koji's ratings

Pinsider koji has rated 64 machines.

This page shows all all these ratings, and forms koji's personal top 64.


Rating comments

koji has written 61 rating comments:


9.060/10
5 months ago
A true gem, I'm not even a big car guy, but hearing the engine rev sounds along with the shaker just "works".

Some of my favourite features to note:

Super Skill Shot (Hold the left flipper), and short or long plunge to get control. Snipe the alternating gears target columns, the best is the lit A for +2 gears and 1m points. That is basically an instant multiball.

Consider the minimum completion amount for each mode, be sure to use the left ramp bowl to get cruisin' qualified as that mode is HARD, and get to drift mode.

Since the music is somewhat ambiguous, it's the perfect opportunity to load or use a custom rom with an amazing music selection. I've boosted the rating with the consideration that this is something you can change fairly easily, however the variation scores lower, as it would have been wonderful if the tracks could alternate.

Having Tanner Foust on callouts is pretty cool. Again, that revving sound effect is just amazing with a sub.

The 3 level left ramp adds a lot of variety and real estate to the game.

Idea of the vehicle increasing speed with the spinner and RPM targets is great.

Good risk reward when considering to abort a GEARshift MB,. for an opportunity to get ot a higher tier (up to 6 ball MB, with Gear 6). The hidden targets behind the drops work well here also.

Upper post diverter use is coded well, mostly allowing a clean repeatable orbit to gain speed.
8.272/10
10 months ago
Solid system 1 title.

The remo drop feature is excellent. As a player, it is fun to anticipate the drops have gone down on each side, maintaining and in fact, doubling down on the symmetrical layout.

System 1 drops are like butter, and you can frequently sweep a few as the ball hits them off the side. Snipe them, what have you, and collect and reset them from the upper kickouts.

A steeper angle is a must to have this deck play fast and mean... it's works as the flipper gap is a bit wide, and this works to keep the ball time down.

A fun really tight shot back to the upper rollovers can provide the player with an opportunity to get the B rollover, at that point, A and C can either be selected from the top lanes, or by the inlanes, which will light the eight ball captive for a extra ball.

Drops are worth 5k each, or do you want to try to go for the upper saucers to advance the multiplier? don't forget, the multiplier on the outlane could make the difference!

Fun game!
8.652/10
1 year ago
Great 90s classic. with strong rule depth for the era. Basically 3 different progressions to consider, that can lead to different multiballs and scoring, including starting additional modes if you have them qualified (ie safehouse). Very balanced. I think there is sufficient adjustment in the outlanes, as mine has, to make this machine fairly challenging for players. In addition, my copy also has the prototype drop target, which I can see adding some difficulty as well.

Probably one of the best little world under glass implementations.. that mini San Francisco with the buildings, and all of the real estate with the ramps and diverters, just feels like there is quite a bit to 'do'. My machine includes the horizon graphic on the back of the PF, which probably helps with this. Crime wave is nuts, when it loads the gun up and is firing away. Also appreciate this whole notion of ball paths, multiple ramp diverters give this layout a good variety to the shots.

Shots are generally quite smooth, and there is definitely a good feeling of flow with several shot combinations.

Numerous shots to make on this one, and the rotating gun adds great variety and a bit of a pause to consider strategy etc.

Anyway, solid title overall, I can see why so many players and collectors would hunt one down.. it's great.
8.996/10
1 year ago
Barracora is pure pinball enjoyment.

The balance of interesting scoring and multiplier rules, coupled with a multiball and upper lock which specifically provides a very unique save experience is really well thought out. Memory drop integration on the side banks is arguably the best implementation of this feature, as the shots are great, and the player will constantly be keeping this progression in mind ball to ball.

Amazing art package, amazing sound package, amazing layout, and amazing rules!. What more do you want?
8.640/10
1 year ago
One of the most iconic pinballs of all time. Another example of Steve Ritchies trend setting concepts and layouts.

First SS pinball with multi-levels.
First to introduce magna-save
First to provide a winners bonus ball.

A key for this one is set up. Being one of the first Sys7 machines, it predates more powerful flipper coils, particularly with the ramp shots, these need to be tuned and the circuit needs to be functioning well to achieve a positive playing experience.

Rules for the game are FANTASTIC. Typical Larry De Mar seems to think of everything. Progressing through drop target sequences, inlanes that light a corresponding ramp shot will reward players to shoot on the fly. Amazing left spinner shot and sounds. Depth of Multiball access, of particular note, is to adjust the default game to the moderate difficulty for Multiball. This forces a player to progress the U-turn multiplier to light the upper PF lock!..
9.300/10
1 year ago
Wow. Played this a lot on location, but didn't get the full appreciation until owning one to really go through everything without the noise and distractions in a crowded venue.

Just an amazing game, the music, sounds and effects are incredible, particularly after hitting the trapdoor in multiball.. just love it.

So much to do, coded combo 3/4 way are amazing to shoot for. Gangway rules much like freeways in High Speed can be quite rewarding. Just love the shot between the pops. Rudy gulps, extra expressions and blinking during the game with the home rom update. Steps shots, Mystery mirror variable, just so much going on with variety during the game.

One of the times in pinball creation where it seems like the whole team created something magical. the mechanics, PF design, sound, music, software/rules, art.. just knocked out of the park in every aspect.
8.527/10
1 year ago
Great classic Stern title. Rules keep the shots changing, and the player thinking!
9.340/10
1 year ago
Such a great pinball game, EATPM kick-started a franchise of great machines.

