Gottlieb

Genesis

Pinside Rating

This game received 89 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.257 _/10

7.257

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #224 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 7.607

Artwork: 5.989

Sounds/Music: 7.146

Other Aspects: 7.493

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.

6.94

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Found 54 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 54 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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9.120/10

51 days ago

WJB

IndianaBIll

Pinside+ Addict

Evansville, IN

4y 38,650 14 12 17

Another under-rated and under-appreciated Gottlieb game from the 80s. I just added this along with Robo-War to my line-up with TX-Sector.

I think this game is right there with Robo-War (which I think is a little more fun than TX-Sector). Some people remark about there being no speech. I'm not missing anything. The music is good enough and varies enough that speech is not needed. And then there's that strobing effect when you lock a ball for multi-ball... it's right out of a Frankenstein movie.

The backglass is pretty hideous. I put in the alternate, and I think it fits the game theme nicely.

IndianaBIll currently owns this game.

7.238/10

11 months ago

RRK

Cloud7

Pinside+ Frequent

Caledonia, WI

8y 89,050 641 22 40

At first glance this game doesn't look fun with its strange ramps and awful translite. But, it's a pretty fun game. It does a great job making you play the entire playfield to collect all the body parts to assemble the robot. Seeing the window light up and the cover rotate to reveal the robot is really satisfying. Definitely an underrated game.

6.872/10

1 year ago

CPI

cait001

Pinside member

10y 114K 4,848 37

Raise your multiplier, that's the name of the game. You increase your multiplier by one for each body part you collect, and that stays with you the entire game.
It's a simple rule that makes for excellent gameplay. The lit shots change and you have to hunt for them to collect body part letters. If you have ball control but no lit shot from your flipper you can progress the drop bank, which when you complete the flashing shots in order, awards a letter towards your most complete body part.
This alone makes for an excellent game. Add in that you can also earn an extra ball if you collect 4 body parts (operator adjustable,) that extra ball becomes a bit of a Super Bonus.
When you collect enough letters a lamp will strobe to indicate lock at the left or right ramp. When 2 balls are in play, your multiplier is doubled, so hunting for letters becomes a secondary task when a ramp is flashing and locking for multiball becomes the strategic priority.

I can't imagine enjoying this game with the original ramps installed. I love the clear ramps and am baffled how they could have designed it any other way. Choose the original or replacement backglasses, they're all good to me.
The music and sound on this pin beg to be cranked up. Put this in a lineup next to TNA.
I find the shots challenging enough, but perhaps this game would be boring if you're a level B or A player.

Please put this game in more tournaments. I think compounding progression of the Multipliers makes for some thrilling drama.

7.015/10

1 year ago

EVN

EvanDickson

Pinside member

Charlottetown, PE

10y 91,550 2,679 5 49

It's an ugly game, but has a fun and simple ruleset. If you see one, don't be scared away by the art package, give it a few games, you might like it.

9.227/10

1 year ago

VEE

Veemonroe

Pinside member

London

2y 55,550 205 7 176

Played on vPin and in real life at Pinfest 2022 (sneakily, in the competition area).

I must admit to absolutely loving this pin. The back-glass is hilariously bad (there are alternatives), but it is the definition of easy-to-learn, harder-to-master.

The game is about shooting the body parts of a robot to assemble it and, when it's finished, the robot flips over. I'm sure if I was a great pinball player, I could finish the robot, but - as it is - I had the pleasure of some very smooth ramp shots and the brilliant retro "zip-zip" sound effects and light show every time I scored a part.

Very easy rules, but great gameplay. An underrated classic!

8.668/10

1 year ago

PIE

SilverballGamer

Pinside member

4y 57,650 29 5 88

This is hands down the best System 80B Gottlieb IMO. No other Gottliebs top it from this era.

Pro’s:
Fantastic tough as nails layout. This game will destroy you, but you have fun while it does.

Sound is great. Love how it plays like a jukebox.

Backglass is absolutely hilarious. Easy 10/10 for sheer absurdity. Playfield art is legitimately good, nice job Larry Day!

Rules are nice, and the metropolis-esque figurine is a great payoff.

Light shows are fantastic.

Game really holds your attention: makes you want to play it over and over.

Con’s.
Cabinet art is bland.

Overall, sick game. Totally under appreciated.

Edit: fixed minor mistakes in writing.

SilverballGamer edited previous rating on August 12, 2022.

