One of my latest obsessions is pinball. I’ve liked it since I was a kid, but in the past couple of years I’ve really dived into learning/practicing flipper techniques and the rulesets for my favorite machines. I’m definitely past “just keep it out of the drain hole” and now if I have a rare day to myself I will drive two hours to my ultimate happy place – an all-you-can-play pinball museum!
I appreciate pinball machines like I appreciate turntables: I love them for their very mechanical nature. I love their sounds, I love their art. I enjoy playing virtual pinball on my iPad too though and own nearly 100 machine ROMs. A great feature is an instructional mode that will take you play-by-play across the table and explain the entire ruleset. Most of the machines that I own on the app I know very, very well and have played many, many times. Playing them in person is a different experience though, like seeing an old friend in a new way.
There is an arcade nearby with a decent selection of machines but my town isn’t quite big enough to support a league, unfortunately. I would totally join one if I could, but the closest ones are in bigger cities several hours away. So it’s mostly virtual for me, but I hit the arcade every couple months or so to get a fix. I wish I could own a real machine but if I had to pick only one that would actually be a hard decision!
I’m not listing these scores to brag (I’m not that good!), just to keep track of them in case the apps I use fail. Do you play? Let’s be friends on Stern Insider (@sfaze) or Pindingo (@sfaze=IRL machines; @sfazebot=iPad tables).
I like keeping my IRL scores separate from the machines I play on my iPad. Even though the ruleset is the same, it’s just not the same as playing a machine for real! (IRL = in real life machines; VRT = virtual machines)
Machine | Year | Type | High Score |
---|---|---|---|
300 | 1975 | IRL | 28,800 |
Addams Family | 1992 | IRL | 69,823,050 |
Addams Family | 1992 | VRT | 144,265,500 |
Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle | 1993 | IRL | 71,254,600 |
Al's Garage Band World Tour | 1992 | VRT | 111,998,830 |
Alice Cooper's Nightmare Castle | 2018 | IRL | 2,518,940 |
Alien (Remake) | 2021 | IRL | 10,236,680 |
Attack From Mars | 1993 | IRL | 2,336,259,330 |
Attack From Mars | 1993 | VRT | 5,086,898,310 |
Avengers: Infinity Quest (LE) | 2020 | IRL | 23,961,480 |
Back to the Future: The Pinball | 1990 | IRL | 2,355,880 |
Bad Cats | 1989 | IRL | 3,160,610 |
Banzai Run | 1988 | IRL | 1,121,600 |
Barry O's Barbecue Challenge (Classic) | 2024 | IRL | 24,003,160 |
Batman | 1991 | IRL | 2,587,720 |
Batman 66 (Premium) | 2016 | IRL | 60,073,490 |
Beatles | 2018 | IRL | 752,810 |
Big Guns | 1987 | IRL | 2,631,790 |
Big Shot | 1973 | VRT | 135,170 |
Black Hole | 1981 | IRL | 77,620 |
Black Hole | 1981 | VRT | 545,940 |
Black Knight | 1980 | VRT | 784,380 |
Black Knight 2000 | 1989 | IRL | 1,309,580 |
