New Jersey Pinball Museum Is One Of The Best In The U.S.
Often pinball games are thought of as being “retro.” However, these machines are not only a present-day collectors item, they are also still wildly popular. Perceptive Travel (who notes new machines are still frequently being found) recently published a list of the best pinball museums in the country, and a New Jersey location was named.
The first proper pinball machine (coin-operated) dates back to the 1930’s. “Because it was a game of chance, pinball was considered a form of gambling and was outlawed in the 1940s,” Pastime Pinball explains. In fact, there was recently a film about this, called Pinball: The Man Who Saved The Game.
By the 1980’s, there were over 200,000 pinball machines, and interest in the game was peaking. Growing up in the ’80s and ’90s it was common to see a pinball machine in every arcade you frequented. Furthermore, pubs and restaurants also would have a game in-house for patrons to play during their wait or simply marvel at, even as video games (which were more modern and took up less space) were becoming more popular.
Pinball Today
Video game publication Destructiod, recently highlighted the most iconic pinball games in the country. “Pinball has a visual style all of its own, a tangible reality that most interactive entertainment fails to capture,” they say. According to their list, the machines of the early ’90s that properly blended with cultural phenomenon are those considered most legendary today. They include “The Addams Family,” “Twilight Zone,” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”
In New Jersey, the pinball arcade that was named one of the best museums in the country, has 600 games in rotation.
Silverball Pinball Museum
Located at 1000 Ocean Ave, in Asbury Park Silverball Pinball Museum appropriately calls itself “The Coolest Place On Earth.” An hour pass will cost you $17.50. On the other hand, you can upgrade to a full-day ticket for $25.
Silverball has classic games that date back to the early 1970’s. This includes “2001” and “Atlantis.” In fact, on the machines section of their website you can explore all of their machines by year. In addition, this community of enthusiasts offers buying that pinball game you have been longing for. Then, if you are interested in selling or donating a machine, you can do that, too.