REAL PINBALL GAME reviews?

[Bikeage]

Twilight Zone is my be all end all favorite. I remember it being about the loudest game in the mall's arcade. One time I played for almost an hour on one credit, and when I got on a roll and hit up the gumball machine multiball jackpot craziness that table seemed like it was about to explode and open up a wormhole into the Twilight Zone.   

[scotland]

Pinball declined in part because of its mechanical complexity. Face it, many of our Atari 2600 units - inexpensive mass produced consumer product are still working decades later because there are few moving parts (controllers aside). Pinball machines just have so many mechanical components that something is going to need maintenance or replacement on a regular basis. If you own a bowling alley or bar, that is money down the drain if the pinball machine is down or paying for maintenance.

What I had not appreciated was that this complexity in pinball was something that came about in response to video game arcade units. Could a 1970s era pinball machine, made with modern components, reduce maintenance enough to make buying a pinball machine a more viable venture for the home, and more profitable for businesses.

http://flashbak.com/evel-knievel-and-pop-icon-pinball-machines-of-the-1970s-80s-35634/

1970s era electro-mechanical pinball was a slower game, with a more gentle pitch. No multiball or anything fancy, but you also got 5 balls I think. Look at how simple this 1977 Bally Evel Knievel is compared to Bally's very famous 1992 Addams Family pinball (which I had to make from 2 different playfield pictures). Addams Family is great, but look how beautiful that 1970s playfield is too. Is there any way a simpler form of pinball could work?

[Robotrek]

There are enough Pinball fanatics to keep a few arcade open. Fun spot in Laconia, NH has a large collection. I go there once a month. Large selection! Pinball is kept alive by the likes of the Pinball Arcade. I own a couple tables. I have Ace High, Party Zone, and Shrek by Stern. Great tables!

[Retro STrife]

I'm not a huge pinball fan, but it has been growing on me since buying my first machine ("The X-Files"; Sega 1997) back in March. I still love the machine and play it a few times a week. Plus it's a good talking point in my house, since you can't miss it.

@Scotland, in my opinion, the games from the 70s and prior (and even the 80s, for the most part) are just too simple for our ADD society. I was at a pinball convention a couple weeks ago (Pintastic in Massachusetts) and got to try tons of different machines. Everyone gravitates towards the newer machines (mid-80s and newer, and especially the 90s). I'm the same way..I've played Evel Knieval, and it's a good EM game, but I got bored too quickly, because there are no goals to achieve besides batting the ball around. I wouldn't mind owning one EM game for historical sake, and because they're much cheaper than the newer games (you can get a decent one for $300-$500), but I don't think it'd get much playtime.

@Robotrek, I love Funspot and consider it the best place to go for arcade video games. But if you're in that area, then also check out Pinball Wizard in Pelham, NH. I've never been, but I believe that it has the largest collection of pinball machines in New England, and maybe further.

[Tron]

I just played the pin "walking dead". Doesn't seem to be too many new pinball machines around so I was excited to play it. Unfortunately the gameplay was pretty generic and boring. The play field is kinda dull. A couple ordinary ramps, but nothing special. Didn't seem to have much in multi-balls either. I didn't play it much so these are just initial impressions. Maybe it's better than I think.

[Robotrek]

The Walking Dead pin fits the name perfectly. It's dead as hell. Not many goals, just flashing lights.

[scotland]

Maybe its Stern.

Played Sterns 2002 Lord of the Rings this afternoon. The figures inside looked dime store cheap, the decals are just as 2nd rate, the backglass forgettable, the playfield dull, the sound clips were kinda annoying, the ball jumped off the playfield several times,the cental Balrog figure mostly annoying, too few mushroom bumpers and another bumper set for 'cheap deaths' that unavoidably kill a ball. I am a big LOTR book and film fan, but that table was totally unappealing.

I'm sure opinions vary, and some people probably love LOTR. The glare in the location I was at was horrible. Hello people - arcades should be dark. I was disappointed, and it left me thinking of Stern as the LJN of pinball.

