For me, it depends. I love Family Guy, and I have a Family Guy. To me, if the game wasn't Family Guy it wouldn't be funny and I'm not sure I'd like it that much.

However, I've never seen a LOTR and I think it's awesome. I've never seen the Shadow and I own one and it's awesome. I've never seen Spider Man but I'm currently trying to pick one up. In fact, I hate sci-fi but I have no problem with sci-fi pins.

However, in cases like the Shadow, just because the movie sucked doesn't mean the pinball theme sucks. The quotes are good, the art is good, I like the "theme" I just hear the movie is a turd.

A would say for me its about 60-40 for me 60 being the theme. For me theme is a big part liking a pin. Some licensed game draw me in but not always. Like Jurassic Park and X-files I m a hugh fan of the movie/tv show as do I on the pinball side. There are way better pins out there but because of the themes and the ok gameplay I want both in my collection. For the right price of course Take Spiderman for example it has a WAY! better gameplay then both JP and XF but I think I would rather have those two then the Spiderman, if money was an issue. If money wasnt an issue I d have them all!

I won't buy a pin just on theme alone. I want reviews. If it doesn't get good reviews then I won't buy it, unless I played it first and like it or if I get a really good deal on it so I know I can sell it again if I really don't like it.
I'm not a big fan of the SM movies but I love the pin. I love the LOTR story and movies but I never would have bought the pin before playing it if it didn't get great reviews.
I loved the first 3 IJ movies but had never played the pin before I bought it. But I got an awesome deal on it so I wasn't worried. I have already had two offers to sell it.
I love the Corvette theme and liked the pin's play but not enough to pay what the typical going rate is. If I didn't get such a great deal on it I never would have bought it. Wasn't on my wishlist but I am certainly glad I have it.

A good theme will attract people to play a pin but it has to have good flow and be somewhat challenging for longevity. I never liked sci-fi or even seen a Star Trek movie but I love my STTNG.

The best way to find a pin you enjoy is to get out to an event and play the hell out of as many different style pins and see what fits your style the best.

It's all personal opinion and what you like.. ratings etc can only help when you've decided on certain machines that you've played and appeal to you.

Myself I'd love a No Good Gophers someday as I played tons of golf as a kid. I'd sneak onto the local park course after my morning paper route. On Mondays you'd not get to tee off for hours as the "Geezer" league started at 6:50am. I bought a junior age season pass so they didn't care I was on the course early. I eventually ended up playing in the parks leagues and representing my course.

Memories, experiences, etc all play a part in what games we like. Back as a kid in the arcade days I fell in love with Haunted House. So now I own one. It's a PIA to maintain etc but I had to have one and will never sell it.

Include your life's experiences in your machines and they will never disappoint.

Ideally, when a game is really great in terms of gameplay, it makes you want to seek out the film. Ideally, that's how licenses should work -they complement each other.

I don't like Spiderman, but I liked the movies overall - go figure... the pin was a letdown for me, but others love it!

The license is just familiarity. It makes people want to relive the feelings they had with the licensee. So I've played some IronMan and liked the game. Now I'm sort of curious about the movies.

It's sort of like dating. When you meet someone you're introduced to by friends, you're more likely to date her, as opposed to a random stranger. That's just the way it is!

It works both ways for me. I hate Star Trek with a passion, particularly The Next Generation and Patrick Stewart. As such, I have a hard time getting into STTNG, even though it plays great. I hate that theme so much that it affects my ability to enjoy the machine. I recently passed up a VERY nice STTNG for a great price, just b/c I can't get over the theme.

On the other hand, I am an enormous Sopranos fan. Majorly. But that machine sucks. If there was ever a theme I would buy without regard to play, it would be Sopranos. But I wouldn't give money for that thing.

I love the themes, they are as much to me as the gameplay. The artwork sets the mood of the goals, the DMD animations elevate the silver ball hitting things, to actual accomplishments that build on the adventure.

The JP T-Rex eating the ball with the lightning and rain on the DMD takes me into a great movie with some of the best movie dinosaurs I have ever seen. Part of the reason I like that pin so much is because the movie was so cool, it is pretty far down the ratings and I couldn't care less.

Back in college, there were two pins in the game room, MM and DW, and I loved the old TV show so much that I only played the MM a handful of times. Still to this day I wonder why that MM didn't have more of a pull for me.

