goingincirclez's ratings

Expo is a weird game, even for its era. But it's brilliantly deceptive.

The artwork is kinda awesome in that mid-century globalism sense: the globe graphic and retro-future cues on the cab and backglass have a dated charm, with a pleasing color scheme. The playfiled art is less inspiring, reduced to geometric color glyphs, and some weird psychedelic plastic art. It's like they didn't quite know what to do with the playfield, artistically or thematically. But it is interesting.


At a glance the playfield looks kinda boring and open, and on the first few plays it seems there's not much to do. Until you realize the points are in the pops, which are difficult to return to: you'll need to dial-in that one shot off the right flipper to the left orbit!


Expo's main gimmicks are two: save gates and the spinner. Out of three gates, two return to the shooter lane and one turns a high-left drain into a 300 point center diversion. You also get two up-posts: center drain, and a "mini post" on the left out. That mini-post is a trick: it's so small you better not bank on it. The center post reveals some interesting play aspects: this game rewards nudging and flipper skill! Once you're in the pops, nudge to stay there or bounce the ball back into the inlanes for even bigger points and more post/gate rewards. Once the center post is up and the right outlane gate is open, try tapping the flippers ever-so-gently to kiss the ball from left flipper to right, then up and over the slingshot back through the open gate for its 300 points + plunge bonus: trickier than it sounds, but so much fun (and risk) to try!

So in that sense, Expo rewards players who are wise enough to see the game change from "random luck" to a risk/reward challenge for nuanced skill and shooting.

Unfortunately its other gimmick - the spinner - unbalances the game. You can be skilled and nail shots and still be beaten by someone who gets "lucky" spins for 500 points each while yours never land and instead give just 50. Which can still be fun in the right social setting, but it would have been better if the spinner were worth, say, just 300 points. The trigger saucer is a difficult shot requiring a gentle yet accurate flip which is difficult to set up... so it may as well be random. Otherwise you get a spin on an outlane. Still, being a two-player game turns the spinner into the ultimate party drinking gimmick: one player is odd, the other's even... spin and salud!

Seems to be a rare game. The stepper unit for moving and selecting numbers and 1-point bell gets a workout. The real challenge is to get the orbit lit for Extra Ball AND cash in on that shot before the selection moves away: easier said than done!

I took mine to LAX and it won Best EM... after I sold it, d'oh!

If this game had been made a few years later, Data East would have licensed the movie "Down Periscope" and it would be absolutely perfect. With that in mind, after playing multiple dozens (maybe even beyond 100+) of titles in the past 3 years, I can honestly say Torpedo Alley is my biggest surprise hit, stupid-grin fun discovery... I liked it so much I had to have one. Why?

Let's address the battleship in the room first: that backglass - you either love it or hate it. Personally I adore the ridiculous campiness of it - like a porn shoot for pinball, in the best lighthearted way. If you get past the costumes there are some clever bits in the art, like a space shuttle on an aircraft carrier (what?!) in addition to sea life and hapless dudes on a raft in the battlefield. (Again, think "Down Periscope" long before the movie was filmed, and it the overall execution of the theme starts to make sense). Add a unique layered translite 3-D effect, and displays integrated to the con, and you objectively have a well-done image.

While I'm on the art subject, the rest of the cab is beautiful: nautical blue with sharp red white and red trim, featuring the clever TA bobcat logotype and a smart sailor in uniform in front of an anchor - really well done. The playfield is fun to take in with different boats (easter egg names), sharks, refugees, 80s-futuristic aircraft, and a near-field perspective of the captain taking it in through binoculars: a clever and colorful hand-drawn original.

Maybe someday an alt translite will be available for those who can't stand the cheese, but I think it's perfect as is because it's goofy fun - and the gameplay is also just too much goofy fun!

It's not super deep: you essentially have 3 target banks representing ships to attack. Complete each bank to sink each ship, increase your bonus, wash rinse repeat. However the interest is upped by attempting to increase lucrative multipliers via the rollovers, cash in bonuses via the drop bank in the back, and of course locking for multiball, which is a blast and easy to start. And there are modes in this game too, albeit linear: if you sink enough ships you're prompted to "destroy the fleet" by making timed shots, which are quite lucrative. There is even a progressive jackpot that's cued for award: shoot the right habitrail when the game starts to rap.

