Can I go from 1975-1985

That covers a lot of my favorites then.

70s solid state with no voices only chimes

70 to 80 classics the time machines that take me back to the good old days

80's which covers a wide range from fairly simple single level games to more complex games with ramps & multiple levels and voice.

Galaxy, Meteor, Alien Star, Seawitch, Centaur, Flash Gordon, Quicksilver, Blackout, Time Machine, Torpedo Alley, Black Hole..

My favorite era of pins to play would be the 80's, followed by the 90's. If I went to a huge location and was limited to playing pins from just one era it would be 80's just because of the diversity and challenge of that era of games.

Now if the question was what my favorite era of pins to own in my collection of 12, if I had to limit my collection to a single era it would be the 2010's. For home I need more depth and deeper rule-sets to focus on. If my collection consisted of a dozen 80's games I think i would get old fairly quick and I would have to churn through games much more often then if I had a collection of a dozen 2010-2019 games.

2010 - 2020

Everything changed when JJP entered the game. Pinball has been elevated thanks to JJP and their existence led to Stern changing for the better. RGB lighting, the use of LCD screens as main displays, and for the most part a return to more loaded games occurred.

I struggled choosing between these two. It would have been easier if I could choose 85-95 - probably because that aligns to my teenage and early 20's, but that's not the point of the poll.

-Rob
-visit https://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my Replacement Skee Computer

Honestly, LCDs happen regardless, but JJP did do it first.

I grew up playing the SS in the late 70's and early 80's. I have very fond memories of that era and it is where my nostalgia lies. With that said, I bought Stern SAM era. They are reliable, repairable, deep code, incredible lighting, fast, somewhat affordable (minus Tron/Metallica LEs), and they are just a blast to play.

I felt almost guilty for not going with the pins of my youth because nostalgia runs very deep within my veins, but then I asked myself, "Which game would I have chosen back when I was 10 if they were side by side to each other?" Price was also a factor. Being new to the hobby, I missed all of the sweet deals on late 70's/80's B/W machines. The prices for restored/clean SS machines are creeping up toward those earlier Sterns, which outside of nostalgia is hard to justify. Based on those two tidbits, it sealed the deal on my decision. I am half-and-half between the 2000's and 2010's but I voted 2010.

You left out my fave; 1950's.

No love for the flipperless era???

I'll take my Bally Rocket and go home.

Its too hard for me to pick because I love them all, but I do have a soft spot for the super old timers. Ive had 2 flipperless games and working on them is like a type of therapy for me, even though Ive done restos and shops on all eras. I know people will shit all over them for game play compared to modern games, but using the cargument approach if I had to pick between having a model T or a Lamborghini I'd pick the T all day!. Im 40 going on 90 over here.

Torn between 70s and 90s.

Turned 13 in '77, arcades were everywhere. Experienced the transition from em's to solid state, vivid memories of playing several games from that era.

90's, well, 'nuff said.

This!

For me, I don't break them down by decade, but by display (mostly). To me its:

EM Light
EM Reel
Numeric
Alpha Numeric
DMD-2000
DMD-2000+
LCD
Special Cases (P3, PB2000)
Broken down in this way, even though it is before my time, I rate Alpha Numeric as my favorite. Alpha Numeric (A/N) pins have alot to keep you coming back and you don't really "beat" them. With modern pins, I lose alot of my interest when I "beat" the game getting to the final wizard mode, and they tend to play WAY longer. Here are a few 5 pine lineups and how I'd rank them.
1. Whirlwind, Cyclone, Funhouse, Swords of Fury, Taxi
2. Addams, Medieval Madness, Twilight Zone, STTNG, Fish Tales
3. Godzilla, Elvira's House of Horrors, Deadpool, Iron Maiden, Star Wars
4. Lord of the Rings, Simpsons Pinball Party, Ripley's Believe it or Not, Stern Star Trek, Game of Thrones
5. Eight Ball Deluxe, Sorcerer, Firepower, Black Knight, Xenon

If you had to nail me down on a decade, it would be 1987-1997

I say the 90s and my second is right now the 2020s

I'd go with this^^^

It's a hard question to answer because pinball eras don't necessarily align with the calendar.

Until 2012/2013 and AC/DC-MET duo I would have said 90s but now I'd go with the 2010 decade because its when Stern really got their act together and pinball started to recover and then a bunch of new companies joined the fun.

Stern was considered the weakling compared to WPC in the 2000s even though they showed life with LOTR and SM. They also had CSI, NBA, 24, and WOF and almost died.

By 2019 they were clearly the best and could compete with the remakes.

However I am glad I don't have to build a collection based on 1 decade.

We are getting close to the 100 year birthday of the flipper. I wonder if people will make pinball machines for another 100 years and how much the game will evolve. Holographic screens with vestibular stimulation for the tilt warnings?? Let’s go!

Definitely the 90s, the pinnacle of pinball imo. Those games are super fun, not too complicated and are loaded with toys.

Modern games with super deep rules and lcd screens doesn't really do it for me.

I'm with SantaEatsCheese, a better breakdown is by technology, though I'd put DMD's separate from Alpha Numeric.

The best pinball company making the best machines historically, was Bally/Williams from Funhouse to Cactus Canyon. So, 1990-1999.

The sheer quantity of amazing machines made during that era is unparalleled.

However, I'd say that the new Sterns are actually better machines when considered from a home use perspective as well as a coin-op perspective.

So my answer is 2020's.

Mid to late 90s because that's when I was in the arcade. Some of those games have truly stood the test of time.

Otherwise, 2010s to present for the depth if I was limited to one decade.

I love me some 80s pins as well, though.

Just a loaded question.

I agree with 1975-1985. So many tough as nails classics!

I vote 80s because of huge changes in what an average game looked like from early to late 80s if you put a lcd on some late 80s games it could pass as new.

Hard to choose between '70s and '80s, which is also because late EM and early SS feel similar in play and rules.

'50s and '60s for artwork though. Art Stenholm would be on my pinball Mt. Rushmore.

I love the crazy innovative design choices of the early 80s. This video is a hommage to that.

Also, I really dig the System 11 generation and the quirky Gottliebs that got made during the same time. And Data East had their finest hour when they just started out.

So yeah. Without a doubt the 80s for me.

the 80's
Solid State has found itself and designers and programmers are moving ahead in leaps and bounds
You start the decade with Black Knight, and you finish with Mousin' Around