A list woodrail??
How do you answer this??
For collectibility, it has to be #1 MERMAID where the fisherman would pull in a fish at each miliion scored.... #2 is KNOCKOUT or possibly MINSTREL MAN.
KNOCKOUT has 2 manikins in a ring that fight each other throwing punches, one gets knocked down and the refs arm moves up and down 10 X and fighter gets up again - game also has ball save feature of a V that comes up between flippers, this fighting feature is the main attraction of the game... MINSTREL MAN i would argue has a better game play, again has the V to save a ball, but you have to complete a more complicated sequence and so game play is deeper than either of the previous 2.
These 3 machines are by far THE most collectible of the 50's era.
yes these are A list woodrails and the most collectible..
BUT....
Game play though.. its is argued that MYSTIC MARVEL from 1954 is possibly Wayne Neyens finest - a double award game which was often necessary as card suits need to be completed to award SPECIAL.
I also know collectors who will walk right past a 1950 KNOCKOUT to go and play a DRAGONETTE from 1954 also..
I own a KNOCKOUT and MYSTIC MARVEL... but for me the A list woodrail HAS to be MINSTREL MAN.. artwork is outstanding and screams an era never to be repeated ( wouldnt be allowed), has a deep game play for a woodrail, is HIGHLY sought after and ive never played one.. so maybe for me A list is the unobtainable.
My #1 A list woodrail is right here..
http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?any=minstrel+man&searchtype=quick#1607