sidetrackedbrew's ratings

I understand what they were going for with this machine; a simple, one-layer playfield that could feel like it came out during the Beatles’ heyday in the 60s, but still be fun and relevant in today’s pinball landscape. They achieved the first objective, not the second. If this machine HAD come out in the 1960s, it would be insanely awesome. However, given modern pinball technology, it leaves more than a lot to be desired. The drop targets are quite integral to gameplay, and far too much so. Basically the entire game is drop the targets, start a mode, (song mode, that plays throughout), shoot what that mode wants until you’ve shot it enough times, drop the targets for the next mode. And then that’s it. There are two special multiballs that can be achieved after this is done 5 times, depending on how many of the same shots you hit in each mode. The jackpot shots are ok, though the upper jackpot loop is too easy, and the lower super jackpot standup nearly impossible.
The theme is well integrated into the artwork, but for a music pin there are far too few songs that are integrated, and they’re all quite similar Beatles songs in feel. The Beatles music had so much variety that I find it disappointing that they chose 5 songs that are all of the same relative energy.
All in all, a Beatles pin, even given the constraints of 1960s feel, could have been so much better. This one is a miss.

Fun to play, the light show is epic. Audio and lighting are an immense amount of fun. Rule set isn’t deep enough for it to stay around long term, but for a blast to just play a few games this one is nearly
Unparalleled.

Great flow, machine is very smooth shooting, unlike other titles from American (legends, you suck) the lighting is downright gorgeous, much like Halloween, the theme is well executed and it’s a machine you’ll want to keep. I don’t understand how it’s rated so low. Wish list machine for sure and I will have one someday.

This machine can be a great time, or can grate on your last nerve. If you’re dialed in on the hurricane shot or the hurry-up ramp up the middle, each shot can be super satisfying. But if you’re missing the hurricane ramp and hitting the dummy, it can piss you off really fast. Few machines are as annoying as the stupid crap said by the dummy.
The machine can also be slow and floaty, but if you’re hitting your shots it can get really fast in a hurry. It’s got great shot variation and some very cool modes, but I think its rating suffers from the overly clownish music/theme, and probably mostly from the dummy. Could have done with a different bash toy that doesn’t insult your mother or call you ugly every 15 seconds.

This machine is brutal. Outlanes are hungry, speed is 11/10. A bricked shot is a death sentence, and shot makeability is maybe a 4/10. The glider obscures most of the upper playfield, so even situational ball awareness is tough. When it flows correctly, the flow is great. But that’s rare. The scoring is absurd, with modes that take 10 shots to complete worth 2m, while a random multiball can be worth 50m. Could definitely benefit from a scoring code update.

People saying that this machine is a “one shot pony” are simply not playing the game. They’re only shooting one shot to advance the face, but that’s only one aspect of the game. The small wheel is much more inventive than a traditional random award loop, even lighting the jackpot, and that shot is HARD. A worthy jackpot. Heart loops can combo for millions and a killer light show on a four loop combo. The skill shot is difficult and rewarding, the pops exit is simple but very cool and sometimes unpredictable, the diverted lane that sends the ball back to the shooter lane for a multiplied skill shot randomly… all aspects that make this machine completely unique. Of course the face is awesome, metamorphosis is almost unrivaled in pinball, and the cabinet artwork is the best ever made. Given that most of the playfield is the lower 2/3rds, the shots and bricks are FAST. Like, TMNT fast. Which is an interesting contrast with the upper playfields, which give you time to sip your beer before you need to flip again.

As others, I wish there was a 3 ball multiball considering there are 3 balls in the machine, and the billionaire’s club is silly. Other than that, this machine is perfect. One of the best of all time.

Some shots are tight and precise, others fairly easy. Once you get going, it’s a flow monster. Combos are logical and relatively simple, though never easy. The claw for mode select is brilliant. Four progressive multiball with different (often selectable) numbers of balls and different jackpots is great. It takes some time to learn, and is deep enough (dare I say?) to be a one-pin collection. It’s not as deep as a modern Stern, but probably the deepest of the 90s Williams, and certainly the one with the most shot variation. This was a grail pin for me for years, and I now have one that will never leave the collection. Love the movie too, which I watched after owning the pin for a while. The theme integration and callouts are even better than I could have imagined. The movie makes the pin more enjoyable, and playing the pin first made the movie more enjoyable. This machine is excellent.

