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Pinball Hall Of Fame
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Museums Arts & Entertainment Arcades Museums, Arcades [Edit]
1610 E Tropicana AveLas Vegas, NV 89119
Neighborhood: University
(702) 597-2627
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
318 reviews for Pinball Hall Of Fame
Review Highlights
"The condition of the machines are incredible."
(in 199 reviews)
"Some great memories of playing real video games."
(in 50 reviews)
"My favorite is playing arcade Super Mario Bros."
(in 9 reviews)
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318 reviews in English
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Review from Lou E.
Burbank, CA
Got quarters? They take it! This place is so age friendly. I took an 18 year old, an 11 year old and a 7 year old here and they all had a blast. The littlest one was chasing after me every time she ran out of quarters.
At the time we were there only one kid under 13 was there. Everyone else had a trendy hat and were possibly, maybe, you really can't tell... hipsters! I know, can't judge but I swear they looked the part. Thrift store sweater alert!
The good ones require 50 cents and some 75 cents. Totally worth every quarter. Every time you finish a game you wander around to play a new one. Coming to Las Vegas? This is a good destination to put on your list. -
Review from herb n.
Las Vegas, NV
2/9/2012
This place is fun!
IF your a tourist that may want to find this place and are staying on the strip: head east on Tropicana maybe 2 miles, its between Maryland pkwy & Spencer ave.[on the north side of Trop.]
This place is fun!...........bring quarters...or buy them there.
The building isn't impressive , inside just a whole bunch of old pinball machines,But this place is fun! -
Review from JB M.
Edmonds, WA
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Tons of pinball machines, in a shady building, in Vegas! What more could you want?
They have pinball machines from the past 80 years or so, and a few select classic video games, too. You're bound to find a machine that you used to play years ago, I found SEVERAL. Some of the machines could be in better shape (some have lights out, broken switches, etc), but most are fully operational. Change machines galore!
I've been here about 5 times across 3 trips to Vegas.
PS:There's an In n Out Burger within walking distance right by the entrance to UNLV. A great pitstop on your way to or from the Pinball Hall Of Fame. -
Review from Marc M.
This is one of the coolest places in all of Las Vegas!
That may sound weird considering everything that is available among the glitz, glamour, and lighting that is the city of sin, but I had an amazing time here playing games that I thought I would never see again or had never played at all.
There are rows and rows of pinball machines ranging from the early days of their existence to the more modern technological marvels. it is very interesting to see the contrast and game play differences between machines that are side by side, yet decades apart.
You will also find a whole mess of classic arcade console games including Tron, which is my personal favorite of all time, as well as Pac Man, Donkey Kong, and many more. -
Review from Jadira R.
1/10/2012 7 photos
I've been here about 4 times already. I come here when I want to do something out of the norm and feel like I'm not really in Vegas for a bit. Not many people know we have a Pinball Hall of Fame, so whenever I take friends/relatives here, they're always pretty amazed. A lot of the machines I've tried so far have given me a lot more games than I'd expect, so you definitely get a lot for a dollar on some of the games. If you're not much of a pinball person, they also have a row of other retro games, including Peppy the Magical Clown, Donkey Kong, Punch Out, Defender, The Simpsons, Paddle Battle, and some hockey, soccer, and basketball games amongst many others.
I think every Las Vegas local should come here at least once. Especially if you have the mindset that Vegas doesn't have anything besides clubs and gambling. You'll definitely be surprised :)Listed in: Vegas Favorites
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Review from Scott A.
Santa Monica, CA
12/30/2011
Gotta love old school arcade and pinball games off the strip. Obviously a local favorite, it brings back memories from the 80's when the games had less buttons, cartoons were better and you played against the game, not someone online.
If you love pinball, you'll love this place. Old and new pinball games line the aisles. I particularly liked the 80's games like Mike Tyson's Punch Out, Elevator Action, Dragon's Lair, Excitebike, Super Dodge Ball, Ms. Pac Man and many more.
My wife loves pinball and they had really old ones and new ones like Tron Legacy.
