Played a couple of times in tournament at Pinfest 2023.

An interesting pin with a slightly-above-average layout. Evidently has complex rules as I got nowhere near a good score in competition. I was going for spelling Barracora, which evidently isn’t how you get a high score. Artwork is interesting and Giger-inspired. Some good drop targets and a solidly-enjoyable spinner shot, but nothing truly unusual on a walk-up play compared to Blackout or similar.

Rating is subject to review if I get to play Barracora again (and figure out the scoring).

Excellent earlier Williams game that is very underrated. Would love to own one day.

Barracora is pure pinball enjoyment.

The balance of interesting scoring and multiplier rules, coupled with a multiball and upper lock which specifically provides a very unique save experience is really well thought out. Memory drop integration on the side banks is arguably the best implementation of this feature, as the shots are great, and the player will constantly be keeping this progression in mind ball to ball.

Amazing art package, amazing sound package, amazing layout, and amazing rules!. What more do you want?

This is a classic. At its time era, they were just starting to do speech. So it has pretty neat sounds and sounds kind of like defender with some of them. It has two different multi-balls which is fun. One is a two ball and one is a three ball. So you get the b-a-r targets and you unlock the drop target for the two ball. If you hit barracora(all the targets), you will than get three ball which you can use both drop targets to lock balls. It has enough fun shots to make even the most advanced players like this game. It doesn't have all the fancy ramps or anything though. So in todays age, it isn't nearly as advanced has that depth that some. So it has place in this world and its ranks show that. But its not something I would probably want as my only pinball machine. This is for someone that has several and looking for one that is different than todays modern pins.

I was happy to buy Barracora after watching some game play. The opportunity to buy one at a decent price and have it restored was just too tempting to pass up. What really sold me was the rule set it has to offer. Barracora came out in 1981, games at that point had maybe a few fun gimmicks at most and rule sets were not that deep, Barracora has A LOT going on. You have the double lane change, two different multiballs, an in play bonus collect on the table in the upper saucer which doubles as the top lock, you have the center target features which allows for some big scoring opportunities if you line up each side, a fantastic spinner, and drop targets which must be completed in order to spell "Barracora" (which is how you get into your multiballs and advances your multipliers). Of note, it doesn't appear at first that there is any double or triple scoring in multiball, but if you have advanced the 4-5-6 lanes, you will have added value to the top right target in front of the horseshoe shot, this value will be doubled or tripled depending on what multiball you are in. The PAPA tutorial on YouTube does not accurately address the scoring in multiball. Think of it like a Jackpot shot.

The backglass is BEAUTIFUL, even more so now that I've seen it in person. The art is definitely inspired by Giger, and I don't know that I could love it any more than I already do. It draws people in with curiosity. The playfield art is also a looker. I can see why some may not like it because it is such a weird theme, and I think that at least part of the reason this theme was used over the other themes the layout went through, is that Fathom came out just a month before it. Williams likely wanted an underwater theme with fish women because they liked Fathom so much, and when the artist came up with Barracora, they rolled with it. I did knock some points off for the theme overall just because I think this game would have worked better as a different theme, it was definitely intended to be something else entirely at first, but the art is just amazing all around and gets a perfect score from me.

Sounds are typical of this era, but oddly there is no speech even though Black Knight had some. I do think Barracora would have benefited greatly from some speech, so I took some points off there, but the droning defender sounds are fine overall.

I feel like lighting is typical of this era, it's good, nothing to really write home about, but it does have a nice little show when you get the special.

I definitely feel the "just one more game" factor with this game. It's strangely addicting, and it's probably because there are so many things to do on the table, lots of different ways to score, and I completely forgot to mention that it has one of the first ball save features that I ever remember seeing. If you have a ball locked in the top and you lose your ball in play, you're getting that locked ball back.

