The "A" list, what are they?

PeepingScott

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I see a lot of mentioning of "A" list machines lately.
What decides what an "A" list machine is? Is it based on ratings? Demand? Production numbers?

I'm curious...
Also, where is this "A" list so I can see what is on it? If there is no verified "A" list, then please feel free to post which machines you consider to be on the list. Please! I would love to see what you guys feel are "A" machines.
 
I see a lot of mentioning of "A" list machines lately.
What decides what an "A" list machine is? Is it based on ratings? Demand? Production numbers?

I'm curious...
Also, where is this "A" list so I can see what is on it? If there is no verified "A" list, then please feel free to post which machines you consider to be on the list. Please! I would love to see what you guys feel are "A" machines.

You could probably look down the top ten list on IPDB and that would pretty much be the "A" list. I suppose it's based on demand. Having said that, I've never understood the whole "A" list thing. I buy what's on my list, not the "A" list. The only "A-lister" I've liked enough to buy so far is STTNG.

That's my 2 cents...

--Luke
 
Pretty much most of the WPC'95 games. Monster Bash, Medieval Madness, Cirqus Voltaire, Cactus Canyon, Attack from Mars, Arabian Nights ....or uber limited games like Big Bang Bar.

Those are "A" games in terms of crazy expensive prices. I think there are still some games considered "A" that can be found for less than 4k, like Twilight Zone, Addams, etc.
 
I'd just love to be able to trade one A title for two B titles in about 2 years or so. Is that considered an investment?
 
What makes an A-list game IMO?

1. Typically sells for $3k+
2. A game that once announced for sale, doesn't last long - there's always a demand for it
3. A vanity, rare or low-production number game
4. A game that sells for significantly higher than other contemporary games made by the same manufacturer in the same time period.

A-list games: MM, TOM, CC, CV, TOTAN, MB, LOTR, AFM, BBB etc.

A-list EM games: Fireball, Wizard, Capt. Fantastic, Kiss, etc.

A B-list game is a game that may meet much of the same criteria as above, but sells for a bit less:

i.e.: STTNG, WH2O, SS, RFM, etc.

Some may argue many "B-list" games are "A-list" and vice-versa... for example, is Scared Stiff A or B-list? Many of us feel RFM and STTNG are "a-list" games at "b-list" prices.
 
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I'd just love to be able to trade one A title for two B titles in about 2 years or so. Is that considered an investment?

I'd be ready to take the drive up north to get the arabian nights game when you get toward selling it in the future. :) i'll bring up black knight and work a partial trade....
 
The 1990's games are easier to list since most of the collectors will agree. The 1980's games is a little harder to list since some may add a few titles to the below list. I am not including proto games or extremely low production games (Krull, Varkon, King Kong, etc).

1990's 'A' Games:

Medieval Madness (MM)
Monster Bash (MB)
Tales of the Arabian Nights (TOTAN)
Star Trek the Next Generation (STTNG)
Indy Jones (IJ)
Funhouse (FH)
Cirqus Voltaire (CV)
Scared Stiff (SS)
Cactus Canyon (CC)
Safecracker (SC)
Attack From Mars (AFM)
Theatre of Magic (TOM)
Addams Family (TAF)
Addams Family Gold / Special Collectors Edition (TAFG)
Twilight Zone (TZ)
Creature From the Black Lagoon (CFTBL)
Big Bang Bar (BBB)
Guns and Roses (GNR)

1980's 'A' Games

Whirlwind
Earthshaker
Black Knight 2000
Taxi
Banzai Run
Pinbot
High Speed
Space Shuttle
Black Knight
Cyclone
Comet
Xenon
Rolling Stones
Eight Ball Deluxe
Centaur
Elvira and the Party Monsters
Haunted House
Black Hole
Rocky
Spirit
Joust pinball
Firepower
 
The 1990's games are easier to list since most of the collectors will agree. The 1980's games is a little harder to list since some may add a few titles to the below list. I am not including proto games or extremely low production games (Krull, Varkon, King Kong, etc).

