Some EMs to drool over!

[moonmaiden174]

On Steam, someone posted a URL for 4653 pictures of EMs!

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/em-show-us-your-em-pinball-machines?gallery#g

I thanked him for posting the URL, but I had to let him know that unfortunately, my keyboard got wet from all my drool, and I couldn't stop whacking it with my flippers fingers, and my computer melted from my burning devotion, and my doctor says I've got a rare condition called "Pinball Overkill" but apart from that it was a great experience looking at them all!

 

[kaworu]

as TPA is separated already with Stern TPA, i think it could be smart move to start another TPA EM version or even better: separated EM season packs for regular TPA - so people who love them could get their EM beauties and all this rampshooters and Gottlieb haters would not loose remains of their mind.

 

[dave950lam]

As I love EM's (any machine actually), I'd love to see an EM-exclusive TPA. However, going by many of the post on the forum, we who like EM's are the minority. I don't think it would sell enough to offset costs.

 

[David T. Melnick]

with ya all the way. I am very sad to believe that there are a lot who think that EMs are worse than some today though. I guess that they are too young eh.

 

[Gorgar]

I love EMs, but I don't really care for Fireball. I like EMs with lots of drop targets (they are very satisfying for me to hit) and I just love the simple rulesets.

 

[Kolchak357]

I'm an EM fan as well. But do you think there is a big enough market for an EM version of pinball arcade? Sadly, like Dave above said, I doubt it.

 

[BStarfire]

Zaccaria seems to have done well, with EM's and early SS. The audience is there, but maybe not as visible as the ones who post a lot here and on facebook.

I don't know about a separate app, but I think a 'classic' season billed as such might do well.

 

[Garycope]

I'll take em's over all these fancy ramps and toys! Not to mention they don't need expensive licenses and I think they are much easier to make on tpa. I think they could pop two of these out in the time it takes to make the newer ones. Please take my money!

 

[kaworu]

Zaccaria seems to have done well

only until you start play it

 

[kinggo]

with ya all the way. I am very sad to believe that there are a lot who think that EMs are worse than some today though. I guess that they are too young eh.

I'm not to young. It's just that there's noting of that M feeling in TPA versions so why even bother. Every EM feels off to me so it is just a wasted slot for SS. That are also flawed but at least feel more like real deal.

 

[dave950lam]

I love EMs, but I don't really care for Fireball. I like EMs with lots of drop targets (they are very satisfying for me to hit) and I just love the simple rulesets.

Then I bet you are loving El Dorado. Some other EM's with lots of drops:

Drop-a-Card
Jumping Jack
Spirit of '76
Kingpin
Fast Draw
Far Out
Air Aces
El Dorado clones (Target Alpha, Canada Dry)
Sky Jump
Royal Flush
High Hand (Zaccaria is planning to do a clone of this called Top Hand)

And some SS games that are drop target centric:

Count Down
Sharpshooter
Flash
Joker Poker
Blackout

 

[Kolchak357]

Atlantis is a great drop target EMas well.

 

[Gorgar]

I do like El Dorado and Big Shot. Atlantis is probably my most wanted EM. Royal Flush is cool too. I like Spirit of 76, but since it was in the Microsoft Pinball Arcade (which is still playable on my PC) I would prefer something by new since the amount of EMs are so limited in TPA. I'm not really familiar with the rest that you mentioned, but I could have played some of them. The Silverball Museum in Jersey has a lot of EMs (and they used to have even more, but they replaced some of them with 90s machines, which is what most people that go in there come to play)

 

[BStarfire]

I think Royal Flush, Spirit of 76, and Atlantis are the obvious three to be done [first] as far as additional EM's go. Those are three great EM's and three just great pinball machines in general.

After that, things start to diverge a bit in possibilities. On the multiplayer side, Jack in the Box is big fun and was the third most produced Gottlieb in the 70's (after Royal Flush and Spirit of 76 - combining 2 and 4 player variations for all). Number four was Hot Shot/Big Shot.

