Quoted from acupunk12:Besides safe cracker are there any other games slightly smaller than average size?
Gottliebs. The cabinets that is. Everything else is regular sized.
(Topic ID: 328467)
Quoted from chuckwurt:Gottliebs. The cabinets that is. Everything else is regular sized.
Interesting. I’m not too familiar with their stuff since it’s so old. Is there a clear cut top 3,5 of theirs?
Quoted from acupunk12:Interesting. I’m not too familiar with their stuff since it’s so old. Is there a clear cut top 3,5 of theirs?
Nope. It’s all awesome.
Quoted from acupunk12:Lol totally .
It’s going to be tricky enough though getting a second game that doesn’t look awkward but I can imagine how ridiculous things would get in the apartment with 3+ machines. Totally ridiculous. I might have to move (:
Besides safe cracker are there any other games slightly smaller than average size?
Punchy the clown
Nudge It
The TNA cab is smaller, but I think you know this. Same size as Stern Electronics and early Bally’s. I’m getting a TNA soon. Cannot wait. I’ve got a Meteor too, which is same cabinet size. Checkout the Meteor 2021 updated code. I think you’ll like it. There’s a thread here by the creator and it’s on his YouTube.
Quoted from cookpins:The TNA cab is smaller, but I think you know this. Same size as Stern Electronics and early Bally’s. I’m getting a TNA soon. Cannot wait. I’ve got a Meteor too, which is same cabinet size. Checkout the Meteor 2021 updated code. I think you’ll like it. There’s a thread here by the creator and it’s on his YouTube.
Great under the radar recommendation. Thanks. I’m assuming you are referring to the stern model?
TNA definitely has potential as its so retro inspired and it’s got newer technology under the hood at a decent price point and probably with less wear and tear because it’s relatively new
The Pin2Ks would fit your smaller pins like safecracker. The Pin2ks are Revenge from Mars and Star Wars Episode 1, Super Mario Mushroom World kinda falls into that same smaller game as well but that's not everyones cup of tea. I think that one was specifically built for kids.
Quoted from cookpins:Yes, Stern Meteor. I think TNA would be a better add tho, if you’ll only be having the 2.
Agree. Thanks.
Quoted from acupunk12:Besides safe cracker are there any other games slightly smaller than average size?
Alien Star is a bit smaller. The head is only a bit wider than the cabinet and the cabinet is 3 inches shorter in depth... Also it's a simple and fantastic game.
Crofton, MD
Quoted from acupunk12:Hi, anyone have any recommendations on what title I should buy next? Looking for my second game, something that is completely different from godzilla. Was thinking TNA, Centaur. Any suggestions? Thanks and happy new year!
Quoted from acupunk12:I’ve played plenty games. I’m specifically looking to target a game that’s completely different though. No toys, less fancy etc. just looking for game recommendations
O man... I love questions like these.
If you want something different, my #1 recommendation would be to get a game from a different designer. I would strongly recommend against Iron Maiden, Avengers Infinity Quest, and Jurassic Park. All are great games, but made by the same designer, Elwin.
If you want another modern Stern to pair with Godzilla, my choice would be Deadpool. 2 Flipper game with a bit simpler ruleset, but I think it pairs very well with Godzilla. Other available NIB recommendations would include TNA, which is excellent but I personally would recommend it in a lineup that is a little deeper (more pins). Medieval Madness scratches all the itches for being an amazing pin that can be bought newish, but at the prices it is going for today you could get other pins. Going back a little further in time, Stern's 2012 Star Trek is excellent. It has a deep ruleset you will never beat, and is a flow monster. The pro or premium is great on this and you'll never beat it while it still plays "fair".
Going back into the 90s, if you want a simple game that is just going for score, my top recommendation would be Fish Tales. Not alot of toys on it and its a quick player, but dog gone is that a good game. Going back further for simpler games that play good and have replayability, Whirlwind is where its at. I'm on my second one. Further back The System 11s are mostly all great, and from that era from a simple gameplay point of view High Speed is at the top of my list. Going even further back I am partial to Sorcerer (Fight Me), and really like the 1980 Black Knight. Every single one of those is a great option.
To further expand:
Score Based "just one more game": Fish Tales, Medieval Madness ($), Black Knight, Sorcerer, Whirlwind.
