Letdown Star Wars it's a good pinball game but not a good star wars game i could slap any other theme on that game nothing feels like Star Wars on that play field.

Letdown Beatles i actually personally like this game but i probably will never own one because i can't justify paying so much money for a re themed sea witch.

Letdown GOTG i love the films i was so excited for this game but i found the game to easy and like a lazy copy of the great Metallica.

Letdown Munsters i was so pumped for this game dream theme but when i played it i thought the code was terrible i got bored of it after a couple plays felt like i saw everything. The layout also felt way to similar to monster bash which i already owned.

Surprise Iron Maiden this was a dream theme for me but i did not expect the game to be that good and it seems like most of the community agrees.

Surprise Deadpool this game started out as a dud but with doe updates it has turned out to be a really good game.

Surprise Stern Black Knight i had no interest in this game but after playing i was hooked on it i found it to be a lot of fun.

Surprise Game of thrones i had no interest in the theme but i just enjoyed playing the game so much the code created so many strategies. I liked the game so much i started watching the show which i love now as well.

Surprise JJP POTC I was not expecting much from this game especially with the theme but when i saw the pics and played it i was amazed with how many cool toys the game had.

Letdown: None
Surprise: All pinball is great!

Even Domino's pizza pinball just joking.

If I was stranded on a island and I had the choice of Domino's Pizza pinball or no pinball, I would pick Domino's Pizza pinball

Surprise for me would be TNA.

There is not a whole lot going on TNA with the rules and layout, you may recall that I was debating if should get the pin. I was debating because some had said not great but now have it and it’s super fun to play.

Letdown was XMLE which to be fair is not a horrible pin but just didn’t click with me the way a lot of other Borg pins have like Tron, IM, TWD, Metallica. XM came out in the middle of that group and clearly was the weak link.

Oh god another one. This won't end well.

Biggest letdowns have been some of Stern’s stock sound packages, like Pirates Batman, IJ and GOTG which would either have changed music, really poor voices or both. After Simpsons (a little repetitive but really really good) and LOTR (which I thought was perfect) they became really hit or miss thanks to the complexities of licensing I’d imagine. Williams would usually at least have decent impersonators. Thank goodness for Pinball Browser. I know someone worked really hard on those sounds and I’m sorry but I need that movie music and real voices please.

Biggest surprise is The Shadow. I never gave it the time of day back in the 90s, just another pin with a bad license and a terrible translite. One showed up at league a couple years back and I finally played it and I LOVED that game. It’s still in league too... but now it’s at my house!

I think this is a good discussion, but I don't comb the forums as often as some so I suppose I missed the world altering fallout from a previous asking.

My biggest let down(s): Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Game of Thrones

Biggest surprise(s): No doubt, not even close... Deadpool. 2nd place is crowded; Iron Maiden, Batman 66, GOTG & Hobbit (These are either themes I didn't think I would be able to tolerate and ended up loving, or were games I was told I should hate and actually love.)

Letdown wonka I thought Jack was going to put out the second coming of WOZ with the hype this game was getting

Surprise was AC/DC although it was not the first time it was done I did not expect the under the playfield "playfield"

So Woz would be both letdown and surprise for me.

I was on order for the ECLE but missed out on the discount price of $6500 (crazy price nowadays). Woz took forever to get to market and I got to play it at pinabll show and later in an arcade (beta code so it was not the finished product it is now 5 years later). I was distinctly underwhelmed by the pin. I can still remember clear as day the pin was right next to Stern IJ and that to me IJ4 was more fun to play and I didn’t understand the hype. So I got my refund and never took delivery of Woz.

Fast forward a few years, friend has RR Woz and I was able to play and hear the game and it was set up properly and the room lighting was nice. I was so completely turned around my option and ended up selling my STLE to buy a RR Woz and I’m completely happy. It’s my top rated pin of all time although partly that has to do with the aesthetics and build quality. I got a RR Woz with RadCals and witch mod (makes the game so much better).

blown away by AFM remake LE which I got last year.

I always liked AFM but didn’t think it was worth so much more than say Tron or SM just my opinion but I had thought AFM was maybe a tad bit overrated by B/W guys. Plus I like new pins and bright light shows like STLE.

