With any luck in a year or two maybe Brian Eddy's name could be added to this list. I mean the guy only designed a handful of pins so far. But, he made three all time classics... So lets hope he can keep his streak intact and make it 4.

Well, I wish I could play MM more. But, at every expo I go to its always more crowded to get on than AFM. I've played the hell out of AFM and I love that game. AFM might be my favorite game of all time. I've probably played MM around 15-25 times total. Which I don't like to base an opinion on pinball machines. I like to get into the 50s to possibly 100s of games played on a machine.

But, I don't think MM and AFM play the same at all. Are the designs the same. Yeah... Very similar, but they shoot different and have much different code. AFM ha nothing like Trolls. And in fact I generally time out trolls if I'm not in a multiball. Or I take them very slowly and try to get controlled hits on them... Still very dangerous. AFM has the Martian Attack which can lead to mb. Which is great to implement in your strategy. Not to shoot for martians but, to get safe hits on a saucer. I don't really shoot for the martian letters, but once its spelled or given as a reward for stroke of luck, I do attempt to complete the attack and get the mb going.

AFM also doesn't have the side catapult shot. And the ball lock is a different shot. Similar area. But, its a ramp in attack from mars and the lock shot can be harder as you need a much cleaner and stronger hit.

And just the strategies in the game are different too. It's safer to bring the drawbridge down in MM than to lower the Force Field in AFM. I guess the strat is a similar that you want to get into a mb once both are lowered. But, their is a difference to the games in the code and the layouts to where I think each has its own feel. I also think MB is different and unique. But, I can understand if people don't want all three in their collection or even if they only want one of them.

I have a MBr and an Elvira 3 in my collection... So time will tell if I get tired of both having a similar layout... But, I don't think I will as they play so different.

One last thing. I mean the toys in AFM and MM are some of the best all time toy integrations. The huge saucer and castle really make those games a world under glass. And I think they have some of the best animations(remakes are even better), and best callouts in pinball.
As I said... Time will tell if his next game is any good.

As for Elwin he has the hot hand right now and lets hope he can keep it up.

EDIT:
Lets be honest... This might be one of the best eras of pinball right now. Who would have thought that a renaissance would have been possible. So many cool companies making cool games. Oktoberfest is a quality fun game. ACNC is a fun game to shoot. A bit clunky in the layout, but theme is awesome and the animation is unique and amazing, and the callouts are good. TNA of course is just a blast to play. That game might get super hard to acquire.
And then JJP is making great games too. And lets not forget CGC. Sure they're making remakes... But, still that just means so many more classic great games are available for us all... What a great time to be collecting pinball machines and playing them.

Just for fun I decided to list how many designers have pins and their rankings in the pinside top 100... The top 100 doesn't matter really, as we all know its what you yourself personally like is that is important. This is just for fun.

Lawlor: Twilight Zone is in the top 5. AF, Willy Wonka, and Dialed in are in the top 20. Funhouse, Whirlwind, and NGG are in the top 50. Road Show, Safecracker, Ripley's, Banzai Run, Family Guy, and Earthshaker are in the top 100. So that is 13 games in the top 100.

Ritchie: AC DC, Star Trek, and STTNG are in the top 20. Spiderman, Sterns Star Wars, BK Sword of Rage, Game Of Thrones, The Getaway HSII are in the top 50. Black Knight 2000, and T2 are in the top 100. So Ritchie has 10 games in the top 100.

Borg: has Met in the top 10. Walking dead in the top 25. Iron Man, Tron, Guardians, Aerosmith in the top 50. X-men, Guns n Roses, Kiss, Tales From the Crypt, DE's JP, Munsters in the top 100. Which means he has 12 games in the top 100.

Gomez: Monster Bash is in top 5. LOTR and Deadpool are both in the top 10. So he has 3 pins in the top ten. Batman 66 is in the top 25. Revenge from Mars, Johnny M, the Beatles, The Dark Knight are in the top 100. Which means he has 8 pins in the top 100.

Nordman: Scared Stiff is in the top 25. White Water is in the top 50. Elvira and the Party Monsters, Indy 500 and Sterns POTC are in the top 100... Now in a few weeks or months you can bet that his new Elivra will make the top 100... As of right now its not there. So he only has 5 machines in the top 100... But, they all are quality and beautiful machines.

Balcer: The Simpsons Pinball party and Wizard of Oz are in the top 25. The hobbit is in the top 50. Houdini and Oktoberfest are in the top 100. Which means him and Nordman are tied at 5 in the top 100.

Elwin: he has two games in the top 10. His JP is currently at number 3 and I must say that game is amazing, and Iron Maiden is number 9. So total 2 games in the top 100.

Danesi: Has only one game out so far and that's TNA and its in the top 50. Very fun game. Great party game too... But, I have no friends.

Eric JJP, has their pirates and that is in the top 10 currently. And that is the only game he's the lead on so far. So he has 1 game in the top 100.

Trudeau: Ghostbusters, Creature, and Congo in the top 50. Judge Dredd, and Bride of Pinbot are in the top 100. Don't know if Bride was more Python. But, he was listed as game design. Which takes him to 5 games in the top 100.

JPOP: Theatre of Magic and TOTAN are in the top 20. CV is in the top 50. And World Cup Soccer is in the top 100. So he has 4 games in the top 100.

Eddy: MM and AFM are not just in the top 5 but are number 1 and 2. Shadow is the top 50. Meaning while he's only designed 3 games. His games are really, really good. And I hope his upcoming game continues that trend and I hope he keeps making games.

I added Trudeau. He might be a scum bag, but he has designed a lot of great games. Yes, he is no longer a designer and so not relevant to the poll, but I just want to include him as a benchmark for the up and coming designers.
Also, Jpop wasn't on this list. He's a lesser scumbag, but still designed great games. Is still possibly desinging games if the vapor ware company claims are to be believed.

Lastly the combined pins from just the people above total: are 69 pins.
So not a lot of room for other designers. Pretty amazing that it is only a handful of people that fill up the list.

Well, opinions are relative, but there is something to be said about a consensus and the 100 list kind of points a person in the right directions. And that is how I view any list. I'll look at it as a starting point for me to do my own research.

And no doubt Elwin is the best guy today, and I think has a bright and hopefully long future in designing pinballs ahead of him. Iron Maiden is one of my favorite machines. That and attack from mars are probably neck and neck for me.
I think Jurassic Park is even better than Iron Maiden. And this is an unpopular opinion I know, but I hate the JP theme. It does nothing for me. I think the movies are a bit boring. There are bits in the first one that are good, and I did enjoy Jurassic World. But, for the most part I don't like those movies. They are not my "Star Wars" as some people claim. And because, I don't care for the theme I doubt I'll ever own a the new JP. But, man what an amazing machine it is. I've played probably around 20 games on it so far. love it. Love the animations. Love the modes, love the toys, love how it shoots.