Agree with all the others that playing a game first (and ideally play it multiple times 5-10+) is critical - unless you don't mind 'shifting' through games to find what you really like.

I started with mainly 3" flipper games since that is what I remember as a teen and have had some good ones (Jacks Open, Abra ca Dabra, etc.) but really found I liked playing the 2" games better.

I also hear you on wanting a specific theme/artwork. I love the pop-culture and aesthetic qualities of the games. Ideally you can find 'the one' that hits both look and play. For me it is my Sing Along. Good hunting!

Diamond Jack is the aab of King of Diamonds (replay)
Flipper Pool is the aab of Bank-a-Ball (replay)

All good games there

top of page double post

I will have to reinforce my screen door.

Agree with the others here. The Ed Krynski/Gordon Morison machines are both cool looking and fun.

Fewer players = less stuff to go wrong and lighter.
Solar City, Target Alpha are great drop target games but why stop there? Get a Canada Dry!

Just know Rare Hero will loose respect for ya.

True story from one of my first pin parties:
RH: I'm gonna go play that Jacks Open
ME: Cool. Enjoy!
(90 seconds later. RH comes back)
ME: What's wrong? Someone playing it?
RH: No, I plunged the ball and I got bored before the ball made it to my flipper!

LOL.

So to repeat what others have said here. Play some and find what you like to play.

Best of luck with your search!

I forgot to mention I have a fairly nice Fireball as well. Being a four player it may not have the deepest rules, but the fricken thing is awesome. Multiball!

DSCN3012.JPG

If you have time to come south to Carlsbad I have few Em's you can sample. None are for sale though.

th-162.jpeg

I went with the artwork and designer first then fell in love with the games. I have three Greg Kmiec/Dave Christensen games and love them all...Wizard, Capt. Fantastic, and Old Chicago. Owned a wedgehead Volley for a while and if you like drop targets I'd check one out...18 drop targets if I remember right. EMs definitely bring up the nostalgia of the old bowling alleys and bars I went to when I was a kid (mostly bowling alleys due to my age)...good luck and have fun.

…AND - I also gave you a good suggestion! I played this one at PPE and thought it was cool…and fits your 70's space theme!

Moonflight_backglass.jpg

Moonflight_playfield.jpg

Agree with this.

Shhhhh....Don't give away our secrets. I like having all the 60's games rather ice cold and cheaper to buy. Let everyone buy / fight for Atlantis, Abra-Ca-Dabra , El Dorado and C-37.

If you like them Fast, you may want to focus on some late model WMS EMs. They went DC first and tended to kick A$$. Since for the most part, many of the Single Players are kind of shallow, you might just as well go for a multiplayer. But nothing comes to mind in the art set you are looking for. DC started at Swinger in 1972. For Bally, it happened around Hi Deal in late 75.

Aurich, judging by the games you have you would be bored shitless of an EM of any type after about a week. Play them at O-din's place before you take the plunge. It's like buying a 72 Camaro just because it looks cool in your driveway. You have to want to drive it.

Not too long ago I shopped a 1976 Williams Aztec for a guy and, man was it wicked fast when I was done with it. Not the greatest looker when compared to a Gottlieb wedgehead but the DC pops and slings combined with sensitive switches and a waxed playfield made it a wicked fast game for an EM.

Right now I'm working on a 1977 Williams Liberty Bell. This game don't seem to get too much lovin' especially when compared to the other bi-centennial, Gottlieb's Spirit of 76. Bally had Freedom as well. Anyway, I got me some plans for this baby and, either Pinsiders are gonna love it or curse me up a storm.

100% disagree! My first 5+ pins were DMDs.

I admit it took me a few before I found what I liked, but I also have impulse bought just about every pin I've had.

I have to disagree with this.

If you looked at my collection (current and past) you would have said the same thing to me about being bored shitless of an EM after a week, and that has not turned out to be the case at all.

In fact, quite the opposite. Even though I am buying TWD LE, I have sold 3 DMDs, and I have added 2 EM's, with one more EM coming. And I am scouring CL every day for another EM.

