The Video Game Critic

Critic and some of you own arcade machines.........what about real pinball tables? The closest I ever came was a horse racing table I had when I was 8; got it for xmas.........it was plastic BUT it was the size and shape of a real table and electric.......this was LONG before videogames (around 1974 I think)........it had bumpers,drop targets, lights........the only primitive aspect was the scoring, a big wheel on the backboard "clicked" up thousands of points with one million being the highest. Still in 1974 it cost like $79.00 which is like $300.00 today.

If you own tables how about reviews?

Do you guys know of any websites that review Pinball tables as opsed to videogames? I can't get google to run on this thing.

BTW I just had to mention, I know I promised not to mention illness but this is cool......I have a torso belt with wires hooked up to my verterbrae to control pain.......yup, I AM A CYBORG.......BIONIC.......SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN........but you can have me for one million in this week only amazing special offer! Hasta la visa babeeeeeeeee.

I never owned an arcade pinball machine, but when I was a kid, I used to have a small tabletop one.  It had lights, bumpers, and an electronic scoreboard.  You set the number of balls you had using a wheel located next to the plunger.

Pinball is not my area of expertise, but I do love the game.  I own two tables: Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean.

I absolutely SUCK at real pinball.........an average 50 cent game lasts 2 minutes for me. I am too weak in my upper body to "nudge" a real, huge metal and glass table and scared to try it on vid screen, except on the 2600 Pinball. I figured out you can nudge that for two seconds, no more.

While I get a kick out of playing real pinball tables on my PS2, from TRUW PINBALL to Williams, this is why I like video pinball hybrids like ALIEN/ DRAGON fury better. With animated targets it feels more like a videogame.

But I think all good pinball is half skill half luck. Even pinball wizards will do better or worse sometimes.

Lets go further..........what is your favorite pinball machine? Mine was STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION........being a trekkie, it was thrilling to hit a plastic model romulan ship and hear the crews voices. Me and my GF frequented an arcade in the late 90's and I prefered this while her favorite game was LETHAL ENFORCERS (she was very butch).

I understand that if my metal wires work out they are going to fit me with metal balls next.

Nudging is really a last-ditch maneuver that you mainly use when your ball is headed right down the middle of the table.  Flipper control is the real key.  Novice players like to hit both flippers at once, but this maximizes the space between the flippers and makes you more likely to lose the ball.  It's better to hit the flipper on the same side as the ball.  The other key is being able to aim for certain targets, but that's just timing you get with practice.

Love Pinball. Love it. Don't care much for video game pinball. It's just not the same. I tried the Williams' Collection on the Wii since they had my alltime favorite Pin on it. Couldn't see enough of the table & the details just weren't good enough for me.

My favorite Pin is Funhouse. I love Rudy; he's hilarious. I love how he'd taunt the player & you could smack the ball right in his mouth. The interaction for that game was priceless. 2nd fave might be Medieval Madness. I loved setting up all the locks to get the super multiball. It was an awesome Pin. I also love the Lord of the Rings Pin. Problem w/ Lord of the Rings is that most machines are too worn out so you can't hit the center ramp very well. I also liked the Star Trek: Next Generation Pin. It was very good.

I'm partial to the early 90's Williams Pinball machines. They were so awesome. It's soooooo hard finding Pinball machines nowadays (in Michigan). I don't understand why more people aren't into them.

my fave is creature from the black lagoon.  and theater of magic.

Give me the classic NES one.

[QUOTE=jp]my fave is creature from the black lagoon.  and theater of magic.
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