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Pinside rating

This game received 62 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 6.733 _/10

6.733

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #308 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game design: 6.468

Artwork: 7.656

Sounds/Music: 4.757

Other Aspects: 6.892

Pinside staff rating

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

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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 35 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 35 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 2.

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6.809/10

8 months ago

SJS

redhawk1689

Pinside member

Salina, KS

<1y 21,650 12 2 18

This one is middle of the road. When it came out, I had to play it! The problem is that the action is somewhat slower than I would have liked. Later machines (most notably Star Trek The Next Generation) handled the theme much better.

6.224/10

9 months ago

CAH

ReadyPO

Pinside member

2y 130K 819 50

Not much here except theme. Even then, it’s the 1979 movie, not the 1960’s series. The alternate back glass and plastics with the 60’s uniform are better. Game play is strange with some odd lane configurations and not even a spinner to rip. Also, I cannot figure out why we are spelling BALLY instead of STAR TREK or WARP – because of 5 spaces (2 lanes and 3 stand up targets)? How about WARP5 or PHASER or BONES or something …

Nevertheless, it’s Star Trek and a Bally SS. So I have one.

8.122/10

10 months ago

JSH

John-H

Pinside apprentice

Norman, OK

<1y 27,150 7 5 28

This game is one where we really have to put it in context. In April 1979 Star Trek had seen a short-lived TV series and an awesome animated series (uh oh my nerdiness is showing), and would see a so-so movie released in December. And electronics were still so new that any sort of tune was pretty novel, so Bally had fun with what they had. So let's "enter the time warp" back to then.

The playfield is outside the standard Bally one of the time. No problem; the standard one was fine but I'm glad they were a little inventive. Try to spell B-A-L-L-Y and get the drop targets for a bonus multiplier or extra ball. There are two ways to get an extra ball with standard rules, so it's arguably a bit easy, but I'm not going to complain. It's really fast with a new wax on it and those solenoids pound with a thump much harder than other games of the period seem to.

The pro way of playing this would be to raise the bonus multiplier and keep shooting the plunger return. The game gets legitimate criticism for that shot being worth too much, but I've seen that ball voodoo its way back out too many times to say it's an easy shot. *little edit* My scores have been up a little lately after focusing more on the upper left shot - the rising bonus, top of the playfield, and extra ball pay off. Points for there being a few different ways to play this game.

The backglass isn't great but I love the cabinet, and I love the things on the playfield like "jump to hyper space" and "proceed at warp speed." It's fun to use your imagination on this table. Very fun overall.

*Wife approval* "Doo doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo doo doo!" She'll sing the little "Oh give me a home, where the buffalo roam" tune to herself. "This is fun!" Solid fun game.

John-H edited previous rating on January 12, 2020.
John-H currently owns this game.

7.923/10

1 year ago

GTX

gdonovan

Pinside member

3y 122K 4,663 41 2

After getting the machine back on it's feet I feel comfortable with making a review. The game itself is very fast and enjoyable to play, I feel some of the shot placement is a bit heavy towards the right flipper, the left one only seems good for hitting the three bank target on the right side, the bonus return lane and the center target if you so wish to take that risk. The right flipper gives you the drop targets, bonus towards extra ball, orbit to roll overs and saucer and the center target. You can get the drops with a deflection off the right targets but very hit or miss. The artwork is great and the machine is bright and eye catching which is a nice change. Some of terminology missteps like "hyperspace" don't bother me very much though you think it would have been caught or Bally was trying to sprinkle some Star Wars terms on the project. The sound effects are period and the alternate settings are my preferred, which needs to be kept in mind while comparing to newer pins. All in all a very playable pin for any collection in my honest opinion.

7.995/10

1 year ago

MGR

Jerol

Pinside member

Loomis, CA

2y 50,150 100 8 13

The alternate ROM (which zeroes out bonus after it’s collected) is a must for this game, in my opinion. Being able to repeatedly collect the bonus via the right sided return lane makes the game a one shot affair. I set it up steep and fast and find the game challenging. When the ball is on the left flipper and I don’t have a bonus multiplier I tend to bounce it off the stand up targets on the right (the L-L-Y targets) into the drops rather than zeroing out my bonus via the collect shot. The theme is an absolute winner for me and if you haven’t checked them out yet, see the CPR alternate original series backglass and plastics — fantastic additions for the Star Trek fan.

