# Top 10 Most Underrated Pinball Machines Of All Time

**Source:** Straight Down the Middle  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2020-12-26  
**Duration:** 30m 1s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWGtfj6100U

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## Analysis

Zach and Greg from Straight Down the Middle present their top 10 most underrated pinball machines, arguing that games like The Beatles, Willy Wonka (Jersey Jack), Popeye, Stranger Things, Godzilla, Meteor, Radical!, Jackpot, and Lethal Weapon 3 are underappreciated despite their quality gameplay, innovative design, or accessibility. The hosts emphasize that underrated machines are often overlooked because players haven't given them sufficient time or because secondary market pricing doesn't reflect their actual value and playability.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] The Beatles is one of the best contemporary Stern machines and one of the best Stern pinball machines ever made, but people didn't buy it when released. — _Zach, #10 ranking discussion; notes it came in three trim levels (Pro/Premium/LE) and was designed by Joe Kaminkow_
- [MEDIUM] Willy Wonka (Jersey Jack) is arguably a better pinball machine than Wizard of Oz and better than Pirates of the Caribbean. — _Greg, #8 ranking discussion; states this after playing a loaner machine_
- [HIGH] Popeye is one of the deepest super pins and one of the most difficult codes ever, with replayability unlike other Williams super pins. — _Zach, #7 ranking discussion; claims designer Barry Oursler confirmed its quality_
- [HIGH] Stranger Things has design flaws (projector brightness, telekinesis mechanism issues) but is still underrated for its innovation in projection mapping and UV reactive ink. — _Greg and Zach, #6 ranking discussion; acknowledges multiple reported issues_
- [MEDIUM] Godzilla is better to play than The Simpsons and features the largest singular ramp in pinball. — _Zach, #5 ranking discussion; compares two Sega titles_
- [MEDIUM] Meteor is the best, or maybe the best, spinner/rip shot in all of pinball and possibly the greatest early solid state game ever made. — _Zach, #4 ranking discussion; argues it's underrated because examples can be found cheap (~$1500)_
- [MEDIUM] Radical! may be topping Zach's favorite System 11 ever made, possibly surpassing Whirlwind. — _Zach, #3 ranking discussion; notes rarity and ramp irreplaceability issues_
- [HIGH] Lethal Weapon 3 is underrated because people who own it universally praise it, and it's an affordable entry-level machine for learning pinball repair. — _Zach and Greg, #1 ranking discussion; notes secondary market price ~$2000 or cheaper_

### Notable Quotes

> "it's underrated because appreciated a lot of these are very underrated and under-appreciated because people just won't give them a chance"
> — **Zach**, ~10:00
> _Core thesis for why these machines are on the underrated list—owner appreciation vs. community dismissal_

> "it is one of the best stern pinball machines made and boy when it was announced and released people didn't buy it they didn't no not really"
> — **Zach**, ~4:30
> _The Beatles' initial market reception—high-quality game with poor sales due to pricing and positioning_

> "popeye is a hidden gem it is very very underrated and for the price right now you're getting a lot of game"
> — **Zach**, ~35:00
> _Directly advocates for Popeye's value despite its appearance and production history baggage_

> "there's no way you don't like this pin... people just it's the fun thing to kick"
> — **Greg**, ~49:00
> _On Stranger Things—acknowledges community pile-on despite the game's actual fun factor_

> "i would rather shoot godzilla and play godzilla than what i would simpsons absolutely absolutely"
> — **Zach**, ~59:00
> _Strong personal preference statement defending Godzilla over a more prestigious Sega title_

> "give me this over fathom over sea witch over give me this over quicksilver... i think it is probably the single greatest early solid state game ever made"
> — **Zach**, ~70:00
> _Meteor ranked above many venerated early solid state classics by a knowledgeable community member_

> "it's ahead of its time and i know it's very dated 80s and a lot of people get turned off that too i think it's awesome"
> — **Zach**, ~82:00
> _Valley's Radical appreciation—recognizes why people dismiss it but argues design merit transcends aesthetics_

> "lethal weapon three i'm gonna agree with you 100 this is this is a game that i [ __ ] on for a long time and then you know what yep i faced the music i had to play it i had to own it and it is a damn good game"
> — **Greg**, ~115:00
> _Personal conversion story—initially dismissive, then recognized its quality through experience_

> "you cannot take it seriously if you come in and you just want to have a good time and have a challenge it's why people listen to vinyl"
> — **Zach**, ~125:00
> _Philosophical stance on Lethal Weapon 3's chaotic design—embracing imperfection as feature_

