Quoted from 27dnast:I'll say it again because $3000 is a nice chunk of change. Make a trip to portland (call it a family vacation) and spend a day driving around to play some pins. Heck, a lot of these games getting tossed around are probably on location. Don't just take a swing in the dark on this...it's a classic mistake and may very well lead to the "what-ifs". Take your time, bro! Take your time and make sure you are getting something that is worthy before you actually get it!
There are folks on here... heck, probably folks in this thread(!)... that will tell you titles like The Shadow or Dr. Who are awesome games. But, I'd have to say, I've played these games and they bored me to tears. They weren't my cup of tea. Not to say that the folks that love them have good (personal) reasons to love them... but it just goes to show. If I had bought The Shadow based on recommendations, I would be severely bummed right now!
You gotta get your hands on some of these games and then make a move. There is so much that goes into enjoying a pin... you can't feel the flow or action of the flippers through a video.
Excellent advice! Very well thought out!
I have no arguement with dnast's point he seems very sincere in his effort to guide you down a happy pinball path.
I will say one thing about games on location though. When I was brand new in the pinball hobby, I was a very novice player and became very confused and overwhelmed when playing games on location. Most places I could play were very loud and it was hard for me to understand what to do on the games. I guess I need more than the flashing lights to guide me through a game. I need the audio cues as well. I rarely found a game on location that made me say "I gotta have that one!" The ones I did end up liking were in quieter places and I could concentrate on the game. The idea of try it before you buy it is very valid. I have played games with very high expectations only to find out I. Just don't like it. Wh2o is one of those games for me. I just can't get into it!
Others have suggested virtual pinball ant the like. For me, my first solid pinball experiences were on virtual tables too. I could take my time and learn the rules and decide if I like the game. What I played was Williams pinball hall of fame. It is on all the home consoles and iOS too. Maybe you could give that a try first to see what type of game you really like.