DumbRecords's ratings

I like the theme and how it feels like a Saturday morning cartoon. Make sure the flippers are strong or hitting the ramps will be a challenge. I like the variation between the ramps, spelling cheese, and multiball. The multiball isn't too hard to get but scoring the jackpot is very challenging. I mainly like this game for the silly vibes and enjoy hearing it the lineup. It still has that one more game feel for me too even after owning it for months.

I was surprised by this one. It is a very common value pin to find. The assymmetrical playfield layout is actually pretty fun. The game rules are a bit out of the ordinary, particularly the heat bumper bonus and multiball drop targets. It's not a keeper but I've definitely enjoyed playing it more than I thought I would.

Despite not knowing much about Judge Dredd, the layout design of this game has always appealed to me. After owning one for a while, it's still fun once in a while but probably not a permanent fixture. Still this doesn't feel slow like a lot of widebody games, a great use of the extra space. There does seem to be a lot going on but it's a pretty much a straightforward 90s mode game. Too bad about the limitations on the deadworld. I haven't tried to install the mod on mine. I've had to do a lot of work on it and I don't want to open it back up if I don't have to. It also seems like they could have done more with the code, so much untapped potential here.

When I got this pin I was wondering just how bad could it be? I suppose it's not that bad as compared to early ss games. I'm not crazy about the military theme and I cant decide if they were trying to go for pinup girl or a fight the patriarchy theme. I told people the latter when it was in my arcade. The layout is pretty much a ripoff of firepower with a really tight ramp thrown in as an after thought and also probably the worst return rail in pinball. I thought someone half-hazardly 3D printed a replacement on mine but no that's how it really is. The sniper targets at least add a little something to the game. I added red flashers where the "bombs explode" on the playfield and that added a neat touch. This pin holds the record in my arcade as the lowest amount of plays of any game, and that includes EMs. When I wanted to sell it, it took forever until someone finally picked it up even during the peak pandemic boom market.

I've owned it for a month now and put tons of plays on it. Of course any music pin will be polarizing to players. Foo Fighters is a little risky as there are fewer fans than other classic bands but I'm glad Stern tried to get a slightly more modern band. The songs are integrated well into the machine to help keep things fresh. The flow of the game is unreal. There is a toy and an upper playfield but really the main thing on this is the twisty windy shot flow that gives a lot of satisfaction when you can hit it. This pin may be a little harder to casual players tho as hitting a post or barely missing a shot can easily go to the right outline or stdm. Probably the most frustrating part is getting all the shots to start a mode and draining right away. Then on your next ball you have to shoot all the shots again to start the mode. After spending some time on this and not being a great player it's starting to get a bit repetitive but it still hasn't lost that "one more game" quality for me and I'm interested to see how much better it can get with more code. The artwork and animations are fantastic. The start of bot frenzy made me laugh out loud. This is definitely one of the better modern pins to come out.

Kind of a rare game. I really love the artwork on this as I'm not sure if there is another pinball that looks like this. It plays about as well as you would expect for a 60s pin. The roulette wheel is a nice enough gimmick. The flippers take some getting used to as new players are not expecting the inverted middle flippers. It's probably only good for a few plays and then time to move on to the next pin. It's been in my arcade for about 6 months now and gets plenty of action

For the longest time I thought MM couldn't be beat as it was just an absolute perfect machine. Now over 20 years later, a game finally has done that. I would say I'm not really a Godzilla fan, it's a nice franchise but nothing I would go out of my way for. It's fine as far as themes go, it's just the design of the game has just set a new bar on what a pinball machine is capable of. After my initial plays I kept getting lost in all the things there is to do. I had to regroup and do some research on actual strategy. Now I'm trying to work my way through the monster battles more strategically to really grow my score. This game is definitely forcing me to to be a better player as I really want to see more of the game. It definitely keeps me coming back for one more game. I have to tear myself away from it. A lot of people were sad when I got rid of our MM to get this, but they are sad no longer. We're definitely seeing a lot more people coming in to play Godzilla!

