Kineticross's ratings

Pros:

- Right ramp is extremely satisfying to make.
- Storage Facility Multiball startup sequence is amazing.
- Modes are fun and emulate scenes from the film well.
- Loopin' Supers is really fun.
- Slimer is satisfying to hit, but...

Cons:

- ... nudging the machine will also spot a hit, making it pointless to shoot for him.
- Scoring is made unbalanced by the skill shot and Storage Facility Multiball.
- The ball can occasionally airball off of the left Scoleri Brothers drop target and bounce straight down into the left outlane or center drain.
- Playfield multiplier targets are as annoying as the T target in AFM.
- "Shoot the GHOST target to end the game quicker!"

:D

Pros:
- Prototype software doesn't put a cap on the Jackpot values, which makes Multiball the focus of the game rather than other features.
- Slot machine is a nice touch, plus awards from it are really helpful.
- Roof hurry-up is an awesome mode. 100m for each shot in multiball? Sign me up!
- Roulette can play a huge impact on scores.

Cons:
- As with Junkyard, prototype was much better than the final product.
- You can collect Extra Balls over and over if the slot reward is set to it.
- Great tournament game because of the proto's jackpot sharing. Another A division must!
- Roulette can score much more than Multiball or anything else in the production ROMs.

Pros:
- Really well-balanced scoring - max out what you can!
- Electric Company sign is a cool feature that later appeared in other Stern titles.
- Best BSMT2000 sounds in any game.
- Nice board game idea that was taken from Safecracker and improved upon.

Cons:
- Not much rule depth - no modes can be stacked besides Cash Grab.
- Occasional airballs off of the ramps.
- Modes are worthless, try and time them out.
- Flyer looks horrendous.

Sometimes, machines don't hold up as well as you remembered. I enjoyed this machine back when I first played it and it influenced my pinball hobby, but now you might as well call this machine "Hurl Came" or "Hurrydrain".

Pros:
- Hurricane ramp is an awesome, flowing shot and one of the coolest gimmicks in pinball.
- DMD animations were pretty good for their time.
- Dunk the Dummy is pretty funny.

Cons:
- Multiball is tedious and scores more points than anything else.
- "See the clown perform his annoying tricks!"
- Routed tables are often unplayable because of dust piled up on the Hurricane ramp behind the flippers.

AKA World Cup Soccer 2: Electric Boogaloo

Pros:
- Music during Shootout is... um... interesting?...
- Multiball + xtreme mode stacks are fun. Best part of the game by far.
- Can work towards the Championship during Multiball.

Cons:
- Middle ramp is a joke.
- Right ramp is impossible to hit thanks to poor build quality. Playfield design in general doesn't match the actual physics.
- Sound is terrible as usual.

AKA: X-Piles

Pros:
- Good game to practice your death save skills on.
- Not many were made.
- Playfield layout is ok. Not much flow but honestly a decent effort

Cons:
- Death saves may cause sore hands.
- Too many were made.
- Magnet in front of the file cabinet becomes a crater after a couple of weeks on location.
- Some of the most horrendous sound in pinball. Very staticky compared to other SEGA tables of the time.
- Backglass art looks terrible. It's so bad that I'd give the game a higher rating if there wasn't any backglass.

Cheating makes baby Jesus cry!

Pros:
- Deepest pinball machine ever made! All modes stack, and share a timer that can be increased in several ways.
- Double scoring multipliers add a touch of strategy.
- Appeals to casual players thanks to its large variety of ways to play the game.
- Multi-color TV display is cool and helps players new to the machine out.
- Upper playfield is enjoyable, couch shot is extremely satisfying once it's nailed! :)

Cons:
- Cabinet art is horrendous thanks to how poorly it was printed out. Such an eyesore.
- Music can get really annoying after a while.
- A little too deep? If you play it a lot, it feels more like chopping wood than playing pinball.
- Some objectives aren't explained too well (ex. Treehouse modes, Multiball rules, Springfield Mystery Spot rules)

Mongo can't think of a good video mode! Mongo running over people is fun! Mongo like.

Pros:
- Wizard mode is tough to reach and requires amazing pinball skills.
- Decent flow for an early Stern. Ramps and loops send the ball around the playfield nicely.
- Red Light Multiball is fun and can give a huge payoff in the form of the Red Light Super Jackpot.

Cons:
- Video mode is horrendous, perhaps the worst in pinball. Scores more than anything else if you know the pattern as well (EB first couple of times, then an unbalanced 35m)
- During Harley Multiball, you collect Jackpots by shooting a post. Nuff said.
- Sounds ripped off from other pinball machines, plus they generally sound terrible
- VUK and motorcycle often malfunction on location, making the table unplayable.

AKA: IDSnore, IDBore

Pros:
- Good playfield design, nice flow at the ramps and orbits. SEGA's response to combo-based games like Corvette and Demolition Man
- Movie was decent.
- Cheaper than firewood and much more flammable.

Cons:
- Lack of software.
- Pinball was not decent.
- Rules: Shoot jets until cows come home, then shoot the F15 hurry up for even more points if you're still awake.
- Shoot Area 51 targets to end boredom quicker!
- Another tourney classic next to Junkyard and Pinball Magic! ;)

Zzzzz

Pros:
- Deep ruleset with tons of cool modes to activate.
- Great DMD animations.
- Wizard mode is difficult, you have to work for your awards!

