Here's my list:
1. White Water
2. Twilight Zone
3. Medieval Madness
4. Theatre of Magic
5. Attack from Mars
6. Dr. Dude
7. Star Trek
8. Cirqus Voiltaire
9. Elvira and the Party Monsters
10. Pin*Bot
Pin*Bot and Centuar still have that new game smell, Centaur would be my #11, but Pin*Bot ended up, for me, being the more enjoyable game probably because of the deeper rule set, which I still haven't got everything out of yet. White Water actually started at the bottom; I really hated it at first. I found the theme lame, the sound effects annoying, and the gameplay to be random. Now, after much play, I think it's the best. I find it so deep and satisfying, and now even the sound effects have grown on me to the point where I like everything about it now. The music is really good, and the theme is, for lack of a better word, adorable lol. Wet Willy is such an awesome guy, don't you just wish you could be white water rafting with him? The babes love him, and he's earned the reputation as the best white water rafting coach around. When I get the flash light, map, and key, I actually feel like I went on this cool adventure with him. I'm like 10 years old again, my imagination making things seem more awesome than they probably are.
But no in all honesty it's the depth that keeps me coming back for more. And unlike other tables where the jackpot is almost a given, White Water makes you work for that triple and it's not by any means a given. And even when I do manage to hit triples, there's nothing more satisfying. 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). Getting Wet Willies, or rather, finishing it is something I also have yet to do. Keep in mind I'm playing on iPhone and I'm pretty sure this is the hardest way to play Pinball Arcade currently: smallest screen, and the new nudging options I still am having trouble getting the hang of.
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. One more thing I'd like to add is that staging flippers in this game is a must, and incredibly satisfying. No other table, imo, comes close to White Water and again, I hated this one when it first released. It also helps, I think, that the DMD font is the same as Addams Family. I think this is without a doubt, up there with Steve Richie and Pat Lawler's best, and I think Nordman deserves his name right up there with them.
Twilight Zone is second. My most played machine easily, by far. Medieval Madness I think is the deepest rule wise, which again keeps me coming back again and again. Theatre and Attack are just outright solid, not much to say that hasn't already been said about them. Dr. Dude is underrated. The only thing I hate about it, and Pin*Bot, is they reward successive plays, and I have a habit of exiting out of games before the high score initials come up, unless I manage to beat my highest score. So this means I reset the dude-o-meter or whatever it's called, and I think that's crummy. There should definitely be a way to raise the meter without having to play, what, six multiballs or play six successive games ranking it up over and over.
Star Trek is hard, that's what keeps me coming back, just the sheer difficulty. Cirqus would be WAY higher on my list if it weren't in a nearly-broken, early beta build state. The original Elvira is still my favorite, Scared Stiff is just too easy, and it's easy in real life it's not Pinball Arcade's fault. It's still a great machine especially for beginners. Party Monsters on the surface seems like a 1 shot game, and for the most part it can be, I can't really put my finger on why I love this one so much, partially I think it's the music, graphics and theme, but I really forever love this table.
Honorable mentions go to Space Shuttle. I think it's the best early 80's board by far on the service along with Centuar. Things might change once Fire Power, Gorgar, and Black Knight recieve rom emulation, but for right now I find it the most satisfying and enjoyable. It's the racking up of the bonus that keeps me coming back. Genie also deserves mention, this is an amazing machine and I haven't gone back to Central Park or Big Shot, but I do play Genie now and again. I have a weird relationship with Monster Bash and Creature. Creature, tbh, I'm just going to say at this point in time I hate it. Here's why I hate it. First off the theme, the DMD, blah, can't stand it. Don't ask my why I just don't like it. Second is the shots feel like crap. The only shot that feels right is the combo ramp. And I can just hit that all day with no trouble racking up 16 million combo shots, but that's really chicken crap points compared to what you get during multiball. Really it is a multi-ball is all that matters table, and therein lies the problem: it's hard to get to, due to wierd shots I feel for the KISS and Slide, and it's only a 2-ball, with no ball save and a really short graceperiod on the restart. Can't tell you how many times I've failed the mb. And what's the absolute worst part about this table: going for the snackbar is death. Whether this is a Pinball Arcade issue, or just a table issue, I hate it. I can play safe, and chop wood literally all day, but if you miss that snack bar it's straight down the middle. Oh, and the flippers are too far apart. Period.
