Yestercades Red Bank NJ – February 18th

Yestercades is a retro arcade on the main strip in Red Bank featuring over 80 classic video games and 14 pinball machines.  It’s decorated with classic 80s posters and amazing lamps that look like this:

They also have a wide variety of video game systems available to play Atari 2600 up through XBox360.  Loud 80s music blares (not a big fan of that) and Yestercades does a great job of capturing the allure of the classic arcade.  The pinball there was neglected and mostly due to the simpliest of thing.  Not having level games.  Roller Games was horribly tilted to the right.  The Addams Family, Twilight Zone and F-14 Tomcat and Gorgar, these games had improper pitch.  They were so flat, the ball would crawl around the playfield painfully.  X-Files the file cabinet didn’t work.  Monopoly, who knows what was wrong with that.  I did however get the opporunity to put time on 7 pinball machines that were in nice working shape.

Machine #56: GOTTLIEB WIPEOUT

I believe Wipeout is a game that you find annoying and ugly or kitschy and fun.  I find it kitschy and fun.  Everything about it, from the rainbow of colors on the playfield to the goofy Hans and Franz callouts.  It has a challenging playfield with some nice shots and neat toys (how can you beat a ski lift for a ball lock and a DMD animation of a pinball wearing a snow hat and ski poles going up a ski lift).  It has another cool feature when playing multiple players of being able to steal the high score from your opponents.  Wipeout is a really solid and underrated game.  GRADE: B+

Machine #57: WILLIAMS SORCERER

I had never seen or heard of Sorcerer, but I was impressed.  It has great artwork and a tough playfield.  Spelling sorcerer is rough because of the curved bank of targets. The “O” is difficult to hit.  The left ramp shot looks easy, but isn’t.  The backward flipper near the pop bumpers is a nice touch.  Good audio for a system 9 pinball machine.  GRADE: B

Machine #58: DATA EAST HOOK

Hook is a game where it looks like an 8 year old doodled all over the playfield.  The gameplay isn’t much better.  The rule set is shallow and the game is uninspired.  I don’t like the theme, the artwork (Just look at the speaker covers, for shame) or the audio.  The best thing going for it is the playfield layout and the ramp shots.  Hook to me is one of the worst DMD era games out there.  GRADE: D+

Machine #59: BALLY BOBBY ORR POWER PLAY

Bobby Orr’s Power Play is a mediocre game at best.  It’s all about knocking down the targets (with the tiny “slapshot” flippers) and shooting the kickout hole at the top.  The art and design is baffling. 1st of all, Bobby Orr will always be a Bruin to me.  He only played 26 games for the Blackhawks.  2nd of all, why is he facing Canada when in 1976 he played for team Canada in the Canada Cup?  It’s the 2nd solid state game to have an up post between the flippers (Sega’s Rodeo was the 1st).  GRADE: D+

Machine #60: WILLIAMS CYCLONE

Cyclone is the best single pinball game ever made in my opinion.  I spent my formative years tearing this up at the Space Port arcade in King of Prussia and will always be near the top of my list.   It’s second in the them park trilogy (Comet preceeds, Hurricane comes after) It has a great theme, layout, audio, rule set.  The playfield artwork is actually pretty terrible, but I’ve never really noticed before (the cabinet artwork is $$$).  The spinning wheel in the backbox is great and I never get tired shooting the comet or cyclone (the jackpot is not easy to score).  GRADE: A

Machine #61: BALLY ELEKTRA

Elektra is a game that looks cool than it plays.  It features 3 levels of pinball action.  The upper lever is really uninspired (and a drain monster) and the lower level I couldn’t get to which leaves us with the main playfield which was average.  The game play revolves around collecting “Elektra Units” and then getting to the lower playfield.  I played about 15 games and I guess I didn’t collect enough “Elektra Units.”  Really nice artwork is the best thing about this machine.  GRADE: C-

Machine #62: BALLY MR. & MRS. PAC-MAN

Mr. & Mrs. Pac-Man features the “Pac-Maze” which actually takes away from the overall gameplay.  It seems like it would be cool but when you get to it, you just try to avoid the ghost and it leaves you saying, “What the?”  The Skill Shot is one of the toughest in pinball.  The layout of the machine is good, but it’s all leads back to the maze.  Artwork and audio fitting.  GRADE: C

Jeff’s Warehouse of Wonderment – NJ February 16th

I met Jeff through my buddy Gary and to me, Jeff is the most knowledgable video game/pinball savant I have ever known.  He runs a traveling museum exhibit called videotopia http://www.videotopia.com/ that details the history of the video game.  It’s pretty amazing stuff.  He has a warehouse full of rare games including not 1, but a complete set of 8 Daytona USA full size driving games (the right numbers too!) and I got to enjoy 3 of his pins.

