Sega

The X Files

Pinside Rating

This game received 125 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.198 _/10

7.198

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #236 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 7.335

Artwork: 6.957

Sounds/Music: 6.745

Other Aspects: 7.334

Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 5 of us have rated this game.

6.754

Your Rating?

You need to be logged in before you can rate pinball machines. No account yet? Registering only takes a sec!

Found 84 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 84 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 4.

List options

Ratings sort order

Type of ratings to show in list

Owner status of review

Exclude flagged ratings

Keyword or username search

8.824/10

9 months ago

MAT

mpdpvdpin

Pinside member

Providence, RI

6y 95,050 4,431 6 96 1

This game is severely underrated. Put some time on one in nice condition with all the mods and see it’s true potential. The shot layout is FANTASTIC. Great flow when your on your game and fair drains when you’re not. With a color dmd, back alley mod, tasteful led upgrades etc etc this thing just shines. The music is rad if you ask me. The callouts and sound quality should be better for sure but this game deserves a better rep. I think when the ChadH modded code drops buyers will start to reconsider this super fun, challenging game with an excellent theme.

(Updated rating based on Chad H code. Total game changer!!!)

mpdpvdpin edited previous rating on September 16, 2023.
mpdpvdpin has owned this game in the past.

8.684/10

2 years ago

RED

DrDoom

Pinside member

9y 43,800 172 7

First I am a fan of the X-Files Show.
Therefore, I may not be so objective.

What a underrated game.
So much flow, speed and fun.

Nice molded toys ( File Cabinet, Alien Baby, Flukeman)
Art is Sega Photoshop but ok, I like the Translite with all the people and monsters from the show.
I like the fact that so much content from season 1-4 found its way in this pinball machine.

It is not an easy Pinball but for me it is very motivating.
Missions with different goals and very limited time to accomplish.
Narrow ramps, fantastic high speed inner and outer Loop.

2(3) Multiballs
9 Modes/X-Files (DMD diplayed the Season/Episode of the Mode) 1 Mode is a 2 Ball MB
1 Wizard Mode "Blood"

The music is really fantastic with nice variations and tempo changes.
The callouts have (Sega like) not the best quality but fits the theme in my opinion.
Segas of this area has only one BB Speaker from the factory.
Recommendation -> add a second speaker (or 2 better speakers) and a more powerful woofer in the cabinet.

Great machine for modding.
So many possibilities and improvements for LED Lightning.

There are great ideas in X-Files:

- the moving X Cabinet
- Choice of Mulder or Scully at Start for easier to archive normal MB or truth MB
- Trap Door for starting Modes (X-Files)
- Tooms where you have hit the lauch button as fast as you can for 5 seconds after 3 ramp shots.
- The Truth MB where you can "park" one or more balls at the magnet
- Trivia funny questions about X-Files (sometimes instead of a mode)
- Very hard to get Super Jackpots

Overall a very very enjoyable machine.

8.060/10

2 years ago

MKH

prl867

Pinside+ Frequent

Henderson, NV

3y 61,800 420 4 10

Huge fan of the show as well as a fan of Sega in general. This is a challenging pin, no question. It plays fast and the Ramps are too tight. Too much plastic. Not enough toys. All Sega Showcases had single speaker for sound, so sound quality is horrid. The bash toy is the interactive X File Filing Cabinet, which is cute, loud, and super expensive to replace.

I love the artwork. I love that the assets are all there from S1-S4. The callouts are voiced from the show, and the flipper bats have the SEGA SATURN logo from 1997.

Very nostalgic, awesome pin that’s NEVER leaving my collection.

prl867 has owned this game in the past.

5.960/10

2 years ago

BRI

BriannaWu

Pinside+ Frequent

Dedham, MA

2y 53,800 324 10 40

This could’ve been a great game, but the callouts ruin it and will play the same line until you lose your mind.

Playfield is above average, and it fits the theme well enough. I can’t say there’s good shot flow. The main problem are the callouts! This is the reason “variation” is a category here on Pinside.

8.340/10

2 years ago

BOB

Cudasales

Pinside member

Colorado Springs, CO

3y 25,400 80 8 11

I may be a little biased as I grew up watching The X-Files back in the 90's and was addicted so I like the game possibly more than some others.

I really like some of the Toys/Gimmicks such as the moving File Cabinet. I also think the Alien in the Jar is really cool looking and brings back memories of the show.

I think it's really cool that you can choose to be either Mulder or Scully while playing.

