After the Hardbodies speculation thread got sent to basement because somebody didn't like the theme, it got me thinking that there have been worse themes in pinball lately. In fact most of them. So lets put together a list of the crappiest themes of the last ten years and then a poll will be added and you can vote for the bottom of the barrel.

Poll has been added.

I would beg to differ. Did you ever see the movie? I'll watch that before most of the turd themed movies they have turned into pinball machines lately.

We are talking about themes for modern pinball here, not Oscars from the 30s.

I guess a lot of us are in agreement that most of these themes suck and some going back even further.

How did I miss Alien? Just what we need, a movie from the Carter era.

So was Gone With The Wind, but you don't see too many begging for that in a pinball theme.

I'm just surprised Hobbit hasn't got any votes yet. I guess I should have included the option to vote for as many as you like.

Some of these themes make J-Pop look like a genius.

Wasn't LOTR the same thing? It's an old story now. Some it seems can't get enough though. But to me, it's beating a dead horse.

I agree. Even in the EM era. At one time I thought Fashion Show was a lame theme, but the game turns out to be a real beauty. Imagine if there was a Victoria's Secret pinball machine today.

No way! It is a drive-in theme that came out when not many retro themes were out there. And one of the best movies ever. It fit because it was unique in it's time. But now that we are inundated with retro licensed themes each new one that comes out seems lamer than the last IMO.

For some reason this thread just doesn't seem right without rarehero.

Big Hurt was as good as they come as far as DMDs were concerned so what does that tell you? Although I do enjoy motorsport themed games as you can do something with that.

IMO the Rolling Stones were more iconic than Kiss could ever hope to be and the quality of music they put out especially in the early days was way above what Kiss ever did. And characters they were! But it is not 1970 anymore, and grandfather rock has been beat into the ground in pinball so both themes for today suck.

And yeah, I woke up with a little bit of an attitude today. Every time I come up with what I think might be a good pinball theme, it goes straight to the basement, while this garbage is already out there and others dream themes permeate this forum. I guess 50 years of playing pinball doesn't count for much.

You know, I really ended up wishing you had brought Hardbody over last night.

Well pretty much every licensed theme from the last ten years sucks, and pinball has gone to hell in a hand basket.

Woah Nellie is about the only redeeming thing in pinball over the last ten years.

Careful... here come those Jaws guys.

Pinball themes might be a whole lot better if pinside was taken out of the equation altogether.

Shouldn't you be driving south? Bringing some of that San Francisco treat with ya?

Wow that's pretty cool. I'm sure those running pinside are giving me similar ratings.

Wish I could update the poll. Rumor has it Aerosmith is coming....

I personally think Dominos and Pabst are superior themes to some of the other spoon fed crap they are dishing out as of late.

$6400 is way too much for any pinball machine, but it has nothing in common with an EM besides being a pinball machine.

This thread is not about that. It's about recent pinball themes that suck, and in 2016 Pabst is a more relevant and palatable theme than either Ghostbusters or Hobbit among others to say the least.

You've got to wonder when even the most hardcore, living in the past, 80s nostalgia nerd won't buy them anymore.

I'll play WNBJM wherever I can find one, but it is indeed too much money for a game that is not an EM. Meaning a new out of the box EM. They cut too many corners eliminating bells, gobble hole, etc. The score reels even seem fake. The original proto might have been an EM, but this certainly isn't.

For me Ripley's is the kind of out of the box theme of recent years that suits me, so the one I let go will be returning this weekend. Maybe this time to stay. Unless they come up with something better....

Agree. There really isn't much original about pinball now. To me it's all pasteurized, processed American cheese food product. I prefer real cheddar. For those like us that want something creative in pinball, you mostly have to look to the past. And I'm not talking about for the next licensed theme either. It's been game over for a while now. Kaput.

If I could rewrite the poll, we would sure have a lot more contenders now.

Bump!

Yeah, but that doesn't fall into the last ten years category.

Yeah, just look at all the lousy themes from last year that make Congo look like a gem.

Do you own Aerosmith?