mature software

I think some of the best pins do a great job of creating a "world under glass" along with solid code. I was just thinking about this after playing my WOZ a little while ago. WOZ has a lot of different cool and unique toys in it that represent different areas in the film. There's a mini playfield representing the castle with a loop shot, targets and a castle door, there's a mechanical monkey toy that picks up the ball, there's another mini playfield that represents the twister from the film and more. The areas are all tied together with different modes that as a whole create an addicting and comprehensive ruleset. Two other games that I feel pull this off are STTNG and LOTR.

Also, the pins that create that "world under glass" feeling really do a brilliant job of pulling from the source material. In those types of games you are more likely to see some type of physical toy that represents something critical from the theme versus it only existing as a shot, animation or as artwork on the playfield.

a great pin is a pin that i want to push the start button on "one more time"...

nice art doesn't hurt either...

If it's one I like, it must be a great game.

Based on what my tastes have been lately, the machine must have good art, sound, and light packages and be somewhat difficult (short game time) and have 3 - 4 flippers. For example the music/sounds and lights and art the come with SoF and GL (granted these are my two newest games) are off the charts. Just love the immersion into the theme.

Shots and goals.

While everything does add to a pinball machines attractiveness, and I value art, rules etc, in the end it just has to keep you coming back for one more game.

Rules and flow

Steve Ritchie

I think half of the pins I've ever owned have been Ritchie Pins. I lean towards "Speed and Flow" but there are outliers that I enjoy that are not speed & flow games.

Great theme integration along with great shots and code can turn an otherwise good pin into a great one (STTNG).

Good sound and a nice light show along with some speed (Getaway).

Ass kickingly hard with great sound and "almost made it" goals (IM)

Broad appeal to pull in the "non-pinheads" for parties and get-together's (WCS94)

Deep rules with a fun theme and tons of variety (TSPP)

Great code
Fun shots
Awesome theme
Nice artwork
Catchy music
Good callouts

I find I like variety in my pins...some w/ deep rules, some not. Some w/ great artwork...some not.

Theme
layout
toys
music and call outs
flow
programming or code
art
originality
fast pace
good lighting

I ask myself this question all the time. I currently own: LOTR, MET, TAF, Quick Draw, and Stargate. The games are all so different and I love each of them. I think that the theme, sounds and callouts, general art and vibe are very subjective but some other things maybe not so much.

To me these are the most important elements:
Code and rules, the feel and number of shots, and overall gameplay.

I have played games with bad themes, art, and callouts that are really fun because of the gameplay. I have also played beautiful pins that really aren't fun.

Gameplay is king.

For those of you who struggle to know why you like a pin, sometimes it's illuminating to consider why you DON'T like a pin sometimes.
-mof

boobies

playable and frustrating both. theme, simple or deep seem less important than good flow. some EM and SS machines are great playing while still simplistic.

In a word that many are trying to come up with: INTEGRATION. One game with practically perfect integration is PIN*BOT. Everything about that game coalesces into something greater than the sum of it's parts. Most of the top ranked games are able to achieve this on a higher level than the also-rans and less ranked games.

A game with great implementation of all the items mentioned above into a seamless package that becomes more than a pinball machine when you put your hands on the flipper buttons, like Creature from the Black Lagoon!

Pinball is so subjective. For me it's a fun factor. If I enjoy playing it, it's a great pin for me. My first pin was a BSD. After three years, I am still not tired of it. To me, that's a great pin. Cool art, rule set and of course the whole nostalgia factor is big for me . I like playing pins I loved as a kid. Takes you back. That is what is so special about pinball.

I think tz is a pretty perfect pin.great artwork and sounds which capture tz and really get you into the gameplay .The light showes are really great and there are a ton of shots and different ways to approach the game .it has some of the coolest toys in pinball even till this day .then you have the powerball that really is integrated very well into game play and really throws people when theh first see it lol. Also the software is very well done and polished especially the home rom with some pretty cool features

keefer

"just one more game" is what makes a pin great. I agree with the other tabby.
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To me, a great pin is one that has a lasting memory when I'm not playing it. Reliving the shots in my head, or the journey of a game I had, or the fantastic sound package. It's pins that give me a fun, memorable lasting impression that I consider greats.

Doesn't have a plastic Mick Jagger on the playfield.

To be a great pin it has to be a real pin… no remakes!

To me it's a subtle combination of resale value, immaculateness of the shooter lane, how great everybody else says it is, and how few were made. Sometimes it's simply the fact that it may never get made at all... Those are the best.

One that has flashing lights

1) Ruleset
2) Layout

For me, these two factors constitute 90-95% of a game's appeal.