Save people, set traps, capture dino. Repeat.

^^exactly^^ the theme and these simplified goals should work for a casual player. My concern would be the fact the JP can just be a drain monster for a casual player

BTW, great decision on your first pin, hope you get it.

yeah, this. new players are gonna want to shoot that ramp to try to hit the dinosaur and end up draining a lot

JP is not the game for you. get the CC. It's far more accessible and the shots are way easier. JP is built and coded to be deep, difficult and rewarding. some shots are super-tight, and some are just downright mean (smart missile). when casual players come over here, they play Beatles, ST and Simpsons primarily.
I guess the TRex scares them!
you are smart to ask around.
good luck with your decision, both are great games.

I have a GOTG and Godzilla premium sitting next to Monster Bash, guess what gets played most? MB! That's because like you said "casuals" gravitate towards it when they come over because its very easy to understand and a lot of fun for them because they can actually " complete things" without having to ask me anything. Its pretty straight forward. Plus everyone loves the Universal Monsters!

The only solution is to get >1 machine!

everything's fairly intuitive except for knowing how to qualify the control room modes.

I have JP Premium and whenever someone new plays it, I try to explain the rules while they're playing but it's overwhelming and I just end up saying "just shoot the blinking lights."

I have a JP and love it, but I don’t think the rules are intuitive to casual players. Not having a central bash toy that starts multiball everytime or a straightforward way to start modes the same way each time makes it harder for casual people to comprehend. Try telling them how to get to Chaos multiball or start a control room mode and they are going to have trouble. Plus I think Kieths multiball rules are harder than a lot of other games where pretty much every shot is lit for a jackpot. I like the intricacies of it but others not so much.
I recently added Guardians to our game room and I’ve had several people over since and they all hands down think Guardians is more fun. It’s super easy to understand how to start a mode (you start off the plunge in one) and everyone instantly gets how to start Groot or Orb multiball. The start of Groot multiball with his mouth moving to the speech and the balls flying out really entertains them. The orb magnet is also a great surprise for them that they like.

The rules are pretty intuitive, but the action and shots will MORE than keep casual players coming back.

I have JP prem also. Dino is cool for newbs but the shots are hard. Would be awesome as a 1 quiver pin to work on your skills though. No doubt about it.

Deadpool is pretty fun for everyone but if you want simple rules and an awesome bash toy… Stranger Things is your answer.

Nah, you're overthinking it man, Just get JP you'll love it and so will everyone else.

You are in a tough spot because any pin that is intuitive for newbies will be a game that does get old quickly. The modern day rulesets are very confusing for any casual player. It is great for us Pinheads but walk up and shoot the game people in an arcade favor the older, more simple game. I had JP premium as my first game and I would say it is not straight forward to understand how to start modes or what to do. Most of the time people that come over just simply shoot the jeep. They think that is cool in itself. Plus, they have no chance at hitting really any of the shots and make the game last more than 20 seconds.

Here are my thoughts for newbs and players:

Deadpool- Good choice here for both to me. It is pretty straight forward, does well in an arcade setting so casuals do like it. You can put rubbers on the posts and move in to help some. Pretty easy to start a battle.

Cactus Canyon- We have this game and it also is fun for casuals. Not the best game for depth for a good player so problem of one pin household may have the same problem.

Monster Bash- Good game for both for me. It is really fun for casuals but it also has challenge for good players to bring in all monsters to Frank, etc.......

Stern Star Trek- Great shooter and shoot the blinking lights code from Lonnie. Would be a great game for both set of players. Select and mode and shoot shots.

I would stay far away from stern TMNT, it will eat your lunch. GOTG is a great game and I love it but for casual players it is another tough shooter.

My two cents...

We used to live in a 1800 s.f. split level. There was room for six pins in that house, and so that's how many we put in there. I have a hard time imagining any house in the US that can literally fit only a single pin.

I will admit, one of the easiest ways to fend off the specter of boredom is to have more pins. But if you really truly can only have one, I still don't think you need to worry nearly as much as people are trying to tell you that you should.

We bought our Medieval Madness in the late 90's. We still have it, and I still love playing it. Now that we live in a house with more room, I have been recently reintroduced to the world of pinball after many years of being distracted by other aspects of life, by purchasing a new Stern Rush. It is a completely different experience between MM and Rush, but they are both great.

I 100% disagree with the idea that games with simpler rule sets will inevitably become boring. Maybe for some people that's true, but it's not for me at all. My first pin I bought was High Speed, the simplest of all our pins and I still love playing it. It was my only pin for at least a year or two, and even then I didn't get bored playing it all the time.

