(Topic ID: 335454)

Tournament/competitive players - help us choose a pin

By Veemonroe

11 months ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 19 posts
  • 14 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 11 months ago by chuckwurt
  • No one calls this topic a favorite

You

Linked Games

Topic poll

“Which pin would you choose”

  • Star Wars 3 votes
    12%
  • Rush 3 votes
    12%
  • Jurassic Park 3 votes
    12%
  • The Walking Dead 11 votes
    44%
  • Something else... (please specify) 5 votes
    20%

(25 votes)

#1 11 months ago

I'm considering having a 'rotator', i.e. a pin that we change once in a while, alongside our permanent collection. We both play a lot in tournaments and in two regular leagues (albeit badly), and are keen to improve our play.

Our budget isn't mega-bucks - so we'd probably be looking at a second-hand Stern prem/pro, or a new pro.

My favourite pin I don't own is Stern Jurassic Park, but I've played Rush (Prem) on location in several places and it's growing on me, and I also hugely enjoy Stern Star Wars but am worried about the UK resale value due to the unbalanced scoring. I've been told The Walking Dead is among the best pins for improving ball control and tournament play, but I find it aesthetically terrible and hate the theme.

My husband's favourite pin (we no longer own) is Lord of the Rings (because it bores the sh*t out of me). Mine is Flash Gordon (my husband didn't like it). He enjoys Avengers: Infinity Quest and Harlem Globetrotters on Tour. I'm not a massive fan of Avengers: Infinity Quest myself, sadly, as it always feels a bit soulless compared to some of Elwin's other pins.

Please vote/suggest some pins! (our collection/my ratings is in my profile)

#2 11 months ago

Stars
Whirlwind
Stern Star Trek Pro
Walking Dead
Ironman

I suck... but these are popular tournament games / get gud games.

#3 11 months ago
Quoted from SantaEatsCheese:

Stars
Whirlwind
Stern Star Trek Pro
Walking Dead
Ironman
I suck... but these are popular tournament games / get gud games.

Thanks Stern Star Trek wasn't one we'd considered, although we enjoy it on the Pinball Arcade app, probably because I don't see them very often on location.

We have enjoyed the occasional one we've had the opportunity to play!

#4 11 months ago

I think those other games you listed are better than/equal to TWD for ball control. Star Wars is great to know for competition because a lot of people don't, but its rules are unique enough that some of the skills won't carry over to that many other games. Rush and JP both have excellent tournament rulesets and lots of shots... JP will probably train you better for shot making

#5 11 months ago

If you can find a nice fully working classic Bally/classic Stern I’d go that route. Knowing their “feel” in tournaments will go a long way long-term!
I push for collectors/tourney players to own one EM, as that is its own animal as well

#6 11 months ago

Actually I just looked at your collection and it’s pretty spread out.
If you are looking at newer, go Iron Man!

#7 11 months ago

Indy 500

#8 11 months ago
Quoted from Veemonroe:

Thanks Stern Star Trek wasn't one we'd considered....

That's a longer player.
I'd go with Walking Dead out of your choices. That can burn off lower players quick.

Quoted from Veemonroe:

We both play a lot in tournaments and in two regular leagues (albeit badly), and are keen to improve our play.
...Stern Star Wars but am worried about the UK resale value due to the unbalanced scoring. I've been told The Walking Dead is among the best pins for improving ball control and tournament play, but I find it aesthetically terrible and hate the theme.

So there's a lot to unpack here.
If you are really trying to get better at pinball, stop thinking aboot theme; That's collector talk. You're going to be playing in tournaments and playing a thousand games, 90% of them have stupid themes.

Also, there's nothing unbalanced aboot SW Scoring

#9 11 months ago

I wouldn't recommend Rush for tournament training. The reason is the right-side slingshot location, where it hangs out over the flipper more than usual, to accommodate the double right inlane. This has a significant effect on catching and controlling balls and it'll throw you off when you move to something else.

Agreed on the consensus not recommending Star Wars. It's only about speed, there's not much variety of shots or ball movement.

Would you consider Deadpool? That would be a good choice I think - good variety of shots and rebounds to control balls. (That's where Godzilla might fail this request - most missed shots and feeds come back to the flippers pretty calmly.) The only thing Deadpool doesn't have is an upper flipper to train you on that kind of shot.

#10 11 months ago

While I think Star Wars is the hardest game I own and always play it prior to league to improve my reaction time, I would get a 3 flipper game as those jackpots can help you separate yourself from other players.

So in your list Rush or JP. I think JP is less forgiving. If 3 flippers doesn't hit you as valuable I would pick TWD in your list.

I like classic games and have won a few rounds because they do play different but skill on modern games tends to win more.

#11 11 months ago

Of the games on your list, I would choose Rush pro. It's a great tournament game & will definitely help develop ball control skills & shot accuracy. TWD is a great tournament game too, but I'm right there with you on theme/art. I can't stand the looks of it. You might consider Iron Maiden pro or Deadpool pro. Both are great tournament games as well. There are many older games to consider too. Most of the late 70s/early 80s Bally games, while very shallow & similar, are good for developing tournament skills. Same goes for Williams System 11 games, especially Taxi. Taxi is a fantastic tournament game.

#12 11 months ago
Quoted from Pin-Bob:

Taxi is a fantastic tournament game.