Mode Based Games With Story Progression (sort of) Deadpool (For a Modern Stern), Stern Star Trek
You are most likely to like: Deadpool, Medieval Madness, Whirlwind
You are most likely to hate (but come back to): Fish Tales, TNA
If you put a gun up to my head and asked for the most different game... I'd tell you Fish Tales.
If space is at a premium, some other things to consider:
1. This won't be a permanent add, and shouldn't be. With that in mind, I'd worry less about exactly what I got and just make sure I picked something up that wasn't too hard to get rid of at a reasonable price. TNA, for example, is a great game but may be difficult to move unless you're willing to take a fair loss. I'd love to have one, but I could pick up a centaur and a firepower for that - think a lot of folks feel that way unfortunately.
2. On that note, you might do well to think more in terms of what you'd be okay with spending to "rent" a game for 2-4 months. As in, if you're OK with losing $500, $1000, whatever in order to sell/trade for whatever you want next. That makes it a lot easier to figure out what you'd be okay with bringing home to try out for a while. You can probably pickup a TNA for 7-8 right now; at 6-7 you could sell one pretty fast.
3. Everyone beats up on virtual pins, but maybe consider picking up a really nice one for a while? It's "not pinball," but it is a GREAT way to try out tables and see what you might really want to bring home from the older stuff. The custom build ones can be pretty cool, but even the smaller at games Legends gives you a way to checkout rulesets and play feel for things, and they are practically giving those away right now.
My 2 cents - talk that guy selling the centaur in Jersey down a few hundred bucks (playfield looks beat up). It's a GREAT game, you know you like it, and it's popular enough it won't be too hard to move if you get board. Or, if you love it, you can learn to do a playfield swap and order one from CPR 
Quoted from SantaEatsCheese:O man... I love questions like these.
If you want something different, my #1 recommendation would be to get a game from a different designer. I would strongly recommend against Iron Maiden, Avengers Infinity Quest, and Jurassic Park. All are great games, but made by the same designer, Elwin.
If you want another modern Stern to pair with Godzilla, my choice would be Deadpool. 2 Flipper game with a bit simpler ruleset, but I think it pairs very well with Godzilla. Other available NIB recommendations would include TNA, which is excellent but I personally would recommend it in a lineup that is a little deeper (more pins). Medieval Madness scratches all the itches for being an amazing pin that can be bought newish, but at the prices it is going for today you could get other pins. Going back a little further in time, Stern's 2012 Star Trek is excellent. It has a deep ruleset you will never beat, and is a flow monster. The pro or premium is great on this and you'll never beat it while it still plays "fair".
Going back into the 90s, if you want a simple game that is just going for score, my top recommendation would be Fish Tales. Not alot of toys on it and its a quick player, but dog gone is that a good game. Going back further for simpler games that play good and have replayability, Whirlwind is where its at. I'm on my second one. Further back The System 11s are mostly all great, and from that era from a simple gameplay point of view High Speed is at the top of my list. Going even further back I am partial to Sorcerer (Fight Me), and really like the 1980 Black Knight. Every single one of those is a great option.
To further expand:
Score Based "just one more game": Fish Tales, Medieval Madness ($), Black Knight, Sorcerer, Whirlwind.
Mode Based Games With Story Progression (sort of) Deadpool (For a Modern Stern), Stern Star Trek
You are most likely to like: Deadpool, Medieval Madness, Whirlwind
You are most likely to hate (but come back to): Fish Tales, TNA
If you put a gun up to my head and asked for the most different game... I'd tell you Fish Tales.
Great recommendations. Much appreciated. There’s definitely some outside the box suggestions I appreciate here. On first glance though, I’m not sure about MM, TREK because of the main toys associated with them is too close to the collapsing building in GZ. I was thinking something that is all about classic bells, dings, etc. a total 180 experience wise from a modern machine but has good long term ownership, easy to access hard to master written all over it . Like if stern godzilla is avatar 2 then I’m looking for something more like psycho or the day the earth stood still. Lol
Quoted from Ollulanus:If space is at a premium, some other things to consider:
1. This won't be a permanent add, and shouldn't be. With that in mind, I'd worry less about exactly what I got and just make sure I picked something up that wasn't too hard to get rid of at a reasonable price. TNA, for example, is a great game but may be difficult to move unless you're willing to take a fair loss. I'd love to have one, but I could pick up a centaur and a firepower for that - think a lot of folks feel that way unfortunately.