Cons:
- Well, blow me down! A widebody that has less playfield space than Safecracker!
- Find Swe'Pea could be the most difficult mode in pinball.
- Lock shot doesn't register most of the time + must be designed by someone 4 feet old because of size
- Rules are way too subtle for many pinball players to understand.
- Put your finger in the skill shot wheel to lose it!

Pros:

- Standup targets actually register!
- Feels like a Williams game in terms of ruleset.
- Temple adds a ton of strategy to the game: 2x playfield, road trip, etc.
- Super Jackpot rules are interesting, and help the player learn essential multiball skills.
- Return of the vari-target!

Cons:

- Sounds make you feel like you just played Surf 'n Safari II.
- Vari-target often doesn't register on routed games and makes the game unplayable.
- Layout relies heavily on the left flipper.
- Continent modes are way too similar.
- Ghost from RCT is reincarnated as the shrunken head.

It's frightening in the dark.

Pros:
- Awesome Multiball mode! One of the best in pinball, involving a ton of strategy and some huge points.
- Great modes & wizard mode.
- Smart missile makes you think about what you want to earn with it. (hint: use it to complete the first CHAOS wave!)
- Really good music.

Cons:
- 6 balls missing? Where did they go - oh wait a minute, I forgot about Data East's terrible flippers.
- T-Rex is often broken on location and won't eat the ball.
- Tough to loop the side orbit because of the weak side flipper.
- Game feels a bit clunky at times.

Huh?

Pros:
- Really good sound... hey, at least it's better than BSMT2000.
- Nice, strong flippers.

Cons:
- Rules amount to "shoot ramps a couple times, shoot ramps for millions, repeat".
- Skill shot is more important than anything else... take high score? Really?
- Fun fact, Michael J. Fox was so embarrassed by this machine that he wouldn't allow his face to appear on the backglass!
- New spinners are guaranteed to spin at least twice! Now attached with honey instead of superglue!

It's the doomed red-shirt himself.

Pros:
- NO... NO!... NOOOOOOO!
- Negative reception towards the game led to different games being awarded to A Division victors in future Pinball Expos.
- Good for spare parts.

Cons:
- Most insulting first place prize in pinball history.
- Terrible sounds... all I can hear is "YAH!"
- Shoot the ball up to the upper playfield to make the game never end!
- No flow at all.
- Rules are terrible for experienced pinball players.

A good, albeit slightly disappointing machine.

Pros:
- Sound is extremely good, but thats a given.
- Jailhouse shot is extremely satisfying to make, especially nailing Jackpots and Super Jackpots during Multiball. :)
- Dancing Elvis figure is innovative.
- A loop that's easy to shoot again and again thanks to a magnet that catches the ball.

Cons:
- Rules are way too simple for experienced pinball players.
- Gifts are boring. King of Rock 'n Roll scores more than anything else.
- Upper playfield does nothing besides advance towards Heartbreak Hotel, which even then doesn't score that much.
- Double scoring activates way too much.
- Bumpers slow down the game by a lot.

Iraq can only dream of a bomb like this machine.

Pros:
- Admittedly interesting layout with a moving basket and a vari-target. Be sure to get the 5 hidden features for 1 billion!
- Gottlieb did a terrible job in quality control on this machine, so you won't see it on location much.

Cons:
- SHOOT THE SPINNER! SHOOT THE SPINNER! SHOOT THE SPINNER! Sound on this machine could be the worst of all time, barely beating out "EVERYBODY UNDERGROUND NOW!".
- Basket bounces are random and score more points than anything else.
- Terrible artwork... Shaq on the backglass looks more like a giant Tootsie Roll than a basketball player
- A true turd chopper, if there ever was one.
- Shoot the announcer!

Pros:
- Surprisingly deep ruleset in both pinball and board game modes.
- DMD animations match perfectly with the shots.
- Magic Token is an innovative idea that sadly never caught on. :(
- Drop targets! :D

Cons:
- Missed shots can make the game end really quickly.
- Hard to find tokens won in dark bars.
- Candy 2000 can get really annoying sometimes.
- Cellar shots when the target is all the way back can sometimes brick right back out.
- Flippers are useless unless they're at full power.

You have chosen poorly...

Pros:
- Really good color scheme that definitely entices people to play the machine.
- Captive ball / scoop is a nice feature.
- Cairo Swordsman doesn't take up the entire playfield.
- Fun for casual players.

Cons:
- Ark is a waste of space considering it only activates during one mode.
- DMD animation for 8-Ball Play is boring... who wants to watch half of the movie before mutliball anyway?
- Ark multi balls themselves are boring. SHOOT THE ARK X TIMES TO LIGHT JACKPOT AT THE ARK!
- Playfield layout seems like it was rushed out the door.
- Bonus X scores more than anything else, so ignore all shots besides the captive ball.

EVERYBODY UNDERGROUND NOW! EVERYBODY UNDERGROUND NOW! EVERYBODY UNDERGROUND NOW!

Pros:
- Cow multiball is tolerable, plus the orbits required to activate it are pretty fun and fast shots.
- "Oh no! You've missed your triple jackpot!"
- Spinner with magnet is a cool feature. It was nice to see it again in X-Men.

Cons:
- EVERYBODY UNDERGROUND NOW! God that quote is annoying, you'd be better off actually hiding underground then listening to this quote 100 times.
- Spinner barely ever works on location.
- Same old SEGA rules.