Jerol has owned this game in the past.

6.589/10

1 year ago

ADM

PinDoctor82

Pinside member

1y 74,050 277 5 102

For an old EM machine, this is definitely one of the better ones I've played. Of course, it's hard for a game like this to capture a theme like Star Trek, and it certainly doesn't. That said, some of the rating categories on here are inherently unforgiving to this game. Still, despite the scoring, it's worth playing the game. EMs are definitely fun when you find a good one, and this is one that I'd say I'd pick up if I got it at a good price just to have an EM in my collection.

7.194/10

1 year ago

CUZ

mcuzz

Pinside member

4y 106K 358 125

Star trek fan? Buy one

5.205/10

1 year ago

ANV

Antoshka

Pinside member

Åkarp

12y 33,400 31 3 20

One of the emptiest, most boring Bally:s i have ever played!! Needs more shots
( not a beautiful pin either)

7.593/10

2 years ago

???

JethroP

Pinside member

2y 78,800 1,267 10 14 1

Score B-A-L-L-Y and the sounds remind me of R2D2. Speaking of sounds, there are variations of sounds that can be selected on the MPU which add to the enjoyment of playing this game. Play is ok, drop targets, saucer, round-about (hyperspace), and the hook back to the shooter lane to collect some bonus points. Plays fast if set up correctly and clean waxed play field. Playfield seems so narrow, but then, I always seem to play TREK right after playing my wide body Future Spa. Trek is fun. Cabinet colors are a bit out of tune with my preference, but the game is tucked in-between others so don't really notice.

JethroP has owned this game in the past.

8.717/10

2 years ago

AK

Coolpinballdino

Pinside member

5y 160K 3,173 93 412 1

Decent Bally game it's a fun one to own especially if your a Star Trek fan. Art could be better imo but it's a challenging game with some different things to do for it's age.

Coolpinballdino edited previous rating on June 21, 2020.
Coolpinballdino currently owns this game.

7.362/10

3 years ago

RCT

unlockpinball

Pinside member

5y 50,050 93 28 1

This game is on location down the street from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Morristown, New Jersey at The Game Vault. The rule set is simple compared to modern games. The classic sounds are great. Game play does get repetitive. Overall an enjoyable classic.

5.574/10

3 years ago

RHO

spiroagnew

Pinside member

8y 119K 980 161

Great theme, bland gameplay. The playfield design looks appealing at first, but has very little to offer the shooter. How can a game this interesting looking play much more bland than a game with a more "traditional" layout, like Playboy or Six Million Dollar Man? The art is too washed out with yellow hues, I would have expected a darker "space-like" palate with deep black and blues. A complete miss.

4.064/10

3 years ago

AGB

Ramtuathal

Pinside member

Louisville, KY

5y 61,150 122 1 148

This version of Star Trek is very flat and definitely the worst of all the ST themed games. Even giving the game leniency for being one of those SS's-that-feels-too-much-like-an-EM transition games, there is still little of value for a pinball player. And, I'm a bit of an ST nerd, so my low rating would be even lower if not for the theme points - take that into consideration before spending a dime on this lousy clunker.

8.083/10

3 years ago

JOE

Dooskie

Pinside member

Old Town, ME

4y 87,900 1,169 8 10

Easy rules to figure out, but hitting the shots to get the machine wound up isn't always easy. There are a lot of great shots to hit....the drop targets on the left, the left orbit, completing 'BALLY' and getting the ball to snuggle through the right lane to collect your bonus points. They are never routine, and can be brutal if you miss them.

The first time I purchased this machine back in the early 90's, I made a weekend trip out of it. Sold it because I was young and moving around a lot. Picked it up again this past spring when I saw it on CL, and drove 6 hours each way to get it. I was lucky and got one that's in mint condition.

