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Pinball Down Under
I've been on a business trip in Australia, but I had some time on the weekend to find some good pinball. I may or may not have smuggled in a shaker motor, some silicon rings and this Lethal Weapon 3 topper for a Melburnian named Dallas in exchange for these cans of pre-mixed rum and coke. Note the steering wheel position on this right hand drive Ford Mustang.
So, after the exchange, I got some tips on some places to go. On a business trip, you don't have large blocks of time to yourself, but you can swing an hour or so here or there and still get your stuff done. So, I took two of Dallas' recommendations and hit Bartronica and Pinball Paradise in Melbourne.
It was raining, and Bartronica was closer. So, I went there first. I got a bourbon and coke and ran about $40 AUD through the machines. Some games were $2AUD (about $1.46 USD) per game for some of the new ones. Some older games were just $1. Since they have $1 and $2 coins, there are no need for tokens or redemption machines. I couldn't find the change machine, despite it being under a neon sign that said, "change." To be fair, that was like the 4th coolest neon sign, so easy to overlook.
I got a few free games on Game of Thrones, Family Guy, Ghostbusters, Junkyard, and AC/DC. I was not doing well on Star Wars or Iron Maiden. At $2.00 per game, I was hoping to do better at Iron Maiden. They did have generous ball save times, but I was in a slump. So, they do a good bourbon and coke, and have great games in the CBD of Melbourne.
Fast forward 8 hours...
After I went to dinner with our CMO, I was able to convince him to check out Melbourne's Pinball Paradise. This Melbourne Pinball Speakeasy was just outside of the main downtown. It had a bar with one pinball machine, and a secret bookshelf entrance. they had a great collection of games, and I tried to give some pinball lessons. Not everyone is into pinball, so we played a few of the games had a drink and went back to the hotel.
I love to play "The Walking Dead," but I am not a fan of the show. I love the shots and the rules. TWD pulls me deep into the machine quickly, and stresses me out. That's why I like to play. I'd like to get one of these someday, but the family would veto this one, like the BOP.
I was bummed that Tron Legacy was out of order. But, Pinball Paradise was a fun place with a great collection.