One more question... I just learned that the owner has not replaced the batteries in this game since buying it 16 years ago. Is TSPP one that’s prone to battery damage if they’re not changed? Thanks

Yes, but put nvram in and never worry about batteries again. It’s plug and play for tspp.

Just make sure prior to buying to open up the backbox and check the batteries for leakage. If they have leaked on to the PCB this can cause some serious damage with ditto costs.

You can indeed go for a NVRam but another option if you wanna retain the history is to install energizer lithium AA batteries which will not leak. Replace the batteries with game turned on !!

Picked up my first TSPP tonight and super excited about it. Any must-mods for this title?

Go through this thread.

For reliability or fun?

Reliability is mainly around the couch weld fix. Search for it in this thread, but Pinball Life and others carry it.

IMHO, ColorDMD is a must. This pin is perfect for ColorDMD.

For fun, that’s entirely subjective, but this thread might help: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/simpsons-pinball-party-mod

In the less critical realm, I recently picked up an LEDOCD board for mine and I’m glad I did. LEDs in Whitestar era games can be a stuttery mess. The LEDOCD smooths them out to look similar to incandescents, growiing bright and dim smoothly.

Regardless of your choices, I’m sure you’ll love it. Look back in this thread for my visual representation of the rules. There’s a lot to digest with TSPP.

Congrats! TSPP is such a deep game to own! Color DMD is a nice upgrade for sure. Cliffy protectors for your ramps, if you don’t already have them, and some type of Simpson’s universe art blades. I like the ones by Silly Old Elf available from his Pinside store, but there are many styles. You can search different mods here or on mod company websites, or simply search for Simpsons toys you like and add whatever floats your boat! I like the Duffman figure and beercan mod, and the alternate Comic Book Guy where he is a superhero. Have fun!

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My new topper ... I think it's pretty cool and something different

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Looking for a NOS upper playfield. Let me know if you have one you'd sell. Thanks Dan

I was thinking more for fun, but really appreciate the schooling in the reliability side as well. Will look into the couch weld fix for sure.

One problem I’ve already noticed is the school bus kickout seems to bounce off the rail and go right back into the saucer. I haven’t adjusted the back legs so not sure if a little steeper angle will fix this. Anyone else seen this and know the fix? I searched it but didn’t find anything.

Thanks, and thanks pinkitten for the mod advice as well.

Brian

Haven't seen that myself, but the bubble level is what you should use for setting up the correct steepness. Use a bubble level (or even your phone) to check for side-to-side level.

This is addressed in the latest code. What version are you running?

Running 4.0, but just ordered 5.0 rom set. So the new code adjusts the strength of the saucer kickout?

Yes.
Changes from Game ROM v4.00
—————————
– *** THIS GAME ROM REQUIRES DISPLAY VERSION 5.00 OR HIGHER. ***
– Mystery award no longer gives the same award back-to-back in competition
mode.
– Mystery award no longer lights extra ball if one was already lit.
– Mystery award no longer lights special if one was already lit.
– Kwik-E-Mart standup now changes digits correctly in competition mode.
– HSTD Reset now also resets Grand Champion (there is now no way to manually
erase the non-grand-champion scores, they will reset themselves only on
the HSTD Reset Count adjustment). This is to address not being able to
change the default grand champion score.
– If an Otto award gets stacked in the display queue, it will now show the
correct shot that was doubled (previously it would generally always show
upper playfield at 2x scoring if it was queued).
– Homer’s TV-lit speech now takes priority over Krusty’s quotes again, and
will also be heard if the display effect doesn’t get to run.
– TV start effects now stack after combo and other awards.
– Couch lock and multiball start animations now stack after combo and other
awards.
– Major award events (e.g. TV mode start, Otto award, Treehouse awards) now
only hold up the device they are associated with, not all kicking devices.
– Combo awards now awarded before anything else on a given shot.
– Itchy and Scratchy eject now double-checks to make sure the targets are
actually down before trying to eject the ball. It also waits until any
drop target reset process is complete before kicking.
– Otto eject now has more low-power kick table entries.
– Couch multiball start lamp effect now called from the display effect.
– Couch multiball start lamp effect now goes away properly if the start
display effect is blown off.
– New U.S. default pricing, 1/.75, 3/$2.00

——————————————————————————

Joined the club today! I'd let you know how it played if the kids would let me touch it! It was better than advertised (no wear on flipper buttons with Mylar protecting them), came with surprise side blades (which I installed poorly), OCD LEDs, and a cool itchy and scratchy cartoon mod. Gotta watch some tutorials because there is alot to do on this machine. Other than a little shooter lane wear and my bad side blade installation (removable), it's perfect!

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Looking good! Welcome.

Thanks!

One question for the crowd. Anyone have a link to some good printable instructions cards for this one?

Here's the originals: https://www.ipdb.org/files/4674/Stern_2003_The_Simpsons_Pinball_Party_Instruction_Cards_Multi_Language_.pdf

EDIT: My bad--just realized that you already got the originals. If you're looking for more colorful instruction cards with imagery, I'm sure somebody else here has them.

Looks great! That TV mod looks like the original version I started making about 5 years ago. Nice to see it's still going strong! I switched to a 3D print version about 3 years ago (I think), and they're still selling well!

Pinballcards.com has some nice ones.

Yes it does! Huge difference and thank you.

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Joined the club this week as well!

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So, what are these pins getting in price these days?

Hope you enjoy it. If I wasn't moving, I would have keep it forever.

