Don’t feel too sad.. your collection makes me jealous

I mean, have you actually played one? Quite frankly, it's not a great game in my opinion. So, to answer you, no, I don't really want one. I'd rather have a Cyclopes to actually play. Curious why you want one so badly?

I like it, honestly more so because of its rarity and it is a work of art for sure. Mine has full LEDs and the LED OCD boards, powdercoating and custom topper. The history behind it make it pretty cool too. I drove from TN to LA to pick it up in person several years ago. Family thought I was nuts, lol.

Rarity, cool art, and cool sounds, check. Gameplay, eh so-so. Nope, I will still pass. You don't play the art.

Thank you for explaining. I do understand how art and other features are very important to some. I suppose I am constantly surprised people would rather own games like this over games that cost a lot less and play a lot better. TAF, Funhouse, WCS, BSD, HS2, I500, Jackbot, AFM, TS, TWD, Taxi, ect... Pinball takes up a lot of space and if you play it all the time, it takes a lot to keep games working perfectly. So, my sensibilities to those things start to take over all other considerations when I look at buying and owning any game. I was lucky enough to have played one hundreds of times though so, I guess that matters to me a lot. I would rather own something that I feel that I have not completely played out hundreds of times, also while keeping the price around what a good newer Stern costs. I do hope you do find one, it is a fun design.

Gameplay is subjective. I think BBB is a great playing machine. I understand if someone who only played one at a show and never got the home use private environment with the black light and sound turned up may not think so.

I understand your thought but I've played the game a lot. I've played 3 different examples in fact... all of which were set up exactly as you described. Good game, not one worth owning to me. You know, subjective. My positive or negative feelings for games are not just mine. Just like yourself, I've been playing pinball daily for the better part of 20 years at shows, in leagues, private collections, on location, or just locally hanging out. The MAJORITY of my local and regional pinball friends all share similar sentiments regarding bang for your buck these days... of course, there are always exceptions.

I did not write those things above because I am the only one that feels this way, I wrote them because it surprises me that a large percentage of pinball people in the larger worldwide pinball community would feel so strongly in the opposing direction. If your comment was not directed at me, I apologize in advance.

I do realize things have changed. Back in the day, the most valuable games were typically the best ones. That's certainly no longer the case. I mean, look at the selling prices for BTTF and TFTC. I could not get rid of those games fast enough after owning each for a year or two. These days, people are fighting for them. I honestly have no idea why though. The themes are cool as hell but they play like dogshit. These observations may or may not apply here, just wanted to explain my comments are well thought out. Not just spouting off that a game is a stinker or, is absolutely amazing.

I mean "who deoesn't want one" is right in the ad. Guess I just fell for it.

I certainly respect your view points and comments and know all of your posts are always well thought out.

BBB is an unusual game, Capcom had to re-engineer the flippers, drops, and pops due to their litigation with Bally/WMS. For this reason it feels unusual and sounds a bit “off” to people (frequently for reasons they can’t identify well). That said, the Capcom engineering was superior to B/W in many respects…it’s just only seen in a few games so people aren’t use to it. Try hitting that steep BBB ramp with a B/W flipper…it won’t happen, not enough strength in B/W flippers to handle the BBB ramp.

BBB has a great geometry, great dots, great call outs, great music, and nothing short of a superior art package. The only beef people really have with it is the code, code could have used more polish. Also, most of the BBB do not have an LED driver board due to the re-engineering issue making those boards more than slightly difficult to fabricate. They are unobtainium (I happen to have two, as I wanted a backup but I wouldn’t sell my back up LED driver board for $1,000). Since you can’t get the LED driver boards, the flicker of the light show is usually awful…mine is wonderful though, better than Stern SAM for sure.

No one is going to remake BBB…just look at all the drama Stern is dealing with due to adult matters in Bond movies for scenes that won’t even be in the game…CGC isn’t going to want to deal with that sort of issue. Further, Capcom isn’t interested in licensing it out for a remake, they don’t want the social criticism and are not proud of their pinball past regardless…they view pinball as a total failure for their company.

AFM may be a better game (due to having better code) than BBB, but do you want to collect one of an unlimited number of AFM machines or one of 190 BBBs…I love discussing my BBB and it’s story with guests, I’ve owned an AFM and it’s not as much fun to talk about with guests. BBB can scratch the collector itch like little else in the hobby.

