Caucasian2Step's ratings

The Pros:
An original layout with lots to shoot for. Original and interesting placements of posts, walls and drop targets make this 3 flipper layout an original layout from a new designer AND a new company. I can play this game for hours and not care about the score on the screen. That's pinball fun right there! If I would give it a relational experience. Black Rose? But maybe with a bit more flow.

Wow!

I can't remember the last time this perfect storm of pinball has happened.

That and it's a Jim (muthafuckin') Henson theme! If he can pull off the original muppets in a pinball game... There's a new sheriff in town!

The Cons:
Some people won't like the licensed theme. A new company always has to deal with being the new kid on the block. Some of the shots that ramp from the third flipper (esp. that upper middle of shot) have a bit of clunk. I have only had the chance to play one copy of this game, so we will see what happens when I get to play another copy.

The Takeaway:
David's lessons from working with Spooky have paid off. Barrels of Fun's choices with their technology, business partners and creative design have paid off. The FAST system works great in a professional operator's environment. This game is a joy to shoot and while it doesn't have the polish that we see from a company like Stern or Chicago Gaming, their games feel as good as the newest JJP games and they have that 90's solid feel down! This is their very first game. I am impressed!

I was not sure what to think with this game and I am glad to have kept an open mind. This game is good enough that I may have to save my pennies and get a copy. Pinball has entered a new era that we haven't seen since the late seventies with excellent high quality games pinball coming from multiple companies.

In the late 1970's we had:
Williams
Bally
Gottlieb
Stern v.1

Today in 2024 we have:
Stern
Chicago Coin
Jersey Jack
American Pinball
Spooky

And now Barrels of Fun

Each of these companies have their advantages and detriments. Just like they did in the late 70's.

Today is a good day to be alive and playing pinball.

Jaws is the newest Elwin design.

The Pros:
I’m a big fan of the game aliens by pinball brothers. And just like Alien, the first thing I noticed when playing the game is that it feels like the game is hunting you. Jaws is the first design from stern where I felt like that. I’m not at the top of the pinball food chain. I didn’t think I would like this theme as much as I do. The theater of this game is awesome. The layout is unusual for what seems to be a fan layout. The third flipper, the mini flipper on the right is interesting as well. It’s been programmed to be a trap as well as a very tricky cross play field shot. Dangerous for sure. But for the most part, I see a fan layout on this game. There are some interesting things about the parts that the ball takes, but I played the pro I think that this design with the upper playfield is really going to show itself with this shot layout. Across play field into to the left orbit and a failed shot on the right ramp leading down into the pub number are things of beauty. The rest of the game feels fast and smooth. This layout shoots incredibly well.the upper playfield don't mess. Getting up there is good, but you aren't going to spend much time up there. The feed to the inverted u-turn ramp that feeds the ball back down to the left flipper from the left orbit reminds me of AiQ and is brilliantly executed. Props to the efficiency of the double fishing reels to reduce the B.O.M. and keep things moving.

The prioritization of rules is done well. Gameplay up to the wizard modes seems to be complete. Of course there’s going to be some deep digging in the code for the players who really want to get into the game, and while that may not be implemented yet, I have a great deal of respect for the designer who appreciates and understands his audience. Designing for the 1% may not be something that some designers can be bothered to do, but that one percent is what drives forward the progress of the game of pinball itself into better and more enjoyable games. During this process, the balance of scoring and other aspects of the game will be considered and refined as well.

The Cons:
The game feels like a fan layout with some minor variation on the lower third of the game with the third miniflipper. Many players are complaining about the shark not swallowing the ball. Are you the designer? He put a high risk dummy shot in the middle of the playfield, because that’s what worked best with his design. I am always amazed at how many people complaining about there not being enough toys out of him a game and all I could think to myself is “Really? I believe you’re playing a pinball game. That is the toy.” The bash toy in the middle is not uncommon design. Even Medieval Madness has one. The left ramp/u-turn was not always as successful of a shot as what I felt on the pro. Since this ily way to get to the upper pf, that right flipper had better be strong. Or that upper pf is gonna gits lonely...

I think my biggest issue with this game right now is that it doesn’t feel interesting. Part of this is the fan like layout. I understand that while incredibly effective, it’s not that interesting to shoot. Pinballreviews.com used to make fun of Fan Man (George Gomez) and his standard issue designs. Oh, how times have changed...

The Takeaway:
Between the pro and the preem/LE, this may be the first Elwin design that feels like the game isn’t complete physically, gameplay wise, as a pro. IMaid, JP, avengers and Godzilla, the pros don’t feel like they are missing so much that the premium is nice, but not necessary to get the “feel” of the game. I am not so sure that without the second play field, the gameplay of jaws will be complete. Some game designs can do this, or even feel better as a pro (I’m looking at you Game of Thrones), but looking at the playfield and knowing how Elwin designs... we shall see.

After about a half dozen games, I get the feeling that this is his most straightforward layout and rule set. The release code feels solid and very playable. However, I’ve been looking at Keith’s design and production cycles. His craft and process takes a lot of polish to finish a game. He takes his time and makes sure that what he envisions (and probably more) becomes his completed design. So one of my initial impression may not be as excited as I have been with other games that he’s designed in the past, I believe in his process. And Keith Elwin’s process is going to bring us some thing that will take some time to really show itself. I look forward to seeing what he comes up with.

Apologies for the voice to text confusions...

Update v.1:
If i have a request, it's a flipper cancel for the footage and the choice to not have to go through the stacks of information that can be added up in a summary screen. GET OVER THE THEME AND GET BACK TO THE GAME! And a video mode. yay. It's fun, yay. Is it pinball? no. Is it a break in the feel of the game? yes. Do i care... no. It's not pinball. It's a low rez 3 button shooter, but without the devastating affect of missile command, yay. So let's focus on pinball! It's not just that the shots are smooth, the exits of the unsuccessful shots are smooth. The right ramp drops onto the pop for extra chaos. The left ramp feeds to the left flipper from an unsuccessful right flipper shot. The left orbit pin-loops to the left inlane feed with the quickness. It's like someone has been paying attention to the Gottlieb Street Level games and the work of Jon Norris and he who must not be named. This main pf design is FAST! The pop-target arcing above the mini flipper feels like something from a Zen pinball game, but with reality in mind. Looking for ideas from as many sources and utilizing them to make a better pinball game. Is it inspiration? Is it stealing, borrowing or being inspired? who cares... The end product is a functional layout that offers more than initially meets the eye. And that... is solid craft. Scores adjusted accordingly.

Update v.2:
Someone has been paying attention the the 80's Premier Street Level pinball game designs. We saw some of it in Bond 60th, but this game shows it on the left orbit that diagonally drops into the inlane to the flipper (with speed!) The right ramp that drops the ball onto the TOP of the lone pop bumper on the main playfield. The fallout of the left u-turn ramp/ entrance to the upper playfield, that puts the ball consistently on the left flipper. Once again, the details matter. If I have one caveat with these shots is that the big u-turn on the left ramp had better be served with a crispy shot from the right flipper, week flippers will kill this shot and the interconnectivity of the games rules. Maybe someone will put in a software accomodations for this if it's really that bad. The truth is even FanMan can't make as interesting fan layout games as KME fan-like layout. This is evidence that he has done his homework and applied lessons learned. As a player, as a designer, this is how you become THE GOAT.

Jaws is the newest Elwin design.

The Pros:
I’m a big fan of the game aliens by pinball brothers. And just like Alien, the first thing I noticed when playing the game is that it feels like the game is hunting you. Jaws is the first design from stern where I felt like that. I’m not at the top of the pinball food chain. I didn’t think I would like this theme as much as I do. The theater of this game is awesome. The layout is unusual for what seems to be a fan layout. The third flipper, the mini flipper on the right is interesting as well. It’s been programmed to be a trap as well as a very tricky cross play field shot. Dangerous for sure. But for the most part, I see a fan layout on this game. There are some interesting things about the parts that the ball takes, but I played the pro I think that this design with the upper playfield is really going to show itself with this shot layout. Across play field into to the left orbit and a failed shot on the right ramp leading down into the pub number are things of beauty. The rest of the game feels fast and smooth. This layout shoots incredibly well.the upper playfield don't mess. Getting up there is good, but you aren't going to spend much time up there. The feed to the inverted u-turn ramp that feeds the ball back down to the left flipper from the left orbit reminds me of AiQ and is brilliantly executed. Props to the efficiency of the double fishing reels to reduce the B.O.M. and keep things moving.

The prioritization of rules is done well. Gameplay up to the wizard modes seems to be complete. Of course there’s going to be some deep digging in the code for the players who really want to get into the game, and while that may not be implemented yet, I have a great deal of respect for the designer who appreciates and understands his audience. Designing for the 1% may not be something that some designers can be bothered to do, but that one percent is what drives forward the progress of the game of pinball itself into better and more enjoyable games. During this process, the balance of scoring and other aspects of the game will be considered and refined as well.

The Cons:
The game feels like a fan layout with some minor variation on the lower third of the game with the third miniflipper. Many players are complaining about the shark not swallowing the ball. Are you the designer? He put a high risk dummy shot in the middle of the playfield, because that’s what worked best with his design. I am always amazed at how many people complaining about there not being enough toys out of him a game and all I could think to myself is “Really? I believe you’re playing a pinball game. That is the toy.” The bash toy in the middle is not uncommon design. Even Medieval Madness has one. The left ramp/u-turn was not always as successful of a shot as what I felt on the pro. Since this ily way to get to the upper pf, that right flipper had better be strong. Or that upper pf is gonna gits lonely...

I think my biggest issue with this game right now is that it doesn’t feel interesting. Part of this is the fan like layout. I understand that while incredibly effective, it’s not that interesting to shoot. Pinballreviews.com used to make fun of Fan Man (George Gomez) and his standard issue designs. Oh, how times have changed...

The Takeaway:
Between the pro and the preem/LE, this may be the first Elwin design that feels like the game isn’t complete physically, gameplay wise, as a pro. IMaid, JP, avengers and Godzilla, the pros don’t feel like they are missing so much that the premium is nice, but not necessary to get the “feel” of the game. I am not so sure that without the second play field, the gameplay of jaws will be complete. Some game designs can do this, or even feel better as a pro (I’m looking at you Game of Thrones), but looking at the playfield and knowing how Elwin designs... we shall see.

After about a half dozen games, I get the feeling that this is his most straightforward layout and rule set. The release code feels solid and very playable. However, I’ve been looking at Keith’s design and production cycles. His craft and process takes a lot of polish to finish a game. He takes his time and makes sure that what he envisions (and probably more) becomes his completed design. So one of my initial impression may not be as excited as I have been with other games that he’s designed in the past, I believe in his process. And Keith Elwin’s process is going to bring us some thing that will take some time to really show itself. I look forward to seeing what he comes up with.

Apologies for the voice to text confusions...

Update v.1:
If i have a request, it's a flipper cancel for the footage and the choice to not have to go through the stacks of information that can be added up in a summary screen. GET OVER THE THEME AND GET BACK TO THE GAME! And a video mode. yay. It's fun, yay. Is it pinball? no. Is it a break in the feel of the game? yes. Do i care... no. It's not pinball. It's a low rez 3 button shooter, but without the devastating affect of missile command, yay. So let's focus on pinball! It's not just that the shots are smooth, the exits of the unsuccessful shots are smooth. The right ramp drops onto the pop for extra chaos. The left ramp feeds to the left flipper from an unsuccessful right flipper shot. The left orbit pin-loops to the left inlane feed with the quickness. It's like someone has been paying attention to the Gottlieb Street Level games and the work of Jon Norris and he who must not be named. This main pf design is FAST! The pop-target arcing above the mini flipper feels like something from a Zen pinball game, but with reality in mind. Looking for ideas from as many sources and utilizing them to make a better pinball game. Is it inspiration? Is it stealing, borrowing or being inspired? who cares... The end product is a functional layout that offers more than initially meets the eye. And that... is solid craft. Scores adjusted accordingly.

Update v.2:
Someone has been paying attention the the 80's Premier Street Level pinball game designs. We saw some of it in Bond 60th, but this game shows it on the left orbit that diagonally drops into the inlane to the flipper (with speed!) The right ramp that drops the ball onto the TOP of the lone pop bumper on the main playfield. The fallout of the left u-turn ramp/ entrance to the upper playfield, that puts the ball consistently on the left flipper. Once again, the details matter. If I have one caveat with these shots is that the big u-turn on the left ramp had better be served with a crispy shot from the right flipper, week flippers will kill this shot and the interconnectivity of the games rules. Maybe someone will put in a software accomodations for this if it's really that bad. The truth is even FanMan can't make as interesting fan layout games as KME fan-like layout. This is evidence that he has done his homework and applied lessons learned. As a player, as a designer, this is how you become THE GOAT.

Jaws is the newest Elwin design.

The Pros:
I’m a big fan of the game aliens by pinball brothers. And just like Alien, the first thing I noticed when playing the game is that it feels like the game is hunting you. Jaws is the first design from stern where I felt like that. I’m not at the top of the pinball food chain. I didn’t think I would like this theme as much as I do. The theater of this game is awesome. The layout is unusual for what seems to be a fan layout. The third flipper, the mini flipper on the right is interesting as well. It’s been programmed to be a trap as well as a very tricky cross play field shot. Dangerous for sure. But for the most part, I see a fan layout on this game. There are some interesting things about the parts that the ball takes, but I played the pro I think that this design with the upper playfield is really going to show itself with this shot layout. Across play field into to the left orbit and a failed shot on the right ramp leading down into the pub number are things of beauty. The rest of the game feels fast and smooth. This layout shoots incredibly well.

The prioritization of rules is done well. Gameplay up to the wizard modes seems to be complete. Of course there’s going to be some deep digging in the code for the players who really want to get into the game, and while that may not be implemented yet, I have a great deal of respect for the designer who appreciates and understands his audience. Designing for the 1% may not be something that some designers can be bothered to do, but that one percent is what drives forward the progress of the game of pinball itself into better and more enjoyable games. During this process, the balance of scoring and other aspects of the game will be considered and refined as well.

The Cons:
The game feels like a fan layout with some minor variation on the lower third of the game with the third miniflipper. Many players are complaining about the shark not swallowing the ball. Are you the designer? He put a high risk dummy shot in the middle of the playfield, because that’s what worked best with his design. I am always amazed at how many people complaining about there not being enough toys out of him a game and all I could think to myself is “Really? I believe you’re playing a pinball game. That is the toy.” The bash toy in the middle is not uncommon design. Even Medieval Madness has one. We’ll see how the version on the premium and LE works.

I think my biggest issue with this game right now is that it doesn’t feel interesting. Part of this is the fan like layout. I understand that while incredibly effective, it’s not that interesting to shoot. Pinballreviews.com used to make fun of Fan Man (George Gomez) and his standard issue designs. Oh, how times have changed...

The Takeaway:
Between the pro and the preem/LE, this may be the first Elwin design that feels like the game isn’t complete physically, gameplay wise, as a pro. IMaid, JP, avengers and Godzilla, the pros don’t feel like they are missing so much that the premium is nice, but not necessary to get the “feel” of the game. I am not so sure that without the second play field, the gameplay of jaws will be complete. Some game designs can do this, or even feel better as a pro (I’m looking at you Game of Thrones), but looking at the playfield 1and knowing how Elwin designs... we shall see.

After about a half dozen games, I get the feeling that this is his most straightforward layout and rule set. The release code feels solid and very playable. However, I’ve been looking at Keith’s design and production cycles. His craft and process takes a lot of polish to finish a game. He takes his time and makes sure that what he envisions (and probably more) becomes his completed design. So one of my initial impression may not be as excited as I have been with other games that he’s designed in the past, I believe in his process. And Keith Elwin’s process is going to bring us some thing that will take some time to really show itself. I look forward to seeing what he comes up with.

Apologies for the voice to text confusions...

Update v.1:
If i have a request, it's a flipper cancel for the footage and the choice to not have to go through the stacks of information that can be added up in a summary screen. GET OVER THE THEME AND GET BACK TO THE GAME! And a video mode. yay. It's fun, yay. Is it pinball? no. Is it a break in the feel of the game? yes. Do i care... no. It's not pinball. It's a low rez 3 button shooter, but without the devastating affect of missile command, yay. So let's fous on pinball! It's not just that the shots are smooth, the exits of the unsuccessful shots are smooth. The right ramp drops onto the pop for extra chaos. The left ramp feeds to the left flipper from an unsuccsessful right flipper shot. The left orbit pin-loops to the left inlane feed with the quickness. It's like someone has been paying attention to the Gottlieb Street Level games and the work of Jon Norris and he who must not be named. This main pf design is FAST! The pop-target arcing above the mini flipper feels like something from a Zen pinball game, but with reality in mind. Looking for ideas from as many sources and utilizing them to make a better pinball game. Is it inspiration? Is it stealing, borrowing or being insprired? who cares... The end product is a functional layout that offers more than initally meets the eye. And that... is solid craft. Scores adjusted accordingly.

Update v.2:
Someone has been paying attention the the 80's Premier Street Level pinball game designs. We saw some of it in Bond 60th, but this game shows it on the left orbit that diagonally drops into the inlane to the flipper (with speed!) The right ramp that drops the ball onto the TOP of the lone pop bumper on the main playfield. The fallout of the left u-turn ramp/ entrance to the upper playfield, that puts the ball consistently on the left flipper. Once again, the details matter. If I have one caveat with these shots is that the big u-turn on the left ramp had better be served with a crispy shot from the right flipper, week flippers will kill this shot and the interconnectivity of the games rules. Maybe someone will put in a software accomodations for this if it's really that bad. The truth is even FanMan can't make as interesting games as KME layout. He truly is the GOAT.

Abra Ca Dabra is one of those games that looks simple, and it is... but it is ALWAYS a challenge.

The Pros:
Jeff Brenner did not design too many games. This is one of 4 playfields that he worked on. I say worked on because Lawman was the PF for Atlantis. However, I will say that his body of work at Gottleib has produced some of the best EM tables out there. This is one of them. I like the flashers in the mysteriouus eyes in the BG. Getting the bonus value to 5k is a goal to set your sights on. 1k is a lot of points on this table. Do you chance the pop bumpers when they are lit?

The Cons:
I do wish that this was a multiplayer game (I know, I know, it's em tech)... that's about it.

The Takeaway:
Simple but not easy is the way this table plays. The artwork is cool and the play is incredible. If you see one, play it and know that your youth is well spent.

Update v.1:
This table continues to amaze me with the considerations to the balance of the playfield, scoring and risk/reward associated with the shots on this deck. It is an example of near pin-perfection with EVERYTHING that brings this game together. You can have the game of your life and then the very next game is a lesson in humility. Abra is a true player and it has stood the test of time. Find one. Play it. Your life is better for it.

Update v.2:
The Magic Wizard design of 1971 is superior and created by Ed Krynski. This game has the "M" and the
"C" targets behind the drop targets make for tempting sniper shots. The collecting and the resetting of the targets from the center standup or from SHATZING THE INLANES makes this game pick up yet ANOTHER LEVER of pinball awesomeness that can only be attributed to Master K. True players, look for this game. Find it if you can and play the FACK out of it.

This game in on the want list.

Elton John, it has been about 50 years since you last graced us with your pin-tac-u-lar presence!

The Pros:
An incredibly smooth, fast and flowing Steve Ritchie design that is an absolute joy to play. This is what it feels like when you give The King the time, budget and respect to make a pinball game. The Franchi artwork is some of his best. This game is a feast for the eyes. The animations and the graphical user interface is top notch. You know what you need to do when you need to know it. The inserts and GUI let you know what needs to be done, what has been done and where you want to focus your attention. Being able to backhand most of the shots on this game gave me a Spidey/ GoT feel. You'd better be on your toes the entire time you play. This game is FAST! Flippers feel great, responsive and snappy. NO lag as felt on other JJP designs of the past. And, the music. This game sounds great. The sound package on this game is stellar. Was that a Star Trek sound? The blending of songs and sound design between gameplay modes, multiball and even entering your high score name is very well executed. I smiled while I plinked away at putting in my name for a high score. This game feels like a 90' Williams pinball game to me. SOLID!

The Cons:
While the game feels great, it is not a groundbreaking layout. There are many callbacks to other successful games he has created from the past, it's a great playing game but there is nothing "new" about it. While I love the lighting, this game suffers from a case of "just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should...". This game is very bright. To the point of confusion and overstimulated sensual bombardment. I will make note of that I didn't have a problem with what the game was communicating to me, the lighting guided my eyes where I need to put the ball quite easily. I may need to wear sunglasses while I play this game though... The "rocket" kicker sends the ball to the same place that the right or it does, strange... And finally the wire forms in the plunger lane make seeing the skillshot from the plunge difficult. Minor matters that don't interfere with play, but are noticeable.

The Takeaway:
As much as I enjoy The Godfather, this first impression of this design.... may be my favorite JJP game to date. I still need to explore the rules, but the modes that I cracked at were well choreographed and communicated very well. Sometimes familiar is good. This game feels familiar, but that is not a bad thing, it feels like a Steve Ritchie 3 flipper design. And it feels like a 3 flipper Steve Ritchie design made with the quality that Williams used to produce.

Elton John, it has been about 50 years since you last graced us with your pin-tac-u-lar presence!

The Pros:
An incredibly smooth, fast and flowing Steve Ritchie design that is an absolute joy to play. This is what it feels like when you give The King the time, budget and respect to make a pinball game. The Franchi artwork is some of his best. This game is a feast for the eyes. The animations and the graphical user interface is top notch. You know what you need to do when you need to know it. The inserts and GUI let you know what needs to be done, what has been done and where you want to focus your attention. Being able to backhand most of the shots on this game gave me a Spidey/ GoT feel. You'd better be on your toes the entire time you play. This game is FAST! Flippers feel great, responsive and snappy. NO lag as felt on other JJP designs of the past. And, the music. This game sounds great. The sound package on this game is stellar. Was that a Star Trek sound? The blending of songs and sound design between gameplay modes, multiball and even entering your high score name is very well executed. I smiled while I plinked away at putting in my name for a high score. This game feels like a 90' Williams pinball game to me. SOLID!

The Cons:
While the game feels great, it is not a groundbreaking layout. There are many callbacks to other successful games he has created from the past, it's a great playing game but there is nothing "new" about it. While I love the lighting, this game suffers from a case of "just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should...". This game is very bright. To the point of confusion and overstimulated sensual bombardment. I will make note of that I didn't have a problem with what the game was communicating to me, the lighting guided my eyes where I need to put the ball quite easily. I may need to wear sunglasses while I play this game though... The "rocket" kicker sends the ball to the same place that the right or it does, strange... And finally the wire forms in the plunger lane make seeing the skillshot from the plunge difficult. Minor matters that don't interfere with play, but are noticeable.

The Takeaway:
As much as I enjoy The Godfather, this first impression of this design.... may be my favorite JJP game to date. I still need to explore the rules, but the modes that I cracked at were well choreographed and communicated very well. Sometimes familiar is good. This game feels familiar, but that is not a bad thing, it feels like a Steve Ritchie 3 flipper design. And it feels like a 3 flipper Steve Ritchie design made with the quality that Williams used to produce.

This is one of the most unusual games from Stern (v.1) pinball other than Orbiter.

The Pros:
A unique layout with some interesting rules at the drop targets and a challenging multi-ball sequence. Lighting the spinner and ripping it is truly challenging and very satisfying.

The Cons:
Open areas of the playfield interspersed with interesting shots and an indirect feed to the ball lock (if you have qualified it...). Artwork is a strange mashup.of airbrush and colored pencils.

The takeaway:
Well it's settled. Angels DO have tits. There are some really interesting ideas coming together with the drops and rules of this game, but you REALLY have to work for what may not be that great of a payoff for your score with this game. Can you find one to get to know it? Do you want to? I love Harry Williams games, but this one is truly puzzling to me.

Venom is the newest fan layout from Stern.

The Pros:
The rules that have been put together by Eddy, Sullivan and Davidson are very well done from the start. The one thing that this game does well is that it engages players for a longer game and thus a more worthwhile home experience. I don't ever remember seeing a game with staged ball locks in the main ramps. This allows the choreographers to keep the game flowling ala ST:TnG with balls kept in the subways under the PF. This game will also do well on location because the scanner will tempt location players to "keep progressing" with their codes and their dollars. Somebody read the comics and stayed true to the subject matter. Respek.

The Cons:
Another fan layout. yay. Brian Eddy had a brilliant playfield design with the Shadow and hasn't done anything other than a fan layout since. At least there is some variance in length and width of shots throughout the layout. This fan layout is surprisingly shootable for a game with 8 major shots and with 5 standups on the sides and in between, 13 viable and shootable targets to aim for. A touch of clunk in the right hand side of the u-turn.

The Takeaway:
I have not seen a fan layout with rules this good since Attack From Mars. This game has the "try this and let's see what happens" of Dwight Sullivan and the competitive experience and knowledge of Raymond Davidson. I was not expecting to enjoy this game as much as I did and despite the data farming of Stern for more features, the game takes a lot of small things and makes them matter. I looked at the pics of this game and thought to myself "here we go again..." and then I had a great time. I love being wrong about things like this and it shows me that with even what may look like an uninspired layout, there is more to it. The kids are gonna love it. The home users are gonna love it. The ops are gonna make money. This is the next Game of Thrones for Stern.

It's in the RULES!

Update:
Well, the unfortunate situation of this design and ruleset boils down to this. Pay to win. Great for operators, great for how owners who want to see the wizard modes at the end of the game. How is this bad? I'll break it down to this term:

Microtransactions.

Put your phone on the glass and PAY TO WIN! I would love to be wrong about this, But if Marky Mark the VeePee of Marketing the Market at Stern has any say in it... this is where Stern's business plan is going. Not Good. Bad. Lipstick on a pig bad. I would love to be wrong about this, but we have seen this happen in other parts of the gaming industry You bought the game (or rented it for a minute on location...) but you are still gonna pay. Oh yeah... you are gonna pay! I would absolutely love to be wrong about this, but I see the "backwards compatability" of this system. This is not good. This is not a good future. If it is the case, you can call into question the ownership of pinball games. You know, the ones you paid for. Because it's never enough. Never enough for the market.

Venom is the newest fan layout from Stern.

The Pros:
The rules that have been put together by Eddy, Sullivan and Davidson are very well done from the start. The one thing that this game does well is that it engages players for a longer game and thus a more worthwhile home experience. I don't ever remember seeing a game with staged ball locks in the main ramps. This allows the choreographers to keep the game flowling ala ST:TnG with balls kept in the subways under the PF. This game will also do well on location because the scanner will tempt location players to "keep progressing" with their codes and their dollars. Somebody read the comics and stayed true to the subject matter. Respek.

The Cons:
Another fan layout. yay. Brian Eddy had a brilliant playfield design with the Shadow and hasn't done anything other than a fan layout since. At least there is some variance in length and width of shots throughout the layout. This fan layout is surprisingly shootable for a game with 8 major shots and with 5 standups on the sides and in between, 13 viable and shootable targets to aim for. A touch of clunk in the right hand side of the u-turn.

The Takeaway:
I have not seen a fan layout with rules this good since Attack From Mars. This game has the "try this and let's see what happens" of Dwight Sullivan and the competitive experience and knowledge of Raymond Davidson. I was not expecting to enjoy this game as much as I did and despite the data farming of Stern for more features, the game takes a lot of small things and makes them matter. I looked at the pics of this game and thought to myself "here we go again..." and then I had a great time. I love being wrong about things like this and it shows me that with even what may look like an uninspired layout, there is more to it. The kids are gonna love it. The home users are gonna love it. The ops are gonna make money. This is the next Game of Thrones for Stern.

It's in the RULES!

Update:
Well, the unfortunate situation of this design and ruleset boils down to this. Pay to win. Great for operators, great for how owners who want to see the wizard modes at the end of the game. How is this bad? I'll break it down to this term:

Microtransactions.

Put your phone on the glass and PAY TO WIN! I would love to be wrong about this, But if Marky Mark the VeePee of Marketing the Market at Stern has any say in it... this is where Stern's business plan is going. Not Good. Bad. Lipstick on a pig bad. I would love to be wrong about this, but we have seen this happen in other parts of the gaming industry You bought the game (or rented it for a minute on location...) but you are still gonna pay. Oh yeah... you are gonna pay! I would absolutely love to be wrong about this, but I see the "backwards compatability" of this system. This is not good. This is not a good future. If it is the case, you can call into question the ownership of pinball games. You know, the ones you paid for. Because it's never enough. Never enough for the market.

Venom is the newest fan layout from Stern.

The Pros:
The rules that have been put together by Eddy, Sullivan and Davidson are very well done from the start. The one thing that this game does well is that it engages players for a longer game and thus a more worthwhile home experience. I don't ever remember seeing a game with staged ball locks in the main ramps. This allows the choreographers to keep the game flowling ala ST:TnG with balls kept in the subways under the PF. This game will also do well on location because the scanner will tempt location players to "keep progressing" with their codes and their dollars. Somebody read the comics and stayed true to the subject matter. Respek.

The Cons:
Another fan layout. yay. Brian Eddy had a brilliant playfield design with the Shadow and hasn't done anything other than a fan layout since. At least there is some variance in length and width of shots throughout the layout. This fan layout is surprisingly shootable for a game with 8 major shots and with 5 standups on the sides and in between, 13 viable and shootable targets to aim for. A touch of clunk in the right hand side of the u-turn.

The Takeaway:
I have not seen a fan layout with rules this good since Attack From Mars. This game has the "try this and let's see what happens" of Dwight Sullivan and the competitive experience and knowledge of Raymond Davidson. I was not expecting to enjoy this game as much as I did and despite the data farming of Stern for more features, the game takes a lot of small things and makes them matter. I looked at the pics of this game and thought to myself "here we go again..." and then I had a great time. I love being wrong about things like this and it shows me that with even what may look like an uninspired layout, there is more to it. The kids are gonna love it. The home users are gonna love it. The ops are gonna make money. This is the next Game of Thrones for Stern.