2. On that note, you might do well to think more in terms of what you'd be okay with spending to "rent" a game for 2-4 months. As in, if you're OK with losing $500, $1000, whatever in order to sell/trade for whatever you want next. That makes it a lot easier to figure out what you'd be okay with bringing home to try out for a while. You can probably pickup a TNA for 7-8 right now; at 6-7 you could sell one pretty fast.
3. Everyone beats up on virtual pins, but maybe consider picking up a really nice one for a while? It's "not pinball," but it is a GREAT way to try out tables and see what you might really want to bring home from the older stuff. The custom build ones can be pretty cool, but even the smaller at games Legends gives you a way to checkout rulesets and play feel for things, and they are practically giving those away right now.
My 2 cents - talk that guy selling the centaur in Jersey down a few hundred bucks (playfield looks beat up). It's a GREAT game, you know you like it, and it's popular enough it won't be too hard to move if you get board. Or, if you love it, you can learn to do a playfield swap and order one from CPR
You know I was thinking about a virtual pin. A friend of mine got one in October and it’s already breaking down though. Seems that the guy who made it used all refurbished parts. For that kind of haste I’d rather own the real deal. He also bought the AT GAMES mini pin and has been having trouble with that too. Customer service issues, paying for games that aren’t actually available, etc. what I’m saying is, that as cool in theory those sound they’re actually just as if not more frustrating to deal with and not even remotely close to the real deal. Like eating keto, sorbet ice cream. I do enjoy playing on my PS5 when I’m absolutely desperate but the horizontal screen really makes it a not even decent experience. There’s nothing like real pinball.
Quoted from Ollulanus:If space is at a premium, some other things to consider:
1. This won't be a permanent add, and shouldn't be. With that in mind, I'd worry less about exactly what I got and just make sure I picked something up that wasn't too hard to get rid of at a reasonable price. TNA, for example, is a great game but may be difficult to move unless you're willing to take a fair loss. I'd love to have one, but I could pick up a centaur and a firepower for that - think a lot of folks feel that way unfortunately.
2. On that note, you might do well to think more in terms of what you'd be okay with spending to "rent" a game for 2-4 months. As in, if you're OK with losing $500, $1000, whatever in order to sell/trade for whatever you want next. That makes it a lot easier to figure out what you'd be okay with bringing home to try out for a while. You can probably pickup a TNA for 7-8 right now; at 6-7 you could sell one pretty fast.
3. Everyone beats up on virtual pins, but maybe consider picking up a really nice one for a while? It's "not pinball," but it is a GREAT way to try out tables and see what you might really want to bring home from the older stuff. The custom build ones can be pretty cool, but even the smaller at games Legends gives you a way to checkout rulesets and play feel for things, and they are practically giving those away right now.
My 2 cents - talk that guy selling the centaur in Jersey down a few hundred bucks (playfield looks beat up). It's a GREAT game, you know you like it, and it's popular enough it won't be too hard to move if you get board. Or, if you love it, you can learn to do a playfield swap and order one from CPR
Centaur is generally considered more desirable than TNA? Hmm.
I’m new to the pinball hobby so I really don’t understand buying something and thinking that it’ll retain or sustain its value. I always considered it more like a car in that once you drive it off the lot that the value slowly depreciates. I don’t get buying something and thinking it’ll be worth more. I considered selling for a moment godzilla before I opened it to see if there was anyone desperate enough to buy it for like $12k but then thought that there was nothing else I’d rather own than that since my wife and I unanimously enjoyed it more then anything else we played. I couldn’t be happier.
What I’m saying is, I’m fine with taking a loss if need be. I don’t consider pinball an investment but something that will give me enjoyment. I’d rather buy a kick ass game that I love and will cherish than buy something I kinda like that I can offload at a small gain or come out even on.
Quoted from acupunk12:I really don’t understand buying something and thinking that it’ll retain or sustain its value.
This is good. Keep this mindset.
Also, these are lifetime contracts. Just buy something, play it for a while, then move on to the next one.
Reading threads like this is fun because it is always interesting to see who likes what, and if a clear consensus is reached on one game or another. But as has been mentioned earlier, don't buy a game because it is the same designer as that one, or a different designer, or the same or different manufacturer, or has more or less toys or anything like that.
Buying your next game is a bit like picking the woman you want to marry. Don't pick one you like, and who other people think is cool, and who you think you can live with. Instead pick the girl you absolutely can't live without! Whether its pinball or wives, if you heed this bit of advice you won't go wrong! (Assuming that is, you are looking for something you want to keep long term!)
