If Spooky one day makes Goonies I’m buying in NIB regardless of anything.
I said the same with Halloween until I saw the game
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Spooky vs Stern - More First Machine Waffle
- Thread starter mac49uk
- Start date
I said the same with Halloween until I saw the game
TCM is excellent. The one at pinfest last year, also looney tunes, had awful stuck ball issues that made it almost impossible to get through a game. I've had to tweak mine a little but nothing too bad. I just had a league meet, 27 people played it, only issue was a sticky flipper button which I quickly changed. Scooby made it through no issues at all. Both machines were well liked. I had UXM 2 weeks before TCM, TCM has left me hardly playing UXM.
My Foo Fighters, that thing is on life support again. It made it through the meet without issue but while left in attract mode at the end it started losing the node bus. It's unplayable now. I went through the same scenario last year, node bus lost. Weeks of back and forth with stern, ended up node 8 being replaced fixed the issue. Now I'm back in the same spot again, emails back and forth with stern. Add in 14 GI sockets exploding and you can see this machine has been a right lemon. My point being even if you go with the safe ( Stern ) route you can still be unlucky and have a **** time. Seems I'm unlucky at node board roulette.
I’ve played Kev’s TCM and was pleasantly surprised, some satisfying shots, good upper flipper action and the modes all feel pretty different. Definitely exceeded my expectations.
I’m still not sure I’d buy a NIB Spooky right now, but they might be turning the corner on technical issues.
I’m still not sure I’d buy a NIB Spooky right now, but they might be turning the corner on technical issues.
What did you think of UXM Simon?
TCM was my favourite when I had Barry's BBQ, J Wick and Looney tunes here at the same time.
It's a game which really grows on you and seems like a theme very well done with loads of shots and quite an addictive ruleset
It's a game which really grows on you and seems like a theme very well done with loads of shots and quite an addictive ruleset
I’m afraid that after spending some time on it I think it’s a clunkfest. You get a taste of lovely flow for a bit if you can hit a few shots in a row, but they are so tight (especially the two either side of the Sentinel) and any rejects are going SDTM.
You even sometimes get punished for doing good stuff, had a couple of escaping the Danger Room direct to right outlane drains and the little Cerebro lock thing doesn’t drop the ball consistently to the left flipper.
And yes the code is terrible now but I’m willing to give that a pass for the time being as it isn’t complete. Just think the layout might have been a couple of shots too ambitious, though I do appreciate Jack being innovative. I think Foo is the better of the two pins.
Lickashot
Registered
I think UXM is just boring as f&$k, when I play it I don't get excited by anything at all about it. I initially liked it, honeymoon period probably lasted 2 hours. FF is now one of my favourite games.
Jib
Site Supporter
I think FF is a better layout than UXM but as someone who’s only owned modern games UXM uniqueness has been really fun for me to explore.
I wasn’t a fan of some of the early FF code and said so on the forum. I got a couple of trade offers because of that but decided because I liked the layout I’d hold onto it and wait and see where it ended up. Glad I did in the end because it’s worked its way up into my top 3.
I’ll keep UXM until 1.0 because of my experience with FF and because I’m enjoying the layout but it’s going to need a lot more than FF did to make it stick around long term. It’s probably one that’s really fun for a while but not a long term game but then that’s the majority of games for me, with only those top 3 being ones I can’t imagine getting rid of.
Waiting for code for UXM and Jaws has made me decide not to buy anything going forward that’s not either code complete or very close to it. I don’t mind paying the NIB tax but with limited space I don’t like a machine taking up a space and not being played as much because I’m waiting for code.
I wasn’t a fan of some of the early FF code and said so on the forum. I got a couple of trade offers because of that but decided because I liked the layout I’d hold onto it and wait and see where it ended up. Glad I did in the end because it’s worked its way up into my top 3.
I’ll keep UXM until 1.0 because of my experience with FF and because I’m enjoying the layout but it’s going to need a lot more than FF did to make it stick around long term. It’s probably one that’s really fun for a while but not a long term game but then that’s the majority of games for me, with only those top 3 being ones I can’t imagine getting rid of.
Waiting for code for UXM and Jaws has made me decide not to buy anything going forward that’s not either code complete or very close to it. I don’t mind paying the NIB tax but with limited space I don’t like a machine taking up a space and not being played as much because I’m waiting for code.
