I have only played Alice Cooper once and it was hands down bar none the worst game I've ever played (Yes worse than Rogo)
so not complete enough for me to judge.

IMDN is very good (if you can deal with the music...somone 'fixed' it with nerw music yet?). Fun, intersting, display goals are cool, layout good, ramps are a little tough.

I only played Houdini once and it seems pretty packed. The shots were tight and hard *cough* which isn;t a bad thing. Def interesting.

http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1969

"Long Games" also doesn't mean you 're accomplishing anything or moving forward. I feel like there's a cool down phase, where when I got it games were super long, cause I din;t really know the rules yet. Then when I started really making as plan in modes and shit games became shorter because I was trying for specific things.
I don't really think any recent Stern is a "quick" game other than GB because of it's own reasons.

Uff I was hoping some progress was made since I played it and felt the same as you. It leaves you alone to just try to figure out what's going on that's for sure.

A lot of it has to do with the Maiden theme for sure. We all know the Maiden fans are a loud bunch and always have been, but it's actually very low on the interest level to average people; & Magic is a classic pinball theme.