Euchrid's ratings

Now with the new, and final, code updates, this game is just a great game. The game plays fast and hard. Its deep with code. There are so many different call outs that they never get repetitive. The layout is original. I love this game and I've owned one for at least a year now. The only things bad I can say about it are the jump ramp could have been made to shoot a bit smoother and the right kick out is annoying during multiball since it will just shoot it right down the drain if you don't know that its coming, which is hard to keep track of when you're in multiball. To me, this game is destined to be a classic and will be a sought after game the more people get to play one.

It is important to setup this game correctly. If done so, it's fast, fun and challenging. The outlanes, in typical BO style, have no rubbers and are a pain to work with. Keep the lower playfield waxed and the slings sensitive and you'll be fighting to regain control.

Folks dis this game for being simple, but I find the rules and layout to be very good. Here's why: many of the more popular games for that era are mainly one shot games. While not the most interesting layout, the scoring rules are quite balanced and entice you to shoot for all the shots. This game has a 1000 point spinner when lit, so does Grand Prix and Hot Tip and Magic, etc all popular games - guess which games it's right to shoot nothing but the spinner? Not Phoenix.

For high scoring you have to lite roll overs 1-5 which will advance the Phoenix shot, the more you do so, the more you advance it's value. Once you get some bonus built up you need to complete drop target banks to increase your multipliers. These shots will put the ball in trouble, but you need to shoot for them. Also, the A and B targets in the center of the playfield are worth 10K a pop and increase your bonus, which is a fairly large award but also put the ball out of control. The Phoenix will also take away features, usually the lit spinner. Shooting the spinner all game would not be a way to tourney results. Once you drop the center drop targets they can only be raised by the inlane switches (Shatz it?) or the 2 and 4 rollover. Keeping those drops up so you always have a lucrative shot is important. If you can manage a long ball, you'll have the Phoenix shot up to 40K and will take that as much as you can, but when the ball comes back to you it's coming Stdm sometimes.

This is a well balanced shooter that makes this a lasting game IMO. It would be great for tourney play - not sure why PAPA doesn't have one!

Typical JPOP game. Layout, art, feel are all top notch. Replay ability and depth of rules are just not there for the games to stay in a collection.

Best jackpot callouts in all of pinball!

To me, the classic underachiever in all of pinball. What a great game this could have been with the awesome art, layout, theme, great sounds and call outs, etc. Instead, the rules leave so much to be desired that the game is vary one dimensional. Other than point value, monsters of rock and monster bash wizard modes are identical. So lame.

I love the call outs and the humor in the game. The artwork and color palette are great, but the game has little rules depth and the "modes" for each monster are simply hitting more of the same shot. Great multiball start animation though!

This game is a great game. It has challenging multiballs that reward trapping, complex deep rules, tight rewarding shots and punishing outlanes that will teach you to nudge! In my collection it would be one of the last to leave. Long after honeymoon phases of new machines pass, I still go back to play Ripley's.

Hotdoggin has quickly earned a permanent spot in my collection. The game is challenging and fun to play and makes for a great league game. The triple inlane/outlane design is a fun design, the rules are good and the inline drops are difficult to hit. I don't see the need for the third flipper, but whatever, Hotdoggin is a very cool game for its era.

I've waited to rate this game until I have had it for over one year. Well, the honeymoon phase is over and this game still is awesome. I shots feel great, strategy is diverse, sounds and dots are very good. The playfield artwork is what every newer pin should shoot for. The artwork on MET should be the standard for pinball artwork.

Only dings I give this game are for the coffin lock and lack of kick butt speakers and sub, which should be standard on a music pin, IMO.