Matesamo's ratings

Another one of those recent Stern machines that just nails everything. Sure the pro doesn't have the orbit shot or spinning disco ball but it still has the great gameplay, awesome animations, top notch voice work and smooth shots that we look for in a great table. Deadpool is truly the little hero who could, rising from obscurity to billion-grossing film franchise and now his own pinball machine. Breaking away from the movies and using original video game style artwork was a great idea and freed up the game to really make some interesting gameplay decisions. The only downside to the Pro is the plastic hero standups everywhere but thankfully there are decades of action figures of all the characters you can use to make the playfield really pop!

When the game debuted at Pinburgh me and my wife got in line to try it and wound up on machines next to each other. We walked away and she said "Horrible" at the same time I said "Must buy", lol. I love everything about the game and the ideas it brings to the table. True skill shots, no rotating "rollover" awards you are trying to get, deep ruleset and great shots. I prefer the pro over the premium because a)the price difference matters and b)the T-Rex head is a pain to get working reliably. I already went through that with The Lost World and wasn't a huge fan of going through it again. I replaced the T-Rex head with a proportionate-to-the-jeep T-Rex, added some cheap foliage and dinosaurs to the playfield and made it a true "world under glass" experience. For under $100 in mods it makes the game look amazing and compliments the wonderful gameplay to a T. One of the best games ever in my opinion and I felt that way since the first game back at the convention.

Boy that row of drop targets sure is tempting, isn't it? Build up your hand to get the big bonus at the end of your ball but this is not as easy as it sounds. Careful shot selection is a must to avoid the outlanes and if the player flips carelessly they will be done with the game in no time.

Looks pretty simple but this is not a machine for the casual player. Tough shots to make at times, lengthy "story" to work through and unusual "split" playfield makes it a game that may take a while to get into but once you do there is a lot to enjoy with it.

Surprisingly good machine, much better than I expected for what I consider a lesser known theme. Music is fantastic and the shots are great. Easy to pick up the basics and there is more than a casual player will know like multiple hidden skill shots.

The first solid state pitch and hit game from williams. Features one or two players, defaults to a 3 inning game but that can be adjusted. The pitcher can choose from three pitches while the batter tries to time his one swing to make contact. The ball has to travel to the top of the play field or it is a strike, there are no holes or rollovers on the play field. If you hit the ramp just right you can launch the ball into the air and if it lands in the upper decks you get a home run. There are umpire call outs, the roar of the crowd when you get a big hit and a snip of take me out to the ball game. It’s not as fancy as some of the older EMs which featured the running men, the lights do not have the same effect.

Can also be played single player where the pitch button just randomly selects a pitch. You only bat in single player and try to beat the high score, it’s nice but playing with a friend is what makes this game great.

Very interesting playfield layout that really matches the theme. Wonderful artwork on both the playfield and backglass makes it a very attractive game to display. Hard to play well but when you learn to nudge correctly you will master the playfield and win the race.

In interesting game which features vari-targets which do not reset between players and games but retain the value until "cashed out" by getting a ball into the kickout hole next to it. It allows the other player to steal your hard work but it also allows you multiple attempts to get the vari-target to the top which would an add an extra ball to the your game. Pretty Neat.

The playfield artwork is alright but I really like the backglass art, particularly the details like the fight posters being the "better to compete" slogan. Its a fun little game, middle of the road for sure but not even close to the bottom of the Gottlieb EM barrel.

It sure is nice to look at but man does it not play well. Make the spinner shot to get to the pop bumper and it often rolls straight back down the drain. The rollovers are not fun to shoot at and the bonus multiplier is only for the last ball which makes it a one-ball game. There is a nice kickback and gate to return the ball to the plunger but over all it feels like a design that was never completed.

I very nice game with some cool gimmicks, nice shots, and good flow. It’s dissed a little because of the movie it’s based on, if it was an original property it would be higher rated. It’s a good “bang for your buck” machine with a lower cost but still plenty of features.

Surprising deep ruleset, one of the pinsiders here posted a guide to the game and once you understand the depth of the game it really opens up. I went into the settings and turned off the option to get "Sink the Deez" after hitting the dive hole, the only way to get it now is to get three goals lit in a row on the crossboard on the playfield. Makes it a tougher get and a great reward for good play.

