Pinside rating

This game received 108 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 8.000 _/10

8

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #56 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game design: 7.758

Artwork: 8.018

Sounds/Music: 8.365

Other Aspects: 7.89

Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 2 of us have rated this game.

7.655

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Ranking history

An overview of this machine's ranking over the last years. Lower is better.

Rating history

An overview of this machine's rating over the last years. Higher is better.

Found 49 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 49 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 2.

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3.747/10

16 days ago

TIM

gamera9

Pinside member

Glendale, AZ

5y 45,050 141 13 13

Everyone I have every played is either broken or breaks down soon after people start playing. Clunky not fun. I think it has some interesting features that hopefully we will see integrated into other pins down the line. Play it, enjoy if you want, definitely not on my list to buy or play again.

4.584/10

59 days ago

TDX

noflip95

Pinside member

4y 75,100 195 71

A very nice "buy and forget" concept game. A game not reliable at all, and especially completely non-repairable.
Where are the wiring diagrams, boards?

9.900/10

63 days ago

ADM

PinDoctor82

Pinside member

<1y 64,900 273 5 92

It took me years to get this game into my collection after wanting one since it was revealed. It was way beyond worth the wait and money. This game is absolutely incredible. The theme integration including the video and sounds is simply unmatched by any other game I've played, ever. Is it a perfect machine technically? Far from it, especially lacking the presence of Ripley, but it's as perfect as can be without her. Heighway cut some corners I'm sure, but I'm so fortunate that my LE is in perfect working order and I've snagged a ton of spare parts in case it needs repairs in the future, which I'm sure it will, but I still don't care the challenges involved with that - this game is absolutely astounding and worth the efforts. If you have a chance to play this game in full-working order, give it a chance! The game gets a bad rap and deservedly so in regards to how things went south with Heighway, but the game itself is way better than how it is rated here on Pinside. I literally get goosebumps playing it and I have never laughed in joy so much during any other pinball game experience - it is special.

PinDoctor82 edited previous rating on August 15, 2019.
PinDoctor82 currently owns this game.

7.220/10

84 days ago

SS

Shapeshifter

Pinside member

8y 124K 8,953 19 141

Great sound and visuals.

Plays a bit slow and clunky with long ball times.

If only this had been a narrow body in a classic cabinet.

9.800/10

88 days ago

HBG

gold1

Pinside member

Unknown

5y 20,650 60 1 6

A classic already!

gold1 currently owns this game.

9.140/10

3 months ago

CCC

megaladon

Pinside member

Lynnwood, WA

13y 39,800 132 5 9 1

Theme is spot on. The integration is very good with the latest code. The main "gimmick" was the alien tongue and of course doesn't work on my game but it still holds the magnet and the lights go out for a great start to multiball. The ball lock is a satisfying shot even though it doesn't "lock" the ball in the traditional sense. Originally I thought that it does play "clunky" but I think it's because the shots are hard to get used to. It's challenging and rewarding when you hit them (hypersleep, chestbuster and combo around the popbumpers). Lots of games shoot the same and there are enough changes in this layout to keep you wanting more. The cabinet design isn't traditional as well but I love the integration of the lite side blades in a dark room. Such a great concept.

megaladon currently owns this game.

7.088/10

5 months ago

BW

KingBW

Pinside member

4y 92,900 2,178 82 1

A fun game as is, but likely could have been better if the manufacturer (Heighway) could have seen this one through, finished and polished the code. An odd shape backbox, but that's not important. The video screen in the center of the playfield mirroring the back box display is fantastic. The lighting is too dark. Could have had GI flashing or pulsing lighter and still had the dark and eerie effect. The pop bumpers with their lighting are pretty cool. I played one with the Alien ball lock feature working and that gimmick is really well done. Overall, it was a fun pin to play.

7.514/10

6 months ago

???

drfrightner

St Louis Pinball

1y 68,300 594 71

Very overpriced and way over rated. The game play is clunky, and I think many are confused by all the TV’s which I feel they used to mask they didn’t add toys that the game deserved. The alien head is badly sculpted, and the shooter rod coming out with a magnet on the end is really bad theming to say the least.

I love the graphics they did and all the CG work, plus film integration all great.

This looks to me like a game that was almost finished but they ran out of money. Alien is a great theme, but I think they missed out on a lot of obviously opportunities.

Hey this was one of their first games, they get an A for effort, but overall the game itself is just good not great.

5 Pinsiders flagged this rating/review.

9.420/10

6 months ago

BEN

noitbe1

Pinside member

Paris

7y 58,300 668 9 10

I wanted this game for a really long time and finally I jumped in on one of the last version which seems pretty reliable. I think when HP closed down the pin was ready at last. Anyway the gameplay is amazing, the theme integration is the best I’ve ever seen. It’s one of the only pin I had to force myself to stop playing.
This is the best modern game i ve played. I used to be dedicated to wpc 95 and this one make me change my mind. If you can try it, jump on it. Too bad the history behind on the other side but after though, maybe HP wanted too high for this game and didn’t realize the real price they should have sold it to be profitable. Really great game... should be top 5 for me... :)

noitbe1 currently owns this game.

