The worst pinball machine ever made? | Thunderbirds by Homepin | Review, gameplay & tour

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  • Опубліковано 23 сер 2024
  • Gonzo takes a look at The Thunderbirds pinball machine which has been voted the worst machine ever made in the Pinside top 100
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 64

  • @bradwilliams1691
    @bradwilliams1691 10 місяців тому +11

    The Thunderbirds pinball machine is a great looking machine. It's only problem is that it was completely lacking in challenges. It's clearly made for the "not so serious" pinball player or a fan of the Thunderbirds.

  • @Mikere5
    @Mikere5 Рік тому +21

    Hi guys, Thanks for the positive and unbiased review. Many (most?) of the Pinside commenters have never even seen a TAG let alone played one - that site typically attracts the pitchfork brigade that love to pile on whenever they get a chance. Also, NOT being made in the USA makes it a target for ridicule by many in the USA hence the "worst pinball machine ever made" TAG (see what I did there LOL).
    There is a service bulletin on the Homepin website for the ball falling into the cabinet. It actually can fall off the subway ramp not the lift mechanism as you experienced.
    Sorry you didn't activate The Mole as that's my favorite toy! Also, the side cabinet armor is powder coated metal. The only plastic is the lockdown bar.
    That machine looks like the switches were installed the wrong way around in the factory, an assembly mistake by the looks of it?
    Flipper buttons are $2 each to replace so I really don't understand all the fuss around these - just replace them if they aren't to the customers taste. Some will be pleased that we now have a metal lock bar and new flipper buttons for TAP!
    This was our very first effort making a pinball machine - I think we did a reasonable job all things considered and, if you knew some of the back story, it's actually amazing this machine even got finished!
    Thanks again for your positive review.

    • @GonzosPinballFlipperama
      @GonzosPinballFlipperama  Рік тому +1

      No worries Mike. I always take things as I find them and certainly wouldn't be influenced by any outside noise.
      The game definitely had plenty going for it and I did like the ramps.

    • @ArtVandelayOfficial
      @ArtVandelayOfficial Рік тому

      ​@@GonzosPinballFlipperama Mike is a con artist, many people were fleeced by him
      He's banned from multiple major pinball sites for good reason
      He's also a racist and anti LGBT with documented hate speech
      The game is junk and a laughing stock too

    • @ArtVandelayOfficial
      @ArtVandelayOfficial Рік тому +5

      Notice how he instantly attacks the forum,country and users and plays the victim
      We've all been through it with Mike ad nauseam

    • @Mikere5
      @Mikere5 Рік тому +4

      @@ArtVandelayOfficial ...and with very good reason. That site is virtually unmoderated and it's a disgrace that people can say anything they want including slander and outright lies with zero moderation - disgraceful!

    • @ArtVandelayOfficial
      @ArtVandelayOfficial Рік тому +1

      @@Mikere5 If it wasn't moderated why are you banned for life
      All your hate speech was screenshotted and recorded, it's well known
      You even had anti American signage on your website,very nasty indeed

  • @BallenvanStaal
    @BallenvanStaal 7 місяців тому +2

    Great unbiased video, thanks!
    Really REALLY weird to hear the machine play the Creative Commons tune that I was using on the intro and outro of my early UA-cam pinball videos. Sounds very off.

  • @acidburn7683
    @acidburn7683 Рік тому +2

    Flipper gap looks wide to me. I really enjoy your videos. I would like to see more close ups of mechs in action etc with you using your hands to activate switches with a ball to show off all of the features as I feel sometimes we don’t get to see everything.

  • @askburlefot2645
    @askburlefot2645 Рік тому +3

    Thunderbirds appears to be a fine game. I like it!

  • @Ukpinball1
    @Ukpinball1 Рік тому +10

    That's definitely made in China that is for sure

    • @bradwilliams1691
      @bradwilliams1691 10 місяців тому

      It was originally made in China but, then moved over to Taiwan.

    • @LarryCook1960
      @LarryCook1960 2 місяці тому

      It was constructed in China, but designed by an Aussie with 3 decades of experience with pinballs. ua-cam.com/video/bnPhAn2_bjk/v-deo.html

  • @ed150arcade2
    @ed150arcade2 Рік тому +2

    Pinside top 100 is very subjective. I have a Gottlieb Cue Ball Wizard in my collection and it's near the bottom like Thunderbirds. It's so not the worst game ever made. Everyone that comes over, plays it quite a bit.
    I bet if you can get somebody to do the necessary fixes in the game, color DMD it, and rehash the code, it would probably play really well. Cool video. Cheers 🍻

    • @GonzosPinballFlipperama
      @GonzosPinballFlipperama  Рік тому +1

      Thanks Ed, I do agree about the pinside top 100. I agree with much of it but some of my favourites are well down the rankings

    • @ed150arcade2
      @ed150arcade2 Рік тому

      @@GonzosPinballFlipperama completely agree 💯

    • @LaserSharkPhotoablations
      @LaserSharkPhotoablations Рік тому +2

      cue ball is a solid machine, for me its the best of the pool themes and out of my lineup is the one i describe as "pure pinball". not complicated but always challenging.. . little love for the mid 90s gotties. :(

  • @SasmakToy
    @SasmakToy 3 місяці тому

    Thunderbird 2 could have used some panel lines molded into it too. Those trees though! Haha looks like whatever they found bulk. Are the blue ramp rails plastic?

