The Best Era of Pinball Machines (And the Worst)

What's the best era of pinball machines? Modern Sterns, classic 1980s solid-state games, 1990s DMD machines, or old-school electromechanical pinball? This week, we're talking about our favorite eras of pinball and why some of the most affordable machines might also be some of the best games you can own. Mike makes the case for modern Stern pinball machines and early solid-state classics like Firepower, Frontier, and Lost World. Steph shares why she's been spending more time playing older games instead of learning the increasingly complicated rules of modern pinball. We also get into the cost of owning and maintaining pinball machines, including why Mike thinks 1990s games can be a headache for collectors and pinball locations. Modern vs. classic pinball machines: which era is our favorite? Why we love early 1980s solid-state pinball games Are 1990s DMD pinball machines worth the maintenance headaches? Why modern Stern Pro machines are a great choice for busy pinball locations Affordable pinball machines you can buy for under $2,000 Our favorite classic games and the machines we'd love to add to Punk Rock Pinball HQ Updates from the Punk Rock Pinball Association (PRPA) and our Central Illinois pinball community Steph's upcoming birthday pinball tournament and some fun tournament format ideas What's your favorite era of pinball? Are you into modern Sterns, Williams System 11 games, 1990s Bally/Williams classics, or electromechanical machines?