xenonexe2558's ratings

Pinsider xenonexe2558 has rated 40 machines.

This page shows all all these ratings, and forms xenonexe2558's personal top 40.


Rating comments

xenonexe2558 has written 40 rating comments:


7.856/10
11 years ago
Played the Hulk LE. Yes Hulk traps ball and the shots are tight, but I appreciated a non fan layout and good use of theme. A better Stern for sure.
6.433/10
12 years ago
Lots of classic tunes to get the blood pumping, if only the game would. It sounds GREAT, overall it looks and plays cheaply. The vanilla version of this has flat cut outs instead of toys, and is missing a whole playfield! You see the flimsy ramps and targets with an unlit Angus' face filling an empty playfield. Two ramps, one upper loop. We get some SR touches: a Hell's Bell's shot redolent of T2's skull and a flimsier version of the cannon to boot. Flow is fine once you're up and running, but you can't help feeling you're playing half the machine you ought to be.
The tilt on the machine I tried did not work, and good job too, I'd say 70% of the time the ball went SDTM when exiting the pop bumpers. That means every ball: launch ball, get skill shot, wait for pops, lose ball without getting a TOUCH of the flipper, get ball save, wonder if it will happen again. Even with nudging and Stern wanting to add randomness, this does not count as FUN. I would love to play the FULL version of this game, not a gimped version. It is such a shame only 500 machines will get close to what Mr Ritchie undoubtedly wanted. I hope Jersey Jack raises Stern's game.
7.216/10
12 years ago
I like the flow, the DM animations are terrific (and put Stern digitisers to shame), I don't mind the country music, and overall I think the theme is fun and well executed, everything a pinball should be then. However there's a big BUT. This game (even with the lightning flippers) is just TOO easy. 4 Euros spent and I had seen 99% of what the game had to offer. None of it was bad. For a game on route I can see this as a tremendous success, but for the home it would have to be newbies only. "Deep" fishing this ain't.
7.741/10
12 years ago
The obligatory cheap Stern feel, but some good fast play on offer. Play felt quite weighted to the right flipper. Left hand upper loop is hard and often punished by a left drain. Still I enjoy the challenge of some slightly randomised play. Pot luck entry to Flynn's arcade is fine, exit STM 1 in 10 not so. Couldn't hear the volume cranked but sound seemed ok. Side art and backglass are attractive, playfield is also better than most Sterns. Not a huge fan of the rinse and repeat Recogniser however. Quora multiball was fun. Overall fun to play on location maybe not to own. There seem to be two in SW Paris at the moment.
6.049/10
12 years ago
I want to like it but so many of the rules just seem useless. The Time expander and Daleks are great, the speech is atrocious. Overall though I want to like it, just a bit "meh".
5.515/10
12 years ago
A real disappointment after the simple addictiveness of Cyclone.
8.597/10
12 years ago
With weak flippers this game is a misery; an exercise in frustration. Swap these out however and everything changes, yes it still can infuriate, yes those outlines seem cursed, yes there's a LOT of randomness, but that's a good thing. You're always defying the odds: the goals are clear but challenging and you're always mindful that with one slip it's all over. More skill means more pressure and THAT makes this a great pin.

UPDATE: Ha Ha. I was about to take an axe to it with the lightning flippers. So for the time being its back to full length. It has proved a great contrast to my other pins if frustrating at times. My biggest issue is that to aim for the targets is a death trap so it's really all about the ramps.
4.710/10
12 years ago
Okay, so the ark is fun. The other modes not so. The goals are repetitive and frequently unclear. The Last Crusade scoop, slows the game to a crawl. The sound and music are decent enough apart from the film quotes soundalikes so bad they aren't actually good. The lame insistence on digitising clips in monochrome instead of making attractive animations just annoys. How can a pin from today be less fun than one from the 90's?
8.754/10
13 years ago
Would love to play the 2.0 ROM as it was a little stop start at times. Also the music sounded to my ears a little like "Going For Gold". However there's many multi balls to be had and I got to like the jiggle of the outlines and the chaos of the giant ball and extra pop bumper. Not totally sold on the art, but a grower for sure.
7.733/10
13 years ago
Great sound. Overuse of the main toy, and shots that can be frustrating to make. Still could be a grower - way better than CSI not as fun as Spidey.
8.150/10
14 years ago
Way better than previous Sterns. Not totally sold on the art, and some players may put off over the animal slaying theme, but it's all handled in a playful "toony" way. It's rules and objectives are straight forward enough to get your head round and overall it has a sense of humour. A welcome return then, to what pinball should be about: fun.
8.609/10
14 years ago
It's still my favourite Stern by a wide margin. The art works well with the theme and it doesn't look too cheap. The lengthy digitised clips on the DMD annoy me - actual animations would have been better and less disruptive to play. I prefer my AFM for the quality but I still enjoyed this on location. I remember watching kids walk away from one, because they had no concept of a special or a match. In fact they didn't even know about the credit knocker. Times have changed.... ;)
7.094/10
14 years ago
Not quite sold. I can appreciate the depth on offer here, but the theme, styling and build quality leave me a little cold. Those plastic toys! It's like a bad home mod....
8.405/10
14 years ago
Like all Popadiuks, gorgeous to behold but you wished it played a little deeper. Still it's a looker and on my wishlist.
6.673/10
14 years ago
Good choice of license, scope for action and modes. A clean if uninspired look, let down by the cheap, cheap toys. I can overlook the F22 & the chopper, but action figure dolls just makes it look tacky. A tough sniper shot, almost infuriatingly so. A bored Chloe VO, and unfortunately yet another "meh" Stern pin.
9.456/10
14 years ago
I just can't seem to tire of this game, multiball makes me break out in a wide grin. It's great fun juggling and trying to stack balls in the "No Way Out" or the whirlpool to buy some breathing room, while a "Dukes of Hazard" Bluegrass band is in full swing. This table is just plain fun. How could you not love it? Is it me or is the "Ride the Whirlpool" riff the TMNT theme?
7.520/10
14 years ago
Faster than I expected, good looking enough. But it didn't really hook me.
6.857/10
14 years ago
Unique. I wish there was more stuff to hit. But the ball flow is trippy. Worth playing
7.190/10
14 years ago
EDIT:Played this again, discovered the Orbit shot and the deeper strategies. Much better than I first thought. Well worth putting the time in.

