I like both the older Williams 90s game but also the new Stern titles. Have you looked at a MMR?

Honestly, anything listed so far would be fun to have.

Why get a NIB?

New games have issues
Old games have issues
Buy a game that appeals to you, put a bit of work into the machine,it will then give you years of fun

Id try to find a ToM, Getaway, or Fish Tales

I just bought my first new Stern (TWD) after previously owning Baywatch and Monopoly, neither of which lasted very long in my collection. After having moved TWD into the basement, I'd have a hard time calling it "light".

you can not go wrong with your gut . Theatre of Magic is and all time classic . Win Win . I have owned 2 . Creature from the Black Lagoon is a great machine as is Fish tales . Good value for the dollar . Hook was great . If I did not have space issues Hook would still be in my collection. It so hard to tell someone what to buy as I don't know you. Newer Stern I guess I would recommend a STAR TREK Limited Edition . The lighting is fantastic. JJP If you are going to get one Wizard of OZ LE or Ruby . Not much help but these are all fun . Good luck ,Peace

Star Trek Premium is an amazing game. Apparently it is also ending its run soon. That is a very solid recommendation which I second.

The older pins to me are better and hold up just as well as the new sterns. I was buying newer sterns for the past year or so but have since been trading them off to get my grail pins like afm, mb and mm . I couldn't be happier wuth my decision. Get what u like and dont worry about if its new or old. Good luck

If you think new games stink, there's at least a thousand others to choose from.

ToM rules, but for the same money you could pick up a couple of sweet 80's games (and maybe an EM for spice) and have a lot more variety for your buck. Plus you get the thrill of the hunt.

It's getting so I can hardly wait to see how far back they go with these licenses.

We are now in the 60s, but how cool would it be if they started licencing movies and bands from the 30s and 40s?

Not really. The premium may have a few extra parts, the weight of which would be negligible compared to the weight of the machine.

Unboxed weights:

TWD: 260 lbs.

The Shadow: 250 lbs.
TAF: 290 lbs. (Feature heavy)
ST:TNG: 300 lbs. (Wide body)

I agree with star trek or maybe ghostbusters as that is directly during your childhood

BTW: you sound a lot like me and I like both of them

Think about it; four pinball machines, in your house....

Then don't buy a TOM

Stop looking for that one perfect game

Workout how much you want to spend, make a list of 6-8 games that you like and within your budget, then wait until the right machine cone up close to you

no offense, but if you can appreciate Hook you can appreciate any newer Stern

edit to add- and for the love of God please dont buy a Houdini

I'm a big pinball slut and like almost everything. Go for the Theatre of Magic and make yourself happy.
Cheers and Good Luck!
PChop

Agreed. Honestly, every pin is fun to some extent. Stop over thinking it, if you have your heart set on a TOM, then get one. Or for the same amount you could buy 2 really good Data East's. You really can't go wrong. SMVE is a beautiful game. Start with that, then when your wife approves of it, buy two more...

Grab a used pin off someone and just make sure you get a fair deal. Play it for however long it takes till you're done with it, and then sell it -then on to the next one.
Not all pins are keepers, but that doesn't mean you won't love them for a little while.

Oh I wish I had this problem, not knowing what machine to get. I have a problem knowing what machine not to get. I have to avoid craigslist for months at a time for fear of buying another machine I have to fix and house.

Good luck and I agree with Chambahz above. Get a fair deal so you can move it along at a fair deal and not worry about losing a bunch of money.

FT, IM or WNBJM ( PC )just pure basher fun

Get what you like. If you like TOM, get it. Kids will probably not play as much as you and you are the parent. You are the one spending the cash so do want you want. I think you need to give Stern games another chance. I first thought they looked cheap and were inferior to older B/W pins. Some are not very good but some are awesome. It really helps to learn the rules. That's pretty much true with any pinball. The more you know how to play the more fun it is. They do play a bit different and have a different feel. The great thing is that they are very reliable and deep in rules. Makes for a great home pin.

The problem is that they never actually bother to explain what the rules are so you really don't know what you're buying until after you've had the game for months and worked out the rules yourself by trial and error (and many, many drains caused by reading the DMD instead of watching the ball).

