Target Pool

Pinside rating

This game received 18 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.740 /10

7.74

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #140 in the Pinside EM Top 100.



Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 7.782

Artwork: 7.183

Sounds/Music: 4.386

Other Aspects: 8.125


Pinside staff rating

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

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Found 14 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 14 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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7.093/10
4 months ago
I find this pinball has the same flaws similar to 2001 and why im giving this a lower score. It could of been such a fun pinball but because the center playfield has a chunky bank of stand up targets, the only way to hit the upper stand up targets is by a lucky sling or pop bumper bounce. It suffers the same fatt as 2001 by not much skill shots, more sheer luck. The chunky center bank of stand up.targets does serve a purpose and part of what could of been amazing rule set, but it's in the way. The rule set is good though
8.780/10
2 years ago
This game is a non stop scoring madness with plenty of fast moving ball action because of its 27 stand up targets and playfield design layout. It is very fun to play without a doubt, especially chasing the yellow moving arrows for 300 points on the sides and front bullseye targets located right smack in front of the player on the playfield. For sure is one of the most player friendly games Gottlieb made in the late 1960's with it's larger longer stretched out ball return flipper lanes always giving a player a easy chance at winning multiple free replays by score or special, but never letting a player get bored. You got to love the location of the specials on this game too. Two of the four specials are in the larger longer ball return flipper lanes which brings the ball directly back to the flippers again for a super action or skilled ball shot back up into the playfield. The best feature on this game is having side kickers on the top section of the playfield and also the lower section. The top playfield sling shot kickers provide a wild type of ball action knocking out many of the numbered pool ball targets and allowing a players ball back up into the top arch by(kicker action) where the number 6,7 and 8 ball can be made. The game 2001 by Gottlieb also has the sling shot kickers on the top and bottom of the playfield, but there are not many more games with this type of playfield lay out design.
The artwork is colorful and very nice to look at with a kind of 3D image of the pool table, ping pong table and swimming pool at this resort type/swim club atmosphere theme on the back glass. Of course the 15 pool balls in the rack is the main attraction when lit up and adds a nice touch to the back glass. I remember always playing Target Pool on the boardwalk at the New Jersey shore as a first pick out of a choice of many pinball machines there because I could almost always win some free games allowing me to stretch my pinball pocket money which wasn't much back then in the late 1960's. I have a excellent original condition Target Pool(my 4th one i owned)in my collection today and still it is one of my favorite games to play ! I am a avid pool player since 1965(still play today)and always favor the pool themed pinball games because of this reason, but you don't have to be a pool player to love this great!
8.535/10
3 years ago
I enjoy this game and it is very reliable. You have to be very careful nudging as a single tilt loses all balls. For a 60's EM there is a lot of scoring action due the slingshots. Hitting the lower middle three stand ups can cause drains. The feel of this machine is Gottlieb and wonderful. As a wedge head, it's very nice to be able to continue for all 15 balls. The theme of kids playing pool at a club is okay and makes sense, but the plastics match the theme well and it has an orange creme color that lights up nicely together. With a good pitch of six degrees it plays nicely for an older machine and would definitely add this to your collection if you can find one.
9.074/10
4 years ago
We have 18 games including top DMD games but Target Pool might actually get the most play out of all of them. It has a place of honor in the dining room where it gets played multiple times per day. I don't know what it is, but we love this game. I've high-tapped it, taken out the tilt, installed new flipper coils, set the back up nice and high, and it plays fast and fun. Two inch flippers have a smaller sweet spot so some skill is required to fully enjoy this game, but once you dial this one in it's a keeper.
Update: since I wrote this I have bought and sold TZ, Tom, TAF, Scared Stiff and others but I still have Target Pool!
8.662/10
4 years ago
Very good pin for 1969
8.667/10
4 years ago
Target Pool is a very unique and entertaining machine. Scoring well requires equal parts skillful nudging and flipping. Lighting those roving arrows and hitting them for the ever-so-satisfying “gong gong gong” is very rewarding. I modified my machine so that specials would also fire the gong as I didn’t like how the specials were worth nothing when the machine was set to free play. But that was my only gripe.

This is the one game that I’ve sold that gave me seller’s remorse. I will have another someday!
7.199/10
4 years ago
The key is to get the ball back to the top. Kind of random to getting the stand up targets all hit, but getting the ball up to the top can be rewarding. Hitting the center target row has to be done carefully, as a ball drain can happen. I would buy one if the chance came up.
7.519/10
4 years ago
I may be biased as Target Pool was my first pin.

The artwork is acceptable and works for the theme and time period of the machine. Playfield has an interesting look, and all those stand up targets makes the game somewhat unique.

