I like mm a little bit more than afm. theme and callouts are in mm better.

MM is the better game overall. AFM is much simpler, but MM has better humor, deeper ruleset and better humor/call-outs. If i had to part, AFM would be the one to go. (Good thing I don't and both can stay!)

Both are excellent games though. I don't think you can go wrong having either one in a collection.

I did the same thing and while I miss some things about it, don’t regret going with some newer Sterns. IMDN is awesome!

When CGC releases an LED upgrade for MMr, I may end up trying to trade my AFMr for one. I really like the game, but I just don't play it much. Metallica is still the go to game. I recently told my wife that I wanted to trade my GnR for a Hobbit, and she said she would rather trade the AFM. To her, the playfield looks older than GnR.

I think the theme of MMr would keep me playing longer. I also think I really like the pop up troll targets. I am pretty sure that is mainly what has me interested in Hobbit. I usually end up buying the games that I enjoy most at a pinball show. First it was AC/DC and GnR, then Metallica, then AFMR, and now the Hobbit was the most fun I had this year. Strangely, I don't remember ever playing MM or MMr at a show.

The Hobbit is not a popular game, but I really had more fun on that than all of the new games that were at GSPF this year (I did not play Houdini though, so I may enjoy that more, I don't know. I didn't play Kill Bill either, but since I couldn't sit through 20 minutes of the movie, probably not one I will love)

I agree with you on the Hobbit. For some reason,I really like it too,and I don't understand why it's not very popular.

I played a Metallica at the Pinfest,that had the hammer,and it was a fun game!

Both are great games. Attack seems a little faster and seems to return the ball quicker. MM seems to have more pauses in game play. I like the humor in attack better, I'm probably in the minority. I also feel the remake with the larger screen gives it a slight edge over MM in appearance. Cant go wrong here.

I've only played MMr and AFMr about 25 times each.I like them both, and I really don't know which one I would pick over the other. If I had the room,I'd own both of them.

I owned both MMRLE and AFMLE. I still have AFMLE.
Both are great pins, I just seemed to play attack more. Also the larger colored DMD is nice and the topper is one of the best ever.

I've had MMr for about 1.5 years and AFMr since November. I won't get rid of MMr it's the better game long-term, more to do and better shots/humor. I could part with AFMr if i had to. I'm limited to 4 machines by the wife, so likely that AFMr will move out at some point as 2 slots are more or less permanent. MMr and Sinbad.

Why does your wife limit you to four machines?

Here's the deal fellas. Brian Eddy legitimately cracked the code for what pinheads wanted and will want with variations of course with AFM. The birth of the orbit, ramp, bash, scoop, ramp, orbit layout. This has been seen constantly ever since. The man should have patented the layout. It is now the base from which all other playfields are created. MM was a reworking of the same layout, so it comes down to rules, and I like AFM better. I also love MM but I think AFM might be the most brilliant moment in pinball history outside of Ted Zale's Fireball. It's a perfect game in every respect, MM might have better toys but the rules are too focused on the castle. If you own one PLEASE do not buy the other, it's the same game and a lot of money unless status symbols are your thing then you are gonna need a Monster Bash too. Mark my word here, modern pinball owes everything to a guy who only designed a few games. For one inspired moment figured it out and Stern has been building on his layouts for years. Ask Steve Ritchie the most incredible thing he has ever seen in his 40 years in pinball and I guarantee it will be Brian Eddy's solo performance on The Shadow. Design, engineering, and code. The dude is a beast!

Brian says ok get off your knees...next year you can kneel when my Stern machine comes out.

Do yo know of a good knee pad manufacturer? They get raw at my level

I don't own any of these games, I am pure early SS and hopefully going to get into EM's real soon. I can't justify a 5K purchase on one game, no way, that is the beauty of this hobby there are so many ways to go about enjoying it.

