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WHAT ARE YOUR TOP 3 PINS

Mike Walsh

Active Member
Aug 12, 2017
297
94
28
61
C.B.S. , Newfoundland
Looking for advice and suggestions on your top three pins and why they are your choice for top three.
I like all pins but have limited space and I am trying to save myself some time with buying and selling to eventually get to a top three collection. I actually have room for five comfortably! SHHH, don’t tell my wife!
 

pinballjah

Well-Known Member
Jan 25, 2017
1,243
393
83
Toronto
Depends on your budget. Do you want to spend $30,000 or $10,000 for three machines. Most people have Getaway in their collection that I have seen.
 

Mike Walsh

Active Member
Aug 12, 2017
297
94
28
61
C.B.S. , Newfoundland
Good point!
At present I have a 1)Monte Carlo, fun target game but has the system 80 joy issues from time to time.
2) Last Action Hero , fun player quality pin. I can get another in collector quality but again is this needed? I also have a fun house that works great but again a players quality pin. This thread is very subjective to various opinion but I'm hopping you can mold my impressionable young(55+) mind.
LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

With the budget part I would be willing to save up my coppers to get the right pins!
 

DRANO

Super Member
Nov 15, 2012
2,821
517
113
Mississauga
I just try to look for games that have a good combination of several factors.
-It has to be challenging. Easy games get old fast.
-The rules or gameplay should not feel overly repetitive
-mutiple objectives or ways of scoring is always nice
-killer theme, artwork, music/sounds. These always help

FunHouse is a good combination of challenge and theme, but it can get repetitive... as an example. Bottom line though, the older the game, generally the more basic the rules will be. This is okay for some early solid state pins because they make up for it with very difficult gameplay, but that isn't always the case.

My personal tastes would included getting at least:

-1-2 good early 70's EMs (think stuff like El Dorado or any of it's clones, but there are so many good ones from this era. Get something with lots of drop targets)
-a couple of early 80's solid state games (classic Stern like Big Game, F2K, Seawitch, Stars, Meteor etc, or classic Bally like Eight Ball, Centaur or Fathom ... if you can find one)
-System 7-11 games like Space Shuttle, High Speed, Pinbot, Taxi, Swords of Fury are not super deep, but great themes and fun gameplay.
-For DMD you can't go wrong with stuff like Twilight Zone, Shadow, BSD, White Water or Medieval Madness from the 90's era, or newer Stern games like Tron, AC/DC, Metallica etc.

That should be a good list to start with.
Watch the online tutorials for reference. Just be warned that those guys typically just play towards a specific scoring strategy, so some of those vids can make an otherwise fun pin look quite boring.

Hope that helps
 
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scylla

Member
Mar 13, 2013
107
20
18
Toronto, ON
Any pin your wife likes to play should be your #1 right now. MM is the pin that broke me. Find something she loves and buy it. I originally told my husband I would be fine with 1-2 pins. We have 7-8 at any given time now. I would be fine with 20 if our basement was large enough.

I find it very hard to commit to a top 3. Right now my #1 is BSD. The art package is absolutely horrific but it has fantastic flow and I find the bats/rats bonus incredibly satisfying.
 

Rascal

Active Member
Sep 20, 2015
470
93
28
55
nova scotia, canada
Hi Mike, I have the same sign as in your avatar hanging in my shop.
I think most may say their favorites rotate from time to time. Right now I am absorbed with AFM, but I absolutely love my TWD most anytime and have not gotten bored of it. I don't have a chance to play any of the pins I have before I buy them so all I can say is do your homework before you buy and watch many reviews and gameplay vids before committing to your latest pins.
 

BMHouze

Well-Known Member
Mar 11, 2014
1,064
181
63
Delhi Ontario
I started with Wizard! But it got difficult to get my buddies to work on it. I basically hit the local auctions and tried to get something ss or newer.
I currently have Elvis and Nascar as Sterns are easier for me to find parts for.
My Alien Poker (my teenage game) is still not up and running after 8 months of 'free' repair as some of the board components are hard to find. The blanking circuts had to be ordered a number of times until they finally came in this week.