Machine #53: WILLIAMS STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION

I honestly think Star Trek: The Next Generation has the best layout and gameplay in all of pinball and if it had a different theme, it would be heralded as the best machine of all time.  From a pinball perspective, it is an absolute dream.  It’s a widebody superpin with so much going on.  A ton of great shots, great modes and the Final Frontier wizard mode is histrionic.  Big fan of the custom audio (big props to the STTNG cast) and DMD animations (can’t wait to check out that new color DMD).  I can understand that if you’re not into Star Trek how you can be turned off by the theme, but just from a pinball standpoint, I think this might be the best game out there.  GRADE: A

Machine #54: WILLIAMS BANZAI RUN

Banzai Run is Pat Lawlor’s first pinball design and by far his most original.  It features a second playfield where the backglass is known as “Bonzai Hill.”  You are in a bike race and you challenge the different colored racers and pass them by hitting targets/switches on the hill.  You shoot the hill and the ball travels to the upper playfield via magnet.  The shots up there aren’t all that exciting, but they still are challenging and it takes flipper control.  The multiball isn’t easy to accomplish and beating “The King of the Hill” is even harder.  Fabulous light show when you do that or score a replay.  The game is very unique and enjoyable and it has nice artwork and audio as well.  GRADE: A-

Machine #55: WILLIAMS EARTHSHAKER

The last game I played at Jeff’s was the game that got him into pinball.  Earthshaker.  He played it at the local arcade in Minnesota and he would bring a tape recorder to record the audio of his games and listen to them at night.  A true pin fanatic.  This is Pat Lawlor’s pre-cursor to Whirlwind and you can see in the look and play of the game that they are very similar.  I would give the nod to Earthshaker because I like the layout and the upper left flipper shot and hitting the zone targets instead of the directional targets and the lock shot on the right side of the playfield is tough.  Earthshaker is the first game to have a shaker motor, a feature that I think adds to certain games that warrant them (Royal Rumble and Road Show, the shaker motor is perfect, and machines like Tales from the Crypt could do without).  This Earthshaker is a sample, so the Earthquake institute sinks into the playfield which is pretty awesome.  To me, Earthshaker is one of the best System 11 games out there.  GRADE: A-

Eight on the Break – Dunellen NJ – February 16th

Eight on the Break http://www.thebreak.net/ is a nice little arcade nestled in Dunellen New Jersey.  Has a few pool tables and a lot of 2 player fighting games a fruit ninja and a room with a nice lineup of pins (this room also has some deafening music game called “Beatmania” in with the pins, I would hate to have it near Tekken 3, Tekken 4 or Tekken 5).  Here’s the lineup: T3 (not working,) X-Men (not working properly, they owe me $1), The Addams Family (in bad shape),  Attack from Mars (dingy and hurting), The Shadow (in nice shape) STTNG (in nice shape, but see my upcoming post) and the 3 games that I will feature here; Monster Bash, Whirlwind and Whitewater.

Machine #50: WILLIAMS MONSTER BASH

Monster Bash is tops on my wishlist and I think probably the most entertaining and fun pinball machine ever made.  The theme is brilliant.  Who doesn’t love classic movie monsters who form a rock band??  The DMD animations, the audio, the backglass and playfield art, all phenomenal.  The layout, gameplay and ruleset are extremely stellar (see Attack from Mars and pretty much every Stern).  The Monster Bash wizard mode is fantastic, the Monsters of Rock multiball is Spectacular.  Great that you can earn monster bombs to help complete the modes.  I currently have it ranked a close 2nd behind The Addams Family for the greatest pinball machine of all time.  GRADE: A+

Machine #51: WILLIAMS WHIRLWIND

The next game I played was Whirlwind and I can say without a doubt this is the nicest Whirlwind I’ve ever played.  This feel like it was a restoration, everything about it (except for the rusted fan that didn’t work!!!) was immaculate (I could do without the LEDs, but that’s just personal preference.  My buddy John, this is the game that got him into pinball and I am starting to see why.  As a kid, I loathed the 3 spinning disks on the playfield.  I felt like they would always send my ball rifling SDTM.  Now, much older and wiser, I enjoy how the spinning disks wreak havoc on the playfield.  That and the fan are Whirlwind’s unique touches.  Great layout, audio and artwork, Whirlwind is a stellar game.  GRADE: B+

Machine #52: WILLIAMS WHITEWATER

Whitewater is a players machine and a complicated one at that.  This game has a deep rule set and you need to know what you are shooting for and how to advance the raft.  I am slowly coming around on this machine, but I can honestly say in the 100 or so games I’ve played, I’ve yet to have a great game.  The game looks great, has a fantastic playfield(Insanity Falls might be the coolest ramp in any game) 3 multiballs and a vacation jackpot (which I haven’t come close t0).  I honestly think this needs to be in my collection so I can fully appreciate all this pin has to offer.  The hardest pinball machine I’ve ever played.  GRADE: B+

Jilly’s Ocean City NJ – February 15th

I went to Atlantic City for Valentine’s Day to lose some money, eat at an awesome Asian restaurant Buddakan (the Asian barbecued pork is outstanding) and to hopefully play some pinball.  I went to the Shore Mall which is supposedly going under renovations and it looke eerily similar to the Burlington Center Mall.  Alas, their arcade was closed!  I didn’t get a chance to play their Shrek or Roller Coaster Tycoon.  It wasn’t a complete loss, I got this ridiculous T-Shirt at the Burlington Coat Factory.

