Quoted from apessino:After a week or so and a few dozen games on my Mermaid, I can safely say that I *love* this game!
I will confirm what is now old news: this is one of the most beautiful games ever made - the artwork, the intense lighting, the quality of every little detail... just amazing, it gives the highest end JJP CE editions a run for their money. I will add that it has what is easily the best sound system of any stock pin I've ever tried, ever.
I had no emotional attachment to the original. I can't even remember playing it much back in the 80s, but I am surprised how much fun the layout is, especially combined with the new game mode. I am glad they included the original rules, but I played the "classic" mode once and it was enough. Revisited is where it's at.
For negatives: air balls are a thing. I had a couple of gnarly hits to the glass. Then again, the playfield looks pretty much indestructible, so let them at it, I guess? So far I have not had any issues, other than the shooter rod assembly needing some adjustment - the rubber tip hits nowhere near the center of the ball, which makes for a very weak plunge. I have not adjusted it yet, but it should a trivial fix once I get to it. I had a couple of hard freezes; both of them at the endgame. They required a power cycle to get the machine back. A couple of other software niggles happened as well, but not regularly enough that I know exactly what was going on. Overall minor stuff.
That is it - overall, I think this machine is an instant classic. Love playing it, it's a ton of fun and it feels... different. Really different, but not for the sake of it or at the expense of pinball fun. It's a beautiful piece of mechanical art, a joy to shoot and it is really challenging, in that old fashioned slightly punishing way. It's a unique experience and it stands out in my lineup, and not just because the dimensions of the cabin make it sit so much lower and smaller than its peers. See the pics for proof.[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
You're welcome for that preorder spot! Glad you FINALLY GOT YOUR GAME.