Data East

Tales from the Crypt

Pinside Rating

This game received 369 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.986 _/10

7.986

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #87 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 8.039

Artwork: 8.04

Sounds/Music: 7.318

Other Aspects: 8.226

Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 7 of us have rated this game.

7.561

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Found 217 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 217 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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5.221/10

9 years ago

???

bluegoose

Pinside member

Unknown

11y 23,500 3 59

Although I don't find this theme appealing, I put in a fair amount of time in light of the fairly decent reviews. However, this pin just doesn't do it for me. The theme kills it for me and I could only take so much of the Crypt Keepers cackling and the statement "who goes there". I probably would have enjoyed it more if I just turned off the sound. Solid layout and game rules but I just can't get by the theme and sounds.

7.592/10

9 years ago

???

Scooter108

Pinside member

Fallston, MD

10y 32,150 12 13 23

Nice game and probably under-rated, good theme and fun to play, helps a lot if you like the theme, which I do. The ball can dance around a bit and throws you off with the flippers, and the call-out laughter can be a little annoying to some. Rated about where it should be but is better than some games higher rated.

Scooter108 edited previous rating on July 25, 2020.

8.860/10

9 years ago

DOC

Davidus56

Pinside+ Addict

10y 82,300 384 59

Ok, the laughter is grating after a while, but the game play is very nice. There are a lot of shots and a deep rule set. Multi-ball is insane. This is a classic and deserves to be in the top 20. This is a must have pin for any horror themed pin collectors. Along with Dracula and Scared Stiff, this is a pin that never gets old for me - great replay.

Davidus56 edited previous rating on May 14, 2014.

9.579/10

9 years ago

CWU

CWUPINS

Inactive member

Unknown

9y 8,250 9 10

Enjoy playing at all times. Different screams and sounds are great. Lighting a bit weak. I will fix with LEDS

CWUPINS currently owns this game.

8.055/10

9 years ago

ERC

Paisley_Pinball

Inactive member

Paisley

11y 51,650 85 47 56

A really solid machine that has a place in most collections. Excellent effects and multiball and cool rules make this one fun for all. Some bit of it are clunky though and i dont like the drop target skill shot that always leads to a drain.

Paisley_Pinball has owned this game in the past.

8.980/10

9 years ago

BOB

bobbyt

Inactive member

Southampton, PA

10y 44,150 676 7

great game!

bobbyt has owned this game in the past.

8.036/10

9 years ago

JES

john32

Pinside member

Kensington, KS

10y 49,450 155 86 45

I like this game.. had a some great fun shots.. To bad it doesnt have the same feel as a bally/williams game but one of the better data east games..

john32 currently owns this game.

7.719/10

10 years ago

ROB

RobKnapp

Pinside member

Colorado Springs, CO

13y 110K 3,116 13 183

Fun DATA EAST

7.372/10

10 years ago

QRK

Deez

Pinside+ Frequent

12y 139K 6,784 13

I picked up a TFTC after playing it at my buddies house a few times. The music, the shaker motor, the dots and the artwork all drew me in. Just a cool overall package. As a disclaimer I was a huge fan of the show in the 90's and just love the horror theme of the game. I think the backglass and playfield and overall art package are phenomenal.

Unfortunately the placement of the creature hole makes this game super frustrating. I just couldn't get over the number of bricked shots out of it. This is a real flaw in the design of the game. I really like games that are strategic and challenging. In my mind the main shot to start modes in the game shouldn't be overly difficult to hit. If that mode hole was somehow made easier this game would be a top contender for me.

The modes are cool and straight forward. Shooting into the crypt and starting the multi ball never gets old. I love the dots when you hit the jackpot and the head gets chainsawed in two.

Overall the game is still a keeper in my mind. I enjoyed playing it thoroughly and it was always a crowd favorite. Getting rid of it came down to space issues and I know I"m going to miss it.

