Marysville, IN
I want to hear from you guys/gals who share the opinion that Whirlwind may be the best pin ever.
What is you next favorite? Right now mine is Metallica.
(Topic ID: 88530)
Linked Games
Earthshaker
Williams, 1989-
Metallica (Premium)
Stern, 2013
-
Metallica (Pro)
Stern, 2013
-
Whirlwind
Williams, 1990
Quoted from Slugmeister:Whirlwind is the best pin ever-with a fan mounted on top.Hands down.
I guess that makes Twister the next one 
Quoted from Atomicboy:Strange thread...
I guess I should have been more clear in my question...
If you really love this game, what else holds a spot nearly as dear?
..and if you don't agree you are just wrong
Quoted from The_Director:I think it embodies everything pinball is and should be, and for that, it is a landmark title in my book.
^^This reflects my opinion of the game.
Every time I play the game I think, "This is a perfect game and I can't think of anything that should be different."
I may get to pick up a taxi this summer. I also think Earthshaker would be an obvious and fair companion but they seem to be hard to pick up at a decent price.
Btw, if you don't think it's one of the best ever, I'm not sure that I can take your suggestions seriously... but keep on plugging guys. I'm enjoying the suggestions.
Elvira is a great sys11 as well. Earthshaker looks and sounds great but doesn't flow like whirlwind.
Quoted from pmWolf:That's a big "IF."
Anyhow, I don't even think WW is the best System 11.
I'd go with Banzai Run, or even Swords of Fury.
WHOA! Hold on there...
We all know Batman Forever is the best pin!
Funny I thought it was Raven or Special Force. Good thing you guys are informing me.
Quoted from Sarge:WHOA! Hold on there...
We all know Batman Forever is the best pin!
Sana'a
Quoted from Craig:I like WW, but if I am choosing amongst similar Pat Lawlor titles, I'd go first with Funhouse.
Same here...Whirlwind....really? Decent game but a lot of better titles! I think it gets old fast.
Quoted from Pinball4life:Same here...Whirlwind....really? decent game but a lot of better titles! I think it gets old fast.
You are welcome to disagree...and be wrong 
But I didn't say "to those who disagree"
My question is to the like-minded players.
If you put this game at (or near)the top, like I do, what is next in line?
Toronto, ON
Wow... I guess I'm going to have to give WW another chance! Nothing about it grabbed me, aside from the fan. I've only put a few games on it, but perhaps it's a grower? I always thought SS was everything pinball should be. Fun, funny, colourful, engaging. I think MET DD reminds me a lot of SS, and that might be why I fell in love with it.
If WW is number 1, I'd better give it another look.
I'd put Whirlwind in the simple to understand but tough to master category. More often than not you work all game at getting your quick multiball stacked with regular multi-ball so you can line up some big jackpots, and then when multiball starts you fail miserably and can't hit the side ramp for jackpot! Other games I'd put in this category are BSD and Fishtales. All 3 have rather simple rules and punishing gameplay but are very rewarding when you actually play them well! I guess you could also compare this to newer games like IM and Tron as well. All these games have that "just one more game" feeling to them.
Quoted from Hougie:If you put this game at (or near)the top, like I do, what is next in line?
A reality check?
Medication?
Man...so many ways to answer this question...
WW is not the best pinball game ever made. I think it is a top 3 System 11. It has a great set of rules and some excellent shots. The MIDI theme is pretty timeless and it is just a great package overall.
One thing I can say about it is that it is very hard to find one in decent shape.
Smørum
Quoted from tamoore:It's perfect. Think of one rule you'd like to change, or one that you think is somehow broken. Can you?
I dont know... I want the game to clap me on the back when doing a three way combo, and give me more points :i It's so damn hard to pull off
Great game. Easily amongst the top.
Quoted from Kerry_Richard:As far as "Best" sys 11... my vote;
1st Funhouse
2nd Whirlwind
Funhouse is WPC not Sys 11, so I guess that makes Whirlwind #1
Quoted from wcbrandes:should start seeing a lot in good shape with the new play fields no? Anyone? How do they look? This could get it to being up there with the all time classics, not sure about #1
I put a new CPR playfield in mine. Turned out great. It did take some tweaking of guides, drilling different post holes, adjusting dimples, etc. But mine plays as smooth as glass. Breakneck fast, but I like it that way.