Toronto, ON
Quoted from sbmania:Reading threads like this is fun because it is always interesting to see who likes what, and if a clear consensus is reached on one game or another. But as has been mentioned earlier, don't buy a game because it is the same designer as that one, or a different designer, or the same or different manufacturer, or has more or less toys or anything like that.
Buying your next game is a bit like picking the woman you want to marry. Don't pick one you like, and who other people think is cool, and who you think you can live with. Instead pick the girl you absolutely can't live without! Whether its pinball or wives, if you heed this bit of advice you won't go wrong! (Assuming that is, you are looking for something you want to keep long term!)
Thank you! I feel the same. I know my questions can be silly but that’s what I’m about. Just being ridiculous and hoping someone can get a LOL. Just trying to have good chats with fellow pinheads. At the end of the day, I’ll take everything and make my own choices regardless of value, opinions etc. but it’s totally fun talking pinball. And it’s expensive, it’s not like buying albums back in the day. It just makes me happy and brings a smile to my face and I hope some of you guys enjoy it too. There’s always going to be trolls, grumps and naysayers everywhere but like Bill Murray in what about bob, I just figure they’re on a different radio channel and the signal isn’t getting through and I just tune them out for the time being (:
I actually never played centaur. It just looks like a stripped down game. Does it justify the ranking or does the theme just carry it?
Quoted from acupunk12:Centaur is generally considered more desirable than TNA? Hmm.
I’m new to the pinball hobby so I really don’t understand buying something and thinking that it’ll retain or sustain its value. I always considered it more like a car in that once you drive it off the lot that the value slowly depreciates. I don’t get buying something and thinking it’ll be worth more. I considered selling for a moment godzilla before I opened it to see if there was anyone desperate enough to buy it for like $12k but then thought that there was nothing else I’d rather own than that since my wife and I unanimously enjoyed it more then anything else we played. I couldn’t be happier.
What I’m saying is, I’m fine with taking a loss if need be. I don’t consider pinball an investment but something that will give me enjoyment. I’d rather buy a kick ass game that I love and will cherish than buy something I kinda like that I can offload at a small gain or come out even on.
Yeah, that's what I'm saying - don't plan on making money or breaking even, just figure out what you're willing to lose moving on to the next pin if space is tight. Trust me, very few games are gonna be so amazing you want to keep them forever if you can only have two. Just too many good games out there. I kinda think in terms of "renting" - what am I cool with spending to have this game around 3-6m (i.e., losing when I sell it)? If I only ever brought home the one I wanted most, I'd either never get a new one or bring home 5 at a time
That said, if you're smart and patient on a decent deal, most pins retain their value pretty well nowadays.
And I don't know if Centaur or TNA is "more desirable;" both are well appreciated but I think at 4-6k it's easier to move a centaur if you get bored with it than a TNA at 7-9k. Also, I love me some centaur
Quoted from acupunk12:I actually never played centaur. It just looks like a stripped down game. Does it justify the ranking or does the theme just carry it?
You’ll have to play it and decide for yourself. It’s packed with features for a game from the early 80s. That’s important for some.
Quoted from acupunk12:Lol totally .
It’s going to be tricky enough though getting a second game that doesn’t look awkward but I can imagine how ridiculous things would get in the apartment with 3+ machines. Totally ridiculous. I might have to move (:
Besides safe cracker are there any other games slightly smaller than average size?
PTC. Ask Lloyd.
Also, FYI: if you look up any game on pinside and scroll down, you can see all the archived ads for it - if they sold, how fast, and how much (some folks don't disclose that though). Pretty easy to figure out how easy it'll be to sell or trade something if you decide you don't like it. If you get sick of GZ it could be gone tomorrow for the same or more than you have in it; buy a Mando NIB and you better learn to love it or plan to spend a month trying to sell it for a lot less than you paid
Quoted from Ollulanus:Also, FYI: if you look up any game on pinside and scroll down, you can see all the archived ads for it - if they sold, how fast, and how much (some folks don't disclose that though). Pretty easy to figure out how easy it'll be to sell or trade something if you decide you don't like it. If you get sick of GZ it could be gone tomorrow for the same or more than you have in it; buy a Mando NIB and you better learn to love it or plan to spend a month trying to sell it for a lot less than you paid
I thought everyone loved the baby yoda thing? Lol
Quoted from acupunk12:I want something totally different than Godzilla.
