M
M.G. Brown
Guest
PINSPOTTING APRIL 2025
M.G. Brown
Although this latest Pinspotting article has been published close to the April 1st holiday, be assured there is no ‘fooling’ in what we are sharing with our readers.
Please refer to the Pinball Map for the latest game lineup at this site. Photographs contained in this article show the games present on the day(s) of our visit.
Silverball greets guests
The Silverball Retro Arcade in Delray Beach, Florida, is part of a broader story that begins with its predecessor in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
The original Silverball Museum was founded in 2009 by Robert Ilvento, a passionate collector of pinball machines and arcade games. Founded in the basement of a clothing and records store before moving to much larger premises on the iconic Asbury Park Boardwalk, it quickly became a beloved destination for nostalgia enthusiasts, offering a hands-on experience with vintage games dating back to the 1930s. The success of this location laid the groundwork for expansion.
A sample of the video games at Silverball
In 2016, Ilvento brought his vision to South Florida, opening the Silverball Retro Arcade in downtown Delray Beach. The choice of Delray Beach was fitting, as both Asbury Park and Delray share a coastal charm—Asbury Park is known as the “City by the Sea” and Delray Beach is dubbed the “Village by the Sea.”
Overview of the Delray Beach Silverball, including their disco ball and dance area
The Delray location opened its doors in a 9,000-square-foot building just off Atlantic Avenue, the bustling hub of the city’s cultural scene. Initially, it housed around 88 pinball machines and 24 arcade games, with a collection spanning the 1950s to the 2000s.
Just a few of the games on the main floor
By 2018 Silverball expanded to feature over 150 classic and modern pinball machines, video games, and arcade favorites like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and air hockey, with machines dating back to the 1930s up to present-day releases.
Silverball thoughtfully includes a card on most of the machines giving the name of the manufacturer, year produced, number of units made, name of game designer, graphics artist, and additional information for the game.
History and high scores are provided for most of the games.
High score tallies are manual for the classes of Male, Female, 50+ Male, 50+ Female, Under 13 Male, and Under 13 Female. New high scores must be verified by an attendant.
The New Philadelphia Toboggan Company Eldorado Skee-Ball (1909) machines along the back wall are popular with kids and parents alike. These games generate quite a racket so you might want to be aware of that.
1909 Eldorado Skee Ball
Silverball has a lovingly restored Williams Crane (1956) to bring out the sidewalk engineer in visitors young and old.
1956 Williams Crane near the skee ball
Silverball offers patrons the chance to play rare pinballs such as Pinball Manufacturing Company’s Big Bang Bar (2007), a limited production EM version of Bally’s Mata Hari (1977), Gottlieb’s Woodrail Knockout (1950), Gottlieb’s Canada Dry (1977), Gottlieb’s Rock Star (1978), and Gottlieb’s Hit The Deck (1978), to name a few.
There are also a few German and French edition pinballs scattered throughout the museum that are seldom seen in North America. They can be identified by having DM or FF labels near the coin slots.
There are a few German and French market games at Silverball
They also have pitch and bat games available to play such as United’s Star Slugger (1955) and Chicago Coin’s six-player Home Run (1954). There is a Williams six-player SS Gold Mine (1987) puck bowler available to play but you must request the puck from the front desk near the entrance.
The pitch and bat games and the puck bowler are located in the same area
In the section with the pitch and bat games, there is a Williams Mini Golf which started 1964 as the Southland Engineering Little Pro (1964) putting/bat game that features a unique control knob for ‘aiming’ the golfer under the glass. Easy and hard stroke buttons activate the ‘golfer’ to hit a 5/8” steel ball bearing toward each hole in turn. Each player must shoot holes one to nine, in order, with the total number of shots limited to 27. A free game can be won if the player completes all nine holes with 18 strokes or less.
The backglass indicates the hole being played, and the hole to be aimed for also lights up. At some point, Williams bought Southland (ironically founded by Harry Williams after he sold Williams) renamed the game to Mini Golf, created a new art package and added true two-player scoring.
William’s Mini Golf backglass
A few of the oldest games are ‘Under Restoration’ which I assume is a gentle way of saying that the games are waiting for parts.
Pitch and bat game waiting for some TLC
A small detail that I found interesting is there are games available to play in the vestibule outside the washrooms. I assume they are placed there in case there is a wait for the WC.