I guess if a person gets good enough that they make every single shot 99% of the time, the only challenge left is to strategize the order of shots. But for me, I still struggle to make shots consistently, and a huge part of the fun of pinball is improving my skill. I've reached a bit of a plateau at the moment, with my skills still well below most hardcore pinball fans, one that will probably take some creative work to get past, but I still enjoy the effort. More to the point, the complexity of the rules is having absolutely nothing to do with how much fun I'm having.

You'll need to decide for yourself what makes playing pinball fun for you, but it is certainly far from a foregone conclusion that you must listen to people telling you that you're going to get bored just because the rules are "too simple". I would start by getting a machine you know you'll enjoy. Play it. Share it with friends. See how it goes. You can always sell/trade for a different one later, and by then you'll have more first-hand experience to be able to judge for yourself what the right approach to collecting pins is, even if you do have a collection of just one.

Right now, Rush for sure. It's a fabulous game, super fun to play, and I've only had it a couple of months so far. Still in the newlywed stage.

But I also play MM, and the others. They are far from being neglected (well, except maybe the Star Wars: Episode 1 ...it depresses me because I can't figure out how to get the green channel on the video to come back). MM is so much fun; it's funnier than Rush (and that's saying something...they did a great job with the callouts on Rush), the trolls are really fun toys, and it doesn't make my brain hurt as much.

I would guess Rush is going to get the lion's share of attention at least for the next several months. But even now the others aren't ignored, and I'm sure I will eventually get back to a more balanced arrangement. Well, until the next machine shows up.

OP is definitely in a tough spot. My thoughts:

I walked up to a Rush Pro on location about a month ago. I had no idea what shots to shoot to start multiball. I just shot flashing shots and read the LCD. That being said, I still really didn't purposefully START MB; it kind of "just happened" on its own. When that happens in a game - when I start MB without really even trying - I lose interest pretty quickly. I like a game that I have to REALLY earn that MB. Maybe I just made shots and got lucky - I dunno. Just seemed like every 4 shots or so, another MB!!!!!!

AFM, to me, is that perfect balance of fun:

You have the "bash toy in middle" that makes new players feel accomplished.

The MBs require some work: main one requires the 4 shots in the inner left orbital, Martian MB requires you to nail all 4 bobbing martians, Strobe requires you to progress through SOL to get it selected, and Total Annihilation requires all 4 main shots to be completed at least 3 times each. Some more simple than others.

The wizard mode is not impossible but not a gimmie either. If you're dialed into your shots and know the 6 objectives, it IS doable.

There's enough gimmicks on the PF to keep people interested and entertained.

The Monty Python/Mars Attacks humor and vibe blend very well with some excellent call outs.

These reasons and others I'm sure I missed are why it remains in the top 5 games here while other new "oooo shiney" games come and go. Only IMDN, JP and Godzilla are new games that have threatened it. Oh look, 3 out of 3 of those games are from Keith Elwin. Wonder why? Because his games challenge those wanting to go deeper. His games go outside the box of traditional pinball playing.

JP is a great example: no "skill shot" inlanes up top or traditional inlane multiplers. Critical shots go through TIGHT areas like the left ramp through the pop bumpers on IMDN or the Smart Missle target on JP, and that the Jeep HAS to face left for you to get the Smart Missile, so that shot is ALWAYS going to be an insanely tight shot, but oh, SO rewarding when you hit it. All MBs require SOME effort with T-Rex being the easiest one by a mile to achieve. Outside of T-Rex, you have EARNED that MB. Getting to Dinosaurs Rule the Earth means you have truly conquered the game with Control Room needing to be complete, part of which requires you to hit the Tower...what...15 times? These are some pretty tall orders, and don't even get me started on AIQ. I feel like that is the pinball version of War and Peace when I walk up to it.

Lots of me blowing hot air here, so what am I saying? If you want a fun game everyone can enjoy, get MB, AFM, or MM. There's a reason WHY CGC chose to remake "the big 3" first guaranteed profit as the demand was insane and STILL is - having driven up the cost of originals and even the remakes go for more now. Cactus Canyon seems "up in the air" still. The first 3 were a slam dunk, guaranteed revenue churner. CC, jury is still out for me on that one.

I'd honestly say a Keith Elwin game isn't going to have the staying "family fun" power. His games are absolutely geared towards the intermediate to advanced players. You'll be playing "coach" to help the rest of the family get into it, which can be fun in and of itself. Just be ready to be playing alone or with other more experienced pinball players if you go with a KME game.

This is what I was thinking. Even in a small apartment I can’t imagine there really only being room for 1 pin, if there is room for 1 there is room for a second unless it’s going in a literal closet.
What I would worry about only having 1 isn’t so much the boredom, you could always trade every 6 months to a year for a different one, but real pins break, New or old, something will break. When you only have 1 pin and it breaks and you are waiting for parts or diagnosing the issues now you don’t have anything to play. You could get lucky and it’s an easy fix and you are back to playing in a day or a week, or it could be a node board failure that’s out of stock and now you have 6 months with a broken pin just sitting there.
I wouldn’t worry about what game to get, if you get a game and it’s awesome and you love it, keep it. If you aren’t sure or you don’t like it as much as you thought, put it up for a trade and someone will trade with you. I’ve traded twice with people on this forum and have had a great experience each time.

