Play Meter

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f irst be a turn -off to some players
only because there is so much to
aim for . But if one can get into the
game, he'll find it to be an above
average model. The top and the
middle contain most of the action,
with the drop targets being a
difficult shot to make without some
help from the top left thumper
bumper .
The graphics again move toward
the realistic with a surfing scene
finished in nice soft blues and
greens . And as is the case with
other games coming out, and
reflecting what seems to be the old
standby Playboy philosophy--the
Or to put it
girl is " healthy ."
another way (with no apparent
paradox in mind) : boobs are in for
76 .
Rating : ### Y2
Playmatic 's FIESTA (one -player
FANDANGO)
From across the ocean comes this
four-player game, the follow-up to
Fa ir y and Fantasy .
Based in
Barcelona , Spain , Playmatic has
made some great strides on these
shores. Their games bring us a taste
of what Europe has been familiar
with, in terms of color and graphics
specifically . It is a fresh touch and
one welcomed by those who view
the games from something more
than the playing characteristics.
With their distribution being rapidly
expanded through the efforts of
Barry Feinblatt, Playmatic offers
games that play somewhat faster
than our domestic models. A slight
playfield slope is still de rigueur,
which helps to speed up play while it
challenges the player.
With Fiesta we can get a glimmer
of what the Spanish mind is
thinking . There is inherent action
in a playfield I found particularly
vertical in structure. What I mean
by this is that the action is basically
up and down . For the most part
many American games tend to
utilize the horizontal plane a bit
more, in terms of lateral action off of
long kickers or even widely spaced
bumpers. In this instance Playmatic
chose to flip flop a very popular
game, Gottlieb's Sheriff .
With
slight modifications, such as the top
right kick-out hole, the play principle
is the same, offering some good skill
shots. One of the major areas of
play, called " going to the races" by
a player in Illinois I interviewed, are
the side lanes where a subtle nudge
is the order of the day.
The playfield's right side offers an
offsetting target arrangement,
which played a little soft on the
game I tried. In fact, one thing I
might change, or at least try to alter
is the taget construction which had
a slightly padded appearance.
Playmatic may do better going back
to the plastic type target for a
swifter rebound and greater ball
acceleration after impact . As for the
top, we find one bonus lane and a
kick-out hole (previously mention-
ed) . The thumper bumpers supply
some good action, although in this
case it emphasizes the top half of
the game . Concerning the bottom,
which I found slightly sluggish off
the flippers, the play was smooth
and direct .
The game has some good points
and others that can be imporved
upon, but by design it is anything
but foreign and should give Ameri-
can players a good run for the
money . Also one final note on play
action -- Playmatic has instituted
their six digit high scoring drums, so
players will have to be pretty adept
to "turn" this game.
Graphics on this particular game
are impressive in their Spanish
influence . Bold and definite lines
are used with high tone colors that
many Spanish manufacturers use .
The flamenco dancer being watched
by locals and tourists alike is both
pleasing to the eye and highly
distinctive .
Rating : ## Y2
Allied Leisure's BOOGIE (two-player
DYNO'MITE)
Here we have the four player version
of what has become known as a
"hybrid solid-state pingame ." Fol-
lowing up Dyn 0' Mite, which was
first featured nationally in Gentle-
men' s Quaterly by yours truly, is
Boogie . This Allied Leisure pinball
entry is a far cry from the days of
'shakerball' which materialized back
in the mid 60's . With Boogie we
have a pinball machine from all its
external features, except for the
digital scoring and line'em up fea -
ture.
Play action is symmetrically de-
signed with a good array of eight
top targets .
The top thumper
bumper offers some smooth re-
bounding off kickers and also into
the three high lanes. Two reason-
ably innovative departures on this
game are the center drop targets
which, as in the Gottlieb game
Crescendo, can only be knocked
down from the front. But also tied
into this are the side lanes which can
raise an already hit target.
In
addition the Italian bottom features
open gates which can save balls
destined for the out-hole .
The
flippers are long for an increased
hitting angle and afford an excellent
degree of player flexibility in saving
the ball and also in getting back up
to the targets.
Digital scoring and the sound
gives me some problem, but then I
have been called a traditionalist by a
few people, so this is just a personal
gripe . On location I have seen a
great many games pulling in just as
much action as their electro-me-
chanical cousins, although I have
run across an inordinant amount of
down games. But this is a noble
venture into what the future of the
industry holds, so total judgement
must wait for more tangible evi-
dence . The important thing is that
the game is getting its fair share of
playing time.
It offers a fairly
standard playfield design which
doesn't depart too far from the
norm, and for an initial effort it does
well.
Graphically I have some strong
reservations . Color coordination is
not too bad , but the back glass
artwork is totally incredible, going
against most of the artistic influ-
ences happening in the real world .
But it is kind of funky and since the
game is mechanically a dramatic
departure from what has gone in the
past, maybe the graphics serve a
proper purpose, but I tend to
think that if J .J . Walker were the
influence behind the game, his
image might appear stronger and
more forceful to add to any promo-
tion possibilities.
On the whole I eagerly await the
forthcoming Ian brainchilds and
know instinctively that he has many
things up his sleeve by which to
wow us.
Rating : ##
So that's this month's installment
of Merry Pinball , Merry Pinball. All
give some good possibilities for the
summertime players who should
be ready for the great pre- MOA
arrivals that will be hitting the ;i
streets by early fall. And as I closed ~
last month : take care and keep I
those machines running smoothly ~
and efficiently. Enjoy the quarters. ;
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