Bally
Fireball Pinside Rating
This game received 89 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.945 /10
Fireball
Score breakdown
Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:
Game Design: 8.061
Artwork: 8.08
Sounds/Music: 2.344
Other Aspects: 7.864
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 47 ratings (with comment) on this game
There are 47 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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8.073/10
50 days ago
Gambrills, MD
Way ahead of it's time, the playfield has more to do than most Solid State games. Absolutely mind blowing for 1972.
8.139/10
1 year ago
Excellent EM. Lots of great features that you see on more modern games, and the spinning disc was very unique and ahead of its time.
I prefer Four Million BC to Fireball simply because of the randomness the spinning disc creates, but the designer still took almost all the features of Four Million BC including 2 and 3 ball multiball, and the stop and score eject saucer feature, which are fantastic features for an EM. Fireball absolutely has the better art package, however.
You can’t go wrong with either game, and while I’m not an EM fanatic, I can appreciate them and understand that they often get ignored in favor of solid states. Games like Fireball are just as good if not better than lots of solid state era games. In fact, this exact same game was released as a solid state with the zipper flipper feature removed in favor of standard flippers, and it isn’t held in high regard making the EM version superior to its solid state counterpart.
I encourage those that don’t enjoy the majority of EMs like me to seek out the games designed by Ted Zale. Fireball, Four Million BC, and his other games are often ahead of their time and incorporate features many would consider to be more modern. Definitely my favorite designer of the era.
I prefer Four Million BC to Fireball simply because of the randomness the spinning disc creates, but the designer still took almost all the features of Four Million BC including 2 and 3 ball multiball, and the stop and score eject saucer feature, which are fantastic features for an EM. Fireball absolutely has the better art package, however.
You can’t go wrong with either game, and while I’m not an EM fanatic, I can appreciate them and understand that they often get ignored in favor of solid states. Games like Fireball are just as good if not better than lots of solid state era games. In fact, this exact same game was released as a solid state with the zipper flipper feature removed in favor of standard flippers, and it isn’t held in high regard making the EM version superior to its solid state counterpart.
I encourage those that don’t enjoy the majority of EMs like me to seek out the games designed by Ted Zale. Fireball, Four Million BC, and his other games are often ahead of their time and incorporate features many would consider to be more modern. Definitely my favorite designer of the era.
9.379/10
1 year ago
Owning Fireball is something that all serious pinball players should experience.
1. All great pinball machines should have a meaningful skill shot. [check] Shoot it just hard enough to have the ball roll back down the ramp to get 3,000 points and light the two top pop bumpers.
2. All great pinball machines should have excellent artwork. [check] Fireball's artwork is beautiful, classic, and instantly recognized. Cool, caped, red, fireball demon god guys rule on the playfield and back glass. Fire and flames abound in blue, orange, yellow, and red.
3. All great pinball machines should have excellent programming. [check] Fireball manages to achieve 2-ball or 3-ball multi-ball using switch and relay technology. Add in the functionality to zip open and close the flippers, and variable values for ejecting balls from the kickout holes. Yes, strategy is involved to maximize your points.
4. All great pinball machines have advanced features that push the industry forward. [check] Fireball has a kickback ball save on the left out lane. Fireball has a giant spinning disc to create variability. Fireball has wonderful flippers that zip open or closed controlled by mushroom bumper switches. Fireball also has 2 or 3 ball multi-ball to enhance fun and scoring.
All together it's a wonderful machine and even more fun when playing with others. Explaining how the machine works to novices is easy and the game features are achievable, yet require skill to master. I doubt I will ever master the game thanks to the spinning disc, small flippers, and often greedy out lanes. It is a classic and loads of fun.
1. All great pinball machines should have a meaningful skill shot. [check] Shoot it just hard enough to have the ball roll back down the ramp to get 3,000 points and light the two top pop bumpers.
2. All great pinball machines should have excellent artwork. [check] Fireball's artwork is beautiful, classic, and instantly recognized. Cool, caped, red, fireball demon god guys rule on the playfield and back glass. Fire and flames abound in blue, orange, yellow, and red.
3. All great pinball machines should have excellent programming. [check] Fireball manages to achieve 2-ball or 3-ball multi-ball using switch and relay technology. Add in the functionality to zip open and close the flippers, and variable values for ejecting balls from the kickout holes. Yes, strategy is involved to maximize your points.
4. All great pinball machines have advanced features that push the industry forward. [check] Fireball has a kickback ball save on the left out lane. Fireball has a giant spinning disc to create variability. Fireball has wonderful flippers that zip open or closed controlled by mushroom bumper switches. Fireball also has 2 or 3 ball multi-ball to enhance fun and scoring.
All together it's a wonderful machine and even more fun when playing with others. Explaining how the machine works to novices is easy and the game features are achievable, yet require skill to master. I doubt I will ever master the game thanks to the spinning disc, small flippers, and often greedy out lanes. It is a classic and loads of fun.
