[imjay]

I've had four days with the Attack From Mars game and it is a wonderful addition to our small pin game collection. A quick, initial cleaning of the playfield allowed its great condition to show and only two switches needed adjustment to achieve 100% operation game play.


This is a fun machine. It confirms my belief that the "golden years" of pin were and are the 90s - back when Bally, Williams and Midway brands/models were manufactured.


The newer Stern games just aren't in that same league for the most part.


I'm very lucky to have found this AFM in very good condition at a very good price and it will join the TZ, MB and TAF and I don't think I could ask for a better small grouping of pins.


Our advice based on our experience is that if you want a pin game for your home game room look for a 90s game made by the above manufacturers and you can hardly go wrong.


Time to sign off and go battle the martians!

 

[elmalloc]

anyh pics

 

[imjay]

SPOKE TOO SOON!!!!!!! - LOL!


I decided I should replace three burned out #908 flasher bulbs in three of the small saucers.


Did That - hit the power switch and no Playfield GI and the game wouldn't boot.


Could be a coincidence - but #105 fuse blows - I tested the diode style rectifiers and D9 shorted.


Now I have to wait for a diode shipment in the mail while - just in case - I'm replacing the lamp sockets - I pulled the Driver Board and found a few "hacks" here and there. Nothing that apparently affected game operation but - you know - hacked boards are just problems waiting to keep you from enjoying your game!!


Just for "grins" I decided to buy a brand new NOS Driver Board while I ship the old one the Atari Jim for a analysis and rework.


BTW - if you ever need a board re-worked Mr. Atari Jim in Florida is good people and does VERY GOOD work.


I'm really not complaining cause I got a really good price for the game and if I have to spend a few dollars to get it perfect I don't mind but the lesson here might be to not fix something that ain't totally broke!!

 

[elmalloc]

Good luck!

 

[Stavs]



Quote:
Originally Posted by imjay /forum/post/18199672


I've had four days with the Attack From Mars game and it is a wonderful addition to our small pin game collection. A quick, initial cleaning of the playfield allowed its great condition to show and only two switches needed adjustment to achieve 100% operation game play.


This is a fun machine. It confirms my belief that the "golden years" of pin were and are the 90s - back when Bally, Williams and Midway brands/models were manufactured.


The newer Stern games just aren't in that same league for the most part.


I'm very lucky to have found this AFM in very good condition at a very good price and it will join the TZ, MB and TAF and I don't think I could ask for a better small grouping of pins.


Our advice based on our experience is that if you want a pin game for your home game room look for a 90s game made by the above manufacturers and you can hardly go wrong.


Time to sign off and go battle the martians!

Do you have any mods on yours? If not, there are a lot of nice mods. The best is the Bill Ung UFO mod http://www.ufopinball.com . It adds blinking LEDS to the smaller saucers. There's also the speaker upgrades, backlit backboard, led martian eyes, shaker motor, and some others.


As far as newer Stern games, I disagree. Stern has a bunch of good games, but it depends on your states. Spiderman is fantastic and better than AFM in many regrads. Lord of the Rings, Simpsons Pinball Part, Batman, Pirates...many good games. The majority of their duds are just poor themes.

 

[lightguy]

I collect the Bally Williams DMD games. The Apex of Pinball.

A new collectible hobby still in its infancy IMO.

Also have Family Guy (one of my favorites) Lord of the Rings and Simpsons. All from Stern.

You can FEEL the quality of BW games.

Stern is just copying old BW ideas and repackaging them. I guess its better than nothing.

 

[Stavs]



Quote:
Originally Posted by lightguy /forum/post/18424261


I collect the Bally Williams DMD games. The Apex of Pinball.

A new collectible hobby still in its infancy IMO.

Also have Family Guy (one of my favorites) Lord of the Rings and Simpsons. All from Stern.

You can FEEL the quality of BW games.

Stern is just copying old BW ideas and repackaging them. I guess its better than nothing.

Nothing wrong with Sterns. My Spiderman is extremely reliabe and plays like a champ. In a home environment it will last forever. Flippers are better on sterns...much beefier. As far as copying...they are starting to copy their own stuff. Ironman is the same layout as Austin Powers

 

[lightguy]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavs /forum/post/18424622


Nothing wrong with Sterns. My Spiderman is extremely reliabe and plays like a champ. In a home environment it will last forever. Flippers are better on sterns...much beefier. As far as copying...they are starting to copy their own stuff. Ironman is the same layout as Austin Powers

The LOTR I have has the infamous fading flipper coils.

