Pinside rating

This game received 84 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.645 _/10

7.645

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #152 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 7.804

Artwork: 7.951

Sounds/Music: 5.478

Other Aspects: 7.747

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.

7.217

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Found 40 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 40 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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9.396/10

49 days ago

STF

stf_dnx

Pinside member

Miami, FL

5y 32,300 124 3 24

Skateball is maybe the ultimate sleeper.
No ramp, no multiball, no music, this is almost an EM. But 4 flippers, 11 drops and a lot of fun thanks to the clever layout and the rules.
The outlanes are both unusual, the left one is a nudging funfest, while the right lane is just pure evil (that post!).
I like the artwork, playfield is a mix of pyschedelisc & Californian beach cool. The mirrored BG is an early cheesy piece of art by Greg Frere, makes me want to grow a 'stache each time I look at it.
Funny thing is the BG looks 80's but was executed in the 70s, the PF looks 70's but was drawn in the early 80s.
Rules are pretty deep and allow different strategies for scoring.
When it comes to classic tables, I'm a huge Gotlieb fan, but Skateball is a true masterpiece in the single level / no MB category.

stf_dnx currently owns this game.

8.947/10

4 months ago

D M

skinny_norris

Pinside member

Filderstadt

9y 13,900 6 5 6

I've owned the skateball for over 10 years now and it's always fun to play with it.
In my opinion one of the best EE pinball machines in terms of rules.
Of course it is visually beautiful.
Pumping up the collect bonus shot and then picking it up 5x is great.
Skateball is the first Bally EE in which you could switch through the upper roll over lanes.

skinny_norris currently owns this game.

8.864/10

6 months ago

AJS

joetechbob

Pinside+ Frequent

11y 124K 1,534 48 4

Really fun early solid state game. Shoots great, fun rules, awesome art and good sound.

6.441/10

6 months ago

???

Diabolics

Pinside apprentice

Gothenburg

<1y 11,400 4 2 8

I had this game for the looks only. Beautiful game. Absolute stunner. Yeah, I played it, and it was fun, but it was a prop. I am a skateboarder since the 80's and as such to "young" to have lived through the era and style that this game portrays, but man, do I love the aesthetics of this game. Colors, the silver inserts, the guy with his shades... the oranges... the yellows and reds... so nice.

Diabolics has owned this game in the past.

8.586/10

8 months ago

EVN

EvanDickson

Pinside member

Charlottetown, PE

9y 91,550 2,670 5 49

It's a great game for 1980, and while it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of modern games, it's really fun and one of my go-to games.

EvanDickson has owned this game in the past.

8.000/10

1 year ago

???

dosbox40000

Inactive member

Unknown

3y 17,000 1 10

I played maybe over 400 + pinball and Skateball is another one. It feels like a summer game and is related to other beach pinball. This doesn't have every 90's effect but has a solid state anyway. The game does have some replay value to it in the end. There are some trick shots like on the right which is okay. It's like playing doggin' pinball or party animal. Has some nice touches which is decent.

6.120/10

1 year ago

EJH

ehex9

Pinside member

Saint Albans Town, VT

3y 46,650 5 7 179

This game has great artwork and plays a little better than most Bally games from this time. Over all fun game.

8.789/10

2 years ago

TTB

TempleTheBard

Inactive member

Eugene, OR

2y 17,750 15

I enjoy this game very much, significantly because of its' similarities to Fathom (my favorite machine). I love the inlane/outlane swap on the left side, and it's super fun to nudge one back into play rather than down the drain.

9.304/10

2 years ago

???

touchtone

Pinside member

Seubersdorf

8y 26,150 13 10 49

Such a great player, similar to original Fathom and Flash, beats both of them for me.
A beautiful machine, I love the California skate style playfield and each time I lift my head the backglas makes me smile.

touchtone currently owns this game.

6.800/10

3 years ago

TKM

Daditude

Pinside Moderator

Rockwall, TX

5y 263K 9,481 24 271

It has lots of drop targets, which I enjoy, but I just don't care for the theme. The artwork doesn't do it for me. The gameplay feels uninspired and very similar to numerous other pins from the era.

