(Topic ID: 130056)

How does Card Whiz rate?

By goldenboy232

8 years ago


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#1 8 years ago

Folks who have owned or are very familiar with it: how does Card Whiz rate? And then would you say it's a better game than Top Card? I might have a chance to acquire one and was just curious. I love my new Top Card and was wondering how you guys like Card Whiz.

#2 8 years ago

Personally I'd rather have Card Whiz, but I much prefer drops over standups. It's a fun game, good layout, bonus rules for last ball, good drops, gate back to shooter lane, nice art. IMHO more strategy than Top Card with the jokers.

#3 8 years ago

From my experience at the new Orleans pin church I can say that it has a really high replay value. Just one more game over and over.

Royal flush might be better since it is 4-player vs 2.

There is a bit of strategy and good risk/reward.

#4 8 years ago

I shopped out a really nice Card whiz for a friend a couple of years ago, his dad bought it from an operator in 1979 & it sat in his climate controlled basement ever since. Very very low play game, cleaned up great. Zero playfield wear.

Anyway, of course I had to play test it at home for a while... after having played both this & Tim M's sweet Top card @ the NW pin show I would say it's close, but the drop targets put Card whiz on top.

#5 8 years ago

Card Whiz over Top Card any day of the week. But that is not saying much. I had a Card Whiz and sold it after 3 or 4 months and don't miss it. People swear by this game. The only thing you can do is buy it and see if it is a keeper for you.

#6 8 years ago

Card Whiz/Royal Flush is one of, if not the best multi player EM, Top Card, is not in the same league IMO.

#7 8 years ago
Quoted from Rat_Tomago:

Card Whiz over Top Card any day of the week. But that is not saying much. I had a Card Whiz and sold it after 3 or 4 months and don't miss it. People swear by this game. The only thing you can do is buy it and see if it is a keeper for you.

I generally like 70s Gott drop target games, but for some reason, this one didn't click with me. I restored one a few years ago and like Rat, couldn't sell it quick enough. I think the outlanes were frustrating for me, perhaps that's just my lack of skill. Ball times were really short, also, just having the one pop bumper, there is not much action up there. Haven't owned a Top Card-yet.

#8 8 years ago

I had Card Whiz for about a year, and enjoyed it. The only thing I didn't like about it regarding game play was once the dt's were down they didn't reset, and then it was only about getting points, which gets real old. For game play Top Card is fast and never gets boring.

#9 8 years ago
Quoted from phergott:

I had Card Whiz for about a year, and enjoyed it. The only thing I didn't like about it regarding game play was once the dt's were down they didn't reset, and then it was only about getting points, which gets real old. For game play Top Card is fast and never gets boring.

I really like the way top card awarded specials once all of the targets were hit.
To quote Tim Arnold -- "it sounds like Detroit on a Saturday night"

#10 8 years ago
Quoted from phergott:

I had Card Whiz for about a year, and enjoyed it. The only thing I didn't like about it regarding game play was once the dt's were down they didn't reset, and then it was only about getting points, which gets real old. For game play Top Card is fast and never gets boring.

That is the way most multi-player EMs are. At least you have that 3,000 point stand-up to shoot for once all the drops are down. One of the reasons why I like Fast Draw is the resetting center drop targets.

Games like Target Alpha, once all the drops are down, you are basically hitting rebound rubber for 10 points until you drain so you can collect your bonus.

#11 8 years ago
Quoted from schudel5:

That is the way most multi-player EMs are. At least you have that 3,000 point stand-up to shoot for once all the drops are down. One of the reasons why I like Fast Draw is the resetting center drop targets.
Games like Target Alpha, once all the drops are down, you are basically hitting rebound rubber for 10 points until you drain so you can collect your bonus.

The only solution :

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/royal-flush-obtain-target-reset-during-play

----------------------------------------------------

Wanted : Dead or Alive - In any condition
Gottlieb SPACE WALK
You find, you win : REWARD USD 500

http://www.facebook.com/kangourou.flipper?fref=ts

#12 8 years ago

And Royal Flush, although a four-player, is the same game/just as good?

#13 8 years ago

It's the same game and just ads 2 more score reels. I prefer two player versions of games because there are less reels, I never have 4 people that want to play an EM at the same time and if I do they are looking at their watch or firing up a different machine. By the time it gets back to the 4th player's turn I have to chase them down. 4 player heads need 2 more inches of clearance and are much more heavier. The last thing is the 4 player version take over more of the artwork and I like having more artwork.

#14 8 years ago
Quoted from Rat_Tomago:

It's the same game and just ads 2 more score reels. I prefer two player versions of games because there are less reels, I never have 4 people that want to play an EM at the same time and if I do they are looking at their watch or firing up a different machine. By the time it gets back to the 4th player's turn I have to chase them down. 4 player heads need 2 more inches of clearance and are much more heavier. The last thing is the 4 player version take over more of the artwork and I like having more artwork.

