I'd say no TMNT

Buy what you like playing or interests you, not what you perceive what others like.

Use Pin Map to try and locate games near you to play.

Try and play a Godzilla and then decide.

Be forewarned. There is no such thing as one pin.

LTG : )

Find a Zilla on the used market. You're in a high population zone.

Worst case you can always turn around and sell a new game if you don't like it. Generally new games lose a few hundred dollars in value the first year. Although this market is different.

Check with Mike at Great American Pinball and see what he has on his showroom floor.
He might have the games you are considering set up to try.

You said you would prefer Godzilla. There’s your answer! They are not so hard to find. Call a few different distributors, get on their list. You may need to wait. A pro should be easier to find than premium. Even though it’s a great game my advice is always to play before you buy. There must be many on location or in showrooms in the capital city of pinball.

Yeah definitely Godzilla is you are going NIB or gently used. TMNT is a very challenging pin and may leave you frustrated as a first machine.

Other good options from recent Stern offerings would be Jurassic Park, Deadpool or Iron Maiden.

Rush is under appreciated now, but its a great game. And if you like the music, you'll love the pin. Best bang for your buck right now is a rush pro

Don't ever buy anything you haven't played first. People do that here all the time, don't follow their example.

It's easy to get impatient and excited, relax, it's a big purchase, you can afford a little time. You live in a pinball town, go out and play the games. Ignore what people tell you to buy, they aren't you and don't necessarily have your taste. What's popular isn't relevant, what you like is what matters. And how do you know what you like if you haven't played it?

I’d offer a counterpoint: ANY stern pro you buy, your worst case is looking at losing $500 in a couple months if you don’t like it. And you may simply be able to trade one for another.

And people fall in love with game and sell it in 6 months all the time, so you never really know. Playing every game before you pick one isn’t gonna guarantee you won’t get tired of it quickly. So it’s no sweat.

I would advise you to get a game ASAP, and be enjoying pinball quickly. It is a “big” purchase but once you are in you are in. Hard to enjoy this hobby from the outside.

Do it. DO IT NOW! I’ve bought TONS of games - into the hundreds probably - without ever having played a game on it, or just a handful - just part of the fun in my opinion.

My point of view is to take into account what games you can play locally on location reliably. So for me, even though I think Godzilla is a sweet game, I wasn’t super inclined to pick one up because more than one local establishment has one to play and in good working order.

I went with a Cactus Canyon partially because the closest one to me is an hour away (and I drove there a couple times to put some good time into it first).

I’ll also say I like the Rush playfield and space theme, but I’m lukewarm on the band/songs. You have to enjoy a theme enough that once you’ve heard every line 1000 times you don’t want to pull your hair out.

Tmnt is a good game but it's pretty hard. It's the kind of game you probably won't like as much at first, but you'll end up keeping it longer, if not permanently, after you get used to it. It's probably not a great location game, but if you're looking for a home game with longevity, you might consider it.

Hold out for a GZ. You won’t regret either the Premium or Pro, both are exceptional pins and great for both experienced players and newbies. Have fun man, and as others have said, get ready for another one they tend to multiply

You can get a GZ pro right now NIB at retail with free shipping. I've owned tmnt twice it's a beast. Love rush. Get the game that makes you want to skip dinner for one more play.

You can definitely find a Godzilla. I would go for that.

A quick look at Facebook Marketplace near you shows some promising results. I would go for this bone busters:

https://m.facebook.com/marketplace/item/442581631284915/

You really need to go and try all these games before buying. It's a huge purchase and you'll only know if you made the right choice by playing the different titles.

Or....go by the Pinside top 100

I'd imagine a used GZ pro wouldn't be too hard to find. Only bad thing about buying GZ pro is it's prolly gonna make you want a premium. You should find a Rush I'm the wild and try it though - it's a GREAT game, doesn't lose much pro vs premium, and it's pretty easy to find a really good deal on one. Used you can prolly find it for 6ish. Everyone's tastes are different though, so go check it out first. Should be easy to find on the pinmap near you in Chicago.

TMNT is not everyone's cup, but I will say it's an interesting option for a home game if you like a challenge.

Bond has very little code right now - but it is really fun having a machine where every few weeks there's an update and you get new stuff.

So, I'd say used rush pro, or bond if you're okay with a game that shoots great but will have code develop over the next year.

You should try to get out there and play as many different machines as possible, different people are going to prefer different games and themes. Look at pinballmap.com to find locations. Being in Chicago there will be tons of places.

Don't shy away from used pins (from reputable sellers) either, and you'll have a ton more choices.

Get a Godzilla Pro. It shouldn't be that hard to track one down for MSRP or less. I think it's the perfect first pin. I've had my Pro over a year and I could count the number of times I've had to remove the glass on one hand and that's usually just for a quick cleaning. And I'm nearing 1000 plays. It's a favorite for family and friends too. No need to get out and play other games. Godzilla is rated #1 for a reason. Just get one and start playing!

But what you like, not always necessary to buy new in box for your first. Be knowledgeable about what you want to buy. You can also watch YouTube videos on gameplay and reviews for pretty much any machine, which may help narrow down your selection.
1. 007
2. Rush
3. Tmnt
IMHO

Wow...Wish there was something like this in my town.

