(Topic ID: 141372)

Gottlieb Bank A Ball or Cross Town - BaB Wins!!

By EM-PINMAN

8 years ago


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Topic poll

“So which one is the better choice?”

  • Bank A Ball 12 votes
    44%
  • Cross Town 7 votes
    26%
  • I like both equally 4 votes
    15%
  • I hate both equally 0 votes
  • I have not played both so I cannot compare 4 votes
    15%

(27 votes by 0 Pinsiders)

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#1 8 years ago

So if you had the opportunity to get a Gottlieb 1965 Bank A Ball or 1966 Cross Town which would you choose?

Which one is the better player?

Which one is generally more fun to play?

Which one will keep a players interest in the game longer down the road?

Personally I like the artwork and colors equally so that is not an issue.

Poll added. Please vote.

TIA

Ken

#2 8 years ago

Dang, that's a tough call...

#3 8 years ago

If you only get one, buy the Crosstown and tell me where the Bank a Ball is at.

#4 8 years ago
Quoted from balzofsteel:

If you only get one, buy the Crosstown and tell me where the Bank a Ball is at.

Currently I am leaning towards Bank A Ball but that is because I would like a Billiard themed pinball. I have not played either but like how the layouts look on both.

Quoted from DirtFlipper:

Dang, that's a tough call...

Glad to see its just not me............

Ken

#5 8 years ago

BaB just because there is something more than points to shoot for, love to get a Flipper Pool

#6 8 years ago

Go with the Bank a Ball. Although I would favor the one in the best condition.
The pool theme, the 2 part backglass animation, will add more action to your collection.

#7 8 years ago

Condition would sway me big time.

That said Crosstown is one of my favorites ever.

Fantastic flow and what a great feeling hitting center target 2 or 3 times in a row when it is on 300 points. Bong, bong, bong!

Used to own one, wish I still did.

#8 8 years ago

Hiya Ken . . .

Subway (aab version of Cross Town) was one of the first EMs I owned. Loved the artwork and flow as ShapeShifter pointed out, but ultimately moved it along because the randomness of scoring eventually made it a bit boring for me - I have similar experiences with Cross Town.

Bank-a-Ball is in the lineup now and I believe is the better player with specific objectives to complete - keeping a player coming back. It also has great flow and seems to hit the sweet spot of difficulty level for most folks. A bonus is guests can relate to the theme and know what to do intuitively.

Both are beautiful looking games and if I had room for 10 more I'd probably have a Subway again, but comparing the two, I'd have to give the nod to BaB.

#9 8 years ago
Quoted from pinhead52:

BaB just because there is something more than points to shoot for, love to get a Flipper Pool

Good to know.

Quoted from Darcy:

Go with the Bank a Ball. Although I would favor the one in the best condition.
The pool theme, the 2 part backglass animation, will add more action to your collection.

Love the 2 part Backglass animation too.

Quoted from Shapeshifter:

Used to own one, wish I still did.

Out of all the machines I used to own only my Gottlieb Sure Shot was close to a regret selling it, but that is why I am leaning towards Bank A Ball to fill its shoes.

Quoted from cpiel:

Bank-a-Ball is in the lineup now and I believe is the better player with specific objectives to complete

Well out of all the input so far it looks like both are great games and that is fine but it looks like Bank A Ball will be the winner as I really want a billiards theme back in my lineup. My concern and why I started this thread was I wanted to make sure one title was not far superior to the other in play etc, which neither is apparently, just both fun games in their own way.

Bank A Ball is now on my active Wishlist and if any local folks have one for sale PM me with the info.

Thanks for all the feedback fellow Pinsiders.

Ken

#10 8 years ago
Quoted from EM-PINMAN:

Bank A Ball is now on my active Wishlist and if any local folks have one for sale PM me with the info

Keep Pinhead52 on speed dial. He is a Bank A Ball magnet. If my count is up to date, I think he has had at least five visit him over the past 2 years or so.

My vote is for Bank A Ball. Crosstown is a great game. But Bank A Ball is just a tad better IMHO.

Marcus

#11 8 years ago

Its a tough call, both are a blast

#12 8 years ago

Really enjoying recently acquired Crosstown Ken but I suspect you would be happy with either game

#13 8 years ago

I have/had both and agree with cpiel:

"Bank-a-Ball is in the lineup now and I believe is the better player with specific objectives to complete - keeping a player coming back. It also has great flow and seems to hit the sweet spot of difficulty level for most folks. A bonus is guests can relate to the theme and know what to do intuitively"

With that said Crosstown was a fun game - slight edge to Bank a Ball.

#14 8 years ago

I have owned both, I prefer Bank-A-Ball

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#15 8 years ago

In this day when good games are getting harder to find, I'd find a way to get both. Both are great players.

#16 8 years ago

I played both quite a few times and it's a tough call but I like the BaB the best with the flipper guide rails you can shoot from and the artwork.

Now I'm envisioning someday setting up a wedgehead, reverse wedgehead, wedgehead lineup, possibly with a BaB and a Cross Town sandwiching the Palooka.

