Favorite era of pinball

[PinPal]

What is you’re favorite era of pinball?
Mine is late 70s early 80s Bally and Williams games. In December I acquired a Nice Williams Flash,  ((pictured)) one of the games I always wanted.
I previously owned a Gorgar, Firepower, and still have my Black Knight.
My newest games apart from Flash is The Getaway and Party Zone, Thai are ok but I keep wanting to go back to play Flash .
The rule set in Flash is so simple compared to The Getaway.
I love the sounds Flash makes, way ahead of the old chimes in the electro games.
No wonder 19’500 units of Flash was made, still the highest production run of eney pinball to date, I think Addams family is very close to it.

[Mr Pinbologist]

70s to early 80s for me, though the oldest game i own is from 1969 (Gtb Mibs).

I have a Wms Flash awaiting restoration, might happen in the next five years if im lucky  
was brought home about six months ago and i havent even touched it yet, though i now have the missing coils i needed, i might have to see if i can get it up and running, at least to see what needs doing to it

EDIT: WOW i just realised this was my 1000th post 

[PinPal]

Post sum picks of it when you have it up and running , ide like to see it......

[Mr Pinbologist]

Post sum picks of it wahen you have it up and running , ide like to see it......

Will do    i'll start a resto thread when i start on it, backglass isnt as good as yours though, but it'll look better when i'm done with it.. i hope 

[Retropin]

The art of woodrails just gets me every time, the geometry of the 30's  - 40's then the pin up girls of the 40's -  50's,

Favourite EM period to play is 60's, both Willaims and Gottlieb were making some crackers here.

I can quite happily miss the whole of the 70's and jump straight to Gottlieb sys80 + and early 80's Bally

[mildflame]

My favorite is 90's Williams/Bally, The toys and sounds were great! Funhouse, Roadshow, Dracula, Dr Who

[Caveoftreasures]

I played 1 x pinball machine for 5 minutes in 1978.  The next pinball machine I played was 2 years ago, 30plus yrs later.  I missed almost the entire next 30 yrs of pinball from my first ever game ! I never even saw another pinball anywhere over the next 30 yrs, wow ! ya think i would have stumbled accross just one machine in my travels, but i never ever did !

But having looked at alot of peoples different collections over the past 2 years, THE DMD ERA OF 1990's pinballs forward does it for me ! DMDS Number 1.

HOWEVER,
the classic artwork, and beautiful pastels/colours of machines made in the 50's 60's etc, are stunning to look at. The early model pinballs are works of art, and have a much bigger personality when u look at them. The artwork looks like it was designed and painted by a human, not like a machine made pinny of the 90's. The early stuff just looks beautiful. Much nicer colours and uses of colours.  

[PinPal]

The first pic of Flash was taken with my mobile Phone,,, here is a couple more picks taken with my Digi camra

[PinPal]

BG

[mildflame]

Mobile Phones dont seem to bring out the colour in a pinball. It always looks better on a camera or REAL LIFE

[mark jackson]

My favourite period is from about 1963-65. All wedgeheads are great looking but it's the Gottlieb five ball push ups that I just love more than any other kind of pinball. The sound of pushing up your ball is unmistakable once you have heard it a few times. 'Round here we call them 'manual multi-balls' ... Many Gottlieb games from the 60's are just fantastic games to play, and will hold your interest once you give them a go.

[Strangeways]

I was a child when I played my first EM, and they were more of a novelty for me. I played late 60's EMs in the early 70's and I grew up around 70's EMs and then found that I enjoyed the early Bally SS machines (as Dad operated countless Bally's around this time). Williams SS were no match, either were the hybrid EM/SS called SYSTEM1. Stern simply copied Bally, so their machines were a little "different", yet faster than Ballys. System80s were too ambitious, the technology could not keep up with the creativity of the GTB designers. As a result, they followed the fate of their predecessors. The early 80's Ballys were simply awesome. The artwork of these games is unmatched in any era. Fathom, Viking, Medusa, Paragon (1979) and Flash Gordon had the artwork AND the game to match. Bally "lost the plot" shorty after (BMX, Hardbody eww..), Williams found stability in their boardset and came up with some classics. Stern disappeared and although SYS80 were a bit of a flop, these games from the era 1980 - 1984 are highly desirable.

I love EMs and they bring back a flood of memories every time I play or restore a machine. A very special "soft spot" for Bally EMs.

Anything after 1985 is much the same. DMDs came along, and needed flashing lights, ramps and toys to attract players. I do enjoy playing DMDs, but they are really not part of my childhood, so they are not my favorite era. But I'm GLAD the industry kept progressing as I enjoyed Funhouse, Addams Family and CV.

Easy to work out my favorite era is 1977 - 1983

KISS, Paragon, Fathom, Viking, Flash Gordon, Meteor, Galaxy, Flight 2000, Freefall, Spirit, Haunted house and Black Knight

[PinPal]

Only downside to my Flash I have a feature lamp string out, row 1. Got to get a transistor replaced on the driverboard but other than that its a nice game....

[beaky]

80's are my favorite. bally & williams

[spacejam0]

Just got back into pinnies last year as part of my mid life crisis....I guess for my wife its better than a sports car but she has lost her front lounge room.
I went with 2 EM's to start with cause thats what I grew up with and wanted to relive the childhood. Love the EM's and all the memorys of the caravan park at Philip Island came rushing back. Have also since brought a 90's tales of the crypt and a williams flash and although I do enjoy playing all my machines I would have to say that my cheapest (and a little bit rough around the edges) flash gets the most play and gives me the most enjoyment..love the sounds. Took a little bit of getting used to, seemed to drain real easy at first but a week later (and many hours play time) its not rare for me to almost clock it over now.
Now I'm on the market for a final pin think I'll take strangeways advice on one of his recomendations from 77 to 83 as we seem to have the same tastes...if you know of one going let me know.