Top 10 Pinball Arcade Machines So Far!

[Jutter]

In countdown form. Older tables on the list cater to nostalgia in a way that trumps the bells and whistles of newer nominees.

10: Genie
9: Theatre Of Magic
8: Centaur
7: Corgar
6: Tales Of The Arabian Nights
5: No Good Gophers
4: Medievil Madness
3: The Machine; Bride Of Pinbot
2: Scared Stiff

1: Monster Bash
Music, artwork, theming, humor, this one has the total package, but most of all gameplay that's as transparent and easy to learn as it is sophisticated. Unlike with most tables you really must hit every target on the board in order to score big, and there's nothing about the table you'll ignore due to it being unlucrative or too risky. Bonusround-stacking adds a welcome dimension to what otherwise amounts to exploiting multiball over and over. By comparison the ruleset of other tables can seem puzzling, padded or unballanced.

 

[budtki@verizon.net]

*** ATTENTION ***- your strong dislike for "the creature" has compelled me to reply-- the creature is probably my favorite table currently available on TPA, i play TPA daily without fail, and had never played the creature prior to TPA, so i am NOT bias, and like you my first impression was similar- BUT, this game became my favorite and i'll tell you why and how, the WHY part is simple, it's the whole "drive-in movie theme", so make yourself some popcorn and enjoy all it has to offer, the multiball is so challanging if not down right funny as you try to snare super jackpots after maxing the lagoons multiplyer to 5X...this is the secret to getting high scores on this machine, and once you realize that going for multiple super jackpots(during the same multiball) is the only way to get huge scores on this machine(as each consecutive jackpot doubles) and consequently is the most time efficient strategy, it is then and only then when this machine becomes one of the most challanging and fun machines that you have ever played... but to truly enjoy this machine you must first master the snackbar shot with both flippers, as well as the slide lock(right side) and timing difference between the right ramp and rollover shot, after that it is imperative that during multiball that you catch and hold one ball with the left flipper as you max the lagoon multiplyer with the remaining ball(just keep shooting the right ramp with the right flipper) then(when maxed) shoot the rollover shot(this allows you some time to carefully shoot the snackbar with the left flipper) and this is when this machine gets crazy, sometimes you may have to back hand the left ball(from holding it) to the ramp, but nonetheless, don't stop at just one superjackpot, imediatelty shoot the snackbar again and keep going...note- if you can string at least 3 superjackpots together your garunteed to be in the top 50 highscores.. finally, the only dislike if any i have of this machines is that you better be ready to spend at least an hour or two to play it.

 

[Nightwing]

I'm intrigued by this topic - however since I don't have all of the tables yet (when the 360 gets them I will) so I'll post my top ten when that happens.

Right now I'm playing AFM,CFTBL,and CP the most at the moment...

 

[sotie]

Here's my current top 10 in order.

Gorgor
Space Shuttle
Centaur
Firepower
Attack From Mars
Monster Bash
Medieval Madness
Black Knight
Whirlwind
Star Trek

When I want to just relax and zen out I play Big Shot.

 

[StarDust4Ever]

Maybe I'm in the minority. Black Hole was my favorite table from the Gottlieb Pinball Hall of Fame (I used to play it on Game Cube a lot). ATM I don't have a top ten list, but here is a top 5 list of some of my most played tables (I own all of them):

My Top 5 List:

#1 - Bride of Pinbot
#2 - Black Hole
#3 - Big Shot
#4 - Scared Stiff (I got pro mode for the uncensored audio)
#5 - Elvira and the Party monsters (I'm an Elvira fan, LOL!)

Next 5 Runners up (all solid fun to play tables in no particular order):

Tales of Arabian Knights
Medieval Madness
Attack From Mars
Circus Voltar
Cactus Canyon
No Good Gofers

(okay, I listed 11 tables so sue me)

Whirlwind is also pretty cool but I haven't played it enough to get a good opinion yet. I want to love Pinbot but for some reason, Bride of Pinbot seems to have a much more compelling story, even if I spend most of the game just continually hitting the left ramp. I love the way she sings after completing the bride metamorphisis. Bride of Pinbot is also my first table to complete all Wizard goals!

