World Cup Soccer.

Fore Play.   Have you been there?  I hadn't either, but i figured they might have a Pin - I've come to find that i don't really dig this joint and their pin is in desperate need of servicing!

That being said, I would REALLY love to play this machine when its working - its got tons of cool shots, a great array of possible scoring options and gadgets galore.   Oh, but it sticks....and its at fore play.  

Lets put it this way - the first opportunity i had to run in and give it a shot was a Thursday night at about midnight.   Well, there was a line of scantily clad girls at the door with their Frat boy friends.   Not that I'm against scantily clad anyone and who can deny the alluring charm of the pledge paddle, but really?   This place was kind of whack.   Plus, when i finally did get in to shoot, the machine was totally haywire.  wonk-wooonk.....

  
That all being said, ill check this spot in a month or two and see if anything has been done about it.   This pin really is my speed and i'm starving to try it once its prepped.......

TRON....

I love Tron.   the movie, TRON that is.   An ahead of its time science-fiction film staring a young 1982 Jeff Bridges - I even loved the current day remake/episode 2 of the series, but seriously?......

Out on Forest Ave lies a little hole in the wall bar called Forest Gardens.   I walked in at like 10pm on a Tuesday night to find the bartender asleep on his stool.   The bell startled him as well as did the fact as i was there just to play pinball.   Its a shame a six thousand dollar machine meant for professionals goes unused.   I literally had to wipe the dust off before i played.    

Unfortunately, this pinball machine is a downer.   Like, beat you over the head, write on your face with sharpie, steal all your money and take a picture to send to your loved ones.    I'd heard that the pin was "unforgiving," but I've come to find out that this machine was actually designed to limit the game-play time, thus increasing revenue.   Its made for pros, and i'm no pro.   I like to be able to explore a game, find its rythm and tricks, but this thing was so fast and consistantly draining that i never got a chance.   Five dollars of quarters and no progress to speak of - I'll pass.

In good news, I'm glad to say that I've spent some time on this rig.   As this machine was produced just a year ago (May 2011), it has many of the new advancements that Stern has to offer.   The spinning disc shot and upper-flipper light cycle shot are really cool as is the lighting on ramps and bumpers that replicate the effects from the big screen.   Also, the sound board on the machine really hits the movie right on the head.   Catch phrases from the film show up when you hit specific shots on the table - pretty cool.

I think Stern went a bit far with the complexities of the shots.   If you had this machine in your house and were able to really figure the order, it would be a blast, but in order to progress in the game-play one has to make shots in a specific order.   For me, it was just too much  Also, the outer rails are vicious as is the kickback off the disc spinner.   It would be alright too if there was a ball-save, but there isn't, so it isn't.   Ultimately, I won't go back....not for another year of playing is under my belt and need another dose of humility.

Indiana Jones!

In my constant search for excitement, i came across the fact that i have not visited Geno's Rock Club here in Portland.    Not only is this place a testament of the will of punk rock, it also has a pretty wicked pinball machine.    Geno's is known to be that spot, the one where men dawned in black smoke their cigarettes between sets, where cash is king and all others head for the door.    I've not seen that many military boots since telling the army recruiter to screw himself.    Guys are sixty, still living out their twenties in a spot like this; i can get down. 

Indiana Jones uses all four films to create a wildly multifaceted game-play that is fast and fun.   I dig this machine! though the price of .75cents is a bit steep for my preference, I was able to extend my two dollars to a total of five games (one replay and one match), making for a quality game-time.   I was really impressed with the different shots of the table - the element of temple of doom came through in a wild ball lock that was challenging but not impossible to get - the five ball lock for the last crusade was pretty ill too, but the game really comes together with the elements of "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."   In order to lock the multiball, one has to shoot the skull target.   the target is attached to a strong magnet that throws the trajectory of the ball way off - way fun.   I kept hitting the target again and again - the cool pitch of the ball was exciting enough, but after hitting it eight times, the magnet stuck hard and the ball was stopped on a dime.   The play-screen went wild with sounds and lights and a depiction of the crystal aliens sweeping everyone away.....and then eight friggin balls came spitting out at me.   I've been playing a lot of pinball lately, but it was the single most exciting moment I've had thus far.    so ill.

the game is great.  awesome play features - great shots, cool elements and figures, easy game-play, relatively long game-play (with an additional center stopper) and the most dynamic sound-board i've heard on a game thus far.   each sound is bright and reminiscent of the movie - straight up thrilling.  

