I did a search and couldn't find any discussion on this topic.
That's because most people feel the best EM's are single player, even if that means you're taking turns against your friends on them. =P
I'm surprised that a search didn't turn up anything as this topic has actually been discussed lots of times on Pinside. Even more times I'm sure on RGP before that.
I'll save you time though and give you the distilled results ...
Fast Draw / Quick Draw.
Pit Stop is a favorite among players at my house. Unlike most multiplayer games, it does not reset after each ball, and continues progress throughout the game for each player.
Monaco is the only game I've owned that my family regularly played. It was fun to play alone and fun with a group.
Quick Draw is good. My favorite is probably Jack in the Box because those crazy pop bumpers lead to some wild game play. In multiplayer action there is no more exciting game EVER.
It may be easier to ask which multi-player EMs to avoid instead.
I agree, Jungle Queen/Princess, Fast/Quick draw, Jumping Jack/in the box are all excellent games, but there are sooooo many others that are fun too. We love Target Alpha, Fireball, Flip Flop, Wizard, Capt. Fantastic, Fireball, 4 Million BC, there are just too many good ones to list.
Quoted from gearheaddropping:Fast Draw/Quick Draw is probably the best.
I am also partial to Dealer's Choice.
I am also partial to Lawman/Sheriff, Old Chicago, Bow and Arrow.
Grand Prix and Air Aces are a couple of great multiplayers that have made there way in and out of the garage.
I forgot to mention Magic Clock. Any time you have a multiplayer that includes some kind of cool feature that won't be found on a single player of the time, it becomes a good choice.
San Francisco: You have to think about where you leave the pointer arrow for the other guy's turn.
Space Mission/Odyssey: Same thing. You can end up leaving that spinner lit for the next guy.
Night Rider: Always the fave for multiplayer competitions when I have people over.
I also like Lawman.
Quoted from practicalsteve:What? No Surf Champ?
Surf Champ / Surfer are good too! Nice variety of features. That's why it was chosen by the PPM for their visible game.
http://pacificpinball.org/pinball-machines/surf-champ-visible-pin
Quoted from fireball2:Night Rider: Always the fave for multiplayer competitions when I have people over.
This is one of my favorite EMs as well. I think in great part due to the art package and theme, but its got a nice simple little ruleset and lots of drops!
Quoted from Tuna_Delight:Surf Champ / Surfer are good too! Nice variety of features. That's why it was chosen by the PPM for their visible game.
http://pacificpinball.org/pinball-machines/surf-champ-visible-pin
I love playing it when I am there. Now that I have my own Surf Champ I am going to compaer it teh next time I am there, hopefully on Thursday.
Wizard is pretty great too, are we only naming multiplayers that had single player dopplegangers?
My votes in no particular order...
Bally Old Chicago, Hang Glider
GTB: Jumping Jack/JITB
Jungle Queen/Jungle Princess
Target Alpha/Canada Dry
WMS: OXO, Solids N Stripes
There's a million good ones. Don't get too caught up in the Quick Draw/Fast Draw hogwash. About 10 years ago a bunch of DMD people who don't like EMs got fixated on that one and decided it was gonna be the one EM they all like and there ya go, the hype train on that one was all aboard and embarked on its never-ending journey. It's a great game but so are many, many others.
For Gottliebs, I love Surfer/Surf Champ. Lots of different objectives from drop targets to rollovers and all are rewarding.
Spirit of '76 is fantastic. There's nothing quite like getting 60,000 points for one shot when you achieve quad bonus.
Williams Argosy is another one with lots of different ways to score points and packed with features. I love games with an achievable ball save gate and this has one. Out of Sight/Far Out fits that bill as well.
You can't go wrong with Target Alpha/Solar City. Tons of drop targets. Those bonus count units take a beating though. Gottlieb's Sherrif/Lawman is another multiplayer version of a great one-player that's a very good game.
Night Rider is a good one from Bally. Drop targets, the skill hole. Fun game.
There's a reason Williams Space Mission was the company's best-seller in the 70s. Very unique layout that encourages drop catches and bounce passes, awesome horseshoe shot and the moving target make this a very solid game. The kickout holes in the middle and the slots by the flippers lead to interesting multidirectional play.
Another with the swinging target that's one of my absolute favorites is Swinger/Funfest (Swinger gets the edge for artwork). Very fast game with kicksave on the left and ball save gate on the right and a very unique ruleset - I love how you "lock in" the swinging target award (preferably when it's high) and then can cash in by hitting the target. Super fun to "go invincible" with the center post and both ball saves activated.