Have you played/considered The Shadow? I recommend.

That's not accurate at all. There are a ton of instructional videos online. Pinball with the Pros, and the Papa tutorials that Bowen does.
I actually prefer to watch those videos a number of times before buying a game, so I can see the intended "flow" of a good game. -if that makes sense.

FT= Fishtales

That's my point. The rules are explained in hours upon hours of videos- online, and mostly by third parties. You should not have to go online just to find out the basic rules of a physical game sitting in front of you. Pre-2000, manufacturers used to have instructions on the playfield and instruction cards that had genuinely useful information- as opposed to Stern's vague 'instructions':

15f72f1d42aece88a4c4be34348f41d10d30e562[1] (resized).jpg

The worst part is that Stern actually do know how to get this right. Exhibit A: Lord of the Rings. They just can't be bothered when it comes to newer games. Much more profitable to put the effort into lowest-common-denominator marketing stunts and jacking up the prices.

Nope imo you are correct.... the b/w pins are just more fun to play and have more personality and character. Ive been selling /tradeing my sterns for older pins- imve for afm and acdc luci for mb and couldn't be happier. I tried to love the stern pins but other are just more fun to play imo. I am keeping twdp and met tho for some deeper pins.

Again your not far away so your welcome to come by and try out what i have

I would go for what's on Wishlist you can't go wrong, look for TOM an u will be proud you got one.

Its beautiful out for sure....

3 of the most highly rated games of all time... I'd say you probably need to give them another chance. How many plays do you have on them? Sure, they aren't for everyone, but these titles are among the Sterns that convinced many of the B/W snobs to take Stern for real. I can't think of a "game plan" on these machines that isn't fun, unless you fail at it lol.

AC/DC is a pure adrenaline rush, I wouldn't rule it out of being fun until you've cashed a 50+ mil jackpot... what a rush.
Metallica is the total package, tons of "personality and character". Gameplay is fun and the artwork/dots are among the best ever. Lots of shots (10, with only 2 flippers!)... it has both low hanging fruit and hard to reach goals.
LOTR has some of the best mulitballs in pinball, and is a really well polished machine, whitestar audio limitations aside. Best ruleset in pinball.

In the end, it all comes down to how you like to play pinball and which themes interest you. If you like Spider-man, you might like Star Trek. If you are a more casual player, sticking to B/W might be the best bet as Sterns tend to require that you put in a bit more effort to experience all that they offer.

Boats and hoes ......lol

I have been finding more fun in the simpler games lately. I have a Comet I keep playing. Late 70s Bally are pretty awesome. I have been getting into EMs a bit as well. Best part about EMs is they are cheap and quick and fun.

Sometimes I don't need a 15 minute game with a bunch of different rules. I need a straightforward, fast and fun game.

Yep i agree which why i been getting pins like afm and mb with awesome theme and straight fwd rules that are just plain fun with tons of character . There are just enough rules there for it to not get boring if set up properly but yet you know what you need to do and know its achievable .

HS II, T2, or WH20 are good starting titles for new collectors.
Especially when "souped up" either with some tweaking or even a PinSound board.
FT is a companion game for WH20, but is not necessarily the first game I would suggest.
From Stern, RBION is also a good keeper.
From Capcom, PM 3X better than ToM at half the cost.
If you are partial to older titles from the 80s, EBD or Flash Gordon are always winners.
You do not have to spend $7-10K for a good game in superb condition.

Many of the new potential owners I introduced pinball to over the years, I always suggested WH20, and they were never disappointed.
Unless you want to get bored fast, stay away from JPop games such as ToM and TOTAN, they are pretty but have little "one more game" potential in the long run. CV is also a pretty game with more depth, but does not appeal to entire families for the cost.

Read my review comments for ideas across the spectrum of game manufacturer titles I have owned.

Plenty of choices.

Try a few Ballys for the Golden Age (80's): Centaur, Fathom, Medusa, 8 Ball Deluxe, Flash Gordon, Black Pyramid... you may fall in love with them. Easy to understand, Hard to master.

If sticking to recent DMD, try Star Trek

Considering older DMD? Doctor Who, BSD