Bally
Paragon Pinside Rating
This game received 232 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.839 /10
Paragon
Score breakdown
Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:
Game Design: 7.83
Artwork: 8.821
Sounds/Music: 5.426
Other Aspects: 7.99
Pinside staff rating
This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 6 of us have rated this game.
Found 119 ratings (with comment) on this game
There are 119 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 3 of 5.
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8.909/10
7 years ago
Pembroke Pines, FL
The trick to this game (and others from the same era) is to find one that set up correctly and properly maintained, i.e. not too shallow/floaty, good flippers and properly gapped switches.
Many people get this game and don't invest anymore time or money into it but when you do the payoff is there with a fast, challenging game that has you beckoning for more. This game will teach you nudging and flipper skills and will also have you cursing when you get double flipper bitched!
Factor in the AMAZING artwork on the backglass and playfield and you've got one of Ballys best solid state games!
Many people get this game and don't invest anymore time or money into it but when you do the payoff is there with a fast, challenging game that has you beckoning for more. This game will teach you nudging and flipper skills and will also have you cursing when you get double flipper bitched!
Factor in the AMAZING artwork on the backglass and playfield and you've got one of Ballys best solid state games!
6.963/10
7 years ago
Paragon often gets a bad rap, but I found it nearly impossible to tear myself away from the beast. It's a widebody with in-line drops, a 2" flipper and a killer three-flipper set up (on the version I played) that punishes trapping (not always great, but changes the strategy). There are so many cubby holes and challenging shots that the game never got boring for me.
I'd love to own a Paragon over a Hotdoggin' because of the fantasy theme alone. Play one if you haven't already.
I'd love to own a Paragon over a Hotdoggin' because of the fantasy theme alone. Play one if you haven't already.
7.677/10
7 years ago
This game is beautiful. There is something odd looking about the guy with axe on the BG, though. That's a big head, mister.
It's an ultra wide-body, but with good operating solenoids, it can be really fast.
There are pretty cool shots here. The spinner lane, across the playfield, through the waterfall back to the right flippers is pretty cool, and the in line drop targets uncovering the treasure is hard to complete, but very satisfying.
The rules are basic, but there are lots of opportunities to hear the knocker go off by completing different shots.
It's not a great game, but it's still pinball, and can be really fun. Glad I finally scored one.
It's an ultra wide-body, but with good operating solenoids, it can be really fast.
There are pretty cool shots here. The spinner lane, across the playfield, through the waterfall back to the right flippers is pretty cool, and the in line drop targets uncovering the treasure is hard to complete, but very satisfying.
The rules are basic, but there are lots of opportunities to hear the knocker go off by completing different shots.
It's not a great game, but it's still pinball, and can be really fun. Glad I finally scored one.
Sherwood Park, AB
7.155/10
8 years ago
it was good back then , decent flow i recall ,seemed a bit slow back in late 78-79,it was a favorite until b.k and f.p came out in 80, still very nice back glass art ,nice play field art, great classic fair price if you got the space 70's keeper
8.282/10
8 years ago
This was both Bally's first wide body and my first wide body pin. It sits next to my Lost World and it's cool to have Paragon next to it with the same artist on the back glass. I had to give my pin some love to get it in playable condition and now it's one of the most difficult pins in my collection. I can't ever hit all of the inline drops. It drains like a beast and I either have a great game or I get my butt kicked. While the sounds are fine for the period, I wish it at least had some background sound. It sounds kind of boring after awhile of only plink plink shloioioip! Overall, I enjoy this game and find it to be a challenge every time I play. I really enjoy the older Bally's from this era and are just pure fun pinball!
7.966/10
8 years ago
Is it a widebody game, yes. Does that mean it is slow and floaty....not necessarily.
First, the artwork, one of the best in all of pinball...both the backglass and playfield artwork are superb.
It may take what seems to be a long time for the ball to first make it down to the flippers from the plunge, but once the ball gets down to the flippers, be ready for crazy bounces in any direction after you flip. The layout is so crazy its awesome. The beast lair on the far left side that is substituting for a traditional inlane/outlane is very well integrated. KEEP IT AWAY from there is you can....as it is very random. The waterfall on the middle right of the game is very cool as the ball wiggles down the lane and exits to the middle of the playfield.
Inline drop targets make this game so much fun....there is a lot of risk in the return once the ball has hit a couple of them.....and Paragon is so brutal, you have to knock down the third drop target to get the bonus multiplier. The spinner that is next to the inlines is fun to hit, but because of the technology at the time, if you are hitting other switches while the spinner is spinning, you don't get full credit for a perfect rip on the spinner.
AND this brings me to the two bottom right flippers....there is no metal wire-form to save you from scissor flipping yourself into draining the ball. It takes some getting used to, but it is a great feature that Paragon, being brutal, had to have.
A great game that has a very reasonable price tag given the fun factor....and a challenge to boot.
First, the artwork, one of the best in all of pinball...both the backglass and playfield artwork are superb.
It may take what seems to be a long time for the ball to first make it down to the flippers from the plunge, but once the ball gets down to the flippers, be ready for crazy bounces in any direction after you flip. The layout is so crazy its awesome. The beast lair on the far left side that is substituting for a traditional inlane/outlane is very well integrated. KEEP IT AWAY from there is you can....as it is very random. The waterfall on the middle right of the game is very cool as the ball wiggles down the lane and exits to the middle of the playfield.
Inline drop targets make this game so much fun....there is a lot of risk in the return once the ball has hit a couple of them.....and Paragon is so brutal, you have to knock down the third drop target to get the bonus multiplier. The spinner that is next to the inlines is fun to hit, but because of the technology at the time, if you are hitting other switches while the spinner is spinning, you don't get full credit for a perfect rip on the spinner.
AND this brings me to the two bottom right flippers....there is no metal wire-form to save you from scissor flipping yourself into draining the ball. It takes some getting used to, but it is a great feature that Paragon, being brutal, had to have.
A great game that has a very reasonable price tag given the fun factor....and a challenge to boot.
5.766/10
10 years ago
I don't know how to rate an old machine so take that into perspective.
The gameplay is very slow which is typical of this era. This pin however is one of the more challenging ones. A few two many flippers can be difficult to get use to, I find myself actually losing a lot of games on this pin.
It's just not my style of pinball machine and I rated it that way, came back feeling bad about a poor ranking so I gave all the N/A categories a 3 instead of a 1.
The gameplay is very slow which is typical of this era. This pin however is one of the more challenging ones. A few two many flippers can be difficult to get use to, I find myself actually losing a lot of games on this pin.
It's just not my style of pinball machine and I rated it that way, came back feeling bad about a poor ranking so I gave all the N/A categories a 3 instead of a 1.
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