Bally's Fireball is one of the best and well deserving of its reputation and value. Again a very unique rule set, fantastic skill shot (maybe the best in pinball) and the spinning disc with the rubber mat makes those on Whirlwind seem laughable. Ball does crazy stuff on that disc. Zipper flippers too. Love that game.
Overrated ones for me - Bally's Wizard and Capt. Fantastic - great themes and artwork but not great players.
For me its between Fast Draw and Surf Champ to close to call but there are many many more that I really enjoy also.
I am going to give some love for
WMS "Merry Widow" & "Shangri-La"
Bally's "SkyRocket" (2P) and "SeeSaw" (4P)
GTB "Vulcan/FireQueen"
CCoin "Festival" and "Gold Record"
Space Mission and Grand Prix are the two best multiplayers I've ever played.
After that, probably Surf Champ, Jet Spin, then Fireball.
Quoted from CrazyLevi:Don't get too caught up in the Quick Draw/Fast Draw hogwash. About 10 years ago a bunch of DMD people who don't like EMs got fixated on that one and decided it was gonna be the one EM they all like and there ya go, the hype train on that one was all aboard and embarked on its never-ending journey. It's a great game but so are many, many others.
Quick Draw/Fast Draw hogwash?!
I can't speak to any "hype train" stemming from the supposed popularity of the game amongst DMD enthusiasts 10 years ago, but I can say, in all honesty, that I've formed my own opinion based on the many various multi-player games that I have owned (including a Quick Draw currently among others) or played over the years.
While I would agree that there are a number of good EM multi-players, if I could only own one, it would be QD/FD for numerous reasons including, but not limited to:
1. Separate strategies of building the multiplier via the A-B-C lanes and cashing in on the upper playfield kickouts vs. risking shooting at the lower playfield drop targets
2. Unique design feature of the center horse shoe drop targets popping up repeatedly for 5,000 points once you're able to knock all of the drop targets down.
3. The challenge of achieving #2.
4. No slingshots and the nudging skills consequently required at the lower lanes.
5. Achieving full bonus and 3X multiplier on the last ball and seeing/hearing 45,00 points rapidly ring up once it drains.
6. Most importantly - and I'm not exactly sure why - but this is the multi-player that plays the most like a single player (i.e. the full reset after each ball is least noticeable) to me. Consequently mine is set for 5 balls as opposed to 3 on all of my other multi-players.
I'd recommend that anyone play a Quick Draw/Fast Draw that's been properly maintained if they have the chance. Its fun gameplay will speak for itself! While not for everyone (and what game is?), it certainly doesn't need to rely on any hype to maintain its popularity amongst those who have actually played one.
I have to agree with Air Aces. It has a great theme and a simple layout.
You're a WW1 Flying Ace and you have to shoot down the others before you go down yourself.
Shoot down the 9 targets (enemy planes), then get the ball back to the top of the playfield to score Special or Extra ball.
You have you're 2 big guns (main flippers) and 2 smaller guns (side flippers).
Simple by design, challenging as heck to accomplish.
One machine I wouldn't part with. I Love It!
airaces 005.jpg
Quoted from Frax:That's because most people feel the best EM's are single player, even if that means you're taking turns against your friends on them. =P
True, the single player game rules are usually better.
But from a tourney aspect, it is a different experience playing a multiplayer match knowing exactly what scores need to be beat. Doesn't mean it is not fun or appropriate, just a different feel. The see-saw effect of a single ball at a time, 4 player game is exciting.
And of course, the games don't take that long, even on 5 ball.
Gonna toss in a vote here for Mars Trek. For some reason it is incredibly addictive, an opinion shared by many friends.
I like mars trek but there's not enough going on to put it to the level of Surf Champ or Spirit of '76.
It's a standard "try to get ball to top to build bonus" game. Also not a fan of the oddball Extra Ball rules - reminds me of a lot of 70s Bally games.
Harry Williams first rule was never offer a reward to a player and then take it away. I hate when a multiplayer game lights extra ball and then it just disappears cause you advanced the bonus again.
Quoted from practicalsteve:Ya'll forgot about Flip Flop!
I mentioned it 3 days and 16 hours ago!
I am a big fan of Aztec. Great spinner shot and the targets build up another scoring feature. Its good to have 2 ways of getting big points on a game. The outlanes can be pretty brutal at times.
I feel its one of the more under rated ems .
I'll put in a vote for Royal Flush. Sort of a multiplayer Jacks open. I own one of these and play it at the VFW quite often. I also have a couple of Target Alphas and a Space Oddssy or whatever. I had hands on an Aztec once, but turned it down. I'm sort of glad I did now. I like the game, but can't afford the room for it - giving it a spot that could be used by a Wedgehead.
Most of them are of the lather, rise, repeat variety. So their inclusion in your collection may be predicated on how many other games you have and how big your room is.