This machine isn't shagalicious at all...

Pros:
- On-playfield bonus counter, while unnecessary, is a nice throwback to 60s / 70s machines.
- Frikkin Laser is a nice toy (although Walking Dead used it a lot better.)
- Fat Bastard Multiball is an awesome, challenging mode that requires effort to complete.
- Helps you remember the layout of Attack From Mars and the rules of Monster Bash in case you forgot them.

Cons:
- Backglass art is horrendous.
- Rules are pretty much the same as South Park except with a gun thrown in.
- Extremely terrible sound quality (not as bad as X-Files though)
- Quotes don't match with whats going on at all.
- Toilet shots often brick out.
- Mini Me often doesn't spin at all.
- Mojo Multiball is boring and gets old really fast.

Looks like we caught us a spitter!

Pros:
- Flow takes a while to get used to, but once you play the machine enough, you realize how awesome shooting the right orbit - right ramp combo multiple times in a row is. :)
- Really good atmosphere. Music fits the theme well and lights add to the game's sense of fear.
- Modes that actually require some effort to light and activate? Count me in!
- The long-awaited return of rollovers! :)

Cons:
- SDTM drains from the pop bumpers can make many new players angry.
- If the game isn't set up right, the ramps are extremely unreliable and tough to make.
- Callouts aren't that good and distract players from the overall mood and aesthetics of the table.

Catch me... if you can!

Pros:
- Some of the best flow since High Speed! I love shooting the orbits over and over for big points.
- Tons of unique combos that actually matter in score, as they are scored when you collect them and during your bonus countdown. Be sure to keep a list of them!
- Really good music. Multiball & high score themes are especially good!
- Animations look nice, some of them (ie. Car Awarded from Route 66, Jackpot) are really innovative and cool.

Cons:
- Kickback target often leads the ball right to the left outlane, essentially wasting your lit kickback.
- Engine ramp can often result in rejects, and typically doesn't divert the ball to the upper flipper when it's supposed to.
- Not that bad a game, but not too good either.

Gimme the money!

Pros:
- Amazing callouts... if you find this machine on adult mode, by all means play it. F*** Frenzy is worth the price of admission.
- Getting to Boss requires a ton of work - it definitely encourages you to shoot all the shots in the game!
- Safe toy is really nifty plus important if you want to get to Underboss.
- Nice flow, but this is a George Gomez machine, so do I really have to say it?
- Underboss is a really cool multiball mode that also deserves to be played out, plus it can be stacked!

Cons:
- Episodes are all just shoot the red arrows - nothing too exciting - plus Video Mode pot increases way too quickly.
- Layout is way too boring and typical for Gomez, which is surprising considering I enjoy his layouts a ton.
- Translite brings back bad memories of the mid-80s Gottlieb translites.
- Stugots Multiball is weird... shoot Stugots for 2x + Super Jackpot, THEN make major shots for 1x Jackpots? Sounds like something got messed up.
- Safe breaks easily on location, making the game not fun to play at all.

After playing the Pinball Arcade simulation of this table, I realized that HRC had more to offer than I originally thought.

Pros:
- Lots of toys that the ball can hit. If this machine was released today it would probably be at Premium / LE price.
- Satisfying right loop + spinner shot that can increase bonus X a lot if you know how to shoot it
- Unique "Roll 'n Win" backglass feature that I wish other designers could use.
- Rules in the same key as Stargate; maybe not that deep, but they are still nice rules
- Collecting a "Super Duper Mega Extreme Jackpot" during multi ball is an awesome sensation
- Final game by Jon Norris. You will be missed. :(

Cons:

- While I like the roulette toy, I feel gameplay would have been faster if only the ball had spun around.
- Besides the lit orbit shots that disable the posts, there isn't much flow on this game
- Art doesn't look too good, too colorful for my tastes.

Why all the hate?

Pros:
- Multiple modes that require completion to progress towards a Wizard mode (ie. Simpsons Pinball Party BETA)
- Nice flow on the ramps
- "Snagger" toy that locks balls is a good, original idea
- Art looks colorful and pretty
- Metallica's design might have been influenced by this game

Cons:
- Sound design is terrible (it took my balls)
- Snagger doesn't work sometimes
- Theme not too well integrated
- THE MOVIE SUCKED

Pros:
- Magnum gun integrated quite well into the gameplay
- 3 different types of modes (main modes, Warehouse rewards and Safehouse rewards)
- Strategy involved (stack up Playfield Promotion + main mode + Multiball to score a lot)
- Lots of gimmicks (skill shot gun, Magnum "cannon", Magna-Force)
- There is done well and doesn't really need any further explanation, it's Dirty Harry
- Midnight Madness!!!

Cons:
- Playfield art looks cheap with too much space occupied by Dirty Harry pictures
- Shooting the ramps feels impossible on occasion, right ramp esp.
- Flippers can become weak (I don't want WMS to become the next Sega!)

zzz... wait, this was a game?

