• We have upgaded to the latest version of XenForum and the process finished without any errors!!!! Enjoy the new forum!

Meeplemart Pinball Arcade

ZoomZoomBoomBoom

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2021
385
276
63
49
Barrie, ON
Hi everyone!
Some of you know me, most of you do not, soooo....

My real name is Steve.
I own a game store in downtown Toronto called Meeplemart.
It is located at 247 Spadina Ave, Lower Level, Toronto, ON
(It is on Spadina between Dundas and Queen underneath the giant TD Bank).
Our website with contact information and hours is; www.meeplemart.com

We have set up a pinball arcade within the store with 30+ games.
Since it is in a game/ pop culture store, the machines being offered are generally pins that have a relevant theme associated with the products we sell and the IP's our customers are familiar with.

The creation of this arcade has 2 objectives;
-To offer the highest quality machines to the pinball enthusiast
-To introduce pinball to the "next" generation (20-30 year olds)

I would estimate that 90+% of our customers either do not even know what a pinball machine is or have no idea how to really play them.
99% of them have no idea that pinball machines even have rule sets; they just think you randomly hit the ball to randomly score points.
We want to change that and teach/ show people what they are all about. (Because I think they are awesome!)
Please be aware that none of my staff know anything about pinball either, so it will all be new to them as well.

Play will be token based, following the standard 1 Token= 1 Play, 2 Tokens= 3 Plays model.
Due to software limitations, some games are only 1 Token= 1 Play.

Token pricing will be;
$5: 5 Tokens
$10: 12 Tokens
$20: 25 Tokens
$20 (Cash): 30 Tokens

So, if you bought $20 of Tokens with cash and played each game with 2 tokens you will get 45 plays which works out to $0.44 a play.

Machines will be on default settings with extra balls, replays and match all enabled.
Tilt sensitivity will be set high. The machines are simply too expensive to be thrown about and we will have a zero tolerance policy towards any players abusing the pins.
All machines have various upgrades; including shakers, toppers, side armour, art blades, custom shooter rods, pinstadiums, pinsounds, mods, powered subs etc.

As we are a retail store constantly battling shoplifting, please be aware that we have a "no bags" policy in the store, so if you are coming in with a bag/ purse/ back pack/ lap top bag etc, you will have to leave it at the front counter (where our staff will secure it behind the counter). All areas of the store are under video surveillance so don't worry, your bag is safe. You can also store your jackets at the front counter as well during the colder months.

For those of you coming from out of town, there is a parking lot behind our store that only charges $5 for all day parking on Saturdays/ Sundays, (66 Sullivan St Parking). Since we are in Chinatown, we are surrounded by lots of restaurants stores etc.

Currently on site (11/04/23);

Venom LE
Galactic Tank Force LE
Cactus Canyon SE+
Godzilla Premium
Mandalorian Premium
Avengers IQ Premium
TMNT Premium
Stranger Things Premium
Deadpool Premium
Star Wars Premium
Batman '66 Premium
Munsters Premium
Star Trek Premium
Spiderman Vault
Game of Thrones Premium
X-men Magneto LE
Transformers Pro
Legends Of Valhalla Dlx
Ultraman CE
Guardians of The Galaxy Premium
Ghostbusters Premium
Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Tron Legacy
Elvira HOH Premium
Iron Maiden Premium
Led Zepplin Premium
Terminator 2
Nascar
Terminator 3
Starship Troopers
Houdini
Pirates of The Carribean (Stern)
Jurassic Park Premium
Total Nuclear Annihilation CE
 
Last edited:

roar

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2015
612
306
63
49
Waterdown
What a great line-up, only advice I could probably offer is to try your best to maintain the pins. Being an operator is hard work, never mind trying to run another business entirely in addition to operating 23 pins! I hope to make it out and spend some money in the future! All the best!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Volley76

Fifty

Active Member
Apr 22, 2014
605
149
43
50
Ottawa, Ontario
What a great line-up, only advice I could probably offer is to try your best to maintain the pins. Being an operator is hard work, never mind trying to run another business entirely in addition to operating 23 pins! I hope to make it out and spend some money in the future! All the best!
I second this. Maintenance often. Daily play checks to ensure all coils are firing. Don't just rely on the notifications from the DMD/LCD screens.
 

BMHouze

Well-Known Member
Mar 11, 2014
1,067
182
63
Delhi Ontario
Hold a few tourneys, get the pinball crowd hooked on Battletech
Or the GW 'crack'
Check and mate.

Grab a Stern Heavy Metal.
We could use a 3rd North of the border.
 

roar

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2015
612
306
63
49
Waterdown
That’s a good one! If you can get your tournament IFPA sanctioned that would attract a serious crowd too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kool1

ZoomZoomBoomBoom

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2021
385
276
63
49
Barrie, ON
Hold a few tourneys, get the pinball crowd hooked on Battletech
Or the GW 'crack'
Check and mate.

Grab a Stern Heavy Metal.
We could use a 3rd North of the border.
I already have a Stern Heavy Metal. First pin I bought. ;)

If this is successful, I will keep adding machines.
The initial batch is a "test market", for lack of a better term.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Trebec

BMHouze

Well-Known Member
Mar 11, 2014
1,067
182
63
Delhi Ontario
Please keep an updated web page with a list of what is currently on site.
I want to be sure Deadpool is on site to keep my wife busy while I load up a cart upstairs.

I assume that ordering ahead pickup will be available. I am sure when KS salvage crates, etc arrive they will go fast.
 

ZoomZoomBoomBoom

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2021
385
276
63
49
Barrie, ON
Soooo....this took way longer than expected....

The good news is we currently have 29 machines at the store and will be soft opening the area today at 4:00pm.

Here is what will be playable today;

Godzilla Premium
Mandalorian Premium
Avengers IQ Premium
TMNT Premium
Stranger Things Premium
Deadpool Premium
Star Wars Premium
Batman '66 Premium
Munsters Premium
Star Trek Premium
Spiderman Vault
Game of Thrones Premium
X-men Magneto LE
Transformers Pro
Legends Of Valhalla Dlx
Ultraman CE
Guardians of The Galaxy Premium
Ghostbusters Premium
Tron Legacy
Elvira HOH Premium
Iron Maiden Premium
Led Zepplin Premium
Nascar
Jurassic Park Premium
Terminator 3
Pirates of The Caribbean (Stern)
Houdini Deluxe
Total Nuclear Annihilation CE

Currently having issues with;

Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Starship Troopers
Terminator 2
 
Last edited: