Hillsboro, Oregon - Next Level Pinball Museum

Okay, the outside signs say "shop" instead of "museum". Maybe it's more like a club. Whatever it is, it's awesome!

The more museum-like aspects include various types of collectibles and memorabilia on display.

My favorites for that were the walls of lunchboxes - every kind you could imagine.

But the purpose is really the game playing, with both video games and pinball games available.

From the web page, at last count there are 125 pinball games, and over well over 60 new and classic video games.

I played some classic Donkey Kong and some Rampage. Rampage was actually kind of stupid, but I think it would have been unfaithful to the movie otherwise. The original Rampage game sounds more interesting. The real revelation was the pinball.

I have tried playing pinball before, and I never got very far, running out of balls just as I was starting to get the hang of it. Here you pay a $15 admission, and then game play is free.

This gives you a chance to get the hang of things without worrying about running out of quarters or embarrassment. We were three beginners and we all had a good experience.

I started out with a few rounds of the South Park pinball game, and was thrilled to keep getting the Mr. Hanky bonus.

Of course, some games prove more challenging than others.

If you hit enough points from the different movies, you unlock things. I never quite made it - at least partly because I wanted to try a variety of different games - but I am left with optimism that I can. Shoot, I believe I might be able to someday figure out pachinko now. Maybe.

The one downside is that it was quite warm in there. Of course, we went in August, which could have been a factor. They did have water and cups available, as well as some vending machines. (So, even though playing does not require quarters, there is a change machine.)

However, when you pay your admission you get a wrist band and can come and go freely, to get some fresh air or to buy food... whatever you want.

So really, I guess it's more of a pinball club. An awesome one.

http://nextlevelpinballmuseum.com/