Pros:
- Nudity (really only exists to attract guys though)
- Mansion Mania is a fun mode but it gets repetitive at times
- Good toys that are used considerably well, esp. peek-a-boo curtain and centerfold locker
- Decent flow - not too good but you can backhand stuff easily

Cons:
- Terribly unbalanced scoring. Literally the only things I do in this game to score big is centerfold multiball, mystery, and Mansion Mania. Sometimes I even fall asleep before I get to Super Mansion Mania
- Modes are wastes of time because the aforementioned features score much higher than them
- Terrible sound design (I honestly can't play through centerfold multiball because of how horrible it is. We get it, "hsusuifssfsdkfhkshsfkfhdsi centerfold"
- Mansion Mania is extremely boring and forgettable
- Overall a meh game with meh sound and meh artwork. Don't play it unless nudity is a total requirement for pinball.

Capcom made a startling entry to the pinball world in 1995 with this neat machine.

Pros:
- Toys! Extremely original and exclusive to Pinball Magic. Levitating wand, crystal ball, and others are executed VERY well and aren't overplayed like similar toys in Data East machines.
- Unique ruleset with two different play styles: the quick, panicked pace of obtaining Jackpots during Magic Mayhem, or defeating magicians and completing unique modes in single-ball play.
- Skill shot is one of the most criminally underrated ones in history (the habitrail does a firkin' CORKSCREW for goodness sake!)
- Sound quality great, way ahead of it's time

Cons:
- While defeating the magicians is fun and all, it does feel quite a bit linear.
- Final mode is a bit disappointing (a certain other magic-themed game shares this in common)
- Playfield art is ugly with terrible drawings and way too much red
- (More nitpicking than anything): Scores of your competition in tournaments are never shown unless you go into instant info. NOW A TOURNEY CLASSIC WITH JUNKYARD, WHODUNNIT AND INDEPENDENCE DAY

AKA: "Dongo"

Pros:
- Volcano ramp is satisfying to make and is an extremely hard shot to make reliably, but not too hard
- Good play field layout overall, featuring a lot of unique shots (upper flipper loop, centre orbit)
- Sound is really quirky and cute
- Skill Fire is an awesome round and one that hasn't been done on any other machine, from the beginning of pinball until now

Cons:
- Mystery saucer can go slam itself in the head due to how it can send the ball SDTM
- Extremely tough to get the ball to stick in a saucer (i.e. Indiana Jones)
- "Shoot the Satellite targets to end your game quicker!"
- No way to kill Amy
- Jackpot value resets after X number of diamonds, making the game not as fun after Super Multiball
- "Amy bad monkey. Amy go work for SEGA. Amy better than any SEGA employee."

Not "Bad Rats"

Pros:
- Simple layout with great shots. Signature Oursler left ramp, nice strategy with the Fish Bone-Us & trash can
- Great mirrored + screened back glass with funny animation
- Cool 50's style soundtrack with some classic sound bytes. Dan Forden you are a genius!
- Can't stop hearing "meow meow meow meow.... woof"

Cons:
- No multiball!!! It would've been nice to see something like in Police Force where "there is no Jackpot" but this game skipped out on it altogether. Shame really.
- "Maximum" Fishbowl Jackpot of 8m is nothing compared to the ridiculously overbalanced 20m shot on the final ball.
- Seafooooood wheel rewards extra ball a little too frequently
- Agressive bulldog kickout can sometimes send the ball flying to the drain
- Can't stop hearing "meow meow meow meow.... woof" (yes, this is also a negative)

"God WHY??? I could have been famous! Just one more month, please???"

Pros:
- Tube dancer is a super sexy way of shooting those ramp rewards
- I think it's cool how the inserts on the ramp illuminate insert by insert when something like Tube Dancer is lit
- Great, hilarious sounds and quotes
- Deep rules that encourage exploration of the Bar as much as possible
- Beautiful artwork and good adult theme

Cons:
- Besides the approx. 200 machines made there is no way to find it - good luck! You'll need the locator!
- Software could use some minor tweaks, but it's pretty polished for a proto
- Not that challenging of a game
- What could have been...

Bong Recreation Area

Pros:
- Rudy! We all remember the menacing talking head that can eat your (pin)balls. He is also a very funny animatronic, there was a REASON they made Road Show...
- Dual skillshots (light crazy steps through skill shot, then use left plunger to choose mystery reward)
- Combine Frenzy with Multiball for a major blast of fun
- Extremely balanced scoring - no errors here!
- Million+ has to be the best Jackpot sequence in an late 80s pin

Cons:
- Playfield a wee bit tight around the flippers - shot selection is limited because of this, but you still have the great upper flipper shots to make
- Diamond Plate™ anyone?
- In conclusion this pin should be among the best due to it's rule depth, gimmicks, and overall theme

Stern Lecture Plumbing

Pros:
- Rollercoaster wireforms FTW! Played this machine just for seeing that ball fly around like crazy :)
- If HUO you can easily remove the troll and throw it into your local park's trash can
- Lotsa drop targets that make for an interesting, original playfield layout
- Cool mode start method that you have to see to believe
- Power Ride could be one of the best "quick multiball" features in all of pinball
- "Scrambled Eggs" spinner is a great idea to replace what would normally be a generic orbit

Cons:
- Bonus X is meaningless here because it's practically nothing due to no real bonus, only thing that matters from it is 6x Extra Ball
- Flying Ghost can brick the ball out often
- No jackpot progression during multiball
- Besides Power Ride, the other modes might as well be called
• Timeout the Dummy
• Super Timeout
• Spin, Bump 'n' Timeout
• Dancin' Standups Which Rarely Register
• Toss Your Flippers Up And Hold The Ball For 30 Seconds
• Boo (I gotta time this mode out before I'm) Back (timing out other modes) Time
- The only mode you shouldn't timeout is Park Tycoon but there you can't time out at all
- Top flipper as strong as a wet noodle
- Spin 'n Bump - risky shot with no reward
- In conclusion, enjoyable but certainly not as "complete" as Pat's previous machine, Monopoly

Introducing the world's first ELECTRONIC paperweight... ugh, this is gonna be a doozy...

