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Pinball may be best known for its blinking lights, fast-paced action, and arcade nostalgia—but did you know it also has a political history that reaches all the way to the White House? In this post, we explore how pinball intersected with American politics, from prohibition-era bans to presidential basement game rooms. Whether you’re a collector […]

When you see a pinball machine for sale today—glowing LEDs, booming soundtracks, high-tech displays—it’s easy to forget that it all began with a much simpler invention: Bally’s Baby. This was the first commercially successful pinball machine, a game that not only launched Bally Manufacturing into pinball history, but also changed the course of American entertainment.

When browsing for a pinball machine for sale, chances are you’ll come across familiar titles like The Addams Family, Star Wars, Metallica, or Avengers. But these blockbuster-inspired machines are more than eye candy—they’re the reason pinball survived its darkest decade. In this post, we’ll explore how movie and music licensing helped save the pinball industry,

While most pinball enthusiasts know the iconic American machines from Bally, Williams, and Stern, fewer are aware of Japan’s lesser-known—but deeply fascinating—history with pinball. Though pinball never exploded in Japan the way it did in the U.S., the country carved out its own niche with a unique design philosophy, engineering approach, and hybrid gameplay experiences.

When shopping for a pinball machine for sale, you might notice listings labeled as “solid-state” or “EM” (electromechanical). But what does that really mean—and why does it matter? At House of Pinball, we want to empower collectors, hobbyists, and new buyers to make confident decisions. This article explores how the shift to solid-state technology in

If you’ve ever walked up to a pinball machine for sale and seen a score in the millions, you might have asked yourself: Why so many zeros? Is it all just flash, or does the score tell you something deeper about the game? At House of Pinball, we believe understanding the story behind pinball scoring

Flippers are the heart of pinball. Without them, pinball wouldn’t be a game of skill — it would be pure chance. From their revolutionary debut in 1947 to the advanced flipper mechanics found in today’s machines, the evolution of the pinball flipper tells the story of how pinball itself became what it is today. At

When you hear Capcom, your mind likely jumps to Street Fighter, Resident Evil, or Mega Man. But in the mid-90s, the video game giant took a bold step into a new arena—pinball. For a brief moment, Capcom looked like it might change the industry. Instead, it became a cautionary tale. At House of Pinball, we

It’s hard to believe today, but for decades in the 20th century, pinball was illegal in many American cities. Seen as a tool of organized crime and a game of chance, it was banned, raided, and even smashed with sledgehammers by law enforcement. At House of Pinball, we’re not just about helping you find the

Few names are as revered in pinball history as Pat Lawlor. Known for pushing the boundaries of game design, Lawlor brought storytelling, innovation, and chaos to the playfield in a way that forever changed the industry. At House of Pinball, many of the most sought-after pinball machines for sale are Pat Lawlor creations—and with good