Disastrous game. Lackluster layout. Cost cutting around every corner. I mean come on. The slingshots don't even kick.
No fun to be had. These were Bally's worst years. Artwork is the only redeeming factor.
Pinside rating
This game has received 22 approved Pinsider ratings. 28 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 10 ratings (with comment) on this game
There are 10 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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2.711/10
3 years ago
Munster, IN
Not a particularly good effort. Gameplay falls flat, theme bleh, sound bleh. No slingshots, just triangular soft bumpers. I bought one, and felt ripped off immediately. Sold for a loss to get rid of it.
6.884/10
3 years ago
It looks simple, but actually quite difficult to master. The skillshot is one of the toughest I have ever run across. Upper left playfield is boring, as others have said this game could have used a spinner. Not a terrible game, sometimes addicting because I will often play quite a few games once I start playing it. Cabinet art is lackluster, backglass and playfield offer more in the way of interest. Sound is cool - should have been a space themed game.
1.894/10
4 years ago
My first year at PAPA I was running low on tokens and this was on free play. I was so bored with it, I walked away from it midway through my second ball. It is the only time in my life I've walked away from a machine midway through a game.
7.621/10
6 years ago
The “showgirls” of the pinball world. Awkward and Horribly beautiful. High quality bally/midway game with a decidedly 80’s feel. Caveman theme, but toss in some futuristic outer space guys and a deep bass sound (more on that later) plus tic tac toe played on a donkeys behind. Somehow it works! Art is very mad or cracked. Back to the sounds...super trippy caveman in space effects. That deep bass is worth playing the game for be itself. Might even get stuck in your head. Just bought one for cheap and excited to see people’s reaction when on location. Wouldn’t want it as my first or only game but a bargain under $1000 for a classic Bally/midway machine.
7.093/10
7 years ago
Perhaps biased, as I recently picked and repaired this machine.
The X's and O's on the playfield are lit by incandescent bulbs that reside in a special compartment, that separates the light from the small inner 'X' and the larger, outer 'O'. Those, and the bonus lamps are placed on special cards, not sure how long Bally manufactured the cards, but they are probably impossible to find now, take good care of them.
This is a fun pin, bolstered by the eerie, amazing deep bass sounds of the machine.
PROS:
Great retro sound
Fast gameplay
Player's shots, players nudging
Timed, tiered skill shot
Nudge to save-ball on left outlane drain is completely different mechanically than right, both can be accomplished
X's and O's animation is very cool!
Pop bumper garden is satisfying, and has distinct shots of it's own
CONS:
no spinner! This game could have used one.
Drop target flipper is usually a one-shot affair
Bonus accumulation seems random, and hard to decipher while playing
Attract mode is very frequent (can be disabled on MPU)
No left or right slingshot, not a deal breaker, but would have been cool. The right outhole mechanics are in the way under the playfield.
For a non-multiball game, it's good. Definitely a keeper in my game room!
The X's and O's on the playfield are lit by incandescent bulbs that reside in a special compartment, that separates the light from the small inner 'X' and the larger, outer 'O'. Those, and the bonus lamps are placed on special cards, not sure how long Bally manufactured the cards, but they are probably impossible to find now, take good care of them.
This is a fun pin, bolstered by the eerie, amazing deep bass sounds of the machine.
PROS:
Great retro sound
Fast gameplay
Player's shots, players nudging
Timed, tiered skill shot
Nudge to save-ball on left outlane drain is completely different mechanically than right, both can be accomplished
X's and O's animation is very cool!
Pop bumper garden is satisfying, and has distinct shots of it's own
CONS:
no spinner! This game could have used one.
Drop target flipper is usually a one-shot affair
Bonus accumulation seems random, and hard to decipher while playing
Attract mode is very frequent (can be disabled on MPU)
No left or right slingshot, not a deal breaker, but would have been cool. The right outhole mechanics are in the way under the playfield.
For a non-multiball game, it's good. Definitely a keeper in my game room!
6.692/10
10 years ago
I'm rating this based on playing a virtual one (sorry, but when am I ever going to play the real thing, I've never seen one in my entire life). I will say the tic-tac-toe board in the center looks pretty innovative for 1984, still not sure how it's done without pulling up the playfield. I'd imagine it's simply a decal with clear sections to let light through, though not sure how you'd separate the X's from the O's (they overlap each other). The gameplay feels frustrating as many shots are major ball drains (even with nudging). I do like the gobble hole on the lower right outlane that pops the ball back in play. I also dig the music, it's that very eerie bassy music you'd hear in an early 80's movie like escape from NY or terminator, or perhaps a van halen song. As far as the rules, it seems to be using tic-tac-toe as a crutch more than anything. Also comparing this to another pin from the same year (space shuttle) which has a ramp and a toy, this flat playfield feels very dated.
7.418/10
10 years ago
I really like this game plays pretty fast at times and has good flow. It takes a lot of work to get all Xs or all Os but its well worth it. The only draw back to this game is the lack of scoring opportunities other then the tic tac toe field, if you dont score on that your score is gonna be pretty low and I love the skill shot it is a tough one to master.
8.154/10
11 years ago
A rare pin with a simplistic theme, great artwork. I like the "english" shot with the plunger to get the bonus. Wish it had slingshot bumpers, instead it only changes the X or O on your card in the middle. The machine plays fast! A standard size playfield, fairly common layout, but not as much room as a widebody, so the ball doesnt have room to explore. The sound is lack luster, typical 80's sounds, but wish it had speech. I find the game challenging, you really need to get that ball moving to score any decent points!
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