I learned how to play pinball on EM games. I will recommend a couple of titles for specific reasons. I list these in no specific order:
Gulfstream- This game is a hybrid Add-A-Ball/Replay model (Williams made several titles this way in the 70s). It features 3: Flippers and Inlanes (Italian Bottom). The inlanes light for an Add-A-Ball, so you can practice the Alley Pass to score this rollover. This is the game that I learned how to do an Alley Pass on. The top rollovers are great for nudging skills and the Tic-Tac-Toe feature is fun.
Flying Carpet- This game lacks inlanes, but the bottom is great for nudging. This is a tough game and I hated playing it when I was a beginner, but grew to appreciate it when my pinball skills got better. There is a fun shot off the upper āSpecial When Litā rollover rubber ring that banks into the Pop Bumper area.
Sky Jump- Yes, I agree with the other posters above who endorse this game. I love the shot from the flippers through the ā6ā rollover. A lot of rollovers and nudging. 3" flippers and an Italian Bottom. Good Choice.
Gottlieb King Pin- Some people hate the huge side drains, but this is a volatile game. Great target shooting choice but lacks the nudging benefits of my other recommendations. This game has 3: Flippers and an Italian Bottom.
I think I will stop here. I can list several more if you want me to.
If you play Target Alpha, it has a layout youāll see a lot in pinball (Solar City, Canada Dry, El Dorado). No spinners, but good target practice with long and short shots, plus some nudging for lanesā¦
In theory, yes, nudging
In practice, tilts are way too tight on EMs the more important skill IMO in tournaments is making sure every single time the ball makes contact with your flipper, youāre doing something deliberate with it, because you might not get that many opportunities! Shatz bail, drop catches, dead passes, even reflex shots with a purpose come to mind.
I think the useful skills are mostly the same, but for whatever reason, the tendency is to assume that they wonāt translate.
At Pinburgh, Iāve played with many, many people who are comfortable playing controlled pinball on modern games, but when they step up to an EM, it becomes āsee ball, hit ballā. (Iām sure Iāve done it myself on games Iām not familiar with).
Maybe the biggest thing is recovery skills. Nearly every successful shot on an EM will put you into an out of control situation, whereas a modern machine will generally only put the ball out of control when you miss.
Maybe the biggest thing is recovery skills. Nearly every successful shot on an EM will put you into an out of control situation, whereas a modern machine will generally only put the ball out of control when you miss.
So with nudging being a risky move, that leaves āball energy eatingā flipper skiils such as drop/live catches to try to slow/trap the ball and regain control. Seems like being able to pull a quick tap pass on a moving ball that isnāt going to stop at the end of a raised flipper is a big one too, since itās not as easy to actually trap the ball.
One thing Iāve never done myself but see people do all the time is slap/bang the side of the cabinet. I guess this is to move a ball off a siderail? I generally use āverticalā nudges with EMs to give the ball a bit of bounce off a post rubber to try to have it move further/over to a different lane. Would cabinet slaps be a better technique? Honestly the few times Iāve tried them I didnāt see much in the way of results.
I think itās very difficult to do cabinet slaps on a ball as it hits the wooden outlane wall. Very few times have I been able to bring that back into play. There are a lot more situations where a ball is following the contour of something higher up on the playfield, and youāre risking a STDM drain or the ball hitting the top of the slingshot if you donāt do anything. This is much easier to do because you have a full second or so when the ball is in contact with something you can use to impart force. (As opposed to ball moving horizontally into the outlane side wall, where you have to time you slap perfectly. Iāve seen great players slap repeatedly, I assume because there is a better chance of timing one of them correctly).
The slapping technique is perfectly valid in lots of modern games too, especially where an orbit shot will come around and hit the middle or top of the sling. Slap the ball off the orbit rail and further out from the sling so you can live catch (or fling it away). Shots returning from the chest in POTC might be the best example I can think ofā¦unaffected, they always seem to bounce dangerously off the top of the sling on every copy of the game Iāve played.
Some EM examples I can think of are the right chute on El Dorado, and the side rollover lanes on Kismet.
Cabinet slaps might be a good way to change the path of the ball while it is rainbowing back and forth above the rollover lanes at the top, particularly on something like Playboy.
Lower flippers would be best, but Iām not sure Iād make that the primary consideration when buying an EM. Getting a desirable title is good shape can be tough. Take what you can get.
Playing with different flippers (size, shape, whatever) is always good. I had my Drac (lightning flippers) for years before I could reliably post pass on it. Felt good to accomplish that skill. Never practiced post passes specifically, just happened.
Two inch flippers are so small they force you to adjust. When you play an EM with 2" flippers for an hour or so, then play a modern game, the flippers feel huge on the modern game. Your brain has to adjust again. All that adjusting leads to better flipper skill overall.
Huge proponent of having at least one EM game in a collection. Your best bet in order to get really good feel for them is to go to Replay FX, lesser extent the PHOF there is a huge selection of EMās with many different flipper and playfield designs. After going there you have a greater appreciation for the types of EMās that are out there and ones you would want to add to your collection. My favorites are Atlantis/C37, Surf Champ, Quick Draw and a number of others that were already mentioned.
Huge proponent of having at least one EM game in a collection. Your best bet in order to get really good feel for them is to go to Replay FX, lesser extent the PHOF there is a huge selection of EMās with many different flipper and playfield designs. After going there you have a greater appreciation for the types of EMās that are out there and ones you would want to add to your collection. My favorites are Atlantis/C37, Surf Champ, Quick Draw and a number of others that were already mentioned.
Hey Deryk, thanks for responding. Yeah, Iām totally sold on having one, nice change of pace too and I even enjoy working on them. You now how fun it is to futz around with those nitpitcky leaf switches in Black Knight? Now imagine a whole machine of themā¦
I enjoyed Volley at YegPin this year and did pretty well on it also. I guess itās probably not your favorite after the last Alberta Challenge Cup playoff matchā¦
You should know I taught Dan everything he knows about that game āfirst rollover a color at the top, then hit the matching drop targetsā.
Just a little update, I finally picked up an Argosy last week locally. Game needs some love to get working properly, been stored in a basement unused for 10-15 years so I havenāt actually played it yet.
the more important skill IMO in tournaments is making sure every single time the ball makes contact with your flipper, youāre doing something deliberate with it, because you might not get that many opportunities! Shatz bail, drop catches, dead passes, even reflex shots with a purpose come to mind.
