I've got 2 games with a lot of sentimental value.

The first game, a Gottlieb 2001, came from our neighbors. I was childhood friends with the kid who lived there, and the game sat in his basement. It never worked, but we would always play on it. We were either climbing all over it, or we'd sit on the glass (good thing it's tempered!), and pretend we were sitting in a racecar. One spring day, they decided to sell it, and my mom bought it for my dad, thinking he'd like to tinker with it. I'll never forget watching my neighbor's dad and my poor mother hefting that cabinet, legs attached and all, down the sidewalk and into our garage. It sat in our garage for a couple years, since my dad immediately lost interest in fixing it. I found Clay's guides and DVDs, and he and I found renewed interest to fix it. We did, and it was our first father-son project together. What a great summer that was!

Second game is Whirlwind. It's the first game (other than 2001) that I can actually remember playing. It was in an old shed at a campground we were staying at for a Boy Scout outing in the early 2000s. I've always been somewhat of an outcast, so finding a little slice of fun was a nice getaway from the daily roasts and ridicule I'd often be afflicted with. It was a really hot day, and the fan on the game was just icing on the cake. While I got multiball once or twice, I remember thinking "Wow! I'll never be able to hit that side ramp! I wonder what that does?!" The game was filled with mystique, and I loved the music. It took me years to find a copy of the game I could afford, but now that I have it, I doubt it'll ever leave the collection.

Space Station, It was the first pin I can remember playing in the bowling alley! There were 3 right next to each other F-14, Space Station and High Speed. I played all 3 and have never forgotten them. I only have one more to get and I will have them all!!!!

I have only two sentimental gmaes. My lost world Jurassic Park because it was my first pinball machine. The other one is my congo It was at a laundromat very dirty and not working I played it a couple of times there one day the laundromat closed and the machines where gone. A couple of weeks go by I go to a local friends house to buy his BSD I ended up passing on it and I saw a very nice Congo in his house we asked if it was for sale because I wanted one badly since I played it at the laundromat. Then he told me it's the same congo from the laundromat he bought from the guy and restored it so we bought the congo from him.

My 79' Bally KISS. I have a faint memory of seeing one in an arcade at my 5th birthday party and thought it was the coolest thing ever. Fast forward 35 years and I bought one just to be a cool KISS collectible. Little did I know that I'd come to love playing pinball and the addiction to buying more started...

My game is my Captain Fantastic.when I was 12 (1986)I was reading through our local classified paper the Trading Times and came across a pinball machine for sale in my city.I called the guy up and talked a price and got my father to take me over there the next day and I bought my first machine for $250 with my paper route/babysitting money.I still have the machine and I dont think I could ever sell it.

went tot he World Cup as well and have one the machine, while it was a nice reminder of that very memorable event, not enough to make it a keeper.

Centaur is the game I have the most sentimental attachment to. It was the machine I played practically daily in college. There was a convenience store just a few blocks from my dorm and in the local free paper they would have a coupon for two free tokens, so a buddy and I would go over and get in our games, typically picking up a few free ones along the way. When I first started collecting that was at the top of my list to acquire, took a couple of years, but have a really nice one in my collection. Just yesterday someone reached out to see if I would sell it, and well, you know what my answer was.

TAF. It was the game I fell in love with as a kid. It was the game I dreamt about buying for years and years till my now wife convinced me to just buy one.
It was the game that broke the first week of ownership and led me to Pinside where I learned to fix and rebuild and meet other fun pinheads. It was the first game I put on route and everyone loves playing it and it makes me happy to turn on so many new pinheads with the game I loved first. Eventually it will come home from route and I will restore it a second time for myself.

FT was a game by pops loaned me the money to buy so I could do a full restoration on it. It is the ACTUAL fish tales I grew up playing in the cabin resort bar basement as a kid. That game was operated at that one and only bar for its entire life. I probably paid for it 3x over with quarters as a kid while hanging with my pops as he drank at the bar. Once I was in the hobby of collecting pins for myself I spoke to the operator and convinced him to sell to me. We actually played a game and the price was lowered by $100 since I beat him. Super nice guy and he has sold me a few games since. Well I completely restored the game and it won 1st place for best DMD at Midwest Gaming Classic. Made my pops super proud to see how I was able to take it from a route queen to a beauty and I put a lot of work into that game.

