I was hopeful you guys could help me out. I've been trying to decide on my next pin, and had pretty much made up my mind that I wanted a LOTR. I'd be happy with the regular model, but really wanted the limited edition. Well, I made the mistake of discussing my plans with the wife. When she heard the price - she put the brakes on that idea. Plus, my daughter thinks it's 'creepy' - so that was another strike against it.

So I'm asking for sugestions - what would be a close substitute? I want a newer DMD, with a pretty deep rule-set and decent ball times. I really liked all the 'stuff' that LOTR had - it's a pretty complicated playfield and that appealed to me as well. I also liked the theme - but seems I'm the only one in the family that does. I'm guessing SM and IM will be on the short list. I've played both, and they are fun - leaning towards SM over IM. Any other suggestions?

The Simpsons Pinball Party will give you an experience just as deep with a far more lighthearted theme. There are modes in TSPP that I'll probably never see because the game is so ridiculously deep. It's a great playing game, and I can safely recommend that.

I have it next to my Lord of the Rings. Both are great games.

Since you live so far away, I would recommend SM over IM. (if you were closer you would be in competition with me to buy one!!!)

It seems like IM is a harder pin to play with short ball times. That perception could be my talent level though.

They are both great pins. Some peeps really like POTC and TSPP, too....

It would help to know what your budget is, SK.

Spider-Man is also a great pick, and I would definitely recommend it over Iron Man. It's more of a flow/combo game than Lord of the Rings, whereas TSPP is a lot more like LOTR.

All of the games being mentioned are about the same price. Your wife won't like the $$$$$ on those either

Well, they're lower than the LE version of LOTR. But yeah, they're all higher value games.

For about half the price of LOTR you could get a Shadow, White Water, BSD. For around $2500 you could get a decent STTNG. White Water would probably be the best choice if your daughters will be playing.

If your the only player in your house and you like LOTR why not buy LOTR?

it'll be easier to find than spiderman too.

Wow - 4 replies in 2 minutes. You guys here at Pinside are AWESOME!

gweempose said:

It would help to know what your budget is, SK.

I'd like to get something around $2,000 - give or take a few hundred. I'm also probably going to sell (or trade) my High Speed to make room - so that 2,000 may work out to be around 3,500 in total. ...should be able to get a nice SM for that right?

Regarding TSPP, I just can't get past the theme. Forgive me, but I'm not a Simpson's fan. I just never got into it, and so a lot of the humor/fun would be lost on me. Honestly, I'm such an 'old school' pinhead that buying a licensed pin doesn't really sit well with me. Of course, I realize there aren't many options otherwise. The kids liked the spiderman moves...but I'm guessing it wouldn't be something I'd want to keep forever.

I dunno...the more I think about it, the more I wish I could start my own secret slush fund, and just pull the trigger on LOTR. ...but I'm too afraid to suffer the wrath of the wife.

The pin will end up being played 95% by you, get what YOU want.

Get the wife and daughter matching sewing machines...

What price range does the wife like? That makes all the difference in what games you can get. Spidey and Ironman aren't cheap games...

SunKing said:

I dunno...the more I think about it, the more I wish I could start my own secret slush fund, and just pull the trigger on LOTR. ...but I'm too afraid to suffer the wrath of the wife.

I think most of us are in the position where if our wives knew how much we actually have invested in all these pins, the divorce papers would have already been served.

If you have a $2,000 budget, there are a lot of great pins you can afford such as TS, BSD, JM, etc... They won't be nearlty as deep as LOTR, but they are still really fun. You can probably rule out BSD if LOTR was too "creepy". Maybe something like WCS94 would be a good fit for your family? PZ is another great family game that you can grab for relatively cheap. Then you can put the extra money you save into a fund for YOUR next pin.

I am gonna say White Water or Fish Tales.

SunKing said:

- so that 2,000 may work out to be around 3,500 in total. ...should be able to get a nice SM for that right?

You can get an original LOTR for less then SM.

LOTR is a great pin and don't think the LE really adds much apart from shaker. Also it does not have the figures and back glass not as nice.

So go for a regular LOTR

My wife thinks all my pins are too noisy so may as well get what I like!

tomdotcom said:

The pin will end up being played 95% by you, get what YOU want.
Get the wife and daughter matching sewing machines...

LOL - a great idea! Of course, my wife wouldn't know a sewing machine if it bit her.

gweempose said:

You can probably rule out BDS if LOTR was too "creepy". Maybe something like WCS94 would be a good fit for your family?

