When having non pin head guests I adjust setting to easy and max extra ball as this keeps interest if they feel they are playing good !

I adjust all the default high scores down to minimal values. Then I reset the high scores. Everyone gets a kick out of having a few opportunities to enter their initials. I also scatter these flyers around the gameroom because some folks wander off as soon as their ball drains.

9fc7998cf8953a5233976d121c6139d4d8a2338a (resized).jpg

Grab a white board or chalkboard from your local staples or home goods / TJ Max

I have both and we hand write scores for pinball, arcade games, shuffleboard, pool etc

The highlight of the basement is actual a list with successful pool ‘masse’ shots and a lifetime battle of a few friends and family and I playing shuffleboard.

Everyone gets a kick out of tracking stuff

Nice lineup. But you need more. Go to the marketplace and grab a few before next Thursday.

Set up a family tournament where the losers have to do the dishes.

That sounds like a lot of fun!

Usually when I have people over, I try to steer newbies away from Houdini because it is too hard for them, lol!

My wife just had two friends over for a couple days. Wife plays a little, but far from a pinhead. These other lady's - not into pinball whatsoever. These are all in their 40s, 50s, busy working moms, to give you an idea. We were having a few drinks in the playroom. One of the ladies has a competitive streak and challenged the other two to pinball. The three of them played about four 3-player games on different machines and had a blast. Yeah, their scores were laughably bad, but they didn't know that, they were just comparing themselves to each other. And they had a great time. I did nothing special to make it more enticing or encourage them to play (although I have done stuff like that in the past for more organized parties). At any rate, it was just a great example of spontaneous fun. So maybe you don't need to do much but provide the opportunity and people may take it (or may not). This is also why I have a couple other things in the gameroom like darts and Ms Pac-Man/Galaga, tends to give anyone something to do if they don't like pins.

Agreed, I find it doesn't matter what I do. Either people play em or the don't. No rhyme or reason I can figure out. And I get surprised sometimes at who enjoys them and doesnt.

Go grab a bunch of scratch-offs, pull tabs, gift cards, etc.. and put them under the glass over the pricing cards or in any other dead space. Then each game gets a specific achievement that will win a prize i.e. Get a jackpot in High Speed, Blast Off in Flight 2000, knock down every target in El Dorado. Adjust for skill level and have a few other achievements ready for when somebody wins -- guests love it when you pull the glass for them to snag their prize.

This format got my in-laws absolutely psyched about playing and trying to meet specific objectives they might not have understood. Then you can roll right into playing head-to-head with each other for more prizes (or just bet what they already won... )

Agreed, I find it doesn't matter what I do. Either people play em or the don't. No rhyme or reason I can figure out. And I get surprised sometimes at who enjoys them and doesnt.

To set the mood I replace the flippers with turkey drum sticks.

make sure everyone washes their hands after grabbing those turkey legs!

This is the only thing that makes sense to me.