Long Island Arcade Games for Sale: Where to Buy and What to Check Before Paying

For arcade and pinball machines on Long Island, the most practical route is to visit a showroom in person rather than buy from photos alone. New York Pinball (nypinball.com, 516-455-3154) describes itself as Long Island's largest pinball showroom, stocking both new machines and restored classics, with restorations done by the owner, Ron Barbagallo, who has over 45 years in the trade. That makes it a reasonable first stop if you want to see and play a machine before paying. The same visit checklist applies wherever you buy: confirm what was restored, test the machine yourself, and get service terms in writing.

Start with the showroom, not the listing

A showroom visit answers questions a listing can't: how the flippers feel, whether the display is crisp, how loud the sound is, and whether the cabinet has been touched up or simply cleaned. NY Pinball's site separates new machines from restored classics, so decide which you want before you go.

• New machines suit buyers who want current titles and minimal near-term repair risk.
• Restored classics suit buyers who want a specific era or title and are willing to pay for restoration labor. The site is explicit that restorations take time and substantial parts cost, and that machines are tuned to play at optimal performance with cosmetic work to match.

If you are shopping for arcade cabinets generally rather than pinball specifically, ask the same questions about the cabinet, controls, monitor, and board set — the inspection logic below carries over.

What to check on the machine before you pay

Work through this list on the floor, with the machine powered on:

1. Play at least three full games. Watch for weak or sticking flippers, dead bumpers, switches that don't register, and balls that drain oddly.
2. Check the display and sound. Look for missing segments, dim rows, or flicker; listen for hum or dropped audio.
3. Inspect the backglass and playfield. Scratches, lifting artwork, or bubbling on the backglass are cosmetic but affect price. On the playfield, look for wear at high-traffic spots and check that inserts sit flush.
4. Look inside the cabinet. Ask to see the boards and wiring. Look for battery corrosion on the CPU board, hacked-in wiring, and burn marks on connectors.
5. Test every feature, not just the main ones. Multiball, ramps, magnets, and any toy or mode specific to that title.
6. Ask what "restored" covered. New rubbers, LEDs, rebuilt flippers, board repair, cabinet touch-up, and new decals are different line items. Get the list.

Get the service and warranty terms in writing

NY Pinball's site states that it offers white-glove delivery and in-home service, and that it buys pinball machines. Those are the two terms worth pinning down before money changes hands:

• Delivery and setup: confirm whether delivery, placement, and leveling are included, and whether stairs or tight doorways change the price.
• In-home service: ask what the response window is and whether it is included for a period after purchase or billed per visit.
• Warranty: ask what is covered, for how long, and whether it applies to restored classics as well as new machines.

Put the agreed scope, delivery date, and service terms into the invoice or a written message. Verbal assurances are hard to enforce later.

Compare total cost, not sticker price

Two machines at the same asking price can differ by hundreds of dollars once delivery, setup, and the first repair are counted. Build a simple comparison:

The site does not publish prices, so treat any figure you see as a starting point and confirm it directly.

If you already own a machine

NY Pinball states that it buys pinball machines and invites owners to submit details through a contact form (name, machine, email, phone, message). If you are upgrading, ask whether a trade against a showroom machine is possible — that can simplify moving the old machine out and the new one in on the same visit.

A realistic visit plan

Call ahead at 516-455-3154 to confirm showroom hours and which machines are currently on the floor, since inventory changes. Bring the checklist above, plan to spend at least an hour playing, and leave without paying a deposit if you can't test the specific machine you intend to buy. A showroom that restores its own machines should be comfortable letting you inspect the cabinet interior and answering detailed questions about the work performed.