(Topic ID: 214333)

Got paid to play pinball today

By Brett-L

5 years ago


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  • 28 posts
  • 12 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 5 years ago by poppapin
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    #1 5 years ago

    Today was awesome. I was working in Ocean City, NJ and had some time to kill between jobs. Growing up in NJ, I never hung out in Ocean City much, I always went to the shore towns south of OC.
    I went on google maps and looked for arcades, and a place called Jillys was only a few blocks away on the boardwalk. I was surprised anything was even open on a cold and windy early April Monday. So I walk in, and I’m blown away by how many pinballs I see. Best part- I’m the only patron, and every pin is 25 cents.

    I have $1.25 in quarters with 40 minutes to spare and try to decide which pin to play first.
    Here’s the list
    Family guy
    Pirates of the Caribbean (not working)
    Monopoly
    Monster bash
    Medieval madness
    South Park
    Theatre of magic
    Simpson’s pinball party
    Junkyard
    Star Wars stern
    Aerosmith
    Batman stern
    Spider-Man
    Ghost busters
    Kiss stern
    Star Trek stern

    The only title out of these I’ve played before was South Park, so it was a tough decision. Since the only pin I own is Star Trek 25th, I walked over to the Stern Star Trek first. Awesome game! The replay value seemed low since I was able to pop it my first game I really enjoyed playing this one.
    Next up was Ghostbusters, because I remember reading a thread here about it. I thought it was cool, I guess ok but the ball would drain rather easily like right around the loop right off the firing lane.
    Next I walked over to the Aerosmith and Star Wars that were side by side. I got to say, I never played a pin like either one of those. Pinballs have come a long way lol. The Star Wars with the mini screen under the glass was extremely cool, and both displays were unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Five ball multi ball, just awesome, and the flippers were so live, nothing like my Star Trek 25th. I used my last 25 cents on the South Park for old times sake. Not as fun as I once remember, but maybe it was because I just played the previous two and the technology is just so much better on those.
    I ran out of time, but will definitely be stopping back very soon. What other game on the list is a must try?

    #2 5 years ago

    Um ALL OF THEM! You could go on and on about the good or bad, and not to start conflict of what my opinion is about which is good or bad, but mostly good titles for one location. Try them all and I'm sure you'll want to have another pin. Damn addicting hobby. Happy playing!

    #3 5 years ago

    all great games especially if for 1 quarter

    look them up here on Pinside & read the reviews

    the new Star Wars figure out the center action button for shot multipliers & Tie fighter attacks

    Areosmith center action button the skip 3 ball multiball & load 6 balls in the toybox

    Monsterbash is a fantastic title

    a roll of quarters should keep you busy for a bit

    Stern did make a couple Batman titles Batman (The Dark Knight) & Batman 66 (Premium)

    #4 5 years ago

    Jilly's is great! Cheapest pinball around. This is probably the best time to play their games though, since the techs have more time to tune them up before the summer rush. If you've ever gone there in the middle of the summer, it's disappointment city--Especially that Monster Bash they have with the kickout hole that's been worn to the size of your fist. Still, at 25 cents a play, I hardly complain.

    There are a couple other arcades with some well maintained games farther down towards Gilligan's Pier. I can't remember the name, but they have an Indiana Jones, Batman, and a couple of other neat seldomly seen games. One of them has a Funhouse and Jacks Open way in the back.

    #5 5 years ago
    Quoted from chas10e:

    all great games especially if for 1 quarter

    You can't beat that,A lot of nice games on that list..Happy Flippin..

    #6 5 years ago

    Off season is a good time to go to Jilly's as previously said. I used to take side trips to go there when I used to do service calls in Atlantic city. Miss those days!

    #7 5 years ago
    Quoted from chas10e:

    the new Star Wars figure out the center action button for shot multipliers & Tie fighter attacks
    Areosmith center action button the skip 3 ball multiball & load 6 balls in the toybox
    Monsterbash is a fantastic title

    Stern did make a couple Batman titles Batman (The Dark Knight) & Batman 66

    Thanks for the input! Instead of playing all of them, because of very limited time, I wanted to focus on one or two machines to learn the layouts. The Batman was The Dark Knight

    Quoted from mbaumle:

    There are a couple other arcades with some well maintained games farther down towards Gilligan's Pier. I can't remember the name, but they have an Indiana Jones, Batman, and a couple of other neat seldomly seen games. One of them has a Funhouse and Jacks Open way in the back.