It's in the RULES!

Update:
Well, the unfortunate situation of this design and ruleset boils down to this. Pay to win. Great for operators, great for how owners who want to see the wizard modes at the end of the game. How is this bad? I'll break it down to this term:

Microtransactions.

Put your phone on the glass and PAY TO WIN! I would love to be wrong about this, But if Marky Mark the VeePee of Marketing the Market at Stern has any say in it... this is where Stern's business plan is going. Not Good. Bad. Lipstick on a pig bad. I would love to be wrong about this, but we have seen this happen in other parts of the gaming industry You bought the game (or rented it for a minute on location...) but you are still gonna pay. Oh yeah... you are gonna pay! I would absolutely love to be wrong about this, but I see the "backwards compatability" of this system. This is not good. This is not a good future. If it is the case, you can call into question the ownership of pinball games. You know, the ones you paid for. Because it's never enough. Never enough for the market.

Total Nuclear Annihilation is a labor of love by a single man. Considering he does not work for a pinball production company (AND THIS GAME GOT MADE) this table gives me hope that maybe some day... I can dream, can't I?!? I have only played a single game on this table, so this review will be updated after further mileage has been accumulated.

The Pros:
This game sounds fantastic. The designer composed the music for this deck. He also laid out the design, programmed (not just wrote out on paper) the rules and convinced the crew at Spooky to make this happen. The artwork is appropriate and the whole package is a singular vision of pinball ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! The game is fast, lots of dangerous side to side action on the lower PF means that you'd better make your shots and make them count.

The Cons:
The inner PF dominates this game to the point of limiting what else can be done with this table. Playability on the upper pf hasn't grabbed me yet. You really only have 3 shots on the lower pf of this table. Spooky still seems to have issues with their production QC. I hope this game holds up better than RZ.

The Takeaway: A singular vision of pinball come to life. What do you know... dreams can become real! I can't wait to play this game again and really find out what it is all about.

Update:
I found a really sweet copy in a home collection and got to know it a little better. This game is FAST and DEADLY. The rules are very straightforward and well balanced. The ball saver countdown is placed perfectly. The 2x/3x multiplier with the balls on the PF duing multiball is way sweet (did I miss the PF multiplier notification on this table somewhere?) and destroying a reactor is incredibly satisfying. The ar tpackage is vibrant. Combined with the music, the sounds, the coordinated lights, the theatre on this game is top notch! Since the P/F is sliced in half all shots are very fast and very dangerous if missed. The only time to safely shoot for the cosmic gunfighter standups is in multiball. The spinner building the JP value is a great addition to the ruleset. So far, it is a matter of setting up the reactor to about to be destroyed before heading into multiball for the 3x scoring. Rinse and repeat. Is there more to this game? Probably. I have to destroy 9 reactors in a single game to find out. But for now this deck satisfies in a way that I remember Steve Ritchie's firepower. This is not a complex game to learn. It is a frikkin BEAST to conquer. The other big question... is it worth paying $6250.- for a game that plays like something out of 1980? That is up to the buyer. But for what this game is supposed to do, it does it very, very, very well. Fast and furious, I tip my hat to you Mr. Danesi and am grateful for the team at Spooky for helping in making Scott's dream a reality!

Update V.2:
The sounds are great. Especially with an upgraded sound system. This is the only thing that separates this game from a great game from the 80's. Other than that... I'm as happy to play a sweet copy of Barracora, Warlok, Nine Ball, Paragon, Fathom, Skateball, Joker Poker, Frontier, Taxi 8 Ball Deluxe, Black Hole... and a slew of other games from that vintage. Not to take anything away from TNA. But I'm not taking anything away from any great games from the past either. The balance between challenge, simplicity and that essential "gotta play one more game..." is there. Play on playas!

Update v.3:
This game is stressful to play. By design. The simplicity of the ruleset means that working for reactor 9 is a true challenge. Onve you get past reactor 4, the game's rules start to get incrementally more difficult and more challenging. But the thing to remember about this game is that unless the ball saver is counting down or you are in multiball, you are always in mortal danger of the ball leaving the pf. This game is all about risk/reward and making sure that you set up your multiball BEFORE you kill the reactor. This game is also good reason to make sure that your speakers can handle volume and BASS! Scott Danesi is a new talent in a throwback of pinball design theory (and music, and much more). Congrats to Scott and Team Spooky for creating this great title and making pinball happen!

Update v.4:
Sometimes you have to appreciate something for what it is. This game is a throwback to the challenging quarter eaters of the late 1970's to the mid 1980's. Updated rules, sounds and technology. This game achieves that design strategy incredibly well. The split of the playfield in the upper and lower (on the same piece of wood) hasn't been done this well since Grand Lizard. And GL had RAMPS! If you know what you want and this is it. Get it. There are few examples of pinball games that are this simple, balanced, challenging and in many ways... refined. I have gotten to know this game a bit more and am suitably impressed. That doesn't happen often. But this game does that and is on my want list.

Star Trek Premium from Stern is just more proof that Steve Ritchie is "The King"!

The Pros:
Unfinished software from Stern means that this game has more to come. This game is all about the shots and the ramp that feeds the third flipper is utter genius. The Spidey under the flipper shot makes a welcome return.

The Cons:
Unfinished software from Stern means that this game is still not done. I don't like the feed of the left saucer into the inlanes when things don't roll out as planned. The animations seem rather cartoony for the movie theme. I am spoiled by the custom speech calls from ST:TNG. The modes don't really feel that much different from each other. Shoot the flashing lights...

The Takeaway:
Another game with that great "Ritchie Flow" from the team at Stern. The more I play this game, the more I want to play more. That's a great sign. I can't wait to see what they come up with next!

Update:
The S/W feels much better with the modes as well as the Vengence and Klingon multiballs. Kobayashi Maru multiball makes up for the sins of ST:TNG and keeps modes from being timed out as the rsk/rewarrd factor has been taken into account. The light show has been updated and really makes the integration of the modes even more spectacular than it was before. There is also quite a bit of distinction between the modes (and the 3 levels of them) and the shot selection that you are offered within each mode. Still not the same separation of character within the modes as you would have had in ST:TNG, but this is another game and the way that the game has tossed things up is much better than the previous S/W iteration. Backhand and forehand shots are makeable to nearly every shot on the table giving the player more shot choices than one might think by glancing at the layout.

Getting to Warp 9.9 keeps you on your toes even when you have hit the "sweet spot" of the upper flipper. That ramp/loop is incredibly fast! Big ups to Karl Urban for helping out the team (A new Judge Dredd pinball maybe?!?) and this game keeps me coming back for more. I love playing this game and while it is still not in the same league as AC/DC, it is a damn fine table that will appeal to pinheads and trekkies for years to come.

While I don't care for the Vengence toy, the additional touches with lighting and mode specific lasers are way sweet. The darker the room you play this game in, the better. I also wish the the lefthand VUK was in the PRO version of the table, this little difference makes a big positive difference in the play of this deck.

The more I play this game the more I like it. That, is always a good sign of a quality pin-game!

Update #2:
Now that I have had some serious time to play the "newer" code and have had some other high level tourney players show me what's up... I'd like to know, what wasn't picked up 20+ years ago with timing out of modes.

Really?

The first 6 modes of this game can be timed out to achieve higher scores and make playing the first "tier" of these 18 game modes a non-factor in serious competition. Stern, please update this code or put in a tournament mode of sorts that will bypass this omission of stellar proportions. Gameplay, rules and lastability ratings downgraded accordingly. What a shame...

Update #3:
The triple stack of the Prime Directive makes all other approaches to this game (other than secondary super ramps) invalid. Scores reduced again. Curse you, competitive players and your quest for maximum point efficiency!

The new ruleset takes this game where it needs to be. Big ups to Lyman and his team of merry men. A great addition to the Star Trek pinball legacy! This game is now incredibly well balanced. Your scores are reflective of setting this game up and executing your plan with solid play! While some will focus on super ramps and spinners, Others will make the most of the many multiball opportunities that are offered to you within the game. A great game to put next to TWD. The contrast between the flow and the stop and go of TWD makes these two the new "Wonder Twins" of pinball. I have to take my hat to them, Stern keeps knocking them out of the park!

This game is not seen very often and when I walked up to it I was completely surprised to find not only a game that I had never heard of before, but also a pinball game company I had never heard before. The owner was good enough to key me into the whole Stern story. I learned something new about pinball and got to play a game I had never ever seen much less knew anything about... COOL!

The Pros:
Steve Kirk designs ALWAYS get my attention. This means great pinball action and spinners that RIP! This game was in great working order and this played quite nicely. The shots felt tight and the multiball is quick on a smaller pf. The 1-5 targets lighting up to queue the multiball are well implemented. The spinner to the upper right hand drops are a really nice touch. The red standup lane between the drops on the lower PF is a tricky shot. ROM the Spaceknight is way rad!

The Cons:
This game can be a bit too generous with the outs. I'd say remove all extra posts between the flippers and near the outlanes to set up this game so that it has a challenge to it. My ball got stuck behind the right spinner a few times when I played it. Seamus's art package is horrid. PF is serviceable, but the BG looks like it was painted with mud on a stick. Strangely this game feels "lighter and cheaper" than Stern games.

The Takeaway:
There are lots of little figures over this art package with letters on them like SK, Steve Kirk and HW, Harry Williams... Gotta figure them all out! This game plays MUCH better than any flight 2k I have ever encountered. Make this table a bit meaner between the flippers and to the sides... and this will be a solid player. Still waiting to play a decent Flight 2k. An excellent game replacement kit for a Bally/Stern v.1 cabinet.

Expo is a Norm Clark Design that was themed on the Seattle's World's Fair. Luckily enough. I was able to play the game at the N.W. show in Tacoma. This game even has a space needle on it!

The Pros:
A wide open playfield that was made for Williams DC coils. A return lane to the top of the playfield that activates the playfield features is what this game is about. If you don't open your gates and raise your posts (even the minipost on the left is no guarantee of safety)... yikes! Great action from the pops means that this ball flies around the table and keeps you on your toes as soon as the ball enters the pop garden. The Christian Marche Pointy Peoples artwork immediately says "PINBALL!". Some of the hungriest outlanes with no return lanes to the flippers means that you know you are in for a challenge as soon as the game starts. I decent shape, runs about $19,500.00 cheaper than Bond 60th.

The Cons:
The lower left side of the playfield is an outlane. The right side is not much nicer to the player. This design wants DEATH! The Select-A-Spin saucer is a very random drop into the hole. The Spinner is another randomizer that given enough points that it can win the game. So... the chance of this award going your way is very small. You are more likely to activate the spinner when the ball exits the playfield on the sides. The best way to play this game is to disable the spinner, or ake sure that it awards 500 points (skillfully draining? Ok just disable the outlanes.) every time. Game times are short, this game is BRUTAL. When competitive players complain about the "luck-box" They might have been thinking of this Norm Clark creation.

The Takeaway:
If you want a high risk, high action beat-down game that rewards any control that you have on the flippers and punishes you for lack of said control, this may be your game.

Bank-A-Ball may be one of the most deceptive EM designs I have ever encountered.

The Pros:
A completely wide open design that has more to do on it than most would know today. I can hear it now "Look at that game, there's nothing on it. BORING!" And when that player walks away, they walk away from one of the most subtle and nuanced pinball experiences that you could ever have. The artwork on this game is way sweet and the shots are incredibly skillful. Getting all 15 balls to light the specials is never a gimme and that 8 ball shot at the top of the playfield is TOUGH. Rubber all around the perimiter of the game and by the flippers means that a trapped ball to a controlled shot is a rarity. Aiming with a 2" flipper on the fly takes real pinball skills! Getting used to the rotokicker may burn you through a few games, but I also have used the kicker to hit the 12-15 bumpers at the bottom of the playfield for what may be the first ever button activated skill plunge!

The Cons:
Finding one.

The Takeaway:
One of the most open pinball designs that I have ever played. And it WORKS! Harry Mabs is not often referred to as one of the great pinball designers. This man worked for Gottlieb, and then Williams. He trained Steve Kordek (This design is the grand daddy of Strato/Super Flite!) and is most often referred to as the designer of Humpty Dumpty. That's right, Harry Mabs is THE INVENTOR OF THE PINBALL FLIPPER! That's right. Every flip you have ever taken, you owe it to Harry. Find this game. Give it a few plays and watch it bloom right in front of your eyes. Now I gotta find a copy of this game for my own collection!

Thank you Mr. Mabs!

Oh... Chicago Coin.

The Pros:
A solid layout with good angles and big targets to shoot for. The biplane spinners under the Red Baron's wings are way sweet!

The Cons:
A good layout doesn't do much good if the mechanics aren't up to snuff. The biplane spinners under the Red Baron's wings need to spin. Lackluster artwork does not help much.

The Takeaway:
Oh... Chicago coin.

The copy that I played had very weak flippers, could not get the ball back up the playfield. Please take this into consideration with this review.

The Pros:
4 flippers on a pinball game with a playfield split by standups and pops halfway down the design. Lots to shoot for!

The Cons:
As stated above, the copy I found had weak flippers and was a boring drain monster. I see game in this design, I just need to find a game that can utilize the design that this game was created with.

The Takeaway:
I'm looking for another copy to play. Until then, good luck to the players who have found a copy that plays as it should!

The first street location by Jack Danger.

The Pros:
This may be the best new original pinball game layout from a “New” designer. I didn’t care with the score was, I had a blast shooting this game. A three flipper layout with incredible shot options, combos and an up-and-down side to side flow that is absolutely incredible. Gottlieb Spirit in-line standups on both sides make me smile. As always, the Zombie Yeti artwork is amazing and is very well done. Exciting, but still giving the player an idea of what they need to do in relation to hints and pointers for the game during play. This design is an absolute joy to play. Learning how to work with the drop of targets in the stand up behind it as incorporated into the rules that means that the flexibility of the rules on this game are wide as well as deep. This feature and rule set alone makes me give credit to whoever came up with the rules on the game a happy pinball inner kid’s hug. I don’t know who did it, but whoever you are... thank you.

The Dead Post is way sweet!

The Cons:
I’m not a big Foo Fighters fan. Their music is formula rock at its best. So... I find the music on this table to be more background noise than something to really get into. Considering the quality of the artwork on the playfield, and cabinet, I was surprised at some of the artwork that showed up on the animation screen. I wonder if these were earlier WIP versions of the zombie artwork that worked well on the animation screen. This may change with later versions of the code. I’d be curious to see how some of the more convoluted shots on the table act and react to a less than level set up on location. However, the game I played with flowed like butter out of the box (Solid QC!).

The Takeaway:
Are you bored of and sick of fan layouts on pinball games? Are you looking for a pinball experience that’s an absolute joy to play? Something new? Something that will keep you entertained regardless of what is happening on the TV screen? This may be your game. I like this game so much that even though I’m not a Foo Fighters fan, I may have to get one. Playing this game is that good. Fun would probably be the single word that I would best describe this game with. And as Martha would say “And that’s a good thing...”. I have not seen an original first effort from a designer like this since Brian Eddy created The Shadow. I love me some iMaid, but I see a narrow bodied TZ with flow. This is a new design like we have never seen before. Congrats to this design team at Stern Pinball. You have just created a damn fine pinball game!

The first street location by Jack Danger.

The Pros:
This may be the best new original pinball game layout from a “New” designer. I didn’t care with the score was, I had a blast shooting this game. A three flipper layout with incredible shot options, combos and an up-and-down side to side flow that is absolutely incredible. Gottlieb Spirit in-line standups on both sides make me smile. As always, the Zombie Yeti artwork is amazing and is very well done. It is exciting, but still giving the player an idea of what they need to do in relation to hints and pointers for the game during play. The Dragonfly eyes treatment to the cabinet looks hypnotic. This design is an absolute joy to play. Learning how to work with the drop of targets in the stand up behind it as incorporated into the rules that means that the flexibility of the rules on this game are wide as well as deep. This feature and rule set alone makes me give credit to whoever came up with the rules on the game a happy pinball inner kid’s hug. I don’t know who did it, but whoever you are... thank you.

The Dead Post is way sweet!

The Cons:
I’m not a big Foo Fighters fan. Their music is formula rock at its best. So... I find the music on this table to be more background noise than something to really get into. Considering the quality of the artwork on the playfield, and cabinet, I was surprised at some of the artwork that showed up on the animation screen. I wonder if these were earlier WIP versions of the zombie artwork that worked well on the animation screen. This may change with later versions of the code. I’d be curious to see how some of the more convoluted shots on the table act and react to a less than level set up on location. However, the game I played with flowed like butter out of the box (Solid QC!).

The Takeaway:
Are you bored of and sick of fan layouts on pinball games? Are you looking for a pinball experience that’s an absolute joy to play? Something new? Something that will keep you entertained regardless of what is happening on the TV screen? This may be your game. I like this game so much that even though I’m not a Foo Fighters fan, I may have to get one. Playing this game is that good. Fun would probably be the single word that I would best describe this game with. And as Martha would say “And that’s a good thing...”. I have not seen an original first effort from a designer like this since Brian Eddy created The Shadow. I love me some iMaid, but I see a narrow bodied TZ with flow. This is a new design like we have never seen before. Congrats to this design team at Stern Pinball. You have just created a damn fine pinball game!

Pulp Fiction is one of the best movies ever made.

The Pros:
A great shooting game that reminds me of the bally designs of the late 70's and early 80's. This game shoots incredibly well. Orbits on the outside, shot lanes on the inside. Wms. IJ drop targets and a quick turn into the lock. Excellent placement of drops and standup targets. The top saucer with the 5 (HGTR) arrows at the top arch make nudging and timing a truly skillful / chanced part of the gameplay. The color scheme of the game is excellent. You may not ever hear me say this again, but the cabinet artwork ADDS to the experience of this game. This game looks better in person than it does in pictures. The music is AWESOME as is the music in the movie. David Thiel did an over the top job with the audio on this game. If anything he did a bit too much. Good for him!

The Cons:
I have trouble with the character shot on this game. It's a tight shot that demands accuracy and kills on the bounce back of poorly aimed shots. Enough to the point that I stopped shooting for this shot during most of the game. The magnet is interesting, there is a ball saver associated with it. But chaos makers may be the trickiest of all design features to implement. Goodness knows that the ball dropping out of either side of the pops into the lower playfield is tricky enough with every ball that heads towards the flippers. The callouts were lifted from the game. There is a bit of noise in the quotes. The artwork on the pf and the bg are serviceable. But the drawings on the game didn't excite.

The Takeaway:
Just like Mark's Brother Steve dealing with Disney execs on a pinball design, Quentin Tarantino had very specific ideas and limitations for what a Pulp Fiction design should be. Would a widebody game with a lower playfield be something he would want to do? Nope. So... they had to start from scratch. Ramps? Nope... they snuck in some subways and a kicker lock mechanism behind the back of the playfield. Forget about a tv screen in the game. Total throwback look to the game. And you know what... Credit to the team for making this work within limitations. It's great to see Mark Ritchie and the PlayMechanics / CGC team make a pinball game. I played this game more than any other new release at the show (NW, Tacoma).

Pulp Fiction is one of the best movies ever made.

The Pros:
A great shooting game that reminds me of the bally designs of the late 70's and early 80's. This game shoots incredibly well. Orbits on the outside, shot lanes on the inside. Wms. IJ drop targets and a quick turn into the lock. Excellent placement of drops and standup targets. The top saucer with the 5 (HGTR) arrows at the top arch make nudging and timing a truly skillful / chanced part of the gameplay. The color scheme of the game is excellent. You may not ever hear me say this again, but the cabinet artwork ADDS to the experience of this game. This game looks better in person than it does in pictures. The music is AWESOME as is the music in the movie. David Thiel did an over the top job with the audio on this game. If anything he did a bit too much. Good for him!

The Cons:
I have trouble with the character shot on this game. It's a tight shot that demands accuracy and kills on the bounce back of poorly aimed shots. Enough to the point that I stopped shooting for this shot during most of the game. The magnet is interesting, there is a ball saver associated with it. But chaos makers may be the trickiest of all design features to implement. Goodness knows that the ball dropping out of either side of the pops into the lower playfield is tricky enough with every ball that heads towards the flippers. The callouts were lifted from the game. There is a bit of noise in the quotes. The artwork on the pf and the bg are serviceable. But the drawings on the game didn't excite.

The Takeaway:
Just like Mark's Brother Steve dealing with Disney execs on a pinball design, Quentin Tarantino had very specific ideas and limitations for what a Pulp Fiction design should be. Would a widebody game with a lower playfield be something he would want to do? Nope. So... they had to start from scratch. Ramps? Nope... they snuck in some subways and a kicker lock mechanism behind the back of the playfield. Forget about a tv screen in the game. Total throwback look to the game. And you know what... Credit to the team for making this work within limitations. It's great to see Mark Ritchie and the PlayMechanics / CGC team make a pinball game. I played this game more than any other new release at the show (NW, Tacoma).

Galactic Tank Force is the most recent game from American Pinball and a throwback to late 80's pinball design.

The Pros:
A gorgeous art, sound and lighting package. One of the best I have ever witnessed. The sound effects in particular are vibrant and well balanced with timing and gameplay. Playing this game is a spectacle. The center standup targets are dangerous and valuable. The standups on the game I played did not send the ball flying. It was nice to not have negative expectations met. The ramp is SMOOOTH. All the long shots on this game are buttah. The lighting package with the black light / glow in the dark effect is very well implemented. I felt like I was in a 1950's sci-fi 3d sci-fi flick. The moving cow target is pure pinball fun!

The Cons:
Maybe it was the copy I was playing, but the flippers felt sluggish and soft. I can't imagine that this was by design. I will be updating this after play on other copies. So much work was put into the GUI and the movies played during the game that it became something that interrupted, rather than added to the experience of the gameplay.

The Takeaway:
This game is a high chaos playfield design. I got some serious Dr. Dude feels from playing this pin-table. Fast, punishing when you miss, punishing when you succeed and don't defend. There is a whole bunch of "hunh?" the first time that this game is played. Shots, features and effects can be "hidden" in this design. Now I gotta find them! I will be looking for this game again and am very interested in seeing what is implemented in this design and how I am able to learn it. The middle half of the playfield throws the ball back at the player. Some people are not going to like this and will call the game "mean". Know your shots and your risk/ reward from them. Play accordingly. This game is good silly pinball fun. Sometimes a theme is serious. Sometimes pinball takes itself seriously. This game does not take it's theme seriously. I am not always big on themes, but if you have the freedom with the theme, you should have fun. I only got to play a few games at the show, so take this review for what it is and I'll get back when I have more mileage on this design.

Update:
Played this game a bit more and the pacing of the game play/flow is heavily featured/interrupted by all the work done on the display. To the point of distraction. Will this be adjusted? Will operators be able to tweak this? Who knows, but it is a case of more is not always better.

Galactic Tank Force is the most recent game from American Pinball and a throwback to late 80's pinball design.

The Pros:
A gorgeous art, sound and lighting package. One of the best I have ever witnessed. The sound effects in particular are vibrant and well balanced with timing and gameplay. Playing this game is a spectacle. The center standup targets are dangerous and valuable. The standups on the game I played did not send the ball flying. It was nice to not have negative expectations met. The ramp is SMOOOTH. All the long shots on this game are buttah. The lighting package with the black light / glow in the dark effect is very well implemented. I felt like I was in a 1950's sci-fi 3d sci-fi flick. The moving cow target is pure pinball fun!

The Cons:
Maybe it was the copy I was playing, but the flippers felt sluggish and soft. I can't imagine that this was by design. I will be updating this after play on other copies. So much work was put into the GUI and the movies played during the game that it became something that interrupted, rather than added to the experience of the gameplay.

The Takeaway:
This game is a high chaos playfield design. I got some serious Dr. Dude feels from playing this pin-table. Fast, punishing when you miss, punishing when you succeed and don't defend. There is a whole bunch of "hunh?" the first time that this game is played. Shots, features and effects can be "hidden" in this design. Now I gotta find them! I will be looking for this game again and am very interested in seeing what is implemented in this design and how I am able to learn it. The middle half of the playfield throws the ball back at the player. Some people are not going to like this and will call the game "mean". Know your shots and your risk/ reward from them. Play accordingly. This game is good silly pinball fun. Sometimes a theme is serious. Sometimes pinball takes itself seriously. This game does not take it's theme seriously. I am not always big on themes, but if you have the freedom with the theme, you should have fun. I only got to play a few games at the show, so take this review for what it is and I'll get back when I have more mileage on this design.

Update:
Played this game a bit more and the pacing of the game play/flow is heavily featured/interrupted by all the work done on the display. To the point of distraction. Will this be adjusted? Will operators be able to tweak this? Who knows, but it is a case of more is not always better.

Punch the Clown is a ticket dispenser's dream game.

The Pros:
Psychotic clowns populate this design. A short and sweet layout means that this is not a long lasting experience. Quick and done fun. The drop targets that hide the messenger ball and the standup at the top of the playfield add the only dimension to this game. The center standup and loop make this fast design even faster! This game is so dangerous to play, that it doesn't even need outlanes! I would like to take a moment to talk about the artwork. It is AWESOME! Everything that a clown pinball game should be. Python Angelo would be proud!

The Cons:
The purpose of this design is to offer a quick and fun game to play to dispense out tickets at check e. cheese or dave and buster's. There is no depth to it. It's just bang it around pinball fun for the kids. The ruleset means that this game just keeps on spitting out tickets the longer you play it. Teaching kids how to gamble! This game is a children's gateway pinball gambling drug. Thanks PUNCHY!

The Takeaway:
A novelty game for a novelty setting. Play it. Enjoy it FOR WHAT IT IS, and get on to another game. But who knows... If you can live on tickets, Punchy the Clown might just be the game for you! Sit this game down next to Safe Cracker, Caribbean Cruise and Night Moves. Your midget-pin collection will be the envy of every tiny pinball game enthusiast in your time zone!

I like P-I-E!

Caveman is a hybrid video game put in a full size pinball cabinet.


The Pros:
It's a full sized pinball game with a video game in it. The video game actually has some nuance to it as the maze inhabitants change their color as well as their function towards the player. The lower pf is playable and fast. vari targets at the top of the layout are interesting and add a bit of skill and aim to the play all the way until the dinosaurs start running around the video maze. Make it across the board quickly, or hunt for points? The video game itself is not long and for it's time, not bad. Kind of like Wizard of Wor. The artwork on this game is silly and the bone haired cave maiden cracks me up!

The Cons:
An everything AND the kitchen sink approach to design leads to something like this. The individual parts may a work, but the entire package does not. You can see how much effort was put into this project and it just didn't come together. Finding one that works is a miracle unto itself. Play one if you can and thank the tech!

The Takeaway:
Pinball 2000 before pinball 2000 was even an idea. No reflecting of the display on the playfield, Just put a CRT in the middle of the damn thing. A perfect example of just because you can, doesn't mean you should. I want to be clear about how much was tried with this game. Because the technological challenges of the day were immense. Just the willingness to take chances is admirable. Unfortunately, the experiment really didn't work. The pinball play is brutal and once you get past a certain point on the video game, the dinosaurs are moving so quickly, that getting to the other side of the maze is an impossibility.

Scooby Doo the pinball game. Why hasn't this been done before?

The Pros:
A widebody fan layout. I am not usually a fan of this, but this one works. The drop target walls on the left have not been seen since Bally's Vector. And this version is done better than the version we saw 40 years ago. The upper playfield is fun to shoot and the amount to do on this game should keep most people happy for a very long time. Shooting the game is a blast and the game does not suffer from 11 x 1-1/2 inch shots like most fan layouts do. The upper playfield is fun and the many multiballs available to the player mean that there is always pinball excitement right around the corner. The modes are varied and while some are more complex than others, the utilization of the entire playfield is appreciated (as are some of the hints given to the player along the way). Character selection is varied and interesting. How do you like to play? OK, play that way...

The Cons:
The software needs polish. There are ball traps on the lower playfield (behind the drops) and the game does not "find" the ball easily. Spooky games feel like they are made out of cheap pinball life parts, because they are. 5 characters that have different gameplay properties that can only be chosen once during a game (I can hear the tournament players grinding their teeth already...) means that going first means you get to pick first and the first most valuable scooby team member for your game. I am sure a tournament setting can be put into this software, if it isn't already. An ability to set up a game that lets more than one person pick Velma, Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne or Fred, will make a difference.

The Takeaway:
Scooby Doo FINALLY has a pinball game. I am not usually big on themes, but this one is fun for everyone and perfect for the Spooky pinball brand. This is their best internally designed game so far. I still really like TNA, but that is such a different game that I will give this design team kudos as the comparison is apples and oranges as far as pinball is concerned. Travelling to Benton, WI to pick up my lady's CE in a few weeks... she HAD to have it! I am a lucky man who has a woman in his life who loves me and buys NIB pinball games!

Update v.1:
This game is fun. Shooting it is accessible on the lower playfield as a fan layout and the upper playfield has 9 shots on it with the awesome boomerang diverter / left flipper. The lighting guides the eye and mind of the player around quite nicely. The modes are varied in selection and progression throughout the design. In the meantime, the villain modes and the multiball rules are in the game. This game is playable and enjoyable.

The software is still incomplete. The character lanes to light and then collect/start the player modes from the hole on the let are not in yet. The wizard mode for starting / completing the villains isn't implemented yet. That means the final wizard mode is not in the game either. The good news is that software updates are being implemented for technically functionality and score balancing. This is already happening to make sure the game is functioning as it should and to also prevent the upper playfield all day long tournament strategy. (MYSTERY PROGRAMMER... will you please adjust the scores on the Medieval Madness castle!). The callouts and the audio package is full of fun. I have seen people laugh out loud when some of the scripted quotes are spoken, I will say that the balance between the music, effects, quotes and player queues is not quite flushed out. At low general volumes, I have experienced very loud quotes with very quiet music when the master volume is down low. Will probably be fixed in later updates.

