I feel like when most people answer "what is the best EM game?" the answers tend to be the games that most resemble modern pinball games, because they figured out how to make pinball fun better than others. I'm looking for the EM games that had the craziest designs, that were actually fun to play.
The Wiggler.
But you want crazy? Check out some early 50s Williams games like Pinky, Skyway, Nine Sisters, and Thunderbird.
+1 for Ted Zale games. Crazy geometry and super satisfying shots, areas of the playfield that are only accessible once certain sequences have been completed, brilliant and crucial skill shots, wild ball save gimmicks, ZIPPER FLIPPERS!, multi balls, mod artwork from Jerry Kelly, and replay games that could be switched to AAB by adding an optional relay…
And, relevant to recent pinball drama, I believe he designed the first pin to have a character physically eat the ball. 1973’s Nip-It, which had a second button next to the right flipper button that caused an alligator to come out from hiding under the swamp reed plastics, eat the ball, and send it to a high scoring zone of the playfield.
His games play differently than any others, and can be brutal until you learn how to nudge the slingshots ( which are angled to send the ball straight at the outlines). Once you wrap your head around controlling them and his wild layouts/ rules, they are an absolute riot to play.
He’s a legendary designer who seems to fly under the radar in popularity, but deserves to be up there with Krynski, Neyens and Williams in any pin collection.
So going through the top 50 em machines on this website, the only ones I'd qualify with a level of craziness(and in some cases, they ain't enough crazy still) are:
8 ball
Heatwave
Nags
Skill Roll(I mean, it's on there, not sure how it plays and qualifies as a pinball machine, but if it's pinball it is crazy)
MELODY
KNOCK OUT
Now there is one game I didn't mention on the EM top 50 that intrigues me as a person with a young daughter, which is Dancing Lady, which features a dancing doll on the backglass. But otherwise, not really crazy layout wise.
Most of what you guys have mentioned isn't there in the top 50, probably because tables with barely any reviews are on there.
Quoted from stubborngamer:Now there is one game I didn't mention on the EM top 50 that intrigues me as a person with a young daughter, which is Dancing Lady, which features a dancing doll on the backglass. But otherwise, not really crazy layout wise.
Most of what you guys have mentioned isn't there in the top 50, probably because tables with barely any reviews are on there.
I recently experienced a Dancing Lady in of all places, Hungary, and agree it's pretty cool for the back box animation.
Quoted from stubborngamer:EM games that had the craziest designs, that were actually fun to play.
1948 Chicago Coin Crazy Ball
It's a hoot!
Centigrade 37 has a couple of neat features. I like the parallel lanes to the right, the special kick out hole, and of course, the thermometer back box animation.
Quoted from tfduda:1948 Chicago Coin Crazy Ball
It's a hoot!
Looks tantalizing.
Honestly I think I even want to play the ones that are both totally different, and so not how anyone should be playing pinball just to experience the train wreck. But then the list probably gets too long and gangly. And we are really just recommending pain.
Quoted from Eightball88:Spanish Eyes
Downsized toward retirement a couple of years ago and sold several games. The only game I miss is my Spanish Eyes. I want another one.
Quoted from Electrocute:They were mostly all good.
In the case of weird designs not used often, that may be true. If you mean EMs in general, they made too many EMS for that to be true, there are just too many lazy repeat designs. Though I guess if you throw them all in a tournament setting then, sure. I mean somehow there's a excel world championship, add competition to anything and we got something... exciting.
Single flipper game with that neat little loopty-loop outlane kick back on the left. I would *love* to find one of these to try out...
Another one that looks interesting is Williams Thunderbird (not to be confused with the Homepin classic)...
image-4(1).jpg
Edit: 1954 seems like a pretty interesting year over at Williams--check out Skyway as well!
Agree with most of those listed, especially Fireball and Spanish Eyes. Another
one I have here, a pre-flipper, is a Williams TORCHY. Most think pre-flipper
games are dull. Not this one! It features two large electro magnets under
the PF that are normally powered up. A button in the middle of each cuts power
to that magnet causing the ball to fly off in unpredictable directions. Killer
artwork too.
Other EM's that are a blast and a bit unusual; Williams Turf Champ and
Formation. And of course Rockola World Series and JigSaw, two I'd like to find
someday.
