Sleeper Games to Consider for Purchase

Be careful of the recent "sleepers" because many are terrible. I'm thinking WPT, NASCAR, WWE, CSI...

If you really want a "sleeper" bargain stick with EMs or old digitals under $1,000, or any 90s WPC game at or under the $2500 mark.

There's really very few bargains in pinball these days.

#6 6 years ago

CIP

HoneyBadger

Pinside member

11y 57,875 1,012 11

There is nothing wrong with WPT Levi. Great game!

#7 6 years ago

???

HighVoltage

DMCS Pinball

8y 92,550 3,491

RollerCoaster Tycoon is another cool Lawlor game you can get for 2's. It's got a lot going on with some neat features and 4 flippers as well.

I would definitely get some significant play on it first, as the price suggests, opinions are far from unanimous on it.

#8 6 years ago

AMK

amkoepfer

Pinside member

Toledo, OH

9y 162K 4,923 23 51

Gottlieb system 3 games like gladiators, data east games, last action i think was said, rocky and bullwinkle, jp, system 11 games like rollergames, 6803 like atlantis or strange science

#9 6 years ago

CIP

HoneyBadger

Pinside member

11y 57,875 1,012 11

My recommendation is Stargate. Has everything you’re looking for and a great rule set.

#10 6 years ago

DAV

wayout440

Pinside member

Berea, OH

11y 113K 11,267 3 12

Some sleepers well within your budget:

DE Maverick
Bally Atlantis

#11 6 years ago

MJA

Mitch

Pinside member

Wellesley, ON

10y 131K 5,030 18 38

Starship troopers. Great game lots of different multiball modes

#12 6 years ago

LER

Lermods

Lermods Pinball Co.

11y 201K 10,856 58

Tftc

#13 6 years ago

DIA

mrossman5

Pinside+ Frequent

Warren, PA

6y 197K 3,186 7 253

I agree. Stargate is an excellent game.

#14 6 years ago

LEV

CrazyLevi

Quoted from HoneyBadger:
There is nothing wrong with WPT Levi. Great game!

Some like it some don't. I just can't get into the layout, at all. The theme and general tacky look of the game doesn't help either.

People who like deep and convoluted rulesets might get into it. A lot of work certainly went into the software.

#15 6 years ago

BRA

brad808

Pinside member

Brantford, ON

10y 40,550 389 7 11

Quoted from HoneyBadger:
There is nothing wrong with WPT Levi. Great game!

This title specifically comes down to what people look for in a game. If people like theme immersion and cool factor WPT is just about the worst game on the planet. It has absolutely nothing going for it. Terrible theme, callouts, music, art, etc. If people strictly like rules and base their judgement off that WPT is a top contender and seriously one of the greats. Most people fall somewhere in the middle and unfortunately for WPT the theme and excitement factor is so brutal that people never actually get into the game to see where it shines.

#16 6 years ago

LEV

CrazyLevi

Quoted from brad808:
This title specifically comes down to what people look for in a game. If people like theme immersion and cool factor WPT is just about the worst game on the planet. It has absolutely nothing going for it. Terrible theme, callouts, music, art, etc. If people strictly like rules and base their judgement off that WPT is a top contender and seriously one of the greats. Most people fall somewhere in the middle and unfortunately for WPT the theme and excitement factor is so brutal that people never actually get into the game to see where it shines.

It's true about the music and sound. Some of the worst in modern pinball. Most of it sounds like it came from a public domain bank.

#17 6 years ago

JAW

jawjaw

Pinside member

Humble, TX

9y 85,550 5,535 5

RBION is a Lawlor game that is packed and a lot of funny. It's better than Monopoly but an ugly game to look at, though.

#18 6 years ago

DOG

Whysnow

Pinside member

12y 187K 35,339 30 1

Judge Dredd is a great game and honestly still undervalued IMHO.

Not many DMDs last long in my collection but I liked JD enough to upgrade to a nicer version and it have been around for a few years.

#19 6 years ago

GMK

grantopia

Pinside member

Fairview Park, OH

8y 99,600 3,565 8

Wow, lots of quick and helpful responses here! I've got a WPT near me, and I'm okay with the theme, but haven't played it enough to really notice the depth. One of the big turnoffs for me initially was the stop and go of the ramps, something about that was just really unsatisfying for me...can't really put my finger on it. Stargate and Starship Troopers I can't recall ever seeing in person - I'm going to take a look into both of those. Appreciate the input!

#20 6 years ago

BRA

brad808

Pinside member

Brantford, ON

10y 40,550 389 7 11

OP
Quoted from grantopia:
Wow, lots of quick and helpful responses here! I've got a WPT near me, and I'm okay with the theme, but haven't played it enough to really notice the depth. One of the big turnoffs for me initially was the stop and go of the ramps, something about that was just really unsatisfying for me...can't really put my finger on it. Stargate and Starship Troopers I can't recall ever seeing in person - I'm going to take a look into both of those. Appreciate the input!

FYI you can turn off the ramp holds in service menu for WPT and I'm assuming most people do. Same with the orbit. If you are looking for depth you absolutely won't find anything with deeper rules in that price range.

#21 6 years ago

TAM

tamoore

Pinside member

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/archive?s=1&ad_machine_key=1153&sort_by=ad_end_date&sort_order=DESC#results

There aren't any sleepers anymore, really. SEGA games probably area still a bit underrated....

#22 6 years ago

???

