• Future Pinball Tables

SLAM's Pinball Emporium. How to get my tables. Not been on here for a while but I am still actively updating and creating new tables for Future Pinball. Apr 24, 2009 Nope, no antivirus running on my arcade cabinet. It hasn't crashed all day though, so it's completely random. It happens more.

Some disclaimers on my rating for this game: (1) I'm a big fan of the show; (2) I owned this game for a few years in the early-to-mid 1990s, when it was fresh (and when the show was peaking); (3) I tried not to be to unfair to the game by comparing it to current technology and gameplay. I think this game has some fun gimmicks (like the ramp that goes around behind the back of the playfield) and very entertaining callouts. Although gameplay is simple, it is fun and can sustain a lot of entertainment.

For its time, this machine was very well done. The Simpsons quickly devolves into a one shot game (the millions ramp shot), but it is a game that does integrate its theme very, very well. The sounds and the art bring the player into a mini-Springfield that accurately represents the early episodes of the Simpsons series. The game seems to be missing that one signature playfield toy mechanism that would mask the fact that the game had a single dominating scoring strategy.

This game, along with TMNT and Back to the Future, have become fodder for the hipster crowd who prefer style over substance. I feel this game would rate much higher for a Simpsons fan, which I am, especially for the original seasons.

The game is very fast, and somewhat difficult - maintaining a multiball on such a fast table and then being forced to hit a ramp shot is very challenging. The artwork integration of the first season of The Simpsons all over the playfield is really well done. Many different areas of the playfield focus on a highlight of a specific first season episode. At the same time, Sideshow Bob is still Krusty's sidekick! The mirrored backglass is very pretty and an excellent example of on-model Simpsons characters.

The music is superb -.if. you like The Simpsons theme, which I do. It has a good main play theme that turns to a rock theme during multiball, and also uses Elfman's main theme motif during the Jackpot mode music. The music is fast paced which keep in line with the speed of the game. The sound quality is. My wife can't understand half of what Homer says, and also asked me if they used the original voice actors for the callouts. I understand the complaints that it's a 'hit the left ramp' game, which is true - it is the main feature shot.

Future Pinball Tables

Good god the size of the outlane that leads to the kickback. Watch for flying plastics as you airball off the bowling pins! But I still feel, if the game is well-maintained, that it is a challenging and entertaining game with a wonderful theme. This is a great data east title. I remember when it first came out it was a top notch game. Of course pinball has evolved quite a bit and this game feels like it is lacking now compared to pretty much anything 1993 or newer. For the price you can pick one up though it could be a fun addition to a collection.

This was the first pinball i owned and I learned a lot with it. The music is really fun as you gear up for multiballs. The sound effects with the explosions and such are really well done and times well too.

If I could have 10+ machines in my place this might be a fun one to have on hand again. The problem with this pin is it is a bit repetitive. Hit bowling pins, lock ball, lock ball, shoot ramp. There isn't much else to do. Though TSPP gets a fairly deserved high rating, DE's original Simpsons game is no pushover. I play a place with 75-100 pins and every single time I go, DE Simpsons gets some of my quarters. Because it's really fun and brings me back to my youth when this first came out.

It's that next level of rules complexity over games like Firepower (multiball is the same concept - hit center targets then lock balls. But Simpsons first does a 2-ball multi and then you have to lock those both to get 3-ball!) but also adds in other objectives (hit the ramp 2x in a row, light up millions, Bart's enemies bonus.etc) to keep you thinking about what you should do next to get a high score. The artwork is awesome and is obviously Season 1 artwork as evident from Bart's mouth on the side to Homer on the Millions graphic; however, this means that the dialogue is also Bart-centric as Homer isn't the primary focus in Season 1 like he is in later seasons. Therefore the awesome Homer comedy we all know from the Simpsons show is mostly replaced in this pin by Bart's rebellious catchphrases which were what drew so much attention to this show in the first place. I personally like later seasons for viewing, but for this pin, it captures a cool snapshot of what this show was originally. Fun to play, great to look at, always want to play again, cool playfield features.

Not a grand slam pin, but easily a 3-run home run. Nostalgia piece #6,532. At the local grocery store arcade room for about a year.

What a cool rush to keep hitting those millions ramps! Loved Homer saying 'Chocolate! Double Chocolate! Bluetooth serial connection matlab tutorial pdf. TRIPLE Chocolate!'

Really hit the theme square on, which is where TSPP feels off to me as a major Simpsons fan. TSPP feels like a set of fragmented 'Simpsons related' elements kind of loosely thrown together. Data East Simpsons is well integrated, simple, and just eye popping and fun. The sounds, the music, and the flashing lights make it a great game.

I'll probably buy one soon and restore it.

I may seem biased because I own a DE simpsons, but I also live 15-20 min from a on route (ironically which is 2 machines down from another DE simpsons). Would be the absolute go-to if it weren't for the horrible visibility of the lower PF. It's not about needing to see where your shot is going, it's about your ball coming back and being able to react appropriately. Having said that, simpsons may sound like a 'one trick pony' with the ramp, but in reality the main objective for massive scores is getting to 3-ball multiball which first requires hitting 3 centrally-located drops ( risk) and then locking for multiball. And then in turn locking both of those. If you can get this (approximately 5% of games I play) then in 3-ball you still have to hit the drops and then hit the ramp for a sliding jackpot.

It's an insanely tough objective to have all those stars align. It's not a deep game, but for 1-2 main objectives in the game, damnit the jackpot is one that requires mastering the entire machine to do. That alone is enough to make simpsons have replay-ability. If you can get past the upper playfield acting as a giant blinder for most of the game (and the fact that once your timing is good, the skill shot is as hard as stopping your gas pump within $0.25 of what you want to pay), is a much deeper game with a lot to do. But if the upper playfield makes the game unenjoyable, simpsons. Has the best for the buck of the 3 choices. The Mutant spinach multiball is amazing on that pin with sound and animation, but really hard get since all the shots needed to get it (complete Bluto's quests) are blocked by the upper playfield on right hand side.

There is a learning curve on how to make the 2 blind shots (holes) Once you learn how to shoot those shots by using PF graphics as a guide, it gets easier. Replace the lightening flippers with normal ones, DO NOT use superbands, and make sure latest game ROM is installed and it's pretty fun. Oh, and the colorDMD with Taxman's Colorized ROM looks unbelievable., hands down- Also, it's made by the gold standard in pinball, Midway Manufacturing-Bally/Williams. Having said that, may sound like a 'one trick pony' with the ramp, but in reality the main objective for massive scores is getting to 3-ball multiball which first requires hitting 3 centrally-located drops ( risk) and then locking for multiball. And then in turn locking both of those. If you can get this (approximately 5% of games I play) then in 3-ball you still have to hit the drops and then hit the ramp for a sliding jackpot.

It's an insanely tough objective to have all those stars align. It's not a deep game, but for 1-2 main objectives in the game, damnit the jackpot is one that requires mastering the entire machine to do. That alone is enough to make have replay-ability. Exactly what Yoko said. I'll add that for me, I love going for the 5-drop bank for the bonus hold extra ball special. It's only a one-shot game if you want to play it that way.