Bally
Cirqus Voltaire Pinside Rating
This game received 700 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 8.392 /10
Cirqus Voltaire
Score breakdown
Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:
Game Design: 8.398
Artwork: 8.738
Sounds/Music: 7.796
Other Aspects: 8.356
Pinside staff rating
This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 9 of us have rated this game.
Found 363 ratings (with comment) on this game
There are 363 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 7 of 15.
List options
Marblehead, MA
7.908/10
9 years ago
By far the prettiest pinball ever produced. I wanted to play it so bad and finally had the chace at APE 2015. It's a nice machine but the game play was a bit disappointing. You keep on hitting the Ring Master over and over again, a ramp, the cannon in the backglass is cool, multi-ball. Overall a good machine that it real eye candy put the actual play gets somewhat repetitive after a while. Still wouldn't mind owning one since it is pleasing to the eyes.
9.208/10
9 years ago
Absolutly gorgeous! Its such a beautiful game to look at and watch but even more fun to play! Would love to own one someday. For now Ill have to continue going to the PHOF in Las Vegas.
2.558/10
9 years ago
Puurs
Dont know why this is in the top 10...
Had it for 1 week and sold it again. Think most people like it due the head which is coming out of the playfield but thats the only nice thing and the big display.
I didnt like the flow at all, also backbox ball couldnt attrack me...
The kids liked it....
Had it for 1 week and sold it again. Think most people like it due the head which is coming out of the playfield but thats the only nice thing and the big display.
I didnt like the flow at all, also backbox ball couldnt attrack me...
The kids liked it....
8.628/10
9 years ago
Overall feel of game is spot on. Not too excited about the backglass ball gimmick though. The art and sound package are excellent, however, and the ring master and pop bumpers are great attractions. Enough to keep you coming back for more for a long while.
Lenna
's-hertogenbosch
9.300/10
9 years ago
The first time I ever played this game was in Las Vegas, standing under the high-wire acrobat arena at Circus Circus in 1998. It was a perfect atmosphere for playing this pin game, and the memory of playing the game on that occasion in that setting might be why it's one of my favorite games still to this day.
I never thought I'd own the game due to the price, but it is so much one of my favorites, that I sold three of my games to raise the money to buy a re-import. Here are my thoughts:
Artwork:
Fantastic. Best in pinball. Bright and loud, it fits the theme perfectly.
Lighting:
Neon, in your choice of colors. Nice flasher layout as well.
Mechanics:
Boom Balloon: The pop-bumper layout on CV reintroduced the idea of randomness rather than the three-pop trap with a single exit that the industry had been using. The rising 'Boom' pop bumper only added to this randomness. A simply awesome device.
Ringmaster: Fully interactive bash toy with three levels and a magnet.
Juggler: A magnet and two saucer that pass the ball back and fourth. I've always thought they should have come up with a way to make it three, and actually had it juggle... but it's still pretty cool as it is.
Menagerie ball: Awesome pinball randomness. Never gets old.
High-wire ball lock: We've seen this trick before, but it's a good trick.
Back-box cannon: It really doesn't do anything, but neither did the bell-ringing monkey in Central Park: It's just damn cool, and the sound of the kicker smacking the plastic ball is really nice.
Layout: Not the same-old lower 1/3rd. Some people hate that it is different, but I find it special because Jpop did dare to step outside of the norm. It's a pin asking to be nudged into submission. Good shot variety on the outer orbits, with lots of outcomes available. Either full orbits left and right as well as shots to the Acrobat ramp or Side Show from the right, and shots to either the Juggler or Side Show from the left. The mini orbit around the Ringmaster returns the ball back to the flippers at great speed. The main ramp shot tends to be a little clunky returning to the right flipper, I find. But that's the only fault I have, and it might just be the way my machine is set up.
In an era where playfields were being made more vertical with added depth, CV broke that trend and went flatter in order to bring its most important innovation to pinball: The playfield mounted DMD. A DMD you can actually see while you're playing.
Rules: It's all about the multiballs and trying to get them stacked. Get three or more going, and the table turns into a jackpot smorgasbord in which every shot seems to be lit for a pile of points.
Game Play:
I'm not normally a fan of Stop-Go pins, but CV has a ton of stops that I don't seem to mind at all. It might be because the choreography is so well done that is down right entertaining to sit through, even again and again. As has been said, if this extra theater ever becomes too much, the 2.0H roms will allow you to bypass the pageantry.
Music, Sound:
The music is simply perfect. Sound quality is great, and the call outs are well performed, and funny at times.