Overall, this is a fun game that plays well, and has a lot of variety. I have only played Jungle Lord and Black Knight out of the system 7 family, but so far, I have to give the nod to Barracora as the best of that bunch. Sure it may look strange and the theme is very weird, but it has more rules than some modern games and it's way ahead of its time making it very addicting to play. Barracora is a fantastic game and has me eager to explore some other system 7 games I haven't had the pleasure of playing yet.

The artwork is stunning. There are lots of shots to go for and many ways to play it. For it's era, it is amongst the best.

Overall a fun game. No major thrills, but a good time none the less. Tks.

What a beauty! Such an approachable game. 3 ball multi isn't the easiest to get so there is a challenge. Double lane change is fun. Great spinner. Theme....well....fish women. Yeah. But I love a game or 2 or 3 on this machine. A great early Williams SS. No speech but maybe that's for the best.

A perfect game design from barry Oursler

-has petty much everything good from a early 80's pinball machine.
-has 3 ball multi-ball
-has two bonus multipliers that add up to a whopping max bonus of 725,000 points.
-DOUBLE lane change.
-has a fast right loop shot that can be worth 250,000 points when max out.
-very detailed backglass and playfield artwork.

maybe the only thing this lacks is that barracora does not have voice effects. Would have been neat the hear the faces of the unforgettable artwork on the back-glass just like the xenon pinball machine.
can be a bit complex at first for such a early pinball machine but thats what makes it so good.

Played this at the boardwalk last week (yes they actually still have one) IMO it was a horrid game.

Wow !!! What a fantastic game. Great rulesheet. Multiplier, super multiplier and collect bonus!
Left saucer and right target scores 2x or 3x during multiball.
Double rollover lanes.
And what a great sound and artpackage...!

The most novel feature of Barracora is the double number rollovers in the upper playfield. 1-3 is controlled by one flipper, and 4-6 is controlled by the other (took a bit of practice to get the proper coordination on that).

The artwork is weird but I like it quite a bit.

The game play can lag a bit, but, overall, a pretty decent early SS.

Man, I finally got to play one of these at Caucasion's house. Read his rating for the complex rules. Artwork is awesome. This is one of the top 3 pins of the 80s right here.

OMG: Barracora ROCKS. One of Oursler's first games and possibly his best. Story has it that he designed the table without any theme ideas. After all the shots were laid out and the engineering portion was done, he came downstairs one day to see the prototype with all the weird "hot chick meets fish" theme and was like, "what the....?!!"

FANTASTIC shots, really great rules, a cool horseshoe shot, great sounds, 3-ball multiball, a great spinner, and the individual drop targets all combine together for one heck of a game. Seriously, this game might be my new favorite out of the 100s I've played. It's that good.

UPDATE: it's been in my home for 3 years and it still is my favorite game! SO GOOD.

test

I kept coming back to play this one at the show I saw it in, but I don't think I'd call it a great pin. It's a lot of fun, and the rule set is pretty deep but it seems to be missing something. Might be the lackluster layout.

Absolutely gorgeous game with a surprisingly deep ruleset for the time period but the playfeild layout robs it of the fun that it should have. Interesting and lovely game but not a truly good one.

I had played this game a few times at shows.
I thought it was ok.
Then I played it at a collectors home who explained the rules to me.
Wow! What a fun and deep game.
Yes, deep. For the time it was released it is way ahead of its time.
Roger sharpe had his hands on this game and it shows.
If you ever get a chance to play this title do not pass it up.
It is a great title that gets better every time you play it.

I didn't think much of this game until I was told that it is much deeper than you think. So when given the opportunity to pick one up came by me, I took a chance. The one we got is not in the greatest shape except for the back glass. It is in great shape! I have to say, what I heard about it is so true. This is a great game! I'm amazed at such a deep rule set for such an early SS game.

I usually don't like early SS games as the sounds drive me crazy. The sound isn't stellar on Barracora but it is used wisely. There is a driving rythmic beat that gets progressively faster making your heart beat a little faster with as it builds anticipation like some impending doom is coming.

