This list of pinball innovations highlights the most cutting-edge creations to come about as a result of the classic arcade game. Many of us grew up playing the addictive arcade must-have, which is what makes the various modifications and updates so heart-warming.
In addition to modern technological updates, pinball has been the focus of a number of viral marketing campaigns as well as the center of numerous art-based projects. Some have taken old machines and retrofitted them as pieces of furniture to keep the spirit of the game alive. Moreover, avid pinball wizards can continue playing without the large arcade inhabitant because a few companies have created tablet add-ons that simulate a scaled down gaming experience. Whether you're an avid fan of the little silver ball or just appreciate a good throwback, these pinball innovations will have you scouring the couch for quarters.
25 Playful Pinball Innovations
From Pinball-Based Art Projects to Arcade Furniture Creations:
Michael Hemsworth — Jan 24, 2013 — Tech
25
Life-Sized Pinball Machines
Modular Exhibits New Lighting in an Innovative Way
24
Pinball Projections
The Sony 3D Projection is Themed "Imagine Football in 3D"
23
Na'vi Gaming Machines
The Avatar Pinball Machine is a Playable Recreation of Pandora
22
Playable Tweeting Apps
The Evian Melotweet App Lets Users Interact via Musical Droplets
21
Toy-Inspired Retro Games
The LEGO NXT Pinball Machine is for Building and Pinball Wizards
20
Classic Game Upgrades
The Nike World Cup 'Write the Future' Digital Pinball is Totally Awesome
19
Portable Arcade Tablet Apps
The iPad Pinball Game Console is Like a Mini Arcade Machine
18
Techno Tables
A Computer Converted into a Partytastic Countertop
17
Ultimate Mind Games
The Brain-Controlled Pinball Machine at the ceBIT Technology Fair
16
Chaotic Pinball Art
Sam van Doorn Creates Chaotic Art Using Pinball Physics
15
Arcade Furniture Creations
The Pinball Coffee Table Brings the Arcade to Your Living Room
14
Retro Gamer Diners
The Pinball Cafe Brings Back Old-School Games
13
Electric Magnetic Foosball
Kick It
12
Pinball-Based Art Projects
Sam Van Doorn's STYN Turns Quick Reflexes into Stunning Works of Art
11
Voodoo Pinball Characters
Rocksauce Studios Presents a Slightly Creepy Design
10
Humanized Arcade Games
Person Pinball Replaces Pinballs and Bumpers With People
9
Arcade Game Add-Ons
Pinball Magic Turns Your iPhone into a Working Pinball Table
8
Arcade Appcessories
Pinball Magic for iPads Transforms the Tablet Back to Classic Gaming
7
Auto Pinball Promotions
'The Parisian Pinball Park' Does Not Award Excellence
6
Real-Life Retro Gaming
The Pinball Machine Skate Park Brings the Classic Arcade Game to Reality
5
Rock 'n' Roll Arcade Games
The Rolling Stones Pinball Machine is a Fun Tribute
4
DIY Pinball Tables
Seamster Uses Scraps to Create Ultimate Arts & Crafts Project
3
Heavy Metal Arcade Apps
AC/DC Pinball Will Have Fans Playing All Night Long
2
Battle-Bot Arcade Games
Rack up the Points Cyberton Style with the Transformers Pinball Machine
1
Superhero Pinball Machines
The Stern 'Iron Man' Home Cabinet is for Hardcore Fans
Related Ideas
Industrial Handheld Gaming Consoles
The Conceptual PocketMan P1 Has Exposed Components
Nostalgic Gaming Timepieces
The Retro Gaming Watch Brings Gameplay to the Wrist
Show-Inspired Miniature Toy Sets
The Stranger Things Polly Pocket is an Adorable Playset
Projector-Equipped Handheld Gaming Consoles
This Nintendo Game Boy Concept is 90s-Inspired
3D Display Gaming Consoles
The Conceptual 'Uplight' Game Console Has Interchangeable Components
Retro 90s Arcade Games
The Arcade1Up X-Men '97 Cabinet Features Eight Classic Titles
AI-Enhanced Sustainable Furniture
Philippe Starck and Kartell Join on the A.I. Collection
Psychedelic Light Projectors
Kino retro projector inspired by psychedelic bands
Doll-Inspired Movie Launches
Mattel Plans to Release More Movies Following 'Barbie's' Success
Underwater Vending Machines
