Glenview, IL
The best Pinball machine for under $4,000 is 10 Pinball Machines for $399.99!!! Ok that's not helpful ...but true!!!
(Topic ID: 182356)
Quoted from Damien:If there was a toss up between BSD and The Shadow as the second machine (currently have MMRLE) in your collection, and your goal is to own something family and guest friendly, but something challenging enough that you could keep it for a while, but not crazy difficult. What would you pick?
I'd still go Shadow. There's just a lot more going on to it over BSD, and it's got neat tricks guests will like. BSD has mist MB but that's it.
Honestly if you're really looking for a crowd pleaser under 4gs NGG should def be in the discussion. The better player YOU are is how quick you'll get sick of it.
Is it still possible to get a routed iron man for 4K? If so I think you'd be hard pressed to find a more fun game for the price
My choice would be the Shadow too. I had mine for about 10 years and it's still a great game, a little different and challenging but for me, it's a keeper. You might even have a few bucks left to order a Color DMD for it too
I like CFTBL, Tspp, IM, SM (not sure you can get good examples for $4K) realisticly RBION or Avatar are more likely to be found under $4k although I've found people who think they are $4200 games.
CFTBL is kind of easy to figure out, can get towards the end game not as hard as some of the modern pins.
World Poker Tour is an exceptional title for well under $4. A very challenging layout w/ an upper playfield & sixteen drop targets & some of the deepest rules in pinball history. This is just absolutely a perfect machine for home use!
The Shadow - my best pin, nice gameplay, good playfield, challenging
Johnny Mnemonic - with disabled hand, quickly became one of my favorites because it's fast and just fun to play
Quoted from Damien:What do you guys think a mint TZ would go for these days?
Mine is pretty close. I have seen similar near mint TZ with lots of mods selling for 6-7k
Quoted from Beebl:Mine is pretty close. I have seen similar near mint TZ with lots of mods selling for 6-7k
I've seen some on in the marketplace, but they're closer to $8000-9000 for near mint.
Also, as an owner, I'd like to hear your thoughts on springing for a machine like this over a machine in the $4000 range. Is it that good? I hear only great things about it.
Quoted from Damien:If there was a toss up between BSD and The Shadow as the second machine (currently have MMRLE) in your collection, and your goal is to own something family and guest friendly, but something challenging enough that you could keep it for a while, but not crazy difficult. What would you pick?
neither. WCS. /thread
Quoted from Damien:Also, as an owner, I'd like to hear your thoughts on springing for a machine like this over a machine in the $4000 range. Is it that good? I hear only great things about it.
I think the appeal of TZ is that it has the solid BW feel, close to the code depth of modern titles, smooth flow/shots and the nostalgia of pinheads that have been playing it for nearly 25 years. Is it better than modern stern pro machines selling for ~4k absolutely. Better than 8-9k pins on the market today, my opinion, I'm not so sure. A pin that any family member or friend that doesn't know much about pinball will enjoy without knowing a strategy, doubtful.
I find myself trending toward modern pins because I have been Lost in the Zone, the call outs are amazing and the wizard mode is extremely satisfying and if I want to go back I can spend 30 minutes to 2 hours and get there with no problem. Newer pins are just harder because of the number of shots required. On the other hand I have not seen Portal, End of the Line or We're Ready to Believe in you so until then they keep calling me back.
Laval, QC
Quoted from Beebl:I think the appeal of TZ is that it has the solid BW feel, close to the code depth of modern titles, smooth flow/shots and the nostalgia of pinheads that have been playing it for nearly 25 years. Is it better than modern stern pro machines selling for ~4k absolutely. Better than 8-9k pins on the market today, my opinion, I'm not so sure. A pin that any family member or friend that doesn't know much about pinball will enjoy without knowing a strategy, doubtful.
I find myself trending toward modern pins because I have been Lost in the Zone, the call outs are amazing and the wizard mode is extremely satisfying and if I want to go back I can spend 30 minutes to 2 hours and get there with no problem. Newer pins are just harder because of the number of shots required. On the other hand I have not seen Portal, End of the Line or We're Ready to Believe in you so until then they keep calling me back.
