Bally

Strange Science

Pinside Rating

This game received 70 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.048 _/10

7.048

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #252 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 7.026

Artwork: 7.538

Sounds/Music: 6.275

Other Aspects: 7.148

Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 2 of us have rated this game.

7.349

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Found 30 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 30 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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6.173/10

7 months ago

VEE

Veemonroe

Pinside member

London

2y 55,550 205 7 176

Played at Pinfest 2023.

This is a preliminary rating because I had no idea, walking up, what to do on Strange Science and the rules card did not help. I shot a bunch of shots across the playfield that was a cluttered mess of ‘stuff’ and not much happened. I played two games hoping to unlock something and it just didn’t happen by accident at my level of play.

So, no idea how good it is, but it looks nice and, as it’s utterly incomprehensible, would be terrible for location play.

7.621/10

1 year ago

ROG

Maik

Pinside member

4y 34,650 2 10 47

The Sound is terrible.

Maik edited previous rating on December 30, 2023.
Maik has owned this game in the past.

4.735/10

1 year ago

JVE

Jappie

Pinside member

11y 106K 1,069 56

When you stand in front of it, this game looks great: cool artwork and some very interesting looking shots.

So you decide to press start.

Worst decision ever. You feel desillusionised. The sound sucks, the flippers feel horrible, rules are almost non-existent and the shots are unmakeable. You take a glance at the brand and the build year. And then it all falls into place. It's a Bally 6803.

6.506/10

3 years ago

DAD

SWfan

Inactive member

Newport Beach, CA

4y 48,150 142 1 56

Interesting layout with some good and rewarding shots. Doesn’t hold a candle to modern machines, and isn’t a classic. Not great, not terrible...

7.306/10

3 years ago

T H

Pjitegior

Pinside member

Bergen

4y 23,750 147

The sound can get annoying but the art on the other hand is great. Especially the backglass.

Pjitegior edited previous rating on April 20, 2021.

6.662/10

4 years ago

GRU

Grusom

Pinside+ Frequent

Bergen

7y 57,800 1 257 136

Strange game. Just as the title, but charming, rebuild the flippers and it will do the shots.

Grusom edited previous rating on January 09, 2022.
Grusom currently owns this game.

7.330/10

4 years ago

JNS

TecumsehPlissken

Pinside member

Longwood, FL

9y 115K 2,558 10 103

one of the better system 6803 , I love the Jacobs ladder setup & the shot even if the points multiplier is ridiculous

TecumsehPlissken has owned this game in the past.

7.499/10

4 years ago

REW

woody76

Pinball Marketing

Nashville, TN

9y 142K 6,842 6 98

When setup correctly with strong flippers this game is super fun. Rebuilt the flippers, added titan silicone rubbers, added carrot flippers on the 2 lower flips, and added LEDs. Total game changer and probably biggest bang for buck pin out there. So many cool things going on and comes with one of the coolest toppers ever.

woody76 edited previous rating on December 30, 2020.
woody76 has owned this game in the past.

7.267/10

5 years ago

GLM

pineal

Pinside+ Addict

5y 44,550 170 3 12

Strange science is a hard game. The 5 ball multi ball is ridiculously good fun and a rush to play, but the shot to set it up is not easy to hit. The shots to set up the set up shot are brutal with frequent quick drains down the middle if you miss them. I owned this game for several years and got a lot of joy from it but wouldn’t recommend it at all for a 1 game collection.

pineal has owned this game in the past.

5.778/10

6 years ago

???

Poorpinhead

Pinside member

South Jordan, UT

6y 24,400 10 6 9

Beautiful machine. A must buy for anyone who needs a very large paper weight. In fairness, this is a great machine for sharp shooters, but for the rest of us it’s an annoying attempt at futility.

Poorpinhead has owned this game in the past.

6.266/10

6 years ago

JLG

JodyG

Ramp-O-Matic

6y 143K 4,609 6 21 1

Strange Science has a very interesting playfield, nice art and good lighting. Unfortunately, I found it to be a bit of a 1 trick pony. Load the atom smasher, that is it. Make sure your flippers are freshly rebuilt, or you will have trouble making the center ramp and the atom smasher. The sounds are not great, and there is zero background music. After playing this for a few months, it is a bit of a head scratcher on why it is rated so high.

JodyG has owned this game in the past.

