200 Pinball Stories Later, We Still Want to Play One More Game

This is our 200th article about pinball. And after 200 stories, reviews, rankings, machines, designers, rumours, gameplay discussions and pinball mods, one thing has become clearer than ever: there is always something else to discover.

Two hundred articles can teach you a lot about pinball.

You start looking at machines individually. One is fast. Another is deep. One has incredible artwork. Another has a layout that keeps you coming back for one more game.

But after writing about enough of them, you start seeing the bigger picture.

There is no single definition of a great pinball machine.

And maybe that's exactly why this hobby never gets boring.

200 Articles. One Obsession.

Over the course of 200 articles, we've explored just about every corner of pinball.

We've talked about the fastest modern pinball machines and the hardest modern pinball machines ever made.

We've looked at machines that are perfect for beginners, games that can keep a single ball alive for an eternity, and layouts that seem determined to drain the ball as quickly as possible.

We've ranked designers. We've compared manufacturers. We've discussed deep code, incredible flow, collector value, beautiful artwork and the endless debate over which machine deserves to be called the best.

And after all that, there is still no simple answer.

Because pinball isn't simple.

There Is No Perfect Pinball Machine

Some players want speed.

Give them a Steve Ritchie layout and a series of shots that connect perfectly together, and they're happy.

Others want depth.

They want rules that take months—or years—to fully understand. They want to discover another mode, another strategy or another path through the game every time they play.

Others simply want the ball to stay alive long enough to enjoy the adventure.

That is why machines as different as Godzilla, The Lord of the Rings, Iron Maiden, TRON, Batman '66 and countless others can all inspire the same level of obsession.

They aren't trying to do exactly the same thing.

And they shouldn't.

The more pinball machines you explore, the more obvious it becomes that the best machine is often the one that gives you the biggest reason to press Start again.

That's why lists are fun—but they're never the final answer.

A machine at number one on somebody else's list might not even make your own top ten.

And that's completely fine.

The Best Machines Give You a Reason to Come Back

One of the biggest things we've learned is that replayability doesn't come from just one feature.

Deep code helps. That gives you more to discover and more reasons to improve.

Great flow helps too. There is something incredibly satisfying about hitting one perfect shot and knowing exactly where the ball is going next.

Then there is challenge.

Some of the hardest modern pinball machines remain popular precisely because they refuse to let players master them easily.

And sometimes it is simply the theme.

A machine based on something you love can pull you back in again and again, even if another game is technically deeper, faster or more highly rated.

The best pinball machines usually find their own balance between all of these things.

Gameplay.

Code.

Artwork.

Sound.

Theme.

Challenge.

Personality.

It's the complete package that matters.

The People Behind the Machines Matter Too

After writing about so many games, another thing becomes impossible to ignore:

Great designers leave fingerprints.

You can feel Steve Ritchie's love of speed and flow. You can see why his machines earned him the nickname King of Flow.

You can understand why Keith Elwin has had such a huge impact on modern pinball. His games reward accuracy, strategy and repeated play in ways that have changed what many players expect from a modern machine.

Our article about why Keith Elwin changed modern pinball explored exactly that transformation.

Then there are designers whose games have become part of pinball history.

Different eras.

Different philosophies.

Different ideas about what makes a machine fun.

But every great machine starts with someone deciding that a particular shot, ramp, mechanism or idea deserves to exist.

And then asking one important question:

Will players want to shoot it again?

The Machine Is Only the Beginning

Then, of course, there is another thing we've learned from writing about so many pinball machines.

Buying the machine is often only the beginning.

You bring it home.

You play it.

You learn it.

And eventually, you start looking at it differently.

Maybe that empty speaker panel could look better.

Maybe the cabinet could use more artwork.

Maybe the apron needs a different look.

Maybe the flippers could become part of the theme.

That is where pinball mods become something more than accessories.

As we explained in our Ultimate Guide to Pinball Mods, customising a machine is often about making it feel less like a pinball machine and more like your pinball machine.

And once you start, there is a good chance you'll understand why pinball mods become so addictive.

One upgrade becomes another.

One detail leads to the next.

Suddenly, the machine has your personality all over it.

Pinball Never Really Stands Still

Another 200 articles could be written tomorrow and there would still be more to talk about.

New machines arrive.

Old machines get rediscovered.

Rules evolve.

Collectors change their minds.

Games that were once underrated become classics.

Machines that everyone thought were guaranteed hits become subjects of debate.

And that constant movement is part of what makes pinball so interesting.

The hobby remembers its past while constantly looking forward.

A machine from twenty years ago can still be somebody's favourite game in the world.

A brand-new machine can create a completely new obsession.

And somewhere between the classics, the modern games, the rumours, the rankings and the next big release, there is always another story waiting.

So, What Have We Learned After 200 Articles?

Probably this:

There is no such thing as knowing everything about pinball.

There is always another machine to play.

Another designer to discover.

Another shot to master.

Another argument about the greatest game ever made.

Another mod to create.

And, apparently, another article to write.

If you've been reading our rankings, reviews, guides and pinball stories along the way, thank you for being part of the journey.

If you've only just discovered us, then you're arriving at a good time.

There are already 200 stories waiting for you.

And we have a feeling there will always be one more.

See you at 300.