All the games I own have some degree of personal value. They each have a story; where you got them, the work to bring them back to life, the travel to get them, etc... But those 2 games have real sentimental value for me

Like many of you I'm a first pin guy. My first game is Argosy, I love it, and it would be pointless to sell it.

Beyond that I don't really give a shit. I'll sell any game.

Well, I have a gorgeous 1955 Wonderland I'll probably hold on to also.

I have several with sentimental value. I’ll just name the top 3
SBM: was my money maker at the arcades when growing up. I could always rack up a dozen or so games and sell them to who ever was waiting to play.
Gorgar: was one of my favorites growing up and the very first pin I bought.
Close Encounters: my mother loved the movie and we would play the pin together when she came over. She passed away 6 years ago so it always reminds me of playing pinball with her.

Black Knight, Firepower, and Xenon. Our local Time Out arcade had BK and FP in the back right next to each other, and my buddy Geoff and I spent untold hours on both. We would coin up two-player games on both and then swap machines mid-play. Xenon, in the same arcade, was set up pretty loud and at the time I absolutely detested that game just for its sound effects. Nowadays it's at the top of my want list.

Playboy,

Big Kiss fan as a kid...got in trouble all the time for stealing my oldest sisters Kiss records and I was only 6 years old. My dad had gotten a little bit into jukeboxes and when I was 15 I was heading to work sacking groceries at the local store. I overheard him on the phone talking to a friend. All I heard was “ Oh, you saw a Kiss pinball machine.” I stopped dead in my tracks and asked who he was talking to, where it was, and how much. It was $300. I told my dad I had the money saved up. He dropped me off at work and went to get it. When I got home from work he had it set up in my room. I had scored the ultimate Kiss collectible....never thought I would have a Kiss pinball machine. I left it on all night like a big Kiss night light in my room. That was in ‘89. Never thought about collecting other games/pins back then. Still have it and have done a full restoration on it. Would probably be the last to go.

What is funny is through cars and Jukes with my dad I knew the importance of having spare parts. About a month after I got the Kiss pin I found a junk shop right by my house and they had a roached out Kiss pin...keep in mind I was only 15 at the time. I asked the guy at the shop how much and he wouldn’t even talk to me about it. Told my dad about it and he went up there and I think he paid maybe $50 for it.... playfield was trashed but the backglass was PERFECT. Boards were complete so worth it for spare parts alone.

This game was the first game i ever owned. My father and i purchased our Sweet Hearts from a vendor in Newark NJ called R&Y Amusements back in 1969 when i was 14 yrs old for the price of 125.00.

i grew up with a Captain Fantastic so that machine, mainly the art, holds a special place in my heart (and loins).

But, when i got back into the hobby 10 years ago, i drove a few hours away to pick up an Addams family. While making that purchase, i set my eyes, for the first time, on a Bobby Orr Power Play. Made in the late 70's, it was one of the early solid states and played much like an EM. As a Canadian, a lifelong hockey nut and fan of Bobby Orr, i was smitten. i was lucky enough to have him include the machine in with the deal (at his original asking price for the Addams of $3300). The backglass was horrible but everything else was in good shape. i brought it home, replaced the backglass with a NOS and it is the only machine that is truly bolted to the floor in my arcade. i built a shrine to it in the corner where it sits.

My Odds and Evens was given to me by my uncle. He had it for close to 25 years then gave it to me. It’s one of the first games I’ve ever played.

The original Jurassic Park. It was one of the first pins I played seriously as a kid back when I was in high school. Me and my best friend played it a ton as his family business had one at their mini golf park. We sank so much money into that thing it was crazy. Jump forward to mid 2000's and it was the first pin I bought for my home rec/game room, and of course he came over and played it with me. A couple years later, he passed away unexpectedly and so that made it even more sentimental. Unfortunately when we moved I had to sell it, but I will find one again someday. But for now, starting up a new collection at my new home and the first pin will be JJP POTC LE. But this time if we move, I'm taking the pins with me.