The integration of lights, music, theme, animations (both mechanical and alpha display) are second to none.

10/10 Charm factor.

Some of my favourite features:
Kickout ramp over the center lane into the pops is amazing. "PAAAAAAARTY!!!!!"
boogie men mechanical animation jumping up and down with rubber arms flailing... "Let's boogie.... Thank you boys!"

The iconic massive Monster Slide that takes you from the left ramp, in behind the PF, all the way to the right flipper!.. going up, "OH YEAH!!!!".. not enough power..? "Ohhhh.. No."

"Lights" (machines goes dark).. "Organ".. a piece plays and strobes go off all over the place.. ... Elvira states: "oooo, nice Organ!"

... I could just go on and on here... in general tho, the variety of call-outs and things to do is great.

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room for improvement might be some rules tweak between the competition mode, and default. Perhaps balance some other shots, the game can be largely about making the ramps.

There's no spinner.. I like spinners.
8.532/10
1 year ago
Great late gen EM title. The first gen sound board like this can sound very dated unfortunately. In a way though, this one works better than most since the pitch of the beeps, can seem like morse code, and in this way, it seems applicable. A cool 'hiss' when bombs are dropped on ships, and you get a great backbox explosion lamp effect to go with it. Also, this has a high score (~400k) biri biri siren which is a great touch, and apparently limited to euro machines only.

Rules are very deep for a EM multiplayer, including a regular bonus, advanced mostly by alternating mines near the top of the PF, a separate hole bonus attached to a spinner stepping mech ala WMS Grand Prix, and a kick out feature which can light the spinner and pops and 10x bonus, and a drop target feature which can advance drop values, and light a special for AAB.

The lit spinner and pops feature is particularly interesting as it is linked to a 555 timer circuit, so the player is limited to 10 seconds, or end of ball, for this feature.

Gameplay is fast and furious. Outlane saves will encourage and provide an opportunity for players to keep the ball alive, and DC powered pops provide really fast and lively action.
7.421/10
1 year ago
Glad to see more positive ratings for this one.

Really a pleasant surprise... Why?

Italian bottom.. A real shooters game. Careful bridging and tap passing can get decent control for an EM. Lots of strategy.. It's a single player, so you can set up the field for your next ball. Last ball is double bonus, so why not ready the captive ball feature to one shot away. When yoy drain, you start with double bonus and you'll have an easy aab with that ready and the double carries forward!

Consider the risk reward. I opened the Outlanes up all the way.. The captive shot is risky! Big point are there for those who shoot all over the playfield. Collecting the skylab letters and advancing two spots on the space lab feature. Complete this and an alternating Outlane can be set up with a reward.

Game is a true aab, yoy can get up to 10 balls to play. Of course, if you have it wet up properly.. This will never happen!

Inlane skylab advance can be made by shatzing.. Tight but doable.

And you already knew you liked the art.
5.986/10
1 year ago
The shots feel mind numbing in this game, but the theming is pretty cool with the pinball 2k graphical tech.
9.074/10
1 year ago
This machine takes me right back to the 80s. Soundtrack has an incredible nostalgia factor for that era.

Overall the theme integration is amazing. I love the timed shot to advance up the dungeon levels. It's one of the most difficult shots, and therefore getting to higher levels is a real thrill.

Teleport illusions using innovative drop/ball lock mechanisms.

The outlane save mechanism works really well with this theme under 'magic' saves

Battle the dragons' flames, and loot the dungeon!

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I can see why people have an issue with the audio quality.. for me, I'm happy with it.. the quality only adds to the nostalgia.

Technically the shots are somewhat limited next to other titles of this era. For me, they are good enough, that I can't really fault it on this.. but I guess we'll see how I feel in a few months. So far so good!

Cab shape would be my only complaint really. For regular folks with a standard dolly.. this was very difficult to move.. :/
8.595/10
1 year ago
One of the best classic Sterns.

Shoot the drops to build a massive bonus multiplier that carries forward. Some amazing shots between the drops up tight, the middle strafable drop row, and the top which can be sniped from the lower right flipper, or bump them off the pops.

4 flippers, but fast drains keep you coming back for more...
8.622/10
2 years ago
My favourite wedgehead and I've owned many of them!

Love the theme integration, you start each ball with a kickoff from the trough, and the spinner advances your yardage up the field.

Two vari targets act as blockers and score for touchdowns or additional yardage.

Two means of scoring by points and score!

With a scissored four flipper bottom and slings moved to the upper part of the pf, this is one of the most true games of skill. Advanced players will need to utilize their talent for ball control and nudging to line up and rip the spinner again and again. As touchdowns score 6000 points this quickly becomes the primary strategy... But as it is such a rewarding shot, this title refuses to get tiring!

Any player who does not enioy this title, simply has not played one with the correct set up.
9.080/10
2 years ago
Please note, this review is based on the 4.0 (Chad) Rom update.

I am just floored with how fun this game is. So many great modes utilize about as much of this great theme as you could hope for! The Art package is amazing, and the dots are in my opinion, the best art and animation of all pinball.

Sound bytes are hilarious and authentic, and let's face it, when the license allows you to use Elfman's classic music from the HBO series.. you can't go wrong.

Game modes play like mini-games on the PF, some will have you shooting at spinners to unwrap a mummy, some have you hitting the drop targets like guillotine.