8.013/10

1 year ago

ANT

ToOn74

Pinside apprentice

Annecy

2y 13,000 2 6

So much fun this machine. Simple rules, music is amazing. Family keeps playing and playing to make the robot born again. Back glass and cabinet on their side are… well they are what they are, maybe that makes this pinball so particular!
For me it is a keeper

ToOn74 edited previous rating on November 22, 2022.

8.256/10

2 years ago

CCO

pinballboy

Pinside+ Frequent

3y 56,400 359 6 18

I had this game for a while and I honestly really miss it. The sounds were great the gameplay was fun and with leds and clear ramps it had a pretty good light show. The artwork was cool on the playfield but very basic on the cabinet and backglass. Overall very nice machine worth buying for the right price.

pinballboy has owned this game in the past.

7.473/10

2 years ago

DAN

Menthelm

Pinside+ Frequent

3y 43,300 281 3 7

The translite gets a bad rep. We love it. Wouldn't change it. Lots of fun overall. I think this pin is highly underated. Those playfield multipliers! Get them up high for hugh scores in multiball.

Menthelm currently owns this game.

7.192/10

2 years ago

BJD

roffels

Pinside member

Minneapolis, MN

10y 85,300 1,993 3 20

Sure, the backglass is rough, but the rest of the game is pretty decent. The rules are simple - spell out different words to build your android. Gameplay is pure arcade action - you'll want to keep trying until you build the android.

The playfield artwork is good, the music sits with some of the best chiptunes out the 80s, and all around a good, underrated title.

roffels edited previous rating on August 29, 2021.
roffels has owned this game in the past.

7.104/10

3 years ago

SJS

redhawk1689

Inactive member

Salina, KS

4y 36,650 12 2 37

Once I got past that backglass, I was able to enjoy the game. Completing the body parts is pretty cool! It's not a standout and it's definitely not a dog! From a casual (to this game) player's perspective, it's worth a couple of games but I couldn't see me owning this one (at least not unless I changed out that backglass!)

7.871/10

3 years ago

KAB

Kurtpinba11

Pinside+ Frequent

Conway, AR

4y 35,400 8 7 56

Genesis is often overlooked because of its terrible backglass art. This can be remedied by replacing it with an alternate translite which I highly recommend doing if you hate that art as much as I do. The game itself is simple and fun. Shots mostly feel good, but the ramps are a little flimsy and often break or need to be reinforced. This can also result in some air balls that hit the glass. I recommend seeking out ramp replacements or reinforcing upon purchase. I have a great time with Genesis every single time I start up a game. The music is some the best the system 80s have to offer, and it has a lot of variety, changing throughout the game. The lighting effect before multiball starts is one of the slickest lighting effects I've ever seen on a table from this era. In my opinion, this is the strongest system 80 game. The shots are simple, but fun to do. Genesis can get very repetitive, but that was how these system 80s were, and compared to something like a Williams system 11, sure this isn't going to stand out as much. It maybe won't get as much play from guests, but personally I enjoy it a lot. I find it very challenging to complete the robot, and it has that "one more game" factor for me. I don't think this would be a great table to pick up if you can just have one table in your game room, but for the right price and in a line up of at least 3 games, I think this is a good addition.

Kurtpinba11 edited previous rating on November 08, 2021.
Kurtpinba11 has owned this game in the past.

7.109/10

3 years ago

DIA

mrossman5

Pinside+ Frequent

Warren, PA

6y 197K 3,186 7 253

I surprisingly really enjoy this game. It would get repetitive if in a collection, but I love the music and the robot is a neat toy.

8.000/10

3 years ago

DAD

pb456

Pinside+ Frequent

Anchorage, AK

7y 85,300 1,136 8

It's a simple design, humorous but scary theme.

Doesn't really play into the Metropolis themed translite that I see out there, I think of it more like a poor man's Bride of Frankenstein.

The shots are just difficult enough, and the artwork looks good for the theme.

It's one of those games that I cannot explain just why I enjoy as much as I do - because Pinside tells me I should not - but it's a simple and fun game that works for me.

6.176/10

3 years ago

RAD

DumbRecords

Pinside member

Springfield, IL

6y 49,400 14 8 29

I never played this game before owning it. I got really hyped up watching videos of this game as it looked to be an amazing nugget of 80s nostalgia. Collecting body parts and the robot reveal is a really cool idea and is amazing when it happens. However after owning the game, my excitement quickly wore off. My friends all agreed this is the worst game I ever owned. Mine was a maintenance nightmare which I've heard is a common problem with gottlieb games of this era. It had new boards and many new parts but I was always dealing with finicky switches that constantly needed adjustment. Nothing is more frustrating than finally getting the robot reveal and then the feature doesn't work because the switch is slightly out of alignment again! Also this game is really tough, the ramps are especially hard to hit. I rebuilt the flippers and was still having trouble getting the ball all the way up the ramps unless I hit it perfectly. The robot reveal is too hard to accomplish, casual players would probably never see it. I do however enjoy the sound package in this game and the way it sounds like an 80s video game, which is very fitting for the rediculous theme. I would like to play this sometime in pristine condition just to see if all games play as rough as mine did.

