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The Continuing Death of Pinball
angkor writes: "To me, the first video games were something like electonic versions of pinball machines, so it's sad to hear that pinball is apparently dying off." I'd really like to see a pinball game based on Zoolander, but I doubt even that would be enough to reverse the current trend.
The number of pinball machines nationwide dropped from 1 million in 1989 to 360,000 in 1999 and revenue slid from $2.4 billion to $1.08 billion in the same period, according to the trade publication Vending Times.
My dad is stationed in Japan, and I've never seen more video arcades in my life.. in downtown Tokyo there is one like every other block.. the one I've visited before doesn't have any pinball machines. They tend to have more video games - as most of them are owned/sponsered by guilty.
Kenny
While pingames certainly aren't doing as well as they once were, reports of the death of pinball are certainly premature. There is still a big pinball market outside of the US, which Stern (the only remaining manufacturer) is happy to serve.
Domestically, the market is shifting from arcades (where the games are seldom adequately maintained) to collectors, and the folks at Stern have realized that, modifying their design efforts to appeal more to collectors. One of their latest games, "Monopoly" (designed by the legendary Pat Lawlor, who also designed "Fun House," "Addams Family," and "Twilight Zone," among others), has been a tremendous success, to the point of extending its productions run...
"The robots can't help you..."*** Quantum Mechanics: The Dreams of Which Stuff is Made ***
No, there are magnets. I had the game in my house for 6 months once.. in fact most modern pinball games had magnets for a while.. it sux sometimes when they activate. other then that part T2 was a great pinball game.
... but no, there are no magnets in T2. There are three in "Addams Family (Gold)", four in "The Twilight Zone" (and two of those are on the Powerfield), and occasionally those used for "Magna-Save" (clearly marked) ... in games like "Black Knight 2000", "World Cup Soccer", or "Theatre of Magic".
... I doubt the older ones did, either. What you are probably seeing is what's known as "ball spin", which affects the ball's path in somewhat unpredictable ways.
Sorry
"Modern" pinball machines do not include magnets
FWIW, I own four pinball machines, one of them being an Addams Family. I have also been fixing them for ~10 years now. If you can find me an actual magnet in a T2 game, I'll buy you lunch.