Airheads' First-of-Its-Kind Vending Machine Takes Fun Instead of Cash
Multifunctional Living Room Tables
This Aliving Coffee Table Doesn't Require Tools to Build
Turntable-Inspired Coaster Sets
The NeedleDrop Coaster Set Includes Four Acrylic LPs and More
Next-Gen Drinking Games
Almost Friday Features Four Mini-Games for Adults & Beer Can-Shaped Cards
Novel AI-Generated Product Designs
Arcade Introduced a Transformative AI Product Creation Platform
Sculpted One-Piece Coffee Tables
The 'Pelican' Coffee Table by Deniz Aktay is Artistic
Space-Saving Smart Basketball Hoops
The huupe mini Installs onto Walls or Doors to Track Play
AI Beer Vending Machines
Panhead Custom Ales Created a Machine That Gives Beer to Guitarists
Gaming-First Furniture Collections
Ikea's 'Brännboll' Collection is Minimalist And Comfortable
Sleek Multipurpose Crib Furniture
Zhipeng Qiu and Yufeng Lin Present a Unique Chair-Crib Design
Creative Play Pop-Ups
The Sharpie Studio Offered Opportunities for Creativity at SXSW
Bookshelf Board Games
These Classic Board Games are Disguised as Vintage Books
Board Game Furniture Innovations
Bandpass Design Launches a Board Game Coffee Table, The Firefly
Repurposed Vintage Apple Computers
Aquariums, lamps, and clocks made out of Apple iMac Computers
70s-Inspired Structural Furniture
Nouveau Standard Creates the Collection 12 of Retro Designs
Kid-Envisioned Urban Environments
The Little Big Playmat Takes a Creative Path to Design Problems
Handheld Gaming Console Concepts
Alex Casabo Designs the Playfusion Console Concept
AI-Fueled Wearable Pins
The Humane AI Pin is Packed with Various Assistive Tech Tools
Alcohol-Centered Board Games
The MONOPOLY Board Crawl is a Drinking-Friendly Upgrade on a Classic
Minimalist Book Storage Tables
The 'Pocket' Coffee Table by Deniz Aktay is Split Open
Arcade-Style Gaming Controllers
The Octopus Arcade Stick Brings the Arcade to the Living Room
AI-Powered Recycling Systems
The Conceptual 'Binko' Recycling Machine Automates Sorting
Adult-Exclusive Reimagined Board Games
Hasbro Transforms a Classic with the Monopoly Board Crawl
Bouncy Plush Collectibles
Beanie Bouncers Support Active Play and Endless Imagination
Multifunctional Magnetic Folding Tables
The 'FoldPlay' Folding Table Works Anywhere in the House
Creativity Time Capsules
Crayola's Campaign for Creativity Reunites Adults with Childhood Art
Origami-Inspired Lit Table Concepts
Sonakshi Gupta Designs the Dynamic LightUP Concept
Interactive Gaming Phone Cases
Bitmo Lab Introduces the Protective GameBaby Transformative Case
Ambient Tabletop Gamer Lights
The Bowio Game Light Brightens Up Tabletops and More
4K Display Arcade Games
The AtGames Legends 4KP Digital Pinball Machine Has Virtual Design
Monetizable Mobile Gaming Apps
'Playbite' Enables Players to Win Gift Cards and Prizes
Interactive Basketball Trackers
Spalding x SIQ Introduce Smart Basketball
Recycled Mini Golf Courses
Lab La Bla Made a Miniature Golf Course with Denim & Wine Corks
Retro Gaming Merch Collections
The Rollercoaster Tycoon Collection from Atari Celebrates the Game
Rocking Table-Mounted Chairs
The esPattio Platero Rocking Table is Modern and Ready for Work
Contemporary Vertical Turntables
ToVerse Unveils a New Dynamic Streaming Turntable Design
Digital Board Game Tables
The Arena from Game Theory Tables Enables Smart Tabletop Gaming
80s-Inspired 16-Bit Display Devices
Ahmed Esmael Designs a New Range of Retro Device Concepts
Geometric Design Toys
The Little Toy by Eames Office Has Been Revived After Six Decades
Foldable Gaming Consoles
This Game Boy Flip Concept Pushes the Boundaries of Handheld Gadgets
Retro Handheld Computers
soulscircuit Draws Nostalgic Elements with Raspberry Pi and Pilet 5
Nostalgic Handheld Gaming Systems
My Arcade Gamestation Portable Has Retro-Style Controls
Pink-Hued Furniture Collaborations
The Barbie x Kartell Chairs Mark the Toy's 65th Anniversary
Nostalgic Game-Inspired Wine Bottles
Finca de la Rica Features Interactive Wine Labels