6.113/10

6 years ago

GIL

Imagineerie

Inactive member

10y 44,550 7 190

This game must have looked great on paper. But something got lost in translation because playing it is not just dull, but almost boring. A big disappointment for me.

3 Pinsiders flagged this.

6.087/10

6 years ago

KID

blowback1976

Pinside member

10y 99,050 1,338 7 40 1

Interesting game with an odd layout and some unique features. Crazy 5 ball multiball, or the ability to steal a ball when locked, like a newton ball is a cool idea. Amazing playfield artwork, but the continuous sounds and odd speech can really get on your nerves fast. Like the game, not the sound. A turning point in solid state games becoming more advanced with the times.

blowback1976 has owned this game in the past.

9.071/10

6 years ago

???

locksmith

Pinside member

10y 90,300 816 52 1

After a complete rebuild of the flippers and cabinet switches this game is standing on its head.all shots can now be made,even knocking a single captive ball into play.Its not a one shot game which I heard too many times.I now load a few balls and try to put them into play when I can.A real hard shot but it happens and its very rewarding.I stay away from the 5 ball multi because as you know its a lot of quick drains.Theres more here than meets the eye.A great underrated game.

locksmith edited previous rating on February 21, 2018.

8.552/10

7 years ago

ALX

allicks

Pinside member

Calgary, AB

9y 47,850 48 28 32

Artwork is my favorite for any game. This game screams for rebuilt flippers and LEDs. Love this game. Very fast and challenging. A keeper for sure.

allicks has owned this game in the past.

7.352/10

7 years ago

AGB

Ramtuathal

Pinside member

Louisville, KY

8y 63,650 123 1 148

Strange Science is a lot of original fun. The concept is neat, the toys and mechs (esp. the Atom Smasher) is unique, and the shots are challenging yet not frustratingly so. While the rules didn't seem overly complex or even all that deep, I found myself being drawn back to this table over and over on-location at a pinball expo.

I'd like to own a Strange Science someday (so I'm actually glad that it is underrated - keeps the price down). I think it is worth hunting down if you are looking for something strange.

Ramtuathal has this game on the wishlist.

7.385/10

8 years ago

AMK

amkoepfer

Pinside member

Toledo, OH

9y 162K 4,922 23 51

Fun theme and a lot going on on the playfield! Very easy for the ball to hit the outlanes, so good nudging skills are needed. Difficult enough to hit multiball, but overall the game gets old pretty quick

amkoepfer has owned this game in the past.

8.013/10

8 years ago

TBK

xTheBlackKnightx

Pinside member

8y 128K 4,097 137

The unique ramps, theme integration, playfield artwork, and sounds make this pinball machine extremely SPECIAL.

This is a game where the comment, "who cares about the scoring" should be noted, and points should be thrown out the window, as it is ridiculously unbalanced, especially during Multiball. The scoring COULD BE FIXED with improved software code. This drags the game rating score down quite a bit. The cabinet artwork is "basic terrible", and if improved would have allowed it to have been more successful. Anybody want to take a shot at fixing either of the areas?

If you have the opportunity to play this machine in a private collection, DO IT!
The atom smasher and anti-gravity ramps are just classic.

The sound voice of "Strange Science" reminds me of a period such as Xenon, it sticks in your mind, long after you play.

It is simpler, fun, addictive game that will keep you going back into your game room just for the light show, similar to more modern games like Cirqus Voltaire.
Shot and game flow is relatively tight, and takes some practice.
Remade neon pinball toppers can be made to bring back the original factory "sparkle".

A game that is GREATLY enhanced via use of LEDs in just the right places to augment the design colors...just do not use "unicorn diarrhea" non-purists unless you do not want to see the playfield art.

xTheBlackKnightx edited previous rating on December 25, 2015.

6.834/10

9 years ago

NMS

nikpinball

Pinside member

Cleveland, OH

10y 77,050 1,249 7 30

Game is fun but unbalanced. Multiball is 12x playfield and it's all you really do to score high. There is a ton of great shots but they mostly go unutilized because of the scoring balance. Cool apron, cool neon tube, great art, funny theme, interesting ball save one of the last machines with printed backglasses. Basic cab is a bummer. Good and bad but fun nonetheless.

nikpinball has owned this game in the past.

