Ratings
An overview of the latest machine ratings and reviews placed on the Pinside.
63 new ratings were added to the Pinside, in the past 24 hours!
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Found 55220 ratings (with comment)
There are 55,220 ratings (that include a comment).
Currently showing results page 1 of 2,209.
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9.240/10
8 hours ago
East Troy, WI
One of my favorite early 90’s pinballs made by Bally, made with some of the wackiest ramps known to be on any pinball machine made at the time. Great artwork, great lighting, and amazing fun all the way around.. if you have never played this game, run to the nearest place that you can try it! You won’t be disappointed.
9.500/10
8 hours ago
Elton John (PE) Jersey Jack, 2023
Easiest my favorite game of the last 10 years. I’ve had Wonka, GnR, Toy Story and WOZ and Elton is my favorite. It has surprising depth.
(I’d say half the music pins made have enough depth to bring you back again and again. The other half are just a kids music/art project and it’s great to admire but the novelty wears off — especially if you buy pins and real estate is limited.).
Personally, I love GnR but because of the music and the experience — and not so much the rule set and progression. I think Zeppelin gets play and may stay in a collection because of the music and fandom alone.
Rush is one of my music pin holy grails — deep music for a rabid fandom, really great use of band members, and one of the coolest playfields Stern has put together (one that I think would be perfect reskinned as Back to the Future). Queen is more of the art/music school project but a must have for serious Queen fans.
Foo Fighters is in a league of its own as well. Quickly becoming a “keep” option for me. However I don’t think it’s a holy grail. I know, it’s a hoot to play with sophisticated shots and a great rule set. I just don’t like it as much as Elton John. On Foo, for me, it’s the sound mix. There’s something off at times with storyline and incorporation of music. Other times it is so straight forward you wonder if it’s still a mode as opposed
to just a music video in the background of a 9/10 game.
And then there’s this game, Elton John. Elton is a holy grail music pin. It’s absurdly fun and there is so much to do, non-Elton fans still dig it and want to come back to it. I’ve had friends play GnR once, really enjoy it, and then never play it again (at least at my place). Elton is like a siren’s call — it kills it on replayability by keeping all three + balls relevant to the song and your game so cohesively that it feels like you just “did a thing” in the game — even if your game was short-lived. The plunger isn’t a “pause in the action” or an aggravating rule reset. It’s just part of the game and experience that you’re having. There are times when the game gets so fast you may think you’re out of control but trust your pinball feelings as the defensive shots are intuitive and fun.
Amen to the designers who understand that having to restart a song or not qualify for one at all is a coingiver nightmare - not enough immediate gratification. In GnR, despite JJPs forethought, (having it qualify for a song on your last ball regardless of how much you’re sucking), I’ve seen plenty of arcaders walk away because they didn’t feel they could get to the good stuff quickly enough — or at times, at all. For newbies and arcades, the player still needs to hit that center shot — and there’s a good number who can’t on demand. That’s when you lose them. If you play two games and there’s no real game play in a full song mode - you can kiss the newbie and arcader goodbye.
The opposite is true with Elton. Songs continue through ball progression and so do most of the quests. There is surprising cohesiveness throughout the entire game from ball to ball. It’s addictive in that way.
And as for rockets — this game’s toys are slick. There were some complaints about Toy Story having cake topper toys. Not on Elton. The game is just visually stunning and the light show and toy gimmicks are so well done… it’s hard to imagine “needing” a mod. I am saving up for the CE. I absolutely LOVE my PE. Plan is to keep both.
Obligatory Elton fan disclosure: like 75% of the pin tunes; love 50% of the pin tunes; and find the last 25% meh. There are maybe 5 songs that I would never turn the dial on. I’d put me at a 7.5 out of 10 - which correlates with my other (also helpful scale) - “Would I buy a ticket to see Elton John? Answer:
2000s until now, No.
1990s, No.
late 80s, no.
75 to 85, YES.
It is also a “yes” to the concerts Billy Joel did with him during the “face to face” tour. So again, I think a 7.5/10.