Agreed. There's a guy locally selling at Card Whiz for $1,200 (too much) and another selling at Royal Flush for ($800 and I think I can get it for less perhaps), so was curious.

#15 8 years ago

1200 is not out of line for the Card Whiz. They made far less of them. Just grab the one that is in better condition. I would go look at and play both. Bring 1000 with you and barter on the one that is 1200.

#16 8 years ago
Quoted from Rat_Tomago:

at the same time and if I do they are looking at their watch or firing up a different machine. By the time it gets back to the 4th player's turn I have to chase them down.

I thought you were talking about LOTR there for a second.

Never had that problem on any of my 4-player EMs. Typically ball times are so short they don't have time to go anywhere. Modern DMDs on the other hand...

I quite often have 4 players playing at the same time, especially in tournaments, which then I typically have to exclude Jungle Princess.

#17 8 years ago

Card Whiz / Royal Flush are awesome games. Definitely in my top 5 Gottlieb multiplayer games. In practice, most players won't knock down all the drops with any regularity. Brutal game, but very fun.

All factors equal, I would always prefer a 2 player, but a $400 difference would be enough to sway me towards the 4 player.

#18 8 years ago
Quoted from schudel5:

I thought you were talking about LOTR there for a second.
Never had that problem on any of my 4-player EMs. Typically ball times are so short they don't have time to go anywhere. Modern DMDs on the other hand...
I quite often have 4 players playing at the same time, especially in tournaments, which then I typically have to exclude Jungle Princess.

Have players one and two play together, and three and four play together. Pretty standard for league play.

#19 8 years ago
Quoted from Collin:

Have players one and two play together, and three and four play together. Pretty standard for league play.

I have done that and that's when I typically get people wandering off. It's even worse on the single player games. Honestly, I prefer 4-player games vs their 2-player counterparts.

#20 8 years ago
Quoted from Rat_Tomago:

It's the same game and just ads 2 more score reels. I prefer two player versions of games because there are less reels, I never have 4 people that want to play an EM at the same time and if I do they are looking at their watch or firing up a different machine. By the time it gets back to the 4th player's turn I have to chase them down. 4 player heads need 2 more inches of clearance and are much more heavier. The last thing is the 4 player version take over more of the artwork and I like having more artwork.

Plus you rarely have more than 2 people playing it so reels 3 and 4 get dusty and don't get checked out and when you do get players 3 and 4 there you realize some numbers aren't stepping right or some switches aren't registering.

I love my Card Whiz, obviously.

My first machines are Maverick and Card Whiz and if I ever have to downsize I think they'll be the last two to go.

#21 8 years ago
Quoted from PhilGreg:

Plus you rarely have more than 2 people playing it so reels 3 and 4 get dusty and don't get checked out and when you do get players 3 and 4 there you realize some numbers aren't stepping right or some switches aren't registering.

Makes sense that you should set up and play all 4 players once in a while to keep them working.

#22 8 years ago

I'm not crazy about either game. Lots of people like Card Whiz/ Royal Flush. It's a shooter's game, you're very involved with the drop targets but not much action elsewhere. Only 1 pop bumper located a mere 2-3 inches from the top shooting arch, far away from the game's actual objective. It's no surprise they all clean up wonderfully. Not a fan of this type of bonus collection either, it always felt like, "All or nothing," to me, kind of like Joker Poker.

The middle of the playfield on "Top Card" just feels a little too open for me without having some rebounding rubber incorporated to utilize a 3-pop-bumper configuration. I know there's a pair of upper kickers but their use is limited with that lower pop in the way.

I also can't stand the inlanes on this one. With a little practice, you can actually learn to goose a special inlane with a direct shot from the opposite side flipper. Without the standard 2-part wireform return lane that Gottlieb used on most, (with that harsh angle the ball turned on it's way to the flipper), Top Card's inlane rollover is reachable since the angle the ball needs to turn is compromised. It also uses a plastic as a lane guide, buffering any shot imperfection without losing momentum to actually reach the rollover. You may lose the ball down the side this way on occasion but that price for a replay obviously is worth it. It's no wonder Tim Arnold feels this is his "Detroit" Game.

My choice rather than Royal Flush/Card Whiz, would be Sky Jump. It appears to offer the same drop target set-up, but with 3 pop bumpers yielding much more secondary action. Instead of bonus, the drops present the game's road to "Specialville" for a chance at multiple non-score replays. Of course it's a single-player with no head-to-head capability so for that reason alone, may be your choice. Card Whiz does have a following, just doesn't do it for me.

#23 8 years ago

I still say that if you can find one Royal Flush Deluxe is the way to go.
Yeah it's a solid state remake but the re setting drops after each ball really make a huge difference.

The layout is pure gold imo.

#24 8 years ago

I absolutely love Top Card -- really a fun player. The Card Whiz opportunity passed, but appreciate the input when/if I get a shot at another.

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