(Topic ID: 120882)
Linked Games
Addams Family, The
Bally, 1992-
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Williams, 1993
Topic Gallery
Monroe Township, NJ
The 6 I have now as I literally have no more room for pins in my basement 
I joked around with my wife about removing a basement wall to extend our basement into the backyard and I think she thought I was serious for a moment, haha. I can dream!
Melbourne
Thanks for all the awesome replies.
It seems the most common recurring choices are Iron man, Scared Stiff,Monster Bash and Lord of the Rings.
Monster Bash, Scared Stiff and Attack/Revenge from Mars certainly fit into my style preferences because I love the campy, over-the-top call-outs and voices, it's certainly one of the reasons I love TAF and STTNG, very entertaining and 'theatrical'. This was the same reason I loved my Judge Dredd when I had it.
My concern with some of the newer themes is that they lack character. Unless you are a big fan of the theme then I'm concerned they are just a bunch of sound samples from a movie, but maybe that's just me. I liked the concept of ACDC and I enjoy the music as much as any regular Joe but I'm not an ACDC nut so again it doesn't make me excited as a theme.
Decisions decisions.
Quoted from Griffin:I'm surprised to see so many people recommend Iron Man as it seems to be a brutal game, certainly not much fun for the casual player.
IM gives an amazing amount of pinball pleasure quickly. It is a brutal game, but wonderful to own, and a blast to swear at. There isn't anything too complex. Just do this and get slapped in the face.
As for the original question you ask, go by game styles. Even though it is only 5-6 pins, you should be able to hit the high points with them.
1. Fast and brutal (IM comes to mind).
2. A Quest kind of game (LOTR, WOZ, think deep rules).
3. A 90s basher game (Getaway, DM).
4. A modern Stern (AC/DC Premium with great rules, and fast play)
5. An early SS game (Bally or Stern like HG, EK, MH, BG, Stars, something like that).
6. A rotating spot (Make it an EM first, but anything... this is the one you sell to replace).
Think about the class of machines, not the machines themselves. What you want is a lot of variety. No matter how good a game is, it can't meet every mood. So this type of lineup gives them a chance to all sing. Eventually your favorites will rise to the top. Then you tailor the spots to be what you like to play.
TS - fast and brutal
CV - A total package and a great casual player
IJ - Probably one of the best theme integrations and plenty to do. Plus, widebody.
WH2O - Easy player, but challenging to stack modes for advanced players
LOTR - long epic game for when you want to just play a couple real long ones.
TX Sector or Robowar - I like those 80b's just for a changeup and these have awesome midi tracks!
17 mentions for IM......that's impressive.
Oh...and it is true that it can be brutal....but it's not true that it's not fun for casual players.....it's fun for everyone and would likely make anyone a better player.
Quoted from DaveH:There isn't anything too complex. Just do this and get slapped in the face.
That is so apropos.
I am glad I've not had to settle for a single list of pins. I need to change things up periodically to keep it interesting. I doubt there are any five pins that I would want to live with for the rest of my life to the exclusion of all others. In short, I wouldn't approach this as though you have to create a definitive lineup. Variety is the spice of life.
Ok, I'm going to go ahead and make the disclaimer that I don't have an expensive or fancy collection and have barely played most A list games, but since you asked about RFM when everyone was telling you AFM and it's not in your budget... I say get a RFM. 
Per what little play time I have on AFM on Pinball Arcade, it has basically the same humor and theme, but adds in freaking holograms. Yes, yes, I know it's not "real pinball" to die hard pinball people, but gosh it's fun. And kids and non-pin/newbies absolutely love it. You can make it very easy for new people to understand (hit the aliens) or you can turn up the hardness factor and actually have a challenge with the wizard mode. But one of the best things is how easy it is to work on, and the fact that (if you can find a kit) you can turn it onto a Star Wars Episode 1 pin and still take up the exact same floorspace with it.