Rap? That's right: it was made in '88 baby, so in addition to the numerous callouts which are both serious and funny, you can hear a "whoop! Whoop!" during a particular break-beat music track. DE was heavily promoting their new "digital stereo" sound system at this time and you might be shocked at how good it still is. It easily blows away B/W/GTB games of the era, even some that came out years later. As for Torpedo Alley, the booms of sinking ships are clear and deep and rewarding, while pop bumper action is like attending a 4th of July celebration. A generous soundtrack of at least 8 different original "songs" awaits, most of them loosely tied to a military theme. Mode tracks increase drama and tension when needed, and achievement tracks (and lightshows) are fantastic. You might find yourself cradling a ball just to let the music play uninterrupted. (But make sure to fix the DE "speaker hum bug" for the best possible experience - it's worth it!)

But why is the game so much fun? It just IS. I dare anyone to not grin the first time they get multiball and the klaxon blares out ("DIVE DIVE DIVE!") - or any time they do it after. Keep a ball out of the outlanes and the JAWS theme will keep you on your toes. A "LASER kickback" made no military sense then, but hey it was the 80's so you just had to have lasers! You can play it mindlessly for the great light shows and explosions, fantastic sound effects, funny callouts, JAWS homage, and wonderful music: the game is forgiving enough to offer newbie-friendly ball times. And it even has a continue option - which was almost unheard of for the time.

But, you can dive deep and aim your shots at specific goals, and discover that this game is FAST when set up properly and will brutally bite back when you least expect it, with some sucker shots and lightning orbits for good measure. The geometry doesn't require a lot of flipper trickery and there aren't too many backhand shots. The upper right flipper seems useless at first but, set up right, you can slow, cradle, nudge, and aim shots and so it becomes the key to great scores. And you can never be 100% certain where the ball will go even if you think you are... did I say this game is fast? It's among the first things my kids tell their friends about it, and I have a Firepower a few feet away so they know what fast is. Makes sense to be named for torpedoes...

As for gimmicks: the launch shot is interesting as it crosses the pf and disappears behind it before reappearing into the rollovers. Sound effects are great, and the spinner shot is especially responsive with effects keyed to how hard it's hit. The "sinking ship" in the binoculars is too fast to see, but clever... LED flashers really make the explosions pop! A word of caution: LED GI is great in this game, but disconnect the GI relay flasher if you don't want to have a seizure.

DE put a lot into this game for its era, but sadly only sold 1,000 of them. Likely far less than that survive so if you ever see one, you owe it to yourself to take the con and launch a shot - you might be pleasantly surprised at how much fun pure silly pinball can be. "Ahooga ooga!"

Way more fun than it looks!

So all the MEOW MEOW MEOW (and occasional BARK) -ing can get a little repetitive... but this game is so stupidly, light-heartedly silly you have to just chuckle and accept its wackiness. Which is easy to do when you can rip the Tiger Ramp and Fishbowl Ramp over and over... when you get in the groove it feels great. I don't understand how folks that like "fan" layouts (which are nothing but loop over and over and over) can grouse about "ramp shot" games like this one. Novice players will especially appreciate honing their skills on the fishbowl ramp which generously rewards with an extra ball for 5 consecutive hits.

Nice assortment of targets, drops, and scoops makes this an interesting shooter's game and the roulette wheel is a classic gimmick that somehow feels fresh due to its integration... a "curiosity spin" after your last drain just might keep you in the game!

For a random original theme, Python knocked this one out of the park and the art is fantastic. A nice atonement for flattening all those kitties in other games :)

Pinball can seem too serious, nerdy, pop-culture obsessed, or all of the above... this kitchy game is a nice throwback and a ton of fun. Some say the scoring is unbalanced and yes, the jackpot fishbowl can really seem cheap but if you forget about scoring and just focus on a game that's fun to shoot and experience, keep in mind: these cats love to play!