(I’d say half the music pins made have enough depth to bring you back again and again. The other half are just a kids music/art project and it’s great to admire but the novelty wears off — especially if you buy pins and real estate is limited.).
Personally, I love GnR but because of the music and the experience — and not so much the rule set and progression. I think Zeppelin gets play and may stay in a collection because of the music and fandom alone.
Rush is one of my music pin holy grails — deep music for a rabid fandom, really great use of band members, and one of the coolest playfields Stern has put together (one that I think would be perfect reskinned as Back to the Future). Queen is more of the art/music school project but a must have for serious Queen fans.
Foo Fighters is in a league of its own as well. Quickly becoming a “keep” option for me. However I don’t think it’s a holy grail. I know, it’s a hoot to play with sophisticated shots and a great rule set. I just don’t like it as much as Elton John. On Foo, for me, it’s the sound mix. There’s something off at times with storyline and incorporation of music. Other times it is so straight forward you wonder if it’s still a mode as opposed
to just a music video in the background of a 9/10 game.
And then there’s this game, Elton John. Elton is a holy grail music pin. It’s absurdly fun and there is so much to do, non-Elton fans still dig it and want to come back to it. I’ve had friends play GnR once, really enjoy it, and then never play it again (at least at my place). Elton is like a siren’s call — it kills it on replayability by keeping all three + balls relevant to the song and your game so cohesively that it feels like you just “did a thing” in the game — even if your game was short-lived. The plunger isn’t a “pause in the action” or an aggravating rule reset. It’s just part of the game and experience that you’re having. There are times when the game gets so fast you may think you’re out of control but trust your pinball feelings as the defensive shots are intuitive and fun.
Amen to the designers who understand that having to restart a song or not qualify for one at all is a coingiver nightmare - not enough immediate gratification. In GnR, despite JJPs forethought, (having it qualify for a song on your last ball regardless of how much you’re sucking), I’ve seen plenty of arcaders walk away because they didn’t feel they could get to the good stuff quickly enough — or at times, at all. For newbies and arcades, the player still needs to hit that center shot — and there’s a good number who can’t on demand. That’s when you lose them. If you play two games and there’s no real game play in a full song mode - you can kiss the newbie and arcader goodbye.
The opposite is true with Elton. Songs continue through ball progression and so do most of the quests. There is surprising cohesiveness throughout the entire game from ball to ball. It’s addictive in that way.
And as for rockets — this game’s toys are slick. There were some complaints about Toy Story having cake topper toys. Not on Elton. The game is just visually stunning and the light show and toy gimmicks are so well done… it’s hard to imagine “needing” a mod. I am saving up for the CE. I absolutely LOVE my PE. Plan is to keep both.
Obligatory Elton fan disclosure: like 75% of the pin tunes; love 50% of the pin tunes; and find the last 25% meh. There are maybe 5 songs that I would never turn the dial on. I’d put me at a 7.5 out of 10 - which correlates with my other (also helpful scale) - “Would I buy a ticket to see Elton John? Answer:
2000s until now, No.
1990s, No.
late 80s, no.
75 to 85, YES.
It is also a “yes” to the concerts Billy Joel did with him during the “face to face” tour. So again, I think a 7.5/10.
9.776/10
9 hours ago
Labyrinth Barrels of Fun, 2023
I truly think B.O.F hit a walk off grand slam. If you like Labyrinth the movie, they nailed it!
Lots of fun shots, tons of variation, theme integration is spot on.
Its the movie. The quintessential pinball movie mashup.
Its also the best bang for my buck in current pinball.
Quality build, very cool sculpts, included art blades, backglass, lower playfield screen. Powder coated rails, legs, lockdown bar.
The topper is essential and the best topper in pinball. Price point should make other manufacturers re-evaluate their business model. Selling cheap junk for double the cost of this masterpiece.
To me its reminiscent of an early solid state with modern bells and whistles. Its a flowy yet tough shooter. Cool rewarding shots.
The diverters and up posts, and subways, oh my! Can take a beating as well. We brought ours to a show and it had about 800 plays over 4 days and withstood the tests people put it through.
I reiterate thatbits a great game and bang for your buck. True collectors item machine for less than current LE, PE, CE pricing.
