that it had earned itself a cult following. Finally, one day I asked him how I could watch it and he said that it wasn't online. So I told him to send us a copy so we could host it.

    The entire hour may not be for everyone, but if you like arcade gaming, you should probably watch a bit of it. Personally, I think it's awesome. More »

    3:00 PM on Thu Sep 18 2008
    By Brian Crecente
    13,409 views, 98 comments

    Most discussed hanspecans: man, sucks you guys are just catching onto this. luckily here in philly we've been graced with these infomercials for more »

  • pinball

    Eight Most Innovative Pinballs of All Time

    In general, I'm not a big fan of lists. They're often either feeble attempts at traffic grabs or lazy journalism, or both. But Popular Mechanics' break down of the eight most innovative pinball machines of all time has some meat in it.

    Found among this list of just eight machines is the advent of holographic play fields, the tilt mechanism, flippers, and player mods.

    The full list includes Brokers Tip, Humpty Dumpty, Wizard, Hot Tip, Checkpoint, The Twilight Zone, Revenge From Mars and my personal favorite, The Addams Family.

    Found among these games is not just a collection of new pinball technology, but a short history of the game that blends so well the mechanical with the virtual.

    Top 8 Most Innovative Pinball Machines of All Time [Popular Mechanics]

    3:00 PM on Thu Aug 7 2008
    By Brian Crecente
    6,649 views, 67 comments

    Latest by reecord2: Anyone remember the Super Mario pinball machine? Favorite ever. more »

  • events

    Midwest Gaming Classic Starts Tomorrow

    If you are or will be in the Milwaukee area over the weekend, be sure to drop by the Olympia Resort for the 2008 Midwest Gaming Classic, the Midwest's largest electronic gaming convention. Visitors will be able to buy and play classic to current arcade and pinball machines, buy, sell, and trade your video game systems, games, and accessories, or listen to talks given by guest speakers like modder Ben Heckendorn, Twin Galaxies founder Walter Day, former EGM editors "Trickman" Terry and Sushi X, and Marty Goldberg, who will be talking about the plans to revitalize the classic Microprose brand. It sounds like a damn fine way to spend some time and money over the weekend. Tickets are $10 a day for adults, or completely free for children 12 and under. Hit up the website for directions and more information.

    The 2008 Midwest Gaming Classic     [Official Site - Thanks ZRDollarz]

    11:20 AM on Fri Mar 28 2008
    By Mike Fahey
    1,178 views, 18 comments

    Latest by lawnmowerdeth: @Ruffstik: Oh definitely! I'm in St. Louis, it was a 400 mile drive for me and it was worth more »

  • arcade flyers

    The Arcade Flyer Archive Liquidating Collection

    A few months back I mentioned that The Arcade Flyer Archive, an amazing collection of vintage and new arcade flyers, would be liquidating their collection. They've already been through one portion of the sale which we unfortunately missed out on. But never fear, there's still plenty more to be had. The flyers cover Arcade Video Games, Pinball machines and other types of arcade amusement machines. Everything you need to know about the sale including the list of available flyers, prices and shipping can be found at coinopvideogames.com. These guys have put a ton of hard work into cataloging this amazing collection so help support them by buying a few flyers. They're going cheap!

    7:00 PM on Sat Feb 16 2008
    By fdemarco
    2,664 views, 15 comments

    Latest by bashpenguin: I'm now $40 poorer, but I needed some of those CAVE shooter flyers. Thanks Kotaku! more »

  • afas

    Arcade Flyer Art Saturday: Pinball Edition

    Long before I loved video games I was a pinball fanatic. I spent more money on pinball than almost anything else in my younger years. Ever since I've been doing Arcade Flyer Art Saturday I have perused the many flyers available on The Arcade Flyer Archive. Several months back they added pinball flyers and I was thrilled. In many cases, the art on them is better than the art on the video game flyers. But, alas, pinball isn't a video game so I was barred from using them. And besides, there's not a terrible lot to say about how to play a pinball game and the gameplay doesn't exactly vary wildly.