  • @antray8481
    @antray8481 6 місяців тому +1

    Don't know if it is the worst, but it doesn't look good. Ball barely seems to be able to make it up the ramps and feels very clunky with no flow. Also clearly has a bunch of qc issues.

  • @justimagine2403
    @justimagine2403 8 місяців тому +2

    FAIL.. any time you have to pull the glass... let alone the playfield to fetch a ball. Fail. Pass on this machine.

  • @GoodwinsPlace
    @GoodwinsPlace Рік тому

    It looks like it has some issues but lots of good in there too. Imagine having that out on location and someone lost the ball in the pool the second you leave. 🙈
    The middle ramps always feel a bit awkward and not natural to hit a clean run without it bouncing off the sides, and the return looked a bit tricky to get out of if it didn't go all the way.
    Music was strange, might be licensing but you'd want it to be almost annoying how the theme is repeated on loop rather than some random REM type.
    Great video as always. 👍

  • @junior_pinball
    @junior_pinball Місяць тому

    Hercules being that low is insane. Its a cool game. Thats all said

  • @tracytron7162
    @tracytron7162 10 місяців тому

    Man I wish I had the space for this thing and the money for one XD

  • @Pinballroomcville
    @Pinballroomcville 6 місяців тому

    He could have lead with the missing ball info when the ball went missing!

  • @0utdoorscience
    @0utdoorscience Рік тому

    I’ve actually rated 19 pinball machines worse than Tony’s Thunderbirds. It’s quite entertaining, really. The ball didn’t drop through the swimming pool on any of my games, but it did get caught repeatedly on the right-hand switch. I’m amazed you didn’t mention the flipper buttons though - they are a REALLY strange shape (kind of like you’re sticking your finger in a deep hole).

    • @GonzosPinballFlipperama
      @GonzosPinballFlipperama  Рік тому +2

      We did actually mate but that was in the section that got muted. You're absolutely right though.

    • @bradwilliams1691
      @bradwilliams1691 9 місяців тому

      The ball doesn't actually fall through the swimming pool - it comes up from under the swimming pool for a multiball.

  • @YouSeeSorrows
    @YouSeeSorrows 3 місяці тому

    The Pinside Top 100 is in Fahrenheit

  • @Videogamehistorian00
    @Videogamehistorian00 Місяць тому

    I've played one, I think it's just boring. I really think it's worse that it was marketed towards pinball enthusiasts who typically like difficult games in a home environment, which Thunderbirds definitely is not.

  • @cyrusoverland8461
    @cyrusoverland8461 2 місяці тому +1

    My friend owns one and I have played it many times. If you have a lot of space in your Gameroom, then why not own one of the worst games ever made? A rules update might help but the layout of this game is horrible. What a waste of a good theme.

  • @michaelturner4457
    @michaelturner4457 2 місяці тому

    Playfield is too busy

  • @garypauljohnson9884
    @garypauljohnson9884 Рік тому

    Absolutely smashed this first go at Electric Circus, Nuneaton. Following two visits I sucked liked a $10 Ho! Ho! Ho!. Merry Xmas all and keep pulling them Twangers into 2023 😎

  • @iresean
    @iresean Рік тому +4

    Its sad mike never finished this game and failed to deliver toppers. Avoid homepin and its products

    • @Mikere5
      @Mikere5 Рік тому +4

      Every game paid for was delivered, yes, late but delivered. Toppers have been ready and available for more than a year now and many have them installed on their machines so that comment is incorrect.

  • @TYNEPUNK
    @TYNEPUNK Місяць тому

    i worked with homepin, but not on this one, talented bloke.

  • @everythingamazing2379
    @everythingamazing2379 Рік тому +2

    top 300 something of about 5000? how is that the worst ever made?

    • @ArtVandelayOfficial
      @ArtVandelayOfficial 2 місяці тому

      Part of that low rating is because of the creator
      He is very hated on that site and for good reason
      The game just happens to be terrible as well

  • @nellysmoss76
    @nellysmoss76 Рік тому +1

    I’ve played it , I like it , the art is cool and it’s pinball, people want wayyyy to much. Mike did a good job.

  • @DaveTheTrain
    @DaveTheTrain Рік тому +1

    Even the flipper buttons are fking awful

  • @yournamehere6002
    @yournamehere6002 Рік тому +1

    Yeah, but it looks really cool.

  • @Fenshiro
    @Fenshiro Рік тому +1

    From what I can tell, it has zero flow. What does this game sell for?

  • @jjj-ox3be
    @jjj-ox3be Рік тому +1

    Fun video

  • @larrysweeney12large
    @larrysweeney12large Рік тому +4

    I haven't played it, but it can't be worse than Hercules, can it?

  • @BlackwoodCompany
    @BlackwoodCompany Рік тому +1

    The score display needs to be fixed.

  • @markpopplewell7667
    @markpopplewell7667 Рік тому

    This machine is decent and i just can't understand the hate, theres not many around and i have played it. Most haven't. There are definitely worse.

  • @moobutt
    @moobutt Рік тому +1

    The Chinese are allowed to finishes on the playfields that aren’t allowed in the states and europe.

  • @Ukpinball1
    @Ukpinball1 Рік тому +3

    made in China