I like that idea, but need atleast a top 20. 10 games is not enough.

I agree that a numeric system lacks balance, but the top 10 would leave the bottom 200 un-populated I own a Raven and wouldn't put it in my top 10.

Interesting. How about a 100 Point system too gets 100 points and you are able to have up to 100 Games. But must have 15 in order for your ranking to qualify.

I'd love to see the charts get some sort of new approach. A simple ranking system, just place your favorite games in order from top to bottom, doesn't even have to be games you own. It would also allow you to better update your opinions, as right now its a lot of work to revisit reviews you wrote for a titles from years ago.

It would better replicate music charts like Billboard. Titles would surge with new interest, then slowly drop.

A simple rank would avoid a lot of the pumping and dumping. imo.

how about a system like http://www.kittenwar.com/

you pick your favorite from 2 pins at a time. The pin with the most head to head selections wins. Super hard to game the system

I'm on the fence about ordering one. I enjoyed the few games I put on it. Just not sure yet if it will hold me as a single player game as that's 90% of my game time. Loved the sound/lights/fast action. "Upper" playfield could maybe have more satisfying shots.?
On my wish list, just want to play more before I decide.

LOL. So if you rate a game a 10, you think it could NOT possibly be better. When a code update comes around, does the rating go into Spinal Tap territory?

Just like with Olympic competition, the extremely high and extremely low scores should be thrown out (Soviet judge).

You can't trust anyone rating things a 10 or a 1. Obvious agenda.

#FakeRatings

I couldn't give less of a f— about Pinside ratings. I don't rate games, I don't read the ratings. Still happy for Scott, it's a cool little acknowledgment of his hard work.

But knowing that people can vote to block someone's rating because they don't like them makes them extra lame, what a dumb system.

TNA is exactly the kind of game I want being made right now, I'd be happy to rate it higher than any other current pin. That's the point of ratings, they're personal. Anyone who doesn't agree with my opinion shouldn't be able to block it because they're a baby.

Love how the fanboys give it their "honest" opinion and rate it No1 after barely playing it... not saying it's a bad game, but how about dating the girl for a while before you marry her ?...

I think if you want to know if someone is making an effort to rank impartially just check to see if their ratings are spread out or are just top and bottom heavy...

While I'm at it...Why do some feel they have to hand out 10s to everything? (Feel free to throw in the LEGO "Everything is Awesome" tune here...) Seriously, is there nothing in the game that can be improved upon? Is there no other game that has ever been built, or that can ever be built, even compare? May as well just stop all pinball production because we have found the perfect game! If you have a favorite game and you fanboy it up to a 10 then shouldn't the rest at least be under a 10??

There I feel better now...

The key thing is that written game reviews are preserved and to the extent possible, encouraged. I don't care if Whysnow or Who-Dey gave a game a 10 or a 3 or whatever, but it is nice to be able to read thoughtful comments on how a game plays (Caucasian2Step is of course Exhibit 1, but there are others). For people that don't have a chance to play games before buying, those narrative reviews can be very useful.

Yes, it's lame that some people are trying to "game" the rankings numbers with super high and super low reviews. But I'm not sure why the moderators would want to wade into moderating reviews. How can they tell if someone's an iconoclast, an idiot, or an anarchist trying to bring down the entire rankings system?

As-is, sham rankings (or hyper-enthusiastic/hyper-negative rankings, if you prefer) should average out as a game is out longer and the 99.9% of Pinside that isn't interested in gaming the stats has a chance to weigh in. Yes the rankings have to be taken with a grain of salt, but I'd bet they're a decent reflection of how Pinsiders as a whole regard most games, with the exception of new games that rush to the top for a bit but everyone knows won't stay there.

I'm happy that TNA is being built and is so well received. It is by no stretch the best pinball machine of all time.

I tend to agree, but because the system is based on ratings of "excellent", "good", "decent", "not so good", "poor", and "terrible" I can see why some might give it a perfect score. I don't have any games rated above an 8.8, because even on my favorite games there are individual things that are just good. However, if someone rates the GAME RULES as excellent and improvements are made it's still going to be excellent. I don't feel that is hypocritical. There is a tier above which everything is still going to be excellent. I'm actually much more likely to flag low scores. A select few have games with an overall score of 1.0-3.0. There just has to be some manipulation going on there. I get not liking the PLAYFIELD LAYOUT, THEME, FUN, etc. but I could never objectively rate everything about a game as poor or terrible. For example, I dislike South Park but the THEME is good, the BACKGLASS is good, the SIDE ART is good. So while it's a machine I'd walk past on location it still came out as a 5.7 on my ratings. I like the trimmed means for ratings, but all ratings are still going to favor newer games. Those that aren't excited about a game aren't going to rush out to play one to rate it...so take anything from the current year with a grain of salt.

I think if the ranking didn't start until there was like 50 ratings it would lessen the impact of the few supposedly gaming the system (or just being fanboys or haters).

And for the record TNA is above excellent, it is AWESOME! (that would be an 11) and I'm impatiently waiting for #95 to come to my house where I will hug it and squeeze and hold it tight and name it George.....