I then hit the Atlantic City boardwalk and found an arcade with one pinball machine, World Poker Tour.  The machine was in awful shape, unplayable due to the fact it was so unbalanced everything drained down the right outlane.  No pinball love on Valentine’s Day.  The next day I checked out and went to Jilly’s on the Ocean City boardwalk.  They have an incredible lineup of unplayable games.

16 games there.  3 that were playable.  Medieval Madness, Monster Bash, Theatre of Magic, South Park, Junkyard, Iron Man, Spider Man, Rolling Stones, Stern Batman, Family Guy, Monopoly, Simpsons Pinball Party, Sopranos all in wretched shape or tape over the coin slots.  A sad pinball day.  Still, I had a chance to put time on 3 machines.

Machine #47: STERN TRANSFORMERS

Transformers is a decent if unoriginal effort from Stern.  You are shooting the same shots repeatedly to start the modes (see my Austin Powers review).  It has a nice flow and plays fast.  The multiball is solid and it’s cool that you can choose between autobot and decepticon at the beginning of the game.  The artwork and audio leave something to be desired and the transformers toys on the playfield look like the ones I had as a kid.  The backglass is the worst I’ve ever seen in the history of pinball.  Not because of the overall design.  Because of this:

QR codes do not belong on backglasses of pinball machines.  I’ll never waiver on this.  Also Stern is a dick releasing all of these different versions.  There shouldn’t be a pro and 2 LE versions of the game. Why shouldn’t the pro version have the protector piece under the megatron cannon??  And this game is nowhere near its $4K or $6K price tag (depending on which version you get).  That being said, I still enjoyed playing it.  GRADE: B-

Machine #48: STERN INDIANA JONES

Indiana Jones is an iconic character.  Williams made an Indiana Jones Pinball machine in 1993 and it’s pretty damn good.  Stern tried their hand in 2008 to tie in with the latest Indy effort, the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and it’s hard not to compare the two.  Not a big fan of the photoshopped backglass or the playfield.  The rules are straight forward and this one really suffers from shooting the same shots over and over.  In this game, it’s 4 shots, one for each movie.  You have to shoot the last Crusade gobble hole 4 times to start the mode.  They you have to shoot it 6 times to start the mode again, then 8, then 10.  You have to start each mode 4 times to start the final adventure.  Very monotonous.  I haven’t come close to the final adventure.  It’s not all bad though.  The raiders of the lost ark multiball start is smashing.  The ark tips over and the balls come pouring out.  The other great thing about this machine are the DMD animations.  They show actual scenes from the different movies.  Good stuff.  No where near the $3700 price tag, but it’s a decent game.  GRADE: C+

Machine #49: STERN PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN

Pirates of the Caribbean is a Stern effort with more creativity and less formula.  Here again, I’m not crazy about the backglass or the playfield artwork (a photoshopped monkey looks so out of place).  The audio is great.  Starting the game, a haunting melody “Yo, Ho, Ho It’s a pirates life for me.”  Not a fan of the skillshot, but the overall gameplay and layout are solid.  Sinking the ship is cool, but that shot can have your ball drain SDTM.  Also cool that you can add balls to the multiball by hitting the left ramp.  I didn’t like POTC when I first played it, but it’s growing on me with each play.  GRADE: B-

Overall, Jilly’s is a super dissapointment.  Seeing all of the games in horrible shape is sad, but at 25 per play it’s okay to spend a couple bucks on the games that play well.

Burlington Center Mall – February 13th

If you’ve never been to the Burlington Center Mall I suggest you visit.  Not because it’s a shopping mecca with all of the latest stores, rather because it is a run down relic of the early 1980s, with over half of the stores empty and gated, the other half stores called “pay/half,” “the nailery” and my personal favorite “cost 2 floss” which is actually a clothing store, not a dental supply store.  They have a recess arcade with a handful of games, a pool table and a few ticket redemption games and 4 pins.  Their lineup was decent and the games were all well maintained with the exception of the WCS94 (the balls were not locking properly for multiball).

Machine #44: STERN AUSTIN POWERS

I know Austin Powers gets a bad rap.  And I understand why.  The artwork is pretty awful, and the audio is just clipped from the different movies, but the game plays surprisingly well if you can get over the toilet on the playfield.  It actually has a couple of neat toys (the center time machine shot and the “frickin'” laser cannon is very cool.  This is one of new Sterns 1st efforts and it is has a very similar rule set to Monster Bash.  6 modes started by shooting each shot a certain number of times.  Start all 6 modes get a certain wizard mode, complete all 6 modes get another wizard mode.  Unfortunately for Stern they copied this formula over and over, just changing the theme(Indiana Jones, Transformers, Spiderman, Iron Man, Family Guy, Shrek etc…) and jacked up the prices to exorbitant prices while putting out inferior quality products.  It gives the casual consumer to own the theme that they like best and the pinheads screaming for more games like POTC, RBION and TSPP.  Austin Powers is one of the better playing (not looking) Sterns in my opinion.  GRADE: B