This is all good. Multiple production cycle juggling. Every manufacturer seems to be doing this as well. In some ways, this is frustrating as a consumer. In other ways this seems to be industry standard. In other ways this great! Software updates didn't happen until Keith Johnson just had to make his games right. Is it everything that everyone wants all at once? No. But it is happening and the pinball world is better for it. This game still has some physical shot/ play clunkyness. And the designs of the operating systems boards / lighting tech are in development. Just like every other pinball company out there.

Scooby fans love this game. There is enough in this design as it stands to keep most people entertained. I look forward to seeing how this ruleset is implemented and polished. Is it the most skillful pinball game created, nope. But it is Spooky's most ambitious and likely most successful (internal) game design.

Update v.2:
It’s pinside had a reliability rating for pinball games, I’d give it a big zero. Instead I gave ones to lastability and fun. Because owning a spooky pinball game has been more of a pain in the buttocks and therefore... NO FUN. Today, spooky pinball games will be at the bottom quality of the modem pinball game producers. This has been the case in the past, it is today and my good Will has been burnt out in hopes of their decision making process in the future. I’ve had to do more physical adjustments and modifications on this game than any other game I’ve ever owned, ever. Ball traps and happy trails. All traps near entrances to the subway. Ball traps on the ramp to the upper playfield, all traps to the few kids in the game. Ball traps underneath the flippers coming out from the other playfield. ball traps on habittrails. Ball traps near entrances to the subway. Ball traps on the ramp to the upper playfield, ball traps to review case in the game. Ball traps underneath the flippers coming out from the upper playfield. Who tested this game? Quality Control? Hello?

It’s bad.

Bad enough that I don’t think I will ever buy another spooky pinball game, ever. Cancel my fan club subscription, because I keep having issues with this game. I replace the number of boards on this game, and I’ve had to deal with lackluster support. This game was made earlier this year, and I’ve had to work on it more than any other game in my collection just to keep it working as it should. I also made the mistake of taking this game to a tournament. Right before The tournaments started, new code came out. I installed the code and unfortunately, the game performed poorly. Poorly enough that it got taken out of the tournament due to reliability issues. The game couldn’t keep track of players or both counts. No I don’t know if this is a hardware, or a software issue. But this game out right embarrassed me in front of my people. The thing I heard the most over this weekend was “Oh Spooky...” and it’s not like people haven’t been seen this already. For years. I want spook you to do better. But they’re not. And they’ve had 10 years to do better. I know this isn’t easy, and I also know a lot of people that complain about Jersey Jack games. Or they just won’t play them all because they don’t feel like Stern games.

If I have a real criticism of their build, and you could see this for early Jersey Jack as well. Especially Wizard of Oz. The games are meant to be assembled. Their builds were not meant to be taken apart again and serviced. Who, as a designer in their right mind... Builds a pinball game that can’t be serviced? I’m somewhat familiar with pinball technology, and I can’t imagine what it must be like for an owner who absolutely adores the Scooby Doo theme, that doesn’t know how to wrench a pinball game, to get one of these machines and have it go down with such frequency. Is it just me? Or is there a manual online? I see coil and switch charts, but no manual. No game adjustment info. Is there a .pdf? There are no schematics. Is the business plan smoke and replace, or is it just planned obsolescence. Really. Did I miss something?

Now here’s a real rub. I would’ve bought the game if it was up to me. But my lady is a super Scooby Doo fan. I got it for her. So I feel for the people who buy spooky games that love pinball and end up with poor quality of construction, reliability and an accessibility for maintenance. My patience has ended. Until real changes are made it spooky, I will never buy one of the pinball games again. And if I could, I’d sell this one ASAP.

So here’s to Marky Markety Mark the Veepee of Marketing at Spooky. You did your job well. You put lipstick on a pig and took the kissy-kissy all the way to the sale. Aaaaaaaaaaaaand your job is done. NEXT!!!

Or maybe I’d just buy a boat, cuz i know it’s a money pit and I already have an anchor.

Scooby Doo the pinball game. Why hasn't this been done before?

The Pros:
A widebody fan layout. I am not usually a fan of this, but this one works. The drop target walls on the left have not been seen since Bally's Vector. And this version is done better than the version we saw 40 years ago. The upper playfield is fun to shoot and the amount to do on this game should keep most people happy for a very long time. Shooting the game is a blast and the game does not suffer from 11 x 1-1/2 inch shots like most fan layouts do. The upper playfield is fun and the many multiballs available to the player mean that there is always pinball excitement right around the corner. The modes are varied and while some are more complex than others, the utilization of the entire playfield is appreciated (as are some of the hints given to the player along the way). Character selection is varied and interesting. How do you like to play? OK, play that way...

The Cons:
The software needs polish. There are ball traps on the lower playfield (behind the drops) and the game does not "find" the ball easily. Spooky games feel like they are made out of cheap pinball life parts, because they are. 5 characters that have different gameplay properties that can only be chosen once during a game (I can hear the tournament players grinding their teeth already...) means that going first means you get to pick first and the first most valuable scooby team member for your game. I am sure a tournament setting can be put into this software, if it isn't already. An ability to set up a game that lets more than one person pick Velma, Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne or Fred, will make a difference.

The Takeaway:
Scooby Doo FINALLY has a pinball game. I am not usually big on themes, but this one is fun for everyone and perfect for the Spooky pinball brand. This is their best internally designed game so far. I still really like TNA, but that is such a different game that I will give this design team kudos as the comparison is apples and oranges as far as pinball is concerned. Travelling to Benton, WI to pick up my lady's CE in a few weeks... she HAD to have it! I am a lucky man who has a woman in his life who loves me and buys NIB pinball games!

Update v.1:
This game is fun. Shooting it is accessible on the lower playfield as a fan layout and the upper playfield has 9 shots on it with the awesome boomerang diverter / left flipper. The lighting guides the eye and mind of the player around quite nicely. The modes are varied in selection and progression throughout the design. In the meantime, the villain modes and the multiball rules are in the game. This game is playable and enjoyable.

The software is still incomplete. The character lanes to light and then collect/start the player modes from the hole on the let are not in yet. The wizard mode for starting / completing the villains isn't implemented yet. That means the final wizard mode is not in the game either. The good news is that software updates are being implemented for technically functionality and score balancing. This is already happening to make sure the game is functioning as it should and to also prevent the upper playfield all day long tournament strategy. (MYSTERY PROGRAMMER... will you please adjust the scores on the Medieval Madness castle!). The callouts and the audio package is full of fun. I have seen people laugh out loud when some of the scripted quotes are spoken, I will say that the balance between the music, effects, quotes and player queues is not quite flushed out. At low general volumes, I have experienced very loud quotes with very quiet music when the master volume is down low. Will probably be fixed in later updates.

This is all good. Multiple production cycle juggling. Every manufacturer seems to be doing this as well. In some ways, this is frustrating as a consumer. In other ways this seems to be industry standard. In other ways this great! Software updates didn't happen until Keith Johnson just had to make his games right. Is it everything that everyone wants all at once? No. But it is happening and the pinball world is better for it. This game still has some physical shot/ play clunkyness. And the designs of the operating systems boards / lighting tech are in development. Just like every other pinball company out there.

Scooby fans love this game. There is enough in this design as it stands to keep most people entertained. I look forward to seeing how this ruleset is implemented and polished. Is it the most skillful pinball game created, nope. But it is Spooky's most ambitious and likely most successful (internal) game design.

Update v.2:
It’s pinside had a reliability rating for pinball games, I’d give it a big zero. Instead I gave ones to lastability and fun. Because owning a spooky pinball game has been more of a pain in the buttocks and therefore... NO FUN. Today, spooky pinball games will be at the bottom quality of the modem pinball game producers. This has been the case in the past, it is today and my good Will has been burnt out in hopes of their decision making process in the future. I’ve had to do more physical adjustments and modifications on this game than any other game I’ve ever owned, ever. Ball traps and happy trails. All traps near entrances to the subway. Ball traps on the ramp to the upper playfield, all traps to the few kids in the game. Ball traps underneath the flippers coming out from the other playfield. ball traps on habittrails. Ball traps near entrances to the subway. Ball traps on the ramp to the upper playfield, ball traps to review case in the game. Ball traps underneath the flippers coming out from the upper playfield. Who tested this game? Quality Control? Hello?

It’s bad.

Bad enough that I don’t think I will ever buy another spooky pinball game, ever. Cancel my fan club subscription, because I keep having issues with this game. I replace the number of boards on this game, and I’ve had to deal with lackluster support. This game was made earlier this year, and I’ve had to work on it more than any other game in my collection just to keep it working as it should. I also made the mistake of taking this game to a tournament. Right before The tournaments started, new code came out. I installed the code and unfortunately, the game performed poorly. Poorly enough that it got taken out of the tournament due to reliability issues. The game couldn’t keep track of players or both counts. No I don’t know if this is a hardware, or a software issue. But this game out right embarrassed me in front of my people. The thing I heard the most over this weekend was “Oh Spooky...” and it’s not like people haven’t been seen this already. For years. I want spook you to do better. But they’re not. And they’ve had 10 years to do better. I know this isn’t easy, and I also know a lot of people that complain about Jersey Jack games. Or they just won’t play them all because they don’t feel like Stern games.

If I have a real criticism of their build, and you could see this for early Jersey Jack as well. Especially Wizard of Oz. The games are meant to be assembled. Their builds were not meant to be taken apart again and serviced. Who, as a designer in their right mind... Builds a pinball game that can’t be serviced? I’m somewhat familiar with pinball technology, and I can’t imagine what it must be like for an owner who absolutely adores the Scooby Doo theme, that doesn’t know how to wrench a pinball game, to get one of these machines and have it go down with such frequency. Is it just me? Or is there a manual online? I see coil and switch charts, but no manual. No game adjustment info. Is there a .pdf? There are no schematics. Is the business plan smoke and replace, or is it just planned obsolescence. Really. Did I miss something?

Now here’s a real rub. I would’ve bought the game if it was up to me. But my lady is a super Scooby Doo fan. I got it for her. So I feel for the people who buy spooky games that love pinball and end up with poor quality of construction, reliability and an accessibility for maintenance. My patience has ended. Until real changes are made it spooky, I will never buy one of the pinball games again. And if I could, I’d sell this one ASAP.

So here’s to Marky Markety Mark the Veepee of Marketing at Spooky. You did your job well. You put lipstick on a pig and took the kissy-kissy all the way to the sale. Aaaaaaaaaaaaand your job is done. NEXT!!!

Or maybe I’d just buy a boat, cuz i know it’s a money pit and I already have an anchor.

Scooby Doo the pinball game. Why hasn't this been done before?

The Pros:
A widebody fan layout. I am not usually a fan of this, but this one works. The drop target walls on the left have not been seen since Bally's Vector. And this version is done better than the version we saw 40 years ago. The upper playfield is fun to shoot and the amount to do on this game should keep most people happy for a very long time. Shooting the game is a blast and the game does not suffer from 11 x 1-1/2 inch shots like most fan layouts do. The upper playfield is fun and the many multiballs available to the player mean that there is always pinball excitement right around the corner. The modes are varied and while some are more complex than others, the utilization of the entire playfield is appreciated (as are some of the hints given to the player along the way). Character selection is varied and interesting. How do you like to play? OK, play that way...

The Cons:
The software needs polish. There are ball traps on the lower playfield (behind the drops) and the game does not "find" the ball easily. Spooky games feel like they are made out of cheap pinball life parts, because they are. 5 characters that have different gameplay properties that can only be chosen once during a game (I can hear the tournament players grinding their teeth already...) means that going first means you get to pick first and the first most valuable scooby team member for your game. I am sure a tournament setting can be put into this software, if it isn't already. An ability to set up a game that lets more than one person pick Velma, Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne or Fred, will make a difference.

The Takeaway:
Scooby Doo FINALLY has a pinball game. I am not usually big on themes, but this one is fun for everyone and perfect for the Spooky pinball brand. This is their best internally designed game so far. I still really like TNA, but that is such a different game that I will give this design team kudos as the comparison is apples and oranges as far as pinball is concerned. Travelling to Benton, WI to pick up my lady's CE in a few weeks... she HAD to have it! I am a lucky man who has a woman in his life who loves me and buys NIB pinball games!

Update v.1:
This game is fun. Shooting it is accessible on the lower playfield as a fan layout and the upper playfield has 9 shots on it with the awesome boomerang diverter / left flipper. The lighting guides the eye and mind of the player around quite nicely. The modes are varied in selection and progression throughout the design. In the meantime, the villain modes and the multiball rules are in the game. This game is playable and enjoyable.

The software is still incomplete. The character lanes to light and then collect/start the player modes from the hole on the let are not in yet. The wizard mode for starting / completing the villains isn't implemented yet. That means the final wizard mode is not in the game either. The good news is that software updates are being implemented for technically functionality and score balancing. This is already happening to make sure the game is functioning as it should and to also prevent the upper playfield all day long tournament strategy. (MYSTERY PROGRAMMER... will you please adjust the scores on the Medieval Madness castle!). The callouts and the audio package is full of fun. I have seen people laugh out loud when some of the scripted quotes are spoken, I will say that the balance between the music, effects, quotes and player queues is not quite flushed out. At low general volumes, I have experienced very loud quotes with very quiet music when the master volume is down low. Will probably be fixed in later updates.

This is all good. Multiple production cycle juggling. Every manufacturer seems to be doing this as well. In some ways, this is frustrating as a consumer. In other ways this seems to be industry standard. In other ways this great! Software updates didn't happen until Keith Johnson just had to make his games right. Is it everything that everyone wants all at once? No. But it is happening and the pinball world is better for it. This game still has some physical shot/ play clunkyness. And the designs of the operating systems boards / lighting tech are in development. Just like every other pinball company out there.

Scooby fans love this game. There is enough in this design as it stands to keep most people entertained. I look forward to seeing how this ruleset is implemented and polished. Is it the most skillful pinball game created, nope. But it is Spooky's most ambitious and likely most successful (internal) game design.

Update v.2:
It’s pinside had a reliability rating for pinball games, I’d give it a big zero. Instead I gave ones to lastability and fun. Because owning a spooky pinball game has been more of a pain in the buttocks and therefore... NO FUN. Today, spooky pinball games will be at the bottom quality of the modem pinball game producers. This has been the case in the past, it is today and my good Will has been burnt out in hopes of their decision making process in the future. I’ve had to do more physical adjustments and modifications on this game than any other game I’ve ever owned, ever. Ball traps and happy trails. All traps near entrances to the subway. Ball traps on the ramp to the upper playfield, all traps to the few kids in the game. Ball traps underneath the flippers coming out from the other playfield. ball traps on habittrails. Ball traps near entrances to the subway. Ball traps on the ramp to the upper playfield, ball traps to review case in the game. Ball traps underneath the flippers coming out from the upper playfield. Who tested this game? Quality Control? Hello?

It’s bad.

Bad enough that I don’t think I will ever buy another spooky pinball game, ever. Cancel my fan club subscription, because I keep having issues with this game. I replace the number of boards on this game, and I’ve had to deal with lackluster support. This game was made earlier this year, and I’ve had to work on it more than any other game in my collection just to keep it working as it should. I also made the mistake of taking this game to a tournament. Right before The tournaments started, new code came out. I installed the code and unfortunately, the game performed poorly. Poorly enough that it got taken out of the tournament due to reliability issues. The game couldn’t keep track of players or both counts. No I don’t know if this is a hardware, or a software issue. But this game out right embarrassed me in front of my people. The thing I heard the most over this weekend was “Oh Spooky...” and it’s not like people haven’t been seen this already. For years. I want spook you to do better. But they’re not. And they’ve had 10 years to do better. I know this isn’t easy, and I also know a lot of people that complain about Jersey Jack games. Or they just won’t play them all because they don’t feel like Stern games.

If I have a real criticism of their build, and you could see this for early Jersey Jack as well. Especially Wizard of Oz. The games are meant to be assembled. Their builds were not meant to be taken apart again and serviced. Who, as a designer in their right mind... Builds a pinball game that can’t be serviced? I’m somewhat familiar with pinball technology, and I can’t imagine what it must be like for an owner who absolutely adores the Scooby Doo theme, that doesn’t know how to wrench a pinball game, to get one of these machines and have it go down with such frequency. Is it just me? Or is there a manual online? I see coil and switch charts, but no manual. No game adjustment info. Is there a .pdf? There are no schematics. Is the business plan smoke and replace, or is it just planned obsolescence. Really. Did I miss something?

Now here’s a real rub. I would’ve bought the game if it was up to me. But my lady is a super Scooby Doo fan. I got it for her. So I feel for the people who buy spooky games that love pinball and end up with poor quality of construction, reliability and an accessibility for maintenance. My patience has ended. Until real changes are made it spooky, I will never buy one of the pinball games again. And if I could, I’d sell this one ASAP.

So here’s to Marky Markety Mark the Veepee of Marketing at Spooky. You did your job well. You put lipstick on a pig and took the kissy-kissy all the way to the sale. Aaaaaaaaaaaaand your job is done. NEXT!!!

Or maybe I’d just buy a boat, cuz i know it’s a money pit and I already have an anchor.

This game may be the most appropriate theme for Jersey Jack

The Pros:
A great layout with more diverters than you can shake a shakedown with. There is a lot to be excited about with this design. A dangerous lower playfield with lots of options for all 3 flippers. Careful placements of magnets, skillshots and multiple options with each shot mean that the most has been made of this playfield design. The spinner toy with flipper activation by the player is a subtle and well implemented semi-random feature. Did the ball head down toward the flippers? Yes. Did the ball feel like it came out of the spinner and luck-boxed me out? No. The artwork is Chris Franchi's best pinball art package. The lit artwork around the display looks fantastic and makes me wonder why hasn't this been done since day 1? The music is brilliantly implemented. The light shows are better than anything I have seen other than maybe JJP GnR. And the rules. THE RULES. They are SOLID with multiple layers and (so far) relatively easily understood. There is also lots of depth that I have barely scratched. Shots are fast. The flow of the game is where it needs to be and if you aren't paying attention to the habit trail bumping off the standup to the right flipper, your ball is GONE! The extra ball shot is multiple standups behind the fountain pop. Feels like Oktoberfest to me, not what I expected from a JJP pinball design. Cues to the production team are something that I appreciate. The stars of this game are the people who made it and they get credit to see their faces and their names on the game. Respect.

The Cons:
The shots on this game are TIGHT! I am not a fan of the "Choose your destiny on the first plunge" of a pinball game. But this choice has to do with percentages of overall gameplay. You can still prefer to play the game a certain way and not feel like you are cutting out everything else for game progress. Do you know of anyone who plays Stark?

The Takeaway:
This is the JJP game the pinball players have been waiting for. This game is the first game from JJP that shoots great, has solid (so far) rules and doesn't force you to play the game in a specific way. This game looks, sounds, plays and FEELS fantastic! Think of a game from Bally/ Williams released in 1997 and how that felt. Now put some modern rules on a nonfan layout. All the good pinball things are here. Let's see how this game holds up over time. As much as I wanted to love Wonka, the punishing pops exit on the left and the rando-kid award from the TV made the game less than ideal for me. This is the first game from JJP Since Dialed In that I respect when I play it.

Here's the short JJP history:
Woz: WOW! Does it work?
Dialed in: The game that was too smart for it's own theme. You must play this game one way for big scores.
Hobbit: How can so much be so boring?
PotC: How can so much be so confusing? Just shoot for the flashing lights.
Wonka: Close, but not perfect. And the things that aren't perfect... make a difference.
GnR: A rock n' roll show in a box. Shots are good or not. Rules are deep to a fault. Shoot the flashing lights, again.
TS4: A designers contempt of his end user makes for a lackluster gofer game.
TGF: YES!!!!

I WILL be updating my reviews on this game after further play and exploration. I loved shooting Wonka, but the rules and missed aspects of that game added up to a no for me. My hope is that this game ends up in my collection because it is a true player!

Update:
The rules. The goddamn rules. Would somebody kindly explain the concept of the power of limitations to this design team? Just because you can, doesn’t mean that you should. I know that the software can be written and the rules can be updated. However, after a couple dozen plays on this design the curse of pirates of the Caribbean comes back to haunt us. Multi ball, stacked on multi ball, stacked on multi ball, stacked on multi ball and, do it again. I know that there’s so much going on with this game. But why bother? When you can make lots of Points without much risk by going into and staying in multiple as much as you can. Or just prep one multi ball so that as soon as you lose all but one ball in the play field, you’re back in multiple again. To have real reward, risk must be confronted. I want this game to be incredible. There is no reason why it shouldn’t be. It looks amazing, shoots like a dream and has some of the best pinball theater I’ve ever witnessed. But there’s no sense of tension or real consideration with risk in gameplay. Just build a safe place and go there as often as frequently as you possibly can. Mashing your lock down button may increase your multiplier, which only makes your scores and multiball that much more cushy.

Super jackpots from the inlane standup are way sweet.

Love the layout. Shooting this game is pure joy. Hoping for better rules in the future with updates.

Update v.2:
Someone who knows this game (and is a better player) showed me a bit. And while I still feel like the game goes multi-multiball, there is much more strategy to this game than I complained about in my previous update. Big points are in the jobs, not the multiballs. Multiballs support game safety/progress. Multipliers are KEY especially right before you cashout at the subway shot from the upper flipper or the inlane standup (left inlane first!). While still going back and forth, this game rules are much better than I ranted in the previous few paragraphs. Scores updated accordingly.

The first street location by Jack Danger.

The Pros:
This may be the best new original pinball game layout from a “New” designer. I didn’t care with the score was, I had a blast shooting this game. A three flipper layout with incredible shot options, combos and an up-and-down side to side flow that is absolutely incredible. Gottlieb Spirit in-line standups on both sides make me smile. As always, the Zombie Yeti artwork is amazing and is very well done. Exciting, but still giving the player an idea of what they need to do in relation to hints and pointers for the game during play. This design is an absolute joy to play. Learning how to work with the drop of targets in the stand up behind it as incorporated into the rules that means that the flexibility of the rules on this game are wide as well as deep. This feature and rule set alone makes me give credit to whoever came up with the rules on the game a happy pinball inner kid’s hug. I don’t know who did it, but whoever you are... thank you.

The Dead Post is way sweet!

The Cons:
I’m not a big Foo Fighters fan. Their music is formula rock at its best. So... I find the music on this table to be more background noise than something to really get into. Considering the quality of the artwork on the playfield, and cabinet, I was surprised at some of the artwork that showed up on the animation screen. I wonder if these were earlier WIP versions of the zombie artwork that worked well on the animation screen. This may change with later versions of the code. I’d be curious to see how some of the more convoluted shots on the table act and react to a less than level set up on location. However, the game I played with flowed like butter out of the box (Solid QC!).

The Takeaway:
Are you bored of and sick of fan layouts on pinball games? Are you looking for a pinball experience that’s an absolute joy to play? Something new? Something that will keep you entertained regardless of what is happening on the TV screen? This may be your game. I like this game so much that even though I’m not a Foo Fighters fan, I may have to get one. Playing this game is that good. Fun would probably be the single word that I would best describe this game with. And as Martha would say “And that’s a good thing...”. I have not seen an original first effort from a designer like this since Brian Eddy created The Shadow. I love me some iMaid, but I see a narrow bodied TZ with flow. This is a new design like we have never seen before. Congrats to this design team at Stern Pinball. You have just created a damn fine pinball game!

James Bond 60th Edition is the epitome of what happens when the marketing department gets a hold of your purse strings.

The Pros:
There are 20 shots on this layout (including the oddjobs spinner). This in itself is worthy of praise. 20 shots from 2 flippers on a game with no ramps or other flippers by the outhole. The spacing of each shot and how the shots work with each other are incredibly well laid out. This game feels like a trip back to the days when pure pinball was about sniping shots. This game is all about sniping shots. And every shot is dangerous. When was the last time that a pinball game had reels? Who Dunnit? Classic playfield shots are abound. The figure 8 lane on the left is from Diamond Lady / Star Race. The inline drops are straight out of 1970-Bally designs ala, Frontier, Harlem Globetrotters, Flash Gordon, etc... 5 SPINNERS (horizontal and vertical!). Drop targets on the side of the playfield and top lanes with NO LANE CHANGE. Time to skillfully plunge and nudge! Standups of different sizes and shapes and judiciously placed one way gates. Nothing new, just incredibly well laid out. Every millimeter on this design is utilized. Now I have to work on my aim!

The Cons:
The gameplay is so tight and the chaos factor is so high that this game is more frustrating to play than any new game in recent history. Why have 4 spinners when there are 2 shots on each spinner lane? Double your pleasure? Is Stern selling pinball or chewing gum?

Unfortunately, this is indicative of a larger sickness within pinball and society in general. This sickness is the soft science known as marketing.

“According to our marketing team the market research has shown us that the market for this theme is a very marketable paint job that will appeal to the current and potential ideal market driven customer who likes pinball, and LOVES to be marketed to. It makes the market target feel special. Like this game was made (marketed) JUST FOR THEM. Market strategies like this fuel marketing conversations within the market audience that make our marketing mission even easier than it should by by the market buyers, buying into he marketing before the game even hits the market. Market influencers will toot their own marketplace horns (we don’t even need to pay these guys, they do it because they love the pinball market and have nothing else to talk about. They do our job for us!) over the smallest bit of “leaked” marketing scoops. Market speculation and marketing techniques mean that this market driven campaign will market even more marketing success! Marketing for everyone. Especially the marketed to lowest common pinball denominator!”

This is how pinball salespeople throw emotional munitions toward the largest mass of humanity it can identify, to cover the widest splash zone it can, in hopes of making most money it can and in the process... pinball loses its soul.

The rules on this game will appeal to A-Divvy tourney players and directors. Game times are brutally short but still rely on skillful play. The truly skilled are still going to have longer games. Which is strange, because most mere mortals who buy this game are Bond fans with an extra 20k burning in their pocket. Operators rejoice! Three dollar games on location are HERE! That's a dollar a ball y’all! Playing a drain monster for profits. According to the marketing departments: “A NEW INDUSTRY FIRST!" I haven't felt like this since I plunged my first ball on Black Knight and the ball went straight down the middle. Or the first time I played Black Hole and the ball got kicked out to the upper playfield and into the right outlane. Those were my first $.50 cent games. The ops must love this (IF they put out 20k and their player base will tolerate new pricing), and now the other manufacturers WILL be following Stern's (20k x 500) million dollar lead. I might give this game some credence if it was built like a williams game from 1997, but it isn't. It's a light, flimsy single level game that has the most basic of components. When multiball starts, the game ramps up in excitement (if you can get there...) just like the other 007 game does. Yay.

The Takeaway:
AiQ played too long. 007-60 plays to short. Still looking forward to Elwin's next game... When your BOM has to be limited to a single level playfield to make a 20k game... you may be a marketier. Somewhere in the distance, Bill Hicks cries for pinball.

Update:
I had another player reach out to me and tell me how much you need love this game. I am going to give any pinball game of real chance to show me what it's about. So after playing this game again, my realization is that this game is a love letter to 1984. That vintage of pinball games. There's some billion games in there. Flash gordon, frontier, 8 Ball deluxe, centaur, a lot of games of this vintage feel like this layout. But here's the difference. The shots aren't one and a half inches wide. With a ball that's 1 1/8 diameter, that's not a lot of room for error. Hardly any at all. And the rules are very challenging. It's very much All or nothing, risk and reward. And while I respect that, I don't appreciate getting beaten down every single time it plunge the ball and all of a sudden the balls in the right outline and I didn't even touch it from the get-go. Another dollar, another ball. Is the game great in a home environment, sure. If you've got an extra 20K to blow on a pinball game, do that. Put money really isn't the issue. The issue is that the game is not fun.

NOT

FUN

A game. Any game, by its own definition must be fun. It must be entertaining. It must be engaging. Is this the dark souls of pinball games? It very well could be. So, do you have $20,000 to pay someone so you can get beaten down every single time you press the start button on this design? Because that's what this game feels like. A dollar a ball, there it goes, it's gone! If the game is not fun, it is not going to earn.

This design is an exercise in a purist pinball philosophy. The balance is so skewed towards performance, that it is an eternal challenge. This is not necessarily a bad thing. But if someone's going to spend 20 g's on a game, they should know what they're getting into before they invest in this pinball game. For wealthy collectors, 20 large isn’t a big deal. To Stern’s credit they have identified a market within the pinball community that sees this game as worth it. They took the chance and showed us that a game like this is possible... fthe wealthy pinball collector. I have seen this game on location once. It was at an unusual location as the operator put LE/CE games on location. Food is 1.50 a play. Fifty cents a ball. That used to be a game. Bond60 was a 3 dollar game. A dollar a ball. That was a game just a few years ago. The world keeps turnin’ And the Walmart shoppers keep going to Walmart.

While I'm a decent player. I am not a great player.. The designer made a game for himself. Good for him. But you, me, and most mere mortals are not Keith Elwin. 20 shots with no room for error means that you are in his world. And if you're not able to play in his world, you're going to get crushed like a bug. Just like every other competitive pinball player out there in this world. It's not that you suck, it’s that you (with very few exceptions) just suck compared to Keith Elwin. You suck compared to the greatest pinball players in the world, you suck, I suck, we all suck playing this game.

DRAIN! Thank you sir, may I have another...

DRAIN! Thank you sir, may I have another...

DRAIN! Thank you sir, may I have another...

Game over. I guess I've got to play better now...

