I think for a pro or very good player it would get old. Fortunately for me, im neither. Just average, so it will be here a long time.

Someone messaged me they had an le Elvira for sale but want $18,000. Seems like a lot. Most are around $15k

15K for what??

A French Elvira.

Le Elvira sells around $15k or so.

I dont consider the ruleset to be very deep in my opinion, it is very easy to get through the entire game quickly. That is my experience. Granted it is not shallow, but it is not deep either.
It is not a bad game, I enjoyed it.

I’m having a hard time understanding this too. The rules almost as complex as JP

that could not be further from the truth.

Stuff to do and complex aren't the same thing.

Let’s see, you have six main haunts plus three more that are unlocked with the skeleton key. Two mini wizard modes (plus the main wizard), the trunk locks and multiball with its various items and phone a friend mode, three different garage mulitballs, the deadheads family crypt with at least eight different deadheads to defeat, trailer trash hurry up, Gar-goils gone wild, directors cut, unhappy hour, drive me crazy, hand of fate, Gappa Angry with six different modes that spawn from it based on your progress. I’m sure I'm forgetting something.

Too me that's deep, so I'd be curious where your line for a deep game is. Still, I agree, its not a super difficult game. That's mostly because the shots are pretty easy compared to other games, but the code is there and plenty deep.

Don't feed the trolls

Yep. Everybody's got a right to decide what they like!

Enjoy the game, it is not a bad game at all, lots to do, not exactly deep in my opinion, I finished it twice in 200 games.
I am no pinball wiz.
I think it is one of the most fun games Stern put out. I just do not care for it. It wore off rather quickly here at home.

Cheers.

I have only made it to the multi ball that you get after Gappa Angry.

How will I know if I ever do finish the game?

Does it have some big thing like the halfway point and Elvira starts the "shout" song?

Na, everything just starts over.

On a side note I noticed if you’re blowing it up on multiplayer the other players scores grow cobwebs, haha.

The ultimate goal of the story is to sell the house.

I've gotten to 4 balls in gappa and they came from space several times, but to sell house, don't you have to get all 3 garage mb, and beat creepo?

Does the game let you know that you sold the house?

I have noticed that Wild Women multi ball starts over after the attic multi ball, but so far that is all I have started over.

Does the family crypt play a role in completing the game?

I never try much for that, I am always trying to get what the mansion has to offer.

And yes, some of this gets repetitive, but as much as we have played we still see and hear something new sometimes.

And it is nice to just hit the flippers to cut anything short that we have already heard many times.

As far as issues, the only issue that I know of my game has is when in multi ball a ball is getting stuck in the pops area, and I can not even see where it gets stuck, but when I have lost all of the other balls, I shake the game and that last ball will come rolling down from the pop bumper area.

(it does not bother me, I get to stay in multi ball modes longer).

Does the game let you know that you sold the house?

I have noticed that Wild Women multi ball starts over after the attic multi ball, but so far that is all I have started over.
Does the family crypt play a role in completing the game?
I never try much for that, I am always trying to get what the mansion has to offer.
And yes, some of this gets repetitive, but as much as we have played we still see and hear something new sometimes.
And it is nice to just hit the flippers to cut anything short that we have already heard many times.
As far as issues, the only issue that I know of my game has is when in multi ball a ball is getting stuck in the pops area, and I can not even see where it gets stuck, but when I have lost all of the other balls, I shake the game and that last ball will come rolling down from the pop bumper area.
(it does not bother me, I get to stay in multi ball modes .

From code update 1.00: (Although, there seem to be bugs.)
Added WILD MARKET VALUE rule:
- Start in the CELLAR after performing the following tasks: (The insert and cellar are your cues.)
a) Start DIRECTOR'S CUT.
b) Banish CLOWN deadhead (SUPER HEAD SHOT).
c) Start PHONE-A-FIEND multiball. (Currently not needed.)
d) Start GAPPA ANGRY.
e) Start GAR-GOILS GONE WILD.
f) Start ATTIC ATTACK multiball. (Currently not needed.)
g) Start THEY CAME FROM SPACE.
- Shoot WILD MARKET VALUE target for hurry-up value and sell the
house.
- The MARKET VALUE of the HOUSE is built up over the course of the
game by hitting the WILD MARKET VALUE standup target. The value of
the target is 100K * the number of tasks completed; this value is
added to the MARKET VALUE of the HOUSE each time the target is hit.

