Bally
Cirqus Voltaire Pinside Rating
This game received 700 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 8.392 /10
Cirqus Voltaire
Score breakdown
Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:
Game Design: 8.398
Artwork: 8.738
Sounds/Music: 7.796
Other Aspects: 8.356
Pinside staff rating
This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 9 of us have rated this game.
Found 363 ratings (with comment) on this game
There are 363 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 3 of 15.
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Padova
Saint Albans Town, VT
6.083/10
4 years ago
Margaretting
Ever been out with a girl who was really hot but boring as hell?
Well that sums up this game perfectly, gorgeous looking but absolutely no personality.
I owned it for a few months and honestly couldn’t wait to get rid of it. Some nice ideas with the pop up pop bumper and high wire physical ball lock.
Something about the game just feels cheap and unfinished, like they blew the budget on cosmetic features like the art and neon light bulb.
For example the cheap plastic bash ball inside the wireform feels like an after thought that they just chucked in there and the way the ball magnetises to the top of the ringmasters head but then just flops back onto the Playfield.
It also shoots funny, the layout is weird the shots and angles strange and they don’t really even feel good when you make them.
Style over substance you could say I suppose.
I’ve owned TOM and played TOTAN to death and love them both so I’ve got nothing against J Pop games, I just can’t warm to this one.
Well that sums up this game perfectly, gorgeous looking but absolutely no personality.
I owned it for a few months and honestly couldn’t wait to get rid of it. Some nice ideas with the pop up pop bumper and high wire physical ball lock.
Something about the game just feels cheap and unfinished, like they blew the budget on cosmetic features like the art and neon light bulb.
For example the cheap plastic bash ball inside the wireform feels like an after thought that they just chucked in there and the way the ball magnetises to the top of the ringmasters head but then just flops back onto the Playfield.
It also shoots funny, the layout is weird the shots and angles strange and they don’t really even feel good when you make them.
Style over substance you could say I suppose.
I’ve owned TOM and played TOTAN to death and love them both so I’ve got nothing against J Pop games, I just can’t warm to this one.
8.396/10
4 years ago
This was at the top of the list for my must have pins. Amazingly, a fully restored version popped up for sale just down the road from me and I was able to pick it up.
My wife and I could not stop playing it for the first few days but we quickly found ourselves going back to our other games. Having wanted this game so badly we were surprised. The reason, the beautiful artwork and playfield over shadowed the game play. Yes, it plays well, but not as well as it should for the price this game demands. The acrobats shot/ramp is smooth and a blast when you hit it but hitting it is near impossible, even with lots of practice and this needs to be done to complete certain game modes.
I’m really glad I was able to acquire this game and a pristine example of it, but it stayed in my collection for less than a year.
My wife and I could not stop playing it for the first few days but we quickly found ourselves going back to our other games. Having wanted this game so badly we were surprised. The reason, the beautiful artwork and playfield over shadowed the game play. Yes, it plays well, but not as well as it should for the price this game demands. The acrobats shot/ramp is smooth and a blast when you hit it but hitting it is near impossible, even with lots of practice and this needs to be done to complete certain game modes.
I’m really glad I was able to acquire this game and a pristine example of it, but it stayed in my collection for less than a year.
8.035/10
4 years ago
This game is uber cool but the ringmaster gimmick wore thin fast. First time he popped up it was a blast. By the third time in the same game It felt super repetitive. Same problem I have with MM Casstle. It should be more difficult to get the RM up and then require defeating the other acts to fight him. Make him feel like a well earned reward not a jack in the box with a weak hinge. Game is beautiful though.
9.014/10
4 years ago
A few months ago this pin vanished from the local barcade.
Devastated.
Great theme. Over the top art and that ball...
Devastated.
Great theme. Over the top art and that ball...
6.271/10
4 years ago
Den Haag
Good game for it’s time, but by now it is not worthy of a top 20 position. It offers some unique features like the ringmaster and the dissaapering popbumper, but not many other deep or challenging elements. It always felt like a big miss to me all ringmasters have the same voice. Would have been much more fun if they were different ala AfM & MM.
So decent game, but get boring quickly. Especially compared to the latest new pins from almost any manufactorer.
So decent game, but get boring quickly. Especially compared to the latest new pins from almost any manufactorer.
9.400/10
4 years ago
Played this game with my friends at the Asheville Pinball Museum. It was really fun and we all agreed it was the best game in the place. The lighting is too notch and the ramps are clear so they don’t get in the way. I especially liked the pop up jester that becomes a target. If I could afford it I would purchase this machine.
8.868/10
5 years ago
Mt Martha
My grail that I have been chasing for awhile now so hopefully this doesn't come across to biased.
This has to be close to the complete machine. Artwork is stunning and deserves to ranked perfectly. I have this at the end of my collection to be seen.
Shot layout is good and challenging enough. I'm still trying to find the ramp but love the lock shot and the loops.
Animation on the DMD is pretty awesome. I know the game play can be slow because of this but watching the Juggler and High Wire M/Ball animations is great. Really well done!!
Learning more about the game but this deserves a spot int he op 10 personally.
This has to be close to the complete machine. Artwork is stunning and deserves to ranked perfectly. I have this at the end of my collection to be seen.
Shot layout is good and challenging enough. I'm still trying to find the ramp but love the lock shot and the loops.
Animation on the DMD is pretty awesome. I know the game play can be slow because of this but watching the Juggler and High Wire M/Ball animations is great. Really well done!!
Learning more about the game but this deserves a spot int he op 10 personally.
9.713/10
5 years ago
This game is one of the best just when you think you're done there's more to complete on the game or if you do it in a different order something else might come up top 10 for sure
9.136/10
5 years ago
This is a top 10 pin. Period. It absolutely NAILS what pinball is supposed to be. Amazing unique layout, vibrant color and light show, innovation and originality, approachability. The theme isn’t for everyone I keep hearing but to me this game is so fun, so unique and special that the theme just fits. It’s a crowd pleaser too. This is JPOPs best and has cemented it’s place in pinball history. So much more interesting than the usual top games. Give me this over the “holy trinity” of MB, MM or AFM any day. All three of those are great but aside from theme not unique. CV falls in uniqueness category with stuff like SafeCracker, banzai run, etc. one of a kind!! Do not overlook this game because of theme. It’s one of the best.
9.620/10
5 years ago
Cirqus Voltaire is a unique game in nearly every aspect and is one of the best games you will ever play. There is no other pinball machines like it. The animated backglass, DMD below the playfield glass, pop-up ringmaster toy, and neon tube set this one apart from all other machines. The art, music, theme, and game play set the benchmark for the pinball industry. Couple all of this with the prized Bally/Williams build quality and you have an all-time pinball classic. Never gets old!!
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