Was looking at DI in an arcade and they had just got AFM remake was not the LE but the SE with the large color display. I was quite impressed. I was able to buy one of the last AFM LE nib and was super impressed with the build quality, lighting and especially the topper. I think the LE topper while not necessary is just so fun and over the top that it sets the LE above and while not a cheap pin, I think it’s worth every penny. After owning AFM what has really grown on me is the rules and the gameplay so that I can now understand why it was rated so high all this time.

People h-a-t-e-d HATED the idea of Iron Maiden getting a pinball machine, and it's probably one of the most loved Sterns right now due to the amazing layout, art, animations, code, and overall package. Some still may not like the music, but that wasn't going to change from a pinball machine with the same music they dislike... but holy hell did that machine slaughter expectations.

AS for close 2nd... it was a Pro that included a spinner!
(also people bagged this theme, but it at least was an improved KISS)

Biggest letdown for me was Star Wars Episode I. I know there were other factors involved, but I still (somehow) believe that Pinball 2000 might have had a future had that game not sucked so deeply.

Not anyone on Pinside...been threads aboot it for 7 years

Biggest RECENT surprise was playing The Beatles at the Milwaukee show this past weekend. The spinning disc (that actually changes the direction of the ball), the retro look, the magnet (there may have been more than one).

Wonka was kind of a letdown, soundtrack seemed uninspired but it was hard to hear.

Played a LOT of the Munsters Premium, with the headphones. Got to Munster Madness once over the weekend and I had a good 2 hours on it.

let down: Full throttle

Biggest surprise (I know only to me) was IMDN - this was not on may radar, had 0 desire for it, wasn't following it and had not watched any videos of gameplay, but played it on location and bought one the next week.

Letdown: Junkyard - beautiful game but couldn’t get into the gameplay. Owned it for three weeks and out the door it went.

Surprise: Ironman - I wasn’t expecting much, but loved it from the first time I played it. It’s still in my collection and one of my go to games.

I just came back from MGC and I was able to play so many pins that I never really will get the chance to play in the wild.
My biggest surprise pin is how much I love the new Black Knight game.
I was ho-hum about a sequel as I have yet to play BK2000 and I never ever played a truly great Black Knight ever. Almost always the flippers suck for a black knight and render it unplayable. Played BK on pinball arcade and I enjoy it enough, but not a huge fan. But, then I saw the art package, heard the music, saw the gameplay and the animations.
Just everything blew me away. And then when I played the game I got blown away yet again. Game is fast and a whole lot of fun. Really cool toy. Might be one of the best toys in the last 20 years of pinball. I only have plans for one more pin this year. And I'm waiting for Elvira 3 to make up my mind. If that is a stinker then Im going to buy a BKSR. But, ideally I'd like to buy a E3 this year and a BKSR early next year.

My biggest disappointment is the Munsters. Doesn't matter the Pro or Prem. Really wanted to love the game as I love the theme. But, while the game has great art, and while I like the concept behind the code. I haven't really enjoyed the game. The lower miniplayfield is a gimmick. Its not fun to shoot. Its a cool idea. But, the balls have no weight to them. And I just don't like it.... So maybe you'd think a pro version would be better... Only no... Because, then when you achieve Grandpa's lab there is a big whole in the code... My thoughts. Maybe a video mode instead of the lower playfield... Or maybe rather bigger balls for the lower playfield. Its a looker and I love the whole idea. Just feels cheap and is no fun for me to shoot. And as I said going with the pro. It just doesn't feel whole. Game is still fun to play. But, I don't think I will want to own on. I do hope there will be some on location for me to play. As I'll always play it when I see it in the wild.

Another minor surprise was how much I enjoyed playing ACNC. I don't think the game is a homerun. More of a double for me. But, I never got into it when I saw the streams. I like the animations and music. I thought the layout was a bit lame, and I thought the playfield was ugly. Well, I was wrong about the playfield. It looks amazing in person. The layout I still don't like. But, its a fun game to play.