Black Hole just feels too cool. It was my favorite from the original Gottlieb Collection. Once you open the gate for successful reentry, it's easy to just launch the ball back to the inner table whenever it drains. I also look forward to the emulation upgrade.

Big Shot is a great table to cool down with because of it's uncluttered playfield and slower movement. I play it a lot in between the more advanced modern tables.

Elvira Scared Stiff is just so much fun because like just about every word out of Elvira's mouth is a double-entendre, at least if you unlock pro mode. Sadly, this also means I have zero goals unlocked or entries on the leaderboards, however it is still worth playing for the uncensored speech.

There's a bunch of other tables I've had have a lot of fun with; too many to list them all. Gorgar, Centaur, and Black Knight are a little bland in the audio/graphics department. Dr Dude looks like a table that's targeted at 11 and 12 year old boys. It's a good playing table, but the subject matter is lame. Star trek and Twilight Zone are great tables, but the rules are a little too complex and I find myself just hitting the balls randomly. I guess T2 will have a similarly complex rule set if it gets successfully funded. I pledged $10 anyway.

#1 on my wishlist is High speed. Currently, there don't appear to be any racing themed pinballs available (Taxi doesn't really count IMO). I voted up both High Speed and Getaway on the recent Williams poll.

I would also like to see more EM tables in general. I know some people don't like 'em, and that's okay, but they make up for their simple rule sets with challenging gameplay and extra balls (5 balls instead of 3 by default). They also make great "cool down" tables after playing the more flashy modern ones.

 

[DeeEff]

Aggregated Top Ten after 15 voters:

1. Attack from Mars
2. Medieval Madness
3. Monster Bash
4. White Water
5. Star Trek
6. Theatre of Magic
7. Twilight Zone
8. Centaur
9. Tales of the Arabian Nights
10. Scared Stiff

Notes:
- Mark Wyda's #10 Pin*Bot changed to Centaur
- doveton didn't say anything about "in order" so I treated 'em as not
- Dumpstar listed 8, in no order, so each gets 6.875 points
- I'm assuming sotie went from #1 to 10 and not vice versa
- StarDust4Ever's top five got normal points, the remaining six got 2.5 points apiece (15 points (what the sum of the last five would normally be) divided by six)

Edit: doveton's choices are in order. Accounting for that changed the current top ten's order.

 

[Mark W**a]

Nice work, DeeEff

 

[doveton]

- doveton didn't say anything about "in order" so I treated 'em as not

yeah sorry, they were in order of preferance, top to bottom

 

[DeeEff]

yeah sorry, they were in order of preferance, top to bottom

Fixed.

 

[MontanaFrank]

Here are my top ten TPA tables in order:

1. Centaur - I am so glad this topped the poll over 8 Ball Deluxe. It's lots-o-fun to play.

2. Whirlwind - So glad I don't have to pay for this game anymore - A lot easier than IRL - that's ok by me.

3. Pinbot - One of my all time favorites. Love this game.

4. Attack from Mars - So happy the fixed Android version came out, no bump in r top lane. Love this game and love not paying.

