Aside from console/handheld/PC gaming, one of my main hobbies is arcade and pinball machine collecting. I got into it when I decided to build my own MAME cabinet from scratch (modeled after the original Mortal Kombat/Blitz cabinet), and I picked up an original Donkey Kong that needed work to give me something to play while I was tinkering with my project. After doing a full restore on the Donkey Kong (rebuilt the monitor, new side art, new control panel, buttons, joystick, t-molding, etc.), I realized that owning the original cabinets was really quite fun, and so was restoring them back to their original condition. I began to add games like Ms. Pac-Man, Asteroids, Bubble Bobble, Spy Hunter, Tron, and so on until I had roughly 20 or so arcade machines. From there I picked up a couple of pinball machines, and then before you knew it I had all kinds of machines that ranged from fully restored to "holy crap this thing needs a lot of work". As a machine gets back to "like new" condition, I then make the decision as to whether or not it will become trade bait, for sale, or one of the permanent collection.
So why do this? Well, it's fun, it's relaxing, and no matter how much I do it, there's a constant satisfaction that comes from restoring these old classic pinball and arcade machines.

Here are a few facts, stats, and general bits of info in regards to my experience with the hobby so far.

• I have owned over 100 pinball and arcade machines
• Donkey Kong was my first arcade machine, The Simpsons (Data East version) was my first pinball machine
• The last arcade machine I purchased was Punch-Out!!, the last pinball machine I purchased was Attack From Mars
• The furthest I've shipped a game in from was South Carolina (World Cup Soccer '94 pinball machine)
• The furthest I've shipped a game to a buyer for was in upstate New York (Jackbot pinball machine)
• My most expensive restore project was a Revenge From Mars pinball machine
• Best deal I ever got was for a $300 Jackbot, which I restored and sold for $1,400
• Currently I have a game room in my basement where I rotate games into play and out of storage. As of right now there are 7 pinball machines and 6 arcade machines in there, but Punch-Out!! will be going in soon.
• The least amount of time I have owned a game was a Guns 'N Roses pinball machine. I had it for about 8 hours when someone else offered to buy it for significantly more than I had paid. I wanted the machine, but money talks...
• The most played arcade machines in my collection are Star Wars (Atari vector one), Ms. Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, and Donkey Kong
• The most played pinball machines are Twilight Zone, Attack From Mars, Simpsons Pinball Party, and The Addams Family
• Longest road trip to pick up a pinball machine was 8 1/2 hours each way (bulk buy of Revenge From Mars, Funhouse, Dr. Who, Guns 'N Roses)
• Longest road trop to pick up an arcade machine was 7 hours each way (A.P.B. - All Points Bulletin)
• Number of pinball machines that have been dropped down stairs while moving: 1
• Number of dropped arcade machines: 3 (one down stairs)