Update v.2:
I finally got to play a copy that was not as brutal as the other copies that I played in the past. Was I able to enjoy this game? Yes. Would I choose to play other games in the room? Yes. Does it fit a certain kind of player, yes. Can software be adjusted to accommodate different players? Yes. Sensitize your slings and your tilt as preferred to your style of play. Set the game to 10 balls, do whatever you want to. Now that I have gotten to know the rules, I respect them deeply. The risk/reward for this designed is high AND balanced. This is not an easy task to achieve, and the game Can the game be fun? Yes. Is it worth 20k? To some people, but not me. Who knows, it may come to me in a trade some day, But I can put my hard earned value elsewhere for the amount of game that comes in this box. James Bond 60th is a tournament director's dream game.

AC/DC is the best game to come from Stern in a long long time.

The Pros:
This is the best sounding pinball game... ever. The theme is incredibly well executed and the details of this game are well attended. Drops instead of standups are a welcome addition. The Bell diverter lane as well as the diverter from the left ramp. Oh yeah... the lower pf is a welcome return and addition to this game. Not too much time is spent down there and the scoring is not so significant that it is unbalancing. This table flows well and is a worthy successor to the T2 layout. Smooth flow and lots of different modes use the entire playfield and yet all the modes do not feel boring. 12 songs, 12 modes, 12 sets of rules within the same table. Stack you MB's, multiply your PF scoring and rock out! The Back in Black art package is the BEST!

The Cons:
I need more time with this game. I'd love to see what they do with the wizard mode. You had better like AC/DC songs because you are going to hear a lot of it. The inlane/outlane on the right is obstructed by the cannon. The bell seems to break a bit on location. I stay away from a few modes at all cost (Thunderstruck, agh!)

The Takeaway:
With software updates and more tweaking of the modes on the way... this game is a winner. It feels great, it looks good and the gameplay is fantastic. I have to play this game more, and that is ALWAYS a sign of a good pinball game. Congratulations Stern... I am more excited to play this game than any other pinball game I have seen in years.

Update:
This game has LOOOOOOONNNNG legs. I mean, it just keeps on giving and giving and giving. The game can be set up for easier play (If you absolutely need to make Encore), and can also be set up to be PAPA nasty and downright deadly as a player. There are some minor complaints about the cannon modes, but... these are such small matters as compared to the big picture that. They don't really matter at all. A true player in every sense of the term and quite possibly the only game that I don't have in my collection that I HAVE to own someday. When you really think about it, there are only 5 shots on the game.

Left Orbit
Left Ramp
Bell lane
Right Ramp
Right Orbit

and nothing of real note to the layout. This game is a true testament to the genius of Lyman Sheats and is one of the few games that Stern made that was not programmed by Keith Johnson to be a truly brilliant, deep game that is without exploits. This is a game that offers you many valid and earn-able choices as to how to play as your game progresses. If pinball was art (I do most sincerely believe that it is) This pinball deck is analagous to DaVinci's David, Michaelangelo's Mona Lisa. So there. Ritchie and Sheats's AC/DC.

This game may be the most appropriate theme for Jersey Jack

The Pros:
A great layout with more diverters than you can shake a shakedown with. There is a lot to be excited about with this design. A dangerous lower playfield with lots of options for all 3 flippers. Careful placements of magnets, skillshots and multiple options with each shot mean that the most has been made of this playfield design. The spinner toy with flipper activation by the player is a subtle and well implemented semi-random feature. Did the ball head down toward the flippers? Yes. Did the ball feel like it came out of the spinner and luck-boxed me out? No. The artwork is Chris Franchi's best pinball art package. The lit artwork around the display looks fantastic and makes me wonder why hasn't this been done since day 1? The music is brilliantly implemented. The light shows are better than anything I have seen other than maybe JJP GnR. And the rules. THE RULES. They are SOLID with multiple layers and (so far) relatively easily understood. There is also lots of depth that I have barely scratched. Shots are fast. The flow of the game is where it needs to be and if you aren't paying attention to the habit trail bumping off the standup to the right flipper, your ball is GONE! The extra ball shot is multiple standups behind the fountain pop. Feels like Oktoberfest to me, not what I expected from a JJP pinball design. Cues to the production team are something that I appreciate. The stars of this game are the people who made it and they get credit to see their faces and their names on the game. Respect.

The Cons:
The shots on this game are TIGHT! I am not a fan of the "Choose your destiny on the first plunge" of a pinball game. But this choice has to do with percentages of overall gameplay. You can still prefer to play the game a certain way and not feel like you are cutting out everything else for game progress. Do you know of anyone who plays Stark?

The Takeaway:
This is the JJP game the pinball players have been waiting for. This game is the first game from JJP that shoots great, has solid (so far) rules and doesn't force you to play the game in a specific way. This game looks, sounds, plays and FEELS fantastic! Think of a game from Bally/ Williams released in 1997 and how that felt. Now put some modern rules on a nonfan layout. All the good pinball things are here. Let's see how this game holds up over time. As much as I wanted to love Wonka, the punishing pops exit on the left and the rando-kid award from the TV made the game less than ideal for me. This is the first game from JJP Since Dialed In that I respect when I play it.

Here's the short JJP history:
Woz: WOW! Does it work?
Dialed in: The game that was too smart for it's own theme. You must play this game one way for big scores.
Hobbit: How can so much be so boring?
PotC: How can so much be so confusing? Just shoot for the flashing lights.
Wonka: Close, but not perfect. And the things that aren't perfect... make a difference.
GnR: A rock n' roll show in a box. Shots are good or not. Rules are deep to a fault. Shoot the flashing lights, again.
TS4: A designers contempt of his end user makes for a lackluster gofer game.
TGF: YES!!!!

I WILL be updating my reviews on this game after further play and exploration. I loved shooting Wonka, but the rules and missed aspects of that game added up to a no for me. My hope is that this game ends up in my collection because it is a true player!

Update:
The rules. The goddamn rules. Would somebody kindly explain the concept of the power of limitations to this design team? Just because you can, doesn’t mean that you should. I know that the software can be written and the rules can be updated. However, after a couple dozen plays on this design the curse of pirates of the Caribbean comes back to haunt us. Multi ball, stacked on multi ball, stacked on multi ball, stacked on multi ball and, do it again. I know that there’s so much going on with this game. But why bother? When you can make lots of Points without much risk by going into and staying in multiple as much as you can. Or just prep one multi ball so that as soon as you lose all but one ball in the play field, you’re back in multiple again. To have real reward, risk must be confronted. I want this game to be incredible. There is no reason why it shouldn’t be. It looks amazing, shoots like a dream and has some of the best pinball theater I’ve ever witnessed. But there’s no sense of tension or real consideration with risk in gameplay. Just build a safe place and go there as often as frequently as you possibly can. Mashing your lock down button may increase your multiplier, which only makes your scores and multiball that much more cushy.

Super jackpots from the inlane standup are way sweet.

Love the layout. Shooting this game is pure joy. Hoping for better rules in the future with updates.

Update v.2:
Someone who knows this game (and is a better player) showed me a bit. And while I still feel like the game goes multi-multiball, there is much more strategy to this game than I complained about in my previous update. Big points are in the jobs, not the multiballs. Multiballs support game safety/progress. Multipliers are KEY especially right before you cashout at the subway shot from the upper flipper or the inlane standup (left inlane first!). While still going back and forth, this game rules are much better than I ranted in the previous few paragraphs. Scores updated accordingly.

Siz Million Dollar Man is a licensed theme that looks great and plays tough!

The Pros:
Greg Kmiec and Dave Christensen are at it AGAIN! Nudging skills are in effect from the top saucer to the outlanes. Ripping spinners is awesome and this design is centered around the ball making those spinners GO! Once you find the sweet spot on the flippers for each spinner, you should do that. The art package on this game is most righteous and features the first button under Mr. Austin's thumb (Is there something Pat Lawlor needs to tell us?) on the left sling. The backglass and the cabinet are both absolutely 1970's brilliant! Playing this game feels like Evel Knievel, but is symmetrical from top to bottom with few exceptions. Gameplay is fast and deadly, fortunately, the saucer and the center standup will help with the ball post when scored. The drops are satisfying to hit and make your spinners even more valuable after the first completion. I have seen a few copies of this game with the flipper post disabled. I can understand why a tournament director would do that, but even the greediest of ops would want their players to come back for another game. The Bally feel and tap passing flipper action is in full effect, so skillful players will get their pin-workout on with this design.

The Cons:
Getting to 20k is too easy. Spinner speeds may have to be adjusted to bring out gameplay balance. The outlanes on this game are VERY hungry. The combination of rubber on the slings, damp metal lane wires and even more damp wood on the outside of the playfield mean that if the ball goes to the left, it is probably gone. If it goes to the right, you had better have gotten the 5-0-0-0-0 target sequence activated. Getting that "5" lane may be this design's most difficult task. Normally I don't think a game of this design would need an up post, but the game times were probably so short, that they had to put it in there to make the game LAST LONGER for most people on the street. The center target will raise the save post. The star rollovers will drop it again. Don't shoot for the center standup!

The Takeaway:
A challenging player with low ball times and a ruleset that prioritizes specific tasks. Hit the Saucer to get to 5x asap. You will most likely max out 20k bonus just getting to 5x. The drops on the right light spinner and the extra ball/special awards. 50k is worth going after to nerf the right outlane back to the plunger, and you are going to need it! But with your spinners lit for 1k, just keep ripping spinners and be aware that the star rollovers on the playfield are in the ball path to both spinners from the flippers. This game will take the player back to 1978, when bionics made that awesome sound and kids loved to tune in to this show. This game really only needs one thing...

Andre the Giant as... Robo-Bigfoot!

The latest throwback theme from Stern.

The Pros:
The Music and the opening video are iconic. What a great way to initiate a pinball game! True skill shots and skillful shots from the upper playfield mean that multi-ball is an exciting experience. The dual split the ramp on the right is interesting design. And the orbit shot between the two entrances on that ramp is one of the most intimidating shots in pinball that I've seen in a long time. The left orbit to the left flipper figurating around the playfield is fast. But considering how much space it has to travel, it feels slow. Very well done. There's lots of little extra bits and pieces of the design on this playfield that feel different and interesting. It works, but it's different. I think it's closest relation would be a game like Roadshow. I get the idea that I could play this game for a long time and then find a little physical details that I hadn't noticed before that make a difference in the game. The playfield of the game that I played looked excellent. No orange peel dimple damage. They have figured this out? That would be awesome if they did.


The Cons:
The spinner placement above the upper flipper is more Oktoberfest than Iron Maiden. The outside shots. Both the Aston Martin and the undersea battle are more likely to be landed with bounces off the slings than skillful shots. I get the distinct feeling that more money is spent on this license than was for its physical assets. Not proy dollars for the Beatles, but it feels like the bottom line was affected by this business decision. To be clear. I have absolutely no idea what Stern pays for its licensed themes or how it affects their bottom line. But this game feels... Like money could have been spent differently on it that what I played. I know that is an abstract thought. But that is how it feels. The PhotoSlop cut and paste artwork was a hint for me. I'm hoping that the rocket toy does more on the premium the LA then it did on the purchases in the middle of the football table like a big dildo. Inconsistent bounces from the undersea struggle to the shark tank standup to sdtm is a playfield design flaw. Emotionally deficient pinball players will cave in the coin door just on this "feature" alone. Ball savers in software may help the matter, but this will most likely lead to a common complaint with this design.


The Takeaway:
Theme and theatre support a pinball game. They do not make it. Lots of people will buy this game for the theme. And that's fine. Stern has been doing this for decades. But substituting a theme for gameplay does not make for great pinball. Cabinets looking like a 1960s movie poster is a stylistic choice. But it's not always evident until you actually get close to the game and take a good look at it. The artwork isn't Austin Powers bad, but it's not what most pinball games today look like either. This game looks like another case of somebody in marketing decided that the theme was too good pass up. And they settled for all sorts of compromises to the IP owner in regards to the look of the game. Or it's a retro choice. Sure. I'm going with that. I could really describe this is the same way I felt about deadpool. I didn't care for it or necessarily get it at first. However, after somebody who owned a deadpool game took the time to show me around the playfield I had a better understanding and deeper respect for it. I know 007 is early in the release / production cycle. so my hope is that this game will show itself to be what it really is as it becomes more refined and polished.

Oddjob still kicks ass.

Finally got to play this.

The Pros:
The same layout as home star wars and Spider-Man. Good shots in a standard (not home version) cabinet. 4 ball multi ball is entertaining.

The Cons:
The theme. Meaningless artwork, sounds, dmd displays, rules(?!?) and the feeling that whoever is serious about this game is all about image, marketing, branding and “lifestyle”. This is the pinball equivalent of when you get out of a pool that has too much chlorine in it. It feels oily, slick and covers your entire being. All the while your nose curls until the smell goes away.

You know...

Gross.

The Takeaway:
The most vile pinball creation I can think of. Played it once to play it. Got to the “wizard” mode on the first ball. Turned it off and walked away. I don’t ever plan on playing this pin-bomination ever again.

Another Home pin from Stern.

The Pros:
A shootable fan layout that has a bit more to it than one would expect. Ramp shots are satisfying and the avengers power cube is a great randomizer. Inline drop targets are way sweet and the risk/reward they off in gameplay is solid. Mechs are good and the bonus ladder will give players something to work for.

The Cons:
The head on the cab is super (even for Stern) cheap. The copy I played had a rebuilt head on it because the owner liked the game enough to invest in his own copy of the game.

The Takeaway:
It's a home edition of a pinball game from stern. It is what it is. Put it under the christmas tree and let the kids have at it. If you like what it is... I bet you can find one for cheap and have lots of FUN!

Jurassic Park home edition surprised me. In a good way.

The Pros:
A great layout on a game that most people will pass on due to it's "home" designation. The shots feel good and there is enough variation in the design that it isn't just another fan layout. The drop targets and captive ball are well placed. Orbits and rams are somewhat standard, but they feel good and are enjoyable when made.

The Cons:
$3800.- for this? Yikes! It may not be seen much because of this. Trying to find the middle ground is not an easy business proposition. The display screen on my phone may be larger than this one.

The Takeaway:
The rules on this game are better than people will give it credit for. It is not the most advanced game from Stern. I would say the rules would fit well in 1988 (and I do love me some T-A-X-I!) and for many home users and casuals, that is a great fit. Playing it, I had a few moments of real pinball chaos and fun. And that may be the first time that a "home" game has ever done this for me. Play it for what it is and have some pinball fun!

America 1492 is a rarely seen game from Spain.

The Pros:
This game's artwork looks vibrant and the sounds are like no other pinball game I have ever played. The upper loop to the top lanes or the captive ball is well placed from the small upper flipper. The details on the BG, PF and plastics are stunning. Totally draws you in. Ripping spinners will always be in style!

The Cons:
Game play has no flow and is rather random in how it shoots. The theme will offend some, but without America, there may not ever have been pinball. Scoring is different.

The Takeaway:
Good luck finding parts. Have a fixer AND a machinist if you can. Even then, it may be better to stare at than play it. Even for the crazy sounds.

Kings of Steel gets a kit "upgrade".

The Pros:
Big Game wishes it was this fierce! The artwork on this game is way sweet! The rules feature controllable drop targets that offer different shots as the target bank progresses. Red (3), yellow (2) and blue (1) targets require skillful aim to the corners of the targets to drop the bally-bricks. Switched inlane and outlane on the left is always a good nudging challenge. The upper flipper feels good and the Big tigers on the playfield and the backglass want to eat you for lunch!

The Cons:
Long game times can make for a boring party. Tune this baby up and make it nasty! The standup on the right is still a boring shot, but at least it isn't something to 9 out on.

The Takeaway:
Find one if you can. The drop target rules alone make it a better game than the original design. Elephants, tigers and turbans... Oh MY!

Metal Man is one of the more interesting and wacky pinball games ever made.

The Pros:
An interesting layout with a true skill shot to the upper playfield. I like the layout of this game. It is different and interesting. The drop targets offer some risk vs. reward shots to be taken. But bigger points are on the upper playfield. This game may have the most intricate pop bumper cap ever conceived. The artwork is hit and miss. The 3d molded plastics, awesome! The backglass, yikes! The cabinet and playfield artwork, solid!

The Cons:
The artwork looks like it was handled by a high school sophomore who reads Heavy Metal magazine all day long and found an airbrush. And I say that with as much positivity as I can. Because I love Heavy Metal magazine. Sounds are weird. The side lane to the upper playfield is an indirect shot. I wish there was more to do on the upper playfield other than try to make one of the 3 gobble holes.

The Takeaway:
Are you interested in a different and unusual pinball experience? This may be the game for you. If it works. And by the way... Who is Mr Gooooooooooooo?

Joust may be my least favorite Ted Zale design.

The Pros:
Pointy People look great in tin suits. getting 1-6 or 7-9 is not easy to do. Get that blue mushroom target to keep those flippers closed, or face the danger of open zipper flipper gap!

The Cons:
The bagatelle takes over 1/4 f the real estate on the playfield. On the copy I played, the feed out of the bagatelle on the right and it would send the ball into the left outlane 9/10 times. The lower half of the left hand of the playfield just sends the ball to the outhole. It did this quite a bit. Maybe another copy will offer better play than what I experienced.

The Takeaway:
Too much of a novelty, not enough game in this box.

Surfers is a brilliant Ted Zale design that never stops giving good game!

The Pros:
Skillful plunge to the upper flipper to spell out the SURFS(ville) before the danger starts. on the lower playfield. Hit that red mushroom as often as you can to keep those flippers closed. The upper right hand sauceris where the big points are, but you gotta build the value from the blue mushroom targets first. Getting the right hand side gate to the plunger lane

The Cons:
Hungry hungry hippo outlanes combined with low angle slings and no place to rest the ball, this will mean that anxiety during gameplay is a high constant.

The Takeaway:
Find one if you can and get your eety-beety fleeper skills on! High chaos and low ball times can be a hand wringing experience. But if you take the time to learn the skills to work this game, it's awesome.

Rocket iii is a Master Zale design that will make you work on your eety beety fleeper skills life few others.

The Pros:
A wild and tricky playfield that drops chaos from the top spinner on down. The top spinner shows up again in another form later (Fireball). The layout of this game is cut in half from the pops on down. While not a complete wall, getting the ball up to the blue mushroom targets will advance your R-O-C-K-E-T Flight path for the special. This game is not easy. It is fast, furious and frustratingly fun.

The Cons:
Finding one that works has not been easy. The outlanes may be the hungriest that I have encountered in a long time. Combined with low angle slingshots, your ball is going out to the side with the quickness. Game times are incredibly short. I hope your patience isn't.

The Takeaway:
A fast and difficult to control pinball design that will challenge players who are willing to take up the task. Good luck (and lots of EM skills), you are going to need it!

Funhouse 2.0 takes the incredible Pat Lawlor design and gives it the JJP treatment.

The Pros:
It's funhouse with more detailed and interesting rules. Replace the 6 lights above the mode hole with a Dialed in LCD screen... and give the alphanumeric display a color DMD LCD display update... YAS! The (new) rules are good and are still being worked on.

The Cons:
Some of the simplicity and the BALANCE of the older ruleset is gone. Work multiball? Or go for the mirror wizard frenzy mode? More is more, but not necessarily better...

The Takeaway:
A great addition to one of the best system 11 games ever made. I believe the add-on is reversible, so the risk to your Funhouse game is minimal. A new twist on an old classic. This package came out a few months after I sold my Funhouse. Oh well.

Dragonette is an excellent game from this vintage from Gottlieb.

The Pros:
Lots to do, lots to shoot for and the ball traps in the middle of the game changes the way this game plays on the fly. Unlike many games of this era, getting back to the top of the playfield is not that hard to do. Multiple specials are available for skillful nudging and gameplay. Roy Parker knocked this art package out of stadium! Wayne Neyens' work is the real show here as this game has that "just one more..." quality down!

The Cons:
The flipper arrangement takes some getting used to, but the design isn't super hungry to the outlane. The trick in game time has to do with the ball traps in the middle of the playfield.

The Takeaway:
A great playing pinball game that is silly, fun to play and will surprise you with the ball traps in the middle of the playfield. This game is Stan Freberg approved!

Dragonette is an excellent game from this vintage from Gottlieb.

The Pros:
Lots to do, lots to shoot for and the ball traps in the middle of the game changes the way this game plays on the fly. Unlike many games of this era, getting back to the top of the playfield is not that hard to do. Multiple specials are available for skillful nudging and gameplay. Roy Parker knocked this art package out of stadium! Wayne Neyens' work is the real show here as this game has that "just one more..." quality down!

The Cons:
The flipper arrangement takes some getting used to, but the design isn't super hungry to the outlane. The trick in game time has to do with the ball traps in the middle of the playfield.

The Takeaway:
A great playing pinball game that is silly, fun to play and will surprise you with the ball traps in the middle of the playfield. Gottlieb didn't "re-do" too many titles. But this game is another version of the earlier "Dragonette" with a goofball naval theme.

Op-pop-pop may be the hardest of Master Zale's designs from the 1960's

The Pros:
Crazy layout with pointy people art and zipper flippers. The Bagatelle from the top can be reached with the huge lane on the left.

The Cons:
The left and the right hand side of the playfield are incredibly hungry. The copy I played would kick the ball from the saucer in the upper left hand side of the playfield, bounce to the right sling and go out the left hand side of the playfield EVERY SINGLE TIME. Successfully making a shot should not punish the player with consistent drain. Adjustments may be needed to each copy of the game...

The Takeaway:
The yellow mushroom target on the left is your priority. This zips the flippers closed. When those flippers are open... YIKES! This game is different and HARD to play. Operators must have loved it. Players, not so much. Then the operator's didn't like it so much... This game does not get the balance right. There are better playing examples of Master Zale's work out there.

If there is one bagatelle game that you have to have in your collection, this is it. Good thing they made about 70,000 of them.

The Pros:
Incredible gameplay and interactivity. The "just one more game" feel to this design is palpable. When you complete the entire jigsaw puzzle, the sense of accomplishment is like no other game of it's vintage. That Double Score hole at the top is a true skill shot and makes the difference between a good and a great score!

The Cons:
These things get beat up and abused. And then left in a corner of someone's attic for decades. Stories like that... lots of them with this game.

The Takeaway:
Find one if you can. There are people out there making parts for this game. So, if it doesn't work, there is hope! This design is 89 years old and still has more game in it than some games being made today!

AirWay is a bagatelle that has an airplane theme that is simple and fun to play.

The Pros:
Dropping the balls into the airplane's propeller holes is always a treat. The lit score bar at the bottom of the playfield is an excellent way to read the scores immediately.

The Cons:
Gmeplay is skill shots all day. Finding replacement parts? You had better learn how to make them yourself!

The Takeaway:
If you like airplanes and pinball. This bagatelle is for you!

Fleet Jr. is a bagatelle that has multiple stages of "boosting" balls into better scoring positions on the playfield.

The Pros:
A simple and well designed playfield that will "action" the ball further up into the playfield for higher scores. Getting the ball into the 3000 point shell hole, not easy. Life goals!

The Cons:
It's a bagatelle. Sooooo... skill shots only.

The Takeaway:
Beautiful cast iron cannons that project and guide the ball up and down and all around the game's design.

Ski Club is a game I have been wanting to play for a long time.

The Pros:
A great theme and BG artwork with a lit animated sequence by the score. 4 flippers mean that the side to side game is hot. The playfield rollovers add up as you "climb" the mountain. The DC pops mean that the action of the game's design is ever present. Hungry outlanes make every shot a risk... so you'd better hit that standup at the top of the playfield and open up the gate to the shooter lane at the right hand side of the game. Want to score the "D" and "E" lanes on the sides, lift up the flipper and shoot the back of the flipper to get the ball to drop down the lane. Games like Spiderman and Star Trek use this gameplay mechanism today. This game used it on BOTH SIDES of the playfield in 1965.

The Cons:
What is that guy on the upper left hand of the playfield wearing on his head? Cab art is boring. Good thing I'm not playing the cabinet.

The Takeaway:
A 60's game with 4 flippers? YEAH! Master Kordek designed a great game. On my want list!

Ted Zale's early designs that are symmetrical, and awesome!

The Pros:
Fantastic art and game rules that lock the wheels above the white mushroom targets that make sure that you are going to have to aim for the targets to light up different playfield features. Simple, not easy.

The Cons:
Short ball times are standard issue with this layout. Not the deepest game, but doing the thing (matching the 3 reels in the middle of the table) always makes this game a challenge.

The Takeaway:
A fast and furious game that is easy on the sides. Nasty up the middle!

Predator / Jungle Hunt is the story of pinball enthusiasts trying to make their dream pinball game.

The Pros:
The ambition of this project is deep and wide. The dangling flayed bodies are a very nice touch that adds a bit to the theatre of the game. The skulls, spines and gore is well placed and fits the theme perfectly. The playfield artwork is well done and may be the best part of the entire design. The vulgarity settings are adjustable, but... why?

The Cons:
The drama of this game is well known. The project is NOT complete. There are fatal bugs everywhere in the software. The playfield is "OK", not a smooth or a refined design. The lock standups are sucker shots.

The Takeaway:
I played the Jungle Hunt version of this design. Now I can say I played it. This project is a semi-professional work.

A conversion kit that will replace the backglass and the playfield of a bally game with a Heavy Metal look to Bally Harlem Globetrotters.

The Pros:
It's a Heavy Metal Harlem Globetrotters.

The Cons:
I don't know what operator would fool his customers with this replacement of artwork. Same Bally playfield layout, sounds and mechs...

The Takeaway:
It's a Heavy Metal Harlem Globetrotters. And I'm OK with that.

Hot Hand is a game designed by Harry Williams. Not sure who programmed it, but the rules need some finesse.

The Pros:
A cool layout and a mega flipper to keep things moving up top. The playfield is cut about 2/3rds the way up the playfield with the pops. The placement of the spinner and the drops is excellent. The inserts in the middle of the playfield tell you what needs to be completed with ease at all times.

The Cons:
The suits change on so many switches, that the game has a random feel to it. The indirect lane to the extra ball is a bit of a luck shot. Reflect if off the left pop if you can.

The Takeaway:
A great early SS to get started with. Might be good in a larger collection. The software needs work and that makes a big difference with a game that should be great. Instead, it's lots of meh.

The Thing is a true novelty of a pinball game. Maybe the only Chicago Coin game I'd consider owning.

The Pros:
Great art on the BG and the playfield is sparse, but fun. The big question issssss... WHAT IS THE THING? Well, It's kind of random and a mystery. This game is goofy, silly and fun. The big "tent" taking up the middle of the playfield should be shot around to light the mushrooms T-H-I-N-G. Then shoot for the top and hope the ball drops in or take the chance to shoot up the middle and score the THING!

The Cons:
This game is almost as long as a bowler. Finding one is a quest unto itself. Finding one that works... yeesh. The gate at the bottom of the playfield is the only reason your ball stays in play, most of the time.

The Takeaway:
Play The Addams Family. In the Seance mode the game says "Knock Three Times..." and when you hit a ramp. Boom! Boom! Boom! Just like this game. When you light the T-H-I-N-G bumpers and score the saucer in the middle of the playfield, the game knocks 3 times! TAF also spells out T-H-I-N-G on the translite at the bottom of the dmd display. The theme of the game is based on a song from 1950 that was hot for a minute. You can hear it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1tKZ3flZZY

Bullseye is a kit for an older Bally regular width game that doesn't make money on location anymore. This kit is pretty specific in what it does.

The Pros:
A new take on the game of pinball that is based on darts. Start with 301 points and get as close to 0 as you can. The targets around the playfield have numbered values on them as a dartboard would. This means that your accuracy shooting a pinball needs to be better than you ever thought it needed to be. Ball control is an absolute must at all times!

The Cons:
It's a pinball game version of darts. Most people won't "get it" until they take the time to read the rules and figure it out. That would include me. The BG is doofy. Holding a pinball like a dart makes people wonder "what is that guy pinching?"

The Takeaway:
A "different" game of pinball that is a sharpshooter's dream. This can be a bit limiting as the amount of accuracy needed to get this game to sing is daunting. But for a pinball collector with a collection that wants something different, check this game out. It is not easy, but neither is shooting the bullseye on a dartboard. Most pinball game conversions do not play well. This one, in good shape, plays incredibly well. It's just going to take a little getting used to.

Bullseye is a kit for an older Bally regular width game that doesn't make money on location anymore. This kit is pretty specific in what it does.

The Pros:
A new take on the game of pinball that is based on darts. Start with 301 points and get as close to 0 as you can. The targets around the playfield have numbered values on them as a dartboard would. This means that your accuracy shooting a pinball needs to be better than you ever thought it needed to be. Ball control is an absolute must at all times!

The Cons:
It's a pinball game version of darts. Most people won't "get it" until they take the time to read the rules and figure it out. That would include me. The BG is doofy. Holding a pinball like a dart makes people wonder "what is that guy pinching?"

The Takeaway:
A "different" game of pinball that is a sharpshooter's dream. This can be a bit limiting as the amount of accuracy needed to get this game to sing is daunting. But for a pinball collector with a collection that wants something different, check this game out. It is not easy, but neither is shooting the bullseye on a dartboard. Most pinball game conversions do not play well. This one, in good shape, plays incredibly well. It's just going to take a little getting used to.

High Ace is a game that seems to have been made for the operator who never maintains his games in mind.

The Pros:
A layout that has more to shoot for than what one would initially anticipate just by looking at it. Glancing angles for the standups on the upper left require accurate aim.

The Cons:
No spinners and no drops means no fun. Yeah, there's lots to shoot for, but this game is so high on the "meh" factor, you have to ask yourself... why am I playing this deck? I'm usually a HUGE Marche fan, but this game looks like a Baboon's ass. The lower left hand side of this table is death between the flippers and the gaping outlane.

The Takeaway:
Maybe I'll play it if it's the only game in the room, and that's a big maybe.

