Bally
Black Rose Pinside Rating
This game received 297 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.689 /10
Black Rose
Score breakdown
Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:
Game Design: 7.714
Artwork: 7.759
Sounds/Music: 7.064
Other Aspects: 7.814
Pinside staff rating
This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 8 of us have rated this game.
Found 145 ratings (with comment) on this game
There are 145 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 2 of 6.
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7.752/10
3 years ago
Williamston, MI
Black Rose is a good game, especially for 1992. 2 distinctive ramps, with one going around behind the back of the playfield. A third ramp on the upper left raises, similar to BSD to expose a scoop leading to a subway which loads the cannon. This game has fairly simple code, and really is mostly about the cannon shot up the middle to sink ships. The cannon is a cool toy, and works well when dialed in. Not the smoothest shooter I’ve played, but the design is good, the theme is well-realized and it’s a challenge to sink several ships. Very different from potc, but a fun early dmd pin in its own right.
8.440/10
3 years ago
Black rose has TONS of charm. The theme, cannon, and behind the backboard shot are all quite fun. This would look great next to a stern potc and JJP POTC. For a Bally dmd, the price is great. The value is definitely there.
Garmisch-partenkirchen
7.079/10
3 years ago
Brisbane
All my reviews are going to follow a simple formula for those reading.
Number of shots to make - Pro's - Con's - Must Have Mods - What To Look For When Buying
Number of shots - 7 - above average
Pro's:
* Theme tie in is quite good
* Cannon is placed in a unique spot compared to other games with cannons
* Shooting around behind the backboard is a fun shot
* Short sharp video modes make good use of the fire button
Cons:
* Destroying a ship is the most valuable shot so scoring is imbalanced
* Even with a level cannon, ball travel can be erratic
* Very easy to get an extra ball each ball
* Quite simple rules, seems more like a system 11
* No skill shot
Must Have Mods: (Note I will not include things like LED's, Color DMD, Invisiglass or Speaker Upgrades unless it's really badly needed)
* Saw a shooter rod that looked like a sword and that was impressive
* Fire leds in the backbox
What To Look For When Buying
* Cannon plastic casing nearly always broken and very hard to find a replacement
* Wear around the cannon and where the ball drops from the habit trail common
* Ramps are pretty much unobtainable so make sure they are not broken
* Also look for wear around Davey Jones locker
Number of shots to make - Pro's - Con's - Must Have Mods - What To Look For When Buying
Number of shots - 7 - above average
Pro's:
* Theme tie in is quite good
* Cannon is placed in a unique spot compared to other games with cannons
* Shooting around behind the backboard is a fun shot
* Short sharp video modes make good use of the fire button
Cons:
* Destroying a ship is the most valuable shot so scoring is imbalanced
* Even with a level cannon, ball travel can be erratic
* Very easy to get an extra ball each ball
* Quite simple rules, seems more like a system 11
* No skill shot
Must Have Mods: (Note I will not include things like LED's, Color DMD, Invisiglass or Speaker Upgrades unless it's really badly needed)
* Saw a shooter rod that looked like a sword and that was impressive
* Fire leds in the backbox
What To Look For When Buying
* Cannon plastic casing nearly always broken and very hard to find a replacement
* Wear around the cannon and where the ball drops from the habit trail common
* Ramps are pretty much unobtainable so make sure they are not broken
* Also look for wear around Davey Jones locker
8.352/10
4 years ago
I've had the machine about 4 weeks now. So far it's been a go to for any visitors not to mention i've played it a ton.
This game does not play near as well in the wild as it needs to have the cannon properly working, flat as possible, etc. so you'll be pleasantly surprised with how great it plays when dialed in at home.
typical recommended upgrades add a lot to it (color dmd, LED lighting, etc). This one really shines with pinsound as far as feeling updated. (My rating is based on pinsound installed) Added a little thicker post rubbers as this thing loves to drain down the sides.
As far as play, it is really fun. Rules aren't complex but there are many things to do. The davy jones shot to load the cannon can sometimes be tough to hit from the upper flipper but maybe i'm just no good. Sinking a ship is always satisfying and I'm glad it tracks the highest number so there is a target i'm always trying to beat. As far as a first/only pin, it would probably be ok especially if upgraded nicely. Plus it doesn't break the bank so pin #2 is probably right around the corner.
Update: Added Pinsound and it is so good for this game. i like it so much i created a soundtrack using music from others but i added better explosions, cannon fire and other effects and posted on the pinsound community.
still enjoying the game a bunch. Pinsound makes it shine. Speakers are decent enough you don't need to upgrade, may only want to add a sub.
This game does not play near as well in the wild as it needs to have the cannon properly working, flat as possible, etc. so you'll be pleasantly surprised with how great it plays when dialed in at home.
typical recommended upgrades add a lot to it (color dmd, LED lighting, etc). This one really shines with pinsound as far as feeling updated. (My rating is based on pinsound installed) Added a little thicker post rubbers as this thing loves to drain down the sides.