1.000/10

8 months ago

WUF

wolfemaaan

Pinside member

Los Angeles, CA

1y 57,900 830 5 87 1

One of the worst games I’ve ever played. The lcd in the playfield actually made the gameplay worse as who wants to watch movie clips while trying to make shot. Nothing redeeming whatsoever. I’m assuming this game was never completed right as balls kept getting stuck. I was just sitting there hoping and Alien would shoot out of my stomach and end it all

I lowered my rating even further because 3 butthurt people flagged my legit rating. This game is garbage

wolfemaaan edited previous rating on January 31, 2019.

7 Pinsiders flagged this rating/review.

9.460/10

9 months ago

MRK

Gilboys

Pinside member

Las Vegas, NV

<1y 25,300 6 4 44

This is a must have game. Too bad they went out of business. I was in a room with 16 pins going at once and 50 plus people playing and this machine's sound and vibrations stifled them all. The video on backglass is number 1 of any machine. There is another smaller one just above the flippers so players dont have to look up for information. Great game.

9.860/10

9 months ago

AEM

ulmpharmd

Pinside member

Bossier City, LA

6y 68,050 1,145 13

Rapidly becoming my number 1

ulmpharmd edited previous rating on January 16, 2019.

9.420/10

10 months ago

MCH

Pinkitten

Pinside member

Williamston, MI

2y 82,050 290 15 53 1

I’ve had the pleasure of playing two of these difficult to find pins. I feel the demise of Heighway as it relates to the premature termination of this pin is a terrible shame. Most of us can not afford one of these now, and unless someone buys the rights and produces more, the price probably won’t come down. I had a chance to buy one about 6 months ago for $8500, and I was very close to pulling the trigger. Only the lack of customer support and possible limitation on parts made me choose Dialed In instead. I wish I could own one of these. The theme is perfect, the game oozes Alien in every way. Sound, game play, toys, lighting, art package. Stellar job. Really fun pin to shoot too, with shots EVERYWHERE, you won’t get bored. If this pin was still being made, or if JJP or another healthy company made it, I wouldn’t hesitate. The rules are very well done, and you can choose Alien or the sequel Aliens to try to complete the modes. Excellent use of video and the lcd screens are cutting edge. This is such a great machine with so much more potential.

9.620/10

11 months ago

CWC

PinBackpacker

Pinside member

Aldie, VA

4y 61,650 322 16 8

Very underrated game. Theme integration is amazing.

PinBackpacker has owned this game in the past.

9.260/10

11 months ago

JTL

robojustin

Pinside member

Victoria, BC

1y 24,000 1 5 6

From an audio visual standpoint, this game is as good as it gets in my opinion. The merging of the cutscenes with the modes and play is incredible. An incredible feat of pinball technology, theming, and design. As has been said before, its such a shame that it is a greatness that never really was. I've had mine for a few months and acquired it from Nitro Pinball in Abbotsford, BC. Tommy and his crew there did an incredible job getting this thing running, updating the software, a bringing a true piece of cinema and pinball history to life. There are some shots that I've probably only made once on it, and that is a problem in some instances as it makes completing modes INCREDIBLY challenging, and i have a glitch here and there, but if you take that all with a grain of salt, what you have is a pinball machine unlike any other. A rare thing of beauty. I'm a huge Alien/Aliens fan, and always have been, so the theme couldn't be better (unless someone finally pulls the trigger on brining Jaws or Phantasm to life). This pin puts you in the films like nothing ever has. It's tense, taught, and I'm always left feeling like the aliens are in the room with me. I think this is do in large part to phenomenal sound design and speaker pairing. What a game. If you have the chance, PLAY IT....and play it in a dark room.

8.988/10

12 months ago

DEW

Damonator

Pinside member

6y 92,150 1,383 12 1

A true credit to the team that developed this game - the final product is truly exceptional. It is by far the most immersive pinball game I’ve ever played.

Pros - incredible theme/sound/animations make you feel like you are a part of the movies. The modes are difficult, well thought out and have a lot of variety in what you are trying to shoot and when. The cut scenes are well placed and highly polished. The mode instructions displayed on *3* LCD screens are very helpful. The playfield LCD is a great idea as it allows you to see some of the animations and mode directions. The Xeno head is one of the best toys in pinball. The layout is unique with lots of shots.

Cons: The upper flipper is hard to feed - a 50% chance of dropping from the pops is the best option. Feeding it with the upper left flipper or an extremely tight shot from the lower left flipper is harder to control.

If you played this game at a show or you played an early code version, you really need to try it out again on the latest code. The aftermarket community has been phenomenal in remaking parts and shoring up some of the fragile aspects of the design.