5. Ripley's Believe it or Not - It's a fun game to play whether you're a wizard or a newbie.

6. Gorgar- Another one of my all time favorites. Played a lot IRL.

7. Monster Bash - Love the theme and the Wolfman.

8. Medieval Madness - It's barnyard fun at it's best.

9. Elvira & the Party Monsters - Ramp - Rinse - Repeat. Need I say more.

10. Black Knight - This would have been #4 if it wasn't in such sad shape - ROM emulation soon, please.

 

[Man-Machine]

This is hard and I'll probably change my mind about one minute after posting this, but here goes:

1. Space Shuttle (although I hate the right outline).

2. Centaur (best sound in all of TPA)

3. Twilight Zone (the table I've spent most time on)

4. Attack from Mars (just pure effortless fun)

5. Pinbot (a really nice surpise- hadn't anticipated much)

6. Whirlwind (bubbling)

7. Big Shot (perverted, I know)

8. Gorgar (fast and dynamic)

9. Tales of the Arabian nights (again: love the sound)

10. Whitewater (slowly growing on me).

 

[sotie]

Notes:
- I'm assuming sotie went from #1 to 10 and not vice versa

I did and thanks for updating your aggregated list!

 

[Gordon]

All Xbox Tables this time. lol

 

[ER777]

Now that I've had a chance to play the newer tables enough to give them a fair shake..

1. Medieval Madness
2. Attack from Mars
3. Star Trek The Next Generation
4. Theatre of Magic
5. White Water
6. Monster Bash
7. Twilight Zone
8. Cirqus Voltaire
9. Scared Stiff
10. Tales of the Arabian Nights

 

[Sumez]

And I'm fully aware that I could be getting triples AND have 5X Playfield running (something I haven't yet managed to pull off).

5X Playfield "only" gets you a five double jackpot at max for each jackpot, though - don't expect a 15x jackpot by combining the two. Still a nice reward, but really difficult to pull off. I played a game (on my own physical WH2O) where I activated 5X during both Big Foot Hotfoot and Wet Willie's, and got nearly 600 million, which is one of the best games I've had on a real life pinball table.

I also love how the vacation jackpot can still be achieved even if you fail Wet Willies. That came as a big surprise to me. Overall I can't think of a better thought out, deeper table that really has much more depth than the ruleset would initally imply.

I sort of don't want to play the TPA version of WH2O because I want to reach the vacation jackpot on my own table first. I heard so much great stuff about it, but I somehow doubt I'll ever be able to reach it on a physical table.

One more thing I'd like to add is that staging flippers in this game is a must, and incredibly satisfying

The TPA version has staged flippers? AFAIK a real WH2O does not. Mine does, but it had its flipper opto board replaced, and replacing it is on my to-do list, since I want it to play as original.

 

[Captain B. Zarre]

Sumez, not to make you angry, but I had a 3 billion+ game on WH20 a while ago... Two Vacation Jackpots, spamming 138,000,000 Triple Jackpots, 5x Hotfoot Jackpots, and two Traveling Hazards... Sadly, my score didn't get saved because I didn't have Wifi...

 

[Carl Spiby]

The TPA version has staged flippers? AFAIK a real WH2O does not. Mine does, but it had its flipper opto board replaced, and replacing it is on my to-do list, since I want it to play as original.

Wh2o does have staged flippers, most machines do...

 

[Sumez]

Sumez, not to make you angry, but I had a 3 billion+ game on WH20 a while ago... Two Vacation Jackpots, spamming 138,000,000 Triple Jackpots, 5x Hotfoot Jackpots, and two Traveling Hazards... Sadly, my score didn't get saved because I didn't have Wifi...

Hehe, no worries, I don't consider myself a very good player anyway.
However, like I said, this was on a real table. TPA is always a lot easier than the real thing.

I'm sure good pinball players can do better, too, but for me it was a great score, and mainly thanks to correct strategic use of 5X Playfield.

 

[Sumez]

Wh2o does have staged flippers, most machines do...

This guy claims it doesn't:
http://digitalpinballfans.com/showt...h-upper-flippers?p=20074&viewfull=1#post20074

I'm having a real hard time figuring out if it should. The manual lists only one flipper opto board, which I take as a hint that both flippers should use the same as I have on my left flipper, but the unofficial part list on IPDB lists a different part number, with different parts for each flipper - didn't check if either of those are staged.

 

[Carl Spiby]

The guy is wrong, the flippers ARE staged on Wh2o.