Pins you've changed your opinion on for the better

[andypinboy]

Guys, thought it might be fun to hear what pins you initially disliked (boring, bad callouts, ruleset, whatever) but after a longer time with it you changed your mind. I'll start it off with BSD (& know some of you will spit out your cornflakes). When first playing it I thought the mist multiball was cool but nothing else. More times than not it would belt me up - I saw it as a ball-draining mother... I hated it. Then after coming back time & again, getting belted, I stacked the three multiballs & collected huge bonuses. It felt awesome & I still remember that particular game - first time I sucked the blood out it instead of the other way around  . If I get a chance to play it now then it usually still belts me, but there's that rare game that feels so rewarding. I don't know if I'd own one, maybe, but I changed my mind on it from "blah" at first to "pretty decent pin". Would love to hear what games others have had a change of heart about.

[Strangeways]

ST TNG - Easily. I hated the game.

Initial thoughts - Dumb rules that don't seem to lead to anything. Stupid "missions" that made no sense. Callouts that you followed, but nothing would happen. Cannons moving on their own and balls flying out of the trough at random moments were just some of the many bad ideas - So I thought. I had only really played "dealer" pins in showrooms, and seldom did they look of feel like they were working. It was not until Marco (Pinfan) and I visited a dealer and he had a game - within seconds - Marco told me it was not working properly. I just assumed it was a complex and over complicated machine that pinheads like to call "a deep game" - more like "a game that never worked".

I decided to import a couple (I avoided them like the plague) and work out how the game works. So when it came time to completely restore this game, I found so many problems with optos, springs, plungers, wrong coils.. The list goes on and on. But after returning the game to factory specifications and replacing all the optos and the trough boards - the game suddenly was working as it should. Only after being "hooked" on a perfectly working game, could I appreciate the full potential of this machine. I've restored a few of these over time, and there's a number of things to do to have the game working 100% - optos, trough boards and cannon looms are mandatory. Of the games that I've seen "fully done up" or "shopped" - these are rarely done properly - so I wonder how many other pinheads don't realize the full potential of this game ?

I would say ST TNG is the best engineered game with one of the best rulesets in pinball. Deep and interesting. The key to this game is that it is working 100%.

From dud to diamond - this title is amazing !

[pinball god]

Tz hated it. Now own one and enjoy it lots

[DSB]

ST TNG - Easily. I hated the game.

Initial thoughts - Dumb rules that don't seem to lead to anything. Stupid "missions" that made no sense. Callouts that you followed, but nothing would happen. Cannons moving on their own and balls flying out of the trough at random moments were just some of the many bad ideas - So I thought. I had only really played "dealer" pins in showrooms, and seldom did they look of feel like they were working. It was not until Marco (Pinfan) and I visited a dealer and he had a game - within seconds - Marco told me it was not working properly. I just assumed it was a complex and over complicated machine that pinheads like to call "a deep game" - more like "a game that never worked".

I decided to import a couple (I avoided them like the plague) and work out how the game works. So when it came time to completely restore this game, I found so many problems with optos, springs, plungers, wrong coils.. The list goes on and on. But after returning the game to factory specifications and replacing all the optos and the trough boards - the game suddenly was working as it should. Only after being "hooked" on a perfectly working game, could I appreciate the full potential of this machine. I've restored a few of these over time, and there's a number of things to do to have the game working 100% - optos, trough boards and cannon looms are mandatory. Of the games that I've seen "fully done up" or "shopped" - these are rarely done properly - so I wonder how many other pinheads don't realize the full potential of this game ?

I would say ST TNG is the best engineered game with one of the best rulesets in pinball. Deep and interesting. The key to this game is that it is working 100%.

From dud to diamond - this title is amazing !

This was the game that hooked me to pinball on my first game in 94.

For me its Ironman. I though it was just a drain monster with no point. Then after watching the PAPA tutorial with stacking modes and thinking more about strategies I find it a really fun and challenging game that I just want to beat! Usually it just beats me though. 

[Cursed]

Cactus Canyon, It is the missus favourite game not mine so much.

Have always found it funny but a bit of a snore fest play wise. But now that we have one and I am playing it more (and learning the rules) I am enjoying it more than I thought I would.

[MartyJ]

Well I'm probably going to get laughed off the forum, but for me Goldwings.

Without ever really seeing it or playing it I would have not taken one as filler.

Funny, after Nino got a couple and seeing his and Greg's plans to go to town on it, I watched a few more videos and that air siren, wow.

Probably more of an emotional connection than anything else but its a cracker.

[oldskool1969]

World Cup Soccer 94!

[Caveoftreasures]

Fishtales.

Never liked Fishing. Couldn't work out why someone would invent a fishing pinball ?

Played it and bought one straight away. Reckon it is a really fun unique game and love everything about it.

Redecalled and shopped, what a great looking pin. Topper scares the hell out of you when it activates sometimes.

Wish the fish on the topper sang "take me to the river". Lol

[pinball god]

Well I'm probably going to get laughed off the forum, but for me Goldwings.

Without ever really seeing it or playing it I would have not taken one as filler.

Funny, after Nino got a couple and seeing his and Greg's plans to go to town on it, I watched a few more videos and that air siren, wow.

Probably more of an emotional connection than anything else but its a cracker.

I'd get divorced if I had that siren going in the house. The gameplay got my head spinning.

[Strangeways]

Well I'm probably going to get laughed off the forum, but for me Goldwings.

Without ever really seeing it or playing it I would have not taken one as filler.

Funny, after Nino got a couple and seeing his and Greg's plans to go to town on it, I watched a few more videos and that air siren, wow.

Probably more of an emotional connection than anything else but its a cracker.

hmmm.. I think a future restoration is in the pipeline. I am seriously looking at a NOS playfield..

[pinnies4me]

For years I thought MM was over rated. Bought one that came up for a good price given how easy it would be to move on if needed. I stand corrected, it is a first class game.