# PINSPOTTING - JANUARY 2020 **Source:** Pinball News Website **Type:** article **Published:** 2020-01-03 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2020/01/03/pinspotting-january-2020 --- ## Analysis A Pinball News venue review article featuring two Atlanta-area pinball locations: Portal Pinball Arcade, a 28-machine free-play arcade hosting leagues and IFPA satellite tournaments, and Oasis Arcade & AirBnB, a private collection of 45+ games available to guests at a boutique accommodation property. Both locations feature recent Stern releases and classic machines. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Portal Pinball Arcade has 28 pinball games including recent Stern titles (Star Wars, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Deadpool, Jurassic Park, The Munsters) and Jersey Jack machines (Dialed In!, Pirates of the Caribbean) — _Direct description of venue game inventory as of January 2020_ - [HIGH] Portal Pinball Arcade is one of only 8 US locations hosting Pinburgh satellite events and the only one in the Southeast — _Article states venue was 'picked as one of those locations' for satellite events_ - [HIGH] Oasis Arcade & AirBnB features 45+ free-play games spanning from Gottlieb EM era to Stern's 2019 The Munsters — _Article description of collection range and inventory_ - [HIGH] Oasis has a rare Punchy the Clown pinball by Alvin G. and Co. from 1993 that was converted from ticket/redemption to conventional play — _Direct venue inventory description with photo documentation_ - [HIGH] Portal Pinball Arcade hosted the Georgia state IFPA championships for 2019 — _Stated in venue description as past event hosting_ ### Notable Quotes > "Portal offers an all-access arcade where the games are set to free play. Visitors pay for admission hourly or purchase a day pass at the admission desk." > — **Author (Pinball News)**, N/A > _Describes the venue's business model and accessibility_ > "Only 8 locations in the US are having these satellite events and they are delighted to be picked as one of those locations, and the only one in the south-east." > — **Author (Pinball News)**, N/A > _Highlights Portal's significance in competitive pinball infrastructure_ > "If Oasis Arcade AirBnB wasn't a BnB, at 1,250 square feet it would be one of the greater Atlanta area's largest and most diverse arcades." > — **Author (Pinball News)**, N/A > _Emphasizes the scale and comprehensiveness of the private collection_ > "It is great fun to play and being that it is seldom seen available to play by the public makes it that much more of a treasure." > — **Author (Pinball News)**, N/A > _Describes the rarity and appeal of Punchy the Clown machine_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Portal Pinball Arcade | organization | Free-play pinball arcade in Kennesaw, GA with 28 machines; hosts Atlanta head-to-head league and IFPA satellite tournament events | | Oasis Arcade & AirBnB | organization | Private arcade collection of 45+ games combined with Airbnb accommodation in Lithia Springs, GA; curated by owner Donald Hopkins | | Donald Hopkins | person | Owner/curator of Oasis Arcade & AirBnB; maintains detailed documentation of games and serves as 'superhost' on Airbnb | | Star Wars | game | Stern pinball title available at Portal Pinball Arcade as of January 2020 | | Iron Maiden | game | Stern pinball title available at Portal Pinball Arcade as of January 2020 | | Metallica | game | Stern pinball title available at Portal Pinball Arcade as of January 2020 | | The Munsters | game | Stern 2019 pinball title; newest game in Oasis collection and available at Portal Pinball Arcade | | Deadpool | game | Stern pinball title available at Portal Pinball Arcade as of January 2020 | | Jurassic Park | game | Stern pinball title available at Portal Pinball Arcade as of January 2020 | | Dialed In! | game | Jersey Jack pinball title available at Portal Pinball Arcade | | Pirates of the Caribbean | game | Jersey Jack pinball title available at Portal Pinball Arcade | | Punchy the Clown | game | Rare 1993 Alvin G. and Co. pinball at Oasis; originally ticket/redemption, converted to conventional play | | Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer of multiple machines reviewed at both venues | | Jersey Jack Pinball | company | Manufacturer with machines featured at Portal Pinball Arcade | | Alvin G. and Co. | company | Manufacturer of Punchy the Clown (1993) | | Gottlieb | company | Manufacturer of EM era single-player pinballs in Oasis collection | | IFPA | organization | International Flipper Pinball Association; Portal hosted Georgia state championships 2019 and hosts satellite tournament events | | Pinburgh | event | Tournament series with satellite events; Portal Pinball Arcade is one of 8 US hosting locations | | Atlanta | organization | Location of head-to-head pinball league hosted at Portal Pinball Arcade | | Southern Fried Game Room Expo | event | Regional expo mentioned as nearby event opportunity for Oasis Arcade & AirBnB guests | ### Topics - **Primary:** Venue infrastructure and business models, Game collections and inventory management, Competitive pinball tournament hosting - **Secondary:** Hospitality and customer experience integration, Pinball collecting and curation, Recent Stern and Jersey Jack releases - **Mentioned:** Rare and vintage pinball machines ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.92) — Strong endorsement of both venues with enthusiasm for their features, diversity of offerings, and community value. Author explicitly recommends visiting both locations and expresses eagerness to return. ### Signals - **[event_signal]** Portal Pinball Arcade selected as one of 8 US locations for Pinburgh satellite tournament series, positioning the venue as significant competitive pinball infrastructure hub (confidence: high) — Article states 'Only 8 locations in the US are having these satellite events and they are delighted to be picked as one of those locations, and the only one in the south-east' - **[market_signal]** Stern's recent major releases (Star Wars, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Deadpool, Jurassic Park, The Munsters) present at commercial venue as of January 2020, indicating strong production and distribution (confidence: high) — Portal Pinball Arcade inventory includes multiple 2019-2020 era Stern titles alongside Jersey Jack machines --- ## Transcript **Date:** 3rd January, 2020 **Locations:** Portal Pinball Arcade, 3600 Cherokee