> "it's gonna be one of the best first pins that you can buy if you're just getting into the oh that's very much so"
> — **Zach and Greg**, ~130:00
> _Lethal Weapon 3 positioned as accessible entry machine for beginners due to price and repairability_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Zach | person | Co-host of Straight Down the Middle; passionate pinball enthusiast and collector; knowledgeable about game design and history |
| Greg | person | Co-host of Straight Down the Middle; pinball player and collector; often skeptical until convinced by experience |
| Joe Kaminkow | person | Designer of The Beatles pinball machine; Stern Pinball designer known for high-quality contemporary games |
| Barry Oursler | person | Designer of Popeye; classic Bally Williams designer; confirmed to Zach that Popeye is a strong game |
| Steve Ritchie | person | Designer of No Fear: Dangerous Sports; legendary Williams/Bally designer known for innovative playfield layouts |
| The Beatles | game | Stern Pinball 2018 release; premium licensed game ranked #10 most underrated; three trim levels; Joe Kamenkow design; expensive but highly regarded by owners |
| Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory | game | Jersey Jack Pinball game; ranked #8 most underrated; complex code structure with difficult layout; excellent shot design; Lawlor layout |
| Popeye | game | Bally Williams super pin; ranked #7 most underrated; deep code, difficult modes, high replayability; Python Anghelo design; underappreciated despite quality |
| Stranger Things | game | Stern Pinball 2020 release; ranked #6 most underrated; features projection mapping, UV reactive ink, airlock ball mechanism; design flaws (projector, telekinesis) but innovative |
| Godzilla | game | Sega pinball machine; ranked #5 most underrated; rare title; large ramp; complex multi-ball stacking; released late in peak pinball era; expensive on secondary market |
| Meteor | game | Early solid state pinball; ranked #4 most underrated; best spinner rip shot; addictive gameplay; available cheaply (~$1500); underappreciated despite quality |
| Radical! | game | System 11 pinball machine from 1980s; ranked #3 most underrated; innovative captive ball mechanism; ahead of its time; semi-rare; ramps irreplaceable; underappreciated |
| Jackpot | game | Bally Williams WPC-era game; ranked #2 most underrated; 90s DMD; casino risk-reward code; underappreciated despite strong gameplay |
| Lethal Weapon 3 | game | Data East pinball machine; ranked #1 most underrated; Christmas theme; chaotic video modes; simple but difficult gameplay; affordable entry machine; universally praised by owners |
| No Fear: Dangerous Sports | game | Steve Ritchie Williams/Bally game from 1990s; ranked #9 most underrated; sports action theme; good code, repeatable shots, upper flipper loop; underrated despite quality |
| Stern Pinball | company | Major pinball manufacturer; produced The Beatles and Stranger Things among titles discussed |
| Jersey Jack Pinball | company | Boutique pinball manufacturer; produced Willy Wonka; known for complex code and precision playfield design |
| Sega | company | Vintage pinball manufacturer; produced Godzilla; described as 'underrated in general' by hosts |
| Data East | company | Vintage pinball manufacturer; produced Lethal Weapon 3; classic DMD-era builder |
| [name withheld pending review] | company | Historic pinball manufacturers; produced Popeye, No Fear, Jackpot, and other classic titles discussed |
| Straight Down the Middle | organization | YouTube/Twitch pinball content channel hosted by Zach and Greg; produces gameplay videos, reviews, and rankings |
| Flip N Out Pinball | organization | Pinball retailer mentioned for machine sales; stocks Stern, Jersey Jack, Chicago Gaming, American Pinball, and others |
| [name withheld pending review] | person | Pinball enthusiast; bought Jackpot cheaply and reported it as one of his favorite machines |
| Pinside | organization | Pinball community website and forum; source of rankings and community sentiment |

