My 1st pin was Royal Guard (still have it) fun game with the snap targets & 2 ways to light special. Pretty abundant to find. Usually a couple at shows & pop up regularly on craigslist.

1975 Gottlieb Abra Ca dabra - Has both art and gameplay. I only have room for 4-5 pins as well and ACD is a long term keeper.

Ken

You might want to play a bunch first, then determine why you like one over another...then go from there. Otherwise you may not end up with 4 pins you like to play regularly. One or two may become beasts of burden.

Atlantis is much better gameplay IMO than C-37, but artwork is a very subjective element. C-37 certainly has more babes if that's your thing!

Target Alpha is my fav.

Is playing against others important, if so you should think of a multiplayer. The rule sets are more compressed (all in one ball) for the most part so they play different. Something to think about.

I like the symmetry of Abra....seems to play faster that way without all the extra side channels. But honestly, I think it comes down to what you can get your hands on....play it, and if you like it...keep it. Don't like it, put it back on Craigslist. That's what I've done with my line up and I'm pretty happy with what I have now.

Jumping Jack!

When I had to pick my first EM Abra Ca Dabra was an easy choice. I love the art on it. Just put in a new Webb backglass, it looks great. It's tough to find fantasy art from that era, that's more the reign of the solid states that followed in the late 70s and early 80s.

It's a challenging game, but all the shots are available from the flippers, no random "hope that goes up there" shots, where you have to count on a pop or random element to do your job.

Try Target Alpha, Fast Draw, Jack In The Box, Abra, or even Atlantis stated above. Can't go wrong with any of those!

Target Alpha!

Strange World without adoubt with his 70's scifi and Target Alpha of course

Wow... could mention so many great ones. I'm partial to 70s games... Target Alpha, King Pin, Jumping Jack/JITB, Big Hit, Card Whiz/Royal Flush. As far as 60s 2 inch flipper games go - I just restored a Slick Chick for a neighbor... didn't want to give it back. Also like Sing Along, Kings and Queens, Snow Derby/Snow Queen.

Don O

Williams Flash is great but don't overlook the Gottlieb System 1's.

Games can be inexpensive and gameplay is very similar to EMs. You can even add chimes instead of the beeps and boops. Just did that to my Count-Down.

I'd recommend Joker Poker, Count-Down and Sinbad.

http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?searchtype=advanced&mpu=14

I've been through a few, and as far as best art combined with gameplay, I would have to go with Kings & Queens. Just my taste of course.

In order of my preference today (subject to change)

60's: Kings and Queens
King of Diamonds
(Slick Chick) Mine isn't restored yet but they say it's good

70's: Abra Ca Dabra
Atlantis
Jacks Open
El Dorado
Dimension

Preferences (as with Hoov - very subject to change)

60's:
Sing Along
King of Diamonds
Teacher's Pet (very underrated)

70's:
El Dorado
King Pin
Quick Draw or JITB (if you want a multi-player)

Target Alpha gets my vote.

AABs should still fire the knocker when winning a ball (or a 'WOW'). If a particular game didn't, that's likely a bug.

$700 is very low for a worthwhile CC. Double that, and maybe if you're lucky. But then there's actually finding one. Not an easy title to locate, especially with a decent backglass and playfield.

Some would argue that the older games actually require more skill.

(And Pop-a-Card has those tiny flippers, and is from the early 70's... )

Captain Card is a good player and low production - 675 - because it's an aab. Expect to pay between $900 - $1400 for a CQ CC. Problem is CC's with good playfields are hard to find and those that have them tend to hang on to them. So, that is a title you have to have patience to find. Pop a Card, for instance, can be found easier. You might try a wanted to buy ad on Pinside, CL, Mr. Pinball Classifeds, etc..

My CC makes a very loud 'crack' with the knocker.

Great AAB, well worth tracking one down.