Literally every EM will be totally different than Godzilla.
Quoted from schudel5:Literally every EM will be totally different than Godzilla.
Totally
Although some of those 70s psychedelic, metal themes like sorcerer, star gazer, panthera are so cool
Any advice? I don’t know the seller or can tell anything from pics. I know the game is a bit floaty being a wide body that doesn’t seem to take advantage of the extra space.
Quoted from Lethal_Inc:Get Captain Fantastic!
Good recommendation. What do they usually go for?
Quoted from acupunk12:https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/720225406194419/?hoisted=false&ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post
Any advice? I don’t know the seller or can tell anything from pics. I know the game is a bit floaty being a wide body that doesn’t seem to take advantage of the extra space.
That’s a great place to go check out. They have a ton of different games that always seem to be well maintained. I try to go once a month to play for a few hours.
Quoted from Ollulanus:Yeah, that's what I'm saying - don't plan on making money or breaking even, just figure out what you're willing to lose moving on to the next pin if space is tight. Trust me, very few games are gonna be so amazing you want to keep them forever if you can only have two. Just too many good games out there. I kinda think in terms of "renting" - what am I cool with spending to have this game around 3-6m (i.e., losing when I sell it)? If I only ever brought home the one I wanted most, I'd either never get a new one or bring home 5 at a time
That said, if you're smart and patient on a decent deal, most pins retain their value pretty well nowadays.
And I don't know if Centaur or TNA is "more desirable;" both are well appreciated but I think at 4-6k it's easier to move a centaur if you get bored with it than a TNA at 7-9k. Also, I love me some centaur
Centaur 2 is essentially the same game as the original except the DMD front panel?
Quoted from acupunk12:Centaur 2 is essentially the same game as the original except the DMD front panel?
It's not a DMD; it's a different style of cab entirely. Leftovers from a game called rapid fire, they did a run of centaur and eight ball deluxe in it. As far as I know, the games are identical except for the head style. They're a bit more of a bother to move, but they go for about half the cost of a regular centaur and play the same I believe.
Quoted from acupunk12:Great recommendations. Much appreciated. There’s definitely some outside the box suggestions I appreciate here. On first glance though, I’m not sure about MM, TREK because of the main toys associated with them is too close to the collapsing building in GZ. I was thinking something that is all about classic bells, dings, etc. a total 180 experience wise from a modern machine but has good long term ownership, easy to access hard to master written all over it . Like if stern godzilla is avatar 2 then I’m looking for something more like psycho or the day the earth stood still. Lol
Okay, thinking back on this one, if you go modern I can see 2 solid viable options for you.
1. TNA, as you mentioned and are already familiar with.
2. Attack From Mars Remake. A top 10 game originally made in 1995 that you can get " almost new" as a remake manufactured in the past 5 years.
Based off of your comments on Centaur I am going to recommend... the Bally Class of 1981.
These include:
Centaur
Flash Gordon
Fathom
Eight Ball Deluxe
These four games have held up better than other 42 year old games and have alot going on for them. They are complete 180s from your modern Godzilla pin. They all emphasize drop targets and sniper shooting. A small company in Australia (Haggis) is actually remaking Fathom right now, and has plans to remake the other ones. The art on these is mostly fantastic, and reproduction playfields and/or overlays have been around for a while so there are actually quite a few restored examples of these going around. Flash Gordon is one of the shortest playing pins ever made, and is right up there with TNA as being an ass kicker.
I understand the main concern on these is that the games are 40 years old, but these are so popular that modern boards have been developed and released for all of these pins "Altek" light boards, MPU boards, Solenoid boards... etc. I sold a Flash Gordon last month that had all new boards and LEDs in it. It is essentially a modern machine on the inside. You'll still have to fix some stuff from time to time (it is pinball) but with modern guts the fixes tend to be much easier.
Now I personally have sought out these games, and absolutely love Flash Gordon and Eight Ball Deluxe, but hate Centaur and Fathom. I thought I'd like the later 2 since I love the first 2, but they just didn't do it for me.
A strong runner up behind these is 1980s Black Knight (which I prefer to these) but it doesn't have the art and MOST people prefer the first 4 I mentioned.
