Stern Electronics
Big Game Pinside Rating
This game received 51 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.630 /10
Big Game
Score breakdown
Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:
Game Design: 7.874
Artwork: 7.719
Sounds/Music: 5.934
Other Aspects: 7.771
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.
Found 32 ratings (with comment) on this game
There are 32 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 2.
List options
7.034/10
10 months ago
Caledonia, WI
Big Game is pretty fun game. Excellent use of the bingo cards which gives the player alot to do. You have to shoot the entire playfield to fill the cards and spell Big Game. The theme is unusual, im not sure what animals have to do with filling in bingo cards and having a seven digit display, but the art is nice enough.
Surrey, BC
8.619/10
1 year ago
I've had Big Game for over 5 years and I can tell I'll never sell it. It's still fun after all this time and my wife also loves it.
If you set the Specials to give Extra Balls that's when you can get really interesting games.
Pros :
-Nice artwork and colors all over.
-It's not a drain monster. It feels really fair.
-The wide playfield and fast flippers makes it easy to pick up and play for anyone. This game is fast.
-The ruleset is well thought out for its time and the designer made good choices.
-Nice and simple ruleset where you have to lit up B-I-G-G-A-M-E and score the bonus on the top left + make lines on the bingo cards by hitting the numbered drop targets.
-A very satisfying game when you full up the B-I-G-G-A-M-E twice and score that bonus. Also fulling the bingo cards and starting a new set for extra points feels really good.
Cons :
-The bingo cards don't really match the jungle theme of the game.
-The sound could be better but it's 1980 technology so it was OK for its time. It's never too annoying. Even the beat in the background can give you an adrenaline kick when it's pumping fast.
-The double flippers almost seem unnecessary.
If you set the Specials to give Extra Balls that's when you can get really interesting games.
Pros :
-Nice artwork and colors all over.
-It's not a drain monster. It feels really fair.
-The wide playfield and fast flippers makes it easy to pick up and play for anyone. This game is fast.
-The ruleset is well thought out for its time and the designer made good choices.
-Nice and simple ruleset where you have to lit up B-I-G-G-A-M-E and score the bonus on the top left + make lines on the bingo cards by hitting the numbered drop targets.
-A very satisfying game when you full up the B-I-G-G-A-M-E twice and score that bonus. Also fulling the bingo cards and starting a new set for extra points feels really good.
Cons :
-The bingo cards don't really match the jungle theme of the game.
-The sound could be better but it's 1980 technology so it was OK for its time. It's never too annoying. Even the beat in the background can give you an adrenaline kick when it's pumping fast.
-The double flippers almost seem unnecessary.
6.800/10
3 years ago
I love the artwork and theme. This game has a lot going for it with drops, rollovers, and a spinner. I can't believe it doesn't cost more!
8.522/10
3 years ago
This classic Stern does not disappoint. Plays crazy fast for a widebody and the rules are super fun. I was not a hug fan of the 4 lower flippers but they fit this one perfect. Artwork and sounds are average but game play and rules make up the difference to this classic a huge thumbs up. Some of the best spinner rips in pinball. My favorite classic stern.
7.769/10
4 years ago
If you like a fast game and drop target action this is your machine.
I really like the Classic Stern collection of games, and Big Game fits right in.
Sounds are typical of the era and nothing special but that is ok, the addictive part is how the game plays. It is easy to get caught up in lining numbers up on the playfield cards to elevate your score. The pop bumpers add a lot of action in the middle of the playfield and a couple of mini orbits on the lateral aspects keep things interesting.
Spinners were a bit tougher to hit (for me) at the upper left -- one of the things I like is a good spinner rip and this is the one area I was left wanting more while playing.
I'd definitely add one to the collection one day!
I really like the Classic Stern collection of games, and Big Game fits right in.
Sounds are typical of the era and nothing special but that is ok, the addictive part is how the game plays. It is easy to get caught up in lining numbers up on the playfield cards to elevate your score. The pop bumpers add a lot of action in the middle of the playfield and a couple of mini orbits on the lateral aspects keep things interesting.
Spinners were a bit tougher to hit (for me) at the upper left -- one of the things I like is a good spinner rip and this is the one area I was left wanting more while playing.
I'd definitely add one to the collection one day!
9.773/10
5 years ago
I'm biased. I absolutely love this pin called Big Game. It is fast !! If you don't like wide bodies because you think they are too slow, give Big Game a try when ever you get a chance.
The outlanes are tough but not to the point that you would want to walk away from the pin. Good nudging skills can help with the outlanes. If you like a pinball machine where the ball comes to you and offers good flipper action, give Big Game a try. Other than the saucer at the top that traps the ball for 2-3 seconds, the ball is always in motion.
