ThePinballCo-op's ratings

Pinsider ThePinballCo-op has rated 40 machines.

This page shows all all these ratings, and forms ThePinballCo-op's personal top 40.


Rating comments

ThePinballCo-op has written 40 rating comments:


9.560/10
11 months ago
Disclaimer: My wife and I are FF fans and we had planned on buying this game 10 years ago, if/when it was ever made. That said, we said the same exact thing about Walking Dead, and that game came and went in our collection. So we're not going to just praise a game based on theme alone.

This review is for the LE.

==========================================

This is the first game in a long time where I couldn't stop playing it and I lost track of time. It would be 6PM when I started, and then it was 10PM before I knew what happened. I can't stop playing! "I need to go to bed.......ok one more" ....... and then I'd play five more times.

==========================================

The Good:

-- Layout is amazing, and I'd argue that it's the best layout in all of pinball. The shots are fun, and ball goes in many areas and it takes quite a while to figure the pathways all out. I don't know how Jack Danger created such a massive space without making this game a widebody, but he did it.

-- The light show is phenomenal. Expression lighting is a must for all games. Come on, Stern. Make it a thing. Even the pro owners should have this in their games.

-- The music is great imo, but it's not just that. If you are playing with two or more players and you guys select the same song at launch, you won't hear the same repetitions in that song. Instead, the song will pick up on the next player where it left off on the previous player! That's amazing work by the coding team, and anyone singing along won't have to stop. I wish Iron Maiden or AC/DC would do that. I like those games but hearing the same parts of the same songs gets old. This is next-level ingenuity yet so simple to code (I assume).

-- It's not easy, yet it's not difficult to play. You get punished for bad shots but the game is also coded very well to forgive you if you do (right out lane ball save and a left out lane death post). You have to work for multiballs in a great way, and when you earn one you feel very satisfied.

-- The modes are fun, and the rewards you can earn to help you through the modes is one of my favorite rules in pinball.

-- The animations are OFF THE CHARTS!

-- Integration and theming is impressive. I know it's been said before, but this is a combination alien-music pin. Such a great idea that fits very well with the layout.

-- The upper level is one of the best in all of pinball. TSPP's is the best, but this is right up there with TBL. It's challenging and fast, and you're rewarded HEAVILY for making things happen. It does not slow down gameplay at all. Using that upper playfield is my favorite part of the game.

-- I don't care about art work usually, but could this be the best art package of all time? I find myself finding new stuff all over the place. It's so well done, fun and entertaining.



The Bad:

-- Callouts are lacking. I don't know where to go at times, and I hate the fact that I have to listen to some roadie telling me what to do. I hope this is adjusted at some point. If Dave Grohl did the callouts, I would be over the moon. If/when that happens, I'll adjust this rating accordingly. Hopefully it won't be tied to a topper or some scheme to suck money out of us.

-- The upper playfield and alien are nice, but compared to other games those things really aren't great toys and gimmicks. This is the one thing that will always be lacking in this game. I wish the Alien toy used a magnet to pick up the ball like a tractor beam or something, that would put it over the top.


Other:

-- For a $13k game, the speakers are subpar. You have to increase the ohms from 4 to 8, and even then I think you could do better. I like a lot of what Stern does, but their desire to make pins on the cheap is starting to make me worry about buying future pins of theirs. Just once I want to hear someone say "wow they got good speakers" or "the coil stops on a Stern are awesome".


==============================================

This is easily one of the best games all time, if not THE best game all time. Jack Danger really nailed it here. How is he going to follow up from this instant classic?

It's going to get some negative ratings from those who can't disassociate the game from the music, so that's unfortunate. I bet if this game was themed with a different band that they loved, they would be rating it one of the best all time as well. I really don't see how anybody could stand in front of this machine and not continuously play it.
6.797/10
1 year ago
The Good:

-- The light show is amazing. It's the best in pinball and the amount of time and effort to choreograph each song to a specific light show isn't lost on me. Best in the biz, job well done!

-- The music, of course. I'm not a huge GnR fan, but this game pumps it out loud and clear and it's hard not to love every single song when you play.

-- The layout is top notch. Always something to aim for and hit. The playfield feels HUGE and that gives you the feeling of being able to go anywhere and explore. I really like that.


The Bad:

-- Maybe it's just me, but a music pin should play music right when you plunge it. In GnR you gotta earn the right to play a song, and if you don't play the ball well enough, the song stops and you gotta start over again.

-- Multiballs happen too often. Multiballs are something you work for in every game and it feels like a treat when you earn it. This game hands them out with no explanation as to why or how to play them. When you're given something you don't feel like you've earned, it takes away from the enjoyment of it.

-- Scoring is weird. I played non-stop for 10 minutes on one ball and barely earned a million, but if I play a song for a long time and hit the right shots, it can be worth 50+ million. And if I take chances and drain, my 50 million is gone. Why do that? This isn't Jack*Bot!

-- The flippers are weak and get weaker as you continue to play. Eventually you can't make it up the ramps, can barely make an orbit, the side flipper fails to hit your targets, etc. It's annoying.

-- The plunge is not exciting, and often doesn't feed the flipper. I played two different games and both games resulted in plunges that went down the middle immediately, so you had to work to save it over and over again.


====================================================

I don't love the game. I think I'll probably someday swap for one and play until I'm sick of it, but that's only if the game finds its way to me. It's not a game I will ever seek out to buy. There's currently 40 of them in the market. Can't be a good sign.
6.054/10
1 year ago
If you're looking to score points in competition, multiball is the way to go. If you can build up that multiplier, you can really blow this thing up. But that's also basically the only way to score points.

=========================

The Good:
-- 4 flippers, always something to hit somewhere
-- The multiplier rules are unique
-- Multiball is exciting. It's some of my favorite multiball in all of pinball
-- I like the layout. Gottlieb was creative with this one
-- The music, but then again it's such a standard Gottlieb thing to make catchy music


The Bad:
-- Beyond mulitball, there really isn't a way to score decent points
-- Since the process is very basic, it gets boring pretty quick
-- It's ugly as sin
-- Very dark, even with bright white LEDs
-- The bonus count down can last MINUTES on ball 3 if you do well enough. I spent nearly 3 minutes waiting

=========================

I like the game, and I'll play it once or twice when I walk by it, but I won't stand in front of it for hours at a time or anything. Great fun for a while, but it will not last in any collection. I'd say it has a 6-8 month window before you will move on.
8.785/10
1 year ago
I think it's criminal how much I like this game. I purchased it with funds I didn't expect to have, on a whim from an ad I saw in a Florida post. I thought that I would buy this game and play it for a couple months and then sell or trade for something else. I don't think that's going to happen anymore.