Buy machines you can get parts for easily.
Research is key. Even though I got a cheap Checkpoint a new ramp was still unattainable and limited my resale when I wanted something different.
Go to shows with a large selection of games and make yourself a short list of what you liked.
 

Beafraid

Active Member
Dec 13, 2012
519
60
28
55
Maple
Creature from the Black Lagoon
T2
Shadow

Why? Because I have T2 for sale and you could also get the other 2 from me also...:)
 

Luckydogg420

Member
May 12, 2013
825
24
18
Kitchener
Game of thrones.
Attack from mars
The Simpsons pinball party.

I think these 3 will complement each other well, at least that’s my long range plan. I’ve had enough mediocre games to know what I like and want. But these three don’t come cheap. I bought GoT New and love it. Next will be AFM
 

Mike Walsh

Active Member
Aug 12, 2017
297
94
28
61
C.B.S. , Newfoundland
Thanks Lucky dog!
This is exactly what I am looking for. Info! Simpsons Pinball Party is one I feel I would really enjoy and I am only resentful learning about Game Of Thrones as a really great pin!Attack From Mars would also be an excellent choice.
I don't have the luxury of trying machines before I buy them plus it cost $4-$500. To get them here and it is a very small market if I have to try and sell.
Thanks again!

KEEP THEM COMING!!!!!
 

Mike Walsh

Active Member
Aug 12, 2017
297
94
28
61
C.B.S. , Newfoundland
Hey Rascal,
Thanks for the input and advice.
Both of those pins I hear are really good choices. TWD may give the grandkids nightmares though! Ha!

Sound advice BMhouze,
I have not played Elvis or Nascar
But they look like fun pins.
Thanks
 

mwong168

Administrator
Staff member
Nov 14, 2012
6,652
1,397
113
45
Toronto
My top 3 from my collection would probably be:

Creature from the Black Lagoon
White Water
Congo
 

brad808

Member
Feb 28, 2013
656
24
18
Brantford
Right now I have six game collection: Tales From the Crypt, Lord of the Rings, The Simpsons Pinball Party, World Poker Tour, Hollywood Heat, Spring Break.

If I had to only have 3 I'd probably keep TFTC, TSPP, And Hollywood Heat.

TFTC: The most "medium" and average of all the games, cool theme, decent rules, average playing time.

TSPP: Very good rules with lots to do, but long playing time.

Hollywood Heat: very basic rules, easy mindless play that you can do 10+ games in a row with short playing time.


I say those so that you get a good variety, which I think it's important. For example Lord of the Rings would universally be regarded as better than Hollywood Heat, but do I want a collection of just LOTR, TSPP, and WPT? Not really since they are all very similar in long game play with deep rules. They are 3 amazing games (and I love very deep rules) but they wouldn't pair well in a 3 game collection. Would I recommend Hollywood Heat in a 1 game collection? No, because you would want more. Just keep variety in mind. Don't keep everything the same.
 
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Mike Walsh

Active Member
Aug 12, 2017
297
94
28
61
C.B.S. , Newfoundland
Really good point Brad88!
I have been thinking of a lineup of all top pins but sometimes a
simple shooter pin is not a bad Idea for both myself to change it up
and for others who don’t necessarily Want or appreciate a deep game!
I know when I’m in the mood I really Enjoy my Monte Carlo!
Lots to test my Shooting skills!
THANKS!
 

Luckydogg420

Member
May 12, 2013
825
24
18
Kitchener
My top 3 from my collection would probably be:

Creature from the Black Lagoon
White Water
Congo

Creech and White water used to be some of my favorites, both great games, but I’ve moved on to other games. White water was the first pin I played (when it came out) where I learned that pinball had goals and modes. Before that game it was all just keeping the ball rolling. When my local arcade got it in my buddy showed me the rules and it all finally clicked together.