They get hot as ovens after a few games.

Terry at Pinball life has upgraded coils.


There is NO love for the Austin Powers. I thought it was fun the few times I played it.

Shrek = Family guy. I have to get the Shrek sound chips and swap them to get a "new" game.

 

[Stavs]

You should be able to just do usb update to get Shrek. I dont think you have to replace any chips.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Bump.


I just got an AFM myself. What a great pin!


Did you ever get your GI issue figured out? What was the problem?

 

[imjay]

Almost forgot I started this Thread - since then I bought a LOTR - route game from a local operator - 3rd game I've bought from him and I have to admit I enjoy the depth of the rule set and the features of the machine - The LOTR pin is SO MUCH better than the movies - except for maybe the first film - my problem is I began reading the books back in the mid 60s and after reading them about 50 times I just couldn't take the changes when they wrote the screenplays for the films

For the first time in a long time I unlocked to "garage-a-cade" and powered up all the pins and neons and displays and played the pins for a couple of hours and really enjoyed it - specially the AFM and MB.


GI issue went away when I installed new driver board. Sent the old one to Jim - he found multiple problems. Re-installed the original board and all is well.


This probably should be a different Thread - I'm not real sure that I can get into a pin with a theme of the Wizard of Oz - it would have to be spectacular for me to get past that theme - might be nice if video on the LCD backbox monitor is "real" people from the movie but if there is a lot of animation or cartoon replicas I don't think it will work. It's my age showing but I would not be able to invest over $7k in a pin and I doubt many operators will buy in at that price point and a HUOnly market @ that price seems doubtful - BUT - wait and see - glad someone else besides Stern is making new pins.


Glad someone is posting about pins again at AVS.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Congrats on the LOTR. That is a pin I want to own someday. I've played one on location many times. I like it, but I'm not good enough to have experienced the depth to the game. Based on my limited play, I prefer AFM by a fairly large margin, despite AFM's comparative lack of depth.


Re Wizard of Oz, I think that it is going to be one hell of a pin! I know there are a lot of people who don't care for the them...but I know of a couple guys who were calling it "gay" and finally caved in and have now pre-ordered it!


While theme does matter, there is one thing that I've learned thus far in my relatively short time in this hobby, and that is that theme doesn't matter that much if everything else about the pin is great.


My case in point is Wheel of Fortune. I was at a location that had half a dozen pins. I'd been there 5 or 6 times, and never once played WoF because the theme didn't appeal to me in any way. Well, I decided to finally give it a try, and I was completely blown away by the game play. Very unique, and the theme is integrated into the game play superbly.


I'm not buying the Oz pin, but I'm willing to bet that it will be awesome. They have put together a top notch team, and they have something to prove.

 

[rgould1669]

AFM is a great pin. I have a HUO AFM,HUO MM,HUO CV,MB,restored TAF,RFM restored IJ,GNR the sterns I have are just as good or better the B/W I have Spiderman,Batman DK,Iron Man,LOTR,Family Guy,Avatar LE,Simpson and I have pre ordered a Tron LE.

 

[Rob Tomlin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by rgould1669 /forum/post/20439576


AFM is a great pin. I have a HUO AFM,HUO MM,HUO CV,MB,restored TAF,RFM restored IJ,GNR the sterns I have are just as good or better the B/W I have Spiderman,Batman DK,Iron Man,LOTR,Family Guy,Avatar LE,Simpson and I have pre ordered a Tron LE.

Holy moly! What an incredible lineup of pins! Will you adopt me?

 

[TheHills44060]

Good thread. I had no idea several companies were still making pinball games in the 1990's

 

[Steve Wright]

Always fun to see who are members here and at the bash!

 

[Rob Tomlin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Wright /forum/post/20522081


Always fun to see who are members here and at the bash!

I have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[trendsa]

wow, that looks like an awesome game you got there. I want to get something like that for my own setup.

 

[lightguy]

I searched what seemed forever and paid a premium for an AFM with no outhole wear.

A year later Gene Cunningham comes out with repro playfields.

Figures.


I have a few Sterns as well.

Bally/Williams rules !

 

[imjay]

After market Playfields just aren't the "real deal"!!!.


I just sold my AFM to a VERY happy guy - PF was almost perfect. I can understand someone using a "repro" or aftermarket part if that is their only option but original is, of course, the preferred option and well worth paying for.