I'd recommend you did two things. First, if you are seriously considering dropping thousands on new pins, go on a field trip. I'm too far south of you to be familiar with the area, but there are locations close to you with a gazillion pins. If you are looking to try some older pins I'd recommend Pinball Gallery just outside of Philly. https://pinballgallery.net/ 80 pins, with dozens of early solid states and many of the recommendations I've listed here. Go on a day trip, spend a few hours there, take your wife to the ginormous King of Prussia Mall 20 minutes away as penance, and have a great time.
Secondly, go to a pinball show. The Allentown Pinball show is a few months away in May. http://www.pinfestival.com/ There will be HUNDREDS of pins there, and a good 1/3 on the freeplay floor will have for sale signs. Bring a giant wad of cash and try some different games you don't see every day. Find one you love and bring it home knowing exactly what you are getting.
Good luck and have fun!
Quoted from SantaEatsCheese:Okay, thinking back on this one, if you go modern I can see 2 solid viable options for you.
1. TNA, as you mentioned and are already familiar with.
2. Attack From Mars Remake. A top 10 game originally made in 1995 that you can get " almost new" as a remake manufactured in the past 5 years.
Based off of your comments on Centaur I am going to recommend... the Bally Class of 1981.
These include:
Centaur
Flash Gordon
Fathom
Eight Ball Deluxe
These four games have held up better than other 42 year old games and have alot going on for them. They are complete 180s from your modern Godzilla pin. They all emphasize drop targets and sniper shooting. A small company in Australia (Haggis) is actually remaking Fathom right now, and has plans to remake the other ones. The art on these is mostly fantastic, and reproduction playfields and/or overlays have been around for a while so there are actually quite a few restored examples of these going around. Flash Gordon is one of the shortest playing pins ever made, and is right up there with TNA as being an ass kicker.
I understand the main concern on these is that the games are 40 years old, but these are so popular that modern boards have been developed and released for all of these pins "Altek" light boards, MPU boards, Solenoid boards... etc. I sold a Flash Gordon last month that had all new boards and LEDs in it. It is essentially a modern machine on the inside. You'll still have to fix some stuff from time to time (it is pinball) but with modern guts the fixes tend to be much easier.
Now I personally have sought out these games, and absolutely love Flash Gordon and Eight Ball Deluxe, but hate Centaur and Fathom. I thought I'd like the later 2 since I love the first 2, but they just didn't do it for me.
A strong runner up behind these is 1980s Black Knight (which I prefer to these) but it doesn't have the art and MOST people prefer the first 4 I mentioned.
I'd recommend you did two things. First, if you are seriously considering dropping thousands on new pins, go on a field trip. I'm too far south of you to be familiar with the area, but there are locations close to you with a gazillion pins. If you are looking to try some older pins I'd recommend Pinball Gallery just outside of Philly. https://pinballgallery.net/ 80 pins, with dozens of early solid states and many of the recommendations I've listed here. Go on a day trip, spend a few hours there, take your wife to the ginormous King of Prussia Mall 20 minutes away as penance, and have a great time.
Secondly, go to a pinball show. The Allentown Pinball show is a few months away in May. http://www.pinfestival.com/ There will be HUNDREDS of pins there, and a good 1/3 on the freeplay floor will have for sale signs. Bring a giant wad of cash and try some different games you don't see every day. Find one you love and bring it home knowing exactly what you are getting.
Good luck and have fun!
Thanks for the great advice! I actually have been thinking about hitting both the Allentown and pinball gallery.
I have made a short list of tittles that I'm going to make sure to play before the next purchase. im actually adding swords of fury to it too. right now I have about 7 titles in mind including the ones you mentioned with TNA being at the top because Scott has been so nice and helpful to me. I didnt even know he designed the machine. Just thought he was a pinsider who knew music stuff. So just for being a swell guy i have to consider it and put it ahead of everything(:
Quoted from SantaEatsCheese:Okay, thinking back on this one, if you go modern I can see 2 solid viable options for you.
1. TNA, as you mentioned and are already familiar with.
2. Attack From Mars Remake. A top 10 game originally made in 1995 that you can get " almost new" as a remake manufactured in the past 5 years.
Based off of your comments on Centaur I am going to recommend... the Bally Class of 1981.