    So, today as i was browsing TAFA for tonight's AFAS I noticed that they had quite a few pinball games that were inspired by video games. Finally I had my chance to show off some pinball flyer art! So, for your pleasure I present some of the finest examples of vg inspired pinball games. The Joust one is especially great as they designed it like a tabletop arcade game. Too cool.

    7:00 PM on Sat Jan 19 2008
    By fdemarco
    2,055 views, 53 comments

    Latest by kidnicky: theibault-At work,our warehouse sends us invoices printed on the "every-other-line-is-green" hole sided paper. In 2008. more »

  • game announce

    SouthPeak Brings Springtime Pinball Dreams

    As a rabid fan of both pinball and sitting down, I tend to keep a sharp eye out for new and exciting combinations of both. SouthPeak Games have just announced Dream Pinball 3D, coming this Spring to the PC, Wii, and Nintendo DS. Promising "most intense visuals and ball physics a pinball game has ever seen", the game will feature six non-licensed table themes and distinctive controls for each of the three versions that you can pretty much figure out for yourself.
    "Everyone loves pinball. It is an unusual kind of entertainment in that it bridges hardcore and casual gamers, while translating very well to videogames," said Melanie Mroz, CEO of SouthPeak Games. "We are going to give the medium the respect it deserves."
    The respect the medium of pinball deserves involves acts falling outside of the M for mature ratings limit Mel. Why not start by giving the game a less generic name. Sounds like an early 90's shareware title for crying out loud. More »

    10:20 AM on Thu Jan 10 2008
    By Mike Fahey
    1,497 views, 28 comments

    Latest by mrlefty: Dream Pinball 3D by Topware has been out in Germany for over a year. (Website - [www.dream-pinball.com]) It's actually pretty damn more »

  • clips

    Arcade Attack: The Pinball-Video Game War

    1UP's Jenn Frank was lucky enough to have come into possession of one of the wildest, wackiest animation moments from the 80s. It was a heady time, one that saw the genre cleansing of former arcade mainstay pinball viciously brutalized by video games. There are no words that could do justice to this animated battle between wannabe Space Invaders and not quote The Bride of Pinbot. Could've used a more metal soundtrack, but it's worth a watch regardless. Frank reveals more about the documentary from whence this came in her latest 1UP blog entry.

    Arcade Attack: More '80s Than You Can Handle [1UP]

    6:00 PM on Mon Oct 29 2007
    By Michael McWhertor
    1,174 views, 18 comments

    Latest by XgamerM: Ya, what is up with the confederate flag? Nothing like a little slavery reference to get the viewers! more »

  • arcade flyers

    TAFA October Update

    It's the beginning of the month so it must be time for another Arcade Flyer Archive update! As usual TAFA graces us with another hundred flyers in each of their three categories: video games, pinball games and arcade amusement games. This month in video games we get Dead or Alive, Burger Time, House of the Dead 4 Special and Metal Slug X just to name a few. Pinball and Arcade Amusement also get their fair share with some new SMB Pinballs and Ashcraft's favorite Love and Berry Dress Up Dance. So, head on over to TAFA and see what all the hub-bub is about.

    10:00 AM on Sat Oct 6 2007
    By fdemarco
    452 views, Comment

  • with added joel flippers

    The HDTV Pinball Machine

    Fresh off covering E3 for us, former Gizmodo editor Joel Johnson has settled in over at Boing Boing, where he's covering gadgets like this HDTV pinball machine. It's an art installation on display at Barcelona's Palau de la Virreina that riffs on the conflict between kids and parents over leisure activities — what's more, it proves that more pinball machines should use giant HDTVs. Here's info about the game:

    The "real world" level represents kids' media usage and their parents' attitudes towards it. Left hand (parents' wishes) sends the ball (the kid) to school, books, church and museum. Right hand (the kid's wishes) sends the kid to TV, peers, videogames and the Internet-connected computer at the top left.

    Nice to see a tricked out pinball machine. Nice to see Joel back in the gadget saddle.
    Homebrew HDTV Pinball [BB Gadgets]

    10:00 PM on Tue Aug 28 2007
    By Brian Ashcraft
    3,517 views, 23 comments

    Latest by Sabre_Justice: Okay, no more long name.: Pinball machines rock. Bring back the real ones. more »