Author Topic: Top 8 most innovative pinball machines  (Read 836 times)

Offline PinPup

  • Level 7: Khaaaan!
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2013
  • Location: Bradenton Florida
  • Posts: 1239
Re: Top 8 most innovative pinball machines
« Reply #15 on: August 23, 2014, 05:33:00 AM »
I think the problem is the author wasn't a pinhead, or that he didn't do enough research. OR stop by here!
Games Owned: Fish Tales,, Countdown, Joker Poker (YES!), DWHO, EATPM, GRAND LIZARD, 60 Multicade
Past Games Owned: Gilligan's Island,Stock Car EM, Cherry Bell, Black Pyramid, Jokerz!, Hang Glider, Capt. Fantastic, Nip-It, Pro Pool, Dimension, Bally Supreme (wood rail) Genco Spitfire (wood rail). Arcade: Defender, Robbie Roto. (Got carried away at an auction on Roto, sheesh!) WTB: Alien Poker, Paragon, Surfin' Safari, Eight Ball Delux.

Offline pinballcorpse

  • Level 10: Timelord
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2008
  • Location: Probably in the tournament area
  • Posts: 4754
  • Join the Dark Side: Play Tournament Pinball
Re: Top 8 most innovative pinball machines
« Reply #16 on: August 23, 2014, 02:08:38 PM »


what about the first pinball with "rules"? or the first wizard mode?

Funhouse is sometimes credited as the first game with a wizard mode (completing the mirror for super frenzy)

I tend to think of some older games as having objectives that are akin to wizard modes.

Getting to the 5k golden horseshoes on Fast Draw

Lighting the "Christmas tree" on Target Pool or Joker Poker 

Maxing out the 5x bonus with 49k on Paragon along with maxing out the golden cliffs and spelling Paragon on the same game.

Completing the sword on Black Knight

Things like that :)
“Winning (contests) isn’t the word. I won it once. The rest of the time you’re just defending” -Rodney Mullen, skateboarding legend

Offline TronJeremy

  • Level 3: Hologram
  • ***
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Location: Miami, FL
  • Posts: 205
Re: Top 8 most innovative pinball machines
« Reply #17 on: August 23, 2014, 03:32:08 PM »
Funhouse is sometimes credited as the first game with a wizard mode (completing the mirror for super frenzy)


Wasn't it BK2000 with Ransom?

Offline pinballcorpse

  • Level 10: Timelord
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2008
  • Location: Probably in the tournament area
  • Posts: 4754
  • Join the Dark Side: Play Tournament Pinball
Re: Top 8 most innovative pinball machines
« Reply #18 on: August 23, 2014, 06:00:10 PM »
Wasn't it BK2000 with Ransom?


Depends on how you define wizard mode.

I still think earlier EM games had wizard modes, they just weren't called that.

Regardless, I feel a game's "wizard mode" should require a specific set of objectives be achieved through play, independent of what anyone else has done in the game. It can apply to newer or older games.

So comparing FH to BK2K,

FH requires a series of 6 modes be earned and played at the mirror followed by a final shot to the mirror starting the mode.

It is reset game to game and each player has to achieve the same set of goals.

With RANSOM, a player could be at the right place at the right time walking up to the game with RANSO lit, just needing an M. The effort is not necessarily equal and reaching it is not necessarily the result of achieving all of the objectives to receive the award.

Allowing the letters to carry over game to game was a dangling carrot to players to drop in some coin. Hey wow, I only need one letter! 

If it were required to start from scratch each time, that would be different.
“Winning (contests) isn’t the word. I won it once. The rest of the time you’re just defending” -Rodney Mullen, skateboarding legend

Offline Redfox

  • Level 7: Khaaaan!
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2011
  • Location: Miami
  • Posts: 1275
Re: Top 8 most innovative pinball machines
« Reply #19 on: August 24, 2014, 01:38:29 PM »
First pinball with modern modes?

"Lights Camera Action" by Premier.

(according to Jon Norris)

http://www.norrispinball.com/blog/?p=27
« Last Edit: August 24, 2014, 01:41:44 PM by Redfox »
Pins: AC/DC, RBION, Fast Draw, Stargate, Cactus Canyon
Past Pins: Solar City, The Shadow, Bad Cats, Jack·Bot, Johnny Mnemonic, LOTR, Half of a Tron