Single-Piece Wooden Chair Concepts
Deniz Atkay Designs the Slide Table Concept with a Single Sheet
Art-Centric Dynamic Gaming Chairs
Herman Millers Presents the Artful Embody Gaming Chairs
Computer Symbol-Inspired Watch Designs
Anicorn Watches Releases the Spinning Beach Ball Watch
Board Game-Themed Fashions
The Shoe Palace x Monopoly Collection Includes an Array of Styles
Space-Themed Home Decor Collection
IKEA Introduces its new Cosmic AFTONSPARV Collection
Pool Noodle-Inspired Furniture
Lieyah Dagan Designs the Loop Furniture for Indoor and Outdoor
3D Puzzle Popcorn Machines
Dimexart Creates an Intricate Popcorn Machine from LEGO Blocks
Intelligent Portable Board Games
Kai Xia Designs the EIFplay Chessboard with a Digital Approach
Gen Z-Focused Board Games
Mattel Launches Scrabble Together for Non-Competitive Gen Z Consumers
Miniature Toy Billiards Table
Golden Eye Designs a LEGO Vintage Billiards Table
Pod-Inspired Bulbous Furniture
One Week Presents Its New Pod Collection of Furniture
Organized Gaming Storage Cabinets
Bauhutte Presents a Special Cabinet for Game Accessories
Cinematic Shark Pinball Games
The Stern Pinball JAWS Pinball Machine Comes in Three Models
Vinyl Record-Catering Furniture Series
Montana Furniture Presents the SPIN Collection
Color-Changing Eccentric Turntables
Brian Eno Designs the Turntable II with Unpredictable Patterns
Marginalized Artisan-Made Decor
IKEA Presents its Second Instalment of the MÄVINN Collection
Rolled-Up Wooden Tables
The Sofan Table by Qi An Has a Clever Rollable Design for Portability
Sleek Artful Accessible Furniture
ThirdKind Presents its Abigail Collection of Furniture
Modernized Nostalgic Gaming Consoles
The Atari Gamestation Pro Features More Than 200 Games
Playful Interactive Galleries
PLAY by American Express Platinum Reimagines Toys as Art Pieces
Survivalist Series Slot Machines
The Squid Game Slot Machine Will Arrive in Casinos in 2024
Updated Traditional Game Experiences
Admiral Clash Reimagines Battleship in New Angle
Magnified Illusion Furniture Designs
Muddycap Designs the Playfully Dynamic Zoom Chair
Boozy Backyard Games
Beer Darts is an Engaging Spin on Traditional Backyard Games
At-Home Gameshow Slot Machines
The Arcade1Up Wheel Of Fortune Casinocade Deluxe Has Four Games
Retro Arcade Circuit Boards
Atari Debujts a Series of Retro Circuit Boards for its Modern Audience
Modular Arcade Gaming Systems
The Polycade Sente System is an Innovative Gaming Design
Architecture-Inspired Turntables
Jorge Paez Designs the Reinterpreted RYTM Turntable
Pizza-Themed Arcade Games
Mike’s Hot Honey Launched an 80s-Inspired Game Called Slice Hunter
AR Furniture Testing Features
Pinterest Lets Users View Virtual Furniture in their Homes
Challenging Sensory Games
Toy Mania's Quick Pops Feature Four Game Modes
Intelligent Wireless Charging Devices
The Carousel Series by Pablo Designs Features Two Pieces
Nostalgic Motion Games
Hungry Hungry Hippos: Move N' Munch Reimagines a Classic Game with AI Tech
Wizard-Themed Board Games
The Monopoly Harry Potter Edition is Hogwarts-Inspired
Reimagined Retro Gaming Consoles
The Atari 2600+ Console Brings Back a Classic 1980 System
Upcycled Plastic Furniture Series
Kasper Kyster Presents the Crafting Plastic Series
Fast-Paced Challenge Games
Pop Off!'s Coasters, Cups and Balls Offer Over 50 Ways to Play
Modern Chromatic Billiards Collection
Nuevepies Designs the New Monocolor Billiards Collection
Fashion Doll Board Games
Hasbro's Monopoly: Barbie Edition Has Players Build a Dreamhouse
Celebratory Puzzle Toys
The 50th Anniversary Rubik's Cube Commemorates Five Decades of Play
Finger-Sized Throwing Games
Tactic Games Launches the New Mölkky Minipeli Skittle-Throwing Game
Gaming Ads-Inspired Video Games
D3 Publisher and Monkeycraft Present the Ironic Those Games
AI-Powered Beverage Dispensers
Pubinno Smart Tap Provides Perfect Quality for Draft Beer Systems
Beer-Dispensing Guitar Machines