8.795/10
1 year ago
One of the best EMs ever. It had some of the best artwork all around and fairly modern for it’s time. I would still put all the options in this game against most modern ones. One of my favorites and still fits with my modern ones.
7.840/10
1 year ago
The good…..Multi-ball, zipper flippers, spinning disc, the bad (IMHO) ..…small flippers. Really good em.
8.385/10
2 years ago
London
Played at FlipOut in London.
Great fun and innovative EM with controllable zipper flippers and a spinning disk. Unfortunately, the entire playfield and instruction card was in German, which made it hard to work out what to do. However, the intrinsic ‘fun-ness’ of the various bits made up for it.
Great fun and innovative EM with controllable zipper flippers and a spinning disk. Unfortunately, the entire playfield and instruction card was in German, which made it hard to work out what to do. However, the intrinsic ‘fun-ness’ of the various bits made up for it.
8.692/10
3 years ago
Original Fireball 1972 is a fast fun game. I have owned two of them and enjoyed every minute. Well, except the game is brutal!
Fun to have the multiball and fun to make that skill shot to light the Pop bumpers. However, not fun as the ball goes screaming down the sides due to the spinning disk!
I can understand the tournament non-use for ball stealing and unpredictability of the game play. But a fun game nonetheless.
Art package is iconic and a standard in Pinball presentations. 'nuff said.
Fun to have the multiball and fun to make that skill shot to light the Pop bumpers. However, not fun as the ball goes screaming down the sides due to the spinning disk!
I can understand the tournament non-use for ball stealing and unpredictability of the game play. But a fun game nonetheless.
Art package is iconic and a standard in Pinball presentations. 'nuff said.
7.831/10
4 years ago
I've only played Fireball a couple times, but I dig the unique layout and skill shot.
7.434/10
4 years ago
Probably the most well-known and iconic EM. Kind of like how Galaga seems to be for arcade video games, if you ask a random person to name an EM there's a good shot this would be it (if they could name one of course). Prices on these are accordingly reflective of that - justifiably so.
There's a reason for this. Several reasons actually. Lots of EMs, including ones I like more, have great artwork, but I can't name any that just stun you like this one does. The playfield is just as good as the backglass, if not better with how well that spinner is integrated.
The skill shot is fantastic and so is the multiball - just outstanding how they did that. Zipper flippers are always fun of course.
That spinner.
I could wax poetic but I'll just stop and say the game is too random.
*Wife approval* "Wow! O_O This is cool!" She likes it more than I do and I can't even really say I disagree.
There's a reason for this. Several reasons actually. Lots of EMs, including ones I like more, have great artwork, but I can't name any that just stun you like this one does. The playfield is just as good as the backglass, if not better with how well that spinner is integrated.
The skill shot is fantastic and so is the multiball - just outstanding how they did that. Zipper flippers are always fun of course.
That spinner.
I could wax poetic but I'll just stop and say the game is too random.
*Wife approval* "Wow! O_O This is cool!" She likes it more than I do and I can't even really say I disagree.
7.275/10
4 years ago
I would love to say this game is the ultimate EM game as it has a lot of really cool things going for it. Love the spinner disc, 3 ball mb, zipper flippers, and a cool skill shot. However, the spinner disc shoots the ball all over the place and loves to shot it out the outlanes. Because the game is zipper flippers combined with the unpredictability of spinner disc makes it really hard to gain control of the ball. As for the MB... I like it. Can have 2 ball or 3 ball and that is a rarity for EM. And I think the skill shot is one of the best ones for an em. Simple rule set, but it works. The idea of this game is better than the execution and gameplay. Machine looks great(art package is superb).. .But, I don't think it plays great. Its just too wild and unpredictable. With that said... I enjoy it, even if it kicks my butt. Always good for a few plays.
4.734/10
4 years ago
Its just a classic game. when things are all running it can be really fun game to play. but some times it slow. The open close of the flippers if great and the turntable in the middle I just love. EM machine I love it
7.605/10
6 years ago
One of the icon pinball games, this one has a very tricky skill shot to make when plunging which is quite a bit different from modern skill shots! The spinning disc in the middle is unique and makes the game more unpredictable then many others and it is hard to argue against EM multi-ball. Not one of my favorite tables but one I don't mind playing when I see it.
9.183/10
8 years ago
Updated better review;
IMO, this is the premier collectible pinball machine from the EM era. It's got a lot of great features, and looks cool as hell as well.
Here is how it works:
Starting off, it's got a very important skill shot. If you want to be competitive in multiplayer, you'll need to master this shot. Not only can you score 3000 points, you'll light the pop bumpers for 100 points, rather than 10.
Adding a huge amount of randomization to the game is the large rubber disk in the center of the playfield that relentlessly spins. The ball will hang on this disk and stutter, before being shot off in an unpredictable direction. FIREBALL!
