Almost no importance to me. Had WPT for five years along with TSPP in a two-game collection. I don't play poker and have never seen a Simpson's episode. I love DI and am not a big phone or tech guy. FT was a great game and I've only been fishing a couple of times. The list goes on.

Although...Milli Vanilli or Justin B might be pushing it for me.

The more I play the less I care what a theme may be. A good game is a good game. Theme seems to be more important to people just starting on their pinball journey. I still wouldn’t want a game with a theme I absolutely hated, but I’m fine with so so themed games.

Theme isn’t that important to me. If you don’t have the gameplay, it doesn’t matter how good the theme is.
When you do really like the theme and the gameplay is equally as good, it’s just icing on the cake!
With so many new pins being made, it’s almost impossible not to have both every once in a while. Almost as good as the 90s pins with Bally/Williams.

IMO, there's THEME and there's THEME INTEGRATION. They're different.

Example: Stern Star Wars is just a theme. I absolutely LOVE Star Wars as a theme, but is there anything there that really hooks you into Star Wars? Does it feel like Star Wars (answer is hell no).

Iron Maiden is theme integration. You may not be the biggest fan of the band, but wow, it just all makes sense.

I'd write more but I'm out of beer.

Theme is important to me but so is game play. A game like Iron Maiden I would buy cause it kicks ass. I do like their music but far from my favorite band. It’s great when the 2 come together like on Wh20 cause I tend to like outdoor themes and that’s my favorite game. I also have a Frontier and happen to like the game play but what drew me into more than anything else was the art and outdoor theme.

I own 4 space themed games so theme holds a lot of water. I also own CSI and bttf which both have shallow code, but I love the themes.

Yes, there's the giant hyperloop toy, the "exploding" Death Star toy, the light up Falcon, the "use the force" outlane ball save feature, tie fighter bash toy, etc. Combine that with licensed music, licensed actor audio and actor video and feels a hell of a lot like Star Wars, lol.

I can have fun playing any pin but for the ones in my home they have to be a theme that my wife and I enjoy looking at and playing.

The hyper loop is a rehashed HS2 turbo charger except this one blocks your view and I can run marathons more often than the Death Star explodes. The the Tie Fighter on some al dente Rigatoni does it's job (boing) but is less than spectacular and wow doest the light up Falcon just ooze excitement? No sir.

But there is a DVD or 2 playing in the background. That's cool.

To me theme is pretty important. For example, i owned and loved the family guy pin but couldn't stand the shrek pin. They are exactly the same game but different themes. So yeah, to me theme is pretty important.

Not very important. I own a golf pin, but I don't play or really even like the game of golf. I bought Metallica, but don't listen to their music.

Ok...I could literally say the same thing bad about any pin feature such as the ramps in Iron Maiden are like those in dozens of other pins and the shot on the backboard is a poor version of the LOTR ring shot that instead of the ball doing something cool just sadly falls down...lol. Seriously though I think both games have cool features and are loaded with references to their respective themes.

I'd never listen to the music on purpose. I don't hate it, but I don't hate many things....Life is too short for that...

I think theme is pretty important. I wouldn't own a Bally Kiss otherwise! Gameplay is a bit of a slog compared to other Bally games of the era, but man, the way they brought that theme to life makes it a keeper for me. But that's an older game, where you could sell 10,000+ units on theme alone. Things have changed, and now integrating the theme into the gameplay to provide an immersive game experience (as mentioned above) rules the day. I think Iron Maiden does a pretty good job of that, even this early in its life. Two very good examples of games that really epitomize theme integration, in my opinion, are CFTBL and TSPP.

IM- never seen the movie
GOT- never seen the show
Kiss- DO not own a single CD
Ghostbusters- Seen the movie loooong time age once or twice

Most of the time theme is not that important to me. Music is one area that kind of breaks that rule. If I don't like the band, it would drive me nuts to hear it all the time.

Not really.. gameplay lighting, , code and features matter most to me . Im.a fan of original themes vs licensed ones overall.

Possibly if its as good as my dile gameplay.... doubt we have to worry about super bad themes tho bc many do care and they wldnt sell.

Theme is very important to me. No way a WWE, racing game, or NBA game lands in my collection, regardless of gameplay. That said, I have a wide range of themes that I like. My game room is presently narrowly super hero and medieval themed, so I’ve been sticking close to that. Though medieval theme may give way to monsters in the near future given where I’m leaning right now.

A Theme can't save a pin, e.g. Bugs Bunny Birthday Ball, but it can definitely take a game over the top if the rest of the game is good.

If it's a good/great game the theme doesn't matter.

But slapping a great theme on a turd game just to sell a pin does.

Only a few (very few) have both great gameplay and theme.

Theme gets me over the line to buy NIB. It can also keep me from buying a title even if it is good (walking dead is a good example).

For a NIB buyer, theme holds more water than most other things. Especially being located in Australia where its a 'buy it now or miss out' situation. Its not like I can just go to TPF (or whatever other show) to see/play the next thing coming out.

Most themes are something that is secondary to the game itself and how much fun it is. On the other hand there are some themes that stand out as ones that I love and that makes those games even better and last longer in my collection. ACDC, SW, ST and WPT are examples. A handful of games have themes that I can't stand and literally no matter how good the game is, I would not want one in my collection. Family Guy, DI, KISS and SM78 are examples there.

Theme is important to me.

That being said there aren't a ton of themes I absolutely hate (although there are some). So there are a lot of great games where I'm indifferent to the theme.

The games I own I tend to love the themes.

Not important to me at all really. The only theme I’ve never been able to get over and past is Roller Coaster Tycoon. Ugh.