9.760/10

1 year ago

???

colonel_caverne

Pinside member

Toulouse

6y 66,300 2,291 6 67

This game is near the perfection when it works perfectly. And it does for me currently.
You don’t play Alien, you are inside!
Tons of modes, great toy with xeno, some tough shots, deep rules, very challenging that keep you from coming back again and again.
I can’t believe all this waste

colonel_caverne currently owns this game.

9.940/10

1 year ago

S.F

Attackstefan

Pinside apprentice

Unknown

1y 14,750 1 9

Hello I want to describe my first impressions of the Alien LE here
As a fan of the movies I had always kept an eye on the device.
After the highway bust, I was again in doubt, then have one from the last
Get production .. what should I say did not regret it.
Rarely is a topic so well implemented.
The two displays in the field are super integrated.
The atmosphere in the game is unbeatable.
An infinite number of different shots but sometimes very difficult, combined
with the great sound and the gloomy playing field just awesome.
Of course, the sound contributes to the game and quiet is not fun.

The alien is in no way different devices.
Anyone who likes the movies and likes to flippert should test the device, you will be amazed.

7.912/10

1 year ago

PVW

pascal-pinball

Pinside member

14y 81,425 1,269 225

It's so sad that the 'chestbuster' shot and 'vent 2' shot are almost impossible to shoot.

pascal-pinball edited previous rating on April 05, 2019.

8.740/10

1 year ago

TDK

TomDK

Pinside member

6y 62,300 876 26 3

Bought a late Alien and was surprised, out of the box fully working.
In this machine are several very good ideas for cabinet building. The technical aspect is, side by side with Full Throttle, unique ... unique means not bader than other producers.
The game itself creates a perfect atmoshere ... Alien style 100% !!
The gameplay is a mixture from well knowen shots of other pins, nothing really new expect the left outlane.
The game is fun, great sound, great light but .. be aware ... the producer no longer exists. No schematics, no manuals, no spareparts .. expect what the pinside community figures out and reproduces.
With around 200 games a keeper and collectible item. Even the producer does not exist afterall the price of this machine is rainig up.

I never say "never" on keeping a pin. Too many came and went off .. but Alien will stay a little longer. I have a gameroom with 10 games, so Alien fits perfect in the collection. If you own only one game Alien will become a little boring with the time.

There are 2 x 5 missions and 5 x multiballs plus several extra modes. Great animations, great sound but (like on PB2K) you see them repeadly.

TomDK edited previous rating on September 08, 2018.

8.296/10

1 year ago

GIL

Imagineerie

Pinside member

5y 41,050 7 168

I finally had a chance to play a few games on this pin. So this review is based on first impressions and will likely get updated. So this is the first pin with a license that left me actually wanting to see the movie(s) again. The game is VERY cool in regard to theme, and design for the theme, with some cool toys and moody lighting. It is a wide body with four flippers and the upper flippers are intended for specific shots requiring those shots to be set up, which (btw) is not easy. It also features a second, smaller video screen in the lower playfield intended (I'm sure) for the player's convenience during play. This pin is clearly designed by pin-heads and it is very evident during gameplay. The one that I played launched two balls at a time. I don't know if it is supposed to do that (seemed like it was), but it was a VERY cool play feature adding to the intensity of an already fairly intense game. I was only able to achieve one of the multi-ball modes where the alien head sticks it's inner mouth out to capture the ball and launch a three ball multiball. VERY COOL! This is a REALLY cool game and I'm looking forward to play it more and dig deeper into it.

7.848/10

1 year ago

DJB

WW2GURU

Pinside member

8y 41,550 149 11

I played an early version of this pin in an unfinished form and with some of the settings dialled down so ill have to revisit this review some other time. I love the theme being a big aliens fan. i thought the face huggers were very clever. The dark theme is great. The playability and shots weren't quite there for me. There have been code revisions and play field parts added since then so hopefully I can like it like i want to.

4 Pinsiders flagged this rating/review.

9.740/10

1 year ago

KDL

klinde1

Pinside member

Jackson Twp., OH

8y 52,150 128 10 40

Awesome gameplay the rules the sounds the theme integration is amazing. It draws you in and you want to play it again and again. The Alien team has produced a very addicting game mission accomplished.

klinde1 has owned this game in the past.

7.895/10

1 year ago

MRO

MEROPARIS

Pinside member

Paris

8y 46,250 4 140

after 2 hours i like it , not fast as a got or star wars ( that i love ) , very different slower wide body feeling , excellent theme and ambiance , like the videos on the big screen , some difficult "x men/tron" shots with upper flippers , a good pin ( lot better and original than guardians of galaxy or aerosmith for example )

MEROPARIS edited previous rating on January 15, 2018.

10.000/10

1 year ago

ODE

Averell

Pinside member

5y 41,550 649 4 9

One of the best new Pinball Machines ever built.
Interesting features and shift design in combination with great movie topics.
This is a keeper for life.

Averell edited previous rating on June 27, 2019.
Averell currently owns this game.

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