Thanks to Pintastic I got to finally play one of these and it was one of Capcoms best pinball machines. As soon as I plunged I fell in love with the game play and shots, nice gimmicks and great artwork. Its a shame Capcom left pinball as they were just hitting their stride.

Another new Star Wars game based on the original Trilogy? Sure, why not? It is a solid little shooter with some interesting design elements. It doesn't have a lot of originally and it won't win any innovation awards but it is good for what it is. Still pre-1.0 code so it is tough to judge it but I do wish Stern would put a little more into their artwork and animations, this one wasn't their best.

Finally got a chance to play this at Pintastic and it was a solid little Stern game, feels like any of there more recent games. I do not like the backglass and wish they would get away from the photoshoped screen captures and give us real artwork again.

One of my favorite pinball tables, this one features everything you could ask for in an EM; plenty of drop target, moving targets, rollover to complete to enable truly high scores... If you ever see one cheap, scoop it up, you will not regret it!

The same layout as El Dorado and Target Alpha, this time in a two-player version. Unfortunately the artwork on this one is not nearly as nice as the other two versions but it still has that great gameplay and usually is much cheaper. If you love drop targets then check this one out.

Roll-overs are the rule of the day with this one but it really is a simple pinball game. The backglass artwork is certainly not where my interests lay but as a real basic pinball I am sure it is good for smaller kids.

One of the better baseball pinball machines out there, if you can get the roto-target to work right, it is a game that rewards well placed shots. Not a lot of room for error and the top 1/5th of the table in inaccessible once play starts.

Taking out the plunge lane gave the designers another inch or two of playfield to work with but it does not feel like they really took advantage of the space. Plays well enough and the duel scoring is always a bonus but this one has to be one of the busiest backglasses that Gottlieb ever released on an EM machine.

One of the icon pinball games, this one has a very tricky skill shot to make when plunging which is quite a bit different from modern skill shots! The spinning disc in the middle is unique and makes the game more unpredictable then many others and it is hard to argue against EM multi-ball. Not one of my favorite tables but one I don't mind playing when I see it.

Seven (7!) Bumpers on this one, thankfully only the middle three are actually pop bumpers or this game would be shaking! Beautiful backglass is the striking point of this table, it is one of the nicest I have seen and draws the eyes to it. Two ways to earn extra replays; there is scoring on the backglass as well as points you earn which show up on the playfield. The reverse flippers are a pain for sure but once you learn the art of nudging you will soon be racking up very impressive scores.

What an interest pinball machine, a huge color display under most of the playfield that is ever changing as the game goes on. The downside to such a large display is that the lower half of the playfield is empty but it certainly stands out from the crowd. You will be given so much information from the screen but it almost always presents it is an easy to follow way. I can see the set of blocks that rise up from the playfield as a potential headache down the road but for now it is was a very cool machine to play.

Finally got the chance to play Big Band Bar at Pintastic 2017 and was pleasantly surprised by how it played. It is colorful, great artwork and plenty of shots. It showed where Capcom was going if they stayed in the business and it is a shame they left. It is certainly one of their best machines.

Very solid game that plays fast, has a good rule set and plenty of shots.

It certainly is eye catching with its flashing light on the backglass and it playing fast. Not enough shots to keep my interest and having the ball shot straight down the middle gets old pretty quick.

Gorgar is one of those machines that people always remember playing "back in the day". It is a nice solid game that will give you some good times and leave you wanting one more try.

Wide body action that has a ton of shots and targets. Did it need to be a widebody? I am not sure but it works to show off the great artwork.

A surprising little Gottlieb machine, good layout and certainly feels like they got their moneys worth with the license. *** Having a chance to play this some more I am surprised by how deep the rules are, it seems like I am always discovering something new. The amount of toys in this are crazy, it would be a premium edition if released today, although painting them would make them look even better.

This is really a one shot game and if the goalie is not working correctly you just score shot after shot. Still its a fun little game when properly tuned but I wish there was an alternate backglass.

If you do not study the rules like you are cramming for finals then you will not put up very good scores. As someone who doesn't study the rules or even watches the show I get lost at times trying to figure out which house to attack or if I should cancel a mode or not.