The upper rollovers at the top have two sets of lights. The top set of three cylcle right with the right flipper. The lower set of three cycle left with the left flipper. This seams like a simple thing but it takes much more concentration than you'd think. The top three when lit control the score amount in the upper left lock hole. The lower three control the score amount of the upper right target and also awards an extra ball at that target after it has been completed 3 times. The lower three can not be lit unless the the light above it is lit on the upper three. Trust me - your brain will fry as you try to quickly cycle the lights to get them all.

To light the locks you must hit the drop targets on the left and right of the machine. The left targets light the two ball multiball and the right targets light the three ball multiball. This seems easy right? Well you have to hit them in order or they reset. Yep, they reset. At least the whole bank doesn't reset but just the one you hit out of order. Each is controlled by it's own solenoid. That lock for the three ball multiball also acts as a ball save. If you have locked it in it and still haven't locked the left one then drain your ball it will kick out and you keep playing that ball.

There are two ascending rows of lights on the middle of the playfield. They both angle inward towards two targets. These lights are a multiple of 5,000 points on one side and a multiplier on the other. Each target hit raises the light one notch increasing the value. The value is scored when the ball is shot through a little upper right loop and the lights reset back to their begining values. BUT... if the lights are even (i.e. 2 on one side and 2 on the other) when you go through the loop they will stay lit for one more score through the loop before resetting.

Wow, you say, that is a lot of complex programming for that era of game. Why yes it is. BUT WAIT! There's more! If playing a multiplayer game, and the last ball drains ending the game, an old school bell starts ringing loudly as the the game counts down to give the player with the highest score 30 more seconds in a free for all three ball play! If one drains it is served back to the plunger. The excitement of getting the mode is so much fun. Almost always we forget about it and the bell starts ringing and we all turn to watch. The player with the highest scores number will be scrolling across all LCD score displays letting them know it is they who wins the final prize.

After reading all the great reviews, I was a little disappointed. I'm somebody that appreciates simplicity in pinball, and I love early to mid 80's pins. This game has a deep rule set for the era. The backglass artwork was great, the cabinet artwork was decent, and the machine was fun for a few plays. This is a fun machine that was great for it's era. However, the gameplay feels a bit dated.

Fun for it era

This game probably has the best rule set of any 80's pin I have played.
Art package is off the charts as well.
I'm hooked on Barracora and you should be to.

Lots of fun, I love the feature that makes you knock down the drop targets in order, adds a lot to the game. All about trying to lock your ball for multiball where you can get some big points. Would love to play more!

A nearly perfect game. Thank you, Roger Sharpe.

* Asymmetry: very good
* Backhands: good
* Ball Control/Hazards: good, middle post is most evil thing to avoid
* Ball Time: short
* Drops (Sweepable): in this game you shoot drops in order, so sweeps are meaningless
* Free ball: only one way to earn: the bullseye target.
* Flow/Stop n Go: very good, only the saucers hold the ball 1 second, or force a re-plunge
* Fun/Lastability: excellent
* Inlane Flow: perfect 10/10
* Lateral movement/Nudging: very good - big part of the game
* Multiball - entering: very enjoyable 2 and 3
* Multiball - enjoyment: great - lots to do, and TWO detain shots
* Orbit Shots: none, but you "can" remove the ball gate
* Originality: very good -- slight borrow from geiger
* Pop bumpers: not evil, but balanced for sure
* Scoring Balance: very good - no jackpots
* Sound/Callouts/Voice: no voice !!! (great sounds from defender, galaga, etc)
* Spinners: 1
* ThemeArt/Lights: excellent look and feel (red/blue/yellow)
* Toys/Gimmicks: excellent: 1-2-3,4-5-6 lanes, horseshoe, bullseye, drops in order. Lots to do.

Pros:
* 9 shots
* Teaches you to practice very precise end of flipper aim (the toughest shots)
* Surprisingly good flow. Especially the two-way Horseshoe shot
* Only 2 low hanging posts to punish poor aim - very playable
* Very interesting double 1-2-3 lane feature
* Gorgeous yellow/blue/red theme, legendary artwork and backglass
* Great early 80's Williams sound set. Part Galaga, part Defender, part Barracora

Cons:
* No skill shot (typical of most early SS games)
* No voice, no callouts

Barracora is a game that I only got to know recently. I have learned to respect this game highly from that opportunity.....