Should be a review system... not a ranking system.

The fact people who already know the game spend so much time looking at what others have written about it shows the tool is more about the tool itself... instead of the value it's supposed to provide.

The number of threads and posts about 'what is ranked XYZ' shows too many people care too much about meaningless things.

Looking at the games that you have rated no wonder you think this is an 11! Go out and try a few more games man!

You may have a point...but if they dont rank them here they will rank them somewhere else...may as well be here

tried lots and lots of games, just not much for doing ratings or ranks or meh

That is kind of my point... by ranking those old Gottleibs 8s and 9s (as good as they may be) you dont leave much room for higher rankings... (well unless you think Gottlieb is da bomb!)

I do, just not enough to rank properly.

Hilton, your obsession with how and why people conduct themselves and who they are is dangerous.

Dangerous? I could see "amusing" or "annoying" but it's not like he's waving a gun around or something.

or eliminated all together.

i wasnt referring to being dangerous for the community/rest of us.

If you go out and find all the pinball owners that dont know what pinside is and ask them how would they rate TNA, they'll have no idea what you're talking about.

Top 100 games are recognizable games that the world loves and plays. You'd have trouble finding more than 20 TNA's out in the wild.

"my favorite game is TNA, you've probably never heard of it" - Pinball Hipster

#20 on the way here! Could not be happier! I brought it to mix up my collection, ratings are biased on most games so I tend to review comments from pinsiders who’s opinions I value, rather than just look at the actual rating.

The passion Spooky has brought back to Pinball is what I support. I just like playing Pinball and having fun...a lot on Pinside these days just want to be negative.

I also laugh at BM66 rating....this will be a gem when complete! Last updates have really begun to define where the pin is going. (Rating biased due to higher cost of pin and beta code, Stern should be rated here not the game)

Back to TNA, January can’t come soon enough.

Please clarify yourself. Are you making some sort of threat towards me?

The ratings are horseshit anyways, who really cares.

GreenHornet, it's incredibly easy to put a cloaking device over Hilton. He literally disappears and you don't have to worry about it!

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I can't wait until The Sanctum gets one and I play it. Only then will I comment on the gameplay, feel and overall mood it gives me.

As for Pinside ratings, they are horseshit and getting worse. It has turned into a pump and dump that I cannot imagine anyone would actually use them to buy or sell a game. New games are the worst since people would rate based on company. Games should not even be able to rate until 5 years out of production. Way too subjective and born from the culture of "what game should I buy" threads. Buy what you like!

As for the rating system I hope it is skewed so questions like "It is fun" is worth 50% and "cabinet art" or "repetitive sounds" are 5%.

I know there are players, collectors, restoration people, tournament players . . . but you can't satisfy everyone so if anything it should be tuned to people playing and having fun. Otherwise the granularity would be stupid. Imagine the system encompassing these type of people / questions like "Length of time until value increase", "Availability of parts and quality of reproduction parts" or "Does it have even scoring".

I'd rather judge a game based on questions that don't add to an overall rating but let you know about the game like this -

Is this game good for a small or larger collection?
Does this game have long or short ball times?
Is this game better as a home owned game for complexity and learning or a good one more game on route game?

Its lame agreed but it must be since we have to relive this exact same shit conversation every time

I am totally into ramp games and at first glance TNA doesn't interest me; but I am willing to give every game a chance as my first impression of multiple games has been way off. All of the excitement around this game (and the awesome appearance and sound) has me excited to give it a try. Hopefully the PHOF in Vegas has one when I visit in February. I don't rate games until I've played them at least 5 times and 10 is preferable.

It's a good place to send balls during multiball and it also builds the reactor jackpot. Also you get some good pinball action up there.

I spent pretty much two days straight playing it - easily 50 or more games. That's plenty to know if it's any good. It is.

man had no idea what this thread was about and then I see TNA as #1 in the charts. I remember mustang was #1 once!!!

Hey Charlie - you know what's pretty goddamn funny is that TNA damn near knocked Swords of Fury out of the top 100 -it's tied at 99... You bastard, you almost killed LIONMAN !

Scott FALL ON YOUR SWORD.

SCOTT DANESI IS AWESOME.
Wish I had the shirt to prove it.

No shirt needed. Get one of those "SCOTT DANESI IS AWESOME" tattoos.

LTG : )

LTG throwin the gauntlet down.
Challenge accepted.

Really? Learn something new everyday.

Yea lots of new pins have started on pinside at #1......

If the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general? I put it to you: isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do what you you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. Gentlemen!

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youre kidding me right?
i like him.
the guy is a barrel of monkeys.
where can you find someone who: 1] often takes unjustified opinions and will never adjust his thinking despite evidence to the contrary, 2] is unwilling/unable to make a solid argument, 3] whose comebacks lack substance and amount to throwing @#$% at the wall and hoping something sticks. from a logic standpoint, debating with him is like shooting fish in a barrel.

Just so we are clear. Dibs.