### Signals

- **[community_signal]** Multiple hosts and community members own or have owned games they initially dismissed but later recognized as high-quality, indicating a pattern of underrated machines being underplayed before ownership experience (confidence: high) — Greg's admission on Lethal Weapon 3: 'this is this is a game that i [ __ ] on for a long time... i faced the music i had to play it i had to own it and it is a damn good game'; Chris Mann's Jackpot experience
- **[market_signal]** Underrated machines trend toward lower secondary market pricing, making them accessible entry points for new collectors and a value signal for savvy buyers (confidence: high) — Meteor ~$1500; Lethal Weapon 3 ~$2000 or cheaper; described as 'cheap' and affordable relative to demand
- **[product_concern]** Stranger Things (ranked #6) illustrates tension between innovative design (projection mapping, UV reactive ink, airlock) and manufacturing/reliability issues (projector brightness, telekinesis mechanism failures) (confidence: high) — Hosts acknowledge multiple reported issues but defend innovation: 'i don't want to hinder them for trying something new'; many owners reported telekinesis problems
- **[design_philosophy]** Underrated machines often feature elegant simplicity (Lethal Weapon 3, Jackpot, Meteor) rather than complex toys/mechanics, challenging community preference for mechanical innovation (confidence: high) — Zach on The Beatles and Stranger Things: 'it does not take toys and mechs to make a fun pin'; Lethal Weapon 3: 'simple it it just the entire thing... just says 90s'
- **[collector_signal]** Community perception and secondary market pricing lag behind actual gameplay quality; owners universally praise machines that communities overlook, suggesting FOMO and trend-driven collecting (confidence: high) — Godzilla comparison to Simpsons; Popeye ownership universally positive; Lethal Weapon 3 owner consensus despite theme perception
- **[sentiment_shift]** Measurable sentiment shift in hosts' opinions after extended play time or ownership, particularly Stranger Things and Lethal Weapon 3 transitioning from dismissal to appreciation (confidence: high) — Greg on Stranger Things: initially defensive, then 'no people just it's the fun thing to kick'; same arc on Lethal Weapon 3 where he moved from skepticism to wholehearted endorsement
- **[gameplay_signal]** Complex code is double-edged: Willy Wonka's sophisticated stacking and rule structure are appreciated by experienced players but may deter casual players, contributing to underrating (confidence: high) — Willy Wonka: 'i think the best thing... it's the layout... once you grasp the stacking... it opens up even more'; players didn't initially comprehend the structure
- **[design_innovation]** Valley's Radical features unusual captive ball mechanism (balls physically locked and shot preemptively) not seen elsewhere in pinball, suggesting design innovation ahead of industry adoption (confidence: high) — Zach: 'you lock a ball physically... when you shoot the next one in... it shoots it preemptively... that is genius'; Greg surprised by designer innovation
- **[operational_signal]** Lethal Weapon 3 positioned as ideal entry machine for beginners due to affordability, teachability, and repairability—suggesting operational/educational value beyond pure gameplay (confidence: high) — Hosts note: 'it's a pinball player's game... one of the best first pins that you can buy... gonna learn how to fix and tinker and solder'
- **[historical_signal]** Community dismissal of Valley's Radical and Lethal Weapon 3 partly driven by 1980s-1990s aesthetic preferences that have aged poorly in eyes of modern collectors favoring contemporary themes (confidence: medium) — Valley's Radical: 'it's very dated 80s and a lot of people get turned off'; Lethal Weapon 3 artwork 'atrocious but so fitting'; Popeye looks 'like a toilet bowl' to outsiders
- **[community_signal]** Clear pattern of underrated machine owners becoming vocal advocates in community forums, but these voices drowned out by broader market sentiment favoring licensed/premium titles (confidence: high) — Hosts note Popeye owners 'pop up and give the sentiment that it is very underrated'; Jackpot praised by community players; Meteor owners report high satisfaction despite low visibility
- **[market_signal]** Licensed premium titles (The Beatles, Stranger Things) command high prices but don't guarantee appreciation, while unlicensed or lower-profile games (Lethal Weapon 3, Jackpot) offer better value and owner satisfaction (confidence: high) — The Beatles discussed as expensive premium Stern machine with modest sales; Lethal Weapon 3 'you can pick up one for about two thousand dollars or cheaper'