My only complaints are 3 things:
- It smells inside (not sure of the machines or people)
- The bathroom smells really bad
- Some of the pinball games are .75 for 5 balls, when they should really be .25 for 3
Other than that, we'll be back! -
Review from Jen A.
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
4.5 stars. The most value packed stop of our Vegas visit. Hundreds of pinball machines to play, for 20 dollars the whole family was entertained for an hour. Even Grandma had a good time on the machines from the 40s or 50s that she remembers not being allowed to play as a kid. They are still labeled "Minors are not allowed to play". The old and wacky machines were great fun to look at and try out - flying a tiny helicopter, operating a tiny crane, the "two headed" pinball game where you try to smack the ball into the opposite guy's goal. Never seen anything like some of these...
Definitely will be back on our next visit to Vegas. -
Review from Joe B.
Fort Myers, FL
12/7/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I've been a pinball fan for years and love this place. Much better location now they've moved. Do they have old machines everywhere? Yes Are there stacks of parts and "stuff" in view and looks kinda cluttered? Yup Do I give a crap? Not even a little it's part of the atmosphere and wouldn't change a thing.
There is a great mix of vintage, new, and old classic maybe even antique games. not just pinball either but they have the classic arcade favorites like "Spy Hunter", "Donkey Kong", and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" to satisfy your button mashing fever. There is also an air hockey table in the back. My personal favorite is the "Star Wars" machine. I could go on and on :-)
Tip: in the strip mall right next to the PHoF there is a used games store with pinball and arcade machines for sale and a good selection of NES, Sega, and everything else. They are associated with the PHoF and some games in the PHoF can be purchased at this store.Listed in: All Day Date
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Review from Jenny W.
12/8/2011
I found Pinball Hall of Fame when they were over at Tropicana and Pecos, next to the Dollar Theater. I asked how Tim started. He humbly and comically replied, "with one machine." He started collecting machines when he was seventeen. I believe he is a bit under sixty right now and has over 4000 machines and promotes events such as Pinsburg in Pennsylvania. He also donates almost all the proceeds from all of the pinball machines and the 25-cent popcorn machine to Salvation Army, some wish charities, and he has donated serious amounts, such as 100,000 to the Salvation Army and 10,000 to another.
Not only is his pinball hall of fame noble, but it is of utmost fun. He switches in between his 4000 machines to present about 100 at a time at his current location. The popcorn that he gets still comes from the dollar theater when they have leftover popcorn at the end of the night. There are still a couple of machines at that theater that I believe were donated to the theater.
Machines range from the wooden ones that accept nickels to the newest ones based on comics and movies. I would tell you a secret to getting free plays, but then... that would be too generous. Sigh... this might already have you thinking...
Every once in a while, you'll hear a loud beep from some neighbor's or maybe your own machine, meaning that you've reached a high-enough score to get a replay. You can notice which machines are more popular by seeing how high the replay score is and how hard it is to score points to know which ones to continue to play.
They have air hockey in the back, air baseball, pacman, and some other old arcade favorites. They have some shooting games. Tim can be found usually with a light on his head and messy and long silver hair. I assure you, he is a nice man. He will warn people of making the game your last round around 11pm. If you have a quarter stuck or lose a game, let him know and he'll make it up for you on another machine.
I love how he started, with one machine... he shared his passion with us, and now... we have Pinball Hall of Fame, where kids can innocently talk about fresh rubber, lube, and balls. Be a player. -
Review from Charley C.
Atascadero, CA
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Tim Arnold has created, collected, repaired and is the steward of Pinball history! This is a full on participatory collection. You can play with history in a way like no other museum on the planet (speculation by me as I have not and never will be to all other places on the planet). This very plain building with a very plain sign give you a FREE look at all of history and the ability to pop in a few quarters and recall the glory days of pinball. Enjoy, I do!
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Review from Thomas C.
Denton, TX
1/15/2012
In a town with a million fun things to do, this is one of the best. Get yourself a roll of quarters, and relive your youth. If Star Trek means James Tiberius Kirk, they have that game. If Star Trek means Jean-Luc Picard, then make it so. In addition to these, the assortment of pinball and video games is amazing. It's a fun way to spend an afternoon outside of the casino in LV.
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Review from Alex V.