And a Stern Pinball Alley sign ! Still on my bucket list.

LTG : )

Which game do you play the most there?

Ah, reminds me of the good ol’ days - arcade scene in the early 80s in suburbs of Los Angeles! “Where a teen can be a teen”

never ever buy a game you havn't played. Try out the games first. Great american pinball has a great lineup in chicago for you to try out what NIB games he has in stock. Good way to try out games. or you can try out games from some of us that are somewhat close to you. If you want to try out some games. you are welcome to come over here. I have Godzilla, Jurassic park, Iron maiden for newer stuff. Also, have Weird AL , Alice cooper and big lebowski which are other new options from other companies.

https://www.greatamericanpinball.com/

he has a showroom for you to play and try out games. Distributes for several companies, and about 45 min drive from you.

Man that’s why I love playing in the wild! Just bring a bigger knife than the other guy.

That sucks. Why go to all that and not police it better ?

LTG : )

he lives in Chicago, and we have people here wondering why there's crime...

Ar these stabbers REALLY kids or just dressed down kidults?

This is 100% how i decide what I’m going to buy, I am blessed with 2 awesome barcades about 10 mins away from me, they are both heavy Stern buyers but will contact eachother to make sure they don’t duplicate machines between them both. But they never buy any CGC or JJ so thats why I ordered a Cactus Canyon over a Godzilla for my last purchase.

I don't wonder why.

I wonder why more isn't done about it ?

LTG : )

Which one do you enjoy playing the most? Which one do you enjoy almost as much? Seek out one of those games: surely one is less expensive on the used market, or possibly available NIB in stock.

Sir, this is a Wendy’s.

What about CGC remake cactus canyon? Pinball brothers alien? Options other than Stern?

If your daughter is into it too, you definitely need to download the Pinball Map app and see what's within a short drive, check some other stuff out. Tons of good machines around Chicago. Things you can easily buy right now to try out in your budget, in no particular order:

Hot Wheels
Legends of Valhalla
Ultraman
Cactus canyon (over budget)
Mandalorian
TMNT
Led Zeppelin
Avengers IQ

Sounds like a bunch of cool daddy daughter dates to me. I'll bet you'd both dig AIQ if you like rush and she likes Zilla - it's by the same designer as GZ and shoots really well. Deep game with lots to do, great for a home environment. You can find a pro pretty easy for 6 or less. Personally, if I had zero pins I'd aim for a new machine that left enough in the budget to spend 1-2k on a player's condition 80s machine, firepower or something like that. Pinball is more fun with a little variety in your diet. Plus your daughter is gonna get good, and you'll need something to do on her long balls

Great list. I own most of these and really like them. Some are not highly rated on this site. So what. I bought my first pin over four years ago and went through the same angst. I read so many ratings and played so many games and my distributor kept repeating “buy the one you really like! “. So I bought a Batman 66-I still play it quite a bit and really enjoy its campiness and great code. Of all my games, this one is as close to bolted to the floor as any. However, I have also discovered that any game is irreplaceable and the idea of buying a game, playing the crap out of it, and moving on is a great way to enjoy this hobby. Someday I will figure that out…

Yeah people I was asking me what my favorite game is. I don’t necessarily have a favorite, but I do recommend Godzilla premium for anyone or any collection. Everybody seems to like this game including spouses and kids. More advanced players really enjoy the shots and code. If you look hard enough, you can find one available, or if you would rather, get on a list. Meanwhile, find another game and enjoy the crap out of that!

Don’t forget that you will have to maintain your new investment! I thought buying a new in box game would solve all of my mechanical inadequacies. Well, within one week, I had a major problem with the Batman 66 carousel jamming. So I finally had to raise the hood and look into the problem. After many phone calls and testing, I determine that Two screws had fallen out of a bushing. Of course I found both screws in the cabinet-reattached the bushing and all is well. Now, I work on machines quite a bit and feel more confident. I have friends that can help me with the really tough stuff. Not to scare anyone off- but maintenance, modding, shopping, cleaning, and adjusting add more interest and enjoyment to this great hobby.

If for any reason you can't find a machine you want to try, check out pinballmap.com. Whenever we're going out of town I look ahead and see if there's a machine near our destination I haven't gotten to play yet. It will also help you find small venues nearby you didn't know about. Today we're going to lunch at a new restaurant that opened up which has a TMNT and Jurassic Park Pro. I've only played Turtles once and I suspect that machine wasn't well setup, and I've only ever played the Premium version of Jurassic Park.

In a couple weeks we're heading to Charlotte for our son's volleyball tournament, and while I've there I've scoped out a place with a Houdini and Elvira: House of Horror that I want to visit.

I’m looking to get my first pinball machine as well. Just learning what to look for. Is there general advice for first timers? So far, I think the biggest challenge could be locating the machine you want. I’ve been told to mostly avoid online sales and go with hands on in person sales which sounds like good advice. Yes? I’ve also heard going to shows is a good idea.

Buy in person.

Take someone with you that knows pinball.

Don't get stuck in thinking you have to drag a game home no matter what.

LTG : )

As a first time buyer, I wouldn’t worry about missing out on a machine. With very few exceptions, a similar or better opportunity will come along if reasonably patient.