# PLAY EXPO BLACKPOOL 2018 **Source:** Pinball News Website **Type:** article **Published:** 2018-10-27 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2018/10/27/play-expo-blackpool-2018 --- ## Analysis Play Expo 2018 was held October 27-28 at Norbreck Castle Hotel in Blackpool, featuring 57 playable pinball machines curated by Northern Lights Pinball alongside a large retro gaming expo. The event included themed displays like 'Pinball thru the Ages', high-score competitions, and an electric chair challenge on The Addams Family. The show attracted strong attendance with machines consistently occupied throughout the day. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Play Expo was moved from EventCity Manchester to Norbreck Castle Blackpool due to facility owners becoming difficult to work with — _Pinball News reporting on event logistics and venue history_ - [HIGH] 57 pinball machines were available for play at the show — _Explicit statement with complete machine list provided_ - [HIGH] All pinball machines were occupied within 20 minutes of doors opening at 10am — _Direct observation: 'Once the doors were opened at 10:00 sharp, it took around twenty minutes before all the pinballs were occupied'_ - [HIGH] Ad Jonker brought Silver Slugger and Free Fall machines from the Netherlands — _Photo caption: 'Ad Jonker brought his Silver Slugger and Free Fall games from the Netherlands'_ ### Notable Quotes > "Play Expo is a large retro gaming show featuring hundreds of PCs, consoles, handhelds, arcade video games and, of course, pinballs." > — **Pinball News**, opening description > _Establishes Play Expo as major cross-genre gaming event with pinball component_ > "For the last few years it was held at the EventCity exhibition hall in Manchester but, apparently, the owners of that facility had become too difficult to work with, and so for this year only the show has returned to the place it all began – Norbreck Castle in Blackpool." > — **Pinball News**, venue history section > _Explains why event relocated and indicates this may be temporary venue_ > "Once the doors were opened at 10:00 sharp, it took around twenty minutes before all the pinballs were occupied." > — **Pinball News**, opening day report > _Demonstrates strong visitor demand and engagement with pinball section_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Play Expo 2018 | event | Major retro gaming expo held October 27-28, 2018 in Blackpool featuring pinball, arcade video games, consoles, and PCs | | Northern Lights Pinball | organization | Community team responsible for curating and managing the 57 pinball machines at Play Expo 2018 | | Norbreck Castle Hotel | venue | Exhibition venue in Blackpool, England hosting Play Expo 2018; previously hosted the event before it moved to Manchester | | Pinball News | media | Independent online pinball media outlet providing on-site coverage and reporting on Play Expo 2018 | | EventCity Manchester | venue | Previous home of Play Expo before relocating to Blackpool; relationship with organizers became difficult | | Ad Jonker | person | Pinball collector/enthusiast from the Netherlands who transported Silver Slugger and Free Fall machines to Play Expo 2018 | | The Addams Family | game | Classic pinball machine featured at event with special Electric Chair Challenge experience | | Dialed In! | game | Modern pinball machine featured in 'Pinball thru the Ages' historical display section | | Medieval Madness | game | Classic pinball machine featured in 'Pinball thru the Ages' historical display section | | Revenge from Mars | game | Pinball machine featured in 'Pinball thru the Ages' historical display section | ### Topics - **Primary:** Event coverage and venue logistics, Pinball machine curation and historical display, Community participation and machine sourcing - **Secondary:** Retro gaming ecosystem and cross-genre appeal, Machine maintenance and technical support at events, Visitor engagement and competition formats ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.85) — Event coverage is upbeat and celebratory, highlighting strong visitor attendance, diverse machine selection, well-organized competitions, and successful community participation. Only minor negative note is physical condition of venue building described as 'run-down and in need of either significant restoration or something more drastic.' No criticism of event execution or machine quality. ### Signals - **[community_signal]** Northern Lights Pinball successfully organized diverse machine collection including private 'lock-in' session for contributors from 7pm-2am (confidence: high) — Extended event programming and exclusive access period for machine owners demonstrating community-focused event design - **[event_signal]** Strong visitor engagement with pinball section evidenced by all 57 machines occupied within 20 minutes of opening (confidence: high) — Direct observation: 'Once the doors were opened at 10:00 sharp, it took around twenty minutes before all the pinballs were occupied' and photo documentation showing continuous busy play throughout day - **[event_signal]** Play Expo relocated from Manchester EventCity back to original Blackpool venue due to venue operator relationship issues (confidence: high) — Explicit statement: 'the owners of that facility had become too difficult to work with, and so for this year only the show has returned to the place it all began' --- ## Transcript **Date:** 27th& 28th October, 2018 **Location:** Norbreck Castle Exhibition Hall, Norbreck Castle Hotel, Queens Promenade, Blackpool, FY2 9AA, UK For the final weekend in October, we head up Robert Englunds’s North-West coast to the city of Blackpool and the Norbreck Castle Hotel, home of this year’s Play Expo show. [![The Norbreck Castle Hotel](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/07-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/07-play-expo-2018.jpg) The Norbreck Castle Hotel Play Expo is being held in the Exhibition Centre, which is in Norcalympia – the left part of the somewhat sprawling complex of function rooms and guest accommodation.  