Author: ctpinball

Pintastic New England 2024

April 11-14
Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel
181 Boston Post Road West (U.S. Route 20)
Marlborough, MA

Pintastic New England, a pinball lover’s paradise, is located in the city of Marlborough, Massachusetts. Every year, visitors from different parts of Eastern USA and Canada gather at this event for some serious pinball action. The expo boasts a massive 25,000 square feet of family-friendly entertainment, where you can play games casually or compete with other pinball enthusiasts. If you’re a home game room owner, you can get creative and refreshing ideas to spruce up your space. Along with the games, you can also learn about the rich history of pinball and current industry trends. Although pinball is the show’s main focus, it’s all about fun for everyone who visits!

Pintastic New England 2021 announced!

Pintastic New England has been announced for 2021. This year, it will take place November 18-21 at the Sturbridge Host Hotel & Conference Center in Sturbridge Massachusetts. This is the same location as it has been in the past but the location has new ownership and there are a number of improvements that have been made to the facility. It has been a very long time since the last Pintastic, so hopefully this will be able to happen! Hope to see everyone there!

ReplayFX 2019

August 1-4, 2019

Replay FX is a public gathering dedicated to esports, pinball, arcade games and live music.

Replay FX includes a full lineup of competitions overseen by the Pittsburgh Knights, a leading brand in the esports industry. Founded in 2017, the Knights are the officially recognized esports team of the city of Pittsburgh and a strategic partner of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers.

Replay FX showcases the largest arcade in the world, featuring more than 1,000 classic arcade and pinball machines, hundreds of console systems ranging from the original Magnavox Odyssey to the XBox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and virtual reality systems, as well as PC gaming and tabletop. The arcade is managed by the Replay Foundation, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to preserving gaming-related history and technology, making Replay FX both a central hub of modern esports as well as the largest living museum of retro video games, pinball, and associated tech culture.

Pinball Machine Price Guide

Pinball machines are kind of like used cars. As time goes by, they get used and their condition deteriorates. Therefore, they require reconditioning to regain value. There are exceptions to this rule, but all pinball machines require service whether they are played often or not. Batteries go dead and leak, capacitors lose their efficiency, display tubes become dim and things just wear out.

Pinball machines were designed and manufactured with one thing in mind; profitability while in operation. Their life span was expected to be between 3 and 10 years when on location in the arcades, with regular maintenance. With that in mind, what kind of condition is your machine in?

Stern Iron Maiden Strategy

Aces High
Soul Shard goal: Destroy the Ace

Stage 1: destroy 4 fighters. Shoot any blue arrow shots to defeat a fighter.
Stage 2: defeat 2 bombers. Shoot a ramp to lock on, then shoot the center bulls-eye shot to destroy a bomber. Second bomber you need to hit the opposite ramp to lock on again.
Stage 3: defeat the ace. Shoot the strobing shot to lock on, then shoot the center bulls-eye shot within 5 seconds to destroy the ace.

Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Soul Shard goal: Collect the Port and Starboard (Super) Jackpots

Center shot is lit to shoot down the albatross and collect a hurry-up counting down from 1M. Shoot center shot to lock in this value as your MB Shot Value and start a 2-ball multiball.
During multiball, port (left) shots are lit. Each lit shot moves the cluster of shots towards the center ramp. Once lit hit to collect port jackpot.
Then starboard (right) lights are lit. Hit shots to move cluster towards center ramp. Again, hit lit center ramp to collect starboard jackpot.

Flight of Icarus
Soul Shard goal: Collect at least 20 million

Shoot alternating lit ramps, scoring 1M (+250K increment for each ramp shot, lit or unlit). Combo ramps on a 5 second timer for incremental multiplied scoring (ex: 1st combo at 2x, 2nd at 3x, etc). A 5x combo totals 25mil. (Best use of playfield multiplier IMHO. 2x playfield only requires 4x combo (30mil). 3x playfield only requires a 3x combo (24mil).)

Hallowed Be Thy Name
Soul Shard goal: Break free

Complete objectives in order as quickly as possible.
Shoot any one orange arrow
Shoot the captive ball
Shoot another remaining orange arrow
Complete all of the drop targets
Shoot another remaining orange arrow
Shoot the center ramp

Fear of the Dark
Soul Shard goal: Complete three spinner rips

Four shots are lit with purple arrows.
Completing any one of them lights the spinners
Hit either of the spinners to get back to ‘purple mode’
Hit a spinner again
Repeat purple and spinner shot once more.

