Bally

Black Rose

Pinside Rating

This game received 298 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.689 _/10

7.689

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #147 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 7.715

Artwork: 7.759

Sounds/Music: 7.065

Other Aspects: 7.814

Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 8 of us have rated this game.

7.066

Your Rating?

You need to be logged in before you can rate pinball machines. No account yet? Registering only takes a sec!

Found 145 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 145 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 5 of 6.

List options

Ratings sort order

Type of ratings to show in list

Owner status of review

Exclude flagged ratings

Keyword or username search

8.860/10

11 years ago

AJD

bailorgana

Pinside member

Culver City, CA

11y 47,900 313 2 15

This game is so much fun. I wish I had come across one when it was released.

8.620/10

11 years ago

DMG

dgpinball

Pinside member

Abbotsford, BC

12y 88,900 1,661 147 72

I've had my Black Rose since 1996, always been a favorite. Very different ruleset, can't think of another game like it!!

dgpinball edited previous rating on December 01, 2013.
dgpinball currently owns this game.

6.990/10

11 years ago

MRO

MEROPARIS

Pinside member

Paris

12y 56,500 166

nice pin

MEROPARIS edited previous rating on April 14, 2015.

8.720/10

11 years ago

JEF

Rengozu

Pinside member

Murfreesboro, TN

11y 27,900 80 1 11

Another one of my favorites. Don't know anything about the faulty cannons others seem to mention, but when it works properly it's a damn fun and easy game suitable for all.

7.508/10

11 years ago

GAV

fleagus27

Inactive member

Bundaberg

11y 10,250 7 7

I have had this game for a few years ,like the canon and the game ,there is a few things that could be improved but over all a good pinnie..

fleagus27 currently owns this game.

7.899/10

11 years ago

ROC

LilRocky

Pinside member

Manteo, NC

12y 76,150 667 2 52

BR has that simple but addictive play style like the older system 11Bs. The cannon is an awesome toy and the "sink the ship" shot is not an easy one. The layout is pretty simple and I'm always for a game with an upper flipper looping shot. The right side of the pf seems tacked on as the whirlpool loop doesnt really serve any purpose aside from building up to an extra ball and/or quickly lighting LOCK. While the right shot to the bumpers just doesn't score very well. Scoring seems to mainly come from sinking ships at 20M for your first and tacking on an aditional 10M to that for each additional ship. Unfortunately, for me at least, I can have a rocking game without sinking any ships, yet have the same score (or usually better) when only gunning for ships the entire game. But, dang, trying to gun down those ships is really fun, rewarding, and is what keeps me coming back to this game! Plus, aside from the usual high scores on the game, there's also a destroyed ships high score.

I'm a fan of video modes, but the ones in BR are fun and silly at first but get old pretty quickly. The call outs are good and piratey, although grainy, and the music is catchy (love the music after sinking a ship). The art is really good and the side art on the headboard is one of the best cab arts I've sen.

So all in all the game layout is good, but it seems like most my play is lined up off the right flipper. However, it's that cannon toy and sinking ships that keeps me coming back for more.

LilRocky has owned this game in the past.

4.815/10

11 years ago

ZUL

Caucasian2Step

Evil McBooty

12y 163K 1,455 51 1011

Black Rose is a game that is very ambitious design that came up short.

The Pros:
Varied shots and a very cool pinball cannon (when it works) that actually shoots the ball across the PF. A creative PF from Jon Trudeau. Multiball is fun and what this game is really all about. Hitting the saucer all the way past the top of the PF is incredibly satisfying. The next time we see a shot like this (if I'm correct) is in World Poker Tour.

The Cons:
Artwork and dots are not that hot. The game never really flows and the stop/start nature of the PF is not up to the play quality that we have seen from other designers. Why isn't there more than 1 shot to make with the cannon? 2 ramps, 2 orbits and 3 sets of standups... oh the possibilities. Oh yeah... that's right. The cannon is this game's achilles heel! The video modes are some of the worst to ever grace a DMD. At least when you lose the shark mode you get monched on by a shark. Losing a video mode was never this much fun!

