pinballprincess's ratings

Gamatron: it's thin Flight 2000!

There's a few tweaks from the original design that makes it mildly unique and not a complete narrowed-down copy - the inlanes at the bottom are different, for example, and there is a gate up by the pops.

Overall, though, this is very much thin Flight 2000.

There is no Viper.

There is only Turret.

Whirlwind, like an actual tornado, can be over in seconds or take surprisingly long to play. It depends on the particular copy you are playing and the kindness of the spinners - a feature that can be frustrating on any game. As frustrating as it can be, though, it is quite satisfying to manage a good game.

As a bonus, the fan on top is quite nice in the summer or in a crowded room.

Instead of what could have been another band pin loosely based on detached song themes or the loose through-line of a tour, the Foo Fighters game went fully into left field by making a machine that asked a question: what if the Foo Fighters were the stars of a goofy Saturday morning cartoon?

Combined with the ideas of a new designer and an inventive and passionate supporting team, this produced a game that is fun and funny. It is an absolute joy to play again and again and again.

(Of course, I also liked the Foo Fighters before this, so I may be positively biased there.)

I'm only slightly biased in any comment I might give about this game, considering that I had the privilege of seeing - if not playing - this game in various stages of its development. (I didn't blindly rate everything 6/6 -- see? Only SLIGHTLY biased!) This rating is based off of the final product (as seen at Pintastic 2021).

Poker is a simple concept brought to life in an elegant manner. Rather than evoking the idea of playing a game of poker, as is the case for nearly every other poker-themed pinball machine, Poker's rules are based off of actually playing a seven-card game of poker.

From a starting cache of $5000, you place your bet. From there, the fate of your hand is in...your hands. Hit drop targets to complete your hand, hoping that with a little luck, a little skill, and maybe a hit of the Cheat button (which lets you "cheat" an outlane drain with a physical ball-popper of a saver, as well), you win your hand. These games of poker are ones you can lose, and, unlike a game like Bally Black Jack, the dealer winning isn't just fewer points for you...it's a full-on detraction. You'll lose from your money cache, and how much money you have at the end of the game can make a big difference. Negative scores are a feature in Poker.

The game is very skill-heavy. The mystery is a flipper shot at the uppermost flipper, where you can choose your reward (at least one of which is usually a "reward" of losing points). There are ball saves on both sides, both of which are physical - the ball-popper on the right, and a lower flipper on the left, which can either be used to immediately shoot back up through the main flippers or to aim for a nearby target bank. There are multiple places to call your shot for skill shots, and, of course, the main poker mechanism is aiming for the most advantageous drop targets to finish your hand.

Encouraging slow, intentional shots can be a bit contrary to how quickly and smoothly it plays. What a problem to have! It can be frustrating to reconcile the two play styles, but it means that someone flipping around with no regards for the rules can still have fun. (I have to say, though, that trying to slow down and play poker is incredibly fun.)

One would be remiss to not mention the callouts, which were painstakingly done by Ron Hallett of the Slam Tilt Podcast.

Poker.

It's good.

Bowling Queen is a challenging game where, as is the case with many Gottlieb wedge heads, aiming for a specific goal supersedes trying to accumulate any kind of large score. For this game, unless, perhaps, you manage to spend an inordinate amount of time in the pops, the two benchmarks for your play are intertwined.

Bowling Queen boasts several rollover lanes on the playfield and a window in the backbox above a row of bowling balls labeled one through twelve. For every lit rollover lane hit on the playfield, a ball pops up in the backbox. The goal is to get all twelve "bowling balls" racked up - something that is no easy feat. Four of the twelve lanes are outlanes, which means that, in addition to skillful plunging, skillful draining is required, with very little room for error, even in a five ball game.

Getting control of the ball is nigh impossible given the tiny flippers and large slings; as stated above, skillful plunging is essential. The two topmost lanes are almost never reachable from the flippers, and even the lanes that are even on the playfield with the lower pop bumpers are incredibly difficult to reach. Hitting these rollovers on the way down is your best bet.

The theme of Bowling Queen is quite fun, too. The apparent titular character (young and sweet; only seventeen?) takes center stage on both the backglass and the playfield, surrounded in all cases by awed onlookers. The row of pinball players in the background of the backglass art is a nice touch.