(After hitting a purple shot, shooting the right ramp (which stays lit purple) doubles the spinner value.
Revive spinner scores double the left orbit spinner.)

Collecting a soul shard lights tomb treasure.
Other ways of lighting the tomb treasure are (in order of difficulty?):

Collect a Loop jackpot
Trooper Jackpot
Mummy Jackpot
Level 3 mystery – AFTER 2 minutes to midnight
Complete No. of the Beast
6 Way Combo
Lvl 2 of each Eddie Card!

You must complete 10 (out of 12) different objectives to light 10 tomb awards and qualify Run to the Hills.

New Deadpool pinball by Stern

“Deadpool” is known as the “Merc with a Mouth” because of his talkative nature & is notorious for his outrageously funny offbeat humor which is featured throughout the game.

Players will be immersed in the Deadpool universe, teaming up with iconic X-Men characters Wolverine, Dazzler, Domino, and Colossus as they battle against infamous villains Juggernaut, Sabretooth, Mystique, Sauron, and Mr. Sinister. Players will also tag along with Deadpool on his time machine quests as he battles against the T-Rex and the Megalodon.

Stern’s Deadpool Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition models feature stunning and distinctive hand-drawn art by renowned illustrator Zombie Yeti. Well known actor Nolan North stars as the eccentric voice of Deadpool. Each game features a 3-bank drop target with a ball lock that’s guarding a custom molded Lil’ Deadpool bash toy target. In addition, all models include two stainless steel and wireform ramps with a Katana Sword ramp return. Deadpool pinball entertains with an amazing array of ninjas, vampires, and chimichangas, making it suitable for all skill levels.

The Premium and Limited Edition models feature an additional 8 drop targets, motorized disco ball with disco illumination effects, custom molded Wolverine and Dazzler action figures, and with a custom molded chimichanga truck time machine. In addition, these models include an actuated up/down ramp that feeds the right flipper from the left orbit, keeping the action continuous and fast. All Premium models will include a custom “Deadpool’s Mix Tape” cassette featuring 11 original music tracks with sleeve art by Zombie Yeti.

The Limited Edition, limited to 500 units globally, includes additional unique features such as an exclusive mirrored backglass, anti-reflection pinball glass, shaker motor, exclusive art blades, and powder-coated metal flake Deadpool Red side armor, hinges, and front lockdown molding. All LE models will include a 12” Vinyl LP featuring 11 original music tracks with cover art by Zombie Yeti.

P3 Platform

Multimorphic introduces the world’s first modular multi-game pinball platform designed specifically for consumers. The P3 takes everything you love about pinball – a real steel ball, flippers, targets, bumpers, and ramps – and adds dynamic LCD graphics and ball tracking for a whole new level of interaction. On top of that, a third of the playfield can be swapped out for new games. Keep your furniture where it is – new games don’t require additional space!

Stern Iron Maiden Premium revealed

Formed in 1975, Iron Maiden led the wave of British heavy metal music and became a global institution.  Over the course of 40 years the band has come to embody a spirit of fearless creative independence, ferocious dedication to fans, and a cheerful indifference to critics.  Iron Maiden has built a following that reaches every culture, generation, and time zone.  With over 90 million album sales, more than 2,000 live performances in 63 countries, tens of millions of fans and 16 studio albums of unerring quality, Iron Maiden has more than earned its proudly-held status as one of the most influential and revered bands of all time.

The Iron Maiden pinball machines aim to reflect the same excitement, energy, and experience of a live Iron Maiden concert.  Players will immerse themselves in an interactive Iron Maiden universe transforming into various forms of Eddie, the band’s legendary mascot.  Players, as Eddie, will embark on a quest to defeat the Beast and his minions across the Legacy of the Beast mobile game and comic book world.  Iron Maiden pinball entertains with an amazing array of modern and classic features, making it suitable for all skill levels.

All models include twelve Iron Maiden songs with players going to battle as Eddie with the help of four flippers, two spinners, a set of 3-bank drop targets, metal and wireform ramps, a captive ball mechanism, a dual up-post lock mechanism, and a center bullseye target.

