IM is actually:

IM: (2 ramps - Iron Monger Pop Up Toy)
Whiplash, Iron Monger, and War Machine Multiballs. near impossible Do or Die multiball.
Super Pops
Fast scoring mode.
Double Scoring mode
Iron Man scoring mode
Bogey Scoring
A Do or Die hurry up mini wizard.
Jericho Missile Mayhem wizard mode.
Do or Die multiball super wizard mode

I did already count Do or Die Multiball, I just called it Jericho by mistake. You corrected that and counted it twice. Fast scoring, double scoring and Iron Man scoring are all progressive versions of each other started by the Iron Man stand ups. I wouldn't really count those as 3 separate things. Even those considered, IM still has much less going on then AFM which was the original point.

It's simple.

Martians trump Zombies.

LTG : )

So you don't like it. I do.
I just have to assume that you ruled the universe three times in the one game you played to find it that boring.
I think AC/DC is a crappy game. However, that is probably due to the fact that I'm crappy at playing it.

AFM is an older slower geriatric IM for noobs...lol

The ratings influence this as well. Some of it's popularity is because it's rated high. "Hey, it must be good, look how highly it's rated." I wasn't playing pinball when it came out, so I've only played a few games on it recently, and haven't played enough to really get a great feeling for it. I've enjoyed the games I've played on it, but to ME it's not worth what it's going for.

When i first played this pin i hated it. Now its in my collection and i play it more than IJ, TOTAN and TZ. Go figure.

My thoughts exactly. Great looking n sounding pin but with the current code it seems that your shooting for that shot 80% of the time. Hopefully Lyman kills it with the update.

Different strokes for different folks. I played AFM and it is a game I enjoy playing in someone else's collection and not my own. For the kind of money it commands there are many other games I will enjoy owning more for less but that is just my opinion.

Having both games, a properly waxed and restored afm is definitely faster than a properly waxed as set up nib ironman. This is probably due to more shots returning to the flippers faster. And the afm slingshots are the fastest in pinball - faster than acdc. At least if the game is proper restored. That stuff will slow down as it ages.

I had both AFM and RFM, RFM stays as they are basicaly the same game but RFM is better to play and looks cool!

Sry Mark just stirring the pot

I have RFM currently, just recently got it so I'm in the so-called "honeymoon phase" and I'm curious as to how RFM is "better to play"?

That's definitely a dissenting opinion. Both that RFM is better and that they are basically the same game.

AFM is the game I played on location in 2000 that got me into pinball (second game was RFM 6 months later and I love it too but I do like AFM more). The art style is timeless. The speed of the game is great. There are lots of goals both for the rookie and the pro. Likewise it's fun for the newbie and experienced player.

Regarding some of the discussions on price, I was lucky to grab the one I have before the cost was higher than a new Stern. Everyone has thresholds and limits. For me, it's hard to justify paying more for a used game (plus maintenance and re-shopping) than a new one. MM was well over $5k when I got into the hobby and while I love the game I'll go for a new Stern (or two!) instead of a MM (or CV, TOTAN, etc). I'm not saying new games are better (I really like some recent Sterns) but it's something I consider.

I you had an AFM, why on earth would you want a different pin to play just like it?

#fanlayoutdementia

Used to play it every week in the pin-golf tourny I played in. Fun enough game, but I'm completely lost as to how it commands the money it does.

Well, that's just it. In my opiniin, RFM is far from "just like" AFM. I remembered loving RFM in the arcades before I considered myself a pinhead, but it gets old fast for me now. My thinking was that it would compliment afm in a collection because, while the themes are similar, the gameplay is totally different.

I've had a couple of AFM's over the years, just didn't have the staying power for me, and when I got the chance to trade it for a couple of other WPC, it was a no-brainer. It's appeal is very similar to MM, simple and straight forward, yet deep enough to keep experienced players happy.

Amen!! so many more games out there that are more entertaining to play.

I could start a thread on every single pin that is listed in the Top 10 ranked pins here at Pinside, and you will always have a group of people that will say the exact same thing about every one of them.

+1000!!!

Wait...what? How can anybody claim that they're "basically the same game?"

That boggles the mind.

Supply and Demand. Higher income collectors come into the hobby and want this pin added to there collection. Low production numbers drive up price.

Game is simple to understand and fast. Great humor and good layout.

