Pinball Awards: The Best Features of all Time

A lot of places talk about the best machines, but what about the best spinner, toy, or skillshot? These awards have been voted on by exactly one person, me. I’m not about to claim I’ve played every machine ever made. But certainly have most of them. Sure I’m biased, and Canadian, but regardless: here’s my list of the best pinball features of all time.

But First: What Does “Best” Mean?

As far as I’m concerned this should have far less to do with the point value or how it looks, and really come down to just one thing: the most satisfying, the most fun to shoot. So as far as I’m concerned, that’s what constitutes the best. 

The Best Spinner 

This is by far one of the hardest things to answer as there are so-damn-many to choose from. Firstly, it obviously has to be on an EM. The feel and sound of the physical score reel ticking matters, and that gives a good EM spin an edge over anything digital. Sorry Alien Star, Meteor, and Quicksilver. 

Unfortunately this also meant Star Gazer had to be out. But it’s worth it, with so many great EM’s to choose one I have to say one just feels better to rip than all the others. 

The Winner: Grand Prix - Williams - 1976

The Best Left Orbit to Upper Ramp Combo

One of my favorite things in all of pinball. Honestly, any game where this is possible it’s probably the only thing I’m doing on it all day. As such there are a lot of really good options for this. The winner has to be one where you can loop it, because you’re 6th in a row feels way better than the first. As such this eliminates some great options from High Speed to Stern Star Trek. 

The shot couldn’t have a detractor, there’s just too many other choices. Rush is out, never a fan of shooting through those pops. Roller games has to go because of the magnet. Getting to make the ramp for free lowers the joy just a tiny bit. Dirty Harry is a VERY strong contender, but in the end all us nerds call this combo a Picard Maneuver for a reason. 

The Winner: Star Trek The Next Generation - Williams - 1993

The Best Multiball

Since the lock was invented (Balls-a-Poppin' in 1956 first machine with flippers to do so) multiball has been one of pinball’s greatest joys. But just because all modern machines have it certainly doesn’t make them all equal. The lightshow in F-14, the start to Mist Multiball on BSD, , battling the power on TZ, the super jackpot on T2! There’s a lot to choose from. For me the most enjoyable can’t be chaos (sorry Apollo 13), and has to feel skillful for real points. Once you include sounds, lights…

The Winner: The Addams Family - Bally - 1992

The Best Lock

Honestly, this is even harder than choosing the best multiball. There are so many fun locks to choose from. We have the T-Rex eating the ball on Data East Jurassic Park, the magnets on Stranger Things Premium/LE (if they work), Danesi locks! Obviously virtual locks were never in the conversation. They have to hold the ball to count. And while it’s not quite as cool as some of the others, it might be the most satisfying single shot in all of pinball. The “ca-chunk” of…

The Winner: The Addams Family - Bally - 1992

That said, I have to give a special shoutout to the Snikt Shot on Deadpool. It’s not really the lock itself, but it’s the most satisfying way to get one up there for sure. 

The Best Skill Shot

Most are lame, some are tricky, some machines have 12 of them, but which is the best? Arena has its gimmick, TNA has its difficulty, Jaws has progression, but let’s be honest with ourselves. Considering it’s used for one of the most fun modes in all of pinball…

The Winner: Congo - Williams - 1995

The Best Playfield

Rudy’s head in Funhouse sure is cool, and Farfalla is stunning. Time Fantasy (LSD Snail) is awesome, Gemini is a beautiful trip. There are so many cool toys and fun things, and I want to give it to Sega’s Godzilla for how cool it is, but one machine has such a great combination of great fun art, spectacular toys, and a wow factor that has turned more people onto pinball than any other. 

The Winner: Medieval Madness - Williams - 1997

The Best Gimmick

Turtles piling out of the van into multiball, the jump on Robo Cop, The One Ring to Rule Them All, the blowed up castle! We have a lot to choose from. I’ve banned Bonzi Run as it’s more of the main part of the game than it is a gimmick, pinball circus basically isn’t real (there’s 2 of them), so for games that we call can play and enjoy I’m going back to the first machine I ever got a reply on as a kid. 

The winner: Stuffing the ball into Rudy’s mouth and having him spit it back at you in FunHouse - Williams  - 1990

The Best Easter Egg

A little obscure, since few are known to the general pinballer. You have BSD if you enter S-U-N as initials, make the Ringmaster say “Moo” by entering M-O-O on Circus Voltaire. On most classic Stern DMD (SAM/Whitestar-era) you can hit LLR quickly 3 or 4 times in attract mode to see a secret message or credits celebrating the design team. Crash through the 4th right barrier on the right side in Indiana Jones for some fun. I almost gave this to the “super secret” laughing mode (You like peking duck?) on Shadow, but because LFS forever…

The Winner: Lymen’s Lament - Monster Bash - Williams 1998

To activate it start a game and hit the following sequence of buttons:

• Both

• Left (11 times)

• Right

• Left (5 times)

• Right

• Left (6 times)

• Right

This is spelling KEF (Keefer’s Initials). You’ll hear Lyman say “Totally!” then shoot the scoop to get it started. 

And that wraps up the first ever “Sean just made it up” pinball awards. Until next time, keep it between the buttons.