Yeah, most of the ratings came before the last code, I just bought mine and had a few weeks and I still have not posted my rating yet. As of the last code the rating of TWD has risen 10 spots or so. Hopefully there will be some raters who go bad and reevaluate their rating after the completed code. I do not have pop bumper drain issues so that may be leveling but I think it is a great pin and a keeper in my collection

It's much better then it's rated. Unfortunately it's one of those games that needs quite a few plays for people to start understanding the rules and get used to the odd shot layout. It also is a game that needs to be setup correctly to prevent a lot of the cheap drains and does not need to have a tight tilt. This kills it on most locations and you cannot save most of the magnet drains or pop drains with out tilting.

But to answer you question it is definately a love it or hate it game. I love it one game and then hate it for the next 10

Most people that initially killed the game have come around to it once played in a home environment so I think it will keep moving up the rankings. I consider it a top 20-30 game.

I agree with others that have said you need to play a few games on it to warm up to it. I played an LE this weekend at Pinball Pete's in East Lansing and thought it was pretty fun. I couldn't hit a ramp or a shot really for the first two games but by the third game I started to and the game felt good. The new code seems to have really improved the game. My only gripe is with the prison toy on the LE and Premium. It seems like there has to be more going on inside the prison and its a bummer there is just a static bash toy there.

I would have prefered it be a ball lock with a diverter on the riot shot behind the prison to lock balls. But I still think it's a solid toy. Doors that open, bash to reveal, pretty awesome flasher action. There's definately a ton of games out there that do not have a single toy better then it.

It just takes too long to warm up to it for most. Pinball needs to grip you from the moment you plunge. You shouldn't have to know some deep ruleset to enjoy a pin. That being said I enjoy it but don't love it and would not own it. What kills it for me is the prison door opens and its just a huge head. Soooo silly and strange.

This post nailed it!

I'm one of the people who panned this game at first (based on a pro played on location).

I agree that it is a love it or hate it game. It's a very challenging pin and can be frustrating. Not only are the outlanes drain magnets, SDTM drains are always a possibility from hitting the prison or coming out of the pops. You have to be on your toes constantly with this pin...which is one of the things that makes it so addicting!

I think you nailed it. It requires a level of skill that might turn off many. Lots of unfair moments. You have to work hard to keep the ball in play.

Agree with this 100%. Had to leave a note for the Pro I played on location. The tilt was ridiculously tight with no ability to nudge whatsover.

I have played both the LE and Pro and don't see a huge difference in gameplay. I would purchase a Pro if I go down this road. More in my budget and won't lose sleep over lost features.

Which equates to trying to 'survive' in the game.

Between version 1.28 code from Stern and Milhouse/Clelands voice update, this game is almost where it needs to be to really jump the top 100 ratings shark. I'm a huge twd fan, but not enough to keep addictively playing a crappy pin. If this pin wasn't continuously awesome and fun, I would've sold it.

A tight tilt on TWD destroys the gameplay

Twd is very addicting !! I love it !!!! all my other pins are collecting dust

Loved it when I first got it in Oct 2014. Hated it when the code was stale and not much to do for 7 months after that. Since 1.24 code and Cleland voice update back in love and play it daily!

I don't think this is a pin that everyone would unanimously enjoy if you played at an arcade or a buddy's house. It took me a month or so before I could really appreciate and understand the rules. But for me, I like pins that are deep or they never stick around in the lineup. Gameplay on some nights can be brutal and frustrating though. For me at least, it's play 10 games and one will be spectacular and the other nine would be terrible, so I love it and hate it in the same night!

Love the LE, it's my current go to game and with the updated voice code it's even better.

Where is the poll?

I like the game and I don't even watch the show.

I think it is the weakest of Stern's magnet games. Consider MET and IM far better.

I like the premium/LE ok, but the pro with its lack of magnet in front of the well walker feels very poor to me.

That and the terribly generic implementation of the theme kills the game for me.

You can do worse than TWD, but you can do much better as well. Not a top100 game in my book

Game has to be around for a few years before you can really rate it. Too many people buy into the hype machine and are blind to faults. Others simply do not have enough time to play on it. That and you have to wait for stern to finish with the code. No sense in jumping the shark for another year or two.

Stern has been more proactive with code updates on certain titles including this one, so multi-year wait isn't needed.

Just about. Wizard mode needs finishing, Lyman is already working on it since he owns this pin too.

Not sure I get your second point. Crappy license?

I have 20+ machines in my collection with almost half newer Stern machines... TWD-LE gets the most play still in my gameroom.
It is truly one of the most addictive pins I have ever played.

I have a pro and felt the LE was an upgrade, but not significant. It's the LE that much better than the pro?

