Drano's ratings

Fun card themed deck with some historic value since its Gottlieb's last use of a gobble hole. Many ways to win replays so that becomes the overarching point of the game... more so than score.
Trying to collect all the cards is a challenge mostly because it's super hard to get the ball back up to the rollovers. This game really benefits from being hi-tapped or even possibly from having some higher powered flipper coils installed to help move that ball a little further up the playfield.
I know Gottlieb and others were sticking to geometric cabinet designs during this era, but this game is begging for some hearts or more card themed cabinet art.
Overall, lots of playability since you always want to play just one more for a chance at collecting all of the cards and turning every rollover hit into a special!

I played this for the first time at Allentown Pinfest 2014.
Even though the playfield layout is simplistic and the objective rollovers are hit via luck more than skill, I still found the theme to be beautifully developed and the game was very fun to play. The backbox animations just added to the overall appeal.
I can see it getting old fast in a smaller collection, but a great novelty pin for the occassional player.

I always saw King Pin (and it's AAB cousing Pin Up) as a poor man's El Dorado.
4 flippers gives you a lot to do and tons of drop targets are great, but the layout is just wide open and a bit boring for me. It does a great job of capturing the bowling alley theme however. I still enjoy playing it when I come accross one, but not for my home collection.

neat game but I can't see myself playing it over and over. It has a lot of 'tricks' for the era and probably the most advanced EM out there, but it lacks something for me.

Great game. Personally I prefer Centigrade 37 as it has the similar bagatelle but with a lot more to do on the left side of the playfield.
Art is beautiful and it's a solid player.

Just a tough EM with a great goal that keeps you coming back for more.

I got to play one of these for the first time in Allentown last year and was very pleasantly surprised. Although I love EMs, I rarely enjoy anything pre 70's with 2" flippers.
The theme and backbox thermometer animation immediately grabbed me beacuse of my love of Gottlieb's Centigrade 37. I loved the moving targets and the difficulty of gaining ball control to actually hit them.
This game makes you work for every point and it was a blast to play. I just found a local example and bought it. It'll sit right next to my C37 as a fitting compliment.

I have to note that my ratings are based on my machine, which is running the new Cactus Canyon Continued code on P-ROC written by Erik Priepke.
I always found this game to be pure fun and it's humour always got me... but it was shallow.
With this new code there is just so much more to this game and I think that it can finally exist in the upper echelon of Bally Williams titles.
It's got a great and easy flowing fan layout with many similarities to JM and even LOTR in how certain elements are laid out. The bart toy at the saloon is a lot of fun and the moving train toy is super cool.
It's a shame that BW basically abandoned CC, but I am extrememly thankful that it now has some of the most developed and complete rule-sets of any BW game, with the CCC update.

I like FH... I don't LOVE it.
I think this is in large part due to the repetitive music and annoying callouts from Rudy. I get that he's there to taunt you, but he does get under my skin a bit.
I think the theme is fantastic and Lawlor did a great job on the layout and toys.
I won't own one, but I do enjoy playing one when I see it.

Love the look and cocnept of CV. I do find I get a bt tired of the single main feature being a glorified bash toy, but it is a super creative pin and I think it deserves a spot in any larger collection.

This game has a lot of bang for your buck. Aside from being a bear to maintain and keep playing properly, it has some unique features, fun toys, great modes and just a really nice overall package.

Fun and fast game... maybe a little on the easy side.
I think it's a great player and a solid pin. I don't get overly excited about it, but I can appreciate it for sure.

MB is a great 'feel good' pin. The theme is a no brainer and it has lots of neat toys.
On the other side, I find it a bit boring/easy and the typical fan layout isn't really complemented by awesome rules. I think it is a very nice game that is maybe a bit over inflated by collectors. that's just my opinion I guess.

Here's a game that I just did not get at first.
The terrible art on the translite also didn't make me want to just walk up and play.

I got the chance to buy one really cheap and played around with it. Started to learn the rules a bit better... and now, I cannot say enough about shadow. Just a super well-rounded game with some of the coolest features in pinball.

Yeah, I'll be changing the stock translite, but aside from that, this is one of Eddy's top games and far outclasses MM and AFM in a dollar to fun ratio comparison.

Who knew???

This EM is a looker. Just a great western/native american theme and great art.

The object of getting all the inserts unlit to light the special isn't new, but having the lit arrow insert move around and having the player chase the special is pretty cool. It has good strategy for an EM and it is challenging enough to keep you coming back.

I don't even play it for score, but rather to see how many arrows I can catch in one game.

For such a simple game, HS really grabs me and keeps me playing. I love the simplistic goal and the flow of the game. The way the theme is brough to life with the sounds and callouts from the police is just pinball magic!

