Continued from Page 6
A few players from the area have
become regulars, and the Merry Time sees
a lot of visitors to Astoria and the coast.
By his admission, Robinett plays pinball
at the Merry Time about three nights a
week. “I’m trying to build something with
local people,” Robinett said.
A minimum of eight players is ideal to
hold a bracketed tournament. Eleven
of the 12 machines get randomly
selected for play, including Jun-
gle Lord, a vintage 1981 gem,
the newest game, Godzilla, this
year’s model, and Medieval Mad-
ness, which is, according to Robinett,
“probably the greatest pinball machine
ever made.”
Merry Time is one of two pinball tour-
naments on the North Coast, the other
being held at North Coast Pinball, a dedi-
cated arcade in Nehalem.
The rise of pinball after the Great
Recession coincided with that of vinyl
records, retrocomputing and similar ret-
ro-oriented phenomena.
Though Robinett jokingly attributes it
to “hipster culture,” you don’t have to be
a hipster or have supple wrists to partic-
ipate in the pinball tournament at Merry
Time. Just show up on Sunday and have
fun.
The
Illahee
Apartments
Why Live
Anywhere
Else?
Photos by Peter Korchnak
1046 Grand Avenue
Astoria, OR 97103
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A ‘Ghostbusters’ pinball machine. Todd Robinett opens up one of the pinball machines. Robinett plays one of the
pinball machines. Pinball tournaments have become popular on the North Coast.
503-325-2280
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2021 // 7