Play Meter

t
Critic's Corner
By Roger C. Sharpe
JUNGLE LORD is viewed
Complex play features
can intimidate players
Although the number of models
coming out has decreased a bit, the
news surrounding the development
of pinball trends hasn't. In fact, it
seems at the date of this writing that
we may yet get an upward swing in
games, since the pins are finally
beginning to have more of an impact
in the marketplace.
Ideally, with Play Meter's new
twice-monthly format, I'll be able to
comment more in this space on just
the individual machines themselves
and also get into some of the
observations and findings that are
having an effect on the games.
Hopefully you'lllike this new balance
and will find it more informative than
the information you were previously
getting. I know I'm excited about the
possibilities and also the hope that
this column can continue to be as
timely as possible for your needs.
In trying to put current trends in
proper perspective, I marvel at the
evolution that is seemingly
happening faster. A recent short
business trip to Florida, where I had
a chance to travel around to a variety
of locations, only reinforced some of
the things I've been finding. What is
interesting is that everyone is still
continuing to put their own versions
of multi-level games (this issue's
corner spotlight game included) onto
the street to show that they're not
getting left behind. Gottlieb's version
of a Xenon-type tube on Mars and
Stern's new hope that "lighting" will
strike for their most recent effort, as
well as other models are coming
down the pipe.
As I stated last time, it was my
hope that the novelty of such a
design wouldn't be abused to the
point that it took pinball back to
where it started: looking for
something yet again to change its
PLAY METER, June 15 , 1981
facade; and I equated this conern
with the drop off in impact with the
celebrity tie-in games that were done
to death and faded into history. The
same can happen with a design
concept if it is overused, no matter
what some distr i butors and
manufacturers may feel. This is the
reaction from the street and the
players-which is where the final test
really comes.
And the problem goes beyond this
to the crux of the matter that maybe
the games themselves are just
becoming too much, too soon. The
simplicity of design and continuity of
play on games is almost being
overlooked in the hope of juicing up
each succeding game, and players
might not be as sophisticated as
some would think-especially the
average player and new convert to
the flipper games. They're being
blown away by more complex and
intricate games that can ultimately
be far too intimidating for the
majority of players. It was for this
reason that Eight Ball Deluxe
(reviewed in th June 1 issue) was
such a relief and break from what
had been the norm. It was a simple
game, without all the gimmicks, that
offered skillful play almost anyone
could understand, and yet, the
repeat play wasn't diminished by this
simplicity, in fact, it might have been
enhanced because the game was a
challenge. The same held true for
such forgotten, yet solid efforts, as
Frontier and Alien Poker. They were
and are just good plain pinball
machines that the steady player
could get comfortable with over the
long haul.
The point to be made, which is
supported by what I've seen in the
field, is that there is a growing
movement of older players to pinball
machines. Long thought of as the
Gottlieb's JUNGLE LORD
65