(Topic ID: 143335)

Best bang for my buck?

By NoMonkey

8 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

You

Linked Games

No games have been linked to this topic.

    Topic Gallery

    View topic image gallery

    image.jpeg
    100_0042_1.jpg
    100_0041_1.jpg
    100_0043_1.jpg
    100_0157.jpg
    100_0163.jpg
    100_0156.jpg
    100_0169.jpg

    #1 8 years ago

    I'm looking for some advice on games to purchase given a $15k budget.

    We currently own a HH which we play daily and we are working on restoring a solar ride ss.

    My wife and I have fallen in love with the hobby and have been finding ourselves at the local arcade more and more. That being said, we're easily of novice skill. We always seem to end up playing WH2O, CV, MB, and TOTAN. This may simply be because of the selection and our local arcade and their appeal to new players like us though.

    We have room for about 4 pins total, one of which would be the HH. What pins would you guys recommend to fill the other 3 slots for a good balance of replay-ability and general fun?

    Thanks!

    #2 8 years ago

    something old, something new, something - oh wait that is for wedding horseshit!
    simple games like WNBJM, GI and BBH still win it for me.

    #3 8 years ago

    You've got a good classic, pick up your favorite wpc game (expensive) buy a fun data east (cheap) and round off with a good sys 11 game (fairly cheap). Then you got a good mix. Throw in a EM if you can squeeze it in. Then take a nice vacation with leftover money. Todd

    #4 8 years ago

    You are close to Pinballz Arcade in Austin. They sell pins at high retail, but at least you can try 100 titles, and then stop at Buffalo Billiards for dinner and try a dozen more.

    Getting what you like is more important than bang for buck. That being said, some $2500 WPC games are hard to beat, like FT and BSD.

    #5 8 years ago

    If you like System 11 games, but want the newer DMD look, don't pass by Capcom games.

    They have a System 11 feel to me as they are mainly linear, asre generally cheaper than Williams DMD's of the same era, and are great fun!

    Good luck and remember, play before you buy! Don't buy something someone else says you should. Buy what YOU want!

    Chris

    #6 8 years ago

    I'd say WCS and AC/DC Pro would be a couple good games that are good bang for the buck

    #7 8 years ago

    My advise is this.... pace yourself. Post a few "wanted pinball machine(s)" in your local craigslist and see what your response is. And religiously search CL as well (but you are up against a half a dozen other collectors doing the same thing) so get the craigslist app on your iPad / iPhone that notifies you when your search results are met (obviously searching for "pinball" and don't forget "pin ball") check it several times a day. Yes you have to work hard to find a good deal, but the hunt is part of the fun. AND expect to drop everything and immediately go get a machine when you see something you like... otherwise someone will beat you to it.

    And it is okay to put up a CL add asking for specific games you want: (Addams Family, Star Wars Data East, Monster Bash, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park...etc.)

    On any high dollar item... if you MUST have it today you will be paying full price for it; like if your refrigerator goes out, you have no choice.... you have to go find one that day and buy it. That puts you in a weak purchasing position.

    My advise is get one game at first that you really like, it is okay to pay a bit more for it. Then add to your collection as you go, remember you can resell pins you get tired of.

    Avoid project machines that will require a lot of work you are not willing to do.

    #8 8 years ago

    I agree with wantdataeast. Take your time and try to play a lot of games to see which ones you like best. Prices are all over the place. It's easy to blow a lot of cash on top rated games but that doesn't mean they are more fun to play than less rated games that sell for less money. I've changed my mind many times over which games I want to get. Pace yourself and get one at a time. The other to consider is that older games may need extra cash on repairs or to fix up.

    #9 8 years ago

    My advice is to go to a few large shows so you can really make a list of what you like. Definitely go to the Texas Pinball Festival. We also have a pretty nice show here in Atlanta, the Southern-Fried Gameroom Expo.

    #10 8 years ago

    if your spending 15k you can get alot of bang for your buck pins.

    really with that limit you should be very happy with what ever you sensibly buy

    #11 8 years ago

    buy these:

    Taxi, EBD, TZ, Sorcerer

    buy one of these:

    MET, AC/DC Prem, Tron, LOTR

    gets you in under 15K.

    TOTAN is a waste of funds IMHO...

    #12 8 years ago

    Wow, thank you all for the great replies!

    I'm not any huge rush to pick up pins, we're just working on filling out our game room and have dedicated space to 4 of them.

    Quoted from Neal_W:

    You are close to Pinballz Arcade in Austin. They sell pins at high retail, but at least you can try 100 titles, and then stop at Buffalo Billiards for dinner and try a dozen more.

    That's actually the arcade I was speaking of. I wasn't sure if anyone would know of it so I didn't mention a name. Yes, we have spent a decent amount of time there playing all of their pins. I feel like we get lured into the ones that we have the most fun with while we're there (such as the ones listed above) however I worry about their staying power. I suppose you'd tire of any machine eventually though.