Black Knight 2000 | 1989 | VRT | 630,620 |
Black Knight Sword of Rage (LE) | 2019 | IRL | 108,712,590 |
Black Rose | 1992 | VRT | 13,508,860 |
BoneBusters | 1989 | VRT | 1,484,240 |
Bram Stoker's Dracula | 1993 | IRL | 28,405,930 |
Bram Stoker's Dracula | 1993 | VRT | 357,154,940 |
Bronco | 1977 | IRL | 4,910 |
Cactus Canyon (Remake) | 2021 | IRL | 24,442,740 |
Cactus Jack's | 1991 | VRT | 4,789,200 |
Captain Fantastic | 1976 | IRL | 62,120 |
Centaur | 1981 | VRT | 1,025,980 |
Champion Pub | 1998 | IRL | 2,223,080 |
Champion Pub | 1998 | VRT | 36,361,530 |
Charlie's Angels | 1978 | IRL | 192,710 |
Cirqus Voltaire | 1997 | IRL | 7,236,150 |
Cirqus Voltaire | 1997 | VRT | 76,347,010 |
Class of 1812 | 1991 | VRT | 11,381,450 |
Comet | 1985 | IRL | 519,440 |
Counterforce | 1980 | IRL | 231,630 |
Creature From The Black Lagoon | 1992 | IRL | 22,548,370 |
Creature From The Black Lagoon | 1992 | VRT | 18,787,400 |
Cue Ball Wizard | 1992 | VRT | 289,618,270 |
Deadpool (Premium) | 2018 | IRL | 95,942,970 |
Delta Queen | 1974 | IRL | 56,710 |
Diner | 1990 | VRT | 7,635,620 |
Dirty Harry | 1995 | IRL | 111,483,170 |
Doctor Who Master of Time | 2016 | VRT | 100,678,770 |
Dungeons & Dragons | 1987 | IRL | 511,650 |
Earthshaker | 1989 | IRL | 2,345,200 |
Earthshaker | 1989 | VRT | 3,070,280 |
Eight Ball Deluxe | 1980 | IRL | 998,740 |
Eight Ball Deluxe | 1980 | VRT | 1,176,770 |
El Dorado | 1975 | VRT | 141,840 |
Elvira & The Party Monsters | 1989 | VRT | 8,395,690 |
Elvis | 2004 | IRL | 5,431,170 |
Eros One | 1979 | IRL | 95,060 |
F-14 Tomcat | 1987 | VRT | 2,555,460 |
Family Guy | 2007 | IRL | 16,925,140 |
Fathom | 1980 | VRT | 1,544,680 |
Fathom Revisited (Classic mode) | 2022 | IRL | 470,370 |
Fathom Revisited (Mermaid mode) | 2022 | IRL | 195,980 |
Fire! | 1987 | IRL | 789,480 |
Fireball | 1972 | VRT | 45,820 |
Firepower | 1980 | VRT | 207,420 |
Firepower II | 1983 | VRT | 781,410 |
Fish Tales | 1992 | IRL | 19,560,260 |
Fish Tales | 1992 | VRT | 62,403,250 |
Flight 2000 | 1980 | VRT | 736,840 |
Foo Fighters (Pro) | 2023 | IRL | 92,353,020 |
Frank Thomas' Big Hurt | 1995 | VRT | 289,718,370 |
Freddy: A Nightmare on Elm Street | 1994 | IRL | 228,760,810 |
FunHouse | 1990 | IRL | 2,682,720 |
FunHouse | 1990 | VRT | 29,493,080 |
Future Spa | 1979 | IRL | 151,300 |
Game of Thrones (Pro) | 2015 | IRL | 7,942,610 |
Genie | 1979 | VRT | 352,290 |
Getaway: High Speed II | 1992 | IRL | 23,234,290 |
Ghostbusters (LE) | 2016 | IRL | 41,196,810 |
Gladiators | 1993 | VRT | 19,853,450 |
Godzilla (Premium) | 2021 | IRL | 68,117,980 |
Gold Ball | 1983 | IRL | 354,630 |
Gorgar | 1979 | IRL | 98,380 |
Gorgar | 1979 | VRT | 721,160 |
Guns N' Roses (LE) | 2020 | IRL | 5,858,883 |
Harley-Davidson | 1999 | VRT | 242,718,750 |
Haunted House | 1982 | VRT | 230,250 |
Hayburners II | 1968 | IRL | 4,611 |
High Roller Casino | 2001 | VRT | 111,836,820 |
