redhawk1689's ratings

I found this one in a local bar last weekend and was pleasantly surprised! The toys and gimmicks are plentiful and made for an interesting evening. That being said, this one wouldn't keep me coming back for more to the point where I would want to own one! Pretty much, this one can be said to be "fun but not for a long run!" The machine I was playing had a weak left flipper so I wasn't able to control the ball the way I would have liked but I would be willing to give it a rematch!

I found this machine at a relatively new arcade that I was visiting and I was blown away! I found the "Multi-Ball" function relatively easy to get and then it really got going! Those pop ups are pure genius! This machine would easily be a keeper if I had the money! On the last day of my vacation, I was able to play the game without the distraction of all of the other sounds of the arcade and I had a chance to REALLY hear the sounds from this game! Exquisite!! If this is an example of JJP's offerings, I have GOT to try some others!!

My parents had this in their family room for a number of years and it provided hours of intense competition! I never did do Black Knight and some of the other multi-level boards before encountering this one so most of my training for multi-level came from this game! It was well maintained so everything worked. I remember when I finally finished the race! This pin is deceptively hard! Is it one of my favorites? No, but it is definitely worth taking the time to check out!

This machine is one that the casual pinballer can jump right into without really knowing the rules and still have a fascinating game! That demigorgon is one seriously cool feature!! After playing it for a while and getting to know it, the rules seem somewhat simple. I really love the multi-ball on this machine more than most others as the multi-ball is very challenging to keep everything going (even though you do get extra balls during the m-b making it a lasting m-b!) There is a nice flow to this machine! The one aspect of this game that I'm not crazy about is the backboard! It's okay but for some reason, it just doesn't grab me! There is one of these Pro versions at our local arcade and it is one of my two favorite to play.

Once I got past that backglass, I was able to enjoy the game. Completing the body parts is pretty cool! It's not a standout and it's definitely not a dog! From a casual (to this game) player's perspective, it's worth a couple of games but I couldn't see me owning this one (at least not unless I changed out that backglass!)

This one left me flat. I wasn't crazed about the layout and it quickly became repetitive. This might be a good one for beginners but it just doesn't have the depth that would keep me interested. I did think that the theme was well integrated though.

This is not the pinball machine to introduce someone to pinball! I found it extremely challenging to hit shots (which is not such a bad thing) but which lead to a dull and boring game! I have played on pinball machines since the 60’s and this one was one of the least enjoyable ones that I have played! To the casual player, I would tell them to try another.

I came to this one cold. I plunked down a buck and proceeded to see if I would like it. Full disclosure: I'm NOT a fan of "Iron Maiden" or that style of music and thusly I wasn't drawn to this game by the theme. I started playing and something happened that I wasn't expecting, I scored a five ball multi-ball right off the bat! This rarely happens but I "got in the zone" and managed to keep almost all of the balls going! Long story short, I stumbled onto the "upper reaches" of this game and saw a glimmering of it's potential! This is a player's game. Although newbies and casual players can and will play this machine, it doesn't reveal it's true potential unless one is practiced on this game, skilled, very lucky (me) or a combination of the above.

What can I say? This one had SO many innovations... it simply raised the bar with pinball! When one uses the word "classic," in regards to pinball, The Black Knight should be on that list! I would love to have an original or one of the others in the Black Knight series! It's simpler than BK2K and much simpler than BK:SOR but it holds it's own even though it came from a simpler era! Don't pass on the opportunity to play one just because it's an original!

I like drop targets. This game has them... in abundance!! I found this game to be perfect for sharpening your shooting skills! It plays relatively fast for an early SS game which is good. I found it enjoyable.

I'll be honest, this one didn't immediately grab me like I thought it would! (The artwork is NOT to my taste!) I'm sure the fact that the machine I was playing was n't well maintained probably had a great deal to do with my "first impressions." That being said, after High Speed and some other Steve Ritchie designs that I loved came out and I realized that I REALLY like his "style" of pinball game, I revisited Flash and this time (thankfully) it seemed as if the machine was well-maintained and set up properly! The machine was better than I originally thought! (The artwork still suc... err... isn't to my tastes!) I wouldn't purchase one but I would definitely play one again!