Remember when you were a kid, pinball was such an awesome game? Then came the xboxs and playstations of the world and you got over it. But sometimes you just wanna reminiss and see true craftsmanship in a game that wasn't done on a computer. So you head to the Pinball hall of fame.
Now saying they have a lot of pinball games would be a total understatement. They have every pinball game I could ever remember playing when I was a kid and then a ton more that were made before I was even born.
There was one game that was like air hockey but with pinball where you played against one of your friends and the board tilted back and forth. granted it was super slow, but it was a really cool interesting thing.
Even the gumball machine is a pinball game, so when you lose, you actually win because then you get your pinball.
Love this place, made me feel good inside just being there. -
Review from Christine A.
Cerritos, CA
10/20/2011
I can't believe something actually beats Pacific Pinball Museum/Lucky Juju in Alameda.
Vegas' Pinball Hall of Fame is a darkened warehouse, packed to the gills with vintage and new machines.
While Lucky Juju is a $15/10 cover price with all-you-can-play pinball, the Pinball Hall of Fame is entirely free to enter, much like the old arcades of yore (do kids even know what arcades are any more?), and you pay by the machine you use. Newer machines cost you a few shiny quarters.
This is the perfect place for your inner geek who's interested in gaming (but not gambling) and was probably bummed when the Star Trek Experience closed. -
Review from Tammy L.
10/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is little more than a warehouse stuffed to the gills with pinball and other types of gaming machines. It's no frills, it's a little stuffy and warm inside...but boy, I could spend hours and hours here. I LOVE pinball and getting to play all different kinds just turns me back into a 12 year old.
It was hubby's 40th birthday and his request was that we make a stop here during our visit to Vegas. This was our third time visiting but he wanted to make sure we spent more time here than before. We dragged three other people with us who ended up having some fun too.
An older gentleman makes his rounds every once in a while (the "curator" of this museum), checking to make sure everyone was having fun. He was a kindly man who offered refunds when a machine would take your money and not give you any games. I lost about a buck but didn't think about getting a refund since I think this place is not-for-profit??
A couple of us scored some stick-on moustaches from one of the vending machines (a giant gumball machine) and walked around with our new facial hair.
The afternoon was quite a delight and I believe my husband was extremely satisfied with his birthday request. -
Review from Carol K.
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Like walking back in time, every Saturday morning my sister and I was in a bowling league and after we were done, we'd spend a few quarters playing the pin ball machines until our mother came to pick us up.
My sister was daring and play the machines hard, she was afraid of that "tilt" showing up and freezing the game. I, on the other hand was a bit more gentler and wanted to make sure I got my quarter's worth.
This place has rows and rows of machines, some are really old and some are more of a mid 80's theme. There is even a Ms pac man! It was fun to spend an afternoon playing the machines and remembering all the fun of my early teen years. -
Review from Stacia H.
Las Vegas, NV
11/12/2011
This place is great! FUN for everyone :)
It's a little outdated and could use a nice new paint job on the walls but its still Awesome!! They have rows and rows of any kind of pinball machine you would ever want to play and a few you didn't know you wanted to play until you saw them. It's reasonably priced too and they use real quarters!
Great place for a date, kid's birthday party, or Sunday afternoon. -
Review from Kevin N.
Orange, CA
1/3/2012
OVERWHELMING!
Hour's after you enter this musium slash phacility and you will still be overwhelmed!
YES!
YES! THE MACHINES, ALL 250 or so (rotating from over 1400 machines!) are in the PERFECT to near perfect working order!
I walked in at 11 in the mid morning and did not leave until 7 in the evening!
If you love pinball, this is heaven!
My number one statement to who ever reads this feedback is this, this center is voninteer base! All PROFITS from pinballs outside of rent, sundries, electric, ect. (NO PAYROLL) ARE DONATED!
Just look up when you are getting quarters at the change machine and you will see proof of last years $400,000.00 donation!
So...those who want to pick apart the "not so perfect" appearance of the decore, you are free to do something about it!
On top of running under a complete volinteer and non-profit structure, funding for a sign is needed!
If you would love to see this place better, please help in this matter.
sincerely, thanks! -
Review from Dave O.
