I can assure you... we have the finest doctors in the land attending to her.

I'm not going to lie to you though... it doesn't look good.

Sorry... couldn't help myself.

We now return to regularly scheduled programming.

The paradigmatic head-to-head, dual-player competition games are Midway's Flying Turns and Race Way, in my view. Of course, the concept of these games differs substantially from all of the great multiplayer games thus far mentioned in this thread. Red Maserati versus blue Ferrari. You select one and your friend selects the other. Gentlemen, start your engines. . .
Image 1.jpg
Image 47.jpg

Methinks the doctor's diagnosis is affected by his anti-add-a-ballosis condition.

No buddy, it's just simply the artwork. This was actually the first version of the game I played and although not thrilled with the artwork, thought it was a fun game.

And yes, as you know, not the biggest AAB fan on the planet. But you can see that I gave this very machine a rather high rating on the IPDB. Even gave it a generous 7 on the art, which I would probably go back in and lower after due consideration but there seems to be a problem with their 'Edit' function. It just gives you an error page when you do so and erases all your comments... nice.

I have emailed Christopher Wolf about this issue but have yet to get any response.

But I would probably at least lower this rating to a 6 or perhaps lower. And I would certainly give Paradise a 10 on art but have elected not to rate all versions of a game just to 'pad' my number of ratings.

Super fun to play with someone! They have one at PHOF in Vegas.

That pin will not be found cheap though.

I think the problem is the art on Paradise is a noticeable improvement. I always liked Pleasure Isle and never thought the art was that bad. By itself it isn't something you look at and think oh that is terrible. After comparing it to Paradise though you just know it could have been that much better.

I liked Pleasure Isle too when I first played it at a nearby location in Santa Ana, Ca.

I think I was okay... until I saw and played a Paradise not too long ago at a friend's house and really started to 'compare' the artwork. But hey, you don't play the artwork. And keep in mind... I own a Williams King Pin! Also a lot of where this has gone (and you'll have to forgive me) is my 'English' sense of humor. If you've ever listened to it, it's all sarcasm. A certain brand of humor... but humor nonetheless.

The very reason 'House' was my favorite television show. I'll still watch reruns once in a blue moon.

Not for everyone, I suppose.

Surfer\ Surf champ. all day... and if you can find one, the magnificent Star-Jet and Fireball by bally. 4 Million BC is a challenging design as well.

My only EM for now is Quick Draw and I love it! I play it by myself most of the time and I couldn't care less if it's a multiplayer. I keep it on 3 ball and it's a total blast. It's a great rush when you are rocking the horseshoe targets over and over. I sometimes throw it on 2 player and talk trash to myself. Player one usually wins though...

Whoa - hold on there partner! Are you now saying that the artwork on Wms King Pin is bad too!?

That's CLASSIC early 60's PBA action captured on the backglass man! Just look at the confidence and determination on that guy's face! Chicks especially dig him! No wonder that pro bowlers were the highest paid sports stars at that time (really).

AND the playfield art - simply fantastic bowling stuff! LOVE those little King bowling pin guys!!! They make great avatars too (or so I hear).

That atrocity has no business in this thread!!!

Aladdin's Castle And Old Chicago Baby !!

So, you mean Fireball Classic or Home Fireball?

Home model is worth about $150 but usually sell upwards to $500.

Fireball Classic doesn't come up too often for sale so I am not exactly sure on the price point. Maybe $500 to $800. But since a lot of collectors are warming up to Classic Bally and Stern games, the value seems to be increasing on these animals.

I have many
Quick Draw/Fast Draw
Old Chicago
Target Alpha
Jet Spin

Forgot Grand Prix...Need to buy that one. Really great game

_{Post edited by Hugo: Forgot a game !}

Fireball II might be worth getting. Fireball Classic without the zipper flippers was just wrong. And the home version should be left at the Goodwill.

I had a classic for about a week. A very nice one. It had a slightly harder skill shot than the original, but as mentioned, the two inch zipper flippers are what gave the original Fireball much of it's charm.

CONfidence and determiNATION?!?... he looks like an extra off the set of 'Reefer Madness'.

And if the chicks are diggin' him.... they're diggin' him a hole about six feet deep to THROW him in!