Geno's is great too - the tender was sweet and kind, the guys hanging out where hospitable enough and even cheered me on as I was playing - probably cause i was kicking ass.   plus, it smelled like stale beer and whiskey drinks and sweat.   mmmmmmmmm

the Sopranos machine at Mathews,,,,,

Mathew's bar is for regulars.   I mean, the guys who come in at ten o'clock on the dot to get it done right.   I walked in and every eye shot to me.    every guy in the place seemed to know each other and knew i was just there to play pinball.   well, i was.   and i got the highest human score on the board!   dudes were pissed.  

I went in on the fifteenth of December cause a friend told me thats when all the guys getting benefits get their check.   sure enough, the place was packed.   the bouncer told me he had the best machine in town.    he also came to check on my progress three times during the half hour i was there......

the machine was in fact, awesome.   i'll be back to play it.   

I thought for sure that this machine was going to be dilapitated and crooked, but to my delight it was fast, acurate, challenging and out right fun to play.   for two bucks you get five games - i also got two free replays out of it making it a very affordable machine to get into.

Check out the strip joint in the top left hand corner.....
the trucks that you rob throughout the game in the top right.....
in the upper center is the safe you repeatedly rob.

As you might expect, the point of the game is to climb the ranks of the mafia from grunt to top-boss - you do this by completing tasks: selling stolen goods, offing people, exchanging money and my favorite, managing a strip joint.   there are lots of profanities and random acts of violence in the gameplay, but its pretty mild really.  

I killed it.  on my third game i scored the highest human score that the machine had played.   it was like walking on water.    zen and the art of pinball.   magic. 

In all honesty, Mathews Pub was quite a lovely spot.    I grew up at Bruno and Rico's up in Belfast and have grown to appreciate an establishment like Mathews.   Though its got a bad rap, the bar was clean and had new jukeboxes and a dance floor - not to mention the pinball machine was top-notch.

Now i just have to beat the computer score.........

Operation Pinball......

So, its my intention to find every single pinball machine in a twenty mile radius of Portland.   is that crazy?   well, its what i'm doing....other than being totally busy all the time.   but that's the beauty of pinball - while guys are out there pissing away their time and money on something like bowling (yea, thats for you christian), pinball only costs fifty cents....and if you're any good, you'll get a free game or two.   anyway....here's the first machine of my tour.

At the Yankee Lanes on outer Forest Ave lies a little played gem called "Cirqus Voltaire."   its bright, colorful, eye catching backboard drew me in.    love at first sight.   plus, the kids who usually play it don't know what there doing.....low replay score!   Anyway, the replay must be twenty second, so it's forgiving as you learn the ropes.    the game consists of defeating a RingMaster by completing assorted tasks on the play-board.   at first, getting the RingMaster out is no problem, but as the game continues, it gets more challenging to defeat him.

As in all games, there are assorted "SideShows," but these left me a bit perplexed.    in fact, this was my big criticisms for the machine - though the board is exciting, there are so many ramps, spinners, stoppers, gates, bumpers, slingshots and other assorted accouterments that it became difficult to figure which shots corresponded with the actions i needed to follow.  

As you can see, the backboard is really wild.   I didn't like the placement of the display board.    Being tall, it was difficult to see pop ups that corresponded with the game.    Esthetically, I think having the scoreboard so close to the game action was just a little too much.

Once played for a few games, the shots became more and more clear.   I figured out all shots other than the ball lock which seemed totally random.   but i got it.   twice in the same game.    strange.

Tons of shots.   Thank god for a twenty second ball-save!    above the left main bumper lies a strange entraped bouncy ball that deflects the pinball in strange ways.   one nice thing - if you do not make a shot up one of the ramps all the way, the ball has a tendency to shoot back in a non-direct path.    too many machines have steep ramps that shoot the ball straight down the center if you don't make them.    makes for nice long plays.    the neon on the right was a bit too much and out of place, but overall, this is a nice looking machine.

The backboard is really sweet.    the white slash behind the performer is actually a window - behind it is a cannon that is used in one of the mini games.   also included is some sort of wheel.  Flashy? yes.   Functional.   maybe?

Overall i thought this game was worth a play.   not crazy hard - i was able to get a double replay out of it, but challenging and different.

Bowling is for people who like to have a good time together.   be a loner.   play pinball.