=========================================

The Good:
-- Shots are fun to hit, some of the best in pinball imo
-- Two ramps on the left side, and both are satisfying
-- Layout is pretty great
-- Humorous
-- Great bash toy in the crane
-- Collect junk and assemble items to play modes. Pretty ingenious
-- Fun main multiball
-- Excellent wizard mode idea
-- Out lane ball saves that you can earn
-- Use the time machine to play parts of your old Bally/Williams games!
-- Once you reach the wizard mode once, it's not excruciating to play through it again. Why don't other games do this?
-- Easy to fix if things go wrong

The Bad:
-- Ugly playfield. Just awful
-- Not very deep and can be rather easy to reach the wizard mode. I wouldn't want this game if I only had 3 or fewer in my collection.

Literally the only two drawbacks imo.

==========================================

All in all, I sorta like the game... a lot. I didn't expect to like it that much, but now I'm looking at the rest of my collection and asking what else can I sell when I need money!? Its not overly great and doesn't belong in the same stratosphere as AFM, MB, et al, but it doesn't deserve to be middle of the pack like it is now either.

If you have a chance to buy this thing, I'd absolutely do it.
4.247/10
1 year ago
I bought this game never having played it before. I was surprised how inexpensive it was given that it's a DMD game, but I quickly realized why.

==========================================

The Good:
-- When you start the game and it tests the ship and does the little light show, it really draws you in. You think you're about to play one of the best games ever made
-- The skill shot for a multiball is fun
-- The Deez multiball is a neat gimmick

The Bad:
-- Everything else. The layout is terrible. What the heck am I even aiming for? The scoop and only the scoop?
-- The rules
-- The layout
-- The art
-- The lighting

==========================================

I played the heck out of this game for a solid hour or two and then gave up. I couldn't get into it as much as I tried. This is the kind of game I'd love to have on location because of the ship and skill shot and light show at the beginning. It will draw noobies in. People who like pinball will hate it though.

The makers of this game tried though. There are map sections to collect and trading in your dirt for items, but none of it really matters in the end. The whole game you're just trying to start multiball -- which is random -- and then getting jackpots. I had it on location for league, and nearly everyone at all times got some variation of 300 million to 400 million points. All the same, all the time.

I don't ever want to play it again. Dominos Pizza was bad, Party Animal was bad, and this is somewhere near those two.
8.157/10
1 year ago
The Good:

-- Theme integration
-- Toys (working Alien, side ramp lock, pop toppers, slings, etc)
------ The Alien has one of the best features in all of pinball. It's so awesome for the game to trap the ball with a magnet, then "cut the power" aka turn off the lights, and watch as the Alien reaches out and eats the ball. Truly a work of art
-- Shots are labeled well via LEDs. I always know where I need to go
-- Colored LEDs are used very well. The insert/gi lightshow at times is awe-inspiring
-- The music is fantastic. It gets you into the mood and is never tiring
-- Multiballs are fun and can be stacked. There are four of them (not including All Out War)
-- Layout for me is a positive. It's not easy and can be frustrating for newer players
-- The game allows you to select which set of modes you want to start with, allowing for variation right at the plunge
-- You can earn weapons in the game that give you perks when you use them. Is your ball about to drain? Load up your shotgun, hit the launch button, and get a multiball started to save your ball! The strategy this employs is brilliant
-- Pinball Brothers are VERY good at responding and helping customers. I haven't needed any assistance yet, but I've rarely read any complaints about this

(The following was a negative, now I consider it a positive)
-- The upper flipper can't be fed directly. You have to hit the proper orbit to get the back post to stand up so it falls into the pops, and then you have to pray it falls on the right side to feed the flipper. OR, on the saucer kickout from the left side, you need to be dead on with the upper left flipper to have it feed the right flipper... and even when you do, there's a chance you feed it so well that the ball flies right out on the left side. (EDIT: Oct 30 2022 -- Now that I think about it, if you could feed the flipper over and over again, Hypersleep Multiball and outlane saves would be too easy. This is perfectly designed! It's not a negative at all.



The Bad:

-- Lighting is horrid. It's great on the LV and fine if you have extra lighting via the room, lamp, modded apron, etc
-- The backglass stinks. It's just an egg. Again, you can buy a mod to fix this
-- The audio callouts are subpar. If you aren't paying attention you will lose track. This may have been done by design to let the theme play a larger role, and I don't mind the callouts being most LED-based, but some people won't like it


=======================================


All in all, it's one of my favorite games to play all time. How is this machine 8k used? If someone were to slap a "Stern" logo on it, this thing would be worth 10-12k tomorrow. It's an amazing game that draws people in.

I first played the Heighway version years ago and fell in love. It drew me in and I wanted to own one ever since. I'm stoked Pinball Brothers took it over. This game is 95-99% as good as the original in my opinion. I can't believe I own one. I never thought it would happen.

I'm going to hang onto this game for quite a while.
9.680/10
1 year ago
The Good:
-- Theme integration. It couldn't be more perfect.
-- Toys. Name a game that has better toys than TBL with the rug, car, and bowling alley.
-- The flow is so good I wonder if Lawler had a hand in it.
-- Lit up very nicely.
-- The upper and lower playfields are some of the best in pinball. THREE LEVELS in this game!
-- The speakers are amazing. The sub is powerful.
-- The callouts! I understand it's not the same voice actor as in the movie, but it sure sounds that way.
-- Tons of mods can be found to make this game elite.
-- The music is fantastic. I thought I'd miss the vocals but tbh, I think I prefer the music in the game WITHOUT vocals. It's more background music that way and I never get tired of it.
EDIT:
-- Rules are pretty good now. Still not great imo (not as deep as Stern) but with the latest updates it is now very good. It's in the 75th percentile as far as rules go.


The Bad:
-- Scoring is off, especially in rug modes. If you want to score big in tournaments, you need to avoid them. Even with the latest update, rug modes and car modes basically add nothing to your score. I wish this was different. I find myself avoiding modes in competition.


Other:
-- Reliability has already been a slight issue. My upper playfield died and they are sending me a new ribbon cable to fix what is assumed to be the problem. The customer service, however, is top notch. So this is all balanced out.
EDIT: It turned out to be the board for the upper playfield itself that was bad.
-- The rug switch sensitivity isn't always perfect. IMO the best fix for this is making the rug a one-hit shot to get modes started, which is similar to many other games anyway. Left flipper nails the rug easily, right flipper does not.

========================================================================

The game is amazing. I have it on free play at the local co-op and it's a draw in itself. As it stands right now, it's not only an amazing game, but it's also a work of art. This is the greatest world under glass that pinball has ever seen, and may ever see. Stunning.

EDIT: If I wanted heart-pumping gameplay, this is not the game I would select. If I wanted a casual, fun, funny, mellow experience, this is my game of choice. It's the perfect game to get together with a group of people and chat, drink, socialize and play. It's my favorite game of all time, and I don't know if that will ever change.
9.200/10
2 years ago
The following is based on playing the premium version several dozen times.