Jib
Site Supporter
Also how that relates to OP, right now I wouldn’t pick D&D or ED if I only had 1 machine, just because the code won’t be complete on either for a while and you won’t have another machine to switch to while you wait for the next update.
Personally I’d pick up a used pro of something you’ve played and enjoyed and wait and see where code ends up on the other 2 in a year or so.
Personally I’d pick up a used pro of something you’ve played and enjoyed and wait and see where code ends up on the other 2 in a year or so.
My understanding was Spooky were reliable in the home, but not so much on site.
I didn't have any major issues with TNA or Alice Cooper, and even as a non original Alice owner Spooky sent me parts free of charge, their technical support was top notch.
I didn't have any major issues with TNA or Alice Cooper, and even as a non original Alice owner Spooky sent me parts free of charge, their technical support was top notch.
mac49uk
Site Supporter
That is exactly where I am...
I played a load of D&D when I was a kid and then ran a game for friends during covid for about 2 years so... the theme works for me.
My main problem now is my wonderful wife - she is looking at it as a piece of furniture whilst I am looking at it as a game! She wants Creature From the Black Lagoon or something super creepy like that (we live in an old creepy house).
EDIT:
I am basically going to get a used code complete Stern I think - just gotta have a think on the theme and wait for something to come up.
I am also going to get an older game I can learn how to do the maintenance on so I am less worried about picking up something old.
I just have so little free time (run a small business) + have three kids so really want to spend more time playing than fixing.
Thanks for all the advice though folks - truly appreciated.
If Evil Dead ends up being decent I will definately buy one in a few years when they hit resale market.
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mac49uk
Site Supporter
This does seem like a common point - Spooky are not as reliable but the support is miles ahead of Stern who basically don't give a monkeys!
I think that is a bit harsh. I have had a few issues with Sterns and they have always put it right, but it does take a while sometimes.
You need to remember the size of Stern, they need to log and record all the issues etc., which would then feedback in.
This sounds a bit like me, I wanted one for my 50th so a few weeks before I started enquiring with Pinball heaven, they were go to @Tilt_Birmingham especially on the pinball social play as many as you can, I did this for 3 months and was still unsure as NIB is a lot of money especially when its your first but remember its never worth nothing. I really wanted a GOG but they werent making any more at the time. In the end I took the safe route brought GZ Pro and was super happy. (6 months had passed by then)
Fast forward, I now have my Guardians but I had to get the wife a Stranger Things so we have 3 but the plan is to rotate 1 (not my one).
Stern Pro's of a few years back seem to be around 6k so just pick a theme you like with the intention of selling it on to get the machine you really want later on.
I figure buying used and keeping for 6-12 months probably will probably most me £500-750 if I am lucky then I will go again and look for Sterns coming down in price to around the 6-7k and just repeat, eventually ending up with 2-4, I really love over say 5-10 years.
Well that's the plan, although I did dream I had put an offer on the Avengers LE from TILT and woke up wondering how I was going to pay for it.
Fast forward, I now have my Guardians but I had to get the wife a Stranger Things so we have 3 but the plan is to rotate 1 (not my one).
Stern Pro's of a few years back seem to be around 6k so just pick a theme you like with the intention of selling it on to get the machine you really want later on.
I figure buying used and keeping for 6-12 months probably will probably most me £500-750 if I am lucky then I will go again and look for Sterns coming down in price to around the 6-7k and just repeat, eventually ending up with 2-4, I really love over say 5-10 years.
Well that's the plan, although I did dream I had put an offer on the Avengers LE from TILT and woke up wondering how I was going to pay for it.
mac49uk
Site Supporter
Cool. No actual experience of this, just picking up on the thread of the comments - but good to hear that!
mac49uk
Site Supporter
Buy used as many have said. You should be able to sell at roughly the same price give or take and someone else has ironed out all the issues.
I love the theme more than I love the game as its a bit harder than the other 2, in a strange twist my wife prefers GOG more now where as I enjoy the challenge of ST. If you do look to get one make sure it has the UV kit on it for the upsidedown mode as that's super cool. Its older enough to be in the 6k range at Pro and having not tried premium / LE i don't know what I am missing out on and typically the Pros are less complicated (that's how I sell it too myself)
I think I spent too long thinking in the end, looking, asking and checking then repeating.
Well if you are still looking in a few months you can buy mine.