I have the option to purchase an AFM or a Spiderman.  (Finally got the go ahead from the wife)

The AFM is $3200, is missing the martians and needs a new playfield and cabinet decals (at least).  So I expect to have to pay another $1700 or more in parts, assuming I can even find another playfield.
The Spiderman is $3700 and really only needs a good cleaning and one playfield plastic (big clear one above the Sandman targets).
Both prices are firm.
I like them both but can only fit one more pin in the gameroom in this house.  So this will be the last pin I buy until I move again in a few years and hopefully get a place with a bigger basement.  

Awaiting your opinions.

Thanks.

SM

I sold a very nice AFM for 3600$ not too long ago, i say the 3200$ price is WAY too high if you have to put 1700$ back into the game.

I'd go for the Spiderman, value wise.

Cant tell you which is better, it's only personnal taste but price wise the Spidey seems more reasonable to me.

Last year there was a guy in Anchorage selling pins cheap. If you check RGP there was a long thread about discussing shipping them south. I would hunt around on RGP for the thread. You may find something for considerably less as at the time there didn't appear to be many buyers up there.

$5K for an AFM seems pricey to me, especially if you have to put that much physical work into it.

Quoted from sealclubber

I have the option to purchase an AFM or a Spiderman.  (Finally got the go ahead from the wife)

The AFM is $3200, is missing the martians and needs a new playfield and cabinet decals (at least).  So I expect to have to pay another $1700 or more in parts, assuming I can even find another playfield.
The Spiderman is $3700 and really only needs a good cleaning and one playfield plastic (big clear one above the Sandman targets).
Both prices are firm.
I like them both but can only fit one more pin in the gameroom in this house.  So this will be the last pin I buy until I move again in a few years and hopefully get a place with a bigger basement.  

Awaiting your opinions.

Thanks.

The big plastic around the Sandman often has a small crack in it (mine does) I don't know if there is a protector for it or if it is worth swapping out .. just a heads up

Oh and SM 100% over a 5K AFM

Ditto

Spiderman is the obvious financial choice.

SM and I have both.

Spiderman by a long shot. The game is outstanding and, I think, will be a classic. I've noticed the price of the game has increased by about $500 in the last several months and it sells QUICKLY. A HUO was listed on RGP and sold within hours of the post. That said...

I don't think spending $5K on an AFM is out of question. The prices of A title games continues to go up and up and up.

If you decide to get the AFM, you can buy decals and the playfields have been repro'd. I think the playfields are still available, but I could be wrong. At the end of the day, if you did the decals, the ramps, and the playfield, you would a mint AFM, but it is alot of work.

Duane

Buy the SM! No question!

I have both and while both have great aspects to them and are both keepers for me, at the prices and descriptions you give - grab the Spiderman. That price is good and they are hard to find easily even in the US. AFM is always around to buy depending on how far you want to travel and condition you want. With the missing Martians (NLA as original or big bucks!), playfield swap and decal job - the base price should be lower - more $2800 +/- based on the last year of RGP posts. Also, Mirco repro playfields are still available but only from the private collector side and usually have a $1000 asking price and even tho I have one in my game, the quality of the clearcoat lasting ability leaves alot to be desired. So much so that I'm having my original redone to swap back in eventually

Good luck with the decision
ME

Quoted from medvet

Buy the SM! No question!

Holy crap! I thought you would recommend the AFM. I'm stunned. You love AFM....wow! High praise for Spiderman.

Duane

Between the two games all things being equal I would say AFM without a doubt, but the fact is given your estimates all things are not equal. The AFM needs a ton of work to get what you want out it by the sounds or it.

I'm not a big fan of the Stern feel. Regardless of anything else Stern always leaves me the impression of not feeling substantial like a Williams. Maybe it's an appreciation for engineering that I just can't overlook. I am willing to pay a premium for solid engineering.

I just don't get the high price for an AFM...

Sure, it's a decent game, but not $3000+ worth.

SM seems like a much better buy.


Steph

Quoted from TwilightZone

Holy crap! I thought you would recommend the AFM. I'm stunned. You love AFM....wow! High praise for Spiderman.

Duane

Now, now perspective.... I still would take AFM over SM if all other factors were equal - condition, fair price etc but not by much to be honest. I still appreciate the humour, toys and artwork of AFM over SM but playwise pretty comparable. With that said tho, my AFM is folded and BSM is not.

ME

I recently got an SM and I'm enjoying it much more than I expected. It's a fantastic game. Never owned an AFM. Played it a bunch and really liked it.

Thanks all.  I appreciate the feedback as I was a bit unswayed.  

I do like AFM a lot too but I really want a pin with more than two flippers for my third machine for a bit of a different feel.  My thoughts toward the AFM are that I know that game is highly sought after and will likely never go down in value.  The cabinet isn't as important to me as long as it's not trashed.  But the playfields on my machines have to be PERFECT.

I pretty much was leaning toward the SM as it is in better shape.  It's actually in surprisingly good shape considering it's been on route for 3 years.  Luckily, it's wedged in between two other games so it's fairly well protected.  

I will search RGP for that seller but if I get SM I won't be able to get anymore while I'm stationed up here.  Just have no more room.  But, no worries.  If I get it I will have my 3 favorite pins.  I just have to sell my Meteor before the wife will give the go ahead.  I might have to sell it at a loss and lie to my wife.  lol.

I too love the Williams feel over Stern but if I had room for only one pin and those were my choices I would choose SM too.

I have both aswell and AFM has better humour but its a easy game to beat,but AFM has one of the coolest multiballs ever ( strobe multiball )  Spidey on the other hand is easy game aswell but its far deeper and the wizard mode is hard...........really hard to beat....but can be done...

I'm going to go against the popular consensus and say AFM over SM. Spiderman is fun, but AFM is a rocksolid classic that I don't think anyone would regret getting. Granted, it is harder to find in minty mint condition, but as a major A-lister, I'm sure there are some pristine examples to be had.