Then I had a disappointment turn into a pleasant surprise. I never really got into deadpool. I thought the game had a cool theme, amazing artwork, interesting layout and playfield(katana ramp is super cool). I also like the mini deadpool ball lock feature, and I love the whole retro sprites idea and fighter game mode concept. And before MGC I believe I've played deadpool at 3 different locations and never really got into the game. Always felt clunky and missing something to me.
But, I finally had a decent game and was able to open it up(just missed mech mb by 3 guns..GRRRRR). And I must admit I was wrong. Deadpool is a fun pin. Very fun to play. Can it be a bit clunky yes(katana ramp is just super unreliable)... But, when you get dialed into it, its super fun. I was wrong to disregard Deadpool so quickly.

Biggest let down I’d say is Magic Girl and everything involved with it.

Biggest surprise I think is Big Lebowski, such a good game/theme integration.

Biggest disappointment would have to be Stern Star Wars. I am a lifelong fan, I have the movie posters framed, vintage toys on display and so on. The machine did not due anything for me, our local pinball place sold it under two months after getting it and I did not even care it was gone.

Biggest surprise... I did not expect Iron Maiden to be nearly as good as it turned out, while I still think Iron Man has an upper right flipper half of the time it is a game I did not expect much from, TNA was great once I got some serious time in on it.

Biggest surprise: the first time a coin spit out at me when playing a prototype Safecracker at a test location.

Biggest disappointment: my wife not letting me buy a seventeenth pinball game (when I really want Elvira 3).

Let down IJ4

Surprise Beatles

Biggest let downs: Stern Star Wars, Munsters, Deadpool, Magic Girl, Williams Indy Jones, Alice Cooper, JJP POTC, Thunderbird2s, Jetsons, Popeye, Houdini, Ghostbusters, WWonka.

Surprises: Metallica, Iron Maiden, BKSR, Iron Man, Aerosmith, ACDC Premium

Biggest recent let down is Munsters. I'm in the bullseye demo and was primed to buy an LE, but it's just too simplistic for my tastes and the under playfield is cool but underwhelming given it's prominence in the design. Biggest letdown in last 5+ years is Ghostbusters. Innovative design, great art and sounds, etc. etc., F-up'ed by lack of attention to quality and geometry.

Recent surprise - Deadpool. Great fun, challenging, fantastic art.... Longer term surprise, TWD. Pinside lambasted the game but thankfully I played it for myself.

You should have purchased Deadpool. Apparently it is better than Deadpoll (see below).

Letdown : vector. Looks so cool. Not fun at all.

Surprise: Robo War. Expected terrible. Got amazing.

Honorable mention: signal Jr. Pre war flipperless game that is so addicting.

Letdown: Stern Star Wars

Surprise: Stern Star Wars

I hated this game. Then I learned it. Holy shit is this game good. It does have an unorthodox ruleset on a brutally fast layout, but that’s its appeal to me. So satisfying completing objectives in this game. Factory settings are a little easy; but a few adjustments in the features and this game always brings me back for more.

Speaking of recent games:

In terms of surprise, I would have to go with TNA. Layout looks simple and no ramps, undersized cabinet compared to other games. Wasn't expecting too much but dropped in a few coins and was blown away. The minute the music started it felt like the machine was alive - the shaker set to the soundtrack was awesome. Its a fast, brutal pin but I managed to start the reactor and it was AWESOME. Really hope to get it in my collection one day. Scott did an awesome Job on TNA!

In terms of letdown, I would probably go with The Beatles. I heard a lot of hype surrounding this game and finally had a chance to play one but didn't enjoy the flow. It felt like an old EM with a few modern toys on the playfield. It felt like more of a Beatles fan collector piece than a players pinball machine. I kept waiting for it to progress but it just didn't happen for me.

When SW's was first released, the pro had nothing going for it w/ the exception of the SR flow. Who would buy this box of lights that had virtually nothing going for it? = Letdown!

Fast forward two years & this title shines beyond belief in a home lineup. The code has made this title an amazing challenge, as the difficulty of the lightning fast layout emphasizes ball control. We took a chance & traded WOZ for a SW's Premium ~ this title rocks! = Surprise!

I think Ritchie and Dwight are the perfect combo.

Wonka major bummer.

For me, the biggest recent let down was Guardians of the Galaxy. The theme would have been a no brainer, but the layout was too much of the same and using sound-alikes for the callouts was rough.

