SST all the way. Can't stand f14. Price, depends on condition. I wouldn't go over 1.2k for either, but that's just me.

You'll probably end up with both eventually.

F-14 is the way to go. Starship Trooppers, EEHHHHH

SST for me. The game grows on you. F-14 IMHO, gets old rather quickly. It's a decent system 11 game, but not WMS best.
--
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SST.

SST for sure!

SST is the way to go.

F-14 was the 6th best selling Williams game of all time.

A Steve Richie classic.

Stupidly fast, no plastic ramps to constantly replace, probably the best light show ever on a pin, and a very unconventional playfield layout.

There is a DMD coming out for it with all new animations and deep rule set - watch the price skyrocket on these games once this becomes available.

Another vote for Starship Troopers

F14 is a 100% keeper for me. Best light show and spaz mode for replay,extra balls and multi. I had SST and I enjoyed it, but sold it.

For a first pin, SST would be the better option as there is more depth in it. F14 was a sys11 with a one trick pony style of play, as were most at the time, but in a collection, is a great super fast machine.

Everything this dude said. From experience....my first pin was a F14...and I absolutely love it!!! Buuuut it lead me to needing more pins quicker than I wanted....because the rule set is not deep and it can be GAME OVER in a matter on seconds...even with 4 flippers. Even though you dont hit ramps (automatic from the plunger and VUK)....they are beautiful and I never tire of watching them roll, lock, and get shot out into the PF. This pin DESPERATELY needs a way to get a shaker motor modded into it.

VID....this is the first I have heard of it getting DMD love?? I'm still waiting for BOP DMD MOD....what are your sources?!

sst. Not a huge fan of F-14 but it's a good game.

F-14 was my first pin as well, but I can honestly say that isn't the main reason I love it so much.

What a great game. The light show is spectacular, and the play itself is really fun especially for a novice like me.

In fact, I like my F-14 so much, I am right now stripping it down to completely restore it, gonna get a lot of love.

SST all the way. F-14 is a good game but I prefer SST.

Jeeze, now you want my sources???

This was the first video when they had 10% of the programing done last year:

Do you want to kill bugs or commies?

Dan

SOURCES?! Why yes!

Hmm...I guess this P-ROC thing is taking off. I just hope these projects don't take years and years. It looks good....couldn't hear any call outs but that would be things up a couple notches. I am definitely interested.

It sure is - because much of the programing has already been written in modules, so you can just take the standard routines for high score, start, 5x playfield.....and put them together for your own game.

Also, you can mod the code easily. So if years from now some bug is discovered, you can fix it instead of waiting around for someone else to do it.

Never played SST, so I'm not so much here to persuade you one way or another...I just want to stand on a soapbox and say nice things about F-14.

Have a friend's parked at my place right now. Quick is definitely the right word to use for describing this game. Quick ball times, in that if you aren't on your toes and playing intelligently the game will be over as soon as it started. Quick also, in that every shot is designed to make the ball pick up speed and ricochet off things like a bat out of hell. The only absolute safe shots in the game are either the lock or anything that keeps the ball on the upper half of the playfield. I think some people think this is an all luck "aim for the fences" flail fest, but it requires a lot of flipper control skills, quick reactions and on-the-fly risk vs. reward shot decisions.

The cons to the gameplay, outside of being a "so brutal it will grow hairs on your chest" game, are primarily age issues. Rules wise it comes off shallow compared to games from later generations. Some of the DMD heavy guys I know seem to dislike a lot of this era just because there is only a handful of things to do...but they tend to miss that those few things are so greatly designed on the physical end. The layout doesn't need complicated rules to compensate (and this game's layout is very unique). Yah know?

I do agree that F-14 could be a rough title to own if there wasn't another game sitting next to it for variety. I'm also sure SST is fun as well. You better just not listen to me and play both before pulling the trigger.

f-14 by a landslide. although sst is a good game too, you will be happy with either

nice. Vid. I knew about the bop, now f14. I hope someone decides to do a bk2k

SST all the way. Would actually like to own one.
Not a big fan of F14. Find it rather boring. I don't care about light show. Gameplay is what is important and F14 is seriously lacking in the shots and ruleset. Fast is the only thing going for it IMO.

