PrologueWhy Space Invaders pinball?
Well, simply because It's the pinball that that reminds me more memories 'pinball related' ever. It's not really the very first pinball I played (I'm remembering a mechanical pinball as the first one played), but it's the one I really ...'enjoyed' first. Well, it's not really 'enjoyed'... I should say that it's the one who scared/fascinated me first/most! At the time I was something like 8 or 10 years old! That alien face on the backglass was the scariest thing that I've ever seen!
That pinball was -until now- a real mystery for me: because I was very young, my parents didn't let me alone in the Luna Park, and I didn't have a lot of time to spend on it
Only few parts and then... time to move away
So not enough time to 'study' it like I did later on video games.
I also remember watching my bro' playing on it... and sometime let me play one ball!
The low frequency and scary sounds, these incredible '
a la Giger' artworks, the fact that I cannot stay too close and too long around this pinball 'for adult', the name "Space Invaders" (I was already addict to the video game) even if that Alien didn't look like the ones on the original cabinet, the widebody format of this one, completely different than the others pinballs... all these things... create a real fascination around this pinball!
See, I even can remember 'its shadow' in the same Luna Park I use to go EVERY years since (see this
TOPIC to understand the 'place')
...more than that, I clearly remember 2 or 3 in a row! A real invasion at the time
During my quest to collect arcade games all these years, I knew that one time I'll have to get that pinball! It wasn't a priority, but because I have now all the games from my 'most wanted list', I can seriously thing about it
..and I knew owning that pinball was ... [Vader voice=ON]my destiny[Vader voice=ON]...and I had to solve the mystery behind that Alien!
A kind of exorcism
I already met that pinball here and there, most of the time in exhibitions or game room...
Vierzon 2009 / France
Joystix / Houston USA... and even during road trip :
M.A.C.H.3 Road Trip'... and last but not least, a (hell of) road trip could be done to ...Budapest, Hungary... yes... Bela aka "Belike" ...but finally canceled because the pinball was in very poor condition. I don't want to restore pinballs, I already have too much work on my cabinets for the century to come
... I'm looking for a "plug&play" SI pinball!
... and came that post :
[Wanted] Space Invaders pinball? Anyone here? 
After few days of research ... I found one!
OK, enough blabla... let's report the ...
Road Trip'Saturday, the 9th of April 2011.
The sooner I leave, the sooner I'm back and so hoping to spend more time with my little Sun
...so wake up around 5:30am. I'm preparing the usual stuff...
The ship is ready...
All systems clear!
I made the Kessel Run in this car in 12 parsecs
What will be the stat at the end of this one?
Well, this time it won't be long
I like the smell of the road trip, early the morning...
I'm not really alone in the car
I look like a zombie here... still tired...
...and hungry ... but ... Damn it! It's too early for that one
As often during road trip, I've to focus on things here and there along the road, in order to stay awake... I try to figure out 'things' around me
For instance, I'm sure I've seen that structure in Xevious
The sun rises... ops, I need to clean the back glass
Holy Jesus! I discovered this by looking at the pictures
I swear God I didn't see that while taking the pictures (the idea was to take the 'baby on board' in the mirror)
What the hell is this
I checked on the following photos to make sure it was not a mark on the glass. This is not the case ... strange no? Space Invaders?!
OK, arriving at the border ... soon entering in France
The famous Arcelor Mittal...
Mhhh...I guess I recognize an advertise here... can you spot it
Almost at location ... another invasion is coming soon on that town?
After this red light, I'll be at the final destination. 25 meters and 35 seconds to be precise, according my navigation system