It uses the same sounds as Flash, it's kinda ugly too. So not the greatest of 82, but it feels crisp and snappy to play especially after a session on older EMs. Nice flow too.
5.936/10
14 years ago
Meh... I was disappointed to win two matches. Poor soundalike samples. Just not that exciting. Even if you loved Star Wars I think you'd be disappointed.
8.619/10
14 years ago
Lucky enough to find an old an very dirty one in a cafe. I found myself wishing I could open the glass and give it a good clean! With weak flippers way harder than VPinmame would suggest. The toys are also much more impressive in the flesh, Dracula, The Bride & The Mummy and even the Creature (grimy as the lagoon was) raised a smile and reminded me how unfortunately cheap looking I find the new Stern's. In good nick I imagine it might be a little easy but there's no doubting its a great deal of fun.
5.456/10
15 years ago
Just found a mint one in Belleville, Paris. Had about 7 games. Didn't manage to get the skull multiball so there is some challenge at collecting all the evidence. Not however a table to get the heart racing. The samples are quite downbeat as is the overall pace. Ball got stuck racking up points in the pop bumpers a little too often. Never seen the show so that can't help.So far "meh" but I'll stick with it and see. Hope 24 is better!
8.545/10
15 years ago
Gimmicky but surprisingly entertaining. Scoring is novel and the "rarer than a hen's tooth" two machine link up would be a blast. All this from someone who's not into basketball.
7.570/10
15 years ago
Ugly, but chaotic fun.
8.916/10
15 years ago
It's good. After playing it more virtually on PS3 I now appreciate the deeper ruleset, but I probably still prefer AFM for the theme, speed and humour.
9.255/10
15 years ago
Fast and lean. Funny and furious. Much to my chagrin, its simplicity can lead to repetition. That's not to say it isn't ace, it just needs good company to give it a breather.
7.532/10
15 years ago
Too stubby and just doesn't feel like real pinball.
7.101/10
15 years ago
Just don't get it. To stop/start for me.
6.422/10
15 years ago
Ride The Comet. The SFX are so mid 80's Williams. It took my money years ago. But not now.
7.303/10
15 years ago
Loved it at Uni. Took it to the cleaners recently. Surprisingly so-so I think it was set on easy. So maybe a tougher setting would make me feel like I earned it,
Warping back in time for retro sounds is GENIUS though.
7.410/10
15 years ago
I was such a fan of Dredd in 2000AD as a kid.
Looks great. Plays "meh"
8.423/10
15 years ago
I hate SS Gottliebs but this one is a hoot. REAL tough, but all the more addictive for it.
8.765/10
15 years ago
Maybe a bit simple for the home. But I remember pouring coins into it at Uni. A great rounded Richie package though. Fast and furious while it lasts. Ramps and cannon are great. Skull shot sure is a drainer.
8.665/10
15 years ago
After a stint on more modern tables I appreciate purity of Firepower. It's simple sure, but also immediate and responsive, especially the snappy flippers and all the more satisfying for it. Learning not to blunder into the targets and side drain is all part of the fun.

So the ruleset isn't that deep and there's no goal to multi-ball but it is from 1980. The sounds are retro nirvana, and nailing that spinner shot when lit for a lock is ace. Great stuff. As a single pin a little limited, but as a part of a collection solid stuff and a welcome change to modes and ramps.
6.517/10
15 years ago
One for the kiddiwinks...
8.375/10
15 years ago
Not half bad...
8.319/10
15 years ago
Just set mine up again after a year and a half in storage. It's brutally tough but GREAT for it's time: a 70's pin with 80's intentions. You can't help but wish its flippers had the oomph of Firepower, but it's got flow in spades. The drop targets are very "moreish" and the ever mounting pressure of stacking up rewards by nailing the drops vs losing everything is exciting. Racking up a monster bonus and rolling into free play is always a pleasure but the outlanes are pure evil. Still I find the simplicity and speed of this single ball game refreshing after more complicated games. No wonder these were thrashed to death back in the day.
8.431/10
15 years ago
Over time the glory fades a little, for the Black Knight is brutal and unbalanced. Play ends up being weighted heavily to the right flippers and loops on the top deck. However the choreography of sound and light remain unbeaten, the music awesomely cheesy and the challenge for less experienced player is still there. Despite his faults the Black Knight is still a lot of fun.
EDIT : After shopping it and decking it out with Super bright LEDs , I can say that it's it's great to have a game where you can blast away and test your reactions. I really enjoy sticking around the lower deck and trying to pick off the targets to recharge the outlines. The light show is a total eyeball melter as well, play it in the dark and it's just amazing.
7.359/10
15 years ago
What a looker!
But oh so dull
8.196/10
15 years ago
Simple but fast and such a beauty!

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