The Good:
-- Layout. I think it's probably the best layout I've ever played. The flow is amazing, the left-to-right makes it feel like a widebody, the upper flipper is incredibly useful, and the fact that the building collapsing one story makes the ramps feed opposite flippers is a nice touch. Elwin really knocked it out of the park on this one.
-- The building mech is one of the best mechs all time.
-- I love spinners and this game has THREE to work with. Awesome.
-- The further you advance in the game, the cooler stuff you see. I keep wanting to play the game over and over to check out all that stuff buried deep into the game.
-- The music, sound, and callouts are all very clear and crisp. I never realized this until someone pointed it out, but the volume levels of each are probably the best of any game.
-- The scoring is the best of any game. There's no bad shots, there's no bad modes, there's no bad anything since everything is worth points!

The Bad:
-- In a game about Godzilla, the only moving mechs are a building and a spinner... not Godzilla.
-- The left ramp shot isn't clean. I put a slow-motion camera on that shot and even when I put the ball where I'm supposed to, sometimes it'll bounce & rattle around and then come back down, a-la Rick & Morty on the inner loop. Very disappointing.
-- The ruleset is deep when you advance in the game -- which I rated as "good" -- but the beginning of every game is pretty much the same, so it's sort of like running the same errand over and over to get to the part of the game where the code really comes alive.
-- The scoop is difficult to hit. The game I'm rating is in a public location and the number of people frustrated with the scoop is too high. They walk away from the game disappointed that they were unable to start a mode. It's torture for moderate-to-new players and that's takes away from their enjoyment.
-- I don't care for the art work, personally. I don't hate it, but it looks like every other stern ever.
-- Sometimes I feel like there's too many multiball modes. Maybe I'm just being picky, but I often play 3-4 multiballs back to back, and I'm pretty sick of it after the third one in a row.
-- Only 4 modes to pick from at the start, and only 3 ally's. Kind of disappointing compared to other games.

==============================================================

All in all, this is an amazing game. It's has most of "the best ever" in it that it's hard to hate the game. I love playing it, and besides the left ramp that I hit cleanly but the ball rattles around and doesn't go through, everything else about it is nearly a dream come true for me.

I still prefer Avengers more with the deep ruleset and plethora of objectives and strategy you can employ right from the first ball plunge, but nearly everything else on Godzilla is untouchable by any other game on the market. Home run!
6.616/10
2 years ago
I played this game in a tournament not that long ago. I was really looking forward to it.

The Good:
-- Music, obviously
-- The left and right ramps are very fun to hit
-- The playfield looks awesome imo
-- It's lit up very well

The Bad:
-- That tiny ramp next to the zeppelin isn't so fun to hit
-- It's wide open in the center. I literally had the ball bounce far left, then right, then left again, and not hit a single thing. It seemed to take forever to roll around and do nothing. So much wasted space. I felt like I was playing on a barren waste land.
-- The upper flipper is fun but it's just for one little shot... I wish it was used for more than that.

I like most stern games but this felt stripped down. Maybe the premiums and LEs are better, but this is such a waste of money imo. There's nothing fun to hit or anything. If I never play it again, I won't care.
7.731/10
3 years ago
Pros:
-- Gottlieb knows how to make games with fun sounds and music that's catchy.
-- This game utilizes lighting very well, as it should given the title.
-- The loops shot is very satisfying.
-- I love the sound and feel of the slot machine.
-- The rules are fun and deeper than I originally thought. You can get points in a multitude of different ways. If you run up on a Vegas and the left loop is always lit for a million it will be less fun and basically unplayable since that shot is so easy and worth so much, but if that's adjusted then points can be found everywhere.
-- This game makes you think, and you have to be quick about it too, when you get 3 stars or 3 jokers.
-- You can challenge yourself by trying to get all the cards collected, which you can only do on the same ball. It's about as hard as anything else I've done in any other game.


Cons:
-- The girl on the backglass looks less appealing on the playfield. Why not make it more Vegas-looking with buildings and neon signs and slot machines and such?

==============================================================

I think this is a rare gem from Gottlieb. There's also a sequence in attract mode that if you have your lights off, it's bananas man. The whole room glows and goes nuts. It'll make you turn your head to figure out "what the heck game is that?!"

Also, the "double or nothing" quick pick is so.... dangerous yet exciting. I had 5 million and went for it and ended up with 0 points haha. In about 5 double or nothings I've only won one time. Maybe I'm unlucky. I'm glad that's in the game though. It'd be super fun to select that in a competition and have it pay off to catch up to someone in the lead.
9.073/10
3 years ago
Pros:
-- Excellent rules. I love how you can take the straight flush at 100k or fight for more. The bonus is also worth a good amount of points. I love the balance.
-- The double flipper adds a unique element.
-- The sound when you get a straight flush is awesome. It takes over the room.

Cons:
-- I wish there were more things to shoot or a multiball. The kickouts provide opportunities for this...

==========================================

I didn't say much but this is a rather fun game. I enjoy it every time I play it. It also makes for a great competition game.
6.209/10
3 years ago
I've played it maybe three dozen times.

Pros:
-- Fun ramp shot that gives some nice sound and light show. Very satisfying shot, one of the best in all of pinball.
-- For the year it was made, some of the best sound effects by comparison.
-- I love the different multiball possibilities.
-- The scoring rules are nice.

Cons:
-- I don't love the rules. Get multiball and hit stuff (basically all you do).
-- Lastability is low as a result.
-- Not lit up too well at all.

========================================

I wanted to love this game but I just can't. Once you play one game with multiball, you've played all the games. I once for three ball mutliball and that was fun, but I had zero desire to try to do that again. The red and blue targets on the left and right side are too dangerous to shoot for, so all you do is hit the yellow and red lock shots, or hit the ramp shot and play it safe. It's kind of boring...
7.046/10
3 years ago
Built in 1987, this game was obviously behind its peers in terms of technology and creativity, but don't let my low rating fool you. This is one of my favorite games of all time. Every rating I gave I said "it could have been better but I like it". If you own this game, do yourself a favor and buy blue, green, red, and yellow color LEDs and place them around the stations to make them pop. I also recommend a color-changing light bulb (~$10) and install that into the backbox so that the colors match the stations. It really pops when you do those things (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0SZia13FCs). Onto the ratings:

Pros:
--- Split playfield that actually has something to hit on both levels. Think Black Knight
--- Good use of flashers. The upper flashers flash when the ball is up top, the lower when down below
--- FLEX BUTTON! I love that the in-lanes are also out-lanes, but you have a separate button on the left and right side that you can use to control any ball that might be headed out. Having four buttons you need to keep track of instead of two does make it more interesting.
--- The ramps life up for a jackpot, and if you're really good, you can collect several jackpots before they close
--- Double-playfield scoring standup. That's a must-hit in tournament play
--- Inexpensive. For $1000-$1500 it'll be hard to do much better
--- Pretty good rules imo. Always something that can be hit using any of the four flippers. Set of standups, double scoring target, under the ramps, in-line drops, and upper playfield loop.

