I don't have that much experience with drop target games, but I love Jacks Open. I play it constantly, and everyone else that comes over ignores my other games now. It always seems so beatable, and the gameplay reminds me of fighting the Monger in IM. You're always fighting to get control of the ball, and then trying to hit the target at just the right angle so it doesn't drain, especially the damned Red Queen. The holes in the ball guide make it so you can't get control just by holding the flipper up (dead bounces and drop catches are required). I love when you complete a hand and the ball is coming back at the flipper - you know the targets are going to reset and you're anticipating the next best target you need to hit on the fly, but you don't want to hit it back right away. It's an EM and it won't register the points if you immediately launch it back at the bank (I'm greedy). Or worse, the resetting targets will send the ball screaming back if the timing is really unlucky. So you let the ball bounce off your flipper, wait for the bank to reset and track the ball while changing your mind about which card in the next hand you'll aim for on the fly.
From Drano's list, I'd love to try a Countdown, Joker Poker, and Volley. They look as if they'll be right up my alley. I've tried El Dorado City of Gold and the targets are too far away. The wait for the ball to get back to the flippers is too long. It doesn't have that sense of concentrated gameplay these others might have, but I'm prepared to change my mind on that given more time on that machine. Everyone seems to love it.