Lots of fun shots, tons of variation, theme integration is spot on.
Its the movie. The quintessential pinball movie mashup.
Its also the best bang for my buck in current pinball.
Quality build, very cool sculpts, included art blades, backglass, lower playfield screen. Powder coated rails, legs, lockdown bar.
The topper is essential and the best topper in pinball. Price point should make other manufacturers re-evaluate their business model. Selling cheap junk for double the cost of this masterpiece.
To me its reminiscent of an early solid state with modern bells and whistles. Its a flowy yet tough shooter. Cool rewarding shots.
The diverters and up posts, and subways, oh my! Can take a beating as well. We brought ours to a show and it had about 800 plays over 4 days and withstood the tests people put it through.
I reiterate thatbits a great game and bang for your buck. True collectors item machine for less than current LE, PE, CE pricing.
9.400/10
9 hours ago
Elton John (CE) Jersey Jack, 2023
Got a bunch of flips in at pintastic. Great theme integration. Its Elton John. Thr music, the lights,the glitz, the flair. It there. Of the newer games there i was playing this one more.
It shoots great, best JJP so far. The topper adds to the experience. 2nd best topper out there. One actually worth the money.
It shoots great, best JJP so far. The topper adds to the experience. 2nd best topper out there. One actually worth the money.
8.128/10
10 hours ago
Lost World Bally, 1978
Lost World is a fun pin! What has been a game changer for many of the early SS is the upgraded sound boards that have speech and music. The games rules are simple yet perfect, and the shots are all well placed and balanced. I rate the Early Bally SS relative to their time and I do not compare them to the modern days pins. One of the notable shots is the captive ball, when you hit the other targets in sequential order, the captive ball shot is the "Same player shoots again". I really found this a fun pin to play.
7.689/10
11 hours ago
Led Zeppelin (Pro) Stern, 2020
Before I played Princess Bride at TPF this year I felt this was the best P3 module so far. The playfield screen is completely static which makes it feel more like a Stern machine . . . huh, what did you say? . . . this is a STERN machine?! I see . . .
8.024/10
15 hours ago
Surrey, BC
Quicksilver Stern Electronics, 1980
Yet another great playing classic from this era of Stern Electronics. Pure pinball goodness.
My only complaint might be that due to the playfield layout, it can feel a bit more repetitive than others from this era.
My only complaint might be that due to the playfield layout, it can feel a bit more repetitive than others from this era.
9.080/10
17 hours ago
The Flintstones Williams, 1994
It's just a fun game with a lot of cool features.
7.887/10
21 hours ago
Pulp Fiction (SE) Chicago Gaming Co., 2023
I love classic ballys and sys11. This game is like the two took all the best parts and had a baby.
Plain and simple. Fun to shoot. Challenge yet reward.
Unfortunately the overall quality is a large step back
The playfield is chipping after a couple hundred plays.
The art over inserts is very grainy and looks pretty amateur.
The sound quality is really quite poor. Not sure if it is the hardware or the mic but super disappointing from the great David Theil work to not be good quality of sound. Very tinny and poor mix.
The game play is again great but for some reason CGC missed on overall quality, fit, and finish.
I still love the game and will be getting a LE but really wish they would return to the previous playfield, print, sound, and assembly quality we saw on CCr.
Plain and simple. Fun to shoot. Challenge yet reward.
Unfortunately the overall quality is a large step back
The playfield is chipping after a couple hundred plays.
The art over inserts is very grainy and looks pretty amateur.
The sound quality is really quite poor. Not sure if it is the hardware or the mic but super disappointing from the great David Theil work to not be good quality of sound. Very tinny and poor mix.
The game play is again great but for some reason CGC missed on overall quality, fit, and finish.
I still love the game and will be getting a LE but really wish they would return to the previous playfield, print, sound, and assembly quality we saw on CCr.
7.580/10
36 hours ago
Elvira's House of Horrors (Premium Edition) Stern, 2019
This review will probably get ratioed into oblivion...oh well, yolo.