Now, as far as the 'playfield' art... I've always been jealous of your use of the little bowling pin man.

(but keep it under your hat though, huh?) : )

To quote The Dude: "You're obviously not a bowler."

I never really thought of the Reefer Madness aspect, but I have to admit you're not too far off base there.

Hmmm. Just one more reason to like that fine King Pin backglass! Thanks man!

Like to see the OC (Old Chicago) getting some love. Drop targets, a very rip-able spinner, those two bottom pops that separate those with reflexes from those without. Not to mention the spinner rip into top kick-out hole shot. A deceptively difficult skill shot that can really make a dif in your score. Practice your catch and shoot on the center hole. Hot women on the bg to distract you. Noobs need not apply.

Too many to mention:

Grew up with mostly Bally and Williams:

Wizard!
Pat Hand
Target Alpha
Space Mission
Jack in the Box

Mostly first half of the 70's till the end of the e.m. era, and of course first generation s.s.

Wizard, Target Alpha and Pat Hand are sitting in my collection.

There is al lot of variety in these three playfield layouts, and the three different brands.

Freedom is pretty fun.

Hi,

We have a lot of 4 players games, in particular Gottlieb pinballs in France.

I own 19 multiplayers since 2006, Gottlieb, of course !

IMHO, the best multiplayers is a game with :

Drop targets with reset during the play
Extra ball
2x or 3x bonus
rollovers combinations
Asymmetric playfield
beautiful artwork

My "top 4" in my collection :

Vulcan
Surf Champ
Close Encounters EM
and the grail : Charlie's Angels EM

----------------------------------------------------

Wanted : Dead or Alive - In any condition
Gottlieb SPACE WALK
You find, you win : REWARD USD 500

http://www.facebook.com/kangourou.flipper?fref=ts

When you do get people over though, the multiplayers are great because it kinda levels the playing field. People have no fun playing with me on the DMDs because of my long ball times relative to theirs (I'm not that good, but most of my friends/family are not pinheads). No such problem with the EMs and of my home collection Surf Champ is the favorite.
And when you have a bunch of DMDs at home, you'll usually play these over the EMs when you're by yourself anyway.
Now if you have an EM-only collection then wedgeheads are a good idea.

100% agree

Does anyone have a lead on one? A good friend of mine is looking for a nice one..

Hot shot in my opinion. Ive been having it for about a month and still havent knocked down all the targets. Extremely fun game.

Hot shot topper 3.JPG

I know it's not an Em but sure acts like one...How bout Joker Poker SS ? I love that and Surf

champ....Want to try Fast draw someday.

Gottlieb’s 4-player 1957 Falstaff is a fun game to play with others.

http://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=816&picno=48822

It has an opening skill shot into a lane between two top bumpers with a lane value multiplier that changes in a repeating sequence between 100-10-1 each time the 1-point relay activates. So even when you skillfully get the ball between the blue bumpers, hitting those 1-point blue bumpers as the ball settles into the lane will change the lane value. This means you gotta shoot for the lane then find out what you score once your ball gets there. It’s often a lark what you will get. The lane multiplier does not change its value when the next player is up. It’s great when the pop bumper directly below it sends the ball up this lane and back down when lit for 100 points. 200 points right there. Once in a while, the pop bumper sends the ball back up a second time, and 400 points is a great start.

The roto-target displays numbers from 1 to 5 and the target multiplier for it cycles repeatedly from 1x to 10x to 100x then back to 1x, etc. The great thing about the multiplier is that it only changes value when you hit the roto-target. It does not change value when the next player is up. The two slingshots keep the ball flying around and the ball is always hitting the two lower spin bumpers making the roto-target change frequently. So while this target changes a lot, the multiplier does not, and this allows you a bit of set-up. You can go ahead and hit the roto-target while its value is low, to increase the multiplier. The flipper gap is small and hitting the target is rarely a SDTM scenario. This means you can always go for the roto-target without fear of that. When the roto spins to a 4 or 5 with the multiplier at 100 is when you often jump on that shot because if you don’t, likely the ball will soon hit the spin bumpers and the roto value changes again. Not to worry. Nothing wrong with ANY roto value when the multiplier is 100x because the max game score is 1999, so even 100 points is a good boost, and you don’t lose your ball.

