Hours of Fun at the Pinball Hall of Fame in Las Vegas

I’ve been eyeing the Pinball Hall of Fame in Las Vegas for a couple of years. My wife and I weren’t able to check it out during our visit last year. When a recent business trip took me to Las Vegas for the day, I brought a handful of quarters with me to check it out. I’m so glad I did. I could’ve spent twice as long in there and still not been bored. Sadly, I only had one hour before my flight. But that means I’ll just have to revisit the Pinball Hall of Fame in the future.

If you plan to travel to Las Vegas – especially if your kids are going, too – then bring a bunch of quarters and plan on a couple hours of fun. And if you’re looking for other things to do here, I’ve put a list together of some of the best family-friendly activities in Las Vegas.

Here’s a rundown on what you’ll find at the Pinball Hall of Fame, along with a few tips to maximize your visit.

Free Admission to the Pinball Hall of Fame

One of the best parts about the Pinball Hall of Fame is that there is no entrance fee. The only thing you pay for are the games you play. You can show up with one dollar, play four games and leave. This makes this spot a no-brainer for some cheap fun in Las Vegas.

I brought a small baggie of quarters with me. It was just shy of $15 in quarters. But if you didn’t carry your own quarters, don’t worry. There is an ATM near the entrance and change machines that can convert you bills to quarters. Every machine operates on quarters, so that’s all you need.

Loads of Pinball Machines – Old and New

The Pinball Hall of Fame is a large warehouse of sorts with several rows of pinball machines. One section is dedicated to the older, classic pinball games. As technology changed in the pinball space, so did the look of the machines.

Some of the early pinball machines, which date back to the 1960s, are pretty basic. Most of the machines have a pretty similar style, but the visual aspects are different. I’m not sure many people would know the names of the various pinball machines, so I won’t bother to list them all.

The more recent pinball machines seem to have more tracks and ramps for the metal ball to use. That is if you’re skilled enough to hit the ball up the ramp. Those newer ones are a little more than the standard 25 cents. Plan on at least 50 cents, but some were as high as a dollar (or four quarters). I guess they more electricity they use, the more expensive the machines are.

Classic Arcade Games Galore

I love the variety of games at the Pinball Hall of Fame. When you get tired of pinball, you can try your hand at some classic arcade games.

One of my favorites is DigDug. And I like to think I’m pretty good at it. I gave Frogger a try, but definitely wasn’t as good as I was as a young kid. I’ve gotten slow in my old age.

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Some of the other classic arcade games are ones I played in my childhood. We had a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and I loved playing these games. Here are a few of the ones that hold a piece of my memory that you can play:

• Asteroid (Atari)
• Centipede (Atari)
• Donkey Kong (Nintendo)
• Burger Time (Dataeast)
• Tron (Midway)
• Spy Hunter (Midway)
• Paperboy(Nintendo)
• Ninja Turtles (Konami)
• Punch Out (Nintendo)

I had to laugh at one of the signs on the classic Super Mario Bros arcade game. It basically said the game’s old and the joystick may stick. But if you hit the machine in frustration if you die, you will be kicked out. I’ve seen family and friends get pretty mad when they lose in a video game. But you better keep your cool in this place or you’ll have to leave.

Specialty Games and Other Machines

Although the name of the place is Pinball Hall of Fame, there are several other games that aren’t pinball or even classic arcade games. For example, the Foosball Hockey game (pictured above) was something I enjoyed playing as a kid. Do you remember playing it?

Since I was there solo, I didn’t get a chance to challenge someone in a game of Air Hockey – but that’s one game I really enjoy playing. There’s also a couple of “Claw” machines, but I was terrible at them and didn’t want to waste my money.

I did put 50 cents into an old-school vending machine to get one of those plastic bubbles with a toy inside. Sadly, the prize didn’t come out, so I didn’t get anything. Since it was only 50 cents I lost in the machine, I didn’t worry about.

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There are two machines that test your strength. One is an arm wrestling test. I paid my 25 cents and tried with all my might to pull the arm down. But because I was also using my other arm to film myself, I couldn’t give it my all. But had I gone again without me filming with my other hand, I would’ve owned it. 😉 The other machine tests how hard your hand can grip a sensor. That determines who good of a lover you are. The “results” range from Clammy to Uncontrollable. The 25 cents is cheap for a good laugh on both of those machines.

Another one of the machines is from Disneyland, and I remember it vividly from my childhood. You pay the money, and a wax mold of one of a Disney character is made right before your eyes. If you want to create one, it’ll cost you $4 in quarters.

The Details

Address: 4925 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89119

How long to spend: Plan on 1-2 hours for your visit.

Cost: There is no entrance fee to the Pinball Hall of Fame. Games range from 25 cents up to $4 – but the majority of the games are 25-50 cents. Bring lots of quarters or use the change machines near the entrance.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Website: http://www.pinballmuseum.org/

Phone: (702) 597-2627

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