Sugar Grove, IL
My “Way Overdue” Review on Full Throttle LE
OK, it’s time for my 90 day review of this game. I am going to give you the whole thing from beginning to end so forgive me for the long (maybe the longest in the history of Pinside) review post, but I think I owe it to anyone looking into purchasing a Heighway Pinball machine. Good or bad, I hope this review helps.
Buying Experience
First, it took 2 years to get this game. For most people, that would be difficult, but, for me, I had already been baptized as an early buyer of WOZ, and, I have to say, it was not nearly as painful with Andrew and Heighway Pinball. Andrew was very informative throughout the process and always responded to my calls and emails. I always knew exactly what he was waiting for to complete the game and why a delay may have occurred. He even offered a 100% refund to me several times when he could tell I was getting a bit anxious. Buying Experience was a 9/10.
Shipping
This was a bit scary as the game had to ship across the Atlantic Ocean and halfway across America to make to my home. It was only $400 which I felt was quite a bargain. I knew exactly where it was the whole way via a tracking number and it got through Customs in just a day. I think it was a $60 Customs Fee to release it. The game arrived within a week and it was packaged superbly. It is not boxed like a Stern so be careful when you take it off of the pallet. I got it into my basement and removed the box. It was in perfect condition underneath. Shipping was a 10/10.
Assembly
This took me about 90 minutes and I did it by myself. I would highly recommend that you get another person to help you as I had a couple of harrowing moments. The head is not attached and is strapped to the game. Get a helper to hold it while you cut apart the straps and packaging. The head is fairly easy to install, but again, would be much easier with a helper. It was during assembly that I noticed all the “goodies” that I got with my game. I am not sure if all buyers get the same stuff, but I received magnets, extra plastics, a Heighway Pinball Polo shirt, and TWO complete sets of translites and side art. It was the original art and the new art. The old art has a “retro” feel and the new art is a little more modernized. I will get into art later. Over-all, putting the game together was intuitive and fairly easy. I would give it a 9/10.
First Impressions
Once I plugged the game in, I was awestruck by its beauty. It truly looks like a Lamborghini next to my other games which still look like souped up Camaros and Mustangs. I was so glad I chose the red as the gloss can only be compared to the “racinf red” used on the finest automobiles. The head opens sideways with hinges. Again, it is a HUGE improvement from removing a backglass and setting it down as I always think I am going to break it. And, it locks with “push-button” locks like I used to have on the alarm for my corvette. The glass on the game does not slide out. It is removed with the armor by lifting straight up. Andrew calls it the “magazine” and it is quite heavy to lift, but can be done with no problem by one person. I can finally put a game in a tight space without worrying about the required “sliding” space for the glass. As I looked at it all lit up for the first time, with its shiny paint, sports car lines, and glimmering lights, I realized I was looking at the iPhone of pinball. It’s the way Bill Gates or Steve Jobs would create a pinball machine. First look was a 10/10.
Upon a Closer Look – Quality Control
As I played the game and inspected it a little closer, I did find some QC flaws. First, the left flipper was sticking every so often. As I carefully watched it, I realized that the flipper was “catching” on the left inlane. I manually “forced” the left inlane over so it would not hit the flipper, but it continued to get stuck. To me, it looks like the holes for the left inlane needed to be drilled 1/16” to the left. I removed the inlane and stuck my drill in to “open” the hole and moved the unit a bit to the left. No more sticking. I also noticed that the toy motorcycle in my game was gold. I was a bit surprised by that as none of the art depicts a gold motorcycle. I complained and was told it was a “limited edition” gold and was offered a red one by Andrew in its place. Also, the motorcycle target would not register on my game. This took me a while to figure out, but I concluded that the foam used at the target was too thick to allow the switch to register. I pulled the foam off and now it works great (see photo below). I also had to adjust the spinning motorcycle wheels on the playfield. They were set a bit low and were causing air balls all over the game. My final QC issue was that I noticed “cutouts” that looked like jigsaw puzzle pieces in the black painted wood on the inside of the game. Most people wouldn’t notice or care, but, again, Andrew and Heighway Pinball went over the top with Customer Service by creating Custom Pinblade style art for me to place over the flaws. I am inserting pictures below of the art which I love. I wish it was about an inch taller, but it is a huge improvement. My rating on QC of the game is a 7/10, but Customer Support is a solid 10/10.
Game Design
Finally, we get to the good stuff. The playfield, toys and gameplay are all flawless. There is amazing flow and perfect speed and feel for this game. Did I mention that this game is solid as a rock? The playfield is smooth and well lit. The criss-cross ramps are silky and the right ramp is tough, but very satisfying. The rules are intuitive and great for all players. It is like MM or AFM where almost any player can figure out what they are trying to do in just 2 or 3 games. The display on the playfield is perfect. It tells you exactly where you are at in your progressions and counts down to 6 different multi-balls you can achieve by hitting certain shots. All the multi-balls are stackable and encourage strategy in how/when you want to start them. Great “engine revving” skill shot followed by a secondary skill shot which is extremely satisfying. I selected the large LCD in the backbox which is fun to watch, but probably not necessary as the animations are a little bit less entertaining than watching reruns of Speed Racer. There are 8 awesome shots on this “fan” style layout. The glass magazine is large (and heavy), but it definitely does not impede on the game. Every shot is visible and you don’t need any mirrors to see your ball. The game design is certainly a 10/10.
Artwork
This is a very subjective subject and I’ll spare you all of my detailed thoughts to avoid unnecessary bickering on this thread. The fact that you get 2 different styles of art to choose from increases the chances that one of them will suit your taste. The art actually only takes about 1 or 2 minutes to change as Heighway has created an ingenious “handle” system to change the side art in seconds. The art is crisp, bright, and relevant to the game and its style. I actually love it and think it fits the theme, but it has various levels of detail which makes it just a little disjointed. 9/10 for me.
Sounds and Music
Right off the bat, I have to say, the music is a 10/10. I don’t know anything about Redline, but they make great music to play pinball to. They kick ass. The speakers and sub are clear and crisp and offer plenty of volume. The call-outs are solid as well. The revving of the engine gets me fired up the second I press the start button on my game. I love the way the engine revs as you hit the first skill shot. Check out a video if you have not heard/experienced this yet. This whole category is a 10/10.
Lighting
I touched on this earlier, but I have a lot to say about lighting here. First, as you approach the game, it’s like you are approaching a hip new nightclub. It’s not too bright like many new Sterns. It’s just right both on the playfield and even better on the cabinet. Plus, on the ramps, you get the fiber optic lighting just like on TRON LE. Who doesn’t love that? Every part of the playfield is well lit and I have never felt like I am going to have a seizure even after hours of play. It really is a 10/10.
Theme
Again, this is a very subjective subject. I am not a motorcycle guy. I’m not a racing guy. I don’t even own a sports car right now, but the theme works for me. The game just plain makes sense. I feel like I’m entering a race from the second I hit the start button. The music, lighting and gameplay all get my adrenaline going. I get a little nervous and excited as I start to play. The whole thing sucks you in and makes you a fan of the game. It is a lot like AFM for me. I’m not a fan of killing Martians, but I love saving the Universe. I am not a fan of motorcycle racing, but I love trying to win the World Championship. Mission accomplished. It’s a 9/10.
Overall, this game is a High 9/10 and, in my opinion, you can buy from Heighway with confidence.