This pin hits close to home. I traded a very nice TZ and $800 for a very nice AFM back in 2002. I enjoyed it but truly missed TZ after the honeymoon was over. It stayed with me for a few years and I eventually sold it when they were around $3500-$4000. What really upsets me is just a year or so later, the price has went over double that price! Haha should have held on just a little longer.

Do I miss it... no

Giggity

Well, they have Martians. So...

Destroying Martians is fun. Good humor. DMD is awesome and even better with Colordmd. Strobe Multiball is spectacular.

What hasn't doubled though? Look at what WH20, TS, DM's and DW's go for now considering a couple years back.

I believe the higher end machines will plateau out soon, still increase, but not compared to all the good but previously considered low cost wpc's. Hard to find any under $2,000 now, soon that will be said for $3,000 given the market boom.

uh oh, now we're into another bubble thread - quickly close!!

I just love the Strobe Multiball, Great Humor, also love the theme.
I had that and MM, they ended up to much a like, and had more fun with AFM.
Sold MM.

I believe the price is mostly just a factor supply and demand.

AFM production is pretty low - 4,200.
Compare that to other popular pins:
TAF - 20,228.

So ~4.8 more TAFs than AFMs exist. So if a TAF is worth $4K worth of fun, it isn't unreasonable to believe that AFM could be worth ~$20K.

Notice that AFM would be higher in price in this scenario. I think more people like TAF than AFM, so that's why the ratio just based upon production numbers doesn't hold up.

MM has a production run close to AFM, so if they were in the same demand, we would expect similar prices. So perhaps TAF and MM have about the same demand and are relatively equally liked, but there are just so many more TAFs out there.

I find this an interesting way to look at pricing trends and popularity of pins. It is not very effective on newer pins because the pricing data is limited and production runs less certain.

I looked at this a couple years ago (some of these prices have moved a fair bit) and that the pins in popularity order (based on this approach) were:
TAF
Indiana Jones
Twilight Zone
KISS
Medieval Madness
STTNG
Fish Tales
Funhouse
Terminator 2

As for me, I love AFM. One of the pins I have had for years and don't plan to sell. I played it in the arcade when it came out. I just recently bought a pin from a guy who has been collecting for 40 years. AFM was his favorite DMD. It is a great game. And surprising few people have played all the bits and pieces (Again!).

There are many reasons AFM is considered a top game. The theme is classic, it has a fair amount of humor, blowing up the saucer is fun, and it has a classic fan layout. It is also a great looking machine. However, some people prefer MM, MB, SM, or LOTR which have similar playability. There is no one right answer here.

I am on the hunt for a restoration candidate AFM . One of the appeals to me is the mod factor. You can really mod AFM , adding quite a bit to the original IMHO . You can also personalize it to taste, chrome or black trim for instance both look good. AFM dresses up nicely and there is a lot of dressing available for it. More than any other pin? not sure.

Theres a reason why some pins are fun. Great rules, DOTs and theme (story/humor). This wasnt some pin that was thrown together, it was fully thought out. If you judge it by its cover either by not playing it fully or by it's art then your not getting the full treatment of how great it is. I hated the art and never gave it a chance...then I played it and I was hooked.

With all the top 10 titles AFM commands premium prices. I can understand that if youre relatively new to the hobby this would be a factor for not liking the game.

Mike
www.HabosArcade.com

I finally played a bunch of games for the first time that were considered top 20 pins recently. At Kidforce collectibles in berea, ohio they had an attack from mars there so I told myself I'd regret it if I didn't try it out. I had fun with the game and went for the saucers and scored pretty high on my first game, but I didn't feel drawn to play multiple times. There was a twilight zone there that I couldn't stop putting quarters in and I had never played that game before either.

Both games in great working shape.

I saw the bowen kerins tutorials on both of them so I knew some of the objectives before hand, but twlight zone seemed to have shots, sounds, and images that just resonated better with me. Plus hitting the jackpot was much more satisfying to me.

I don't think all games resonate the same with everyone is my point I guess...

lol

Ya think?!

What games are your favorites, Chitownpinball?

Like other's have said it's simple pinball bashing fun. Dots and sound are really well integrated but the price has gone crazy since the one on e-bay sold for $8K. This was a $4K pin before that albeit unrestored. Now people are asking 6, 7K for routed. It's crazy so I'll stick with T2, the poor man's AFM for now until prices come back down from outer space.

Unfortunately many games are in such poor condition at the PHOF that you can't make an informed decision on gameplay.