The biggest surprise was Iron Maiden. I had no interest in the theme, but the layout and rules make it amazing. Beatles was also a surprise. I was totally down on it before playing it. . . . .now we own one.

Eddy/Sheats >= Ritchie/Dwight

ACNC was a big surprise for me. Saw the initial promo and not an AC fan so not impressed but got a chance to play it at Lyons Pinball and it blew me away. Had to order one. Might be my favorite ever

Feel this topic is still relevant given the flurry of pinball machines and manufacturers since last post.

Biggest letdown recently was BBQ from AP. Not the theme, but the gameplay. Just not a very inspired or fun package.

Biggest surprise is Dutch with TBL, good game that earns them tons of credibility over time and they immediately create another division to make super exclusive titles.. like resurrecting JPop games?

Biggest surprise was pinball newcomer Barrels of Fun's release of the "world under glass" that is Labyrinth.
Biggest letdown was JJP pricing me out of affording an Elton John CE and it's amazing topper projector.

Let down
Godzilla: for the record, I don't hate Godzilla, but the amount of hype I had for it combined with thr inflated praise it received on this site made me think I was going to be playing easily one of the greatest pins of all time. I was also a massive fan of the movies for decades before the Stern pin was ever announced. Every time I play Godzilla I hope something will click, but so far there as been nothing. It's a fun game, just not the masterpiece a lot of people say it is, at least imo.

Surprise
Lebowski: I'd never seen the movie before playing the pin. The pin was so good that I made it my mission to watch the movie afterwards. But the machine is super addictive with excellent gameplay and design.

Let Down
JJP Pirates of the Caribbean: I love the theme and with the high price that it fetches I thought I would like it more. I am more of a flow guy and this pin just doesn’t have that to me. I love the assets, the mechs, and the amount of modes but it is still boring for me.
Surprise
Stern Star Wars: To start with I was not a fan of this game but as I became a better player and started to progress more and more and complete modes more consistently I began to love it. I agree that it doesn’t feel a lot like Star Wars on the playfield but I enjoy the game itself and the movie callouts bring me into that universe enough to make my experience playing the game that much more enjoyable.

BOF has been one of the biggest surprises.
Good call

So I recently traded The Shadow for a Godzilla PREMIUM.

To repeat above from 4 years ago, the sound package in the Shadow is incredible and, shadow, I miss you. The sanctum ball lock is an underrated pinball moment. Should be top 5.

Now, the speakers in Godzilla are so bad, it actually had me questioning keeping the machine as it made the game sound pretty terrible. To describe those speakers: cheap, trash, harsh, grating, coffee filter like quaility. The lone speaker in one of those hallmark cards that plays happy birthday via beeps has a bigger magnet in it. And this was in the PREMIUM machine, premium does NOT describe those god awful AM radio sounding speakers.

Hey stern, the McDonald’s drive thru called to get their $#&@Y sounding audio back where you can’t understand a damn thing.
Put in some decent speakers stern! And don’t give us those lame Kenwoods in the LE either. Be better STERN, I know you can do it. I don’t believe there is one stern employee who would keep those stock literally no-name speakers in their machines.

Biggest letdown: Scooby. I wanted so bad for this to be an amazing game because I love Scooby and grew up watching the show. It's OK, but feels sort of clunky, the upper playfield is too big, and you can't see where the ball is going due to it covering so much area.

Biggest surprise: Labyrinth. This game came out great and it's impressive for a first effort from BOF. I can't wait to see what they do next, hoping it's going to be Muppet Show.

The Wizard of Oz. Boo. Data East Jurassic Park. Cheers

Biggest letdown... Judge Dredd.

Best surprises, elvira's Scared Stiff, Sorcerer, and Torpedo Alley.

TA is a really fun pin (when you can find one)

I’m pretty surprised how much I like the Stern Beatles machine. I’ve only played it on location. I think it’s very well done and approachable. Understandable modes. Cool lights. Happy music. Magnets and spinning disc. 4 flippers. Challenging but seems fair.

Disappointment for me far and away is Jersey Jack Guns n Roses. I couldn’t get past the limp plunger. Had no idea where or what to shoot. Looks pretty. Will never play it again.