Although I can never get great scores using the handles, they do make is super easy to nudge the machine. Lots of great shots and modes, the crane is a neat feature to allow you to choose your mission and it is a table that gets a lot of play during league.

Modern EM machine that is great for league since most younger players will struggle with the difficulty. Nudge this bad boy to keep the ball alive and you will do great.

Very open playfield with few interesting shots. Almost seems like an afterthought machine with left over pieces, if you know what I mean.

Probably the least played game in our league, I am not sure I have ever seen anyone pick it unless it was as a joke. It certainly captures the look of a wrestling pinball machine but that Gimmick is a) not that fun and b) takes up a huge portion of the playfield.

One of my least favorite Sega Pinball Games, was glad to see it replaced at my local barcade with Popeye. Yes, that is true! It just does not flow great, the filing cabinet is the gimmick they came up with from a show based of the paranormal?

A very unique piece of pinball history, if you do not know what it is when you start to play it then you will be shocked, lol. Not sure how much fun it was, I played three or four games just because I had never seen it before but it was mainly to make sure I was seeing what I thought I was.

A true novelty game, if you ever seen it out in the wild watch people point at it excitedly, start a game and then struggle to even play all the balls before they walk away.

This game would be excellent if someone could write a new ruleset for it. Layout is nice, looks great, good smooth shots and neat toys. Plenty of space to add custom mods if you so desire. Beating the game is very difficult on default settings and some of the modes are not as much fun as the should be. Ball control is key with this one, not for the faint of heart.

Zipper-Flipper games are hard to come by but this one just does not offer a lot of gameplay for the average player. You are just trying to get the X roll overs multiple times to get the big points. I am also not a fan of the artwork, I do not like the pointy elbow design of the era.

One of those classic unique EM games, great layout with four flippers, drop targets galore and a steep difficulty curve. You will have a great game followed by three or four games that just crush your spirit. One of my favorite games to pick during league play to see the looks on players faces when they realize what they are in for.

A very interesting playfield layout and a drop target lovers dream. Not easy to knock all the targets down and you really have to nudge the ball to keep it from draining down the sides. Wish the backglass art was a little more themed if you know what I mean, the mixture of hot girls and a creepy clown does not appeal to a lot of people.

An EM machine for the modern era, a true throwback in design and look. At first I thought the score wheels were a display but they are actual reels! There is a tiny LCD display on the apron showing multiplayer scores and highscores. You would not even notice it if you were not looking and it is tough to read. If this machine was 3k I would love to grab one but at the pricing for what you get it is a little out of control. Choose it in your next league night and watch "rules lawyers" player lose their minds!

FAST. That is one word which I would use to describe Grand Prix. The DC power slings the ball around the tables with reckless abandon. Those with lightening quick reflexes need not apply. The feeling of hitting one of the spinners and seeing the lights strobe in order while the clickety-click spinner spins is one of the best moments you will have in pinball. I wish the backglass looked better, there is no character to it. Oh well, no game is perfect.

One of my favorites from the era, plenty of hard shots and often unforgiving bounces that will kill your dreams of pinball glory. The left drain and return lanes in particular are cruel and mean spirited. Watch the PAPA finals to see how cruel the game can be to even the best players in the world.

Based on the long running TV show, this machine features the original Doctors from the shows run. Maybe it is time for a mod to add the current incarnations or even a new table from Stern? Anyways, the rules are deep and each Doctor has his own abilities and goals. Take the time to learn the rules and strategies and it opens up the game to the next level.

This one really snuck up on me but after a few games I learned why it was considered a classic. Great goals to aim for, multipliers can be tricky as they tend to come back down the middle, hitting the 8 ball and then landing in the kickout is a tough shot to make. All in all, it is the height of the early solid state pinball era.

There are some creepy elements to this game and it often feels "cheap" build wise but it still has some cool features. Gameplay is very start and stop with precise shots needed to really score the big points. The use of primary colors contributes to it cheap look and it is not really an eye catching machine.

A very nice looking machine but sometimes it feels like the gaps are just a touch too small. Frustrating at times the music is great and the animations are eye catching. The Toys in the Attic portion of the playfield is cool with the way it shoots the balls into (hopefully) the trunk. Lots of great songs from their "good" to get the groove going.

