Spooky Pinball

Alice Cooper's Nightmare Castle

Pinside Rating

This game received 252 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 8.400 _/10

8.4

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #42 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 8.007

Artwork: 9.019

Sounds/Music: 8.508

Other Aspects: 8.146

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.

9.05

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Found 117 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 117 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 5.

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8.636/10

18 minutes ago

JEF

bossk4hire

Pinside+ Frequent

7y 70,800 704 33

I've only had the game for a week but I'm really enjoying it. It's a darker lit game but that matches the theme. I'm not a big Alice Cooper fan but I love his call outs and his music/songs do a great job matching with the monster modes.
The artwork is gorgeous! The videos are great, love the comic book feel.
A lot of shots on this game. The upper playfield has a bunch to do unlike most where you just keep trying to make loops.

9.380/10

22 days ago

RAP

RyanStl

Pinside member

Fenton, MO

9y 134K 12,057 1 108

I had the pleasure of putting several plays on this game today. It's not a common game, and man was it fun. This is one of the best looking games there is. This game oozes atmosphere and captures the theme so well. The sound is great, the LCD animations were done really well, and good shot variety. The only thing it was lacking was a cool mech or toy. I can't believe they only made 500 of these according to Pinside.

7.205/10

50 days ago

DAD

MasterClyde

Pinside member

1y 32,550 17 2 9

I dig Alice Cooper's music and had high hopes for this pin...a set of pinstadiums would've worked wonders because it was insanely dark and hard to see what was going on. The game flow was decent and the music was rockin' though so it has that going for it.

9.980/10

72 days ago

ROG

Maik

Pinside member

4y 34,650 2 10 48

For me one of the best Pins ever made. Nice tight shots. Satisfying.

Not so good for Rockies. Remember tight shots :-)

Maik currently owns this game.

9.720/10

5 months ago

WJE

gorgar007

Pinhead Mods

Saginaw, MI

11y 64,800 456 4 12

TL;DR: Alice cooper has held my favorite game status for well over a year. This is mostly because I think it has unique scoring akin to older B/W titles - which I think is a rare treat.

The GOOD:
ACNC has it all - awesome artwork cabinet and playfield, great sound, great callouts, great modes, great multiballs. Lots of new games have these features.

Where ACNC excels in my opinion is scoring. Most new games in my opinion (almost all sterns) have lost the classic scoring that you find in games like Addams Family, Twilight Zone, Funhouse, etc. Maybe it's a Lawlor thing, but I crave games with that one penultimate shot that is worth the hard work. Also this can be a well presented super jackpot. ACNC has this in a few ways: first, the modes are not easy but their payout is huge, plus the hurry up after each mode can be huge (also, NOT easy!). The super jackpot for frankenstein multiball, is hard as F - and a pretty good payout. I think it could be 2-3x value but its still pretty good at 10M points.
New games especially the new Stern games really fail in the scoring category in my opinion. Every game is just an endless grind fest. The last Stern that i can remember having a good scoring mechanism was Star Wars. That being said, I have not owned every new Stern so this could be short sighted.
EDIT: Ok I take back some of what I said about Stern games. They definitely lack the simplicity of old games but the scoring is still there. just a lot more complex to unravel sometimes.

The BAD:
Got to be honest here - Spooky needs to update the software. There are minor bugs and things which I think need a little more fleshing out - like the mystery shot. I think these minor issues are tolerable, but degrade customer confidence in Spooky as a company. Who wants to buy games from a company who leaves holes in the code? That being said, I still would not trade my Alice cooper for any other game on the market regardless of value.
The playfield is also a bit dark on a stock game, but mine came with pin stadiums which I mostly think are meh, but they _really_ rock on this game. Also shots are tight, the stories there are true. :)

gorgar007 edited previous rating on December 03, 2023.
gorgar007 currently owns this game.

2 Pinsiders flagged this.

6.432/10

7 months ago

WPG

guymontag451

Wedgehead

Portland, OR

13y 92,800 1,006 25 170

The game looks great, and it has some great modes and stuff to do, but the layout is just bad. The upper playfield just obscures the ball too much and the shots are too tight, which means there is a delay between knowing if you made your shot or it rattled out because you can’t see it.

I like the guillotine, and the magnet save between the flippers though.

3 Pinsiders flagged this.

9.840/10

7 months ago

JRM

Mato

Pinside member

Perth

11y 75,800 2,717 11 105

Spooky have nailed this title, picked one up recently and love the total package!

Some say the shots are tight, I say get better at pinball, the shots are more than satisfying!

My first spooky machine and I’m loving it.