So you're saying it's easy to finish the Wizard mode in TZ?
I keep hearing it's a difficult game, and when I play the Xbox version, it kicks my ass!
Also you didn't mention, but I assume those modes you're referring to at the end are from Ghostbusters? A friend of mine has the LE, and it's just not my style of game. It's one of the most beautiful machines I have ever seen, but it's vicious with drains. That flipper gap is ridiculous. Also not a fan of the toys. Nothing really does much, and most of it just gets repetitive. But I guess that's why they have so many machines to accommodate everyone's personal taste. I like something more arcade-ish like Medieval Madness.
I'm also realizing I'm not a fan of Stern machines. I find them to be bare and lackluster. Either too much open space or too many stationary toys that don't offer much. I do however like some of the older Sterns like Simpsons, Family Guy, Sopranos... And of the newer games, I really liked Metallica.
Quoted from Damien:So you're saying it's easy to finish the Wizard mode in TZ?
You don't "finish" it, it times out, AFAIK. Getting to it? Ramp, scoop, ramp, scoop, ramp scoom repead ad infinitum with a few piano shots thrown in. It's just like Addams...you can stack as many modes as fast as you can start them. You don't have to meet any specific objectives other than just having started all the door panels to get to it. How hard it is depends fully on game setup, it's not difficult shots or anything.
Quoted from Beebl:On the other hand I have not seen Portal, End of the Line or We're Ready to Believe in you so until then they keep calling me back.
Portal is easier to get than LITZ, IMHO. EOTL is *substantially* more difficult if you're playing with no or 1 extra ball and the game is set up even moderately difficult. There's ways to make it easier on yourself (only shooting orbits to collect items for crank it ups) but still eventually the machine is going to screw you over and default settings on number of items collected is what makes it so bloody hard to consistently get to. I've only done it twice at home in 3 years, and it's definitely NOT a question of my capabilities.
Quoted from Damien:So you're saying it's easy to finish the Wizard mode in TZ?
Yes, I think it's easy to get LITZ compared to the other pins mentioned. As Frax noted its about the relatively few number of shots and easy ways to start the modes, you can hit the slot machine, piano or win vs Power and you don't have to do anything to complete them.
Quoted from Frax:Portal is easier to get than LITZ, IMHO
I have been very close, but have been distracted by GB lately. I always seem to not finish some mode, get to sea and then drain while trying to finish gem, quorra or something stupid... 
Quoted from Frax:Portal is easier to get than LITZ, IMHO.
Wow.
Quoted from Damien:So you're saying it's easy to finish the Wizard mode in TZ?
The point is you don't finish it, you're trying to put up a big score. It's not super hard to rush to LITZ, it's a fun mode but it isn't a big point getter so focusing on just that you don;t get big scores.
Quoted from Frax:EOTL is *substantially* more difficult if you're playing with no or 1 extra ball and the game is set up even moderately difficult
No doubt on that one...insanely hard. Like LITZ I wanted to try to "rush" through CIUs to get EOL but it's tough to make yourself do it...the payoffs are too good to turn down.
What can I say..I've played the crap out of Tron and back. The game is boring to me. There's a reason I have owned it twice....and sold it twice! Most any TZ I've had access to has been *really* nice and set up hard. Since I'm an on-the-fly type player, it's actually harder for me to shoot the scoop 20 times SAFELY than it is to get to Portal. Tron has lots of flow, which lends to my preferred playstyle much better than a TZ.
Quoted from Frax:What can I say..I've played the crap out of Tron and back.
Yeah I'm on the other side, been playing TZ since it came out and LITZ are very common...although I find WIDE diff'rences can occur betwixed TZ machines; probably more so than newer Sterns.
Really you just have to have the Gem shot down I guess. I was trying to think of a shot that frustrates me as much and I can't off the top of my head. Think TZ progression works pretty well right/left ramp piano you get a ton of doors, also moving up the power and getting them there.
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