Yeah, it'll get old in a smaller collection, but I can never get enough of how cool this game is. I think it will always be a part of my early ss lineup.

Neat layout and design by Oursler. It give you the illusion of an upper playfield without actually having one. The game seems like it's in two pieces and using ramps and the spinner shot to get up to the top (where the real scoring happens) is a neat part of the game.
The sounds are like no other game and, when you first hear those jungle drum beats and baboons, you'll be hooked. It really sucks you in.
I guess it can get tired after a while and it lacks the story-line that many later system 11 games had, but still worth a spot in a larger collection. Very unique.

Great game, excellent flow, simple (system 11 like) rules and yet... a lot of fun to play. It really does a good job of using the theme and I think T2 is a borderline classic. I think everyone needs to own a T2 at some point. Just a good all round game that you may get tired of eventually, but you'll also miss once it goes.

Tough game. Very unapproachable at first. Not for the casual player... but give it a chance, and it will suck you in.

I love how it is different from anything else in my lineup. The game is all or nothing. You are building towards a big payoff and stacked multiballs, but all that work can be for nothing if you're not careful.
It rewards you with some awesome jackpot callouts, if you can get them ;)

What a blast to play... no pun intended ;)
Although the theme may seem pretty severe, this early Nordman gem showed a lot of the genius that was to come. The 6803 Bally platform was a joke and so unreliable, but what the designer was able to do with it was awesome.
A great storyline that rivals one of its contemporaries... High Speed.

Basically, you run through the jungle collecting weapons and earning rockets and bombs... Which you can use to knock down targets (via a second set of buttons) and advance pop bumper values. The pops are a village of huts. You collect and load 3 bombs and then hit the helicopter (whirlpool) ramp and drop the bombs as each pop starts to rattle off like a machine gun.

Knock down the center drop target to reveal the hostage lock. Then, take two hostages (locked balls) and reach the 'lite release hostages" target way at the back behind the 3 in-line standup targets... time to use those rockets!
Then shoot the right ramp to release hostages and start multibal. Set your explosives and light the escape up the helicopter ramp. Get to the choppa!

Special Force was created during the height of Rambo mania, but this game will not disappoint. For $400-$600, it's some of the best bang for buck in my lineup.

My first EM! I fell in love with C37 at the PHOF and finally had to have it.
For an EM, it does a great job of incorporting a theme via the animated back glass and playfield art.

It's also got a ton of great features like the drop target bank and bagatelle style scoring. The small out lane on the right is very tricky and getting the thermometer to the top to lite SPECIAL is a huge highlight.

It's so much fun you almost don't notice that the game has no slingshots!
If you love EMs, this is one of the top 5 IMO.

I think XMEN has the potential to become a top 10 pin once the dust settles.
The theme integration is excellent, the artwork is second to none and the gameplay is fantastic. It creates a very immersive feeling when playing it and you really get sucked into this game.
From the variation and clever ruleset in the modes, to the quality feel, I don't feel like I'm playing a traditional Stern at all. I would put this pin up against any of my BW games.
I was skeptical about this pin but, aside form some esrly QC issues, I think it's safe to say that Stern has turned a corner with Tron, ACDC and now XMEN!

So unique. Typical JPOP creativity. Hope to own it some day.

For it's age, this is a fun game with a simple yet cool theme and gameplay. I love the two physical locks and the computerized voice callouts. Just a really neat early SS.

I had a lot of unexpected fun on this machine. I'm a convert and would definitely pick oen up given the chance. Just a unique pin with a cool theme ad some very fun features like the poppers and spider in the backglass.

Just an odd game. It's something you just have to put some quarters into so you can say you did it.
Great attempt at reinventing the pinball machine though.

Love this game. It has to be set up just right and the LE is a treat, but I can't get enough.
I won't be able to grab an LE, but I see a PRO in my future for sure.

Very fun pin! JPOP's signature ceativity oozes through TOM and the darker theme suits it well. Not sure how long it would hold my attention, but I don't own one so I cannot comment.

Really fun game. I know it came before MM but I do find it too similar. Not sure if I'll keep it forever since I already have MM, but it would be top of my collection otherwise.

This game seems almost simple at first and the playfield seems cluttered or tight. After playing it for a while I thinks greater appreciations gained. Everything makes sense and is placed in just the right spot.
Gameplay is fun with plenty of goals to be reached and the game is challenging enough that I will keep coming back. Not the deepest pin but surprisingly technical at times.

Great game. Totally over the top and filled with lots of STUFF... and that's before you start adding all the cool mods available.
Can be confusing at times and getting to know this game will take some time... but for the real enthusiast, TZ has tons of depth that will keep you coming back.

I love a lot about this game, but I just find the gameplay and shots very linear and repetitive. Sort of like playing a video game at times. Aside from that, beautiful game and it is a lot of fun.