Pros?:

- extremely dull and forgettable (thank god)
- OK theme implementation I guess
- huh?
- easy to score free games on
- playfield mylared a lot
- Game of the Show @ Pinball Expo 2000...

Cons!:

- Super shallow rule set that restricts you to shooting for the spinner to score ridiculously overbalanced points. "Features" are practically nonexistent on this game
- Horrendous back glass that makes me look away from the machine every time I see it on location; if you want to buy it hide it somewhere where no one can see it or paste a Monster Bash backglass decal on it so they can awe at your "NIB Monster Bash"
- 16 digit display can't score over 10m points? What an INTERESTING development /sarcasm
- Multiball is a challenge with 3 yellow targets broken on almost EVERY example... ugh
- In conclusion, buy the game for parts and use the back glass for shooting practice
- ...Only Game @ Pinball Expo 2000

Good machine but it could have used just a "wee" bit of extra flair.

Pros:
- The theme. I'm sure that Elvira is as recognizable now as she was in the late 80s, so it's timeless. Nice speech and music passage too (I dare you to try and get out the multiball jackpot theme out of your head)
- Great art package that reminds me a lot of the late Python Anghelo's art (RIP)
- All kinds of bonuses to collect with effort required
- Crazy, twisting ramps...

Cons:
- ...that unbalance the game. I'm sorry but I don't see much fun here. Literally all I did one game was loop the Monster Slide while collecting ELVIRA letters and the Million.
- The game is fun if you ignore the unbalanced ramps, but just keep in mind the bonuses are much less than the potential Monster Slide / Party Punch values
- Ball lock kickout can become weak and ruin your game
- HEAD FOR THE GIRLSROOM

Dr. Flash... you have evolved quite a bit.

Pros:

- Captive balls were a good idea
- Rotating Deadworld ball lock; I felt this wasn't used too well but it's still a great toy if you buy the mod for it
- Awesome DMD animations. They flow quite well and certainly match up with the themes of the modes (if you haven't given the Judge a choking fatality or booed off the Bad Impersonator, you need to)
- Sound bytes are both epic and humorous (10 years for flatulism)
- Experienced players love this game due to how drainy it is and how fast some of the shots are - dat small loop
- Music is godly

Cons:

- The captive balls don't have much use unless you're in Meltdown mode; and even then you can hit the ? target to complete the mode instantly
- Playfield doesn't have much flow
- air raid feels like a bunch of clunky, wasted space
- Infamous Supergame mechanic; I like this but sometimes it's not too fun (that 100 million super shot is always a blast though)

CSI? More like Bram Stoker's Dracula 2.0.

Pros:

- The return of stackable multi balls! That's right, 3 different multi balls that you can mix and match, each with separate lock traps. While I am disappointed there is no multiplied playfield scoring or "true" stack of all 3 multi balls (microscope + skull cannot stack) there are still the Fingerprint Frenzy and Suspect Shakedown modes you can stack.
- Very good layout that deviates from Lawlor tradition. Only one ramp and interesting upper flipper placement
- The Morgue is an excellent case of theme integration.

Cons:

- Not much to do besides the frenzies and multiballs. If they had put in modes or some kind of progressive reward system (a la the ones in Family Guy) it would've been more enjoyable.
- Callouts are just that bit corny. Not saying that I don't enjoy them, though, it does bring attention towards the game.
- Gimmicks aren't well-used. My major pet peeve is the microscope, it can't even be considered a gimmick... just a magnet that holds the ball.
- Pat Lawlor's final Stern machine. :(

Near the end of Data East's years as a pinball company, they released this game that changed up tradition. Combining aspects of their previous title, WWF, with the mode-based rules of their 1993 hits, Guns 'n Roses could be the best Data East ever made (excluding Jurassic Park & Tales from the Crypt).

Pros:

- Worthwhile collection of shots. GNR uses a weird type of "fan" layout that's pretty neat, with two orbits, two ramps, a scoop in the middle, two holes, and a mini-loop that can be hit from the upper flipper. Definitely one of my favorite play field layouts.
- Riot Ball!!! Love this wizard mode, after completing all 9 guitar features you shoot it again to begin a frenzied 6-ball multi ball where the goal is to collect the Riot Jackpot.
- Love the right hole shot due to how challenging it is. This makes default multiball a challenge to obtain unless you have the game on normal settings (m-ball lit on last ball).
- Doubling mode scores after shooting the mini-loop is something I wish could be done more often!
- Normal multi ball is a rush, collect two normal Jackpots at the ramps and then hit the mini-loop for Super.
- Ramp flow. Seriously I just play this game for G-U-N-S-N-R-O-S-E-S Millions :)

Cons:

- The Snake plunger isn't used too well. When I play it I'm often attracted to that plunger and love to use it, but it's disappointing when you go through an entire game without using the Snake. That's too bad, because that lane is one of my favorite gimmicks in all of pinball.
- Rose plunger attracts bees. I learned this the hard way. NOT THE BEES
- Faulty flippers... see my reviews of Apollo 13 and Baywatch if you haven't already
- Video mode is a waste of time and eyesight; it's so bad they reused it for Harley-Davidson for some absurd reason
- I know Data East was trying to stretch the truth but how many times can you listen to "Ain't Goin' Down" without you covering your ears?
- Sound quality sucks, really too bad for a band that has some awesome music. Especially noticeable with two of my favorite songs on the game, "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Paradise City"

"Hey Joe, let's take a STTNG, move the jets to the left side, and remove the spinner".