These include:
Centaur
Flash Gordon
Fathom
Eight Ball Deluxe
These four games have held up better than other 42 year old games and have alot going on for them. They are complete 180s from your modern Godzilla pin. They all emphasize drop targets and sniper shooting. A small company in Australia (Haggis) is actually remaking Fathom right now, and has plans to remake the other ones. The art on these is mostly fantastic, and reproduction playfields and/or overlays have been around for a while so there are actually quite a few restored examples of these going around. Flash Gordon is one of the shortest playing pins ever made, and is right up there with TNA as being an ass kicker.
I understand the main concern on these is that the games are 40 years old, but these are so popular that modern boards have been developed and released for all of these pins "Altek" light boards, MPU boards, Solenoid boards... etc. I sold a Flash Gordon last month that had all new boards and LEDs in it. It is essentially a modern machine on the inside. You'll still have to fix some stuff from time to time (it is pinball) but with modern guts the fixes tend to be much easier.
Now I personally have sought out these games, and absolutely love Flash Gordon and Eight Ball Deluxe, but hate Centaur and Fathom. I thought I'd like the later 2 since I love the first 2, but they just didn't do it for me.
A strong runner up behind these is 1980s Black Knight (which I prefer to these) but it doesn't have the art and MOST people prefer the first 4 I mentioned.
I'd recommend you did two things. First, if you are seriously considering dropping thousands on new pins, go on a field trip. I'm too far south of you to be familiar with the area, but there are locations close to you with a gazillion pins. If you are looking to try some older pins I'd recommend Pinball Gallery just outside of Philly. https://pinballgallery.net/ 80 pins, with dozens of early solid states and many of the recommendations I've listed here. Go on a day trip, spend a few hours there, take your wife to the ginormous King of Prussia Mall 20 minutes away as penance, and have a great time.
Secondly, go to a pinball show. The Allentown Pinball show is a few months away in May. http://www.pinfestival.com/ There will be HUNDREDS of pins there, and a good 1/3 on the freeplay floor will have for sale signs. Bring a giant wad of cash and try some different games you don't see every day. Find one you love and bring it home knowing exactly what you are getting.
Good luck and have fun!
any thoughts on BS Dracula?
Quoted from acupunk12:any thoughts on BS Dracula?
I personally don't have alot of time on one, but based off of my experience and the experience of others, I would classify it as an "ass kicker" and in the same category as TNA, Fish Tales, and Flash Gordon as far as fast and brutal games. When you have a few pins I always recommend having one you can have a shorter game on. A 10 minute game on Godzilla might not be that great, but 10 minutes on those other games is an accomplishment for me.
Quoted from acupunk12:TNA being at the top because Scott has been so nice and helpful to me. I didnt even know he designed the machine. Just thought he was a pinsider who knew music stuff. So just for being a swell guy i have to consider it and put it ahead of everything(:
Honestly, if I had NIB pin money sitting around I’d have already bought a TNA. 1, I’ve watched every good quality (ahem, sound quality) video of it I could find, and I just kept wanting more. 2, I’ve had the soundtrack in frequent (sometimes near nonstop) rotation on my Spotify most of 2022. And 3, I finally discovered that there’s one on location just under an hour from me, and I’ve taken my kids to visit it three times for co-op sessions, and it lived up to every bit of the hype I had ascribed to it.
I guess for you the question might be who you’re going to be playing it with. I did a quick re-read of your posts in this thread for clues, but I think all you mentioned was being in an apartment. If you have family or roommates who play with you, or friends who come over to play, I bet you would have a ridiculous time with TNA. At Lyons Classic Pinball, there’s no other game in their collection that has a pair or a group of people clustered around it shouting and cheering at it like their TNA does every time I’ve gone! If you mostly play by yourself, I suppose I’d want to hear from someone else who mostly plays solo to hear if TNA works well in that context.
I rarely pinball alone unless I’m off from work and sneak off somewhere playing on location. It’s always with the wife or a buddy who comes over. Pinball is best with friends (:
Quoted from acupunk12:I rarely pinball alone unless I’m off from work and sneak off somewhere playing on location. It’s always with the wife or a buddy who comes over. Pinball is best with friends (:
In that case, go TNA. I PERSONALLY think it is the most fun ass kicker machine, and is great in groups. Also note that in addition to competing with one another you can actually play a co-op game on TNA.
Runner up goes to Fish Tales and then High Speed in my personal recommendations based off of what you've said.
If you are used to having a WORKING pinball, and are considering a different machine, well I'd tell anybody this:
Make sure you've got a path to getting your pinball repaired.