This game was far more strange than it looks. The trouble I had was the sound package borrows from 3 or 4 different games all together: space shuttle, pinbot, firepower... it really distracted me, but even though Road Kings has its own vocals and theme music, the overall quality was terrible: muffled, lo-fidelity, and just distracting.

Of course you PLAY a game more than you "listen" to it, but unfortunately this one didn't do much for me. The center ramp shot on the example I played was unreliable which made this very frustrating. For having 4 pop bumpers there never seemed to be much action, the targets on the lower pf are way to vertical and too far out toward the edges, and there simply just isn't much to do.

The huge lightning bolt inserts are pretty cool when they light up, and the backglass art of a post-apocalyptic road-warrior Chicago is kind of awesome. But the rest of the game is kind of a letdown.

Sometimes these classic Williams split-playfield designs get a bad rap for not making the best real-estate use of that design gimmick, but this game has a TON going on! 4 flippers, 13 drops, a captive ball, 3 locks, 2 ramps, multiball, magna-save... almost everything but speech!

Unlike some games, the upper-pf is a fun challenge and it's possible to keep the ball in play for quite a while, but the shots never seem too easy and the ball is always at risk for rocketing down that steep ramp. On the lower side you've got a couple more locks strafing a narrow target shot, and another entry ramp with a spinner. Oh and more drop banks. Lots of tight, satisfying shots on this one!

The sounds are are-typical Williams and blend well... start multiball for a blackout and score-display show before the mode starts, which was pretty slick for the day. The art is only so-so and the color would do well for selling Doritos, but it's refreshing to play a game that outshines its art package.

I found myself playing this one a lot more than I expected to and would gladly seek one out. Unfortunately there's not too many of 'em out there...

This is a game that's impossible to pass by when you see it: a friggin' LSD snail on the backglass? OK what's that about?

Well, it truly IS about effing with your head, because they used they same sound package as Firepower. With 17,000 of those made just 3 years earlier, it's almost guaranteed anyone who played Time Fantasy in 1983 was familiar with FP. And what a mindfeck that is!

As a game, it's a pretty basic layout without too much going on. However the Time Tunnel is a tough, tight shot and the fact that it only spots a letter if you hit it when the same letter is lit, makes the multipliers tough to earn. The horseshoe shot offers an interesting "subtractive" shot penalty - Barry Oursler would use the same scoring gimmick in Joust the same year. It's a fun game - not a standout player, but worth a few rounds if you get the opportunity. I kept coming back to it just because the sounds kept messing with me.

But the art. Man, the art! Friggin' awesome.

This game is a deceptively gorgeous looker. At first glance it seems almost too plain with a limited color palette, but what's there is executed well. THEN you notice the flame effects in the lighting which are reasonably convincing still even today, let alone 1987! And the smoke colored plastics are amazing: it really does look like the playfield is on fire!

Unfortunately after playing this, I almost wanted to make it actually be on fire. It's not a terrible game and everything worked fine. It's just limited and very repetetive, not in a good way. The central part of the upper pf is way too constrained... it's a shooter's game that demands accuracy, but if you lack it you will simply miff the shot, got slung around near the ramps, have to catch the ball, repeat. The object is to lock balls up the outer ramps to qualify for the center one to start multiball, but beyond that there's not much to shoot for. The targets in the central part are at random mercy of the upper slings. The up-post in the drain is tiny and can almost cause you more drains than it saves. I concede I might not be as good a player as others, but very rarely have I ever felt so distastefully annoyed with a pinball game.

It's pretty, and the sounds are even decent (the bell is kind of cool) and for tying the theme together it does a decent job. I tend to like Barry Oursler's designs. But this one just didn't do it for me.

This is a very approachable but challenging game. You can see the homage to Space Shuttle in its design, but what does carry over is amplified!

First, the lack of inlanes is going to force you to adapt: not only is there no feeder lane to catch the ball, but the slingshots' slope toward the flipper means that even when the ball does settle in without being slung away, it quickly gains momentum as it rolls toward the flipper - Cradling is very difficult, so you will be forced to work on control and nudging. Play is generally forgiving with a kickback and not too many STDM shots, but the right outlane is a gobbler.

