TWD

Paragon. Approach it cold, and it makes no sense and doesn't seem all that great. Actually learn the rules, and it becomes a fairly interesting and challenging game.

MET. Didnt care for it at all at first. Now i wish i had one again.

Xmen LE

Good topic.

Wonka was the same story for me as well. Played it at Pintastic, it was fine but 10000000 watt spotlights overhead, 100db crowd noise, and kids running through your legs isn't really the best environment to get a good impression of a brand new pinball machine. What seemed flashy but shallow there turned into a deep, fun shooter at home.

Elvira HOH is another one that sticks out for me lately. Played it a bunch on location (Flat Top Johnnys) from the release party onward, meh. A standard layout, too much standing around and watching video, was disappointed. But the code has come along so far (I think it was 0.92 on release?), and those mechs really are cool, and I'm such a huge classic horror fan anyway, it finally won me over. The game is certainly on the easy/simple side in a lot of ways, but it has a lot of charm and humor, and is a slick shooter. Something of a modern Medieval Madness.

Gotg. Im not a sci fi fan but bought a pro just on a friends constant insistence of how good it was. He was right! Now, if I can convince you all how good Led Zeppelin is, maybe the hate will stop towards it.

I was pretty down on Gladiators the first few times I played it, but later enjoyed it when I played a nicer example of the machine. On location sometimes the machines are dirty, broken, need shopped, or set up very difficult to minimize ball times. That can affect my overall impression of a title only to have it reversed later.

Avatar. My first impression was what a complete turd. But a couple guys whose opinions I respect loved it so eventually brought one home to try. Turns out it’s a fantastically immersive game and I ended up keeping it longer than maybe any pin I’ve ever owned (out of 80ish).

Another vote for Avatar, thought it was bare bones, I guess I didn’t understand the rules to an the machine I played on was badly beat up, but years later I played a real nice one an fell in love with it, had to have it to the point I drove to Sydney solo to pick a real nice one up.

Fast Draw. I wouldn't say exactly that I hated it, rather I had played it before in my college's game room and thought it was just another run-of-the-mill EM multiplayer, nothing special. Passed on the first decent one I found, then found another and decided to get it since it was only 200 bucks and fell in love with it.

TZ. Bought it 20 years ago, new into pinball, just based on opinions of RGP.
I hated the game and had to really force myself the first 2 weeks to play it.
After about a month I started to understand the rules and appreciate the complexity.

Taxi, not sure if I'll ever be able to forgive myself.

John

Stern Star Wars, almost got rid of it, but glad I didnt.

TWD and IM both were total turds when I first played them on location and it took a long time to get that impression changed.

lol - read the heading and straight away thought TWD, then clicked and literally first post is TWD.

Yeh, ordered an LE originally then played the pro the day it arrived in Australia and really didn’t like it and cancelled.

Ended up buying a premium after Lyman worked his magic and have had it ever since.

And Wonka.

I want to like Iron Man, have not played one on location that I have enjoyed myself yet.

TMNT is one I saw no appeal to in the first place, since the theme really didn't do anything for me. I had a chance to get a good deal on one almost NIB, though, and had it at home for a while, where I developed a lot of respect for it. Even though I liked it better after a few hundred plays, it never really gelled for me and I ended up trading it straight up for a JP2.

I see several people mentioning Avatar... that is a game that I hated at first play and continue to hate until this day.

TWD

SW

Stranger Things

Found EHOH pretty boring when I first played it at a friends house. Love it now - first Gappa Angry and I was hooked.

I can’t say I hated it when it first came out, but I was very dismissive of EHoH when it was first released. I played it a bit, shrugged my shoulders and moved on. At the time, I thought it was fine but nothing special. Guess what?? I was WRONG. I’ve now owned one for about a year and I don’t think it’s ever leaving. Maybe the theme isn’t for everyone, but other than that it’s close to the perfect pin.

Awesome Topic.
Loved the original movie as a Kid growing up. I was totally disappointed 1st time played it.
Now we are on the hunt to own one...Willy Wonka
Dont tell the wife but she was right along about this game.

I can see by your avatar you have good taste. We absolutely love our Quick Draw.
Seeing the middle black drop targets pop back up @ 5000 points
is such a great feeling.

Xmen le. Unplayable code on release, now great. Same story really on twd and b66 too. I still feel like xmen is underrated. I think it is important to allow you to stack a villain on top of a started hero but not vice versa. Adds more strategy. But I digress.
I used to think xmen was crap, now I love it.

Any other title I want to give another shot, tried one at a show and it was virtually unplayable.

MET. Not impressed at all when first played and not really a big fan of music or art style. Gameplay just seemed to get better the more I played until I just had to get one. CIU modes really make that game.

Paragon.