High Speed | 1986 | IRL | 430,570 |
Hook | 1992 | IRL | 64,066,990 |
Hot Wheels | 2020 | IRL | 200,568,520 |
Houdini | 2017 | IRL | 61,949 |
Hurricane | 1991 | IRL | 6,356,610 |
Hurricane | 1991 | VRT | 50,568,650 |
Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure | 1993 | IRL | 249,241,660 |
Indianapolis 500 | 1995 | VRT | 303,130,620 |
Iron Maiden (Pro) | 2018 | IRL | 31,430,130 |
Jack*Bot | 1995 | IRL | 584,982,080 |
Jack*Bot | 1995 | VRT | 1,440,310,250 |
Jacks Open | 1977 | VRT | 115,400 |
James Bond | 1980 | IRL | 77,510 |
James Bond 007 (60th LE) | 2022 | IRL | 6,926 |
James Bond 007 (LE) | 2022 | IRL | 67,895,560 |
Jaws (LE) | 2024 | IRL | 38,325,230 |
John Wick (Pro) | 2024 | IRL | 48,351,980 |
Junk Yard | 1996 | VRT | 29,096,400 |
Jurassic Park (Premium) | 2019 | IRL | 70,651,810 |
Labyrinth | 2023 | IRL | 1,475,020 |
Last Action Hero | 1993 | VRT | 96,267,560 |
Led Zeppelin (LE) | 2020 | IRL | 7,393,070 |
Legends of Valhalla | 2020 | IRL | 4,484,550 |
Lightning | 1981 | IRL | 44,560 |
Lights Camera Action! | 1989 | VRT | 2,064,780 |
Looney Toons (Collectors) | 2024 | IRL | 148,298,590 |
Lord of the Rings | 2003 | IRL | 8,387,210 |
Lost World | 1977 | IRL | 74,680 |
Lucky Seven | 1978 | IRL | 50,000 |
Machine: Bride of Pinbot | 1991 | IRL | 19,174,270 |
Machine: Bride of Pinbot | 1991 | VRT | 13,879,370 |
Magnotron | 1974 | IRL | 53,610 |
Medieval Madness | 1997 | VRT | 42,050,210 |
Medieval Madness | 1997 | IRL | 7,073,020 |
Metallica (Premium) | 2013 | IRL | 9,391,400 |
Monster Bash | 1998 | IRL | 26.085.760 |
Monster Bash | 1998 | VRT | 256,129,670 |
Munsters (LE) | 2019 | IRL | 11,172,000 |
NBA | 2009 | IRL | 3,570,390 |
NBA Fastbreak | 1997 | IRL | 36 |
No Fear: Dangerous Sports | 1995 | IRL | 441,696,900 |
No Fear: Dangerous Sports | 1995 | VRT | 1,294,841,220 |
No Good Gofers | 1997 | IRL | 6,264,260 |
No Good Gofers | 1997 | VRT | 56,360,410 |
Oktoberfest | 2018 | IRL | 155,678 |
Orbitor 1 | 1982 | IRL | 93,070 |
Paragon | 1978 | VRT | 106,400 |
Phantom of the Opera | 1990 | VRT | 1,428,730 |
Phoenix | 1978 | IRL | 147,180 |
Pin*Bot | 1986 | VRT | 4,263,030 |
Pirates of the Caribbean | 2004 | IRL | 11,493,360 |
Pirates of the Caribbean (LE) | 2018 | IRL | 28,560 |
Primus | 2018 | IRL | 1,778 |
Pulp Fiction (SE) | 2023 | IRL | 845,220 |
Queen (Rapsody Edition) | 2022 | IRL | 60,072,480 |
Quicksliver | 1980 | IRL | 580,820 |
Red & Ted's Road Show | 1994 | IRL | 111,266,200 |
Red & Ted's Road Show | 1994 | VRT | 704,745,380 |
Rescue 911 | 1994 | VRT | 126,288,050 |
Rick & Morty (Blood Sucker Edition) | 2019 | IRL | 1,024,502 |
Ripley's Believe It Or Not | 2003 | IRL | 17,226,040 |
Ripley's Believe It Or Not | 2003 | VRT | 17,158,270 |
Rollercoaster Tycoon | 2002 | IRL | 1,504,140 |
Rush (LE) | 2022 | IRL | 67,425,520 |
Safe Cracker | 1996 | IRL | 396,080 |
Silverball Mania | 1978 | IRL | 204,930 |
Sorcerer | 1985 | VRT | 317,660 |
