In a time before home game consoles you would go to the local arcade to play the pinball machine. Many young men and women would practice and practice, using a large chunk of their free time to become a pinball wizard.
You can now buy freestanding pinball machines for your man cave or home game room, but if you don’t have the space or you’re on a tight budget you can consider a tabletop pinball machine.
These are perfect to put on a side table, the man cave bar or be able to pull out, have some fun with and then easily store back away. We have rounded up three of the best tabletop pinball machine models we could find to give you an idea of what is out there.
Best Tabletop Pinball Machines
1. Force Awakens Tabletop Pinball Machine
- Convenient size
- Popular theme
- Good flipper control
- Dimensions: 9.8 x 16.3 x 8 inches
- Weight: 2.5 pounds
- Limited scoring variety
- Batteries: 2 C cell batteries (not included)
If you are looking to try using the force to get the high score on your next pinball game then you will definitely want to do it on this Force Awakens Tabletop Pinball Machine. This tiny pinball machine is sized to easily fit on any flat surface, from a coffee table to a sideboard, and give you an enjoyable gaming experience.
Any Star Wars fan that enjoys pinball will have a good time with this game.
One drawback though is that all the bumpers on the surface of the table give the same point value, meaning that there is a very limited variety of play. However, the flippers respond well, so there is no worry about a delay and messing up your timing.
It’s a great game to have on the man cave bar when entertaining friends.
2. Brio Classic Tabletop Pinball Game
- No Batteries Required
- Simple loading for quick replay
- Great Reaction Flippers
- Dimensions: 13.5 x 20.5 x 4.8 inches
- Weight: 5.5 Pounds
- No lights or sounds
The Brio Vintage Classic tabletop pinball game provides all the excitement of an electronic game but without the need for batteries. Made of wood, its sturdy and durable – the Brio not only plays great but looks great also.
Many purchasers who bought this for their kids or grand kinds have mentioned the hours of fun that they have had playing the game – it’s not just for kids and this is why we think it will make a great addition as a present for adults as well as kids.
Of course, because there are no batteries, there are no flashing lights or sound effects, but this can be a benefit!
3. Spiderman Tabletop Pinball Game
- Electronic digital scoreboard
- 1 or 2 player game action
- Spidey lights and sounds
- Dimensions: 3 x 14.5 x 10 inches
- Weight: 2.3 Pounds
- Batteries: 2 C batteries (not included)
- Limited number of sound effects
- Designed for smaller kids
If you’re a fan of spider man and pinball, then the tabletop Spiderman pinball game is the perfect gift. It’s not very big, but still delivers a lot of fun.
The price can very, so make sure you do you research to grab the best deal.
Users have mentioned what great fun this game is, but it could be improved by having a louder and wider variety of sound effects. That being said, it’s a greta bit of fun for the man cave bar or games room and the kids will love it.
4. Minions Tabletop Pinball Game
- Lightweight for ease of movement
- LCD screen for scoring
- Engaging lights and sounds
- Dimensions: 9.8 x 16.3 x 8 inches
- Weight: 2.1 Pounds
- Batteries: 2 C cell batteries (not included)
- No volume options
We could have stopped with Star Wars because what more do you need right? The next two choices are definitely aimed at kids but can also be fun for adults to play and that’s why they’re on the list.
Now when you first look at this pinball machine you might think it has the look of a children’s pinball machine to it and while it is a great option for youngsters, you will also find that this one has a bit of a challenge to it.
This model sports a number of sound effects and flashing lights to help make you think you are at a gaming hall. The LCD screen digit will count your score so as you go head to head with your friends you can determine who has the highest score at the end of the night.
One thing that you may notice, if you give this to children to enjoy while you are doing something else, is that the volume is a bit on the loud end. There is no option to turn down the volume though.
5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tabletop Pinball Machine
- Good level of challenge
- Sturdy construction
- Dimensions: 9.8 x 16.3 x 8 inches
- Weight: 2 pounds
- Batteries: 2 C cell batteries (not included)
If you are looking to add a little bit of ‘80s attitude to your pinball game you are in luck. Nickelodeon has put out this totally turtles toy pinball machine to entertain you between your battles with Shredder.
While younger players will enjoy the sounds and the lights that go off while playing a round, the older members of the group will no doubt put their quarter down to call next game, either for the challenge of the machine or just for the nostalgia factor.
It is solidly constructed so that if you get really into your game you don’t have to worry about it not surviving. However, at only two pounds it is fairly easy to knock this so it isn’t sitting flat and that will result in the ball not rolling properly.
Wrap Up
If you are looking for a basic electronic tabletop pinball machine there are quite a few options on the market. You don’t need to break the bank to get a sturdy machine that will offer a fun and exciting game for younger players while still giving the grownups enough of a pinball challenge to keep playing.
Finally, we’d like to hear from you! What do you think is the best tabletop pinball machine? Do you have a review or any experience with the models that we have highlighted? If so, please tell us about them in the comments section below.
I am looking for the best tabletop pinball machine with sound and graphics.