Hot Line

Pinside rating

This game received 17 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.811 /10

7.811

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #128 in the Pinside EM Top 100.



Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 7.85

Artwork: 7.694

Sounds/Music: 3.158

Other Aspects: 8.013


Pinside staff rating

None of the Pinside.com staff have rated this game. Sorry, no rating from us.

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Found 11 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 11 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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7.770/10
76 days ago
Great game for playing old school. That machine spells out Hotline and has some skill involved. Getting the ball back up to the high score are is difficult at best ...but in all fairness my flippers may be a little tired.
If you like 60s machines a great one to have.
8.000/10
1 year ago
Really enjoyed this EM.
8.817/10
4 years ago
super fun EM, cool dot matrix on lower playfield that spells hot line and the gate that opens and closes to put ball back into shooter lane is super cool. Easy rules to understand but very difficult to achieve especially on 3 ball.
6.532/10
7 years ago
Very fun player for the era it comes from. Nice small flipper game. Playfield layout doesn't look like much but this plays very well. Not hard, but not easy either. Nice game play balance and you want to play this several times each session that you turn on the game. I like the backglass artwork.
7.495/10
8 years ago
Nice artwork on backglass and cool playfield layout with good pop bumper action. Rollover buttons are the most i've seen with a total of 17 buttons. The buttons light up in letter form starting with the "O" in Hot Line at the start of the game.You must either make the letter lit up on the buttons in the center of the playfield to advance to the next letter or you can also advance to the next letter by going through the gate on right top of playfield (gate open when lit by making "A" and "B" targets or "A and B" rollover) at top section of playfield or on side outs when lit will advance next letter. Anyway you play it the main object of the game is to advance the letters and spell Hot Line for special.If you advance to the letter "N" it will light sideout lanes for special. After making the lit letter "N" the final and last letter "E" scores a free game by special when for making next letter. When you see this game for the first time you may think it looks like it might not be a good player at all but is actually a decent game playablity wise. It isn't hard to make all the letters or beat it by score for a replay too which makes it fun to play.
The down sides to this game is there isn't any one point bell for scoring one point and there are plenty of one point switches on the playfield like all the 17 buttons,pop bumpers when not lit ,side kickers and more,so that kind of sucks just hearing the one point relay clicking without striking a bell and the 10 point and 100 point are on the same bell. Williams for sure should have put 3 different bells for scoring points to make it a great sounding mid 1960's game. Also players are limited to just one special for a free game for making next letter when lit. Yes, i think unless my game had a problem it would not allow a player another free game for special when lit for making next letter and only lights up once during spelling the word Hot Line.

It still is a good player though even with the small down sides to this game metioned above. Players still have a good chance of winning at least 3 free games by score and 2 free games by special and 1 free game for a match for a total of 6 free games to be awarded by a player each time the player plays a game. Oh, by the way it has a cool sounding knocker!
8.203/10
10 years ago
Gotta give them a lot of credit for pulling off the dot matrix in the center of the playfield. It makes for a really unique game. It has that classic 60s art on the field that is just beautiful. I just don't like the backglass. Just not my style I guess. Not my favorite from the time period but it is a lot of fun and it was way ahead of its time.
Edit: When I originally played this game I enjoyed it even though everything was weak. Same game tuned up a bit with all features working is a really great time. Making the letters is a fun challenge. Haven't enjoyed an EM this much in a while.
8.092/10
10 years ago
Big Strike or Hot Line are well thought out clever games, no surprise there as Mr. Kordek was the designer. I prefer the AAB version . Object is to spell Big Strike by getting ball to pass over centre matrix rollover buttons. This is very advanced for 1966.
The centre roll over buttons change pattern randomly and get progressively harder.,it's a fun game with an average back glass theme and artwork, but still great fun. I own a Big Strike in mint condition with a perfect clear coated Playfield often end up playing it for hours. This is a highly addictive game. The AAB version is great fun for home use.
8.794/10
11 years ago
This is a game I had been looking for quite some time. I purchased it and refurbished it and I don't see it leaving any time soon. It is quite addictive and with the matrix that spells out HOT LINE, quite ahead of it's time. 3 ways to win a free game - score, completing Hot Line and side rollovers. One of Williams best 2" flipper games.
7.770/10
11 years ago
A fun and challanging game!
9.230/10
11 years ago
I have been looking for a hotline for years. Finally found one at a bargain price... but I got what I paid for. The pf had been lifting around the inserts and the flipper mechanics had been removed. Thank goodness for Pinball Resource. This is still a project in the works, but when it is done I may review this... review and update my scores.

Pros:
Great artwork. Gotta love the mermaid. The game plays incredibly well and is very fast. Consider that this game has a DMD placed into the middle of the playfield that spells out HOTLINE. This game was made in 1966 with analog tech. My brain hurts just even thinking about it. Lots of fast action in the 5 pop bumpers. When you have that last rollover to work on... it becomes a shooters game. Take aim.. make your shot... the bumper throws that ball straight back at you.

Cons:
No inlanes and outlanes. Just 4 outlanes. Keep nudging skillfully!

Takeaway:
Spelling hotline is a real challenge and can be frustrating at time. I think I have done it twice in all the games I have played on this table. However getting the game to special is a real treat. Shooting the ball into the upper gate is a struggle, but one that you can pride yourself for a well placed shot (or a lucky bounce off a pop bumper) as well. I dare you to do it from a flipper shot instead of a fortuitous rebound.

Update:
The more I play this game, the more I appreciate the EM skillset that this game requires of a player. This is not an easy game and is VERY chaotic. Control needs to be learned from bouncing off the slings as well as anticipating what the ball is going to do in the PF. Nudging skills that use the slings to get the ball to the top of the PF are as important (and in this case, maybe even more important) than using your reflexive flipper skills. Keeping the ball high in the pops is a good strategy, but still, that ball is coming down soon! Hitcher' A and B rollovers/targets and if you can get the ball in the upper right hand gate. Awesome! A true player for the EM mindset. SS/DMD players may hate on this deck, but that's just because they are out of their comfort zone.
8.077/10
11 years ago
Nice old school EM Pinball. Despite the small flippers common of the era, it plays like a relatively new machine due to the rollover targets that spell HOTLINE. Fun game with a nice fishing theme. Would make a great pin for a sea/lake side lodge.
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