South Park | 1999 | IRL | 28,171,630 |
Space Invaders | 1980 | IRL | 199,150 |
Space Shuttle | 1984 | IRL | 911,120 |
Space Shuttle | 1984 | VRT | 2,994,280 |
Spider-Man (Vault Edition) | 2016 | IRL | 39,942,820 |
Star Trek | 1978 | IRL | 72,150 |
Star Trek (Premium) | 2013 | VRT | 113,248,120 |
Star Trek (Pro) | 2013 | IRL | 4,353,160 |
Star Trek Vengeance (Premium) | 2013 | VRT | 62,485,430 |
Star Trek: The Next Generation | 1993 | IRL | 79,919,460 |
Star Trek: The Next Generation | 1993 | VRT | 607,849,460 |
Star Wars (Premium) | 2017 | IRL | 256,320,740 |
Star Wars (Pro) | 2017 | IRL | 30,581,920 |
Star Wars Episode I | 1999 | IRL | 19,658,560 |
Stargate | 1995 | IRL | 228,445,500 |
Starship Troopers | 1997 | IRL | 12,013,400 |
Strange Science | 1986 | IRL | 364,860 |
Stranger Things (Pro) | 2019 | IRL | 83,523,860 |
Super Mario Bros. Mushroom World | 1992 | IRL | 9,405,660 |
Swords of Fury | 1988 | VRT | 3,367,910 |
Tales From The Crypt | 1993 | IRL | 113,889,760 |
Tales of the Arabian Nights | 1996 | IRL | 4,343,960 |
Tales of the Arabian Nights | 1996 | VRT | 51,977,980 |
Taxi | 1988 | VRT | 4,677,120 |
Tee'd Off | 1993 | VRT | 192,816,940 |
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | 1996 | IRL | 3,207,040 |
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Premium) | 2020 | IRL | 7,791,760 |
Terminator 2: Judgment Day | 1991 | IRL | 34,462,360 |
Terminator 2: Judgment Day | 1991 | VRT | 114,888,170 |
Terminator 3: Rise of The Machines | 2003 | IRL | 6,974,140 |
The Hobbit | 2015 | IRL | 88,917 |
The Machine: Bride of Pin*bot | 1991 | IRL | 19,174,270 |
The Machine: Bride of Pin*bot | 1991 | VRT | 50,409,110 |
The Mandalorian (LE) | 2021 | IRL | 65,102,270 |
The Simpsons Pinball Party | 2003 | IRL | 11,414,830 |
The Sopranos | 2005 | IRL | 7,481,030 |
The Walking Dead (LE) | 2014 | IRL | 12,719,000 |
The Who's Tommy Pinball Wizard | 1994 | IRL | 63,892,490 |
Theatre of Magic | 1995 | IRL | 453,829,980 |
Theatre of Magic | 1995 | VRT | 1,011,363,720 |
Total Nuclear Annihilation | 2017 | IRL | 264,130 |
Toy Story 4 (CE) | 2022 | IRL | 672,190 |
Tron: Legacy (LE) | 2011 | IRL | 9,835,720 |
Twilight Zone | 1993 | IRL | 40,909,110 |
Twilight Zone | 1993 | VRT | 128,997,180 |
TX-Sector | 1988 | VRT | 4,663,170 |
Ultraman: Kaiju Rumble | 2021 | IRL | 8,219,470 |
Victory | 1987 | VRT | 1,534,660 |
Weird Al’s Museum of Natural Hilarity | 2022 | IRL | 387,851 |
Whirlwind | 1990 | IRL | 2,401,540 |
Whirlwind | 1990 | VRT | 10,856,660 |
White Water | 1993 | VRT | 166,958,640 |
WHOdunnit | 1995 | IRL | 574,940,250 |
WHOdunnit | 1995 | VRT | 1,291,577,980 |
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory | 2019 | IRL | 243,460 |
Wizard of Oz | 2013 | IRL | 27,297 |
World Cup Soccer | 1994 | IRL | 305,882,330 |
Wrestlemania (LE) | 2015 | IRL | 7,206,280 |
X-Men (LE) | 2012 | IRL | 10,767,920 |
Xenon | 1980 | IRL | 197,020 |
Xenon | 1980 | VRT | 717,470 |