Got to play some real pinball today. Had a real blast with Stern KISS!

HighFive

New member
Jun 9, 2019
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There is not much pinball in my area in Montreal, well, one downtown and another one place where they have a mix of new and very old machine ( havent been to this one yet but planning to this week ). Im on vacation and since its an arcade, well, i think the best time to get there and hear less noise as possible as this time, not too late. So went there and that have :

- KISS Stern
- Walking Dead
- Monster Bash remake
- Attack from Mars remake
- Deadpool!
- Ghostbusters
- Star Wars ( but was broken... )

https://pinside.com/pinball/map/where-to-play/3265-amusement-2000-plus-montreal-qc

They dont have anymore Aerosmith and ACDC from pinside.

So being mostly a digital pinball player, the one i started with was Attack From Mars, its the one i had the most experience with, and god, i litteraly sucked at it. And not only that, but the spaceship was broken so it was registering a hit like 1 time out of 5. You really dont want to know my high score, its not even worth remembering, considering i was not able to destroy one ship. The ownwer there told me a repair guy is coming tomorrow, so will go back ( and try Star Wars also, cause this one was off and not working so hopefully it will get repair too )

Tried one game of Ghostbusters, seeing it for real makes a difference from digital, but will try to lesrn more the table digitally before trying my chance one this one. Also played one game of Monster Bash, its one i need to learn the rule, havent played it much in TPA tbh.

One that didnt click like at all was Walking Dead, i not sure why, because maybe im just tired of the serie, it just didnt click like at all. Might give it a better try, but went there and two pinballs really hook me.

Deadpool! This is the first pinball im trying with these new DmD screen, and this game is simply amazing. I really love how the table is draw, perhaps only little thing im not sure if it was broken or not, but the skillshot require you to choose one of the four spots, and it cannot be more to score the skillshot. Got on it a 2 ball multiball, nothing amazing as scores one this one, gotta learn it, but its one i definitivly going back to.

But the pinball i had the most fun, was KISS. Its perhaps the most easy to play imo, i just welt i was better at it ( got like a 70 millions score ), got a few Demon Multiball, games last longer on this one, was able to practice real life tap passes, etc. I really want to get better at that one ans i hope they keep this one for a long time!

So lesson iv learn, after playing like for 2 hours, i need better forearms lol. Perhaps cause im not use to it, i felt i work them! And playing real pinball, if you find one that click, well, its very cool! Just hope now AfM will get repair, but i realize the ball can drain very quickly.

So next stop? North Star Pinball

https://pinside.com/pinball/map/where-to-play/8614-north-star-machines-a-piastres-montreal-qc

They got Black Knight Sword of Rage, and just got Indianapolis 500! And close to that area there is a restaurant that is supposed to have World Cup Soccer.

Long live pinball!
 

Kolchak357

Senior Pigeon
May 31, 2012
8,102
2
I'm a big fan of the Kiss pin too. Doesn't get a lot of love, but my wife and I both have fun playing it. That right ramp shot is tough. Have to hit it pretty clean. Rules are not too complicated, classic fan layout, real good pin imo.
 

Jeff Strong

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 19, 2012
8,144
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Nice! Glad to hear you had a good time despite the broken bits (seems like there’s always one or two of those, so you kinda get used to it).

That was fun to read. Looking forward to hearing what you think of North Star as well.
 

HighFive

New member
Jun 9, 2019
153
0
I'm a big fan of the Kiss pin too. Doesn't get a lot of love, but my wife and I both have fun playing it. That right ramp shot is tough. Have to hit it pretty clean. Rules are not too complicated, classic fan layout, real good pin imo.

I was surprise to get hook to it. It flet like an old pinball mixed with new stuff, and very easy to play. It should get more love!
 

HighFive

New member
Jun 9, 2019
153
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Nice! Glad to hear you had a good time despite the broken bits (seems like there’s always one or two of those, so you kinda get used to it).

That was fun to read. Looking forward to hearing what you think of North Star as well.


Yeah suck when they are broken. I went there like 2-3 month ago, got time to play 1 game or 2 of AfM, and they just had it. Im surprise to see a new machine being broken that fast tbh ( considering buying one used for my hope but it scare me a little cause i got no knowledge of repairing them ). Unless it was use, but i doubt it, it looked pretty brand new to me.

Yeah, ill post my impression of North Star, probably will go there tomorrow or friday night!
 

ZREXMike2

New member
Oct 22, 2018
863
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Nice man, sounds like you had a good time. Always good to play some real pinball, haven't in many years, no arcades around.
 

