It somewhat depends on whether you are talking Man vs Machine or Man vs Man. As in the days of EMs, the Multiplayer could not have carry over features which is what often makes the single player games more desireable for collectors.

It may also depend on whether you are trying to stick to EM style logic and features, or whether you want to exploit the expansion of programability of a SS system with EM style layouts.

But like you suggest, I too, am a fairly superficial player. I like to see the obvious goal to acheive and see the results. Obviously, Drop target "BANKS" are a must but must also have rules that support their completion (not just get them down and score points like WMS tended to do). But, with SS programming, you can also add the provision for completing the bank in Sequence/order for better awards while still providing the "all targets down" award if the sequence is not achieved. You can also take advantage of a later design feature (not introduced until SS I believe) where Spot Targets appear behind the DT bank for an additional "Layer" of features in the same real estate (ie DELUXE targets of EBD). However, Gottlieb used a different form on Royal Flush / Card Whiz which some would agree, were a short coming, not a great feature. However, providing the feature as "timed" would take care of this or using it only on a smaller bank that isn't devoted to a large portion of the playfield.

The same could be said for simple number sequences like on Atlantis where you have to score the numbers in order. However, with SS programming, you can offer both. Start with #1 flashing and all other numbers lit. If you get the #1 without other numbers, you progress to flashing #2 and so on. If you score a lit number out of order, you turn off the flashing and simply allow for the completion of all numbers. In sequence award bigger points or instant replays.

You can also use a similar approach for mere spot targets. The sequence can be initially all lit with the first target flashing. Hitting out of sequence ends the in-order flash award.

The Four Corners feature of the 3 X 3 matrix on Gulf Stream was perhaps one of my favorites usually awarding 2 or 3 replays instantly. However, trying for it was difficult and you usually sacraficed scoring as a result (much easier to get 3 in a row and light the holes).

Spinners were great in that era. Especially the ones that were used to advance a set of lights which in turn advanced a bonus when completed. Bally and Gottleib used this approach on many games (gott probably more than others). Williams tended to do the "get the spinner lit for 1000" approach which Bally then adapted later on (Amigo, Wizard etc.). This tended to result in large variences in final scores which required the 100,000 light or 6 digit scoring. Some players could light and slam the spinners over and over, other could not.

Multiball was probably not well executed in the EM era. But it was a novelty that many enjoyed. With SS programming, there are a lot of possibilities.

Risky Shot = BIG Award. Two noteable features were Gottliebs Vari-Target and the 5000/Special shot of Bally Wizard. Both of these items offered a huge award if accomplished. But the risk was great to lose the ball much of the time. Obviously, a Vari-target suffered immediately when the games were dirty or flipper weak.

There is also the unique 7 number feature providing awards for 3 in a row (Buckaroo / Spin Out) making the 4 very difficult to get in relation to the other numbers.

This is also the match them up light scheme used on many Gottliebs where two sets of lights were advanced by features on the playfield (often, beyond your direct control) and when the two sets matched up, scoring or features were increased.

For an EM pin. Drop Targets, lots of drop targets, throw in some pop bumpers, the ability to advance a bonus portion of the game, challenging type of game that makes you keep returning to play. The game should be frustrating enough, to make you like it.

Zipper flippers

While I love my zipper flipper game, it would appear, based on how few were made, that not too many agreed with that. Or maybe Gottlieb would have liked to have made them, but Bally beat them to the punch. Williams tried, and were basically told to knock that off.

I think lots of targets is a key, but I'm not always sure they have to be drop targets. I like drop targets just fine, but there were a lot of really great games made before they became so prevalent in the 70s. If you look at the IPDB EM game rankings, in the top 10, there are more non drop games than drop games. And the drop game I consider maybe the best ever made, as far as EMs are concerned, Jacks Open, isn't even on the list.

One thing that Williams did better than Gottlieb was DC bumpers. Williams games with DC bumpers were so much faster and livelier than Gottlieb games. Even Ballys with AC bumpers, but 50 volts powering them, are faster. It's too bad that they didn't design games that were more worthy of those bumpers. Williams had some great games in the mid 60s, if they had the more powerful bumpers to go with them, man, those would have really been some players, even better than they already were.

Gottlieb certainly did a lot right with designs, but the other guys had some really good ideas too.

I was thinking about this question after a visit to the Pacific Pinball Museum (which was great). Why were some games fun to play and others weren't? I came to a few conclusions about what principles are important. El Dorado was the biggest lesson (and biggest surprise) about how much more fun a good game can be than a bad one.

1) Like you said: clear objectives! I would say even "self-evident" objectives. Nobody wants to read a bunch of tiny text on the playfield or on the instruction card -- you want to be able to intuit what the game wants you to do and react in real time (see #6 below).

