Best: LoTR, ACDC, TWD

Worst: TOM, TOTAN, IJ4

I just can't imagine how anyone can consider the code for X-Men, in its current state, to be among the worst.

Maybe he's still running the initial code release. Now that was bad! In fact, that initial code release holds the crown for the worse code ever.

It's not the best of any machine but I'll just throw the updated 6.00 Jurassic Park code into the list. What an awesome update for the machine...it really added new depth and smoothness to the game. What's the latest code for RBION? I wonder which mine has...

Top
1. TWD
2. RBION
3. LOTR

Don't own it, but yes, that is the case, last time I played it. Glad XM owners saw some relief from that code!

Games I like the code on include TSPP, LOTR, RBION, and even though of course things have advanced since then lots of Bally/Williams 90's games. This includes the fact that I actually have seen the wizard mode on Shadow, MM, and several others B/W games. Sometimes I prefer B/W over Stern for code because I don't feel like always working so hard and for extremely long games just to see the wizard mode and then likely never beating it. I don't know if I can ever beat LOTR, WPT, and don't believe I'll ever beat WOZ or TSPP. Ridicously hard code is great at many times, but sometimes I'm just not in the mood or have the time to strive for it.

NGG had so much potential code wise and even though I actually like the game a lot and have owned it twice, the code isn't as strong as it could have been. Same with CC. Perhaps MB could be stronger but I still that one and even SS for a fun and silly game.

I really enjoy Mustang, and I think it has excellent code, but nobody has mentioned it yet among the best or the worst. I guess most think it's solid but nothing exceptional. Music on it is sub-par, but that can be altered. It's the game I play the most, so I'm more familiar with the rules and code on it than most other games.

Excellent points: You're right that there are two things "cleaned finished code vs. bugs" and "complete package vs. just the code"

The common thread between the good vs bad is the whole package. The best have great rule sets plus a good level of dots and sound, plus good layout and toys. If there was no budget/time for sound/art package it's going to limit what they can code with.

POTC my complaint there is the sound package is thin, Star Trek has some of the worst dots in the last ten years, yet overall those games aren't at the bottom of my list.

For me, the better games (TZ TSPP etc) have modes where the shots are part of the theme. Clock millions, you are shooting a clock target, town square madness is in the town square ... each area and element of the game has a purpose and gets showcased. AND it changes the way you have to shoot.

When a mode starts in a lot of modern Sterns, they just light a few inserts. The problem is all the modes start to feel the same. There is nothing deep about the theme is I shoot these four lit shot versus those four lit shots. There is nothing about those shots that feel like it has anything to do with Wolverine instead of Storm (or whatever).

Yep.
My point was mainly that the ruleset probably can't be attributed to just the coder. I'd think the designer comes up with the bulk of the rules, for the coder to implement as cleanly as possible.
Then, I'd think it's to the coder that you can attribute nice lightshows, nice dots, efficient gameplay and obviously, a bug free game.

This is an excellent point and totally agree; it was those pat lawlor 90s pins that shined the best with this. But, since you mentioned stern ST and how it 'appears' you just shoot lit shots and since this is a major complaint amongst ST haters I will say that the above quote nailed what I love about ST. Even though it seems like all the modes are the same, they are not and when you go from mission to mission or to galactic mission even, the game is exactly how you put it, changes the way you have to shoot! Now the biggest difference between the modern stern era like ST vs the classic lawlor pins like TZ is that with ST, the flow and combos are changing whereas the older pins your shooting targets and areas.

It's why some people prefer older pins to newer pins, they'd rather have designated areas and targeted objects to shoot at rather than speed, flow and combos with constant action. Neither is better than the other, hell TZ and TAF were amongst my favorites in the 90s that helped me get hooked on pinball which is also why FGY is one of my favorite pins.

Never reach The wizard mod or never beat it? That is The reason for i come back and play again and game
So great code, great game, no?

Otherwise i realize that pins mentioned to get The best code are mostly Stern pinball machine.
Stern has understood that The pinball market was more and more addressed to private owners. So code with deep rules is essential to get a good lastability

Best:

- Twilight Zone
- Cirqus Voltaire
- Simpsons Pinball Party
- Medieval Madness
- AC/DC
- World Poker Tour
- Lord of the Rings

Worst:

- WrestleMania
- Gilligan's Island
- Star Wars (not the 20th anniversary update)
- Striker Xtreme
- Big Hurt
- Shaq Attaq
- Lethal Weapon 3

My Top 5 (recent ones):
- LOTR
- WPT
- TZ
- TSPP
- WoZ
- (honorable mention / I know the last mode is not coded so should not be on the list. But it still has lots to offer!) WoF

Adding two older games to the list. They can't compare on the depth level but have interesting rules:
- Medusa
- Spectrum

My Bottom 3:
- Striker Xtreme
- Wrestlemania
- Super Mario Bros Mushroom World

Curious as to how you could say ACDC is one of the worst.
Too confusing?