Pardon the interruption, OP, but I'd like to ask Pin-Bob how tourney's handle the jackpot value on Taxi. Is it locked in at a set value? As far as your original question, OP, I'm not a tourney player, but having watched a lot of tourney videos and reviews of my new pinball purchase (Ripley's Believe It or Not), I'm thinking it might be a useful addition to your lineup. It has the upper right flipper mentioned above by the veterans, and it is generally regarded as a "player's pin". Again, I don't know what I'm I'm talking about when it comes to tourney play, but RBION sounds like it might fit the bill.

I'll also add some love for RUSH Pro.

#13 11 months ago

Stern jp or stern nascar

#14 11 months ago

Voted TWD, has the most straight forward rules of any of the games listed and is an ass kicker, perfect for competition.

#15 11 months ago

Iron Man. Drop Catch, Live Catch, Loop Pass, Stacking, multiple ways to score points, 1 ball is all you need.

#16 11 months ago

Thanks! Put up a Wanted ad on the UK forums asking for a variety of pins mentioned here, inc. Iron Man, TWD, Whirlwind, JP2 and Rush.

#17 11 months ago
Quoted from Evets:

Pardon the interruption, OP, but I'd like to ask Pin-Bob how tourney's handle the jackpot value on Taxi. Is it locked in at a set value? As far as your original question, OP, I'm not a tourney player, but having watched a lot of tourney videos and reviews of my new pinball purchase (Ripley's Believe It or Not), I'm thinking it might be a useful addition to your lineup. It has the upper right flipper mentioned above by the veterans, and it is generally regarded as a "player's pin". Again, I don't know what I'm I'm talking about when it comes to tourney play, but RBION sounds like it might fit the bill.
I'll also add some love for RUSH Pro.

For taxi and most system 11s you need a modded rom to make the jackpots consistent across all players.

#18 11 months ago
Quoted from Evets:

Pardon the interruption, OP, but I'd like to ask Pin-Bob how tourney's handle the jackpot value on Taxi. Is it locked in at a set value? As far as your original question, OP, I'm not a tourney player, but having watched a lot of tourney videos and reviews of my new pinball purchase (Ripley's Believe It or Not), I'm thinking it might be a useful addition to your lineup. It has the upper right flipper mentioned above by the veterans, and it is generally regarded as a "player's pin". Again, I don't know what I'm I'm talking about when it comes to tourney play, but RBION sounds like it might fit the bill.
I'll also add some love for RUSH Pro.

You can set a minimum jackpot & a maximum jackpot on Taxi. For tournaments, I usually set both to 500,000.

#19 11 months ago
Quoted from Pin-Bob:

You can set a minimum jackpot & a maximum jackpot on Taxi. For tournaments, I usually set both to 500,000.

Didn’t know this was a stock feature. Makes no sense why they didn’t do this for all games. Would make life much easier for tournament directors.

Promoted items from the Pinside Marketplace
7,000 (OBO)
Machine - For Sale
West Lafayette, IN
$ 130.00
Flipper Parts
Pin Monk
Flipper parts
€ 7.50
Flipper Parts
Pin-Decals
Flipper parts
From: $ 11.00
8,200 (OBO)
Machine - For Sale
Modesto, CA
$ 19.00
$ 69.50
Playfield - Other
Precision Pinball prod.
Other
€ 50.00
Playfield - Toys/Add-ons
Pino Pinball Mods Shop
Toys/Add-ons
$ 27.00
Playfield - Other
Pin Monk
Other
$ 69.99
Playfield - Toys/Add-ons
Lighted Pinball Mods
Toys/Add-ons
€ 7.50
Playfield - Decals
Pin-Decals
Decals
$ 19.95
Playfield - Toys/Add-ons
ULEKstore
Toys/Add-ons
$ 109.95
Playfield - Toys/Add-ons
Hookedonpinball.com
Toys/Add-ons
6,999
Machine - For Sale
West Chicago, IL
$ 29.00
Boards
RoyGBev Pinball
Boards
$ 12.99
Lighting - Led
Mitchell Lighting
Led
$ 12.95
Lighting - Led
Mitchell Lighting
Led
11,500
Machine - For Sale
Ashburn, VA
$ 104.00
Playfield - Toys/Add-ons
Lermods
Toys/Add-ons
From: $ 25.00
Cabinet - Sound/Speakers
PinEffects
Sound/Speakers
$ 30.00
Playfield - Toys/Add-ons
Drumstarr mods
Toys/Add-ons
$ 25.00
Playfield - Plastics
ULEKstore
Plastics
$ 24.00
Playfield - Protection
Pinhead mods
Protection
$ 10.00
Cabinet - Other
Pyramid Pinball & Arcade
Other
$ 19.00
Cabinet - Other
Pin Monk
Other
$ 18.95
Eproms
Pinballrom
Eproms
From: $ 99.99
Cabinet - Other
Lighted Pinball Mods
Other
$ 14.95
Playfield - Toys/Add-ons
ULEKstore
Toys/Add-ons
From: $ 150.00
Displays
PinballSolutions.eu
Displays
From: $ 50.00
Playfield - Toys/Add-ons
Diddy's Pinball Mods
Toys/Add-ons
Hey modders!
Your shop name here

Reply

Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

Donate to Pinside

Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/tournament-competitive-players-help-us-choose-a-pin and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.