The game has good flow, is fun to play, and has enough variety to keep me playing.

Dooskie currently owns this game.

7.552/10

3 years ago

SJD

muzikman

Pinside member

6y 55,900 139 87

A fairly simple pin, but challenging and definitely one that is fun to play. I have mine set up on the steep side, so it plays fairly fast and I really like the feel of the shots. The collect bonus lane is a tight shot and appropriately can be worth lots of points and adds some good strategy. Blasting the drop targets on the left and then caroming up to the top is satisfying too. Completing BALLY is also a decent challenge. Blasting it all the way up to via the orbit is also not easy and the target to the right of that lane often results in straight back down the middle. So it rewards good shooting and is a worthy challenge.

The sounds are not anything great, but they are decent and better than some machines from this era. I like the bright colors and the original Star Trek cast on the backglass is a pleasant reminder of an awesome show I grew up on.

muzikman edited previous rating on February 06, 2017.

6.817/10

4 years ago

JWO

JeremyON

Flip Side Arcade

4y 37,150 62 39

This was my first pin purchase. I can't be too hard on it because it was the first licensed Star Trek pin with the original cast portrayed. That alone makes it collectible. Everyone will agree that the gameplay is just passable. It is however, very reliable. It doesn't have multiball, ramps, or fancy sound, but it does have a good set of drop targets, a fine orbit shot, some good goals, and some decent speed for an early SS pin. The sound can easily be enhanced using some microswitches and cheap programmable sound boards that you can get for about 8 bucks. I've added the Star Trek theme music when you start the game, Vena's Dance plays when the ball is in play, and the end credit theme plays when the ball drains. This has really made the game come to life. I plan on adding more sound effects including explosions when the pop bumpers are hit and quotes from the cast when other targets are hit. It's easy to enhance these early games whether EM or SS by making some customs mods that you can be proud of. It's much harder to do that with later, more advanced games. I highly recommend to a beginning collector to purchase one of these early SS games (from 1977 - 1982) and tinker with it. You'll need the experience that you learn for maintaining more complex games that you'll want to add to your collection later on. I've had Star Trek for 20 years, and I'll probably keep it. I still play it along side my other more exciting games. Sometimes you just want a relaxing game, not an adrenaline rush. This game gives you that in spades. Just boldly go...

JeremyON edited previous rating on July 22, 2016.

6.329/10

4 years ago

CY

Cyrus

Pinside member

4y 56,050 238 16 1

I remember this table when it came out in 1978 because it was one of the new games that had a digital scoring display and of course the Star Trek movie had come out by then, renewing interest in the series. A friend picked one up recently and I had the opportunity to play it again after more than 30 years.

The game theme-wise is OK. You do quickly notice that the on the back glass the artist gave Nichelle Nichols a set of boobs the size of beach balls. I don’t think that was really necessary but Stern’s “Whoa Nelly” has shown us that over the years not much has changed when it comes to portraying women on pinball machines.

The play is pretty standard for an EM of that era but I thought it could have used a few more bells and whistles to make it more interesting. There is nothing too difficult here though the drop downs and lanes on the middle left hand side are at a weird angle and I was getting frustrated that I could not hit these targets with my regular precision.

I have a ’72 Fireball which is a great playing EM; Star Trek really does not come close to the game play. This was also a mass produced game successful probably more for the popularity of the series, than the design of the play field.

It’s not a bad table; it’s just not a great one. I would be more inclined to pick one up if I were a die-hard Star Trek or SciFi fan. It would probably make a good starter-pin.

5.515/10

4 years ago

DEF

DefaultGen

Pinside member

Morrisville, NC

7y 120K 2,806 10 166

Ratings for this one are all over the place, I definitely fall on the lower end of them. I love the theme, and the playfield looks good, but for some reason standing in front of the machine and actually shooting it it's just no fun. This game was right in the era of Ballys I love, Future Spa is one of my favorites, Paragon is obviously a classic. I just am not feeling this one.