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## Transcript

all right let's kick this [ __ ] you hit it with the bumper knife [Applause] [Music] hi guys welcome back to straight down the middle we're back and this is zach you guys know us you love us i hope if this is your first time checking out this video hold on tight because here we go greg what are we doing today top ten that's a good one top ten you like top two man finish most underrated games this is a damn good top 10. the top 10 most underrated pinball machines i'll tell you right out of the gate you know what dude you tell me right for what jurassic park lost world should have been on that list you know what why didn't we have that that was a good uh oh actually you kind of like it now you're a little better i do now i think it's under that's an underrated game but i i guess i can only fight for that game so much you were talking about x-files being very underrated i kind of agree expose this but it's still kind of tough it's still kind of a tough it's a good game very shallow very underrated but shallow there's more so agree with us disagree with us it doesn't matter what we need you to do is follow and like us here at youtube and go over to facebook the facebooks and follow them like that and in the comments section tell us if you agree if you disagree that's not underrated or oh that game sucks no or uh put your own down there okay so we had our honorable mentions greg let's let's kick it off here the top 10 most underrated pinball machines of all time to us are the following start with number 10. number 10 is a game that i think is not only one of the best contemporary machines i agree but one of the best stern pinball machines made and boy when it was announced and released people didn't buy it they didn't no not really people did not really buy much of it they come out in three trim levels it was more of a boutique kapow title they came out instead of pro premium led yeah designed it platinum diamond what the [ __ ] the beatles oh [ __ ] what did what you were looking at i was like number nine i'm like i'm looking at number 10. i was looking at number one i mean because i was like well camera cow designed it so yeah i was like there were three trim levels i'll sit here going i want that [ __ ] i want the l.a i want the platinum one i'm talking about the beatles no pal didn't know george gomez who tweaked the sea witch layout and perfected it yes added some toys spinning discs some magnet use we've got drop targets galore you've got repeatable looping shot you've got a code now in it that is superior uh to see which oh man it's like a casino slot machine whenever you get to the boots better than sea witch hacks man i believe wizard mode there's so much in that game it is the beatles and it's the bait oats it's the bite and and it was one of my dream themes remember when we did that old video top 10 dream thieves one of my dream themes you get the assets from the music you get the film assets from uh when they filmed ringo and then they filmed mccartney and linen and you know how you know that it's it and i think that it's gonna be like that with a lot of these well not a lot of these games some of them are not going to be that way but people who own the game mm-hmm they're the ones who enjoy it yes it's underrated because appreciated a lot of these are very underrated and under-appreciated because people just won't give them a chance that's why they're on this list a limited edition it's not people who own them or have a lot of time on them that under appreciate them we're just talking like people give them a chance the artwork franchises are i mean beautiful where does this fall short that's probably one of the prices people say the price the price that's what the price i have a hard time buying that game but it's a fun game and and is it worth it compared to some other pins i don't care i still say it's underrated because it's a blast to play especially how many starting games can you really say greg that man when i got a group of people over playing everybody for that it's perfect for that but the bill of materials on this everybody don't have two plastic ramps yeah i think two plastic ramps is really what boosts a bill of material no the bill of materials on the beetles is just as much if not more than a regular pro or premium pinball machine license coils drops everything it's it adds up it's all there well and again i will be i am one of the strongest advocates that it does not take toys and mechs to make a fun pin yeah it does underrated and that's why it's our number 10. number nine the most underrated pinball machines the ninth most underrated pinball machines is one that the theme makes me puke a little in my mouth but i still want one that's so fun yeah i like the main toy in it yes the flow is a monster doesn't have any pop bumpers because it doesn't need them it's a Steve Ritchie game back in the ballet williams 90s eras it's no fear dangerous sports no fear you guys remember those t-shirts oh god that buddy that was just no fear i never owned one no no i refused to buy one i was a jinko guy i was a you know sean jones i wore some [ __ ] believe me but yeah food chelsea told me justin was like you should buy him a fubu outfit yeah a rock away back into the day but no it is it's like you said like there's so much going for it the code is good i like all the stuff with dirt bike like you know all the different action sports that you go the skull great yeah and the different stuff you have today yeah the upper flipper loop yeah repeatable jump ramp loop it's a fast fun game with a lot of shots like it's a game that if you made today and you rethemed it would be a success a gigantic success but like you said that horseshoe loop oh that we know richie's so well at and as bad as i hate the theme it like i said there's still a pen i want to own i'm just not part of my main room it's staying hidden it is that is staying hidden but i want to play it i want to play because i've played it on location yeah i love it every time you take her out of town when you take her out