Is TZ the least liked of the BIG titles ??

[Sgt GrizZ]

Just wondering ...it seems to me I meet more people who seem to dislike/not care for Twilight Zone more than people who love it



Last night had a discusion with bunch of pinheads over curry and beer, and 4 out of 6 really didnt like TZ.



Interesting considering its one of the BIG guns as it were.



As I have often mentioned I *love* the Zone

Stay warm out there kids.

GrizZ

 

[ronsplooter]

I've only ever had a few games on it but those I did I really enjoyed. Like you and many others have said though, I guess you need time with it to fully understand it.



How many of the 4 who disliked it had owned it for a period of time?

 

[JT.]

I had a couple of games on it at the pin party and didn't really think much of it. But I think I just didn't have enough time with it tbh.

 

[Sgt GrizZ]

I've only ever had a few games on it but those I did I really enjoyed. Like you and many others have said though, I guess you need time with it to fully understand it.



How many of the 4 who disliked it had owned it for a period of time?

3 had owned TZ , 1 of them had owned several over the years (!) And the 4th ......has had loan of mine for a while but decided he just doesn't get on with it.



Poor misguided fools

 

[bartron]

no,no,no, I dislike addams more than TZ,

, but as you know I am not a Lawlor fan at all , saying that, I like playing other peoples Lawlor pins. I just wouldn't have them in my collection. too lop-sided imho.

 

[cooldan]

what did you all have to eat, curry-wise?

 

[wayne g]

owned it for about 10 months. my very first and only pin.

loved it for a while then got bored of it as IMO it's a bit too 'serious'

it's a classic,very deep and LITZ is amazing to be fair but just no fun....

it's a bit like a therapist....very deep but you wouldn't want to out for a pint with one!

 

[Judge Dreads]

Had mine a long time, it’s fun Jim but not as we know it, wouldn’t sell it but must admit I mod more than play. I sort of bonded with it over the years but it does not get the lockdown bar polish some of the other machines get, (prefer most of my machines to the TZ) but there is this knowing that it is something special if you can make the time to get immersed (not sure if that is fun or just respect for it’s awesomeness), it is way too serious and life is way too short so a quick blaster like SS or TOM delivers more instant fun IMO. Imagine TZ in an arcade, can’t imagine it would take much coin next to a WH20 or maybe it did?

 

[bartron]

it 'bombed' in the arcades, too much going on for the average punter to take in.

 

[Sgt GrizZ]

it 'bombed' in the arcades, too much going on for the average punter to take in.

Guess I'm not 'average' then

seeing as I fell in love with it from the start when I first came across one ....Santa Monica pier arcade, sunny California... summer 1993 .....ahhh happy memories

 

[I TiltAlot]

TZ is a very "serious" intense pin. You have to be in the right frame of mind to play it, and to get the satisfaction selecting & making all the correct, precise shots in the right order. Mine is often left switched off for days on end whilst I play the more light hearted pins in my collection. LOTR is the same type of machine, though less precise and more of a long slog. I have had my TZ now for 18 months, it's one of my favourite machines overall, and a keeper for sure. TZ certainly wouldn't be a good pin to own just by itself IMHO.

 

[Paul]

I had mine for 5+ years, and still never got on with it... Dislike the game now - it was, compared to most machines out there, Boring...



IMO of course

 

[jonathan]

I had a restored one that looked NIB. Traded it for a SM and got way more fun out of that

 

[simon]

Ive literally played it a couple of times, last time was at the slam and i just couldnt get into it atall.

However, i bought one off ebay the other day as it was up for fairly sensible money (cab fade but otherwise more or less ok i think) so im going to give it a proper try, figured with all those high ratings there must be something in it..

i do generally tend to prefer pins i can just have a quick knockabout on, mainly late 80's and some early dmd games - but i really enjoyed pretty much every lawlor machine ive spent a bit of time on like ripleys, addams and gofers etc so im going in with an open mind.

 

[Rus121]

I played it only a handful of times as a teenager. The one i played was next to a TAF and an IJ in a local arcade and as i got more enjoyment from the other two, i chose to spend the little money i had on what gave me the best buzz. TZ certainly didnt do it for me back then as i couldnt even work out what the hell i was supposed to be doing. I do remember hating the 'dont touch the door' noise that came from the machine ten times louder than any other in the arcade.....



Fast forward to now, and i still dont have a clue how to play it. Cant say i hate it totally, but i dont really get on well with pins that contantly break the flow. Some nice effects and modes, but i prefer adrenalin fuelled speed machines so i dont think it would be one that i would want at home.

