The kid wants a pinball machine. What kid wouldn’t want a real, live, full-sized pinball machine of their very own?
But not everyone has the money, space, or time to track one down. Or wants to deal with the maintenance of a real pinball machine.
A pinball machine is a large, heavy, expensive item with many parts that could break. You could probably find a used pinball machine in your area via Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist for $500 to $2000 or more depending on condition, age and desirability. Brand-new machines from Stern, Jersey Jack Pinball, American Pinball or Spooky Pinball can cost close to $10,000.
But if you are not looking to spend that much or commit to a vintage pinball machine, then maybe just a toy pinball machine will satisfy your child’s desire for blinking lights, sounds and flipping flippers.
Some of these feature a real ball and physics, the others are digital versions. None will totally recreate the excitement of the real deal but at least they are affordable alternatives.