Valentine’s Day is here, and when I think of Valentine’s Day, I think of love. When I think of love, I think of pinball.
The two aren’t that different, really. Both require good timing and the right amount of physical interaction: play too gently and your chances of scoring go down; play too hard and the whole thing will fizzle out before you know it. When you’re new to the game, your whole body is overcome with surges of adrenaline and panic: everything is chaotic and noisy but also bright and pretty and it all moves faster than you can think.
The experience for seasoned players is vastly different, though. They’ve become familiar with the various idiosyncrasies and learned at least a few of the complex (and at times incomprehensible) rules. Unexpected developments are always occurring, but over time you learn how to navigate the tough shots and sharp angles. Whether you’re a newbie or an old pro, in pinball, as in love, there is no “winning”: all you can do is try to enjoy your time and make it last as long as you can.
OK, if I extend that analogy any farther, it’s gonna tear its ACL. Let’s get on with the venue reviews!
Time Out Arcade
120 Kellogg Ave, Ames
timeoutentertainment.co
My mom moved to Ames recently, so I’ve had a chance to scope out some of the local haunts. For anyone looking to get in some pinball (or play old-school arcade games), Time Out is the undisputed go-to spot in town.
The exterior of the building is unassuming, save for the Tron-esque logo out front. Its proximity to a nearby train track (with a train rattling by every 20 minutes) and a dirty book store (Romantix, for all your holiday needs) gives this section of downtown Ames the feel of an early Tom Waits song.
The interior has a completely different vibe. The bar is unusually wide, and the night I walked in, the front half was packed with a crowd of enthusiastic karaoke singers. There’s something about a group of women bellowing out “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” at the top of their lungs that makes me unbelievably happy.
My happiness only deepened as I noticed the Ice Cold Beer machine (not pinball, but an absolute bar/arcade classic) that flanked the hall leading to the back half of the bar, where most of the games are located. Time Out has a stellar lineup of modern machines, including Ghostbusters, Deadpool, Guns N’ Roses, Stranger Things, Godzilla and Guardians of the Galaxy. They recently acquired an Addams Family as well, and have justifiably dedicated an entire room to it.
While it definitely skews towards a younger crowd, the overall atmosphere is family friendly, fun and inviting. I can confidently say I did not once feel like the “childless adult at a Chuck E. Cheese,” which is a very real occupational hazard for someone who still enjoys playing arcade games at my age.
London Underground
212 Main St, Ames
theundergroundames.com
Once I’d gotten my fill of the pinball offerings at Time Out, I had one last stop to make before I called it a night. Two blocks away is my favorite bar in Ames, the London Underground.
London has everything I look for in a hangout spot: good lighting, no televisions and a rotating cast of characters straight from a Cheers alternate universe.
It’s stocked with the more unusual whiskeys and beers, frequently hosts drag shows and live music, and a local artist, Mel, does a monthly chalk drawing to reflect the seasonal vibe. They also know how the fuck to do bar food. And I’m not talking Midwestern casserole bar food (which also rules, don’t get me wrong): I’m talking spreads that include Brazilian cheese puffs, pickle wraps (a.k.a. Midwestern sushi) and Yorkshire puddings, all of which they freely share with regulars and irregulars alike.
Most importantly, this already-impeccable bar also has a Star Wars pinball machine tucked in the back room, considerately out of earshot from the patrons sidled up at the bar enjoying their conversations. As I made my way to the back to get in a few games, a couple was already at the machine. When their round ended, they turned my direction and asked if I wanted to play.
We quickly struck up a conversation — their names were Ben and Rachel — and the rest of the conversation took care of itself. There wasn’t any awkward stranger small talk; we launched into chatting as if we’d known each other for years, which I’ve found to be a happy side effect of hanging around these machines. I’m typically a pretty shy person, but people who gravitate towards pinball tend to be good natured, kind-hearted goofballs that are easy to relate to, given the built-in buffer of a shared hobby.
As the night went on and I stuck around as the interloping third wheel, I learned that Ben and Rachel made a point of having a pinball date at London every week. It was sweet to see how their larger relationship manifested in their gameplay, which was exemplified perfectly during one particular moment in the evening.
On Star Wars pinball, there’s a unique feature giving the player an opportunity to earn a plethora of points by hitting the action button in the middle of the lockdown bar. However, this requires dedicating one hand to hit the button, which increases the risk of losing the ball. I was in the middle of a heart to heart with my new BFF Rachel, when Ben suddenly shouted “BUTTON!” and Rachel ditched our conversation mid-sentence and bolted to Ben’s side. She began whapping the hell out the action button so he could maintain focus on his gameplay.
I mean, how sweet is that? And not to put too fine a point on it, but really: if you’re lucky enough to find someone who’s happy to whap your action button while you flick the flippers, then isn’t every day Valentine’s Day?
This article was originally published in Little Village’s February 2025 issue.