Machine #45: WILLIAMS CONGO

Congo is a game that gets better every time I play it.  Maybe because it doesn’t follow the traditional complete the modes, get to wizard mode formula (although I really like that a lot as well).  This game is about collecting diamonds (collect 100 for the wizard mode I haven’t come close) and they are little things to do hidden throughout the playfield.  2 video modes, 3 ball volcano multiball.  I’m a big fan of the layout and the volcano is very cool.  The under the playfield gorilla is nothing special (you have to move his arms with the flippers and he bats around a pinball and you have to spell C-O-N-G-O.  You just flip as fast as possible and you do it.  No real skill there.  Most people hate the audio and the theme, but I actually find the music to be good and different(I feel like I’m at the Rain Forest Cafe).  This would be a great game to have in a lineup of 3 or more games with a mode oriented game like Road Show.  GRADE: B

Machine #46: WILLIAMS THE GETAWAY HIGH SPEED 2

The Getaway: High Speed 2 is an updated version of High Speed for the DMD generation.  Steve Ritchie had a chance to go back and add a very cool supercharger, gear shifter and video mode to an already classic game.  It’s very fast and very fun.  The artwork and backglass leave something to be desired.  ZZ-Top’s “La Grange” is a perfect song choice.  To me, this and Jack-bot are the best two updated pins out there.  GRADE: B

Ocean Lanes February 10th, Lakewood NJ

I had to work in Lakewood on Sunday, so before I went I checked the pinball locator website http://www.pinballrebel.com/locator/index.php to scout out any possible pinball places.  I found Ocean Lanes, a bowling alley with 3 pins.  I was excited because they had a Stern NBA which I had never played.  I’m a big fan of NBA Fastbreak so I thought Stern would take that game and make it better.  Alas, I was longing to play NBAFB.  i tried to read the instruction card, but it was in Spanish!  The layout is similar, but the hoop is off to the left features a magnetic backboard which is cool.  The artwork on the playfield which looks like bad photoshop in uninspired.  There is player specific audio, but NBAFB had DMD animations of the players.  This announcer seems angry.  The playfield also has a giant spinning magnet which is an NBA basketball (the Ocean lanes NBA was missing the basketball, it was just a big black disc) and it usually sends the ball Right down the middle.  A couple of the modes were good.  I was a big fan of the H-O-R-S-E mode where you would hit a shot, and then you’d have to hit in again in an alotted time.  On this particular machine the left ramp shot to the basket registered less than half the time. Overall, it was okay, but pales in comparison to the NBA Fastbreak and at 2X the price, get 2 of the NBAFB and link them up. GRADE: C+

They had a Family Guy which had a shot DMD and a Stern Spiderman that didn’t lock the balls properly and had a weak, useless upper right flipper.  For me to count a machine for the big year, they have to be in decent playable shape.  These 2 were not.  Ocean Lanes looks like a nice place to bowl, but I would pass on playing pinball there.

Machine #43: STERN NBA

Trip #1 Silverball Museum Asbury Park, NJ January 26th 2013

I went to Silverball for the 1st time ever last January on the recommendation of a co-worker.  A month later I had my 1st machine and the rest is history.  If you haven’t been to Silverball you need to check it out.  It has close to 200 pins, and most of them are in pretty decent shape.  The games range from the 1950 to their most recent game Elvis (this is one of the games that is in awful shape.  More later on this).  I’ve been there a handful of times and I usually just play all of the 90s DMD games, but this time I wanted to play a bunch of the EMs and early solid states that I’ve never played.  NOTE:  The glare from the windows was pretty awful in Silverball.  Next time I go I will get better photos of the machines.

Machine #12: GOTTLIEB T.K.O.

The 1st machine I played was Gottlieb’s T. K. O.  It is famous for being the last wedgehead pin ever made.  This was made in March of 1979.  I like the theme and the game play was fine, but there wasn’t anything that made this game standout.  It feels 15 years only than 1979  Only 125 made.  Silverball has 2.  GRADE: C+

Machine #13: BALLY CENTAUR

Silverball was a crowded on this Saturday afternoon so I went over to a row of machines and ended up at Centaur.  I might have played a game or two of this before, but on this afternoon I really spent sometime and tried to learn the game.  The artwork is stunning.  A dynamic palette of blacks, greys and reds, centaur is as nice to look at as it is to play and it’s a good one. Nice playfield layout and ruleset. 1st game with a 5 ball multiball.  Centaur is the 1st game ever with a quick multiball.  What’s amazing is the game all fits on a 16 KILOBYTE ROM.  GRADE: B+

Machine #14: BALLY NIP-IT

I walked up to the next machine and it looked oddly familiar.  I knew I had never played Nip-It before but, small creatures in the back of my brain were trying to wipe away the cobwebs. “Where have you seen this?”  At Silverball, on top of the machines they have little placards with some information about the machine usually what year it was built, how many were made, who designed it.  Well, Nip-It is best know for being featured at Arnold’s on Happy Days.  When I read that it all came back to me.  I could picture Fonz on the way to his “office” and seeing that pinball in the background.  This game was made in 1972 and Happy Days was supposed to take place in the late 1950s so the art director goofed there.  The flippers on the game were very small, not like the ones I was used to.  This game featured “zipper flippers” which are flippers that can be brought close together by hitting a switch on the playfield.  Hitting a different switch will bring them apart.  .  When you brought the flippers together there was a great sigh of relief, when you hit the switch that brought them apart, you felt instant anger.  This game features a kickback and multiball and was very challenging.  GRADE: C

