Arcade Collecting > Pinball

What makes a good pinball machine?

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johnmartin:
Here is a question for all you pinball fanatics out there, and mind you is is very subjective based on the person. 

What do you look for that in a machine that makes it a GOOD pin? Lots of ramps, toys, multi-ball, skill shots?  Or just smooth game flow?  Curiosity is driving me to ask even though it is so subjective.

Comments as always are appreciated.

On a side note, does anyone know where I might be able to get CAD templates of various pinball parts?  If I can't find any I need to order some parts to make templates from.

John

shardian:
Yep, you hit the nail on the head with subjective. I'll give you my analysis though.

First off, the game has to be visually appealing. It needs to have a colorful and original art package that grabs my attention. It also has to have a good light show.

Next, the game has to have good sound. Annoying music or sounds, or poor sound quality can kill a great game. For instance, I love Black Knight, but the sounds annoy the crap out of me.

As to rules, I'm not a huge fan of overcomplicated rule sets. I like to accomplish most of the game goals in a good round of playing without taking an hour. Games that have a laundry list of things you have to accomplish overwhelm the casual player.

And finally, we have the playfield features. The most important aspect to me is game flow. Many dmd era games have 2 ramps, 2 loops, and a ball trap or two. That is pretty much all you shoot for - you either hit those 5 or 6 shots or you hit a post or bumper. If a game only has a few shots, it better damn well have a great theme. For instance, I love Scared Stiff. It is not a very complicated game. I mostly have to agree with the detractors that the game is way too easy. It really doesn't matter though - the game is attractive, has a great art and DMD package, EXCELLENT sound package, great use of playfield toys, and decent ball flow.

While I love Scared Stiff, it is lacking my most favorite playfield feature - Drop Targets. I simply love Drop Targets. You get instant mechanical feedback of your accomplishments, along with a visual log of what targets you have hit. You have limitless shot opportunities all over the playfield. You have multiple goals at any one time. Some games like Black Knight and Grand Lizard have timed drop target banks to make things even more interesting and intense.

So after saying that, I desire to have 3 games eventually:
Scared Stiff - as an overall great pin - and represents the DMD era.

Funhouse - It has a sentimental spot from my youth, and has a killer theme and light show. It also represents the later stage SS genre.

(Insert Drop Target centric title here) - I really don't have a title picked out yet, but it doesn't matter. Eventually a drop target game will fill my 3rd spot. It may just end up being a Black Knight if one falls into my lap. Of course, it could just as easily be an EM or SS poker game. Either way, it will represent an older form of pinball in which the drop target was so often a prominent star.

Mauzy:
Ive always been drawn to unique toys like Rudy's head in Funhouse and the supercharger in Getaway and the POWERFIELD in Twilight Zone.
 
Im also the kind of person who is suckered in by a theme that i like, even if it isnt the most innovative game like Simpsons Pinball Party. The fact that SPP used the original voice actors is enough for me to pump a few dollars into one anytime I can find it. On the other side, I wont even play South Park because I dont care for the show (It is seeming to get better though)

I like special play modes, or modes that have an interesting toy attached to them. Twilight Zone comes to mind with its POWERBALL. The Seance in Addams Family always kills me with the magnets. (btw, are those made to shoot your ball right between the flippers to drain???)

I know AF and TZ aren't a lot of "hardcore" pinball players favorites, but I still love the machines as a whole. AF has some good sound and excellent lighting, but most of the shots are pretty easy. TZ has pretty good sound (Serling's voice could stand to be clearer, especially when near other games) and a cool ruleset. And the integration of references to the original series seems to be well done.

Bride of Pinbot is high on my list for the rolling head in the center of the playfield. Its also kind of interesting when you're in the middle of an arcade with both kids and adults and she moans. Ha. The only BoPB I can find has the sound really loud too.

I don't like the scoring in some games though. It not how the playfield items are valued, but the fact that games like the local Theatre of Magic have the replay set to 300,000,000. Now thats not impossible to do and I know that its all relative to the values on the playfield, but its rather off putting when you walk past a machine with that kind of value on it. If I had no knowledge of the machines and i found two machines: one with a replay of 300,000,000 or one with 7,000,000 , i would play the latter. 

Just my 2 cents...

Xiaou2:

 While everything has its importance in Pinball...  the main thing to try to get down
is a great flow.

 Games like  Theatre of Magic  have a fast and fluid ball flow.   If you are good..  you
can really get the ball moving all over the place.   It gets so fast that it pumps up the
adrenalin trying to keep it from draining as it rockets every which way.

 Some people prefer  Stop-n-Shots.   A game in which the flow isnt very good... but
you have to be more accurate in setting up sequential target shots.   To me.. .its just to
slow and boring.   However... everyone has different tastes.


 A friend of mine had a  Space Station.   That game has a shot on it thats
nearly impossible to make.   Because of it... you would try endlessly to get that
shot.. and jump for joy when it happened  (on the 10th+  game!).    Games whos shots
are all easy to make can become too boring very quickly.   Its nice to throw in at least
one difficult shot in there.  (Yet  not so difficult that its like hitting the lotto  :P  )

 
 A few ramps are nice to keep the ball flow going..  and it gives you a rewarding
feeling if you make that shot.  However... a game like T3 which has a zillion ramps
which all tie into each other is rather stupid.   Nearly every shot is a ramp... and all of
them take the ball back to you.  Ugg.

 
 Toys are nice...  But,  they should have a cool function.  Not just be an animated
puppet.   Medieval Madness has a castle door/drawbridge that actually lowers
when hit several times.   This is a great example of a cool and functional toy.
Monster Bash has a Dracula character that moves on a track back and forth
which you are trying to nail him.    Excellent toy.   


 And yeah... I also prefer drop targets to switch based targets.   There is a much greater
sense of accomplishment when you see them go down.

shardian:

--- Quote from: Xiaou2 on August 19, 2008, 12:14:03 am ---

 And yeah... I also prefer drop targets to switch based targets.   There is a much greater
sense of accomplishment when you see them go down.

--- End quote ---

I think that is one of the subconscious reasons I like Elvis pinball when most don't - the 5 bank chunky drop targets. The drop target bank was broken on the route Elvis I play last weekend, and the game completely lost its fun value.

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