Update:
I got the chance to play a well taken care of copy and this game is FAST! It may be the fastest 4 plipper EM game I have ever played. The double flippers on the left mean that you'd better be cool when the ball is screaming around. Adjustments to the right outlane will make a big difference in how long your ball times will last. Norm Clark made the most of an open playfield with lots to shoot for across and in the middle of the design. The playfield art is boring, but functional. The backglass is ok. The joy in this game is when it is well tuned and dangerous. You can probably find one for cheap. Give it some pin-love and have a player on your hands. Give this game some respect, and it will give it right back atcha! Scores updated accordingly.

This game is a fast and furious EM experience.

The Pros:
This game is a lesson in challenging angles, features and keeping action lively and in your face! Steve Kirk would be proud to call this game his own. The center saucer to light the pops is a true skill shot. A-B-C-D light the special on the right, but getting all 10 stars for extra ball is the real challenge! Ball times are short, so expect your lira to leave your pocket with the quickness.

The Cons:
Seersucker Speedos make the ball move even faster! Some of the hungriest outlanes I have ever encountered.

The Takeaway:
Find this game and take it for what it is. Simple, but never an easy game. Those wacky Eye-talians did it again!

Shooting the Rapids is a challenging pinball game.

The Pros:
Drops on the left, spinner on the right. Danger from the pops and hungry outlanes will keep you activated at all times. Incredible geometry and fresh rubbers mean that every shot you take needs to be considered carefully. Accurate aim with the drops and the standups behind them is mandatory. An accurate rebound off the left pop bumper gets you into the return lane to the top! Game times are short, so make the most of each shot.

The Cons:
Finding one working as it should. Shooting for the center standup is dead nasty!

The Takeaway:
A hard day of paddlin' rapids makes me thirsty for a piney beer... This game is a true player!

Update:
I would love to own a copy. PM me if you have one for sale.

Moon Shot is an early symmetrical Ted Zale design.

The Pros:
George Molentin KILLS this art package. I loves me summa dat Star-Jet. This game looks even better! Pop bumper action is HOT! Game times are short, so stay on your toes! Gameplay is up and down and dangerous.

The Cons:
Not one of Master Zale's most exciting designs. The 3 way gate that dominates the center of this playfield is boring. Once the ball drops past the pops, the game is meh.

The Takeaway:
A fun game to play, a better game to stare at.

Ted Zale put a bit of thought into this design.

The Pros:
Dangerous geometry from the top to the bottom to challenge the player at all times. This layout is the epitome of a game that will give it up to you one game and kick you in the dirt on the next play. So stay sharp and keep an eye out for trouble. Because it is coming! Spell TRAIL DRIVE and collect a special while your ball is fed to the shooter lane!

The Cons:
Incredibly hungry outlanes and wide space between the flippers. You'd better hit that saucer every time. You WILL need to have that diverter to the shooter lane open on the right hand side (okay, you do want to hit the top side lanes for the "R" targets.

The Takeaway:
When freshly rubber'd and properly setup, this design will keep players coming back to spin that cat as often as they can!

Rose bowl is a game that is different in a few and successful ways.

The Pros:
A playfield that is split in half that works. The slings with the pop bumper in the middle mean that your nudging skills have to be on point. There are flippers, but they are on the sides of the pf. One of the most beautiful backglasses ever produced by Roy Parker. Wayne Neyens put a lot of game in not that much space. For a game that "floats" as much as it does, there is a lot of action going on here!

The Cons:
Some people will call this game a luck box. Those people have no nudging game. Scores are in the number of touchdowns achieved. No millions here, just sportsball!

The Takeaway:
A game made in the early 50's that was more true to the theme than just about any other game out there. Once you get the "feel" of this design, it pulls you in and makes you want to score more!

Rock Star / Blue Note is one of the last EM designs from Gottlieb.

The Pros:
An interesting layout that is better than it looks at first glance. The spinner design will alternate the scores with the right spinner and collect the lit value with the left spinner. A simple concept that works incredibly well. Lots to shoot for all the way up the left hand side of the playfield. Shooting for the lit target on the left hand side for 5k is a dangerous proposition lower on the playfield and hard to aim for at the top.

The Cons:
The flipper layout is asymmetrically oriented and the left side has no inlane and outlane. More "traditional" players will not like this.

The Takeaway:
A better game than most will ever take it for due to the flipper layout. Most copies that I have seen (Totem as well) are incredibly good shape and inexpensive as the game did not make much money on location.

Rock Star / Blue Note is one of the last EM designs from Gottlieb.

The Pros:
An interesting layout that is better than it looks at first glance. The spinner design will alternate the scores with the right spinner and collect the lit value with the left spinner. A simple concept that works incredibly well. Lots to shoot for all the way up the left hand side of the playfield. Shooting for the lit target on the left hand side for 5k is a dangerous proposition lower on the playfield and hard to aim for at the top.

The Cons:
The flipper layout is asymmetrically oriented and the left side has no inlane and outlane. More "traditional" players will not like this.

The Takeaway:
A better game than most will ever take it for due to the flipper layout. Most copies that I have seen (Totem as well) are incredibly good shape and inexpensive as the game did not make much money on location.

Chicago Express is a bagatelle pinaball game from 1935

The Pros:
This game is incredibly well thought out with it's balance of skill shots to the "elevated: ramp above the playfield and the multi-stage sequence is seen again and again in games like this. Even Stern's Flight 2000 uses this mechanism for visible ball locks.

The Cons:
Where are the flippers? That tilt mechanism is sensitive!

The Takeaway:
Want to work on your skill-shot skills? This is a great game to do it with! O.G. pinball that is beautiful to behold and a simple joy to play.

Weird Al has finally gotten a pinball design.

The Pros:
A wacky game design for a wacky theme. The integration of music and modes and different types of gameplay designs are incredibly well done in the P3 system. The choice of songs over the errors as well as the shadow puppet like animations worked very well with this game. Long up-and-down as well as cross play field shots are integrated with an upper playfield quite nicely. The rules and modes are diversion and well done. Some of them even cut the playfield off below the pop-up targets on the main P3 playfield. I also like the Updown drop ramp on the right which are the drops the ball down onto the main play field or in a two-way mode can be sending the playfield up to the upper playfield from the right orbit which is now, a ramp. Who would’ve thought to put a magnet up there for a ball trap, well these guys did and it works well!

The Cons:
This game is heavy. I mean, I opened it up and realized if I dropped this thing on my toe I’d probably lose a good portion of my foot in the process. The technology is so different, it also feels so different. Using the upper playfield is nicely done, but it’s really hard to get to sometimes. The cross playfield slippers are tricky. And I don’t always understand the ball traps underneath the upper flippers, but I’m still learning this game, so that’s where it is. The whole integration of the lower and upper portion of the main playfield is the biggest split, so to speak, with any P3 pinball design. The 360° ramp from the upper left flipper is tricky. And even with a solid shot, it swirls round and then comes back down kind of like the left ramp on monster bash.

The Takeaway:
The games from this manufacturer keeps getting better and better with each new design. I love it! The trick is, it’s a different feel and some people are going to appreciate it, and some people are going to wonder what the heck is going on? I like what P3 is doing with their games. I like the silliness of the design and the theme and how much they’re doing with their designs. However, it still feels like lots of different bits and pieces being thrown together into what makes a pinball game. When their pinball games feel cohesive and Lucid, I will be most impressed. In the meantime they keep making progress and theirgame are fun, they’re silly, and Dr. Demento approved!

I got to play this game at Expo 2019.

The Pros:
Ummmmmmms, it's elvira? The mistress of the dark is BACK! This game is FUN. The theatre on this game, OG horror clips of the highest Bgrade rating and more silly-gore than you can shake a Gar-goil on a stick at. The lighting in particular is well designed. The haunted house is set up so that it reflects the colors of the modes running in the game. Multiball is straightforward and well done. The deadheads are now an active mode running along with all the rest of the action of the table simultaneously. At first the shots seem narrow, but they are well laid out and very make-able. This game should sell well and keep lots of pinheads happy. Using the button on the animated wheel to skillfully stop on the award you want. Why hasn't this been done this well before?

The Cons:
The kickout on the right shoots the ball directly across the PF. Sling-sling-out with consistency. I know that the power on the coil can be adjusted, but the direction of the VUK may not (?). You should not be punished for making a successful shot and then have the control taken out of your hands. Almost as bad as a badly adjusted kickout on MB. A semi-standard fan layout with most shots around the perimeter of the PF. Junk in the trunk can be accidentally started by the ball bumbling it's way into the exit. No one way gate?

The takeaway:
So far a really good game, will it be a really great game...? We shall see. As software updates come out, that will be the real test. There are lots of inserts on the PF that need to have code assigned to them. The best news is that just shooting this game is a hoot and that is always a good start. Updates will follow as the game code is flushed out.

Update:
The software and rules have gotten much better since I first played this game. The polish and depth is apparent. However, the playfield is the same. In particular, the kicker from the right hand side of the playfield is either too strong or too weak. This makes the game less than ideal for street operation. Better in a home, or a tourney environment. Good thing they added a ball saver when the ball spits out into the left outline as compared to the 3 targets on the left hand side of the pf. The game shoots well and the theme integration is excellent. Similar to Batman ‘66, mechanically complex mechanisms (just like any/all pinball games) fail or deteriorate in performance over time without proper care and maintenance. What can I say, Elvira has needs. But when she is happy, she is a lot of fun!

Update v.2:
Are there are two types of Elvira games. The first time is more common. Games that are not tuned or maintained to the ideal for this design to work properly. Unfortunately, that’s the most games on location. The second type is a Home player takes fantastic care of their game and make sure that everything is just right. When this happens, I have relatively straightforward fan loud becomes an incredible player and the ruleset design is one of the best that has ever been created. Unfortunately, this was the last game that Lyman sheets worked on for Sterne. The rules that is what makes this game. The multiple layers of modes multiples and the wizard modes are fantastic. The gap angry mode in particular is one of the most impressive displays of pinball code ever put together.

What this means for the game is that most location play it’s going to be less than ideal. Does this make this game unworthy of the street? I don’t think so. But you’re more likely to get the ideal experience from a home collector who pampers their copy and make sure that does everything that it should, when it should, no credit dots allowed!

Out of the three games with Elvira‘s name on it, the first is the most highly produced and unfortunately, the least refined ruleset. This led to Indianapolis 500 which had a very similar layout with a third flipper. Scared Stiff, the second Elvira game is a damn fine game in it’s own right. When the third installation of the series was first released, the rule set was not fully realized and it showed. Today, thanks to the brilliant work of Lyman Sheats, we have one of the best pinball games that Stern has ever created. Rest In Peace.

The music, artwork, animation, lighting and (when tuned) engineering is cohesive and gives this spooky and silly world under glass the theater it deserves. Dennis Nortman put together a great layout and toy with the Haunted mansion in the middle of this playfield. This game is a blast to play. Go a copy, play it and enjoy it. Frights, tongue and cheek goofiness, sexually charged humor that shows its power by using it and not taking itself so damn seriously. More than anything else the Elvira pinball trilogy shows how much fun the theme of the pinball game can be. If you don’t like everything about this game... it might be you. In the meantime, I’m going to play this game and thank Cassandra for being the only woman to grace pinball with her awesomeness 3 times!

Update v.3:
The art, sound, animations and rules a re great. Gappa Angry may be one of the best and most varied wizard modes ever created. That's the good news. The bad news is the playfield layout leads to balls hanging up (behind the house on 696 creepy street) that will start our game out from the first plunge with a "ball missing" ball search that makes the software put you in instant multi-ball for the rest of the game and any drain leads to ball/game over. That and playing this game can get boring.

Will lightning flippers and a good tune help? Maybe. But a boring shooting pinball game makes people walk away from an incredible team effort. I love so much about this pinball game other than playing it. Scores adjusted accordingly

Toy Story (4). The latest game from Pat Lawlor and JJP.

The Pros:
Pat Lawler has once again given us a creative and diversified playfield. The shot selection and balance of skillful and chaotic is something that his games have shown from bonsai run all the way through what he's doing today. If Pat's games have suffered from anything in the past it has been lackluster rules and programming. Is not the case with this game. As evidenced by the update for Willy Wonka's pinball code, the programming that has gone into this game is well thought out and balanced. The shots on this game are very well placed. I especially like the Canada ramp which skips up and over better than no good gophers ever did into the return that comes back to the left in lane. I also like the no good Gabby gopher as well. The combos ending with Gabby are well done. Also I have to take a moment to give maximum respect to all the people that worked with the information that Disney and Pixar gave to Jersey jack. The video, the lighting, the music, the theater of this project is absolutely incredible. The lock shot with the drop Target on the left is very well placed. And the feed into the spinner takes a huge hint from games of the past. Thank you to Joe Katz from making the programming on this game a market improvement from Pat Lawler's games of the past.

The Cons:
The random saucer that is associated with buzz lightyear by the pop bumpers is an indirect shot. As long as the game is in somebody's home and is well taken care of, it's going to be fine. But a well-worn copy on location that isn't taken care of in an ideal setting, this feature is going to be a lot less random and a lot more rare. But most importantly... Where is Mr. Potato Head? For real. Do you not feel the hockey puck? Because Don Rickles is the best and his character is nowhere to be seen on this game. This may be a legal licensing issue. And while I don't like it, it probably wasn't up to JJP to begin with. What a shame. I don't go Gaga for themes or details within themes too often, but this is Mr. Warmth we're talking about here. In toy story is not toy story without him. I don't care if Tom Hanks his brother voiced woody. I don't care if he's too good to lend his likeness to pinball, but not having Don rickles, that's a crying shame.

The Takeaway:
I'm curious to see how well this game holds up on location. Jersey Jack pinball makes fantastic pinball games. However, I think that they're also very good about making pinball games that are designed for The collector first. Location second. While some mechanisms like Gabby and the Canada ramp are variance of games that he's done in the past with no good gophers and revenge from mars, I'm curious to see how well these mechanisms hold up over time. I'm also curious to know how the lighting an engineering on this game holds up. With all that said, this game isn't absolute joy to play and watch while your friends play as well. Little kids are going to play this game and become pinheads later in life. That is the long term goal.

The Carnival mode has two rule paths. One represented by Buzz Lightyear and one represented by Woody. I got to the Buzz lightyear wizard mode after a few days of play. The more difficult path to the wizard mode (Woody's. Do it all again and THEN go for the big shot to collect the Fireworks) path is much more difficult to achieve. This is by design. Pat Lawlor has specifically said that "Designing a wizard mode that only 3 people will see is a waste of our time." Does this mean that mean that Pat Lawlor is not interested in designing for competitive and skilled players? I don't think so. I believe he values the time of his design team (Yeah, he's addressing the "Wheres' the code?" crowd) and he will also keep the operator in mind first. This is where he is coming from and it shows. Will I ever get a copy of this game from my own collection? I don't know. But I will say that the amount of fun that's packed into this game is dense and solid. I like it a lot more than the bits and pieces that I don't. And for me, that says a lot. No pinball game is perfect, and I don't necessarily want perfect. I want engaging, I want entertaining, I want fun. And this game does that.

Update:
After a bit of mileage I have figured out a few more things with this design. The saucer in the pops can be deflected in with a shot that is just to the right hand side of the entrance to the pops under the warp standup. It can be made with consistency and is probably the toughest shot on the table along with the warp standup. The Kaboom ramp is sweet, however, it offers just a single shot to complete. The individually controlled posts to the side work well, and the completed shot is sweet. However NGG had 3 shots up the ramp. The golf cart on the left, the center orbit and the hole in one shot. Both flippers can be used to make the shot. Kaboom is pretty much left inlane to a reflex shot to the ramp. NGG had the right flipper that would make the center shot, the car or rebound into the hole in 1. The release code is great and it works very well. This is a refreshing change from most games released today where getting the box out as quickly as possible is a business decision to make the money. KNOWING that the game will need code work for months or even years before the game is (ever?) completed. I am liked that the difficulty of reaching the second wizard mode is good, but it is also strange to hear a pinball designer in this day and age refute the skilled and competitive pinball player as a design decision. If Pat believes that the operators still drive the industry, I believe him. But I'd also like to see sales #s from JJP to operators as compared to home users. That doesn't mean that home users are any more or less skilled than location players... but most competitive pinball players own pinball games. Can the player bastardize the game with some playfield and code settings, sure. But some players like a long game, with deep rules. This is how many pinball players feel like they are getting their "Money's worth." To consciously decide that their dollar isn't that important to the pinball company is dismissive and will probably make a percentage of the player population take his creation less seriously. It's not that I don't agree with his value assessment (or not), rather it is the choice to take one part of the pinball player population, at the detriment of the other. I can see more serious pinball players choosing Stern games on this premise alone. Elwin's games are creative and have the depth of a longer term experience. And they are still accessible by most casuals. Is this the "gentler and kinder" Pat Lawlor that people have been telling me about?

This decision wasn't the playfield design. The playfield design is great. This decision isn't the ruleset. Joe Katz and the JJP team did a great job with the task given to them. This decision was made by the game's designer and while he has his reasons to do so, the pinball market may very well choose to look to other games because of it. Many operators that I know today rely on the secondary market to recoup or boost the monies that they invested into their business. Once earnings trail off, they will pass the game on to buy the new and improved. The 90's were Pat Lawlor's time to shine. He seems to be stuck there and doesn't care much for anyone else's opinion. Time marches on in all things. Pinball like so many other things is evolving.

Adapt or perish.

Toy Story (4). The latest game from Pat Lawlor and JJP.

The Pros:
Pat Lawler has once again given us a creative and diversified playfield. The shot selection and balance of skillful and chaotic is something that his games have shown from bonsai run all the way through what he's doing today. If Pat's games have suffered from anything in the past it has been lackluster rules and programming. Is not the case with this game. As evidenced by the update for Willy Wonka's pinball code, the programming that has gone into this game is well thought out and balanced. The shots on this game are very well placed. I especially like the Canada ramp which skips up and over better than no good gophers ever did into the return that comes back to the left in lane. I also like the no good Gabby gopher as well. The combos ending with Gabby are well done. Also I have to take a moment to give maximum respect to all the people that worked with the information that Disney and Pixar gave to Jersey jack. The video, the lighting, the music, the theater of this project is absolutely incredible. The lock shot with the drop Target on the left is very well placed. And the feed into the spinner takes a huge hint from games of the past. Thank you to Joe Katz from making the programming on this game a market improvement from Pat Lawler's games of the past.

The Cons:
The random saucer that is associated with buzz lightyear by the pop bumpers is an indirect shot. As long as the game is in somebody's home and is well taken care of, it's going to be fine. But a well-worn copy on location that isn't taken care of in an ideal setting, this feature is going to be a lot less random and a lot more rare. But most importantly... Where is Mr. Potato Head? For real. Do you not feel the hockey puck? Because Don Rickles is the best and his character is nowhere to be seen on this game. This may be a legal licensing issue. And while I don't like it, it probably wasn't up to JJP to begin with. What a shame. I don't go Gaga for themes or details within themes too often, but this is Mr. Warmth we're talking about here. In toy story is not toy story without him. I don't care if Tom Hanks his brother voiced woody. I don't care if he's too good to lend his likeness to pinball, but not having Don rickles, that's a crying shame.

The Takeaway:
I'm curious to see how well this game holds up on location. Jersey Jack pinball makes fantastic pinball games. However, I think that they're also very good about making pinball games that are designed for The collector first. Location second. While some mechanisms like Gabby and the Canada ramp are variance of games that he's done in the past with no good gophers and revenge from mars, I'm curious to see how well these mechanisms hold up over time. I'm also curious to know how the lighting an engineering on this game holds up. With all that said, this game isn't absolute joy to play and watch while your friends play as well. Little kids are going to play this game and become pinheads later in life. That is the long term goal.

The Carnival mode has two rule paths. One represented by Buzz Lightyear and one represented by Woody. I got to the Buzz lightyear wizard mode after a few days of play. The more difficult path to the wizard mode (Woody's. Do it all again and THEN go for the big shot to collect the Fireworks) path is much more difficult to achieve. This is by design. Pat Lawlor has specifically said that "Designing a wizard mode that only 3 people will see is a waste of our time." Does this mean that mean that Pat Lawlor is not interested in designing for competitive and skilled players? I don't think so. I believe he values the time of his design team (Yeah, he's addressing the "Wheres' the code?" crowd) and he will also keep the operator in mind first. This is where he is coming from and it shows. Will I ever get a copy of this game from my own collection? I don't know. But I will say that the amount of fun that's packed into this game is dense and solid. I like it a lot more than the bits and pieces that I don't. And for me, that says a lot. No pinball game is perfect, and I don't necessarily want perfect. I want engaging, I want entertaining, I want fun. And this game does that.

Update:
After a bit of mileage I have figured out a few more things with this design. The saucer in the pops can be deflected in with a shot that is just to the right hand side of the entrance to the pops under the warp standup. It can be made with consistency and is probably the toughest shot on the table along with the warp standup. The Kaboom ramp is sweet, however, it offers just a single shot to complete. The individually controlled posts to the side work well, and the completed shot is sweet. However NGG had 3 shots up the ramp. The golf cart on the left, the center orbit and the hole in one shot. Both flippers can be used to make the shot. Kaboom is pretty much left inlane to a reflex shot to the ramp. NGG had the right flipper that would make the center shot, the car or rebound into the hole in 1. The release code is great and it works very well. This is a refreshing change from most games released today where getting the box out as quickly as possible is a business decision to make the money. KNOWING that the game will need code work for months or even years before the game is (ever?) completed. I am liked that the difficulty of reaching the second wizard mode is good, but it is also strange to hear a pinball designer in this day and age refute the skilled and competitive pinball player as a design decision. If Pat believes that the operators still drive the industry, I believe him. But I'd also like to see sales #s from JJP to operators as compared to home users. That doesn't mean that home users are any more or less skilled than location players... but most competitive pinball players own pinball games. Can the player bastardize the game with some playfield and code settings, sure. But some players like a long game, with deep rules. This is how many pinball players feel like they are getting their "Money's worth." To consciously decide that their dollar isn't that important to the pinball company is dismissive and will probably make a percentage of the player population take his creation less seriously. It's not that I don't agree with his value assessment (or not), rather it is the choice to take one part of the pinball player population, at the detriment of the other. I can see more serious pinball players choosing Stern games on this premise alone. Elwin's games are creative and have the depth of a longer term experience. And they are still accessible by most casuals. Is this the "gentler and kinder" Pat Lawlor that people have been telling me about?

This decision wasn't the playfield design. The playfield design is great. This decision isn't the ruleset. Joe Katz and the JJP team did a great job with the task given to them. This decision was made by the game's designer and while he has his reasons to do so, the pinball market may very well choose to look to other games because of it. Many operators that I know today rely on the secondary market to recoup or boost the monies that they invested into their business. Once earnings trail off, they will pass the game on to buy the new and improved. The 90's were Pat Lawlor's time to shine. He seems to be stuck there and doesn't care much for anyone else's opinion. Time marches on in all things. Pinball like so many other things is evolving.

Adapt or perish.

I FINALLY got the chance to play this game. Been looking for one for years. Wouldn't you know, it was in a friend's garage...

The Pros:
An interesting layout in a wide body proportion. I prefer narrow bodied games, but there are a few wider games that I like (Twilight Zone, Star Trek:TNG), I think this will be one of those wide body games that I think are of good playing quality. There are interesting shots to be made with good rules and choose-able paths through the game's software. I would even go as far as saying that the different paths are different enough to offer multiple experiences within the same box. BRILLIANT! The artwork on the game is perfect for the theme and while some consider the lighting on this game to be "dark"... it is appropriate to the dressing and theater of what the designers created. Let's call it the "anti-feature". When this game flows, it sings. When the cross playfield shots work, the feed from the upper right to the upper left to the ramp shot may be one of the most satisfying combos in all of pinball. I like the artwork on the standard version. I like the artwork on the LE with the lights on top of the game even more!

The Cons:

Andrew Heighway.

Some of the audio and video assets show their age. I don't know if the game feels "clunky" or if the copy I played just needed more love. I do like me some Sigourney, but I also understand why she isn't included in the design. They got her on Ghostbusters, but not this game. Calling Roger Sharpe! The shitshow that this game whipped up is a most tragic story. I know of a few people who put their hearts into it's development only for the house of cards to fall down. Hard. There were a lot of unhappy people who spent a great deal of money for a game that never showed up. The pain, feel it. Ouch.


The Takeaway:
The feel and the tension of this game is palpable. Better than any other horror game I have ever played. Credit for this is specially prominent to David Thiel. He knocked it out of the park with his part of the player experience. The theme is very well integrated and when the alien eats the ball, right off the playfield... WOW!

Credit to Pinball Brothers for keeping this project alive and supporting it after the nonsense that happened with the first verison of production. I may have to find a copy for my own collection.

Update:
After playing the Heighway game at VFW in Ann Arbor multiple times, I had to put this game on the short list. Found a copy. Traded a stern preem for it and man... WOW! This particular copy was the standard version. I like the darker look to the graphics and the feel of the game's suspense. One thing I didn't like... no stage flipping. The good news is that the software supports stage flipping. The not so good news is that I had to add an extra switch for the game to accept the inputs from the flipper buttons. I also don't care for how difficult the balls are to see just above the slings and the inlanes/outlanes. It's hard to defend against what you can't see.

This took a bit of figuring out. Got the double switches, but there was nothing in the man-well to show me what to do. The good news is that Pinball Brothers has an excellent tech support team. With a bit of trial and error (message me if you have any questions about what I did if you want to do it to your own copy yourself...) I got it to fit and work as it should. And man... this game is AWESOME! I usually don't like wide body games. This game and TZ are the exceptions. 4 flippers with multiple cross playfield shots. The shots from the two lower flippers feel GREAT. The shots from the upper flippers are challenging and satisfying. The rules of the game have been thoroughly sussed out and your choice between the ALIEN and the ALIENS mode paths means that you can choose the path of play that offers you the kind of modes that you prefer to play. Get to know this game and it will show it's quality to you. I am still mastering the weapons and when to activate them, but this feature adds another layer of depth to the ruleset.

More than anything else, the theatre of this game offers a different player interactive experience than any other pinball game that I can think of at the moment. Most pinball game have a relationship of man vs. machine. A few games offer the chance of the experience to me man WITH machine. Alien isn't like that. This pinball game is HUNTING THE PLAYER. Losing to this game has DIRE emotional weight to it. Do you want to have a Xeno bursting out of your chest because your playing came up short? Then you'd better play like your life depends on it!

I FINALLY got the chance to play this game. Been looking for one for years. Wouldn't you know, it was in a friend's garage...

The Pros:
An interesting layout in a wide body proportion. I prefer narrow bodied games, but there are a few wider games that I like (Twilight Zone, Star Trek:TNG), I think this will be one of those wide body games that I think are of good playing quality. There are interesting shots to be made with good rules and choose-able paths through the game's software. I would even go as far as saying that the different paths are different enough to offer multiple experiences within the same box. BRILLIANT! The artwork on the game is perfect for the theme and while some consider the lighting on this game to be "dark"... it is appropriate to the dressing and theater of what the designers created. Let's call it the "anti-feature". When this game flows, it sings. When the cross playfield shots work, the feed from the upper right to the upper left to the ramp shot may be one of the most satisfying combos in all of pinball.

The Cons:

Andrew Heighway.

Some of the audio and video assets show their age. I don't know if the game feels "clunky" or if the copy I played just needed more love. I do like me some Sigourney, but I also understand why she isn't included in the design. They got her on Ghostbusters, but not this game. Calling Roger Sharpe! The shitshow that this game whipped up is a most tragic story. I know of a few people who put their hearts into it's development only for the house of cards to fall down. Hard. There were a lot of unhappy people who spent a great deal of money for a game that never showed up. The pain, feel it. Ouch.


The Takeaway:
The feel and the tension of this game is palpable. Better than any other horror game I have ever played. Credit for this is specially prominent to David Thiel. He knocked it out of the park with his part of the player experience. The theme is very well integrated and when the alien eats the ball, right off the playfield... WOW!

Credit to Pinball Brothers for keeping this project alive and supporting it after the nonsense that happened with the first verison of production. I may have to find a copy for my own collection.

Update:
After playing the Heighway game at VFW in Ann Arbor multiple times, I had to put this game on the short list. Found a copy. Traded a stern preem for it and man... WOW! This particular copy was the standard version. I like the darker look to the graphics and the feel of the game's suspense. One thing I didn't like... no stage flipping. The good news is that the software supports stage flipping. The not so good news is that I had to add an extra switch for the game to accept the inputs from the flipper buttons. I also don't care for how difficult the balls are to see just above the slings and the inlanes/outlanes. It's hard to defend against what you can't see.

This took a bit of figuring out. Got the double switches, but there was nothing in the man-well to show me what to do. The good news is that Pinball Brothers has an excellent tech support team. With a bit of trial and error (message me if you have any questions about what I did if you want to do it to your own copy yourself...) I got it to fit and work as it should. And man... this game is AWESOME! I usually don't like wide body games. This game and TZ are the exceptions. 4 flippers with multiple cross playfield shots. The shots from the two lower flippers feel GREAT. The shots from the upper flippers are challenging and satisfying. The rules of the game have been thoroughly sussed out and your choice between the ALIEN and the ALIENS mode paths means that you can choose the path of play that offers you the kind of modes that you prefer to play. Get to know this game and it will show it's quality to you. I am still mastering the weapons and when to activate them, but this feature adds another layer of depth to the ruleset.

More than anything else, the Theatre of this game offers a different player interactive experience than any other pinball game that I can think of at the moment. Most pinball game have a relationship of man vs. machine. A few games offer the chance of the experience to me man WITH machine. Alien isn't like that. This pinball game is HUNTING THE PLAYER. Losing to this game has DIRE emotional weight to it. Do you want to have a Xeno bursting out of your chest because your playing came up short? Then you'd better play like your life depends on it!

I FINALLY got the chance to play this game. Been looking for one for years. Wouldn't you know, it was in a friend's garage...