Yes. You must start the hurry up at the cellar then hit the WILD MARKET VALUE target to collect it. However, there is not a lot of fanfare to go with it. Just an accompanying sound effect and graphic on the display. (Collect with Double Trouble or Double Double Trouble running to make it really worth it.)

Thanks for all the info, and the video!

I need to look for that target.

I am not sure what the directors cut is, and I have not seen the clown deadhead many times, and I have only seen they came from space one time, but everything else is pretty regular on a decent game here.

I am pretty sure I have seen the market value up to around 28m a few times, but I have never collected it yet.

I have never made it to any kind of wizard mode or anything on any pin in my life, but this game is so much fun that I want to keep trying to get further into it.

Thanks!

Getting to “Gappa Angry” isn’t really that hard to reach if you just concentrate on multiball action. During every multiball you start try letting all your balls drain(so you get free pop bumps)and when your ball saver times out just try shooting for the spinner. “Gappa Angry” Wizard mode is activated by switch hits so it’s all about pops and spinner. Hopefully you can see it soon because it’s a really fun wizard mode.

I hope so!

Thanks for the info!

You reach Director's Cut by completing four haunts. When you complete your fourth haunt, Trailer Trash/Trailer Bits will automatically light (light blue arrows). Collect your bits (if you like points) and shoot the house to collect the Trailer Trash and Director's Cut will start. There are four levels to complete: one for each of the haunts you completed. Completing each level will award your haunt points again. Completing all four will award an additional 100m.

Creepo the Clown will be your fourth Dead Head.

They Came From Space is available after you've played six haunts. This is my favorite mode.

There is so much to do in this game. So many ways to play. It has yet to get old for me. The biggest thing about it is that it is fun. (Unlike AIQ. That's just not fun.)

Have fun and enjoy!

Glad someone else said it haha, for the life of me I could not enjoy AIQ. I am an Elwin fan, to a point, but im coming to the conclusion his games are just too damn hard for me, and that's ok. Elvira is the perfect game for my humble little collection.

Also, mentioned before but enjoy your youtube vids

Huh?

Elvira is one of the smoothest shooting games I have ever owned or played. I like how Lyman designed the haunts where you can keep diving deeper if you want (on most haunts), or finish it off if the final shot is lit. Even Gappa Angry has its reward levels so it's not 'game over' if you fail to make all the locks. Gappa Angry is also perhaps one of the best modes in any modern pinball game. The only drawback with Elvira is that some things could have been polished (fleshed out) better. I will mention WWMB which is a very shallow multiball which becomes rather pointless (boring) after the first Super Jackpot is scored. The subsequent jackpots also score as Supers (if I remember correctly), but the points are just mediocre. There isn't anything to work towards in the MB after that.

Rob

Exactly, having a wide variety of objectives and non linear paths to play is great. People complain about code depth, but I think this game really excels with its code "width".

That’s what she said.

I would like to do something similar but with old horror comics (Creepy, Eerie, etc.)!

Oh hell count me in! Vault of Horror! Haunt of Fear!

AIQ definitely lacks personality, but makes up for it with its layout and strategy, IMO. I like that it’s hard compared to Elvira and find it to be a good compliment to it in my collection. AIQ makes me a better pinball player; you have to really use the playfield and they’re not gimme shots. Good variety between the two.

I really want the Beast Booster spinner to some effect for all haunts, not just TFOS.

Rob

I've owned the game for over a year now, love it, fun to shoot, lots of cool modes and MBs, but I've never even gotten close to the PHONE-A-FIEND multiball or figured out how to attain it. Has anyone ever reached this multiball and if so, how does one go about it?

Can someone recommend how this game should be set up? I just hit a 300M game, but that is by far the highest score. As easy as people say the game is, mine is a drain monster. Hit the crypt, SDTM. Hit a gargoyle or the drop target, often SDTM. Slingshots often rocket immediately into the opposite outlane with no chance of saving, as do many rebounds out of the VUK.

The game is fun, but I'm practically throwing my back out "nudging" this game to try and keep the ball alive. Not the experience I hear from others.

So, do I have it too steep? Are my flippers and/or slingshots too strong? Can you adjust any of the targets to not aim down the drain? Just curious if there are tweaks I can make to have the game play less brutal.

What’s your pitch? Mine is at 6.5 and it is not even currently level (moving gameroom) and I don’t get these issues

You start Phone-A-Fiend Phone-A-Thon the same way you start the other trunk mulitballs.
Complete targets, then lock a ball. Complete targets again, then lock the second ball to start the multiball. For Phone-A-Fiend, you must have already played two trunk multiballs.