Indeed - BSD is out of the question. I saw that move, and it even gives me the creeps thinking about it. The daughter would love WCS94, but ....heck, I'm not buying this for her (she hardly plays at all). But the pins are the family game room...so ...

smassa said:

For around $2500 you could get a decent STTNG. White Water would probably be the best choice if your daughters will be playing.

Both good suggestions, and I've played (and enjoyed) both. Might consider STTNG... Jonny, my fellow Houstonian, have you sold yours yet?

SunKing said:

White Water would probably be the best choice if your daughters will be playing.

good luck finding that one. I've been locking for 6+ months

Shapeshifter said:

So go for a regular LOTR
My wife thinks all my pins are too noisy so may as well get what I like!

You're right. The more I think about it...the more I know that I won't be happy if I settle for less than what I want. ....hmmmm, I guess I'll have to start that slush fund afterall.

TZBen said:

good luck finding that one. I've been locking for 6+ months

I know of one that sold for just over 2k here in San Diego

TZBen.....had you considered selling your STTNG or is that a keeper?

SunKing said:

I guess I'll have to start that slush fund afterall.

<----------------- SLUSH FUND MASTER

SunKing said:

Indeed - BSD is out of the question. I saw that move, and it even gives me the creeps thinking about it. The daughter would love WCS94, but ....heck, I'm not buying this for her (she hardly plays at all). But the pins are the family game room...so ...

If it is a family pin you want what about RBION? It is fun!

Flintstones! I want one...good family theme too....

emo said:

If it is a family pin you want what about RBION? It is fun!

You may be onto something here. How deep is the rule-set?

Here's some irony - my daughter has just been reading some of the RBION books, so I know she'd like it - but to me, a shrunken head on the playfield is WAAAY more creepy than a pic of Gollum on the backglass.

tomdotcom said:

Flintstones! I want one...good family theme too....

I played it, but wasn't really impressed. Perhaps I just didn't give it enough time - but then again - the theme kills it for me. If it were the original cartoon I might consider, but John Goodman - no thanks.

pinheadpuckguy said:

I am gonna say White Water or Fish Tales.

Fish Tales is another good suggestion - thanks! I haven' played it, but have heard lots of praise.

Yea if you like LOTR they are easier to find and a bit cheaper than SM so you may as well go for that if it is what you truly want. I love SM but it is a much different game than LOTR. If you get LOTR and your kids don't like it you can simply see which they like and that can be a future pin.

Other fun games that the whole family may like would be WH20, TSPP, & TOTAN. Good luck on your search.

You only live once man, if you want a LOTR buy a LOTR. Hide it somewhere from the missus

I love Fishtales, but it's not deep by any means...will probably never sell mine...

tomdotcom said:

I love Fishtales ...

Ditto!

TheDude said:

Hide it somewhere from the missus [:D]

I did that,after 2 weeks I got caught.LOL

SM is a great game,but it will be more than $2000.LOTR will most likely be cheaper if you can convince the family.

tomdotcom said:

I love Fishtales, but it's not deep by any means...will probably never sell mine...

Mine didn't last too long in my collection. I enjoyed it, but there was just something about it that made it incredibly easy for me. It's weird how some games are like that. Family Guy/Shrek is another one. I love the game, but I can sit on it for an hour without a problem and blow through the modes.

For some dang reason I still can't get to Lost in the Zone, however...

Do not try ti decide a title and then try and find it. Never works. It is easier to just start looking far any machine and find a deal and keep trading up from there. Every machine I buy I tell the wife I can sell it and be ahead and that is the plan. I seem to have a problem with the last half of the plan.

I would just look for a deal and go with that. It is harder for me to find pins here though.

I prefer the standard LOTR over the LE.

I got news for you, "the wife" never understands.

Nike says just do it.

SunKing said:

You may be onto something here. How deep is the rule-set?

It has a well thought out rule set and is one of the deeper Sterns. I can't think of anything better that hasn't been mentioned already.

jar155 said:

but there was just something about it that made it incredibly easy for me.

If you can hit the lock shot consistently then you can get Super Jackpots all day long. Maybe you could have changed the drop target setting to hard. I have managed to get to Super Jackpot twice in one game a few times..

Fishtales isn't my favourite game ever, but I just love the simplicity of it, kind of like BSD. BSD isn't deep at all, but I love the challenge of getting all 3 multiballs going.

SunKing said:

You may be onto something here. How deep is the rule-set?
Here's some irony - my daughter has just been reading some of the RBION books, so I know she'd like it - but to me, a shrunken head on the playfield is WAAAY more creepy than a pic of Gollum on the backglass.