Overall, this is a decent EM to play.

The bright, blocky, stylized art of Spanish Eyes pops out -- fitting, as this playfield "pops!" Many find the art style to be a turn-off, but, opinion on the backglass regardless, this game is more than worth a try. Working to add balls by completing the upper lanes or by hitting the five star standup targets is made all the more interesting by the pop bumper placed between the flippers.

This pop bumper adds a layer of excitement and intensity to what would otherwise be straight-down-the-middle drains, with the ball rapid-fire ricocheting in tight quarters and, with a little luck and a little skillful nudging, bouncing up towards the flippers instead of rocketing down to the outhole. The pop bumper is what sets Spanish Eyes apart as a game, making what would otherwise be a fairly straightforward, fairly enjoyable game into an immensely fun machine.

Stargazer is often coveted as one of the rarer Sterns, and the graceful flow to this game makes it easy to see why enthusiasts clamor for a copy of this title.

The stand-out to this game are its spinners. The three spinners are a treat to hit, all positioned for a satisfying shot, especially when well-maintained. Setting a high value on the center spinner via the drop targets or lighting and ripping either side spinner is the primary joy one will get from this game. The flow of the game continues down by the flippers, where the ball seamlessly rounding the curves behind each flipper adds a sense of speed and keeps the rhythm of the game going steady.

The one thing about this game that could be better utilized, in my opinion, is the zodiac targets. Twelve stand-up targets are spread throughout the playfield, each bearing the symbol of a zodiac constellation in keeping with the game's theme. Completing a round of these targets, however, does not generate any major award or massively progress gameplay, and the targets can be completely forgotten in favor of the aforementioned spinners.

Overall, this game is wonderful and fun.

Spectrum may not be the smoothest or most intricate game to play, it is true. The layout is fairly simple and the lack of outlanes, paired with the balls waiting in the wings to make a single-ball game return to your flipper smoothly is quirky at best. However, there is one thing about Spectrum that is the make-or-break factor: it is a pinball iteration of the game Mastermind.

If you are not a fan of Mastermind, you will likely not enjoy this game. However, if you DO enjoy Mastermind, this combines the challenge of guessing the code with shot accuracy. A colored drop target bank constitutes a "guess" for a color in the four-color sequence; the playfield will display your guesses, making the corresponding light flash if your guess is correct. You can use saucers in addition to logic to narrow down which colors to aim for, and completing the sequence gives your score some hefty benefits.

The crux of enjoyment for this game, again, is whether or not you enjoy Mastermind and are willing to play that game translated to the playfield. Personally, Mastermind is one of my favorite games, such that, when I happened upon it at ReplayFX, I spent a good amount of time playing it over and over (provided no one else was looking to play) and returned to it often. I wouldn't want it as the solitary game in my collection, but I would love to have one.

Cheetah, black or blue, is a fast and fun widebody. The game is a wonderful array of drop targets and spinners, with a kicker to the right and a sometimes-hard-to-hit but satisfying bonus collect shot to the left. No matter where you go, there's something satisfying to hit.

There are four banks of drop targets spread throughout the game - the "main" five bank above the upper flipper, the bonus multiplier bank above the pops, a three-bank in front of the horseshoe shot, and a bank next to the kicker. Of these, the horseshoe bank may prove the most intriguing due to the awards given for getting three-in-a-row in the grid below, as this is how the spinners are lit; alas, this grid is frequently not completely functional.

The gameplay is fast as it is varied. For a widebody, especially, the ball flies around the table, bouncing off the many drop targets and tearing through the spinners. Chasing a high score on Cheetah is quite the rush.

Playing Spirit is an ethereal experience. The beautiful backglass draws you in and the multitude of satisfying shots coupled with an entertaining ruleset keeps you playing. Armed with one of the best sound packages Gottlieb has to offer, the journey to racking up points can be a spine-tingling experience - the sounds accompanying an open stargate (not the pyramid), for instance, will give you chills. It even has a unique slam tilt sound!