The Pros:
An interesting layout in a wide body proportion. I prefer narrow bodied games, but there are a few wider games that I like (Twilight Zone, Star Trek:TNG), I think this will be one of those wide body games that I think are of good playing quality. There are interesting shots to be made with good rules and choose-able paths through the game's software. I would even go as far as saying that the different paths are different enough to offer multiple experiences within the same box. BRILLIANT! The artwork on the game is perfect for the theme and while some consider the lighting on this game to be "dark"... it is appropriate to the dressing and theater of what the designers created. Let's call it the "anti-feature". When this game flows, it sings. When the cross playfield shots work, the feed from the upper right to the upper left to the ramp shot may be one of the most satisfying combos in all of pinball.

The Cons:

Andrew Heighway.

Some of the audio and video assets show their age. I don't know if the game feels "clunky" or if the copy I played just needed more love. I do like me some Sigourney, but I also understand why she isn't included in the design. They got her on Ghostbusters, but not this game. Calling Roger Sharpe! The shitshow that this game whipped up is a most tragic story. I know of a few people who put their hearts into it's development only for the house of cards to fall down. Hard. There were a lot of unhappy people who spent a great deal of money for a game that never showed up. The pain, feel it. Ouch.


The Takeaway:
The feel and the tension of this game is palpable. Better than any other horror game I have ever played. Credit for this is specially prominent to David Thiel. He knocked it out of the park with his part of the player experience. The theme is very well integrated and when the alien eats the ball, right off the playfield... WOW!

Credit to Pinball Brothers for keeping this project alive and supporting it after the nonsense that happened with the first verison of production. I may have to find a copy for my own collection. This review was based on the Pinball Brothers game, not the Heighway production model.

Update:
After playing the Heighway game at VFW in Ann Arbor multiple times, I had to put this game on the short list. Found a copy. Traded a stern preem for it and man... WOW! This particular copy was the standard version. I like the darker look to the graphics and the feel of the game's suspense. One thing I didn't like... no stage flipping. The good news is that the software supports stage flipping. The not so good news is that I had to add an extra switch for the game to accept the inputs from the flipper buttons. I also don't care for how difficult the balls are to see just above the slings and the inlanes/outlanes. It's hard to defend against what you can't see.

This took a bit of figuring out. Got the double switches, but there was nothing in the man-well to show me what to do. The good news is that Pinball Brothers has an excellent tech support team. With a bit of trial and error (message me if you have any questions about what I did if you want to do it to your own copy yourself...) I got it to fit and work as it should. And man... this game is AWESOME! I usually don't like wide body games. This game and TZ are the exceptions. 4 flippers with multiple cross playfield shots. The shots from the two lower flippers feel GREAT. The shots from the upper flippers are challenging and satisfying. The rules of the game have been thoroughly sussed out and your choice between the ALIEN and the ALIENS mode paths means that you can choose the path of play that offers you the kind of modes that you prefer to play. Get to know this game and it will show it's quality to you. I am still mastering the weapons and when to activate them, but this feature adds another layer of depth to the ruleset.

More than anything else, the Theatre of this game offers a different player interactive experience than any other pinball game that I can think of at the moment. Most pinball game have a relationship of man vs. machine. A few games offer the chance of the experience to me man WITH machine. Alien isn't like that. This pinball game is HUNTING THE PLAYER. Losing to this game has DIRE emotional weight to it. Do you want to have a Xeno bursting out of your chest because your playing came up short? Then you'd better play like your life depends on it!

This review is for the “other” genesis game.

The Pros:
A creative and challenging layout with true skill shot considerations from the plunge. A ramp with a spinner on it like Flash Gordon that is very satisfying to shoot. Bally computers and hotline mechs. A great combination for early 80’s playability, survivability and repairability. Drop targets and a short playing upper playfield with two flippers. This game may be harder than Flash Gordon. Pinball masochists... unite! Swords and sorcery artwork stolen for the best of causes. I love it. That little down ramp from the upper playfield is well designed and super dangerous!!!

The Cons:
Finding one. The copy I played had flaking on the ripped off Boris Vallejo BG artwork. Ball times are punishingly short. Tiny text on the playfield that gets lost in the mosh-mash of heavy metal artwork. Supposedly this game’s production was halted due to the theme of the game being biblical in nature. I have no idea if this is true or not. Curse you pin-hating cultists!!!

The Takeaway:
It is always a good day to find game that I have never played before. It’s even better when I have never even heard of the manufacturer. If you can find one that works, play it!

With our luck, the next Genesis game will feature Phil Collins...

The newest title from Stern Pinball, X-men! Errr, Rush!

The Pros:
The good news is I really like playing X-men and listening to Rush! I’m joking, but that’s how playing this game feels to me. The Radical ramp diverter is implemented perfectly and makes the ramps more fun and is a great part of this design. I am curious to see how it is implemented in the rules and modes. The 1-2-3 shots and their variances in lit shots make for great and easily followed sequences. My other favorite bit with the layout is 3 bank of targets and the TWD inspired sequence to multiball (R.I.P. LFS). Is there a drum solo mode? I haven’t found it yet.

The Cons:
The holes in the middle of the playfield seem to swallow up the ball from indirect shorts meanderings and caroms more often than direct shots. The artwork on the cab is a mess of iconic Rush imagery. The playfield artwork is functional to direct the player, but looking at the band, they look like they are made out of play dough. Except for Lemmy, he looks GREAT! Where’s his hat? Video footage is quite varied in image quality throughout their career. I know that something like this wouldn’t happen while Neal Pearl was alive (damn... two R.I.Ps in a single review), but I wonder if they will take any audio and put it into call outs. I don’t expect to hear him. Try to read the rule sheet. Just try...

Poorly adjusted scoops will put the ball between the flippers. Yay!

The Takeaway:
I know the code is early, but right now it feels like the rules are well thought out in its direction. Other than the wolverine holes, this game plays really well. Earnings-wise, this game design may end up like x-men. The theme fans and technical players will love it. But most casuals will probably dismiss it as a "dad thinks he's rad" jukebox and walk on by. I’d love to be wrong on that call. Rush is one of my favorite bands of all time and I am happy that they got a pinball game. It just seems strange to me as they never really licensed anything with their identity before... Looking forward to playing the Preem / LE!

Update:
Played the premium last night and it was more of a noticeable difference than I expected. The third ramp goes to the the left inlane on the right. All 3 inlanes can now be scored with ramp/ VUK shots. The rising ramp on the time machine magno-ring is a simple and well done toy. The lighting on the side is similar to the lanes on the side of Led Zep. Is it me, or all of the children of the 70's happy with their happy place tunes now? Grandpa rock... rocks on! The good news, is that this layout is solid. A more refined and tuned x-men playfield with incredibly well done code. Code balance is the key here and while the risk/ reward isn't as heavy as multiball scoring, stacking modes and bringing them into multiball is always a solid path of gameplay. The modes are challenging and well directed to the player on the tv screen as well as with the playfield lighting. The "stacks" of inserts by the shots reminds me of metallica. There is a LOT to do on this design. multiple goals are placed for the player and the little things that matter, are paid attention to. The touring of the music is well placed and nothing feels so right as Mr. Lee and Mr. Leifson gurning you out as you play as any proper Canadian would.

For me, I like the premium/LE more than the pro for playability reasons. Lighting is well done and the game is a shooter's delight. Didn't like it when I first played it, now. It is on the want list! Wait... didn't that happen with X-men???

The newest title from Stern Pinball, X-men! Errr, Rush!

The Pros:
The good news is I really like playing X-men and listening to Rush! I’m joking, but that’s how playing this game feels to me. The Radical ramp diverter is implemented perfectly and makes the ramps more fun and is a great part of this design. I am curious to see how it is implemented in the rules and modes. The 1-2-3 shots and their variances in lit shots make for great and easily followed sequences. My other favorite bit with the layout is 3 bank of targets and the TWD inspired sequence to multiball (R.I.P. LFS). Is there a drum solo mode? I haven’t found it yet.

The Cons:
The holes in the middle of the playfield seem to swallow up the ball from indirect shorts meanderings and caroms more often than direct shots. The artwork on the cab is a mess of iconic Rush imagery. The playfield artwork is functional to direct the player, but looking at the band, they look like they are made out of play dough. Except for Lemmy, he looks GREAT! Where’s his hat? Video footage is quite varied in image quality throughout their career. I know that something like this wouldn’t happen while Neal Pearl was alive (damn... two R.I.Ps in a single review), but I wonder if they will take any audio and put it into call outs. I don’t expect to hear him. Try to read the rule sheet. Just try...

Poorly adjusted scoops will put the ball between the flippers. Yay!

The Takeaway:
I know the code is early, but right now it feels like the rules are well thought out in its direction. Other than the wolverine holes, this game plays really well. Earnings-wise, this game design may end up like x-men. The theme fans and technical players will love it. But most casuals will probably dismiss it as a "dad thinks he's rad" jukebox and walk on by. I’d love to be wrong on that call. Rush is one of my favorite bands of all time and I am happy that they got a pinball game. It just seems strange to me as they never really licensed anything with their identity before... Looking forward to playing the Preem / LE!

Update:
Played the premium last night and it was more of a noticeable difference than I expected. The third ramp goes to the the left inlane on the right. All 3 inlanes can now be scored with ramp/ VUK shots. The rising ramp on the time machine magno-ring is a simple and well done toy. The lighting on the side is similar to the lanes on the side of Led Zep. Is it me, or all of the children of the 70's happy with their happy place tunes now? Grandpa rock... rocks on! The good news, is that this layout is solid. A more refined and tuned x-men playfield with incredibly well done code. Code balance is the key here and while the risk/ reward isn't as heavy as multiball scoring, stacking modes and bringing them into multiball is always a solid path of gameplay. The modes are challenging and well directed to the player on the tv screen as well as with the playfield lighting. The "stacks" of inserts by the shots reminds me of metallica. There is a LOT to do on this design. multiple goals are placed for the player and the little things that matter, are paid attention to. The touring of the music is well placed and nothing feels so right as Mr. Lee and Mr. Leifson gurning you out as you play as any proper Canadian would.

For me, I like the premium/LE more than the pro for playability reasons. Lighting is well done and the game is a shooter's delight. Didn't like it when I first played it, now. It is on the want list! Wait... didn't that happen with X-men???

Chicago Gaming and the Cactus Canyon remake is HERE!

The Pros:
A great game that finally has the code and match sequence it should have had 25 years ago. Now we know what Robo-Bart was like and what it should have played like. Go through all the Barts and battle the Bot! This design is one of the best fan layouts ever made. Silky smooth and fast. The integration of drop targets into the playfield has been one of the strengths of this design. The train and Bart mechs seem to have been updated and as far as I can tell, play as they originally should have. Animations and sounds are awesome. The lighting around the playfield and in the back of the cabinet are improved. The LED lights illuminate this game quite nicely. The bigger display screen on the newer version of the bezel is well done and all the visual assets look fantastic. This game is the closest you are going to get to a direct pipeline to a bally/williams game made in 1997. It feels SOLID. Cabinet, mechs, shots, and now with "finished" code. Do you want to go back to that happy place that you knew in the late 1990's, here's your ticket!

Cons:
Flipper feel / response. I had some real trouble finding shots that I thought would have been easy to shoot. I guess I have to work on my adaptation skills... Strobe like LED flickering near the flippers with the (improved?) theatre of the lighting may cause epiliptic siezures in the pinball players who couldn't get enough of the saucer on AFM. The artwork on bg/translite had contrast/color saturation issues. It did not look like the original Youssi artwork. ShowDown multiball still adds a ball for every 4 drops knoocked down. I didn't try the Lost Mine + Showdown stack (I'd be surprised if it was still in there...) but that showdown multiball can go on FOREVER with factory settings. Tourney players WILL take advantage of this. Maybe there is a software setting for the showdown add-a-bawls too?

The Takeaway:
Strangely enough, This pinball game feels retro. I am going to direct that in relation to the game rules of today. Designers and programmers have more power and choices to make with the tools that they can create with. Just like so many things. Pinball game rulesets are leaps and bounds ahead of what was cutting edge when this game was created. There is also a change in production mindsets. Games used to be released with "FINAL" code. Unless there was a fatal error found in a game's rules and operations, what the game was released with from the factory, was what we played. What it was. Today, games are released with incomplete code to make the sale ASAP. Updates take months if not years to be completely sussed out. What it is. If there is more to the code and the "options" that this version of the game has, I have not seen it yet. If and when I do, I will update this rating.

A few years ago I got to play the Computer controlled (P3?) software upgrade complete with wub-wub mode. They stuck with the original rules. I liked it and while I am disappointed that it isn't in the new game. I also understand from a business perspective, why it isn't there. I liked the modified code and wished it had happened. What can I say... I am spoiled!





I believe this was the last game he worked on.

LFS RIP

Chicago Gaming and the Cactus Canyon remake is HERE!

The Pros:
A great game that finally has the code and match sequence it should have had 25 years ago. Now we know what Robo-Bart was like and what it should have played like. Go through all the Barts and battle the Bot! This design is one of the best fan layouts ever made. Silky smooth and fast. The integration of drop targets into the playfield has been one of the strengths of this design. The train and Bart mechs seem to have been updated and as far as I can tell, play as they originally should have. Animations and sounds are awesome. The lighting around the playfield and in the back of the cabinet are improved. The LED lights illuminate this game quite nicely. The bigger display screen on the newer version of the bezel is well done and all the visual assets look fantastic. This game is the closest you are going to get to a direct pipeline to a bally/williams game made in 1997. It feels SOLID. Cabinet, mechs, shots, and now with "finished" code. Do you want to go back to that happy place that you knew in the late 1990's, here's your ticket!

Cons:
Flipper feel / response. I had some real trouble finding shots that I thought would have been easy to shoot. I guess I have to work on my adaptation skills... Strobe like LED flickering near the flippers with the (improved?) theatre of the lighting may cause epiliptic siezures in the pinball players who couldn't get enough of the saucer on AFM. The artwork on bg/translite had contrast/color saturation issues. It did not look like the original Youssi artwork. ShowDown multiball still adds a ball for every 4 drops knoocked down. I didn't try the Lost Mine + Showdown stack (I'd be surprised if it was still in there...) but that showdown multiball can go on FOREVER with factory settings. Tourney players WILL take advantage of this. Maybe there is a software setting for the showdown add-a-bawls too?

The Takeaway:
Strangely enough, This pinball game feels retro. I am going to direct that in relation to the game rules of today. Designers and programmers have more power and choices to make with the tools that they can create with. Just like so many things. Pinball game rulesets are leaps and bounds ahead of what was cutting edge when this game was created. There is also a change in production mindsets. Games used to be released with "FINAL" code. Unless there was a fatal error found in a game's rules and operations, what the game was released with from the factory, was what we played. What it was. Today, games are released with incomplete code to make the sale ASAP. Updates take months if not years to be completely sussed out. What it is. If there is more to the code and the "options" that this version of the game has, I have not seen it yet. If and when I do, I will update this rating.

A few years ago I got to play the Computer controlled (P3?) software upgrade complete with wub-wub mode. They stuck with the original rules. I liked it and while I am disappointed that it isn't in the new game. I also understand from a business perspective, why it isn't there. I liked the modified code and wished it had happened. What can I say... I am spoiled!





I believe this was the last game he worked on.

LFS RIP

Chicago Gaming and the Cactus Canyon remake is HERE!

The Pros:
A great game that finally has the code and match sequence it should have had 25 years ago. Now we know what Robo-Bart was like and what it should have played like. Go through all the Barts and battle the Bot! This design is one of the best fan layouts ever made. Silky smooth and fast. The integration of drop targets into the playfield has been one of the strengths of this design. The train and Bart mechs seem to have been updated and as far as I can tell, play as they originally should have. Animations and sounds are awesome. The lighting around the playfield and in the back of the cabinet are improved. The LED lights illuminate this game quite nicely. The bigger display screen on the newer version of the bezel is well done and all the visual assets look fantastic. This game is the closest you are going to get to a direct pipeline to a bally/williams game made in 1997. It feels SOLID. Cabinet, mechs, shots, and now with "finished" code. Do you want to go back to that happy place that you knew in the late 1990's, here's your ticket!

Cons:
Flipper feel / response. I had some real trouble finding shots that I thought would have been easy to shoot. I guess I have to work on my adaptation skills... Strobe like LED flickering near the flippers with the (improved?) theatre of the lighting may cause epiliptic siezures in the pinball players who couldn't get enough of the saucer on AFM. The artwork on bg/translite had contrast/color saturation issues. It did not look like the original Youssi artwork. ShowDown multiball still adds a ball for every 4 drops knoocked down. I didn't try the Lost Mine + Showdown stack (I'd be surprised if it was still in there...) but that showdown multiball can go on FOREVER with factory settings. Tourney players WILL take advantage of this. Maybe there is a software setting for the showdown add-a-bawls too?

The Takeaway:
Strangely enough, This pinball game feels retro. I am going to direct that in relation to the game rules of today. Designers and programmers have more power and choices to make with the tools that they can create with. Just like so many things. Pinball game rulesets are leaps and bounds ahead of what was cutting edge when this game was created. There is also a change in production mindsets. Games used to be released with "FINAL" code. Unless there was a fatal error found in a game's rules and operations, what the game was released with from the factory, was what we played. What it was. Today, games are released with incomplete code to make the sale ASAP. Updates take months if not years to be completely sussed out. What it is. If there is more to the code and the "options" that this version of the game has, I have not seen it yet. If and when I do, I will update this rating.

A few years ago I got to play the Computer controlled (P3?) software upgrade complete with wub-wub mode. They stuck with the original rules. I liked it and while I am disappointed that it isn't in the new game. I also understand from a business perspective, why it isn't there. I liked the modified code and wished it had happened. What can I say... I am spoiled!





I believe this was the last game he worked on.

LFS RIP

The newest title from Stern Pinball, X-men! Errr, Rush!

The Pros:
The good news is I really like playing X-men and listening to Rush! I’m joking, but that’s how playing this game feels to me. The Radical ramp diverter is implemented perfectly and makes the ramps more fun and is a great part of this design. I am curious to see how it is implemented in the rules and modes. The 1-2-3 shots and their variances in lit shots make for great and easily followed sequences. My other favorite bit with the layout is 3 bank of targets and the TWD inspired sequence to multiball (R.I.P. LFS). Is there a drum solo mode? I haven’t found it yet.

The Cons:
The holes in the middle of the playfield seem to swallow up the ball from indirect shorts meanderings and caroms more often than direct shots. The artwork on the cab is a mess of iconic Rush imagery. The playfield artwork is functional to direct the player, but looking at the band, they look like they are made out of play dough. Except for Lemmy, he looks GREAT! Where’s his hat? Video footage is quite varied in image quality throughout their career. I know that something like this wouldn’t happen while Neal Pearl was alive (damn... two R.I.Ps in a single review), but I wonder if they will take any audio and put it into call outs. I don’t expect to hear him. Try to read the rule sheet. Just try...

Poorly adjusted scoops will put the ball between the flippers. Yay!

The Takeaway:
I know the code is early, but right now it feels like the rules are well thought out in its direction. Other than the wolverine holes, this game plays really well. Earnings-wise, this game design may end up like x-men. The theme fans and technical players will love it. But most casuals will probably dismiss it as a "dad thinks he's rad" jukebox and walk on by. I’d love to be wrong on that call. Rush is one of my favorite bands of all time and I am happy that they got a pinball game. It just seems strange to me as they never really licensed anything with their identity before... Looking forward to playing the Preem / LE!

Update:
Played the premium last night and it was more of a noticeable difference than I expected. The third ramp goes to the the left inlane on the right. All 3 inlanes can now be scored with ramp/ VUK shots. The rising ramp on the time machine magno-ring is a simple and well done toy. The lighting on the side is similar to the lanes on the side of Led Zep. Is it me, or all of the children of the 70's happy with their happy place tunes now? Grandpa rock... rocks on! The good news, is that this layout is solid. A more refined and tuned x-men playfield with incredibly well done code. Code balance is the key here and while the risk/ reward isn't as heavy as multiball scoring, stacking modes and bringing them into multiball is always a solid path of gameplay. The modes are challenging and well directed to the player on the tv screen as well as with the playfield lighting. The "stacks" of inserts by the shots reminds me of metallica. There is a LOT to do on this design. multiple goals are placed for the player and the little things that matter, are paid attention to. The touring of the music is well placed and nothing feels so right as Mr. Lee and Mr. Leifson gurning you out as you play as any proper Canadian would.

For me, I like the premium/LE more than the pro for playability reasons. Lighting is well done and the game is a shooter's delight. Didn't like it when I first played it, now. It is on the want list! Wait... didn't that happen with X-men???

I got the chance to play the Mandalorian with Dean Grover last night.

The Pros:
A killer theme that is incredibly well implemented. The kids will love it, the guys will love it, the baby yoda fans will love it, even the Bill Burr fans will love it. This game really has it all for license appeal. That alone will guarantee it will sell like hotcakes. Now for the real news. This game is fun to play. The variance of shots within the fan is solid and the lighting does an incredible job of guiding the player about the game's shot layout. There are some "dummy" shots up the middle, and a whole bunch of not so wide shots that require accurate aim. Brian Eddy has only made fan layouts since The Shadow, but this fan layout is varied and balanced between wider, narrower, easier and more difficult shots. Out of his fan layouts, this is his best one for stern. The upper flipper playfield is well balanced between skill and time in the no-draino area of the playfield. Utilization of this area during multiball and wizard modes is very well done. Keep moving. Up and down and all around that game! Gameplay modes with co-op and "Impossible mode" will keep this design fresh and make the legs on this game even longer. 3 vs. 1 player... why not! Now if you could only set the impossible mode on one player and regular play on others. 3 Mini-wi modes leading to a larger wizard mode. I like it! The ball speed on this deck is "wicked fast!" (Say it like Daddy Bald Freckles...) and Apollo Creed sounds fantastic.

The Cons:
Standard fan layout with a bit of clunk here and there. Some of the plastic posts holding up the ramps seem to be loose and may break. This alone may be reason to get a preem/le. just a few shots up the middle for the gimme multiball. I get it. Casual players need to feel like they can achieve success with this game, so throw them a multi-bone (I just made that up...). It's a feel thing. You can make a pinball game for the masses that doesn't feel like a Data East game from 1990. I just don't care for it. At least it isn't a mystery award for the win.

The Takeaway:
Another winner for Stern. The game looks and plays great. I don't watch the show, but playing this game makes me want to. That is always a good sign. More than anything this design proves that "IT'S THE RULES!" that make the game. Big ups to Dean and the Stern programming team. This game is a lot of fun to play!

Update:
The premium/ LE is the way to go with this design. The gist of it is this. The pro is the less exciting/ less random fan layout. And while fan layouts work, they can be predictable. Predictable games become boring. The Preem/LE, while still a fan, has more randomness up top with the yoder-magnet and the tilting playfield. There are some interesting rule choices to earn/make. But more than anything else, this is a fan layout with some more modern code. I prefer the preem/LE to the pro. But as a pinball game is concerned. This is a good game. Not a great game. A good game that is tourney worthy.

I got the chance to play the Mandalorian with Dean Grover last night.

The Pros:
A killer theme that is incredibly well implemented. The kids will love it, the guys will love it, the baby yoda fans will love it, even the Bill Burr fans will love it. This game really has it all for license appeal. That alone will guarantee it will sell like hotcakes. Now for the real news. This game is fun to play. The variance of shots within the fan is solid and the lighting does an incredible job of guiding the player about the game's shot layout. There are some "dummy" shots up the middle, and a whole bunch of not so wide shots that require accurate aim. Brian Eddy has only made fan layouts since The Shadow, but this fan layout is varied and balanced between wider, narrower, easier and more difficult shots. Out of his fan layouts, this is his best one for stern. The upper flipper playfield is well balanced between skill and time in the no-draino area of the playfield. Utilization of this area during multiball and wizard modes is very well done. Keep moving. Up and down and all around that game! Gameplay modes with co-op and "Impossible mode" will keep this design fresh and make the legs on this game even longer. 3 vs. 1 player... why not! Now if you could only set the impossible mode on one player and regular play on others. 3 Mini-wi modes leading to a larger wizard mode. I like it! The ball speed on this deck is "wicked fast!" (Say it like Daddy Bald Freckles...) and Apollo Creed sounds fantastic.

The Cons:
Standard fan layout with a bit of clunk here and there. Some of the plastic posts holding up the ramps seem to be loose and may break. This alone may be reason to get a preem/le. just a few shots up the middle for the gimme multiball. I get it. Casual players need to feel like they can achieve success with this game, so throw them a multi-bone (I just made that up...). It's a feel thing. You can make a pinball game for the masses that doesn't feel like a Data East game from 1990. I just don't care for it. At least it isn't a mystery award for the win.

The Takeaway:
Another winner for Stern. The game looks and plays great. I don't watch the show, but playing this game makes me want to. That is always a good sign. More than anything this design proves that "IT'S THE RULES!" that make the game. Big ups to Dean and the Stern programming team. This game is a lot of fun to play! I am very curious to see how the Preem/ LE compares to this pro.

Update:
The premium/ LE is the way to go with this design. The gist of it is this. The pro is the less exciting/ less random fan layout. And while fan layouts work, they can be predictable. Predictable games become boring. The Preem/LE, while still a fan, has more randomness up top with the yoder-magnet and the tilting playfield. There are some interesting rule choices to earn/make. But more than anything else, this is a fan layout with some more modern code. I prefer the preem/LE to the pro. But as a pinball game is concerned. This is a good game. Not a great game. A good game that is tourney worthy.

Game #4 from the mind of Keith Elwin.

The Pros:
An original and complex layout that offers lots to do. A colorful art package that is full but not distracting. Even on the pro, color LED's are all around. The clips form all of the old movies keep the connection to the past alive, and are great to see. Fun to be had by all as the monsters do the happy pinball tilt dance. The sound package is solid and there are lots of easter eggs to be found (put in your initials as ADG and listen carefully)! The rules in this early stage (.78 is what I played) are mostly there and they are a lot of fun. Especially once you get to the second level of monsters by completing the tasks of the first layer. Learn how to use the whammy-button flame breath for strategic big scores. Will the Schnozzle become a tourney worthy technique? Well placed shots that dive into the backboard of the PF mean that this game "feels long", because it is. Multiball modes are lots of fun and any playfield with spinners all over it is a good thing in my book! I was surprised at how much I liked the MechaGodzilla spinning spinner platform with the magnet on top MechaNavel. While I think the bridge mechanism is kind of useless, the tower with the diverters and the lock mechanism is well implemented. I also like how the balls will divert to different inlanes from the different "floors" of the building. Will this affect the rules of the game that much as compared to the pro? I don't think so, but sweet spinner rips are always good in my book. I like it. I like the preem/le more than the pro. I don't feel that the pro suffers from not having these features... but the preem/LE is definitely my preference now.

The Cons:
The lower right hand side of the playfield is deadly! anything that bumbles out of the far right lane by the pop bumper is trouble. Anytime the ball is between the pop and the top of the sling, trouble. I'd say over 70% of my drains were out the right outlane on this design. Can it be adjusted? yes. Will it help, dunno yet. But for now, trouble. The inner middle loop around the building has a tendency to SDTM, with the ball travelling in either direction. Some of the feeds around the upper flipper feel clunky and the magnet is an interesting/wtf randomizer. That magnet gets "TOASTY!" This may lead to some playfield issues later. As in I hope this will not lead to TAF Playfield-like mangnet burn...

The Takeaway:
The most unusual and chaotic design from Keith and his team of merry pin-heads yet. This design requires physical manipulation to get the most out of the lower PF, tilts must be adjusted accordingly. Another creative playfield with good rules that provides kinetic satisfaction. Let's see how the rules and the finessing of code brings this game along. Only time will tell, but so far, this team has shown us that they know how to design great pinball games. Scores will be updated as this game is polished.

Game #4 from the mind of Keith Elwin.

The Pros:
An original and complex layout that offers lots to do. A colorful art package that is full but not distracting. Even on the pro, color LED's are all around. The clips form all of the old movies keep the connection to the past alive, and are great to see. Fun to be had by all as the monsters do the happy pinball tilt dance. The sound package is solid and there are lots of easter eggs to be found (put in your initials as ADG and listen carefully)! The rules in this early stage (.78 is what I played) are mostly there and they are a lot of fun. Especially once you get to the second level of monsters by completing the tasks of the first layer. Learn how to use the whammy-button flame breath for strategic big scores. Will the Schnozzle become a tourney worthy technique? Well placed shots that dive into the backboard of the PF mean that this game "feels long", because it is. Multiball modes are lots of fun and any playfield with spinners all over it is a good thing in my book! I was surprised at how much I liked the MechaGodzilla spinning spinner platform with the magnet on top MechaNavel. While I think the bridge mechanism is kind of useless, the tower with the diverters and the lock mechanism is well implemented. I also like how the balls will divert to different inlanes from the different "floors" of the building. Will this affect the rules of the game that much as compared to the pro? I don't think so, but sweet spinner rips are always good in my book. I like it. I like the preem/le more than the pro. I don't feel that the pro suffers from not having these features... but the preem/LE is definitely my preference now.

The Cons:
The lower right hand side of the playfield is deadly! anything that bumbles out of the far right lane by the pop bumper is trouble. Anytime the ball is between the pop and the top of the sling, trouble. I'd say over 70% of my drains were out the right outlane on this design. Can it be adjusted? yes. Will it help, dunno yet. But for now, trouble. The inner middle loop around the building has a tendency to SDTM, with the ball travelling in either direction. Some of the feeds around the upper flipper feel clunky and the magnet is an interesting/wtf randomizer. That magnet gets "TOASTY!" This may lead to some playfield issues later. As in I hope this will not lead to TAF Playfield-like mangnet burn...