Steve
Norm Clark is another designer from the 60s and 70s that put out great designs. He wasn't as out there as Ted Zale, but Norm utilized pop bumpers in ways that most other designers wouldn't dare. Where as other designers used pop bumpers to block shots from certain flippers or to randomize ball movement Norm placed them between the flippers, which would allow players to nudge the ball into the pop bumper to send the ball back into play. I may be a little biased but I think Magic City is the superior NC middle pop bumper game when compared to Spanish Eyes.
Quoted from zarco:Agree with most of those listed, especially Fireball and Spanish Eyes. Another
one I have here, a pre-flipper, is a Williams TORCHY. Most think pre-flipper
games are dull. Not this one! It features two large electro magnets under
the PF that are normally powered up. A button in the middle of each cuts power
to that magnet causing the ball to fly off in unpredictable directions. Killer
artwork too.
Other EM's that are a blast and a bit unusual; Williams Turf Champ and
Formation. And of course Rockola World Series and JigSaw, two I'd like to find
someday.
Steve
Fun fact, when the flipper was introduced, it didn't immediately catch on.
Here's a fun read by Russ Jensen about the history of flippers in pins
http://www.pinballcollectorsresource.com/russ_files/flip.html
Not that crazy, but the disappearing pop bumper on games like Gusher and a couple others were pretty unique.
Quoted from stubborngamer:The pitch and bat games I'd say quality and are generally fun to play.
Really depends on which ones. Once they went to scoring flaps and not a full set of ramps in the 1960s, they lost a lot of charm for me.
The 1956 Williams 4-Bagger De Luxe has the look and features I like.
But if you really want over the top, United made some of the best.
image-1 (resized).jpgQuoted from Bonk:Daisy May had an unusual flipper layout and is fun to play. [quoted image]
[quoted image]
Those flippers eat the ball!
Quoted from Bonk:Daisy May had an unusual flipper layout and is fun to play. [quoted image]
[quoted image]
This does look like it’s fun to play!
1950's Williams Tim Buc Tu wood rail (The game has 10 ways to win "Special When Lit")
What a great fun and crazy player!
https://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=2561&picno=8931
https://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=2561&picno=81156
https://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=2561&picno=8933
https://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=2561&picno=8932
Someone just listed a gottlieb Knock Out on pinside. I would HIGHLY recommend going after it. They very rarely come up. I had to look for mine for 10 years. The price is good too!
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/for-sale-knock-out-6#post-7993834
Quoted from Daditude:Someone just listed a gottlieb Knock Out on pinside. I would HIGHLY recommend going after it. They very rarely come up. I had to look for mine for 10 years. The price is good too!
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/for-sale-knock-out-6#post-7993834
Wow, wouldn't mind adding that to my collection.
Quoted from Mila:Wow, wouldn't mind adding that to my collection.
You should reach out to him. I was looking HARD, and it took me a decade to find one.
Some of these early games you can almost see the gears slowly turning in pinball designer's minds, trying to figure this out. It's fascinating to see and almost feels wrong how some things, while fun, just stopped being made because I guess they caused too much randomness and unpreventable drains.
Video of apparently the first game to have flippers, 1932 Hercules Novelty Co "Double Shuffle Sr"
With 8 flippers and super helpful arrows.
A few really interesting games listed here. 1963 Williams Beat The Clock has a novel flipper arrangement, also you can lock a ball in the 'star hole'. The ball is released when another ball passes thru the top center lane or goes into a side hole. While playing 2 balls, the clock in the backbox ticks away. When it reaches '12', the 6 lites up. Reaching the lit 6 while still playing both balls awards a replay. I've never been able to do it.
Notice there's no way to trap the ball on the flippers and once a ball leaves the playfield, the clock stops.
20240129_180910 (resized).jpg20240129_180952 (resized).jpgAnother kinda odd ball game is WMS Solids N Stripes... a bunch of pops and 6 kickout holes emulating a pool table. Norm Clark's split bank allowed 2 players to shoot their own unique set of balls by completing kickouts.
Another time based game I thought was decent - WMS Time Travel.
Quoted from Dono:Another kinda odd ball game is WMS Solids N Stripes... a bunch of pops and 6 kickout holes emulating a pool table. Norm Clark's split bank allowed 2 players to shoot their own unique set of balls by completing kickouts.
Another time based game I thought was decent - WMS Time Travel.
We have one. Didn't restore the cab, just touched it up but the playfield was restored. That game is tough. The clock could be set to make it very easy or just about impossible. Yiu have to really adjust your thinking because at times you want to deliberately lose the ball.
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