I love it as my own child. No shit either...
The theme, the gameplay, the depth...

You can have it, over my cold lifeless dead body.
^not an invitation...

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For me, it's Fish Tales. I've had it for about 11 years, with a short "vacation". I had the game, sold it, and then my daughter came home and said "where's Fish Tales, that's my favorite game" Really, I don't know that I've ever seen you play it, but hey, I'm not going to argue. If you'll play it, I'll find another one. Took me about a month or so to find another one and she does play it. It's always the game we go to for determining "house champ".

Creature. 2005. My wife gave it to me as a wedding gift. I built her a second bathroom, she bought me a pin. Win
- win in my book

Stern Magic. 37 years. Won NIB in 1981 (age 17) at a Time Out Amusement pinball tournament in suburbs of Washington DC. I have since had the play field restored. The blurred picture is from around 1982 in my parents basement. it now resides in Ohio.

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game: Abra Ca Dabra
how long: 1984 till now (34+ years)
why: a game from my youth, an incredibly reliable machine, fun to play (most days, but some days it says "you'll get nothing from me today, walk away")

I've had other games slightly longer, but Abra is the one that I've "kept" in continuous operation (with, I'm ashamed to say, very little maintenance) over all these years. With the help of this site (and others), I'm trying to make amends... I really am...

Have yet to reach my 5-year anniversary in the hobby, so no long historical records yet. But I do still have a Gottlieb Flipper Fair which has been in the family since 1977.

It’ll have to stay forever. Luckily, it’s a great game!

I have a 77 Cleopatra that has been in the family since its release. I just recently inherited it from my grandmother's estate.

Lord of the Rings bought it new in 2003. Knew it was something special when I plunged the first ball. Epic machine for me just like the movies. It will never leave. Honorable mention goes to Pinbot. I got it in 94, my first machine and now my nephew has it, classic game, still fun today, been in the family 24 years and counting.

World Cup Soccer 94. I've owned it since 2001. It's the pin that started it all.

Paul Bunyan: Over 25 years since buying it from a friend that shopped it for me in the 90's

a 1970 Gottlieb Flip a Card... Cause it was my first and my wife bought it super cheap and mostly sorta working for our first wedding anniversary. It's planked, it's gross, and the body isn't even from a flip a card, but the head and PF was dropped into another machine (and the head shows why)... I've worked on it, improving the play over the years to get it correct. I doubt I'll ever get rid of it for both sentimentality of first anniversary, first machine, and first mechanically restored pin. I doubt I'll ever refinish/bondo/repaint/etc cause I like the story it tells. And - it's always good to have a 2" flipper machine around for tourney practice and is generally stupid reliable.

6 Million Dollar Man, My first, 10 years, Never get what I have into it!

Pinball Machine: TMNT
Length of Ownership: 4 Years
Reason for Keeping so Long: I didn't know any better. Didn't realize pinball machines were something I could buy and sell so often. I don't regret owning it for so long either as I did enjoy the simplicity of the game.

Last Action Hero. Got it because I liked the movie. Never realized till later how great it is. First one bought 17 years ago. Will never sell it. Wish I knew then what I do now. Would have bought all the ones I have now when they were cheaper.

Xenon, 17 years. Played the heck out of this title in arcades. Found one in 2001. Since then bought a 2nd just for the cabinet, added a NOS PF & BG. My one and only keeper game.

Black Knight 2000...27 years

Addams for 11 years. Perfect for me to step up to and have a few games on.No ball save, difficult outlanes,the magnets,jackpots not easily achieved. This and EBD will be the last to leave.

Ac/Dc premium was my first NIB and amazing in 4 plus years I owned I never did a single switch adjustment. It's the game that I had the most fun on probably. Loved the band as a kid, love the shots and the rules. It's the game I have kicked myself over and over for selling and the one I want to bring back the most. Tough pill to swallow that they now go for over a 1000 more then I paid for it new. One day you will come home, I hope.

Tron LE was a close second and I traded a tron pro and xmen LE to another pinsider. If I could hit that gem shot on a more consistant basis it probably would not have been sold.

Metallica LE third, sold before the code got good. Will never be able to bring this one back, like Tron they have gone up too much for me to consider them again.

TAF I promise to not sell you a third time.

Traded a boat and small outboard motor for a Williams Star Pool circa 1996. The pin is still here because it is still fun and because gravity has done an amazing job of keeping it stuck to the floor.

F-14 Tomcat, early sample, white inserts
Purchased in 1988, in payment for partial operator technician salary.

30 years.

Fast and furious, and still fights back.

Acdc premium. My first and only NIB till now. Purchased in 2012. The man himself, Steve, has played this game in my gameroom which is already a reason never to sell it.

This is the longest I have had a pin and very very likely the last one to leave.