Bally
Strikes and Spares Pinside Rating
This game received 74 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.334 /10
Strikes and Spares
Score breakdown
Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:
Game Design: 7.209
Artwork: 7.972
Sounds/Music: 5.001
Other Aspects: 7.543
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.
Found 38 ratings (with comment) on this game
There are 38 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 2.
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3.279/10
6 months ago
Broomfield, CO
The only thing that makes this game noticeable is the incredible artwork and humor on the backglass. Gameplay to me was boring, and this was the second pin I ever bought. (First was Fathom, so there's that). I really don't like games with chimes, but that was the era. I felt the playfield and plastics really missed on bringing the humor from the backglass, and gameplay got old quickly for me.
Kilmore
9.179/10
2 years ago
This game is a lot of fun. The day I learned how to slap save, I raised my high score on this by over 400,000 points within an hour.
8.845/10
3 years ago
I found a Strikes and Spares at the "Space Bar" in Boise Idaho. A covid road trip to stop from going stir crazy. The Backglass is the best! Disco Fever. A spinner and a saucer, what fun. Three pop bumpers. The rules are fun and easy. I started researching S&S. !2,000 made? where are they?? S&S is ranked 181?? weird. hours of fun. I love the transition "chimes" sound as we go from chimes to SS. All and all great bang for the $$$ buck.
9.615/10
3 years ago
The 1978 Bally Strikes and Spares has one of the most hottest backglass ever! It totally captures the 70's vibe... If you own one of these you are indeed lucky! Not only is it fun to look at, it is also fun to play... The 3 pop bumpers are placed perfectly and the spinner is in the upper playfield making it a fun shot to make. The game itself is well balanced and simple yet you will be challenged at making all the shots. The kick out hole will spit the ball right at the flippers making it fun for target shots. There are many fun shots to make and this being an early solid state, you still have all the chimes along with the feel of an EM only faster.. Next to Eight Ball, this is the BEST early SS you can play! Its a fun game and keeps you wanting to play again, time after time! I highly recommend Strikes and Spares, it is my most favorite pin!
6.537/10
3 years ago
I really enjoy early Bally SS pins, but this isn't my favorite. Im not very interested in the theme and the sounds are not great...even for the era. It plays slowly as well. I do really enjoy the backglass, however.
9.011/10
5 years ago
Since we put this in our game room at has been the funnest game so far. Very simple to learn but tough to get good scores regularly. No bells and whistles like newer games, it does have bells, but hearing the ball roll over the play field and the clank of metal ball on metal rails is so satisfying. It has to be one of the best backglasses ever. The sexy girls and guys spilling their beer and bowling. Get this one.
7.168/10
6 years ago
Charlottetown, PE
The 10-pin rollovers are brilliant. The artwork is amazing. Even though the game is very dated with chime sounds and slow play, it's still fun to come back to again and again.
7.973/10
6 years ago
Absolutely wonderful pin. I went back over my rating thinking I went too high, but felt I rated it honestly. My sound and gameplay for the release dates are appropriately rated. Artwork is definitely if you love women. The star rollovers in the middle playfield fit the theme to a tee.
8.654/10
6 years ago
If you want to improve your flipper skills stand behind this pin for a few games. S and S is a pin with an open play field and a simple ruleset. I set mine up steep and playing fast. Simple play and very entertaining. The points don't come easy, though.
S and S has some tough out lanes but it gives you many flipper friendly shots to work with. With exception of the saucer kick out holding the ball for a couple of seconds, the ball is always in motion.
I would not want it to be my only pinball machine, but I get lost to time when I am playing it. It is quite entertaining and fun to play.
S and S has some tough out lanes but it gives you many flipper friendly shots to work with. With exception of the saucer kick out holding the ball for a couple of seconds, the ball is always in motion.
I would not want it to be my only pinball machine, but I get lost to time when I am playing it. It is quite entertaining and fun to play.
4.455/10
7 years ago
Strikes and Spares is a challenging game that really wants to be bowling so much that it starts to lose its value as a pinball machine. While I'm no purist or traditionalist when it comes to pins, SandS is a poor imitation of bowling and not much pin. I prefer that the rules of my pin are made anew by the designers rather than stolen from other popular games. Still, there is something fun about this machine, so I gave it the appropriate lastability rating which means it isn't the worst game in the world.
7.465/10
8 years ago
Love the chimes and the rollovers. Great looking game, but better off in a larger collection.
8.277/10
8 years ago
The one with the girl, that's how I describe this game, and why not. But look close close at the artwork, it's hilarious: the guy pouring his beer but missing his glass as he checks out the girl with the big Bally bowling ball as his curvy girlfriend looks on.
The game has got some great shots, that spinner can really fly. I wish it had a few drop targets, but those fast bumpers and good flow won me over, though the extra ball can be a little too easy. At this point Bally was starting to make better games than mighty Gottlieb with this, Evel, Mata Hari, and Bobby Orr. Good fun with some of the best art ever, and if it doesn't have great art, it's not for me.
I've got a new playfield from CPR and can hardly wait to put it in!
The game has got some great shots, that spinner can really fly. I wish it had a few drop targets, but those fast bumpers and good flow won me over, though the extra ball can be a little too easy. At this point Bally was starting to make better games than mighty Gottlieb with this, Evel, Mata Hari, and Bobby Orr. Good fun with some of the best art ever, and if it doesn't have great art, it's not for me.
I've got a new playfield from CPR and can hardly wait to put it in!
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