My first thought was maverick. It has an ease down feel to it and the steamer shots gives an even more laidback feel.
Some say it's fugly, but in a dark wood room, like a log cabin, equipped with single malt and some friends, it's just right.

I haven't played a ton of games like most of you but from my limited experience, I'd say Popeye. I do own the game and played it in the wild and and at another pin head's game room, and I have to say that mine was the best set up. I know it has some shots that you can't see and the animal ramp blocks the outlane a bit, theme, etc. but if set up well it is fast and fun. The DMD animations are perfect and the voice overs are inspired. Wizard mode is difficult to get to and complete. Currently it is the least played of my four game line up but every time I do get to play it, it is always a fun experience.

Atlantis is better than the Pinside rating in my opinion. Joust is also a fun one.

Gold Wings for me...unique layout, and for the reasons mentioned above. I don't really pay much attention to the pinside rankings. Lots of high ranking games don't do squat for me.

Blackwater 100

World Poker Tour, amazing game. It's the only game I've owned twice and actually kept it the second time. A shooters and strategists dream.

Yup, I own and enjoy some of the aforementioned: X-Files, T3, Avatar.

A couple more: Stern Grand Prix and also 24. Hey 24 used to be top 100! I've never seen the ranking trends before until I just tried to figure out where these actually stand.

Interesting, X-Files has settled in around 225, but 24 just keeps falling, ha.

I want an atlantis one day. Maybe when I get more space and move to my next house.
Love the backglass its so cheesy and insane. Just the type of backglasses I love. But, I also really like the rules from that era of pins. Simple, to the point. Fun game, with okay callouts, and good mb, and a good layout. Right now for a good reasonable price. If you find one. They don't surface often, but often enough if you keep your eyes open.

Joust... My father kicks my butt on this game 3 out of 4 times. Its one of the few games he beats me on. So we both enjoy playing it. Just a fun game. Galloping Ghost has one, and I love going there!

Maverick.

Easy choice for me.

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"Yeah, Baby!" ... Austin Powers

Hmmm gonna have to try a Maverick. I'm another eight ball champ sucker. Love shooting the standups behind the drops, it looks like your playing on the table.

Without a doubt Comet at #218. Without this game emerging when it did in the face of the onslaught of video arcades pinball would be dead today. This game hands down gets more play than any other game I own. People love its simple rules and great theme.

#229 WWE

Love the sound on this one. It's actually pretty fun to play...not really all that deep.

I think the layout and the ring up top is actually kind of cool.

Great package and theme even tho its a little corny.

I'd like to find a nice stones, but nuthin around here

I’ve been addicted to Maverick lately and that’s currently ranked #198.

Have you also adjusted the settings to reduce the # of Discards? I currently have my Discards set for 9 so I'm forced to complete the current hand with as many chips as possible.

I can really get into my Maverick as well and can even go a few games without even trying to hit a ramp shot because of all the other cool shots and rules.

I just picked it up a couple months ago. Fixed the problems with broken off posts, the optos and got it all dialed in where there’s no errors and the game is playing as it should.
Haven’t messed with any of the settings as of yet though.
Been having a ton of fun with this one.

Once you get familiar and good at the game, def change the settings to reduce the # of discards per hand. Notches up the fun factor even more.

We got NBA NIB at work, and I have never hated a pin so goddamn much. Not only from a gameplay perspective, but also service. That spinning rubber disc rubs off and gets all over the playfield. It could be on location for a week and it looks like its been there for 5 years with no maintenance.

You're perfectly entitled to your opinion though, and I know that's the spirit of this thread. I'd sell you ours if I actually owned it.

T3, was my first pin and it was amazing, until I was able to finish the game about every 10th time I played it. The modes were really cool and well done including the back box shooter. Unfortunately, according to Stern at the time, the software was never updated/completed, additional modes were to be added (weapons specific) and the final battle with the Terminatrix was suppose to evolve and become more challenging...too bad there was so much potential.

Austin Powers has been in my collection for longer than any A game. I still regret selling my hardbody.

There are a number of games out there that should be ranked higher than they are, but for one reason or another aren't... there are 4 that come to mind for me...

No Fear - great layout, lots of fun, can be set up to be punishingly difficult. Not sure why this one isn't ranked higher.

Maverick- great layout, tons of drop targets, challenging modes. Hampered by that stupid paddlewheel and some of the worst artwork to ever make it into a pin.

Comet - come on-- it's Comet fercrissakes! One of the absolute best of its era. My suspicion here is that most people have never played a quality example of the game. Most that I've seen are absolutely beaten to death with bare wood playfields, cracked ramps, etc. Find a good example of the game that's tuned right, and I think most people would change their minds about this one.

Cue Ball Wizard - this one is my outlier. It's a game that I have loved since I first played it when it was new. The callouts are awful-- you'll get no pushback from me on that. The art is pretty cheesy too. But it's a unique layout with interesting objectives and some very tough drop targets (especially the right bank). Cool wizard mode too.

This is a great question. I just went through the list and found the following games that I love outside the top 150 -

158 - Avatar
176 - Stranger Things
192 - Harlem Globetrotters
218 - Comet (seriously, how is Comet not a top-100 game?)

For me it's Victory by Gottlieb at #266. It's not necessarily the theme that calls me, although a death race is cool, but the layout. It makes you shoot all over the playfield. Also great music.

Well, it's definitely not Thunderturds, which is overrated at 380.

I'd have to go with Frank Thomas/Big Hurt. Really cool game, especially if you swap out the stops on the flipper mechs and limit the ability to cradle just about any ball. Also a nod to a lot of those classic Sterns that have been listed.

I'm surprised Big Guns is as high as it is at 248. The cannons are awesome, the ruleset is simple but engaging, the sounds and artwork are fantastic ("You are invincible!" never gets old!), the bagatelle in the translite is fun, etc. I'd say the only issue with the game is carryover jackpot that a lot of System 11s have, but that certainly doesn't hurt the game that much IMHO.

WOF. No matter how many times I play it, I never seem to be able to get to the wizard mode.

Haha. Just finally played this today on location for the first time...I actually enjoyed it a lot. Too bad they never finished it.