The Takeaway:
The most unusual and chaotic design from Keith and his team of merry pin-heads yet. This design requires physical manipulation to get the most out of the lower PF, tilts must be adjusted accordingly. Another creative playfield with good rules that provides kinetic satisfaction. Let's see how the rules and the finessing of code brings this game along. Only time will tell, but so far, this team has shown us that they know how to design great pinball games. Scores will be updated as this game is polished.

Legends of Valhalla is the first game put together by RIOT pinball through American pinball. Well done guys, you broke through the industry barrier!

The Pros:
My first impression of this design was "boy, is this game looooooong!" It feels like the old B/W playfield measurements, but for some reason this game feels narrow. Not a bad thing, just narrow. The shot selection on this game is quite good. Loops under ramps and other pf mechanism that make the most of the square footage of gameplay. This playfield is not perfect, but it is really good. Props to the designer for the Berserker drop target and making a shot on the playfield where there wasn't one before! I am still exploring all the modes (so give me a bit to find out what is really there in the code) and look forward to the wizard modes. There seems to be some shoot for the flashing lights and a multiball modes in there. Progressing through modes unlocks more difficult/valuable modes in the rule set. Multiball with the locks from the upper flipper to the longboat lock mech are well done and the placement of the kraken magno-randomizer is random enough to be dangerous, but not so close the the flippers to turn this design into a luck-box. Silky smooth orbits mean this game will combo with a quick eye and reflexes.

The Cons:
Artwork and Audio was not consistent and well balanced between graphics shown on the screen and the volume levels of the voice actors. Artwork was either well defined and line heavy (like the cab) or sometimes was very painterly and while I love both styles, the didn't always compliment each other. For some reason I had a devil of a time finding the center ramp from either flipper. I guess I have to play better now. Or at least work on my adaptation skills.

the Takeaway:
Once I get the feel of a few shots, I really started to enjoy the way this game played. While this isn't their first game, it is their first full production game. Is it perfect, no. This team is much smaller than the teams at any other manufacturer with the possible exception of Spooky. Charlie and his team of scary men led this charge with their own company. This game is the harbringer of the new wave of pinball genesis. Projects created by creative people outside the industry where smaller teams of inspired pinheads who choose to make the games happen. I like playing this game better than the other designs that American pinball has made so far. I will be playing this game some more. Expect updates as I become more familiar with this design.

Well played Riot pinball. And thanks to American pinball to recognize talent and bring their vision to production reality.

Update:
I went back and played the game again. I got further through the ruleset of the game (which has been updated at least twice with software tweaks since I played last time) and my impression of the rules is that there are lots of modes that consist of shoot the colored arrows. You do not have to finish a mode to "defeat" your enemy, which makes me wonder, can I just time out modes and get to that level IV thor mode that way? I have heard a few people express displeasure with the artwork of the game. The man who created this game also did the artwork. Is it asking too much of a single creator? There are inconsistencies with the animations on the LCD, but this is something we have seen from American Pinball in all of their games (except Hot Wheels where the art assets were given to them). Also, I don't see any other pinball designers out there creating the artwork on their designs. Give this guy a break, he's doing everything he can! Playing the game some more, the details of the game (upper lane hammer and the kraken magnet) added to the quality of the experience but I had an issue with one part of the game. The flippers. This is a new game out of the box and the flippers felt sluggish. Did someone put molasses into these mechs? Really. I don't know if it was a switch adjustment, or something that wouldn't be fixed as easily... but I had real problems with consistent flipping of the ball from all 3 flippers. It was bad enough that I didn't want to play the game after a few credits.

Not good.

You can't have a game of pinball play well without flippers that don't operate properly. I'll go back and play the game again in a few weeks, but for now... scores are reduced. I will also review the game again after I play another copy of the game. It could be isolated to this early production copy or even operator error. Hoping for a better experience next time.

Update v.2:
Klunk
Klunk

Someone is going to call this game junk.

It's not. It is a whole lot of "almost there". The difference and polish on this game becomes apparent when you play it. The Good News is, software can be refined and updated. The bad news is, you can't do that with a playfield. The actual layout is what you're stuck with when you're playing the game. And in this particular case, it is not refined.

There have been 4 new designers that came out with original pinball designs in the last 30 years. And what I mean by that, is truly original feels and concepts applied to their own games. Now I understand that this is a review. It's just an opinion. But here's what I've seen.

Brian Eddy, The Shadow, 1995

And then over 20 years later... Scott Danesi, Total Nuclear Annihilation, 2017

Scott Gulicks, Legends of Valhalla, 2021

Jack Danger, Foo Fighters 2023

I know that Scott did his other historically legendary peace Mount Olympus but it never saw production. This is not easy to do. However, what I'm feeling when I play this game is that the prototype may have looked and felt different than what production came to. Look at lost? Was it the difference between what he and his team created and what American pinball actually produced? That could be it. I don't know. But when I play this game, it does not feel finished. It feels like a good prototype, but nowhere near the smooth and polished feel of what came out of Bally Williams in the 90s or Stern pinball today. I hate saying this. This may be my most painful review, ever. And by no means does this diminish the efforts or the talents of the people that brought this game together. However, it is not in the same league as what we are seeing from Stern pinball or other manufacturers. It's not a truly professional project. It feels good, sometimes. It should feel good, all the time.

And while this may be a stepping stone to other projects, I do not want to be the person who is finger shaking and telling people not to reach for their dreams. I get it. Keep reaching guys, and use what you've learned from this project to create higher quality product and better pinball experiences in the future.

Wishing Scott and his team luck, sanity, patience, time to finesse their work and more produced pinball game designs in the future.

Game #4 from the mind of Keith Elwin.

The Pros:
An original and complex layout that offers lots to do. A colorful art package that is full but not distracting. Even on the pro, color LED's are all around. The clips form all of the old movies keep the connection to the past alive, and are great to see. Fun to be had by all as the monsters do the happy pinball tilt dance. The sound package is solid and there are lots of easter eggs to be found (put in your initials as ADG and listen carefully)! The rules in this early stage (.78 is what I played) are mostly there and they are a lot of fun. Especially once you get to the second level of monsters by completing the tasks of the first layer. Learn how to use the whammy-button flame breath for strategic big scores. Will the Schnozzle become a tourney worthy technique? Well placed shots that dive into the backboard of the PF mean that this game "feels long", because it is. Multiball modes are lots of fun and any playfield with spinners all over it is a good thing in my book!

The Cons:
The lower right hand side of the playfield is deadly! anything that bumbles out of the far right lane by the pop bumper is trouble. Anytime the ball is between the pop and the top of the sling, trouble. I'd say over 70% of my drains were out the right outlane on this design. Can it be adjusted? yes. Will it help, dunno yet. But for now, trouble. The inner middle loop around the building has a tendency to SDTM, with the ball travelling in either direction. Some of the feeds around the upper flipper feel clunky and the magnet is an interesting/wtf randomizer. That magnet gets "TOASTY!" This may lead to some playfield issues later. As in I hope this will not lead to TAF Playfield-like mangnet burn...

The Takeaway:
The most unusual and chaotic design from Keith and his team of merry pin-heads yet. This design requires physical manipulation to get the most out of the lower PF, tilts must be adjusted accordingly. Another creative playfield with good rules that provides kinetic satisfaction. Let's see how the rules and the finessing of code brings this game along. Only time will tell, but so far, this team has shown us that they know how to design great pinball games. I am very interested to see what the Preem/LE feels like in comparison. Scores will be updated as this game is polished.

Ultraman / Halloween is the latest offering from Spooky pinball.

The Pros:
This is the first game I've played since Gottlieb Haunted House (1982) that has 3 playfields. The shot selection on the two miniature playfields in particular is very well done. The top playfield has a spinner! I didn't get much time on this design, but I have to say that playing multiball on three playfield simultaneously is a mind-bending pinball achievement! Skill shots and multi-ball make the most of the shots on the left hand side of the playfield as well as the standup targets between them. The lighting around the edges of the upper playfield and the colored LEDs are very well done. Integration of lights, colors and guiding the players eyes to shots that need to be made is better on this game than most spooky games in the past. The rules are laid out on the screen for the modes and multi-ball for easy player access. While still not at the refinement of games from other manufacturers, spooky keeps getting better with this with every single game that they produce. With pinball has a niche audience, spooky seems to have found it.

The Cons:
Between Ultraman and halloween, Halloween seems to have gotten the more passionate treatment between the two themes. While I love the two upper playfields, the main play field does not feel as polished in terms of gameplay. In particular, the drops to the subways under the playfield to the inland kickouts, while interesting are stalling to the flow of the game. Also, it takes a few times to learn the cues that the lights on the aliens are giving you to be ready to play pinball as the ball magically seems to appear from under the playfield at the end of the flipper.

The Takeaway:
Halloween is probably going to be the more popular selling theme between the two. For me, the left hand side of the playfield is clunky and while the ramps up the middle are easily made, I am still figuring out their function. Especially getting to the upper mini playfield. Spooky is doing more and more with each game. More toys, more shots and better clarity with game rules. Shooting this game is interesting for me. Well I really appreciate the hole to the lower left hand side of the playfield, many of the other shots that are similar to it on this game feel like they are very crowded. The amount of game that resides in the upper play fields is something that I'm going to have to learn about to be able to access them at will. However, there's a lot to work with here. I'm going to look forward to see what software / rule updates come along with this game.

Ultraman / Halloween is the latest offering from Spooky pinball.

The Pros:
This is the first game I've played since Gottlieb Haunted House (1982) that has 3 playfields. The shot selection on the two miniature playfields in particular is very well done. The top playfield has a spinner! I didn't get much time on this design, but I have to say that playing multiball on three playfield simultaneously is a mind-bending pinball achievement! Skill shots and multi-ball make the most of the shots on the left hand side of the playfield as well as the standup targets between them. The lighting around the edges of the upper playfield and the colored LEDs are very well done. Integration of lights, colors and guiding the players eyes to shots that need to be made is better on this game than most spooky games in the past. The rules are laid out on the screen for the modes and multi-ball for easy player access. While still not at the refinement of games from other manufacturers, spooky keeps getting better with this with every single game that they produce. With pinball has a niche audience, spooky seems to have found it.

The Cons:
Between Ultraman and halloween, Halloween seems to have gotten the more passionate treatment between the two themes. While I love the two upper playfields, the main play field does not feel as polished in terms of gameplay. In particular, the drops to the subways under the playfield to the inland kickouts, while interesting are stalling to the flow of the game. Also, it takes a few times to learn the cues that the lights on the aliens are giving you to be ready to play pinball as the ball magically seems to appear from under the playfield at the end of the flipper.

The Takeaway:
Halloween is probably going to be the more popular selling theme between the two. For me, the left hand side of the playfield is clunky and while the ramps up the middle are easily made, I am still figuring out their function. Especially getting to the upper mini playfield. Spooky is doing more and more with each game. More toys, more shots and better clarity with game rules. Shooting this game is interesting for me. Well I really appreciate the hole to the lower left hand side of the playfield, many of the other shots that are similar to it on this game feel like they are very crowded. The amount of game that resides in the upper play fields is something that I'm going to have to learn about to be able to access them at will. However, there's a lot to work with here. I'm going to look forward to see what software / rule updates come along with this game.

Ultraman / Halloween is the latest offering from Spooky pinball.

The Pros:
This is the first game I've played since Gottlieb Haunted House (1982) that has 3 playfields. The shot selection on the two miniature playfields in particular is very well done. The top playfield has a spinner! I didn't get much time on this design, but I have to say that playing multiball on three playfield simultaneously is a mind-bending pinball achievement! Skill shots and multi-ball make the most of the shots on the left hand side of the playfield as well as the standup targets between them. The lighting around the edges of the upper playfield and the colored LEDs are very well done. Integration of lights, colors and guiding the players eyes to shots that need to be made is better on this game than most spooky games in the past. The rules are laid out on the screen for the modes and multi-ball for easy player access. While still not at the refinement of games from other manufacturers, spooky keeps getting better with this with every single game that they produce. With pinball has a niche audience, spooky seems to have found it.

The Cons:
Between Ultraman and halloween, Halloween seems to have gotten the more passionate treatment between the two themes. While I love the two upper playfields, the main play field does not feel as polished in terms of gameplay. In particular, the drops to the subways under the playfield to the inland kickouts, while interesting are stalling to the flow of the game. Also, it takes a few times to learn the cues that the lights on the aliens are giving you to be ready to play pinball as the ball magically seems to appear from under the playfield at the end of the flipper.

The Takeaway:
Halloween is probably going to be the more popular selling theme between the two. For me, the left hand side of the playfield is clunky and while the ramps up the middle are easily made, I am still figuring out their function. Especially getting to the upper mini playfield. Spooky is doing more and more with each game. More toys, more shots and better clarity with game rules. Shooting this game is interesting for me. Well I really appreciate the hole to the lower left hand side of the playfield, many of the other shots that are similar to it on this game feel like they are very crowded. The amount of game that resides in the upper play fields is something that I'm going to have to learn about to be able to access them at will. However, there's a lot to work with here. I'm going to look forward to see what software / rule updates come along with this game.

Ultraman / Halloween is the latest offering from Spooky pinball.

The Pros:
This is the first game I've played since Gottlieb Haunted House (1982) that has 3 playfields. The shot selection on the two miniature playfields in particular is very well done. The top playfield has a spinner! I didn't get much time on this design, but I have to say that playing multiball on three playfield simultaneously is a mind-bending pinball achievement! Skill shots and multi-ball make the most of the shots on the left hand side of the playfield as well as the standup targets between them. The lighting around the edges of the upper playfield and the colored LEDs are very well done. Integration of lights, colors and guiding the players eyes to shots that need to be made is better on this game than most spooky games in the past. The rules are laid out on the screen for the modes and multi-ball for easy player access. While still not at the refinement of games from other manufacturers, spooky keeps getting better with this with every single game that they produce. With pinball has a niche audience, spooky seems to have found it.

The Cons:
Between Ultraman and halloween, Halloween seems to have gotten the more passionate treatment between the two themes. While I love the two upper playfields, the main play field does not feel as polished in terms of gameplay. In particular, the drops to the subways under the playfield to the inland kickouts, while interesting are stalling to the flow of the game. Also, it takes a few times to learn the cues that the lights on the aliens are giving you to be ready to play pinball as the ball magically seems to appear from under the playfield at the end of the flipper.

The Takeaway:
Halloween is probably going to be the more popular selling theme between the two. For me, the left hand side of the playfield is clunky and while the ramps up the middle are easily made, I am still figuring out their function. Especially getting to the upper mini playfield. Spooky is doing more and more with each game. More toys, more shots and better clarity with game rules. Shooting this game is interesting for me. Well I really appreciate the hole to the lower left hand side of the playfield, many of the other shots that are similar to it on this game feel like they are very crowded. The amount of game that resides in the upper play fields is something that I'm going to have to learn about to be able to access them at will. However, there's a lot to work with here. I'm going to look forward to see what software / rule updates come along with this game.

Ultraman / Halloween is the latest offering from Spooky pinball.

The Pros:
This is the first game I've played since Gottlieb Haunted House (1982) that has 3 playfields. The shot selection on the two miniature playfields in particular is very well done. The top playfield has a spinner! I didn't get much time on this design, but I have to say that playing multiball on three playfield simultaneously is a mind-bending pinball achievement! Skill shots and multi-ball make the most of the shots on the left hand side of the playfield as well as the standup targets between them. The lighting around the edges of the upper playfield and the colored LEDs are very well done. Integration of lights, colors and guiding the players eyes to shots that need to be made is better on this game than most spooky games in the past. The rules are laid out on the screen for the modes and multi-ball for easy player access. While still not at the refinement of games from other manufacturers, spooky keeps getting better with this with every single game that they produce. With pinball has a niche audience, spooky seems to have found it.

The Cons:
Between Ultraman and halloween, Halloween seems to have gotten the more passionate treatment between the two themes. While I love the two upper playfields, the main play field does not feel as polished in terms of gameplay. In particular, the drops to the subways under the playfield to the inland kickouts, while interesting are stalling to the flow of the game. Also, it takes a few times to learn the cues that the lights on the aliens are giving you to be ready to play pinball as the ball magically seems to appear from under the playfield at the end of the flipper.

The Takeaway:
Halloween is probably going to be the more popular selling theme between the two. For me, the left hand side of the playfield is clunky and while the ramps up the middle are easily made, I am still figuring out their function. Especially getting to the upper mini playfield. Spooky is doing more and more with each game. More toys, more shots and better clarity with game rules. Shooting this game is interesting for me. Well I really appreciate the hole to the lower left hand side of the playfield, many of the other shots that are similar to it on this game feel like they are very crowded. The amount of game that resides in the upper play fields is something that I'm going to have to learn about to be able to access them at will. However, there's a lot to work with here. I'm going to look forward to see what software / rule updates come along with this game.

Update:
I got another chance to play this game recently and, I have a much better idea of what it's like now. First of all, work needs to be done on the graphical user interface. Communication with the player is key when things are not obvious and my eyes are pretty good. I even noticed some overlapping text on the bonus count screen. These things are easy to fix, and I know that the team will get to it as soon as they can. I had to squint to see what needed to be done to get things started. Six shots of the middle ramp was what got me to the upper playfield. I had no idea until I was into my second run with the game. I also have to say that I got the hedge multi-ball started and when the piano music kicked in, it was awesome! Rarely have I ever felt more tension and suspense playing a pinball game ever then this one. It was really well done. However, theater cannot save a pinball game. And while this game is still the best non-Danesi pinball game that spooky has produced, it still does not show the finesse and polishing that we see from games from other manufacturers. This game was better than I originally thought it was. And in that case, I love being wrong. I love learning new things and having awesome pinball experiences. If you like horror, and you like pinball, this is as good as it gets!

Ultraman / Halloween is the latest offering from Spooky pinball.

The Pros:
This is the first game I've played since Gottlieb Haunted House (1982) that has 3 playfields. The shot selection on the two miniature playfields in particular is very well done. The top playfield has a spinner! I didn't get much time on this design, but I have to say that playing multiball on three playfield simultaneously is a mind-bending pinball achievement! Skill shots and multi-ball make the most of the shots on the left hand side of the playfield as well as the standup targets between them. The lighting around the edges of the upper playfield and the colored LEDs are very well done. Integration of lights, colors and guiding the players eyes to shots that need to be made is better on this game than most spooky games in the past. The rules are laid out on the screen for the modes and multi-ball for easy player access. While still not at the refinement of games from other manufacturers, spooky keeps getting better with this with every single game that they produce. With pinball has a niche audience, spooky seems to have found it.

The Cons:
Between Ultraman and halloween, Halloween seems to have gotten the more passionate treatment between the two themes. While I love the two upper playfields, the main play field does not feel as polished in terms of gameplay. In particular, the drops to the subways under the playfield to the inland kickouts, while interesting are stalling to the flow of the game. Also, it takes a few times to learn the cues that the lights on the aliens are giving you to be ready to play pinball as the ball magically seems to appear from under the playfield at the end of the flipper.

The Takeaway:
Halloween is probably going to be the more popular selling theme between the two. For me, the left hand side of the playfield is clunky and while the ramps up the middle are easily made, I am still figuring out their function. Especially getting to the upper mini playfield. Spooky is doing more and more with each game. More toys, more shots and better clarity with game rules. Shooting this game is interesting for me. Well I really appreciate the hole to the lower left hand side of the playfield, many of the other shots that are similar to it on this game feel like they are very crowded. The amount of game that resides in the upper play fields is something that I'm going to have to learn about to be able to access them at will. However, there's a lot to work with here. I'm going to look forward to see what software / rule updates come along with this game.

I got the chance to play the Mandalorian with Dean Grover last night.

The Pros:
A killer theme that is incredibly well implemented. The kids will love it, the guys will love it, the baby yoda fans will love it, even the Bill Burr fans will love it. This game really has it all for license appeal. That alone will guarantee it will sell like hotcakes. Now for the real news. This game is fun to play. The variance of shots within the fan is solid and the lighting does an incredible job of guiding the player about the game's shot layout. There are some "dummy" shots up the middle, and a whole bunch of not so wide shots that require accurate aim. Brian Eddy has only made fan layouts since The Shadow, but this fan layout is varied and balanced between wider, narrower, easier and more difficult shots. Out of his fan layouts, this is his best one for stern. The upper flipper playfield is well balanced between skill and time in the no-draino area of the playfield. Utilization of this area during multiball and wizard modes is very well done. Keep moving. Up and down and all around that game! Gameplay modes with co-op and "Impossible mode" will keep this design fresh and make the legs on this game even longer. 3 vs. 1 player... why not! Now if you could only set the impossible mode on one player and regular play on others. 3 Mini-wi modes leading to a larger wizard mode. I like it! The ball speed on this deck is "wicked fast!" (Say it like Daddy Bald Freckles...) and Apollo Creed sounds fantastic.

The Cons:
Standard fan layout with a bit of clunk here and there. Some of the plastic posts holding up the ramps seem to be loose and may break. This alone may be reason to get a preem/le. just a few shots up the middle for the gimme multiball. I get it. Casual players need to feel like they can achieve success with this game, so throw them a multi-bone (I just made that up...). It's a feel thing. You can make a pinball game for the masses that doesn't feel like a Data East game from 1990. I just don't care for it. At least it isn't a mystery award for the win.

The Takeaway:
Another winner for Stern. The game looks and plays great. I don't watch the show, but playing this game makes me want to. That is always a good sign. More than anything this design proves that "IT'S THE RULES!" that make the game. Big ups to Dean and the Stern programming team. This game is a lot of fun to play! I am very curious to see how the Preem/ LE compares to this pro.

Update:
The premium/ LE is the way to go with this design. The gist of it is this. The pro is the less exciting fan layout. And while fan layouts work, they can be predictable. Predictable games become boring. The Preem/LE, while still a fan, has more randomness up top with the yoder-magnet and the tilting playfield. There are some interesting rule choices to earn/make. But more than anything else, this is a fan layout with some more modern code. I prefer the preem/LE to the pro. But as a pinball game is concerned. This is a good game. Not a great game. A good game that is tourney worthy. Scores adjusted accordingly.

Pamela Anderson got her pinball game.

yay..

The Pros:
A decent Dr. Who like layout with some interesting shots. The right ramp in particular that can be shot from both left hand side flippers is pretty sweet. The right ramp to the upper left hand flipper feed feels great! A solid wizard mode (Haywire) that makes you work for the big points after the timer/ first collect is done. If the mechs and the flippers are well set up, this game shoots well. Get to the wizard mode and tear it up! Most modes are mini-multiballs, so gameplay is engaging. A solid effort to make a good playing game. Easy to understand rules and a rando 100m shot is always exciting to collect. Tournament mode is a welcome addition as compared to the shoot the mystery hole for the win. Slings award 10 mil (Sound familiar?) No? Zilch is much better! Combos are fun. As it should be.

The Cons:
The theme. Super Sucker saucers under the playfield stop flow and make you wait for the ball to get back to you. System 3 trapper-flappers make holding the ball a dream for the people who love to hold the ball as long as they want to. Even with a good layout, the rules are all about haywire. That's the thing with this game. A fun game to play as long as you don't care about your score. Artwork and animations are sub-par. Makes you wonder why this was the last gottlieb/premier game ever made. What a way to go out. Reveal match number... really?!?

The Takeaway:
A game that shoots well and has lots of fun on the table. May be the best sys3 game other than Stargate. Can be had for cheap. Worth every penny.

Pam Anderson, meet mad max.

Sure.

I am going to preface this by saying that I am not, never have been, or never will be a guns and roses fan.

The Pros:
This game is the best integration of a rock and roll show into a pinball game. Ever. This game looks, sounds and feels fantastic! The art package is brilliantly done and all aspects of the video, cabinet, GUI, custom quotes, themACe integration and involvement with Slash to give the team at JJP everything they could ever want and more. It's a beautiful thing when the people who own an IP love pinball as much as the pinheads who play it do. The upper playfield and the 6 ball lock over the center saucer makes things random in multiball from the get go. The light show on this game is stellar. Bar none, the best I have ever seen on a pinball game. The orbits and the ramps feel great and the inner loop from the upper flipper has that PotC feel that is most satisfying. The toys on this game are varied and offer more than just a good look to the game. The upper playfield doesn't have much to it, but the shots there are good. Kind of reminds me of the winkie pf on WoZ. 6 ball multiball is a mindbender with all the other activity going on! Most importantly, the rules. While I have only had a few games on it, The feel of the rules of the game is solid. Options to choose songs as well as to collect or to continue/add-a-ball make for interesting and valuable choices. Each mode is clearly it's own choreography and while some may not like the "shoot for the colored lights" treatment, it works and requires minimal translation. You are still guided around the playfield differently with each song/mode, but confusion is at a minimum. I am still learning more about this game and will add updates as I figure more stuff out.

The Cons:
It's a Guns and Roses game. I don't care for the center saucer unless it is shot from the upper right hand flipper. Shots from the pops find their way SDTM with more frequency than any other game that I can remember in recent history. The FIRE! skillshot is well done, but the exit onto the PF keeps insta-draining out the right hand side of the PF (who turned the ball saver off?). This is a HUGE design flaw. This is the kind of mistake that no amount of software will save. Are you ready for a 30% chance of a bullshit drain off each and every plunge into the game? Well, here you go! This is BAAAAAAAAAAAD. Tank the playfield design right there. Because you can't play a pinball game if you can't get the ball into the playfield without a ridiculously high chance of failure. This skill shot is anti-fun. And that is what people play pinball for, first and foremost... FUN! You had better make all of your shots because those outlanes are incredibly hungry. Casuals are going to play a game or two and say "huh?" I paid a dollar a game for this?!? Ops better set their outlines to as tight as they can until a player who can nudge gets a hold of it. Get the balance right... I also want to say that I have only played one copy of this game. I hope that this is not the case with other copies of this design.

The Takeaway:
If you like Guns and Roses, you will absolutely fall in love with this game and your life will not be complete without it. If you are not, it's an incredibly well put together pinball game with lots to do on it and has very long legs (the RULES!). Along with Willy Wonka, this game has enough depth of rules (once you actually get to play the game...) AND direct simplicity to entertain casual players and enough depth to keep the tourney monkeys and the home players entertained and challenged for a LOOOOOOOOOOOONG time! JJP is getting better at what they do. Good for them!

Update:
The exit out of the skill shot can be adjusted/fixed. Now the center scoop has a high percentage of sdtm drains. This game will probably be fine in a home collection, but operators may not have the time for these details. Learning this game is a hoot!

Update v.2:
The rules on this game take a bit to learn fortunately, the programming team at jjp has implemented so many different options on gameplay, rules and effective actions on the mechanics of the playfield that this game can be "tuned" to your desired performance of the design ad nauseum. Most impressive. The extra lights on the playfield make the rock and roll experience in a box a wonder to behold. While the playfield layout isn't perfect, the implementation and depth of this design make this game a possible "collection of one" for the pinhead willing to put the time, effort and interest into this game.

Update v.3:
I do not like playing this game. This layout even with the upper playfield is a finicky mess of pinball theatre. I have tried. REALLY tried to like this game and I just can't waste my time playing this game anymore. I used to love her...Now, I just walk past her.

I am going to preface this by saying that I am not, never have been, or never will be a guns and roses fan.

The Pros:
This game is the best integration of a rock and roll show into a pinball game. Ever. This game looks, sounds and feels fantastic! The art package is brilliantly done and all aspects of the video, cabinet, GUI, custom quotes, themACe integration and involvement with Slash to give the team at JJP everything they could ever want and more. It's a beautiful thing when the people who own an IP love pinball as much as the pinheads who play it do. The upper playfield and the 6 ball lock over the center saucer makes things random in multiball from the get go. The light show on this game is stellar. Bar none, the best I have ever seen on a pinball game. The orbits and the ramps feel great and the inner loop from the upper flipper has that PotC feel that is most satisfying. The toys on this game are varied and offer more than just a good look to the game. The upper playfield doesn't have much to it, but the shots there are good. Kind of reminds me of the winkie pf on WoZ. 6 ball multiball is a mindbender with all the other activity going on! Most importantly, the rules. While I have only had a few games on it, The feel of the rules of the game is solid. Options to choose songs as well as to collect or to continue/add-a-ball make for interesting and valuable choices. Each mode is clearly it's own choreography and while some may not like the "shoot for the colored lights" treatment, it works and requires minimal translation. You are still guided around the playfield differently with each song/mode, but confusion is at a minimum. I am still learning more about this game and will add updates as I figure more stuff out.

The Cons:
It's a Guns and Roses game. I don't care for the center saucer unless it is shot from the upper right hand flipper. Shots from the pops find their way SDTM with more frequency than any other game that I can remember in recent history. The FIRE! skillshot is well done, but the exit onto the PF keeps insta-draining out the right hand side of the PF (who turned the ball saver off?). This is a HUGE design flaw. This is the kind of mistake that no amount of software will save. Are you ready for a 30% chance of a bullshit drain off each and every plunge into the game? Well, here you go! This is BAAAAAAAAAAAD. Tank the playfield design right there. Because you can't play a pinball game if you can't get the ball into the playfield without a ridiculously high chance of failure. This skill shot is anti-fun. And that is what people play pinball for, first and foremost... FUN! You had better make all of your shots because those outlanes are incredibly hungry. Casuals are going to play a game or two and say "huh?" I paid a dollar a game for this?!? Ops better set their outlines to as tight as they can until a player who can nudge gets a hold of it. Get the balance right... I also want to say that I have only played one copy of this game. I hope that this is not the case with other copies of this design. The elimination of the upper playfield and the guitar head lock mechanism on this game is a huge loss. Kind of like playing AC/DC without the lower playfield. It just doesn't feel right and that plastic topper over the upper right hand side of the playfield only makes the missing items more obvious.

The Takeaway:
If you like Guns and Roses, you will absolutely fall in love with this game and your life will not be complete without it. If you are not, it's an incredibly well put together pinball game with lots to do on it and has very long legs (the RULES!). Along with Willy Wonka, this game has enough depth of rules (once you actually get to play the game...) AND direct simplicity to entertain casual players and enough depth to keep the tourney monkeys and the home players entertained and challenged for a LOOOOOOOOOOOONG time! JJP is getting better at what they do. Good for them!

