Top 10 Greatest Pinball Machines Of All Time (SDTM, 2023)

THE TOP 10 GREATEST PINBALL MACHINES OF ALL TIME!

The PinGods proclaim what games are the greatest in all of pinball history and SDTM is simply here to preach their all-knowing choices. Don't kill the messenger!

COMMENT BELOW, what is the greatest pinball machine of all time? Do you agree with the definitive list given by the PinGods?

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[Damaen]

Star Trek & LOTR are great calls. A few people have mentioned it already, but Monster Bash is a top 2 or 3 for me. EVERYONE loves this game, its easy for beginners. The music is incredible. Good shots, simple rules. Wizard mode is a goofy good time. All the voices and one-liners! This game is so underappreciated.

[elsquibbs]

I've tried to explain to my non-pinhead friends why I love Godzilla so much and it's hard to articulate it. From now on, I'll just show them this video because you guys captured and articulated it perfectly. Great job.

[dugmar]

Best 3rd flipper shot lives in Funhouse. 4 shots available to make from that one flipper alone (mirror, Rudy, Trapdoor, Hot Dog.)

[jamesgulrich]

Great list, guys! We always based a game by the magazine replay and how many weeks it took a game to pay for itself. Twilight Zone, Addams Family, Medieval, Attack from Mars. All excellent games, but the machine that paid for itself...that's double what it cost...STNG. Yep, 8.5 weeks and it had doubled what we paid for it. I didn't really even care for it because I was an original Trekie fan and not so much the new Star Trek stuff, but it grew on me. Most of our machines took 40 to 75 weeks, so this was unheard of for us.

[TaylorStJohn-fpzs]

I do agree with many of the picks on the list, but Twilight Zone definitely should have been on here IMHO, but we all have different tastes. The playfield on the Zone was SO revolutionary when it came out, was an "extra wide", and had the most shot options for the longest time. I love The Shadow, but I would have swapped those two. At the end of the day, it's hard to condense it down to 10 picks. You guys are awesome. Thanks for the great content!

[Keeganners]

I'm a pinball casual but the first one that really gripped me was Black Knight Sword of Rage. The black knight in the middle with his flail was so cool to me and the music really sold it. Magnasave was really cool too because it was the first machine I played that had a button in the center. If I could own any machine it would be that one hands down. It has a special place in my heart and I wonder what you guys think of it.

[rickquick]

A case for Adams Family. There’s a reason Adams Family was one of the most produced pins, it’s fun for everyone who plays! Still one of the best producers in an arcade after decades. It should be on the top 10 if for no other reason than non-pin ballers know it/remember it as a favorite. If it could be reproduced, it would outsell all other reproductions. On location still gets more than a thousand plays a month at a quarter a play.

[VintageTape]

You guys should do a top 10 best designs for each pinball designer. That would be fun to watch

[chillydog]

Thank you for this video! I've never considered pinball as a hobby until I watched this video, then spent the weekend tracking down some of these machines around my area. I think I'm hooked now..

[markray]

Mata Hari, released in 1978, is still one of my all time favorites. It has three distinct ways to win, which is very unusual for any machine.

[timjohnson]

I like the list but to not have Monster Bash even mentioned…toys, code, difficulty, it’s inviting to walk up and play, funny, and a classic theme.

[paulcleary]

Monster Bash is #1 for me. It has such a fun and approachable theme. It is easy to understand, and each objective is just fun.

[tdawgmd]

And I would agree with #1–never wanted Zilla but my son was a fan, so I bought it. Elwin is a genius. Doesn’t get old. Great game.

[jason_hundley]

I haven’t read the comments, but how in the hell does Iron Maiden not make the list? I was never an Iron Maiden fan, but I absolutely love this pin. It’s all subjective and I buy/play what I like and IM will never leave my collection. Just my $.02 worth.

[Mmacrossfirekenai]

Time Machine, The Getaway, T2, Elvis, Addams Family, Twilight Zone, Theatre of Magic, Jurassic Park, Lethal Weapon 3, some of my favourite pinball games. Also A Nightmare on Elm Street

[echodun]

How is the Twilight Zone not on here. Best game ever. Lost in the Zone best complete ever.

[AjaxNorton]

All I know is Funhouse and Terminator2 was the only pinballs I played and in my humble opinion those should be at least in a top 20 or top 15 of all times

[TampaTec]

Great video 👍
I predict jersey jack Harry Potter pin will be on the list next year.

[Tapp-Mourningwood]

I'm not a hardcore pin-head, but my favorite is the old pinball classic: Xenon.

[stevenhughes]

I agree with the list for the most part. Hard not to mention Elvira. Code and theme are 10 out of 10, and the playfield layout rewards skilled players, but doesn't leave out the beginners.