Nearly every shot on this game is fun to aim for. The flippers in the outlane offer a unique shot at the standups to start multiball (though shatzing will also do); the bank of targets next to the ramp allow for, when down, a "peekaboo" shot underneath the ramp; the saucers for multiball lead to a variety of places to aim. The game is jam-packed with things to do, and you've got six flippers to do things with.

Spirit is engaging and fun. It's a wonderful game to play!

Joining the crew of Black Rose is a challenge that you will find yourself doing again...and again...and again. Though the thrill of the cannon takes center stage on the playfield, the layout is such that there are multiple strategies to employ - practically any shot results in satisfaction. The ramps and targets offer satisfying combos that are enjoyable to hit over and over. An epic soundtrack guides you through the game, with one of the most heart-pumping multiball tracks out there. It is a thrill to play this game.

Grand Prix is a fairly straightforward game. Hitting the spinner raises the bonus value of that side; maxing out the bonus value juices the spinner value up, allowing for lucrative spinner rips. The saucers collect the bonus, resetting it. The pairs of drop targets in the center raise your bonus multiplier. At the beginning of each ball, one side's bonus counter is lit, and this counter's value is awarded to you upon draining. The game's goal is mostly to hit the spinner over and over - if good spinner rips are up your alley, this game will be, too. Just mind the inlanes - trapping up is a dangerous game, here, as more often than not the ball will go straight out the gap in the inlane guides.

Punchy the Clown is clearly designed to be more of a casual/children-oriented game. The playfield is well-populated with things to hit, but there is plenty of open space, and the rules are fairly straightforward and simplistic at their base. For example, spelling PIE in the top lanes occurs simply by hitting the rollover switches three times; it does not matter which lanes are hit or lit. However, the game does reward adding skill into the mix - completing the bow tie horseshoe is contingent on hitting the shot repeatedly, and spelling PUNCHY in order reaps greater rewards.

Close your eyes and relax into the ebb and flow of waves - this calming rhythm marks the beginning of a new game on Seawitch, and she is a glorious experience. This game portrays seawitches as scantily clad warrior women riding fish and living amongst the skulls of men. It is a curious theme, to be sure, but apt, as this game flows like water and magic, and one can feel like the huntress Atalanta trying to hit each shot on the mark.

The game features four flippers: the standard two at the bottom, as well as two positioned about halfway up the playfield, making an asymmetrical second pair. The upper left flipper grants close, direct hits to the middle target bank and, if you are lucky enough to survive the pop bumpers, the upper targets. The upper right is angled to propel the ball around the Rip Tide loop, a contiguous orbit that evokes the swirling of a waveform (or a rip tide current, as the name implies), although it, too, can reach the middle bank of drops.

This is not a terribly complicated playfield, and it is beautiful in its simplicity. The three banks of drop targets are the main focus of scoring in the game - they advance the bonus multiplier if a bank is completed while its corresponding X insert is lit as well as advance loop value. The upper playfield, enclosed by the loop and the middle bank of drop targets, houses a ring of targets and pop bumpers. Hitting the standups in the upper playfield boost the spinner value, making any rip on the Rip Tide loop even more sweet. Under the upper-right flipper is a small lane with a lucrative rollover that feeds back into the plunger lane.

This game is wondrous. Simple though it may seem, it is great for those who enjoy drop target-centric games, and the looped layout is interesting and memorable. A good game on Seawitch is a steady flow of well-designed shots that challenge a player's skill and amply reward success. It's a lovely table with a nice art package and, as previously mentioned, even the sound of the swelling sea.

Medusa's allure is in its challenge. The skill shot requires impeccable timing and reflexes, to the extent that I have rarely, if ever, seen anyone purposely get it. After that, the challenge is to keep the zipper flippers closed (if set to open after a certain amount of time without hitting a drop target), keep the ball from rocketing down the orbits, and aim for the top bank of drop targets and upper-left saucer repeatedly. If and when the ball reaches the lower playfield, the main objective is to avoid draining (obviously) and return the ball to the upper playfield to repeat the drop target bonanza.