Daditude edited previous rating on November 30, 2020.

8.405/10

3 years ago

TYK

TINKY

Pinside apprentice

Mainz

5y 16,750 12 19

It´s just a beautiful game. 4 Flipperfingers and soo many drop targets. A lot of fun.

TINKY edited previous rating on May 23, 2021.
TINKY currently owns this game.

8.532/10

3 years ago

CUF

Newforestpinball

Pinside member

Brockenhurst

4y 27,300 11 10 8

Cool art...real retro feel...great game, period!......

Newforestpinball currently owns this game.

8.018/10

4 years ago

FRB

firebird

Pinside member

Anchorage, AK

13y 29,900 81 1 45

This is a really good game. The four-flipper layout is nice as all flippers tie into unique shots. Playing the game more rewards the player with a pretty good knowledge of scoring without having to run to youtube. There are enough drains vs. good plays to keep things interesting.

Highs: Multiple shots and pool table style guessing about where things will land in relation to bumpers and drains. Also, great ambient noise for the era, and really great theme.

Cons: Maybe a disconnect from the top of the table and bottom of the table shots, but they are fun when they string together. I only wish at times something were a little deeper in the game play.

7.185/10

4 years ago

JIN

Pinasco

Pinside member

Malmö

7y 37,650 81 3 60

A real entertaining old school classic game from the early eighties. Not in the same league as Centaur or Seawitch, but Skateball definitely belongs to a handful of really neat games from that vintage.
Playfield is well thought out and has a stunning flow factor.

There are no groundbreaking or spectacular gimmicks on this game and the sound is really a disappointment, especially considering what variety in audio that Bally put into other machines that same or following years: Medusa, EBD, Xenon, Flash Gordon etc. These shortcomings are however easy to overlook when you consider how fun this table really is

Classic solid state that I actually prefer over its younger brother in the skateboard theme - "Radical!"- for the great playfield design and overall style in Skateball.

8.109/10

4 years ago

DCP

Skateballer-35

Pinside apprentice

Farnham, QC

4y 13,500 1 2 8

First machine i got but not the first i played with, more you play, more you like it, backglass is a masterpiece as the playfield as well!!! Can play hours in this!!!

Skateballer-35 edited previous rating on April 22, 2020.
Skateballer-35 has owned this game in the past.

8.375/10

5 years ago

WPG

guymontag451

WedgeHead

Portland, OR

12y 92,800 1,006 26 164

Probably my favorite of the classic Bally SS games. Weirdly flow-y for a single level game. Play one in good condition, and just try to stop. The pringles of pinball. Just one...more...game...

guymontag451 has owned this game in the past.

7.216/10

5 years ago

MAT

sixtyfourbits

Pinside member

5y 84,550 1,357 18

I enjoyed skateball, and can see why others rate it quite high, though I never really fell in love with it. A fun game for sure, just not my exact style. Has solid flow though, and an awesome backglass.

8.527/10

5 years ago

SJD

muzikman

Pinside member

9y 55,900 141 88

Fast and fun with eye catching artwork! Can be brutal but helps to keep you coming back. Decent rules / strategy and the outlanes are a great challenge of your nudging skills. Overall a very fun classic!

9.074/10

6 years ago

DJB

brenna98

Pinside+ Frequent

Wind Point, WI

9y 129K 2,240 59 54

Skateball is a players game. Very fun shots and nice rules. If it's setup just right, you can really capitalize on building up the multiplier hole by knocking down the drops a few times. Then, when the ball pops out of the hole, hold up the right flipper to have it arch into the left inside-out lane for a shot right back into the hole. Easy to say, but tough to do. I love the artwork and layout of this game, it just flows so well! It has many similarities to Williams Flash, but Bally did a much better job with the upper right flipper placement. The outlanes, extra drop bank and mini flipper add more complexity and more to shoot for. By far, this is a superior game to Flash. Bally just had the unfortunate timing to release this game. I could see operators saying "why would I buy this when Flash is basically the same". Well...who knows what went down. Either way, great game. Glad it's finally getting some love with new plastics, backglass and playfield available.

brenna98 currently owns this game.