I agree with almost everything you say, except for the part about don’t buy both if you already have one. My 2-game collection consists of MMr and AFMr and I couldn’t be happier. Before that I had 3 modern games but sold them. In my opinion MM and AFM are the pinnacle of pinball. Although the layouts are certainly similar they differ substantially in theme, art, rules, music, and callouts. I can’t wait to see what Brian Eddy comes up with for his next game. He has set the bar very high for everybody, including himself.

That's cool man, just my opinion. If YOU get joy out of it, that's all that matters. This is exactly why I love this hobby so much, there isn't only one way to enjoy it. Find what makes YOU happy and leave the noise in the background.

Both are great games with great layouts humor and art, I would say attack is the better game, but mm has the better toy.

When is it expected?

Good damn question....

Everyone always says “Tina Fey Tina Fey Tina Fey” nobody ever talks about Bobcat Goldwait being one of the trolls...

Is that true?!

Have you listened to that right troll? There’s no doubt it’s Bobcat

I like the rules better on AFM. Defending the cities in AFM is similar to beating the castles on MM but I find the other objectives in AFM (super jackpot, 5 way combo, total annihilation, etc..) more interesting than the royal madness objectives in MM.

I also prefer the way AFM shoots over MM, though not by a large margin.

THAT is the key, only that good game is when it's arguably close to MM, but play 20 on each, you will more likely have more entertaining/fun games on MM than AFM. Which for me is why it's the better game, even crappy ones are still fun.

YMMV.

I thought it was Freres...

All three of these fall into my played out, burned out, hyped out,
don't care if ever play or see another one again in my life category.

Best 3 pins in my opinion. I would rate them:

1. AFM (10)
2. MM (9.8)
3. MB (9.5)

Three incredibly fun pins....MB would be my fav with AFMRLE a very close second....

AFM and MM have a similar layout but play differently, as you mentioned.

AFM is faster and more brutal. Strobe multiball is unique. I love the risk reward of shooting the mothership. That ball can come back fast! Perfect rule set that is easy to understand but very difficult to complete. Can be approached in different ways for scoring as well. Love the campy humor of this game and the jiggling martians. And the large faceted inserts glow like jewels, especially with LED lighting. I like the color red in pinball machines and this game has a lot, and it really pops with the complementary green next to it. Beautiful to look at. You can tell the team that created this iconic game was confident and working at the peak of their powers.

MM builds on its predecessor and refines it in some ways. The trolls are a blast and add a lot to the game. Love getting troll madness completed and hitting the trolls as they alternate popping up. Catapult ramp is very cool, as is the castle. More variety of callouts in this game with all the different characters.

MB is great with lots of toys. But overall it seems simpler than the other 2. Rules are not as varied or interesting. Much easier to complete, which might be better for average players like me. I would actually have a chance of finishing this game. Not sure how I feel about that.

I haven’t gotten tired of having AFM and MM as my 2-game collection. I had 3 modern games before which I did get tired of and sold or traded to get these. If I was going to buy a 3rd game it would definitely be MB, but I’m OK with just having the first 2. I think they are a little stronger overall with their gameplay, rules, callouts, and humor.

Haha. Yes, definitely the problem to have!

I forgot to mention that MMr is the only game I’ve experienced that continues to increase in enjoyment the more I play it. Usually it’s the opposite. I loved AFM from the first plunge but it took some time for me to fully appreciate how good MMr is.

It's tough to choose between A and A+ games, as all three are great games. I have a close friend who loves and dominates me on AFM, while I dominate him on MM. For me though, it's MM, followed by MB, followed by AFM, but in miniscule point differences. I wouldn't lose sleep having any 2 of the 3, regardless of which two I ordered, to be honest.

I wanted a MM but ended up getting an AFM when a decent deal presented itself. I figured Attack would hold me over till I got a Medevil down the road but now I can't see ever parting with AFM.

I had an original AFM back in the day. Sold it, regretted it ever since. I have a remake back in my collection now and I absolutely love it. Such a player's game.

they are all the same layout for the most part. what ever theme you like better is what you should go with.

I've never heard that one before. Ever.