If you're in Saint Paul...

Pinball Discussion, Location Games, Etc.
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Chris K
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If you're in Saint Paul...

Post by Chris K »

We visited Can Can Wonderland in Saint Paul a couple weeks ago. It's an indoor arcade of sorts, with a (very cool) mini golf course, some antique arcade games, and a bunch of pinball.

The old arcade games were pretty cool. There was stuff that looked like it was from House on the Rock, including a game where you pumped a bellows and aimed a guy's face at a ping pong ball while your opponent did the same, to blow the ball into the other guys' goal. Air hockey, bowlers, shuffleboard, gun games, a helicopter flying game similar to Tully's, and a ton of other stuff was on show, and most of it worked well. It was all on a boardwalk-like strip like I imagine there was in days past.

The pins ranged from a Hercules, to a couple DMD era games (Maverick and Harley Davidson), to a few 70's SS games (Superman, Close Encounters, a few others). The main attraction was a long line of EMs. Maybe 20 of them?

The pins mostly played well. There were a few games off, and a couple working games with a switch or a few lamps out, but they mostly played pretty well. I haven't seen so many EMs in one place except at shows, so it was pretty cool to grab a beer and just play a bunch of pinball.

Which reminds me... the coolest thing there was definitely a pour-your-own tap system. You give the dude your credit card and he gives you an RFID card. You walk up to 20+ tappers with a fresh pint glass and fill with mixed drinks, various beers, coffee, or whatever. You're billed by the ounce. When you're done you give him your card and he bills you. I drank many half-glasses of many beers. Fantastic stuff!

They used a swipe card for everything, and prices for games ranged from $.25 to $1. Not the cheapest, but <shrug>.

Anyway, it was a cool place to spend a few hours. If you're in the area, look it up!
Our pinball table breeding stock:
Star Trek: The Next Generation, Scared Stiff, Black Hole, Roy Clark, Monster Bash Remake, Future Spa, Big Deal, Top Score, Baywatch, Rick and Morty, TMNT, Sinbad, Guns N Roses
Tim E
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Re: If you're in Saint Paul...

Post by Tim E »

Sounds like a really cool place, thanks for the tip Chris!
AlexF
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Re: If you're in Saint Paul...

Post by AlexF »

Sounds like my kind of place. It's always a thrill for me to see a bunch of old EM arcades on location.
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Chris K
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Re: If you're in Saint Paul...

Post by Chris K »

It's the highlight of the place, for sure! Come for the giant pile of EMs and old arcade games, stay for way too many half-glasses of various microbrews. :)
Our pinball table breeding stock:
Star Trek: The Next Generation, Scared Stiff, Black Hole, Roy Clark, Monster Bash Remake, Future Spa, Big Deal, Top Score, Baywatch, Rick and Morty, TMNT, Sinbad, Guns N Roses
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