Boulder, CO
12/28/2011
Been to all the major 'museums' of pinball around the country. Some are artsy fartsy, others are historically 'educational', and few are like the old school arcades of the 70s and 80s. The PHoF is indeed a large warehouse that is fairly dark as most arcades were. With over 200+ working machines, and maybe 30-40 that are being repaired, cleaned, or conditioned/restored, its amazing one guy does 90%+ of the work and donates 100% of net profit of the 501c3 to charity (salvation army right now). In the news recently, it said the PHoF donated 400K+ in Dec and 100K+ in Jan, for over 1/2 million dollars. Pure, intense, focused, and delivers to the the pinball addict on vacation. I'm beyond happy there, I'm ecstatic when I visit (going on my 5th time next Spring). Thank you PHoF for what you do for pinball, keeping it real and not some fantasy ideal of yesteryear.
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Review from Nick K.
10/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Escape the strip and make your way down Tropicana via cab or rental car. Arrive at the scene and find a white nondescript building with a small and sad vinyl sign that reads "Pinball Hall of Fame". Step inside and let your eyes adjust. It's dark in there, as it should be.
Play all 150 machines ranging from the 1950s through today. Spend at least $40 doing so. The older machines typically cost 25 cents while the newer games run 50 cents or more.
Take a break from the flippers and grab an old school soda and popcorn. They're tasty and certainly fitting for this venue.
Finally, do yourself a huge favor and play Time Machine. Best audio in any pinball machine ever. Love it!Listed in: Beyond The Vegas Strip
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Review from Brian U.
Sylmar, CA
11/24/2011
I think every major city should have a place like this. It's completely better than going to a bowling alley.
Because all of the machines can be played, this is more of an arcade rather than a museum. The lack of an entry fee also supports this idea. As the name suggests, there are 100+ pinball machines from the recent to decades old. They are all playable for a few bits. To a lesser extent, there are old video games like Ms. Pac Man and Asteroids.
If you're hoping to find an Angry Birds game, perhaps this isn't the place for you. -
Review from Donald G.
11/3/2011
Wow, I really liked this place. It wasn't what I had initially expected, but my visit was definitely fun! I had no problems with any of the machines malfunctioning. There were a few that were out of service, but that's expected. I haven't played pinball in awhile... this place definitely brought some memories back. We spent a good hour playing games without even realizing how long we had been there. Most definitely a Nostalgic experience!
Pros:
* They had some pretty good deals on some of the pinball machines (such as an extra credit depending on how much you initially purchase)
* There really is no place in Vegas like this!
* stools for you to sit if you fancy
Cons:
* Not enough stools, but whatever ha
* A bit dark, but that's no biggie either... Its not like I expected to play in a building with more spotlights than a baseball field. That would cause some major glare issues.
Tips:
* Bring some deep pockets for all your quarters
* Give yourself at least an hour to take in all the pinball machines
* There are some non-pinball games towards the right side.
Overall:
* I'd definitely come here again and recommend those who have yet to go. It's definitely one-of-a-kind and perfect for the whole family. -
Review from Lissa -.
Los Angeles, CA
1/2/2012
Non-descript building with a huge Pinball Hall of Fame sign. They have every type of pinball machine you could ever want and some old arcade games as well. Everything is very neat, organized and the best part was that I didn't see one kid in there.
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Review from pete H.
Albany, NY
12/23/2011
I am a pinball nut and have travelled all over the country playing pinball. I was excited to learn that the PHoF was in Vegas because I was here on vacation. We went there today and honestly... I wanted to like the place but was pretty disappointed.
The place is so dark you can hardly see anything. The games aren't turned up loud enough so you can't hear much of the sound effects. The 1st game I played was way off level and the ball kept draining out the left outlane. The next game I played was also off level enough to effect game play. The ball eventually got jammed between a loose/broken ramp and a playfield pin.
My friend said he found broken pieces of games floating around on some playfields, weak flippers and levelling issues with many games. As a matter of fact, some of the games have notes on them that the flippers have been rebuilt so players can now get up all the ramps and other PF features. Wow, really? You're proud of the fact that the flippers have been rebuilt and aren't weak anymore? THAT'S HOW THE GAMES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AT ALL TIMES. What do you want... a cookie ...for keeping a pinball game (that costs 3 quarters to play!) in playable shape?!