Opinions probably start to vary for additional wedgeheads, with C37, Buccaneer, and others all being fun.

Since it seems Farsight will have easier access to more machines (ArcadeExpo in SoCal), I'm hopeful we can see some more EM's come through.

How many? Who knows, but I would be pleased beyond expression with SO76, RF, and Atlantis (and throw in Ace High).

 

[Kolchak357]

I love the star rollovers on pins like Surfer/Surf champ. I wish more modern pins used them. You occasionally see one used here and there, but they don't get much love these days.


Edit - Just wanted to add that I adore Surfer/Surf Champ. Those star rollovers, five drops, and that sucker spinner shot up the middle. It looks pretty basic until you start to play it. It's a very addictive pin. The art and vibe of this pin is just summer fun. Feels like I'm playing a pin in a quiet arcade on a pier or boardwalk on a hot summer day. When I think of pinball it's one of those pins that pop into my head. Sorry for the daydream.

 

[BStarfire]

I love the star rollovers on pins like Surfer/Surf champ. I wish more modern pins used them. You occasionally see one used here and there, but they don't get much love these days.

That's another reason I love SO76, after you achieve bonus mode (and your progress is not reset on extra balls - cool on a multi-player) and all the drops are down, you must get The Star rollovers to advance bonus after you've collected it. The star rollovers are lit by the rollover lanes and also advance the saucer reward (extra ball, collect double bonus, special). The classic layout and perfectly interleaved rules makes it great. Rollover lanes, drop targets, star rollovers and saucer with alternating functions...and the only Gottlieb with the design credited to both Wayne Neyens and Ed Krynski.

I also like how Atlantis has the two star rollovers for targets on and off, an element not seen since the 60's (pops on/off).

I hope we get all these sometime.

 

[BStarfire]

I need to give Surf Champ some more attention, but it's been rather elusive the last couple years where I've been making a concerted effort to get as much in depth playing of as many classic Gottliebs as I can. However, I have to defer to your (Kolchak) judgment as you were right about Buccaneer, one I didn't go back to after the first couple of plays but now a game I love.

Since relocating to Vegas I've had a greater opportunity to play machines I haven't seen in a long time (at the Pinball Hall of Fame) but they don't have a Surf Champ/Surfer machine there! I may have to hit some more spots in Southern California. I think one of the places had one, but I was too obsessed with different machines at the time.

 

[Kratos3]

only until you start play it

I guess this is how I feel, too. I've tried it out and played almost all of the tables, but it's boring as balls.

Looks great! I'm sooo impressed with how amazing the tables look on mobile devices, but they're just not for me.

 

[Kolchak357]

I need to give Surf Champ some more attention, but it's been rather elusive the last couple years where I've been making a concerted effort to get as much in depth playing of as many classic Gottliebs as I can. However, I have to defer to your (Kolchak) judgment as you were right about Buccaneer, one I didn't go back to after the first couple of plays but now a game I love.

Since relocating to Vegas I've had a greater opportunity to play machines I haven't seen in a long time (at the Pinball Hall of Fame) but they don't have a Surf Champ/Surfer machine there! I may have to hit some more spots in Southern California. I think one of the places had one, but I was too obsessed with different machines at the time.

Wow, hard to believe the PHOF doesn't have Surfer/Surf Champ. I guess you can't have everything.
I had a similiar experience with Buccaneer/Ship Ahoy. Doesn't look super engaging when you walk up to it. But give it a few plays and then an hour slips away on you. So many of these EMs are that way. Simple but smart rules & layout.

 

[kaworu]

I guess this is how I feel, too. I've tried it out and played almost all of the tables, but it's boring as balls.

Looks great! I'm sooo impressed with how amazing the tables look on mobile devices, but they're just not for me.

i mean tables in Zaccaria app has too many bugs and flaws. Zaccaria tables a pretty good, some as Mystic Castle are brilliant.