Monster Bash, I really, really want to love. But I just can't. It's hard for me to put my finger on why I don't like this one. Stacking the modes is, I find, very very hard, but that's not why I don't like it. Even when I successfully stack all the modes something about this one just doesn't feel right to me. Unlike Medieval Madness, I don't feel as satisfied stacking all the modes and there isn't something like the Castle which ties the whole table together. Instead it's just stack all the modes, Monster Bash then Monsters of Rock both and once you stack all the modes together those are givens. Just, Idk, not feeling it and trust me I've tried repeatedly to get into it I just can't. It's not for me we'll leave it at that.
I also hate black hole. I can't a feel for the shots, everything feels random and the bottom area still makes no sense to me. Pass. Harley Davidson is just stupid fun imo, a table to throw in when you want to turn your brain off and just flip flippers and enjoy multiball. Black Knight, Gorgar, and Firepower will reserve judgement until the rom emulation is out. To me it's plainly obvious they don't have emulation and this dampers my fun with them. They just feel incomplete and off... FunHouse in real life is one of my favorite machines, on pinball arcade I find it shallow and boring. Same with Bride of Pinbot, absolutely love playing this for real. Taxi I find too hard in real life (at least the machine I played) but I deeply enjoy the Pinball Arcade version, and it's one I constantly go back to.
So there you go. Remember these are just my opinions, they aren't facts, and it's subject to change. Believe it or not when I first got Pinball Arcade I didn't like Medieval Madness! Some just grow on me, and those are the ones that end up getting way high on my list.
**Left out Cactus Canyon, No Good Gofers, Arabian Nights.
Arabian Nights is awesome, but to me it's the 'other' table next to Theatre of Magic. Part of why I like and at the same time don't like it are as follows. First forget about the Harem glitch: it's dumb, and IMO it should be considered a game breaking glitch, not a "strategy" to go for. It's garbage, it's not intended to be in there, and it breaks the table period end of story. Something like that should never be allowed in software let alone tournaments, LET ALONE actually being suggested in the pro menu as a viable strategy option!! Forgetting it exists, let's look at the table on it's own merits: it has a pretty easy to get to and clear wizard mode, that provides some entertainment and is satisfying to achieve. But really the meat of this table and where the real score is lays in the magic lamp. Or to be more specific, the magic lamp after about 5 or so full spins, 3X lightning lamp, and multiball stack (if you can pull it off) and just juicing that thing for all it's worth. I've had 100million spins, that's quintouple the full value of the wizard mode. Add in an absurd end of ball bonus scoring opportunity, and there's alot to love about this one. I love it and it's definitely in my top 15 but it's also very risk/reward, whereas Theatre isn't and I think that's why I prefer Theatre. I still love both don't get me wrong, and I'm surprised I left this one out of my inital review.
No Good Gofers is solid, but man do I suck at the jackpot shot. When you suck at the hole in one, it's hard to get a high score out of this one. This is one I need to practice, get better, and come back to. On console or PC; the iPhone version has opaque ramps that makes it nearly impossible to see what you are supposed to shoot for with the upper flipper. It also makes outlane drains a crap shoot. I look forward to giving this one another chance and serious play on Xbox 360 and PS4.
Finally Cactus Canyon: I haven't given this one much attention at all. Initially I can say the shots feel GOOD on this one. I love all the shots, they all feel so clean and perfect to me. Currenly though, I have no idea what I'm doing. I have no idea what it is I'm supposed to do nor how to work towards that goal. I'm assuming it's take out all the bad guys, collect bounties, and finish the modes. I also kinda suck at this one, again due to inexperience mostly. I have yet to even complete Polly Peril and I find myself draining for like no reason... drains just, happen to me on this, I don't even know what mistake I've made or what it's banking off of that's causing the drain. Again this is one that I look forward to getting into on console.
I currently do not own Ripley's but intend on buying it when Farsight sorts out the pricing issues. I can't wait for Whirlwind and Champion Pub on Friday. I will be incredibly dissappointed if T2 doesn't get made: it was one of my absolute favorites to play at Pinburgh this year.