Mato currently owns this game.

2 Pinsiders flagged this. 5 Pinsiders starred this!

1.420/10

8 months ago

???

oldochris

Pinside apprentice

5y 26,250 51

This pinball is a nigthmare :)

oldochris edited previous rating on August 20, 2023.

7.716/10

9 months ago

KDZ

kool1

Pinside member

Oakville, ON

2y 101K 3,431 5 54

Love Alice and the game looks amazing. I played about 12 games total. It's fun but it's not something I would own, if you have a big collection or collect music pins, this might be a must have. Otherwise almost any new Stern have better game play and rules.

7.488/10

11 months ago

RRK

Cloud7

Pinside+ Frequent

Caledonia, WI

8y 89,050 641 22 40

Spooky always nails the art. Fantastic art package. The rules are pretty fun. I like the idea of going through the castle room by room looking for monsters to fight. The main drawback for me is the tight shots. Because I have trouble hitting the ramps I feel like I'm always stuck at the bottom of the playfield. The center bank of stand up targets can be death. I feel like if there was one shot less to open up the others it would make a big difference. Also putting in a loop shot or something other than a bank of stand ups dead center under the upper playfield would feel more satisfying.

7.496/10

12 months ago

DIA

mrossman5

Pinside+ Frequent

Warren, PA

6y 197K 3,183 7 253

Spooky (more than any other company) has some hits and misses. This game is pretty close to the middle, but I believe it's a miss. Art is great and the theme is good, but it's somewhat clunky and not a machine I could see myself owning.

8.800/10

1 year ago

DAD

JohnJ1366

Pinside member

Weston, FL

3y 37,300 86 4 10

Got about 30 plays on it and plan on buying it. I like a variety of games and this one for its unforgiving tight shots

6.559/10

1 year ago

MAN

manuelhst

Pinside member

Zibatá

1y 17,900 2 2 11

I think this pinball is kind like a cult game. Only for fans of Alice Cooper and dark followers. The design is cool but the shots are difficult, tight and need a lot of practice. If you are not a fan of horror and monster stuff this pinball will only be enjoyable for a few games.

manuelhst edited previous rating on November 12, 2023.

3 Pinsiders flagged this.

9.620/10

1 year ago

BOD

Crazysurfkid

Pinside member

Halifax

5y 26,800 39 5 10

I got ACNC several months ago. Never played it before, but thought it looked absolutely AMAZING. An offer came up for my A1 Funhouse, so we swopped.
To me, ACNC is possibly one of the most beautiful looking pins. The playfield, the cabinet art, the back glass is absolutely stunning. The toys and scenery really set it.
To me, this feels like if a Batman and Elriva had an offspring that grew up with a CREECH. Its mock cartoon horror is simply made better by the call out of Alice himself.
My particular pin, needed the odd tweak to get the magnisave working etc, and now it does,. It's such a fun game.
Just gone the extra mile with it, and had the external metal work re- powder coated and as well as other upgrades such as mylar on the magnet, shooter Lane protector etc.
Rules are simplistic, but difficult to master with some tight but obtainable shots.
A classic in the making.

Crazysurfkid edited previous rating on March 02, 2023.
Crazysurfkid currently owns this game.

3 Pinsiders starred this!

8.024/10

1 year ago

JMN

wheeliejsk

Pinside member

Saskatoon, SK

2y 20,250 5 14

my first pin I owned. I found it too brutal to want to keep. I've owned 4 other spooky and this was the first to go. The artwork is amazing. Shots are alright but I struggled immensely with the left ramp. Upper playfield is fun. First time you get Frank is awesome. Overall a good pin to play, but was too tough to keep downstairs for more than a year. I want to make my shots when I try them, not miss 60% of the time. On sterns I'm making most mine. Same with most spookys. My wife didn't play it with me and my friends were frustrated. It was only really played in tournaments 2 or 3 times. I Do not like the Cooper callouts. There is very little flow to this game. Overall a cool unique package that are for the hardcores who want that extra challenge. If you just get frustrated, then this game ain't for you. It will just sit.

wheeliejsk has owned this game in the past.

9.200/10

1 year ago

ZEN

Ollulanus

Pin-Tweak

6y 92,800 1,632 45 2

Every time I run into this I start thinking about bringing one home. It's got a rep as a brutal shooter, but having played three different ones I really think that's unwarranted. It's not easy - there are definitely a few tougher shots, and the upper playfield is tricky, but it's all doable and feels rewarding once you get a feel for it. The music and theme integration is one of the best out there imo. Just a really, really great game.