HighVoltage

DMCS Pinball

8y 92,550 3,491

Quoted from jawjaw:
RBION is a Lawlor game that is packed and a lot of funny. It's better than Monopoly but an ugly game to look at, though.

Did you miss "in the $2,500ish range"? RBION is well north of that.

#23 6 years ago

DJS

Turtle

Pinside member

Allentown, PA

8y 58,650 443

Demo man, Johnny Mnemonic and World Cup Soccer 94 come to mind.

#24 6 years ago

SBS

o-din

Pinside+ Addict

11y 158K 58,804

Most of the games that put me to sleep cost more than $2500.

#25 6 years ago

MJM

mystman12

Pinside member

9y 76,550 1,147 5 7 1

Another vote for Stargate. It has two challenging ramps, 5 drops (Admittedly not a huge part of the game, but they do have a few different functions), two wizard modes, lots of strategy. Been my only pin for two years, and I still enjoy it so much I don't want to let it go.

#26 6 years ago

TAM

tamoore

Pinside member

I'll counter the Stargate suggestion.
It's a beautiful game. Probably one of the nicer looking games ever. But I found myself not having fun when I played it. I sold it to a pin friend who was a SCI-FI fan, and who thought he'd love it. He got rid of it soon after he got it. It's really not all that fun or satisfying, for some odd reason. It's nice to look at, though.

#27 6 years ago

DOG

Whysnow

Pinside member

12y 187K 35,339 30 1

Quoted from tamoore:
I'll counter the Stargate suggestion.
It's a beautiful game. Probably one of the nicer looking games ever. But I found myself not having fun when I played it. I sold it to a pin friend who was a SCI-FI fan, and who thought he'd love it. He got rid of it soon after he got it. It's really not all that fun or satisfying, for some odd reason. It's nice to look at, though.

interesting... Stargate was probably the 5th game in the door and is still here years later. It is also and often loved game when guests come over.

#28 6 years ago

DWK

DennisK

Pinside member

Olathe, KS

11y 83,550 882 9 28

Might want to look at Sharkey's Shootout. Its miss on your criteria is it is a one-ramp game. However, it has 8 drop targets (that see a lot of use), is DMD, 90s-era depth of code, not seen often, and generally goes for under your listed price range. Basically plays like Eight Ball Deluxe but with deeper code and a more forgiving, modified layout (and indeed something you'd want to try first, but if you love drops it might get you to look past the lack of a 2nd ramp).

#29 6 years ago

TAM

tamoore

Pinside member

Quoted from Whysnow:
interesting... Stargate was probably the 5th game in the door and is still here years later. It is also and often loved game when guests come over.

You have my old Stargate.

#30 6 years ago

SEA

SeymorGoldfarbJr

Pinside+ Frequent

12y 85,600 504 46 2

My first thought as soon as I read this thread title was Stargate. I just sold mine after being in my collection by far the longest of any game (10 years). It checks every box for what you are looking for. Great rules which make you shoot all over the playfield, drops which you need to hit in a sequential order, two sets of modes and wizard modes, a great skill shot and a nice backglass.

#31 6 years ago

CLG

clg

Pinside member

11y 75,300 1,652 17

Johnny Mnemonic. I really regret selling that game.

#32 6 years ago

SFV

Hammerhead

Pinside member

Melbourne, ON

12y 109K 2,784 15 18 1

Gilligan's Island for the win! Not a very deep game, but the shots are great and the rotating island is a great toy.

#33 6 years ago

PPD

Boat

CPRepair

Calgary, AB

7y 107K 1,474 4 92 1

I made a list a year or so ago by going through similar threads:

#no-good-gofers
Goldeneye
Last Action Hero
Dirty Harry - slightly disagree
Tales from the Crypt - highly recommend
Judge Dredd
Starship Troopers
Johnny Mnemonic
Who Dunnit

Oh and i heard lots of good things about Baywatch

#34 6 years ago

jake35

Pinside member

7y 114K 2,552 25 9 5

Apollo 13.

#35 6 years ago

DOG

Whysnow

Pinside member

12y 187K 35,339 30 1

Quoted from tamoore:
You have my old Stargate.

yup

#36 6 years ago

SBS

o-din

Pinside+ Addict

11y 158K 58,804

One I just purchased for the second time-

Getaway High Speed II

#37 6 years ago

TAM

tamoore

Pinside member

Can B/W games really be sleepers these days?

#38 6 years ago

SBS

o-din

Pinside+ Addict

11y 158K 58,804

Quoted from tamoore:
Can B/W games really be sleepers these days?

The ones I own tend to keep me awake late into the night.

#39 6 years ago

SMK

TheLaw

Pinside+ Addict

Ann Arbor, MI

12y 162K 48,068 19 30 1

Quoted from tamoore:
I'll counter the Stargate suggestion.

Stargate is a shit salad of the highest order for sure.
This is the textbook example for "wow look at how much stuff is in this game so that means it's good."

#40 6 years ago

LEV

CrazyLevi

Quoted from TheLaw:
Stargate is a shit salad of the highest order for sure.
This is the textbook example for "wow look at how much stuff is in this game so that means it's good."

The problem with Stargate is somehow 4 or 5 really loud people managed to convince a bunch of other people that "it's the Gottlieb worth owning."

It's not, as it's a 90s gottlieb, none of which are worth owning. But you've got people paying WPC money for Stargate these days instead of just paying $1000 for a Mario Andretti, which makes much more sense if you really want to get that 90s gottlieb experience into your basement. Choose wisely folks!

#41 6 years ago

TAM

tamoore

Pinside member