Edit: After some more time with this one I'm rating it a bit higher. It makes good use of shots all over the playfield until you max your bonus. There are plenty of games more one-note than this one.

DefaultGen edited previous rating on March 01, 2016.

5.489/10

5 years ago

HFX

h_flex

Pinside member

Louisville, KY

5y 26,300 29 9 6

Although the gameplay is decent for a game of that era, the theming is way off the mark. Sorry for being a su[er-nerd but "Jump to Hyperspace" is a Star Wars phrase. Otherwise, it's not too hard to get a boatload of credits with the drop target specials.

6.988/10

5 years ago

GIC

goingincirclez

Pinside member

6y 93,300 2,092 14 27

So this is a weird one. By all rights, objectively, this game should not be that great. I mean the pf is open without a ton of stuff to shoot for. There seems to be some redundancy for what IS there. And the game itself has not a damn thing to do with Star Trek - fer cryin out loud, you're supposed to spell B-A-L-L-Y, so they could have made it anything!

And yet, what IS there seems to work, and is charming enough. I liked trying to thread the pops with a left flipper shot, and nudging the ball into the lock. The shot back to the plunger was never quite assured, so that kept things interesting. Still, this is like a perfect crossover game from EM-to-SS... it has EM rules and play, with early SS enhancements. Keep that in mind! That said, the one I played had decent speed and that deceptively-simple "argh this should be EASY!" hook that kept drawing me back, even in a room with a new WOZ LE a few feet away...

...It probably helps that I'm a sucker for early SS sounds and there's plenty of that bleeping charm to hear. And I love the cabinet color palette - the Blue-Yellow-Vermillion is a straight ripoff from the Chessie System Railroad I so dearly love. I know there's some unfortunate artistic licensing on the characters but the backglass is gorgeous. So if art is your thing, that's probably a saving grace.

So yeah... objectively, there's lots better games out there and probably even from this era. But sometimes simple is good, and part of a game's charm. The original Star Trek series was kind of clunky but charming, so in that sense this pin is a fair branding.

(Played at Zanzabar, Louisville KY, June 2015)

goingincirclez has this game on the wishlist.

8.051/10

5 years ago

DAN

BeaverBrewing

Pinside member

Beaver Falls, PA

7y 74,150 287 7 279

Surprised to find it ranked this low...I think it plays really well for a game of this age. Rules make you build bonus as well as go for points. I like it.

8.655/10

5 years ago

FUK

stainedundies

Inactive member

Austin, TX

5y 23,150 260 1 25

i'm biased towards this game because it is my favorite of all time. the game is a perfect time piece. awesome sounds, simple gameplay, bumpers in the middle of the playfield. There aren't many shots but they are all very potent. plus its star trek baby!!

4.356/10

6 years ago

ALX

achtungboyy

Pinside member

El Paso, TX

7y 66,900 250 64 125

I like early solid state games and love Star Trek but this game is so boring. Not because of the time, it is just a snoozer. I enjoy playing games like Xenon from the same time, Star Trek just missed the mark

6.019/10

6 years ago

ZIT

Zitt

Pinball-Mods.com

Austin, TX

7y 94,300 5,627 11 7

For the Era; the machine holds it own weight.
The problem is people compare this against more modern DMD type games. I think it does pretty well given it's a 1979 machine.

Zitt currently owns this game.

7.575/10

7 years ago

MTA

AtlanticPinball

Inactive member

Weymouth, MA

7y 25,900 73 19 19

Without question, this was not Bally's best game. That being said, when set up right, and with a nicely waxed playfield, it will still be fun to play.

Completing the five targets which make up the word BALLY scores you bonus points. Completing the drop targets multiplies the bonus and then awards credits. The lane in the upper left corner scores up to 10,000 points and then awards an extra ball.

I've had my Star Trek since 2009, and I still love playing it. I have three-inch leg levelers in the back, cranked all the way up, and have waxed the playfield and keep it clean. The ball flies all over the PF.

I find it fun, and I think it's a nice looking game. Like I said, not Bally's best entry, but not bad either.

AtlanticPinball has owned this game in the past.

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