I always played pinball when I saw one as a kid, but it didn't hit me the way playing video games with my friends did. I grew up, moved to New York, and my friends' weird vintage store on Mott and Broome got a High Speed. That was the first time it really connected. We all sucked but the op maxed out the credits when he dropped it off and it was a real thrill to get multiball going. It was the first game I bought and reminds me of all the good times running around SoHo my first few years in the city.

The one that first got my attention good and I had a clue of sorts was High Speed whe I was 12. Been looking for a nice one. The three that won't leave till i die are Black Hole, Pinball Magic and Swords of Fury. Gigi I would let go it would take some prying.

I used to play a elvira and the party monsters at the coffeeshop when i was younger
Stoned as apeshit flipping the hell out of it while drinking weird thick fruit pear and apple juices.
Wish i remembered the brand of that juices.

And i have a real weak spot for jurassic park, so glad i recently got one again!

I thought I wanted a new machine when I entered the hobby a few years ago, but I got a chance to put some time on a Stern Meteor and I was smitten! Ever since, I have been obsessed with early SS machines. That Meteor became my first machine and will never leave! It also has the greatest spinner rip in pinball history. How can I get rid of that?

My Taxi has great sentimental value because just before Christmas 2011 my then 11 year old son presented me this note. He researched it and emailed the seller all on his own. I think we picked it up on Christmas Eve. All my system 11’s have sentimental value to me because I got them all back then when the kids were really into the hobby.

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strange, I have little sentimental value on any pin.

First pin I can ever remember playing was a firepower by a hotel pool at a wedding as a kid.. Not a bad title but not one I seek out

Had an Evel Knievel in our basement as a kid that we'd play when it was working right. Played a nice one at a show a couple years back, had no desire to kee playing (or buy one)

First pin I bought myself was a Bally Gator EM. Have ZERO desire to obtain that title again

Vividly remember playing whirlwind and bk2k in the arcades, owned them both and sold them both

Only pin that I have that's close to sentimental is space shuttle because I remember playing one at a restaurant in chicago as a kid, and I love the theme.

Two games for me. Eight Ball Deluxe was a great stress outlet during college and the fantastic, challenging game play always kept me coming back for more. Collecting bonus, getting the bank shot behind the inline drops and spelling deluxe were always ultra satisfying. This game had so much "just one more game" appeal it was and still is amazing.

Taxi was my first pin. But it was also the last "new" pin that I played in my local arcade in 1989 before I moved out of state and forgot about pinball for almost 25 years. I was quite pleasantly surprised to discover all the awesome games that came out after Taxi, but it still had a ton of charm (call outs, bell, flashing topper, etc.) and was still an easy choice when I found one locally. A great first game to introduce the family too also - simple rules, fun callouts and music. It's a keeper!

Probably my Space Shuttle. Like most people it was my first pin and the game I've done the most work to and learned much of what I know about repairing on. I l also like it because the theme is something that doesn't really exist anymore and likely never will again.

It is also the first game my son "played" with me and we continue to play as he gets older (of course now we have more games ha). I haven't really kept track, but I'm sure I'm into it for more money at this point than I'd ever get back out of it, so I'll likely have it forever.

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For pins in general, STTNG has the most sentimental value because my friends and I used to play it on route at a local pool hall in the mid 90's. It was 5 games for $2.00, so we would each put in a dollar and play for hours with all the replays, specials, high score and match credits we would get. It was cheap and fun entertainment for broke high school kids. Funny enough I did get a STTNG years ago for a really great price and was never interested in getting rid of it, except for maybe the one game that could make me think about it, LOTR. I was offered a fully restored LOTR for my players STTNG and I just couldn't say no, so I did the unthinkable to me anyway and traded it away. I still love STTNG, but I don't regret the trade at all.