As far as play, it is really fun. Rules aren't complex but there are many things to do. The davy jones shot to load the cannon can sometimes be tough to hit from the upper flipper but maybe i'm just no good. Sinking a ship is always satisfying and I'm glad it tracks the highest number so there is a target i'm always trying to beat. As far as a first/only pin, it would probably be ok especially if upgraded nicely. Plus it doesn't break the bank so pin #2 is probably right around the corner.
Update: Added Pinsound and it is so good for this game. i like it so much i created a soundtrack using music from others but i added better explosions, cannon fire and other effects and posted on the pinsound community.
still enjoying the game a bunch. Pinsound makes it shine. Speakers are decent enough you don't need to upgrade, may only want to add a sub.
9.380/10
4 years ago
Happened upon this game at a bar just down the street from Pacific Pinball Museum. Hadn't seen it before but after just a few rounds I'm completely hooked. Though the cannon shot is an easy one to return over and over there's enough incentive to play the board – and animations keeping things fun. Swim for shore!
6.462/10
4 years ago
Glasgow
Distinctly average game, nice backglass and cabinet. Just felt repetitive, with the cannon being interesting at first then boring, disappointed, I thought I would like it better than this. Hate saying it, but Stern's Pirates is a better game, would love to play JJP POTC.
Χαλκίδα
5.603/10
5 years ago
Malmö
This game sure looks great and is an eyecatcher in any lineup due to the cool pirate theme. Not many DMD games show this great combination of cabinet sideart, backbox and backglass that ties in with the general theme. Both music and call outs are also well integrated with this motive. As far as game play and playfield design goes- this is unfortunately a one (or maybe three-) trick pony.
There isnt really too much variety to the shots here and even the center attraction gimmick, the firing cannon, cannot change this impression. On top of that, the look of the playfield is totally dominated, I say destroyed, by a weird-looking habitrail that goes center from top to bottom, right over the flippers. This could have been done so much better.
For me personally the video modes on Black Rose dont benefit the playability at all, instead they create strange stops in what I want to be fast and furious action on the playfield- which is the reason I steered to a "pirate" pinball in the first place.
So even if this is not a total dud, it certainly comes across as a little underwhelming once you look past the awesome exterior of this admittingly beautiful game.
There isnt really too much variety to the shots here and even the center attraction gimmick, the firing cannon, cannot change this impression. On top of that, the look of the playfield is totally dominated, I say destroyed, by a weird-looking habitrail that goes center from top to bottom, right over the flippers. This could have been done so much better.
For me personally the video modes on Black Rose dont benefit the playability at all, instead they create strange stops in what I want to be fast and furious action on the playfield- which is the reason I steered to a "pirate" pinball in the first place.
So even if this is not a total dud, it certainly comes across as a little underwhelming once you look past the awesome exterior of this admittingly beautiful game.
10.000/10
5 years ago
Black Rose is definately a sleeper pin and I'm absolutely shocked that this pin isn't rated higher. I mean come on it has everything a boy and man can dream of. Being a pirate on the open seas, knife throwing, walking the plank, firing a cannon!!! This is one pinball machine I'll never get rid of and I'm in the process of having every single piece of metal done in gold before I re decal this machine!!! If you've never played it in person you wouldn't understand as I didn't either. Once I played it I cannot stop coming back for more and more!!!! Long live Black Rose!!!!
Vantaa
9.740/10
6 years ago
Of course it’s man against machine with quick smooth geometry nice complete story gets told through all presented go own one
7.402/10
6 years ago
I was really impressed by this game and like the rampsthe most. The cannon is very cool too but is hard to get... unlike Big Guns where you can fire a ball through the air with a lot less work.
I love a good pirate theme and this table delivers! Reminds me a lot of my smartphone app Pinball collection HD “pirates”. I didn’t get as much time on this table as I would like so I don’t know if the layout gets old. It is a very fun game in my opinion, and if it wasn’t a dot matrix $3k+ machine, I’d be more serious about trying to track one down.
I love a good pirate theme and this table delivers! Reminds me a lot of my smartphone app Pinball collection HD “pirates”. I didn’t get as much time on this table as I would like so I don’t know if the layout gets old. It is a very fun game in my opinion, and if it wasn’t a dot matrix $3k+ machine, I’d be more serious about trying to track one down.
8.620/10
6 years ago
We have had Black Rose at the house for close to a year now. Everyone seems to enjoy playing it and it does have some good shots, the whirlpool ramp is a blast to shoot both left ramps are challenging and the upper left is fun to loop. The cannon and resulting sword down the middle of the play field fit the theme really well. If I were to knock the table it would be mainly for the pretty shallow rule set and the seemingly lack of importance of the standup targets that are spread across the play field. So while it doesn't have the deepest rule set around it is still a fun pin that has that one more game appeal to it, but if I could only have one or two pins in the house I could see it becoming old pretty quickly.
8.676/10
6 years ago
I find this a very fun game that can be played by anyone. It's highly satisfying hitting that broadside and also Davy Jones Locker.... Cannon adds a lot of fun as well. Glad I bought it.
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