But they didn't do that at all. This game by what would normally be considered "Sorry Excuse of a Game featuring Bad Sounding Monotone Tracks" instead does an original idea with a good ruleset.

Pros:

- Lots of great shots to make. I like the vertical kicker that leads to the Batcave. I also like the insanity of all the shots, could beat Whitewater in how it's presented.
- Much better game than DE Batman, with deeper rules and an awesome multiball.
- The game would have good flow...

Cons:

- If it wasn't hindered by Wet-Noodle Flippers (tm). This makes the left ramp impossible to hit, and the right flipper overall just a mean-spirited joke. Please mod all your games!
- Impossible Super Jackpot Batwing shot is impossible.
- 20x bonus is SO unbalanced it hurts my fingers every time I get it.
- The gun handle looks like it came from a Cracker Jacks box.
- Habitrails (esp. the one leading out from the Batcave) often get hit by air balls and suffer other damage due to how low they are.
- Batwing often fails at registering the ball.
- Batcave is just a waste of time and missed play field opportunities when Lock isn't lit.

NASCAR was designed in the year 2005 by Pat Lawlor. NASCAR gave Pat a break from his stop-and-go games like "The Addams Family" and "Twilight Zone" and instead focused on combing the layout and flow of a Steve Ritchie game with the adrenaline and excitement of a Pat Lawlor game. Did they succeed? IMHO they certainly did.

Pros:

- Don't get me started on how well the speedway plunger is integrated into the machine. It fits the theme amazingly well, it's an eye-catching gimmick, and it draws a crowd over. Certainly a high point - if there was a High Speed III it could definitely benefit from this! :)
- Extremely fast playfield with little time to relax between shots - you have to be on your guard at all times, and that's what I love about pinball!
- Drop targets are important in a modern game for once, they're used for collecting Super Jackpots and other high-scoring objectives
- Mode Bonus is awesome - when they reused this for Spider-Man Stern knew this was a good idea
- Shots can be backhanded and comboed on a regular basis
- Unique modes like The Esses, Speed Shots and Hard Racing that add to the experience
- Garage missions are actually worthwhile to play because of potentially huge scoring that can be doubled in Mode Bonus
- All the flashers. There are yellow ones on the test car that light up for certain objectives, and GREEN! GREEN! GREEN! GO GO GO!
- Left ramp diverter mechanic - enter the Hauler or lock a ball for Multiball. Can you find the secret ball lock?
- Bonus matters here (apparently someone collected an 187m bonus on one ball)
- Sound is great when you amp up the volume
- The flippers definitely are improved from previous Stern games, they feel a lot more like reliable Bally Williams flippers now

Cons:

- Much more air balls than average on a Stern machine, should have called it "Air-Nascar"
- Garage missions can be pointless - what's the point of Test Car, I do nothing but time it out when it pops up
- Manual plunger is useless - I want to see an engine key like in that Getaway mod
- Infield Party and Super Party sounds grate on your nerves after a while, they're like Doh Frenzy but not funny at all, just annoying
- Some elements are borrowed from "Ripleys Believe it or Not" like the CHAMP#1 progression

Baywatch.. don't know who designed this game, doesn't matter. Even when SEGA created a good game, it was ruined by one element.

Pros:

- I like the original mode / shot idea. Each shot does one of three objectives: advances Guard Millions, advances Tourist Season, and starts a unique mode. I wish other pins could do this, it was a lot of fun to play.
- Dot-matrix displays look well-made (probably due to the huge size of it on this machine)
- Awesome playfield design + rules - crazy ramps, and lots of flow all around.

Cons:

- Unanimously, the huge con with this game is the weak flippers that are seen with people who have had this game since the start and never changed them. You see, SEGA machines from Baywatch on used the worst flippers ever - they practically turned into limp noodles before your very eyes. This is terrible on Baywatch, as the left ramp that locks balls for Swimmer Multiball is extremely tough to hit with noodle flippers - the chances of winning the lottery are higher than the chances of making this shot. With better flipper design and a much less steep left ramp, I would ignore this altogether.
- The Shark flipper is an exact replica of the much more renowned Thing Flips from "The Addams Family". It aims exactly where the TAF flipper would, no less.
- A gigantic David Hasselhoff head. Ahnold might have some rivalry amirite?

AKA: "Indy 0.5K"

Pros:

It's racing, for Pete's sake!
The lite-up targets are pretty neat
3x scoring adds strategy - stack it up with Turbo Multiball or Victory Laps for BIG POINTZ
Great quotes ("Today... today...")
Balanced scoring and nice ruleset, with challenging modes
Greased lightnin' playfield with smooth ramps
Awesome music and light shows
Ramp-turbo combos are the key to high scores!
Lots of secrets to discover - get that extra ball, ya wanker!

