Pinside rating
This game received 85 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 6.981 /10
Score breakdown
Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:
Game design: 6.676
Artwork: 8.389
Sounds/Music: 5.096
Other Aspects: 7.019
Pinside staff rating
This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 4 of us have rated this game.
Ranking history
An overview of this machine's ranking over the last years. Lower is better.
Rating history
An overview of this machine's rating over the last years. Higher is better.
Found 41 ratings (with comment) on this game
There are 41 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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Ronneby
7.604/10
1 year ago
Fort Wayne, IN
Pros:
Spinner shots are very fun and rewarding. Standard Bally Williams bonus max out fun time design is as fun as it has always been although maby some inlines somewhere, just a thought. Spelling kiss is fun.
Cons:
While spelling kiss is fun, that is really the extent of the theme. Maybe they could have had different instrument shots instead of just spelling kiss. The skill shot is worth to much. I have had to play this many times in tournament and the if you know where the skill shot is you have a massive advantage. Why does your colasol bonus not get multiplied.
Overall:
While it is a fun game I feel like more could have been done or rules could be improved. Overall though a game I allways come back to and that I wouldn’t mind owning.
Spinner shots are very fun and rewarding. Standard Bally Williams bonus max out fun time design is as fun as it has always been although maby some inlines somewhere, just a thought. Spelling kiss is fun.
Cons:
While spelling kiss is fun, that is really the extent of the theme. Maybe they could have had different instrument shots instead of just spelling kiss. The skill shot is worth to much. I have had to play this many times in tournament and the if you know where the skill shot is you have a massive advantage. Why does your colasol bonus not get multiplied.
Overall:
While it is a fun game I feel like more could have been done or rules could be improved. Overall though a game I allways come back to and that I wouldn’t mind owning.
Ingrandes
7.908/10
3 years ago
artwork is awesome..i have this machine basically as a show piece for the art, people play it but not often.
7.177/10
4 years ago
For it's time, KISS was ok. Not much going on here playfield wise. Light KISS over and over. Like the drop targets. Spinners are always fun to hit. If your a KISS fan, worth owning if you don't have a small collection. Gets a bit old in a smaller collection. Nice looking pin. Always a fun game for a play or 2. Somewhat miss mine. When I have more room, i'll pick up another. Do love the artwork...
6.002/10
4 years ago
I gained somewhat of a new appreciation for this pin. I've always considered it one of the most overpriced games ever, and I really don't like symmetrical games, but it's not all bad. The farrrr back spinners are a tight, dangerous, valuable shot. I actually like that more than ripping one halfway down the playfield on an EM. The bonus grid is kind of cool. Artwork, especially the backglass, is one of the greatest ever. The sound is of course abysmal, but if it it was made a year or two earlier might've been even worse. Just look at Nugent.
Hamilton, ON
7.674/10
5 years ago
Lots of fun, lighting up the spinners never gets old. Has some tight shots.
Surprised there isn't more love for this one...I am not a kiss fan but his is a fun pin.
Surprised there isn't more love for this one...I am not a kiss fan but his is a fun pin.
7.742/10
5 years ago
Very good early Bally Solid State. I don't like symmetric games as much as asymmetrical ones, but it works pretty good for Kiss. Scoring is consistent with the other Bally's of that era, so if you kick ass early on it you can coast thru, esp on a 5 ball game. You either like the theme or you don't, not many people are on the middle. Can't find them cheap any more, so if you're looking for a player from this era maybe look for a Mata Hari or something instead.
7.280/10
6 years ago
Of course a classic machine, with an awesome theme. Very fun to look at, but plays a little clunky... It is a bit easy at times, but can be very addicting at the same time. If nothing else it can sit and look pretty...
6.830/10
6 years ago
The KISS theme is what makes this a great pin. the gameplay is actually pretty addicting spelling KISS a bunch of times to score big points. Without a great theme, like this one, i dont think any pin from 1979 is worth owning.
8.055/10
7 years ago
Kiss the pinball and the band are 70's icons that come together perfectly in this game.
The Pros:
Kevin O'Connor's artwork is brilliant all around on this table. Jim Patla's design is understated, simple and very playable.
The Cons:
I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day in 4 bit sound... this is a rock and roll pinball right? I have to admit that I find myself singing the lyrics with the tune when I start my game, OK, it's not that bad. I know that this is what the tech at the time supported, but it seems shallow. The rest of the sounds are basic in comparison to that...
The Takeaway:
The Army will always be seeking this deck. It's a fun game and they made 17k of them, but the price will always be too high for what you get from the game for playability. If I'm paying 3k for a bally of this vintage... Give me a Paragon and a few others and I'm a happy pinhead.
The Pros:
Kevin O'Connor's artwork is brilliant all around on this table. Jim Patla's design is understated, simple and very playable.
The Cons:
I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day in 4 bit sound... this is a rock and roll pinball right? I have to admit that I find myself singing the lyrics with the tune when I start my game, OK, it's not that bad. I know that this is what the tech at the time supported, but it seems shallow. The rest of the sounds are basic in comparison to that...
The Takeaway:
The Army will always be seeking this deck. It's a fun game and they made 17k of them, but the price will always be too high for what you get from the game for playability. If I'm paying 3k for a bally of this vintage... Give me a Paragon and a few others and I'm a happy pinhead.
6.780/10
7 years ago
Tough game to rate. Very simple, but on par for its time. Your paying a premium for the theme, whiel the gameplay could leave a lot to be desired. Great for non-pin people parties and gatherings since everyone knows KISS and the rules are easy to grasp.
5.233/10
7 years ago
Pro-forma game design. One of the first games tied to popular culture. Didn't compare well to peer games and wasn't compelling in game play, story or anything else. Of course, since Kiss has somehow stuck around, it is retro cool, but imagine instead if you were rating a "Hall & Oats" game . . . yawn
7.089/10
7 years ago
Kiss was huge in the 70's and I remember this table being very popular with the high school crowd. I was bit younger, but did play it. The music and backglass were some of the best ever. The gameplay itself was nothing special or innovative. A solid late 70's or early 80's game, but not a lot of replay value for me. As much a jukebox as a pinball machine to me, but I would like to own one.
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