This is, admittedly, a bit repetitive in nature, and it is unfortunate that the general consensus is that the lower playfield is barely worth a second glance. This is, of course, with one major exception: the Shield of the Gods. Medusa has a second button behind the flipper button that activates the Shield of the Gods, a vertical kickback feature integrated into the center post. Making saves with this feature is immensely satisfying to do. I have had my Shield gently bump the ball to a flipper, as well come straight down from the top and returned, like a tennis ball, back up to between the upper flippers, and every successful save has made me smile. Activating the Shield is not a desired necessity, as it drains some opportunity for end-of-game bonus, but it does make you feel incredibly skilled for at least a few seconds on a game that can be pretty harrowing, particularly on the outlanes.

Flash is a wonderful game. The rules are easy to grasp and exciting to execute, as it takes a good mix of hitting the drop targets and ripping the spinner to get to the upper lanes and pops. Slowly but surely you watch the big circular bonus counter light up as you progress your bonus, racking up points and, hopefully, multipliers, so that you have a long, satisfying bonus countdown at the end. It's simple enough to easily get the hang of, but not so simple as to be immediately boring - you want to push the envelope of how much bonus you can accumulate, how many banks of targets you can drop, how many good spinner rips you can hit. Occasionally the plunge does not go to the upper lanes but instead hits the left bank of drop targets, which may be a leveling problem more than anything, but this is usually recoverable and does not detract from the experience. It's a fun game.

The artwork and sound, however, are not as enjoyable. The artwork feels awkward, where the male drawn on both backglass and playfield seems a bit anatomically off. His hand, somehow, does not seem to twist quite right, and there is little nuance to his figure, or to that of anything else in the artwork, for that matter. The bonus countdown sounds are nice and the thunderous sound that marks a drop target bank completion is pretty cool, but the sound design has one critical flaw: the "background" sound. When you accumulate your first level of bonus, the game emits a low tone. Each successive advancement of bonus raises the pitch of this tone, note by note, until the game is screeching almost painfully. At the point that you think either the playfield glass or your ears are going to shatter, the tone cycles to a ridiculously low tone and the process begins again. The meh artwork and the horrific tone are the two major downsides to what is quite an enjoyable game.

Like the graphic novel and show it's themed after, The Walking Dead can be a brutal, intense game. No one shot can be called "safe" - a failed shot on the steep ramps can easily go screaming down the middle; the right orbit feed is highly variable, where the ball can drip out to aim perfectly, again, straight down the middle; the two main bash toys are precariously positioned to make every hit's rebound precarious. Furthermore, perhaps because they seem to be rather steep, the ramps have been responsible for some amazing airballs. I have seen a ball go flying up the right ramp, jump over to the descending habitrail of the left ramp, and make its way up that, around, and down the left ramp. The ball feels wild and is incredibly difficult to get under control.

That said, when you do manage to get control, the shots are incredibly satisfying to make. Hitting a shot repeatedly to progress a mode, because of the game's speed, is a rewarding experience with each success. The sound effects add drama to each shot, as well; hitting the Well Walker bash toy is all the more satisfying with the deep bass boom that accompanies each hit, for example. The prison toy can be frustrating, both due to the magnet which holds the ball when you start qualifying for Prison Multiball and the tendency of the prison toy to become unresponsive, but the multiball start sound animation is worth it.

The rules are not terribly complicated, and the multiballs are rather obvious, which makes this somewhat accessible to the novice player. However, the wildness of the ball makes this game rather difficult. It seems like an ideal game to practice nudging on, especially big nudges and slide saves, considering how frequently the ball goes towards the middle. This can be frustrating, but making a big save is rewarding, so a player with good recovery will have an advantage. (Then again, the lack of control could mostly be my play style, though it seems like every TWD I've played has some amount of the wildness to it for everyone.)

Overall, it's a fairly fun game.

Quick Draw is a fairly decent EM. It has a relatively standard layout - ABC top lanes, pop bumpers with standups surrounding them, and some drop targets as you go down on the playfield; the lower playfield is fairly open, with the each side lined by a bank of five drop targets.