Cons:
--- No multiball
--- No speech
--- Very little variety in music, but catchy enough to listen to at least
--- Very few drops (almost all standups)
--- I find the service buttons to be difficult to navigate. I know they wanted to make it easier with the touchpad, but I have a hard time figuring out how it works and how to change settings.
--- They made the game so completing a row of stations advances your bonus. If you can complete 12 sets, you can maximize the bonus to its fullest. Super difficult and time consuming and not worth it, so it's kind of a ruleset that doesn't matter. Someone could have worked to incorporate this into the game better.

In all of my ratings I try to do a pros and cons list, but this game needs a neutral list.

Neutral:
--- At the start button and before each ball, there is a noise of a woman doing a workout... though that can be easily misconstrued as something sexual. I don't love it, but what I do love is the look on people's faces hearing it for the first time. :)
--- Some people hate the backglass and the playfield so this is a negative. But if you're into cheese like me, this is a positive. Let's average it out to a neutral.
--- It's not lit up very well (negative), but if you install colored LEDs into the game, the fact that it's lit up poorly allows the colored LEDs to really pop, turning a negative into a positive, averaging out to neutral.

=============================================================

Sometimes you play a game that has a poor rating and literally no appeal at all, and for no reason at all it sticks with you. I think Hardbody is that game for me. I played it for the first time at Mystic Pinball (RIP) and I fell in love with it. I hate that I liked it so much. Mystic just got like four NIB games at the time, and I kept ignoring those games to play Hardbody. I felt guilty, but for a poorly-themed pin that was behind its peers (made AFTER F14, Pinbot, High Speed), I found it very fun and entertaining.

I own it now and I'm pretty stoked about it. I'll say this: because it's so basic it's very easy to fix. :)
9.481/10
3 years ago
If I was giving a rating for this game over a year ago, it would be a lot lower because you are forced to play the same cities over and over again. However, with the new mod that soren created, it's a completely different game. The mod allows you to change the settings of the game so ALL cities are in play, not just 2 or 3 at a time and not just East Coast to West Coast. Literally changes the rules and enjoyment of the game.

Road Show without soren code and Road Show with soren code should be two different ratings.

If you own the game, the mod is well worth it. I purchased a chip from Canada for maybe $15, swapped it out, and I've never been happier. This game is AMAZING with the chip installed.

Mod: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/new-road-show-software-mod/page/2

======================================================================

The Good:
--- It's a widebody, yet the flow is unreal and smooth. Pat Lawler really shined in this one.
--- Tons of shots, all located in the perfect spots in the game.
--- The rules are outstanding. Start modes, go to Bobs shop, multiball, blast zone, left plunge skillshot... so much stuff. This game is LOADED!
--- Shaker motor is intense.
--- Multiballs are so satisfying. Shots are simple yet challenging.
--- It's never boring IF you get the new mod. I love being able to play modes in all the cities.


The Bad:
--- The eyes can fail, and if it's in Ted you gotta remove nearly everything to get to it. Ouch...
--- The backglass isn't great, but that's subjective.
--- Super heavy. If you wanna move it around, you better bring a buddy or two.
--- The one country song. It gets annoying. I purchased a pinsound and put my own music into it, one disco/oldies and the other hard rock/metal. The game is now AWESOME, and I can swap the albums depending on mood. This has also enhanced my enjoyment of the game so much that I'll probably never sell it now.

Verdict: It's one of my favorite games of all time. The soren chip, new music, and a topper takes it to a whole new level. I love playing it and there are tons of mods available to spice up the playfield. It's awesome!
5.937/10
3 years ago
I purchased this game NIB June 2020.

The Good:
-- Theme integration is top notch.
-- Shaker motor integration. I love how it's integrated with the pop.
-- Pop bumper instead of the left sling is very fun. It creates chaos, which I love in pinball.
-- Rules are complex enough without being too confusing.
-- Shots are fun and thrilling when you hit them. There's nothing like ripping the spinner and then hitting the garage shot!
-- Lighting is tremendous. No pinstadium or enhancements needed with this pin.
-- Video clips in the game and in attract mode are entertaining.
-- Great use of the upper flipper.
-- Fast gameplay. It'll keep you on your toes.
-- Excellent multiball rules, and I love how you can stack with modes.
-- Did I mention that pop bumper is where the left sling should be!? Tremendous!
-- The artwork is phenomenal.
-- Rick harasses you all game long. It's funny and keeps the game lively.
-- The music is catchy.
-- The magnasave can be forgotten, but if you remember it exists it can be valuable and fun.
-- Good amount of modes to play. Not too repetitive.
-- DIMENSIONS! I love touring to new places, watching the lighting change, sometimes music too, and collecting megaseeds!
-- Interactive topper that is actually useful. When the portal is lit, the topper spins and lights. I see it when I play and it's a great way for me to know that the portal is ready.


The Bad:
-- The code fails now and then. I've had some amazing games, but the code killed my game and restarted it at least twice, including during my best game of all time. Very disappointing.
-- IMO it has a lackluster wizard mode, and if you aren't even aware of it you can skip right over it.
-- The launch rail is odd. I have to keep tweaking it. Sometimes the ball launches too far, and sometimes not at all. It needs to be modified by the buyer. It's flimsy and I don't like it.
-- The inner loop shot needs adjusting. I already adjusted it twice. Getting annoying. I hate hitting that inner loop only to have the ball stall and come back... very annoying.
-- Left ramp is far too steep to hit consistently.
-- The flippers get weak after you play it for a while. Coil gets too hot, I believe.
-- The callouts are not all that great at times when it should be. I want my jackpots to be heard. I want super jackpots to go nuts! It's almost as if they don't matter.
-- Has a very clunky feel to it. The shots don't quite line up, ball sounds are 'tinny', the left ramp exits onto the plastics... why?
-- No real toys or cool mechs in the game.

EDIT: I originally had "too much bass" as a negative, but I've figured out how to fix it. There is an amplifier in the cabinet, and if you fiddle with ALL of the knobs, you'll eventually figure out what each one does and you'll be able to adjust the sound properly. The knobs are too close to the cabinet to be able to read them, I guess that's a negative as well.

============================================

This might be the most fun game I've ever played when everything works as intended. It's fast, fun, hilarious, challenging, etc. I started a mode, advanced it a few times, hit a dimension, watched the colors and music change, collected megaseeds, hit a meeseeks, started a multiball, and then started another multiball all in one turn. This game is just flat out fun. I keep hitting the start button and I never want to leave.