I really like the pro, I've read some people complain of a lot of SDM drains though so set up might be a big factor on this one. The machine I played has decent ball times and didn't have any cheap feeling drains

As simple as that. I'm rarely giving my other pins any time these days.

Love it, but won't buy it due to space.

Love it to boots.

Couldnt wait to come home and play a few games!

If you like the Walking Dead Show, and a thumbs up to the game.
If you like killing zombies in a dark room after midnight add another two!

Damn Amazing game for me!

I love mine so much i stuck my tongue in the coin change slot and it felt good lol !!! The other fun on twd is all the mods

Love it. Just got one two days ago and can't stop playing it.
Ad a poll to this thread and let's see how people feel about this game at this time.

Does it give you a creepy dark feeling of zombies after you playing in the dark?

It does, it is such a rush!

Not if I am killing them!

They bite me more, then I slaughter them...trying to get past 59.........

I love this game but I consider myself a "good" player. It's fast, it's intense and it is a different feel from any other machine I have. My METLE has been sitting still since getting TWD pro. I have no issue with the pro and the game play. I purchased with the thought of keeping for a few months and then selling but now I am hooked. I have some awesome mods coming and every day I keep trying to kill more walkers. Fun fun fun. Can't wait for the next code update!

I was a hater. Now I *really* like it. . .and it wasn't due to code updates. I just initially didn't like the shots because I have such a like for shots found in AFM and ST style games. The shots in TWD are not easy and it left me frustrated missing and draining compounded by SDTM magnet or pop-exit issues. I've come around now and appreciate the need for more precision and the new angles as well as being forced to become a better nudger to handle the dangers. The shots are so different than my comfort zone allows, but now my comfort zone is expanding and my ability to dial in my focus is sharpening. It's a perfect companion to some of the more popular games.

I wasn't so wild about the game. But my experience was very early on. So it was before the new code, and before the voice replacement stuff was done. I knocked the game hard for not having voices from the show when it came out. It was also a cheap drainer, but I know that can be mitigated with leveling.

However, the game just doesn't suit my eye. I'm fine with the styles, but the layout of the shots and things doesn't feel good to me. So it's one of the games that I won't buy. There is an LE about an hour from me and a Pro about 10 minutes away.

And after saying all that, if it is a game you like, you should get one. If you were going back to it over and over it had the "it" factor for you. So get one and play the crap out of it.

All that really matters is if you own it, you enjoy it. It's hard not to enjoy any pinball machine that's in your house and can be played to your heart's content.

I loved it at first when I got a chance to play one on free play for 20 minutes. I then fed money into one on location and I hated it. Went back to the one on free play later and still didn't enjoy it like the first time. The well walker just gets in the damn way. Same reason I'm not a fan of X-Men.

I love my TWD pro, and the newer code stern released awhile back made it even better!!!

My first ever NIB and to be honest I felt let down for the first 6 months. However, the last two code revisions have totally changed the game. There's actually good reasons for the shots now.

It can be brutal but that's part of the fun. Great risk vs rewards from the drop targets.

Still not ecstatic that they fucked the TV licence up so much re calls etc but put that to one side and it's been my go to game for the last couple of months.

fatboy is not even half the size of wolverine, who is even closer to the flippers.

whats not to love about TWD. new code, cast voices/music, lotta stuff to hit. fun game... and tons of nice mods for it. and love the theme.

(edited)

Cast voices? Did stern add new show call outs? I thought the call outs were added via pinside members and pinball browser?

sorry for confusion. yes callouts were via were members/ pinball browsers ... i probably worded that wrong.

I don't think so. I played it only a few times after it came out and didn't care for it. My opinion on a variety of pins has changed a lot since then so I would like to give it another try. I still don't like the dark theme, gore, and simple colors. Whenever I see a TWD on location, there are usually other newer Stern's on location that are more inviting to play.

TWD is easy in my stern top 3!

Totally disagree, nothing like Wolvie.

You have to use the Well Walker strategically in your placement of hits to get the drops with less risk which leads to Blood Bath.

Not even remotely close.

It's a hard game, with great risk/reward shots and requires more than 20 minutes to figure out what is going on and how to shoot the myriad of different shots and combos.

I do agree X-Men is way worse, but for me it is a good comparison. 20 minutes was when I liked the game, but that was my initial go at it. Now I can put more time on it, but choose to play other pins because I'm constantly draining. Visually TWD is great and it is well lit. It just doesn't have the playfield design I prefer.

The funny thing is I felt the opposite with Mustang. I didn't enjoy it much the first time I could spend time on one. Now I'm thinking it could be my next pin.