I'm of the opinion that this is an exceptionally average pin, worth a play or two but nothing to write home about. The playfield is wide open, allowing for multiple unimpeded shots but also allowing the ball to flutter aimlessly. Maybe that's a good thing for most people? Idk, I seem to like busy clutter (just look at my collection). Hitting the house, crypt and ramp shots were fine at first but just felt kind of empty and trite after a while. Anyway, this isn't a bad pin by any means, it's just middle of the road.
I'm of the opinion that this is an exceptionally average pin, worth a play or two but nothing to write home about. The playfield is wide open, allowing for multiple unimpeded shots but also allowing the ball to flutter aimlessly. Maybe that's a good thing for most people? Idk, I seem to like busy clutter (just look at my collection). Hitting the house, crypt and ramp shots were fine at first but just felt kind of empty and trite after a while. Anyway, this isn't a bad pin by any means, it's just middle of the road.
9.660/10
36 hours ago
Jurassic Park (Premium) Stern, 2019
A nearly a perfect game for me. I love the theme and integration - Raptor cage multiball, Jeep that decides the path you follow, a T-Rex that eats the ball and spits it back out at you... I mean, this IS Jurassic Park. One of the few knocks I have is the lack of IP characters present in the art (particularly the playfield which I cannot change), cut scenes, and callouts. However, there is an excellent movie code available that solves all but the playfield nitpick for me. I truly adore this game, and now that I own one I fully understand what "this one is bolted to the floor" means.
I think the art style could be divisive but personally I think it's good. I wouldn't care for more realistic art and would strongly dislike movie screencaps (ala Stern's Spider-Man).
The shots and flow are perfect for me, I land the 2-ramp Super Skill Shot off the plunge 80% of the time after a couple weeks of ownership. A typical game features several multi-balls and the gameplay is accessible enough that non-pinhead guests enjoy it as much as anyone. I just cant say enough good things about this one.
I think the art style could be divisive but personally I think it's good. I wouldn't care for more realistic art and would strongly dislike movie screencaps (ala Stern's Spider-Man).
The shots and flow are perfect for me, I land the 2-ramp Super Skill Shot off the plunge 80% of the time after a couple weeks of ownership. A typical game features several multi-balls and the gameplay is accessible enough that non-pinhead guests enjoy it as much as anyone. I just cant say enough good things about this one.
9.620/10
38 hours ago
Elton John (PE) Jersey Jack, 2023
It might be the beer talking but this game is effing fun!!
9.700/10
40 hours ago
Elton John (CE) Jersey Jack, 2023
Incredible, stunning and worth every penny. Should be a top 5 pin on pinside!! Flag away..
7.556/10
41 hours ago
Barry O's BBQ Challenge (Classic) American Pinball, 2024
Played it at Pintastic. It's not bad but seems more basic compared to the other new games out (Jaws, Elton, Looney, etc). I look at the game as a nod to late 80's alphanumeric type games with the same depth of rules and the same type of layout. It was fun to play and might be ok in a large collection. The pictures of bbq meat though I found amusing for a pinball game but the hot rod part kind of forced a second theme which was not as great.
6.457/10
41 hours ago
Budapest
Scared Stiff Bally, 1996
I like the Elvira theme in general, but again this machine has so annoying sounds amd music it is not fun for me. Otherwise good playable machine, really like the backglass spider and the crate.
9.268/10
42 hours ago
Jaws (Premium) Stern, 2024
I wasn't ever going to play the game due to theme but it is now my favorite pin. Love it.
4.048/10
45 hours ago
Barry O's BBQ Challenge (Classic) American Pinball, 2024
I've played 3 different copies of this game now in 2 separate locations. It looks bad, but its even worse than you imagine it is.
Weak flippers. Barely can make it up the ramps. Ramp spinners, at best, are lame and barely work and at worst, reject your shots. Theres a set of drops you are meant to sweep near the top of the playfield. I kind of like that, but you really don't even notice them since they are basically parallel to your line of sight and semi buried with whatever else is up there.
Art is bad, music is generic, animations are hilariously bad. The whole BBQ and hotrods theme is done poorly on top of being bizarre. I like both of those things, and this game seems like it was made by people who know very little about either one.