2) Use the whole playfield. So many games have three or more pop bumpers at the top of the playfield, often in an area in which there is no meaningful way to earn points. They're just filling space. There is no reason to shoot into them, and no way to guess the outcome if you do. Even though pop bumpers can be super fun if used well, they can also create a meaningless division of the playfield, where one zone is to be avoided. That's no fun! For contrast, take El Dorado. That row of drops along the top, and the extra flippers up there, ensure that the fun extends all the way up to the top of the arch.

3) Some left-side/right-side asymmetry on the playfield. El Dorado is a good example again -- you have to adjust your strategy on the fly based on which side you have to work with, how much is left, where the ball will likely end up, etc. The least interesting games, in my opinion, are often those with completely symmetrical playfields (Jungle King I'm looking at you). There are of course exceptions (2001 comes to mind -- super fun).

4) No sense of unfairness. Unfairness is the anti-fun. The player should always feel like she had a chance to accomplish the unlikely, or at least delay the inevitable. Even if a game is a drain monster, fairness (or the illusion of fairness) will turn that difficulty into fun.

5) Related to fairness: scoring system which rewards skillful play across the board (rather than concentrating high scoring potential in a few arbitrary features at the expense of the rest of the playfield).

6) Flow, intuition, zen, whatever you want to call it: the degree to which the player is able to become one with the game. This is the reason why people play pinball, and it trumps everything else above, in my opinion.

Simple objectives that you feel you can do, seem to get close, but rarely achieve!

My main 'fun' EM features (based on 40+ years of experience, and my personal tastes) include drop targets, wild leafswitch spinners (not the thick, slow modern microswitch ones), punchy flippers/pops (a la mid-70s WMS games), some cool lane/orbit shots, a saucer in a nudging area, maybe rollover buttons. I also like the Triple-Action-type rotating disc with posts (a precursor to the TOTAN lamp). Gimmicky stuff I don't like include zipper flippers, multiball on an EM (4000 BC and Fireball mb's are lame, imo), roulette wheels. A cool feature would be 'smart' drop targets, like in Medusa.

Agreed, have played my Gottlieb King kool a lot since finishing up the resto....
Then hopped onto my Williams Aztec... holy crap! I forgot how fast those DC pop bumpers were....

For me, the best part of the old EM games was "Special When Lit".

High scores were one thing, lighting a feature and nailing it repeatedly for replays was "special".

In general I look for the same things on EM and SS pins. Open PF,
a good variety of shots, good flow. One thing you might consider is including as
many of the cool stuff EM's had that were less common on SS pins.
Things like; Vari-targets, Roto-targets, 2" flippers mid PF, etc..
At the other end of the spectrum, maybe a habitrail? That'd make
your EM very unique! Electro magnets under the PF were around
back in the 40's but would add another dimension too.
Sounds like a fun project!
Steve

To me.............well, whichever one I have the most fun playing and admiring when it sits idle. John

For me it is roll overs and stationary targets like most 60's games. Lighting up the special on a difficult game is always an adrenaline rush . I am really starting to like the small 2 inch flippers and all the nudging I have to do. These games have also made me a better player. They make the 3 inch 70's games with tons of drop targets seem like kids play.

Three inch flippers and inlanes to them, which make catching and trapping very easy. Compare that with catching a ball on a two inch flipper with no inlanes. Takes a bit more skill.

Lots of drop targets and good artwork....that's all!!

That's one of the reasons I think Ice Revue flies under the radar - taking out the 1-6 targets is essential to scoring big and with 2 inch flippers, it really is hard.

My kids like the 3 inch flippers better - precisely because 70's games are more player friendly. 60's games can have you tearing your hair out but they make you come back, again and again

She? Where do you play pinball? I want in on that action. Mostly pinball event = sausage fest

I like symmetrical layouts better than asymmetrical layouts personally.

Also, drops that reset or partially reset (like Fast Draw) for different scoring. Target Alpha has a lot of drops, but once they are all down you are just shooting the 10 point switches behind the drops until you drain. Royal Flush has stand-up targets behind the drops for increased points when all the drops are down.

Gordon Morison

This is my all time favorite EM. What a great game. Easy to understand tons of fun to play.
Games with Poker and Pool themes do well because everyone already has the basic rules in their head.

A machine that can not be easily beat. Some games I find fun to play, but it is relatively easy to complete the objectives. Big Daddy is one that I have that is not so easy, but we keep coming back for more.

Spinners spinners and more spinners. Love my Hokus Pokus.

To me :
asymmetrical layouts
2 at 4 pop bumpers
1 roto target
2x, 3x or 4x bonus
extra ball
a lot of drop targets with drop targets reset
bonus count before drop targets reset

For me the appeal of an EM;

The open playfield
The score reels resetting
The motor running