Pinball Jones

Way before Hogwarts Wizards there were Pinball Wizards. Pinball machines date back to the 1930s, thirty-some years before The Who’s rock opera Tommy immortalized that kid who “sure played a mean pinball.” I also played pinball as a kid—though I never came close to achieving Wizard status—but the machines are harder to find these days. They’ll turn up in dark corners of bars and bowling alleys, but not in places where I want to play them. Or take my boys to play them.

But we recently discovered that Old Town has Pinball Jones, a cool little spot for pinball aficionados of all ages.

It's below street level, which adds to the fun:

It has a lot of pinball games:

And, other than some snacks in the back, that’s about it. But what more do you need? We played a few games while escaping the summer heat, and I wowed my younger son with my amazing Ms. PacMan skills. (By that I mean the game lasted longer than two minutes.)

PBJ’s started with one machine and has grown to include tournaments and league play for serious pinball players. It’s also available for party rental. But I imagine my family and I will just drop in whenever we feel the need for a few quarters’ worth of retro fun.

 

If you’re feeling nostalgic about pinball, check out Popular Mechanic’s list of 11 Things You Didn’t Know About Pinball History.