Capcom Kingpin Remake

Kingpin, the extremely rare game from Capcom, will be remade by Circus Maximus. The intention is to have a Kingpin available for play for the entire Texas Pinball Festival, and to build significantly more than just the test machine they are bringing to TPF. The plan is for production is late 2018 or early 2019. The rumored cost will be $7-8,000.

PINFEST 2018

ALLENTOWN PA SPRING PINBALL SHOW FEATURING OVER 300 PINBALLS ON FREEPLAY, COUNTLESS VENDORS, AND A LARGE INDOOR FLEA MARKET
The Pinfest 2018/Allentown PA Spring Pinball Show will feature over 300 pinballs and arcade games from all eras on freeplay, countless vendors specializing in pinball accessories and equipment, and a large indoor flea market with dealers selling used machines and parts to be held on May 4 and 5 at the Agri-Plex Expo Center at the Allentown Fairgrounds, 1 hour from Philadelphia and 90 minutes from NYC. There will be plenty of great food selections at concession stands and the famous farmers market across the parking lot. Pinball tournaments for people of all ages are planned. Come and play as much pinball as you desire, shop all you want, and come and leave, for one low admission cost for each person, each day.

New Guardians Of The Galaxy pinball by Stern

Stern Pinball has announced their latest machine, Guardians Of The Galaxy.

The game will immerse players in a dynamic, challenging, and galactic pinball environment where Star-Lord, Rocket, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, and Groot battle Ronan to stop him from using the Infinity Stone to destroy the galaxy.

Stern’s Guardians of the Galaxy Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition models are packed with features that provide an irresistible gameplay experience. Each game features a sculpted and interactive ball-eating Groot. In addition, a custom sculpted Rocket figure will keep players on their toes as it blasts the ball back at rocket speed. Color-changing inserts highlight the mysterious and interactive Orb, which opens to reveal the powerful Infinity Stone. The Limited Edition and Premium models also feature extra magnets, custom artwork, RGB lighting, and sculpted Groot arms that sprawl across the playfield.

New Total Nuclear Annihilation pinball machine

Here it is everyone! Total Nuclear Annihilation!!!
Trim Levels: Premium (NO LE’S!)
Key Features:
-Numeric Player Score Displays
-LCD Display
-Full Metal Apron
-Sub Chamber
-Fully Controlled RGB Insert and GI Lighting
-Laser Cut Side Rails
-Real Backglass
-Interactive Rotating Beacon
-P-ROC Hardware Platform
-Danesi Lock Mechanism
-100% Original Soundtrack

Banzai Run

Banzai Run is a pinball machine produced by Williams in 1988, and the first machine designed by Pat Lawlor. It has a multi-playfield design, in which the player can play a vertical game on the machine’s backglass in addition to the main playfield.

Games On Location

Connecticut Pinball can provide coin operated pinball and video machines to establishments in the Hartford area. Call or e-mail us today for a consultation to see how we can help you provide your customers a better experience at your establishment.

anyPin NVRAM Battery Eliminator

Changing CPU batteries in a pin is very important. If you don’t perform it yearly, chances are they’re going to leak battery acid on your PCB and ruin the board, leading to an expensive repair.

You can upgrade your game to use NVRAM and you will no longer need batteries. Here is one solution that comes in kit form:

http://lockwhenlit.com/anyPin.htm

Most games will require soldering for this upgrade – we can perform this service for you!

Did you know?

Williams, one of the most popular pinball machine manufacturers, stopped making pinball machines in 1999 to focus on gambling machines. They are now known as WMS Industries.

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Buying Pinball Machines in Connecticut and entire New England area. New Jersey, Long Island, New York, New York City also! If you have a pinball machine you would like to sell, please E-Mail me at optimumct@gmail.com or call or text (860) 800-3210.

Due to my busy schedule, emails and text messages are preferred. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!

You can also contact me by using this form: Contact

I also offer repairs on pinball machines in the Connecticut and Western Mass area. My specialty is solid state machines (1978-present). I charge a flat rate of $2000 to refurbish a pinball machine, plus the cost of parts. It typically takes a few months from start to finish. All rubber rings are replaced, the general illumination is replaced with LED lighting, the flippers are rebuilt, the power supply is rebuilt and anything else necessary to get the game playing well. I no longer do in house repairs, all work must be done at my shop. If needed, I am able to pick up machines, do the work and bring them back to you.