Games to play while waiting for the WC
A pro tip is to check out the upper level for more pinballs, an 8-ball pool, and shuffleboard. The upper level also has a full bar and packaged snacks available.
The upstairs pinballs include some rare games
All games on site are set to free play – no coins or tokens required – allowing visitors to enjoy unlimited gaming for the duration of their paid admission, which can be purchased for an hour, half-day, or full-day; wristbands allow patrons to come and go as they please. Silverball occasionally offers two for one or other discount specials. It’s best to sign up on their website to put you on their e-mail news and events information scheme.
Yes! There are weekday beverage specials
Beyond the games, Silverball Retro Arcade also offers pub and event space, boasting three full bars and a menu of boardwalk-inspired treats like pizza slices, crab cakes, nachos, and fries. They are planning to offer soft-serve ice cream soon but they couldn’t give me a date when this would be ready.
Silverball’s kitchen is thoughtfully open late
Happy Hour, running Monday through Friday from 4pm to 7pm, offers 50% off drinks and a $7 food menu, making it a popular after-work or early evening spot. The arcade operates Sunday through Thursday from 11 AM to midnight and Friday through Saturday from 11 AM to 2 AM, providing ample time for visitors to dive into the fun.
Adjacent free parking for up to 9 hours adds to the convenience, making it an easy stop during a day out in this charming coastal town.
We took a break from gaming and explored nearby Atlantic Avenue, finally stopping at Sloan’s Ice Cream Parlor to enjoy their frozen delights. Sloan’s is the headquarters for nearly all of the sweets that you can imagine; Homemade All-Natural Luxury Ice Cream, site-made waffle cones, vegan pineapple flavor Dole Whip, an assortment of chocolates, fudge, brownies, candied apples, cookies, and more! The lines, even in the off-season, can get long so patience is required for best results.
Sloan’s is a must visit when in Delray Beach
Live music was available to enjoy in several bars located on Atlantic Avenue.
Live Music at an Atlantic Avenue bar
The below photos show just a few of the dining and entertainment venues on Atlantic Avenue.
Dining examples on Atlantic Avenue
With its mix of history and lively atmosphere, Silverball Retro Arcade stands out as a must-visit destination in Delray Beach, perfectly blending nostalgia with modern-day enjoyment. Plan to visit when and if you are in their area!
Continue reading...
M.G. Brown
Although this latest Pinspotting article has been published close to the April 1st holiday, be assured there is no ‘fooling’ in what we are sharing with our readers.
Please refer to the Pinball Map for the latest game lineup at this site. Photographs contained in this article show the games present on the day(s) of our visit.
Silverball greets guests
The Silverball Retro Arcade in Delray Beach, Florida, is part of a broader story that begins with its predecessor in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
The original Silverball Museum was founded in 2009 by Robert Ilvento, a passionate collector of pinball machines and arcade games. Founded in the basement of a clothing and records store before moving to much larger premises on the iconic Asbury Park Boardwalk, it quickly became a beloved destination for nostalgia enthusiasts, offering a hands-on experience with vintage games dating back to the 1930s. The success of this location laid the groundwork for expansion.
A sample of the video games at Silverball
In 2016, Ilvento brought his vision to South Florida, opening the Silverball Retro Arcade in downtown Delray Beach. The choice of Delray Beach was fitting, as both Asbury Park and Delray share a coastal charm—Asbury Park is known as the “City by the Sea” and Delray Beach is dubbed the “Village by the Sea.”
Overview of the Delray Beach Silverball, including their disco ball and dance area
The Delray location opened its doors in a 9,000-square-foot building just off Atlantic Avenue, the bustling hub of the city’s cultural scene. Initially, it housed around 88 pinball machines and 24 arcade games, with a collection spanning the 1950s to the 2000s.
Just a few of the games on the main floor
By 2018 Silverball expanded to feature over 150 classic and modern pinball machines, video games, and arcade favorites like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and air hockey, with machines dating back to the 1930s up to present-day releases.
Silverball thoughtfully includes a card on most of the machines giving the name of the manufacturer, year produced, number of units made, name of game designer, graphics artist, and additional information for the game.
History and high scores are provided for most of the games.
High score tallies are manual for the classes of Male, Female, 50+ Male, 50+ Female, Under 13 Male, and Under 13 Female. New high scores must be verified by an attendant.
The New Philadelphia Toboggan Company Eldorado Skee-Ball (1909) machines along the back wall are popular with kids and parents alike. These games generate quite a racket so you might want to be aware of that.
