#tommy-pinball-wizard

I really like the ones in Game of Thrones. Good variety, different rules with their own scoring potential, or you can rush through them to try to get to hand of the king and just not get many points.

Agreed! I'm a mode player, not a point player so GOT has great modes and I'd add TWD...

The Walking dead premium and Twilight Zone have awesome variety in their modes.

Maiden's modes are fun, and do a good job at representing the actions of the battle they're set in. Locking on to the bombers in Aces High is particularly clever. Certainly more exciting than the other band games where you do things like collect members and instruments.

Indiana Jones I think has great Modes.

Iron Maiden is one of the best as far as modes.

Hobbit not only has 32 modes, but they are all unique and fun.

Hands down the Munsters they're just hidden with flipper code(secret mania)or time restraints(midnight madness)

Walking Dead. I regret selling it!

Hobbit.

30+ modes and each one is very different in its rules + length

They also have excellent choreography.

STTNG

Another vote here for The Hobbit! The modes are all objective based meaning they relate to a specific scene. All 31 book modes are unique and progress through an event from the films as shots are made versus just being your typical generic shoot for points modes. The modes also work the entire playfield in interesting ways versus hitting the same shot over and over.

Finally The Hobbits main multiball and 3 wizard modes all have multiple stages with what I believe offer the best choreography in pinball. Oh another finally lol, theres also a super wizard mode for attempting all 31 book modes. The Hobbit simply put is one of the best objective based pinball machines ever made.

Another vote for The Hobbit.
You said it perfectly!

I love the Hobbit, but saying all 31 modes are unique might be taking it a little too far. A few of them seem to be repetitive beast bashing or shooting the ramps. My opinion is some of the modes are outstanding, especially the ones with creative use of the drop targets, but some are nothing more than a "typical" mode.

Absolutely agree that TH has some very unique modes. Some are similar, yes, but there are THIRTY-ODD modes!

Also in the running: IJ, TZ, and DI

Rick and Morty has some really good modes .

Deadpool..you have bosses, Disco, katarama, little dp, and others.

Alien is another game with great modes..... along with everything else

Hobbit is great.

IJ is another. Maiden is good too. So many out there

ACNC. Thank you, Bowen, for the rules on the modes. Thank you, Charlie, for the layout.

Iron Maiden and Batman66 in my book for current games and MM and TZ on the older games.

Oktoberfest and TWD for best modes.

JJPPOTC for best toy. That rocking ship with the cannon is just too cool.

Best affects when getting a multiball Metallica frying Sparky.

Yeah everything you described looking for are the tent modes in Oktoberfest. Extremely challenging and leave you with that sense of joyful satisfaction or deep loss. Not one is similiar,some video, ramps, targets, bumpers, food stands, rollercoasters, slides and lanes. Also fireworks go off when you complete them while a cuckoo clock timer counts down the time limit. Not sure what else you can ask for especially when there are no real fests to attend this year. Prost!

Another vote for Williams Indiana Jones. Each of the 12 modes plays out a scene from the movies (4 modes for each of the first three movies). What I really like is that making the required shots in the scene advances you toward the ending of the scene just like the movie ending. Some of the modes hand out secret awards if you finish them. Plus there are secret tricks in a few of the modes (like the first movie scene in the market with the guy with the huge sword - you can make a series of the required shots but there is also a way to end the mode quickly by shooting him just like in the movie).

Another vote for the woefully under rated The Hobbit. However I do find that the true allure is being a Tolkien fan. If you don't enjoy the movie the game play won't be as immersive. I speak from the heart. Lot's of pins with great shots but when the theme does nothing for me the game play just isn't enjoyable.

There have been some great suggestions in here (though, putting up a voting poll would be great).
TH, IM, IJ, TWD, GOT, STTNG, LOTR, TSPP and Oktoberfest are all awesome choices.

I will throw another out that hasn't been mentioned, and takes a bad rap general...but has incredible modes:

Stern Star Wars

I like Star Trek for it's diversity of shots during modes while playing homage to sttng.

Don't forget JD!

Also +1 for Hobbit. Been on the fence about buying Oktoberfest as they are only just now arriving in UK but this thread has twisted my arm on that too I think!

Lord of the rings, escape the ringwraths is definitely a favourite.

TFTC has excellent modes with lots of variety - hurry ups, multiballs, and the scoring on them is pretty balanced on the new code.

Dialed in has many modes with fun shooting, unique callouts/code

GOT takes the cake, especially with the stacking capability.

Stern Star Wars has a lot (a LOT) of excellent modes. Dwight Sullivan really knocked it out of the park on that game. Plus the moving multiplier is quite fun, should you take advantage of using it. I think you really need to experience SW at home to fully enjoy it.

Other than that: BM66, IJ, TWD, Met, TZ, and I'll throw in the 2 different wizard modes of CV as being excellent as well.

Last Action Hero had some simple, easy to understand modes that were nice and different from one another.

I’m going with IJ, best game ever made.

TWD pro has good modes too not just the premium.

SW and Dialed In! have great modes.

LOTR.

Good variety in the modes, some require combos, some specific shots to unlock other shots.

War of the Ents is literally the best integration of a theme into a mode. I mean, you are throwing a rock at the tower just like in the movie, perfect!

I like Martian Multiball and Strobe Multiball.

I'd definitely put GoT and SW as tops for modes. Dwight is the man for sure.

Here's another underrated one for you though...Mustang. The modes on that game are awesome...each has a very distinct feel and they use the entire playfield in creative ways. Rally Race is a standout. The callouts shout at you to make turns, and they correspond to the left or right side of the playfield. So when it says make a right, it will be a shot on the right. Sometimes it's even a gentle turn vs sharp turn with the shot being further left/right. Then there are shortcuts, which will time out quickly. You can also miss a turn after awhile, and the callouts will tell you while changing the lit shot. It's really a great mode and really sucks you in to the race. Each mode is distinct and creative like that. And that's not to mention the Upgrade system, and the many different and unique multiballs (including the crazy risk/reward of trying for 6th Gear!). It is a fantastic coded machine that doesn't get nearly enough recognition.

Road Show has some cool modes. Pretty fun.

The only two games in my current collection. STTNG is #1 (no pun intended), Dialed In #2.

my favorites in my collection are IJ, LOTR and STTNG. I've been trying to avoid picking up the Hobbit with the long ball times but I keep hearing it's the most immersive journey.

IJ TPA

So much to do, so many different ways, even the call outs vary each time you go into a tent.
Adding the knocker is a must IMHO for this one, makes Duck Hunt and Target Shooting so satisifying when you get rapid hits!
Oktoberfest is so much keep you coming back fun!

+1 for the Hobbit. Don’t hesitate any longer, most immersive Pin there is!

Easy to avoid long ball times by opening up the outlines and removing the center post.
Not that I’ve done this yet.

Congo has great modes. The one where you play catch with Amy is creative. So is Skill Fire where you get as many skill shots in a time period. Ghost Tribe mb is pretty good, too. You get jackpots for getting a ball in any of the two scoops or superjackpot for getting both balls in the scoops at same time. Video modes are better than average and the regular mb has an awesome intro.

My best mode games are MET pro and TFTC. If I want a deeper mode based pin these 2 are hard to beat. Gotta try the code updates for TFTC and JP.