Machine #15: BALLY FIREBALL

Next to Nip-It was Fireball, a game I had heard about but never played.  Before I even pressed the start button I was struck by backglass.  It’s phenomenal.  Fireball is the 1st machine to feature a spinning disc on the playfield.  It also has a multiball, kickback and zipper flippers.  One quick point about zipper flippers.  It definitely takes some getting used to not growing up with them.  You can really build your pinball chops on machines like this learning more about shot placement and ball english and nudging.  It is really fascinating to see all the different styles of pinball machines they had throughout the years.  How pinball machines are iterations with little tweaks that make for unique game play.  GRADE: B-

Machine #16: BALLY SPECTRUM

I then walked over to what I believe is the most unique pinball machine out there today.  Spectrum takes pinball convention and turns it on its ear.  Based on the game Mastermind, Spectrum does not feature a plunger, skill shot, pop bumpers, or outlanes.  The ball is put into play as it shoots up from under the right flipper.  You spend your time trying to determine the color sequence the computer has set up for you.  You take guesses by knocking down the appropriate color drop targets.  Balls that are shot into the upper playfield are caught and shot down to the left and right flippers.  Everything about this game from the backglass, gameplay, playfield and vibrant lights are beautiful to me.  994 were made, but less than 500 sold.  The others were parted out or junked.  This is at the top of my wishlist.  A true unique pinball experience that you either love or hate.  I love it.  GRADE: A

Machine #17: BALLY SILVERBALL MANIA

Silverball Mania is another gorgeous looking machine.  Incredible backglass.  Has a kickback between the flippers which is a player friendly feature.  Like the concept of spelling silverball mania, but the game pretty much comes down to shooting the center loop.  Still brilliant looking.  GRADE: B

Machine #18: GOTTLIEB CENTIGRADE 37

Centigrade 37 was Gottlieb’s last one player EM and utilizes a very clever animated backglass.  Once the thermometer reaches the top, it’s all about shooting the kick out hole for replays.  Not the hardest game, but is fun to play and very cool looking.  GRADE: B

Machine #19: BALLY 4 MILLION B. C.

4 Million B. C. Is another great looking game from Bally.  Love the overall artwork and the green theme.  Very striking.  Your success in this game is all about the skill shot.  Lots of multiball action, zipper flippers and a volcano.  This is a fun one and it’s hard to score well on.  GRADE: B

Machine #20: BALLY XENON

Xenon is best known for being the 1st pinball machine to feature female speech.  Putting a quarter in and hearing her exclaim “Aaaaaaahhhh” never gets old.  The artwork and backglass are crushingly good.  The layout and gameplay are stellar and shooting the tube shot never gets old.  I hope to own a Xenon one day.  GRADE: B+

Machine #21: BALLY THE SHADOW

The Shadow is one of my favorite pins of all time.  I currently own one, but the loop opto causes a ground switch error so the machine isn’t working 100%.  The game is wicked fast, with no pop bumpers.   This game will make you pay dearly for bad shots.  I personally don’t mind the theme, even though I hated the movie, this game has exceptional gameplay, modes, DMD animations and call out.  Would be a top 5 game overall with a different theme.  GRADE: A

Machine #22: STERN THE SIMPSON’S PINBALL PARTY

The Simpsons Pinball Party has so much going on.  It’s like the fireworks on pinball machines.  A visual feast for the eyes and ears.  Lots of shots, tons to do, and a super deep ruleset, but for me it’s difficult to figure out the best strategy while playing.  Need to watch the PAPA tutorial for this one.  GRADE: A-

UPDATE:  PLAYED TSPP FOR A FEW HOURS AT THE BERLIN MART, GOT INTO IT, FIGURED OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND REALLY ENJOYED IT.

Christina came from her bird watching adventure at the nearby Shark River Inlet and she was hungry.  We went to a nearby pizza place Luigi’s for some slices. Decent pizza.  I used the bathroom and saw the greatest bathroom art EVER.

Machine #23: GOTTLIEB ROTO POOL

Back to Silverball for some more pinball.  They have a nice selection of woodrail pinball machines from the late 1950’s and Roto Pool  was an interesting game.  Beautiful artwork, cool theme.  No reels for scoring rather different lights on the backbox light up.  Thousands, Hundred Thousands, Millions.  Huge double outlanes, large center lane, and very small flippers makes this challenging.  Also these wood rail machines don’t automatically feed the next ball.  Instead there is a metal plunger you press in that feeds the ball into the trough.  GRADE: B

Machine #24: GOTTLIEB LIGHTNING BALL

The next woodrail pin I played was Lightning Ball.  Great looking machine with bright colors.  Hitting numbers 1 through 6 awards a replay.  The feature also features a roto disk in the back box.  When you hit a combination of contacts it adds a letter.  Spell “roto disk” and you are awarded a special.  Seems simple enough, but was very challenging.  GRADE: B-

