Favorite Pinball Games

[Lord Dalek]

I'm not exactly sure where to put this so if a mod moves it I won't be surprised. Anyone here a pinball fan?

My Faves:

Twilight Zone
Terminator 2
Pin-Bot
Haunted House
Funhouse
Banzai Run

[Skyfire]

In no particular order 'cept TZ, which is my favorite:

Twilight Zone
Whirlwind
Road Show
Star Trek: TNG
Medieval Madness
Monster Bash
Earthshaker
High Speed 2: The Getaway
Black Knight 2000


My basement:

http://www.knightsunlimited.com/images/Home/lineup003.jpg

I still want a Medieval Madness, but the prices are just too dang high....

[Classic Speedy]

I've played the Goldeneye pinball game quite a few times. I seem to recall playing a Simpsons pinball machine, too.

What really annoys me is that there are no freeware pinball games for OS X. You Windows users get a free pinball game with your OS, and while it may not be the greatest thing ever, it's certainly better than nothing!

[Weatherman]

In no particular order 'cept TZ, which is my favorite:

Twilight Zone
Whirlwind
Road Show
Star Trek: TNG
Medieval Madness
Monster Bash
Earthshaker
High Speed 2: The Getaway
Black Knight 2000


My basement:

http://www.knightsunlimited.com/images/Home/lineup003.jpg

I still want a Medieval Madness, but the prices are just too dang high....

:eek:

WHOA! Sweet!!!!


My personal favorites are

The Cyclone
Goofy Gophers
Guns & Roses

I should get out and play mroe pinball, but we have precious few arcades in this area and fewer still that have pinball. Best selection I've found is at Hershey Park, and that's 2.5 hours away. :(

[Dogbert]

Well, since this is the video games forum, I'm going to have to go with the NES virtual pinball classic, Pinball. Nothing beats helping Mario get the maiden to the exit.

[Artimus Gigan]

Sonic Spinball

Oh and also if you have the extra cash you could actualy buy real pinball machines from Sharper Image occasionaly....I think they were selling the LOTR pinball machine for 1k

[sailorcrystal]

Sonic SpinballSonic Spinball is awesome! I like Sonic Pinball for GBA better though.

[Conekiller]

I was always pretty good at the South park pinball game.


Pokemon Pinball was nifty too!

[Skyfire]

Sonic Spinball

Oh and also if you have the extra cash you could actualy buy real pinball machines from Sharper Image occasionaly....I think they were selling the LOTR pinball machine for 1k
Artimus: You'd be better off just buying from a distributor. The prices Sharper Image asks are generally marked up about 50% - 70% of what the collector market will bear.

If you are serious about buying a game, check your Yellow Pages under "Amusement Devices." Also, if you see pins on location (bar, bowling alley, etc.) see if you can find the distributor's name and number. They'll generally sell games, too. There's also buying them right out of the arcade (do actual arcades still exist?) from the owner. I've purchased two of my games from arcades, two from distributors, and three from fellow collectors. Don't forget the classifieds. Some real gems in there if you dig long enough.

Good luck!

[Classic Speedy]

How much does a typical pinball game cost to buy? And for that matter, how much do arcade games (the regular upright ones, not sit-down racing games or special things to stand on like Alpine Racer or a jetski game) go for? Because I recall back in the mid-90s, some of these machines would sell for upwards of $500-1,000. :eek:

[SirLemming]

Going more with the virtual end of things, I love Epic Pinball, Kirby's Pinball Land, and to a lesser extent, Pokémon Pinball.

[Ickis]

Pinball:Revenge of the gator.It's cheap,portable,and fun.Only for the GB.:D

[Viper]

2 all-time faves I remember are Space Invaders and original Black Knight.:) My recent faves are:

Monopoly
X-Files
Black Rose
Creature from the Black Lagoon
Tales of the Arabian Knights
Simpsons Pinball Party

I also like Pro Pinball's Big Race USA & Timeshock. The woman in Timeshock has a lovely voice.;)

Anybody tried Elvis Pinball or Rollercoaster Tycoon yet?

[Skyfire]

How much does a typical pinball game cost to buy? And for that matter, how much do arcade games (the regular upright ones, not sit-down racing games or special things to stand on like Alpine Racer or a jetski game) go for? Because I recall back in the mid-90s, some of these machines would sell for upwards of $500-1,000. :eek:
Ack! That's a difficult question to answer in a quick format. I don't wanna derail the thread, though. It depends on title and condition. For instance "Popeye" is considered to be one of the - if not the - worst pinball machines produced. As a result, you can pick these up still in the crate for $1400 or so. Games like Twilight Zone or Addam's Family (two of the best-selling pinball machines of all time) will fetch $3000 for "good" condition, and even higher for "excellent" condition. It is very much like cars. It all depends on the model and the condition.

[Dark Fact]

I'm glad to see an actual discussion of pinball! :D

Here are my faves:

Medieval Madness (TROLLS!!!!)

Addams Family (so many different features make this game an instant winner! All time greatest line: THE MAAAAAAMUUUUUSHHHHKAAAAA!!!!)

Theatre of Magic (different tricks lead to different places your ball can go and big bonuses! :) )

Riverboat Gambler (Casino Pinball, 'nuff said)

8 Ball Deluxe (all time classic! Pinball pool! :) )

Attack from Mars

Super Mario Bros (say what you want about this. This was one of the most fun machines I ever played!)

Indiana Jones Pinball Adventure (again, so many different features make this game a winner!)

[Skyfire]

Theatre of Magic is indeed a great pin. If only the magic crate's decals didn't curl so easily. I do enjoy that game a great deal, and have yet to finish the wizard mode. I also like the built-in easter egg of "Midnight Madness."