Quoted from pmWolf:A reality check?
Medication?
Man...so many ways to answer this question...
Did Hougie pi$$ in your wheaties or something?
Quoted from davewtf:Way to be "that guy", Mike.
You're just mad I beat you to the punch 
To be fair, Funhouse does look and play a lot like a Sys 11 and the layout is essentially a "flipped" Whirlwind. Looking back over history, I think this may just be the best era in all of pinball. The games are just fun and the midi music is fantastic! I don't know if there are any Sys 11 games that I don't enjoy playing. The rules may be somewhat simple but the games are just flat out fun and the themes don't take themselves too seriously...
Quoted from Kneissl:I really like Whirlwind, and TAF does nothing for me. Taxi is king,and a great Sys 11 to add.
Its funny, loved ww but af has never done it for me. To me taxi is the perfect example of everything that was great about that era of pinball
Quoted from jewboyflowerhead:Its funny, loved ww but af has never done it for me.
ya, i hear ya. I am patiently waiting to get a whirlwind, will more than likely move my TAF shortly thereafter. It's a classic instance of "less is more" for me. I don't know why.
edit: i have that nostalgia thing going on with me. i used to play one at an arcade, actually played it the first day out of the box. I have no history with TAF until just a year or so ago. Maybe that's it.
It depends on what you want
Do you want another game similar to Whirlwind or are you looking for a game that is different?
Whirlwind is designed by Pat Lawlor, he also did Earthshakers and Funhouse
Black knight 2000, High speed, Taxi and the rest of the games that othrrs have posted are all great games, but will play different to Whirlwind
I'm not leaving an opinion, because while WW is one of my favorites, it isn't #1 so it invalidates the rest, but a couple fun stories...
Quoted from Slugmeister:Whirlwind is the best pin ever-with a fan mounted on top.Hands down.
Actually, I bought mine because of the fan. I totally remember coming across the game in the arcade after you exit Space Mountain at Walt Disney World as a kid, probably age 10 or so. I begged my parents for money to try the pinball machine with the fan on it, and they (as they pretty much always did, giving me money for arcade's was my Grandpa's job 
) refused. I left without playing it.
About 7 years ago, a great deal on a project WW came up nearby, and the issue it had was an issue I had just troubleshot with another System 11 game I had - in fact, I had an extra board from the repair of that game that I was all but certain would fix it. Knowing I had always wanted to try the game with the fan on it, even if I really didn't care for any Lawlor games that I had played, I made an offer and the seller accepted.
It hasn't left yet. Oddly, you can't feel my fan AT ALL (doesn't seem to matter how you go about it, never have cared enough to fix it) but the game is great and will never go anywhere.
Quoted from davewtf:Taf is Whirlwind 2.0. I prefer the geometry of the ramp shot and the method of feeding the upper flipper better on Whirlwind, though.
I get where this comparison comes from, but I think that WW and TAF really don't share that many similarities when it comes to the actual play. I know this may be sacrilegious to some people, but I think that as a game, Whirlwind blows away TAF.
Quoted from PopBumperPete:It depends on what you want
Do you want another game similar to Whirlwind or are you looking for a game that is different?
Whirlwind is designed by Pat Lawlor, he also did Earthshakers and Funhouse
Black Knight 2000, High Speed, Taxi and the rest of the games that othrrs have posted are all great games, but will play different to Whirlwind
Those are great questions Pete. I love the total package on this game. It's the feel of the shots, the speed, the difficulty, the sounds, etc.. I get a buzz from playing this game unlike most other pins I've played. something about it just fits me like a glove ...it could be its system 11 style. Maybe the system 11 games just fit me the best, I don't know.
I guess my question really is if you have the same taste, what else do you hold in just as high regard? I'm assuming that there are people out there that are just as "delusional" as I am and have the same taste. It doesn't have to be the same type of game at all.
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