The theme is dead on for X-Files with the graphics, voices and the Toys!

Cudasales has owned this game in the past.

7.523/10

2 years ago

JAB

jbliss10

Waterland Arcade

Seattle, WA

5y 47,450 1 65 9

Pretty straight forward rules, 2 multi-ball modes that are easy to get, 8 modes, ways to build bonus multipliers, 2 ramps that are fun to hit but not easy. Due to the narrowness of the ramps and orbits you brick a lot unless you're accurate - so I really like this game for honing my skills. Post-passing to get ball to the desired flipper, controlling balls during a hectic multi-ball, stuff that you can be sloppy with on other tables but this requires it. The art package integrates dozens of X-Files episode references beautifully and the flyer makes a big deal about "4-color art package" lol so they apparently tried to make it very beautiful. Very balanced (and low) scoring. Getting a good game on this is hard but rewarding. I made a 5" TV mod inside mine which plays clips from the show on loop and it creates a really cool immersive creepy experience. I really like this game. It could use a few more bells and whistles to compete with more modern games (or even contemporary to its time).

jbliss10 currently owns this game.

8.920/10

2 years ago

RSS

Mutilatedlips

Inactive member

Orlando, FL

3y 23,900 7 2 17

Lots of just pure fun to play and underneath is still a good challenge. The multiball is easy to get, the ramps and trap door are very satisfying when hit.
The trap door really surprised me the first game I played, it just whipped open and took the ball like Pacman. I didn't even know it was there.

I love hearing the theme music, the sounds/voices are not annoying and fit well. The whole pin has a very eerie atmosphere, as it should.
The art could have been a bit better, but decent enough.
I watched the show, a few years ago, enjoyed it, but did not seek out the pin because of fandom. It was just a good pick for a family fun pin.

Mutilatedlips currently owns this game.

7.347/10

2 years ago

EJH

ehex9

Pinside member

Saint Albans Town, VT

3y 46,650 5 7 179

The creepy theme song just sticks with you. Keep hitting the file cabinet and indulge into this world.

7.680/10

2 years ago

ROB

robnotto

Pinside+ Frequent

Inverness, IL

4y 73,800 111 35 33

X-Files, fun little 'quest' games. Hit a couple of shots, get a case, solve the case move on. It is good. Must have for X-files fans.

robnotto currently owns this game.

2.973/10

3 years ago

NOU

Ghostly

Pinside member

5y 34,150 33 6 59

Horrible artwork, the game overall feels cheap. Has strange toys like the test tube mutant baby. I do kind of like the 'Mulders file cabinet' in the center that elevates and lowers. But it's really not as exciting as it could be. Low score on the Art, but that really doesn't have a huge effect on my overall total scoring.

Sound effects are not that great. They get on my nerves after a while. I value the sound effects, so this really makes playing this game difficult for me. Low score on the sound.

Gameplay is okay, but not really up to snuff when compared to what Williams was putting out. Playfield is pretty generic for the era. I like the FBI Trapdoor, but it seems to be under utilized as it is only used for a single game mode. :-/

I would recommend someone who likes the TV show try it at least once, hopefully they can get more appreciation out of it than I can.

Ghostly edited previous rating on December 16, 2020.

5 Pinsiders flagged this.

8.017/10

3 years ago

KEY

Keithisonfire

Pinside member

Victoria, BC

7y 27,750 17 30

Love the show so I am a bit biased here.
Has great flow, shots are easy to make.
They cheaped out on this era of Sega pins by only putting in 1 speaker but didn’t hold back when populating the playfield so I found that a bit weird.
Love it.

Keithisonfire currently owns this game.

7.523/10

3 years ago

CCH

Frostbite

Pinside member

Scottsbluff, NE

5y 42,900 32 11 30

finally got my chance to play one out in the wild, been wanting to find one for the right price but always wanted to play one first since its rated relativity low. I thought the ramps were very manageable and fun. Theming on it is great and works well with the show. The file cabinet is fun to shoot. If you like the show it really helps to enjoy this one. For the money its a pin i would get for an existing collection.

Frostbite has this game on the wishlist.

