I presume you mean Solid States from 1979-1985 -- pre system 11 (1986).

TNA feels *nothing* like an early solid state game.
Perhaps it feels *something* like a system 11.
The very high speed of the ball, ultimately makes it feel like a modern to me.

TNA has: (skipping all non-playfield aspects)
1. very strong modern flippers (early SS games often have flipper strengths that "just" make their shots")
2. no drop target banks (uncommon to have them missing in '79-'85 classics.)
3. a scoop -- a very fast scoop. This wasn't invented until Cyclone? -- a system 11.
4. a very neat modern ball lock system of inline targets.
5. a repeatable orbit shot -- this came with High Speed -- a system 11.
6. most important -- it has *very* interesting rules that compensate for a lack of an interesting shot map with a balance of long and short shots. In stark contrast -- classic SS's rely on a fun shot map, while having very simple rules.
7. creative modern multiplayer rules to make it more fun to work together to achieve goals or to compete as teams.

Instead think of TNA as a flat modern game.
-mof

Pinball-Pat Before you go hunting for early solid states you might want to figure out what you love most about TNA, and share that with us -- from there we can help guide games that are actually similar to it. I'm not sure you're going to come up with much. It's a very unique modern. I hope they continue to make more pins like it -- rather than falling back on fan/ramp layouts...

But trying to "replicate an early classic SS game" is no easy task, and has not yet been attempted yet.

-mof

And furthermore...

Sound packages are the main reason I enjoy early solid states the most:

1. no music
2. sounds that almost tell you what you are doing in the game (try doing that with a modern, other than the word "JACKPOTTT!")
3. I almost play early SS to "make sound" if you will...

Definitely watch movies on youtube (WITH NO VIDEO) and LISTEN to early games, and let that guide you. For me, the cut off point is 1978. Those are horrible sounds to my ears (Paragon, etc...)

I like 1979-forward for sounds. If sounds are important to you, then let your ears be your guide.
-mof

Hehe, fascinating...

Well the trick is to figure out what *you* like about that single flipper upper playfield with no drop targets. Then go search for something simliar in youtube and ipdb.org

Personally, I much prefer upper PFs with a drop target bank or two, and preferably two flippers.

I actually can't think another upper PF designed like that with no drop target banks in early solid states... other than perhaps an actual bagatelle itself -- and I refuse to own games with bagatelles. (Sorry Catacomb)

-mof

If I had to pick a single game to compare it to (layout-wise-only) -- I'd go with Silverball Mania.

1. uneventful upper playfield
2. only 2 long shots to reach the upper playfield
3. dangerous and cramped lower playfield
4. no drop target banks

-mof

Please reread the part where I explicit say layout-wise-only.

That means no rules, no sounds, no lights...

Just let the ball fall into that area and flail away. Not much going on in that enclosed space.

One flipper versus one sling. Not a dream matchup in my book.

And... I was explicitly saying Silverball Mania has an uneventful upper playfield.

Reading!
-mof

Disagree 100%

It's *mostly* what I do when I make a purchase decision, other than listen to the sound... thus the early 80's collection.
Early solid states have my favorite shot maps -- with minimal rules.

When critiquing pins -- my focus happens to be on the geometry and physics first, and how good that feels. Everyone has a different approach.
-mof

Again, I shall kindly ask you to please re-read a post.
It has numbered points in it to help guide how I came to my subjective hypothesis...

And... I'm pretty sure this is the part of the thread, where you just let people toss their opinions out there and just let them hit the floor if you don't like em...

I think we're trying to help some dude make a decision about whether anything out there is similar to TNA, and what about TNA he likes so he can seek other games.
-mof

In my opinion, the best comparisons will have numbered or bulleted reasons listing how they formed their opinions.

Every opinion thrown out so far, including mine, can be shot down -- as no two games are identical.

-mof

Hey, at least he's backing up his opinion with numbered points!
Respect.
-mof

Nice one!
Mof

I never thought about how blinding an LCD could be to a player in a dark room -- and how you just can't remove bulbs from the display to calm it down. I usually play moderns with LCDs in bars with some lighting, and haven't noticed a reflection issue yet... I'll have to look out for that.

yikes.
-mof

Very true...

And... every one of my solid states that I've added spotlights to on the slings so far, look much better in the dark in the lower center PF:

* high speed
* cyclone
* space shuttle

-mof

Ha!

If you guys are gonna keep playing Scooby Doo on this -- focus on late 80's games with music, target banks, multi-ball, and specifically:

1. a scoop
2. flat (no ramps)
3. no drop target banks
4. orbit shot (even if it's not repeatable)
-
5. I doubt you'll find any pins with only 2 long shots... Only four SS games exist with 2. But see if you can find a pin with the first 3 requirements...

Start there...
-mof

Similar...
1. Black Knight 2000 has only two long shots
2. a very cramped and dangerous lower playfield.



3*. Single flipper on the upper, but... It ends there... *this flipper is much bigger, and gets the ball more often, and has more shots, etc... 3 pops, a ball lock, an orbit, I mean -- c'mon...

Not similar...
1.2. Bk2k has two banks of drops
3. a horseshoe to add flow to the lower
4-9. (many more differences...)

I like this one. I predict it makes the final 9 in the poll.

Mof