Weak flippers. Barely can make it up the ramps. Ramp spinners, at best, are lame and barely work and at worst, reject your shots. Theres a set of drops you are meant to sweep near the top of the playfield. I kind of like that, but you really don't even notice them since they are basically parallel to your line of sight and semi buried with whatever else is up there.
Art is bad, music is generic, animations are hilariously bad. The whole BBQ and hotrods theme is done poorly on top of being bizarre. I like both of those things, and this game seems like it was made by people who know very little about either one.
9.420/10
2 days ago
Jaws (LE) Stern, 2024
Keith Elwin continues his streak with his fifth cornerstone game! Having had a lot of time on my Jaws LE, I can say that it's Elwin at his finest. Like his other games, it's totally unlike his other games. Though there are some touches that are signature Elwin, with the verticality and ramps that flip the ball back around, but this layout is novel and has some interesting ball paths.
I've already provided a review of the premium edition, and much of those comments stand. But, that was a prototype game with very early code, and we've had an update since then that has added some cool new features and some quality of life adjustments.
What I like the most so far is that Jaws can be played in different ways. Whether you want to play on-the-fly and get into flow, or you want to slow it down and make controlled shots, this game gives you ample opportunity to play it either way.
The shots range from easy to devilishly tight, and this mix keeps things interesting. The mini-flipper shot at the fish finder is awesome, but hitting the pathway above the target bank is tough as nails and lucrative AF. The modes are a little bare-bones, but the multiballs are interesting, fast, and frenetic. The bounty modes offer a good deal of freedom to add a perk you need, and I really like the wheel awards on the upper playfield, which make for some nice little bonuses.
New to the latest code is a feature to immediately release the ball from the shark if it happens to eat the ball. The night modes feature dim lighting that really captures the look of the beginning of the film. But the coolest feature is the enhanced mini-flipper ball lock. It was already awesome that you could activate a flipper hold for a while to concentrate on one-ball play during multiball, but it now has some incredibly cool logic that will release the ball you're holding if you manage to load the mini flipper lane with the other ball. It's as other-worldly as the phantom flips on Addams and Monster Bash.
The main multiball qualification escalates in difficulty quickly, with the second two Jaws multiballs feeling like a real accomplishment.
The artwork on the LE cab is gorgeous and the backglass is beautiful. The sound package is strong, with intense music and a lot of great clips that really highlight the humor of the film. There are also some interesting fish finder modes, with the cast and catch being a standout, forcing you to trap up and time your shots to maximize scoring.
There are a few small nitpicks. OK, maybe a major one, which is that an aftermarket airball protector is pretty much a requirement for this game. Good thing it's easy to install. The life ring sometimes fails after being relit and used again. The wave ramp is also very difficult to hit at times, and sometimes results in a stuck ball if a bricked shot doesn't fall onto the wireform below. It is great they added logic to award you the shot even if it doesn't make it to the upper playfield.
I also have to say that the upper playfield is actually really fun. I generally don't like upper playfields, but this one is fast and doesn't waste your time, which is much appreciated.
All in all, this is an incredibly fun game to flip, and stands right up there with Elwin's best. I never thought I could love a Stern as much as I love Godzilla, and while that may always be his magnum opus, Jaws is a superb game in its own right, even on early code.
Jaws is a winner. Elwin and company have made magic once again.
I've already provided a review of the premium edition, and much of those comments stand. But, that was a prototype game with very early code, and we've had an update since then that has added some cool new features and some quality of life adjustments.
What I like the most so far is that Jaws can be played in different ways. Whether you want to play on-the-fly and get into flow, or you want to slow it down and make controlled shots, this game gives you ample opportunity to play it either way.
The shots range from easy to devilishly tight, and this mix keeps things interesting. The mini-flipper shot at the fish finder is awesome, but hitting the pathway above the target bank is tough as nails and lucrative AF. The modes are a little bare-bones, but the multiballs are interesting, fast, and frenetic. The bounty modes offer a good deal of freedom to add a perk you need, and I really like the wheel awards on the upper playfield, which make for some nice little bonuses.