As for mechanics, this one how more than meets the eye :)

3 spinners, 2 ramps (a large 360' winding one, and a 90' upside down flip, which can often land the ball on the return of the first ramp, rewarding a trick shot).

A tomb target with a switch, and motor to slowly raise and lower this to reveal a hidden vault. The vault contains a VUK, projecting the ball upward and dropping into a upper trough, where it can then be staged and kicked back up to drop down on the right orbit to the upper right flipper.

A scoop provides the main mechanism of starting modes.

3 pop-bumpers

3 drop targets.

A really tight shot which can curve right into a 2nd upper trough to exit in the same VUK as the 1st upper trough.

A right orbit that passes through a diverter which can drop the ball to the upper trough for multiball, or allow the ball to complete the orbit coming down the left side.

Captive ball on the left is a very tight shot with big rewards.

6 standing eye targets, allow lighting the kickback and other advances and mode uses.

The plunger is a spooky door handle. This also acts as a means to lock in a potential mode to collect.

Neon green PF colour, provides an opportunity for interesting black light effects.

Some of the most flashers I have ever seen.

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So much to do and see, this title really has a great balance of difficulty and modes and features to keep you playing.
7.860/10
2 years ago
Magna-Flippers, probably one of my favourite gimmicks. So workable as well.. just a great feeling to work toward this.

The iconic powerball

Amazing toys.

Unfortunately, I find the shots and playfield after that, somewhat average.
7.949/10
2 years ago
Great theme integration for this game, although I find the playfield a bit tight, and therefore, things are a bit less interesting.

Love the combination of licensed assets and the great music to go along with the movies.

Callouts are great.
7.184/10
2 years ago
Very fun game with great scoring rules.

The PF art is amazing, but I tend to agree that the BG didn't age quite as well.

The sounds grow on you, but are clearly the early SS sounds. Still some little chirps provide some interest beyond a 4-tone board.

Gameplay is where this one really shines, lots of drops, and way to increase and collect bonus and so forth.
8.754/10
2 years ago
Amazing game, so many shots and strategies that fit together.

Rip the spinner, making use of the incrementing lit points for up to 1k per spin.. and this sucker spins. Accumulate bonus in the process.

Achieve a bonus level of 20k or 40k, and carry it forward for subsequent balls.

Inline drops advance bonus multiplier up to 5x, stand up at the end of the drops scores special and then 50k!

Shoot to the right S-curve completes to the top left 2-way kickout, when lit, collect your bonus, and get kicked up to the top arch for more.. alternately get sent back to the pops.

1-2-3 memory drop targets advance in value on each clear. Get them in order for 10x the lit value.. that could be up to 100k!

Increment the A-B top rollovers for collecting bonus, special, and 25k outlanes.

Speaking of outlanes, an opportunity to save on each side.

Once in a while, a siren will go, and you might get a shot at the 50k stand-up when lit.

Fast playing, keeps you coming back for more!
8.337/10
2 years ago
Where to begin! Easily the fastest moving EM I have played.. I am talking about the speed from pops, bouncing across, hitting a sling, and popping back up to the top.. It's AMAZING.

Good top arch skill plunge can have you nudging to get an extra cycle on the rewards for opening the gates, or scoring the 5k!

Shots are AMAZING. After so many games, due to the speed, you really need to have a feel for the shot you need to make as if you glance away from the ball on this one, you're dead... as I play, I find I just make mental notes.. need to middle 'D", the far right 'C' etc... and just shoot for them when you have the chance.

Fairly small gap, and 3" flippers allow for more modern play control, tap passing, bridge etc.

Get some stars and shoot for bonus.

Settings I enjoy at this time:

Loose tilt a must.. you need to feel and nudge this baby!
Extra ball feature on scoring! .. it's a great rush when you hit than shoot again while collecting your ball 5 bonus!.. game is so fast anyway.. few extra balls are very welcome.

Easily one of my top 10 EM players!
8.108/10
2 years ago
Nice undeerrated title. Can't go wrong with the core Eight Ball Deluxe layout. Definitely some missed potential for a repeatable orbit shot, which is often stopped by the magnet behind the eight ball IMO.

Fun to play. Very smooth shots. Great toys and mechs, the magic eight ball integrates well with the theme, and is fun to watch. Magnetic diverters / grabbers for behind the eight ball and within the eight ball work well.

Controlled drops are amazingly smooth on this deck. Love the trick-shots when the drops cycle and move in steps. Players are rewarded by hitting two drops at once, but a single will still advance, risk reward is great as this value carries forward ball to ball, but shooting this area is also dangerous.. maybe time to collect before you drain!

Posts integrate well with the title, and provide a good experience when you get the timing for them. Love the extra software to identify when a right post save has knocked the ball into the shooter lane (Airball), and a score reward. TBH, this should be a huge score reward for how difficult it is to achieve! :)

Each mode has some aspects, but there are rules which seem to have been lost with time. I will attempt to continue to learn about what each character does.

Disable or minimize ball save time, and set the software to EXTRA HARD on this title, but keep the post saves active is the key to enjoying this one. Some very saucy lines out of Dr. Wood. lol, ENJOY!
8.217/10
2 years ago
One of those A-list wedgeheads. Drop targets galore, get the roll-overs up top to score big!
9.118/10
2 years ago
Winner winner chicken dinner. Tough to dial in, but when set up properly, this is about as good as pinball gets.