ScotchYeti

Member
Apr 13, 2012
447
0
I will be in Las Vegas in 2 weeks and look forward to some hours of pinball, yeah! All the tables that I only know from TPA :)

Btw, they now have a Ghostbuster table in my area, had a blast playing it. The digital version isn't half as much fun, something feels odd. The same can be said about STERNs Star Trek table. I really suck at it in real life, it eats my money in no time so I don't play it as often as I would like. The digital version again isn't so much fun. Maybe it's the physics, especially now that FX3 is so much better - no idea.
 

Jeff Strong

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 19, 2012
8,144
2
I will be in Las Vegas in 2 weeks and look forward to some hours of pinball, yeah! All the tables that I only know from TPA :)

Btw, they now have a Ghostbuster table in my area, had a blast playing it. The digital version isn't half as much fun, something feels odd. The same can be said about STERNs Star Trek table. I really suck at it in real life, it eats my money in no time so I don't play it as often as I would like. The digital version again isn't so much fun. Maybe it's the physics, especially now that FX3 is so much better - no idea.

Nice, man. Have a safe trip and enjoy you time in pinball heaven.

I think you’re right about the Farsight’s physics. The tables just feel boring compared to Zen’s, even if they’re great pins in real life. Just a bit too lifeless.
 

HighFive

New member
Jun 9, 2019
153
0
I will be in Las Vegas in 2 weeks and look forward to some hours of pinball, yeah! All the tables that I only know from TPA :)

Btw, they now have a Ghostbuster table in my area, had a blast playing it. The digital version isn't half as much fun, something feels odd. The same can be said about STERNs Star Trek table. I really suck at it in real life, it eats my money in no time so I don't play it as often as I would like. The digital version again isn't so much fun. Maybe it's the physics, especially now that FX3 is so much better - no idea.

Lucky you! Going to Vegas, i know whats the only thing i would do! ;)
 

Jeff Strong

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 19, 2012
8,144
2
Lucky you! Going to Vegas, i know whats the only thing i would do! ;)

When I drove though Vegas a few years ago on a road trip, I made a bee line for the PHOF, had an absolute blast, and quickly made a bee line for the city limits!
 

HighFive

New member
Jun 9, 2019
153
0
Ok! Went to North Star Pinball!

Just came back, and while the place was like ghost town ( a bar that open at 5pm usualy dont have lots of people at that time, next time i will go ill go later to see more people playing ), but, 12 machines for me to try as i want, well, there was a couple there and thaaats it.

So my impression of the pins there!

All EM machines , earliy SS machines : Capersville, Count-Down, Volley, Jacks Open, Harlem Globetrotter, Dolly: Well, its the first time im actualy trying for real these very old pinballs, was very happy to see Capersville and Jack Open for real, but i just didnt got any fun at all playing them. Seem im just enjoying playing them digitally, i just didnt find one that made me play more than one game out of it. Funny i wanted to maybe buy one as a first real pinball, i think ill go toward more newer stuff. Also disnt even try that old Major League table, while it was looking very historic, i had no desire to play it.

Rollergames: First time playing that, played one game, seem fine, but didnt click.
Indianapolis 500: Now that one i was very happy to try it. Was not bad at it, played it before in TPA. Played a few games, enjoy it.

Metallica and Iron Maiden: Funny thing, im a big fan of Metallica and dont really like Iron Maiden, but their pinball, this feeling was reversed. Iron Maiden really impress me while Metallica disappoint me, and iv tried it more than once. A bit deception for these tables is that changing the music dont do any missions like KISS, ACDC, its just there for background. But overall, Iron Maiden is very sweet snd im looking to play it again!

Black Knight Sword of Rage: The king of the night! Seriously, that pinball is wicked! For the knight in the middle kicking the ball to your face, the lightning, music, fun factor of this table is just insane. I was not extremely attached to the digital representation of BK and BK2000, not bad tables by any mean, just not personal favorite, but this one seem to have a different layout, gameplay out of the BK serie ( well it was the Pro version they were having, so could not see if the added playfield of the limited ed. would have change my feeling ). This is for me as perhaps detroned T2 as my personal favorite real life table that iv tried in my life. The multiball is amazing, magma save, everything about that pinball will make me go back to it! Im telling you, find a way to play this one, its that good! :D

Some screens i took :

72-CFA134-64-DB-46-DC-A916-B86-F6-FA25936.jpg


A8-B3263-E-DF52-4083-9-C66-8-B46-C3-FC8-FB9.jpg


A21-E9491-A000-4-A47-9-F4-C-4-EBE3-C7-A0-BC0.jpg
 
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shutyertrap

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Staff member
Mar 14, 2012
7,334
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I will be in Las Vegas in 2 weeks and look forward to some hours of pinball, yeah! All the tables that I only know from TPA :)

Btw, they now have a Ghostbuster table in my area, had a blast playing it. The digital version isn't half as much fun, something feels odd. The same can be said about STERNs Star Trek table. I really suck at it in real life, it eats my money in no time so I don't play it as often as I would like. The digital version again isn't so much fun. Maybe it's the physics, especially now that FX3 is so much better - no idea.