The Takeaway:
A technical beast that is best in a personal collection with nominal traffic. I have NEVER seen one of these games on locatioin that works as it should. Now if you have to get a pirate pin, get a PotC. Part of me can't believe that this is an Eddy co-designed game. Trudeau would have an angry pin-mob to answer to if CFTBL was not his next game.

Update:
With a toy that is prone to failure for making the ball do very strange things right above the flippers, this is a great example of how a toy or feature can make or break a game. The cannon is so prominent this design that the entire game play revolves around it. The amazing shots show signs of what could be a solid player, but as a game, it's a failure. This is a prime example of how the rules of the game can take an interesting playfield that's creative, well laid and out turn it into something that's are you going to one shot game. The rules for the double broadsides on this game are unbalanced. Sinking ships is awesome. But multiple 32 mil. Broadside Shots are over powering. Compared to a 5 mil. Left ramp jackpot...? This game also show you what happens when a video mode is done wrong.

Mystery programmer, where arrrrrrgh ye?

Caucasian2Step edited previous rating on August 30, 2019.

2 Pinsiders flagged this.

9.020/10

11 years ago

DAV

PersonX99

GSP mods

Manchester, NH

11y 87,550 1,102 16 36 1

Not a deep ruleset, but deep enough to keep you coming back for more. All three video modes are some of the best I have seen on a pin. I'm a fan of original themes and this is one of the better ones out there. The only flaw in this machine is the cannon. It is a pain to level, and if it is not level, the gameplay is seriously affected. It can be leveled, but it takes time and patience.

PersonX99 has owned this game in the past.

6.827/10

11 years ago

BDS

PinB

Pinside member

12y 157K 1,602 345

Black Rose is a cool idea for a theme, but the game itself just didn't really do it for me. While the canon is a cool toy that's a blast to shoot, it's a pain-in-the-ass to level perfectly. The shot layout isn't really anything exciting, especially if you like a lot of flow. It can come off feeling somewhat clunky.

PinB edited previous rating on January 07, 2016.

8.496/10

11 years ago

RAT

radrats

Inactive member

Los Angeles, CA

13y 25,150 336 2 9

The cannon is an awesome gimmick but often seems to not sit level in the playfield. All in all I like this one a lot. The center back shot is super important.

radrats currently owns this game.

6.957/10

11 years ago

TPK

Kneissl

Pinside member

12y 126K 3,865 7 121

Swing from the riggings is my all time favorite video mode, quick and cute. Game has really great flow, but lots of clunk, and I really dislike how much the cannon disrupts the ball near the flippers. It's a huge pain to get the cannon leveled even half decent. Cool mechanical gimmick, but ends up kind of ruining the game at the same time.

Kneissl has owned this game in the past.

10.000/10

11 years ago

???

kopsi

Inactive member

Vienna

12y 7,000 7

this is the best game that i ever played!!!!

kops

7.712/10

11 years ago

DWE

SDFworker

Pinside member

Louisville, KY

12y 40,100 291 11

Own it love it. Not my favorite but a keeper for me. Guests like it rules not deep but game is challenging. Cannon shots are cool.

SDFworker has owned this game in the past.

4.056/10

11 years ago

NEO

CaptainNeo

Playfield restorations

Burlington, WI

11y 148K 22,438 37 77 1

this game looks way better than it actually is. Owned one, wanted to like it. Loved the looks, clunky terrible player.

7.568/10

11 years ago

JLA

Jodester

Pinside Moderator

Lake Charles, LA

11y 121K 2,505 11 114

Re-rating this game after several games this weekend. This game really is a blast to play. Good toys and an interesting play field arrangement kept me coming back for another game.