Game even has optional settings to control the rules for very competitive play. Multiple strategies. Beautiful game in and out, even the 4 tone chimes add that nostalgia coupled with variation to make a little tune.
7.759/10
2 years ago
Fun game with a clear objective. Single player wedgehead allows you to skillfully play ball-to-ball and activate all of 12 rollovers to fill up the ball rack!

Center post placement allows a lot of saves, so you can get some decent chances to keep the ball alive.
6.029/10
2 years ago
A good challenging game. Great rules are multiplier centric as they carry from ball to ball. Get that multiplier early, and milk bonus score after you drain or by using the top kickout.

I think this is the only pinball to urkize a rule for spotting each vari target position. Completing the shots at the 4 different levels will award yoy with an extra ball.. And if bith sides are complete, say hello to a special.

Some really great shots on this massive table.

I have to imagine if this had a different sound package, it would have aged much better... As it stands, I gave this game great points for playfield and rules.. But for me, it has one of the worst sound packages which really hurts the overall score.
9.660/10
2 years ago
Wonderful game that gets better with age. This game can be dialed in to have a good difficulty level for experienced players.

I have played the Pro and LE versions about 50 times each now, TBH, I like them both equally for different reasons.

The layout of the Prem/LE is a true successor to the Black Knight series. If you like the originals, you'll like this one, as each pays homage to its predecessor.

I really enjoy the rules on this game, as when you make the correct shots, you are really rewarded quickly. Like most Steve Ritchie games, random or missed shots will punish you.

The media package for this title is mind blowing, considering it is not one of your typical licensed IP titles. Everything comes together in a cohesive fashion, Visual Art, Sound/Music, Playfield. Everything is so well done.
9.432/10
2 years ago
Played a lot of this on location. Great game for competative play, fast flowing shots keep you shooting through modes in a more focused way as opposed to the Prem and LE.
9.340/10
2 years ago
Wonderful game that gets better with age. This game can be dialed in to have a good difficulty level for experienced players.

I have played the Pro and LE versions about 50 times each now, TBH, I like them both equally for different reasons.

The layout of the Prem/LE is a true successor to the Black Knight series. If you like the originals, you'll like this one, as each pays homage to its predecessor.

I really enjoy the rules on this game, as when you make the correct shots, you are really rewarded quickly. Like most Steve Ritchie games, random or missed shots will punish you.

The media package for this title is mind blowing, considering it is not one of your typical licensed IP titles. Everything comes together in a cohesive fashion, Visual Art, Sound/Music, Playfield. Everything is so well done.

--- EDIT ---
Needed to dock a few points as there are some minor issues that are probably not getting addressed. Still love the game overall.
9.760/10
2 years ago
STTNG delivers one of the most amazing pinball experiences.

This widebody superpin is just packed with theme enriching shots and goodness.

From tihe moment you select your shooter award, the ball hudles in a enterprise like spiral onto the playfield.

Call outs from the full cast complement every mode and moment.

Picard maneuver shot, quite possibly the best shot in pinball, the classic "Steve Ritchie" shot is dialed in to the bnest potential that only this wide body could deliver on. Achiving > warp 9 is an exeprience in itself.

Dual phasers are the ultimate toy, again fitting the theme perfectly. Multiple multiball encounters in the neutral zone.. super spinners, borg multiball, stacking multiball with Q.. easter eggs such as breakout and riker poker.. I could go on and on, but really you just need to own this pin to fully appreciate this complete package.

The only thing holding me back from a perfect score would be perhaps some slight adjustments to the rules to better balance some scoring aspects for more competative play, particularly when Extra balls might not be available. Also some cases where the music could shift more seamlessly to the next mode, in rare occasions, it feels like a software adjustment could mitigate this.
7.895/10
2 years ago
Pleasantly surprised with the playabiltiy of this machine. Good rules and extensive use of the roto-target feature will have you really shooting and nudging for extra balls and replays.
9.040/10
2 years ago
Great game. One of the best flowing shooters game of all time. Nice rule / theme integration with ball 'freezes'. Cool easter eggs, "Do you see any cows around here, detective?"

Claw and Flipper controls integrate well, and provide a unique playing experience.
8.924/10
2 years ago
WOW! I've played this one a fair amount at locations and tournaments, but you really need to play this in a dark room without the noise of other machines obscuring the sound and music.

It is absolute an experience. A masterpiece of mechanics and creativity, and really about as good as pinball gets... it's the whole package here folks.
8.958/10
3 years ago
One of the greatest shooting EMs of all.

Don't be confused with the variations of this layout. This needs to be a single player game. Use 5 balls to either max out your score (hitting 5k drops and rollovers), or in addition, after getting all the drops, use the lit target to score up to 10 specials!

This is my favourite shooting EM as you can control the light by hitting a fairly safe target to advance and cycle this forward between a 10 bank and a 5 bank. Perfect theme integration for a western theme such as El Dorado!
7.756/10
3 years ago
Glad I was able to put quite a few games on this one that you do not see too often.

Not my favourite of the classics (gasp), but generally a solid game overal.
9.069/10
3 years ago
For sheer gameplay and supporting rules, this game really is the "GREATEST".

Completing the word "Greatest" is definitely a scoring objective for the game, and will light extra ball. To accomplish this will require you to shoot ALL over the playfield.

You also have two banks for drops, both equally important for scoring, along with numerous targets.

A timed rollover in the middle adds to the fun.

On completing the word GREATEST, the machine has a relay to flick the GI off and ON.

The uppercut bonus collect is an ABSOLUTE blast to shoot, and the collect for this is amazing.


