I have played a lot of machines in my time. Old games, new games, easy and difficult. But never have I played a pin that makes me feel as if the game itself wants me to do poorly. I feel like TWD is battling me. Very seldom do I feel in control and I feel like I'm more surviving the game rather than playing it.
Anyone else feel this way?
For modern Stern's it's one of the more punishing games but compared to EM games like Fireball I feel much more in control and feel like I have a chance.
Not sure about the hardest game but I have to get really aggressive with nudging on this game to have any hope of a good game. I do feel like I need to battle it more than most others, more of a constant battle where I can't let my guard down. I don't play it well when I am tired. That along with the stark/harsh lighting make it really unique to me. I love it!
Mine sits next to my gb which is harder imo. It is a brutal fun game that I rank at the top or near the top of my collection. If you press start 5 times your bound to have that 1 game that feels like holy #$%^&+×==_>[](*&^_/=●○♤€}|¿¡♡¥}| that was awesome!
Best or worse way to describe it, if you wanna become a victim push start, if you wanna survive you better put on your Tommy blinders cuz this games like no other.
Disclaimer....not intended for those who wanna relax and play pinball.
Quoted from Doctor6:I have played a lot of machines in my time. Old games, new games, easy and difficult. But never have I played a pin that makes me feel as if the game itself wants me to do poorly. I feel like TWD is battling me. Very seldom do I feel in control and I feel like I'm more surviving the game rather than playing it.
Anyone else feel this way?
Iron man is about as tough as it gets. Do or die is not really achievable the way the game is set up, so many risky shots in the game.
Quoted from Lermods:Iron man is about as tough as it gets. Do or die is not really achievable the way the game is set up, so many risky shots in the game.
I agree Iron Man is hard, and owned one for a while, so I've put in my time with it. However there isnt nearly as much to do in IM as there is in TWD, yet the ball times are very similar for me. Which makes the game feel more daunting knowing there are tons of modes in there that I may not ever see.
I think its how well its set up, for instance on our Monday night league we have one at that location, and I HATED TWD playing it, bricked every post, could never hit ramps, just played it like a newb every game, but at our Tuesday night leagues in a different location we got one and it plays like butter, can just nail every shot, start modes and finish them, its great. Ever since I started playing it on this particular machine Im in love with it, its now one of my favorites.
Quoted from iceman44:Not once you dial it in. Approx 6 Bill is my high score but here is one good game[quoted image][quoted image]
That's an amazing score!
I think you might have high score for unread PMs too lol 
Quoted from Doctor6:... I feel like TWD is battling me. Very seldom do I feel in control and I feel like I'm more surviving the game rather than playing it. Anyone else feel this way?
Pretty much. My TWD Premium (complete with a BITCH of a left ramp) and Houdini are my toughest games. Houdini feels more forgiving though.
Quoted from mrm_4:I think its how well its set up, for instance on our Monday night league we have one at that location, and I HATED TWD playing it, bricked every post, could never hit ramps, just played it like a newb every game, but at our Tuesday night leagues in a different location we got one and it plays like butter, can just nail every shot, start modes and finish them, its great. Ever since I started playing it on this particular machine Im in love with it, its now one of my favorites.
I've never had a pin that needed to be set up so precisely to avoid total frustration.
It took me a LONG time before i could get all the shots down consistently. And the game requires you to be able to hit all of them at the right time which is why Lyman pulled off such a masterpiece.
Quoted from Doctor6:I have played a lot of machines in my time. Old games, new games, easy and difficult. But never have I played a pin that makes me feel as if the game itself wants me to do poorly. I feel like TWD is battling me. Very seldom do I feel in control and I feel like I'm more surviving the game rather than playing it.
Anyone else feel this way?
You are surviving the apocalypse in a pinball machine.
Quoted from solarvalue:You've obviously never played Black Hole.
Re-entry... Failed.
not sure TWD is the hardest pin, just because we have all diff feeling about a game, and also on how/what you think its difficult
but for sure its one of the hardest i have ever played/owned
i'm a player, and as you, playing TWD (i get home) is a perpetual battle to simply avoid losing the ball (even before thinking to aim for something)
and than of course, you have to play the game to advance in it, and this aspect is also quite hard (again because you have to shoot these 3 targets on the left, making ball angle being a prob more than often)
to compare, i'll speak about IMan, while listed above, and even if its a drain monster at outlanes, i dont feel this pin being hard to me
played this at DPO free zone last week-end, 4 or 5 games may be, and did reach DOD
In terms of reaching wizard modes I don’t think it’s the hardest but the way the game makes you feel like your constantly on the edge of draining gives it a different feel than most games I’ve played. I always feel like I’m on the defensive while playing it.