St NW #102, Kennesaw, GA, USA & Oasis Arcade & AirBnB, Heritage Parkway, Lithia Springs, GA, USA The 2019 pinball show season has kept us from our visits to interesting places to play pinball. With winter here and the holiday season all but over, we are ready to start exploring again and sharing our experiences with you. This month we review two great locations in the metro Atlanta area that we feel are outstanding and well worth your time to visit in the new year. **[Portal Pinball Arcade](http://www.portalpinball.com/)** 3600 Cherokee St NW #102, Kennesaw, GA, USA 470-606-1956 [![Portal Pinball Arcade](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/01-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/01-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) Portal Pinball Arcade Portal Pinball Arcade is an all-access arcade where the games are set to free play. Visitors pay for admission hourly or purchase a day pass at the admission desk. The day pass comes with in and out privileges. They have other plans such as a family pack and 10 daily pass package at attractive prices. PPA offers a student discount when a visitor presents valid ID. After paying your admission, visitors are given a sticker to wear that indicates when your ‘time’ has expired. We noticed that they are slightly generous with the expiration time, probably to allow visitors to get their bearings and select what games to start with. Portal offers an assortment of packaged sweet and salty snacks as well as soft drinks available for purchase. [![Some of the pinballs at Portal](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/02-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/02-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) Some of the pinballs at Portal There are currently 28 pinball games at Portal including games from Jersey Jack such as *Dialed In!* and *Pirates of the Caribbean* as well as Stern’s latest including *Star Wars*, *Iron Maiden*, *Metallica*, *Deadpool*, *Jurassic Park* and *The Munsters*. [![More of the pinballs](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/03-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x740.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/03-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) More of the pinballs Portal Pinball regularly hosts the Atlanta head-to-head pinball league and is available to reserve for parties of all kinds, team-builders and other private events. [![The noticeboard for upcoming events](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/08-pinspotting-january-2020-728x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/08-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) The noticeboard for upcoming events PPA hosted the Georgia state IFPA championships for 2019 and they have announced that they will be a part of the new Pinburgh satellite series. Only 8 locations in the US are having these satellite events and they are delighted to be picked as one of those locations, and the only one in the south-east. [![More of the pinballs](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/05-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/05-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) More of the pinballs [![More of the pinballs](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/06-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x732.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/06-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) More of the pinballs In spite of “Pinball” being prominent in their name, Portal Pinball Arcade also offers a great selection of classic upright video games. They have over 20 arcade games available for play (some are multicades) that run the gamut from ’70s classics to some of the latest releases. [![It's not all pinball](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/04-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x719.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/04-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) It’s not all pinball [![More of the video games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/07-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x695.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/07-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) More of the video games Check [their website](https://portalpinball.com/) for the current listing of pinballs and video games. Also on their website is an augmented reality walk-through of Portal Pinball where you can have a look around from the comfort of your easy chair! I noticed a small ‘waiting area’ near the entrance that I assumed was for adults who don’t wish to play but want to be available for the youngsters that they have brought. There are a couple of games in this vestibule area to prevent those waiting being bored to tears. Portal Pinball is located in a ‘strip’ shopping center and has a large amount of lighted parking. I highly suggest that if you find yourself in the Atlanta area that you visit and spend some time at Portal Pinball. **[Oasis Arcade & AirBnB](https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/17170419)** Heritage Parkway, Lithia Springs, GA, USA [![Some of the many games at Oasis Arcade AirBnB](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/23-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/23-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) Some of the many games at Oasis Arcade AirBnB If Oasis Arcade AirBnB wasn’t a BnB, at 1,250 square feet it would be one of the greater Atlanta area’s largest and most diverse arcades. But, it is both the impressive private collection of enthusiast Donald Hopkins and a fantastic amenity for their guests offering 45+ ‘free play’ games! [![More of the games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/21-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/21-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) More of the games [![A selection of skill games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/12-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x678.