1909 Eldorado Skee Ball
Silverball has a lovingly restored Williams Crane (1956) to bring out the sidewalk engineer in visitors young and old.
1956 Williams Crane near the skee ball
Silverball offers patrons the chance to play rare pinballs such as Pinball Manufacturing Company’s Big Bang Bar (2007), a limited production EM version of Bally’s Mata Hari (1977), Gottlieb’s Woodrail Knockout (1950), Gottlieb’s Canada Dry (1977), Gottlieb’s Rock Star (1978), and Gottlieb’s Hit The Deck (1978), to name a few.
There are also a few German and French edition pinballs scattered throughout the museum that are seldom seen in North America. They can be identified by having DM or FF labels near the coin slots.
There are a few German and French market games at Silverball
They also have pitch and bat games available to play such as United’s Star Slugger (1955) and Chicago Coin’s six-player Home Run (1954). There is a Williams six-player SS Gold Mine (1987) puck bowler available to play but you must request the puck from the front desk near the entrance.
The pitch and bat games and the puck bowler are located in the same area
In the section with the pitch and bat games, there is a Williams Mini Golf which started 1964 as the Southland Engineering Little Pro (1964) putting/bat game that features a unique control knob for ‘aiming’ the golfer under the glass. Easy and hard stroke buttons activate the ‘golfer’ to hit a 5/8” steel ball bearing toward each hole in turn. Each player must shoot holes one to nine, in order, with the total number of shots limited to 27. A free game can be won if the player completes all nine holes with 18 strokes or less.
The backglass indicates the hole being played, and the hole to be aimed for also lights up. At some point, Williams bought Southland (ironically founded by Harry Williams after he sold Williams) renamed the game to Mini Golf, created a new art package and added true two-player scoring.
William’s Mini Golf backglass
A few of the oldest games are ‘Under Restoration’ which I assume is a gentle way of saying that the games are waiting for parts.
Pitch and bat game waiting for some TLC
A small detail that I found interesting is there are games available to play in the vestibule outside the washrooms. I assume they are placed there in case there is a wait for the WC.
Games to play while waiting for the WC
A pro tip is to check out the upper level for more pinballs, an 8-ball pool, and shuffleboard. The upper level also has a full bar and packaged snacks available.
The upstairs pinballs include some rare games
All games on site are set to free play – no coins or tokens required – allowing visitors to enjoy unlimited gaming for the duration of their paid admission, which can be purchased for an hour, half-day, or full-day; wristbands allow patrons to come and go as they please. Silverball occasionally offers two for one or other discount specials. It’s best to sign up on their website to put you on their e-mail news and events information scheme.
Yes! There are weekday beverage specials
Beyond the games, Silverball Retro Arcade also offers pub and event space, boasting three full bars and a menu of boardwalk-inspired treats like pizza slices, crab cakes, nachos, and fries. They are planning to offer soft-serve ice cream soon but they couldn’t give me a date when this would be ready.
Silverball’s kitchen is thoughtfully open late
Happy Hour, running Monday through Friday from 4pm to 7pm, offers 50% off drinks and a $7 food menu, making it a popular after-work or early evening spot. The arcade operates Sunday through Thursday from 11 AM to midnight and Friday through Saturday from 11 AM to 2 AM, providing ample time for visitors to dive into the fun.
Adjacent free parking for up to 9 hours adds to the convenience, making it an easy stop during a day out in this charming coastal town.
We took a break from gaming and explored nearby Atlantic Avenue, finally stopping at Sloan’s Ice Cream Parlor to enjoy their frozen delights. Sloan’s is the headquarters for nearly all of the sweets that you can imagine; Homemade All-Natural Luxury Ice Cream, site-made waffle cones, vegan pineapple flavor Dole Whip, an assortment of chocolates, fudge, brownies, candied apples, cookies, and more! The lines, even in the off-season, can get long so patience is required for best results.
Sloan’s is a must visit when in Delray Beach
Live music was available to enjoy in several bars located on Atlantic Avenue.
Live Music at an Atlantic Avenue bar
The below photos show just a few of the dining and entertainment venues on Atlantic Avenue.
Dining examples on Atlantic Avenue
With its mix of history and lively atmosphere, Silverball Retro Arcade stands out as a must-visit destination in Delray Beach, perfectly blending nostalgia with modern-day enjoyment. Plan to visit when and if you are in their area!
Continue reading...
