Centaur vs Pin*Bot (which is better?)

[MontanaFrank]

This is my favorite table pack so far. It's the first table pack that I have been able to complete all wizard goals on both tables within the first month of release. Also, these two tables are the ones that I rank highest on leaderboards.

What I love about PB is that I can score the maximum Vortex Value 99% of the time. Thank you Superballs for showing me in you video of RBioN that there were more than one camera angle for the plunger. That really helps in shooting PB's skill shot accurately.

Centaur is a load of fun too. I think I had one of the best multi-balls of my life on Centaur. I kept five orbs on the table for longer than I ever expected.

I just love these older tables.

 

[Bowflex]

Centaur all the way for me. Pinbot is a drain monster and is limited with the 2 ball multiball. Centaur has a very unique multiball system which can give you 2-5. The sequential drop target adds an extra dimension of challenge to shot selection and strategy/timing. Plus the guardian feature is a unique way to offer an alternate multi-ball which can double as an outlane ball save if you get the ball to go out the correct side with 3/4 of that feature done. The outlanes are also brutal in Centaur (nowhere near as bad as Pinbot) but the right bounce gives you a chance to recover the ball. I think for those reasons, Centaur is more fun and challenging. Plus you can just build up the Solar Value in Pinbot to spam a ridiculous high score and that always takes away some element of fun on a digital game.
Just my take. Definitely enjoying Pinbot more than I ever did in real life or on the original PHOF.

 

[Dumpstar]

I can't choose. Pin*Bot is a sentimental favorite for me. When I was at university, the student union arcade got all the pinballs of the era, and I played tons of PB. We didn't have Centaur, although I've played it at pinball shows in the last few years. They're both great. Pinbot's music is classic, although the sound quality on the iphone/ipad is oddly tinny for some reason. It should sound like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNWMJ58aFBw

Put headphones on and suddenly the music is amazing. Only problem is that the connection gets in the way.

 

[Carl Spiby]

Bluetooth headphones.

 

[Shaneus]

Centaur... holy hell, absolutely love that game. I don't hate Pinbot at all, but Centaur is the complete package... just does everything right, and even better considering it's an '81 table. So many great little features that work well with each other rather than overburden the game.

I found out the other day that my mate has it IRL and apparently in really good condition. He's a good mate, but I'm seriously contemplating some kind of attempt on his life so I can steal Centarr

 

[MontanaFrank]

Centaur all the way for me. Pinbot is a drain monster and is limited with the 2 ball multiball. Centaur has a very unique multiball system which can give you 2-5. The sequential drop target adds an extra dimension of challenge to shot selection and strategy/timing. Plus the guardian feature is a unique way to offer an alternate multi-ball which can double as an outlane ball save if you get the ball to go out the correct side with 3/4 of that feature done. The outlanes are also brutal in Centaur (nowhere near as bad as Pinbot) but the right bounce gives you a chance to recover the ball. I think for those reasons, Centaur is more fun and challenging. Plus you can just build up the Solar Value in Pinbot to spam a ridiculous high score and that always takes away some element of fun on a digital game.
Just my take. Definitely enjoying Pinbot more than I ever did in real life or on the original PHOF.

Bowflex, I hadn't realized until the next day after my post about how much I liked PB that you could build up the Solar Value from game to game. That spoiled some of PB's fun. I know that FarSight will not change the values so I totally agree with you, Bowflex, that Centaur is the better of the two tables.

 

[Richard B]

Bowflex, I hadn't realized until the next day after my post about how much I liked PB that you could build up the Solar Value from game to game. That spoiled some of PB's fun. I know that FarSight will not change the values so I totally agree with you, Bowflex, that Centaur is the better of the two tables.

It is true that Centaur has a better ruleset than PB, along with other advantages, but I'm having more fun with PB right now; it's a strange case of liking the technically inferior machine over the superior one. Breaking it down:
Ruleset - CT
Art - CT
Sound - PB
Playfield - ??????????

 

[Bowflex]

Sound is definitely superior on Pin*bot. Love the synthesized speech. It also has one feature I like which is the special lot on the third ball if your first two balls reap a low score, much like dr. Dude.