The 'Slay to Pay' Vending Machine is Activated by a Guitar Game
AI-Enabled Cabinet Capsules
Amin Saadat Designs a New Collection of Dynamic Furniture
Retro Social App Devices
Edwar Banquet Designs the Retro Instagram Gadget with a Console Shape
Vintage Projector Puzzle Kits
The LEGO Magic Lantern by Norders is a Functional Projector
Paper Sampling Containers
Arcade Beauty Debuts a Paper-Based Sampling Solution for Beauty Products
Age-Inclusive Board Games
Hasbro Revamps its Classic Board Games to Accommodate Aging Consumers
Retro Drawing-Inpsired Furniture
Francesco Paini's Family Project was Inspired by a Drawing
Simplistic Dynamic Game Experiences
Joelle Tindall Created the Unique Touch Egg Game
Reflective Ping-Pong Parlour Installations
The Match Point Installation Takes Over a Paris Gallery
Block Puzzle Modular Dollhouses
Gavin Portillo and Mario Ledo Create a Dollhouse Concept
Digital Dartboard Game Systems
The 'Pixeldarts' Electronic Throwing Game Offers Nonstop Fun
Mechanical Vintage Dice Designs
W&M Levsha Creates a Trigger-Activated Die with Vintage Themes
Design-Conscious Arcade Games
The Reigning Champ Home Court Arcade Basketball Game is Minimalist
Kid-Friendly Portable Projectors
Little Tikes' Story Dream Machine Supports Early Literacy
Retro Phone-Inspired Label Makers
102 Design Lab Presents the Vintage Phone Labeling Machine
General Store-Inspired Consoles
Lisa Sacco Presents the New Haptic Wood Console Table
Gaming Experience-Enhancing Innovations
Inspired Entertainment, Inc. Debuts New Gaming Innovations
Witty Plushie Toys
Punchkins are 'Punny' Collectibles with 3D Details
Functional Gaming Toys
Nintendo's Latest Gashapon Toys Can be Added as Controller Parts
Miniature Dance Game Cabinets
Zuiki Unveiled a New Miniature Dance Dance Revolution Game
Expanding Nostalgic Furniture Collections
IKEA's Nytillverkad Collection Launched New Pieces
Inclusive Modular Controllers
Aiden Schutte Designs the Inclusive Free Play Controller Concept
Timeless Furniture Series
Artek Creates the Crafted Through Time Series to Build on Designs
Home Mobility Accessible Furniture
Capella Design Creates Furniture that Blend Style and Function
Digitized Board Game Consoles
This Smartphone-Controlled System Displays Board Games On Your TV
Stool-Inspired Design Exhibitions
Daisuke Motogi Presents the Hackability of the Stool Show
Love Lock-Inspired Coffee Tables
Adrián M. Almonacid Designs the 4E Coffee Table
Artfully Crafted Basketball Games
Reigning Champ and Calen Knauf Design the Home Court
Dynamically Playful Furniture Collections
Note Design Studio Creates the Wekino with Capsule
Task-Managing Dynamic Lamps
The Fall Lamp Concept is Made to Keep Users Focused and Productive
Dynamic Expanding Design Series
James de Wulf Adds More Designs to the Ongoing Exo Series
Virtual Table Top Games
TinyTable Combines the Joy of Table Top Games with Virtual Video Calls
Interactive Entertainment Board Games
MONOPOLY GO! Transforms Digital Mobile Game into Real Play
Contemporary Rocking Chair Designs
Audo Designs the Sleek Mid-Century Penguin Rocking Chair
Playful Toy-Inspired Exhibits
The Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity Debuts Toys & Play Exhibit
Fiberglass Mid-Century Chairs
The Panton Chair Encourages Imaginative Experiences
Galactic-Inspired Stationary Pins
Duncan Shotton Designs the Adorable Planet Pins
Creative Hollywood-Themed Games
'Greenlight' Tasks Players with Pitching Ideas to Studio Heads
Candy-Inspired Cylindrical Tables
The Candy Table Change Color in a Bright and Gradient Form
Playing Cards-Inspired Tables
Mario Martinez Designs the Hito Table for Karl Andersson & Söner
Artful Seaweed-Inspired Bin Magnets
Alixe Ronchi Designs the Magnetic Edition of Vipp's Bins
Arcade-Style Game Machines
Andamiro USA Launches the 'Crazy Toy 31' Game Machine
Re-Imagined Adult Party Games
Fluttr Spin the Bottle Features 150 Naughty Challenges
Playful Dynamic Furniture Capsule
Another Human Presents the New Galliforms Collection