Bally
Mata Hari Pinside Rating
This game received 115 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.404 /10
Mata Hari
Score breakdown
Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:
Game Design: 7.315
Artwork: 8.186
Sounds/Music: 4.909
Other Aspects: 7.434
Pinside staff rating
This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 3 of us have rated this game.
Found 65 ratings (with comment) on this game
There are 65 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 3.
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8.201/10
10 months ago
Middleburg Heights, OH
One of my favorite late 70s games. I love the chimes used keep the EM feel in the SS version. Playfield is tough and any shot can backfire down the middle. Lack of control makes for a very quick, low scoring game... however with a few games and finding the shots, the game is great fun! Only thing this game is really lacking is spinners.
8.331/10
1 year ago
I have been shopping a machine and have gotten to play quite a few games. This is a fast game and the key is making the saucer shots and hitting the drop targets. After rebuilding all the pop bumpers the speed at which the ball zips around had increased. The A B shots are really tough to make ! I love the old chimes and have learned quite a bit working on the early solid state boards.
7.696/10
2 years ago
I enjoy playing the early Bally/Stern solid states.
Mata Hari lags behind some of the other titles of that era for me. I find it to just be too. . . symmetrical. I understand there is a loop shot to be had with the outside lanes but I feel like I'm missing something with both sides being identical. My love for spinners is unfulfilled with MH. . . because there are none.
I will give Mata Hari credit for beautiful artwork and there is definitely focus and concentration needed to play the game successfully. Sounds are typical of the era -- nothing to get excited about but nothing to complain about either.
I'd probably to put a few games in at a show or on location vs. owning this title. . . unless someone can add a couple spinners to the playfield for me. :)
Mata Hari lags behind some of the other titles of that era for me. I find it to just be too. . . symmetrical. I understand there is a loop shot to be had with the outside lanes but I feel like I'm missing something with both sides being identical. My love for spinners is unfulfilled with MH. . . because there are none.
I will give Mata Hari credit for beautiful artwork and there is definitely focus and concentration needed to play the game successfully. Sounds are typical of the era -- nothing to get excited about but nothing to complain about either.
I'd probably to put a few games in at a show or on location vs. owning this title. . . unless someone can add a couple spinners to the playfield for me. :)
Swansea
Mundare, AB
9.385/10
2 years ago
The first time I played Mata Hari I was hooked. The playfield designed is very symmetrical and balanced. With two sets of drop targets and the kick out hole dead centered makes this a very fun game... Even though the majority of the action is in the mid upper playfield, don't be fooled as this is a fast table to play... What's also cool, MH has chimes and the sound takes you back to the vintage 70's arcade... I highly recommend MH, its a very fun challenging pin to play and keeps you wanting to play more! Which is a sign of a good pin! The more I play this pin, the more I like it...
7.651/10
2 years ago
A fun game if set up well. The top saucer can be drain monster if not adjusted properly. Beautiful BG and PF.
5.801/10
2 years ago
Mata Hari. I feel this game is great for someone that wants the charm of an EM without the maintenance. Game is slow but fun. I don't love it, but can still be a joy to play.
7.656/10
3 years ago
Oh Mata Hari you devilish temptress, I have no secrets to give, but you can have every quarter in my pocket. I am powerless to your charms and my change is yours.
I purchased this table a couple weeks ago and have become rather smitten with it. The playfield is symmetrical and layout mimics the shape of the German eagle depicted at the top center. Two banks of drop targets give the player something to shoot at and the side lanes run along the rail on both sides with the all critical A and B switches needed to advance their value toward extra ball. In the tip center is a kickout that advances the bonus multiplier and if set up by a stingy operator, fires the ball sdtm every time! What this game has in spades though is FLOW. When you get into a groove with this table, it just works. The objectives are easy to understand and easy to almost get, but yet she usually leaves one reaching for another quarter to "get it this time"
What really sets this game apart from her peers though, is the art package! Prodigious use of red, black and gold accents give it a rich luxurious feel with a dangerous edge. The depiction of our femme fatale on the glass is lovely, although a little strange about her midsection, like an extra crease or roll that seems different from how an actual woman would bend there. That critique aside however, it is the star of whatever game room it's in. The playfield art is intricate and well matched to the alluring backglass. All in all a very enticing package, sexy without looking trashy or coming across as overly racy. The sounds leave some to be desired but are a step up from ordinary chimes as the cpu fires the chime box in rapid sequences and even music.. Still, I wonder what a more modern sound board like the "squawk n talk" would have been like in Mata Hari, perhaps giving her voice.