However, I couldn't count on having this in the Pinball Co-op for competitions. It restarted too often, was too clunky, and the flippers got too weak. It's far better as a home game or just something to play at the bar. If you play the pin for good laughs and you can put up with all the negatives, you'll love it. And to top it all off, the customer service is top notch.

EDIT: I ended up selling the game out of frustration. Too many minor tweaks and adjustments, too many people didn't want to play it, etc. I was the only one hitting the start button, which is no fun. It was a great laugh and great music, but if I wanted to play a serious game to rack up points and do my best, it just got too clunky and unreliable to play. It's a shame, really.

EDIT2: I've played about 5 others since I sold my pin. Every one of them had something major wrong with it. This game is unreliable. Imagine if Stern had the license to this theme? It might have been the best selling pins of all time.
8.365/10
4 years ago
I first played this game with my wife when Bowen asked us to play with him at Pintastic. We loved the game so much that we had to add it to our wish list immediately. It took almost a year, but we purchased this game NIB from Kingpin Games (super great guy).

The Good:
-- Amazing sounds. I love the creepy noises and the screaming/moaning during certain shots. The gunshots and insects and all of the sound effects are probably the best in any game I've ever played.
-- Alice Cooper's music is intertwined perfectly.
-- FRANKENSTEIN! He pops out of the back of the game when you lock the second ball. The music and sound effects with it are AWESOME! One of my favorites in any game all time.
-- Nice variety of modes. I maintain that you need at least 8 randomized modes in order to make the game playable over the long run, and this game has 9 plus MDB.
-- Good use of the multiball.
-- Great upper playfield. I love hitting that guillotine shot, but there's so much to do up there too (lock a ball, target, extra ball, and 3 passages).
-- Challenging shots. I don't think they are too difficult to hit, but some people get frustrated by it. This is a "good" for me but could be a "bad" for someone else.
-- The artwork is top notch. Some of the best I've ever seen.

The Bad:
-- The colors are great and the RGB lights are fantastic, but the GI isn't bright enough. I have to use a pinstadium to light it up perfectly. You can take pinstadium and make this bad into a good/amazing. If you use the green tint you can make the playfield pop with color. It's outstanding imo, one of the few games that pinstadium can literally change the appearance of.
-- It could use some side-missions. You have your modes and multiballs, but I feel like it's really missing that extra element.

=====================

If the shots were not as tight, the code was a little deeper, and the GI a little brighter, I think this would be one of the best pins ever made. It misses the mark to be considered best of the best, but it holds it's own quite well, and I think over time it'll increase in value. This game is a true hidden gem.

I love the game and hope to keep it in my collection for a long time. It's one of the few that I have played non-stop over the course of a year and I'm still not bored of it.
8.930/10
4 years ago
I love this game. For a game that's made almost 40 years ago, this one has great rules and appeal. There's almost always something to shoot for and hit. The one thing I hate is that when you sink the 8 ball to complete the set, you are forced to hit the standups again to set the drops back up You'd be better off aiming for the left orbit, which makes this a one-flipper game at that point, especially on ball 3. No complaints otherwise, fun game!
6.555/10
4 years ago
I enjoy the game just fine if I go into it as a "game so bad it's good" kind of feeling. It's fun in a party setting. If I'm playing solo, I'd rather not play it at all.
7.534/10
4 years ago
Pros:

-- It's lit up well.
-- The rules are nice.
-- Sounds great!

Cons:

-- The cabinet doesn't do it for me. Backglass neither.
-- Some of the shots are too tight, specifically the right orbit.
-- I played with 20 other people for 8 hours, and not one person made the left-side upper flipper shot.
-- What are the toys on a pro? The car thing that switches back and forth? It's not even the real JP jeep.
-- The game feels too repetitive. Shots and strategy are too similar each ball. Start multiball shot is in a weird spot.
-- Very linear ruleset. I find myself starting a game and doing the exact same things over and over. No variation.

===============================================

I really wanted to love this game. I played it in Pinburgh and came away impressed but not overly delighted. I then played the game for a much longer time in Montreal and found myself having more fun playing other games. It just didn't pull me in.

I think Iron Maiden is over-rated. I like the rules, music, sounds, and graphics. I feel the same way about JP. They took too many things from the only JP game (CHAOS, bunker, etc) but made it worse. Why do all the lights turn off when my ball is in play!? I know it's for a cool effect but I can't see the ball and if you drain when this happens, you start resenting the game.

I will never own one and I'd be perfectly happy if I never played it again.
8.380/10
4 years ago
This is a crazy fun game. It doesn't look it and I think that's part of the reason it scares people away. The skillshot is the hardest one I know of, and when you hit it, it feels like a true accomplishment. That combined with the upper-flipper lock shot is a thing of beauty... when it happens.

The music is awesome, as that goes for most Gottliebs. It varies during gameplay and never gets boring. I love how it quiets itself down between plunges, why don't more games do this? I also love the sound effects on the spinners, WOW! Probably the best spinner to hit in any game that I know (or tied with ACDC at least).

The flashers work well with gameplay. Hitting good shots is extra fun because of this. One small gripe I have is GI, I wish it was brighter.

The rules are mostly perfect. I don't understand the reasoning behind making the pop bumper jackpot so random and yet so valuable. I guess the better player will be able to keep the ball alive longer and therefore have a better shot at the jackpot, but still, it's too random for me. Everything else is perfect though. Drops, multiball, reracks, lit spinners, loops, top lanes, multipliers.... so much to do!

One knock, and I don't know if it is a knock, is the artwork. It's purposely cheesy. The backglass is horrid and so is the cabinet, but that's done on purpose. Cheese builds on cheese, and I love it. It's the perfect 80s game.

That said, I think the playfield could have been better. The middle area is such a waste and is for decoration only. I get that it's supposed to be a mirrored pool table, as shown in the backglass and seen on the side of the cabinet, but it just doesn't do it for me. It's a valiant effort, but misses the mark.

Lastly, this is a FAST PACED GAME. You better be able to react quickly. The center post will save you from SDTM drains, but everything else is up to you. It's hard to brick a shot, which is a good thing, but ball control is a whole other issue. You gotta be accurate and quick in order to succeed on this one. It'll keep you coming back for more.

All in all, this is a great game at such an amazing price. I'd rather play/own this game than most of what comes out on the market these days. I'm very shocked at how awesome it is. I purchased it at Pintastic, and then played it a few times thinking it was just an average game. When I was able to bring it back and play without disruption and so I could actually hear the thing, that made a world of difference.

The rating on this game is flawed btw. The "artwork" rating will be low, but that's also part of the beauty of the game: BAD ARTWORK. It's so bad, it's good!
7.860/10
4 years ago
I love BK1 and I'm pretty content with BK2. With several years to think about it, with new and advanced technology and all the possibilities, I really expected BK3 to be out of this world. I only watch the trailer videos and never read a single review so that I wasn't influenced one way or another.