All in the setup of course... but in general I find it no more difficult than most of my pins. TNA however is the game in my collection that wants me to fail, causes it to happen, then announces it to the world when I do... and probably sends a secret message to TheNoTrashCougar every time so he can laugh at me when he’s sitting around with his cool friends. Man i hate this game. But it won’t be leaving my collection anytime soon.
Quoted from RipleYYY:not sure TWD is the hardest pin, just because we have all diff feeling about a game, and also on how/what you think its difficult
but for sure its one of the hardest i have ever played/owned
i'm a player, and as you, playing TWD (i get home) is a perpetual battle to simply avoid losing the ball (even before thinking to aim for something)
and than of course, you have to play the game to advance in it, and this aspect is also quite hard (again because you have to shoot these 3 targets on the left, making ball angle being a prob more than often)
to compare, i'll speak about IMan, while listed above, and even if its a drain monster at outlanes, i dont feel this pin being hard to me
played this at DPO free zone last week-end, 4 or 5 games may be, and did reach DOD
Uh, you got to do or die Multiball or do or die hurry up? Dod mb is harder to get to than valinor. reaching dod mb on factory settings is near impossible, and the hardest thing to achieve in pinball with the only possible exception of the super duper mega extreme wizard mode in tspp. You have to comeplete jericho on a single ball. Even if you got to dod hurry up, it’s very likely the game was set up easier so that Jericho progression was set to carry over to the next ball, that’s how I set my game. If I am wrong here and you did get to dod mb, you are one hell of a player.
lol (and no, my 1st name is not Keith) 
yes, the HU, with the central shot starting at 35M (got it quite directly at 33M, finishing the game at 105M)
my son said this should have been 50M, than is this a sign the pin was set to easy settings ?
Quoted from RipleYYY:lol (and no, my 1st name is not Keith)
yes, the HU, with the central shot starting at 35M (got it quite directly at 33M, finishing the game at 105M)
my son said this should have been 50M, than is this a sign the pin was set to easy settings ?
The code update changed the center shot I believe, it's not a setting.
No, but surely gets the blood pressure up.
I can’t tell you how many times I have no points on balls 1 2 but set the table and blow it up by making the shots I need on ball 3 knowing every shot before I start the party could be my last.
Quoted from PW79:TWD is a lot like coffee or tea
I have to avoid it after 5PM or I will not fall asleep.
Same with acid & molly
My wife hears me screaming profanities more than any other pin. And that's what TWD should be.
Quoted from iceman44:My wife hears me screaming profanities more than any other pin. And that's what TWD should be.
Ah hah. I guess I'm enjoying it then! 
Quoted from adol75:I think Houdini is harder than any other, I keep going at it and barely plau more than 5mn
Short ball times on Houdini and WOZ may be due to clunky layout and tight shots. Does a clunky machine make it hard-not imo.
Hardest to me Ironman, Ghostbusters, and AC/DC
Quoted from pinmister:Short ball times on Houdini and WOZ may be due to clunky layout and tight shots. Does a clunky machine make it hard-not imo.
Hardest to me Ironman, Ghostbusters, and AC/DC
I have WOZ and don’t find the shots to be tight. Ball lanes and ramps are wide on WOZ which is more forgiving on shot precision.
Quoted from adol75:I have WOZ and don’t find the shots to be tight. Ball lanes and ramps are wide on WOZ which is more forgiving on shot precision.
As well for ACDC. GB is harder than ACDC, in particular the right ramp.
Quoted from colonel_caverne:As well for ACDC. GB is harder than ACDC, in particular the right ramp.
I find the Stern to have tight shots generally speaking, with tight ramps too, I dont know if its me or if its true but the ball looks bigger on Sterns and of course its not the ball size that changes.
No, for some reason TWD, Tron and GB are easier for me. But I suck at other machines, that others think are easy.
Crazy hobby. So many choices, with a lot of options between older pins, along with more pinball machines getting built, than ever.
Great time to be into pinball.
Not even close. Try Data East Robocop with the original calibrate of 'solid state' flippers. Played it recently at a show, just as overpowered and impossible to predict a shot as it was in 1989.
I had a TWDLE nib from the git and sold it about 3 or 4 years later fe that I never really got a hold of it. Its a hard game for sure.
I had TWD Pro two times. I love hard games, i currently have IM, ACDC and BSD, so i think to know what i'm talking about.
TWD is hard and really frustrating, too much for me. I think it's the hardest pin i had, and it's more annoying than fun most of the time. It's really satisfying when you have a good game. Better when you make adjustments to make it easier. In stock settings it's just horrible.
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