Pinball current one of the few craftsmen who can repair the retro game machine "Pinball" still loved now

"Pinball," which scores points by striking balls on an inclined platform, was once a mainstay of the game as entertainment. Although it is a pinball with a feeling of being completely deprived of the leading role in video games and the like now, popularity is rekindling in part due to the retro atmosphere, and the technician shortage to repair the failed pinball becomes problematic is. There are only two people in New York, a movie focusing on pinball repair craftsmenThe Pinball Doctors: The Last Arcade Technicians in NYC"Is cutting out the current appearance of pinball.

The Pinball Doctors: The Last Arcade Technicians in NYC - YouTube


"Pinball" everyone knows about Americans


Actually it is a game originating in America.


A man who looks in with a pinball case open, he says, "Pinball is familiar to Americans like a hamburger."


It is said that 99% of pinball repair is more economical than replacement.


"It means just a garaka if you do not repair," said Mike Fuka, who only repairs pinball in New York with only two people.


We live in a garbage society.


As technology evolves, old things are thrown away and replaced.


However, there is still a technical field in which we continue to repair and repair and continue to use it. Pinball is exactly the technical field.


Mr. Fuka, who got a pinball from a friend long ago, said he got a very popular place when he placed a pinball in the waiting room of a car maintenance factory he managed. It seems that all the patrons are very sad when the pinball breaks down.


Mr. Hooker says that it is awkward to start repairing the pinball and will guide the camera to the repair site.


Secret base for underground pinball repair.


While repairing the pinball, I was going to play music and watch TV.


It seems to be a space where you can spend your pinball repair.


In addition, Mr. Fuka also repairs old arcade game machines other than pinballs.


"People feel the pulse when hitting a pinball, but this is an American culture."


Pinball with a long history ... ...


He was said to have reached the heyday in the 1970s.


"When I entered the 1990s, it was completely gone, there were no people with imagination."


"Humans prefer games,"


However, because of the complicated equipment, expensive pinballs require a lot of money to repair if they fail, and Fuka says that it was very difficult as a game business.


"It is also expensive to make ... ...."


"It is also expensive to fix, everyone at the game center gave up the sound"


John Eric, another pinball doctor in New York.


In front of the pinball lined up in a bar managed by himself, he says, "Pinball is a road show."


According to Mr. Eric, more people recognize that pinball is a wonderful thing.


Nonetheless, it is a matter of daily happiness that the pinball breaks down.


"Most pin ball repair is in the form of home visit"


"It's so heavy that I can not bring it in,"


Fuka-san who turned on the broken pinball and started checking.


I play the target which score should be added when the ball hits ... ...


The score is not added at all.


Fuka - san who opens the board face.


The cabinet has a double structure, and there is a plate to open and close. When touching to correct a certain part, the other part breaks ... ... repeatedly, it seems that it is necessary to pay close attention to repair.


"Hey, you'll see" 50 billion lines "of wiring there," he said. The cable seems to be a very troublesome part.


I will carefully check if the cable is energized.


I was able to find the disconnected part.


The next step is to check the wiring diagram in the service manual.


As most pinballs have service manuals, they are going to repair the structure firmly.


The tool box is full of repair tools.


Solder the disconnected part. In the future, it is said that tags are attached to the part repaired to be a reference when repairing.


"Well, how about"


Targets that did not work will now function superbly.


"I repaired two of them yesterday," Eric said.


In order to show reasons for curing relatively easily, I go to the back of the shop.


We are constantly stocking a lot of repair parts.


Rubber parts


Light


switch


The fuse is a special item that can only be used for a specific terminal.


It is important to always stock large quantities of replacement parts so that you can respond to failures.


To a bit of a question like "Is there a bright future in the pinball industry?"


Fuka says, "The price of the pinball machine continues to soar, those who do not want to make the pinball that does not move intact as it is will ask the repair shop like me to repair , I think that there is a future. "