Update:
The exit out of the skill shot can be adjusted/fixed. Now the center scoop has a high percentage of sdtm drains. This game will probably be fine in a home collection, but operators may not have the time for these details. Learning this game is a hoot!

Update v.2:
The rules on this game take a bit to learn fortunately, the programming team at jjp has implemented so many different options on gameplay, rules and effective actions on the mechanics of the playfield that this game can be "tuned" to your desired performance of the design ad nauseum. Most impressive. The extra lights on the playfield make the rock and roll experience in a box a wonder to behold. While the playfield layout isn't perfect, the implementation and depth of this design make this game a possible "collection of one" for the pinhead willing to put the time, effort and interest into this game.

Update v.3:
I do not like playing this game. This layout without the upper playfield feels like a cost cutting consideration at the cost of the vision of the designer and the experience of the player. I just walk past this game now.

Well, it finally happened. Led Zeppelin has a pinball game.

The Pros:
Long and smooth shots that make use of the entire playfield. all the orbit and ramp shots feel fantastic and despite the playfield looking like it's wide open in the middle, the game does not feel empty when you play it. There are shorter shots on the left hand side of the playfield, longer shots in the middle and the right. The Icarus Target in the middle is great when prepped for a playfield multiplier to make everything that you do all that much more valuable. It is so nice to see a moving skill shot from the plunge again. Skillful plunging and timing is required for those LED targets. While the code is still early, the modes are well laid out, varied, and qualifying the modes and other aspects of the playfield require that you shoot the entire playfield. The music, is excellent. I'm actually surprised they didn't get more songs in on this game. The depth of the Led Zeppelin catalog is so deep that so many songs could have been used on this game. Fans worldwide would have rocked out to just about anything that this group put out. The center ramp is easily accessible from both flippers and the Zeppelin ramp feels incredibly smooth. I like the u-turn ramp on the right is it is most satisfying when you nail it. My initial impression looking at this playfield was not great. I am happy to say that the game feels better than it looks when you play it. I love being wrong about things like that.

The Cons:
The third flipper doesn't do much. On the pro, it bounces off of a stand-up. Add that to the fact that the flipper is incredibly high in the playfield, shot variation is key. This third flipper really doesn't have much to do other than shoot that dog-leg curve. I'm assuming that the premium and The limited edition version will have better sound output then what I heard on the pro. I am sure someone will modify their speakers as well to really get this pinball game really booming. it also may be the showroom location that I played the game at, the music wasn't that loud. Animations / motion graphics from footage from 50 years ago seem to be rather cut and paste. In some cases the footage is grainy even on the smaller screen that Stern uses. And while it works, it's not of the quality that we've seen from other games from Stern recently.

The Takeaway:
This is a prime example of theme selling games. While it not not be as bad as Dolly Parton or Ted Nugent pinball designs, I'm going to take a wait and see attitude with the code on this game. Steve Richie has brought us a new and unusual asymmetrical playfield for this game layout and I can't wait to try the premium and see what the spinner magnomonger does to change the way the ball moves around the middle of this game. This is a big feature, as well as the u-turn ramp from the upper flipper. Led Zeppelin may end up being a great (preem/LE - ala. AC/DC) pinball game, but right now, it's too early to tell.

Update:
I REALLY don't like the auto-feed from the plunger in the shooter lane. Multiple shots enter the ramp/target lane and then exits into the right outlane with consistency. While this game has the hungriest outlanes since World Poker Tour, it shouldn't feel like the Star Wars experience. Auto-plunge to outlane... again! Between the pro and the preem/LE, the preem is the way to go. The changes that the monger-spinner make to the shots and the play of the game make a huge difference in the way this design plays. Time will tell if this feature is worth it in the long run, but this game plays better with it now. The lighting on the Preem/ LE isn't JJP GnR worthy, but it is a step in the right direction. The older film clips of concert footage definitely feel a certain way, but the playfield artwork has the same feel to it as Aerosmith. It's not Dirty Donny, but it feels the same. Will this be the last Grandpa-rock game made? Who knows. But Moby Dick has been landed and if Stevie Knicks agrees to the license, Fleetwood Mac pinball is on the way soon!

Well, it finally happened. Led Zeppelin has a pinball game.

The Pros:
Long and smooth shots that make use of the entire playfield. all the orbit and ramp shots feel fantastic and despite the playfield looking like it's wide open in the middle, the game does not feel empty when you play it. There are shorter shots on the left hand side of the playfield, longer shots in the middle and the right. The Icarus Target in the middle is great when prepped for a playfield multiplier to make everything that you do all that much more valuable. It is so nice to see a moving skill shot from the plunge again. Skillful plunging and timing is required for those LED targets. While the code is still early, the modes are well laid out, varied, and qualifying the modes and other aspects of the playfield require that you shoot the entire playfield. The music, is excellent. I'm actually surprised they didn't get more songs in on this game. The depth of the Led Zeppelin catalog is so deep that so many songs could have been used on this game. Fans worldwide would have rocked out to just about anything that this group put out. The center ramp is easily accessible from both flippers and the Zeppelin ramp feels incredibly smooth. I like the u-turn ramp on the right is it is most satisfying when you nail it. My initial impression looking at this playfield was not great. I am happy to say that the game feels better than it looks when you play it. I love being wrong about things like that.

The Cons:
The third flipper doesn't do much. On the pro, it bounces off of a stand-up. Add that to the fact that the flipper is incredibly high in the playfield, shot variation is key. This third flipper really doesn't have much to do other than shoot that dog-leg curve. I'm assuming that the premium and The limited edition version will have better sound output then what I heard on the pro. I am sure someone will modify their speakers as well to really get this pinball game really booming. it also may be the showroom location that I played the game at, the music wasn't that loud. Animations / motion graphics from footage from 50 years ago seem to be rather cut and paste. In some cases the footage is grainy even on the smaller screen that Stern uses. And while it works, it's not of the quality that we've seen from other games from Stern recently.

The Takeaway:
This is a prime example of theme selling games. While it not not be as bad as Dolly Parton or Ted Nugent pinball designs, I'm going to take a wait and see attitude with the code on this game. Steve Richie has brought us a new and unusual asymmetrical playfield for this game layout and I can't wait to try the premium and see what the spinner magnomonger does to change the way the ball moves around the middle of this game. This is a big feature, as well as the u-turn ramp from the upper flipper. Led Zeppelin may end up being a great (preem/LE - ala. AC/DC) pinball game, but right now, it's too early to tell.

Update:
I REALLY don't like the auto-feed from the plunger in the shooter lane. Multiple shots enter the ramp/target lane and then exits into the right outlane with consistency. While this game has the hungriest outlanes since World Poker Tour, it shouldn't feel like the Star Wars experience. Auto-plunge to outlane... again! Between the pro and the preem/LE, the preem is the way to go. The changes that the monger-spinner make to the shots and the play of the game make a huge difference in the way this design plays. Time will tell if this feature is worth it in the long run, but this game plays better with it now. The lighting on the Preem/ LE isn't JJP GnR worthy, but it is a step in the right direction. The older film clips of concert footage definitely feel a certain way, but the playfield artwork has the same feel to it as Aerosmith. It's not Dirty Donny, but it feels the same. Will this be the last Grandpa-rock game made? Who knows. But Moby Dick has been landed and if Stevie Knicks agrees to the license, Fleetwood Mac pinball is on the way soon!

Super spin is one of the last great electrical mechanical games produced by Gottlieb and the great Ed Krynski.

The Pros:
This layout is one of the best asymmetrical Gottlieb games from the mid to late 70s. Interestingly enough, this is one solid state games really starting to take over the arcade landscape. And wow the newer technology may have brought on great innovations to gameplay, this design is an effective use of older electro mechanical technology combined with a challenging layout. The rotor target is placed very well at the top left-hand corner of the game. And while it may look like a big single target, do you really want that Roto to be a 300 points or more when you hit it. The lane on the left and the saucer on the right are not always easy shots. The saucer on the right in particular requires a bit of nerve to thread through the back bumper and the rubber on the right to score of the shot from the last flipper. The left lane is dangerous because the food coming out of it can go straight down The middle between that wide flipper gap. Keeping an eye on the left and right stand ups in the middle of the playfield it’s a good idea as the score the left and right roto target values at the top of the PF layout design. The very target in the lower right hand part of the playfield is the ability of electro mechanical risk versus reward. Even if you’re not that target all the way to the back of the latter, will the spring shoot the ball straight down between the slippers? Is it worth it? Decisions, decisions, decisions. The very target in the lower right hand part of the playfield is the ability of electro mechanical risk versus reward. Even if you’re not that target all the way to the back of the latter, will the spring shoot the ball straight down between the flippers? Is it worth it? Decisions, decisions, decisions... The artwork on the playfield, the backglass in the cabinet is super rad!

The Cons:
No drop targets. Extremely hungry outlanes and a wide flipper gap in the middle keeps ball times short. Many drains are caused by errant and chaotic reflections from the pop bumpers straight down the middle. I do wish that there was another way to get back to the top lanes for another skill shot during same ball gameplay.

The Takeaway:
This game design might have been a top seller for Gottlieb even just a few years before. But with the advent of digital games and less chaotic layouts that were dependent on skill for shooting and incorporated higher speeds on the playfield, you can see the writing on the wall. Kinda makes you wish that the management at Gottlieb at the time could have seen it as well. The good news is that if you don’t compare this game to designs coming out by Williams and Bally at the same time, it’s a great player. Even with no spinners or drop targets, this game has fantastic shots that always keep the player on their toes when the ball is in play. I’d love to find a copy for myself and put it in my collection.

Super spin is one of the last great electrical mechanical games produced by Gottlieb and the great Ed Krynski.

The Pros:
This layout is one of the best asymmetrical Gottlieb games from the mid to late 70s. Interestingly enough, this is one solid state games really starting to take over the arcade landscape. And wow the newer technology may have brought on great innovations to gameplay, this design is an effective use of older electro mechanical technology combined with a challenging layout. The rotor target is placed very well at the top left-hand corner of the game. And while it may look like a big single target, do you really want that Roto to be a 300 points or more when you hit it. The lane on the left and the saucer on the right are not always easy shots. The saucer on the right in particular requires a bit of nerve to thread through the back bumper and the rubber on the right to score of the shot from the last flipper. The left lane is dangerous because the food coming out of it can go straight down The middle between that wide flipper gap. Keeping an eye on the left and right stand ups in the middle of the playfield it’s a good idea as the score the left and right roto target values at the top of the PF layout design. The very target in the lower right hand part of the playfield is the ability of electro mechanical risk versus reward. Even if you’re not that target all the way to the back of the latter, will the spring shoot the ball straight down between the slippers? Is it worth it? Decisions, decisions, decisions. The very target in the lower right hand part of the playfield is the ability of electro mechanical risk versus reward. Even if you’re not that target all the way to the back of the latter, will the spring shoot the ball straight down between the flippers? Is it worth it? Decisions, decisions, decisions... The artwork on the playfield, the backglass in the cabinet is super rad!

The Cons:
No drop targets. Extremely hungry outlanes and a wide flipper gap in the middle keeps ball times short. Many drains are caused by errant and chaotic reflections from the pop bumpers straight down the middle. I do wish that there was another way to get back to the top lanes for another skill shot during same ball gameplay.

The Takeaway:
This game design might have been a top seller for Gottlieb even just a few years before. But with the advent of digital games and less chaotic layouts that were dependent on skill for shooting and incorporated higher speeds on the playfield, you can see the writing on the wall. Kinda makes you wish that the management at Gottlieb at the time could have seen it as well. The good news is that if you don’t compare this game to designs coming out by Williams and Bally at the same time, it’s a great player. Even with no spinners or drop targets, this game has fantastic shots that always keep the player on their toes when the ball is in play. I’d love to find a copy for myself and put it in my collection.

Is it pinball? No. Is it fun? I think so.

The Pros:
Whoever designed this game must have a doctorate in psychology. This is one of the simplest designs ever put out. Heck, it’s not even pinball. It doesn’t even have flippers. Just a door handle. But that one more game quality, the skin has it. The skin has it and then some. I’d love to find one if I could, but the collectors seem to scoop them all up along time ago and the ones that are holding onto it or holding onto it with a fierceness that is only reserved for their favorite pinball games. This game is so good, that the sound, artwork and theatre on it is nonexistent and people don’t care. The game is captivating, frustrating and has that incredible balance of anxiety, skill, frustration and the feeling of real accomplishment when you get it right.

The cons:
Finding one. Finding a collector who will sell me their copy. I’d love to on this game.

Got a nickel? Not anymore you don’t...

The Takeaway:
Along with Williams ringer, this may be one of the best one-handed amusement games out there that you can enjoy with your friend while drinking a beer in your other hand. Find one if you can, play it and if you can figure out a way to on it, do it. If you have one for sale, private message me!

I got to play this game at Expo 2019.

The Pros:
Ummmmmmms, it's elvira? The mistress of the dark is BACK! This game is FUN. The theatre on this game, OG horror clips of the highest Bgrade rating and more silly-gore than you can shake a Gar-goil on a stick at. The lighting in particular is well designed. The haunted house is set up so that it reflects the colors of the modes running in the game. Multiball is straightforward and well done. The deadheads are now an active mode running along with all the rest of the action of the table simultaneously. At first the shots seem narrow, but they are well laid out and very make-able. This game should sell well and keep lots of pinheads happy. Using the button on the animated wheel to skillfully stop on the award you want. Why hasn't this been done this well before?

The Cons:
The kickout on the right shoots the ball directly across the PF. Sling-sling-out with consistency. I know that the power on the coil can be adjusted, but the direction of the VUK may not (?). You should not be punished for making a successful shot and then have the control taken out of your hands. Almost as bad as a badly adjusted kickout on MB. A semi-standard fan layout with most shots around the perimeter of the PF. Junk in the trunk can be accidentally started by the ball bumbling it's way into the exit. No one way gate?

The takeaway:
So far a really good game, will it be a really great game...? We shall see. As software updates come out, that will be the real test. There are lots of inserts on the PF that need to have code assigned to them. The best news is that just shooting this game is a hoot and that is always a good start. Updates will follow as the game code is flushed out.

Update:
The software and rules have gotten much better since I first played this game. The polish and depth is apparent. However, the playfield is the same. In particular, the kicker from the right hand side of the playfield is either too strong or too weak. This makes the game less than ideal for street operation. Better in a home, or a tourney environment. Good thing they added a ball saver when the ball spits out into the left outline as compared to the 3 targets on the left hand side of the pf. The game shoots well and the theme integration is excellent. Similar to Batman ‘66, mechanically complex mechanisms (just like any/all pinball games) fail or deteriorate in performance over time without proper care and maintenance. What can I say, Elvira has needs. But when she is happy, she is a lot of fun!

Update v.2:
Are there are two types of Elvira games. The first time is more common. Games that are not tuned or maintained to the ideal for this design to work properly. Unfortunately, that’s the most games on location. The second type is a Home player takes fantastic care of their game and make sure that everything is just right. When this happens, I have relatively straightforward fan loud becomes an incredible player and the ruleset design is one of the best that has ever been created. Unfortunately, this was the last game that Lyman sheets worked on for Sterne. The rules that is what makes this game. The multiple layers of modes multiples and the wizard modes are fantastic. The gap angry mode in particular is one of the most impressive displays of pinball code ever put together.

What this means for the game is that most location play it’s going to be less than ideal. Does this make this game unworthy of the street? I don’t think so. But you’re more likely to get the ideal experience from a home collector who pampers their copy and make sure that does everything that it should, when it should, no credit dots allowed!

Out of the three games with Elvira‘s name on it, the first is the most highly produced and unfortunately, the least refined ruleset. This led to Indianapolis 500 which had a very similar layout with a third flipper. Scared Stiff, the second Elvira game is a damn fine game in it’s own right. When the third installation of the series was first released, the rule set was not fully realized and it showed. Today, thanks to the brilliant work of Lyman Sheats, we have one of the best pinball games that Stern has ever created. Rest In Peace.

The music, artwork, animation, lighting and (when tuned) engineering is cohesive and gives this spooky and silly world under glass the theater it deserves. Dennis Nortman put together a great layout and toy with the Haunted mansion in the middle of this playfield. This game is a blast to play. Go a copy, play it and enjoy it. Frights, tongue and cheek goofiness, sexually charged humor that shows its power by using it and not taking itself so damn seriously. More than anything else the Elvira pinball trilogy shows how much fun the theme of the pinball game can be. If you don’t like everything about this game... it might be you. In the meantime, I’m going to play this game and thank Cassandra for being the only woman to grace pinball with her awesomeness 3 times!

Update v.3:
The art, sound, animations and rules a re great. Gappa Angry may be one of the best and most varied wizard modes ever created. That's the good news. The bad news is the playfield layout leads to balls hanging up (behind the house on 696 creepy street) that will start our game out from the first plunge with a "ball missing" ball search that makes the software put you in instant multi-ball for the rest of the game and any drain leads to ball/game over. That and playing this game can get boring.

Will lightning flippers and a good tune help? Maybe. But a boring shooting pinball game makes people walk away from an incredible team effort. I love so much about this pinball game other than playing it. Scores adjusted accordingly

Pirates of the Caribbean (JJP) is the 4th game from Jersey Jack and their most ambitious to date.

The Pros:
The layout, artwork and sounds are brilliant. A great design from a new pinball designer is something to be celebrated. The animations are the best I have ever seen in a pinball game. The characters are well balanced from the get go and I'm sure that this game will only get better as software is updated. For a widebody game, this game does not feel wide. It feels like it shoots very well. Some of the game's shots are incredibly well put together and the flow of this table is incredible. There is a lot to do in this game. You may need a vacation away from everything else to really get this game down.

The Cons:
The risks taken with this design will have to stand the test of time. The tri-spinner and the chest have already been "reduced" in their complexity (and rightfully so). The rules are so deep and complex, that the only way to really get to know this game is to own one. Most pinheads do not have tens of thousands of dollars sitting around. Dialed In got the gameplay balance right. Would someone please reel Keith Johnson in (I admit it, I'm STILL trying to figure out how to play WoZ)? Thank you.

The Takeaway:
I got the chance to play the proto and the chest and the tri-spinner are not working as they should. While some may complain, I believe the JJP team made the correct decision to go with reliability as compared to flash. Will this game get better, yep. My sincere hope is that the balance of the game's rules and the reliability of it's mechanisms will become refined as well.

Update:
After a bit more mileage on this design I have a few things that I have noticed about this game. First off is that the shots take a bit of getting used to. This is a widebody design and that means that even though it may not look like it (it really seems narrower to me), the shot selection is wider on this layout than on most. This is especially true for the left orbit\return lane and the shot through the pops. The second thing is that this game has a lot of stackability. A lot of stackability. Between modes, wizard modes, playfield multipliers and this can all be done in multiple ways. I have been able to get 4 out of 5 wizard modes going at once. Hooooooweeee! Gotta get all 5 now. With all this in mind this means that there is a lot to do to set up your big whammy scores. This takes time, effort, planning and solid play. Scores altered accordingly. Keith Johnson is the thinking man's pinball programmer par excellence!

Update v.2:
After all this time, no wizard mode. I understand that time moves on and there is no more money to be made with this game anymore for JJP. The owners are still going clamor for it (as they should, the job wasn't finished) anyways. Even with all the hard work, thought and code put into this game, the philosophy of do it all because you can is not all it is cracked up to be. There is power in limitations. Balanced limitations as compared to restricting and hard, unmoving limitations that define a single path of gameplay for the player to follow. All that work and effort, reduced to shoot the flashing lights...

So much awesomeness in this game and it comes down to a single statement upon the rules. Just because you can, doesn't mean that you should

Attack From Mars is one of those games I could play forever and always be happy to do so. It's one of the best examples of what a really great team can do with a relatively simple layout.

The Pros: A great game that focuses on skills and your ability to control the ball. making your shots is imperative as missed opportunities turn quickly into dangerous situations. Rules are set so that you can really make the most of opportunities that the table presents to you, if you can execute the shots. The theme is incredibly well executed and the whole package comes together like few others. The extra ball award is my favorite pinball animation, ever. Doug Watson did a great job with the art package as well as voicing the martians. "C'mere, tasty human!"

The Cons: Expensive! Limited production means that operators are still looking for this game. Fortunately parts are readily available... making your purchase even more expensive. Strobe Multiball may cause epileptic fits.

The Takeaway: If I was stuck on a remote desert island, this very may be the one game I'd choose to be stuck with. It's challenging, it's fun and it never gets old. Brian Eddy was only credited 3 times as a designer, but what a threesome it is! The Shadow, AFM and MM! All in all, a dmn fine game.

Update:
The more I play this game, the more I love playing it. It is not the deepest game, but the way it is set up, it gives as much as you put into it. If you play the game well, your score will reflect it. If you do not play the game well... PLAY BETTER! And while the wizard mode is not always the best way to get monster scores, it is very worthwhile and gratifying to play and Rule the Universe! When I can, I always try to stack Martian Multiball with either the Saucer or Total Annihilation. A true player in every way. Find one and play it whenever you can!

Pinball Satisfaction Personified!

Chicago coin addendum:
I like what they have added to the game color changing LED’s and a larger screen with updated animations look good and add to the theater of the experience. The layout is nearly identical and the rules are the same. While the show might have been upgraded, gameplay is the same.

Attack From Mars is one of those games I could play forever and always be happy to do so. It's one of the best examples of what a really great team can do with a relatively simple layout.

The Pros: A great game that focuses on skills and your ability to control the ball. making your shots is imperative as missed opportunities turn quickly into dangerous situations. Rules are set so that you can really make the most of opportunities that the table presents to you, if you can execute the shots. The theme is incredibly well executed and the whole package comes together like few others. The extra ball award is my favorite pinball animation, ever. Doug Watson did a great job with the art package as well as voicing the martians. "C'mere, tasty human!"

The Cons: Expensive! Limited production means that operators are still looking for this game. Fortunately parts are readily available... making your purchase even more expensive. Strobe Multiball may cause epileptic fits.

The Takeaway: If I was stuck on a remote desert island, this very may be the one game I'd choose to be stuck with. It's challenging, it's fun and it never gets old. Brian Eddy was only credited 3 times as a designer, but what a threesome it is! The Shadow, AFM and MM! All in all, a dmn fine game.

Update:
The more I play this game, the more I love playing it. It is not the deepest game, but the way it is set up, it gives as much as you put into it. If you play the game well, your score will reflect it. If you do not play the game well... PLAY BETTER! And while the wizard mode is not always the best way to get monster scores, it is very worthwhile and gratifying to play and Rule the Universe! When I can, I always try to stack Martian Multiball with either the Saucer or Total Annihilation. A true player in every way. Find one and play it whenever you can!

Pinball Satisfaction Personified!

Chicago coin addendum:
I like what they have added to the game color changing LED’s and a larger screen with updated animations look good and add to the theater of the experience. The layout is nearly identical and the rules are the same. While the show might have been upgraded, gameplay is the same.

Monster Bash is a fun game to play. It is fast humorous and very accesible.

The Good: Monsters are lots of fun and this game makes sure to stay true to the enjoyment of the theme. The Wolfman playing the drums is perfect and the replay siren makes me smile. Stack your modes with Frankenstein for a good score. This makes you play the entire PF and go from there. K O'C did a great job with the PF graphics. One of my favorite match sequences ever starting with a siren and showcasing Drac imitating Pete Townshend' guitar smash just in time for the "WHACK" of the replay knocker.

The Bad: Scoring is utterly unbalancing with the multiball and wiz modes being worth so much that everything else doesn't matter. Still a blast to play these modes. The Monster Bash song seems to get stuck in your head.

The Takeaway: George Gomez (earned his nickname "Fan-Man" and kept it on every design he created after this pin-table) and crew did a great job of making this deck accessible to someone just walkingup to it and still a challenge for most players. Now there are a number of games that feel like this and for that reason I did not give it the score that many others have regarding this table. Not my favorite BG. It's all over with the colors and your eye loses focus on the images of the characters in the game. When maintained as it should be, it's a blazingly fast game to play. With the rules being so heavily weighted on the multiball wizard modes... the scoring for this game is heavily weighted in this direction as well. Between low production numbers and the fact that it still makes money on locations, it's expensive. I've seen museum pieces of this deck in five figures. If you want to just enjoy a fun game or work on your multiball skills, this is a fantastic way to go. A fun game... A really good game... but not a great game for the ages in my opinion.

Update:
After playing this game some more, I have to say that this game has a bit more strategy to it than I originally gave it credit for. Going through the modes and (strategically) adding multiball on top of them means that every shot is something to consider before being made. Be careful with Frank, as a direct shot can mean an instant drain! The spinner is a much better shot than most people play for points as well as 6 shots gets you to a multiball award from the scoop. That and it is your Monster Bash award collect as well. The rulesheet for this game isn't that long, but the nuances and secondary considerations for the long game on this deck make up for it. The audio calls are great and Lyman's Lament is a great little easter egg that can make this game even more entertaining when you get bored with the standard issue game rules. My initial issue with the game was that MB and MOR are heavily unbalancing on this table, and they are. However, you must EARN these awards and that isn't always easy. One of the things that I have really learned to appreciate about this game is the "scalability" of difficulty that depends on how the software and the physical adjustments to the game. This can make a huge difference in gameplay. Monster Bash is very much like WCS '94 in the sense that some people think this game is too easy. And it can be. Some people curse this deck in the qualifying A bank at PAPA. And it can be that too! Scores updated accordingly.

Respect (Lyman/Gomez) the architect!

Update v2:
If you can get all the modes running and THEN start Frankie's multiball, well played. For me, that is the ultimate challenge of this game. One thing this game has down is that it is FUN! No wonder the ops love it. People love to play this deck. Is it a game I'd like in my collection, for the money, probably not. But I still love to play it on location. The copy at Lyons Classic Pinball has a black light LED near the flipper making the whole area of the PF glow with green slime creepy goodness!

This game is a perfect example of why I pay attention to the programmer as much or even more than the game designer. Consider the bodies of work by Eugene Jarvis, Larry DeMar, Keith Johnson and Lyman Sheats Jr.

Chicago coin addendum:
I like what they have added to the game color changing LED’s and a larger screen with updated animations look good and add to the theater of the experience. The layout is nearly identical and the rules are the same. While the show might have been upgraded, gameplay is the same.

Monster Bash is a fun game to play. It is fast humorous and very accesible.

The Good: Monsters are lots of fun and this game makes sure to stay true to the enjoyment of the theme. The Wolfman playing the drums is perfect and the replay siren makes me smile. Stack your modes with Frankenstein for a good score. This makes you play the entire PF and go from there. K O'C did a great job with the PF graphics. One of my favorite match sequences ever starting with a siren and showcasing Drac imitating Pete Townshend' guitar smash just in time for the "WHACK" of the replay knocker.

The Bad: Scoring is utterly unbalancing with the multiball and wiz modes being worth so much that everything else doesn't matter. Still a blast to play these modes. The Monster Bash song seems to get stuck in your head.

The Takeaway: George Gomez (earned his nickname "Fan-Man" and kept it on every design he created after this pin-table) and crew did a great job of making this deck accessible to someone just walkingup to it and still a challenge for most players. Now there are a number of games that feel like this and for that reason I did not give it the score that many others have regarding this table. Not my favorite BG. It's all over with the colors and your eye loses focus on the images of the characters in the game. When maintained as it should be, it's a blazingly fast game to play. With the rules being so heavily weighted on the multiball wizard modes... the scoring for this game is heavily weighted in this direction as well. Between low production numbers and the fact that it still makes money on locations, it's expensive. I've seen museum pieces of this deck in five figures. If you want to just enjoy a fun game or work on your multiball skills, this is a fantastic way to go. A fun game... A really good game... but not a great game for the ages in my opinion.

Update:
After playing this game some more, I have to say that this game has a bit more strategy to it than I originally gave it credit for. Going through the modes and (strategically) adding multiball on top of them means that every shot is something to consider before being made. Be careful with Frank, as a direct shot can mean an instant drain! The spinner is a much better shot than most people play for points as well as 6 shots gets you to a multiball award from the scoop. That and it is your Monster Bash award collect as well. The rulesheet for this game isn't that long, but the nuances and secondary considerations for the long game on this deck make up for it. The audio calls are great and Lyman's Lament is a great little easter egg that can make this game even more entertaining when you get bored with the standard issue game rules. My initial issue with the game was that MB and MOR are heavily unbalancing on this table, and they are. However, you must EARN these awards and that isn't always easy. One of the things that I have really learned to appreciate about this game is the "scalability" of difficulty that depends on how the software and the physical adjustments to the game. This can make a huge difference in gameplay. Monster Bash is very much like WCS '94 in the sense that some people think this game is too easy. And it can be. Some people curse this deck in the qualifying A bank at PAPA. And it can be that too! Scores updated accordingly.

Respect (Lyman/Gomez) the architect!

Update v2:
If you can get all the modes running and THEN start Frankie's multiball, well played. For me, that is the ultimate challenge of this game. One thing this game has down is that it is FUN! No wonder the ops love it. People love to play this deck. Is it a game I'd like in my collection, for the money, probably not. But I still love to play it on location. The copy at Lyons Classic Pinball has a black light LED near the flipper making the whole area of the PF glow with green slime creepy goodness!

This game is a perfect example of why I pay attention to the programmer as much or even more than the game designer. Consider the bodies of work by Eugene Jarvis, Larry DeMar, Keith Johnson and Lyman Sheats Jr.

Chicago coin addendum:
I like what they have added to the game color changing LED’s and a larger screen with updated animations look good and add to the theater of the experience. The layout is nearly identical and the rules are the same. While the show might have been upgraded, gameplay is the same.