There may not be too much "strategy" in this game, and "flow" seekers might look elsewhere, but in terms of racking up points this game hides a LOT of challenging shots. The layered Lane-Change spellouts are ingenious: with every plunge you can spell 1-2-3 and maybe get U-S-A beneath it, but you don't get much reaction time and even more devious, the lane-change on the lower lever gets out of sync for extra challenge! Space Shuttle's Stop&Score feature was easy... NOT SO here. The right ramp requires perfect control of aim and speed, and having to do it twice (while the countdown amps pressure) is a challenge. The three drops in the right VUK lane are a direct homage to Space Shuttle, but again aligned to be more difficult, with a sweep scoring accordingly. The SHUTTLE and STATION targets are a good blend of risk/easy/chance and their sounds and scoring keep gameplay interesting.

This game has an INCREDIBLE light show even by today's standards, let alone 1987! Not only is the "Condition Green" GI fade a standout among games (only now being rediscovered in modern tech) but its start is one of the most attention-grabbing and tension-building sequences in pinball. Multi-ball is frenetic as you try to line the active lock shot with an inability to cradle and keep balls from interfering. Reward for success is another thrilling sequence. Call-outs and vocals are authentically "spacey" and while not numerous, don't get stale. The MUSIC is a standout among games of this era... perfectly ambient, chill, and engrossing until "Condition Green" starts the panic. Sound effects themselves are many and nuances and blend well without becoming repetitive or distracting. There are several other award sequences and bonus spiffs that are unlike any other game from the era. The alpha-display animation might also be the best animation ever done with segments - it's truly effective for the theme and its execution holds well against DMDs even today.

Art-wise, a tastetfully demure cabinet frames a vivid "animated" backglass with translite cutouts. PF artwork is fantastic and well detailed; the central bonus grid is a little overwhelming at first but the galaxy whorls, apparatus details, astronauts, and sci-fi easter eggs are lovingly rendered and intricate. The PF layout is pleasingly complex with habitrails, flashers, and the mini-PF all aiding the theme. The only letdown is, ironically, the spinning space station itself, as it looks like a cheap drugstore playset afterthought. But you can paint it if you desire.

If you like space themes, ambient music, well-executed themes, unique features, or something that plays unlike any other pin, give Space Station a shot. It's truly an under-rated and under-appreciated gem.

So this is a weird one. By all rights, objectively, this game should not be that great. I mean the pf is open without a ton of stuff to shoot for. There seems to be some redundancy for what IS there. And the game itself has not a damn thing to do with Star Trek - fer cryin out loud, you're supposed to spell B-A-L-L-Y, so they could have made it anything!

And yet, what IS there seems to work, and is charming enough. I liked trying to thread the pops with a left flipper shot, and nudging the ball into the lock. The shot back to the plunger was never quite assured, so that kept things interesting. Still, this is like a perfect crossover game from EM-to-SS... it has EM rules and play, with early SS enhancements. Keep that in mind! That said, the one I played had decent speed and that deceptively-simple "argh this should be EASY!" hook that kept drawing me back, even in a room with a new WOZ LE a few feet away...

...It probably helps that I'm a sucker for early SS sounds and there's plenty of that bleeping charm to hear. And I love the cabinet color palette - the Blue-Yellow-Vermillion is a straight ripoff from the Chessie System Railroad I so dearly love. I know there's some unfortunate artistic licensing on the characters but the backglass is gorgeous. So if art is your thing, that's probably a saving grace.

So yeah... objectively, there's lots better games out there and probably even from this era. But sometimes simple is good, and part of a game's charm. The original Star Trek series was kind of clunky but charming, so in that sense this pin is a fair branding.

(Played at Zanzabar, Louisville KY, June 2015)

I have to admit, while I like Zombies and campy horror as much as the next guy, something about this pin just didn't attract me... in a room full of classic DMDs, some early SS, and a WOZ, this was actually the last one I tried. I was pleasantly surprised by a fun romp!