I would go with spiderman. But if your looking for a newer game at a great price I agree with EMO, check out Ripley's by Stern. It is a very under rated game in my opinion. Great rules, very deep you need to visit all the continents and collect Ripley's letters. Visiting all the continents is a mini wizard mode. To complete the game, the continents have to be completed to get letters to get to the wizard mode. There are cool references to Pat Lawlor's other games in the sounds. The head is not very creepy, has a cool accent when he talks. Best part it can be had for under 2k. This is kinda Stern's Twilight Zone at a much cheaper price. For what a SM or IM would cost you might be able to get two pins for the same money. Pair it with Shadow or Fish Tails or Johnny Mnemonic. I was fortunate enough to get a Home use only one for just over 2k from one of the members here. Good luck with LOTR though fantastic game and uber deep!

The_Dude_Abides said:

Yea if you like LOTR they are easier to find and a bit cheaper than SM so you may as well go for that if it is what you truly want.

TheDude said:

You only live once man, if you want a LOTR buy a LOTR.

The Dude(s) have spoken!

What about re-sale value? I'd like to belive that a LOTR Limited Edition might hold it's value, or even appreciate a bit more in 5 to 10 years than a SM, IM or something else. It did win an Oscar for best picture, and only 500 were made. ...am I reaching for straws here?

SunKing said:

What about re-sale value? I'd like to belive that a LOTR Limited Edition might hold it's value, or even appreciate a bit more in 5 to 10 years than a SM, IM or something else.

Unfortunately that has not been the case with the LOTR LE which is why typically you can find them NIB for less than a NIB regular SM. But it's not going to tank in value either. It sounds like you love the game so the great enjoyment you would have during owning it would probably out weigh any loss in monetary value.

smassa said:

TZBen.....had you considered selling your STTNG or is that a keeper?

I like it. so far their all keepers for me, I have yet to sell anything.

smassa said:

I know of one that sold for just over 2k here in San Diego

? was it a private sale? I only see what shows up on craigslist and I'm addicted to looking (like 4 times a day) even when i'm not planning on buying.

I think it was sold by area amusements in San Marcos.

Hey,

Not a super-helpful hint, but you could try finding a pin in the $2,000 price range with a theme that will horribly offend your wife. I'm thinking a World Poker Tour with one of the X-rated translites? Eventually, she'll practically beg you to get rid of the thing and utter the magic words, "I don't care what else you get; just get rid of that thing!" And you've got your Lord of the Rings.

In all seriousness, I'm REALLY pleased with my Shadow. Can still get 'em pretty cheap, too.

Luke

The_Dude_Abides said:

Unfortunately that has not been the case with the LOTR LE which is why typically you can find them NIB for less than a NIB regular SM. But it's not going to tank in value either. It sounds like you love the game so the great enjoyment you would have during owning it would probably out weigh any loss in monetary value.

Probably because the regular version is in some ways better!

A wise man once said, "It is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission."

gweempose said:

I think most of us are in the position where if our wives knew how much we actually have invested in all these pins

Looks like I'm in an extreme minority. My woman wants a MM, and I want to settle halfway with a CV to avoid going broke more.

Of course at the same time she doesn't want me buying another pin this year because I don't take her out to eat as much when I'm paying off a pin.

SunKing said:

Fish Tales is another good suggestion - thanks! I haven' played it, but have heard lots of praise

i find this game to get old fast. the fun factor is always there..catching fish..fish lies, monster fish, rock the boat. i just get tired of the same ball lock shot, and the ramps, then left outer lane shot.

i love fishing, but this game doesn't have a 'lasting' fun factor to me. my buddy had a mint FT we played the hell out of, maybe i've played this game too much.

i'd get SM myself..if you can find a well used spidey for 2g..that would be a score

Thanks for the help everyone - it's very much appreciated. I'm tempted to follow shock_me's advice

shock_me said:

A wise man once said, "It is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission."

...but will probably try to find a regular version as opposed to the LE to save a few $$'s.

<----------------- SLUSH FUND MASTER

Ha!
I guess that makes me a,
<----------------- SLUSH PUPPIE MASTER

It's just SOooo refreshing!

As for the thread,
The LE is worth every penny IMO... (Harder/faster PF, better BG, shaker already coded, Gomez's sweet signature...)
Customization is more fun that way too. (choosing your figures/characters.)

TZBen said:

SunKing said:

White Water would probably be the best choice if your daughters will be playing.

good luck finding that one. I've been locking for 6+ months

Yeah, don't get a WH20! I'm in the same boat as TZben. Months of passing up other pins on my wishlist just hoping that I can find a WH20 eventually.

smassa said:

You can get an original LOTR for less then SM.

Correct, I've looked at prices online recently for the past 2 years and SM is up and LOTR is down.
I want a SM more than any other Stern game, the price has to be right though.
Get what you want!