Ollulanus edited previous rating on September 06, 2023.

9.460/10

1 year ago

XXS

beastmaster1981

Pinside apprentice

Châteauroux

5y 30,650 170 5 7

Wow !! M'y first spooky game and i am so happy of my choice ! This game is à real world underglass ! So much things to do , à lot of toys and a real challenge for a good player !

The music and speech are incredibly good with the powerful and immersive sound ! Some tweaks to avoid rattle glass and here we go !

Beware one thing, this game is hard and brutal !
I love it and all the family also ! Thanks spooky for this one !

9.440/10

1 year ago

ECA

Epik

Pinside+ Frequent

Alexandria, VA

5y 27,900 6 7 10

While this game is a little tough, it is one that I continue to come back to over and over again. This is not a game that I have my friends/family come and play, as you really need to be a decent player to do well, but for those who are, will have a great time on this machine. The rules are great and the art might be some of the very best anywhere in pinball.

Epik edited previous rating on August 04, 2023.
Epik currently owns this game.

9.760/10

1 year ago

HER

Herve68

Pinside member

Schlierbach

3y 24,400 4 11 30

First spooky in the middle of Stern blast ! I don’t regret my choice. First spooky but surely not the last.

Herve68 has owned this game in the past.

10.000/10

1 year ago

???

Flipado

Pinside apprentice

Unknown

2y 14,400 17 9 23

Alice Cooper is not a regular music game - this is a kind of remake of Monster Bash improved with harder shot and upper playfield with a lot of shots. A brutal game not for kitties but for pinball beasts! I love the manufacture quality and theming that magnifies the look and the fun!!! This is a crazy funny game… thank you spooky

Caution: shots are narrow on purpose, that require advanced control and aiming skills. Not for beginners else they will just break their tooth… or wallets

Flipado has owned this game in the past.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

9.620/10

1 year ago

SPH

Habbie

Pinside apprentice

Victoria, BC

1y 13,250 3 8

I have owned this game for 8 months now. It is a creeper for sure. I found a lot of the shots difficult and still do but when I hit them and manage to accomplish my goals, it is super satisfying. I ended up revisting my ratings and honestly didn't have much to take away from my initial rate. I added a a couple points for playability but honestly the playfield, it is a bit dark. Def need lights on in the game room for when it goes into certain modes. Losing the ball for that split second can hurt if your not on it. Other than that, this game keeps impressing and I will never tire of it. The playfield, the theme, and the call-outs are amazing. Music pin kinda. Spooky definitely. Good job guys on bringing something special together and when all the little bugs worked out, one of my favorites.

Habbie edited previous rating on March 19, 2023.
Habbie currently owns this game.

8.989/10

1 year ago

E

DK

Pinball Naples

12y 155K 4,870 129 2

Very surprised on the gameplay and rules. Awesome pin!

9.580/10

1 year ago

BUM

bumgahdna

Pinside member

Dothan, AL

9y 61,350 186 24 10 2

1st of all, I am not a huge fan of Alice Cooper by any stretch of the imagination.. I traded this game for another and actually expected to sell it pretty quickly. After the 1st couple of games I realized this game was way more than I had imagined. Alice Cooper's music goes perfectly with this theme and they've implemented it so well with the shots that it is just amazing. I dinged a little on gameplay because some of the shots are pretty Dang hard. The butter cabinet is absolutely gorgeous. The play field looks great.. It could have been scooby doo lol. The animations are top notch and are kind of a tales from the crypt comic book variety. There is also a Co-Op mode so you and your friend can shoot towards the same target.. If you have a chance to pick one of these up high highly recommended. I currently play this more than any other game in my collection.

bumgahdna currently owns this game.

3 Pinsiders starred this!

8.184/10

1 year ago

VEE

Veemonroe

Pinside member

London

2y 55,550 205 7 176

Played a few times at The Pinball Office.

A good fun solid pin with great music and art, and a shootable castle. Had fun playing it, but no interest in owning and doesn’t really distinguish itself from other pins except in appearance.

It reminds me of a Zaccaria, for some reason.

UPDATE: Played again at The Pinball Office probably about 20-30 times. This is a great pin. The shots are tight, but interesting, and I love the upper playfield. Definitely worth persisting with this one :)

Veemonroe edited previous rating on January 07, 2023.

2 Pinsiders flagged this.

10.000/10

1 year ago

CMS

splitcms

Pinside member

Santa Clarita, CA

6y 75,800 329 31 21

One of the best games ever? You bet. Fun, fantastic, unique design. Charlie needs to design another game.

splitcms currently owns this game.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

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