Aurich has played EMs, and in fact it was after he played a super nice Bank a Ball that he was hooked enough to want one.

Playing a badly shopped/restored em will sour a person. There's always a few of those every year at Pinball Expo in Chicago. Playing one that is shopped/restored correctly and dialed in will get peoples attention and make them want one.

Good point - I hated EMs until I played a well functioning one.

Mars Trek

It took me five years to find a C37. There are so many great EMs it is hard to zero in on just one or you will let a bunch of good ones slip by in the process. I would suggest that you either pick a type of game you are looking for or have a list of at least ten titles. Then buy one when it pops up at the right condition and the right price. Unless you have a good tech on standby I suggest buying one that you can play a game on without a bunch of trouble before buying.

Edit: Outer Space and Orbit are great playing games.

I have owned all the games except Elvira in your collection. I used to have 100% dmd, now I am down to 2 dmd - IM and Metallica. But I also want Tron and ACDC.

To me the above games are intense, addictive, short ball times - usually!

But em's apart from the nostalgia, great artwork, have that addictive, one more game feature. Gottliebs in particular were designed to always make you feel close but you never quite get there.

Games that have a deeper ruleset, i.e progressive and that will drive you nuts are - 70's

Abra ca Dabra
Atlantis
Jacks Open
El Dorado

Those are all drop targets as well.

In terms of 'one more game' the Gottliebs from 61 -67 had this big time. Wow, those games can humble anyone. And I hear Gottlieb's 51 - 55 are some of the best games ever made, but yet to experience them.

Coming into Ems from DMDs, I would go for a good condition Multi ball, Like 4million BC or fire ball.

Abra Ca Dabra would be a great choice. Love the artwork and if I remember its a pretty darn fun player.

I can vouch for that

Abra Ca Dabra 001.JPG

That's what living rooms are for.

If I knew then what I know now, I would have skipped over the nostalgia part and started buying 2 inch flipper games from the 60s first. I have a few 70s games left, but the earlier ones give me that one more game feeling way more than the later models.

I still have a few 70s machines that are keepers, but from now on all incoming will be the older games where nudging is king! The older games also used bells instead of chimes and in many cases have much classier artwork. Of course "classy" is in the eye of the beholder.

Speaking of incoming, Robert is sending me a little bonus to go along with that very nice Kings and Queens. I haven't always been a big fan of Stenholm's artwork, but I think I can live with this one.

1_zps712e6cab.jpg

Yes they are! Most of the games I originally went after, like that EM Joker Poker were games I had played on route. Mostly games I had played a lot because they were easy to win games on. Money was scarce back in the day. Now I am after the harder games. The ones that took my money and ones like them.

I have never played Palooka before. But I think it looks cool and is the same era as my Big Daddy.

For you being younger and not having that experience it makes sense for you to try them all! And then decide what you really want. In my case I like having a variety from all eras, but for now I am going to concentrate on the older ones.

Abra Ca Dabra. Well, a great choice!
This game is very frustratingly fun to play. While having the 'Special Lit" does not mean you are going to hit it every time. As that centre target has to be hit just right or the ball will just drop SDTM. I play ACD almost every day. It can really piss me off, then, I am right back at it. This game must have been very good earner in the arcades.

But..but..."there's nothing to do"!

Congrats!

Oh, and....dibs!

nice aurich! grats! let me know how you like it, there's other strange people in this world that are starting to like EM's too! whats going on here

Abra's pretty cool. I find it to be way too easy most of the time, but it's definitely got that "one more game" ness to it.

Welcome to the EM club!

forget the em pinballs.... how about a em gun game

3814.JPG

forgot to mention... congrats on the new pin!

You can't go wrong with any card themed wedge head. Jacks Open is my favorite followed by Centigrade 37 and Atlantis.

Great choice…. love that game!

This part is SO true.

Congrats! That's a fun one - I played it for the first time last weekend, and thought it was fun.

ACD is just OK

All kidding aside congrats on your first EM..........and certainly not your last.

Now play away

Ken