It’s a novelty, but a fun game. Plus, you’ll always get your $$ back when you sell. If it were 5 or 6 grand, nobody would complain about it.

Love BBB, wish I had one.
Pinball is subjective, right?
Good luck to you finding one. I'd trade 2 of anything I have for one. Love the artwork, gameplay, story, Capcom quality and feel.
So very cool in a nice collection.

16657898036816592983891992571064 (resized).jpg

I bought one from PMI and owned it for 7 years, played it a lot the first year then the next six were occasional games and using it as a go-to game in league.

It's a decent but not great playing game. It needs mode-scoring balance work, most of the modes aren't worth shooting their shots. OTOH the bottom tube dancer mode was very exploitable with constant ramp backhands. Wizard mode can be cheesed by plunging balls just off the shooterlane switch and stacking them up.

I agree the art, tunes and voices are great, and the 2-ball multiball is really fun, but like Snyper said, the gameplay doesn't come close to justifying it's price.

Gameplay vs cost is a deep hole..
Happy Halloween, y'all.

Have a good chuckle on comment you don't play the art.

Premium paid for excellent cosmetics a example of spend the money for something that suits your tastes. No effect gameplay.

Game purchases should be driven with get what you like. Humor, art, gameplay, depth rules, light show, defect free cabinet or playfield, spousal acceptance all factors. Some more important for some than others. Buy what floats your boat and behappy.

Good luck with your quest.
Shane

I want one too. I will pay 1 dollar more than this guy....

In fairness, does the gameplay justify the price of any machine in the $10,000+ market. For 10k you could take a family of four to Disney for a week.

If you are going to have a pin in a prominent location in your house, artwork matters. You wouldn’t want a photo shop job like a CSI over a gorgeous game like a BBB that is black light reactive. You may not play the art but the art package matters for something displayed as prominently as a pin.

I would rather have the BBB neon sign than the actual game. It is beautiful for sure, but not the greatest player.

I’ve always wondered how this game would’ve end up with completed software, callouts, ect. It was definitely heading down right path

I don't judge like that, it's more "would I rather have this 10K game, or these other two 5K games or a different 10K game?" I replaced BBB with several games that each individually I found to be more entertaining. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed BBB, put probably a thousand plays on it the first year, but it's played out and a game I never need to own again.

I don't put pins in "prominent locations" in my house.. I put them in every conceivable space they'll fit. Yeah, artwork matters in that nice games get put on row ends while ugly ones get middle of the row placement.

The difference between a player and a collector.

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/ad/144669

Found one for you!!!!

Way way too much for a BBB

50k by xmas!

That's for sure lol

Make it 1 OP...!!!...........Joey

I don’t,I had one don’t miss it one bit,i believe the last one I saw was 30.000 ,I only wish I still had it because of its Value.

Go for it but it really is a lot of hype and history!

Yes good point very very hard too find or remade when only 191 ever made not sure if they will make them because of the low number

I have a NOS spare. I’d trade it for a Mando topper!

33k is crazy for this game

If I had the room for any, I'd buy pinball machines based on looks and gameplay in equal measure. Ugly game, amazing gameplay - nope. Amazing art, boring gameplay - nope. These are monstrous toys that occupy a lot of real-estate in your home. Better have looks AND personality.

BBB is a looker no doubt, but has a quirky personality.

Maybe you’re the one to have bought the last one for sale at 33k : if you are congrats. This pinball is amazing.
Everyone can have an opinion (of course) on BBB but there is a reason why it’s so rarely for sale (and rarer and rarer) once at home people love to play it and the art is one of the best ever. At home and at my friend, this one the main attraction. My friend who owned one kept it 8 years and only sold it because money was needed for other reasons.

Capcom brand was really something, too bad it didn’t last long.

Crazy cheap you mean to say. No artificial scarcity with that title. I wouldn’t sell mine for 33k. (Since there is no true club thread for BBB, I’ll show mine off in here).

431A8344-F578-44C7-9B8D-3C1B5D617FC5 (resized).jpegA044D0B9-8712-4BCE-889B-B38022D75A23 (resized).jpegD979DCE7-340E-46A7-A9DD-09484FA855A0 (resized).jpegA660C553-4371-49E6-8F67-3424E2EF3C25 (resized).jpeg

This is something I worry about, but man do I hope this isn't true. Really want to own this one day.