Medusa all the way!!!!

Note I may be biased having spent too much time redrawing the playfield

They are around, but buy quick, once the playfield gets printed (it's on deck, cut with inserts and just waiting for ink behind one other project), you'll have a very hard time finding them I'll bet.

-Jim

I don't think the IP is the problem per se, more the demand is estimated to be low. There are Catacomb (and other Stern) games out there, but they are certainly more rare than most of the Bally class of '81 and other high run Bally games. Also, on the older games, it's become a question of what game can support an $800 pf or a $200 backglass.

I'm not saying there is no demand, but rather that Stern demand has consistently been a pretty narrowly focused subset of the hobby, with ardent fans. Bally on the other hand is a more well known brand that enjoys broader support. Don't get me wrong, I love Stern games, they are innovative. I love my 9Ball (and I think it was the best from Stern in that era .

Raw production numbers don't necessarily make a successful repro run. F2K for example had 6300 units produced, but the playfield did not sell well at all for CPR. There were leftovers sitting at CPR for years on a run of only 100ish. They need to do at least 75 boards to make a run viable. Many titles like Catacomb could get done (if there was art prepared by some artist -- not too many active at the moment and drawing a field is a big commitment like 500+hrs work), but would likely have to wait behind many other projects to see the press. Medusa has been quite a while waiting for it's production slot.

Shield of the gods is not just a gimmick. Used properly it can and does provide a saving opportunity more effective than a simple center post for an otherwise wide flipper gap. Plus you only get so many (like magnasaves). Skillshot on Medusa is pretty tough, I've never been very consistent getting even 4 of the inserts lit. The bagatelle on Catacomb is pretty annoying and hurts IMO an otherwise solid game. I don't personally care for the completely indirect ball tragectories on Catacomb needed to lock balls. Seems nearly random, more so even than 9Ball (also indirect but mostly bankable).