57 Hours of Pinball Playtime Starts Today in Rochester

For the third year, pinball machines are about to take over Rochester.

Doors to the Michigan Pinball Expo open at 8 a.m. Thursday on the campus of . Throughout the Oakland Center, 125 games are set up and ready to be played.

It's the work of John Kosmal, a Rochester landscaping company owner and pinball enthusiast.

"I started playing in 1981, when I was a kid," . "It was something I gravitated to; I just enjoyed it. It wasn't just the same pattern and same boring graphics – pinball's just different every game."

The expo is open to the public through Sunday; a ticket buys you unlimited free play on any of the 125 games on display.

The basics

• What: The Michigan Pinball Expo. A ticket buys you unlimited free play on more than 125 pinball machines. There are also tournaments, speakers and other special events. Click here for a schedule.
• When: Today, Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to midnight; Sunday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Where: Inside the Oakland Center, the student center on the northwest corner of campus (located behind Meadowbrook Theatre; click here for a detailed map).
• Cost: $15 for ages 16 and up; $10 for kids 4-15; free for kids under 4. OU students are $12 with a student ID. You can also buy a four-day pass.
• What else: There's free parking in the lot west of the center (along Squirrel Road). The Oakland Center includes a food court, so there are several meal options available if you stay all day.