Pinball has been around since the 1940s, with wild peaks and dips in popularity, but this unique amusement has been having a resurgence over the last few years. Unfortunately, depending on where you live, it can still be tough to find a decent number of pinball machines to play. A surefire way to get your fill of flipping is to visit one of the many pinball conventions held around the world, and to get the very best experience, there’s one show that can’t be missed. First held in 1985 near Chicago, Illinois, and still going strong to this day, Pinball Expo is the world’s largest and longest-running pinball convention, offering an absurd amount of entertainment for any fan of the silver ball. To get the full scoop, I recently attended the celebratory 40th Pinball Expo, and what I found was nothing short of extraordinary.
The Newest and Best Pinball Machines
The 40th Pinball Expo took place at the Renaissance Convention Center Hotel right outside of Chicago, hosting thousands of attendees, where the star was the enormous show floor. Unlike your average pinball convention, Pinball Expo feels like a bonafide trade show, with big vendor booths representing all of the major manufacturers. Tons of pinball machines, arcade cabinets, and retro video games are available to play, ranging from the rarest to the latest and greatest.
In addition to the quieter, free play room, which housed dozens of classic pins and arcade games, there were over 400 machines to try on the show floor. Every big name in the business had brought their latest game, flexing new innovations and the hottest themes around. Stern Pinball showed up in a major way with their two new games, The Uncanny X-Men and Metallica Remastered, both of which are incredibly fast and fun. Jersey Jack Pinball once again stunned with their signature immersive style in Avatar: The Battle for Pandora, the latest pinball machine based on the hit movie franchise.
Though smaller in comparison to Stern and Jersey Jack, several other companies made their presence known on the show floor with flashy new titles of their own. DPX Pinball garnered a lot of attention with their debut game, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, which was nice to play but admittedly lacked substance. Further surprise was found in the epic ninja pinball game, Ninja Eclipse, by Turner Pinball, which was back with a brand new build. These were just a handful of the brand-new games that I had a chance to flip on, as the selection was as varied as it was expansive.
Cutting Edge Custom Homebrew Pinball
That said, there was one special area of the 40th Pinball Expo that really caught my eye: the homebrew section. Tucked in a back corner, this dedicated portion of the show floor was home to one-of-a-kind, custom pinball machines, many of which you could only play at Pinball Expo. Often created by a single developer or just a small team, these homebrew machines consistently wowed me with their inventive nature and out-of-the-box design choices.
Better yet, with no need to worry about the commercial market, these homebrew machines were packed with some wildly creative technology that elevated the flipping experience. For example, take the Borderlands 2 homebrew, which had a playfield that moved around on its own, emulating the drunken aftermath of a visit to Mad Moxxi’s bar. Several homebrew games were outfitted with playfield art, animated screens, and deep gameplay code, making them just as thrilling to play as a retail pinball machine. Games like Pokemon: Indigo League, Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball, and SAW Pinball kept me coming back for more, and I quickly found my time at Pinball Expo mostly spent in the wonderful homebrew section.
Does Pinball Expo Live Up to the Hype?
In the world of pinball, there are few events that are as exciting as the Pinball Expo. For a reasonable entry fee, you get access to hundreds of pinball machines set to “free play”, the latest games from all the major pinball companies, and some of the most unique homebrew machines you’ll ever see. Spread across the weekend, there are countless panels to attend, tournaments to compete in, and nearby events to check out. I’ve been to my fair share of arcade, video game, and pinball shows, and I can safely say that Pinball Expo is one of the absolute best. If you’re located anywhere remotely close to Chicago, Illinois, or just want to check out one of the coolest conventions in the world, I can’t recommend Pinball Expo enough.