8.928/10

10 years ago

JAY

Sparky347

Inactive member

Langley, BC

12y 44,400 256 8 7

Have had it for a few weeks now and I love it. Replaced the flipper coils and EOS switches and this game is awesome! To all the people that complain that the game is lousy because of the limp Bally flippers, try playing one that is set up correctly. I'm positive that if I played your beloved Addams or TZ with poorly functioning flippers my takeaway would not be positive either. My game can fire a ball around the particle separator from either flipper and a well placed anti gravity shot will always end up on the upper flipper. Also the "newton's cradle" shot where you knock the last ball back out of the atom smasher is very cool and lights the anti gravity shot for Extra Ball, making it a great strategy. Much more going on with this game than it gets credit for. To me the theme is great, sound is very fitting and the background "music" is constantly changing throughout the game as the Volt Meter level increase. "A sleeping Diamond" another reviewer called it and I have to agree, and as for their advice to never let it go, I don't think I ever will. It's a keeper for sure!

Sparky347 has owned this game in the past.

5.968/10

10 years ago

JSB

JessMaster

Pinside member

Québec, QC

14y 34,750 11 61

Dont impress with neon on topper!!! This game is very poor. I play with it somethimes and each time i regret to play with it. Not mine.

6 Pinsiders flagged this.

7.853/10

10 years ago

DAN

BeaverBrewing

Pinside member

Beaver Falls, PA

11y 80,150 289 7 282

Not a fan of the upper flipper on this one...kind of a one trick pony and not a good trick. Otherwise the playfield is good. Artwork is great all around. Goofy and very fun.

8.322/10

11 years ago

ZUL

Caucasian2Step

Evil McBooty

12y 163K 1,454 51 1011

Strange Science is a strange pinball game... in an awesome way.

The Pros:
A brilliant art package with a neon tube topper make this game stand out, unless you love some cabinet artwork, this game really does not have that. BUT WHO PLAYS THE CABINET OF A PINBALL GAME?!? Kudos to Greg Freres for his craft and sense of humor that he brings to this design. Even the APRON on this pinball game is detailed and entertaining. Don't forget to check out the comic book by Brian Colin that leads into the story of the pinball game. Inside, we find Dr. Dude's insane grandfather having bestial loboto-fun with a couple of wacky teenagers in his Mad Scientist's lab. How cool is that!?! This game has an innovative PF with lots to shoot for. The double stack lanes from the ramp to the PF are well done with the lead in from the right ramp. The left outlane kicker requires skill and timing. The saucer above the right lanes make you consider your shots from the start of each ball. This game has more insert lights on it than Cactus Jack's! Loading the Atom Smasher is never easy. The second flipper buttons may seem unnecessary to some, but on this table, they feel just right.

The Cons:
Limp Bally Flippers make this game fall flat in no time. Are there flipper modifications for this game? I have never seen the triple U-Turn shot (vertical, clockwise and then counter-clockwise) in the center of the PF completed to the upper flipper for the Atom Smasher shot. And goodness knows I have tried... Multiball requires a great deal of work for a PF this crowded. Expect your multiball times to last less than 10 seconds. That averages 2 seconds per ball in play, ack! Can you Newton balls out of the Atom Smasher? I did it once after playing a dozen games for that shot... and it worked! Then the game lost track of the number of balls on the P/F (facepalm). Lots of risk, for minimal reward on this shot.

The Takeaway:
Strong flippers are an absolute must with this deck. A great game that must be righteously maintained to play as it should.... will offer constant challenges and reward skillful play. Recommended for the serious pinheads and the not so serious people in your life. The moral of this pin-story is: Ladies... Monkey Brains are the way to go!

Ook!

Caucasian2Step edited previous rating on March 08, 2013.

6 Pinsiders starred this!

6.971/10

11 years ago

DEL

SealClubber

Pinside Moderator

14y 127K 11,060 246

Skill shot is cool. Lots of tight shots. Center lane shot usually ends in a drain. Left outlane has a mechanically ball save activated by a second flipper button. Never seen that before. Atom Smasher has a neat feature; you can knock the ball out of it to start a multiball and you have so many seconds to put it back or else. Could not figure out the or else part. lol

7.827/10

11 years ago

???

nl12many

Inactive member

11y 4,750 2 9

Compared to my Xenon the cabinet and backglass could have been prettier.
The playfield layout and art are fun to look at and certainly challenging to play.
Nice game.

nl12many currently owns this game.

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