![]() ![]() How do you measure ‘greatness’? A total number of games sold? Best overall rated? Something else? It was a monumental challenge to find just who the best solid state designer of all time was. There are so many ways in which to approach this question, it left the entire team scratching its heads as to how to best approach it. Pinball really took off with the introduction of electronic solid state technology in the 70s, and this incredibly rich and diverse part of pinball's history leads onto one very hot debate: Who was the greatest solid state pinball designer of them all? Some games are lightning quick tests of accuracy and reflexes, whilst others are fun and refreshing games of an enjoyable challenge.īehind every single pinball play field is a designer, and many of these designers have become famous names in the pinball community. ![]() Even if you’ve never played on pinball machines before, you’ll be able to tell looking across a wide range of games that every play field you come across is completely unique. Much like pool tables, every single pinball machine is different. It can sometimes feel like a Steve Ritchie deep cut - super fans love it, but it's not always the most accessible title for more casual players.With the recent release of Iron Maiden Pinball Machine from STERN Pinball and their new pinball designer (and a 9 time major pinball championship winner) Keith Elwin, we asked ourselves: 'Who is the greatest pinball designer of all time? For most in the hobby though, game features and code were lacking on release and many felt the playfield was a bit barren. It features a typically tough Ritchie playfield layout, exceptionally well-done artwork, and a killer custom soundtrack by notable guitarist Scott Ian (Anthrax).įor those that love the Steve Ritchie design aesthetic, or mode based play, we can see why this game would resonate. ![]() After all, it was widely derided by much of the pinball community and its production run was comparatively short for most Stern games.īlack Knight: Sword of Rage completes the Black Knight trilogy of pinball games that started back in 1980 with the original Black Knight and that was followed by 1989's Black Knight 2000. To be completely honest, we were surprised when the Pingorithm® placed 2019's Black Knight: Sword of Rage, so highly on this list. Star Trek: The Next Generation (Williams, 1993) Scores are based on a 1-10 system, with 1 representing total crap and 10 representing the best pinball game ever made. The Pingorithm® Score represents an aggregate rating (and totally definitive) rating for a pinball machine, based on several publicly available databases. There are some personal favorites that didn't quite make the top 10, but we had to draw the line somewhere.įor this ranking, we'll again turn to our (patent pending) Pingorithm® Score system. Steve Ritchie has game design credits for roughly 27 pinball machines dating back to 1977's Airborne Adventure, so this was a tough list to make. We're all waiting on the release of Steve Ritchie's first game for JJP ( Elton John is a strong rumor), but in the meantime, let's take a look at Steve's output as game designer! The 10 Best Steve Ritchie Pinball Machines While he was working on the design for James Bond just before his departure, George Gomez ended up starting over with a fresh design, rather than try to piece together what Ritchie started. Steve's last game was 2020's Led Zeppelin machine, from Stern Pinball, which would end up being his last design for the company. His games have introduced features like magnetic ball save, video mode, wizard mode, multi-level playfield design, and lane change (among many others) to the pinball industry. He's also known for some of his voice work on games like Black Knight, No Fear: Dangerous Sports and AC/DC. He's known for designing games with a ton of flow as well as fast, sometimes brutal gameplay. ![]()
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