For current games, it would have to be Wrestlemania. I always had a soft spot for the game and I really enjoyed competing in the worldwide King of the Ring Tournament Stern and the WWE put on years ago. I won some really cool prizes and got to go to a WWE Monday Night Raw event out of it too. I hadn't been to a Wrestling event in 30+ years before that, so that brought back some good memories. What makes it even more sentimental to me is that one weekend my wife was out of town so I had the kids (6 and 4) all to myself. I took the kids on a 1 day road trip to go pick up a basically brand new Wrestlemania about 4 hours away (each way) and we had a ton of fun. We stopped at Rocky Rocco's for lunch, they had a great time playing with the previous owners kid while we loaded the game and then went to Ponderosa for dinner on the way back. The memories of that fun day with just me and the kids makes the game even more special to me.

I have 2. The 1st is TAF. I really fell in love with this game when it came out and always wanted to own one. I worked at the Minnesota State Fair and when I was on my break would run down to the arcade and get as many games in before I had to get back to work.

The 2nd game is EBD. This is the 1st game I ever remember playing. I would go to my Dads softball games and afterwards would go to the bar with the team. I remember sitting at a table with the guys when one of Dads teammates came up and said "theres some credits on that game over there if you want to play". Being a shy kid I wasn't sure how to answer. My Dad told me to go ahead and went over to the game with me. Got me set up with a stool and I played some games on it. There was around 10 credits on it. It felt like I played forever and was in heaven.

To this day i remember the name of the bar and how horrible the pizza was.

Great thread.

Mine is Drop-a-Card (or maybe Pop-a-Card). It was the very first pin I played and even though it's a memory from early childhood I clearly remember the distinct bg and pf artwork. My dad took me to play it in the rec center in the tiny town in PA where my folks grew up, Emporium, when we were visiting.

Years ago I bought a major project D-A-C that's still in my garage (bg stored inside). I should've gone for a nice working P-A-C that was for sale on pinside in remote north central PA not far from Emporium -- wouldn't it be an amazing coincidence if that was the actual machine that I first played around 1975?!

I honestly don't get too sentimental over machines, but if I had to pick one it would be Big Daddy as that is the one that got my daughter into playing. Otherwise they are just boxes of lights and wires.

Bobby Orr's Power Play for me. 1st saw and played one in a local Alladin's Castle and that was it. I was 12 in 1978. Of course that game got replaced and I never saw one again until 20 years later. I've had it ever since. If you told me back in 78 I'd own a Power Play one day, I wouldn't have believed it. It's a keeper.

That was about $800-900 in 2018 dollars.

Wizard! Played the heck out of it in 1975. Liked the song “pinball wizard” and even saw the movie (movie kinda sucked). Funny thing is I avoided Wedgeheads because they looked old fashioned. In fact, we all did!

I've got three that have special meaning;
Gtb Spiderman which was my first pin, purchased 31 years ago and still played regularly
Gtb Black Hole, attempted to fix this one for a guy and it was a total basket case, put so
much time and effort into it (and the owner knew it), he just gave it to me
Genco Formation (1940), fixed one of these for a friend who is a long time collector, it
was his first pin, about a month later found one for myself, have never seen another

Steve

2 pins stand out from my childhood which really hold sentimental value:

I put so many hours on a Space Odyssey at a local skating club. My dad ended up buying one of these for our house in Las Vegas. Loved the middle moving target shot.

Secondly, the first pin I ever bought as an adult was Fire Power (for $450) at a local auction. I had previously put so many quarters into that pin as well. I loved the machine gun sounds of the game.

I have so many great memories of both pins; and in many ways they both got me hooked on this amazing hobby.

Bow and arrow at oxmoor mall 1976 upstairs
next to Farrells ice cream parlor. 8 years old
and dad would give me some quarters and he would go shopping.
That game was so cool to me back then. Now I own
one and it's still fun to play. Thx to Sonora70 for selling
it to me.

Bally Lost World because my wife bought it for me and it is also the first pinball machine I ever owned.