7.758/10

10 years ago

ESM

erok

Inactive member

Cayce, SC

10y 28,400 82 5 15

TFTC is one of the best DATA EAST I've played. It doesn't feel clunky like a lot do. Ramps are fun. Very open playfield. Beginners can keep the ball alive so it's a good pin for getting people into pinball. Theme is awesome and the artwork is classic. Even though I like plungers the door handle plunger is pretty cool. Eyeball targets are great. Multiball is exciting. Animations are great. The flipper set up is a little weird. Over all it's a good game for a collection. I'm sure some serious players would get bored with it, but it's an all around solid pin for novices and pros. If you are into 80's nostalgia and love horror themes it's must have.

erok has owned this game in the past.

7.964/10

10 years ago

NBE

FreeBee

Pinside member

10y 38,900 310 4 15

Tales from the Crypt is a surprisingly fun machine. It took my a while to know all the features and shots, but once you get the hang of it, it is a very nice and well thought out machine. The playfield has a good quality, and an amazing artwork.

The main goal is to use the spinners on both orbits sides to select a mission. There's 12 to choose from. You can either lock a mission, or leave it unlocked, and let faith decide. Once you have used the spinners you can put the ball in the center scoop to start it. All missions are not only fun to do, they are all very different from each other. If all missions are completed, you can hit the center scoop once more for the crypt jam, involving a 6-ball multiball, and all hits are 1 million points!

You can also try to bash open the crypt target; a metal wall that drops in the playfield after 5 hits, revealing a VUK that starts a multiball. While in multiball, you need to hit a single ramp for a jackpot, and both ramps for double jackpot. Then you can go for the crypt monster jackpot by shooting the crypt 5 times to open, and then hit the VUK for the monster jackpot.

When done correctly, the lighting is pretty amazing, just using bulbs won't cut it, you need at least proper colored leds in the playfield inserts.

FreeBee edited previous rating on May 04, 2014.

9.290/10

10 years ago

JAS

pinballcrazed

Inactive member

Melbourne

10y 25,900 11 2 42

Was really surprised with this machine, great dmd animations that you'll probably never see in todays pins. shots are good and you have to work for them. Really enjoyed this, was quite fun and humorous. Needs leds to light up some dark spots, Not a fan of the BG art. Prob Data Easts best....best ive played anyway

6.346/10

10 years ago

DAB

Pinfidel

Pinside member

10y 99,800 3,924 9 51

I will say that, TFTC is a better game than I thought it would be, but I definitely think it's higher rated than it should be. There are some fun shots and ramps in here that are pretty cool. I think it's a good player game but I could see myself getting bored with this after awhile. For me, this is a fun pin to play out in the wild, but not one I would want in my personal collection.

9.120/10

10 years ago

ARN

Acampero

Pinside member

Thousand Oaks, CA

11y 47,900 1,027 6 8

The best Data East game! This game does not get old. The only issue I have is that the balls sometimes fly around the playfield which can get annoying. It has a deep ruleset and I have yet to get to crypt jam which keeps me coming back for more. Some people get annoyed by the crypt keepers laugh but I think it fits the theme perfectly and never gets old for me. The DMD animations are fantastic and gory without being obscene.

Acampero currently owns this game.

3 Pinsiders starred this!

9.500/10

10 years ago

DAN

pindan3

Inactive member

Sarasota, FL

10y 49,900 272 19 106

This one was a SLEEPER....I passed it up and thought it was corny at first, then I finally played it....WOW!!! for the right price I would add this to my collection!

pindan3 has this game on the wishlist.

8.856/10

10 years ago

SWH

Spencer

Pinside member

Okotoks, AB

10y 86,300 2,561 7 10

I am alittle biased because I own it but really, this game is alot of fun! Its also really playable, my 4 year old daughter hit 88,000,000 just this afternoon. Before I added White Water, this was by far my favorite game. In fact its still a close second. Also I love the fact you can make so many differant mods to it. We have a cardboard cover to cover up the screen when our girls play but I personally love the graphics, who doesnt like a chainsaw cutting a zombies head in half?!?