    This is great to know! Thanks! I wonder if they have winter/spring hours like Jillys. Probably not though.

    Quoted from poppapin:

    Off season is a good time to go to Jilly's as previously said. I used to take side trips to go there when I used to do service calls in Atlantic city. Miss those days!

    I do heating and cooling and was between service calls. I usually don’t do a lot of service, but I will now be taking calls throughout the greater Ocean City area

    #8 5 years ago

    Can't beat Jilly's prices but some of their pins need some work and have for years. A few friends of mine have offered to help tech for free, but they turned them down. They usually get one new game a year, and at 25 cents a play you can't beat it.

    Some issues from the last time I was there a few months ago:

    Pirates of the Caribbean (not working)
    Monopoly - Bank Door intermittently working
    Monster bash - Kickout hole throws it SDTM
    Theatre of magic - Trunk was having issues
    Simpson’s pinball party - Upper flippers did not work
    Star Wars stern - Not a maintenance issue, but it is running older code (No video mode, lightsaber duel, etc.)
    Aerosmith - Toybox gets out of sync after locking 2nd ball
    Dark Knight - Weak flippers
    Ghost busters - right ramp switch doesn't register; running older code so you can never finish/time out Spook Central

    #9 5 years ago
    Quoted from Brett-L:

    I do heating and cooling and was between service calls. I usually don’t do a lot of service, but I will now be taking calls throughout the greater Ocean City area

    Don't forget to stop in at Manco & Manco for a slice!!

    #10 5 years ago

    I might be crucified for saying this, but I’ve always felt that Mack and Manco’s pizza is wholly overrated, overpriced, and not very good. Their cheese to sauce-from-a-hose ratio never sat well with me.

    Plus their cash only policy landed the co-owner in jail for tax evasion. I never understood why someone who makes that much money feels the need to cheat the system.

    Alas, everyone of my friends loves it there, so they must be doing something right

    #11 5 years ago

    I think the Silverball Museum is just down the road at Asbury Park? I wonder if it is still open; I visited it about 10 years ago and spent almost an entire day. I think it was $20 for free play and there we tons of machines, including many older ones. The owner seemed to have a particular affinity for Evel Knievel because I recall there were about 10 EKs in various states of repair being worked on, including at least one em version. Good time! I would go back if I am ever in the region again (assuming it is still open).

    #12 5 years ago
    Quoted from Eightball88:

    I think the Silverball Museum is just down the road at Asbury Park? I wonder if it is still open; I visited it about 10 years ago and spent almost an entire day. I think it was $20 for free play and there we tons of machines, including many older ones. The owner seemed to have a particular affinity for Evel Knievel because I recall there were about 10 EKs in various states of repair being worked on, including at least one em version. Good time! I would go back if I am ever in the region again (assuming it is still open).

    A bit UP the road but yeah still there and machines are pristine!! @200 machines on freeplay I think.

    #13 5 years ago
    Quoted from mbaumle:

    I might be crucified for saying this, but I’ve always felt that Mack and Manco’s pizza is wholly overrated, overpriced, and not very good. Their cheese to sauce-from-a-hose ratio never sat well with me.
    Plus their cash only policy landed the co-owner in jail for tax evasion. I never understood why someone who makes that much money feels the need to cheat the system.
    Alas, everyone of my friends loves it there, so they must be doing something right

    I agree it's not the best, but off-season that's the only pizza shop on the boardwalk open!

    #14 5 years ago

    I will drive the extra 45 min to North Wildwood for Sam’s Pizza lol. Mack and Manco isn’t my favorite but it’s good. There’s one in Somers Point I stop at once in a while.
    I took a drive to the Silverball Museum for the first time last year and had some fun there. Although it was the beginning of last summer and very crowded; all the new high tech pins were non stop taken and it felt like I didn’t get to play half the machines I drove there to play

    #15 5 years ago
    Quoted from Brett-L:

    I took a drive to the Silverball Museum for the first time last year and had some fun there. Although it was the beginning of last summer and very crowded; all the new high tech pins were non stop taken and it felt like I didn’t get to play half the machines I drove there to play

    If you can swing it, visit the Silverball on a weekday during a non-summer month. There's usually not nearly as many people there around that time.

