Cliffy's ratings

Jumping Jack is the 2 player version of Jack In The Box and shares the same playfield. A very symetrical layout typical of Gottlieb but unique in pop bumper placement. They put the two pop bumpers just above the outlanes and slingshots! Amazingly (and counterintuitively) the ball doesn't get shot down the outlanes but instead seems to benefit from the bumper placement as they seem to "walk:" the ball up and away from the drains. Clever!
JJ/JITB is a drop target lovers game with a row of 10 clown faced drops staring you down. The alternating kickout saucers at the top of the playfield setup the level of scoring for the targets so they are a critical component on ball launch.
Excellent and very popular game among EM players due to the open playfield, drop targets and powerful 3" flippers.

A real shooters game because of it's linearity. Many folks don't care for it because of it's linearity and I can understand that. However, it was designed to be that way for a reason, ie, it's a feature in itself! Now, in home use that may seem like a real drag but keep in mind these games were intended for location play and it wouldn't get stagnant on route. The linearity as a feature makes you play the shots in the right order (as requested by your various mentors) or else you are punished with practically no score at all. You either like that kind of challenge or you don't :)

Good game but not great and I'm one who generally digs system 11 games. The playfield is packed to the degree it's amost cluttered which makes seeing shots (therefore timing them) a bit difficult. It's fun though only for a few games. I've always wanted to like it more than I really can. Not a desert island pin for me.

If you must have an oddity in your gameroom this is the one to have. Quirky hybrid with great theming and decent gameplayy. Inviting to the non-fanatic pinball player and still fun for the players player. It does lack in shot variety which is the one big downfall of the P2K platform.

I've played BBB quite a bit over the years since I'm fortunate enough to have two friends owning one. One I would add to my collection if not for the cost and rarity, even after the re-run. I just couldn't pull the trigger when IPB reran them and I kick myself frequently over it :)

The look is outstanding. The shots aren't all the well done, almost uninspired but certainly functional. More effort was put into the gadgets and ramp sots and locks and that's ok because they work well. It's a very challenging game but not frustratingly difficult. Not a desert island pin but still great in a collection... if you can find and afford it :)

"you couldn't hit the broad side of a burrito" is one speech clip that just annoys the heck out of me. Some of the other quips too seem like placeholders until the good, clever quips were to be recorded. Maybe that's not the real case but thats how cheesy and unfunny some of them are to me. I love the shootouts with the bad guys though. Very well done. Like 2 times the trolls on MM but not as humorous. Truly a case of what could have been if only it was allowd to be finished.

To me Funhouse *IS* pinball, the epitome, the defining game when one wants to simply explain the game of pinball without many words. The first time I played one I knew I had to have one.

My personal favorite of all Steve Ritchie's designs. A true fighters game, not a knock around game at all. This game either draws you in or shoves you away. The aircraft carrier aspect is genious in execution. Hats off to Steve for figuring out how to incorporate that and make it work. Incredibly fast game where the ball seems to be a missile! Great game for two players, really competitive.

Without doubt the BEST light show in all of pinball. Nothing else comes close to the victory flash lamp sequence. Should have had an epilepsy warning on this game, if no other :)

F-14 is best played at the top of the playfield. It seems like it's precisely split in half - the lower half with two flippers and standups and the upper half with two flippers and standups. However since the lower half has 3 ways to die (General Yagov kickback, outlanes and outhole) it's best to try and do all your dirty work in the upper half. You will need to use the lower half though to launch into the VUK and onto the carrier.

This is an incredibly intense game. You will sweat buckets if you can stay alive long enough :)
Mr. Ritchie, I salute you, sir.

IMHO the cream of the Data East crop. Perfect theme execution, great variety of shots and decent flow. The only real drawback for me is the incessant cackling laughter of the Cryptkeeper. It's absoultely appropriate but a little overdone. The shaker is used very well in this game and that cannot be said of so many other games with shakers. Spirits rising from the grave while the game shakes to perfectly eerie music just creates a perfect atmosphere. Electric chair multiball is one of my favorites too.
Sweetly dangerous shots to the peepers, wonderfully flowy ramp shots, satisfying werewolf spinner shot and the intense dramatic pause before the multiball all make for an immersive experience. I love this game and hope to own one some day.

Gorgeous to look at, nice flowing ramps but uninspiring modes for me. Clever use of toys but each one, except the genie himself, slows the ball too much. The spikes, the lantern, the ramp magnet all very cool but again slows the flow. One of those games I *want* to like but, sorry, just can't get into.

My bias may show in this revue because I have always loved the comic book series the game is based on and I own the game.

"What? No pop bumpers?" Trust me. Once you star the game you won't even consider that argument any more :) In fact, most people who play it never realize that the ubiqutous pop bumper isn't there! It's got so much going on that it would have been rudely gratuitous to plop one or more pops in there. I'm GLAD Trudeau left them out!

This widebody game has that rare combination of good flow and good stop and shoot. Knocking off the different judges is challenging but rewarding when you can accomplish it. Mastering the upper loop shots will get you good scores but the big key is the one scoop behind the drops. Knock down the drops, get in the scoop, finish the mode with orbit or ramp shots, start the multiball and collect the jackpots. Great modes like bad impersonator or, my favorite Move Your CAR! keep you coming back to dig out the next mode.

The pinbits.com Deadworld mod is a MUST. This makes the game play exactly as Mr. Trudeau intended it to play. It also adds that wow factor and really attracts attention of potential players.
Innovative Super Game is great if you want less of a strategic game and more of an in your face everything at once ball bash - FUN!

Arguably the BEST one ball game of the "modern" era. Simply perfect execution of theme, really sets the amusement park atmosphere well with music, speech calls and artwork/toys.

This is the perfect game to fire up when you just got off work, are tired and want a fun game that's not going to require a TZ level of immersion.

One of, if not THE, most beautiful pinball machines ever made. Simply gorgeous artwork all around. My opinions are biased because the Creech is my all time favorite Universal monster and I own the game. That said I can still fairly judge the game without gushing... I think :)

Perfectly executed theme and fun modes. Not overly intense but does require some strategy if planning to score well. Get things done in the right order and you'll score much better than random shots.
Cramped views of some key shots (Move your car, snack bar) takes the overall gameplay rating down a notch. What else could Mr. Trudeau do though? Perhaps a wireform ramp would have made things more visible but then we would lose those fascinating chase lamps. Play vs beauty. The compromise is tolerable but hardly ideal. Still, one of my most cherished games.

In my opinion this is Sterns equivalent (or better) to Twilight Zone. VERY intense, very aggravating and very much the skilled shooters game. You can rock and roll on one ball and the next two will nearly instantly drain out the sides only to hear "worst.... ball... ever" >:-(

Often chosen as a "desert island" pin because of it's incredible depth. You could literally be stranded on a desert island for years and never finish this deep game!

TZ is NOT a casual players game. If you are to do well you must be a good shooter. This is a fist fighting game requiring great skill and creates lots of aggravation. Great payoffs for the good player though but a very intense experience. Should have been designed as a one player game as no one wants to let the next player take his turn. It's all about ME fighting the POWER! Go play tiddlywinks or something and leave me to fight TZ! :)

The one game that truly lives up to it's hype.