TLDR A Goonies pinball machine feels like one of those ideas that should have happened decades ago. Pirate treasure, booby traps, a giant ship, a criminal family, screaming kids, a deformed hero, Cyndi Lauper, and a line every ’80s kid can still quote. It is almost suspicious that no major manufacturer turned it into a … Read more
TLDR The Creative Arcades drama became a major Pinside discussion because buyers reported paying for Pokémon Limited Edition pinball machines or preorder positions, then facing missed delivery expectations, shifting refund explanations, and chargeback concerns. The Concretehardt part is related, but different. Pinside users debated whether he sold a machine, sold a preorder allocation, or helped … Read more
TLDR The most pure fun pinball machines are not always the deepest, rarest or hardest games. They are the games people understand quickly, laugh at, shoot again and want one more game on. Godzilla is the best overall modern pick because it combines huge depth with immediate shot satisfaction. For CGC games, Cactus Canyon Remake … Read more
Popular pinball board games online are easy to find, but the search results can get weird fast. One minute you are looking at a $20 roll-and-write game. The next minute you are staring at a virtual pinball cabinet that costs more than your first car. Maybe not your current car, but still. The best place … Read more
TLDR Yes, there are active online communities for pinball enthusiasts, and the best one depends on what you need. Start with Pinside if you want broad discussion, buying advice, repair help and marketplace listings. Use Tilt Forums if you care about rulesheets, scoring strategy and competitive pinball. Reddit is better for casual questions and quick … Read more
TLDR The Mansell family’s Bricks & Minifigs dispute is not just a story about LEGO. It is a story about asymmetric legal warfare. When one side has the property, the records, the corporate structure, the lawyers and the ability to wait, “just sue them” is not a serious answer for most families. Reckless Ben became … Read more
Stern’s new TRANSFORMERS: More Than Meets the Eye pinball machine is getting a lot of attention, especially from G1 Transformers fans. The leaked playfield pictures have created a split reaction: people like the theme, layout potential and possible toy interactions, but some think the character sculpts look cheap in the early images. Our take is … Read more
TLDR Pinball always talks about “the next big thing,” but some of the most interesting stories in the hobby right now are about old things coming back. That matters because remasters and revivals solve a real problem for manufacturers. A brand-new theme has to sell itself from scratch. A classic title starts with built-in recognition, … Read more
TLDR Harry Potter pinball should have been a clean win for Jersey Jack. The game launched on June 5, 2025 in Arcade, Wizard, and Collector’s editions, with official pricing of $9,999, $12,000, and $15,000. Jersey Jack also made a major point of the Collector’s Edition featuring exclusive MinaLima artwork, while the Wizard and Arcade trims … Read more
TLDR As of April 2026, it is getting harder to argue that venue growth is a side story in pinball. Pinball will always be a machine business first. New releases, code updates, rumors, price chatter, and trim debates are never going away. But one of the healthiest things happening in the hobby right now is … Read more
TLDR For a while, American Pinball felt less like a rising manufacturer and more like an open question. The company had gone through dormancy, layoffs, and a stretch of real uncertainty about whether it would meaningfully return at all. Then, on January 15, 2026, JB Vincent LP acquired the assets of American Pinball in a … Read more
TLDR A pinball machine is not just a game. At the high end, it is also industrial design, sculpture, animation, sound, illustration, and collectible object all at once. That is why the Harry Potter pinball controversy became bigger than a niche hobby argument. It hit a fault line that artists and collectors already care about: … Read more