I'm also pro-Spiderman, but mine came to me very cheap as a fire restoration and I honestly wouldn't pay current prices for one. It's super fun, has great flow, is different from all the mode-based games that I have because of all the stacking strategies, is hard to beat, and can be made easy for newbies to understand. (Defeat Sandman, hit Doc Oc's magnet as easy goals.) Plus it does a whole light show to the theme song when the game is over, and that's awesome.
Last suggestion for fun yet kid/family friendly is Jurassic Park. I could just as easily say LAH or Frankenstein or any DE/Sega here since they often get overlooked, but the dino theme wins. I'm very much biased as I have decorated half my arcade in dinos and it was my first pin, but kids absolutely love it when the Rex eats the ball. It's got many different modes, makes great use of the shaker motor, a wizard mode that will freak you out the first time when your machine goes insane, one of the fastest kick-backs on a machine that will keep you on your toes when you hit the raptor pit, and a Smart Missle that basically guarantees that kids can play a multiball.
image.jpg
image-459.jpgMix of themes and game play...
Spider-Man (Super Hero, fun, easy to get into)
Metallica or AC/DC (Music, great play and rules)
Scared Stiff (Call outs, Sexy, simple)
Lord Of The Rings (Fantasy & deep rules)
I would pass on the new Star Trek, since you already have a Star Trek themed pin.
I would add the following:
WCS - easy, fun, and good for all ages
FH - I remember this being the only game I cared about in a collection of over 30 when I was growing up. Takes just a handful of plays to learn, and is very challenging to get really high scores IMO.
WH20 - great fun for all ages and skills even if it can have some short ball times
Joust - I know that sounds weird, but since you are a arcade guy first, getting this will add diversity to the lineup and get really anyone playing. This game is so much fun.
1. MM (with a shaker motor and Pinballbulb kit)
2. MB (s.a.a.)
3. TBL (don't let me down!)
4. EATPM (played them both and frankly can't understand all the love for SS)
5. TOM (Just beautiful, and best flow of any Pin I've played yet)
6. WOZ (What can I say I'm a blast from the past!-ok that's a quote from DM,but it fits here too 
Quoted from wolfy:1-IJ
2-TZ
3-AFM
4-LOTR
5-WH2O
Always knew you had great taste. Perhaps there's an AFM in my future.
1 week later
All this feed back has been really helpful, not because of the titles so much, but more the thought behind the line up as a whole.
I've added 2 pins (well reclaimed an old one I had sold & got 1 new addition)
1. Addams Family - All time favorite - Challenging but fun for everyone to enjoy
2. Star Trek: The Next Generation - Challenging and awesome theme integration
3. Judge Dredd - This pin is WAY underrated, great flow & one of the best multi-balls ever with DW mod
4. The Simpsons Pinball Party - Deep, fun and family friendly (Instead of LotR)
5. ?
6. ?
Soon I should have about $4k or so for my next pin, not sure where to go next. I think I need a really fast flowing game next, I hear a lot of people say sm is really great for flow but I'm not sure if I like the theme enough to pay that much for it.
Star Trek with the new code is super fun and has killer flow. Other thoughts would be Tron or IM which have been mentioned. All newer type Sterns and very fast and very fun.
Regina, SK
I have only two now. I'd love to add
King Rock
4 Aces
Who Dunnit
Theatre of Magic
I grew up playing King Rock and 4 Aces.
Had 6 in my Final Line up
Cactus Canyon "continued"
Iron Man
Tron Le
Road Show
Ripleys
Family Guy
I like both flow & Stop and Go pins
I enjoy Pat Lawlor and John Borg
nothing against any other designer I have owned a lot (check my list)
but with these I had Mood options
I was pissed off - Iron Man
wanted to laugh - Family Guy
etc
the games are an extension of you the player IMO
play games that are different with too many similarities in a smaller collection, it will result in a lot or trading out for that right fitting title
Promoted items from Pinside Marketplace and Pinside Shops!
Auckland, NZ
Reply
Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.
Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!
Donate to PinsideGreat to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!