Love that place. With $20 you can be there for hours, as opposed to 5 minutes at a black jack table!

I don't think they've broke ground yet on the new location, but be sure to drive by anyways. South side of the strip on the other side of the street from Mandalay Bay.
 

Blkthorne

New member
Jul 12, 2013
466
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Went to http://www.tiltpinballbar.com/ with my nephew, his wife and one of his friends, got to see how terrible I am at real pinball compared to digital. :p Seen the new Black Knight table but never had a chance to play it with so many people there, most of the machines were 50 cents to play, Theatre of Magic had a broken magic box. :( Got to try out the new Munsters table. We then went to https://www.updownarcadebar.com/minneapolis/ and it was lucky if we could find a working arcade machine, most had some kind of problem with them, Simpsons was sticky and the Marge joystick knob was missing. Most of the machines had controls that didn't work or buttons that would stick, never got to try a single pinball table, seemed like the same person would just stand there playing for an hour.
 
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shutyertrap

Moderator
Staff member
Mar 14, 2012
7,334
0
Yeah, it's a shame. Finding pinball machines is half the battle, finding ones in good shape is the other. Once you play a properly functioning machine, you'll never want to touch a dirty, broken down, limp flippered, cracked rubber machine again.
 

HighFive

New member
Jun 9, 2019
153
0
After going to play back both my favorite Pins, KISS and Black Knight, after two weeks, and about 40$ put in each one, im just having more fun playing KISS pinball! Hey, i got the no.4 score tonight with 117 millions! ( activated both Demon and Starchild multiball in the same game! ). And just for the fun, it seem i starting to be a nudging player haha.

Black Knight is fun, but jesus games can end pretty quickly. Its a fun game, but after playing it a bit more, i cant rank it as my favorite real table, i think i just got something for KISS. Perhaps im not understanding it well, but i just love a pinball where you can choose your like ‘missions’ to begin, like KISS, Star Trek, Mustang , AcDc.

Seriously, if i would have to buy a pin, i think my money will go toward KISS premium or Limited.

Oh, and close to this place, in a bar, out of nowhere, there is a World Cup Soccer pinball. Gave it a try, seem fun!
 

Striker

New member
May 26, 2017
138
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I played KISS today at Cidercade in Dallas. $10 buys you a day pass to a dozen or so pins and the rest of the arcade. When I arrived one of the attendants was working on KISS. I played it as soon as he was done. Very nice pin, great play. One of the best they had. One of the ones I enjoyed the most. Big music theme with their pins, as they had KISS, Beatles, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith, and Primus(!). Munsters played well, too. Game of Thrones and Star Trek were drain magnets. Attack From Mars (Chicago Gaming) had pathetically weak flippers. Medieval Madness (CG) was a little better. AC/DC was superb. Star Wars was fine, but I have no idea what I am doing. Beatles was a little underwhelming. I had high expectations. Spider-Man was by far the most popular. Least popular was Marvel’s Avengers.
 

ZREXMike2

New member
Oct 22, 2018
863
0
I played KISS today at Cidercade in Dallas. $10 buys you a day pass to a dozen or so pins and the rest of the arcade. When I arrived one of the attendants was working on KISS. I played it as soon as he was done. Very nice pin, great play. One of the best they had. One of the ones I enjoyed the most. Big music theme with their pins, as they had KISS, Beatles, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith, and Primus(!). Munsters played well, too. Game of Thrones and Star Trek were drain magnets. Attack From Mars (Chicago Gaming) had pathetically weak flippers. Medieval Madness (CG) was a little better. AC/DC was superb. Star Wars was fine, but I have no idea what I am doing. Beatles was a little underwhelming. I had high expectations. Spider-Man was by far the most popular. Least popular was Marvel’s Avengers.

Striker that place sounds like pinball heaven! :)
 

Striker

New member
May 26, 2017
138
0
Cidercade is a great place. I was hoping to visit the Texas Pinball Museum in Midlothian about 30 minutes away, it has roughly 40 machines. But the place closed indefinitely earlier this month. A great disappointment, as they had one of only two Big Lebowski pins available for public play in the entire United States! On loan from a collector.
 

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