The games that cost 25 cents are the old boring EM games that few people want to play. The more popular games are overpriced at 75 cents. Especially, considering their neglected condition.
While I respect what the owner has tried to do, I feel that if this place is the "hall of fame" of pinball... then the hobby of pinball is in a bad way. I think "hall of fame" is a bad name for this place. A hall of fame for anything should be the pinnacle of the hobby or sport and include its history. If the owner and workers can't even keep the games level (the most basic of pinball maintainance!) how can it be considered a hall of fame?
It should be called... "hodge podge arcade" or "junkyland arcade" or something like that. In real life, the PHoF is NOTHING like the pictures it shows on its website. The place is dark, dingy, and very dishevelled. There's an area in the back that's got pinball parts strewn all over it and an entire side of the building with broken down games and other junk in plain view. It's like a pinball junkyard.
The PHoF is really not a good representation of the hobby. The owner is probably making a nice salary, paying zero taxes while enjoying his hobby all by just calling it a non profit. I'd like to see the books here.
If you want to play pinball, check out "the pinball wizard" in Pelham NH. Sarah (the owner) is onsite all the time and does all the work on her 90+ pinball games herself. She refers to her pins as her babies. They are perfectly level and all maintained as you would if they were your pins, in your own gameroom. -
Review from Mel L.
12/24/2011
Wow. Every cool pinball machine I've ever loved is all in the same place!!! Came here on my birthday with about half a roll of quarters. Played one game each on about five different machines and spent less than $5 in a 45 minute timeframe. Amazing selection of new and retro games. On a couple of the games, the balls kept getting stuck but I either got an extra one or they loosened themselves up after a minute or so. What a fun trip down memory lane!!!
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Review from David G.
10/18/2011
I don't know what I like more: the fact that there is a place in Vegas where I can spend hours playing pinball and video games for their original price of 1 quarter (well, some newer ones are more expensive); or the fact that the hundreds of machines are maintained and curated by one guy as a labor of love.
Some folks don't like the fact that the museum is off-strip in some random warehouse building without the glitz and glamour of a big-budget "attraction." These are the things I *love* about it. I love that the hall of fame is run by someone who loves pinball more than they love money. I love that I can play here for hours (until my wife or friends get bored and want to leave) for less money than I'll lose in 10 minutes at a craps table. I love the fact that this feels more like my friends garage than a tourist trap. I love the fact that so many of the video games I played as a kid are here.
I'm not very good at pinball and don't particularly enjoy it, but just walking around looking at machines from the hundred years or so is fascinating. Some of the non-pinball games like the 70s "Ice Cold Beer" skill game and the turn-of-the-century nickelodeon are awesome. Plus, I finally got to play Elevator Action and Spy Hunter for more than two minutes - both feats that eluded me as a lad.
I can't imagine a trip to Vegas without a trip to the pinball hall of fame. Anyone who was raised during the golden age of arcades (70s - mid 90s) should definitely go here at least once. -
Review from Holly J.
Carlsbad, CA
Awesome, awesome. Awesome!!!!
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Review from Matt S.
Las Vegas, NV
9/1/2011
How have I not reviewed this? I agree with some of the other Yelpers - it'd be cooler if there was some more decor, if they had a full time cleaner wiping down the machines and floors, some strobe lights, and a cafe.
BUT.... Seriously - this is one of the funnest places in town. Tons of pinball machines, air hockey, air hockey foosball, asteroids, qbert, donkey kong, paperboy, and super mario bros? And Dragon's Lair I, II, and Space Age in the same machine!! South Park is especially fun if you get Mr. Hanky to pop out of the toilet and Cartman saying 'Respect My Au-thor-i-thai!'
Yes please. Combine with a UNLV Rebel game and/or Sammys LA Pastrami for a GREAT time. The people I've taken here had their noses in the air from the outside appearance of the building until they walked in and felt like a kid again. Awesomeness. -
Review from Hello K.
