The younger generations only get excited about pinball when they see someone good playing the machines, just like when I was a kid watching older players. It seemed like magic, this guy could line up and hit any shot in the machine. He could drop catch, bounce pass, post pass, bang back, kick save, slide save, slap save, death save. It was like he was some kind of wizard... he walked away leaving 5 credits on the machine, nodded to me and said "Enjoy 'em, kid". If we stop just playing and start worrying about who is or is not playing pinball, it surely will die. Get out and play the machines, make yourself look ridiculous. Play with some flair, with some eccentricity, make some noise. Whoop it up when you are doing good, and roast the players who are sucking. Show people pinball is about having fun, not about worrying when the ride is going to stop and we all have to get off.

I agree on the "pinball don't need no video gamey things". That's not going to help sell pinball machines. And head to head only works when playing the same machine at the same time. Now what I could see are co-op modes where the other players successes help advance you towards the next objective.

But how often does someone actually want help? I always considered my game as my accomplishment, and wouldn't a high score in co-op mode require all associated players to enter high score initials? Pinball is a solitary game, it's you against the machine. You compete on score, not advancement into the game.

All this talk about online play going to help keep pinball alive is pure b.s. in my book. They could have been doing it a long time ago with virtual pinball where every machine IS IDENTICAL, and they still haven't done that yet on a large scale basis. I don't think it will catch on anytime soon until you change how we keep score, how you measure success, or how you could actually compete across the net without cheating going on.

A little off on your timeline... video taping was invented in 1951, and VHS was introduced in 1976. I owned one in 1981 and had a Betamax before that. Luddite I am not.

Two players, one machine, and the highest score wins. Just like it's been for decades. No amount of online, DLC, co-op, or video gaming b.s. will change that.

I never said I was anti "up to four players can play", my point is pinball is judged on score. Your score, their score. Does getting to the wizard mode first make you the winner?, No, having the highest score does. I lost a tournament where I hit every wizard mode, scored every jackpot I could, and was promptly beaten by a guy who knew a better strategy and never got to the wizard mode at all. So who achieved more, him, or me? He has the trophy, not I.

Score is an industry and universally accepted method of determining the winner of a game of pinball, just like any other points based game. Sorry to be the Debbie Downer on that issue, but it is patently true. Notice I said in my earlier post it will not change until you change HOW pinball is scored. But I'm done taking to the wall on this issue.

Under what rock have you been living?