Party Animal is an overall decent game, though it really is just that: decent.
Pro’s:
Layout isn’t bad overall, some hints to the fact that it’s a Dennis Nordman (such as an upper flipper with two shots) are nice to see, as they hint at his great future work like White Water and Demolition Man. I’ve heard issues about the feed from the in-line drops, but the copies I’ve played seemed to have fairly safe feeds.
Art is good. Not great, but it demonstrates the fact it sure is a party with many interesting animal caricatures.
Rules aren’t bad, with the main focus being bonus multipliers and spelling “Party Animal” twice.
I like the look of the Jukebox and its lighting. The idea of changing songs by hitting the jukebox is a nice touch.
I like the ambiance noises in the background.
Con’s:
Bland Bally/Midway cabinet art. Not a fan.
No clue what the second set of flipper buttons are for, they don’t seem to do anything.
Build quality is atrocious. Even the flippers feel bad, which takes a point off automatically.
Game is kind of clunky, and feels like it needs some refining overall.
Sound quality is pretty terrible, the rendition of “Louie Louie” is pretty annoying. The callouts also getting tiring.
Overall, a perfectly serviceable game, though nothing amazing either.
Pinside rating
This game has received 30 approved Pinsider ratings. 20 more approved ratings are needed to get a rating and for it to be eligible for the Pinside Pinball Top 100 ranking.
Pinside staff rating
This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 1 of us has rated this game.
Found 21 ratings (with comment) on this game
There are 21 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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7.196/10
1 year ago
Heath, OH
Found this pin yesterday in a little sandwich shop in downtown Newark, Ohio, (does not show up on the Pinside Map) while waiting on my wife.
For this pins age it played well. Think it could definitely be improved if the pin operator invested in some LED’s. I liked the plunger shot into the ball trap in the upper right of the playfield and liked the orbit up past the upper left flipper to the pop bumpers. Would have liked the had a better view of the ball coming off of the pop bumpers to the upper left flipper. Didn’t care for the pin play to the off center targets to the right of the upper flipper. Found the ramp play difficult to make. Did like the flipper shot back up to the ball trap for scoring multipliers. All in all was fun to play this 80’s pin, but to add to my collection it would have to be for a very reasonable price.
For this pins age it played well. Think it could definitely be improved if the pin operator invested in some LED’s. I liked the plunger shot into the ball trap in the upper right of the playfield and liked the orbit up past the upper left flipper to the pop bumpers. Would have liked the had a better view of the ball coming off of the pop bumpers to the upper left flipper. Didn’t care for the pin play to the off center targets to the right of the upper flipper. Found the ramp play difficult to make. Did like the flipper shot back up to the ball trap for scoring multipliers. All in all was fun to play this 80’s pin, but to add to my collection it would have to be for a very reasonable price.
7.552/10
1 year ago
One of the first Nordman games. I just love the cheesy theme. This game gave me everything I was looking for in a mid 80's bally game. Obviously it's not as deep as the games that would follow in the 90s and beyond but I was looking for something older to round out my lineup and Party Animal gave me just what I was looking for.
7.844/10
2 years ago
Castleton, ON
Decent theme and rules. Most shots are achievable like ramps to get “Party Animal” multi ball. Drop targets are a bit tough to achieve. Balls like to drain on both outside lanes. Overall a fun game for it’s age.
4.592/10
2 years ago
Played this game on location, maybe a better maintained example would sway me a bit higher, but I'm just not a fan. The theme is dated and cheesy, and overall it just hasn't aged well. Played a few games, just didn't draw me in.
Stockholm
8.089/10
4 years ago
This game has some really neat features. The Jukebox, the frog in the yard, girls dissing you,
glass breaking, records skipping. Its a lot like getting drunk without the hangover.
I like everything about the game except the cheap cabinet art, Ugly backglass, and cheap ramps.
the ramps are thin and cheesy. Good luck finding replacements because most are cracked.
Overall a fun game to play.
glass breaking, records skipping. Its a lot like getting drunk without the hangover.
I like everything about the game except the cheap cabinet art, Ugly backglass, and cheap ramps.
the ramps are thin and cheesy. Good luck finding replacements because most are cracked.
Overall a fun game to play.
7.986/10
6 years ago
Just landed my 2nd one, which is in much better condition than my 1st. I liked it so much, I've been looking ever since I sold my 1st one. This game has a decent ruleset, and is a blast to play. I can play this one for hours. The jukebox has a 6 song selection, and it has a 3 ball multi, although you have to plunge the last 2 manually. When set up right, this game is just pure pinball fun. The backglass is cool, the cabinet the standard boring Bally from the late 80s. Sound is 80s as well, but suits the time period and the machine. Playfield is beautiful, and the copy I just obtained has to be one of the best in existence. Spotting the letters, and getting the surprise bonus is just one of the many ways to score here. This deck deserves a much higher ratiing than it has. Worthy of a spot in the top 100, as it is much better than several that are there now. As it gets more exposure, it will go up over the years. If you get the opportunity to play it, do so. Letters carry over, so play a 4 player game and complete the objectives, and you'll be hooked! You can't play it a couple of times and get a feel for it. This one requires the time and effort it takes to experience it fully, to really appreciate it. A quality build, and neither of mine ever gave me any problems. I play this one a lot.
7.532/10
8 years ago
Finally had a chance to land this one. Far from an A list game but charming in its own right. A party theme with a decent layout and light rules. For its era, the sounds and music are where the game shine. The implementation of the stand up targets and the juke box are the games gimmick and it pulls it off quite well. The music is varied, there is a decent amount of shots but little flow and if in good shape the game can be fast but brutal. The multiball takes some effort to get but is fun to achieve. A fun game to play but far from a classic, approach this game with that attitude and you will be pleasantly surprised.
6.753/10
9 years ago
Another 6803 with very little love out there...probably the most complex playfield in this series of games.
Music could be better but nice sounds.
C'mon bally....if you're painting the cabinet at least have a unique design...I hate this same feature on my hardbody.
I like it, the fun factor is there...if made a few years later with a bit more technology this could have been a hit.
Music could be better but nice sounds.
C'mon bally....if you're painting the cabinet at least have a unique design...I hate this same feature on my hardbody.
I like it, the fun factor is there...if made a few years later with a bit more technology this could have been a hit.
7.237/10
10 years ago
over all for its time this is a decent little machine. I'm a big fan of the theme and think the playfeild and back glass are amazing works of art. It's a bummer these 6803 cabinets are so terrible and cheaply made. Oh well. Game play is pretty simple and there isn’t much flow. kind of a clunker. Music and sounds are nice. Other then that I'm not really sure why I keep her around. Maybe I'm just a hoarder...
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