    Quoted from wantdataeast:

    My advise is this.... pace yourself. Post a few "wanted pinball machine(s)" in your local craigslist and see what your response is. And religiously search CL as well (but you are up against a half a dozen other collectors doing the same thing) so get the craigslist app on your iPad / iPhone that notifies you when your search results are met (obviously searching for "pinball" and don't forget "pin ball") check it several times a day. Yes you have to work hard to find a good deal, but the hunt is part of the fun. AND expect to drop everything and immediately go get a machine when you see something you like... otherwise someone will beat you to it.

    I've been doing this for a long while now, actually! It's tedious and mostly disappointing, haha. A few prospects have come up but, as you mentioned, there were other fanatics out there that beat me to the punch. I've recently been branching out to other states, considering shipping a pin I might want. Mr. Pinball sketches me out a bit in terms of being scammed but I peruse the site as well.

    Quoted from jawjaw:

    It's easy to blow a lot of cash on top rated games but that doesn't mean they are more fun to play than less rated games that sell for less money.

    Yes, I've been quite curious about this. All of the games I mentioned above, with maybe the exception of WH2O seem so overpriced. But then again, what do I know; I'm new! The catch that always seems to get me (and my wife) are the themes. While I know there are other games that hold up just as well as the high-in-demand games in terms of gameplay, we're not super sold on having Dracula or Johnny Depp hanging out in our game room. For instance, while haunted house is a bit slow and we're terrible at it, we still have fun and it looks very cool to boot.

    Quoted from swampfire:

    My advice is to go to a few large shows so you can really make a list of what you like. Definitely go to the Texas Pinball Festival.

    I do plan to go to Texas Pinball Festival this year for exactly that reason; to play games. Right now I feel like we're pretty limited as to what we've played (whatever is at Pinballz) and I'm curious to hear what other titles are out there. That being said, while I want to wait until March, we definitely have an itch right now! Are there generally games for sale at reasonable prices at these shows?

    Thank you guys again for all of the suggestions!

    #13 8 years ago

    Join the BatCityPinball facebook group, you might find some deals from local collectors that want to keep their sales in the area- less headache.

    I agree with not having your sights set on any specific machines - if you're not in a rush, you can scoop up good deals as they come. You're pretty lucky to be in a place with a couple hundred public machines available on route local to you. Since it hasn't been mentioned you might also want to check out Mr. Pinball. There will probably be some decent deals and interesting machines at the TPF. The Houston Arcade Expo is also in two weeks and there will be a number of machines for sale there.

    Are you in Lakeway-Lakeway (Town of Lakeway) or Austin-Lakeway? Just curious.

    Because I always have to plug it - you and your wife should come out to league nights sometime! Tuesdays at 8 at Pinballz and Sundays at 4:30 at Buffalo Billards. There's also a women's league that runs immediately before normal league at Pinballz at 7 PM on Tuesdays. All leagues allow you to play as a guest if you can't or don't want to commit to multiple weeks in a row, men can play as a guest in the ladies league.

    #14 8 years ago

    I just sang in a concert with the Colorado Philharmonic . We focus on John Williams . Williams did the score for all the STAR WARS films to date . Got me thinking about my Data East STER WARS pinball I owned for 7 years and then sold it for space for X-Men L.E. I miss Data East STAR WARS and the LED conversion I did was amazing if I do not say so my self. Food for thought .

    100_0169.jpg100_0169.jpg

    100_0156.jpg100_0156.jpg

    100_0163.jpg100_0163.jpg

    100_0157.jpg100_0157.jpg

    #15 8 years ago
    Quoted from NoMonkey:

    I'm looking for some advice on games to purchase given a $15k budget.
    We currently own a HH which we play daily and we are working on restoring a solar ride ss.
    My wife and I have fallen in love with the hobby and have been finding ourselves at the local arcade more and more. That being said, we're easily of novice skill. We always seem to end up playing WH2O, CV, MB, and TOTAN. This may simply be because of the selection and our local arcade and their appeal to new players like us though.
    We have room for about 4 pins total, one of which would be the HH. What pins would you guys recommend to fill the other 3 slots for a good balance of replay-ability and general fun?
    Thanks!

    i recommend elektra, road kings and genesis.

    "for sale: elektra, road kings and genesis..."

    #16 8 years ago

    More food for thought . CFTBL . Owned mine since 1997 . Great pinball for LED conversion and excellent fun factor .

    100_0043_1.jpg100_0043_1.jpg

    100_0041_1.jpg100_0041_1.jpg

    100_0042_1.jpg100_0042_1.jpg

    #17 8 years ago

    Agree but I think we may be in the minority. It was my second machine and last to leave.

