Pinball reminds me of my youth, a game which is very special and different.  It has this physical and mechanical quality that most  games don’t. The nostalgic chimes and the loud popping of bumpers all make playing the game more real. The metal ball which is bounced back and forth is being pulled by gravity and being shot back up by flippers. The flippers is the extension of our fingers as we press the buttons on the side to hopefully keep the ball alive. I previously thought that the flipper was the only connection one had to the pinball machine but my idea of this was stripped. As well as my whole outlook on pinball after visiting  Robert Barake’s Pinball wonderland.

Robert Barake who I am labeling as the pinball guru, lives and breathes pinball. He owns a pinball repair company and does not do it for the money but rather for his passion. He not only invited us to come see and play with an array of magnificent pinball machines. But he took us on this wild journey on how the pinball came to be.

The fist pinball machine we all got our hands on was a model which represented the first type of pinball machine. It was made in the 1930s, which was made of wood and had no flippers. So how does one play pinball without flippers? Robert quickly showed us that the heart of pinball is nudging. By concentrating your body weight in to your hands one can slightly nudge the machine to alter the balls path. This seemed skeptical and somewhat lacking in game control. But when Robert started to play one would see professional magic nudging happening. But even with all his nudging the ball would eventually still roll out and drain. So the machine was more luck than control which is why it was labeled as gambling in the early 1930s and was prohibited.

In the early 1930s pinball was a good bang for your buck especially due to the Great Depression era. But it was through history which helped push these marvelous machines to evolve. Many WWII mechanical designers started to pour into electrical machine companies after the war which help developed a significant amount and types of pinball machines. What I was fascinated by most is how each pinball machine was not only totally different but presented varying gameplay and narrative.

Each pinball machine would tell a story, not only about the era it was made but rather a gaming adventure. For example the “Queen of hearts” made one try to collect all the suits and match certain cards to get more points. The design of the board was made so that the ball would only drain if it rolled into holes at the center of the board. This varying style of play made the game unique and each pinball machine was so different it made each of them feel fresh.

My personal favorite was “Split Second” which looked and felt like one of the pinball machine I played when I was younger. Crazy flashing lights, rails everywhere, beeps, bells and loud mechanical feedback. The narrative was about the circus and upon jumping in and playing I had no idea what I was doing, but I was still having fun. Robert quickly told me I had to hit different tiles to collect all the letters and gain the multi-ball and possibly a replay game. This brings up my next aspect about pinball, the machines were made not only for casual players but hardcore players too.

Robert showed us how players can have control of their game as he demonstrated on the tic-tac-toe pinball machines. If one was extremely gifted in pinball one could aim for certain spots on the board to play the “real” game and unlock the game’s true potential.

I will never play or look at pinball the same again. When one plays pinball one must not only stare at the ball and hit buttons. But rather watch the game’s surroundings, hold the machine, nudge at the right moments. Play to find the game’s true design, which also reveals the narrative. The game can be simple or more tactical and boundless if one wanted it to be. As the pinball guru told us, “What makes pinball fantastic is the endless possibilities one can do.”