The building looks rather run-down and in need of either significant restoration or something more drastic. [![The part of the complex housing the Exhibition Hall](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/08-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/08-play-expo-2018.jpg) The part of the complex housing the Exhibition Hall Play Expo is a large retro gaming show featuring hundreds of PCs, consoles, handhelds, arcade video games and, of course, pinballs. For the last few years it was held at the EventCity exhibition hall in Manchester but, apparently, the owners of that facility had become too difficult to work with, and so for this year only the show has returned to the place it all began – Norbreck Castle in Blackpool. We arrived on Friday evening during the set-up time to check out the pinballs provided by members of the pinball community and managed by the [Northern Lights Pinball](http://www.ukpinball.com/) team.  These machines are located in a corridor running down the length of the adjacent main hall. [![Setting up the last few machines](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/02-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/02-play-expo-2018.jpg) Setting up the last few machines [![These seven had just arrived](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/05-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/05-play-expo-2018.jpg) These seven had just arrived The main hall was also looking pretty complete, with all the games, computers and consoles in place ready for the start of the show at 10am the next day. [![Inside the main hall](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/04-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/04-play-expo-2018.jpg) Inside the main hall We returned on Saturday morning before the doors opened to the public, and there was a sizeable queue of visitors waiting for the start of the show. [![Part of the queue to get in just before 10am on Saturday](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/09-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/09-play-expo-2018.jpg) Part of the queue to get in just before 10am on Saturday Members of the Northern Lights Pinball team were going over some last minute organisational details and fixing machines which didn’t survive the journey to Blackpool unscathed. [![Getting everything straight before the doors open](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/10-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/10-play-expo-2018.jpg) Getting everything straight before the doors open [![F-14 Tomcat gets some last-minute attention](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/14-play-expo-2018-576x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/14-play-expo-2018.jpg) F-14 Tomcat gets some last-minute attention In a small side room, a curated set of machines formed the *Pinball thru the Ages* collection, complete with explanatory cards showing how pinball progressed through its history. [![Pinball thru the Ages thru here](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/11-play-expo-2018-641x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/11-play-expo-2018.jpg) Pinball thru the Ages thru here [![The older pinballs on the left](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/12-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/12-play-expo-2018.jpg) The older pinballs on the left – Kick-Off, Space Ship, Wizard!, Paragon and Mr. & Mrs. Pac-Man [![Newer machines on the right](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/13-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/13-play-expo-2018.jpg) Newer machines on the right – Deadly Weapon, The Addams Family, Medieval Madness, Revenge from Mars and Dialed In! Once the doors were opened at 10:00 sharp, it took around twenty minutes before all the pinballs were occupied. [![It wasn't long before every machine was in use](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/15-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/15-play-expo-2018.jpg) It wasn’t long before every machine was in use There were 57 pinballs at Play Expo 2018.  Here’s the full list: | | | | --- | --- | | AC/DC Pro | Metallica | | Addams Family, The | Mr & Mrs Pac-Man | | Addams Family, The | Nautilus | | Aerobatics | NBA Fastbreak | | Aerosmith Pro | NBA Fastbreak | | Avatar | Paragon | | Batman 66 | Queen’s Castle | | Batman: The Dark Knight | Revenge from Mars | | Black Knight 2000 | Robocop | | Black Rose | Silver Slugger | | Circus | Ski Jump | | Creature from the Black Lagoon | Skill Pool | | Deadly Weapon | South Park | | Dialed In! | Space Jam | | Dracula, Bram Stoker’s | Space Ship | | Elvis | Spectrum | | F-14 Tomcat | Spider-Man | | Family Guy | Star Trek (Data East) | | Flintstones, The | Star Wars (Data East) | | Free Fall | Terminator 2: Judgement Day | | Getaway, The: High Speed 2 | Theatre of Magic | | Getaway, The: High Speed 2 | Tron Legacy | | Hobbit, The | WhoDunnit? | | Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure | Wizard of Oz, The | | Iron Man | Wizard! | | Jackbot | World Poker Tour | | Junk Yard | World Poker Tour | | Kick-Off | X-Files | | Medieval Madness | | The Addams Family electric chair challenge – as featured [here in Pinball News](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2016/11/04/addams-family-challenge-chair/) – was back, giving visitors a new way to experience the classic game. [![The Addams Family Electric Chair Challenge](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/22-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/22-play-expo-2018.jpg) The Addams Family Electric Chair Challenge [![Ad Jonker brought his Silver Slugger and Free Fall games from the Netherlands](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/24-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/24-play-expo-2018.jpg) Ad Jonker brought his Silver Slugger and Free Fall games from the Netherlands There were three high score competitions taking place.  