Newport Beach, CA
11/27/2011
I LOVE THIS PLACE! I just love pinball machines and I think it's a shame that they are like extinct now. It's also nice to find a fun activity that doesn't end up costing hundreds of dollars (like most things in Vegas do these days). It's certainly a lot more fun than slot machines, which I hate because I never even win a dollar on them.
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Review from Don T.
Austin, TX
1/25/2012
Great fun. Most machines in great working order and many games are still 25 cents.
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Review from Dave C.
Las Vegas, NV
12/12/2011
This is the coolest spot in Vegas. It has all the classics from the 50s.60s,70s,80s,90s,2000s for pinball. It is free to check out and most pinball games are .25 cents. It is a great place for family fun, solo, or even a date. It is a hidden gem! Check it out while you are in Vegas.
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Review from Paul T.
Davis, CA
10/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Remember Spy Hunter? Remember Punch Out? Joust, Paperboy and Front Line? In addition to rows of the meticulously maintained pinball machines, this place also had many arcade games that brought back many fond memories of Slushie induced headaches at the 7-11 corner of Williams and Winchester. The game play is between 1 to 2 quarters - funny how precious each quarter felt back then.
Transportation could be a problem as other than a pick up on the strip, the taxi companies refuse to go anywhere else for pick up in Vegas. We took a taxis there but had to take a bus back to the hotel. -
Review from Mike H.
Las Vegas, NV
12/4/2011
This place is so much fun. Great place to bring kids.
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Review from Shari S.
If there were a Hogwarts for pinball wizards, I'd be a near-squib. I went most of my life believing that pinball was this fun game where you whack the ball with flippers and then enjoy the lights and sounds that happened afterward. High scores, I thought, came with luck and really good flipper reflexes.
Then I married someone who knew a little something about pinball. He'd be talking about his favourite "pinnies" (not sure if that's pinball talk or Aussie lingo) and how if you met this one objective, this one thing would unlock, and if you hit this one combination, another thing would happens, and how neat it was to trigger this sound effect, and I was all... STOP. Flippers. Whack. Ding-ding-ding. No more!
Luckily the Pinball Hall of Fame, one of Las Vegas' most apt and wonderful cultural spaces and one of which we should be very proud, is fun for every type of player, from mindless flipper-whacker to build-your-own machine enthusiast. In fact, it's the kind of place that can turn someone into a fan. I always leave wondering how I could build my own hamster-themed machine. (Another story.) All this in a building that is barely marked and purely functional - but I'd far rather the owner keep giving the profits to charity than bring in a design team. We're all just looking at the balls whiz around anyway.
At the old location it seemed like I always lost my money in the machines. (Not just through my ineptitude but through mechanical failure.) This hasn't been an issue at all at the new place, and every machine I try always works, which is what keeps me coming back more often now.
(I see that in a recent review someone said many of the machines weren't working. I've never encountered that, but I'm sure bad days happen. The facility is a labor of love, with a great deal of pinball rescue/refurbishment/repair going on at any given moment, so experiences will vary.)
The newer machines are along one wall and more expensive, but I like romping with the retro games. (Same difference for an amateur like me.) I feel like I'm having fun and in taking in a midmod gallery of art at the same time.
The pinball machines change periodically, and now there is an auxiliary site at the Riviera. (Right next to the yummy Indian place in the food court.) I would like to see the website's list of machines get updated so I can find out who exactly has my Doctor Who at the moment.
The PHOF has a few non-pinball mechanical games from ~50 years ago as well as some older arcade games (Centipede!), but what I'd really like to see them add are skeeball machines. Yeah, I know it's a slippery slope, but they're sort of in the spirit of pinball, more so even than the arcade stuff. I love skeeball more than Bud Cort does, but it's no fun to play in the modern casino arcades. This seems like a great venue to roll those wooden balls, and it would be neat to see what the older machines were like.
The door to the building stands open during operating hours, welcoming, and even late at night it's still a family-friendly kind of place. I've never felt uncomfortable with any of the groups of people there. Everyone just seems to like pinball.
