BSD, at a third of the price.

But 90% of your games on bsd are less fun.

Avatar.

Fish Tales has it. Honestly, FT is a rock star for speed, flow and risk reward. Not as intense as IM for the "one more game" but impressive nonetheless. FT surprised the hell out of me. This was a game I thought I'd never want to own...but every time I played it I was like "wow, cool game". So I jumped at the chance to buy a nice one for a good price, and it honestly could be a keeper. Thinking same about IM. These games have it all, perfectly integrated rules, great music, sound and art, fast flowy play, risk/reward and "just one more!".

Avatar's one ramp keeps it off my "gotta buy it" list, but I think I will own it at one point because I've never not enjoyed it. Another game that sits right next to ST on location and its Avatar that gets more play. Avatar is really fun.

After years of not getting it, Fish Tales finally hooked me (har har) last weekend when I had some time alone to grind out several games on it. Definitely has that "one more game" vibe now that I know how valuable super jackpots are. I eventually had a good game, 600 mil on ball one (not much more after), and walked away exhausted & satisfied.

But I still hate lightning flippers.

BSD can most certainly be placed in the same conversation with IM in terms of "just one more game"
So can FT.

Avatar? Not quite.

Yea, FT is like IJ without all the fluff. Both are all about multiball and the SJs.

Look again at Avatar. The amp suit, and link shot are some of the best shots in pinball-all time imho. While the one ramp is bleh, the ability to 2x or even 3x a shot via the top lane rollovers, make it highly addicting if you play it right. Final Battle is friggin awesome too.

Avatar has been on my wish list for a long time. Seems like it rarely comes up for sale locally.

Smart move. Anyone that loves Iron Man will definitely dig Avatar.

+1

I liked Avatar from the first time I played it (an LE). I've played Avatar several more times since then, enough to know I'd like to own it, but not enough to have a grasp on the rules.

I'm sure it will make it's way into my collection eventually.

Avatar is a fine game, but it's not on IM's level for me. Not close.

You should hit up Markmon, I almost traded him for his IM but we went a different route.
I can get the game to Sacramento too if it helps

Pro is the way to go, a fine game. LE is nice, with its trim and what not, but do you really need the link lid to close? A little extra movement in the Amp suit? LE's best feature is the power ball, but it's really not needed. Pro packs a punch, and it takes no mercy on noobs or seasoned vets, it is extremely difficult to tame an Avatar.

Mark my words, Avatar will catch on. I have a love/hate with the Iron Monger that raises all the time in IM. Sometimes I want to bash on it, and other times I'd rather it stay down so I can shoot around at other things. Never felt like that with Avatar, I always want to hit the tight/narrow amp suit shot, it's extrememly satisfying, with great action. And I'm not saying that Avatar is the better pin, but I am saying that they play very much alike as far as the code/rules, cost nearly half as much, and Avatars shots rival those of IM.

You can change the settings so that only the shot up the middle progresses towards raising Iron Monger.

I had an LE.
Another notable feature is there is an extra coat of clear too.

See, IM sort of broke me on BSD - I like BSD, but it went from must own to someday I'll get one when I picked up IM. As for FT, it's one of the few games that I really just don't enjoy at all. Avatar is fine.

For me, I like a game that has a good risk / reward with each shot. If you don't shoot it right, the more wrong you shoot the shot, the more it should punish you. Most games have a shot or two you really need to hit right or you're in trouble. Iron Man is every single shot - if you don't nail the ramp, it's shooting SDTM. If you don't hit the Monger on the edges, he's tossing the ball uncontrollably. If you don't hit the middle shot dead on, it's dribbling back SDTM. Timing of ball catches from the orbit is important or you'll lose control into the slings. That's the sort of precision control that I love about pins that Iron Man gives me on every single shot. If I have a good game going, it's because I'm hitting everything perfectly. If my game is sort of sucking, it's because I have been shooting poorly. There is almost no luck with it, even though it has elements like the magnets that can help control luck... but you can avoid them.

Avatar, while having similar rules, has a few shots that don't need to be perfectly accurate to not have an immediate ball save issue happening. BSD has a few shots that come out in an unpredictable way, which is what has knocked it down a bit for me. IM has predictability with it's shots every time, and only accuracy shows you how you'll end up.

They could have themed it to Barbie and it would still be my favorite game.

BSD is definitely the "one more game" pin for me. I have been getting decimated on a local BSD lately, but the level that pin has taken my playing ability is noticeable and here is why....

BSD is all about the ball control - you shoot those stationary target and you might as well have bit a concrete curb while someone kicked the back of your head. BSD makes you pay for randomly shooting the ball around. The outlanes on it are vicious. For me, it is the game where I am finally actually shaking and knocking the cabinet around rather than watching and hoping the ball rolls towards the inlanes.

I can have 9 horrible BSD games, and then I have that one game where everything comes together, my focus is complete, I get 2 out of 3 multiballs going with one more coffin lock.... AND.... drain on ball 3 - DAMN. Next time......
No game does that for me like BSD - nothing comes even close.

IM, I have maybe less than 5 games on. I am no one to judge it or cast judgment on it. I can cast my opinion on the price/buying behavior of IM, and so far, I'd call it 2014's AFM (from 2012). I mean - $6000-$7000 .......? Nope.

Then again, most I've paid is $3000 for RFM so , yeah, I'm not in the "big boys club" .

Did "Scott" know something we didn't a week ago?

Either Stern is reading the forums(lotsa IM threads about) and wisely not posting, or whatever we type here magically comes true, provided we talk about it enough.

Again, Kat Dennings, my house. Now.