 

[wayne g]

stop...start....stop....start...stop...lol

 

[Judge Dreads]

Guess I'm not 'average' then

Guess not Serg

 

[Moonraker]

Like Sgt Grizz, I loved it when TZ was first out in the arcades, etc... awesome sound, feature packed. I loved being awarded the door features (for defeating the power) with the thumping fist banging on them...

That said, I don't think I've ever been LITZ so I've still got that to look forward to...!

 

[Judge Dreads]

I don't think I've ever been LITZ so I've still got that to look forward to...!

I only managed it recently after years of random attempts; it was a change in tactics which made it happen rather than an improvement in playing skills.



Remove the glass..........you won't believe how easy it is to get LITZ

 

[Fintan Stack]

I have enjoyed my TZ but have not totally fallen in love with it. I think I will probably move it on after Christmas. It's a great game but it drives me mental. I'd better sell it before I smash it up.

 

[Sgt GrizZ]

Like Sgt Grizz, I loved it when TZ was first out in the arcades, etc... awesome sound, feature packed. I loved being awarded the door features (for defeating the power) with the thumping fist banging on them...

That said, I don't think I've ever been LITZ so I've still got that to look forward to...!

I'm surprised with yr skills Peter you haven't had LITZ !



Certainly looks like we are in the minority. Long live The Power !

Fast forward to now, and i still dont have a clue how to play it. Cant say i hate it totally, but i dont really get on well with pins that contantly break the flow. Some nice effects and modes, but i prefer adrenalin fuelled speed machines so i dont think it would be one that i would want at home.

Rus ....*very basic* TZ rules ....



Hitting Left and right ramps spells Gum-ball and allows you to start locking balls for multiball.



Door panels (modes/awards) are collected at the Slot Machine or The Piano when they are lit. To relight them hit right and left ramps again respectively.



Collect all door panels to get Lost In The Zone.



That should get you going.There are a million other rules involving The Power, powerball, hitchhikers, gumball machine, spiral magnets, camera, robots etc etc etc but that is the beauty of TZ - its as simple or as deep as you want it to be

 

[I TiltAlot]

Have you got those 9.4H ROMs yet for it Dean?

 

[Fintan Stack]

Have you got those 9.4H ROMs yet for it Dean?

Hi Keith



Alas, no. To be honest, I have probably only played 2 games on it since I took the Shadow home.

 

[Adam]

9.4H rooms are defiantly worth it just for the pause feature.

Well on my way to LITZ last night, cradled the ball and paused the game before the final shot for LITZ and cranked the volume up, couldn't do it without 9.4H

Awesome mode, just wish I had a speaker kit in it now

 

[replicas]

Guess I'm not 'average' then

seeing as I fell in love with it from the start when I first came across one ....Santa Monica pier arcade, sunny California... summer 1993 .....ahhh happy memories

First encounter with a TZ in a holiday location, lucky bugger. My first encounter was in my local pub but was not to chuffed as they had removed TAF and I was so close to touring the mansion. Now I had to start on the road to getting lost in the zone.

Great memories, ahh.

 

[Sgt GrizZ]

9.4H rooms are defiantly worth it just for the pause feature.

Well on my way to LITZ last night, cradled the ball and paused the game before the final shot for LITZ and cranked the volume up, couldn't do it without 9.4H

Awesome mode, just wish I had a speaker kit in it now

Worth it for adding a Ball Saver feature too ....can make the game less painful,we all know how brutal TZ's pops can be ! Skill shot, rocket to pops, left hand drain . AAAAAAgh !!

 

[Paul]

I think I have one of the infamous 9.4CH roms here somewhere...

• Version 9.4H: Official "home version" release from Williams. This version is "free play only". It will not take money to do pay-for-play.
  
• Version 9.4CH: This is the same as 9.4H, but allows for "coin play" (not free-play only).
  

 

[Moonraker]

I'm surprised with yr skills Peter you haven't had LITZ !

In recent years I don't think I've played one enough to achieve LITZ, I suspect I would probably manage it if I had a couple of hours solid on one. I was one or two doors off achieving it when doing a test play after repairing Greg's before the Festive Gathering. Even though I borrowed it for 3 weeks I probably managed half a dozen or so games on it...

 

[Paul R Owen]

Pinball Heaven have ROM updates for IJ. Is it worth getting them & are they easy to install for a novice like me? In what way do they change the pin?

 

[Rus121]

Roms are a piece of **** to install. I use a pair of IC extractors (maplins) to grip the rom (with the game power off) and gently pull them out. The new ones just push right into the socket, although you do have to make sure the legs on the eprom are lined up in the socket before pushing it home.



I'm not sure the new roms have any extra features, but i know you can solve the extra loud sound bug that IJ has with them, so its probably worth it.