Starship Troopers is the better pin...especially to own. Fun pin with a lot of really cool shots. SST still goes around or sometimes under $1500. The Sega manufacturer brand is on it, so it ensures unknowing collectors stay away. Too bad for them.

I love me some F14. Love to play it at shows, and at other people's houses. To own though, it might get a bit old I think (kinda what SealClubber was saying).

F-14 Tomcat.

F-14 is nice and fast. And it entices you to want to kill the commie!

f-14 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!no hesitation......

SST all the way!

I played both at CAX and I gotta tell you that SST was awesome. F14 is a brutal game but fun but there is something about SST that just screams fun.

That being said, I don't know 6 months down the road if SST is deep enough to keep me entertained but for the 5 or 6 games I played on it, it was really fun. Kids loved it too, more so than f14

F-14!!!!!!!!!!!!

SST is one of my favorite games in my 7 pin collection. It sits between TOM, LOTR, WH20, SG, Mata Hari, and, Radical, and holds its own as a keeper. This is coming from a guy who will sell a game a few weeks after owning it because of boredom. F14 is a sweet game as well, but if you take the company logos off the games very few would pic it over SST, in my not so humble opinion. That being said, one day SST will be on the chopping block as well. I would buy the game you think will be easier to sell at a break even price or for profit price,That way you can always find the game you really want one day. I would not pay more then 1200 for F14 but would pay over 1500 for SST depending on condition.

PEN

SST

Definitely SST.

My father, way back when I was 9-10 years old, once told me that we were bringing a F14 pinball machine home, and back in 1990-1991 at the age of 9-10, that was like a dream come true. It never happened, and like my car, I wanted to bring home a pinball machine that was promised but never delivered.

I loved F14 from my childhood. I was really looking hard to buying one, but I got a good month or two's time on one here locally at a private collector's home in May-June 2012, and I tried to like it - I really did. I wanted to bring one home; I wanted to be able to say it was a good game. I wanted to fall in love with it - I tried - and it was just so "MEH." Fantastic light shows yes - but man - booorrrrrring. I tried to get into all the skillful ricochet shots and get all into the strategy of keeping the ball on the upper playfield. It fell flat on its face, and I've never approached one again.

SST - toys galore, lots of depth, 3rd mini-flipper with some fun strategy behind it - just a really unique pin. The color scheme though - omg - hideous.

SST. Usually I prefer 80s pins, however I really like SST.

SST.

I tried to like F-14. Great music, great lights but the gameplay is lacking, imho. No flow. I bought one thinking it might replace my High Speed but no way. Basically, hit TOMCAT targets, right scoop. Left kickback lane for Jagov if you're bored. Just couldn't get into it.

+1 for F-14.

Owned it, loved it. Prices will vary wildly based on condition, but you can probaly expect to pay around $800 for so-so condition/functionality, or close to $2K for fully restored/clearcoated.

Holy cow, that is sweet. I hadn't seen this video yet. Might as well go straight to color DMD right?

F-14 - Hands down. Awesome package and lights. Crazy fast. Love it!

If you want to see some of the best players in the world get their asses kicked by F-14, here is the PAPA 14 finals August 6, 2012 - $10,000 at stake :

http://pinballhead.com/papa-champion-crowned-f14-tomcat/

That was ridiculous. They got DOMINATED.

The more I think about it, the more I think you definitely are making the right choice for first pin. F-14 can be brutal and for a first pin SST is very forgiving. Especially the ball save enabled in SST is a good choice. I don't remember if F-14 has ball save or not but still would be tough pin even with it on. Also SST will help draw in your friends and family because of this being a forgiving pin and fun for new people.

You get "Flight Insurance" automatically on ball 3 and I think you can earn it (activated it a couple times on Ball 1 and 2)...if it is the default ball 3 Flight Insurance, it doesn't last very long. You need to drain almost immediately for it to save.

It is probably adjustable, but it is still more of a lucky surprise than a ball save you can purposely count on.

f-14 is not so fast,mine is at 6.5 degree,its perfect like that ,some put too much degree and it affect the gameplay i experiment that.

SST wow digging it so far - had it a few days and my SM -LOTR -TZ have not been turned on lol.
I guess I am a cheap date.