Pinball Machines
Although rather noisy, a pinball machine would surely make any basement feel like a full-blown arcade complex! Pinball machines were born in the 1930s, but their popularity boomed after World War II. The time between 1948 to 1958 is referred to by many historical collectors as the Golden Age of Pinball. This era came shortly after the invention of the "flipper", which is used to elevate the ball back into the scoring field.
Pinball is played with small steel balls that are shot into an inclined area full of scoring traps and bumpers. Scores are tallied on a back lit screen, usually accompanied by flashing lights and music. Pinball machines have become a huge collectors item, and are almost considered a piece of American pop culture. Owning a vintage pinball machine will surely be a heavy investment, but will act both as a display piece and an entertainment system.