Off the top of my head, Elektra comes to mind.

Crazy number of adjustments that can be made as well as quite a lot of things going on, including the multi-level PFs.

Centaur is one I think of

And Fathom.

It's not really deep but Spectrum has a never-ending objective in figuring out the code.
I've heard Barracora is deep, never played it though.

I found Emrbyon quite involved when I had it.

Barracora

Barracora

It is the most complex rule set up to it's time in pinball history. I think it's complicated on purpose to just cause confusion.

Side note: Claude Fernandez designed a great group of games!
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Sure, even if some say he copied Black Knight when designing Flash Gordon. Great minds think alike...

I hear this question every now and then and I don't really understand the point.

These games don't have deep rules. None of them. Some of them have "confusing" rules, like Embryon, but if you are looking for "deep," you are going to need a bigger boat.

That's not what these games are about.

Some have more to them than others. That’s the point and the question that was asked.

Yeah, I interpreted the OP to be more about the most rules, and adjustments etc.. so complex maybe?

Agree, maybe depth is more about layers of rules.. the kind of things you might not find in the normal progress of the game.. modes in modes etc. All JJPs probably qualify for winning this... but the limited rom size really restricts this in early 80s games.

I remember being so impressed with High Speed when I learned about the extra ball after the jackpot, just that extra thing to go for that you might not even need to know was there... but that is '86.

I think if you compare the rules of, say, Disco Fever, with those of Barracora, you will find the Barracora ruleset much deeper. Not to say Disco Fever is not a fun game to play of course.

In each era, some games had deeper rules than others. It is unfair to say 1980's SS games did not have a deep rulesheet just because 2020's games have much more complicated rules.

Of the games I own/have owned:

Black Knight has the most approachable and easy to understand rules I am aware of from that era. Very easy to explain to a new player but still fun.

My new nine-ball has alot going on in it but I wouldn't say the rules were overly complex. Would be confusing to a noob though.

My Flash Gordon is probably the most complicated by rules set. There is alot in it you just won't see because it's just so darn hard!

Joker Poker had the most innovative (or fun) ruleset of EM/SS transition era games. But only for a 5-ball game.

Barracrora definitely falls in the “confusing” for me!

The tech just wasn’t there back then to do “deep” well or intuitively.

I must say, I sold my Barracora quite shortly after cleaning and refurbishing it...

But it sure was a good looking game - I have always been an Alien and HR Giger fan

I need to get one, fun game and it would look great next to Andromeda. I feel like the art would complement each other well.

Flight 2000. Getting multiball requires spelling B-L-A-S-T-O-F-F then counting down 5 through 1 and also locking 2 balls.

Of course no one plays it this way, they just rip the right spinner in tournaments, BUT STILL.

Elektra and Centaur are also both classics with depth.

Not me. After the first plunge I know if MB is the play or not. If the right spinner doesn’t hit the drops, that can be a long slog with no payoff. I’ve yet to play one that consistently hits the drops through the right spinner.

What's confusing about Barracora?

#alien-poker isn't the deepest game at a glance, but the dual multipliers and raising/lowering the drop target values always force players to make interesting decisions. The ruleset and current state of the drops also make players really think about which flipper is best to shoot for certain targets. If the spinner points were balanced, it'd be almost perfect.

Jungle Lord is pretty deep.