One question on the garage for the group. Everything was working when I got it, but I'm having issues with the garage now. When you hit it, it doesn't always stay open... it usually pops up and then just closes. It's like the vuk engages but doesn't stay. I lifted the mini playfield and see no spring, and looking under the playfield the VUK appears to be functioning normally. Before I start disassembly, I wanted to know if this was a common issue with an easy fix, or if you guys had any pointers.

Thanks and loving the game!

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There was an upgraded coil recommended by stern to fix issues with the garage door. Mine has a similar issue where it doesnt open all the way sometimes. Gets worse with longer play times.

Dug into the issue based on the service bulliten. I have the old coil, but after reading more on the related posts, taking it apart and putting it together with a slight bend, it seems to be working fine.

Now that I have a working machine I can play again... AGHHHH... 1 shot away from Alien Invasion. I'll get you mini wizard mode.

I can't help myself and bought some replacement side blades (the glue on these is bad and they are literally taped up (and falling down/ripping)), a tree house mod, and some stickers for the targets.

Someday I'll replace you default high scores.

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Your treehouse should arrive by Saturday.

The treehouse mod is awesome. I just received mine last week.

Just installed. It inspired me to get my all time high score of 40 million. Shouldnt last long.

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Anybody know the factory outlane settings on this game? Here is what mine look like.20200426_060543 (resized).jpg

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The manual shows the stock locations. I took a screen shot of it, which is somewhere in the photo gallery. Let me know if you can’t find it. Was within the past few months.

Couldnt find your reference but found this in the manual. Im guessing this is stock unless you guys tell me otherwise. Third up on the left and 2nd up on both right outlanes.

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Dang it. Found a reference from a hou owner. Mine is factory set up.

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Had a crazy three-ball only game--completed Alien Invasion, Secret Stash, Daredevil Mania, and Scratchy's Revenge. Started Mystery Spot twice but failed to complete it, and had only collected 2 of the 3 Couch super jackpots. Also reached Pretzel Multiball, which I haven't seen in a while.

I love trying to complete all 7 TV modes to make every shot worth 2.5M in victory laps. Bring in some 2X multipliers and you can really blow things up. Managed to do that earlier in the game.

I agree with Keith--if things go well, you can blow through many of the tasks fast. You can take out potentially three of the six by bringing Secret Stash and Daredevil Mania into Invasion. Awesome game.

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I got my highest score ever last week... a whopping 42M.... :/

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Got the new blades in. Pin is officially done and ready for enjoyment.

I need to get blades and a colordmd. Looks so good.

How hard are the blades to put on? I've never done it before. In assume you have to take the playfield out?

You don’t have to take the playfield out, although some do. You can remove the balls, and raise the pf all the way up and rest it against the head. The next step is best with 2 people, at least, that’s how my wife and I apply art blades. She takes one end and I take the other, keeping it tight. She places the decal about 1/8 inch from trim piece in the rear of the cabinet, and we both make sure the blade is 1/8 or 1/4 inch BELOW the channel for the playfield glass. If you install the blade too high, with the glass touching the top of the blade, it will peel away. Keep it 1/4 inch or so below the channel. Then, when she says it’s almost to the back of the cabinet, without touching the trim back there, we both stick the blade at each end while keeping it pulled tight. Then we meet in the middle and smooth it down. We’ve been installing blades for about 3 years, probably 30-40 blades by now. I’ve tried it alone and it went so-so. But our 2-person system works for us. You may like a different method. Also, I highly recommend the removable plastic blade protectors that you slide in between the playfield and blades whenever you raise the playfield. On many games, it’s very tight. You will damage the blades and waste $75-90. The protectors are around $35-40 I think. Well worth it. Good luck!

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/art-blades-wet-method-apply-is-amazingly-easy

I did it in about 20 minutes by myself. Here is a write up I did on installing this set. This was my 5th or so set.

Thanks you two! And an extra thanks for the protector info - didn't even know that was a thing!

I've been a TSPP owner for many years. Bought the game NIB from Jersey Jack before JJP existed. Never did any mods to the game until I found myself with so much extra time due to stay at home orders here in NJ. I read every post in this topic (that took up so much time in itself) and saw all the great mods that you guys have done, and what was available. So I started with a stock machine and several weeks later this is what I have. As you can see I kind of went mod crazy. It could be called cluttered and chaotic, but it's growing on me. In addition to what you see in the pics I installed full LED light kit and colorDMD.
So a little late, but glad to be part of the club.

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The flasher dome is still there by the pops.

I sell an "In Rod We Trust" and a living room Lampstand for the two flasher domes along the left.

BTW, Tradingbill has a couple of my mods, but to be clear, that's not the monorail I sold a while back. We're still kicking around ideas to modify it and possibly bring it back. We keep getting emails about it.

I think he may have stolen that from me! Although I probably stole most of these from everyone else

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Sorry for the thievery. I looked at so many posts with so many machines, and copied what I liked the best.
I like that lampshade. I ordered the treehouse and the TV from Sparky, but I never noticed the lampshade.
I assume your Mr Burns is the WOS figure with the legs cut off??
Great looking machine!

It is. His legs are cut off. I got that from someone else! Thanks for the compliments. I have had this since 2004 nib. How goes the monorail feel during gameplay. I wasn’t sure if that would obstruct any of the shots?

Tradingbill- Where is the most important mod of all? The Quik-E-Mart sign? Looks crazy!