Bruce

#17 8 years ago

Bank a ball .... I have a FLIPPER POOL and it is awesome!

#18 8 years ago

I'd suggest BaB over Cross Town. Cpiel is spot on with his explanation. Your score on Cross Town is a dud unless you hit the center target a few times for some meaningful points. It's a sucker shot more often than not as well, as the gap between the flippers is quite alarming!

Flipper Fair and Subway I feel are better examples of this playfield design as the 4 side rollovers, (if I recall), are tied in with the 4 rollovers at the top and light for 100 points with their cancellation. This "Balances out" the entire playfield scoring as the center target is always 100 points which to me, not as dysfunctional as Cross Town.

#19 8 years ago
Quoted from hoov:

I have/had both and agree with cpiel:
"Bank-a-Ball is in the lineup now and I believe is the better player with specific objectives to complete - keeping a player coming back. It also has great flow and seems to hit the sweet spot of difficulty level for most folks. A bonus is guests can relate to the theme and know what to do intuitively"
With that said Crosstown was a fun game - slight edge to Bank a Ball.

I, too, have owned both. The BAB was my first wedgie in my collection and probably the last to leave. I like it that much. The Crosstown was traded after a year. Fun game, but I like BAB much better.

#20 8 years ago

Wow, all this BAB love has really got me thinking as never owned one.

By co-incidence I have an outside chance/choice of a Cover Girl or BAB and wasn't really thinking about BAB.

If it happens, now not sure what to choose!

#21 8 years ago
Quoted from Shapeshifter:

Wow, all this BAB love has really got me thinking as never owned one.
By co-incidence I have an outside chance/choice of a Cover Girl or BAB and wasn't really thinking about BAB.
If it happens, now not sure what to choose!

Choose both!

Marcus

#22 8 years ago
Quoted from Xerico:

Choose both!
Marcus

No space at all and only considering option because deal is almost impossible to turn down!

#23 8 years ago

Go Bank-A-Ball. I like the action and shots much more on that table than Crosstown

#24 8 years ago

Just played my Cross Town and got 1698 points. Specials were lit on the top red and yellow rollover lanes for replays too. Cross Town is a very challenging wedgehead and if leveled correctly and restore to perfection it's a sensation player. Pop bumper arrangement is player friendly and can really rack up your scores when they are all lit. The best thing about the game is the fan target when lined up for big points or special is cool feature you don't see on other EM games and will give a player an excitement and joy when scored on.

My vote is for Cross Town today...but tomorrow after i play my Bank a Ball... i more than likely will change my mind and think BAB is the choice.

They are two different players for sure and the real answer to this posting is you might have to have them both because of the difference in play.

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#26 8 years ago

not to add confusion or more choice to the mix, but Bowling Queen has the same layout as BAB with animated bg as well. what to do what to do

#27 8 years ago
Quoted from singlezero:

not to add confusion or more choice to the mix, but Bowling Queen has the same layout as BAB with animated bg as well. what to do what to do

News to me.

#28 8 years ago

Looks like Bank A Ball has taken a clear lead in the poll so far 10-5 as of this posting.

Looking forward to getting one in the near future.

I only have room for six pins but if I had room for another six I'm sure Cross Town would be in the lineup.

Thanks for all the comments from folks regarding these two great games and participating in the poll making my decision clear.

Ken

#29 8 years ago

Still pretty lopsided but I'll put in a vote for Cross Town, simply because it's such a great game.

And I like it so much.

#30 8 years ago
Quoted from singlezero:

not to add confusion or more choice to the mix, but Bowling Queen has the same layout as BAB with animated bg as well. what to do what to do

You must be thinking of Mibs and Rack a Ball - they have the same playfield as Bowling Queen - not BaB though........

#31 8 years ago

Best thing about BAB is the CAB paint job (colors).

BLY Hi Lo Ace has same PF layout as BAB, I think.

#32 8 years ago

So Ken, when does the Green machine get home?

#33 8 years ago
Quoted from Darcy:

o Ken, when does the Green machine get home?

Hey Darcy!

I only have a line on one that is in nice condition but the current owner is not sure if they want to part with it just yet. Not a problem for me as I am not in a hurry as BaB will be the last machine in my permanent lineup as the rest of my machines are keepers and I will be officially out of space for the foreseeable future.

Currently restoring my Gottlieb King Pin and will get my Gottlieb Surfer in a few weeks from Pinhead52 who is doing a full cabinet repaint, Then I will do a full Shopout on that, so I have plenty to do in the meantime. Heck after all that I still have to restore my Gottlieb Kings and Queens at some point with all new Playfield, Backglass, Plastics, etc. Oh, did I forget about a new Gottlieb Atlantis Playfield install too when Wade finishes those next year? I think I will be busy from now to all of 2016 at this point, so yes, I can take my time finding a BaB.

Ken

1 month later
#34 8 years ago

I own both and "Bank a Ball" is the better of the two. The flippers are too far apart on "Crosstown" and I don't play that one too much.

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