    1 month later
    #16 5 years ago

    So I’ve been stopping by Jilly’s quite frequently, after I don’t feel like working anymore lol usually after lunchtime. Monster Bash is my new favorite game.. the kickout is hilariously worn, but it usually doesn’t shoot sdtm so they may have fixed that issue. Pirates is now working and I spent some time figuring out that pin. Really like it. Medieval Madness is awesome, I played it a bunch but the right flipper went totally dead after a few plays. Still basically empty this time of year!
    There’s a place right around the corner from me that I used to go to as a kid with my dad, locals will def know about the Berlin Farmers Market and the arcade in there. It’s been probably 20 years since I last visited but stopped there last Thursday (during working hours to comply with my thread title lol)
    I was surprised to see a couple newer pins that I was excited to try. I walked over to Game Of Thrones and saw it was $1.00 a play. I guess I’m spoiled with Jilly’s .25 a game. Damn, a dollar a play? Still it was really fun, I matched once and popped it twice so it was worth it. Had .50 cents left and tried out the ever popular Shaq Attack! Pretty fun, but I couldn’t make the damn basket!
    Yesterday I had a service call in North Wildwood and stopped at Sams for a slice then wondered in to Gateway 26. Iron Man and The Walking Dead! Played twd for the first time, really enjoyed the ramp shots and was able to pop a free game and finish up right before my parking meter expired! I love my job

    #17 5 years ago

    Anyone know the lineup at Jillys in OC New Jersey now? I am thinking of taking a drive there this weekend and hope they have Iron Maiden.

    #18 5 years ago

    Line up is the same as listed above except they put in a baseball-type pin and removed either Spider-Man or Junkyard, I can’t remember which one

    #19 5 years ago

    Thanks, bummer there is no Iron Maiden on the Ocean City, NJ boardwalk yet.

    Quoted from Brett-L:

    Line up is the same as listed above except they put in a baseball-type pin and removed either Spider-Man or Junkyard, I can’t remember which one

    #20 5 years ago

    Jilly's usually gets 1 new pin per year. I guess Ghostbusters is the newest?

    #21 5 years ago

    I think it was Junkyard they removed for the baseball machine. I went last weekend and pretty sure Spidey was still there. poppapin - Star Wars is the newest, with Aerosmith before that. Aero is still losing track of the balls in the toy box. Star Wars is still on release day code, but extra ball is lit from the plunge for no reason.

    Bad news is they completely removed the Slimer from their Ghostbusters. There is no way to start modes if you miss the skill shot.

    1 week later
    #22 5 years ago
    Quoted from Brett-L:

    Line up is the same as listed above except they put in a baseball-type pin and removed either Spider-Man or Junkyard, I can’t remember which one

    They removed Junkyard (which I’m not happy about). The baseball game is alright, but play it sooner than later, cus it’s already falling apart (fingers crossed they get rid of it and bring Junkyard back!)

    #23 5 years ago

    Baseball game? Is it a pin?

    #24 5 years ago

    It is not Slugfest but looks like something similar. It has a pinball cabinet body but it is not a baseball-themed pin. The call-outs are very annoying to me while I’m on the other side playing Monster Bash

    #25 5 years ago
    Quoted from Brett-L:

    It is not Slugfest but looks like something similar. It has a pinball cabinet body but it is not a baseball-themed pin. The call-outs are very annoying to me while I’m on the other side playing Monster Bash

    Likely one of these from Valley/Dynamo:
    https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/gizmo-games-is-doing-pitch-and-bat#post-3672151

    #27 5 years ago
    Quoted from Brett-L:

    Yep! The one on the right

    Play it while you can, the backbox playfield will be broken soon.

    #28 5 years ago

    Looks like a pitch n bat, Not interested!

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