The Different Types of Pinball Fans (Which One Are You?)

Spend enough time in the pinball community and you'll quickly discover something interesting: not everyone enjoys the hobby in the same way.

Some people spend every evening chasing a new high score. Others happily spend six months restoring a machine before playing their first game. Some collect rare Limited Editions like works of art, while others couldn't care less about collector value as long as the gameplay is fantastic.

The truth is, there isn't a right or wrong way to enjoy pinball.

Most enthusiasts are actually a combination of several personalities—but chances are you'll recognise yourself somewhere in this list.

The Collector

For some people, pinball machines are every bit as collectible as classic cars, vintage guitars or rare watches.

The Collector loves rarity.

Limited Editions.

Collector's Editions.

Prototype parts.

Signed backglasses.

Original documentation.

A machine in immaculate condition is often just as satisfying to admire as it is to play.

Many collectors own games that only receive a handful of plays each year, simply because preserving them is part of the enjoyment.

If you've ever wondered why some versions command such enormous premiums, our guide explaining Why Are Limited Edition Pinball Machines So Expensive? explores exactly that.

The Player

For The Player, everything comes down to one simple question:

"Is it fun to play?"

Artwork, rarity and resale value barely matter. What matters is gameplay, rules, flow and shot quality.

These are the people who buy machines because they believe they're among the greatest games ever designed. They often choose newer titles because they're mechanically reliable and usually look for New In Box or Home Use Only machines that play exactly as intended.

Once they find a favourite, they tend to keep it for years simply because they never get bored of playing it.

Eventually, many decide to personalise their machine with subtle upgrades like Godzilla Pinball Mods or Jaws Pinball Mods, not because they're collectors, but because they spend so much time standing in front of the same game.

The Restorer

The Restorer walks into a warehouse and immediately spots the worst machine in the room.

Broken plastics?

Perfect.

Dead displays?

Even better.

Cabinet falling apart?

Now we're talking.

For this type of enthusiast, bringing an old machine back to life is the hobby.

Hours disappear into sanding, soldering, repainting, rebuilding mechanisms and hunting for original parts.

Ironically, many restorers spend far more time repairing pinball machines than actually playing them.

The Deal Hunter

This collector is always watching the market.

Marketplace.

Forums.

Auction sites.

Local classified ads.

They're constantly looking for the next bargain.

Every purchase is calculated, and every sale is timed carefully. Sometimes they'll even sell one of their favourite machines simply because the offer is too good to refuse.

A few months later...

...they're usually trying to buy it back.

The Dealer

Unlike The Deal Hunter, The Dealer isn't emotionally attached to machines.

Pinball is inventory.

They buy collections.

Import containers.

Operator clearances.

Project machines.

They'll get a game working, clean it up, move it on and immediately start looking for the next opportunity.

Whether they're selling pinball machines, arcade games or classic cars, the business model is much the same.

The Arcade Player

Not everyone has room for a pinball collection.

Some players enjoy the hobby almost entirely through arcades, pinball clubs and public venues.

These enthusiasts may never own a machine, yet they often know the rules inside out and can put up impressive scores on almost anything they play.

For them, the social side of pinball is every bit as enjoyable as the games themselves.

The Virtual Pinball Enthusiast

Why own twenty machines when you can play hundreds?

Fans of Visual Pinball, VPX and virtual cabinets enjoy instant access to an enormous library of classic and modern games.

Many don't own a real pinball machine at all.

Some eventually make the jump into collecting, while others are perfectly happy enjoying the hobby from a virtual cabinet or a gaming PC.

It's simply another way of appreciating great pinball design.

The Theme Fan

Sometimes gameplay isn't the deciding factor.

Sometimes it's James Bond.

Or Jurassic Park.

Or Harry Potter.

Or Guns N' Roses.

Theme Fans buy machines because they genuinely love the licence behind them. They aren't necessarily following every new release or comparing rule sheets—they simply want to own a machine based on something they've loved for years.

It's also why they often personalise those games with themed accessories, like our James Bond 007 Pinball Mods, turning a favourite licence into an even more impressive centrepiece.

The Brand Loyalist

Every hobby has brand loyalty.

Pinball is no different.

Some collectors will only buy Stern.

Others only collect Jersey Jack Pinball.

Some chase nothing but 1990s Williams classics.

Others have fallen in love with Barrels of Fun and can't wait to see what comes next.

Ask them why their favourite manufacturer is the best, and be prepared for a very passionate conversation.

If you're curious about two of the industry's biggest names, our Best Stern Pinball Machines and Best Jersey Jack Pinball Machines guides are great places to start.

The Forum Expert

You know this person.

They've commented on every rumour.

Reviewed every announcement.

Debated every ruleset.

Discussed every price increase.

They always know what designers should have done differently.

They're an invaluable part of the community, keeping conversations alive and sharing knowledge with newer players.

The only question is...

When was the last time they actually played pinball instead of talking about it?

Which One Are You?

The funny thing is that very few people fit neatly into a single category.

You might be a Player with a little bit of Collector.

A Restorer who secretly enjoys finding bargains.

A Theme Fan who only buys Stern machines.

Or someone who spends the week discussing pinball online before heading to the arcade at the weekend.

That's one of the things that makes this hobby so fascinating.

Everyone approaches it differently, yet we all end up smiling for exactly the same reason when the first ball is launched.

Whatever type of enthusiast you are, there's always another machine to discover, another story to tell and another way to enjoy this incredible hobby. And if your latest favourite deserves a personal touch, our Pinball Mods Collection is full of premium upgrades designed to complement some of the world's most popular pinball machines.