Overall I would highly recommend MH to anyone looking for a game, especially as a first game. Fast paced enough to be a keeper but not overly complex to maintain. Indeed, the supply of parts is excellent for this title, having sold 16000+ copies when new. This large production makes it easy enough to find too. But if you're buying, you'll probably have to wait for the estate sale for mine.
I purchased this table a couple weeks ago and have become rather smitten with it. The playfield is symmetrical and layout mimics the shape of the German eagle depicted at the top center. Two banks of drop targets give the player something to shoot at and the side lanes run along the rail on both sides with the all critical A and B switches needed to advance their value toward extra ball. In the tip center is a kickout that advances the bonus multiplier and if set up by a stingy operator, fires the ball sdtm every time! What this game has in spades though is FLOW. When you get into a groove with this table, it just works. The objectives are easy to understand and easy to almost get, but yet she usually leaves one reaching for another quarter to "get it this time"
What really sets this game apart from her peers though, is the art package! Prodigious use of red, black and gold accents give it a rich luxurious feel with a dangerous edge. The depiction of our femme fatale on the glass is lovely, although a little strange about her midsection, like an extra crease or roll that seems different from how an actual woman would bend there. That critique aside however, it is the star of whatever game room it's in. The playfield art is intricate and well matched to the alluring backglass. All in all a very enticing package, sexy without looking trashy or coming across as overly racy. The sounds leave some to be desired but are a step up from ordinary chimes as the cpu fires the chime box in rapid sequences and even music.. Still, I wonder what a more modern sound board like the "squawk n talk" would have been like in Mata Hari, perhaps giving her voice.
Overall I would highly recommend MH to anyone looking for a game, especially as a first game. Fast paced enough to be a keeper but not overly complex to maintain. Indeed, the supply of parts is excellent for this title, having sold 16000+ copies when new. This large production makes it easy enough to find too. But if you're buying, you'll probably have to wait for the estate sale for mine.
8.252/10
3 years ago
Mata Hari is a fast, fun game. Owned several and enjoyed it every time I had it up and going.
Backglass is the pinnacle of design. I now own the EM version of the glass to see more of the Mad Dog artwork.
Symmetrical layout adds to the game flow. The crossover chimes in an electronic game make it a bit more fun.
Was a cheap entry game, but now tougher to find. I would say that one of these belongs in a larger collection.
Backglass is the pinnacle of design. I now own the EM version of the glass to see more of the Mad Dog artwork.
Symmetrical layout adds to the game flow. The crossover chimes in an electronic game make it a bit more fun.
Was a cheap entry game, but now tougher to find. I would say that one of these belongs in a larger collection.
7.210/10
3 years ago
I have the SS version, beautiful art work on the backglass and playfield. Love the chimes when first starting up a game. Have just about re-built this one from scratch, but this one will NOT leave my collection. (Labor of love - several pinsiders helped me when first starting and will not forget those)
6.800/10
3 years ago
Great example of an early 80s mirrored PF game. The artwork is GREAT, and it's just plain fun to play. If you come across the EM version, find a way to buy it.
8.790/10
3 years ago
Spent some time with my Mata Hari and got it restored and playing really well. I love the symmetrical layout and wide open center of the game for that top saucer to shoot that ball back at you. Getting the A/B lanes in one bit loop is really fun, as is knocking down drop targets all day. I wish it had bonus mulitpliers for getting a bank in order (like Fathom) to add more excitement. The art (both backglass, playfield, plastics) is beautiful and this is one of the most beautiful pins I've ever seen. I'm likely going to keep it just as an art piece and the theme has such great history behind it (Mata Hari was a Nazi spy).
5.563/10
4 years ago
a classic style Bally solid state (with the exception of the 170 EM's) Many of the more senior Pinheads remember this game & are fond of it but by todays standards it feels antiquated
7.706/10
4 years ago
This one was one of my favorite choices in college (which dates me.) This is another good example of "classic" pinball! The field is somewhat simplistic compared to the newer designs but, much like wooden vs metal roller coasters) this one will appeal to "classic pinball" enthusiasts and beginners. It's a good one to hone your skills on and the graphics are pretty darn good compared to others of it's era.
7.955/10
4 years ago
Fun machine, one of the better parallel playfield layouts, knocking all the targets down is great. Theme is decent and the early SS chimes are awesome. Enjoy having one in my collection for now and is very popular with friends when they come over!
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