1990's 'A' Games:

Medieval Madness (MM)
Monster Bash (MB)
Tales of the Arabian Nights (TOTAN)
Star Trek the Next Generation (STTNG)
Indy Jones (IJ)
Funhouse (FH)
Cirqus Voltaire (CV)
Scared Stiff (SS)
Cactus Canyon (CC)
Safecracker (SC)
Attack From Mars (AFM)
Theatre of Magic (TOM)
Addams Family (TAF)
Addams Family Gold / Special Collectors Edition (TAFG)
Twilight Zone (TZ)
Creature From the Black Lagoon (CFTBL)
Big Bang Bar (BBB)
Guns and Roses (GNR)

1980's 'A' Games
Fathom
Whirlwind
Earthshaker
Black Knight 2000
Taxi
Banzai Run
Pinbot
High Speed
Space Shuttle
Black Knight
Cyclone
Comet
Xenon
Rolling Stones
Eight Ball Deluxe
Centaur
Elvira and the Party Monsters
Haunted House
Black Hole
Rocky
Spirit
Joust pinball
Firepower

Excellent List, best I have seen. Can I just make one addition?

1990's 'A' Games:

Medieval Madness (MM)
Monster Bash (MB)
Tales of the Arabian Nights (TOTAN)
Star Trek the Next Generation (STTNG)
Indy Jones (IJ)
Funhouse (FH)
Cirqus Voltaire (CV)
Scared Stiff (SS)
Cactus Canyon (CC)
Safecracker (SC)
Attack From Mars (AFM)
Theatre of Magic (TOM)
Addams Family (TAF)
Addams Family Gold / Special Collectors Edition (TAFG)
Twilight Zone (TZ)
Creature From the Black Lagoon (CFTBL)
Big Bang Bar (BBB)
Guns and Roses (GNR)
Whitewater (WH2O)

1980's 'A' Games

Whirlwind
Earthshaker
Black Knight 2000
Taxi
Banzai Run
Pinbot
High Speed
Space Shuttle
Black Knight
Cyclone
Comet
Xenon
Rolling Stones
Eight Ball Deluxe
Centaur
Elvira and the Party Monsters
Haunted House
Black Hole
Rocky
Spirit
Joust pinball
Firepower
 
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Just goes to show how opinions can vary. I have Pinbot and Space Shuttle and wouldn't really consider either "A" games, but when I actually think about it, I have a hard time changing that list that was just posted. =Þ

Guess I'm just a DMD ho' at heart.
 
collect em all, trade em with your friends

well, half my collection made the list, at least!
love the other two, though, always looking for more..
 
I'm a part of that group myself. :)

How can you not be once you own one?

DSC00727.jpg
 
Have about $200 in my STTNG fund I started last month. I will get there.

Funny. I'm doing the same thing. I just can't decide if I want STTNG or LOTR...

My wife is forbidding me to buy another pin until we get a house... We'll see about that. We...will.....see...... :|
 
There are some B list games that I love just as much/more than A games. Lists are absurd, if you ask me. Generally, if it's on the A list, then it's pretty much a sure thing to be good, but that doesn't mean games like Getaway, Shadow, and BSD aren't just as good/better.
 
Funny. I'm doing the same thing. I just can't decide if I want STTNG or LOTR...

My wife is forbidding me to buy another pin until we get a house... We'll see about that. We...will.....see...... :|

LOTR hands down. Not even close.
 
New List! (with a little help from my friends)

2000's 'A' Games:

Lord of the Rings (LOTR)
Spider-Man (SM)
The Simpson's Pinball Party (TSPP)

1990's 'A' Games:

Medieval Madness (MM)
Monster Bash (MB)
Tales of the Arabian Nights (TOTAN)
Star Trek The Next Generation (STTNG)
Indiana Jones (IJ)
Funhouse (FH)
Cirqus Voltaire (CV)
Scared Stiff (SS)
Cactus Canyon (CC)
Safecracker (SC)
Attack from Mars (AFM)
Theatre of Magic (TOM)
Addams Family (TAF)
addams family gold / Special Collectors Edition (TAFG)
Twilight Zone (TZ)
Creature from the Black Lagoon (CFTBL)
Big Bang Bar (BBB)
Guns and Roses (GNR)
Whitewater (WH2O)
Riverboat Gambler (RG)

1980's 'A' Games
Fathom
Seawitch
Whirlwind
Earthshaker
Black Knight 2000
Taxi
Banzai Run
Pinbot
High Speed
Space Shuttle
Black Knight
Cyclone
Comet
Xenon
Rolling Stones
Eight Ball Deluxe
Centaur
Elvira and the Party Monsters
Haunted House
Black Hole
Rocky
Spirit
Joust pinball
Firepower
 
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