Machine #25: GOTTLIEB HAWAIIAN BEAUTY

Hawaiian Beauty has a layout like I have never seen before.  The flippers are extremely wide and there are pop bumpers inbetween/beneath them.  If the pop bumpers are strong you can bring the ball back into play.  Light numbers 1 to 5 and shoot the gobble holes.  Tough machine due to flipper placement.  GRADE: B-

Machine #26: GOTTLIEB KNOCK OUT

Knock Out is boxing themed and even has a little boxing ring with little mechanical fighters on the playfield.  Flippers are spread very wide and there is a metal V in between them that can help you save the ball play into play with a nudge.  Extremely collectible for pinball aficionados.  GRADE: B-

Machine #27: BALLY PLAYBOY

Bally’s Playboy is the 1st of 3 iterations to feature the iconic men’s magazine. Good looking machine in more ways than one and great audio.  Game play was average.  Just keep shooting the grotto for big points.  GRADE: C+

Machine #28: WILLIAMS BIG DEAL

Big Deal was maddeningly good.  The key to scoring big is knocking down the 4 “card” drop targets.  I would knock down 3 each game.  Great looking machine all the way around, backglass, playfield, theme.  Very challenging and fun.  Must have played 20 games on it to break 500 points.  543 was my high score.  GRADE: B+

Machine #29: WILLIAMS TRADE WINDS

Another pin designed by the master Steve Kordek, Trade Winds has a flipper set up most similar to todays games.  Of course, there are triple outlanes and 5 pop bumpers.  Very cool that you travel through the different Pacific Islands.  A lot of nudging going on here.  GRADE: B

Machine #30: WILLIAMS MAGIC CITY

Magic City is all about spelling, you guessed it M-A-G-I-C-C-I-T-Y.  This game feature a pop bumper in between the flippers so here again, you will be nudging the machine like crazy to save the ball.  Incredible looking backglass featuring La Salle Street in Chicago.  Good game.  GRADE: B

Machine #31: GOTTLIEB ASTRO

Big fan of Astro.  It’s all about spelling S-T-A-R  T-R-E-K and then scoring the lit “wow” targets.  Seems simple enough but very challenging.  Great looking backglass.  Straight forward rules and scoring, but very enjoyable.  GRADE: B

Machine #32: BALLY ROCKET III

At Silverball, the person who scored the highest during the month on Rocket III got a free pass to come back.  I think it’s a great way to get people to play these old wedgeheads that most people would ignore.  Features zipper flippers and the gameplay revolves around advancing the planets.  Nothing spectacular, but a solid game.  GRADE: B-

Machine #33: WIILIAMS KICKOFF

Kickoff is an “add a ball” machine.  In regions where free games (replays) were outlawed, companies like Williams and Gottlieb created “add a ball” machines where players can earn multiple extra balls instead of replays.  All of this because awarding free games which are considered a thing of value hence something to do with gambling.  It makes no sense to me now, but this was 1967.  Pinball was banned in many major cities through the middle part of the 20th Century;  New York (1942-1976), Los Angeles (1939-1974) Chicago (1943-1973).  Pinball was chance and not skill and hence gambling.  They used to raid places and make pinball busts destroying the games.  This was considered police work.

Doesn’t get sadder than this…

Williams also released this game as Touchdown without the “add a ball” feature.  It features a mechanical backbox animation as you hit shots to move the football down the field.  You are awarding points as well as scoring touchdowns and field goals.  Fun to score two different ways.  Tough game due to open playfield.  Drain monster.  GRADE: C+

Machine #34: GOTTLIEB GRID IRON

I then played Gottlieb’s Grid Iron and I liked it much better than Kickoff.  It is the two player version of Pro Football.  Ball is released up between the flippers when the right flipper is pressed.  It features very cool vari-targets where the hard you hit them the more points you get, but watch out for the drain.  This also features dual scoring points and football scoring.  Shooting the spinner is key.  GRADE: B

Machine #35: GOTTLIEB HOME RUN

Home Run is the baseball equivilant of Grid Iron and has many of the same features.  Ball release through flippers, vari-targets (I shot for them constantly for the big points and to advance the runners), dual scoring (points and runs).  Very fun and addicting game.  This game is an “add a ball” game and the replay version is called “playball.”  I actually prefer the “add a ball” style because I can have a better game with more balls than winning replays.  GRADE: B

Machine #36: GOTTLIEB JUNGLE KING

Jungle King is another “add a ball” game with two iterations.  They made a two player Wild Life and a four player Jungle.  Goofy looking back glass and artwork.  this game is all about hitting the 10 numbered rollovers.  Has cool ball save gate features for the outlanes.  Nothing special, but fun.  GRADE: C+