Pinballs break. They break a lot. Usually they break in simple ways that are easy to fix. Often they fail in ways that require specialty parts. Rarely, but often enough that you should take notice, they break in ways that require a skilled pinball technician to fix.
Your pinball isn't going to be much fun if it isn't working.
You've got a newly manufactured pinball. People here are suggesting Black Hole/Haunted House, which were considered at the time to be the hardest to reliably repair pinballs in history. Nowadays, with all the ground loops added, and a couple of replacement boards... well, 1981 is when they were made. They are forty-two years old. You may have a considerably different repair profile than your brand new Godzilla.
As far as 'something that plays different than Godzilla', I agree...
Nothing plays like Godzilla. It's a truly different game.
My advice to you is this:
Godzilla, I believe, is a legendary great game. I think that ten years from now it'll still be hovering in the top ten, top twenty of pinside's top 100 list. It's that good.
I tell my customers all the time that when they already have one of the absolute top tier pinballs, and they want something else...
You need to be VERY choosy!
Consider ONLY the absolute top tier pinballs, because you are already starting with a play experience that is about as good as pinball gets.
If you have played a lot of pinball, and no particular machine has made you fall in love, there is wisdom in the crowds. The top 100 pinball list will show you what a crowd of people think is great, particularly if the machine in the top 20 of that list has been around for a number of years.
You won't go wrong with the top tier, and if you find that Medieval Madness isn't much fun for you, it is overwhelmingly likely that you'll be able to rapidly sell that machine for a bit or a lot more than you paid for it, making it a no-risk experiment.
New Pinballs cost $10,000.
New Pinballs cost $10,000.
New Pinballs cost $10,000.
(Premium Stern, with sales tax in North Carolina, where I'm at.)
Once you get that number digested, it isn't too hard to think seriously about the machines that the Pinside top 100 list considers top tier.
Lesser pinballs will cost less... but you are now accustomed to playing top tier. Trying to convince yourself that you'll have just as much fun with a lesser experience might not be the best decision.
Now, if you fall in love with a machine... DO THAT!!!
I happen to like a Gottlieb game called Rock. Nobody is likely to put that machine in the top 100 (maybe not in the top 200) pinballs of all time lists. But I like it. For me, it's got clean, compelling gameplay that just makes me happy.
So, play some pinballs, find what makes you happy. And if you don't find a specific game that you fall in love with, trust the wisdom of crowds, and buy something top-tier.
Enjoy!
Quoted from acupunk12:any thoughts on BS Dracula?
At my level of skill, Bram Stoker's Dracula is absolutely a top tier pinball.
It's a bit of a one-trick pony. You get to multiball, while in multiball you enable a second multiball, while those multiballs are running you enable a third multiball.
For my level of skill, I can make the shots, and I appreciate the value of a tough-as-nails left ramp shot (thank you Barry Oursler!).
But I still am challenged by multiballs. So the game still has a lot to show me.
Also, I was really amused by someone else who said this:
(Plays, Bram Stoker's Dracula)
F this game
F this game
F this game
F this game
F this game
'THIIIIIRRRRRRTTTY MMMMIIIILLLIIIOOONNN!'
(Weeps with joy, I love this game!)
Hehe. Highly recommended.
Quoted from SantaEatsCheese:I personally don't have alot of time on one, but based off of my experience and the experience of others, I would classify it as an "ass kicker" and in the same category as TNA, Fish Tales, and Flash Gordon as far as fast and brutal games. When you have a few pins I always recommend having one you can have a shorter game on. A 10 minute game on Godzilla might not be that great, but 10 minutes on those other games is an accomplishment for me.
Thanks for the advice (:
I’m considering everything you mentioned. Right now cantaur, bs Dracula, TNA, Flash Gordon are at the top of my queue amount some others everyone mentioned.
Any thoughts on nightmare castle? Some people been recommending it.
Quoted from acupunk12:Thanks for the advice (:
I’m considering everything you mentioned. Right now cantaur, bs Dracula, TNA, Flash Gordon are at the top of my queue amount some others everyone mentioned.
Any thoughts on nightmare castle? Some people been recommending it.
I've never played one (family doesn't do horror). It's by Spooky Pinball. I believe it is relatively hard for a modern pin. I would strongly recommend playing it before buying it. Spooky pins tend to be more polarizing than other companies pins... and this is coming from a Spooky fan.
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