BEST PLACE TO PLAY PINBALL

Pinball is a nostalgic arcade game, one that really can't be fully appreciated by those who grew up in the age of Atari or beyond. It is therefore best played in an atmosphere that doesn't boast virtual reality goggles and video games that require the hand-eye coordination of a fighter pilot. Leave the PlayStation generation to duke it out over Halo at Gameworks, because playing pinball in a three-story coliseum of sensory and technology overload is like ordering mashed potatoes at Nobu and expecting them to taste like Mom's. When it comes to intense flipper action, Westchester institution Bird Bowl keeps it real. Those who come to spend their hard-earned quarters will usually skip the bowling and head directly to the bing-bing of the arcade, which boasts classic video games, air hockey, and, of course, the only arcade machine ever to spawn a rock opera.