The Pros:
Simple but not easy would be my description of the ruleset. This game shares a double layered lane change feature that I don't remember seeing in other games. Cosmic Gunfighter is the closest game to this one regarding the left/right lane changes with the flippers. This game is about multiball and bonus. The center PF shots require skill to hit, but can lead to outlane drains quite easily. Drops that must be hit in order on both sides of the PF require your aim to be on target. The artwork is vibrant and Brooke Shields never looked so good with fish growing out of her ears.

The Cons:
I can't really think of any. This is a damn fine game. Barry Oursler 1981-1986 consistently made KILLER pinball games.

The Takeaway:
A pure 80's pinball experience very much like playing a nicely setup Firepower. Do not under estimate this game, it's a man eating monster wrapped in a great art package... kind of like Brooke Shields.

Update:
More time on this game leads to the subleties of the 1-2-3 / 4-5-6 lane change rules. Setting up your 3 ball multiball takes a bit of planning, but is well worth it. Once you know how to do this... build your bonus and collect it from the upper saucer. Rinse and repeat. Righteous!

Update #2:
If you lock your ball in the upper arch saucer, it kicks out when you drain. EXTRA BALL, and you didn't even know about it. I'm curious to know if this is something that can be adjusted in the software settings or not. If not, this game provides a serious advantage to those familiar with the ruleset and can execute the shot. Scores reduced slightly.

Update #3:
Now that I have finally acquired a copy of this deck I am putting some real miles into it. First thing I have to pay attention to is the Artwork. Doug Watson must have been reading a lot of Heavy Metal when he did this art pax. Between Moebius and Geiger, this game is absolutely stunning all over. But the real surprise for me has come from the gameplay. First things first. The geometry off the lower 60 percent of the PF is designed to do one thing. Put the ball in danger of heading out towards the hungry-hungry Hippo-Oursler (tm) outlanes. You NEED to make the shots to the standups and the drops and all of those shots are going to send the ball to the sides or arcing side to side across the PF and out. The building and collecting of the dual bonus shots require long, short, angles and tight shots. Getting the ball all the way up into the upper lock to collect bonus is always satisfying and as you have seen from other reviews I have done, build and collect is one of my favorite ways to play pinball. One thing that has become apparent with this deck is the lack of any scoring benefit for multiball. A 2x or a 3x PF multiplier would have been most righteous with this game. There is safety in numbers, so to speak, but considering the importance of accurate and sniper like shooting that needs to take place on this game's 15 shots for this deck to sing... it is disappointing to know that the chaos of multiball has such little value in this otherwise most awesome game.

This game is up there with Solar Fire, Warlok and Defender in my book.

Update #4:
There is an updated ROM out there that doubles PF scores with 2 ball multiball and trebles it with I noticed some shots were scoring more than 3x and thenI tool a look at the game's manual and on the very past page... page 26 was this note:

"Scores for switches 09 (BARRACORA lane rollover), 11 (Lower Eject hole) and 33 (Upper right bullseye standup) are doubled and tripled during 2-ball and 3-ball play." This also seems to work for the switches that score bonus and the horse shoe stand-up collect.

With the addition of the PF multiplier, this means these shots are 4x (2 ball) and 9x during (3 ball) multiball play! all 3 balls on the table. This changes the game completely and makes it a multball orgy of point multipliers! It may be unbalancing, but hey, it's multiball and if you can rock this table in a controlled manner and in multiball play. Do it! The strategy/skill requirements on this game just jumped up another level. Ratings scores updated accordingly. PM me for more info on the updated ROM.

Is it just me, or does Brooke Shields have a massive schnozzola on the BG?!? I can't un-see it now. Almost as bad as Doug Watson's "floundered" Indiana Jones BG portrait.