FWIW, Rush is a hybrid. Three of the multiball modes, you get just from bashing the center target (Time Machine). Even with those, once you're in the mode, there are mode-specific goals.

The other three multiball modes require effort. The easiest to get to is Far Cry, which still requires lighting two different scoops (each one requiring three different shots), and then hitting one or the other scoop. The other two are even harder: Freewill requires getting all of the "instruments", which requires hitting all three drop targets at least three times (more if you don't get the right order the first time around) and then making another shot behind the drops; Headlong Flight is "easy" in that it's just about hitting the pop bumpers enough. But it does take a lot of hits.

There is no way to literally start a new MB mode every four shots. The first mode can be started with four shots to the Time Machine, but even those MB modes take more hits after the first one (unless you are doing really well and have lower the number of shots required again by advancing the Time Machine), though I can see how one might get that impression anyway.

Does that mean you should like Rush? No...that's your own opinion and you can like or not according to whatever. I just wanted to clarify what's actually going on there.

*a bit over-the-top response coming in...having fun but also serious here. Easily butthurt folks, need not read*

When CGC remade MM, the originals were creeping up to $12K-$15K, and everyone here was freaked out they'll never have a MM to play cause the price was just too insane. Thankfully now - with a lot of help from the now infamous Banning Auction and everyone from ages 18 to 99 needing a pinball machine - the remakes are going for $12K-$19K - so thankfully, the remakes helped bring prices up : ). An original MM now goes for about $11K to $16K per the archive market listings here.

Same with AFM. I bought mine in 2016 for $8250, with a fuck-load of upgrades (ColorDMD, red ramps, Pinbits strobe light kit, maritan eyes, runway lights, miniature saucer LEDs, etc.) - one year before the remakes came out. Remakes were around $6200 to $8500 depending on tier. Now, the classic remake goes for somewhere in the $9000 range with the LE going for about $12K-$14K. Really glad they re-made the game and brought those prices back down! Originals go for about $8K - $10K now.

I didn't track MBR vs original prices, but you can see the trend. You aren't going to lose money. Hell, I bought a Shadow for $4250 and sold it for $7000 almost 1.5 years later. Bought a CFTBL for $5300 in 2017 and sold it for $8000 this year. Am I bragging - yes and no - I'm telling you, you aren't going to lose your shirt buying a game and selling it years later - especially the B/W class of 92 to 98. Look at Addams Family...$10K PLUS for one now? I bought that in 2016 for $5500.

Buy the game you want and don't worry - unless a global depression hits - you will be A-ok with your purchase. If a global depression hits, you got lots more to worry about than a pinball machine's value.

More and more, I hear Michael Douglas' rant about "listening to his mother" and "being a cosmetic surgeon making $500K a year, up to his neck in T&A" during the jungle chase scene in Romancing the Stone. A fucking putting green in a basement while my pins are in my living room. I can't help but laugh and whimper at the same time.

Poking fun with you, OP, and at myself. Nothing personal ; ).

Yeah not much you can do if they don’t have the parts or it takes awhile. My opto board on my JP pro went bad a few months after getting the game NIB and I just had to wait for Stern to ship me a new one.
I completely understand and respect not having the room because you have other things you enjoy more. Some guys on here are only happy with gamerooms that are wall to wall with pinball machines. They will tell you to get rid of the TV or a couch just to fit in more.
I’m “out of room” at 7, but if I got rid of my skee ball beverage cooler and TV I’d have room for 9, if I got rid of my couch stools and pub table I’d have room for 12, if I got rid of my air hockey, pop a shot and multicade I’d have room for 20, if I got rid of my kids play diner area room for 22, get rid of the gym storage and work area and now I could have 30.
As is I’m happy with 7 at home and playing the rest on locations, in time I might end up with more or less who knows.
It sounds like you have a great entertainment area, enjoy it, don’t stress too much over which pin to get and have fun!
Oh, and share some pictures of your setup! I’d love to see the putting green, I’d like to get my dad one for his basement.

That’s hilarious, thanks for sharing!
Me and my daughter who was 7 at the time made trick shot videos on her toy hoop in our backyard as well during the pandemic, pretty sure we used the same hoop. The best one was me going down her kids rollercoaster and making the shot, she was filming and accidentally filmed in slow motion.
I will take a look at Big Moss thanks.