Twilight Zone is my favorite, though. This game is vicious, and I swear Bally's somehow imported a bit of the Twilight Zone into each game, as physics seem to not apply in this game. The Powerball is by far one of the best gimmicks ever used in a pinball machine. If you ever have the chance to try this game - in working order - try it. It will humiliate you at first, but as time goes by, you will get better. Plus, if you're a fan of the original series, there are soooo many references to it.

Addams Family is the best selling pinball machine ever produced. So strong were it's sales that a second "gold" edition was produced a few years later (an event that would be like GM deciding to re-tool a line to produce an older Corvette). However, I do not like this game. Even though its playfield is designed by Pat Lawlor - undoubtably the best designer there was as well as designer of my favorite game TZ - I just don't like the gimmicks in this one. "The Power" is frustrating, adding an element that is far too beyond the player's control. Games that are not maintained properly (i.e. just about any game on location), have failures that prevent proper playing of the game.

Having said that, it does have good qualities. The Thing Flips is a great addition but, sadly, one that few new players know of when playing, and thus isn't fully appreciated. Sound and lighting effects and music are teriffic. DMD animation smooth and well done.

Rarely have I laughed so much while playing pinball than when I'm playing Medieval Madness. Only Elvira: Scared Stiff made me laugh so hard I was unable to play properly. Medieval Madness is a great game, and I would love to own one so that I can play a properly operating version. Sadly, this game has suffered "eBay" seller's syndrome. One sold for $4500 years ago, and because of this, everyone that owns one now thinks they should get at least that price.

[Classic Speedy]

Oh that's right, The Addams Family is probably the pinball game I've played the most. They used to have it at a condominium where my family has a unit. Good stuff.

[randomguy]

Another important thing to remember if you're considering buying a pinball machine is that the maintenance costs can be very high. If you can maintain them yourself, then it shouldn't be a problem, but if you need to take it to a specialist then the money will add up pretty quickly. I've heard of pinball machines needing regular maintenance several times a year, which could obviously be very taxing for the wallet.

Upright arcade games can vary widely, depending on condition, availability, number of players, supplier, and various other odds and ends (such as whether or not the cabinets have been converted). I've seen Street Fighter machines run for as low as $150 in decent condition, but that's fairly rare. Upright cabinets can run as high as a couple thousand dollars. Your best bet, if you want to buy a complete arcade game, is to find an individual dealer, as dedicated amusement companies will charge much higher. The other option is to build your own cabinet, either from scratch or by assembling parts from other arcade machines. It's a good choice for the budget conscious, because I've built four seperate arcade machines over the last five years and none have run me over $200.

Anyhow, getting back on topic...

I'm fond of those pinball machines that started cropping up around the late 90's, with the viewscreens that interacted with the ball. I think "Escape From Mars" was one, but my memory's a little fuzzy. Outside of that, The Twilight Zone and Goldeneye cabinets were always my favorites. I have a certain fondness for South Park, also.

[Lord Dalek]

So... would an original Humpty Dumpty earn like millions?

[Skyfire]

I'm fond of those pinball machines that started cropping up around the late 90's, with the viewscreens that interacted with the ball. I think "Escape From Mars" was one, but my memory's a little fuzzy. Outside of that, The Twilight Zone and Goldeneye cabinets were always my favorites. I have a certain fondness for South Park, also.
Those would be Revenge From Mars and Star Wars: Episode I. These were the last two pinball machines made by Williams/Bally - premiers in the new "Pinball 2000" technology - before they closed their pinball division permanently. While these two machines were an incredible advancement in the art, they were not enough. Today, only one manufacturer remains, STERN. Unfortunately for pinball players, STERN has a poor track record. They have some gems, but far and few. Sadly, licensed themes seem to be the new trend, and gone are the days of an original non-licensed theme. I realize the ironic nature of saying this, as my favorite game is a licensed theme.

[William C. Maune]

I'm fond of those pinball machines that started cropping up around the late 90's, with the viewscreens that interacted with the ball. I think "Escape From Mars" was one, but my memory's a little fuzzy.

I was quite fond of those as well. As for specific machines, I never had a great selection around me, but I always liked the Jurassic Park pinball machine and the Super Mario Bros. pinball machine was pretty cool as well.

[Robin2099]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Tales from the Crypt, and Midway's last machine were my favorites. I've played more but unfortunately my memory is really really fuzzy.

[Punisher]

Sonic Spinball was pretty fun, but I could never beat it. Sonic Pinball Party is pretty good as well, but I like it mainly because of the NiGHTS cameo. But I can't really tell the difference between most pinball games. Pinball's one of the genres that you really can't screw up the gameplay for. So I guess I like all the Pinball games I've ever played.

[Dark Fact]

If you want console pinball, play Devil's Crush!

Remember the crush? :)

[Robin2099]

You know is there any websites like vgmuseum.com that have pictures of old Pinball machines?

[Skyfire]

You know is there any websites like vgmuseum.com that have pictures of old Pinball machines? http://www.ipdb.org/ (http://www.ipdb.com/)

[Nick Biped]

Today, only one manufacturer remains, STERN. Unfortunately for pinball players, STERN has a poor track record. They have some gems, but far and few. I've played a few Stern pinball games. You're pretty much right about their track record. One of their newest ones, Elvis, is pretty solid, with a good design. Simpsons Pinball Party is good, but tough. But then you have their Austin Powers one which was pretty awful.

Anyways, my favourite pinball games would have to be:

The Addams Family
Star Wars Episode I
Elvis
Super Mario Bros.
The Getaway

I know there're more, but my memory's pretty hazy.

[Dark Fact]

Getting the actual machines is very expensive. You're better off using PinMAME. It may not have the feel of playing the actual machine but it's the closest you'll ever get.