My first 60s and zipper flipper pin I've ever owned. I actually got this to put in an antique mall to draw attention to our booth and only owned it a few months. It was tempting to put this in my regular arcade as it was fun, looks really good, and had a surprising amount of things to do on the playfield. At first glance the game looks really bare, however once you start to notice the rollover buttons, the zipper flippers, and the orbit on the backglass, it really adds a lot of replayability. I also noticed at the time I owned this, not a single one has been sold on pinside, so I suppose this might be the rarest game I've ever owned.

I've owned Dolly for a good while now. It's a pretty standard Bally layout from the time period. It gets a lot of play just because of the theme. This is the only Bally I've owned from this era so it plays fine to me. I could definitely get bored if I had other games as well from this era. It's definitely an easier game to play which also helps with my arcade.

I've owned Shrek for a few months now, it's been updated to LEDs which really makes it nice and bright. I never really had a chance to play family guy or shrek much before getting this machine. I mainly got it because Shrek is a favorite around our arcade. The game definitely feels different and it takes a while to figure out a strategy to play it. If you're just shooting whatever is flashing then you may not understand how to start multiballs, etc. The artwork and toys seem a little thrown together, but that makes sense considering how few of these were made. The music and callouts however are top notch. I'm surprised how much voicework went into this thing and some of the callouts are the funniest in all pinball imo. Like others I wish Donkey's lines weren't so long while you're waiting for the ball to kick out from Donkey pinball. I was worried the mini pinball would get obnoxious after a while, but it hasn't yet for me. It's a nice break every time as the reward for winning it makes it worthwhile. Overall the game is fun to play and many people come to the arcade and I've definitely caught people just starting a game so they can hear Smash Mouth.

Pool is definitely not a theme I care for with pinball, however I found this game in rough condition and a good price and I couldn't pass it up. I've owned a gottlieb premier before and I didn't like the way it felt. This game however feels good, the shots are fun, and it's just fun to play. Of course the gimmicky pool balls add to the fun as well. I had to do a lot of work to mine to get it running 100% however I still enjoy playing it. It feels like an easy game to play which is perfect for the casual players that come to my arcade. This won't be a keeper but we're having fun for now

I've owned my Time Machine for a good while. I never played one before owning. I always liked the goofy 80s theme and the idea of adding chimes when you go back to the 50s for the multiball. I thought the gimmicks and the shots on this game would be really great for its worth. However after owning one, it just seems it wasn't designed well. I've been messing with flipper strength but it seems I just can't dial it in. Either flippers are too strong and the ball smashes off targets at hi speed, or flippers are too weak and the ball can't make it up the ramps. Also the ball is rejected half the time on the spiral ramp shot as it pops up and hits the rail above, which is very frustrating. I'm not sure if these problems are just my machine or just how it's designed. I love the sounds and the art of the machine, just ruined by how it plays.

I only owned this because i operatate a public arcade and i was sure everyone would get a kick out of it. "Oic it has magnets!" Its a very intriguing game but only fun a time or 2 as there is nothing here to keep people coming back to it. I love the retro scifi nature of it. If i had a large arcade i would keep it around but I knew when i got it, it wouldnt be around for a long time. One thing i would mention is they could have made this better with more intriguing speech vocabulary. The speech sounds cool but the actual words fall flat

Owned it for almost a year. I like the application of the theme and the sound. However the game fast and unforgiving. I did switch out the flippers with standard size which made it a little better. All my games on it feel pretty much the same. Im not a pro player by any means. Some games make you want to get better, this game is just frustrating after a few plays. Im ready to move on as there are certainly better games at the same price point.

I've owned this game for a couple weeks now and have played a fair amount of games. This game definitely has that "just one more game" quality to it. Although I often get frustrated with this game too. It's the fastest game I've ever played, the ball quickly gets out of control after a couple combos and if you brick at that point, it's a quick drain. Still it's easy enough for the casual player to get a multiball which should help in the public setting. Both the main multiballs are fun. The pizza multiball has a nice start which is where the wow factor will be in the pro edition. However the pizza spinner is also a curse as I've lost the ball straight down the middle due to that thing too many times.

I've had many many bad frustrating games where I keep losing the ball before anything really gets going. But I still keep trying and when I finally have a decent game its pretty satisfying. I think because it's so hard for me to make progress in the game, it's forcing me to be a better player. After playing this game for a while, my other pins feel slower in comparison and Im playing then better.