DumbRecords has owned this game in the past.

7.280/10

3 years ago

EJH

ehex9

Pinside member

Saint Albans Town, VT

3y 46,650 5 7 179

Overall fun pinball and fun Frankenstein theme. Neat ramps and good shots. Backglass suffers from real photo instead of matching the rest of the artwork.

ehex9 has owned this game in the past.

6.555/10

4 years ago

MEH

ThePinballCo-op

The Pinball Co-op

9y 115K 1,752 40

I enjoy the game just fine if I go into it as a "game so bad it's good" kind of feeling. It's fun in a party setting. If I'm playing solo, I'd rather not play it at all.

ThePinballCo-op edited previous rating on August 13, 2022.

8.105/10

4 years ago

ROB

robx46

Pinside+ Frequent

St. Marys, PA

13y 78,550 1,127 5 23

Tough rating this game because I partly need to rate it for how the game WAS, but my example has these modern upgrades that I can't discount either.
Game is very clever yet simple. My upgrades include new clear ramps, alternate translite, premium led's & led flashers, & purple rubbers. Having these things available is such a massive upgrade as these address a couple of the major issues people have had with this game in the past.
I did rate the game poorly for backglass & cabinet because that is what is fair even though it isn't an issue for me personally. So maybe I gave the game a little bump in a couple other areas because I think my game is deserving of a 8/10 score.

Rule set seems solid to me, balanced & easy to figure out. One setting that I found important was to have the 1-2-3 drops spot a letter in each body part (instead of just 1) since they need to be hit in order & it isn't the safest shot. You hit the wrong one & you have to knock them all down to try again. Now it is worth going for. Otherwise I just don't think it is fair that a single lifeforce shot rewards the same thing as the drops. So I'm glad they included that optional adjustment in the dips.

& I love that lifeforce shot. An EM throwback shot & it is great that you get a greater reward the cleaner you hit it. & it absorbs the ball so it doesn't come flying back at you. I've really come to dislike shots (mainly newer games) that fire the ball back at you whether it is a stiff stand-up target or kickback.
I feel multiball is done well here too as it is not a vital part of the game, rather just a nice extra feature, 2 balls to amp things up for a bit. Scores are multiplied during multiball but it has no impact on achieving robot reveal. For that you simply need to hit your shots. That's the game.

I'm a huge fan of the sounds. I was surprised at the quality & I even have a little bass despite just the 2 speakers. No speech, which I could care less about in 2019. I suppose in 1986 people may have cared as it was still a new-ish thing. It really just isn't needed on this game. Music is catchy, it will change up a bit here & there. Awesome "zapping" sounds & light effects as multiball is ready to achieve.
I like the playfield art & wish repro plastics were available. Under my new clear ramps, I have pink led flashers which look great. Cool white LED's with a couple purple near/under the ramps. That & color matched feature lamps & purple rubber really make the game pop.
Theme works for me, I'm a sci-fi fan, love this sort of thing. Lastly I like that company loves the game. It sits next to a couple newer, more complicated games. While it can be hard to explain everything to do on those games, Genesis is fairly simple. So in summary, if you get one of these spend a little to pimp it out & have yourself a very unique, fun & retro game with a touch of more modern things (like 2 ramps, multiball). I don't know if its a forever keeper in a small collection, but a game that can be had fairly cheap & works great among a couple more complex games.

robx46 has owned this game in the past.

8.044/10

4 years ago

HAN

HHaase

Siegecraft

14y 89,550 3,100 5 12

Man, how do you rate Genesis, without discussing the backbox? So hard to separate that from the game but you really have to. Just don't look at the translight while you play it, and give yourself a couple games, it grows on you quickly if you like fast games.

This game, if you tune it right, really can be fast and brutal. The quality of Gottlieb pop bumpers and flippers is obvious on this title, and the react targets just juice it up even further. A little nudging talent is needed due to the outlanes being so hungry. It's not really that different from the fan layout of late Williams games, just with less 'WOW!' factor to the ramp shots and of course no DMD or speech. To me the gameplay on Genesis is simple to understand, but very fun, one of the best playing games from Premier. Multiball takes a bit to achieve, but works well how it's integrated into the gameplay. Just a very solid playing game for sure, one that I just keep going back to for the fun factor.

