Hahahaha!

The fever is going around and infecting the DMD guys one by one!

Aurich, I'm pretty new to the EM stuff myself. Best advice I can give you is to try and play some EMs. Not that you necessarily have to buy the ones that you play, but they will give you an idea of what you like. Drop targets? Spinners? 2 inch or 3 inch flippers? Replay vs Add a Ball? Etc.

Wedgeheads are sweet because of the artwork and the shape of the head. Very appealing lines. But the Wedgeheads are single players. That's fine, but some EM's are superb for multi player games as they tend to have short ball times.

Good luck, and most of all, enjoy the hunt!

It seems like a lot of EMs don't get plastics busted up quite like newer games, so you may not even need to worry about repro plastics, unless you're looking at a game where they're really toasted.

Gottlieb EMs tend to be popular. I'm a big fan of Top Score, and Centigrade 37 and Quick Draw are both great.

Personally, I'd say got for a Gottlieb with 3" flippers, an asymmetrical playfield, and a theme that you like. Within those parameters, it's pretty hard to go wrong.

I sure hope I had nothing to do with all this foolishness.

I love my Jumping Jack and Abra Ca Dabra. I have a C37 in my restoration queue, and I think the art is top-notch, but if don't think I'll enjoy it as much as the others. IPDB reviews can be a good way to get to know your EMs - paying more attention to the comments than the numbers.

Gottlieb El Dorado.

If you can locate a Wade Cross Playfield, the Backglass (webb) and Plastics (PBR) are readily available which would get you pretty close to a new Gottlieb Wedgehead.

Ken

I'm 100% immune.

Just got a C37 a few weeks and me and the kids really like it. I love the sound of the chimes and all the relays going off when you restart the game. Its a nice compliment to a modern pin collection, very retro cool. C37 also has repro glass and plastics available if needed.

You damn well know you had everything to do with it!

Good! We don't need any more competition for nice EMs in SoCal!

Mid 70s Gottliebs are where I'd start. All but one of mine are from that era and all designed by Ed Krynski. Fast Draw and Jungle Princess are probably my favs.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/thinking-of-buying-an-em-buyers-guide
I made this post at the end of last year, hope it helps.

Since then I've bought 14 EMs and sold 7. My advice:
1. play many and allow yourself to change your mind.
2. Befriend em folks
3. By quality cosmetics
4. Don't over pay. Pins are veryveryvery easy to buy, but can be difficult to sell.
5. Don't give up on 2" flippers. For me it gives a very nice contrast to my more modern pins. I also found that if I want to use big flippers I'll play a dmd. 2" flippers are different and provide good challenge.
6. Learn to rebuild. Pensive, pinwiki, and pinrepair are great resources.
7. Do what DirtFlipper says . I am convinced he is always right. I wouldn't have bought all these and then sold them if I had listened to what he told me last year. I guess I am just one of those people who insist on making their own mistakes.

Good luck!

I started with that era. Sold them all and went to 60s!

A Playmatic pin.

I used my Playmatic Conquest 200 in my Pinsomnia 2014 tournament as a side classics tourney pin, and it was such a hit that the dude who runs Pinsanity (a pinhead friend) asked if he could use it in his tournament.

It got rave reviews across the board. If I were looking to add another EM, I'd gladly add another Playmatic, they rock.

Abra Ca Dabra has cool art a great ruleset - makes you come back for "one more". C-37 is a looker and a good player. Atlantis probably doesn't fit your theme you're after but it has a great ruleset too..... 2001 and Dimension aren't bad either.

How about just an early ss game. I would recommend a game like countdown, joker poker or strikes and spares.

Don't worry, all 5 of you can duke it out amongst yourselves.

The deeper you get into EMs the deeper you go back. Kind of like that dinosaur movie with Troy McClure. Maybe that was Doug? Well anyway, now for me, it's all about the woodrails. Bring on those gobble holes baby!

Edit-Actually right now I'm stuck in the early 60s. I'm waiting on an overhaul for that flux capacitor.

No reason you can't have both! Check out Mr. Shiny!
nice!.JPG
shiny.JPG

Double trouble.

I know what your looking for. The Sci Fi era during EM pinball times art wise was cheesy at best. Just look at the backglass on 2001. But all artwork was hand drawn. Early EMs had rocket themes and such, but the best art was based on pretty pin-up girls. Just my opinion of course.
BigDaddyFTW.JPG

Of course, there is always these-
Backglass-773.jpgimage-8-268.jpg

And this.
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Me, I'd go with the Space Ship. If I could find one.

Target Alpha? Fun Sci-fi graphics, same PF layout as El Dorado, 4 player so not as "deep" a ruleset, though I prefer having to knock down 15 drop targets with a single ball instead of 3 or 5. And I know where you can try one locally...

C37 fits your criteria. As does Abra Ca Dabra.

And maybe Jacks Open 1977 wedgehead - drop targets but a much more progressive ruleset. On my wishlist!

Or 2 player drop target, fantasy art - Gemini. But super hard to find and expensive!

Backglass2.gif

Backglass.jpg

Best idea is to get to Arts or Odins place (or of course Pinball Land where you go) and play as many as you can.

I also recommend El Dorado. Who cares about the artwork ... (well you, probably..) but its the gameplay with this one which is killer. The skill is to get 5000 a drop as opposed to 500. Very very addictive.

Space Time is a killer game. There is one for sale on Pinside now in L.A. for $500.

Lots of killer EMs, thats only two.

rd

If you are just getting into EM's and your goal is to work on them as well as play, then a single player is the way to go. Much easier to get your feet wet with the relatively simple design on a wedgehead, than a 4 player beast like Wizard or Royal Flush.

My favorite wedgeheads are the early 60's, games like Slick Chick, Majorettes, Kings and Queens and Bowling Queen. Great art, and the gameplay is addictive!

Gottlieb Atlantis

Start doing some charity work helping people fix up their busted pins and it won't be too long before an EM will fall into your lap. My tech buddy doesn't personally like EMs as they are a ton of wiring. Be prepared to clean all the contacts. We were working on a Genie and the owner took us across the street to see a non-working Spin Out. Just make sure to look into parts availability before you commit to by.
I once saw 2 Night Riders in a guys garage the EM and the SS that would be really neat to play both and compare the 'feel' of play.

FIREBALL best EM in my view.

I have a Flight 2000 Pin that is not an EM, but it is a fun playing game. It needs a little restoration, but I will sell it with all of the parts that I purchased to do the restoration myself. The game is also a wide body which gets a lot of hate, but in my opinion Flight 2000 is the best of the wide body games. If you have any questions about it, or if anyone is interested just pm me. =)

I have a Solar City which is the two player version of El Dorado and Target Alpha. It has futuristic artwork that is not too overbearing. It was my first EM and has managed to stick around. It was my only EM for quite a while and served that purpose well. Not for sale, but you are welcome to play it and the others.

I played a 4 Million BC at the Seattle Pinball Museum... that was really fun!

Then we can all kick my Shadow.

What am I? Chopped liver?

Let me know when this happens

Sorry about that.

Target Alpha is a pretty good game. But, like Rob mentioned, I too really like the traditional lines of the wedgehead cabinets. 1 player is cool. The only other EM I'd like to have is a Diamond Jack. Bank-a-Ball is a replay game, and Diamond Jack is an Add-a-Ball (playing for extra balls instead of credits).

Good luck with your search! Maybe you can bring it to League when it's all ready.

Target Alpha is a good call. 4 player, very cool sci-fi theme and great artwork and it is a 4 player.
It is my favorite game in my small collection. If I had to get rid of all my games but one, it is the one I would keep.
Just my 2 cents worth......