My first pinball experience was with a game called CB Charlie, made by this same company. My grandfather bought it from a catalog and set it up around Christmas one year, when my cousins and I were around 7 or 8 years old. We played it a bunch for several years. It was fun diversion when we weren't setting up epic Hot Wheel tracks through the house or running wild in the woods. Later, in my teens, I dismantled it to see how it worked.
I'd say they're still maybe useful for getting little kids hooked on pinball... if that's a thing you want to do. Virtually no resale value... but a nice toy if it works.