When it comes to sound, It's got that 80's funky electronic music going, and it fits the game perfectly. The sound blends well with the theme, music ramping up as the game progresses. I'm big on sound, and feel it can make or break a game. This game really nailed it. Even without speech. I honestly don't even miss the fact it doesn't have speech, and I doubt it would really improve on things.

Artwork? Welllll.... lets start with the good......
Playfield art is funky, a bit weird, but I like the sci-fi look and colors. About my only complaint is the awful color to the factory ramps. Throw some aftermarket clear ramps and rubbers on it, and it makes a huge improvement. Otherwise you just can't look away from those big blobs of lavender.... yuck. The robot reveal is neat, and is a fun animation, with the lighting building up anticipation waiting for that big reveal. A stellar looking playfield with just a little work.

Translight? It's just so cheesy. Some people like it, but I don't. Very few Premier translights of the era are any good. It looks cheap, and fades very easily. Cabinet artwork had even less effort put into it, and the cabinet is just soooooo bland and dull.

Overall, I love the way this one plays and sounds, one of my favorite playing games. Playfield looks fantastic with a few upgrades. But oh man, that backglass..... it's really a shame that people define the game by that terrible picture.

HHaase edited previous rating on April 26, 2021.
HHaase has owned this game in the past.

8.414/10

4 years ago

JAB

red_sox_papi

GAME OVER

Trois-ruisseaux, NB

7y 29,900 20 9 10

Underated pin because of the cheesy artwork and the higher odds of a ball going sdtm. With that said, I think it's a really fun game to play! Music is good and the robot toy is very cool! The electricity SFX and light show when you get the multiball is fun to watch. I usually wait for a few seconds to enjoy it.

As for the cheesy translite, there is one alternate translite available that really makes this game pop and suits the theme really well.

Watching the movie that it's based on also gives you a better appreciation of the game.

red_sox_papi has owned this game in the past.

7.156/10

5 years ago

D0D

Dbl0dog

Inactive member

Wichita, KS

5y 11,750 2 1 7

I have played a few of these now. LEDs really help it out. The purple ramps are an absolute disaster as they block so much of the play field the clear replacements would be a must. The play field artwork is not an appealing color. The game is fun. But the best parts of this machine is that quirky retro backglass and the oh so wonderful techno retro sound track. The gimmick of just revealing the life force is lame at best

7.709/10

5 years ago

???

GezTheHealer

Pinside member

Trowbridge

5y 17,250 3 20

Tight lower play field, with two extra slingshot pads(?) which make for lots of fast play. satisfying to get the ramps, often clunking on the glass as their quite steep. Brilliant music, hard to get control of the ball as big fudgey flippers only come up so high and its often moving very quickly, so makes for fast fun play, trying to make the shots on rebounds. Weird but fun backglass, good sci-fi artwork on table. clear enough rules with lights at the back making the monster. Certainly a challenge. Overall, great. One I keep going back to.

7.389/10

5 years ago

PET

dahlman

Pinside member

Degerfors

7y 49,050 113 26 33

Cool game, great music!

dahlman currently owns this game.

8.082/10

5 years ago

GAR

Cherga

Inactive member

6y 50,550 332 16

There’s a lot of hate for this and other Gottlieb’s of it’s time and in some aspects, such as artwork, specifically the translites, it may be warranted. This game however, deserves some love. It’s not an easy game and spelling out the body parts to reveal the robot is very rewarding. The early use of ramps was done pretty well for it’s time aside from the poor quality of materials that were used and of course the terrible engineering of placement... if you plan to buy this game, don’t lift the playfield straight up or you’ll break the ramps... and by the way, replacement originals are unobtaininum. The good news is there are repros available.

My machine is fully restored and in mint condition. The game plays very fast and is very engaging yet unforgiving with sdtm drains that occur frequently if you’re not careful with your shots. To add to the fun factor, you can modify the sound to isolate the tune that is played during the robot reveal which adds to the experience. Overall the game is pure fun and should be given more of a chance and is definitely worth owning for the fun vs price factor... for me, it has the “one more game” appeal.

8.247/10

5 years ago

LO

LorenZ

Pinside member

Eaux Claires

15y 76,800 615 31 68

This pin is in my personal top ten, all generations of game considered.
In the eighties I used to play it on location, and today magic still goes on.
Forget the ugly translite and give this machine a chance.
Great lay out and rules, amazing soundtrack and challenging toy

LorenZ currently owns this game.

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