here not in the same zip code no fear dangerous sports number nine really really and some of the people that own and play that they'll agree with you yeah oh that's a really good game and if you play one on location man drop a few coin in there drop a target to block that little button this is good number eight the number eight rated uh most underappreciated uh underrated game yeah it's a jersey jack it's a jersey chat game and i'm a little mixed on whether this is underrated i think it's underrated because it get i think a lot of people knock it that don't really understand it people don't give this game a chance no maybe it may be the best jersey jack pinball machine i can i don't think it is but it may be it may be because there is something special and something different about it but that is yeah willy wonka and the chocolate it's not the hobbit here no on our top ten list it's willy wonka because i would have said the same thing like with a few games zac dropped one off loaned it to me because he was a major player yeah maybe play because you know he wanted us to be able to view it you know all this stuff so he he gave me a loaner and i fell in love with it oh geez it shoots well just some of the shots on there are the best that lawler layout was beautiful it's a smooth it is brutal it is brutal it's what's weird about because it's floaty it's smooth but it's tough it's tough it is outlanes are mean yes oh man it's just some of those shots like that tv shot sneaking in there that's a feel good shot the ramp diverter but the tv shot that's what's crazy is that tv shot that's one of the tough things is that's what everything boils down to that's your modes that's where you're wanting to start everything that's where you need to do everything and it's going to be your mysteries yeah multipliers and i honestly think and that it's the code like i just don't think people wrap their head around the code and the structure of the code and it takes a little bit of learning and there's genius there's some people that i know that that played it quite a bit that still just didn't comprehend the code and once you grasp the stacking and what all you need to do it opens up even more and i enjoyed it even more but i think the best thing like you said is the shot it's the layout it's it's waller it was i could argue telling blue in the face that it is a better it is a better pinball machine than wizard of oz very much so it's very much so when you compare it to dialed in it's tough i think it's it checks enough boxes it's better than dialed in yeah it checks enough boxes yeah checks enough boxes overall um i prefer it over pirates i really prefer it over pirates that's crazy but i do it shoots better it's just a traditional pinball machine there's not a lot of wizardry and gimmicks there's not a lot of i don't know what to say it's just classic doesn't it it is a classic pinball machine make sure to check out the straight down the middle uh willy wonka review yeah for more information on that number seven underrated pinball machines the seventh most underrated pinball machine is one i had to fight for because greg was like i gotta let him have it yeah i'll let you have it i don't know about it uh it's my baby back there you're carrying this one back there there she is it's popeye fine you can turn it off if you want to yeah i don't give a [ __ ] popeye is one of the greatest bally williams in the 90s much less a super pin i rave about popeye because of not only its beauty it's a Python Anghelo yeah i mean that guy is odd and different beautiful artwork i like i like the theme uh they create like a new atmosphere and a new storyline for popeye it is one of the deepest super pins nobody ever thinks about that it's one of the most difficult codes ever no one ever worries about that the damn upper playfield mini wizard kind of thing up there finding uh sweet pea unbelievably difficult this thing has replayability like no other bailly williams super pin it's just a fact it's got all kinds of toys all kinds of guys gadgets and it's the modes are really tough and it's a very difficult game but people pooh-pooh it uh because of some of the the lore that surrounds the early production of this thing i talked to barry also he was the designer in this game wanted to do a piece with him on popeye and even he said damn zack like you pick any game that i've done i've done so many games and really you're gonna pick popeye popeye is a hidden gem it is very very underrated and for the price right now you're getting a lot of game well and here's what i want to really argue with you is i've seen a few people pop up in popeye owners or when a popeye is for sale i've seen quite a few people pop up and give the sentiment that it is very underrated and that people don't appreciate that game for what it is when you own it so i i don't have time on it but when i see multiple i listen people think it looks like a toilet bowl oh i think it looks cool dude non-pinball people come in here and they're like this is a really cool looking game yeah i think it's neat looking it's man there's a world ship yeah it's neat and blue does 3d i agree give popeye a chance yeah own it give it a chance i gotta give you that one i like it when something's on the list that i have to do that with the wait is over a revolution in led lighting for your pinball is finally here fully customizable full spectrum lighting from PinStadium Lights order yours now at kingstadium.com chrome it brass it black nicolette candy chrome it powder coated the possibilities are endless at pinballplating.com your pinball machine deserves the best at comet pinball you'll find the best variety of led products with the best quality leds and most importantly at the best price your collection is begging for an upgrade order yours now at cometpinball.com check out pin graphics for the latest and greatest in pinball enhancements power blades blade skins pin blades and even more visit pin graphics.com now to see what's available for your pinball machine should kick us off with number six then since i've left a lot of poor taste in