The only time the ball is stopped is if you have trapped it with one of the four flippers. With the four flippers you need to modify your flipper techniques. Post passes are possible but difficult. Flipper passes can be made by bouncing the ball from the lower flipper to the lower side of the upper flipper which ricochets over to the lower flipper on the opposite side.
My girl friend asked me several months ago that if I could only keep one pinball machine which one would it be. Big Game is my keeper. It is like the engineers asked my my likes and dislikes and built a pin to my specs and desires.
The rules are simple but not easy to achieve.
The outlanes are tough but not to the point that you would want to walk away from the pin. Good nudging skills can help with the outlanes. If you like a pinball machine where the ball comes to you and offers good flipper action, give Big Game a try. Other than the saucer at the top that traps the ball for 2-3 seconds, the ball is always in motion.
The only time the ball is stopped is if you have trapped it with one of the four flippers. With the four flippers you need to modify your flipper techniques. Post passes are possible but difficult. Flipper passes can be made by bouncing the ball from the lower flipper to the lower side of the upper flipper which ricochets over to the lower flipper on the opposite side.
My girl friend asked me several months ago that if I could only keep one pinball machine which one would it be. Big Game is my keeper. It is like the engineers asked my my likes and dislikes and built a pin to my specs and desires.
The rules are simple but not easy to achieve.
5.042/10
7 years ago
Big Game has some neat jungle themed art on the pf, and the bg is decent, but it is towards the bottom of my favorite widebodies (with Space Invaders coming in last!). Oddly, it seemed like the game wanted to be Paragon, but just couldn't make the cut. The shots were too long from either of the stacked flippers on either side, and there weren't enough targets for the space available. I can't really say that it was awful, but I walked away after a few games and never looked back.
I'd pass on this one unless I found it dirt cheap, and I wouldn't bother playing it there are other games around.
I'd pass on this one unless I found it dirt cheap, and I wouldn't bother playing it there are other games around.
7.882/10
8 years ago
Big Game is a fantastic playfield design by the great Harry Williams himself.
* Asymmetry: very good
* Backhands: YES, you can back hand all the important shots
* Ball Control/Hazards: The 3 pops and the post between the spinners are the main hazards
* Ball Time: seems like an easy player, but if I owned one, it would be steeper and faster
* Drops (Sweepable): (maybe the right bank?)
* Flow/Stop n Go: very good flow -- only ball stop is the saucer, and it's momentary
* Fun/Lastability: very good
* Inlane Flow: very good
* Lateral movement/Nudging: always a little tough to nudge a wide-body, but this is smaller as wide bodies go
* Originality: yes
* Pop bumpers: excellent, three mid-field pops
* Scoring Balance: very good
* Skill shot: barely, it's a 1-2-3 without lane change
* Sound: good Stern sounds
* Spinners: yes 2 of them
* ThemeArt/Lights: good, but you'd better like a jungle theme
* Toys/Gimmicks: 4 flippers
CONS:
* no voice
* no multiball
* no orbit shots
* Asymmetry: very good
* Backhands: YES, you can back hand all the important shots
* Ball Control/Hazards: The 3 pops and the post between the spinners are the main hazards
* Ball Time: seems like an easy player, but if I owned one, it would be steeper and faster
* Drops (Sweepable): (maybe the right bank?)
* Flow/Stop n Go: very good flow -- only ball stop is the saucer, and it's momentary
* Fun/Lastability: very good
* Inlane Flow: very good
* Lateral movement/Nudging: always a little tough to nudge a wide-body, but this is smaller as wide bodies go
* Originality: yes
* Pop bumpers: excellent, three mid-field pops
* Scoring Balance: very good
* Skill shot: barely, it's a 1-2-3 without lane change
* Sound: good Stern sounds
* Spinners: yes 2 of them
* ThemeArt/Lights: good, but you'd better like a jungle theme
* Toys/Gimmicks: 4 flippers
CONS:
* no voice
* no multiball
* no orbit shots
8.711/10
9 years ago
This game has it all. Great variety of shots, nine drops and two different ways to collect an extra ball. Uses all of its allotted space. Set-up with a bit of an angle and this one is fast! Great machine for its era.
6.065/10
9 years ago
Must first clarify that I am not a big fan of the wide body pins. With that being said, this machine is entertaining and does present a challenge with some of the shots(at least for me anyway). Overall, a decent pin, but not one that I would want in my collection.
3.361/10
10 years ago
Not a fan, thought the theme wasn't used at all on the pin. Played pretty boring to me.
You too can add your own comment by rating this game! Click here to rate this game!
Over the years
Visualizing this game's rating and rank over the years
Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!
Donate to PinsideGreat to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!