The game looks AMAZING! The backglass, the graphics, the lighting.... A+.

Sound? Another A+. Voices are clear and crisp, music is powerful.

The knight is one of the best toys ever created. His eyes light up when he talks? He verbally harasses you all game? Awesome.

The layout has a lot left to be desired. The knight is right up close to the flippers. Even when you hit what you're supposed to hit, the ball goes right down the middle. That happened to me three times. I then just backhanded everything rather easily and started the modes & multiballs with ease.

Munsters, by comparison, has so much room inside the machine. Heck, nearly every other machine made lately has that. BK3 makes you feel like you're playing on less than half a playfield. I hate that feeling.

The modes are fantastic. Some of my favorite modes in any game. The animation, lighting, and sounds all go perfectly together. They are varying and fun to play. The multiballs are fun too. When you advance the game far enough, it turns into a mixture of BK1 & BK2 with the sounds and graphics. I LOVED THAT SO MUCH! Made me nostalgic.

Also happy with the magnasave feature. I'm glad it's back.

Overall, fun game. However I think it could have been so much better. Push the knight back another 4-6 inches. Give the user some space on the playfield to work with. The shots would also be a tad tougher. The also feels dimensional. No depth, no height. Hard to explain, really. Kind of like how TNA is put together. This is uncharacteristic with other BK titles. That was disheartening after a while.

It slightly missed the mark of excellence for me. It under-achieved my expectations, but it's still a fun game and I'll be happy to play it again for a few months at least.
8.805/10
5 years ago
After only playing this game online and seeing pictures of it for years, my wife and I finally bought the SE version. We've had it a few weeks.

Pros:
-- Tons of fun toys. Drac. Franky. I even love shaking the machine when creature is lit up just to watch him bounce around.
-- The RBG lighting is absolutely insane. I can't believe how great it is. Each monster gets their own color, and the entire machine turns green, blue, red, etc when a monster is hit or the monster mode starts up. It's an amazing effect that I can't recall from any other machine.
-- No tight shots. The spinner is super fun to hit.
-- Love all the modes and multiballs.
-- Anyone can play and have fun with it. Rookies love the game for its simplicity, vets love the game for the complexity of finishing the modes.

Cons:
-- I gave the game rules/scoring logic a 4 out of 6. It's only an opinion, but if you don't start multiball during league play, then you're going to lose. It's kind of unbalanced compared to other games in that regard. This is just my own personal preference.
-- While the RGB lighting is amazing, the colored lighting isn't enough to light the entire playfield. CE versions have white lighting, so the playfield is lit up pretty well. SE & LE versions need extra support imo. I use pinstadium. It's fine now but that's an extra expense I'd rather have not made.

====================================================

Overall, it's obviously a great game. One of the best of all time, and the remake is even better than the original in my opinion. I'm so happy that CGC is remaking some of the classics so regular shmucks like me can finally own & play it.
5.713/10
5 years ago
When I first played this game, I fell in love with it. I loved hitting the ramp and watching the shuttle do it's thing via lights. As I played it over time, I grew to hate it for so many reasons.

The Good:
-- I think the multiball mode is cool. When you start multiball, it's a great feeling. I love the "3...2...1... liftoff!"
-- The safety fence on the right outlane, and the fact that you can re-activate it via the drop targets.
-- I love the drop targets / spinner. It's my favorite thing to aim for in the game... BUT...

The Bad:
-- The fact that the drops/spinner are my favorite things to aim for, despite the fact that there's this COOL spaceship on a ramp that I'm avoiding, tells you something. I like hitting the ramp and all but it's so boring. SO BORING! Sure, points are there, but that's all you gotta do.
-- Too often my ball jumps over the safety pop-up saucer thing. I hate that. Once is too much.
-- The whole point of this machine is multiball. Lock a ball on the left, lock a ball on the right, ramp. That's almost the entire playfield. Yes, spinner/drops, and yes I can spell "shuttle" to win a prize... a prize that is randomized and also has it's own place on the playfield. Not very creative with the space imo.
-- The lighting stinks.

There's too much to mention. I played it for several months. I'm glad it's gone.
8.451/10
5 years ago
I found out I was going to a tournament and this game was going to be there having only been opened 3 days prior, so essentially brand new. I WAS STOKED! I've been reading about it and watching videos preparing for the very day I found myself in front of one.
I drove 3 hours and all I could do was talk to my car companions about how awesome this game was going to be. When I got there, I got to play it almost right away.

Pros:
-- Super awesome sound and light. The best in the business for sound.
-- Easy to follow rules and shots. I was never lost, even on game 1.
-- The co-op mode is awesome. I love this feature and got to see it played. This is the best feature in the game. It's going to improve its lastability. Having a common goal keeps the game interesting.

Cons:
-- Too repetitive. In my ball one I destroyed a reactor. I asked the guy who was helping me with rules "what do I do now" and he said "do it again". I was cradling the ball and asked "what else can I do?". His response: "that's pretty much it". I was disappointed. This is a HUGE con, as I didn't really care to play my 2nd ball. I finished the game and walked away, even after being offered to play again. Talk about disappointment. I started a 2nd game about an hour later with a friend. I walked away ball 2... I just didn't care for it.


It's only 1 con, but it's the only one I needed. I hate to say it...... but I hated the game. I hit all the skill shots, I killed a reactor, I started several multiballs..... I did all this in just 4 balls (2 games). I had no desire to return to it. I'm rather upset as I was looking forward to playing it for MONTHS......... I feel terrible saying it, but I couldn't care less if I never played it again.

EDIT: A TNA now resides at a place near where I live, so I've had the opportunity to play it several more times. I love the lights, I love love LOVE the sounds & music.... I hate the repetitiveness... HOWEVER... it has this awesome co-op mode. That's some of the best fun you'll have in pinball. That alone made me want to play it again and again. Ratings bump as a result.
8.616/10
5 years ago
I played this game in Buffalo at the Pocketeer. EDIT 2/17/23 I now own this game.

The Good:
-- It looks beautiful
-- Great theme
-- Great sound
-- Great rules
-- Pretty dang funny at times

The Bad:
-- It doesn't flow as much as others
-- Scoring is low. We're all spoiled by millions of points but most games you'd be lucky to get a few hundred thousand


Overall I love the theme and sights and sounds. It's beautiful. The rules are awesome. There's a ton inside of it and for 6k used you'll be hard-pressed to find a better deal.
7.384/10
5 years ago
I used to own this machine for two years.

