I think a good first option would be to go out to locations and play all the games, several times. Then you can really decide what you'd like to bring home, whether it's a certain style or era of game. If you are handy in any way, you'll be able to learn all the repair things, and despite what some people say about Pinside, it is a fantastic resource for tech stuff. I would not shy away from old titles. Not only is the cost of entry cheaper, but I would argue the repairability is much better. Even new machines will have stuff break; the hardware on the newest Sterns (node boards) are unrepairable, for now, and can blow without any notice. At least with the old stuff, there is repair potential with board sets.

Don't be afraid to take off the glass, no matter your choice. Look underneath and understand the mechanisms.

Each game has a volume knob or switch somewhere on every game, other than older with chimes.

Best advice is to find a place where you can play a few of the new releases. The right machine will grab you. What you like as a first-time buyer and novice player is really a personal choice. If it feels right and its fun, then you are probably good to go. I would say play all that you can, even older machines... you can get older machines that don't need work.

All solid state machines have volume control. Some high end one's have headphone jacks.

Agreed with what the above posts are saying. There are locations out there you should visit. From there, find out what you like. Sterns and Bally/Williams games have different feels. You may gravitate to one over the other.

On the other hand, if a deal stumbles across your path, I'm always under the impression that 'some pinball' > 'no pinball' and even if a theme on a deal may not be a long term hit for you, it gets your feet wet while you visit locations and ultimately narrow down what you like.

Any of the remakes (MMr, AFMr, MBr) are great games that are simple and easy to play... and very highly rated. I'd personally lean towards one of them.

That said, you should not be afraid of getting an older game that has been well maintained. You could get this from a private seller... or if you don't mind paying more you could get it from a place that sells used pinball machines and may offer some type of service or warranty (though I don't know the LA, CA market). If you were to do this any of the Bally or Williams pinballs from the DMD era (1990's) should provide for a fun, simple, and easy to play experience as would many Data East games.

Lastly, it may be worth your time to message some locals, introduce yourself, and ask if you can talk to them about places to purchase pinball machines from... maybe have a chance to play a game in their collection... or even say you're looking for your first pin and wondering if they were thinking of moving anything on... You can look here for those people --> https://pinside.com/pinball/map/mapbox#9/33.8623/-118.1838/0/26
(Also... there may be a pinside club for california... and I recall one frequent poster from LA named Rarehero that might be worth contacting... but I don't know him personally... just that he seems informed and likely has a good network.)

FYI: For simple and easy to play without studying the rules I'd lean away from Star Wars...

Don't be intimidated by a deeper rule set. you will eventually get your own game figured out and deeper rules will add to lasting playability. I rarely have much of an idea what I am trying to accomplish the first few times I play a game. It all gets more fun as you figure out the scoring goals.

and as others have said you needn't limit yourself to a brand new game. there are plenty of well serviced/restored older games on the market. and as fat Panda said " Even new machines will have stuff break" things rattle loose, go out of alignment and such. heck I have even had to do a few minor repairs on my new Houdini.

All modern pins (1990's and up) have buttons inside the coin door to access menu and change volume. All games have loads of features in the menu that can be set to make gameplay easier (like 5 ball play) and diagnostics to help figure out problems.

News pins should be reliable but all pins need maintenance/adjustments frequently so keep that in mind. A well maintained older pin should be very reliable. New pins are great but the downside is cost. Hard to build up a collection unless you got deep pockets. Any one pin can get a bit old if you play it a lot. Pinball is a lot more enjoyable when you have 3 or more pins. More than one person can be playing at a time and if one pin goes down, you have others to play until it is fixed.

It sounds like you would like the remakes. They are exactly like the classics with same layout and code but upgraded features like lighting and display. Rules are very easy to understand and just great fun. All the remakes are very popular games (top ranked games on pinside) so hard to go wrong with either. AFM and MB are very different games. Check out videos of each and if you can play them yourselves. The more you can get playtime the better. Some games click and some just don't. Some games grow on you after playing a while and some games get old fast.

Go to pinball shows. That way you can play a huge variety of new and used games.

As far as the remakes, which is better is VERY subjective. All three are classic titles and the only opinion that really matters is your own. I love MM and prefer it over MB. I prefer originals over remakes - others will be opposite and want remakes (which suits me just fine!).

But you mentioned TNA. It is a great game - at least i think so its in my collection as the only NIB ive ever purchased. I just think it offers a different experience; from the great lightshow to the original music with onboard sub, and the ass kicking speed off that single pop. I also really like the fact that Scott is on the threads responding to posts and updating and releasing new code. Things I appreciate with a newer release.

Anyway thats just my two cents. I encourage you to play something first hand and see if you personally enjoy it. But don’t overthink it too much - i dont believe there is any one pin that you wont tire of in a single pin collection over time. Thats why they make friends so easy. Soon they invite them over and the next thing you know they are all crashing in your basement

If you're close to Banning, CA, go to the Arcade Expo the weekend of March 15 to 17. Click on the events tab to get more info.

Another option if you ever head to Las Vegas is the Pinball Hall of Fame. They have about 150 games from all eras that you can play. In addition to the Hall of Fame, Vegas has many other pinball venues some with a pretty good selection.

You shouldn't need anything like that. This video demonstrates how a person can set a game up by themselves if necessary:

You'll need some sockets for attaching the legs and head bolts. Good luck with your TNA, it's an amazing game.

Buy something cheap. Monopoly, RCT, something like that. Learn to work on it. By the time you know your way around it you’ll be ready for a NIB game.