I am curious to everyone's thoughts. I remember playing this game when I first got into pinball. I like the show which always helps in my pin preference as well. I feel no matter how big or small of a collection you have that you must at least get this game somewhere down the road. But is it a bad first choice for first and only pin? I know there are a lot of moving pieces but most can be fixed if you have a good local vendor. Thanks.

Any better than TZ for the same price in your opinion? My plan is to get a TFTC and TZ. That is my one/two punch. The kicker is I have been coming across TZ for sale in my area and still waiting on a TFTC.

The longer I wait I want two as well but really have room for one. I have my hopes of finding a TFTC locally and always wanted a TZ as well. I thought those two games would always look good together. The problem is I am worried about the upkeep on TZ because it has so many moving parts and might not be the best first pin. I have seen the TZ go from $4,500 to $5,500 fixed up nice in my area. Not sure if it is best to jump on this game first and wait for my $2k to $3k TFTC. I know patience is the key. I have been trying to determine any other games I would want as my max is two and based on prices listed above. I scroll through the top 100 list but still can’t get off my two choices above as far as getting the best value for the price. Since it's my first purchase I think its best I find them in state rather than out of state unless it's something you can pass up. My plan is to keep both of these games for life once I get them so getting one in great condition is key especially since I can only have 1 or 2.

I know it's an advanced pin. I am not really looking for a beginners pin but a fast paced game for sure with DMD in the 90’s area. That is probably why I have picked TFTC as my first choice and price range. I think because of the fact that I like both TV shows so much on these games I am drawn to them as well. I just love the sayings on TZ as it brings back a lot of memories. As far as the game play I know it’s a challenge and not necessary a fast pin like TFTC would be. I have found one locally to play at Turf Paradise horse track and sometimes the game destroys me.

That is one reason (wanting something more fast and with great ramps) I worry about as well.

I have never heard anyone say TFTC is not fast, hard to believe and curious why you thought based on your past experiences.

Yes and thanks. This is what I am looking for to help me reason out my decision and appreciate on this website especially with so many others who have owned multiple pins.

I also have seen one for a home user but without the upgrades for the higher priced one at $4,899.

Here is what the description is for the TZ going for $5,500. Just curious if this helps justify the price based on past owner, etc. Works 100%, playfield, cabinet, and backglass all in fantastic shape. Shopped with new rubber rings and balls. LED’s installed. New flippers bats, flippers rebuilt, new pop bumper caps, no broken plastics, no cabinet fade, new legs, new pinballs, new clockboard, driver board is rebuilt.

This is a professionally refurbished 1993 Bally Twilight Zone Pinball machine with 30 day warranty.

Machine is in Excellent condition and has not seen a lot of plays. The playfield is original and has no wear, or insert damage or any signs of aging. It has been polished with a 3 stage polishing kit.
The cabinet has no fade on the sides, has not been drilled for lock down bars. There is a scratch on the left side of the head that has been touched up and clearcoated. The sides and front of the cabinet are in fantastic shape. There is some wrinkling under the legs.
There are no broken plastics in the game, The ramp entrances are unbroken.
All electronics and mechanicals function correctly. No credit dot. Game is set for free play
This machine has been completely shopped. The entire top of the playfield was stripped of all parts and everything was cleaned before reassembly. Much of the bottom was also disassembled for cleaning including the subway ramps. Slot machine target is the reinforced on, slot machine weldment is solid with no broken welds.
All circuit boards were inspected and no faults were found.

The game has the following new parts
new pinballs
new rubber rings
new pop bumper caps
new flipper bats
new flipper buttons
new legs, leg bolts, levellers and corner protectors.
new playfield glass
new 9.4 Home revision eprom (includes an option to pause the game!!)
new batteries
new shooter rod and spring
new rottendog clock board
new glass gumballs inside gumball machine
new custom apron free play and instruction cards
new power cord

All lamps in the game have been replaced with LED's including the GI lights and flashers. Color changing bulb used in the doorknob

Display high voltage section and 5V reset section have been rebuilt as a preventative measure to ensure long term reliability.

Delivery Available

Thanks Tommi, I always appreciate your comments. So is $5,000 a good price based on comments above tha thave been doen to the game?

I really do enjoy Spiderman and believe it's one of Stern's very best. I just am not a SM fan if I have to own one game. If I had room for many games this is a must have. Never played Tron yet but not impressed with Avatar. Keep your eyes open if you do come across a TFTC in AZ for me. What are your thoughts on that game?

Thanks, the way the game was listed it said 1994 so it must be a error by the seller.