    But to the OP: agree with the others for some variety of different brands and eras.

    image.jpegimage.jpeg

    #18 8 years ago

    I would focus on Bally/Williams DMD's and System 11 games. Also, go for titles that are higher-rated - usually they are for good reason and are easier to resell. Diagnose their conditions well; understand what you can fix/restore and what you can't - very important. If you follow these guidelines, you can't lose - you'll always get your money back and can try different games out.

    #19 8 years ago
    Quoted from KingDaddy:

    I would focus on Bally/Williams DMD's and System 11 games. Also, go for titles that are higher-rated - usually they are for good reason and are easier to resell. Diagnose their conditions well; understand what you can fix/restore and what you can't - very important. If you follow these guidelines, you can't lose - you'll always get your money back and can try different games out.

    Two provisos re getting your money back when you sell. First, this assumes you didn't pay above market price (which can be tricky to figure out and tough to achieve if you want a certain title and are set on having it within a month or two). Second, this assumes you either don't spend much repairing/modding the game, or do so with an eye toward resale value. Many do these things and make money (or at least don't lose money) when they sell. Others tweak and mod the heck out of their games but lose a bit when they sell. Nothing wrong with either approach, only issue is if you pump a bunch of money into the game and expect to get it all back on resale you may be dissapointed.

    #20 8 years ago

    IMHO, don't spend too much time deciding which games to pick (i.e if FishTales seems like a fun theme and title to you, get it. a game I highly recommend). pins are (mostly) easily resold if you don't like them. and I know very few in the hobby that keep ALL the same pins year after year anyway). if its really easy to get them in and out of your house, and you buy locally, there is very little risk or pain. I have never lost money, after expenses and upgrades/mods when selling a pin. I have rarely made money either (except the time I camped out at a house sale to get my TZ for $3K! lol). only my LOTR would be a loser if I sold. that was because of shipping. but that aint going' nowhere!

    when you see a game you want to buy, ask for help here about cost. throw out the 2 bottom comments on price (as there are some on here that will always insist we paid too high) and the 2 highest priced comments (as there are some on here that always insist the value is more than it actually is! lol). that will give you a ballpark on what to pay, always depending upon condition. and no where does it apply more than this hobby: if it sounds too good to be true......

    #21 8 years ago
    #22 8 years ago

    Awesome, thank you all again for the awesome advice!

    Quoted from RobKnapp:

    More food for thought . CFTBL . Owned mine since 1997 . Great pinball for LED conversion and excellent fun factor .

    My wife and I had a great time playing this pin. It's an absolutely beautiful machine and we had considered it although it *seemed* easy compared to the other machines we were playing and worried it may not have much staying power. That being said, we definitely want to go the route of rotating out machines every now and then so I definitely wouldn't be sad if I had one! I'm actually trying not to overthink the games we have too much but rather the resale in the event want to swap them out at any point.

    Quoted from KingDaddy:

    I would focus on Bally/Williams DMD's and System 11 games. Also, go for titles that are higher-rated - usually they are for good reason and are easier to resell. Diagnose their conditions well; understand what you can fix/restore and what you can't - very important. If you follow these guidelines, you can't lose - you'll always get your money back and can try different games out.

    Thanks for the advice. We *really* would like to have a MB but I'm a little scared of the resale after reading about rumors of a remake. I'd say this is definitely one of my wife and I's favorite machines!

    Quoted from yoshootme:

    when you see a game you want to buy, ask for help here about cost. throw out the 2 bottom comments on price (as there are some on here that will always insist we paid too high) and the 2 highest priced comments (as there are some on here that always insist the value is more than it actually is! lol). that will give you a ballpark on what to pay, always depending upon condition. and no where does it apply more than this hobby: if it sounds too good to be true......

    Haha, thanks for the advice! I'll put a few posts up on some games we're after and see how this works out!

    Again, thank you all for the very helpful posts. This is an awesome community!

    #23 8 years ago

    buy 60 EMs They are always the best bang for the buck

    #24 8 years ago

    I'll have to echo the admonitions against spending on CV or TOTAN if resale is a concern. I'm not sure how many hands I'd need to count the number of people I've seen today only who have sworn off ever playing a JPop again. Plus you run the risk of an angry drunken mob attempting to burn your machine like some sort of French Neo-Geo cartridge-destroying frenzy.

    #25 8 years ago
    Quoted from CaptainNeo:

    buy 60 EMs They are always the best bang for the buck

    And with $15k you can get 35 to 40 of them. How big is your game room?

    #26 8 years ago
    Quoted from wantdataeast:

    And with $15k you can get 35 to 40 of them. How big is your game room?

    if you take your time you can get 60 of them.

    #27 8 years ago

    If you are beginning players I would say - TAF, WCS to get more bang for your buck over Totan and Cv and maybe a Stern like SM or LOTR. See you at Texas Pin Fest. I will be there for sure!

    Reply

    Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

    Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

    Donate to Pinside

    Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


    This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/best-bang-for-my-buck and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

    Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.