Pinball & Playland

Our town had an arcade. Anyone from central Pennsylvania may actually know it. It was called "Playland" and featured hundreds upon hundreds of arcade games in numerous rooms. Everyone was welcome, boys (and many girls) of all ages could be seen in there at any point. There was a game full of older goodies like Asteroids and Pac-Man, another had newer but obscure titles. Hundreds of games, nearly all for a quarter.

But there was one room that was nearly always empty - the pinball room...other than me. It was my heaven. I don't know why I was drawn to the game. There were no flashy graphics or 3D animations, just a ball and some physics. But perhaps that was it. Video games could be programmed to cheat. If I lost at a game of pinball, it was all my fault. The notion that I was in control of nearly everything was very satisfying when the free game knocker would sound and others would come watch. It actually felt far better to be good at a pinball machine than at a video game. I guess I was in the minority on that one.

I'd spend every quarter I earned from allowance (and found in the coin return slots of other games!) in that room on both new and older tables. Every few months a new one would show up and there'd be no one playing. Mortal Kombat always had a crowd, it seemed. "More room for me," I'd say to myself.

Whether it was Godzilla, Independence Day, Cyclone, Funhouse, South Park or what have you, I played them. Not all of them were gems. Some, I felt, ate my quarters with easier drains and poorer layouts of which I'd avoid after a few plays. Most were decent enough for me to keep coming back. When Pinball 2000's Revenge from Mars debuted, I really disliked its format and wished it gone. Had I known my wish would have come true, I may never have made it.

But I sampled them all...until Playland closed its doors about a decade ago, just as I became old enough to earn a paycheck in the working world. Their auction of stock made some serious cash and most games were out of my reach at that time. All the classics sold for big bucks; I think Medieval Madness and Attack from Mars were the highest. To this day, no arcade exists in town other than possibly the nook in Wal-Mart with a crane grabber and a light gun machine.

And so now, I'm looking to put together a little nook of my own with the little extra I make to enjoy that room once again. Bought my first pinball table on eBay on a "Best Offer" grab. Starship Troopers was mine for $1,225 + shipping. It was in decent enough shape for me only to have to learn how to change bulbs and switches. I'm in the market now for a second table.

I don't foresee myself stopping any time soon.

Some older pictures of the establishment can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Playland-Arcade/128383293893212