On my last visit I noticed that the machines all have QR codes taped to them. Fun! (And forward-thinking!) Right now they all seem to have the same information as the background and trivia on the index cards on each machine, but maybe in the future the QRs will lead to more details. So many of the machines make me want to know more. I can imagine scanning the QR code to see if that (type of) machine can be seen in any movies, a mini-bio of the high-scoring player (would be a tough app to write and maintain, but not impossible?), the style of art design (bios of the designers), collector value, eBay links, pop culture allusions/context, more on the underlying mechanics, etc.
(And next I'd like to see a Wii Pinball/PHOF collaboration so I can play all of the vintage games at home. Someone get on that!)
The Pinball Hall of Fame is one of the things I will miss the most when/if I leave town. It's free to get in, it's cheap to play, it's run by diehard fans, and it's just so satisfying to whack those balls! -
Review from Benny Valentino X.
Muncie, IN
9/25/2011
This place is a solid 4/5 stars and could easily be a 5/5 with a little investment in the property. The Pinball Hall Of Fame is somewhat lacking in decor, but that is also some of the charm of this place. It is located off the strip and somewhat hidden, but well worth the drive or cab-ride over. Its located in a pretty good area, considering that you're still in Las Vegas. Seems safe enough and there weren't scary people around hanging out.
From the outside it is hardly recognizable and unmarked with the exception of a small banner hung on the building. This place could certainly benefit from the investment of a street sign and larger sign on the building itself. Not only would it add to the overall atmosphere, but it would probably lead to increased business by driving foot traffic inside. If increased patronage is even their goal?
Upon entering you are overwhelmed by the huge collection of arcade and pinball machines. Again the inside is relatively plain and the pile of pinball machine carcasses are reminiscent of a more cleanly episode of hoarders. The dim lighting helps accent all of the awesome pinball machines you probably haven't played in years. A small investment to improve the decor of the place inside could go a long way, even something as simple as stenciling pacman/dots on the walls.
Decor aside, this place has the most impressive collection of pinball machines I have ever witnessed. They have some really interesting old games, some that I have not ever played anywhere else. Other reviews have listed some of the games that are available, so I wont bore you with a list...but I can almost guarantee you'll find plenty of games that aren't listed in any of these reviews. I read a few reviews that mentioned there are usually a few games that are down, but the upside is that the list of out-of-order games changes frequently so I imagine that you could often play something new.
This place is very economical, $5 goes a long way. Don't even waste your money on the larger arcade attractions on the strip and give your money to a not-for-profit like this place. The restrooms are fairly clean and they have popcorn/soda available. While you're in the area, you might as well go down the street to Metro Pizza. Its the best pizza that i've had in Vegas. -
Review from Lavi S.
Honolulu, HI
9/24/2011
This is a very cool place! I guess you'd consider it a museum of sorts because they have those old school arcade games like Centipede, Tetris, Asteroids, Pacman, Donkey Kong! Then there are the Pinball Machines! Anything ranging from again the Old School Variety, to the Up-to-Date ones.
I didn't think I was gonna like it, but since the machines are only 25-75 cents to play, why not! Good for any ages!!!! =) -
Review from Jeff A.
Escondido, CA
Spent $80 on all day passes at GameWorks on the Strip the previous day, and the following day we came here. For $25, we had way more fun than we did the previous day.
The machines were fun, a lot of nostalgia for games I played as a kid, and the kids loved playing pinball. There were some arcade games as well, but the focus was pinball.
The 4 of us decided after hours of pinball that we wanted a snack... so 4 drinks out of the machine ($1 each) and 4 bags of popcorn from the machine (25 cents each), and for $5 total we had a fun little snack that allowed us to continue on our way sans hunger.
Bottom line - a group of 4 people (2 adults, 2 kids) was here for 2-3 hours, spent $25 total including snacks, and was thoroughly entertained. Consider that I then dropped $28 for the 2 kids to take a single 2-minute ride on the NY-NY roller coaster later that night, and you can easily see the value of this gem! -
Review from Sarah Jane W.
Las Vegas, NV
5/31/2011 ROTD 7/19/2011
This is one of those places that all the hipsters and cool people dig...which usually means I hate it. But it's actually super-badass!
