I'm a guy in my late 30's who grew up with pinball and arcade games. For a while, my family actually ran an arcade in the early 90's. After I got out of college, I bought a Hook pinball at an auction in 99, and have had it ever since. Here over the past 6-9 months I have gotten the bug to add another game. The problem is, I think that most of the new games absolutely stink.

I am fortunate that I get to travel for work and have played a lot of great new games like FT, IM, SMVE, TH, WoZ, ACDC, MET, etc at cool places like Box Car in Raleigh, 8-Bit Arcade near Seattle, and VUK Pinball here in Bethesda. Full Throttle was nice, but not to my liking. The JJP games, being wide bodies, felt very slow. I played Hobbit today at VUK and to be honest, it is very slow and plodding. I do like the overall construction on them. The new Stern games feel cheaply made and honestly, very "light" compared to my Hook, in that when I started flipping, the machines were scooting around. I know that ACDC and MET are highly rated, and I love their music, but the games just don't do it for me. Out of all of the newer machines, I actually like SMVE a lot. I know a lot of folks think of Hook as a lesser title, but it is better made and more fun than most of the newer titles out.

End rant. My question is, are there any games that you would recommend to me? My favorite pinball of all time it ToM. I am seriously considering just finding one and calling it a day, but I am struggling with the thought of an old game vs something much newer. I am excited to see what is coming out at Expo, particularly to see what JJP3 looks like and to be very candid, curious if Houdini ever gets off the ground (no flaming, please). I would also be interested in seeing what PPS releases as their next game, with interest in things like ToM, WH20, and MB.

Does anybody else feel like me? Any recommendations?

MMR is nice but it is not on my list. Outside of the games I listed above, I like Taxi, High Speed, Fish Tales and No Fear. Who knows, maybe I should go the other way and get a Sea Witch, and start a whole water theme for pinballs.

Really appreciate everybody's input on this. I have not played ST but will have to check that out.

I am trying to balance what I thought were/are good games from when I was a kid with the newer games. Nostalgia is not a factor for me, but I really do like build quality and the fun factor. Outside of SMVE, I really have not had that on a lot of the newer games.

This is going to sound silly, but one of the reasons that I have not bought TOM yet is that my daughter thinks the call outs are creepy. She has played it a few times on the iPad and is getting over that, but that still lingers. Interestingly enough, she things MB is hilarious.

It's funny, but I am not a nudger when I play. For whatever reason, when I played ACDC, MET, and LOTR today just playing them the games were scooting all over the place. I'm a big guy, but it was not like I was doing all the crazy things that I see people do with pinball machines. These games just did not feel as solid to me. Does the fact that they were Pro's make any difference? I am assuming not, but thought that I would ask.

There is a lot of wisdom in what you say but I think my wife would kill me if I tried to turn my basement into a full blown arcade. Hell, even my Hook is not down there. I might have to work on this some.

I've played Ghostbusters Pro and it was ok. I need to put some more time in on it.

None taken. I actually like Hook a lot. Got this one clean and bright, and it plays great and looks sharp. When Chad finishes the new ROM it is going to be even better.

Putting all of the JPOP mess aside, there is something appealing to me about a Houdini theme. Could be interesting

I have not. Will have to try and find one

For me, it's not a matter about learning Stern pin's rules. It's that I do not find a lot of them them very fun. Maybe I need to play premiums, but for whatever reason I have not enjoyed AC/DC, Met, LOTR, etc. I just did not enjoy the game plan. IM and GB were ok, and SMVE is actually pretty great. Probably just me....

You are a very kind to offer. Thank you very much. Let me see what happens over the next few weeks and I might ping you.

Back to watching Predator and drinking bourbon while sitting on the boat. Don't know where everybody is but it is gorgeous out here on the Chesapeake Bay tonight.

Forget pinballs, boats are where it's at!

The only thing that would be better is if the damn hippies across the cove at the YMCA singing campfire song would shut the hell up.

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Guys, really appreciate all of the comments and suggestions. Growing up as a kid and when we owned an arcade, I played pretty much everything that has come out from the late 70's through about 95. It's a lot of the newer stuff I have not had a ton of experience on. I have put in several hours on games like AC/DC and MET and they just don't do it for me. To each their own.

I am not in any rush and not looking to start a collection. I have had Hook since 99 and just got rid of my Galaga cocktail. I will keep playing the newer games to see if one speaks to me, monitor the new ones coming out, and keep my eyes out on the older ones on my list. Money is not really a concern but like the Knight says, the market is frothy and I am not just going to throw my money at the first thing that pops up to say I now have two games.

Thanks,

Matt

Sorry about the pic again. Can't edit it out from the iPad

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I had neglected Ripley's. It does seem like a lot of fun. Will have to track one down.