1.000/10

6 years ago

CMW

chriswhitey

Inactive member

Shenandoah, PA

6y 27,150 26 2 35

My uncle had this game in his pizza shop for years back in the 80's. I despised it then , and I despise it now. THe 80's really had some crappy pins IMHO theres a reason the estimated value is $800. Not because its a to p 50 game. hint hint

8.341/10

6 years ago

MJS

Matesamo

PinballRI

Warwick, RI

7y 117K 1,292 112

One of my favorites from the era, plenty of hard shots and often unforgiving bounces that will kill your dreams of pinball glory. The left drain and return lanes in particular are cruel and mean spirited. Watch the PAPA finals to see how cruel the game can be to even the best players in the world.

8.733/10

6 years ago

RUS

Russell

Pinside member

Colorado Springs, CO

10y 111K 1,464 58

Skate ball is one of the best solid state games ever. Very fun game. The right saucer dominates the strategy, along with the SKATE targets on the left. Great outlane design.

Russell has owned this game in the past.

8.455/10

7 years ago

SAP

seshpilot

Pinside member

11y 112K 2,440 169 2

If Skateball had better art and multiball, it would be right up there with Fathom and Centaur. The shots are fantastic and the rules are well laid out. Drop target delight. 4 flippers means lots of shots (the geometry on this deck is seriously good). Plus I love the brief reprieve you get when hitting the saucer shot.

The sounds are also really fun, with the waves crashing (white noise). No voice, which let's be honest: what the heck is a game called "Skateball" going to say to you? "Shoot for the mustache!" "Don't tilt the shaggin wagon!" The sounds work just fine as is.

Unfortunately, it's not multi-ball which turns off a lot of players. The artwork is also distinctively late 70s/early 80s, which I personally love, though it obviously doesn't have the timeless punch of a Fathom.

If you're looking for a great player with tons of shots, lots of drops, and great rules: grab a deck and go!

seshpilot edited previous rating on June 14, 2016.

8.559/10

7 years ago

DEL

SealClubber

Pinside Moderator

13y 126K 11,033 244

Played C2S's and really like this game. The backglass is good in a cheesy sort of way. Dude reminds me of my Dad in the 70s. Too funny. Anyway, the gameplay is fast and fun with a good variety of shots. And fun is the key word for me. I want one.

7.827/10

8 years ago

MOF

mof

Mof Pinball

San Francisco, CA

10y 149K 11,961 25 94

Need more plays to complete rating.

* Asymmetry: Excellent.
* Backhands:
* Ball Time: Excellent.
* Drops (Sweepable): Excellent.
* Flasher Blinding:
* Flippers (extra): Excellent. 4!
* Free Ball earning: ?
* Fun/Lastability:
* Hazards: Excellent. middle drops are at a good height. danger post on right saucer
* Inlane Flow: Good. Left is like Fathom, right is a 50/50 post in the middle. bizarre.
* Lateral movement/Nudging: Excellent.
* Multiball: NONE.
* Originality: Excellent.
* Outlane save-ability: Good. rubbers on both sides
* Pop bumpers: Good - just for 1-2-3 scoring
* Rules (Time and Order-based): ?
* Scoring Balance: ?
* Shots per flipper: maybe 10 total.
* Skill shot: ?
* Slap Saves: Bally, so it's OK.
* Sound/Callouts/Voice: Weak, no voice, and the sounds are weak.
* Spinners: 1
* Stop n Go/Flow: Excellent. just a saucer.
* Taunting: NONE
* Theme/Art/Lights: Excellent.
* Toys/Gimmicks: 4 flippers is neat.

PROS: Great art package, 4 flippers and tons of drops. Decent inlane/outlanes.
CONS: no skill shot, no multiball, no voice, weak sounds.

mof edited previous rating on May 31, 2018.
mof has this game on the wishlist.

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