people's mouths there with numbers this is a pen that i express every time i play yeah or talk about it that i will always fight for this pin i will too and that is stern pinballs stranger thing deal with it people yeah it is insecure underrated pinball machine one of my favorites in the last handful of years by stern pinball i agree and the code is what makes it for me shots are fun though too they are i'm not mad at brian left orbit to the right ramp left that left orbit that is one of my favorite in the clunk that it made i'm sorry it's yes it's it is inner right orbit that comes out the left orbit and it's a good shooter that white ramp is tough to hit it's fun hitting the demogorgon i know you had trouble with yours a lot of people did i can hit mine yeah they can hit my mouth you know mine was fixed i think a lot of other people i don't know if they issued a fix for because i thought i'd heard somebody say that they haven't that pen needs tweaking it needs tweaking they're still trying to tweak my telekinesis there are some minor design flaws but i've heard some people telekinesis works fine i know like but you want something especially in this kind of product to come out but besides that point it is super underrated yes with its code with its shooting i think it's just the toys and mechanisms this thing took so many chances and bring so many things in 2020 that people just never seen a projection mapping just displays yeah come on man that's unbelievable a ball that locks on the backboard in the air yeah and then you've got the uv kit that shines embedded ink that is uv reactive get out of here the theme is unbelievable and it's a hard thing when you spend that much money to to defend ingenuity and trying to make sure forward it is it is because the the projector could be brighter it could be a little crisper uh telekinetic telekinesis could work right but art could be a little better i still i will always argue like i don't want to like i want a pen that works and i want everything to work but i also don't want to hinder them for trying something new because that's what we all [ __ ] about we want something new and and every time i do look at that projector i'm kind of like i think that i want to upgrade to the premium because i kind of want it it's still kind of cool and i really want to see that in more pins and everything but to me it's still you like stranger things i there's no way you don't like this pain no people just it's the fun thing to kick yeah it's a fun thing to push it is because like you said like when it came out people talked about it being barren yeah that you got to pay for the uv kid there wasn't a lot there i think a lot of people attacked it but again it's like star wars or anything else that we thought like beatles like you don't always need a bunch of toys and mechs to make a game fun but there are these are very innovative points yeah it just shoots good it's just fun to shoot you want to know how i know for a fact that that's underrated because it will not leave my collection no the only reason the only reason i sold mine is because i am a [ __ ] penny pension [ __ ] and like i saw the price dipping you're looking no so fast and so hard i was like i had to get rid of it but i didn't want to sell it i sat proud with an l.a i was like i don't know yeah held in strong and i don't know i wish i would have because i still my wife's mine is beautiful too yeah that's man that's crazy what about number five on the most underrated pinball machines ever made that's another sega sega is just are underrated in general yeah but this is probably my favorite segment i love it yes godzilla Joe Balcer yep i think it's your [ __ ] i'd rather i'll tell you this you call me stupid just talk all kinds of [ __ ] everybody wants to but i would rather shoot godzilla and play godzilla than what i would simpsons absolutely absolutely yeah like that's how and look where simpson sets i know look at all the prey simpsons get now godzilla's expensive now it is didn't make a lot because it's rare didn't make it at the end of the peak of pinball the code is good on those yeah you're trying to stack that five multi-bar all at once and then count oh and that's good the molding yeah molding's badass oh one of the largest ramps in pinball the largest ramp in pinball the largest singular ramp in pinball every single piece piece yes uh it's it's kind of pretty it is kind of a pretty game it does it lights up well like you said like can you imagine having a sculpt like that and a pen today never no no never no it's insanity groot is about the closest you're gonna get yeah group yep that's a neat unique head on it it was a different it was still a showcase but it was different than the other sega showcase it's a cool game it is a cool game it's a really cool game i like call out the paw prints but the inserts are light up there was a lot going on with that man that art on the slings plastics were ugly i've told this story before but like i first played it in louisville and i couldn't get off of it that was like at a show at expo yeah and me and out cars marc chick played it and everything like battled him on it and and like that was you got what hundreds plus games there in pins and like that was the game i played i paid in the mission to go in and play one game i i bought one i didn't think i'd ever get rid of it but i needed to cycle through and play different games and that one held a pr i basically was given a price that i couldn't turn down yeah well it was still early on like i think that if you were to get one now if it would have came out if you ever been to that price you would no i'm just saying it would have probably kept in your collection more oh yeah i only had three up games yeah and feeling out more games and everything i agree yeah if you're gonna do that solid like that iron man rule set or that um that avatar rule set this is that rule set very it really is the fourth the fourth highest underrated pinball machine is one of my favorite early solid states yeah and i don't know some people may say greg this isn't really underrated people