The adult one was being run on World Poker Tour, the kids one on Creature from the Black Lagoon, and there was an EM competition held on Skill Pool. [![Creature was the Kids high score machine](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/25-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/25-play-expo-2018.jpg) Creature was the Kids high score machine [![The EM high score competition machine](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/26-play-expo-2018-576x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/26-play-expo-2018.jpg) The EM high score competition machine [![All the machines remained busy throughout the day](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/28-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/28-play-expo-2018.jpg) All the machines remained busy throughout the day [![It was especially busy in the Pinball thru the Ages room](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/30-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/30-play-expo-2018.jpg) It was especially busy in the Pinball thru the Ages room Occasionally, all the constant play took its toll and a machine developed a fault, as pinballs do.  Every machine was numbered, and faults could be reported at the organisers’ desk for swift attention. [![The organisers' desk held the keys and also had various LED displays for sale](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/23-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/23-play-expo-2018.jpg) The organisers’ desk held the keys and also had various LED displays for sale [![This NBA Fastbreak had lost all solenoid power - a fault traced to a broken wire on the coin door interlock switch](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/29-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/29-play-expo-2018.jpg) This NBA Fastbreak had lost all solenoid power – a fault traced to a broken wire on the coin door interlock switch The rest of the show was just as packed, with any available spaces in front of monitors soon pounced-upon. [![In the main hall](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/27-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/27-play-expo-2018.jpg) In the main hall [![Lots and lots of 8-bit and more-modern gaming](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/16-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/16-play-expo-2018.jpg) Lots and lots of 8-bit and more-modern gaming [![Presentations and demonstrations were held frequently on the main stage](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/17-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/17-play-expo-2018.jpg) Televised presentations and demonstrations were held frequently on the main stage [![Presentations and demonstrations were held frequently on the main stage](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/18-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/18-play-expo-2018.jpg) Immersive and connected gaming were popular too [![LAN gaming held here](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/19-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/19-play-expo-2018.jpg) LAN gaming held here The arcade video equivalent of the pinball display was located at the back of the main hall.  Several clusters of upright cabinets brought back many classic videos for visitors to enjoy. [![A few of the many arcade video games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/20-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/20-play-expo-2018.jpg) A few of the many arcade video games [![Classic titles to play](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/21-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/21-play-expo-2018.jpg) Classic titles to play [![An overview of the main hall](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/31-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/31-play-expo-2018.jpg) An overview of the main hall Play Expo closed to the public at 6pm on Saturday, but for a select group there was an extended private ‘lock-in’ from 7pm until 2am where those who brought machines were able to play all the games in relative peace. [![The pinballs during the 'lock-in' on Saturday night](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/32-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/32-play-expo-2018.jpg) The pinballs during the ‘lock-in’ on Saturday night [![In the main hall during the 'lock-in'](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/33-play-expo-2018-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/play-expo-2018/33-play-expo-2018.jpg) In the main hall during the ‘lock-in’ The show continued on Sunday, while we began our four-hour journey back home. _(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 3c81a9f9-6faa-4c8b-8744-dd33046ae8cd*