Oregon arcade named ‘world’s favorite pinball location’ for third year in a row

Hillsboro is still home to the world’s best place to play pinball.

On Thursday, Next Level Pinball Museum won the “World’s Favorite Pinball Location” category at the 2023 TWIPY Awards. It was the third consecutive year that the arcade received the honor.

The TWIPYS are the people’s choice awards of the pinball world, organized by “This Week in Pinball,” a popular pinball enthusiast website. Several Portland pinball locations placed well in the contest, including Ground Kontrol, coming in 10th place; QuarterWorld, finishing 13th; and Wedgehead, just behind at No. 14.

Next Level opened in 2017 with a relatively modest (but still substantial) 100 games in 10,000 square feet of warehouse space near the Hillsboro airport. Over the years, the collection has grown to more than 240 pinball machines and 250 arcade games across the entire 20,000-square-foot building.

Next Level’s owners have been working on an expansion to add another 150 games and 7,000 square feet to the space, with a planned opening at the end of March.

The arcade’s size and unique payment model make it a fan favorite. All of Next Level’s pinball and arcade games are set to free play, so no coins or swipe cards are needed. Visitors pay $22 for a day pass for unlimited play.

It’s not just the games that make Next Level stand out. It’s the thousands of pieces of pop culture memorabilia found throughout the arcade, from movie posters to life-size superhero statues to what’s believed to be the world’s largest collection of lunch boxes.

“It really is a testament to the dedication of our team and the passion of our fans who continue to support us year after year,” Whitney Carlson, owner of Next Level Pinball Museum, said in a statement. “We’re so grateful for this award and it fuels us to get bigger and better every year for our visitors.”

Next Level is at 1458 N.E. 25th Ave. in Hillsboro. For more information, including information on tournaments and special events, visit nextlevelpinballmuseum.com.

— Samantha Swindler covers features for The Oregonian and Here is Oregon. Reach her at sswindler@oregonian.com.

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