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Fair enough. I think it would also be fair to play a few before you slam Stern and make a global comment like saying they should be creative with their skills shots, don't all need to be lane change, etc. Just my .02.

Many of the ones I have played, of course not all, had this feature, which is why I noted it.  It was something I noticed right away about Stern.  I still think a lane change skill shot on ANY game above 85 is a cough out for lack of trying.  i haven't got into the Stern games, no, but I think it doesn't take much to know if you like an initial skill shot, and to have an objective comment regarding that.  My 2 cents.  

Quoted from b1buwg97

You know the more I read hippo's posts, the more  I LOVE him


oh BTW TAF if I had to pick... SOmeday, Someday

I just like to stir it up a bit....without being an annoying "troll"  

AND sometimes I even believe half of what I say
"TZ and TAF ARE boring.....slot machine, piano, slot machine, piano, slot....ughhhhh kill me, please kill me"

Quoted from Hippochrome

I just like to stir it up a bit....without being an annoying "troll"  

AND sometimes I even believe half of what I say
"TZ and TAF ARE boring.....slot machine, piano, slot machine, piano, slot....ughhhhh kill me, please kill me"

I'm glad you feel that way. Now I own your TZ

Quoted from jonny_eh

I'm glad you feel that way. Now I own your TZ

And some day I'll own your SM....now that's a pinball machine!

Quoted from Hippochrome

And some day I'll own your SM....now that's a pinball machine!

Unfortunately for you, I agree that it's a pinball machine!

I have had my TZ a couple of weeks now and have played many games.  I feel it only right that I give TAF due consideration before making a judgement.  What time on Sunday should I pick up yout TAF.  I figure 2-3 weeks should be enough.  

I have owned FH, TAF, and currently TZ.

I HATED FH more then any other machine I owned... Can't explain why, just felt like a weak TAF.  (most likely hated it because I owned a TAF first)

I had TAF for about a year before I sold it.  I sold it simply because I found that the value for the machine out weighed the enjoyment of the game.  So I traded up.

I now have a TZ.  Although all three games feel similar, TZ in my opinion is superior.  it feels the most different then the other previous two, and it is far more complex.  (I was beating TAF where I have yet to beat TZ).


Not a real fan of Pat's since he truly is a one trick pony, however I have to say his one trick is a good one.  

it's TZ for me.

TZ still my favorite machine. Often unforgiving. Suck it up!

TZ keeps me coming back over and over and over.

Ditto that!

Well, interesting post.  I obviously play the TZ a lot now having just got it, and TAF every day.  I think you can control the ball more in TAF, drains happen somewhat by chance, but largely if you miss a shot, and while the ball is out of your control.  TZ seems just more random, and uncontrolled.  I don’t like that about it.  Everything is aimed to drain so perfectly well down the center, that you really have to be ready to move the machine quite a bit. I don’t mind that, and it keeps you on your feet.   When I’m having a good game, I don’t chalk this up to skill as much as I do sheer luck that the left and right drain lanes haven’t pulled my number yet.  With TAF I often lose balls due to mistakes, missed shots and letting the ball loose to bounce around and possibly drain, or very infrequently BS drains, where a drain occurs due to a bad roll.  In TZ, it’s quite the opposite in a lot of games.  Some people have said that they haven’t won the game yet... are you talking about LITZ, or is “winning” something more?  I have no problem having a good game at some point and getting LITZ at least once a day.  I just had two this morning, BUT this was right after a game that drained the first two balls after the skill/pop bumpers.   Again, TZ, in that aspect, plays seems EM “drainish”, and I don’t like that about it.

A very simple thing that I think would have changed this is a left lane kicker, that you could reactivate, as with my F14.  On the F14, the ball goes in to the left drain quite a bit too, however the left save kicker doesn’t make this feel like a common drain, if you reload it right.  This, on the TZ, would have been a nice touch,.

As bad as they are though, I have to honestly give them a Bravo for the side lane drains.  It is simply amazing how many times the ball is able to go there, considering the size.  I really wonder if this machine was made to drain as it is, in lieu of the buy in, and finding a way to eat more quarters.

So much frustration for 45 seconds of mad fun.... hahah it’s like sex !

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  I have no problem having a good game at some point and getting LITZ at least once a day  

You must be an extremely good player, I have only gotten there once so far and I am probably better than average. Maybe your mini-playfield is easier than mine. Is the machine on factory default settings?

I'm not good at the mini playfield yet, I only win that maybe 1 out of ten times.  I can't seem to find the trick to that (the power we're talking about here right?).  I actually haven't even gone into the settings yet since having it, just played it non-stop.  It was set back to default, when "restored" by MPAmusements.  It's on regular 3 ball mode to my knowledge, I'll have to look.  Maybe my months of non-stop TAF, as they are similar in gameplay, has helped.

I'll do whatever minigame/mode gets lit, but then I'm gunning for piano/slot, or relighting it as fast as I can, and hitting power/gumball/cameras along the way.  I nearly got LITZ twice, one or two windows away.