This weekend, I spent part of an afternoon down in Hillsboro, Oregon at Next Level Pinball Museum. This was my third time visiting this arcade and the experience was just as good as the first 2.
This arcade is unlike any other.
There are 700 games here, with 300 being pinball machines. You can easily spend a whole day here. You can spend part of the time not even playing any games as there are shelves and shelves loaded with pop culture items such as lunch boxes, action figures, plastic cars, the list goes on. Spiderman, Batman, you name it, it is there. You can browse through all the pinball machines as each one has a bio description as well as the year it came out and the maker. It is so neat.
But all of this is not even the best part. There is something here that no other arcade is offering that is a big sell, unlimited gameplay! Say good bye to quarters, tokens, and having to reload cards. For $23 to get in, you can play as much as you want the whole time you are there. Daniel, who has worked at this arcade for 5 years, wasn’t sure how this idea came to be. “We’re family owned.” He says. “Our father started personal collections 30 years ago. In 2017, we came up with a business plan. We were a lot smaller then and have expanded. We used to have 150 games. Collections started with lunchboxes. Everything else snowballed into what it is today.”
In addition to all of the games, there are 40 claw machines. These however, are not unlimited. You will have to put in money at each one.
It was so nice to play each game I was at for as long as I wanted without having to reach in my pocket for quarters or a card. But with so many other games to play, you will find it hard to stay in one place for a while before you move on.
Daniel feels that unlimited gameplay with a one-time fee has been successful. “We’re growing,” he adds. “We went from 150 – 700 games. We also went from 10,000 – 27,000 square feet. We want to keep expanding.”
I can only imagine what it will all look like and what games will be there after the expansion. You’ll find many favorites there as well as a selection of classics. Root Beer Tapper, Donkey Kong, Terminator 2 Arcade, and so on. I finally beat Terminator 2, knowing I could stay there and just hit the start button over and over. It got tough and probably would have costed me $6 or so to beat.
I asked Daniel if he hopes other arcades will adapt the idea of unlimited gameplay for a one-time fee: “Sure. It’s a popular thing. We are hard to compete with. Some people only want to play for an hour so there’s a want for both models. Someone who only plans to play for an hour isn’t going to like the all-day idea.”
That is true, so keep that in mind before you come. Think about how long you are planning to stay. Other things to know before your visit:
- There are no restaurants inside. In the front lobby, you can buy canned beverages and snacks such as candy and chips. There are food stands right outside. You are allowed to bring in food from there or anywhere else inside. There are some tables inside the arcade area just to the left when you go past the counter. Godfather’s Pizza will also deliver.
2. You can leave and come back. After you pay, you will get a paper bracelet. Whether you have to leave completely for awhile, or order food right outside, you will be good to come back in.
3. Parking fills up. There is a small parking area right in front of the place. There has never been a spot available all the times I have came. But follow the driveway for a bit and you’ll see more parking in the back. They open at 10am on the weekends. If you want even a chance to be able to park close, get there before noon. I didn’t get there until 3:45 and I had to go in the back parking.
There you go. This is one arcade you must experience. Take care, and see you at the next article. Feel free to drop a comment in the box below if you have been there before.
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