Top 5-10 Pinballs every made - Pro talk

[PET3R]

I like your idea about the play count. It would be really interesting to see how many times I have played the particular table.

Regarding the Scared Stiff. I did not really declared it no 1. I was just trying to point out how the luck is not playing really any role there and that this is what I wanted the other tables to be.

 

[jonesjb]

Any new thoughts PET3R? Have you had a chance to try Shadow in real life?

 

[Jiveturkey]

Yes, for the tour bonus, whatever it's called when you shoot the vari-target after collecting all seven continents. (And maybe elsewhere.)

I'm a bit late but wait.. Its possible to collect all 7 continents! .. Rbion and Sttng kick my butt every time but they are in my top 10 for sho.. Rbion top 5 possibly

 

[switch3flip]

BTW Star Trek Vengeance has a random extra ball award from black hole random awards.

 

[PET3R]

BTW Star Trek Vengeance has a random extra ball award from black hole random awards.

Ouch!
Can you confirm this luck is sorted out in tournament mode ?

Jonesjb: I did not have a chace playing The shadow. Only for a while in a visual pinball but as it's not running properly on my computer I would not comment on that. It definitely looks interesting and I am waiting for it to come to TPA, if it ever comes.

The only table I am pretty much playing is Vengeance and very occasionally Medieval Madness. It's the only table I play from TPA but thanks to troll rules I get quickly bored of it. However more and more I understand why it's claiming the first spot in the ratings. From TPA it's probably the best table out there. I would say it's mostly about the layout of the table, easy feel good shots and a flow while wizard mode is quite hard to reach. But because the rules are the most important to me Vengeance is miles ahead for me. It too has an amazing layout with a great shots and a top notch rules. This is the one of the very few games that rewards a great play (medals,combos, quick shots, etc...)

 

[switch3flip]

Sure, no random extra ball from random reward in tournament mode.
However, Star Trek has another randomness that's probably even worse, and this is NOT sorted in tournament mode. It's the randomly lit shot you shoot for during klingon III mode. It's very important because you get 2x scoring at left ramp (probably best shot to get 2X at) when you've finished the random 8 shots. If the warp ramp or maybe left saucer keeps lighting up it can be drainy and dangerous but if you keep getting the easier shots you can cruise through like nothing.

 

[PET3R]

Thank you for pointing that out. Can we break this down a bit more to understand the full consequence of this ?

A) Can this shot prevent you from reaching the final wizard mode ? In other words, is it needed to complete the mode ?
B) Is the 2x for the remainder of the ball or the remainder of the game ?
C) What score difference could this mean ?
D) Do all the ramps have same scoring opportunities ? I know the warp ramp is harder to hit but would you not benefit with higher scores later ? Check E
E) does 2x apply to everything including jackpots and other shots ? Are the warp jackpot shots equal to the other shots ?
F) Anything else that we could think of ?

 

[switch3flip]

Thank you for pointing that out. Can we break this down a bit more to understand the full consequence of this ?

A) Can this shot prevent you from reaching the final wizard mode ? In other words, is it needed to complete the mode ?
B) Is the 2x for the remainder of the ball or the remainder of the game ?
C) What score difference could this mean ?
D) Do all the ramps have same scoring opportunities ? I know the warp ramp is harder to hit but would you not benefit with higher scores later ? Check E
E) does 2x apply to everything including jackpots and other shots ? Are the warp jackpot shots equal to the other shots ?
F) Anything else that we could think of ?

A) Yes you need to complete Klingon III (along with all other modes III levels to play the ultimate wiz mode 5 year mission. This is very unusual to do, especially in tournament.

B) 2x is lit permanently for remainder of game!

C) What happens after you get 2x is that it's actually the NEXT shot will be doubled if you shoot it in a combo with the 2x lit ramp first. Whatever you shoot after shooting left ramp will be worth double. So lets say you have vengeance multiball jackpot lit up in the middle behind the drop target. It's worth 5 million, but if you shoot first the left ramp and then collect the jackpot, the jackpot is 10 million. It applies to pretty much everything except medal count points when starting kobayashi and the other wiz modes for level II and III (5 year mission) completion.

D) Yes, all shots can have the same scoring opportunities. All the other 5 different level III modes completions are connected to different shots getting 2x. If you complete Nero III, you light the left loop for 2x. This is also really good, but not as good as left ramp because:
1. The left ramp can easily be shot from both left and right flipper both on the fly and from a trap.
2. The left ramp safely feeds the left flipper and you can shoot almost all shots on the fly from left flipper, except the left saucer and warp ramp.

 

[PET3R]

To be honest I was bit puzzled what exactly are you talking about until I came across this:


It's always a good idea to hold off on starting a multiball until JUST after you've started a mode. This allows you to complete the mode while in multiball play.

Modes
Prime Directive: Shooting shots X,Y and Z awards X points. Galactic = top (bonus X) lanes. Completing the level 3 mode awards 2x on the Left scoop for the remainder of the game.

Space Jump: Shooting shots X,Y and Z awards X points. Galactic = Vengeance drop target. Completing the level 3 mode awards 2x on the Right Orbit for the remainder of the game.

Save the Enterprise: Shooting shots X,Y and Z awards X points. Galactic = Warp ramp. Completing the level 3 mode awards 2x on the Right ramp

Nero: Shooting shots X,Y and Z awards X points. Galactic = Red Matter standups. Completing the level 3 mode awards 2x on the Left Orbit.

Destroy the Drill: Shooting shots X,Y and Z awards X points. Galactic = Spinner. Completing the level 3 mode awards 2x on the Warp Ramp.