Of the three wide-bodied games I think of (Paragon, Genie and Superman), this one is the only one I didn't like at all! It's weird because Steve Ritchie worked on it but it just doesn't work for me! It may be that the machine I was playing was set up poorly but the play was.... soooo.......sloooow!!! I couldn't get into a rhythm and (to be honest) I didn't want to!

I find wide-bodied games intriguing hence my interest in them. It's a completely different experience when playing one and I will always play one if I find one. However, the play is "leisurely" at best which tends to lose my interest more quickly than it should. Paragon is one of the three wide-bodied games that I think of when I hear mention of them. If you've not played it and you come across one, I urge you to avail yourself of the opportunity to enjoy one of the rarer experiences in pinball!

When I think of wide bodied pins, I think of Paragon, Superman and Genie. Of the three, only Genie is the one I would put money in to play. The machine has to be set to its highest level or else the play seems too slow! I was intrigued by the wide-bodied concept when it first came out but now, I have decided I much prefer the regular width machines! That doesn't mean I wouldn't play it! These wide playing fields still intrigue me but the novelty wears off relatively quick.

Gorgar is nostalgic for me. I grew up with these early SS machines and I remember thinking that this one was "crazy cool" that it had speech! I still look at it from that perspective and not comparing it to Medieval Madness or something new! With that in mind, it's a solid machine and fun to play but just not fun enough that I would want to own one! I would definitely play one IF it were well maintained and was at a home or arcade!

This was one of the early SS games that I would play down at our local pinball parlor when I was in High School. I learned a lot about aiming with a flipper on this game. It's not one I would purchase but I definitely would pop some money down to play one if I saw it in an arcade!

I have been looking forward to playing this game for some time now and it didn't disappoint! The game is relatively easy to figure out but never gets dull! I'm partial to Steve Ritchie's designs and this game is another in a string of successes! The Pro version doesn't have the top flipper like the other editions so I still have something to look forward to!

This thing tries to combine pinball and video games to (hopefully) achieve an experience that combines the best of both! Unfortunately, this one doesn't live up to the hype! I was never a big Pac Man fan and the truncated board just reduced the fun! The same can be said for the pinball playfield. I was left with a less than stellar feeling for this one!

I finally got a chance to play "The Getaway: High Speed II" and I must say that this machine is FUN!! I cut my teeth on the original HS and wasn't sure if TG:HSII would "wow" me but I really like it! The kept the best parts of HS, reimagined the board with some popping tricks and did something wonderful: they made a game that I now am in the hunt for! It's a fresh take on a classic giving a whole new experience but with a familiar feel! It's closing in on 3 decades as a design and it's still a favorite!

I remember this machine from my college days. Perhaps it's because I am more comfortable with early SS machines but I think that Buck Rodgers is a decent machine but not one I would want to add to my collection. It was one that I played because that was what we had to play on but I was ready to move on relatively soon after!

I'm another one of these guys that feels the need to review this machine as a "bowling with pinball" rather than a straight pinball game! The machine was designed with that in mind (ex: someone designs a great Monster Truck but nobody would rate it as a great NASCAR vehicle!) With that in mind, this machine IS a lot of fun! I can't add a lot more than what has already been said with one observation: just imagine the possibilities if the machine had utilized banana flippers!! As a pinball machine, it's lousy but as an arcade machine, this one has an interestingly unique theme!

The game has spinners, ramps, drop targets, a video mode and a cool gun; what's not to like? It's a good game but the call-outs are definitely annoying in their repetitiveness! The back glass looks like a poster for the movie (which is great if you want a poster) which doesn't bother me but also doesn't "attract" me like some of the really great pinball artwork. I enjoy playing it when I come across it but it's not one I would want for my collection. One of the saving graces of this machine are the three different music modes which greatly helps to keep the games from becoming repetitive!