As much as I remember liking this challenging different kind of wide body game I think that if I pick one up as my first and only pin I am going to miss the fast pace action and movement of the balls like other pins (whether it have two, three or more flippers, more ramps, or if it were a normal width game) or other wide body pins which seem to have or feel when I play them. For example to me GNR and DM just to name a few seem to feel as a faster pace to the game for wide body pins. To me TZ feels more like IJ and STTNG as far as a challenging game but with slower ball movement. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy these wide body games but maybe in the end I truly enjoy faster paced normally sized challenging games like TAF, AFM, LOTR, SM, MB, MM, etc. I know I still want a TZ someday but will the play wear on me if I like fast paced games?

Very well put. That is what I am debating about. My heart is set on a TFTC (a faster moving, much lower priced, and easy to maintain pin) but I have yet to find one in my state. Since it’s my first pin I probably would prefer to wait it out and find one locally. I still continue to learn the price range, condition, and search for one out of state as well if a situation comes up that I cannot pass up. In the meantime a TZ locally has come up so I am debating about it and then worry about getting a TFTC as I only really have room for two games. I am just worried because I know I will enjoy TZ but my search over the last few months has been for a TFTC.

Are the repairs out of control with this game because of everything it has in it?

Thanks Kris. I just have to come and look at this game after this Oktoberfest weekend in Tempe which is always one of my favorite events. I always thought I wanted a TZ one day but wanted to start with a lower priced and less maintenance game like TFTC first that was on my wish list to own one day. I have room for one pin and two would be the max for sure. I thought these two would be a good choice and look extremely well together. You are my number one choice for finding my TFTC game and I plan on buying a game from you once the right choice comes up. I know you do great work and appreciate your help. I know patience is the key in this industry. I just might be convinced to get this TZ if I enjoy it as much as I remember.

So I found a local bar yesterday that had TZ on location to try and help me determine if this game is worth the money to keep me entertained for one game. The setting of little bar was $2 beers, 2 pool tables and hamburgers. The game setting was set for 5 balls, few lights out on the machine, left flipper activates a little randomly at times but could still take full control of it for the most part during game play, tilt was active but not as loose as I would prefer, little dirty and need of cleaning. All in all I had fun with the game and all of the shots. It played faster than I remember and despite not having the left/right combo 2 ramps like most of Steve Ritchie games it is still quite fun. I consider myself a pretty average player and noticed that if you miss some shots on this game it could drain you down the out lanes or middle real quick. I would say having the 5 balls probably made it more enjoyable and also the reply setting was nice to achieve. Actually depending on your score you could get two replays in one game which was different or I have not come across before. I played off 4 dollars for 4 hours. I did not get LITZ but came close. I could see myself playing this game until I achieve it for sure. I like the loudness of this game when the volume is set to high for the rewards you get on completing goals. All in all I don’t think there is any one game that can truly keep your attention for entire life and variety is the key. Going after the same shots again and again seemed to get repetitive and seeing the same DMD displays or hearing the same saying again and again. I wanted to walk away thinking that I truly wanted to spend the estimated $5k to have one game but came up with a 55/45 split. Maybe I should reconsider two games for that amount to get a variety. We all know one would be TFTC but not sure of the other one. For some reason as much as TZ has in it I think there are other games that you just have more fun playing at times. Then again who knows maybe I just will get the TZ and have fun with it on my own settings (no tilt) etc. in my own house. Oh well another day or month to decide and figure it out I guess. I know if I could have a big collection yes this game would be in there with many others. I think the hardest part is finding one or two games that work out for the correct fit.

I am looking at the games I use to play which led me to wanting to own one. Since I can't have a big collection at this point in time I use both theme & game play which are extremely important if I am to only own one. I actually dislike TSPP entirely but see a lot of people are into it. For example out of the new Stern games I have played I enjoy Elvis, SM, LOTR but not the theme to own as my only game. I enjoy a lot of original themes as well. I wish I could like a newer Stern game but feel they don’t even come close to the 90's era pins. In the end I think what I enjoy the most out of pinball are the faster paced games with great ramps you can hit continuously but also challenging. I know that is the best of both worlds. I just find it hard to spend 5K plus on some of the older pins I truly enjoy and see some newer pins go for the same price which I don’t enjoy. I really don’t think there has been a big sufficient jump for what the new games being made have to offer.
Still searching and deciding on one. I am starting to think I would have fun with GNR as a wide body game because of the great left and right ramps (which I enjoy the most out of games) more than TZ. I know of the GNR problem with getting too many balls in the shooter and not being able to fire out during multiball which might be an issue. Oh well I guess we will wait and see. I may not want to necessary have two DE games if I did that with TFTC as my next choice. I think in the end I have to like the theme but have fun and enjoy the playfield layout of the game for flow and pace. I would prefer to have a TFTC first because I think I would enjoy it more as a first and only game and then a TZ to follow for a different type of feel to game. I don’t need to go overboard on a game I may not get the most out of to play as often as I want to. Of course this post is based on my recent one above from when I played a TZ recently.