If you are painting a picture in your mind of you and your friends and family blissfully playing 4 player games of Target Alpha for hours on end, put down the joint and face up to the reality that it will be you sitting there shooting the same ball over and over that one week a month when your wife is unavailable. If you have 9 games and want to add a tenth, it might make sense. Your collection looks like you have 3 DMDs, so you have nice, deep rule set multiplayers already. If you are looking to just add an EM, I would encourage you to get a good playing single player.
If you are thinking of....get....
Royal Flush......Jacks Open
Target Alpha ..... Eldorado
Lawman........Atlantis
etc.
Most mediocre one player games are better than really good multis (in my opinion of course)
Quoted from newmantjn:If you are painting a picture in your mind of you and your friends and family blissfully playing 4 player games for hours on end, face up to the reality that it will be you sitting there shooting the same ball over and over.
Ha, that is so true.
Quoted from timtim:It's always more fun to compete!
Personally, I don't like it that much. (yes, I know you are quoting the machine) I like bullshitting with pinball people. I sort of like playing with them, but if I really want to play pinball, I find the wait your turn thing very ....ummm. Not conducive to actually enjoying the game, or the company. You sort of multitask and do a half assed job at everything. I think games like pool are much more conversational etc.
Quoted from newmantjn:I see you edited my post slightly, Alex
Well, I've never wanted a Target Alpha and I don't smoke. Other than that you nailed it.
I don't buy the whole "EM multiplayers suck and are boring if you aren't competing."
It's not true. Set the games to three ball (not five ball). There's an art to these games - trying to do put together your best 3 balls - and maybe get a shoot again or too - and get your best high score. I don't find a good multiplayer game boring at all. The only game in my apartment is a williams 4-player and I've played thousands on my own and will play thousands more.
Also, many multiplayers have a last ball that is more lucrative which changes it up more (higher bonus X).
Quoted from MrArt2u:I mentioned it 3 days and 16 hours ago!
Damn! scanned through the posts and missed it!
Quoted from CrazyLevi:It's not true. Set the games to three ball (not five ball). There's an art to these games - trying to do put together your best 3 balls - and maybe get a shoot again or too - and get your best high score. I don't find a good multiplayer game boring at all.
Yep, different strokes, all that. I guess it comes down to why the OP wants "generic multiplayer EM" If he is looking for a decoration to go along with his DMDs or to take up floor space or whatever, any game will do. If he is looking for a good player, he might want to know there are differing opinions on the general play-abilty of multis vs singles. If he is looking for an EM just...because, then that might send him down a different road.
Regardless, if he were to buy a multi and get bored with it and then declare all EM boring, that would be an undesirable result. Until a few years ago, I hadn't really considered that there were substantial differences between multis and singles. Maybe my 4-5th game I bought was a Spirit of 76. I had a choice of that or a 2001. Both were the same price. I figured any game they made 10,000 of must be great!! So I bought it and left the 2001. Not my best move.
Also not mentioned (I don't think anyway) is Big Indian. I had one and really liked it. I traded it for a Sing Along, then I backfilled it later with a better example. I figured Big Indians were easier to come by.
As a kid we played EM games at the arcades. With 3 or 4 players at a time, it was always a blast competing with each other. How ever for the life of me I can't remember which games they were. Captain Fantastic and Fireball are ones I can say that I remember. There were 2 arcades near my home in the early to mid '70s that had rows of pins.
Quoted from StevenP:Gonna toss in a vote here for Mars Trek. For some reason it is incredibly addictive, an opinion shared by many friends.
Ive played yours and loved it!!!!
Quoted from Dono:Jungle Queen/Jungle Princess
Absolutely my favorite EM,I own one and its never leaving.
Quoted from Tuna_Delight:Fast Draw / Quick Draw
This is a great one I would own if i had unlimited space.
Quoted from newmantjn:Personally, I don't like it that much. (yes, I know you are quoting the machine) I like bullshitting with pinball people. I sort of like playing with them, but if I really want to play pinball, I find the wait your turn thing very ....ummm. Not conducive to actually enjoying the game, or the company. You sort of multitask and do a half assed job at everything. I think games like pool are much more conversational etc.
Yeah i play in league and tournaments, I have to agree the wait for your turn is the not fun or watching someone blow past what you thought was a great score is even worst
Quoted from newmantjn:Also not mentioned (I don't think anyway) is Big Indian. I had one and really liked it. I traded it for a Sing Along, then I backfilled it later with a better example. I figured Big Indians were easier to come by.
I had one for awhile. It was an OK game, but I didn't like it as well as the others I posted here.
One thing I just don't like about multiplayers is the complete resetting of the objectives after every single ball.
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