Also I like that there is a lot of variety, I can play the game differently if I'm having trouble with a certain shot. Also at times the rgb lighting effects really do a great job to highlight certain actions happening in the game, but other times it seems like they're purposely trying to blind you with flashers right when you're trying to pull off something complex.

I'll keep playing and come back and adjust my rating accordingly. I'm hoping I'll keep becoming a better player while trying to advance in this game.

I love sci-fi themes so I'm a bit biased on this one. I had fun with mine, just not enough to keep forever as I'm more into solid state games. Once I needed space, this had to go. I like the swinging target, a good gimmick for an em game as well as the kickers near the flippers. I got the game because liked the art and the uniqueness of the design and it didn't disappoint. I know this game is easy to play which is good for me as I want games that casual gamers and kids can enjoy and I would recommend this for that. Of course it's usually only good for a couple games before moving on to something else. I also like how great the backglass looks and it's actually based on space non-fiction to boot!

I was in the hobby when this came out new, same year as WOZ. I remember all the excitement around WOZ and getting to play that game for the first time at my nearest pinball arcade. I remember being very underwhelmed by WOZ, however the arcade also had the newest Stern game which was this. I spent the rest of the night playing star trek. Years later I finally had the budget to buy newer games and this was the one. The thrill of the fast pace of this game, the flow, the sounds, the vengeance ship, klingon multiball, is just amazing for the first few games. However after owning for a while, I started playing less and less. As good as the game was I was just not getting better at it and would usually have the same game all the time, sometimes completing all the modes at level 1 and making it to the wizard mode and most of the times not. It doesn't help that although I'm a huge star trek fan, the reboot movies were not my favorite. Just like this game, they were shiny and fast paced, but I'm not going to picking them back up to watch years later. Also changing out the backglass translite for an alternate is a must for the pro, can't think of a more boring backglass.

This game looks pretty sharp for its era and I'll never grow tires of the classic williams sounds. The gameplay is fast and unforgiving. The relatively easy to get multiball is nice, which helps to balance the unforgiving nature of the game. Not much strategy to the game but due to games being really short, it does have some "ok one more game" quality to it. The ramp is interesting but completely worthless, no reason to go for it except if you actually made it all the way to extra ball. I sold it for something else but I wouldnt say I was completely bored or hated it.

One thing is for sure, I like sci-fi themed games, especially generic ones like this. I love the artwork style and the gameplay keeps me coming back. Games do not last long which is typical of this era and there isn't a multiball, however I'm focusing too much on my strategy to miss it. I feel this game is a little more forgiving than others of its era like firepower. Not only are you trying to complete the backhole but you're also racking up bonus and building up the spinners, there is surprisingly a lot going on. I've had this game for a few months now but I still keep coming back for more. It's definitely a great "just one more game" pin. I also really like the sound in this game. I've played others with a background drone, but I really like the way the spinners affect the drone, it's a very nice touch.

I got a good deal on this game which is the only reason for getting it. Although it turned out to not be a good deal after all the fixing it required. This is probably the most bland pin I've ever owned, but I expected that so that wasn't so much a disappointment. There are definitely em games with more features than this. The best parts of the game are the sci fi artwork and the classic williams sound effects, but overall nothing to write home about. I will not be keeping this game forever, that's for sure.

Before owning, I never had a great game on this machine and always had trouble figuring out the shots. I mainly bought it because it was my wife's favorite pin and it was a good deal. Mine is pretty rough tho and has required a lot repair. I still haven't had a really great game on this as the layout is so different that I still can't get a grip on it. I don't like golf as a theme, but I do like the silliness and the Gofers. The slam ramp is a nice touch, it definitely feels good when you hit the hole in 1. I still play it but I don't plan to keep it much longer, the wife really doesn't play it that much anymore so I dont think it will be missed.