A games' theme choice has the potential to effect a lot of people's first impression. I try not to let it effect my opinions if I have never played it. Its sometimes a crap shoot.

You get some kick-butt license games, which just aren't that good (Stern Sopranos, Stern or DE Playboy, Stern Indiana Jones).

You will then run into games with some questionable theme choices, that have rockin' gameplay (Johnny Mnemonic, The Shadow, Bram Stoker's Dracula, No Fear, Big Buck Hunter Pro, Last Action Hero, Rollergames).

Always a good thing to get a few games in before making a solid opinion (definitely before a purchase).

You know every now and then I come across a 'KISS' pin on ebay going for 5 grand,
wonder if it's just die hard kiss fans selling to other Kiss fans.....?
Is that old Bally worth more then a new Stern at $4300?
Licensing is huge #1 way in moving product

Its a factor for me when buyin a game for sure. If its a theme I like and its integrated into the design well..then I'm hooked. Other things are def considered but I think theme is important.

A theme can be more influential upon people who usually don't play pinball, making them play a Simpsons Pinball Party over a Midieval Madness for example. But for those people who actually know their pinball, their knowledge will have them playing specific pins over others for the gameplay. So the less you know about pinball, the more attractive a license game is over an unlicensed game.

A good theme will draw me in, licensed or not, as long as it looks fun and interesting. A bad theme will push me away, licensed or not. I won't buy ANY game without playing it first, but the theme will get me to look for one and throw some quarters/dollars into the slot.

I honestly don't mind that Stern licenses everything, I just think they have made some bad choices in the past. In the GOOD license category I'll put IM, SM, BDK, LotR, PotC.... all cool themes. Then we have some that I just have no interest in. Wheel of Fortune, BBH, World Poker Tour, Sopranos, CSI...... all either bore me or make me NOT want to play. No interest in any of these.

Avatar I'm underwhelmed with the topic, but I think is an OK choice for them. I really think they are overlooking a LOT of great themes right now too, which would be great sellers.

-Hans

Clash of the Titans was a crappy movie which could have made a good pin. Many possible modes. Though I'm glad they didn't since the game probably would have bombed also due to the craptacular movie.

I know a lot of folks here just think the Sopranos is a horseshit game but I really like it a lot and yet never tuned into the Series or followed it that much.

I guess licensing for both the manufacturer and player is a hit or miss proposition.
Look at Adam's Family. The movie was so-so yet the Pball is #1 in terms of manufactured units so they must have sold quite a bit and quite probable that the licensing helped. At the same time other licensed games didn't do as well. So it's really a hit or miss, either or type of deal.

Myself, I'm a Star Wars fan and would really like a SW, probably more as I am a Fan than actual gameplay.

Pulp Fiction would have been an awesome theme. Lots of mode possibilities. Lots of great quote possibilities.

Originally posted by gambit3113:

"Pulp Fiction would have been an awesome theme. Lots of mode possibilities ..."

Yep, like "gimp" multiball.

For Pulp Fiction modes, you could have:

Jack Rabbit Slim's
Bring Out the Gimp
Pumpkin & Honeybunny
Esmerelda Villa Lobos' Taxi Ride
The Bonnie Situation (a.k.a. Winston Wolf disposes of a body)
The Gold Watch
Hand Cannon (Ezekiel 25:17)
The Overdose

Briefcase Multiball would be the Wizard mode.

No good- pinball almost universally gravitates towards bad movie licenses, like "The Shadow", "T3" or "Jurassic Park". In the end, they might make acceptable pinballs, but the majority of the licenses suck.

:!:Originally posted by gambit3113:

"Pulp Fiction would have been an awesome theme. Lots of mode possibilities ..."

Yep, like "gimp" multiball. []

I can just imagine a bash toy that is Marsales Wallace bent over a barrel with his rear end facing the player. When gimp multiball begins his pants slide down...

Since when were Jurassic Park and Terminator 3 bad movies? Apparently I have been watching the wrong movies.

Looking over this post, I realized that you said you owned a Family Guy. It is a perfect example of theme vs. gameplay. If the theme had no effect on the player, Shrek would have the exact same rating as the FG. They are the same pin in every other regard.