If I were to pick cons, I would say that the sound is just slightly par for a classic stern.. this is mainly due to it being early in this classic era. If they had a real bell ding for the start and end of the ball instead of the beep.. man or man..

Not sure why people are complaining about the art.. It's a nice package and the figures for Ali are well drawn and characteristic for his personality.
7.178/10
3 years ago
I love the theme, and the integration seems like the effort was there, but it just did not come together as cohesively for me as something like Wizard of Oz for example.

Definitely a technical achievement, of light effects.. interesting shots, but didn't quick 'click' for me.
7.769/10
3 years ago
Pretty incredible game.

The art is amazing and eye catching. Lots to look at.
This machine must be set up and tuned perfectly to be enjoyable. You want the bumpers to activate on a hair, including when the ball travels off the guides on the sides.


As with most games of this era, skillful nudging is a must, but this also allows for some control with the flippers, I feel like I can control the ball more than the majority of 2" early 60s games.

Complete a series of the yellow or red bumpers to advance (probably the first implementation of an end of game scoring bonus). Completing an advance lights an alternative side rollover 'Speshul' for the current ball (or both rollovers in 3-Ball setting).

This means deck is a blast to play, and has a massive 1 more game appeal for me.
8.688/10
3 years ago
You really need to have quite a few games on this title to have a valid impression of the game. It will beat you down, and when you get up, it will beat you down again. That is assuming you have the modern EM set up, which is the back legs all the way up, and the front ALL the way down :)

After getting beaten down 30 times, you might start to understand the appeal of these Ted Zale layouts.

Gameplay and rules are quite impressive. You have a distinct upper and lower portion of the playfield. On the upper, nudging skills may help to keep the ball in play, hitting the spinning bumper and accumulating the lit bumpers, to advance the spelling of the word 'r o c k e t'.

On the lower Playfield, you can shoot to get by the pops to the upper, you can concentrate on some tight angled red mushroom bumpers, which will activate zipper flippers. Once zipped, you can actually apply some flipper skills to gently tap the ball between them, to get the angle to hit a red bumper again. GENIUS!

During the advance of the word rocket, you will activate a ball return gate (this is great as you have a chance to get back to the upper playfield to advance some more letters. You will also advance to light right lane special which will activate a kickback on left side outlane. DO not however that these ball saves are only active when the flippers are unzipped.

On completing the advance of the word 'r o c k e t', you will advance to the next planet on the backbox, and in addition, the game can award a configurable option of AAB, Replays, or Points when you zip past Neptune

AAB or replays are also an option for high score settings.

With a good set up, making the planet advance is very challenging. A good deck for heavy nudging and cool features. My complaint would be that as the zipper flippers are inset from the slingshots, it makes it difficult to gain control of the ball. This is mitigated somewhat by the fun I am having passing and huggling the ball when the flippers are zipped, to make a tight angle shot to advance rocket.

Last, I read somewhere about it not having a skill plunge. In fact, if you draw just the right power, barely making it over the top arch, you _will_ increase your chances of the spinning bumper forcing the ball into the 1st mushroom bumper, and in this way, I have found it truly is a skill plunge to do this, despite the otherwise randomness of the spinning bumper.

* note for AAB play, the upgrade kit consisting of a single 4 switch hold relay is required.
** Game has a really unique feature to configure the 10 point bell to be used for either 10 points only, 10 and 100, or to turn off the feature.
--------------------------

Technical:

As someone who loves engineering, and to tinker with the mechanics, this era of Bally is mindblowing.

For servicing, the Playfield glass lifts up and can be propped up with two bars from the cab.

While the glass is up, the Playfield can then be raised in the usual pinball manner using a single prop rod.

Last, you may unscrew 2 screws on the bottom board, and then using a handle, the whole bottom mainboard can be pulled up along two strong metal rails and affixed to the front of the cab for easy servicing!.. BEAUTIFUL!

Overall, very happy with this machine. It's a quirky little gem from 1967. I took it on as a project to help a seller with resale, but ended up buying it for my own collection :)
8.327/10
3 years ago
Finally have a nice example of WMS San Francisco to play. Having gone through about 30 plays, I figure I'd start my review.

Definitely one of - if not THE most difficult pinball I have played. Only one that comes close is perhaps GTB Flipper Fair IIRC.

Very fast machine, you'll want to check the backbox frequently to see where the arrow is to determine if you'll be shooting left or right. Keeping the arrow in the middle 'C' zone, is the most lucrative with a 100pt rollover near the top that you can hit on the plunge, it also lights the side-to-side roll-under for 50 pts, and the corresponding roll over button.

Lighting B and D will light the respective pop bumper in addition to the applicable rollover button, and A and E will light the outlanes for 50 pts along with the applicable buttons.

Now, where this gets crazy is the game was the last to implement a gobble hole, but boy is this thing crazy. Ball times are difficult as they are, but if you are having a decent ball and have lit numerous zones you will WANT ot hit the gobble hole as it scores 100 pts per lit zone (up to 500 points!, and as these lit zones do not carry forward, there is a massice risk to lose this potential bonus).

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Multiplayer strategy. Well, now. do you feel lucky? One of the neat aspects of this game is on the plunge, you can reliably control if the ball is going to hit some left advances or right advances. You may find it 'safer' to advance to the far edge and avoid the center. This makes it more likely you will leave your competitor with a more difficult position, needing to advance in only one direction to potentially light more zones.

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Other notables:

Sound in this game is excellent, 2x classic WMS bells (high and low pitch).