Spencer edited previous rating on January 07, 2014.
Spencer has owned this game in the past.

9.763/10

10 years ago

???

DataBeast

Inactive member

Unknown

10y 2,000 13

Best horror themed machine ever made.

5.785/10

10 years ago

BAA

Bartzenegger

Pinside member

Kansas City, MO

11y 51,550 644 10 10

Fun gm ! Not enough toys though! Lah is better.
But theme grt and still very fun.

Bartzenegger currently owns this game.

7.740/10

10 years ago

WHP

waldo34

Pinside+ Addict

13y 116K 2,033 10 64

Shocked how much I really like this pin.

waldo34 edited previous rating on January 27, 2014.
waldo34 has owned this game in the past.

9.161/10

10 years ago

DAN

BeaverBrewing

Pinside member

Beaver Falls, PA

11y 80,150 289 7 282

Plenty of fun, I could have played this about 100 times last time I played it, never gets old. Game lighting could be a bit better, dark in the middle of the field. Overall a+ game, theme is awesome and done Well.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

8.880/10

10 years ago

???

skooter

Inactive member

Seaford Rise

10y 4,500 10

Evil game and the best from DE...Full LEDs make this a great spectical.

9.100/10

10 years ago

WRV

Snowyetti

Pinside member

10y 74,400 1,370 13 45

The most gruesome game out there LEDs make for a blinding light show killer ramps one of data easts best love it not leavin my collection ever

Snowyetti currently owns this game.

7.591/10

10 years ago

B16

Billy16

Pinside member

11y 94,300 3,701 58

Before you rate this game--make sure you have played one with ChadH's new code. It turned an OK game into a really good one.

If this game were one made by B/W, it would generally be rated higher than it is now. I don't understand the snobbery, DE and Sega/Stern made some cool games (and some clunkers to be sure)--this is certainly one of their best efforts. The animations are the most outlandish and well depicted of any pin from this era (and well beyond)--really well done. A fun ramp shot on the left, although the left ramp is tough to hit consistently. The right is just really tough to make at all--so every time you do hit this shot it is rewarding. The electric chair scoop and the crypt tombstone shots are very cool, and it's tricky trying to maneuver the ball into the crypt after it opens up--yet another challenging shot. Perhaps not a game for the casual player--certainly not one for you if you are not a fan of TFTC. If the Crypt Keeper keeps you entertained you will love his callouts. If not, his insane cackling might drive you nuts! (with the old code, anyway). I have always enjoyed the zany Keeper and find that his commentary really adds to the game. The play is quick, there are many different, difficult and slippery shots to be made, and the new ruleset is very deep and well thought out. Add in several cool multiball modes--the result is a really enjoyable and quick playing game. Engore if you can make it to the wizard mode--Crypt Jam!

Those who have criticized the game because of all the inane Keeper cackling can now rest easy--it is pretty much gone! I kind of miss it... The refreshed rules, scoring, and new callouts have really taken this game to the next level. You really need to play TFTC with the new code--it just may change your mind. If, like me, you were a fan of the game with the old code, stand by---as ChadH has scored a "Hole in Juan!"

Billy16 edited previous rating on May 07, 2022.

5 Pinsiders starred this!

8.740/10

10 years ago

LBH

Gerrard17

Inactive member

Woolloongabba

11y 58,900 564 2 53

Didn't get many games on this one but really enjoyed it. Cool dmd animations and the little details like the eyes as the stand up targets were awesome.

Gerrard17 has this game on the wishlist.

8.940/10

10 years ago

YAW

Lethal_Inc

Pinside member

Westminster, CO

11y 88,300 4,933 7 34

Love the humor. The shaker is incorporated well. Deep rules with all the modes. Top 3 Data East machine followed only by GNR and JP. The theme is great and would definitely suggest playing.

Lethal_Inc has this game on the wishlist.

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There are 217 ratings (that include a comment) on this game. Currently showing results page 6 of 9.

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