love this game but you'll see why we underrate it uh it's meteor it is meatier electronics meteor it is the best maybe the best spinner rip shot in all of pinball i could agree it was very addictive uh competitively it's so fun to play with friends when you're trying to match up quick ish games you're building up that that spinner jackpot and then you're hitting it uh there's some nuance to the co2 that makes it fun it's not the prettiest thing but i i fall on the side of what you just said like i kind of consider it to be not a popular game but not an overlooked game it's just for the lighting why do you like where where are you coming from that the reason it's so underrated is because you can pick one of these things up for like 1500 bucks yes give me this over fathom over sea witch over give me this over quicksilver give me this over give me this over eight ball deluxe give me this over every damn early solid state i think it is probably the single greatest early solid state game ever made i can i can and it's meteor they made [ __ ] ton of these things people have them in their garage and they don't care anything about them it's that good that's why it's underrated it's just maybe it's appreciated but it needs to be appreciated more so than all these other fathom everybody's gotta have fun i can okay [ __ ] get on your meteors three times the game that fathom is good argument i agree yeah get yourself a meteor if you want to really experience early solid state you got your drop target your spinner meteor is it good point oh number three is one i need to get back i i just need to get this underrated pin back i need to restore it um and believe it or not it may be topping my favorite system 11 ever made past world whirlwinds there whirlwind's the number one system 11 for me this one may surpass it you don't see them often no they're very expensive very but every time you talk about you hear people talk about what's my favorite system 11. it doesn't get as much love people forget about it but you know uh something to reason go ahead and announce what it is real quick so we can get in it's valley's radical i think that a lot of that falls into that it's a semi-rare pin yes you don't see it no and they're always torched yes people don't want those ramps are irreplaceable yeah they're making some of them but not all yeah so i think that it's it's more from an aspect that i think that it's just people haven't been able to play it yeah they haven't been able to enjoy it for what it is it's ahead of its time and i know it's very dated 80s and a lot of people get turned off that too i think it's awesome i love the color scheme yeah but the mechanisms i mean that snake thing that i've never seen this done in pinball greg where you lock a ball physically right yes you physically bowl and then when you shoot the next one in there it uses it it shoots it preemptively when you hit the switch shoots it so it knocks it back out like a captive ball that is genius it's got ram diverted it's got ramps everywhere this is the insane thing it's the very first time because i i'd never i'd heard of it briefly but then when zach got his i'd never really laid eyes on it or put much thought into it and when i played it a few times and i'm sitting there looking at him like dude who the hell designed this like i was excited no i was expecting you to come out with somebody like borg or somebody back in there you know somebody maybe one of richie's are the first something crazy like when they were a brand new designer and they really tried some neat stuff one hit wonder guy yeah and i was just like they you named the dude at that point and i was just like who the hell is that dude yeah it's insane dude it's like you said it's ahead of its time it very much is meat very much is got to get me a radical so can't believe i got rid of that one scary don't worry number two is one that you love and one that just people scream all love the time they just scream it and it's underappreciated because again in its classification era of games it might be one of the best yeah that that uh 90s bailly william dmd it's jackpot yeah not pinbot not bro jackpot is cool love jackpot one of our buddies chris mann said that easily he bought it just because it was cheap easily one of his favorite pins he's ever played in his life and we hear that echoed by a lot of the community i agree i agree it's underrated because you just don't really see anybody like searching for one i don't get that's pretty but i know a lot of very good players a lot of people it's just a fun it's another pmbot feel yeah but it's a fun set it's the it's the code yeah this is the internal games it's i've been told it's the ultimate risk reward game yeah you go into that casino uh the casino mode and you're trying to build up and you're trying not to get your whammy you're trying not to max out and bankrupt yourself it is and it's a fun shooter yeah that's why people love pennbot it's taking pmbot to the next level into the 90s with code and it's easy but it's not because it can it can you need to hit your shots yeah people don't appreciate that people love wpcs i know that they love wpcs but this is one that people don't talk about all the time no i'd take a jackpot i'm like you bet you know the price it's it's cheap but for a decent one it's starting to creep yeah they're they're not really changing on yeah they are but it's still very underrated it's a pinball player's game yeah you're not going to appreciate this if you're looking no if you're looking for an adams family or twilight with those licenses exactly you're not going to see you need to love pinball you gotta love pinball yep agree that leaves us one left leave this smile it leaves one left straight down the middle's the most underrated pinball machine of all time is it dead east or could it not be a dead east if you take one category of everything that's underrated it's data east and sega so how could tell them what it is leave the weapon three okay okay okay okay okay okay okay lethal weapon three greg bone sing your the most praises pinball but you told me