Games that non collectors like - MAACA ARCHIVES - JOIN THE NEW FORUM AT HTTP://WWW.MAACA.ORG

Quoted from TwilightZone

My experience is the exact opposite. True non-pin people -- folks that never really played pinball -- ALWAYS go for the newer, more interesting looking game -- at least at my house. In my experience, TOM and Cyclone were HUGE hits as they did something fun.

Duane,

Funhouse and Cyclone do NOT count as "newer" pins

, those are classics (well Funhouse is one of the last of the pre-WPC classics).  At my place EMs and early SS still cause a stir because they are unique to most of the players and non-players. They like the typical ching chime, of the stereotypical old time pinball.  And everyone gravitates back to them, but they don't play them long (mind you some like Centigrade 37 and Stern Trident got a lot of play).  Firepower was a winner, though that typical early electronics sound bank of synthesized sounds that they used and reused, can get to you after a while.

Then the non-collectors (that's what the subject says....) like machines that have two other qualities, 1) a rocking sound or effects track, one that attracts attention, doesn't talk too much but creates a crescendo of excitement, whether that's because it has an applause track (like High Speed, Shaq or WCS'94)  or it appeals to a certain ages' music appeal (in my house that would be Laser War and BK2K), or 2) it has some easy to hit exciting features like a looping ramp.  If a game doesn't have an easily achieved exciting payout, it just won't keep its newbie audience long(which was the magic of  the Steve Richie and crew mid-era Williams, I believe).  It's like gambling,  if you hit big early, you stay and play more.  If it takes work or you fizzle, you move on.

Only player collectors with their own machines (or die hard arcade junkies) like to be continually challenged on a long term basis.

Then lastly there's the newer and relatively unknown and complicated machines and franchise theme machines.  I personally like ST:TNG but I was both a fan of the show and a regular player at our local watering hole.  Other players? Well I have yet to see how they will react but I am thinking it will be a luke warm affair.  We'll see.  For me, as a non-collector, Twilight Zone was a turn off.  I think my crowd would probably like TSPP or Family Guy.  I would like Stargate (loved the movie and the series), but the rest of the crowd might not.

Personally I am banking on Cirqus Voltaire to be my next (yeah right) big acquisition to appeal to both my friends and me (those who like the whoopla and fanfare).  I should acquire another Shaq Attaq if I could find room for it, it was a big crowd pleaser and a GREAT multi-player game.  With other multiplayer games people walk away while the others are playing out their turn, with Shaq, people would watch to see if you could make baskets and the cheers and applause and "MULTI-BALL" shouts would bring people around the machine in an instant (even if play is a little predictable).

In the meantime I have bought a Cyclone (Pat's).  Personally I like it, it's simpler than FunHouse (and less scarey for kids and me), and easy to make loops.  I predict it will be popular with friends too. Soundtrack, ik, but easy loops, and the rollercoaster sounds, yes!

For me the hobby is about fixing them, cleaning them, and pleasing/surprising my friends and family.  (And buying eBay NOS parts, apparently.) If a machine sits idle for too long, it goes.

I think we all like the aspect that we're preserving a little bit of history, bringing back some memories for our buds.  But it takes nutcases, like the collectors, to have more than one machine that sits collecting dust in the corner of your gamesroom that gives us opportunities to actually have threads like this.