The Good:
-- Lighting is one of the best I've seen. It really pulls you in.
-- The modes are very fun and challenging. The modes are the best part of this pin for sure.
-- Shots are satisfying as all get out. Both ramps are some of the best ramps in any game I've ever played.
-- The layout is one of the best layouts ever, imo.
-- SOLID BUILD. This isn't in the rating anywhere, but it's a solid machine that could withstand an earthquake.
-- Big bang! Great idea.
-- I love the collecting of sim cards. Also a brilliant idea.

The Bad:
-- Multiballs, while fun, are basically worthless because the points are too low. If this gets fixed in an update, I'd bump the rules rating up from a 4 to a 6. It's just depressing when you get a multiball and you're sad about it. You're also forced to start a multiball after you drain sometimes, which is a bummer because I use multiballs to combo with modes.
-- I like the theme, but the artwork could be improved. The lead character is a guy with 80s looking clothes & style. Come on.
-- The music is somewhat too repetitive. While it is catchy, I find it too light and airy. It doesn't draw me in like it does on other games.
-- The callouts are under-whelming and sometimes incorrect. Shoot the right ramp you say? But the big points are in the theater!...
-- The point structure is terrible. You get a jackpot and it's basically the size of a few pop bumper hits. Terrible.

==============================================================

I love Lawler games because of the layout, and I loved this game because of the modes, big bang, sim cars, and overall strategy. I hated the music over time, the sounds over time, and the seemingly worthless multiballs that it forced me to play. Multiball should be the best part of any game, not the worst. So deflating. I used to love this game, but I ended up hating this game over time, and now I can't even bring myself to hit the start button.

It's a shame, really. It has so much promise. If anyone ever developes a code update to make it a little more darker & sinister, and with better music (all sound related) and the scoring improves on multiball jackpots, I'd be all over it again.
9.608/10
5 years ago
This game is my bench mark for all games. It hits every major category.

The Good:
-- The layout is awesome. Lots of stuff to hit. Has Aliens & Spaceships, great toys!
-- The callouts are funny. Love em all.
-- Great light & sound show. Martian Multiball is awesome. "ATTACK!!!!!"
-- Looks awesome. Perhaps the best theme, best cabinet, best back-glass, etc.
-- I love the rules. So much to do! Multiball games, video mode, strobe multiball, etc.
-- Challenging!!!!! It takes me a long time and many games to finish specific parts of the pin. I'll never rule the universe...

The Bad:
-- ........ uhh........ no idea what to say here.

I love the game. Like I said, it's my benchmark for all other games on the market. I can't pick even one thing wrong with it. Maybe it would be better with an LCD/LED screen? That's the best I can do.
8.935/10
5 years ago
I didn't know anything about this game. It's like a standard-body reverse-paragon, and I love paragon.

The Good:
-- Lots of stuff to hit. For a '79, that's pretty impressive.
-- I personally love the ruleset..... but.... (see the cons)
-- The double-left flipper is a great added challenge, and the detour gate is a great addition.

The Bad:
-- Rules: Weighted very heavily for the bonus and top kick-out hole.... maybe too heavily. Noobies can get lucky and win in competition, which is a big deal.


I love the game. I play it a lot but I don't play it more than a few times in a row for maybe 15 minutes total because of the repetition. However, I love how it plays and I think it's a great machine for everyone, new or experienced.
9.210/10
5 years ago
I am not a fan of the band Iron Maiden. I couldn't name any of their songs, and I'm not a big stern fan. This game showed up at my local co-op, and because of all the buzz about it, I was excited to give it a try:

The Good:
-- Awesome layout. It's one of the best layouts I've ever seen.
-- Lighting & Sound is amazing. All band-themed pins better have this.
-- Best use of a LCD/LED screen I've ever seen. So easy to see your targets and the animations are incredibly fun.
-- Great rules! It keeps the game fun and interesting. I love all the multiballs.
-- 4 flippers!
-- I love the 2 ramps and orbits.
-- It makes me want to play another game again and again.

The Bad:
-- The lighting is good, but I think it could be better. This isn't really a knock so much as I feel this way about nearly every game.
-- Where's the toys!? The only thing I can think of is the middle ramp into the target. MORE TOYS!
-- Maybe it's too easy? I'm not so great, but I found myself in front of it for about 30 minutes at a time (with no Extra Balls).


Conclusion: I love the game and I love the rules. After only 1 hour of playing it, however, I was 2 ramps away from Power Pyramid and 1 more from Number of the Beast Wizard mode. Maybe the settings can be made tougher somehow. The game is so great, I don't want to get tired of playing it!

EDIT (Added 3/13/19): I still love this game. It's very fun and tons of adrenaline. There's always something to hit... but that's also part of the complaint that I have... there's always something to hit. In competition, I watched as a new player amassed over 300 million points having no clue what they were doing. When I asked about their strategy, they said "no idea. I was just keeping the ball alive and kept getting points."

Game-wise, I love it. Competition-wise, not so much.
8.883/10
5 years ago
This game is what helped me learn ball control

The Good:
-- I love the way it looks, from the cabinet to the playfield.
-- It's such a heavy and solid wide-body. It has a great feel to it.
-- The ruleset is awesome. All the points are in the bonus, so you don't want to tilt it.
-- Layout is great. Lots to hit for a machine made in 1980.
-- I love how this game gives players a great way to practice ball control.

The Bad:
-- The ball kind of floats around a little too much for my liking.


I love this game. I play it every chance I get. It's a rush to get 20,000 bonus on ball one and even more of a rush to crush the bonus multiplier on the left side. I was even able to get the extra ball & special in a game... which was amazing! I could play this game everyday.
5.898/10
5 years ago
I found this game at my local coop and played it maybe 50 times.

The Good:
-- Layout is nearly as good as it could be for the time in which it was made.
-- The rules make it fun. It's easy-ish to follow.
-- When you lock 2 multiballs, it's a rush. I've never seen anyone lock all 3!
-- Not only does it score your game, but also buckets, which is an added element to competition.
-- The flippers allow for great catches & carry.

The Bad:
-- So hard to see the playfield. Needs more lighting.
-- The sounds get repetitive. Some guy says "myah!" a lot, and that was always in my head.
-- Looks stupid.


It played very well, and to me, that's all that really matters. I loved the challenge of getting multiballs and locking them for the 1m bonus. I was able to do it 6 times in a row once, which was quite the rush. If it had better music & sounds, and better artwork, I think it would be more desirable by most.
9.254/10
5 years ago
I love this game. Every time I come across one, I need to play it.

The Bad:
-- Hard to see because of the reflection of the back glass. I hate it. I also hate how dim it is. Could use more GI.

The Good:
-- Super fun drop targets that actually have a dual purpose (timed for points & magna-save)
-- x-scoring is a fun shot and increases the bonus.
-- Multiball is incredibly fun to start and play for a 1980s machine.
-- Shots are both fun and challenging. It never gets boring.