Klingon Battle: Shooting shots X,Y and Z awards X points. Galactic = left/right ramps. Completing the level 3 mode awards 2x on the Left ramp

------------------------
Now that this made it perfectly clear to me what's going on here I am able to comment once again.
A) I am against randomness in pinball and therefore it makes me wonder why there was no decision of sequencing these 8 shots but rather making them random.
B) once you get a difficult shot to do, could you just time out the mode and restart mode again to continue with a different shot or would the same shot light again.
C) There are 8 shots in total, I wonder how many times could you get 1 difficult to light up. I understand sometimes mode can give more easier shots than other times but this can't be that different or can it ? I am sure it's not going to light warp ramp 8 times and I would say the other shots are really that different in difficulty as all the shots on ST feels pretty easy to do. To my opinion this is far less serious than getting an random extra ball in the scoop, but I don't want to look like I am defending ST at all cost.
D) Can't you easily fix this by timing your multiball before starting the mode ? You have 6 modes to choose from so start different one if you are not close to multiball.

 

[Cyberleader63]

1. Doctor Who
2. Flash Gordon
3. Stargate
4. Starship Troopers
5. Star Trek TNG

 

[Antonio Gaeta]

My top 5
1 arabian nights
2 creature o. b. l.
3 scared stiff
4 theatre magic
5 twilight zone

 

[jonesjb]

Ouch!
Jonesjb: I did not have a chace playing The shadow. Only for a while in a visual pinball but as it's not running properly on my computer I would not comment on that. It definitely looks interesting and I am waiting for it to come to TPA, if it ever comes.

I saw a video of Shadow on visual pinball and the upper playfield is TERRIBLE there. You need to play one in real life. I see you are in London? I was out in London a week ago and went to a place in Croydon called Flip out London pinball club. They had a Shadow there. You should check it out: https://www.facebook.com/flipoutlondon/

 

[Colywobbles]

If we are talking top real pinball tables ever made well these are my choices based on the ones I have personally owned in the past 20yrs and the very few Williams/Bally ones I haven’t owned I have traveled to play at some point.

My top 3
MB
FH
TZ

Monster Bash.
I’ve owned 2 of these in the past and regret selling it however couldn’t refuse the crazy money I was offered a while back. That said it has paid off as I now have a MBr LE version on order which should hopefully be here early 2019. I really don’t have one con with this table as for me it’s everything and more, Toys galore all of which have the best ever call outs and you never tire of them, a good solid set of rules which non pinhead friends can actually understand quite easily and music to die for which hits a mind blowing crescendo if you bring the band together. The remake with topper, remade large colour screen with enhanced graphics and further detailing on the Toys will for me bring it upto date in a retro twist. But best of all you can dial the lights using the new enhanced RGB lightshow or go retro with plain white and old school DMD if you wish. It’s gonna be a blast and I can’t wait.

Funhouse (which I still own).
To me this was revolutionary for many reasons but the main one was you actually connect with Rudy on a personal level from his eyes following the ball, his screams when you hit him, his sarcastic call outs and I never tire of the way he falls asleep and snores setting you up for a multiball.
It’s a typical Pat Lawler design and layout which I enjoy immensely like most of his creations. My current table is one culminated from owning several of them to end up with a diamond plated stunning example that will be passed on to my sons. Although I’ve owned very few non DMD tables being a 90s fan the look, design and colour makes it a must have standout Pin in anyone’s collection.

Twilight Zone (again still own)
Another Pat Lawler design and layout with astounding use of magnets inc the mini play field. Not an easy one to complete on a standard 3ball game with no buyin’s. The thing that really enhances this game and makes it stand out is the Ceramic poweball which being light flies around the table making the game play completely differently and quite frustrating at times. A good rule set, a wide body, working clock and lots of nice toys. A big bonus is the option to add the many aftermarket enhancements brought about by the pinball community many of which I have fitted. Would never sell it’s almost perfect in every way.

When I had a larger dedicated Pinroom holding 7 pins (now a cinema room) I had the following which I moved on.

Scared Stiff - miss this pin, love the theme, love the simple gameplay and especially the turn out the lights challenge. Also has best ever animated backglass EVER!

Getaway HS2 - fast and furious Steve Ritchie Pin that was great for practicing skills. Both the music and redline mania gave me such a buzz. This is an underrated cheap Pin although a little drab looking. Another pin I miss however it now belongs to a friend so I can still get a fix but the new Zen rendition on my VPin rocks anyway.

Medieval Madness - hugely overrated IMO with long games, annoying low scores and far too many multiballs! (I like to think I’ve earned a MB not just get them thrown at me ever few mins) on a plus side looks nice, great call outs and the castle toy was cool. I got crazy money for this and for the life of me I don’t know why. Even the Zen version annoys me so it proves it’s a good repo of the original hehe

Circus Voltaire - beautiful Pin that I passed on to a friend, Not the best Pin ever but one of the best looking pins ever.

Honerble mentions which I owned for a few years each
TAFG - also had 2 standard TAFs. Friends love this table and from my fav designer PLawler
TOTAN - another beautiful pin that I think may get remade by CGC
ST LE - a friend now owns this so again I can get. Fix if needed so win win
AFM - worth the hype, simple open PF but could annoy you with SDTM drains. Strobe MB made up for them

Those 11 were the ones I kept out of my collection of 30+ pins over a 20yr period. The only pin I played and regret not buying was CC but in all honesty every 90s Williams/Bally table excelled over their competition and still had more pros than cons with RFM/SW sadly for me sucking big time.