Nice fun little title with spinning disks around the playfield and even a fan on top of the head to blow wind in your face. Can feel a little empty at times due to placement of objects on the playfield but still is enjoyable to play.

Feel like a reworking of Iron Man to a certain extent with the villain in the middle of the playfield you strike with balls, the magnetic sling at the top. Feels cramped and obstructed, wasn't even sure it was licensed from the TV Show due to lack of characters on the game.

I picked up a very nice condition Kickoff and was very surprised when I played it. The bumpers, slingshots and 2" flippers are very strong and the ball moves with some purpose! The moving backglass of the ball is neat and the random runback on the kickoff is a very cool touch. The whole thing feels like a football game, the drains vary between no reward, an extra point (if drains after a touchdown and before a kickoff), a field goal (if over the 50 yard line, or a special. My wife, who hates 2" flipper games, actually really enjoyed playing this one, to the surprise of both of us. My son enjoys watching the backglass and doing play-by-play announcing as the ball moves up field. Overall I was very impressed with this machine and feel it was well worth the price.

It sure is nice to look at but man does it not play well. Make the spinner shot to get to the pop bumper and it often rolls straight back down the drain. The rollovers are not fun to shoot at and the bonus multiplier is only for the last ball which makes it a one-ball game. There is a nice kickback and gate to return the ball to the plunger but over all it feels like a design that was never completed.

One of my favorite EM's; fast gameplay, beautiful artwork and fun, fun, fun!

The more we played this machine while we had it the more we enjoyed it. In fact, the night before it left us my wife suddenly clicked on how to play the board and had a blast. Hard to capture the ball with the flipper and those outlanes are large and inviting to the ball. Great feel when you hit the spinners even though it seemed harder than expected to do so. Nice little machine with a great theme tied into the centennial celebration.

A very unusual layout for sure, it is enjoyable enough with the usual 70's quality Gottlieb artwork. The four kickouts on the table are neat and add to the feel of being "bucked" as they shot from bottom into the top one and then kicking out again.

When I first bought this table I figured it would be a nice cheap system one game for the kids, I did not realize the level of skill shots required to keep the game going. Wax it up and get a good incline and the ball has a ton of action on it, flying around the table and bouncing off of the bumpers. Without the multiplier you will not score much no matter how long you play so that is key. A great game to introduce someone to pinball, a minute to explain the goals of the table and then watch them go.

One of my favorite layouts of all the EM games, this and Target Alpha just feel and play differently from most other games and four flippers! Love the western theme, Gottlieb was at the height of their creative peak during this time and it shows.

Got a chance to play this at the Release Party at Pinball Gallery. Really surprised how well it played even in its incomplete state, lots of good shot chains, the animations and speech are excellent, plenty of goals to shoot for. Regardless of what you feel about the theme or the name it plays very well and I am looking forward to playing it when it is released. ***** Played in again multiple times at Pintastic 2017 and my opinion has only increased, this may be one of those evergreen games that just stays around forever. My wife and kids pretty much would wait in line, play the machine and then go to the end of the line to wait and play again. I try not to rate games too high but looking over the different rating categories I just cannot find any that should be lower. It just is a great game.

The upper flippers with wide open middle makes for some neat "hockey passes" back and fourth as you try to line up your shots at the drop targets. It is a shame this was made after Bobby left the Bruins, retheme it is you can, lol.

Not a bad game, the Gottlieb photo backglass hurts. Would love to have a custom hand drawn backglass for it so it does not look as tacky. Nice use of drum sounds when to hit the targets.

This one of our favorite Gottliebs of the era. The playfield is packed with shots and there is always something to shoot for. Old school backbox animation, multiball, challenging shots and great theme make it a solid winner in my book. Sure there are no ramps in this one but who cares when it plays oh so good.

This one has grown on me over time, it is probably because two of the three pinball joints in Rhode Island have one so I have plenty of chances to play it. The more I learn the rules the more I appreciate the layout of the table, I love fast shooting and ramps so this is right in my zone. Has some very tricky shots but doesn't have as many cheap SDTM shots as other recent Sterns have. I am not even s Star Trek fan and I would love to own one of these someday.