I just spent a couple of hours playing a number of machines at an arcade and determined that this one is one that I would gladly own! The game has a tendency to drain the ball but, with some more playing time, this becomes a miniscule problem. As you get into the game, the theme draws you in and you find you can lose yourself in the playing! The rules are simple enough but, even without reading them (hitting it cold,) the game is absolutely enjoyable! It's going on my want list!

This game was like a pinball version of the magazine... without the centerfold or the great articles! The backglass sucks you in (Patti McGuire was my favorite playmate) but the game is only average for an early "classic" SS game. It's fun for a while but doesn't grab you and keep you wanting to play again! The theme might be somewhat "adult" for young children (Mom, what's the "grotto?") But the play is middle of the road classic Bally. The main thing this machine has going for it is nostalgia.

This one cost me a fortune in quarters when it came out! It was a bear!! I eventually learned how to play it (and improve my pinball skills) which definitely improved my outlook on the machine! This was also my first multi-level machine so I am somewhat biased. This is not a good one for "newbies" due to it's difficulty, however! Rather, this one is good for honing your skills. Today, I would gravitate over to it if I found it in an arcade.

This is a surprisingly fun machine to play! I spent a summer playing this almost every night with my best friend down at the local bar. The layout is definitely of the "classic" pinball style which means "not a gazillion bells and whistles" but just solid pinball! This is one that I would be happy to have in my collection.

What can I say? I like classic Williams pinball! I personally like Steve Ritchie designs and this one is right up there! I would love to see these designs updated to the 2020's but for what they introduced back in 1980, this one is a good representative of this style.

I tried out this game and found it to be... underwhelming. While the upper "ring" gimmick is inventive, there is a certain inevitability to what happens. It's not a bad game! It's just that it's not a great game either! I agree with some others that the 'ring" takes up too much of the field for what you get. This is not one that I would choose to play if there were other options.

This game got me through my upperclassmen men years at college! This is one of the best classic pinball games of the early 80's and is considered one of my top three machines that I must have! Admittedly, I am biased as, not only am I nostalgic about this game, but I prefer classic pinball to the more modern ones.

This one was one of my favorite choices in college (which dates me.) This is another good example of "classic" pinball! The field is somewhat simplistic compared to the newer designs but, much like wooden vs metal roller coasters) this one will appeal to "classic pinball" enthusiasts and beginners. It's a good one to hone your skills on and the graphics are pretty darn good compared to others of it's era.

Had this one at my parent's house for almost 10 years. It's a good (not quite great) machine. If you enjoy late 70's SS pinball, this is a good example.

This one is middle of the road. When it came out, I had to play it! The problem is that the action is somewhat slower than I would have liked. Later machines (most notably Star Trek The Next Generation) handled the theme much better.

This is one that looked intriguing at first but really just fell short. It plays well and the loop up at the left is a bit different but I quickly figured it out and began losing interest. There really wasn't any "wow" factor.

This is a classic from the late 70's! Many may disagree with me but the play field, while somewhat simplistic, (especially compared with post Millennial offerings) is deceptively difficult! I will readily admit my bias for this machine as this one was the one that I really learned how to play pinball on! A machine like this is a perfect learning machine for anyone wanting to hone their pinball skills! It's a testament that, 40 years later, it's still the machine I remember from my college days!

My parents have had this one for a number of years. It has a decent theme and a decent video game addition but something just seems to be missing! I can't quite put my finger on it but it doesn't hold my attention nearly as long as some others. This is not to say that I would avoid it! I don't! It's not one that I would put on my wish list.

This game was my go-to game in the middle to late 80s! Having grown up with classic EM machines, playing this one was like when Dorothy opened up the door in the Wizard of Oz and black and white became color! It has a cool theme, an interesting layout and that certain "I just have to try it again" quality that makes this an 80s William's SS classic! Millennials used to games like LoTR, Twilight Zone or Jurassic Park, may find High Speed somewhat simplistic (many prefer The Getaway) but the original will always hold a special place in my heart! (Update 4/13/21) My son and I have just finished upgrading the lighting to LEDs which was a nice improvement! He has been playing the game now for about five years and is becoming quite proficient at picking shots! Just like me, he is enjoying HS during his college years! This one deservedly carries the moniker "classic!!