Despite being a 2" flipper game, the gap is fairly manageable so you can often save and control the ball near the flippers, the outlanes are definitely more dangerous, however well timed nudges will often save the day.

Tilt ends game, however this game features a tilt hold per player, so the other player may finish the game.

Playfield sides are packed with bumpers and scoring switches. Very active and action packed game.

Unique double match system if both players have the same last digit, and it matches the system unit, you can win (up to) 10 credits!

If you like difficult and fast playing games, look no further, and take a trip to San Francisco :)
7.951/10
3 years ago
Seven up is a wonderful 60s game. I will admit, I have a negative bias on posts, and this game has three of them! However, in this case, they work quite well as they fit with the 'Ski' theme, and the center post provides for much more strategy to really make use of the 3" flippers (A wonderful feature for a 60s game).

If you like difficult and mean pinballs, this one is for you!

Is it me, or is it exceptionally cruel to give you a middle post, and then have the two down post rollovers inline with SDTM?

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Anyway, the challenge of this game is to control the ball on the upper playfield. The walls by each 2" flipper will allow the player to get control of the ball, and not only target the standups above, but also pass the ball to the other side, if there are remaining targets to hit on that side.

The object of the game is to hit the targets 1,2,3,4,5,6 and this will trigger the 7 single drop target to come up. Hitting this yields not only 500 pts, but also advances toward the in game special (replay).

There are secondary locations to hit 1,3,4,6 as indicated on the PF, and these will also light a corresponding pop bumper for 10 pts (as opposed to 1pt).

Hitting the 7up 3 times, is actually VERY challenging, which makes that all the more rewarding to achieve.

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In addition to the regular game described above, the game has a great game-to-game feature where as you play, you may collect A,B,C,D,E switches. This advance is carried forward game to game, and with each completion, the skier animation on the backglass will advance down the slope, until they reach the finish line.

At that point, the player may collect a replace from the right E rollover special.

Really, another amazing game from the 60s, I am so happy to have discovered it.
8.003/10
4 years ago
Wow, this is a tough one to rate. A milestone game for innovation as the splash page notes.

Of the games I have owned, this is by far the most difficult to set up correctly, but when it is set up, look out!

Signs of a well set up flash, include being able to knock the drops easily, and repeat the loop with the third flipper multiple times, and powerful flippers.

The game has a great flow, and can be set up to be a good challenge for experienced players. It provides options to go for an extra ball, and multiple flashes for Super Flash. It also has the spinner loop that can be lit for big points, by getting the left side drop bank down (sometimes dangerous).

It has a skill shot, which can be made to either start the left drop bank, or go for the top rollovers for bonus, _OR_ pull all the way to loop to the third flipper.

With bright LEDs, this game is amazing, includign the ultra bright flash in the middle when you complete a drop bank.

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The issues I have with this game, are more with regard to build quality and components. The System 4 flippers and drop targets require a lot of work to keep them at optimal performance, and to ensure they engage well.

The playfield is flimsier than most other machines I have worked on, and the interconnect between board can be problematic.

The art is definitely not for everyone, (including me), it's not that it is bad, just not my style. This allows me to deduct some score to rank it around where I think it should be when you factor the build quality.
5.860/10
4 years ago
I have had the opportunity to play Thunderbirds rather extensively, and see it evolve since the time of release.

The build quality and feel of this machine is nowhere near any of the commercial machines being sold such as Stern Pro, JJP or American pinball. This would be a closer comparison to a stern Home pin for comparison. Maybe a little less solid feeling.

For a budget machine it does have some interesting features. Unfortunately however, overall the game just feels sluggish, and it seems that adjustments to the angle have a negative effect on some of the shots, particularly as the flipper power is on the weaker side.

On the positive side, the music is quite catchy, and goes well with the game.
8.699/10
4 years ago
This is the kind of game that makes you come back for one more play (and not just because she asks you to)

Game design: It works well, and the shots are rewarding. The game will reward well made shots, and easily drain on missed shots with side-side movement. Very interesting post under the flippers provides a lazarus every once in a while. Rollovers by the top kicker provide opportunities for skillful nudging. I really enjoy the two paths to bonus scoring

Pop bumper placement is excellent and really moves the ball around.

On a good incline, the gameplay is fast and furious, and will develop and encourage great flipper skills.

The rules and overall design is very solid.

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Artwork wise this is my favourite solid state pinball. The light strobing around the backbox with infinity mirrors is incredible in a dark room, particularly as the game entices you to hurry up, the lights also flash more quickly matching the tempo of the music.

Sounds and Music? Again, absolutely phenominal what Suzanne Ciani was able to accomplish with the Bally engineers of the time.

The music is absolutely amazing, and draws you in like no other. It is unfortunate that most experiences will be made in the cacophony of a public place. In a home setting however; this can be enjoyed fully.
6.361/10
4 years ago
Interesting game. I had a chance to play enough rounds to pass judgement at a friends location.

I do love the novelty of the BG spinner, it's a great gimmick.

I agree with other comments, that the randomness of spin and win scoring is detrimental to it overall.

Shooting for the up posts is pretty fun, but not a great risk reward overall.
9.183/10
4 years ago
First, although they look similar, this game is quite a bit different than Liberty Bell. This game has inlanes! (Liberty bell does not). Inlanes make all the difference here to really line up that shot for a big spinner hit, LEFT _or_ RIGHT.