The lighting and playfield art is terrible: too much bright white gale and unimaginative photoshop work does not a classic make. I didn't care for the repetitive show dialog callouts, but the sound effects were meaty and amusing. The animations were funny though, and I'm still cracking up over the "walker pileup" bonus... good thing I racked up 25 plus because that is some downright cartoonish delight.

What sucked me in was the shot layout: lots of tight shots with good flow, and a few really tough ones. Having to strafe the zombie from the right flipper to hit the prison doors was fun... and that Woodbury shot to unlock multiball and extra ball is one of the tightest risk-reward-timing shots I've encountered; you're not punished for missing it, but you risk a center drain every time you line for it. Nice! Sadly I could never quite figure out what to do with the crossbow lock; you get one quick sweep to choose your target so make it count!

All in all, I ended up having more fun with this than I ever thought by looks - proving the old adage a stinky looking game an still be fun. It's a shame the art is so uninspired, but some LED mods could make it less garishly white and more enjoyable. Still, I'd play it again as is...

(Played the LE at Zanzabar in Louisville, and since I managed to GC it I guess I'm qualified to rate!)

This is the "total package" pin for me: the theme, the art, the easter egss, the sounds, the creativity, the execution, and most importantly the gameplay are just all so perfectly blended together.

For a non-DMD pin, there's an amazing array of variety and complexity to strategize, and a constant battle of risk/reward. For example, you might finally line up your shot for right ramp tolls only to find you raised it accidentally... so do you try to lower it again (risking the craziness of the pf) or take the right orbit to set up Super Cellar scoring? There's a nice number of shots to go for, but all of them have different penalties for missing a shot. Even "safe" routes carry some potential risk, such as a bad exit from the right orbit, or a STM rebound from the center target. Don't forget the spinning discs! Witnessing them snare and skew the ball mid-path is a surreal and heart-thumping experience.

The sound package is brilliantly melded togther: storm effects are varied and numerous and change depending on the mode. Light flashes sync perfectly, the hillbilly callouts are humorous while the storm's "voice" is appropriately God-like sinister. The music starts whimsically enough and turns suspenseful as you progress. Just a great package.

Youssi is probably my favorite artist and this is one of his best efforts. The cabinet art is a somewhat odd: the logo seems like a simple play, while the backbox sides almost seem Seussian.

Trying to remain objective, the only points I knocked were for scoring (because for its difficulty, the 3-way combo should be worth more), animations (I've seen better on alpha displays), and the art (for the base cabinet). Everything else is perfect.

[FWIW I self-rate my skill level as medium] After seeing all the hype and raves I was not surprised the line for this was the longest at Expo. Sadly, even though I had a decent game compared to many of those I watched ahead of me, I didn't really come away wanting more.

I must say, the light show is breathtakingly astounding: the color shifts and mood swings and sparkling effects due to the color-changing LEDs are simply stunning. So too are some of the gameplay tricks, like when the witch snatches the ball - seeing it instantly stop, whirl, and shoot across the playfield is a true moment of disbelief! There are TONS of shots, and the detail of the toys is incredible. It's truly the most lavish playfield I have ever seen.

But the gameplay is so... disjointed. Too many distractions, too many interruptions, too many breaks in the music and soundtracks. There is simply no flow, and it began to seem repetetive. The backglass LCD seems like a logical evolution and while it's used well on one hand... it's information overload on the other. 4 quadrants competing for attention while bonus modes pop out of the middle. Which am I supposed to do?

The movie tie-in is better than I expected, and there are plenty of modes which are clever, but too many of them get repetitive very quickly. It's obvious there was only so much film footage that could be looped for an effective tie-in. It's like trying to read an internet comment thread with too many meme-gifs: once the novelty wears off, you wish they'd just stop. They could have done so much more... as it is, IMO the limited pallete of traditional DMDs has forced much more creativity and interest in those spaces. Honestly, the WOZ screen was just too much bright, visual noise. How much MORE compelling would that stunning playfield be if paired with a traditional backbox?!