I think it's one of the best machines of its time. I could, and have, played it for hours a day.
8.320/10
5 years ago
I was a huge Walking Dead (AMC) fan when this show first came out. This pin came around the same time as my peak interest in the show, so I was a big fan when I walked up to the machine.

The Bad:
-- The music, or lack-there-of. I like what's there but it's very repetative.
-- The animations would be better in color. Come on, Stern. Stop skimping!

The Good:
-- Layout is awesome. Some people don't like the layout but I'm a big fan, personally.
-- The rules are great.
-- Sounds & Lights work together very well.


Given what the designers had to work with, I think this is a very fun pin. It has me coming back every time. It's fun to play and anyone can play it. The sounds are great and when paired with the lighting and shaker motor, it really immerses you into the game.

It's fun to play, it's reliable and hardly needs maintenance, cleaning is simple. I've probably come back to play this pin more times than any other.
9.201/10
5 years ago
I loved AC/DC as a kid growing up, so I figured this machine would suck me right in. It has done the opposite.

The Bad:
-- 8 drop targets and 4 stand up targets? I feel that's taking the easy way out for a 2013 game.
-- The cannon hides the entire right side in & out lanes. I can't see and it's frustrating to look around it.
-- I end up fixing/tweaking this machine a lot, and it seems to get dirtier than others. The glass to the lower playfield gets cloudy.

The Good:
-- The lower playfield is fun.
-- The music and sounds are awesome. Some of the best of any pin I've ever played.
-- The cannon is innovative.
-- Being able to stack multiballs and use the fire button to add a ball or save multiball.


I used to hate this game, but I rather like it now. The cannon is the worst part. I have a hard time seeing where the ball is underneath it, and during multiball it's very frustrating. The rules are great, it sounds great, and it has tons of things to do. A+ game!

PS: I'm grading the premium. The pro would get a completely different rating. I rather hate the pro, actually.
9.000/10
7 years ago
I love this machine. I wish I owned it. I'm not even a huge Metallica fan. It's challenging without being impossible. It has some awesome gadgets. It's lit up well, the sounds are great, but sometimes I find them too repetitive.
9.027/10
7 years ago
I love this game. Great ruleset, great layout, great shots. Of 15-or-so machines, this is one that I keep trying to play over and over.
5.849/10
7 years ago
As a brand new pinball player I loved this game. As a veteran, I can't bring myself to hit the start button anymore. It's too simple and boring.
9.287/10
7 years ago
This is one of the first games I ever played. I had no desire to buy one, but the opportunity came along and I decided to give it a go. I'm very happy I did.

==============================================

The Good:
-- Fun skill shot for a genre of games that doesn't normally have a good one
-- Great rules
-- Wonderful flow
-- Lights up very well
-- Fun theme
-- Good to great music and sounds
-- Great moments in pinball. Mixmaster jackpot, million shot, ray shot, the bully, etc
-- Humorous

The Bad:
-- The backglass is truly one of the worst. One could argue that it's cheesy and very 80s and I wouldn't argue, but for me it's very busy and not fun to look at. If there was an alternate I would buy one in a heartbeat
-- The right orbit isn't really worth much if anything. That whole right side I could ignore
-- The red standup, a target you need to hit, is dangerous. You could avoid it by going for the mixmaster which is what I do, but why do that at all? They should have put that red shot on the right orbit and opened up the playfield a little

=============================================

All in all, super fun game with callouts and music that makes people smile. The number of people who have made offers on this game or said to "put me on the list when you sell it" is probably longer than for any other game I own. It's a super fun game for a large collection. I wouldn't want it as my only pin (not deep enough).
9.420/10
7 years ago
I really like this game; it's laid out well and gets fun and creepy at the same time. "Thing" is fun. I hate the damn multiball mode. The magnetized center always makes me lose the balls.
9.170/10
7 years ago
Pros:
-- Music is terrific given that this machine was produced in 93. I think my favorite music is after tri-ball is completed. Just awesome.
-- Great sounds! The roar of the dinosaurs are always awesome.
-- The shaker motor really enhances gameplay. You can feel T-Rex walking around.
-- Playfield is laid out very well. Tons of stuff to shoot at, some very challenging shots with the side flipper.
-- Fast and smooth game that is not clunky.
-- It has a T-REX that eats the ball! One of the best features of any pin ever.
-- The rules are easy to follow. 11 mini-modes before you reach wizard mode aka system failure, plus several other mini-games that you can achieve through various accomplishments (Super Egg, Victory Lap, Mr. DNA, etc).
-- Did I mention the T-Rex!? Always a fan favorite. Wife loves it and mimics it sometimes.
-- Great DMD images. T-Rex eating the goat is fun. Would look awesome in color.
-- If you're into multiball, this machine is for you: 2-Ball, Super Egg, Tri-Ball, 6-Ball Chaos, and 6-Ball System Failure.
-- "Smart Missile" button activates all lit items. Great for rookies, since multiball is almost a given each and every game when you use it on ball 1. Makes the game easier and more fun for players at a beginner level. Great for advanced players so you can save it to help you get CHAOS! This function really gives the machine an added dynamic for all skill levels, and that's something that I cannot say about 99% of all pins out there.
-- The update by ChadH makes the machine a "must have" in my opinion. The updates are amazing, making this basically a brand new pin.
-- T-REX EATS THE BALL! I can't get over how awesome that is. When you're with a group of people who have never seen this before, their eyes light up and smiles/laughs all around. It's a great experience over and over again.
-- The biggest pro is that everyone can play it. It's an instant party hit, mixes will with both the young and old crowd, novice and pro player, and will easily stand the test of time, unlike many other games that fade away into oblivion.

Cons:
-- It's well-lit, but in a dark room it's hard to see the ball at all times, even with frosted bulbs. If you turn a small lamp on in the corner of the room and play, it's perfect.
-- The back glass is "meh". I spruced it up by adding LED bulbs behind the words "Jurassic Park", but you can only do so much. It might take full LEDs to make the colors really pop, but even if that happens, it's still just looks like a movie poster and nothing else.
-- The art on the playfield is HORRIBLE. This is where I gave it my lowest rating. It looks like someone copied/traced all the characters. There's also that green mess in the middle, where the lights light up when you collect the dinosaurs that lead to multiball. I find that unorganized and ugly.
-- The cabinet is OK, but could use more yellow around the front. The main colors of Jurassic Park are black, red, and yellow, but looking at it you see 70% black, 25% red, and nearly no yellow at all.

Other:
-- It's not a pro or con because this is fixable, but make sure you set the game play on the hardest setting if you buy it. On "normal", it's a little too easy to reach system failure. If you increase the difficulty level, you'll have much more of a challenge, and the lastability will increase.

This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/community/pinsiders/thepinballco-op/ratings/comments and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.