I buy games to play. Not ones to look at and collect dust.
Best case is I can find an older machine that I want in newer condition.

Most important factor for me -> which game do you have the most fun playing.
Next is working order + playfield condition. Last is cabinet. If I had more fun playing Scared Stiff and the playfield is nice, I would choose the Scared Stiff. If I enjoyed them equally, I would pick the TWD.

I chose a nice Congo over a dirty Whitewater, for my first DMD. No regrets about that decision.

The A/B designation ignores what YOU like to play. Sometimes you can luck out and find a really nice B title that's just a blast to play.

I think you did good with that trade

I'd take the mint B title, assuming I like the gameplay of each equally. Obviously I'm not going to buy/trade for a game I don't want in the first place.

For example from my wantlist if a mint, NOS playfield, all new parts Paragon and players condition Banzai Run showed up around me, I would spend my money on the Paragon. I'd rather have nicer examples of cheaper games than beat examples of more expensive games.

I'd have no issues with your trade because I like SS more than TWD though

Both. Buy the nicest game you can afford that's fun.

Condition is a major consideration for me... my Taxi and Whirlwind are both fully shopped, clear coated mint playfields, LED's, etc. For the money I paid, I could have gotten a higher-end top 20 games in players condition. That being said, I freaking love Taxi and Whirlwind as much as almost any game I can think of.

So, I guess it's a little bit of both.

I would pick the one I wanted more. A vs B doesn't matter much to me. If I'm looking at 2 titles it's extremely unlikely I don;t want one of them more, and unless the condition of the PF is really bad, that won't factor in too much.

What's really rough is when you have to have both condition and title. Then it seems like you'll never find what you really want!

Game all the way. I'd do a trade like that one any day (unless it's a B title that I like better than the A-title).

as long as the playfield is nice condition does not bother me to much

Condition is the key, to any purchase.

I don't worry about arbitrarily subjective "A" and "B" lists. I'm not trying to impress anyone (not accusing you of that), so the only comparison that matters is "which do I like more" vs. "which do I like less". Yes, price and condition can influence this decision, but taken in sum: buy what you like for the criteria YOU have, not what the peanut gallery ranks on a given day. Those letter ranks are known to change over time, anyway.

I choose the one that I'm looking for
BTW
The topic poll:
The 3rd choice...Something just does not sound right about that..I think it's a trick question

I can't do much for repairs other than soldering and messing with a few things so it's all about present condition. If you've got broken parts, circuitry problems, jacked up playfield or broken bits on it it better be damn cheap as I'm going to have to call someone to fix it.

I'd rather wait awhile and get one I want in the condition I like than buy a beater.

My first one Gold Ball back in March has some play field wear spots I can't fix and it's not for the value worth it either, and it lacks the original center targets too but that since it's an earlier 80s bally machine I can pop and swap out without much of a problem so that was acceptable. And the other I just got PinBot was a home use only just with problems due to user maintenance neglect as it just was a toy to be used here and there. I've been able to re-adjust the ramp motor, the visor (ball got stuck a good bit on a slow roll), level the play field (vortex was barely to 5k), a few lamps, plunger tip, and a few bad solder spots I fixed up (the worst ticking off the ramp switch 40 and 45.) That I can do and it's great now but that's about my limit currently. Overkill wires, complicated mechanical, and inability to read/understand schematics is my stopping point along with art.

I voted A, wish there was a choice D of (wait for what I want in nice condition.)

I think a lot has to do with someone's personality trait. I have tried to buy players game but my personality is so that I have to fix something if it is broken or I wonder to myself how did someone play the game and not fix the item that was broken or even care. I wish I could just play a game but condition becomes important to me. That is why I have started to like NIB. If I am looking for a project to restore then that is a different story.