Why Pinball Machines Make the Perfect Holiday Gift for the Person Who Has It All
The hardest people to buy presents for are the folks who have everything they want, or can buy pretty much anything they want. For them you have to be smarter and choose that special and creative gift they didn’t ever think about buying themselves – like an arcade quality pinball machine.
Pinball machines combine nostalgia and fun with a statement for the home, and because they are themed on pop culture topics like TV shows, cars, motorcycles and music, there is likely one suited for just about any type of personality on your list. And chances are good you would know if they had one already.
These brand new, very tricked out machines from longtime manufacturer Stern have all the bells and whistles, literally, with more than just flashing lights and buzzers, very tied to the theme at hand. For example, the top of the line Walking Dead model adds, among other special features, a motorized crossbow assembly that allows users to capture aim and fire their ball at various targets. If you watch the show, you’ll get the reference.
Stuck for a great gift idea? How about an arcade quality – or better than arcade quality – pinball machine?
Most of the machines come in two or three quality levels, Pro, Premium and Limited Edition (LE) from $5,400-$8,800. All are commercial grade and even the lowest priced Pro models are typically sold to locations like bars, cafes, bowling alleys, and arcades. Top of the line Limited Edition models are collectible and add more gameplay mechanisms, like the Walking Dead Ccossbow (only in LE at $8,600 vs. Pro at $6,000), plus mirrored back glass, and these are all hand signed by the designer. Some titles also come in a Premium version, the middle tier, which adds all the special effects of the LE but without the mirrored back glass and signature. All versions are far more durable than home use requires.
Stern makes a range of commercial quality pinball machines that will light up a a home, like this Star Trek model.
Titles change all the time and the current model lineup includes the Walking Dead, Iron Man and Metallica, all in Pro and LE; Star Trek and Ford Mustang in Pro, Premium and LE; and two variants of AC/DC, the Let There Be Rock and Back in Black editions, both in four different quality tiers. Additionally, Stern has an archive of dozens of others which are currently out of production, and periodically they bring a title back into rotation, as is the current case with Iron Man. You can sign up to be alerted when this happens with titles ranging from the Simpsons and Austin Powers to Harley Davidson and Nascar, and when they come back, they are brand new machines priced similar to current models. Iron Man Pro Vault Edition is our most recent game we have brought out of the archives. Holidays are a time for music, celebration and ringing bells, and these machines are all about that. I know I’d be happy to get one.
Need something for the metal fan on your list? How about this AC/DC version?
Have a fun Holiday Season!
link: http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryol...liday-gift-for-the-person-who-has-everything/
The hardest people to buy presents for are the folks who have everything they want, or can buy pretty much anything they want. For them you have to be smarter and choose that special and creative gift they didn’t ever think about buying themselves – like an arcade quality pinball machine.
Pinball machines combine nostalgia and fun with a statement for the home, and because they are themed on pop culture topics like TV shows, cars, motorcycles and music, there is likely one suited for just about any type of personality on your list. And chances are good you would know if they had one already.
These brand new, very tricked out machines from longtime manufacturer Stern have all the bells and whistles, literally, with more than just flashing lights and buzzers, very tied to the theme at hand. For example, the top of the line Walking Dead model adds, among other special features, a motorized crossbow assembly that allows users to capture aim and fire their ball at various targets. If you watch the show, you’ll get the reference.
Stuck for a great gift idea? How about an arcade quality – or better than arcade quality – pinball machine?
Most of the machines come in two or three quality levels, Pro, Premium and Limited Edition (LE) from $5,400-$8,800. All are commercial grade and even the lowest priced Pro models are typically sold to locations like bars, cafes, bowling alleys, and arcades. Top of the line Limited Edition models are collectible and add more gameplay mechanisms, like the Walking Dead Ccossbow (only in LE at $8,600 vs. Pro at $6,000), plus mirrored back glass, and these are all hand signed by the designer. Some titles also come in a Premium version, the middle tier, which adds all the special effects of the LE but without the mirrored back glass and signature. All versions are far more durable than home use requires.
Stern makes a range of commercial quality pinball machines that will light up a a home, like this Star Trek model.
Titles change all the time and the current model lineup includes the Walking Dead, Iron Man and Metallica, all in Pro and LE; Star Trek and Ford Mustang in Pro, Premium and LE; and two variants of AC/DC, the Let There Be Rock and Back in Black editions, both in four different quality tiers. Additionally, Stern has an archive of dozens of others which are currently out of production, and periodically they bring a title back into rotation, as is the current case with Iron Man. You can sign up to be alerted when this happens with titles ranging from the Simpsons and Austin Powers to Harley Davidson and Nascar, and when they come back, they are brand new machines priced similar to current models. Iron Man Pro Vault Edition is our most recent game we have brought out of the archives. Holidays are a time for music, celebration and ringing bells, and these machines are all about that. I know I’d be happy to get one.
Need something for the metal fan on your list? How about this AC/DC version?
Have a fun Holiday Season!
link: http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryol...liday-gift-for-the-person-who-has-everything/
