Pinball Wizards

 

FUN AND GAMES: Last weekend we were so happy to return to one of our favorite events of the year, the Northwest Pinball & Arcade Show.

The show was on hiatus for a couple of years during the height of the pandemic and before the widespread availability of vaccines. But this year it was back and as big as ever. 

I spend way more time walking around and watching than I do playing. I'm always on the lookout for 'new' old pinball games I've never seen. A first for me this year was Teacher's Pet, dating back to 1965.

An apple for the teacher? It would be better if there was no worm, I'm guessing.

Another new-to-me pin is Gottlieb's Royal Guard from 1968. I suppose it caught my eye because of all of the Diamond Jubilee hubbub happening over in England at the time.

I've probably seen this 2001 game before, but this time I stood there thinking that the makers back in 1971 were not very close to predicting what 2001 would look like.  

The busy graphics on Roller Disco were ... something. 

I was surprised to learn this game came out in 1980. I thought roller disco was kind of passe by then.  Maybe the game was stalled in production for awhile. I actually played this game. Not a fan. 

I always enjoy checking out the super groovy Time Fantasy game by Williams. 

These mushrooms are definitely magical. According to the website TV Tropes, "Time Fantasy is reknown for its psychedelic fantasy theme, which has an anthropromorphic snail-like creature meditating contemplatively among a field of mushrooms in a surreal rainbow-colored landscape." 

It was created in just a couple of weeks in 1983, when Williams needed a game quickly, to avoid a production shut down.

Clint Eastwood caught my attention at one point. This Dirty Harry machine is from 1995. The movie came out in 1971. That's a bit of a delay.

The kids played a few Nintendo arcade games, of course.

Annabelle spent a fair amount of time in the expansive rhythm games section. 

Many of them have instructions in Japanese. That didn't slow her down. 

One game was attracting quite an audience. ...

That's right, it says The Simpsons Colonoscopy Party.

You use a joystick to make your way down (or up?) Homer's colon. 

Here's a little video for you. You're welcome.

All in all, it was a super fun day and it was so good to be back to that event.