River Edge, NJ
Just looking for opinions on which has more long-term value. I know it's all opinion, but share yours!
Ideally I plan to add both, but who comes first?
(Topic ID: 33971)
Linked Games
Creature from the Black Lagoon
Bally, 1992-
Theatre of Magic
Bally, 1995
ToM is a superior looking pin, gameplay is quite good although there are always a few haters around...
i know i will piss a few people off, but cftbl gameplay is only so so in my opinion. its all opinion, i would go with theatre. its all in what YOU like, not what i say or anyone else says
its only 1245 in the midwest, west coasters havent even started partying yet! 
edit - and I have too many beers to play any good pinball action
I don't have room in my basement for many pins because of my vids. However, I think I have room for 2 more pins. Of those, Creech will be one. I know it isn't much for a true pinhead in terms of gameplay, but I'm more of a theme-type collector. I don't play my games for hours every day, and I just think Creech looks much cooler and is simple enough to play that the average joe can have fun with it.
I went with Creech. Owned ToM twice and moved it twice. Gorgeous game but something about it gets repetitive.
My choice here is that both are equal in gameplay in different ways, but both are great as collectible art packages. Creech wins with great retro movie poster art and theme integration. By a nose.
CFTBL when people come over they love it. But I have had very little time on ToM.
Have you played either of them. I would recommend that you do so. The big problem that I have with CFTBL is that I can's see the ball most of the time. It is blocked by all the plastic and ramps. I like the theme and artwork, but not enough to overcome the poor visibility.
Both are very good games but also very different IMHO.
I own CFTBL so I am slightly biased towards it obviously.
TOM is pretty and about flow and some cool toys. Creech is pure old school pinball with tough tasks and a drain monster. It also gets the slight nod for overall feel and integration IMHO.
I would like to own both someday.
maf-mi >> I think you need more time on Creech as the ball is rarely blocked for anything important. You can clearly see every shot, rollovers, slings, and outlanes. There is really nothing blocked in CFTBL at all. They did an amazing job with layout considering everything that is packed in.
Christchurch
Quoted from Shapeshifter:Owned both. Still got creech.
Ditto!
ToM... even though fun and nice looking... got old quick for me.
Quoted from Foo:ToM... even though fun and nice looking... got old quick for me.
A good assessment, in a larger collection its a keeper in my book.
Quoted from Spankey:I went with Creech. Owned ToM twice and moved it twice. Gorgeous game but something about it gets repetitive.
Yep, to me the thing that gets repetitive with ToM is maximizing the multiplier. LOTS of left orbit shots. That was way more repetitive to me than hitting the trunk.
Quoted from Pinoffski:I have a Tom .
But if you want a game that makes you come back to it pick creech.
It will give a good game and then it will make so mad you will want to give up on it .
If you like a challenge all the time go for CFTBL
Yep.
Sometimes it really does feel like the snackbar is closed as I cannot find the entrance again and again and again
Creech all the way...
ToM gets old very quickly as so does the magician's assistant voice. I had ToM 3x and it just didn't seem to keep the hold very long at all. So they VANISHED!
Toronto, ON
I have both - I play ToM when I want fast paced, lots of flow and speed.
I play creech when I want something more technical more unforgiving where if you miss a shot you pay.
More to do in ToM, everyone bitches about the wizard mode...but the way mine is setup people rarely achieve it anyway.
CFTBL is one of my favorites but I have to admit I'm shocked it's winning right now. I always got the impression it was more of a love/hate game while ToM was more of a crowd pleaser.
I'll own ToM someday but Creech isn't going anywhere. Ever.
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