I *do* appreciate that the scoring is low! All the arbitrary million/billion point shot nonsense on other pins is just that: nonsense. From a sense of scale, WOZ points actually mean something... a low 6-figure score is more an achievement than an 8-figure one on other machines. So that's something.

All in all, a mixed package. I really truly do understand and appreciate what the WOZ pin represents, and what was achieved. It really is stunning. My hat is off to all involved. It's just not something I enjoyed as much as I hoped.

(Played at Louisville Arcade Expo 2015)

[FWIW I self-rate my skill level as medium] My first and thus far only pin... but I waited to rate it until I had several hours worth of other machines under my belt, to ensure an objective review. And I have to say I must have got lucky, because even after playing bonafide legends like Medieval Madness, Attack from Mars, Firepower, Whirlwind, Dr Who and other games, I really still do love Space Shuttle.

It's certainly not a "deep" game, and the playfield shuttle isn't even so much a "gimmick"as much a static toy - you could replace it with a boxcar or Winnebago and have the same functionality.

But of its era and for simple honest casual fun, it just works. There are some gem shots hidden, such as strafing the spinner lane drops all at once with a backhand - doing this to reclose the airlock after opening it is a thrill, and the game rewards with a nice "blastoff". So too is the 100,000 point shot on the center ramp - not so easy to set up but oh so rewarding! The bell never gets old either!

The machine is simple enough in layout that kids seem to pick up the scoring objectives... but shots are a good mix of balance, skill, and luck. You can hone skills by mastering some shots from either flipper, while some target "shots" don't seem to exist at all, so you'll be at the mercy of silverball randomness. Even when you master some shots, the game bites back HARD at unexpected times. It can be tough to get the score building but once the multipliers stack, look out! Multiball is easy enough to set up but not so easy that it becomes old - and there's a definite strategy involved.

All in all, I know there are "better" pins out there, but I don't think I could have done better for a first machine, and for being 30 years old it's still plenty of fun!

Lots of stuff to do on this table, and a fun theme with wonderful execution. The puppet heads are kind of gimmicky but all the cross shots, loops, scoops, locks, elevated ramps and mini-games more than make up for it. The game leads through a nice progression of crossing the country and the map on the pf is cool. Some fun loop shots but nothing that seems forced - you're able to switch things up on a whim if you choose. Obviously the shaker detonation is a highlight in itself, and the callouts and animations are amusing.

The theme is kind of silly but I love this style of B/W artwork. Table is forgiving enough for beginners and kids, but perhaps the best part is even after racking up a respectable grand champion expo score, I never came CLOSE to exposing all this game has to offer. Surprised I'd never heard more of it before... definitely a pleasant discovery!

[FWIW I self-rate my skill level as medium]
(Played at Louisville Arcade Expo 2015)

[FWIW I self-rate my skill level as medium] Another one that other reviewers have evaluated far better than I - I can only parrot that the respect is well earned. For me personally, on a subjective level it's not as good a Medieval Madness: too much focus on loop shots, the saucer is lame and the pf art seems a bit more cheesy, and the callouts aren't quite as funny. BUT that sounds harsher than I intend: it's a fantastic game I would never hesitate to play or even own. Just not my "favorite". But definitely up there! (Played at Louisville Arcade Expo 2015)

[FWIW I self-rate my skill level as medium] As I wrote elsewhere, this game pisses me off but in the best possible way! Nowadays multiball is passed out like candy, but you have to EARN it on this machine. Wide open pf teases with plenty of shots and brutal outlanes. Scoring is sensible like all early Solid State machines. The "music" is more of a pulsing drone, but the way it amps in intensity as a game progresses just hooks you in and hypes you up. Should be a good skill-building machine, nudging is obviously required. One of my favorites in the Pinball Arcade app and the real version is a definite must-play! (Played at Louisville Arcade Expo 2015)