Problems like games having too little pitch, being way out of level, and flippers being so weak that balls can't make it up ramps are omnipresent.

Find the game at shows or private collections and reassess.

OT: 200 games is evidently too much for one man to keep up with; the place is awesome, but it could be so much better if Tim would hire a full-time tech to keep all the games dialed-in.

I am blessed in that MM does nothing for me. Sadly AFM and MB despite my love of newer games absolutely pull my heart strings. Scored the MB so hopefully if its another good year December of 2013 Santa will find me a restored AFM. Fun fun fun!
Like games after you play them and not wahat you read. It helps and may save you some money...maybe

Yea, that is the number one thing I consider too when buying my games. Forget gameplay, rules, flow, sound, theme, dots, and integration. It's all about how it can be dressed and moded.

When picking a game to own, I think a decent amount of playtime should be involved before making a final decision. I bought ToM from Jack and played the SM right next to it before making my decision. For whatever reason, maybe it was the box, I was drawn to ToM and didn't buy SM NIB. Well ToM left a few months later, and now SM is one of my favorite games. SM does take a lot of time for the rules to gel and once they do, it's a blast.

I moved and AFM for AC/DC and that is the only game that could have replaced it. AFM is such a perfectly cohesive package that it is sorely missed. Best Extra Ball animation in pinball, Strobe Multi-Ball, great feedback when locking a Ball (missile) and even better energy when starting multi-ball. The humor and music is perfectly fitting for the game. If I only have one complaint it is the city objectives. If you complete all goals you will spend most of your time banging away at the saucer. Other than that, the game is perfect.

Popular because it is a great theme, awesome humor, easy to understand rule set, beginners can pick it up easy, yet it is hard enough for more advanced players.

OP is not asking a Keynesian economics question on Supply/Demand. He was asking why there is such a high demand part, "why is it popular?". He never pondered why it costs so much.

AFM, like MM and MB, has something sorely lacking in modern pins - humor.

It also plays and looks amazing.

If there was ever a game I'd spend "stupid money" on, it'd be AFM.

Exactly.

I agree. I'm betting that BHZA will have plenty of humor then?

It has a killer multiball. Nothing gets the blood pumpin' like collecting a few sooooooooooooooper jackpahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhts... oh, baby!

I don't know how you can say that and rate games. Those things are very important to the average pinhead IMHO .

Number one thing for me is how much fun it is to play, for you modding may be more important than those other things. Some guys like repair more than gameplay also, but for me it's more about the fun. Being able to customize and mod a pin is a bonus I am just now beginning to explore.

On the other hand I still have not played a pin i did not like and I love rare pins.

As far as I can tell if you want to explore modding and customizing AFM is a good choice. For high end restoration there are also some guys who specialize in AFM and having seen their work I believe this pin can be one of the best looking smoothest playing pins there is. I want one.

I really do like the game. The one BR and I fixed up was very fun. I had never played it before then. I would own one in a heartbeat if they were in the 4k-5k range. That is my personal perceived value on that title. I start thinking twice (or maybe even 3 times) once any machine goes above that. It would have to really be something super special... or have a sentimental value before I could justify going for one at today's price. Don't get me wrong... It really is a GREAT game. However, for me the bang for the buck lies elsewhere for sure.

In addition to all the reasons already listed as to why AFM is such a great game, something people are forgetting is that the code was written by arguably the best pinball programmer ever - Lyman Sheets.

As far the argument that the money could be better spent elsewhere on a new faster brighter more complicated LE game? Well, maybe - but the same can be said for the collector car market. Go tell the guys bidding huge money at Mekum or Barret-Jackson that they can just buy a new Corvette for half of what they want to spend on a 60's or 70's musclecar. They either already have the new stuff or don't care about it. It's the classic, cool, retro, collectable factor as well as being great fun.

Rommy, I was being sarcastic in my post

I think AFM is a really good game, but after playing it for a few days at a resort where I was vacationing last year, I was kinda over it. It just started feeling quite boring, and honestly, I was quite taken aback by that. I doubt I was even a hundred plays in at that point.

I'm thinking that it doesn't even matter whether it's truly a great game that has any real longevity or not. Everyone has over-hyped and overpriced the game so much, that it now has this thing about it to where everybody thinks they have to have one to have a serious collection.

And to those people, I say just get a Revenge From Mars and save yourself a few thousand dollars. It's pretty much the exact same game, and with that money you saved, you can buy more pins.