Compare LOTR to Jersey Jack's Wizard of Oz pinball. Of course, Wizard of Oz might be a lot more expensive, and its much newer, but the production values seem far better. The electric bill from owning a Wizard of Oz game must also be impressive as the whole thing seems lit up. Its also the complete opposite of what I was talking about in going back to simpler EM times WOZ is eye candy everywhere, good eye candy, but blinking and distracting. LOTR seems to be lots of cheap crap on the playfield I did not appreciate. Evel Knievel looks gloss and awesome, but its a simpler slower game. Takes your pick, I guess.

[Retro STrife]

@Scotland, yes I think Stern's games are hit or miss, but mostly miss. I have enjoyed a few, like Metallica and Game of Thrones, and their latest game, Ghostbusters, seems to be getting a lot of love, but I find most of their games from the past 15 years to be cheap looking and uninspired. Of course, they also had absolutely no competition for much of that timeframe, so I'm sure that contributes to the problem (just like, say, EA Sports and Madden). On the other hand, you have to credit them for keeping pinball alive when it looked dead, and there is now a resurgence on the way with a few new manufacturers on the scene. Competition should be good for everyone.

As for Jersey Jack, yes Wizard of Oz is a true masterwork, and IMO the best pinball machine since the 90s. Unfortunately, Jersey Jack's follow up game, The Hobbit, is nowhere near as good. Their third game sounds promising though, as it is a original concept done by Pat Lawlor, of Addams Family and Twilight Zone fame.

[scotland]

Played Wizard of Oz the other week. Lovely machine, but not to my liking. The locale alsobset playbat $2, so that was rough.

Played Tron Legacy. Quick action, and slick looking. Also not a favorite though.

My play ability matched better to the slower Pirates of the Caribbean board. Some cheap deaths - a ball release straight out of play - but also a bit forgiving. I enjoyed it.

All locations had horrible glare though.

[Tron]

The Walking Dead pin fits the name perfectly. It's dead as hell. Not many goals, just flashing lights.

Well I've been playing it more since it's the only pin close to my house. Unfortunately it is pretty lame comparably speaking. The center shot, which in almost all pins is the most important, really sucks on the Walking Dead. The center shot is a zombie head and I've estimated that 1/3 shots don't even register. Top that off with another estimate of 1/5 of shots on the head equals the ball going straight down the entire distance of the board right in between both flippers. Also when you do hit it enough the game uses a magnet to catch the ball to start a multi ball, unfortunately the ball often moves too fast for the magnet to grab it. I've seen this problem in other pins, but usually the game still recognizes that the magnet was supposed to grab the ball even when it doesn't. In this game if the magnet doesn't grab the ball you're just screwed. I totally stopped even going for the center shot, which means all I shoot for are the ramps. You can get a multiball on the ramps, but it's not often enough. The pin is like new so I think it's a design problem and not just a faulty machine.

Scotland- bummer you don't like LOTR. It's one of my faves. I've played 4 different LOTR pins and they all play differently. The center shot can be tough. If the play field isn't slick and the flippers aren't strong that center shot can be difficult if not impossible. Only 1/4 pins I played had the center shot as easy to pull off. Two of the pins the center shot could be made, but it was tough. The last pin I couldn't hit the center shot to save my life. The LOTR has lots of multiball options though so even a bad center ramp doesn't have to ruin the experience. I really like the play field, the sounds and the gameplay mechanics on those machines, but then agian I probably have some unique tastes. A lot of people rave on the Twilight Zone and I can think of at least 10 pins I'd rather play instead.

So that means condition of the pin has a huge part of what the play is like. Also the ambience like Scotland said. Glare or crowds can ruin a pinball experience. Back when I was a teen I loved going to Strohs late at night to play pinball for the full effect without the light pollution and the annoying little kids whose parents would just drop them off with a dollar and not come back for them for two hours.