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Author Topic: Played Sopranos and LOTR For The First Time  (Read 2205 times)

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JeepMonkey

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Played Sopranos and LOTR For The First Time
« on: February 02, 2009, 08:12:14 am »
I am in Gainesville, FL for work and Saturday we went out for dinner.  After dinner we stopped by a bar that appeared to have an arcade in it.  Turns out it was a smokey old pool hall with about 15 arcade machine.  Low and behold I look around and see two guys playing pins.  They had a Sopranos and a LOTR.  I was pretty happy as the only newer Stern I have been able to play was Monopoly.

The Sopranos was pretty fun.  It was in good shape, everything seemed to work.  The playfield really needed to be cleaned, but it did not effect game play.  I had no idea the ruleset for the game, but it was pretty easy to pick up which shots were remaining by the lights pointing to each shot.  I would definitely play it again.

LOTR is a pin I have really been wanting to play and had high expectations for.  The machine was very dirty, dark upper playfield which made it hard to see everything, and the balrog was stuck open.  The shots were a bit tougher to make than the Sopranos (not that that is an all bad thing).  All in all the LOTR was a little bit of a let down, but it was probably a combination of high expectations and the condition of the machine.

I have heard that another pool hall here in town might have a Funhouse and one or two other pins, so I am going to check them out.
Pins:  Theatre Of Magic, JP The Lost World, Revenge From Mars

Visitor Q

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Re: Played Sopranos and LOTR For The First Time
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2009, 10:33:14 am »
LOTR is cool but I don't care much for the Sopranos pin, strange as I do like the show. I really love The Simpsons as well, infact I am a pretty big fan but did not care for that new pin either. I guess I am a Bally/ Williams fan at heart and am not much for the Stern titles in general however I am glad they are still putting them out.  :cheers:
“Woe be unto him who opens one of the seven gateways to hell, because through that gateway evil will invade the world."

shardian

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Re: Played Sopranos and LOTR For The First Time
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2009, 11:02:14 am »
There is a dirty as hell Sopranos around here. It is borderline playable, but good for a game or two if I'm desperate. It's an okay game, but I wasn't a fan of the cheap ass looking white plastic ball lock pillars.

It was about the dirtiest game I've ever seen playfield wise. I even took a picture last time I played it. Alot of the art was almost completely covered up.

Visitor Q

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Re: Played Sopranos and LOTR For The First Time
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2009, 11:05:16 am »
The thing I hate about Stern of late is they use all those "common" action figures to dress up the PF, I think they look kinda junky.  :P
“Woe be unto him who opens one of the seven gateways to hell, because through that gateway evil will invade the world."

JeepMonkey

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Re: Played Sopranos and LOTR For The First Time
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2009, 11:07:48 am »
The flippers on the Sopranos defintely felt a little different than my JP-The Lost World, Monolpoly, and LOTR.

I would imagine the safe would be the first thing to go bad.  It takes a beating.
Pins:  Theatre Of Magic, JP The Lost World, Revenge From Mars

studmuff

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Re: Played Sopranos and LOTR For The First Time
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2009, 10:51:30 pm »
I bought a LOTR in October and it's my favorite

Xiaou2

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Re: Played Sopranos and LOTR For The First Time
« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2009, 01:46:50 am »
LOTR was Sterns best pin period... and its really not that good.

 Its got a very cheap side-drain issue... which Ruins the gameplay.
(Its like a machine is cheating on every game)

 Its sound is such low quality... that its almost unbearable to listen to.

 The "Path of the Dead"  is a huge waste of space and slows the ball speed
down for no good reason.  Its not fun, nor controllable.    IF they had
changed it to tilt like in Williams Indiana Jones machine.. it would have made it
actually worth it.  As it stands.. its pathetic and useless... and downright
annoying - waiting for the ball to both launch up there.. and slowly drizzle back down.
Stern manages to perfect "Lame".

 Its also sad that they use such low quality printing on the artwork.   

 Stern is like the  'K-Mart'   of Pinballs.

 (Cheap, Sucky in most every way... and will fall apart in no time flat.)
« Last Edit: February 14, 2009, 02:00:52 am by Xiaou2 »

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Re: Played Sopranos and LOTR For The First Time
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2009, 02:01:43 pm »
I'm not really much of a Stren fan myself but I surely don't want to see pinball die either.  :'(

"Stern is like the  'K-Mart'   of Pinballs."

Harsh Bro!  :o

LOL!

<--- Williams Forever!
“Woe be unto him who opens one of the seven gateways to hell, because through that gateway evil will invade the world."