1. White Water
2. Twilight Zone
3. Medieval Madness
4. Theatre of Magic
5. Attack from Mars
6. Dr. Dude
7. Star Trek
8. Cirqus Voiltaire
9. Elvira and the Party Monsters
10. Pin*Bot
Pin*Bot and Centuar still have that new game smell, Centaur would be my #11, but Pin*Bot ended up, for me, being the more enjoyable game probably because of the deeper rule set, which I still haven't got everything out of yet. White Water actually started at the bottom; I really hated it at first. I found the theme lame, the sound effects annoying, and the gameplay to be random. Now, after much play, I think it's the best. I find it so deep and satisfying, and now even the sound effects have grown on me to the point where I like everything about it now. The music is really good, and the theme is, for lack of a better word, adorable lol. Wet Willy is such an awesome guy, don't you just wish you could be white water rafting with him? The babes love him, and he's earned the reputation as the best white water rafting coach around. When I get the flash light, map, and key, I actually feel like I went on this cool adventure with him. I'm like 10 years old again, my imagination making things seem more awesome than they probably are.
But no in all honesty it's the depth that keeps me coming back for more. And unlike other tables where the jackpot is almost a given, White Water makes you work for that triple and it's not by any means a given. And even when I do manage to hit triples, there's nothing more satisfying. 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). Getting Wet Willies, or rather, finishing it is something I also have yet to do. Keep in mind I'm playing on iPhone and I'm pretty sure this is the hardest way to play Pinball Arcade currently: smallest screen, and the new nudging options I still am having trouble getting the hang of.
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. One more thing I'd like to add is that staging flippers in this game is a must, and incredibly satisfying. No other table, imo, comes close to White Water and again, I hated this one when it first released. It also helps, I think, that the DMD font is the same as Addams Family. I think this is without a doubt, up there with Steve Richie and Pat Lawler's best, and I think Nordman deserves his name right up there with them.
Twilight Zone is second. My most played machine easily, by far. Medieval Madness I think is the deepest rule wise, which again keeps me coming back again and again. Theatre and Attack are just outright solid, not much to say that hasn't already been said about them. Dr. Dude is underrated. The only thing I hate about it, and Pin*Bot, is they reward successive plays, and I have a habit of exiting out of games before the high score initials come up, unless I manage to beat my highest score. So this means I reset the dude-o-meter or whatever it's called, and I think that's crummy. There should definitely be a way to raise the meter without having to play, what, six multiballs or play six successive games ranking it up over and over.
Star Trek is hard, that's what keeps me coming back, just the sheer difficulty. Cirqus would be WAY higher on my list if it weren't in a nearly-broken, early beta build state. The original Elvira is still my favorite, Scared Stiff is just too easy, and it's easy in real life it's not Pinball Arcade's fault. It's still a great machine especially for beginners. Party Monsters on the surface seems like a 1 shot game, and for the most part it can be, I can't really put my finger on why I love this one so much, partially I think it's the music, graphics and theme, but I really forever love this table.
Honorable mentions go to Space Shuttle. I think it's the best early 80's board by far on the service along with Centuar. Things might change once Fire Power, Gorgar, and Black Knight recieve rom emulation, but for right now I find it the most satisfying and enjoyable. It's the racking up of the bonus that keeps me coming back. Genie also deserves mention, this is an amazing machine and I haven't gone back to Central Park or Big Shot, but I do play Genie now and again. I have a weird relationship with Monster Bash and Creature. Creature, tbh, I'm just going to say at this point in time I hate it. Here's why I hate it. First off the theme, the DMD, blah, can't stand it. Don't ask my why I just don't like it. Second is the shots feel like crap. The only shot that feels right is the combo ramp. And I can just hit that all day with no trouble racking up 16 million combo shots, but that's really chicken crap points compared to what you get during multiball. Really it is a multi-ball is all that matters table, and therein lies the problem: it's hard to get to, due to wierd shots I feel for the KISS and Slide, and it's only a 2-ball, with no ball save and a really short graceperiod on the restart. Can't tell you how many times I've failed the mb. And what's the absolute worst part about this table: going for the snackbar is death. Whether this is a Pinball Arcade issue, or just a table issue, I hate it. I can play safe, and chop wood literally all day, but if you miss that snack bar it's straight down the middle. Oh, and the flippers are too far apart. Period.