No one has gotten into it to the point they buy their own, but most enjoy playing when they come here. Several would like to but The price of a new pin and the maintenance of an older pin scares them off.
My wife plays a few times a week but won’t play the same game as me because I take too long.
My younger daughter at 5 almost 6 rarely plays but has enjoyed Guardians more than the others.
My older daughter at 9 plays more than my wife but less than me and was interested in playing in a kids tournament right before Covid.

One thing to keep in mind is you are going to be married to the game. If you pick a game and it doesnt gel, just sell it and move on to another. These days you wont even lose much. Dont over think this. Jump right in and start enjoying a game at home.

Unless your wife who doesn't even play that much pinball falls in love with it and says you can't get rid of it

Another set of opinions if you want:

How casual are we talking? Do you think you can teach your casual players the basics, to try to catch the ball or hold the flipper to roll it up the inlane and aim for a shot? Or are these the completely hopeless type that can only ever button-mash in panic every time the ball comes near?

The button-masher type gets nowhere with anything other than AFM or MM with a big bash thing up the middle. They won't get anything from Jurassic; the only things they'll hit by flailing are the truck and spinner, and neither does much. They'll blunder into making Feed the T-rex maybe one game in five. Forget aiming for any rescue shots, it won't happen. Honestly, pinball really just isn't the thing for button-mashers; they belong on an arcade beat-em-up like TMNT or Simpsons or some such.

If you can get casuals interested in learning the basics of competent play, then Jurassic Park is okay-ish. They might be able to start a paddock and make a couple rescues. But they're not going to get to any of the depth like navigating the truck or the control room or any of the real multiballs. They might capture one dino if you show them how, but the game doesn't really call that out as much of a big victory and doesn't really drive much desire to do it more or again. Up to you if you think that might be enough to commit to the game.

I know you said you didn't like Marvel, but a good Stern game for mildly-familiar casuals is Avengers Infinity Quest. It has a great concrete goal of winning gems from Thanos; everybody gets that instantly, particularly when they see the portal open (on the premium) and then the flashing shots are easy to follow. Casuals can try out different gem quests across different games, and will luck into a portal lock or Thor multiball every now and then, and might even come close to winning one gem, and if they do the game calls it out well and they immediately want to do more. I'd nominate AIQ as the single-game collection that would hold both casual and experienced interest the longest.

Covering a bunch of other ones mentioned:

I wouldn't throw Rush at casuals; the time machine isn't at all like the AFM/MM bash toys, it's a much narrower shot and it's a brickfest if you can't aim correctly. And playing the songs is kinda abstract and not intuitive like AIQ's gems. (This goes for all the dad-rock band pins - playing songs isn't interesting at all if you don't know/care about the music.)

TMNT has a brutal reputation, but casuals can play it kinda okay, they can often flail at the van enough to start an episode or multiball, and the different turtles let you start close to different features.

Ghostbusters is terrible - it has an extra-wide flipper gap that infuriates everybody.

GOTG is pretty decent for casuals - Groot is a great bash toy for starting multiball, and also modes continue if you drain, which is nicely forgiving. But of course you'd only want it if you like Marvel.

Stranger Things is okay at first but gets old quick, casuals will bash the demogorgon but that's all they'll do, they won't have the control to start missions or get anywhere in them.

Monster Bash isn't all that great for casuals, they'll start one monster at most, and won't hit Frank enough or the ramp to start multiball. Killer sound package though.

Cactus Canyon is fairly solid; if casuals can learn at least the basics of aiming, shooting down the bad guys is easy and fun, and they might hit the gold mine enough for multiball.

WCS94 is pretty good, everybody gets aiming at the goal.

Fish Tales is okay-ish but doesn't stand out.

I don't know Indy 500.

CFTBL is terrible for casuals; multiball is way too intricate to start and then it lasts three seconds with no ball saver.

I recently brought home a Mando and it has one huge thing going for it for casual players and kids, and that is multiball is very easy to start. Getting a "moment" like that for beginners really gets them excited and motivated to play more. At the same time, there is some decent depth and challenge for experienced players through the modes, playfield multipliers, and Foundry item strategy. As a bonus, Mando's are readily available on the new and used markets.

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My .02 that isn’t worth much. 1- A second pin is inevitable, lol. 2- Why not pick up a less expensive street level pin for the mashers? A black hole, spirit, embryon, black knight or the like. Or an old EM?

If that is the case, buy one off the used market from a trusted Pinsider. By the time you wait until 2024, the price then will match the price you'll pay now. Get your game now and avoid a 1+ year wait for the same price.

Re-reading the thread, you obviously love JP, so here's your 2-pin collection (it'll happen, trust me, nearly no one goes 1-pin):

1. To satisfy the JP itch and intermediate to advanced players: JP
2. For family fun players/button mashers: AFM or WCS

That's it in a nutshell : ) !