I respect this machine’s place in history and even had some really fun games on it. I think the artwork is beautiful, especially the backglass, and the sound effects are great, addictive even. My issue with this machine is the randomness introduced on the plunge. The ball comes down from the pops and often goes SDTM and you never even get to flip. Likewise when it comes out of the pops and hits the slings to the outlanes. I have a hard time giving good gameplay marks on a machine that you only actually “play” (as in, at least flip a time or two) 70% or so of the time, with 30% insta-drains and no ball save. I do LOVE this machine, theme, all else. There were just too many drains with no gameplay. In a private collection, it’s awesome. On location/in tournaments, it’s too much.

Deserves its rating. Played on two locations so far, and this machine is amazing. Variety of shots, fun factor (the ramps don’t actually all shoot at the drain, as is common; it seems fair and wants to help you enjoy the ball), the rising building is awesome, the right spinner/mini ramp shot, all shots are easily hittable, and the story/theme is way different… when have we ever played AS Godzilla, not against him? Super cool, phenomenal machine. Must own one day.

I guess the "Pro" machine gets a bad rap because of how awesome the added features are on the Premium and LE. I don't think that's fair to this machine. If you judge this machine just based on itself, it is an incredible experience. The only knock I have on it is that if you hadn't seen the show, playing this game would make you think it was a horror show rather than the action/psychological thriller/mystery show that it actually is. The backglass is definitely not the prettiest, but the cabinet art is great. Shot flow is excellent; all shots are makeable but are the right amount of challenging. This is easily my favorite of the newer Stern pins, and one of my favorites of all time. It’s one of those classic experiences, like Sopranos or Demolition Man, where the better you play, the farther you get into the game, the more exciting and rewarding the game becomes. I’ve had the GC on my location machine for months but keep coming back because I want to beat the game. Wizard modes are awesome. I just can’t wait to see what happens at the end of snowball…

There’s a lot to overcome at the outset just to get someone to play this game. The back glass is simply terrible. It doesn’t fit with the cabinet art, and why do you need a cheesy puppy dog? What does that have to do with soccer?
An example of how bad the backglass and cabinet are: I had a regular customer come into the game room and I asked him which pin he wanted to play. His first response was, “well, certainly not THAT one.” I coaxed him to play it, and after a few rounds he said, surprised, “you know this game is actually really fun!”
And so it is. The gameplay, shot flow, incredible variety of shots/targets/goals/modes/sounds/gimmicks… this machine has EVERYTHING you want in a pin. Unless, you know, you want an attractive backglass.
Definitely play this machine if you get a chance. It’s one of the most fun machines there is to play, period. You just have to suspend your disgust over the backglass and get into the game!

Picked this one up from a random message and very glad I did. Yes, the machine is dated. It’s also in pretty rough condition, but I’m fixing it up. But the gameplay on this machine… there’s something special about it. I’m not one of those that has a nostalgic connection to this machine; I had never played it before a couple weeks ago. However, of all the machines in my collection, this is the one I want to continue to play. This is the one I’ve watched a tutorial on 50 times. And this is the one, despite its simplicity, that I have dreams of mastering. From the engine-revving lights and sounds, to the terrible (awesome) lo-fi sound effects, this machine gets into your mind and stays there. It’s timeless. It’s awesome. Play this machine, and if you ever get the chance, buy it. I will keep this one forever.

Machine was rated with 3.02 code; never played with original code. Apparently this code update made a huge difference on gameplay with this machine. It's an enjoyable and underrated pin with the code update.

Machine rated is my “chrome edition” with alternate backglass, powder coated rails, legs and gun, cinemachines hunter-killer, art blades, flipper fidelity sound package, and chrome edition cabinet art. A normal machine wouldn’t have scored quite as high in the art or sound department.

That being said, I can blame my love of pinball on T2. A crappy route operator brought a crappy T2 to my location, and couldn’t hardly keep the damn thing running, but it’s what made me fall in love with pinball. I was paying to play it on my own premesis, and stealing quarters out of my drawer to do so. Early on, the rush of Arnold saying “awesome.” When I hit a jackpot floored me. I didn’t really understand the depth of modern machines, the rule sets, how to approach different machines, ball control… none of it. But I knew I wanted Arnold to say “awesome.” And every time I hit that start button and heard “judgment day.” My heart started pounding. This is the one that started it all for me, which is why I bought a tricked out one that is NEVER leaving my collection. A masterpiece.