school me on atari pins

cadillacman

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I have a chance to get an atari middle earth pin. COsmetically nice shape but basically has gi lighting up and thats about it.

What are the ins and outs of these machines? hard to get parts?
 
parts hard to get , not much of a market for that title even fully functioning. Average sales price of all examples of this title sold over the past three years,
a paltry $366. May say Middle Earth but it ain't no LOTR. Gorilla may have killed potential niche market for Tolkien fans, I don't remember gorillas in Middle Earth.
 
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I have a chance to get an atari middle earth pin. COsmetically nice shape but basically has gi lighting up and thats about it.

What are the ins and outs of these machines? hard to get parts?

If it's cheap enough (under $200) I say go for it but be aware that there is a complete lack of repair info out there. It's a Motorola 6800 based pinball system like the vast majority of the early pinball systems so many of the same concepts apply, but enough are different to be a real pain in the ass.
 
I've got a Space Riders and love it. It looks nice and is fun to play.

Of course my opinion may change if something hard to find fails on it.

-JM
 
parts hard to get , not much of a market for that title even fully functioning. Average sales price of all examples of this title sold over the past three years,
a paltry $366. May say Middle Earth but it ain't no LOTR. Gorilla may have killed potential niche market for Tolkien fans, I don't remember gorillas in Middle Earth.

I don't think there's gorillas. May be a total fabrication of the game developers, but all of it supposedly has to be validated by Tolkien Ent....but there's these ape-like things with horns in the online game, lol. Can't remember for the life of me what they're called at the moment..
 
I owned an Airborn Avenger for a while. I was pretty simple. The main issue was the scoreboard. I never did get it working, and never found anyone who could. There was some info on the web, but that did'nt help much. If it's cheap enough why not?
The widebodies are not sought after mostly because of the slow gameplay. It gets a bit better if you set it up steep.

Also I am sure you have seen this but just in case:
http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?any=middle+earth&search=Search+Database&searchtype=quick
 
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Light Sabers, laser pistols and shirtless dudes in riot helmets and skin tight purple pants... Somehow, I'm thinking any resemblance at all to Tolkiens Middle Earth is pure coincidence.

The game looks like total 70's cheese, and I love it for that. Those wacky lower flippers might take a little getting used to.
 
Nothing screams more of '70s art than Atari pins.

I an Atarians (actually 2) that I will be resurrecting towards the Spring. Still on the the lookout for a Time 2000.

Some of the earlier titles are a little slow paced almost EM-like in retrospect, but I like the change.

Hands down Superman is their best pin (love it). I think Atari was on their way upward before the end of their tenure in the pin business. I talked to fella that played Road Runner and he even loved it. It would've been interesting on Atari's Pipeline and how that one would've looked....

My only complaint is the damn MPU board on the bottom of the cab UNDERNEATH the playfield - who designed that?:rolleyes:
 
atari pins

Nothing screams more of '70s art than Atari pins.

I an Atarians (actually 2) that I will be resurrecting towards the Spring. Still on the the lookout for a Time 2000.

Some of the earlier titles are a little slow paced almost EM-like in retrospect, but I like the change.

Hands down Superman is their best pin (love it). I think Atari was on their way upward before the end of their tenure in the pin business. I talked to fella that played Road Runner and he even loved it. It would've been interesting on Atari's Pipeline and how that one would've looked....

My only complaint is the damn MPU board on the bottom of the cab UNDERNEATH the playfield - who designed that?:rolleyes:

I would like to hear how the resurrection goes. I have a Middle Earth and Space Riders to repair. I was going to grab a working Atarians on ebay last week but someone beat me to it. :(
 
Nobody going to chime in that they own a Hercules pin?

I've seen one before at Callan Hendricks's shop, but it was beaten to death. Always kind of wanted to play a restored one since then...
 
Nobody going to chime in that they own a Hercules pin?

I've seen one before at Callan Hendricks's shop, but it was beaten to death. Always kind of wanted to play a restored one since then...

There is going to be a Hercules at the Texas Pinball Festival next month.

Brian
 
Would love to see it, but don't think a pleasure trip to Dallas is in the cards for next month. Sucks, too, since I wouldn't mind hitting the swap meet.
 
Would love to see it, but don't think a pleasure trip to Dallas is in the cards for next month. Sucks, too, since I wouldn't mind hitting the swap meet.

I'm probably gonna be shooting a ton of video with my iPhone.
 
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