New to the latest code is a feature to immediately release the ball from the shark if it happens to eat the ball. The night modes feature dim lighting that really captures the look of the beginning of the film. But the coolest feature is the enhanced mini-flipper ball lock. It was already awesome that you could activate a flipper hold for a while to concentrate on one-ball play during multiball, but it now has some incredibly cool logic that will release the ball you're holding if you manage to load the mini flipper lane with the other ball. It's as other-worldly as the phantom flips on Addams and Monster Bash.
The main multiball qualification escalates in difficulty quickly, with the second two Jaws multiballs feeling like a real accomplishment.
The artwork on the LE cab is gorgeous and the backglass is beautiful. The sound package is strong, with intense music and a lot of great clips that really highlight the humor of the film. There are also some interesting fish finder modes, with the cast and catch being a standout, forcing you to trap up and time your shots to maximize scoring.
There are a few small nitpicks. OK, maybe a major one, which is that an aftermarket airball protector is pretty much a requirement for this game. Good thing it's easy to install. The life ring sometimes fails after being relit and used again. The wave ramp is also very difficult to hit at times, and sometimes results in a stuck ball if a bricked shot doesn't fall onto the wireform below. It is great they added logic to award you the shot even if it doesn't make it to the upper playfield.
I also have to say that the upper playfield is actually really fun. I generally don't like upper playfields, but this one is fast and doesn't waste your time, which is much appreciated.
All in all, this is an incredibly fun game to flip, and stands right up there with Elwin's best. I never thought I could love a Stern as much as I love Godzilla, and while that may always be his magnum opus, Jaws is a superb game in its own right, even on early code.
Jaws is a winner. Elwin and company have made magic once again.
9.260/10
2 days ago
The Shadow Bally, 1994
Love this game so much, I had to purchase one. Diverters are a cool way to not only achieve Vengeance but to also control the game flow. Cool ball lock in pinball IMO. Some could take or leave the upper playfield. I find it good use of space without taking anything away from the game.
9.200/10
2 days ago
The Hobbit Jersey Jack, 2016
This game checks off several boxes for me. I wanted a game that was deep enough to keep me coming back for more, but at the same time easy enough for a newbie to walk up and enjoy the game. The theme integration is awesome. The music is great as it builds up the action while you progress through a certain mode. The shot variation isn't superb, but it works for this title. Likewise with the flipper strength. It just works for this title.
8.960/10
2 days ago
Stranger Things (LE) Stern, 2019
I didn't expect to like this as much as I did. Not a huge fan of the show but I kept wanting to play more and more. The Demi gorgon shot is satisfying when you hit it but it certainly is challenging. Layout is good and the game was not super hard to figure out. I will certainly put more time on this machine next time I am on location. Even my daughter who is not a huge fan loved the game and wanted to play more!
7.972/10
2 days ago
James Bond 007 (LE) Stern, 2022
Good machine, played it around 10 times and will adjust after more plays but initial thoughts are fun and fast playing but the theme doesn't grab me like other modern sterns! It certainly is a must for all Bond lovers and it does play well. Good machine overall and will certainly play again!
9.280/10
2 days ago
Jurassic Park (Limited Edition) Stern, 2019
Got to play this for the first time last weekend. What a fun and amazing game. Love the theming and flow of the game. Challenging but still fun. Toys are great and I kept going back for more! I don't know much I would change as I love it as is! Definitely in consideration for my collection! Right Behind Godzilla, Star Wars and Avengers Infinity Wars!!!!
5.918/10
2 days ago
Independence Day Sega, 1996
Independence Day is kind of hard to rate. It is a fantastic flowy layout with lots to shoot for. Its a cool theme. It has the best DMD dots of the era, there is lots of theme integration and code... the alien you shoot at is a great gimick. But the code just sucks. There is not much to do and you will seem most of the game in one 20 minute session. I think this is a fantastic game to put out on location as its cheap and reliable with a theme anyone over 30 can relate too... but for pinheads or the house? Hard pass. Kept mine about a month. Glad to see it come... glad to see it go.
8.076/10
2 days ago
A-Go-Go Williams, 1966
4 short Flippers and wheel of fortune for bonus. fun to play.
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