7.820/10

3 years ago

MSD

JollyJoker82

Pinside member

Hedgesville, WV

3y 42,250 1 20 11 1

I am not sure why this game and most Sega games rate so poorly on here. I recently added this along with Metallica Pro edition on the same day, I play my X-Files way more. The game plays well and is very enjoyable. It's of moderate difficulty with some cool game modes, two different multi balls, nice effects and features. If you're not a fan of theme you could still enjoy the game, but may not do well on the trivia mode and the music may bother you, but I'm a fan of the show so the music, callouts and visuals are great. Now, on my model it has the sound/speakers upgraded so it sounds nice with good base hard to rate sounds and music as I'm not sure what it sounds like stock, but I really enjoy this machine and will certainly be holding on to it for awhile.

JollyJoker82 has owned this game in the past.

5.842/10

4 years ago

JNS

TecumsehPlissken

Pinside member

Longwood, FL

9y 115K 2,558 10 103

sadly I have to agree with most everyone else that this game is just a miss , a big time miss ,being a fan of the old show I really tried to enjoy this game but it was an effort in futility

5.862/10

4 years ago

BAM

balt

Pinside member

6y 114K 467 45 1

The X-Files is a spooky world of aliens and monsters. This pin's primary gimmick is a filing cabinet. Talk about missed opportunities! I haven't seen every episode yet, but I consider myself a lifelong X-Files fan. I wish this pin was much, much better. I flip a few games when I find one in the wild, but I would never choose to own it. The sound clips are garbled, the tight shots make it a bounce fest, and it's just one multiball after another. I do appreciate the sound effects, music, and backglass but that's about all.

3.175/10

4 years ago

CLG

1Chance

Inactive member

Petoskey, MI

4y 20,400 8 1 6

"The truth is out there"... that this game is mediocre.

3 Pinsiders flagged this.

8.780/10

4 years ago

MAX

Pinballmaxx

Pinside member

Pfaffenschlag Bei Waidhofen An Der Thaya

7y 25,750 2 23

Very underating game. For fans of x files a must have.

Pinballmaxx edited previous rating on January 14, 2020.
Pinballmaxx has owned this game in the past.

7.673/10

4 years ago

UWU

Rewdood

Pinside+ Frequent

Truckee, CA

5y 39,400 44 12 16

X-Files is an excellent pinball machine, with a fun play field and some fun modes, it really does shine as a great home and practice machine. The problems arise with a few GLARING design flaws that make this game a blast or a chore, and nothing in between.

The left ramp is a tight, steep shot that is rewarding to hit. This ramp is the basis for almost every mode in the game, but some of the modes are garbage when it comes to progression. This ramp is barely backhand-able with a PERFECT touch and you find yourself struggling to move the ball to the right flipper. This is coupled with the horrendous plastic ball guides and awkward feeds from the outer loops and target banks to make ball control a coin flip of a chore. The sewer shot is a fun, easy shot that is an excellent way to start a mode after nailing that deceptively hard but forgiving right ramp.

When the shitty modes are completed there's no sense of accomplishment, only a sigh of relief as you attempt to start another multi-ball. The ~3 fun modes are amazing to complete and do give you a sense of pride but are stingy with the points. The two main multi-balls are a lot of fun but the awkward ball launch is inconsistent and leaves you in another shitty situation of trying to control this awkward hell of ball collisions and chaos. There really isn't room for all 4 balls to be in play and there isn't anywhere to hold them. The feeds from the loops are awkward and inconsistent and hard to time, all the while trying to juggle AND hit precise ramp shots.

But god damn, GOD DAMN does it feel GOOD when you hit those double jackpots. When you string those ramps together and nail that cabinet, when you nail every shot and just sink those balls into that cabinet, with the music going and the lights flashing those intense, difficult and risky shots pay off into a crescendo of points and achievement that keeps ANYONE that has tasted it coming back for more.

Rewdood has owned this game in the past.

7.211/10

4 years ago

GTX

gdonovan

Pinside member

7y 185K 13,220 70

Still chewing on this one; purchased for my wife who is an x-files fan.

The shots are pretty brutal to make some of the ramps but this makes it satisfying when you do make them! Best have good aim. The sound quality is only so-so, you can tell the clips are encoded at a fairly low bit rate in my opinion and the single speaker in the backbox just adds insult to injury. One speaker? This is where you choose to cut corners Sega? I need to add another. The theme music does tend to get stuck in your head though. The art work is fine on the cabinet, playfield and translite. The playfield toys are middling. While the file cabinet is great you have this giant alien baby in a jar that does... nothing. Ball diverter on the right side? ditto. Someone else summed it up fairly well, good pin if you have a larger collection or an extreme fan of the series. Its ok but not outstanding.