Cons:

VUK shots often rip you off. It happens with both the Turbo-Boost and, more notably, Collect Speedway.
Top flipper only good for one shot (Turbo Boost)
Lite-ups seem to break easily
Super Jackpot worth less than a regular JP? Fine, at least you can add balls...

"Wait a minute! I've never done this before! How do I do it? Where's-the-rip-cord? I-wanna-go-back! [something else spoken really fast]"
"Shut up and JUMP!"

For starters, it has a talking, taunting skull on the play field (who does that remind me of?). It's a fast player, but that's come to be expected of Steve Ritchie. The super fast, tight play field encourages precise shots, so for flailers, it's a no-go - it might as well be called "Post Shot Death-O-Rama" for all I care. The best way to earn points is to hold a ball on the left flipper and then nail cycle jumps during Meet Your Maker. The jump shot is awesome, and it looks like it influenced the warps in Stern ST. "AGAIN!"

This game is bad for it's unbalanced scoring, though. The best thing to do is time out the missions, then do No Limits and MYM for huge scores. It feels like there should be another upper flipper under the Jump ramp. Also, the right outlane can be extremely unforgiving (I thought it was the left outlane that was supposed to?)

The overly intelligent ruleset for its time. You could compare it to Professor Frink from "The Simpsons".

There's a wide assortment of shots on this game, and all of them are required for the huge Vacation Jackpot payoff, a 200m+ award and an insane light show that makes the game looks like its going to explode. The flow caused by making these shots, particularly the ramps, makes this game one of the best early 90s machines (it's up there with TAF and TZ IMHO). Always go for those 5x Jackpots, or, if nothing else, 5x Multimillions or 5x Wet Willie's Stage 1. It was the first double-playfield done right (BK2K was kinda meh). Best 3-way shot combo (eg. FH, TAF) in a machine. Even though multiball is unbalanced in scoring, it gets tougher to activate. Awesome music, I love how there's a different tune for each raft. EB target is unforgiving!

Cons are relatively low. The mountains at the top of the playfield often look like they were crushed by the foot from Monty Python on some examples. The lock stand ups take a major beating. The 5x Playfield timer is a bit too short, and I hate how it still runs during the Whitewater Multiball intro. The Lost Mine provides suicidal kickouts and is impossible to hit. Awarding Class VI River in Mystery Canyon sucks eggs. The end of ball bonus is a joke.

Great game by Dennis Nordman and one of my personal favorites! Indy 500 is more of the same, and also one I really like.

"Pinball is irrelevant". Slots are much more funner! Mongo like slots! ;)

In all seriousness, STTNG is a Steve Ritchie game for the ages.

Pros:

A great game to practice your skills on. Missed shots often drain down the two huge outlanes. Long shots are awesome.
The sound perfectly matches what's happening on the screen and on the playfield.
Excellent flow for a wide body, and probably the second best flowing pin ever (other than STLE).
Cool mode system that leads up to "Final Frontier". FF is not as unbalanced as people make it out to be, there was a revision that fixed it
Q's Challenge + Borg Mball for the win!

Cons:

Outlanes are dang unforgiving (yes, this is a con too)
Airballs seem to happen often
Don't get the rank advances, maybe replace it with Probe Launch
A reward for reaching warp 9.9 (artifact???)

Play it, and sweat Romulan ale.

Another awesome 1993 effort from Data East, and one of their funnest games. The play field has some nice flow going on with the WABAC ramp, and the modes started from it are as good as a degree from Wossamotta U. Tri-Ball is one of the best multiballs in a DE game yet; the Super Jackpot is extremely hard to reach (complete the Pie during the mode) and the intro is frikin' awesome! It's also well integrated with the cartoon series, unlike several prior DE games.

There are several cons, too. The bumpers are often dead, and the lite Jackpot + 2x Jackpot shots never seem to stick. The Save Nell saw never seems to work on location games. There's also a software bug during Tri-Ball, where if you shoot the Jackpot shot during the intro, it doesn't award you the Jackpot. Finally, "Hey, Rocky, watch me pull a busted plastic out of my hat!" That trick, obviously, never works. Play one if you find one, but this is better off played in a shopped or restored state.

An all-time great by Barry Oursler that proves the fact that pins based on horrible movies or TV shows always turn out better than the source material. They're so many positive things about this game, I could make an encyclopedia! For starters, you have Mist Multiball, an awesome feature at it's time and still is now; a challenging playfield with many tight shots; a deep ruleset where you can stack multi balls for exponential scoring (best multiballs since Centaur!); and the sound. I always get goosebumps when I hear the Jackpot screams in Castle Multiball, and it also feels like the sound is amplified during Multi-Multiball.

Sadly, the game is not without its cons. The left ramp is near-impossible to make with a weak right flipper; it's a very tough game for operators to maintain due to its complexity; and the art could've been better. It's still one of Williams' best machines, and still commends popularity today!

One of Sega's best. Lots of great modes on this one, the orbit ones in particular. I also like the moon lock, definitely something that hasn't been done. 13 Ball Blastoff is kinda divisive for me... it's really more of a gimmick than a multi ball, but at the same time, I love the chaos that goes on during it. It also shows that SEGA flippers can turn into wet noodles extremely quickly, though. Another good thing is that Tom Kenny is too huge of a star to have his mug on the BG. Finally, those 13 balls could be able to replace broken balls on other machines, I guess. A solid effort.