Never played before owning. I love the Hook movie as I was the right age went it came out. I know a lot of people aren't into it. Because of that I was willing to look past any shortcomings because I love the theme so much. However after owning for a while I stopped playing. The big spiral ramp is great and easy enough to hit. The multiball is fun, and the unique skill shot is interesting. However I got tired of playing as the mode start scoop is really hard to hit and I typically only get it by accident, which leads to games being pretty linear. I had the updated ROMs installed so it wasn't a one shot game anymore, but it still didn't do it for me after a while. I do like the sound package on this game, the intensity and excitement never lets up in that dept. Also build quality is a bit of a concern. One time it was just sitting and started to smoke. Turned out a solinoid got stuck and blew up the transistor and other components on the driver board. There really needs to be a fuse there. After fixing it up I started wondering if it was going to be a time bomb until it does it again.

The first pin I ever owned. Got it not working and ended up having to hire someone to fix it for me as I couldn't figure it out. For an EM, it's surprising how much is going on with the gameplay. You can choose your strategy between abc or the more risky drop targets. I was more excited at the time about getting into modern games so this game was traded up eventually. However I was also getting uncomfortable about having a game depicting a native american that could be potentially problematic.

I never played this game before owning it. I got really hyped up watching videos of this game as it looked to be an amazing nugget of 80s nostalgia. Collecting body parts and the robot reveal is a really cool idea and is amazing when it happens. However after owning the game, my excitement quickly wore off. My friends all agreed this is the worst game I ever owned. Mine was a maintenance nightmare which I've heard is a common problem with gottlieb games of this era. It had new boards and many new parts but I was always dealing with finicky switches that constantly needed adjustment. Nothing is more frustrating than finally getting the robot reveal and then the feature doesn't work because the switch is slightly out of alignment again! Also this game is really tough, the ramps are especially hard to hit. I rebuilt the flippers and was still having trouble getting the ball all the way up the ramps unless I hit it perfectly. The robot reveal is too hard to accomplish, casual players would probably never see it. I do however enjoy the sound package in this game and the way it sounds like an 80s video game, which is very fitting for the rediculous theme. I would like to play this sometime in pristine condition just to see if all games play as rough as mine did.

I owned this game for a while but was not a keeper for me, at least for a small collection. The turbo charger is a fun gimmick for new players. I found the shots to be surprising tough, especially the most important ones. I did like the use of the rpms for advancing the game and using the plunger to shift gears. After a while the game started feeling too linear and unforgiving. I definitely walked away feeling discouraged a lot after playing this game. I do appreciate how silly the theme is when you think about it, perfect for an arcade setting.

Meteor was the second game I ever owned and my first solid state. I didn't have much money for pinball when I started the hobby so this was the most I could hope for at the time. I got it in trade for my first ever game. I was much more interested at the time in playing modern games with multiballs, modes, etc. I still appreciated the space theme, art, and gameplay, just wanted more at the time so got bored pretty quick with it. Now I wish I had this game again as now that I have the best of the modern games, I appreciate the older games more and this one was pretty unique and special. Maybe someday this will come back to my collection. I can't believe I sold mine for $500 and that was a fair price at the time...

Pinbot was the first game I remember playing as a kid. I couldn't play very well but I remember being very curious about the visor, what happens when it opens up?? I couldnt get very far at all in the game so it always was a mystery to me until I got into pinball as an adult. Now that I've played much more complex modern games, I still appreciate this game for being so groundbreaking for its time. The art and sound package is still amazing. The creativity and originality still carries intrigue. I still prefer this over the sequels as the original was just so perfectly executed. However it's still a challenge to play! It has really taught me to guard the outlanes. This game will always be special to me and mine will never leave my collection. I got it pretty beat up but have spent a lot of time touching up the playfield and making it nice.

I sold my JP before updated ROMs and pinsound were available. The game was too linear and repetitive and the sound and background music were grating. It was always exciting for new players but not great for a small home collection

MM was the game that took my pinball obsession to the next level when I played it at Cedar Point in the late 90s. I never thought I would own one, but thanks to the remakes I was able to get my hands on one. I've played this game to death on virtual simulators and I'm still coming back for more. I've owned it a good while and I'm still coming back to try to improve my game. I've grown tired of most games after owning for a while but never this one. This is the gold standard that I will measure all other pinball by. Just the perfect blend of accessibility for new players, fun, challenge, humor, etc etc.

I finally parted with my MM after owning for about 4 years. I wasn't playing it very much and it was worth a lot of money and it was time to freshen up the lineup. I probably won't ever get my hands on one again.