CHICAGO AREA PINBALL

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10-10-2019 04:34 AM
Editor’s note:
Every year, just before Pinball Expo, our correspondent Dan Marquardt brings us his selection of the best places in the Chicago area to play the silver ball. This year is no different, so anyone visiting the Windy City for the world’s biggest pinball show who finds themselves in need of even more of a pinball fix might like to check out his recommendations below.
Dan has made a change this year, ordering them so you can go from one location to the next closest, making it easier to find locations which are close to each other.

It was twenty years ago Williams stopped making pinball machines. At that time I thought the days of playing pins on location were over for ever. It was bleak for finding a working pin on location for many years but now, due mostly to the popularity of barcades, pinball machines on location are plentiful in the Chicago area.

Thanks to Pinball Map for allowing me to use their awesome website to update some of the locations on my list.

1. Logan Arcade – Chicago
See previous report
Update: All the latest Stern pins and now the two pins from American Pinball (Houdini and Oktoberfest) are there too.
Logan Arcade’s back room
2. Emporium Arcade Bar (Logan Square) – Chicago
Eighteen pins here with Octoberfest being the most recent addition.
A previous line-up at Emporium
3. Lemming’s Tavern – Chicago
See previous report
Update: Jurassic Park (Pro) and Creature from the Black Lagoon are the current pins.
A previous line-up at Lemming’s Tavern
4. Emporium Arcade Bar (Wicker Park) – Chicago
See previous report
Update: Deadpool is the latest pin to be rotated into their line-up.
A previous line-up at Emporium Arcade Bar (Wicker Park)
5. Lucky Strike Social – Chicago
Six recent Stern titles are available to play there.


6. Replay (Lakeview) – Chicago
See previous report
Update: Attack From Mars (Bally) and The Rolling Stones (Stern) are the current pins.
A previous line-up at Replay Beer & Bourbon
7. Uptown Arcade – Chicago
They now have ten pins including a Star Wars Pro.


8. Headquarters Beercade (River North) – Chicago
Over 30 pins with The Munsters (Pro) and Black Knight: Sword of Rage (Pro) being the most recent.
A previous line-up at Headquarters
9. Replay (Lincoln Park) – Chicago
Update: No change since our last report
A previous line-up at Replay in Lincoln Park
10. Emporium (Fulton Market) – Chicago
See previous report
Update: Star Wars Pro (Stern) is the most recent pin added here.
A previous line-up at Emporium (Fulton Market)
11. Bottom Lounge – Chicago
See previous report
Update: Ten pins there, with the The Munsters (Pro) and The Beatles: Beatlemania Pinball being the latest.
A previous line-up at Bottom Lounge in Chicago
12. Brixies – Brookfield
See previous report
Update: An awesome wall of five super-clean top pins. Iron Maiden (Premium), Jurassic Park (Pro), Medieval Madness, Monster Bash and Star Wars (Premium) are the current titles.
A previous line-up at Brixies
13. Galloping Ghost Pinball – Brookfield
See previous report
Update: The Munsters (Premium) and Monster Bash (Chicago Gaming) are the latest additions here.
Galloping Ghost Pinball in Brookfield
14. The Game Show – Lombard
See previous report
Update: Many recent Stern pins and classic pins available to play here.
The Game Show in Lombard
15. Brauer House – Lombard
Five very clean pins: The Beatles (Stern), Funhouse (Williams), Iron Maiden Premium (Stern), Metallica Pro (Stern) and Scared Stiff (Bally).
An earlier line-up at Brauer House
16. Pac-Man Entertainment – Schaumburg (formerly Level 257)
See previous report
Update: Deadpool and Oktoberfest are the latest pins added here.
A previous line-up at Pac-Man Entertainment
17. Game Works – Schaumburg
Update: No changes since our previous report
A previous line-up at Game Works
18. Round-1 – Aurora
Four recent Stern pins. All four were unplayable when I visited there in August.
Round-1 in Aurora
19. Prince Arcades – Bolingbrook
Six well maintained pins: Austin Powers (Stern), Black Rose (Bally), Comet (Williams), F-14 Tomcat (Williams), Monster Bash (Chicago Gaming) and Total Nuclear Annihilation (Spooky).
Two of the pinballs at Prince Arcades
20. Rock Island Public House – Blue Island
See previous report
Update: The wall of well-maintained pins has increased to nine, with Batman 66 LE (Stern) being the latest addition.
A previous line-up at Rock Island Public House


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