Monster Bash, I really, really want to love. But I just can't. It's hard for me to put my finger on why I don't like this one. Stacking the modes is, I find, very very hard, but that's not why I don't like it. Even when I successfully stack all the modes something about this one just doesn't feel right to me. Unlike Medieval Madness, I don't feel as satisfied stacking all the modes and there isn't something like the Castle which ties the whole table together. Instead it's just stack all the modes, Monster Bash then Monsters of Rock both and once you stack all the modes together those are givens. Just, Idk, not feeling it and trust me I've tried repeatedly to get into it I just can't. It's not for me we'll leave it at that.
I also hate black hole. I can't a feel for the shots, everything feels random and the bottom area still makes no sense to me. Pass. Harley Davidson is just stupid fun imo, a table to throw in when you want to turn your brain off and just flip flippers and enjoy multiball. Black Knight, Gorgar, and Firepower will reserve judgement until the rom emulation is out. To me it's plainly obvious they don't have emulation and this dampers my fun with them. They just feel incomplete and off... FunHouse in real life is one of my favorite machines, on pinball arcade I find it shallow and boring. Same with Bride of Pinbot, absolutely love playing this for real. Taxi I find too hard in real life (at least the machine I played) but I deeply enjoy the Pinball Arcade version, and it's one I constantly go back to.
So there you go. Remember these are just my opinions, they aren't facts, and it's subject to change. Believe it or not when I first got Pinball Arcade I didn't like Medieval Madness! Some just grow on me, and those are the ones that end up getting way high on my list.
**Left out Cactus Canyon, No Good Gofers, Arabian Nights.
Arabian Nights is awesome, but to me it's the 'other' table next to Theatre of Magic. Part of why I like and at the same time don't like it are as follows. First forget about the Harem glitch: it's dumb, and IMO it should be considered a game breaking glitch, not a "strategy" to go for. It's garbage, it's not intended to be in there, and it breaks the table period end of story. Something like that should never be allowed in software let alone tournaments, LET ALONE actually being suggested in the pro menu as a viable strategy option!! Forgetting it exists, let's look at the table on it's own merits: it has a pretty easy to get to and clear wizard mode, that provides some entertainment and is satisfying to achieve. But really the meat of this table and where the real score is lays in the magic lamp. Or to be more specific, the magic lamp after about 5 or so full spins, 3X lightning lamp, and multiball stack (if you can pull it off) and just juicing that thing for all it's worth. I've had 100million spins, that's quintouple the full value of the wizard mode. Add in an absurd end of ball bonus scoring opportunity, and there's alot to love about this one. I love it and it's definitely in my top 15 but it's also very risk/reward, whereas Theatre isn't and I think that's why I prefer Theatre. I still love both don't get me wrong, and I'm surprised I left this one out of my inital review.
No Good Gofers is solid, but man do I suck at the jackpot shot. When you suck at the hole in one, it's hard to get a high score out of this one. This is one I need to practice, get better, and come back to. On console or PC; the iPhone version has opaque ramps that makes it nearly impossible to see what you are supposed to shoot for with the upper flipper. It also makes outlane drains a crap shoot. I look forward to giving this one another chance and serious play on Xbox 360 and PS4.
Finally Cactus Canyon: I haven't given this one much attention at all. Initially I can say the shots feel GOOD on this one. I love all the shots, they all feel so clean and perfect to me. Currenly though, I have no idea what I'm doing. I have no idea what it is I'm supposed to do nor how to work towards that goal. I'm assuming it's take out all the bad guys, collect bounties, and finish the modes. I also kinda suck at this one, again due to inexperience mostly. I have yet to even complete Polly Peril and I find myself draining for like no reason... drains just, happen to me on this, I don't even know what mistake I've made or what it's banking off of that's causing the drain. Again this is one that I look forward to getting into on console.
I currently do not own Ripley's but intend on buying it when Farsight sorts out the pricing issues. I can't wait for Whirlwind and Champion Pub on Friday. I will be incredibly dissappointed if T2 doesn't get made: it was one of my absolute favorites to play at Pinburgh this year.
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