AKA: Gilligan's Pile

Pros:
- Nice sound design.
- Fun to tilt the game until you realize Jungle Run is broken and you just wasted 50 cents.
- Playing EBs at the end of the game is a cool idea that should have stayed

Cons:
- MULTIBALL AS A RANDOM AWARD???
- Lagoon shot is pure luck.
- Jungle Run breaks often.
- Shoot the shrunken head standup to end the game faster!
- Rules: Shoot ramp all day and ignore everything else.
- EMs have more depth and enjoyability than this game.

Another underrated classic, basically Space Shuttle except more awesome. The music is nice, the mini playfield is innovative, and it's just a cool game. I like it when the playfield lights turn green during multiball! Only thing I hate is that it gets kinda tough to "REDOCK NOW!" when you're attempting to "REDOCK NOW!" and shooting those saucers but bricking "REDOCK NOW!" If it has this level of frustration, you know it's good. Thanks, Barry Oursler!

Pat Lawlor's penultimate machine, and possibly one of his best of all time. The three multi balls in this game are awesome, particularly Stewie Multiball- I love that Super Jackpot and how tough it is to get! I also like the fact that Sperm Attack is kept a complete secret unless you view it in the Status Report. Of course, the humor is awesome, the innuendos are fantastic - it's like you're in an episode of the show in how it does that. One final thing: if you're looking for good stacks, stack one of the 3 more lucrative modes, or Crazy Chris (CC), or *BOTH!!!* with Stewie Multiball (SMB) and watch your points go through the roof! ...of course, you need to have a good multiball while all this is going down ;-) Keep on playin'!

The same year that BBBB was produced as a "cost-saver game", Machine was released. And trust me when I say it's quite a bit better. The goal of The Machine machine is to turn the at first Pin*Bot type robot into a real woman. This is accomplished by shooting a ramp and allowing the Machine to turn heads. This climaxes into a two-ball multiball where you have to shoot the robot again and again for huge rewards, including an awesome billion-point shot - unbalanced, but risky! Combine this great ruleset with brilliant light shows, inventive play field art, and some awesome flow, and you have a great game. Thanks to FarSight for this gem of a game!

Wow, I almost feel sorry for Data East...

Pros:
- Death Star is a cool toy, no question! It's used in the game pretty well, and it may be the best part of the machine.
- Multiball on this table is a blast with some of the most satisfying shots in any pinball machine.
- Most of these machines are out of commission.

Cons:
- Rules: Shoot the center ramp over... and over... and over. Fun fact, you can actually obtain carpal tunnel by shooting the ramp infinitely!
- R2-D2 doesn't do much besides jumping around and making a lot of racket.
- There are still a few left on location.
- Look ma, Jabba's gobble hole.

This game was probably made for new kids who hadn't known what pinball was until now. In that aspect, it was a success. I'm disappointed with the minimal amount of modes, they could've put in so much more. I also don't like the fact it was based on the movie more than the cartoon. Still, a good pin by John Trudeau. Perfect to put next to your CFTBL.

An awesome game by Python Angelo. I love the music and simple rules in this game, reminds me a lot of Taxi. The art is pretty good (your ball is part of the amusement park!). Despite the flow-breaking ferris wheel, I love the layout of the game too - nailing the Comet for million is awesome!

If Data East created TSPP, this would be that game. 12 modes. 3 six-ball multiballs. Smart missiles for added strategy. Everything is synced up well, and it might be the best game by DE - they were on a roll this year! But the backglass makes no sense to people unless they've seen the movie. What's the cartoon cat doing there? Why is Schwarzenneger's head so immense and huge? Even though it was based on a pretty bad movie, it's still worth a play.

Ugh.

Pros:
- Amazing sound design that could be up to par with TX-Sector.
- Roulette toy is fun.

Cons:
- EXTRA BALLS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE BY LUCK. Wow. That's a major flaw.
- 10 million shot scores more than anything during normal play, and it turns on randomly.
- Terrible inlane / outlane layout that is extremely tough to get out of.
- Backglass is horrendous and gives me nightmares.

Average game from Bally Midway. The ramps look great here, but if I wanted a game that really relied on them for scoring, I'd play Whitewater. The goal of the game is to make Turbo shots to collect MILLION letters and eventually collect a million points. Peter Gunn can get quite annoying, I don't know who decided to use that as the theme. Play it just to say you've played it, and then move on.

The one reason this game is good is the theme. I love the Looney Tunes characters and have for a long time, but this machine didn't do them justice. I think it would've been better done as a DMD game during the mid 90's upswing of pinball. Stupid 50m shot ruining all other scoring in the game (remind you of BOP?)...

I have not played this machine on location yet, but from videos, it looks cool. I love the "touchdown" ramp shot and the funky DE 80s music. Bad news, it suffers from DE "shallow rules" syndrome, but when you forget about it, it's a player's game that's CRIMINALLY underrates!

"He passes the test, let's keep him!"

When I first played "Party Zone" in the Pinball Wizard Arcade in Pelham, NH, I wasn't expecting much, but I was proven wrong. One of the reasons the game is so charming to me is the original theme. I love how it integrates all the characters from Dennis Nordman's previous machines into one cohesive theme. The one thing I don't like about it is the hilariously overbalanced scoring with 10x Playfield (100M payoff lane, anyone?). Still, if you ever find one on location, play it. "Pick a song, not your nose!"