I have discovered that I am a theme horror. I like themes that I can relate to or are cheesy and fun. I tried to like IMDN but the music/theme just did not do it for me, same goes for KISS. Star Wars to me hits all the right buttons, great theme, great design and great code integration. GOTG hits my buttons with theme but gameplay is average- still enjoy it due to theme and music. Theme goes a long way for me.

Theme is a gamebreaker for me. To buy one. But having a theme tells nothing if you are not allowed to use everything you want to.

I think potc is one if the best pinball themes ever. But will never buy it cause of missing music, characters and videoclips. This is sad.

I don’t mind a theme or original concept that doesn’t elicit an emotion. I’m neutral to a lot of themes out there, WOZ brings forth some negative emotions. I probably wouldn’t want a Barbie or My little Pony game either. Iron Maiden seems fun but I’d literally have to explain to anyone that came to my house I’m not a fan but I just like the pinball. And for that I’m out. I bought a spot in line for a TNA instead. Not a fan of Nuclear Annihilation but it’s got a cartoon girl and bright lights so I can live with that. Theme doesn’t sell a game either or I’d have GOT and GOTG , but theme can definitely hurt if it hurts!

There’s a big difference between being “indifferent” to a theme and “disliking” a theme. Sounds like you’re the former when it comes to both of those themes, but think of a movie/band you absolutely can’t stand. Something that when it comes on you change immediately or cringe if you can’t... now put that on a pinball along with the worst things about it as the theme... pretty sure you wouldn’t buy it

I find that theme certainly helps the overall appeal of the pin Seeing a “24” pinball machine doesn’t seem interesting to me. The art is a contributor too.

There are theme whores and then there are people that aren't theme whores.
It only matters in eXtreme situations for me; I am one of the people whom own a IMDN and 'hate' their music. A new designer, fresh ideas, & cash in hand are why I bought it. Another horrible music game i owned, Metallica, was of course a great game. There are lame themes like Mustang that just don;t move the needle, and then there's "shit I would never put in my house" like WWE (for god sakes I've owned NF).
If IMDN was set up more like the Journey video game where i had to give a shit aboot the members and they were plastered on the PF that might be one thing, but as we've always said they have always had great artwork to go with their unknown selves (Althoguh I prob would have bought it anyway).

Right, but you've also decided in the few months it's been out that IMDN is the highest rated game of all time so you're judgement might be a bit cloudy

Maiden pinball is like Sofia Vergara.

I want both but I dont want to hear either.

I was happy to find the attenuation section of the adjustments that allow the 'music' to be turned down and call outs up.
I mean the music is kind of cute, it's not the worse thing in the world, but better down low.

This; however if the game is really fun, it will transcend the theme (good or bad). This is what happened with Iron Maiden.

Also, IMDN is not just a music pin like AS/MET/ACDC - Maiden has the built in mascot and all the worlds,the Legacy of the Beast game foundation, and lots of monster stuff!

I bought Dialed In after really not feeling the reveal at Expo Chicago. I dont regret it!

Theme is important to me. Mostly.

My arcade room is mostly centered around horror movie posters/photos/memorabilia with a little martial arts and sci-fi/fantasy also represented. My pins and video arcade games reflect that as well.

However, I would make an exception for a game such as White Water, which I would love to have someday.

As much as I want to own Batman 66 because of theme, I won't because of the pricing and Stern. So it goes both ways.

Though it's looking the application of code may save this game.

Seems like I am gravitating away from "licensed" pins in favor of original themes - specifically the B/W 90's DMD pins. They have a timeless quality whereas "Shrek" or "Tron" as licensed themes do have a shelf life..... in 10 yrs White Water will still be cool and Tron will largely be forgotten as a sci-if pop cultural phenomenon.

Ha no, you're ratings don't really matter much to me; they just show how much theme matters to people.

Theme was #1 to me, then I played DI.

i think the theme matters more on newer pins for sure. everyone is different, seen a few gamerooms molded around themes like horror or music or cars or sports. older stuff that isnt licensed is different. no desire for kiss or aerosmith cause the music isn't my favorite. its more than just theme, the sounds play alot into it. it all depends on owner. are they about a theme? or are they about cool pins. to each his own on what makes you like your gameroom.

Theme is very important to me. I won't buy a pin and dedicate the space for it in home if I don't like the theme.

That being said I won't buy a pin just because it's a theme I really like (I just cant justify the space for X-Files, just can't!).

I havent seen a pin I absolutely must have but hate the theme on. If I don't like the theme, I just pass and wait on a theme I can get into for NIB or just go on the hunt for a pin that I want which also has a theme that I like.

Also if its a theme that I like, it makes the game more fun to me even if its not the best gameplay around (like SST which I wouldnt like nearly as much if it were a theme I didnt like).

The exception to my theme rule would be pretty much all EMs. If I were to buy an EM I would just go for the best gameplay ones. I don't own one EM and if were to get one, it would just be to have one to represent that era of pinball in the gameroom not specifically for gameplay. But again pin space is valuable and I probably wont dedicate the space for one.

Theme matters to me, but in a sort of indirect way. Sound is the #1 factor for me in liking a modern game, if the sound or callouts suck, then there is really no saving it for me. Good example, I tried a Batman 66 yesterday for the first time with newest code, thought the sound absolutely sucked, barely managed to get thru 1 game, doubt I'll every play it again!

Theme matters in regards to attracting me and for home ownership consideration.

First impressions count. A dud theme that doesn't resonate will be struggling from that point onwards in terms of marketability.

It's a mistake that you see with some of these startups who think they can leave the product marketing and spruiking to the last minute when the initial machine theme has resulted in a less than favourable impression.