Taxi. Game can be over in less than a minute if you're not on your toes. Plus it is like iron man in the fact you basically have to do everything in one ball.

Dup

Just play like me; then every game is a short ball time game.

Wonka

Deceptively easy. But miss a centre shot. Ball Sdtm. Different layout to any stern. Not MB heavy like pirates and GNR. Kicks my arse. Gets me angry. But I’ll keep coming back.

Stars
Fish Tales

Well since you’re looking for newer titles that makes it a little harder.
I personally prefer the difficult games as well.
Top 2 right off the bat are:
Tron
Ironman Vault
Fish Tales is also perfect.
Heavy Metal is a good sleeper.
TWD can be just brutal at times.

Besides that, you should try some older classic Ballys.
Eight Ball Deluxe
Fathom
Harlem Globetrotters
Power Play
Kiss
Eight Ball
Flash Gordon
Nugent
Banzai Run
Plus a couple Stern ball busters.
Dragonfist
Quicksilver
All killer games.

Black knight OG with a playfield protector on, I’ve had all the usual suspects above but this one kicks my arse!
The Shadow as well.

Star Light
Stars
Alien Star
Eight Ball
Gottlieb Incredible Hulk

TNA

Bond 60th for sure!

If you dig the theme, Rick and Morty setup well is absolutely brutal and amazing. It's straightforward, great theme integration, and absolutely unforgiving. Would be the last game to leave my lineup.

TNA is similar, but a little one dimensional, and I'd much rather have a classic stern or bally (or a 2-3 at current prices) personally. My seawitch is a close second in the last-to-leave running. Which makes Beatles a good option if you can handle the theme (it's fine, but that era Beatles gets old quick to me). Zeppelin is actually worth considering too; if you dig the music and a challenge without a bunch of dumb toys, it's a killer game. It's a game that consistently reminds me that being able to put up a good game and being consistently good are too very, very different things.

And if you have the scratch, Bond 60 is fantastic.

Pin Mtherfuck1n Bot!

SS- Firepower
DMD- BSD

TMNT

I saw this thread a while ago and just let it marinate a bit while thinking to myself, its gonna be Iron Man...and you guys didnt let me down.

Ive never loved a game so unforgiving as much as this. Its fast yet rewarding, hitting the ramps back to back feels great because the game BOOMS at you on nearly every shot...especially the Warmachine kickback! Its like a shotgun going off..and dual magnets??? I love how they throw the ball everywhere, even if Monger shoots it right down the middle im expecting to bump hard left and flip save. Its like youre actually physically FIGHTING the machine...same with BKSOR, I LOVE that title, nearly every shot keeps you on your toes..dont blink and expext to nudge constantly or its drainsville population you.

Paragon

Subhumans

Anyone get an average on the time per ball?

Did this test on EM’s and they average 30 seconds per ball in general regardless of manufacturer.

Ball times increased but not sure what era this occurred.

You can see some EM ball time tests in the All Hail Ted Zale thread.

i read the topic title, and what came in mind in less than 1/10 second was IRON MAN

FT is a good game but you gotta go into knowing it can be brutal at times and isn't very deep code wise. I personally prefer the lightning flippers as they demand your full attention.

Sorcerer, cyclone and centaur are some other favorites.