SPP better than TAF or TZ? One man's opinion (long...)
Hank Wright
just keeps getting better. I love this game and it is great news that
Stern has a real good game in production. Could this mark the resurgence
of pinball? I sure hope so. It has taken over as the game for me over
TZ, TAF, and MB. All of the people that have come over to the house are
instantly attracted to the game. Hard to get them to play TZ any more
with this beauty in the line up. Even our housekeeper's eyes lit up when
she saw the game. It is a people magnet! And a fun game to boot! Keith
and company must feel great to have come up with this hit.
I have found the layout to be really well designed. In many cases when
the ball looks like it is about to go straight down the middle, it hits
something to deflect it just a little bit and give me a chance to get
the ball back into play. The skill shots are pretty hard, but there are
multiple so if I am being lame at one, I get a chance at another. I tend
to go for the Quickie Mart (Must be an oggie or something!) And the feed
out of the pop bumpers has been flawless at feeding me the shot to
Otto's, the right ramp, Daredevil Bart, or the right loop. I have gotten
much better at hitting the left loop through the flippers. Once I
figured out the single timer aspect of the game, I started to really get
a handle on the game.
And that upper playfield! That is the best. I have gotten pretty good at
hitting the TV and then off to the couch, repeatedly getting three,
four, and sometimes five way shots. True, it does not have enough gas
sometimes, but that it why the ball is wild. The best part is trying to
hit the TV in a multiball mode, now that is a challenge like TZ's upper
playfield. Then there is the Alien invasion. Just let me say that is got
to be one of the greatest. What more can I say, this game rocks my
socks!
Over the past several years, I have purchased several Stern games
including High Roller Casino, Austin Powers (sold it), and Monopoly. I
could not bring myself to get Roller Coaster Tycoon as the sound just
grated on my nerves. SPP stands out from all the rest of the Stern games
when you look at the art, layout, and game play. All backed by the
nicest support group in existence. All of my experiences with Joe and
Chas have been first rate. They really are interested in helping and
don't have any qualms about going above and beyond. What a team!
My ranking order of the Stern games that I have owned is:
SPP
HRC
Monopoly
Austin Powers
BTW, I found that HRC (version 3.0 mind you) has a great rule set and
quite snappy. It does not have the great art or sound of SPP, but is a
wonderful game. I love the rule set. Monopoly has great art, pretty good
sound, but the rule set is too shallow. Once you have gotten to Land
Grab it is pretty much over. I don't think it would have been too hard
to come up with another level of play past Land Grab, (Something like
Monsters of Rock in MB without the playfield art support) but it is such
a let down once you get past Land Grab.
So it is SPP that is the hit with me. I would say that this game has the
potential to be Stern's Addams family. I know that I might get some
flames on that and that it would not sell nearly as many based on the
current market conditions, but I think it is that good of a game or it
might even be better (gasp, could I be writing this thought down!). I
have always loved WMS games and own about 10 and can safely say that SPP
is among the top pinball games when I compare it to TAF, MB, TZ, CV,
ToM, IJ, and MM. I might choose MM over SPP, but I think that this game
is better than TZ or TAF. It has all the elements with the ramps,
habitrails, the multi-color display, upper playfield, ball locks, great
sound, great art, and a great feel (shock horror blasphemy!). And on top
of all that, the parts are readily available and much lower cost.
At this point I can hardly wait to see the next game. I wonder about the
depth of game (hopefully as deep as SPP and HRC) and if it is going to
be using the new hardware platform. Even if it isn't based on the new
platform, Steve will surely do a great job. I loved reading his update
in Pingame Journal.
Way to go Stern!
Hank
Jesse K.
"Hank Wright" <GetA...@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:3E739912...@yahoo.com...
Jesse K.
"Jesse K." <dre...@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:N1Oca.10516$ZW4.2...@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com...
dugmar
Pleasant post.
dugmar
I just sold my AFM to pay for my SPP.
This game has taken its spot, and I couldn't be happier about it.
Will I miss my AFM?
Yes.
Do I rank SPP above it?
By leaps and bounds.
Doug
Bigd849498
Derek
ps no new hardware just yet though.
James E. Hayes
on the street for about 30 days, but you will surely rile up the Stern
hating members of RGP. I have had my SPP for about 10 days and have found it
to be a great addition to my lineup. It has the usual "Stern problems" that
the RGP hard-liners repeat over and over...pixelated cabinet artwork,
fluorescent lighting behind the backglass, marginal sound quality, and paper
thin playfield clearcoat.
Fortunately, these issues don't take anything away from the game. With the
exception of the clearcoat, all of these complaints are non-issues because
they don't affect game play. I often wonder when I see these complaints if
the individuals posting them actually play their machines or just look at
them. Like most people I admire the great artwork that adorns most pinball
machines, but I like to play them more than look at them. Of course, if you
don't play your machines then the thin clearcoat used by Stern is a
non-issue. The clearcoat on mine is no thinner than the factory clear that
was on my NOS MB playfield before I sent it to Bill Davis. The reality of
the situation is that Stern does not want to design indestructible games
that will be on-site 12 years later like TAF is. If the games are beat and
pinball machines are still earning money then the operators will replace
their machines with new ones.
In the past I have tried to like the Stern games, but it just was not
possible as the games and themes were so weak. Austin Powers (2 hours worth
of crappy material to work from), Monopoly (boring theme), RCT (annoying
sound and same basic PL/PLD layout), Playboy (a T&A version of MB). South
Park could have been great, but Stern squandered the theme. On a related
note, I can only hope that we have seen the last remake of Playboy.
The Simpsons theme was perfect for a pinball machine because Stern had 10
years worth of material to base the game on. Keith and company did such a
great job on this game that I have a hard time believing that it came from
the same company that created Sharkey's Shootout. The rule set and play far
exceeds most Bally/Williams games. If anyone has not had a chance to play
SPP I recommend that they go to their local distributor and give it a try. I
look forward to seeing T3 and seeing Keith's next game because he has
managed to produce the best Stern to date.
"Hank Wright" <GetA...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
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surfer
Surfer.
Hank Wright <GetA...@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:3E739912...@yahoo.com...
Brian
Manic
"surfer" <a...@jkl.com> wrote in message
news:b51kvt$259brm$1...@ID-49477.news.dfncis.de...
> Let us know what you think in 10 years...
> Surfer.
That's a good point. I'm currently quite impressed with SPP
but will it hold up as well as TAF over the years? Sure everybody's
finally tired of TAF now but it had a helluva run...
Only time will tell - heck with no mylar and the dubious playfields
SPP may not even be AROUND 10 years from now ;-)
And that would be a shame.