Quoted from gamera9:I do not understand "affordable". I bought my first pin in 1983 and have owned about 50. I sold all for more, or traded for equal or a better game. Home games always go down in value. Affordable is a Gottlieb System 1. Get a working one for less than a grand. They are fun games. Electromechanical games are low in price. They are very affordable, if you are good at tinkering. Pay 500 for one and keep it working and it will be worth 550 or 600 in 2 years. You made 50 or 100. Very affordable.
I don't think affordable has to mean spending as little as possible, and not everyone has the skill or inclination to work on machines that might require an oscilloscope to debug them, they just want to play. The experience of the games you just recommended is fun yes, but not what a used Stern Pro or Home edition offers in my opinion. Top that off with a flat out stupid market right now: The closest thing within 100 miles of me that matches this idea is a Flying Carpet for $750, with the next available machine being a $4000 DE Jurassic Park.
More similar to your example: My first motorcycle in 2003 was a 1974 Honda CB360 with tube tires, carburetors, drum brakes, and at best 22 horsepower. I paid $200 for it, fixed it up, and sold it 25,000 miles later for $1000. Would I recommend one now? No, parts are even harder to find, a bone stock modern machine can run complete circles around it without having to worry about rubber parts dry rotting or wires breaking or points needing calibration.