Well my favorite is Target Alpha (4 player version of El Dorado), but I wouldn't exactly call rules on any EM deep.

This game and it's various iterations were very popular. When I think of EM drop target games, El Dorado/Target Alpha pretty much make up the list. Maybe Jack in the Box, but that game is pretty much the one bank of targets.

Atlantis, Centigrade 37, Abra Ca Dabra , Volley, 2001, Strange World and El Dorado are A games.

Since you already have the Eldorado with drop targets....you might want a stand up target game like Target Pool (2" flippers) or Top Card(3" flippers). Both are fun, player friendly and challenging games.

For drop target single and multi-player EMs, my votes, in no particular order, go to:

*Joker Poker
*2001
*Atlantis

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Can't believe I didn't think of this one. Great game and beautiful art. But not many drop targets (four?)

Gottlieb Fun Park has a great diverse rule-set that not many have discovered yet, it has 2x the rules of the replay version (Fun Land) due to the amazing feature of the "light change feature", where the yellow pop bumper changes what reward you earn (500 points, 1 ball, or 2 balls) for completing a unique goal. This is completely missing on the larger-produced replay model. Possibly my favorite, I love it!

Fun Park is a sleeper of a game. I'll always have one set up.
Being in N.Y., I have the A-a-B machines, and from the 3" flipper
Wedge Heads I have set up, (Capt. Card, Lucky Hand, and Gold Strike),
I like Lucky Hand best, but for 2" flipper Dimension will always be in a line up..
Went through the EM Joker Poker last month, and it for sure is a thumbs
up machine..

The Mini Pool will always be in a line up also.. (T)

Far Out/Out of Sight have a similar moving target system, but in a different layout. Only one rollover, but two switching banks for double spots.

Capt. Card is outstanding.

If you want to become a better shooter, play this game daily.

Marcus

1973 Gottlieb King Pin..........Go Bowling!

10 Drop Targets + 2 Kickout Holes worth 5000 points when lit. I like playing it much better than El Dorado. Both have a great art package though.

Just my 2 cents.

One of my other favorites! Hope to own one eventually, hopefully sooner than later!

Atlantis, El Dorado, Jacks Open, Centigrade 37, Abra Ca Dabra, Volley for single players.

Quick Draw, Jumping Jack, Pioneer, Surfer for 2-players and their 4-player models too.

Hard to pick the best one. "El Dorado" is a very good one. "Jacks Open"/"Lucky Hand" require precision aiming and ball control, and have interesting rule sets. Great colors and theme on those two as well.

For me, Capt Card, Lucky Hand and Atlantis.

Surfer/Surf Champ

Sky Jump is a similar drop target game.

The target values change when lit, and player has control to change which is lit to focus on max value per shot.

Vote for Jungle Queen/Jungle Princess.....learning when and when not to use the baby flippers.

Target Pool, Royal Flush

If you want a good rule set consider Wms AZTEC
One of the best EMs of all time IMO

Surf Champ, Atlantis, Strange World and C37 get my votes..

I prefer Strange World to most of the other games mentioned in this thread. However, the original post seeks opinions about drop target games, which I presume to be games in which drop targets predominate. Of course, Strange World is exclusively a stand-up target game.

I don't feel like Surf Champ counts as a drop target game just because it's a good game that has a bank of drop targets

OP just said targets, no specific mention of drop targets...

Game I love to hate, simple not deep at all, but challenges me every time. 1971 Gottlieb Drop A Card. Looks easy, but will kick your XXXX 9 times out of ten.

target alpha for an em..... ss choice, countdown

Same here. Atlantis, Target Alpha/Eldorado/Solar City, C37, Jacks Open.

JO, Atlantis for me for drop targets. Drop A Card is a nice game, but the drops not resetting is a big flaw to me. I restored one and that's the only reason I sold it. Once the targets are all down, there's nothing to shoot at. ACD is another great one.

Top Card is a great standup target game. Lots of targets to shoot at. If you put the posts on conservative it can be a tough game.

The two games I just got running are pretty good target games. Bally Expressway and Williams Yukon Special. Both keep me coming back, Expressway especially.

Edit - Read this thread wrong, these are not drop down target games!

Card Whiz!

Pro Pool has 14 drops, and is a good player too. Both banks of 7 reset, and with it being an aab this game may hold the title as 'Most drop targets hit during a single game grand champion'.

IMO some of the best drop target EM games were made by Williams in the 1960s. Of course at that time they were pretty much the only ones using them.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/60s-drop-target-games-what-are-your-favorites

Palooka. I like the single drop targets, more challenging to try to hit them vs a bank of drop targets. Not only that they're at an angle that makes it really tough to hit them with the flippers.

Bruce

I'm going to go with Big Deal, Heat Wave, Eager Beaver, and El Toro as four drop target games that are getting the most play of late. I think the more important each drop target is to hit, the fewer you need to make the game challenging and interesting.

my vote goes to gottlieb fire queen..and volley.

The late great Steve Kordek (@ Williams) invented the drop target.
My EM drop target faves right now in no particular order:
Heat Wave
Night Rider
Skill Pool
Triple Action

Not really understanding why people are listing C37 as a great drop target game. Sure, it's a great game, but it only has 4 (count 'em...FOUR!) drop targets. That's not necessarily the focus of the game as opposed to a Dimension/2001, Jacks Open, Joker Poker, etc. Or am I way off base here?

I feel pretty much the same as you do. Drop Targets being the main objective.
But also I guess a game is a Drop Target machine regardless the amount of
Drop Targets, even Vagabond I suppose..

Royal Flush/Card Whiz

Exactly. Where as Heat Wave only has one, it is a very important shot as it's value increases from 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 up to special. And to raise it back up requires hitting both swinging targets.

I'd rather have a game with one or a few very important targets than a bunch that randomly get knocked down.

How many other games have a single drop target that's worth six different values throughout the game?

Dimension:

20 drops, 5 kickout holes, 4 standup bulls eyes , 2 upper stand ups . Great strategy in knocking down red & yellow drops keeping the center kickout under WOW .

Yes!!! Glad someone is reppin' for Drop-A-Card
I did a lot of research on these games before I finally jumped and I went for Drop-A-Card and when I finally got it set up and working well and PLAYING it, I realize I did not make a mistake! It looks so easy and almost boring, but when you play it you just get your ass whooped by that freaking pin!
13 Drop targets, and those top 5 are really tough! I'm thinking about putting in those yellow coils I hear talk of. The standard ones seem too weak, but then again I think it may also be part of the challenge.
I am a little biased since I did end up buying it, but it's a worthwhile game for sure, the AAB version Pop-A-Card is almost identical except the point values are jacked up and the it says "WOW" when lit.
I prefer the lower point values of hundreds and thousands in EM's it adds to the challenged when there are a ton of 1 pointers that you really have to work up to get the big bonuses!

2001
El Dorado
Abra Ca Dabra

(In no particular order) All are masterful designs in my opinion.

Jumping Jack (2 player Jack in The Box) has been mentioned here. While it doesn't have the most interesting or deep rules, it is a drop target game to the max. And I love the pop bumper location!

volley
Gemini
atlantis
abra

King pin!!

Simple but challenging rule set! Bowling- yes please.