Another vote for Paragon. The game is tough as nails and those double flippers take some getting used to. The beast’s lair is a pain in the ass and the whole game, at first, just doesn’t seem to make much sense. Play it for awhile, learn to tap pass and drop catch, learn the rules and this slowly becomes one of the most challenging and rewarding pins out there.

attack from mars. it can seem primitive playing on a few times. there more depth to it than you think an a lot of different ways to go about getting points and objectives.

FishTales, I didn't like it, it grew on me, I bought one, and now it is my favorite. I still hate the theme, but they made it work awesome. Hate the music, but it works with the theme. Might be the best theme integration of any game ever. So many ways to score, great risk/reward, very good humor, excellent art. I think very few people know the full potential of the game.

Many of the games I've owned I'd never played before, either they were pretty old EMs that were before my time or were more modern and I'd just never run across them in an arcade or bowling alley. Or I had but it was just for 10 minutes or was too long ago to remember. And a lot were before the internet so I couldn't look them up and find out how others rated them. I kinda think that's the best way to judge a game... starting from scratch.

Baywatch.

Couldn't get past the theme (hate the show), and the giant 'Hoff mug staring at you from the backglass.

Got some good time on one at a show, and discovered how packed that playfield is and how fun it is to shoot. Wound up owning one for several years.

Later,
EV

Creature from the Black Lagoon. I didnt hate it I was just very dismissive and did not care at all about it. Passed it dozens of times on locations and played it maybe once on Pinball FX and then one day after getting destroyed in a tournament when playing it, I decided to learn the rules and play for an hour.

Its probably my favorite game now on location and I would love to own one at home. Tons of fun, and the one on location has a pinsound in it with 50s jukebox music playing. Amazing game, wish I played it sooner!

Tron-hated the Gem ramp shot-she would kick me in the nuts on location

Now the Gem ramp shot kicks me in the nuts at home

Deadpool and Iron Maiden didn't like either one at first blush, I have learned to appreciate them.

I always judge a game by "Do I want to own it" if I dont, I tend to dismiss it. Which is silly, I always forget that these games were not REALLY designed for endless home use.. they are designed to swallow quarters. In recent years it has changed.. Its why I lean towards complex games..

So many of us feel the same way I bet.

There is a chapter in my book called

“The nut kicking sensation”. It’s a long story. Digression over!

You forgot "table angle set at 4.5 degrees with flipper strength at -5". I hated it at Pintastic and look forward to playing it set up right. It's a good reason to not judge games the first go around.

Wizard of Oz is the only game I've enjoyed a lot more after I've played it some (all on location). I hated it at first and still don't know the rules, but it's growing on me.

GOT Premium. I just didn't "get it" at first. And then, once I did, became one of my favorite games.

Munsters Prem
Austin Powers
Gilligan's Island
Hardbody
STARS

Most of the Gottleb System 80B game from about 1987 on up ... always thought they were trash back when they came out and never really gave them a chance. I couldn't have been more wrong. Even the so called dogs like Raven are actually pretty solid pins. It's just a shame that the designer behind them is a degenerate.

Stern Star Wars ... flat out thought it was horrible when it first came out. After about a year's worth of SW, just ... wow! .

Twilight Zone. It wasn't until I was able to pick one up and really dig into it that I started to really like it. I thought it was going to rotate out quick after I had it a week but man has that thing grown on me.

Early Solid State Games: Just in general I hated them at first. As I have gotten more into pinball I have really started to appreciate them. 1980 Black Knight is one of my favorites at the moment.

Flash: Hated it the first few plays. As I have been enjoying older games I have really come to appreciate this one on location. it is still UGLY... as in U. G. L. Y. but is a really fun game.

Diner. The theme does nothing for me, but I do enjoy the game after giving it a chance.

Deadpool
Stern Star Wars

Hated AFM the first time I played it. It was better the second time I played it. Waiting to encounter one again to see if third time's a charm.

TWD

Dirty Harry came my way and I had no interest in it at first. After playing for a bit I started lighting it up with LED’s and spotlights then a color DMD. Now it’s not my favorite but I really do enjoy it and am glad I have it.

#x-files — always thought it was cheap Sega trash. Almost always has issues on location. Picked one up cheap, got it tuned in, set it to “hard” so it randomizes the modes and you’re not just getting cheap free multiballs. Absolutely love it now. Fast as hell, tight but satisfying shots. Code needs work (scoring bugs, can’t stack modes) but hopefully that will be updated in the near future.

TMNT

I played it as the dealer for a few minutes, but was so excited I was getting my first pin after wanting one for a decade. It arrived at the house NIB it was like Christmas morning unpacking it. Made my family be there with me while I did it like a scene of Christmas Story. Played it all day and hated it. Told my wife I think I made a huge mistake. I didn't play it for a few days I was so pissed at myself. Now it's the only pin I play and I love it. Sometimes when I am work I wonder if it's thinking about me as much as I am thinking about it. lol

VECTOR
1st Bally Designed by a Team Concept. Lots going on.
I seek it out everytime at Pinball Asylum League night.
Actually have been able to convert a few other players.