Jodester edited previous rating on August 07, 2014.
Jodester has owned this game in the past.

7.706/10

11 years ago

SDG

BloodyCactus

Pinside member

Lexington, VA

12y 40,150 534 2 8

LOVED the cannon shot. The rotating cannon was a blast to shoot. Fun ramps. Some people dont like the habitrail coming down the center of the pf, but I didnt notice it in play much, you dont get fixated on it. Game played sweet, I liked the shot placement. I was lucky the pf had a flat cannon, I can see if the cannon is not sitting flush it would be a nightmare to play.

7.352/10

12 years ago

DAV

schwarz

Pinside member

12y 103K 2,168 19

Decent game, bit of a clunker, love the way it looks just not so much the way it plays. A lot of shoot er down the middle. Davey Jones locker is a fun shot to hit and I like the video modes.

schwarz edited previous rating on October 27, 2019.
schwarz has owned this game in the past.

7.692/10

12 years ago

DJG

nasco62

Pinside member

Sydney

12y 67,800 801 14 54

Really like this game, lots of shots, the cannon is a great feature. Great flow, and overall a very underrated pin. Definately want this one in my collection.

nasco62 has this game on the wishlist.

7.492/10

12 years ago

NAM

kwiKimart

Inactive member

San Diego, CA

12y 90,650 10,693 3 71

I played this for the first time not too long ago, and I like the shooting cannon that fires that ball which is very cool and reminds me of the cannons on STTNG. This is an underrated Bally game that came out at a great time and deserves a little more love.

8.328/10

12 years ago

WUF

wolfy

Pinside member

Winston-salem, NC

14y 79,600 1,087 15 113 1

I got this pin for the fourth time over the last 14 years of my collecting. This one will not leave. This game is so unique and has one of the best shots ever in the cannon shot. The artwork is amazing and the call-outs are superb. Getting really hard to find.

wolfy edited previous rating on June 05, 2022.
wolfy currently owns this game.

7.299/10

12 years ago

JCS

thebrave

Inactive member

Glendale, AZ

12y 38,900 189 1 29

I like the skill shot that's right up the middle. Video mode is kinda cool too. I think the sound is lacking a bit, but it is a fun pinball!

9.919/10

12 years ago

STC

scscottc

Inactive member

Stafford, VA

12y 18,000 72 5 7

I have owned this one for 11 years and have no plans to ever let it go... I still love playing it!

I can see some of the complaints about the canon affecting the ball travel... But to me it just adds to the challenge. Nothing more satisfying than sinking ships!

Well maybe out swimming that damn shark...

scscottc currently owns this game.

8.450/10

12 years ago

GRH

Trident

Pinside member

Winston Salem, NC

12y 51,800 462 1 16

This game is a really good deal for what it sales for. several shots, cool cannon and I love the dmd animations. Like the way the center shot goes through the back of the playfield. On my want list!

Trident has owned this game in the past.

8.220/10

12 years ago

BUK

pinballslave

Pinside member

Litvinov

12y 138K 6,367 133 149

If one came up at the right price I'd buy it... I've enjoyed it every time I played it!! I did buy one once, but it was in a foreign country a long way from home, it was broken, it was cheap, so I stripped it for parts and brought them home in my suitcase... and yes, I do feel bad about it! Funnily enough it was in a brothel, but I really was only there to look at the pin... honest!!

pinballslave has owned this game in the past.

7.352/10

12 years ago

JAY

jay

Pinside member

Santa Ana, CA

13y 59,050 791 6 68

This would be a really cool DMD but the cannon causes a lot of weird ball behavior as it rolls over and along the edgesâ€”drives me nuts. Otherwise the cannon is a fun shot (you'll shoot it often) and there's some cool video interaction in this game, a bit more then most other games.

Previous Next 1 2 3 4 5 6

There are 145 ratings (that include a comment) on this game. Currently showing results page 5 of 6.

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 Pinside

Great 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+!