The distinguishing factor for this game is the pair of kickout saucers nested about midway up on the playfield, which kick the ball into the trio of pop bumpers. Landing one of these is fairly satisfying - they typically have to be hit indirectly, usually by one of the pops, so it is a combination of relief that the pops didn't send the ball down the drain, a moment of respite as the saucer registers the ball, and the satisfaction of a quick kickout. The "shot" from the saucer is probably the most thematic feature of the game, evoking a quick draw and fire from a pistol. Granted, that "shot" go straight into a pop bumper and straight on to your doom, but it is a satisfying thing to see, nonetheless, and a kinder discharge of the saucer will bring you to the top standups or the top lanes with the right ricochet off the pops.

The saucers talk a good game, but, in the end, they are only one facet of the playfield. They're satisfying and lucrative to hit, but they're also difficult to get to, and they are perhaps the most redeeming factor of the layout. Many games, you do not even hit the saucer, and either have a short, heated argument with the pops, or try to get some good hits on the drop targets. Like any EM, it can be hard to get a handle on the ball at times. It's not a bad game, though; it is, as I stated at the fore, a decent one.

Thematically, this is just like the original. In terms of play, this has not been the case, in my experience. The flippers act just a little differently, for one thing. The MMR I most have experience with often does not have enough power to make it up the left or right ramps, making completing the Peasant Revolt or Damsel modes a pain. I have also noticed the Joust orbit, especially the left orbit, tends to angle such that the ball goes straight down the middle. I am not certain whether this is due to the playfield in that area or due to a slight difference in flipper reach or flipper angle, but little things like this make a dramatic difference in the ability to play and enjoy the game.

The tagline "if Monty Python and the Holy Grail was a pinball machine, it would be Medieval Madness" is vastly cliche at this point, but it is for good reason - if Monty Python and the Holy Grail was a pinball machine, it would be Medieval Madness. The game's theme is filled with wacky, tongue-in-cheek medieval humor, complete with several references to the Monty Python movie ("They took our shrubberies!"). However, the brilliance of the theme is not the full extent of the benefits of this game - even without the hilarity, the game is fast, varied, and good. There are a few strategies you can employ to progress in the game, opportunities for multiple multiballs, and benefits to hitting every shot - no matter what you hit, you're likely to advance something in the game. It has many carrots for even the novice player to follow, and enough challenge in getting all of said carrots to engage more advanced players. A wonderful, wonderful game.

This game is absolutely brutal and unforgiving. It boasts gigantic slingshots that seem to put a mile between the flipper and the nearest starred standup target or spinner, and the ball will either ricochet between those two for a short eternity or come screaming straight down the middle, center post be darned. This may not sound like a promising description for a pinball machine; at first, I couldn't stand it. But, if you like a little challenge with your pinball, this game is perfect - the spinners are satisfying to hit, and are most so when you have managed to light the starred inserts on the right spinner through the standup targets. The drop targets are less rewarding and only slightly less risky, but they do provide an alternate method to getting points. The playfield seems simple with the two banks of drop targets, two spinners, pop bumper, and scattered standups, but the apparent sparseness belies an engaging, engrossing machine - it's so addictive to play, inspires such an obsession to execute a good score, that it doesn't need many whistles or bells. A great game.

For a fan of the band, this game is a dream. The game is chock-full of references to the band's lore, from the artwork to the toys to the animations - the game screams Metallica. My personal favorite is the black balls bouncing about the screen during Seek & Destroy, a reference to the giant black inflatable balls that bounce among the crowd during that same song in concert. The shots are thrash-fast and can be brutal - this is a game that tries to play like the background music sounds, and, on most machines, it succeeds. The standard music selection spans from Kill 'Em All to Reload, with the band's then most-recent album making one well-placed wizard mode appearance. This game is energetic and fun, and even when it's kicking you down, you more often than not want to push start again and leap right back in to the mosh pit.

This is one of my favorite games of all time. The theme is endearing, with amusing animations, hilarious callouts, and fantastic music. Each mode is easy enough to start for even the most novice players, yet it can be a challenge to start and complete them all, and it is even more of a challenge to start them all in tandem with a multiball - one of the better strategies to getting towards Monsters of Rock. It's not the most complicated of games, but it makes up for that in the laid-back, fun feel. It's the kind of game that you can relax into, where you are experiencing it as much as you are playing it.