Machine #37:  GOTTLIEB EYE OF THE TIGER

Eye of the Tiger is the other game that got me into pinball, well, sort of.  Growing up, my next door neighbor had a Sinbad in their basement that I used to play everytime I went over.  It was the first pinball machine I ever played.  Sinbad is the 4 player version of this game.  Great looking game and artwork with sharp oranges, pinks and yellows.  Shoot the drop targets, light the rollovers, score the points.  Seems simple enough but it isn’t.  Nice double flipper feature.  This machine holds a very special place in my heart.  When my neighbor died of Carbon Monoxide poisoning (never run a generator in your house people!) his wife had an estate sale and the Sinbad went for less than $300.  Heartbreaking it is not in my house.  GRADE: B+

Machine #38: GOTTLIEB JUMPING JACK

Jumping Jack is a game that’s all about shooting the 10 drop targets.  I have always been a fan of drop targets so this game is right up my alley.  Has 4 flippers two on the sides and two traditionally placed.  Interestingly placed pop bumpers allows for nudging.  The four player version is Jack in the Box.  GRADE: B-

Machine #39: GOTTLIEB SURF CHAMP

Surf Champ is a nice looking game that has pretty much everything you’d want in a pinball machine.  Drop targets, spinner, rollovers, pop bumpers, kick out hole, but there’s nothing really special about it.  You are just trying to advance the bonus multiplier.  An average game.  GRADE: C

Machine #40:  GOTTLIEB FLIP A CARD

Flip A Card has a great theme (I’ve always been partial to poker/card theme pinball machines) and it’s a challenge to light Ace through King as you can score them by hitting rollovers and targets and the kick out hole in the center awards a card via a spin.  Small flippers make it a challenge.  Good game.  GRADE: B-

Machine #41: GOTTLIEB FLIPPER COWBOY

Flipper Cowboy is an “add a ball” game that has a couple really nice features.  There is a backbox animation where the cowboy shoots at the target.  The machine also features two roto targets that a crucial for lighting the numbers.  “Add a balls” are all about doing just that, so you can score bigger.  Buckaroo and Cowpoke were made three years later and were infinitely more popular, but this the original incarnation.  GRADE: B-

Machine #42: GOTTLIEB CHALLENGER

Challenger is a 2 person pinball machine that is a unique pinball experience.  I’ve always been a fan of playing someone heads up at the same time i.e. tennis, air hockey, mortal kombat, mario kart etc.  It’s a true competition.  This game features 8 flippers and the machine takes turns tilting to or away from you.  Similar to foosball you are pretty much flipping all of the time, keeping the ball away from your goal.  110 were originally made and then 100 more were made for one private Canadian buyer.  Fun even if there isn’t that much going on.  GRADE: B-

My (Current) Collection

This is the current state of my dining room.  We ditched the table in favor of 3 pinball machines and 60 in 1 cocktail multicade.

Machine #5: WILLIAMS DIRTY HARRY

Dirty Harry I currently have due to a temp trade with my buddy Andy.  He has my Fish Tales.  This is a tough game with a great modes, and it’s more for adults (during one of the modes “Letter Bomb” if you don’t stop it from blowing up, the DMD shows the mailman exploding.  It’s pretty crazy).  This machine also has the Midnight Madness mode which when the clock strikes 12 midnight, it’s a super spectacular multiball mode.  Definitely something that needs to be experienced.  GRADE: B+

Machine #6: Williams Terminator 2

Terminator 2 is one of two games that got me into pinball.  I would spend my Friday nights at the local arcade, the Space Port at the King of Prussia Mall.  I used to go with my friend Jeff Ziegler.  I was given $5 and I used to spend the evening playing Pinbot, Funhouse and Back to the Future.  I remember going one Friday night and seeing the T2 and I was blown away.  It was my 1st introduction to a DMD and a video mode.  To me, this was the game that brought a pinball renaissance to the early to mid 90’s.  The flow on this game is unparalled.  I got this from a guy in Connecticut through a great website called pinballowners.com where people can post their collections and where they live.  GRADE: A

Machine #7: WILLIAMS RED & TED’S ROAD SHOW

Red & Ted’s Road Show is phenomenal.  17 unique modes.  Wide body with a powerful shaker motor.  2 animatronic heads.  Great shots.  Big, Big fan of this game.  This is an early edition of the game.  It has a different apron and a pin in between the flippers.  GRADE: A

Machine #8: GOTTLIEB FREDDY A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

Huge fan of horror movies, didn’t know Freddy A Nightmare on Elm Street existed until last year.  Totally underrated and misunderstood, takes time to figure out what to do.  Game is all about the nightmares (modes) and they are shot oriented and timed and not easy.  2 great wizard modes.  Incredible red DMD with awesome animations.  Witty callouts from Freddy Krueger himself.  Note the translite.  My girlfriend waited in the freezing cold for 5 hours at the Monster Mania horror convention in Cherry Hill for Robert Englund to sign the translite.  It’s says “Tilt this Piggies!”  GRADE: B

Machine #9: GOTTLIEB BIG HURT

Growing up Frank Thomas was my favorite baseball player.  Have tons of his rookie cards and starting lineup figures.  Shocked to find out this machine existed.  This game is loads of fun, tons to do, good modes a bunch of multiballs. I got to the wizard mode a couple of times and had no idea what I was doing.  Moving glove similiar to the goalie in WCS94.  I’m not a gottlieb hater and I enjoy their games.  Big Hurt is a good one.  GRADE: B-