The rules (also different than liberty bell in the sense of a Bonus collect). Huge strategy here about going for spinners to 1k, bonus advancement, actively collect bonus? options and decisions for how the game is playing.

Easily one of the most feature rich EMs I have played, the rules and gameplay fit the theme perfectly, as this game is about speed.

4 players is an added treat as everything plays quickly, is fun to watch and compete. I recommend this game without hesitation.
8.662/10
4 years ago
The playfield layout leads to several challenging shots, utilized at different times in the game. You have the skill plunge for the top ABC rollovers which increase the bonus advance opportunity for the drop targets, and iuncrease the scoring for the kick out hole special.

You have a D rollover which can be hit with a difficult shot from the right flipper.

You have the challenge to hit all four drops, and then activate an alternating target on the right side to enable 2x advance bonus mode.

You have another target shot to reset the drops.

You have the bagetelle style lanes on the right which are mainly for progressing the bonus advance.

Progressing the bonus, takes the temperature to the top, which triggers the special.

The layout for the flippers also promotes post passes, and a risky catch on the right side for a drain.

One of, if not the best art packages of any pinball.
7.739/10
4 years ago
Don't really understand the low ratings on this machine. I've had the opportunity to play it quuite a bit as a good friend owns it.

Decent rules, and really great shots make this stand out for me. Love the sound effects and art.

Well placed LEDs will make the graphics shine, and good use of colours on inserts.

Very challenging table, and a blast for mini tournaments, as the bonus is where it is at; and you really do not see too many of these tables around.

Disclamer, as ALWAYS, table set up sometimes makes all the difference.
7.155/10
4 years ago
I've had the opportunity to play this pin regularly for the past year. It's a popular game, and I've tried to see what others see, but I just can't get into it, and thus my Lastability and Fun rankings are on the low side.

If you want a novel game, that will wow guests, this seems like a good pick. So many cool features, typical deep JJP, and clearly the build quality is excellent.

However, for regular play, I find it pretty slow compared to most games, and the theme, although well integrated just does not hold my interest.
8.654/10
4 years ago
High Hand is a shooters paradise. The angled drop target banks are positioned to allow a player to shoot for a particular target on one side, and rebound in a straight line to the other (much like a bankshot on a billiards table). Incredible feature when you consider it.

Set this one to a challenging angle, and keep it waxed and fast. Hitting all targets should be quite rare at that difficulty, and scoring specials for massive bonuses will be a real treat!

Absolutely phenomenal BG artwork.

[[edit]] I'm updating my Game rules ranking, as I have added a mod to mine which resets the drops on max bonus collect, and then increases the drop target scoring to 5k on the second pass. Very challenging. LOVE IT!
9.026/10
4 years ago
Game has it all, Magic theme (yes), Card theme (yes), novelty (yes), multiplayer (yes), drops (yes)

Very interesting layout makes this one stand out. Single pop-bumper is ahead of its time. Love the different shots, and scoring bonus of the jokers. Great theme tie-in, with the bonus being made up by the drop sequences hit.

Many ways to score, neat right outlane ball save feature. Very difficult machine to master.
9.200/10
4 years ago
[UPDATE] Just have to update the rating a bit, the more I play this, the more I love it. I have my angle set pretty high, and the game is just a blast to play. Extremely fast, great shots.

Acquired this one recently and really enjoying it.

Very modern layout, great work by the Master: Steve Ritchie.

Great pin for all levels of players. As others have said, it punishes sloppy play, but at the same time, all the shots are pretty do-able, and if you know what to shoot for, you will be able to maximize your points progression much better than someone who is randomly shooting, or manages to get a multiball etc.

I'm typically not one for detracting play, but the gun is not too bad to reach for and shoot while keeping your eye on the ball.
The RPG is fantastic, and actually has many different modes to it, chasing the target and so forth.

This game has aged really well IMO, and is full of classic shots, with some interesting diverter work. Very solid construction overall, and the bass sounds really resonate to the flippers (mine seems to be modified slightly here, so I am not sure how the sound is on the factory set up).
8.711/10
5 years ago
I have had this game for a few months now, and can say that I still absolutely love it.

A great player, with many difficult but rewarding shots. Absolutely brutal outlanes, but the excitement you feel when you have everything lit is brilliant.

The backglass art style has aged well, and the style immediately made me think of 'The Maxx'... but this predates that by quite a while. So much to look at on the BG and PF, I have to give this 10/10 for art.

As with most good EMs, you'll find yourself nudging the ball as much as flipping it.

Hitting the special is kind of a cool mechanism, which rotates between the coloured sets (White, Yellow, Green), where any completed colours will light the kick-out, and give you a replay.

Matching (3 of a kind) numbers lights that number set for 5k.

This game should be set up tight, so the slingshots etc will trigger on the slightest pressure. Replace the rubber on the chime unit to bask in the quality gottlieb sound of this era, give lots of room on the tilt, and give it a good 6+ deg tilt to get some fast play.

One complaint might be that this could use a 200k scoring light (currently maxes out at 199,990). Of course, you just need to keep track of it a bit more.

Due to the low production numbers of such a great looking and playing game, the collectability aspect is very high with this title. Would have to be a pretty good offer for me to part with mine :)
9.440/10
5 years ago
Very fun game that just sucks you in completely. Shots are very clear, and multi-ball is great.

Great music selection, and animations are wonderful.
8.828/10
5 years ago
The depth and features within this game are definitely overwhelming to start with. Some very clever mechanics, and layout options give this pin a unique playing experience (although I guess this is pretty standard for JJP).