Normal criticism:
"Bashing the ringmaster gets repetitive". If that's what you're shooting for all the time, then I'd agree that it would be. The way I play, I'm shooting all the other areas of the playfield trying to get all the multiballs set, and the ringmaster just kind of happens. It's not the focus of the game to me.
"The lower 1/3rd is horrible... Drain monster". Play better. ;)
"The Menagerie Marble does crazy stuff to the ball". It's supposed to.
"The video modes suck". You have a point there... ;)
Edit: Ok, the video modes are really, really bad. I wish they could be shut off. Also, the coolest multi-ball in the whole game "Neon" is so rare, that in 100 games, I've only seen it once. I am forced to play Roonie EVERY SINGLE GAME, however. 2.1H, please???? ;)
I never thought I'd own the game due to the price, but it is so much one of my favorites, that I sold three of my games to raise the money to buy a re-import. Here are my thoughts:
Artwork:
Fantastic. Best in pinball. Bright and loud, it fits the theme perfectly.
Lighting:
Neon, in your choice of colors. Nice flasher layout as well.
Mechanics:
Boom Balloon: The pop-bumper layout on CV reintroduced the idea of randomness rather than the three-pop trap with a single exit that the industry had been using. The rising 'Boom' pop bumper only added to this randomness. A simply awesome device.
Ringmaster: Fully interactive bash toy with three levels and a magnet.
Juggler: A magnet and two saucer that pass the ball back and fourth. I've always thought they should have come up with a way to make it three, and actually had it juggle... but it's still pretty cool as it is.
Menagerie ball: Awesome pinball randomness. Never gets old.
High-wire ball lock: We've seen this trick before, but it's a good trick.
Back-box cannon: It really doesn't do anything, but neither did the bell-ringing monkey in Central Park: It's just damn cool, and the sound of the kicker smacking the plastic ball is really nice.
Layout: Not the same-old lower 1/3rd. Some people hate that it is different, but I find it special because Jpop did dare to step outside of the norm. It's a pin asking to be nudged into submission. Good shot variety on the outer orbits, with lots of outcomes available. Either full orbits left and right as well as shots to the Acrobat ramp or Side Show from the right, and shots to either the Juggler or Side Show from the left. The mini orbit around the Ringmaster returns the ball back to the flippers at great speed. The main ramp shot tends to be a little clunky returning to the right flipper, I find. But that's the only fault I have, and it might just be the way my machine is set up.
In an era where playfields were being made more vertical with added depth, CV broke that trend and went flatter in order to bring its most important innovation to pinball: The playfield mounted DMD. A DMD you can actually see while you're playing.
Rules: It's all about the multiballs and trying to get them stacked. Get three or more going, and the table turns into a jackpot smorgasbord in which every shot seems to be lit for a pile of points.
Game Play:
I'm not normally a fan of Stop-Go pins, but CV has a ton of stops that I don't seem to mind at all. It might be because the choreography is so well done that is down right entertaining to sit through, even again and again. As has been said, if this extra theater ever becomes too much, the 2.0H roms will allow you to bypass the pageantry.
Music, Sound:
The music is simply perfect. Sound quality is great, and the call outs are well performed, and funny at times.
Normal criticism:
"Bashing the ringmaster gets repetitive". If that's what you're shooting for all the time, then I'd agree that it would be. The way I play, I'm shooting all the other areas of the playfield trying to get all the multiballs set, and the ringmaster just kind of happens. It's not the focus of the game to me.
"The lower 1/3rd is horrible... Drain monster". Play better. ;)
"The Menagerie Marble does crazy stuff to the ball". It's supposed to.
"The video modes suck". You have a point there... ;)
Edit: Ok, the video modes are really, really bad. I wish they could be shut off. Also, the coolest multi-ball in the whole game "Neon" is so rare, that in 100 games, I've only seen it once. I am forced to play Roonie EVERY SINGLE GAME, however. 2.1H, please???? ;)
Y Felinheli
9.560/10
9 years ago
Grimmenstein
An excellent game! I see this as and addition to the circus series of Williams (Comet, Cyclone, Hurricane - Cirqus Voltaire)! Effects are one of the best I've seen on a pinball machine. There are a lot of funny moments in this game!
8.895/10
9 years ago
Bateau Bay
I loved playing this machine, I have never owned it, I would like to own this one day. I think the Shot play is amazing. I really like the Highwire Multiball.
I don't like the music and the ringmaster I think it gets really repetitive.
But overall a great machine
I don't like the music and the ringmaster I think it gets really repetitive.
But overall a great machine
Sarajevo
Auckland
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+!
