On any given trip you'll be able to marvel at players who know the dance games' songs and steps by heart and are able to pound out blistering patterns, racking up near-perfect scores to dizzying K-Pop. Guitar Hero, Street Fighter, Tekken, a wide array of shooters, basketball, driving games, and a new Space Invaders game with an impossibly large screen all inhabit the small space, but the star attractions here are Dance Dance Revolution and its Korean counterpart, Pump it Up. The place's cramped assortment of fantastic games are so loud and noisy you might just forget where, or even who, you are. (64, )ĬHINATOWN FAIR: If the arcade scene from Lost in Translation makes you swoon, then get a little taste of Tokyo at Chinatown Fair. Modern Pinball is located at 362 3rd Avenue, between 26th and 27th Streets in Kips Bay. 'The artwork, technology, and game play-these machines are time capsules,' Zahler said. During the day, local elementary classes pay visits to Modern Pinball to learn about engineering, and at night visitors can play all they want for a flat hourly rate of $15.

There's just so much to appreciate here, and the shop has rightfully been designated a museum by the city. One machine might feature the first-ever human voice sounds in pinball, while another packs an ultra-rare back moving back panel. Zahler has placed placards atop most of the machines, explaining their importance and specific appeal. Some machines date back to the mid-70s, including a Skylab machine that's been deconstructed to reveal the dizzying engineering work behind all those flippers, bumpers, and flashing lights. Over two dozen machines line the walls-each one has been carefully chosen by owner Steve Zahler for either being notable within the long history of pinball or just flat-out fun as hell. MODERN PINBALL: This Kips Bay shop functions as a showroom, museum, and arcade devoted to pinball and pinball only.

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