... and the 3 bank targets on BK2K are just a cut down version of the visor targets on Pin*Bot. The alien targets still have controlled solenoids that easily could have been just figures mounted on a spring bracket. Lots of features on some pins are "Borrowed" or re-purposed on other machines. That doesn't make a game necessarily cheap.

I think stationary targets get a bad rap. They add a lot of action to games, and sometimes they help you make a shot. I love it in Congo when the ball caroms off the stationary targets and goes under the volcano to lock a ball.

Anyone who shit talks AFM's rules isn't thinking very hard. It hits the sweet spot for what makes a game great because there are multiple layers for different skill levels.

Level 1, the casual walk-up, is serviced by the immediate gratification of the centre bank shot, the bucking saucer and the jumping Martians. Default rules means multiball is basically 2-3 shots away. The humour helps there too. The open playfield doesn't scare people away with complexity.

Level 2, the the decent player, is serviced by the mini-wizard mode of Total Annihilation, and the multiball stacking. There's also the flipper hold shot from the plunge to the centre to skip the grind of the target bank. Lots of strategy there.

Level 3, the wizard, has the grind of getting Ruler of the Universe. As an average at best player, it took me a *decade* of owning this game to win it. It's not Valinor, but it's not a five minute bash the ball around achievement. And I would put RTU up there with the best animation / light shows when you get it.

AFM appeals to *every player* because of its deceptive simplicity. It wins both on location and the home environment. Other than Eddy's follow-up MM, name another game that does this. TAF? I wouldn't put TAF in the same league, personally.

Thanks for spelling it out. I wasn't gonna bother because the people saying the game sucks obviously don't care anyway.

Not to mention, the addictive, awesome strategy of trying to get total annilation 1 billion, which is a thrill every time.

It's the best game ever made in my opinion but I'll grant there are a small handful of others in the conversation.

I will destroy any idiot who thinks the way to play Afm is shooting up the middle the whole game.

If AFM was a cheap build, it's a shame more games aren't as fleshed out as it is since most features in the game have become premium-only. AFM easily has more "stuff" than many Stern pros, repurposed or not. Games like ST and Metallica stand a fighting chance, games like KISS and and GOT are embarrassingly trim next to AFM.

The molded flashers instead of stock domes make a huge difference, I love them. We'd never see toys like 4 coil-jiggled martians on a pro anymore, that would certainly be an LE feature and we'd probably only get 1. You can't even make Starchild waggle back and forth on a pro, coils cost like $10 man. Not sure how they afforded the strobe light in there, that's certainly an LE-only thing for the limited use it gets! You're telling me you want a motorized target bank, drop target, animated UFO, a scoop, and heaven forbid a ramp diverter on a "low BOM" game? VUKs are a premium feature too now actually, forgot about that.

I didn't say it was cheap, boring or easy. Just that it was intended to be a low build cost game. Compare it to the other games out right before then which were packed to the gills with complex machinery and toys. The mechs on AFM are pretty simple. But, it didn't need any crazy contraptions to make up for a weak ruleset. IMO, they chose the right design team to make a total package which just plain works.

The argument isn't whether or not Stern cheapens their games now. That is a given. It is about the intent 20 years ago. And again, I never said cheap.

It amuses me that this whole thread was nothing more than a troll to defend and pump up that POS Junkyard and we all quickly dispensed with that discussion on moved on to discussing a much better game, AFM.

I actually like Junkyard. I had it in a lineup in my company's lunch room with MB, MM, BK2K and DM and it was the top earner. Go figure.

It seems like something was originally planned to be in the open area beyond spike's dog house / under the bus. Maybe some pop bumpers were originally planned in that area? I would have liked to see what they originally had in mind.

What does the BOM matter on Junkyard? You don't need a lot of fancy mechs to video mode all day or time out modes all day

I like junk yard too, anyone that says it's a POS might be one themselves.

yea, more parts don't equal a better game, but a stripped down version (comparing a pro to a premium) does. It'd be like saying "Hey, our new car has 6 wheels, your car only has 4, ours is better". "No, your extra 2 wheels just add more rolling resistance, cost, and I have 2 extra tires to replace in the future. 4 wheels have worked out fine for cars for over 100 years".

It was a joke about how there isn't much actual pinball in JY if you're trying to get a high score Doesn't matter if you have entirety of WOZ as a mini playfield without the code giving you a compelling reason to go there.

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Junkyard is a fantastic game. The shots aren't too difficult it has cool video modes. Never gets old smashing the crane and pi##ing off crazy Bob! It's also very challenging and not totally impossible to reach the final wizard mode. If space was better utilized in the empty area in the upper right playfield to accommodate small pop bumpers. It could have taken the game to higher ratings.