The only thing I have to add to this thread would be the cost of replacement DE parts.  If anyone has EVER worked on a DE and replaced even the simplest of flipper parts you'll know what I'm taking about.  I'm sure this issue crosses over to other mechanical DE parts as well.

For a specific reference, the spring bracket on a flipper pawl is a simple and common part.  The WMS version of this part is cheap, like under $1 cheap.  The "same" part for a DE flipper cost me over $8!  You heard me right.  I even called the supplier thinking the price they had listed on-line was a typo, but it wasn't.  This is a wear and tear part, especially on DE games due to the design / material. (I've yet to see a WMS version of this part to wear through like the DE part does)

So, even though the games may be cheaper to purchase over a Bally / WMS game, don't be fooled because at some point you'll have to replace parts on it and you'll be paying a lot more for those parts.

D

I end up having to do a heck of alot more work on my Williams games and my Data East games are rock solid. Heck, even the MNF I just picked up in what was described as dead condition...I got that working in a matter of hours. Why? Because of all the experience from working on my Williams machines! Certainly not from working on the DE games, theres not much to do...because they work.

As far as DE replacement parts...I replace whatever I can with the Williams parts I have here. Its all pretty much the same stuff. And the boards are like system 11 boards...easy as pie to suss out and work on.

I just dont get the knock on DE games in that regard. And this is coming from a Williams system 11 fan!

Stan


btw... Love Tommy, GnR, Robocop, and this MNF is surprisingly addictive and fun.

Gn'R has a lot going on. Magnets, multiball modes, add a ball mode, and quite of few tracks from Appetite for Destruction, arguably there best album, to unlock. The biggest aspect of this pin is the music as it is the original music by the original artists at the height of the bands career and it's integrated into the game. I can't think of a single other game that has all this off the top of my head with all the modes.

As Doug said though parts supply just plain sucks.

Just to argue....

Quoted from jonny_eh

I know they payed Universal, but they didn't have to. Dracula, Frankenstein, werewolves and mummies are all public domain, they just paid a little for their movie likenesses.

Of course.  Thats where brand recognition comes in to play.  Compare Monster Bash to Sega Frankenstein.  Which one is more recognizable and will stand the test of time?

Quoted from jonny_eh

Of the crummy DE themes you listed, I would argue that the WWF license was quite strong. Nowadays it's not so popular, but back in the 80s and 90s it was huge! Nowadays people seem to only care about UFC. Maybe Stern should do that!

WWF was strong.  It just dates the machine.  DE has a similar problem that Stern has now...too many licenses that get dated easily.  I guess Bally/Stern had the same issue in the late 70's/early 80's.  Maybe they do it on purpose to build obsolescence by theme?  Imagine how dated a machine would look, 1 year after the movie was released on video?   Many of the WMS games were non licensed so they would fit into an arcade for a much longer period of time (FT, TOM, FH, NGG, RFM, TOTAN, HS2, Wh20.....).  I think it was said in the Tilt movie that WMS were victims of their own success.  Games built in 1992 didn't look out of place 10 years later.

I prefer WMS but I think DE are great machines and are extremely affordable.