If you're a gamer or pinball aficionado, of course you'll dig it... so this review is for people like me, who despise video games.
Fellow anti-gamers, if a significant other drags you here, don't worry -- there is plenty to keep you entertained! The artwork on some of the old-time pinball machines is awesome -- favorites include Night Rider (70s truck-stop motif), Guns 'N' Roses (you can get a bonus where a hot bitch takes her top off!), and the self-explanatorily-awesome Nugent. So if you approach this place like an art gallery, you'll be totally rewarded.
It's not just pinball, either -- they have all these weird, creepy old-time arcade amusements, like this creepy marionette clown-in-a-box that you control by pushing buttons. There's no score, or bonus levels...you just make him dance around by pushing buttons. Simpler times! Then there's the baseball game in which you control an actual doll, helping him swing his bat at a ping-pong ball that hovers over a gust of air that you also control.
If that's not enough, the guy who runs the place moseys around giving advice, and he's super interesting to talk to. And his workshop is interesting to peruse...he's got all these old gutted machines out and ready to be repaired.
And if you get thirsty, there's a machine selling old-time throwback sodas, which adds to the retro arcade feel. Now all they need is a pimply, fuzzy-lipped 15-year old stoner in a jean jacket selling weed out back. Goooooooooood times! -
Review from Brian M.
Marina Bay, CA
8/25/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've been coming to this place for years. I've been to the old location and now at the new one which is closer to the strip. The new one is so much bigger and nicer. A BIG thank you to the owner(s) for doing this for those of us that grew up playing pinball.
Anyone who loves pinball will be in heaven at this place. It's great fun and where else can $5 last you for hours. I've from the Bay Area and always visit at least once during each visit to Vegas.
On my last few visits I've noticed a few things that put me off a bit. Several of the machines are not working or those that are have poor flipper issues (which really impacts your game). I don't see the "hippy guy" that I saw years ago there fixing machines (so maybe that is why so many are down). However, if you want to play some of the newer machines, this is the place as they have a great selection of both new and old.
And sadly, it's pretty messy in there and the bathroom is pathetic. It would be great if they had a display that talks about the history of pinball and a nice cafe or coffee joint. There is plenty of room for one. Actually, this place needs to move to a dedicated location on the strip (inside one of the strip hotels). It could be a real museum and would be accessible to so many more visitors. I know I'm dreaming here but how cool would that be. It would save a drive or cab from the strip.
In short, this place is great fun but it does need some improvement. With some more investment in the physical appearance of the place, a cafe, exhibit and staff to fix all the broken games, it could be amazing.
The PG&E bill must be really high here. The machines suck the power and put out some heat. That, along with the A/C constantly running in the summer -- wow. I can only imagine what it costs to actually power this place. -
Review from Jacki V.
Las Vegas, NV
7/18/2011
This place is one of Las Vegas' hidden gems. I have lived here practically my entire life and didn't discover this place until about two years ago.
As you can imagine, the place is filled with pinball machines both new and old. Some of them even date back to the 1950s. A lot of the older machines have a little piece of paper that says what year the machine was made and some history behind it. There is even a row of old school arcade games such as Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, and Super Mario Bros. What really impressed me was the Paper Boy machine as that was my favorite NES game when I was a little girl.
The best part about this place is there is no cover charge, and most of the machines are either 25 or 50 cents. The newer pinball machines are 75 cents, but I rarely play them. If you are a looking for something to do in Vegas but don't have a lot of money to spend, this is the place to go. -
Review from AJ C.
Pasadena, CA
8/31/2011
Forget about anything videogame-related on the Strip. For a twenty-buck cab ride to the University neighborhood, you'll be treated to pinball (and some classic video arcade game) heaven.
I actually enjoyed playing the older machines better than the newest ones (and there are some NEW ones...Tron Legacy for example. I seriously had no idea these things were still being built!) simply because getting a thousand points is a challenge in itself. I really felt like I had accomplished something after gaining a replay on the Carnival machine (1957, one of only 300 ever made).
It's cool how the scores on pinball machines over time have reflected the bullshit that is inflation! I will ALWAYS come back here when I visit Sin City.