6.854/10

4 years ago

BAD

Diospinball

Inactive member

Joliet, IL

6y 74,300 1,336 9 75

Not really a fan of the show or really of this pin either. Not the worst pin I've ever played, just really don't enjoy playing it. Can't really seem to open it up like other pins. The cabinet MB mode is easy to achieve multiple times. But, for me this is a low scoring pin, even if you go into the modes or rewards for hitting multiple shots. You have to watch hitting the orbits, as those can cause your ball to drain, and the ramp shots are tight. But, the ramps are fun ramps to hit when you do get them right.
For the art. Its mostly just big head artwork. But, I think they do it right in this regard. The translite looks nice, albeit not amazing, but nice. It captures the series and the leads nicely, and even though its big head art it works. The playfield is big head art as well, but again it works decent enough. But, the real gripe I have with playfield art is its too barren. Its just too sparse, and while you can tell where you need to shoot, its just too empty. Also more lights would be nice for a better light show. This light show is only adequate. What I do like is all the sculpts and toys. Got an alien embryo in a glass jar, mud monster, and the bash toy/ball lock file cabinet. The file cabinet is a fine toy for pinball, not the most exciting, but it raises and lowers and I think its a decent enough toy to base a game around, if a little underwhelming to look at, but the integration is spot on.
The cab artwork is one of the best examples that minimalist art can be the best option sometimes. Its just the X-Files logo and it looks really nice. Normally I hate just text on the side of machines, but again this machine pulls it off nicely.
The DMD animations are good, but they lack energy or flair. They really didn't excite me that much, and really that is my problem with this game. It is decent enough to shoot a few games on, but it really doesn't excite me. From the music, to the callouts. Everything is just decent enough for you to stay and enjoy the games, but nothing gets your heart pumping or blood flowing. I don't think I'd ever want to own one of these in my personal collection. But, I will always put a few quarters into one if I see it on location. Not a bad game, just for me it just doesn't excite me. The gameplay after a few games doesn't hold my interest to want to keep trying to open it up. Maybe because it has a MB that is so easy to get many times in a game.

6.578/10

4 years ago

DIA

mrossman5

Pinside+ Frequent

Warren, PA

6y 197K 3,179 7 253

After owning this game for a while, I unfortunately cannot recommend it. I am one of the biggest X Files fans out there, and this game just doesn't do it justice. The ramps do feel good when hit really fast, but other than that, this game is just a clunk fest. Rules are average at best, and the game ends up being repetive. The callouts (or lack there of) are the worst in all of pinball, which being a fan of the show, was what I was most disappointed with. Selling this game is pretty much impossible as well.

mrossman5 edited previous rating on September 15, 2020.
mrossman5 has owned this game in the past.

7.432/10

5 years ago

KJJ

Jetski81

Pinside member

Sleepy Hollow, IL

5y 31,000 5 6 8

This game is mainly a ramp shooter game. Not a whole lot going on besides that. That being said the game does have great art, music, lighting, some cool features, and a fun theme. If you're a kid from the 90s and want a fun pin at a good price point I'm sure you'll like X-Files. If you're a pinball nerd/elitist you probably should pass on it.

Jetski81 has owned this game in the past.

8.137/10

5 years ago

JAS

pinheadaustralia

Pinhead Australia

5y 40,150 3 81 23

First off, i'm a huge X Files fan. I don't think this game would be good in a very small collection but i think it's fantastic in a larger one. mine plays fast and hard, ball times are pretty short. pretty sweet toys in it. my biggest annoyance with this game is that there is a literal filing cabinet as the main bash toy - could have been something cooler like a UFO.

pinheadaustralia currently owns this game.

7.468/10

5 years ago

DAD

ss-pinball

Pinside member

Kalamazoo, MI

6y 68,550 515 6 31

Played this pin today for a while.
More fun than I remembered.
More shots than I remembered.

ss-pinball has this game on the wishlist.

7.151/10

5 years ago

DAL

Droptargets

Pinside member

10y 62,550 232 25

Fun Sega pin definitely underated. If tuned right this machine is fast as hell, decent ruleset. Actually my only complaint is I wish it had inserts or a light sign with all the modes you can get from FBI scoop. Similar layout to Tom.

Next 1 2 3 4

There are 84 ratings (that include a comment) on this game. Currently showing results page 1 of 4.

You too can add your own comment by rating this game! Click here to rate this game!

Over the years

Visualizing this game's rating and rank over the years

Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

Donate to Pinside

Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!