The Pro version of Metallica holds up very well and you do not really miss the "hammer of justice" after a bit, it frees up the view that it blocks in the Premium so in some ways it is better. A great game with great artwork and animations, Stern has come a long way from the photoshop days of Elvis and Rolling Stones!

The only EM machine I have seen with 2" flippers instead of slingshots but it adds a different element to the game and it certainly catches people's eye. The artwork is beautiful with bright vibrant colors and it seems like most of them have survived in good condition. One of the best four player EM machines you will ever play, it will wind up as a centerpiece of you classic pinball collection. I have owned it twice now and it will be around for a while this time.

This is one of my favorite EM games and one that I was thrilled to be able to add to my collection. The old single player wedge heads usually have decent rules and Sky Jump is better then most. Using the center bumper to change the bonus target, roll-over to give bonuses to all drop targets and the constant attempting to get both lit under one available target is pure pinball bliss. In less than a week we have put almost two hundred plays onto the machine so obviously it plays great and appeals to everyone from age 9 through 45.

As for the theme, think about the skill of skydiving. You are aiming for a target and the closer you get to the center the more points you get. (As an aside, I remember playing the Sky Diving mini game in Super Monkey Ball on the Gamecube for hours and hours!) Hitting any of the drop targets with nothing lit under them is lust a successful jump and very little points. You activate the numbered roll-overs to light the top row of lights under the corresponding numbered drop targets which represents landing on the outer rings of the landing platform and more point. If you can use the center bumper to move the "hot" target to a standing drop target and hit it you get EVEN more points for landing on the inner ring of the landing platform. If you manage to get both lights under s standing drop target lit and then hit that target, well you just successfully sky dived onto the bulls eye and will be awarded big time points.

This table is just to bare for my tastes, the secondary reverse table is neat but everything is a long shot on top. One of those tables that I never see anyone play on league night.

A very solid game, plays much better than I expected it to. Love the 70's style comic book art on the playfield and backglass.

This is one of the popular Stern tables that I just do not get. Every time I have to play it in league play I come away unimpressed but man, people love it. I do not know what to say except that it obviously is not for me.

Mixed feelings about this table to be honest. It is a great casual table for non-players as it really attracts their attention although the rule set could quickly turn them off. I love everything about the game except foir the table layout which I find to be pretty empty with a good portion of the table obscured. The backglass display is stunning though even though there is so much presented that it makes quick glances up nearly useless. Watch someone else playing to really appreciate the theme and displays.

Another one of those classic tables, it has a certain level of "sexiness" which may turn some players off but my wife loved the suggestive comments and thought the table was great fun. I did have to explain who Elvira was though, the problems with marrying young.

Oh the first time the magic box spins around and the ball flies up and sticks to it before it spins back around, is there any better "moment" in pinball? It just grabs and impresses everyone.

One of my core classic games, just an imaginative game with plenty of offer. Not the biggest fan of the spinning Genie lamp but at least it fit the tables theme.

Solid music based table, not quite to the Metallica level of goodness but still a solid shooter with a killer soundtrack.

Splendid pinball table that really captures the feel for the movies. I have only played it in an arcade setting but would love to play it at home one day with John Williams soundtrack blasting in the background.

It is an oldie but man what a goodie! The first time I ever played this game at Silverlake I could not believe the mechanical boxers in the ring actually moved and threw punches. I am not very technical but it seems like an amazing mechanical marvel seeing it in action!

What an amazing table. Have a friend who does not like pinball? Have them try this one, it is almost like a video game there is so much going on. The downside is that there is not a great flow to the game, it is very start and stop. Funny too!

Its all about the long ramp shots with this one, still it is quite a fun game once you get the rhythm of the table down.

Unique table layout that makes skills shots up the crossing ramps a must. Love the fishing pole reel multiball as well.

Just an excellent game, I play it every time I see it. Everything screams Metallica and comes from their entire career from the crosses of Master of Puppets to the Fuel callouts, it is a fans dream come true.

One of my family's favorite games. The first pinball game to really grab my 11 year olds attention!

Love the layout and feel of the table. The rapids on the left side are awesome, the first time I saw the ball flying down I let out a small squeak of excitement.