Which would you own if you could only have one of them? All are priced within the same range and may be looking to fill a future gap in my collection.

AFM:
Pros: Classic game, great theme, flow, video mode, saucer action and light show.
Cons: Too similar to LOTR? (I already have an LOTR)

GNR:
Pros: Great theme, music, playfield.
Cons: A bit on the pricey side lately, DE, WIDEBODY! For me, this can be a pain to get down the stairs, but hell, it's worth a shot!

IJ:
Pros: Great theme, music, video modes.
Cons: Widebody, path of adventure (I guess it's better than LOTR's POTD though).

Owned 2 different GnR on a 2 and a half years timeframe. Loved the game and still thinks it is great.

Sold my last one to pay for AFM, love it as well. Simple but fast and fun game, it will stay for a while as i play it a lot (but i'm sure i will get bored of it eventually). Good to own in a 3+ games setup imo, wouldnt really last in a single game setup but i've got TZ and STTNG to get frustrated at so its good to have an "easier" game rules wise.

IJ, never owned, it is on my "want to own for while in order to make my own opinion" list...

I don't think Widebody is a con, I have a few widebodys and really like them

Anyway, I'm not a fan of AFM, so it would be a toss up between IJ and GnR and I think personally IJ would win.

Reasons:

Best implemementaion of videos in pinball ever, the 3 video modes the games have are really funny to play.
Lots of modes, I love modes and all of the IJ modes are fun and interesting to play
Multiball is pretty fun to play
POA is pretty fun actually if working properly
Narrow escpae can be allot of fun ont he right in lane if you get good at it.
Good theme integration

I like GnR as well but I just don't find it as fun to play as IJ, the modes in GnR all feel kinda samey and not every fun to play, but I do like Gilby rolls video mode.  

Ya, the only reason I list the widebody as a negative is the challenge it will present to me for bringing it down the stairs.

Take the head off, wrap the side of the cabinet in a moving blanket and then move it down sideways, might fit easier for you that way, if you have straight stairs.  

Quoted from jonny_eh

Ya, the only reason I list the widebody as a negative is the challenge it will present to me for bringing it down the stairs.

Isnt hard at all, take head off and also get the pf out of the game, easy to do on GnR as i did it twice (up and down) without a itch. Game is super light without the head and the pf in. Adds an hour or two to the process but really makes it easy on your back.

Attack from Mars totally. And when you are done with it, you can sell it to me.

GNR is drain-tastic, in my experience.

Quoted from jonny_eh

All are priced within the same range ..

IJ is still after many years my favorite game, mostly for the reasons Adam has already stated. AFM is a simple game, but it is humorous and fun, always a crowd favorite. I do not like GNR.

There is usually a $1K price difference between AFM and IJ, for the same money if both are in similar condition, I would buy an AFM.

My two cents..

Monster Bash.





Seriously,  I would pretty much agree with Vengeance.  AFM is still undecided for me.  GNR is an expensive Data East (but good music).  IJ is just a nice package, all around, if you are a fan of the movies.  And IJ has a helluvalotta modes to complete.

Quoted from Azatotht

Isnt hard at all, take head off and also get the pf out of the game, easy to do on GnR as i did it twice (up and down) without a itch. Game is super light without the head and the pf in. Adds an hour or two to the process but really makes it easy on your back.

That's what I was planning on doing. I did that for my HS, just because it seemed easy to do, and it was.

Is it hard to take the playfield out of a WPC?

not once the head is off, all the connectors for the PF have to be shoved down into the cabinet anyway so it's just a matter of pulling out the PF.

the PF is pretty heavy and akward tho so my suggestion is to get someone to help.  I've removed populated PF's out of machines on my own but I'm also kinda crazy sothat it with a grain of salt.  

I'd take AFM out of the equation if I were you. I had both a LOTR and AFM side by side. AFM is a blast, but the feel is too similar to LOTR. I don't want to start a debate about them being the same , not at all, etc. I just felt they had the same kind of flow and intensity. I was playing AFM non-stop. Once I got LOTR, I simply stopped playing AFM.

AFM is fun, but it's pretty simple. LOTR is so much deeper. Since you have a LOTR, I think you would get tired of AFM. You need to get something different. Both GnR and IJ are different enough.

Between GnR and IJ, I'd choose TZ or TSPP ! Both TZ and TSPP are better games than GnR and IJ, IMHO. Since you want to end at a "final state" (given your stairs, you don't want to be moving games up and down too much), I'd suggest trying those. My .02

Duane