[FWIW I self-rate my skill level as medium] As a relatively new fan of the show I was apprehensive on how well this would work. Those fears were EXTERMINATED as soon as the Dalek topped started yapping smack! My kids immediately got the objective so it's an approachable game, but some of the shots (the Hang-On to the right ramp) are challenging. The sole loop around the time expander risks getting repetitive, but has function toward building a score. I think this would be a great game even with a different theme, but that theme is integrated very well! (Played at Louisville Arcade Expo 2015)

[FWIW I self-rate my skill level as medium] Well I'm glad I got to play this, but something about it just left me cold. I've never been a fan of blase' media licenses and the way the art was implemented on this one is particularly unimaginative. The play wasn't much better - having to shoot the centrifuge over and over (at the risk of a SDTM every time!) was boring. Playfield was wide open without much apparent to do. Watching others (of likely better skill) play during the Expo, never seemed to be much variety either. Lines were long due to its rarity, so I'd play it again given the chance... but I'd wait to play other titles far more happily. (Played at Louisville Arcade Expo 2015)

What an odd machine! What a BLAST!

So here's the thing: some shots benefit *your* score. Others benefit your *opponent's* score. Others will *subtract* from your either score. Got it? Well good luck... because it's insanity trying to line any of them up when balls come flying INCOMING when you least expect it!

A totally wacky, random, wonderful descent into controlled chaos. And that's even BEFORE the 30-second "Berserker Mode" finale! All skill levels, all ages, THIS is a party machine. We kept lining up to play this at Expo and it was endless fun even when the outcome made no sense at all.

The dated sounds work PERFECTLY and for fans of the classic video games it's based on, so much better.

As a 1-player game it's not as crazy but it's plenty challenging enough given the inverted "mirror shot" playfield you have to work against. It's not as deep and without another human working against you, the available shots and overall re-playability might get stale. Still, the 5th-drain triggering a 30-second countdown presents a cool best-score-timed-run challenge. But considering its design intent, you should not buy this as a 1-player machine.

Too bad this never caught on... I'd love to play something like it more often!

(Played at Louisville Arcade Expo 2015)
[FWIW I self-rate my skill level as medium]

“[FWIW I self-rate my skill level as medium] Oh, I really wanted to like this one better. I love the concept and from an artwork perspective, it works. But playing this was next to impossible: between the blur of red, red, red, and more red, under white... and hidden / obstructed targets, inserts, and other toys... I really did not have much fun at all. Plus the music just doesn't sound good even for its time, but I admire the attempt. The clock and patron animations are neat. It's very creative and I appreciate what they were going for, I just wish I had fun playing it. Probably my biggest disappointment to date.(Played at Louisville Arcade Expo 2015)

“[FWIW I self-rate my skill level as medium] It's not a fluke, the raves are real: of the dozens of machines I played at LouArcEx, this is the one I loved the most. The theme is fantastic and the execution is superb a-la Monty Python is disguise. Play is a perfect blend of "easy for kids / challenging for wannabes" and just too much damn fun. Besides, how can anyone not love a pin with a bleeped out humorous f-bomb in a callout? (Played at Louisville Arcade Expo 2015)

[FWIW I self-rate my skill level as medium] WOW! I like the band well enough but was pretty "meh" on the concept of a pin based on them. Hot damn was I ever mistaken - this pin was AWESOME and my best surprise of the show! Talk about a fast, snappy, keep-on-your-toes game... I was never quite sure what I was "supposed" to be doing, but it didn't matter - there's a lot to do, and a lot to discover. For a gimmick, the cannon shot is more fun than it looks, and the subwoofer THUMP on a target hit never got old. Will definitely play this one every chance I get. (Played at Louisville Arcade Expo 2015)

[FWIW I self-rate my skill level as medium] A favorite of mine in the Pinball Arcade app, after finally taking Pinbot's Bride for a spin in the... "flesh" as it were, I was pleasantly surprised - she does not disappoint! The art and theme of course is now regarded as a classic, and rightly so. But the play is what kept drawing me in at Expo. Nice balance of flow, skill, and egg-on frustration. Could make a few ramp shots safely to lock the balls for the awesome face animation, but that center heart ramp was a nice challenge. For some reason I loved the sound effect as bonuses are tallied. (Played at Louisville Arcade Expo 2015)