Jungle Princess/Jungle Queen is my personal fave.Its nice to hear you're interested in the art as a reason to purchase.That was always my thinking as well

That would be on the low side I think. Maybe for an average condition one.

One thing, if the 60's games you played are too slow, it's more than likely they have not been set up correctly and gone through properly. I think my quickest em is a 1961 Flipper Fair.

Another game to consider. Bank Shot 1976 AAB. Had this a while and miss it. This is a fast em. Wish I hadn't sold it!

http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=169

Hard to find but nice ones do come up around $800 - 1200 tops.

And has a loud crack for the extra balls and lights up WOW balls on the backglass. And it is a great shot to hit the extra ball once all balls are potted.

Additionally it is really noisy as it adds the bonus!

If you're also checking out multiple player games, Quick Draw/Fast Draw is a great player & great backglass art too IMO.

It's possible the flippers and pop bumpers needed a rebuild. I used to think the old 60s games were slow until I played one with the flippers rebuilt and realized they play fast new out of the box.

Oh boy, that is really disappointing.

Ace High is one of the best players of the 50's. Awesome game and at the very least flippers on regular tap/coils should get the ball to the top of the playfield.

Ice Show is another quick game with 5 active pop bumpers close to each other. Fast and hard.

World Fair is another great game and not at all slow.

It is a real shame when games are sluggish, wrong pitch, low voltages at shows. Just gives a real bad impression of the games.

Same with SS pins. I once played 3 White Water's at a show. 2 were awful and I thought it was an over rated title. Then I played the third one and it was a night and day experience.

My oldest game is 1954 Mystic Marvel. I have it on a nice pitch, regular coils, not high tapped. Ball easily gets to top of playfield. Thats how it should be.

Team One by all accounts is an awesome player with a very average art package. If you can live with the art, check it out.

It is challenging to get a fair EM experience with games in the wild. Try and find some EMs in a private collection that have been nicely rebuilt for a better assessment. All of the titles you mention should be capable of much more, and are definitely not indicative of what they're like when done well.

And if you really don't plan/want to tinker on them, you might also consider finding a game from a private collector that's already been fully done (and not just 'shopped'). Big difference for an EM between "working" and "working well".

All the machines at Silverball are in awesome shape!! Believe me, you WILL not be disappointed.

When the knocked goes off, it makes a thwack! sound.

Games w/ 2" flippers are only fun if they are set up well with enough slope, functioning properly, parts replaced/repaired, and have flippers rebuilt. I tend to like it when the more powerful flipper coils are installed.
Gottlieb 2001 is pretty fun drop target em.
Central Park can be a fun game to play.

I played GTB Team One at least a dozen times when I was at the NW pinball show last month,
and wish I could have played more, so it does have that staying power of almost there and need to try again.
The drop targets do reset at various times or actions, so there is always something to shoot at,
along with the 1-6 rollover feature sequence.

AAB's:
Dimension
Pop a Card

Replays:
Jacks Open
Atlantis
Abra Ca Dabra

Lot's of good wedgeheads

I had both set up next to each other for quite some time. IMO team one was the better player but how can you compete with abra's art package. if team one had a similar art package it would be a very sought after AAB up there with capt card and pop a card
if i had unlimited space i would still have it.

I agree that Team One is more fun to play,
but for some reason
I do not care for the AbraCaDabra bonus value score system.
ACB artwork is better,
but i am not that turned off
by the TO artwork.

Yes, Team one rocks!

Man, I don't know. I thought he "Ace High" played pretty well, and the "Egg Head" which was totally rebuilt and restored, played exceptionally well. The "Ice Show" and "King of Diamonds" played OK, but the "KOD" had "nothing done to it" as stated by the guy who brought it. Gotta agree on the "World Fair" and "Show Boat". They played poorly. "Melody" (no "Maker" in the name) played quite well too. "Ace High" has a very small center drain flipper gap, so losing it down the middle doesn't happen very often if you give it a nudge or two.