That's funny , because it was the same around here. Each new Bally seemed to be as modern as it got and always drew the biggest crowds and certainly earned the most money. Most of the wedgeheads here were actually older ones. But at the end of the day or when the others were too crowded, I'd always throw a nickel in an old Gottlieb just to change it up.

After owning a Wizard! recently by default, there is nothing sentimental left there for me.

Newb here and this post hits home.

I grew up in a house with a pin. My mom had a worlds fair. For Christmas of 88 I received a black knight. My mom bought it from a local vending company. So it was route use machine. Parents paid $500 delivered for it.

My parents divorced, dad left my mom and I. We lost everything as my mom was a homemaker. Dad was only income in the house. At this point money and room were in demand. We moved into a small apartment. We had no living room because pinball machines. Recall tv sitting on the one machine.

She sold off the worlds fair machine, but kept the black knight. Actually the wf was traded to guy to fix bk. It worked for a week and broke again.

Through various moves and offers to sell when I know she could have used the $ my mom held onto the bk machine. Fast forward to 8 months ago. At moms house and see bk sitting there. I start tinkering and get it fixed. Blown cap on main board was root issue.

Now I'm on hunt for a worlds fair to gift my mom.

Another vote for Black Knight. It wasn't the first pin I played, but it was the first one I remember being really different and cool. It also was the first pin to really piss me off. Most of the games I remember from back then were EM's that gave you 5 balls for a quarter. The bowling alley my folks bowled at on Sunday nights got a BK and I thought it was the coolest thing ever - the sounds, digital displays, multilevel playfield, etc. They'd give me money to go play so I wasn't a pain in their ass. Then I finally got to play it. Dropped in my quarter and nothing happened after my 3rd ball drained. I was livid. I thought it was broken. Or a ripoff. It wasn't fair! All the thoughts racing through 7 year old me's mind. It was the first 3 ball game I played. I promptly went back to them and begged for more quarters.

Years later one of my friends from work who collected pins got a BK. I realized 20 some years after the fact that it's not the easiest game out there.

Black Knight was the first solid state I remember that got me over the transition from EM to SS. It was OK now.

Pins have always been a part of me. Seems my generation was 1st real home video console game generation. I couldnt get into the playstation/xbox. Nintendo/Super nes is as far as I went. I'd play street fighter in arcade but thats about it. College you played madden, Mario kart or bond golden eye in the dorms.

Growing up bowling alleys/bar restaurants had pins. We had a game room in town that had pool tables/arcades/pins. From that place I have a soft spot for black knight 2k. As that was our high school hangout. I'm still hounding the family to sell me the machine as it's in storage since place is long closed.

When I went to college, I used my quarters at the student union instead of laundry. We had 3 machines in the student union along with ping pong/ pool/fooseball. It was very competitive location. We would wear machines out. The vendors loved how competitive we were. Week of finals sr year, my high score on diner finally got beaten. Took guy all year to finally knock me off. I missed my final to reclaim my high score.

After college I still played but machines were not as common to find. However there is a resurgence of interest with barcades and pinball muesems in area. Some have been around for a while- I just didnt know about it. Hell, Pittsburgh Is home to papa and I didnt know until 3 yrs ago.

I was so misinformed my race car was getting its cage installed by shop next to papa when it got destroyed in the flood. Had no clue that stuff went on around here let alone right there. I recall somewhat the ruined machines when I went down to see my car.
You can see my car in background of papa's flood pics.

During college I started working on cars because couldnt afford to have people do it. It is now my profession. Working on high tech euro cars makes wiring/computers relatively easy on a pinball machine. 8 months ago I was timid to jump in having no experience. Now it's no big deal to me. Even help out at the 1 muesem fixing pins for experience plus I enjoy it. Especially like working on the em machines.

Being around mix of em and ss, I have an affinity for both. The only issue I have with new machines is lack of originality. Everything is more or less based off a band/movie/character.

Outside of the wf, I really want a bk2k, SolarCity/target alpha, bally's bmx. Also hunting for bride of pinbot for my gf as that's the machine she likes.

Not sure where you are at, but here is a World's Fair for sale. If interested, email [email protected]

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