There are rollover targets surrounding the disk. Most score 10 points, but the top center rollover activates a kickback on the left out lane. Unfortunately, two of the other rollovers turn the kickback off. One of them happens to be right in the path of the left out lane, which means odds are good that the ball will disable the kickback while heading toward the out lane.
There are two ball locks representing the fire gods. Odin on the left, and Wotan on the right. Putting a ball in either saucer puts a new ball in the shooter lane.
Locking the ball in the Odin saucer starts a chasing sequence of 5 insert lights below the saucer. These lights are labeled 1000-5000 points, and change quickly. To release this ball, you need to hit the mushroom target on the left side of the table. When the ball is released, you score the point total reflected by the currently lit insert light. Timing is key. Releasing Odin for 5k points is a blast.
The Wotan lock on the right sits behind a gate, with three insert lamps in front of it. These inserts will illuminate as you collect hits on the three Mushroom targets, one lamp for each target. After locking a ball in Wotan, you can release it by hitting the mushroom target on the left. The ball will roll down a lane with three switches in it. The switches will score 1000 points each, corresponding to the number of mushroom targets that were hit before the lock and release (up to 3000 points).
You can also release one or both of the locked balls by a solid shot to the captive ball. If you release by captive ball, the Wotan ball will not return to play, but instead will be dropped back into the shooter lane, allowing you to plunge again to try for a bonus skill shot.
The last feature are the zipper flippers, which are activated by the mushroom target at the top of the playfield. Zipper flippers are a mechanism that move the flippers together in order to minimize the likelihood of a center drain. The flippers will remain zipped until either of the outer mushroom targets are hit.
I love this game.
The EM that plays like a Solid State.
It's the most fun you can have without a computer! ;)
IMO, this is the premier collectible pinball machine from the EM era. It's got a lot of great features, and looks cool as hell as well.
Here is how it works:
Starting off, it's got a very important skill shot. If you want to be competitive in multiplayer, you'll need to master this shot. Not only can you score 3000 points, you'll light the pop bumpers for 100 points, rather than 10.
Adding a huge amount of randomization to the game is the large rubber disk in the center of the playfield that relentlessly spins. The ball will hang on this disk and stutter, before being shot off in an unpredictable direction. FIREBALL!
There are rollover targets surrounding the disk. Most score 10 points, but the top center rollover activates a kickback on the left out lane. Unfortunately, two of the other rollovers turn the kickback off. One of them happens to be right in the path of the left out lane, which means odds are good that the ball will disable the kickback while heading toward the out lane.
There are two ball locks representing the fire gods. Odin on the left, and Wotan on the right. Putting a ball in either saucer puts a new ball in the shooter lane.
Locking the ball in the Odin saucer starts a chasing sequence of 5 insert lights below the saucer. These lights are labeled 1000-5000 points, and change quickly. To release this ball, you need to hit the mushroom target on the left side of the table. When the ball is released, you score the point total reflected by the currently lit insert light. Timing is key. Releasing Odin for 5k points is a blast.
The Wotan lock on the right sits behind a gate, with three insert lamps in front of it. These inserts will illuminate as you collect hits on the three Mushroom targets, one lamp for each target. After locking a ball in Wotan, you can release it by hitting the mushroom target on the left. The ball will roll down a lane with three switches in it. The switches will score 1000 points each, corresponding to the number of mushroom targets that were hit before the lock and release (up to 3000 points).
You can also release one or both of the locked balls by a solid shot to the captive ball. If you release by captive ball, the Wotan ball will not return to play, but instead will be dropped back into the shooter lane, allowing you to plunge again to try for a bonus skill shot.
The last feature are the zipper flippers, which are activated by the mushroom target at the top of the playfield. Zipper flippers are a mechanism that move the flippers together in order to minimize the likelihood of a center drain. The flippers will remain zipped until either of the outer mushroom targets are hit.
I love this game.
The EM that plays like a Solid State.
It's the most fun you can have without a computer! ;)
6.507/10
8 years ago
I was introduced to Fireball by a dedicated pinball historian and fan (story about the experience forthcoming). Without his explanations of the game and history, I might have rated it lower. However, I had a great time playing, even though I was terrible at it.
Building the jackpot for the saucer on the left was fun, as was slamming into the captive ball. But, the spinner in the center of the PF is of course what makes this game a challenge to play as well as a unique experience. It wins good points on theme and fun for me.
I'd recommend playing this if you get the chance, and I would have one in my future collection if I got a decent deal on it.
Building the jackpot for the saucer on the left was fun, as was slamming into the captive ball. But, the spinner in the center of the PF is of course what makes this game a challenge to play as well as a unique experience. It wins good points on theme and fun for me.
I'd recommend playing this if you get the chance, and I would have one in my future collection if I got a decent deal on it.
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