Don't forget! During your trunk multiballs, you collect more junk by collecting super jackpots! You can collect up to three pieces with each super! All those ray guns come in real handy!

I find the steeper the game it eases side to side action and makes the game easier due to less outline drains.

Anyone have this issue?

My crypt mech has been acting up. Gets stuck in one position where you bash the head and it doesn’t register.

We replace the Crypt board and something is still going on.

In TEST MODE I can’t use the coin door +/- Buttons to move from positions 77, 78 and 79. It’s frozen. All other mech test are fine.

Then when I close the coin door while in test mode I can move the mech from position to position.

Node board issue?

This is common when the arm that extends from the skull / crypt door mechanism comes loose from the cam on the motor below. It’s simply held in with one small Phillips head screw and a tiny lock washer. Mine was on the bottom of the cabinet. Re-attached it and it is working again. Did you check the mechanical connection?

Mine isn’t staying put on the skull. Once I open the crypt it just moves up and down constantly. Still working on fixing that.

Elwin needs to realize that most people cannot nail shot after shot after shot. Reality is most of us can hardly nail one or two shots. Making the shots too tight just pisses people off to the extent that they do not want to play the game at all. He needs to work out some sort of way to cater for us. Maybe a way to get the shots via the button on the lock down bar? I normally like harder games but AIQ is just another level with the code on top.

Elvira HOH on the other hand is fantastic. Shoots beautiful, great code and a enjoyable experience every time you play it. For me, one of Sterns best ever games!

Thank you. Let me try that

Yep. This is why I just sold my JP Pro with 250 plays. It just wasn't fun to play. Too linear and I never got past like 3 dinosaurs let alone close to the Visitor Center. I quickly realized I never would. Sorry, not sorry.

Pull out the coin door interlock switch if the coin door is open.

Rob

I own 3x pins. Elvira HOH, JP Prem and Metallica. IMO Stern’s 3 best. Difficulty ramps up from Elvira to JP, but I love the challenge and depth of story in JP. It forces me to improve and keeps me coming back. Metallica is a perfect pin if you are ok with or enjoy the music. The game is pretty much flawless. Elvira is just fun. Pretty basic rule set, but fun. Only thing is I’m always afraid something is going to break.

you will def end up owing the new price. when i got mine they tacked on the extra 500. deposit or not, the new price is what you pay. a bummer but imo still worth it. wish i got the LE but its a great pin!

Updates / Thoughts on my House's Haunt "Reject" Issue. So about 50% of the time when a new Haunt Mode starts (Elvira is talking and playfield dims) the ball comes rolling back down the house ramp and is not held in place.

Doing some testing, it seems the Haunt Mode is started via the Opto sensor in the back area behind the playfield straddling the black plastic ramp. It is NOT started by the Opto sensor at the top of House ramp.

Taking the house off and watching, it seems like most of my shots with enough power are actually being rejected (hitting the side or something) and not making it down the black plastic ramp to the appropriate Opto sensor to start a Haunt. I haven't tested it yet, but I have a feeling my Opto sensor at the bottom of the plastic ramp is not 100% aligned. So when a powerful enough shot hits the ramp it shakes it a bit causing the Opto to "sense" the ball, but then the ball does not actually go down the plastic ramp causing what looks like an improper shot.

Will have to take a closer look at the Opto on the plastic ramp but wanted to mention this for anyone else, who like me have tried the Velcro and the washer's fix and still having this issue.

Same thing happened to me, putting the Velcro at the back of the subway seemed to fix that , about 90% success rate, softens those well hit fast balls from coming back down.

Ball does activate from the subway opto, I think what happens is it goes into subway , hits the lock and bounces back out before the diverter has a chance to come down. Seems almost impossible, but I know for a fact the house opto does not start that mode, as Stern gave me a NIB pin with a bad house ramp opto. FYI, if you get the odd ball that feeds back out after the Velcro trick, hit both flippers so you skip the Elvira talk and light the playfield again so you can see what you are doing. This pin has been a challenge to get dialed in but I think I got mine perfect now.

Does the game trap the ball, and then you hear a random click and mode starts? Or is game dark as hell and ball just dribbles out with no more warning sounds?

If it’s the first thing I said , you answered your own question and need to tweak that rear opto that controls the down post through the plastic exit of the house. I explained how in a prior post

If it’s the second, I assume your game is at 6.5 degrees or so. Increase it to 6.7 or so.

Let me know if you need any further help on this. It’s a frustrating issue , but fixable.