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/12-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) A selection of skill games As the photos show, there is quite an assortment of games available such as the classic upright videos *Ms. Pac-Man* and *Star Castle*. There are games of dexterity such as *NFL 2 Minute Drill* football toss, *Skee Ball* by Lightning, *Big Buck Hunter 3-D* (with a couple of other shooting games) and a shuffle bowler, to name just a few. [![Ms. Pac-Man and Star Castle upright videos](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/18-pinspotting-january-2020-768x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/18-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) Ms. Pac-Man and Star Castle upright videos The star of the skill game area is a tie between the 2017 2 x 4-player *Pac-Man Smash* which has its own version of multiball when it randomly floods a player with neon pucks, and *Fast and Furious Super Cars* which is a sit-down driving simulator with realistic controls for two players to play in real time. [![Pac-Man Smash](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/20-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/20-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) Pac-Man Smash [![Some of the sit-down driving games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/14-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x753.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/14-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) Some of the sit-down driving games Terri and I enjoyed a very nice 1991 Williams *Slug Fest* pitch and bat game as well as an upright cabinet electronic soft-tip darts game of the type that seems to be ubiquitous in bars and taverns across the USA. The Oasis pinball collection spans the EM era single-player Gottlieb games such as *Sky Jump* to Stern’s 2019 *The Munsters*. [![The newest pinball in the collection - The Munsters ](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/16-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/16-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) The newest pinball in the collection – The Munsters Oasis has a very rare *Punchy the Clown* pinball made by Alvin G. and Co. in 1993. This particular game was originally a ticket/redemption game but it would seem that it has been converted to conventional play. [![Punchy the Clown by Alvin G.](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/24-pinspotting-january-2020-768x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/24-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) Punchy the Clown by Alvin G. It is great fun to play and being that it is seldom seen available to play by the public makes it that much more of a treasure. The Oasis arcade has three smaller pinball games originally set up for the youngsters but are about the perfect height for those guests that might be wheelchair bound to enjoy. [![Some of the lower pinballs](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/13-pinspotting-january-2020-768x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/13-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) Some of the lower pinballs Not only are their games listed on [Pinball Map](https://pinballmap.com/atlanta/?by_location_id=9580), Don has done a nice write up on each game giving information such as who it was purchased from and if the game has any special features. [![More of the games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/22-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/22-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) More of the games [![More of the games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/11-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/11-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) More of the games Oasis has a mesmerizing collection of advertising signs on the walls in concert with striking neon and 3-D lighted sculptures. A recently added Infinity sound system helps visitors to immerse themselves in Oasis’ gaming experience. [![Batman welcomes you to the Oasis Arcade AirBnB](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/19-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/19-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) Batman welcomes you to the Oasis Arcade AirBnB The B&B part of Oasis features a tiny house (it’s a thing) with all of the comforts of home-from-home, albeit in a more space-efficient footprint. [![The 'Tiny House' accommodation](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/09-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x708.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/09-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) The ‘Tiny House’ accommodation If a guest wakes up in the middle of the night not sure where they are, the hosts at Oasis thoughtfully provide GPS coordinates for the guest house to assist you in getting your bearings. [![You are here](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/15-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x607.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/15-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) You are here There is paved on-site parking, strong Wi-Fi, a swimming pool and a spacious party deck located near the guest house. During the summer months and with favorable Carl Weathers, the hosts offer “dive in” outdoor big-screen movies by poolside. A unique experience! [![The deck in front of the accommodation](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/10-pinspotting-january-2020-1024x691.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/10-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) The deck in front of the accommodation Oasis Arcade AirBnB is located just a few minutes from Six Flags and is EZ to reach from all points of the compass via nearby expressways. Reservations for your stay at Oasis may be booked through the [Airbnb system](https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/17170419). Oasis also has Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages where the hosts share news and information of interest to their followers. Terri and I loved our visit to Oasis Arcade AirBnB and can’t wait for our next trip to Atlanta to spend more time with ‘superhost’ Donald Hopkins! [![Donald with his arcade](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/17-pinspotting-january-2020-768x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/january-2020/17-pinspotting-january-2020.jpg) Donald with his arcade Check out Oasis and make your plans to stay with them when you are in the Atlanta area. It would be an excellent location if you plan to attend The Southern Fried Game Room Expo! _(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 25dd9051-6e11-46fa-a872-8f5a7b2dad54*