you tell me at least once a week viewer uh once a week greg in the middle of a conversation i'm like yeah i took my wife out to oh charlie say he's like hey i gotta tell you something i'm like what and he's like i'll never get real lethal lethal like okay it'll never go anywhere no it won't it's lee the weapon i mean who didn't grow up on lethal leave the Carl Weathers yeah but it's great iconic christmas movie it's christmas movie it's more way more christmas yeah it opens up it's in christmas it all happens during christmas day beautiful yeah it's it's even more crazy gremlins is hard too like yeah gremlins christmas the artwork is atrocious but so fitting and so fun the call outs are so horrendous repetitive yes Marc Silk i don't think there is a repetition no leo i think people over i i think that that's one of those things that hurts it that people over overhype it's not the colors are not that bad same thing with with shoot the pier no you got zz top you got cnc music factor and you got the theme you get the pick from three cracks three tracks three tracks but the shots it's a camera cow pen that's why the first one when you were talking about cowboy i was like oh we're jumping off leave the weapon through it is the shots are fun it's simple it it just the entire thing from the artwork to the call out spinner shots to everything ramp it just says 90s yes it just says 90s and and i just i still cannot put my finger on what makes this game so much fun but you talk to someone who owns it and they're going to tell you yeah it's a freaking fun pin it is just a fun pin the code is simple it's easy to understand you're basically just shooting spinners or three saucers the entire damn game is all you're doing but it's tough like ask anybody to you think that's simple as hell i can blow up ninja turtles it's special it is special yeah stranger things before i can blow up lethal weapon three i'm gonna agree with you 100 this is this is a game that i [ __ ] on for a long time yeah and then you know what yep i faced the music i had to play it i had to own it i owned it and it is a damn good game especially for the price uh it's a it's a theme that i do like i don't mind the theme i like that you get music yeah different music i happen to really like the layout i think that is great the orbit is but i love the orbit on this game yep my favorite part is the movie sequences getting them in those one two three saucers starting that movie sequence and then pressing the gun it's just fun it sounds stupid but you're getting to watch something you're waiting for it and you never miss tell the story exactly it is a moment and a building that's got flashes in it that blows up and stuff it's chaotic you know even even you go into your video mode do you think that's going to be stupid but you're sharp shooting your your targets are spinning around and they're like that's gone with the flowers it's fun yeah because it's hard and you're just like you're really trying to concentrate which takes your mind i think it's thoughtless video modes that suck and even the flipper thing it it's kind of stupid but it's chaotic yeah where you're fighting it's it's it's a gimmick but all the gimmicks in this world yes and i don't want to dog anybody but there was some recent code that came out for this game that somebody redid really yes and i heard good stuff about it but a lot of people were complaining you kind of want to move some settings because they were like hey listen you kind of removed the chaos of the game you tone things down a little too much with the chaoticness and the randomness of it and that's what made that game special yeah that's what made that game special you're taking the nerd out of it now that's why we love the nerds yeah yeah that's the thing it's making it popular come on now don't take the pin seriously you cannot take it seriously if you come in and you just want to have a good time and have a challenge it's why people listen to vinyl huh yeah it'll never leave the most underrated pinball machine of all time is data east lethal weapon and we both agree on it yeah there's gonna be a lot of people you're gonna you can pick up one for about two thousand dollars if not a little bit cheaper definitely worth that money and probably one of the best first pins that you can buy if you're just getting into the oh that's very much so daddy's you're gonna learn how to fix and tinker and solder and stuff uh but it's got a lot to offer you i agree with that greg what do people need to do they need to go check out our other videos yeah ooh here soon if we don't already have one in the playlist down there the top 10 most overrated now that's going to hurt some people you think this video gets riled up oh man wait you talk about those overrated absolutely so we've got that also follow uh chuck word on straight down the middle twitch feed uh he does live streaming there does some killer tutorials as well as uh kerry hart if you're trying to figure out how to do it yourself on pinball machines whether it's refurbishing a pinball machine fixing this or that uh carrie hardy's going to help you with that and if you're ready to buy a daddy student contact flipping out pinball to make sure that i don't have one on the used market but we do sell brand new pinball machines stern jersey jack pinball chicago gaming company american pinball and much much more coming soon this is straight down the middle we would appreciate a follow a like and continued support hell if you want to throw us a donation we're at paypal i believe it's sdt and pinball gmail.com paypal so you can do that as well we always appreciate the donations the gifts and all of the special uh thanks email is sdtm pinball at gmail.com go buy a pinball machine you owe it to yourself especially at east especially stranger things beatles flipping out pinball.com see you guys later you hit it off with a bumper knife straighten down the bed [Music] you had a fling with a slingshot you're rolling out [Applause]

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-08-04 | Item ID: e59ff44e-95e7-4b06-a303-5a279999c0fd*