Machine #10: SEGA BAYWATCH

Baywatch is another game that I didn’t know existed until this past year.  I loved pinball arcade adds, but I wasn’t exposed to all of the different games.  It seemed like every shore arcade I went to during the summer would have one pinball machine in it and 95% of the time it would be Addams Family.  Played it at Yestercades in redbank and fell in love with it.  Had to have one and got one a couple of months later.  Super deep pin with a unique layout.  Tons to do. Haven’t come close to the wizard mode.  Six players is a bit much, but love the 2 on 2 team scoring option.  I dig the theme, the Hoff’s call outs and you really can’t go wrong with cabinet art with beach buns in thongs.  GRADE: B+

Machine #11: CHICAGO COIN GOLD RECORD

Got this Chicago Coin Gold Record pin free for helping move a piano from NJ to VA. My first EM.  I think it’s absolutely beautiful.  Love the music theme.  Game play is just average.  Tough game with a record spinner in the middle.  GRADE: C+

January 2nd at Julius’ House

Machine #1 DATA EAST WWF ROYAL RUMBLE

I started my 2013 big year at my buddy Julius’ house and I got to play 4 machines. We had just completed a trade (I traded my WWF Royal Rumble for his Nightmare on Elm Street and I went to get some decals and to play some games.) The 1st game I played was my old WWF Royal Rumble and it played nice and smooth. I used to work at a movie theatre that had a small arcade in the back. We had a Rumble for about 3 years and I played it like crazy. A widebody with a shaker motor, 9 modes and a ton of shots, I really love this game. GRADE B+

Machine #2 BALLY’S NBA FASTBREAK (Linked!)

Then it was onto the linked NBA fastbreak. Incredible to play someone at the same time in pinball. I don’t know why they didn’t do this with more machines. You battle against each other and when player 1 lights a mode, so does player 2. Also the scoring is unique. You score points as in 2 point field goals, 3 pointers and free throws so your score might be 80 or 90, just like an NBA game. They have real NBA players from the 90s like Rex Chapman and Derrick Coleman. I won one, Julius wrecked me in the second game and in the 3rd game, Julius and I played to an overtime game which I lost, but really a unique pinball playing experience. GRADE: A

Machine #3 DATA EAST GUNS ‘N ROSES

Then I got to play a few games of Guns ‘N Roses, Data East’s crowning achievement.  It’s a fantastic game with a bunch of great shots and modes and it is really something that if you haven’t played you should check out (Even if you are a bally/williams elitist, I think GNR can change your mind).  I was one mode away from the riot ball wizard mode in one of the games. GRADE: A-

Machine #4 BALLY’S CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON

I finished the evening with a few games of Creature from the Black Lagoon. It is a beautiful looking game with not one but two great themes (drive in movies and the creature from the black lagoon). Creature is lot of fun, but it is a game with a lot of stop and go and ball control. There is not much fluidity to it. Catch the ball on one flipper and make the shot. GRADE: B-

Got my 1st speeding ticket ever on my way home, but I still had an awesome time.  I’ve got to go back sometime this year to play his safecracker and circus.

I wanted to end my 1st post by talking about the pinball community and how embracing, voracious and good they are.  There are a few great websites like pinballbash.com and pinside.com where like minded people share ideas, information, opinions and help one another.  I have met some really phenomenal people like Julius, Andy, George, Jeff, Steve, John and Gary (Gary was an old co-worker from the movies who I reconnected with at the Allentown Show.  He introduced me to Jeff).  They have a great passion for pinball and they have helped me greatly in showing me the ropes with regards to better understanding and maintaining this massive electrical enigmas.  I feel very fortunate to have met these people and I greatly appreciate all they have done for me.

My Reason for the Big Year

I had never heard of the concept of “a big year” before I brought the DVD with that same title home last year. I thought it was all made up. I didn’t know that this was something that birdwatchers did. A heralded competition in which thousands of people trek thousands of miles in search of greatest number of different birds. The movie starring Jack Black, Owen Wilson and Steve Martin was decent but unspectacular, but it got me thinking that you could do a big year for anything. You could try to sample as many different burgers or drive different cars. I’ve always loved pinball, growing up at the Space Port arcade at the King of Prussia mall, cutting my teeth on Pinbot, Taxi, Cyclone, The Simpsons, and Terminator 2. I went to video game auctions in Marlton for years looking for that elusive T2 machine. I knew I would always own one. I finally took the plunge last March buying my 1st machine. I had money saved up for an addition to my house and when that fell through I was feeling a bit depressed and I want to blow through what I had saved. Less than a year later, I have 10 pinball machines including the T2. I have officially been bit by the pinball bug. My girlfriend, Christina, who I’m sure I will mention many times throughout this odyssey is an avid birdwatcher and she is tackling her big year this year. I thought to myself what better way to immerse myself into pinball than to do my own big year, but with pinball. I’m going to try to play as many different pinball machines as possible. Really only one rule. The machine has to have flippers. So the bingo machines are out as well as the pitch and bat baseball machines that I absolute love (I have a williams slugfest myself).