I had the privilege to try out the prototype with working 3 level spinner and chest. A real shame the 3 level spinner is not in the regular production units, as it definitely had a feel to it which goes hand in hand with the theme. Very solid a beautiful both inside and out.
7.344/10
5 years ago
No idea how this game is ranking so high. I had high hopes for this one, and was eager to try this for a long time.

Thankfully in the group we are in, from time to time, we have opportinities to really play and replay some games to our hearts content, and so I feel I really did give this a fair shake. Even after many plays, the shots just seem so simplistic, and the whole package just didn't age well (which is something for a pinhead to say, since this is all about a game which generally ages well).

From a technician standpoint, I love the design of the machine, but playign the game just doesn't keep it anywhere close to the top 100 realm. I'm sure it was great on release, but playing it now, and looking at the gameplay, it is really average all the way around.
8.336/10
5 years ago
I really wanted to like Tales of the Arabian nights. For me, it is a killer theme, and overall of course, the artwork and sound package is beautiful.

After an opportunity to play the actual machine for some time now. I was a bit let down. Perhape my hopes for the game were not realistic, but when you read the comments for it here, you would think it would have more lasting appeal.

Great game of course, just don't buy into the hype. It's no MM or AFM, but it's a good above average modern pin, and the art and audio are enough to still pay for the space in any good collection.
9.564/10
5 years ago
Medieval Madness seriosuly catapults it out of the park. Love the modes, and strategy / gamble to stack up madness multiballs, and the feeling of accomplishment to here them all read out, and attempting Royal madness.

Humour is great, art both digital and on the table is fabulous, and the toys cannot be beat.
8.163/10
5 years ago
Love playing this one again and again. 2 Players is always nice in an em ("More fun to compete")

Great theme and art package. You have to love the backglass!

Pretty sure this one has improved my pinball skills, lots of opportunity for bounce passes, and time to think and execute a strategy. Hard to make spinner shot, which scores well and provides and opportunity for an extra ball.

This is a relatively fast playing game, but on a good ball, a player can rack up an incredible double bonus, which will just keep on counting. Very challenging to try to roll the score after the 100k is lit. Options for 3 and 5 ball play.

I guess my only complaints would be a bit of randomness with the target bonus, and the williams chimes of this era, which take a lot of coaxing to get a nice ring to them.
9.385/10
5 years ago
Cheetah is a beautiful game that gets your heart beating, and keeps you coming back with deceptive complexity and... HISTORY/Mystery.

First the gameplay: Very fun game, stuffed with 80s sound effects you'll love (if you are into that). A difficult to hit collect bonus (that apparently is easy on some models, such that a custom ROM is available to tweak the collection per ball), and
4 banks of drop targets. The largest bank of 5, will lead you through a natural progression of cheetah, which leads to a fairly simple extra ball via a lit toggle inlane. You've got one shot at this per game. Pretty straightforward.

Some of the longest and hardest shots in pinball, there is a shot from the right flipper all the way to the top to hit the top multiplier drops (end to end), and the best strafe target shot of any (probably a 1 in 50 shot, but knocking the 5 targets down in sequence from the third flipper in one go is phenomenal.)

After this tho, the magic is this game also has 2 more different locations for Extra Balls, at the top, by hitting the three sequence timed targets to match three amber starts (skillful play allows you to trap the ball, and hit these with perfect shot timing), which will light the horseshoe spinner extra ball, and another extra ball by progressing through the right drop target bank (very difficult, as this is a risky shot), to light an extra ball by the pop-bumpers.

Meanwhile, you'll always be working toward increasing your bonus, and specifically, the bonus multiplier which you will build up throughout the game.

Do yourself a favour, and find a version with the prototype (deep bass) rom package. It takes the sound rating from a 1 to a 6 to use pinside ranking.
9.260/10
5 years ago
We have had high speed running at my place for just about a year now. My family still loves to play it, so it definitely does not get old or boring for us. Very solid and reliable machine has a flow and speed to it which works perfectly. Music and sound is sure to get your heart racing, and the art package is top notch.

This game is a key pinball of the 80s, and is really neat to see it featured in so many places... like, what's that playfield in the Naked Gun 33 1/3 intro? :)

Simple enough rules to be a good introduction to pinball, but skillful enough to challenge advanced players (My son has rolled the score several times now)

My biggest con with the game would have been in incremental global jackpot value, which would detract from tournament play... HOWEVER, there is now a ROM to solve that, which allows multiple fixed options for jackpot values, and some other options you may like.

Great game!
8.364/10
5 years ago
I took this one on as a project, and am really not a fan of the theme at all.
That said, after getting it playable, it has become a popular one to play at our
house for all ages.

As with other comments, I agree, it is really important to have this one set up
properly and cleaned to maintain a good flow. Opportunities for some more
skillful play is a key for some older machines which can drain easily.

Ruleset was fun to figure out while repairing the mechanics. Many machines in
this era use the contact reel which goes back and forth, but what better
application than a sports game where the team travels back and forth naturally?
This fits in with playfield lighting which 'tracks' the current ball position on
the field, going back and forth, switching sides, and scoring goals when it
makes it to the goal line!

Coloured advance bumpers score more points based on team possession, and the
lighting flips back and forth accordingly. Landing in the center goal can take
some skillful nudging, and a bonus to score points on the kickout.

Many different replay and objectives to shoot and add different challenges for
players. (i.e, x goals for selected team = replay, many configurable score
options for replays)

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