While somewhat random up by the single pop, the game is challenging, has great sound, and that “just one more game” quality.
6.343/10
7 years ago
Interesting little game in the same vein as Gottlieb’s 2001, except here we have stand-up targets instead of drops. A very claustrophobic layout urges the player to lob the ball to the top of the playfield to complete the number sequence, or chase the moving target for increased scoring. Getting the lit moving target to the parallel side targets rather than the perpendicular bank is the key to success (its very easy to drain off of that long centre bank). Granted, picking off standups isn’t as fun as picking off drops, but I quite enjoy the sheer overwhelming number of targets here and attempting to collect the pool ball targets off of the action of the pop bumper and the top kickers. Loses marks for the Stenholm art…his Rockwell-esque, laid-back realism of clean-cut college kids just doesn’t do it for me.
8.872/10
8 years ago
Target Pool. Wow. When properly shopped and dialed in right, this is one wicked two inch flipper wedgehead. Great rules that have been gone over before by other reviewers. Never mind the other reviews saying that it's tough to reach the top part of the playfield. With a waxed playfield and high tapped flippers I had no problem reaching the upper area. The "bong, bong, bong" from hitting a lit arrow target and scoring 300 points is intoxicating. The only thing that brings it down for me is the so so artwork. It reminds me of those Highlights Magazines I saw as a kid in the dentist's office. Otherwise a top notch Ed Krynski design and not too easy to find in nice shape.
3.880/10
9 years ago
Short flippers and poor play field layout make this a below par pinball experience. The upper part of the field is only reachable by pure luck, the center target bank blocks access to most of the field. No lanes leading up to the upper third of the field, poor design. The ball drains very easily at the sides. 2 slings and 1 bumper make for very boring game play and the artwork is nothing to write home about.
8.726/10
9 years ago
This is my all time favorite EM. It is featured in many tournaments run by PAPA. This is a short flipper game. Warning: Tilt ends game! So very light nudging is a must. You need to plunge all three top lanes to light the only pop bumper for 100 points. Any yellow arrow shots are worth 300 points and they are the key to the game. The top two sides of the large triangle in the middle are slingshots. Very judicious nudging needs to be used with these slings. There is no better sound in any EM than the 3 bong, bong, bongs you get for every 300 point target you hit. Good scores are in the 6000 to 10,000 point range. This game is very addictive!
6.223/10
10 years ago
Mini flipper games are tough and this is no exception! If you are playing with a tight tilt it will make u go bonkers. Pretty much hit it to the upper area and hope the pop bumper clears all your targets. Not bad, maybe even an above average EM.
8.901/10
11 years ago
Skill pool is quite possibly the ultimate Eeety Beeety Fleeeper EM shooter's pinball game.

The Pros:
Art Steinholm and Ed Krynski made a brilliant design and art package. Playability is through the ROOF! Shots, shots shots. 27 of them. 15 of them have the 50/300 points when lit scoring that alternate with switches being hit during gameplay. Getting 300 as often as you can is tough. Getting 1-15 is a true feat of pinball skill and a bit of luck as well. Targets at the top of the PF require rebounding aim and nudging SKILLS! This table always keeps you coming back for one more...

The Cons:
I had a chance to buy a sweet one and missed the opportunity... AAAGH! Don't haggle over the price on a deck like this one. Just buy it! Learn from my mistake on this on, alright? Due to my foolish pride, there isn't one in my collection, currently. One day...

The Takeaway: A DAMN FINE PLAYA-PLAYERS GAME. HANDS DOWN. ONE OF THE BEST EM PINBALL GAMES EVER!

Warning, Warning... Incoming Rant... Warning, Warning...

Wimpy mangina pinheads need not apply. I can hear the whining now..."Eeeeeehww... I can't hit the target because it's not in a direct line from my eeeety beeeety fleeeeeperrrssss.... ahhhh.... flippersss....uuuhhhhrrrhh... help me mommy!"

Now a word from our sponsor, Master Sergeant Gottleib: DAMMIT, you measly pin- wanna-be-men make me sick! You can either go play some Ms. Pac-man(gina) or get your sorry selves to Ed Krynski's Boot Camp for REAL Pin-men (and women). Here you will learn to bump, nudge, adjust your reflective shots, work your pop bumpers and become REAL PINHEADS! Pinball is not just about Museum Pieces - Medieval Madness! Where do you think these new-fangled designers got their idears from? Just like any march of progress, the young stood on the shoulders of their elders. Who just happened to be pinball giants! NOW, Quitcher' the whining and bow down to the Krynski you sniveling pin-worms! You're playing pinball, not tiddlywinks, so stop your moaning and get your pin-game on!

Sorry... I lost myself there for a moment and forgot this only a review about a pinball game ;) HA!
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