This review of the Ann Arbor’s Pinball Pete’s is part of our Summer Series: Wednesday Activity Reviews. Check out all the fun at this Ann Arbor arcade and all of our Pinball Pete’s Photos.
Pinball Pete’s Ann Arbor Review
My husband and I grew up in the 80s when visiting the arcade was a regular activity. There were arcades in every shopping mall – often right outside the food court. No trip to the mall with friends was complete without time in the arcade.
Pinball Pete’s is reminiscent of the classic arcades we grew up with. There are pinball machines galore, early video games, plus more modern versions and of course games to earn tickets for prizes. We love taking our daughter to Pinball Pete’s and introducing her to some of our favorite classic games.
My daughter has grown up with video games, but was fascinated with the Pinball Machines since they are no longer common.
She was also thrilled to find Mario Kart where we could sit next to each other and compete. She loves Mario Kart on the Wii U, so it isn’t a surprise that she beat me.
We played mostly arcade games and pinball games. But they do have games like Skee-ball that give tickets which can be redeemed for prizes.
We had a lot of fun on our visit. Pinball Pete’s Ann Arbor is in a “student section” of town. I recommend visiting when there are less students around such as summer, winter break, or spring break. We went over summer, the week before students arrived and it was uncrowded and a lot of fun.
Like many arcades, Pinball Pete’s is dark with a lot of bright flashing lights and plenty of video game sounds. If your child has sensory issues, this may not be the best environment for them.
Visit Pinball Pete’s
Location
Pinball Pete’s Ann Arbor address is 1214 South University, Ann Arbor. There is a second location in East Lansing..
Their entrance is at street level in the Galleria Mall. There are a few games at street level, but most are downstairs. Street parking is available and there are several university garages nearby that offer visitor parking.
Pinball Pete’s Hours
They are open noon-midnight Sunday-Thursday and noon-2a on Fridays and Saturdays.
Pinball Pete’s Prices
Admission is free and games are run by quarters. Make sure you either bring quarters or have bills to change for quarters.
Game prices vary. We found a few quarter games, and others that were a dollar or more. Usually the more retro the game, the lower the price.
Other Activities Near Pinball Pete’s
Restaurants in the South University area that we like include Panchero’s, Pizza House, Joe’s Pizza, and No Thai!
We also frequently include a stop at Insomnia Cookies before or after a Pinball Pete’s visit.
Other Ann Arbor Gaming Options
If your kids want to explore more gaming options, there are several options in the Ann Arbor Area.
The UM Computer & Video Game Archive is now right down the street from Pinball Pete’s. They moved from UM’s north campus to the Shapiro Library in summer 2022. What a great combination. Maybe start at the Video Game Archive, grab dinner on South University, and then head to Pinball Pete’s.
Revel & Roll offers bowling and an arcade. They periodically offer discounted gaming with unlimited play but without prize earning. Personally, I’m happy with the unlimited gaming and not collecting prizes.
Best In Games (BIG) on Carpenter Rd in Pittsfield Township also offers an arcade as one of their attractions. My daughter always loved visiting them when they were Zap Zone. She has been on her own since the new facility opened, so I don’t have photos to share.
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