Where you CAN lose your ball is in either gobble hole but you can still do really well by them. The holes are automatically 10 times the target value and they alternate for 100 times target value. So, let’s say the target is 5 and the target multiplier is 100x. You’ll flip the ball to the roto-target for 500 points but even if you’re a bad shot and land in a gobble hole instead, you’ll score either 500 points anyway or a consolation 50 points. But, you lose your ball. Whether you score the target or the gobble hole, you will find that competition play is never a dull moment because your score ranking can change after every ball. Fortunes change a lot on this game so you get your boasting in while you can. That’s what makes it a lot of fun.

The gong goes off for every 100 points and sounds really good when you get that roto-target at 100x. There is also a bell for 10 points and a bell for 1 point. So you have three differently-sounding bells clanging while you play. It’s one of the few older games that has lamps under the cardholder than shine onto the playfield when playfield objectives are earned. The backglass is colorful although Falstaff’s face looks like an oatmeal cookie.

10 replays are awarded for match if 1st and 2nd player both match or if 3rd and 4th player both match.

Gottlieb made 850 of them but I don’t know why you see this game hardly at all. I got mine from Iowa about 24 years ago. It’s in pretty good shape. Pictures of it are on the IPDB.

Jay

Old thread, but never got my 2c in...

Like these (in order of release):
Flying Turns (2-players only)
Sheba/Campus Queen
Paradise
8-Ball
Surf Side (2-players only)
Cosmos
Bally Hoo
Gay 90's
Crescendo/Groovy
Snow Derby/Snow Queen
Skyrocket
Fireball
Fan-Tas-Tic
Out Of Sight/Far Out
300/Top Score
Bow & Arrow
Spirit of '76/Pioneer
Old Chicago
Aztec
Freedom prototype
Grand Prix
Hot Tip
Rancho
Pinball
Cleopatra
Sinbad
Joker Poker

On another note...

I greatly despair of Bronco/Mustang, Space Mission/Odyssey, Craptain Farttastic, Magnotron/Duotron, Strato-Flite, and Jungle/Wild Life. They're like the pinball equivalent of fruitcake... just keep getting passed around endlessly with huge Craigslist-clogging production numbers to block out everything else. Argh!

Still Pit Stop on this coast.

Always liked Twin Win

Here's one that'll throw Yeah, "Sound Stage". I'm usually working on machines more than playing
any, but that machine I do go to once in a while, but for sure the Surfer gets played much more often..
With those lower Pop Bumpers, you have to be ready with those flipper buttons on Old Chicago..
After sorting out many problems, the EM Joker Poker is coming along nicely and now thinking that just
may top the ones that I have set up, but the Star Jet and Midway's Champ are surely the most unique.. (T)

Surf Champ, of the ones I've played with any frequency. But I'm hoping a JP comes along sometime to challenge it

Joker Poker is a nice layout and fun to shoot, but very limited in rules. Knock down all drop targets, get the extra ball and special, let the ball drain and do it all over again. Surfer had no staying power. Too easy to roll the score on. Got rid of that thing in a couple weeks.

I guess it's all relative when you have others that you find much more challenging and interesting.

Still Quick Draw/Fast Draw for me.

Maybe I don't play enough pinball to be so good, but if I get a free ball (which is 73,000), from high
score on Surfer, I consider it not having a bad game. To me it's pretty tough to flip..
Just sorted out the mechanics on J.P. and about to go into the playfield. I heard good things about it's
playability, but then again, won't know for sure until completed..
Here's one that maybe's not the best player, but while playing head to head, can make you swear and
laugh at the same time. Only pic I have loaded of it...

IMG_0627 (resized).JPG

"Pleasure Isle"/ "Paradise" are two of the very best.

I have a Paradise. I'll keep that in mind.. (T)

My Surf Champ is set to win replays at 86k, and 99k. But you can gain an extra ball, or win a replay, on every ball regardless of score. Just need to knock down the 5 drops along with hitting the 5 rollovers. Then drain the right way

Shots to multiply the bonus ladder and spinner value, drops that reset, rollovers to hit, balls and replays to be won on specials, a player's 5th ball can advance to the 3x bonus to win the game. Replays on score and matches too, of course. A lotta fun.